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With The GOQii Smart Vital Junior You Can #KeepAWatch On Your Child’s Health!

GOQii Smart Vital Junior

Until recently, it was presumed that children would not be significantly affected by the virus. However, the second wave has changed the manner in which the virus affects people and as speculated by medical experts, the third wave of COVID-19 is likely to affect children too! This is where the GOQii Smart Vital Junior will help as a precautionary measure for parents to #KeepAWatch on the health and wellbeing of their children! 

How Does The GOQii Smart Vital Junior Help? 

Patients suffering from COVID-19 generally have symptoms such as low oxygen rate and high body temperature. The GOQii Smart Vital Junior tracks both – body temperature and blood oxygen levels (SpO2) to rule out these early symptoms so that care can be provided on time. 

Thanks to this device, parents will be able to monitor the health of their kids via the GOQii mobile app and also use it for consulting a GOQii Coach for their kid’s specific health goals/objectives, enrolling their Kids to specialised kid’s workout sessions on GOQii Play, watching Healthy Kids diet shows on GOQii Play and consulting Paediatrician’s LIVE on GOQii Play. Special Brain and Memory games to help with cognitive functions are also available on the GOQii App to make it even more fun and engaging for the kids.

“The pandemic has been really challenging mainly for children as their way of life has been altered in more ways than one,” says our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal. He further adds that, “In addition, the third wave is being predicted to severely affect kids, hence we took a step forward to launch a service specially designed to keep the vitals of kids in check. It will help with prompt diagnosis resulting in timely treatment while also monitoring other health related aspects like kids’ health goals, online paediatrician consultations and kids’ workout sessions. With a view to provide holistic benefits for kids’ health and wellness, we are also happy to announce our partnership with Sri Sri Tattva where kids’ immunity boosting products along with nutrition options for the whole family will be made available on GOQii Store.” 

Commenting on the collaboration, Mr Arvind Varchaswi, Managing Director, Sri Sri Tattva said – “We are very happy to partner with GOQii for this wonderful initiative. This comes at the right time when scientists suggest that there can be another wave affecting the younger age group. Since thousands across the world have benefited from the clinically tested Sri Sri Tattva Immunity Kit, our team of doctors have now put together an Immunity Kit specially for children. These include products, whose efficacy has been proven through research and studies, will now be available on the GOQii store, for the benefit of its customers.” 

The available products include the Morning Family nutrition pack, immunity building kits and immunity booster drops that cater to the entire family’s needs especially during a time when immunity boosting is the best way to prevent yourselves from the coronavirus infection. These products are available on the GOQii Health Store within the GOQii App. 

GOQii Smart Vital Junior is designed specially for kids with a colourful display and straps that are made with materials gentle to the skin and to fit their wrists. Apart from this, the features also include: 

  • Continuous body temperature monitoring 
  • Continuous heart rate (HR) monitoring 
  • Measuring blood oxygen levels (SpO2) 
  • Sleep Tracking 
  • 18 exercise modes 

…and much more! 

You can order the GOQii Smart Vital Junior from the GOQii App. It is also available on online platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart. It is recommended to be used for screening purposes only. All data collected by GOQii is subjected to HIPAA, GDPR and relevant data privacy guidelines. The GOQii Smart Vital Junior is priced in India at INR 4999/- 

Keep a Watch on Your Kids’ Health and help them #BeTheForce 

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How to Disinfect Your Home To Stay Safe During The Pandemic

disinfect your homeWith the coronavirus pandemic showing no signs of abating, it’s up to us to do everything we can to slow its spread. This means protecting ourselves, our families, and those around us, especially the most vulnerable. While social distancing is the most important thing that you can do in this regard it is also important to pay more heed to hygiene. Sanitization and disinfection of your home and surroundings is something that you can actively do to lower the risk of contagion. Although contact with contaminated surfaces is not the primary mode of transmission of COVID-19, it can increase your risk. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), contact with contaminated surfaces is a likely secondary mode of infection. Before you attempt to clean and disinfect your home in panic, take a breath and calm down. To effectively disinfect your home and lower the risk of coronavirus infection, find out which products work, how you should use them, and which areas of your house require your attention.

Disinfectants and Cleansers to Sanitize Your Home

Not every cleanser is effective at killing microorganisms like the coronavirus and some are only effective for bacteria or weaker viral strains. Here are the different categories of cleansers.

  • Bleach: If you’re looking to thoroughly disinfect and kill any pathogen in your house, nothing’s more effective than sodium hypochlorite – the active ingredient in bleach. Bleach is so effective as it destroys the protein and RNA, which is the defining feature of any virus. When cleaning with bleach, make sure to follow package directions and leave it on the surface for at least 10-15 minutes before mopping or wiping down.
  • Surgical Spirit or Ethanol: is one of the most powerful disinfectants you can find. It is therefore a common ingredient in many of the best disinfectants and sanitizers. From research, we know that ethanol can kill most types of coronavirus in about half a minute of exposure. It works in the same manner as bleach, destroying the virus’ RNA. When using surgical spirit or any ethanol-based cleanser, you simply need to moisten a cloth with the solution and rub it over the surface area. The point is to apply the solution over the area, not to rub it or wipe it off, as such liquids evaporate rapidly.
  • Surface Wipes: Depending on the type and quality of surface wipes, efficacy of such products can vary. Many contain antiseptics like benzalkonium chloride, which can kill germs, while some may also have natural antiseptics. The main benefit of such products is that they can help physically remove pathogens from surfaces, but they are unlikely to kill the virus itself.
  • Hand Sanitizers: are extremely useful for disinfection, especially for personal hygiene when you are forced to step outdoors and come in contact with surfaces. Hand sanitizers can also be used to clean household surfaces if needed. They are so effective because of the same primary ingredient in surgical spirit – ethanol. If you are looking for natural or herbal sanitizers, these should also contain alcohol to have any efficacy. An Ayurvedic herbal sanitizer would probably list the alcohol as prasanna or madya.
  • Soap and Water: As stated by health care authorities across the world, soap and water is your first defense against the virus. This is true with hand washing, but there’s a caveat. Almost all soaps and detergents will simply help to remove the virus and allow it be flushed away with water. However, these products will not kill the virus. This means that soaps and detergents, although helpful for hand washing, are not of much use when disinfecting household surfaces.

CAUTION

When using chemical-based disinfectants and cleansers like bleach, you need to exercise great caution. Bleach and other chemicals can be toxic if ingested or inhaled and can also cause severe skin and eye irritation. Make sure to use gloves and ensure good ventilation when using these products. If you’re using herbal Ayurvedic cleansers with ingredients like neem and aloe, this isn’t a concern at all.

When using bleach, make sure to dilute it precisely as directed and avoid mixing it with any other products as this can be deadly. Also keep in mind that bleach isn’t suitable for cleansing all surfaces as it can damage or discolor some surfaces.

Areas of Focus When You Disinfect Your Home

1. Household Surfaces
Because of the relative novelty of the COVID-19 virus, there is a lack of extensive research, but we are learning more each day. Studies show that the coronavirus has different survival times on different surfaces. Plastic and stainless steel surfaces deserve the most attention when you disinfect your home, as the virus could survive on such surfaces for up to nine days. On the other hand, paper and cardboard surfaces were found to be most inhospitable to the virus, with survival times of no more than a day.

Keeping this in mind and the efficacy of the various disinfectants that we have already discussed, you should focus on cleansing the following areas in your house.

  •       Kitchen and cabinet counters
  •       Door knobs, door handles, door bells, and all switches
  •       Remote controls, keyboards, joysticks, and other frequently used devices
  •       Laptops, tablets, and phones
  •       The outside of your wallet or bottom and handle of your purse
  •       Mattresses, cushions, and other upholstery that cannot be washed frequently may be cleansed with disinfectant sprays

2. Things You Bring into Your Home
Despite the lockdown and social distancing measures, trips to the ATM, grocery store, or pharmacist can be unavoidable. When you return with groceries and other supplies, you need to be aware of the risk of surface contamination. Every item that you purchase and bring into your home, from the packaging to the individual items, is handled by a chain of people – the employee who stocks the shelves, the cashier, and other customers who may have handled the product before.

This makes the cleansing and sanitizing of all things you bring into the house more important than other household cleansing. Wipe the surfaces of all bottles, cans, plastic bags or boxes, and other containers with disinfectants like sanitizer before you put them in your cabinet or fridge. For the same reason, it would also be a good idea to put your clothes to wash with detergent each time you enter your home. Similarly, it would be a good idea to cleanse your car’s steering wheel, dashboard, and door handles each time you return home.

We hope this article helps you disinfect your home and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more useful information, you can check out Healthy Reads or tune in to experts on GOQii Play. 

Ayurvedic cleansers are available on the GOQii Health Store within the GOQii app as well. 

#BeTheForce 

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Take The Best Route Forward! Lakshmi Ajitha Gets Healthier With GOQii

Lakshmi AjithaBeing healthy is a consistent effort. No amount of crash dieting or overworking yourself at the gym for a few months can resolve health issues which have piled up over months and years. Many people find it difficult to follow a healthy routine. Sometimes, all you need is a little encouragement and the right guidance to get you started – something out player Lakshmi Ajitha realized through her association with GOQii! 

Life Before GOQii  

Lakshmi Ajitha is a 33 year old working professional from Bengaluru. She said that she’s always been on the heavier side since puberty. Post marriage, her weight only increased due to hormonal and lifestyle changes. Since the lockdown in March 2020, she only gained another 5-7kg. When someone would comment on her weight, she would turn to crash diets and quit them with zero consistency. Junk food, indulgence in sweets with no restrictions, eating out and lack of physical activities only contributed to her weight gain and slowly, all sorts of health issues such as thyroid and PCOS began creeping up on her. 

In August 2020, a fitness challenge was rolled out in her company, and all who registered, received a GOQii tracker with 3 month subscription. Being someone who always lacked the inclination to do any kind of activity, she thought this might finally motivate her. So, she registered for the challenge and then there was no looking back. 

Changing Habits To Improve Lifestyle 

Lakshmi says though she received the tracker and had a coach assigned, she never took it seriously for at least a month. Then in October, when she was away on a 2 week vacation, there were numerous messages on her app from her Coach, expressing concern over her inactivity and not interacting with her. She felt there was someone who was really worried about her health and wished to help her.  

She then had a call with her GOQii Coach Priyanka Mangla, who understood everything about her lifestyle, diet pattern and daily routine. She then slowly introduced small changes like a basic walk everyday to complete 5k steps, increasing water intake and cutting down on her tea intake from 5 cups a day to just 2 cups in a week. These changes also included avoiding maida, all kinds of processed food, reducing rice intake while increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Most importantly, her Coach taught her how to control sweet cravings which was a major challenge. 

Lakshmi Ajitha says her coach never forced anything, always gave alternatives and gently guided her to the right foods. She always gave a reasoning as to why she should or shouldn’t do something. The Coach was also strict with her logging food and activity everyday. 

Lakshmi says the best thing she liked about her Coach was that she appreciated even the smallest of her achievements, understood her body and suggested suitable options. 

On the physical activity front, the third month saw her completing 10k steps everyday and thereafter, she was slowly introduced to basic bodyweight exercises. Sometime during December, she experienced knee pain which turned out to be OsteoArthritis. Her coach shared exercises which would not strain her knees and now the pain is very mild and only aggravates if she does any jumping activity. 

Results After 6 Months Of Making a Lifestyle Change 

Her weight reduced by 14kg over the last 6 months. In October and November, where her monthly cycles used to be completely unpredictable, now they have regularised and that too without any medication. Her TSH which used to hover between 7 and 12 until October last year, has come down to 1.4 when she last checked in February. 

Lakshmi says what she liked about GOQii is that they focus on giving the best routes for the user rather than constantly nagging them about different plans and subscription renewals. She feels that’s the reason why she preferred to stick to GOQii rather than switch to competitors.  She also finds GOQii Play as a huge repository of interesting and varied content.

In her own words, “Taking the first step is the most challenging and Priyanka did manage to break through my laziness and pulled me on the track to good health! Her concern seemed genuine and she was well qualified which further gave me the confidence to follow her instructions”.

Does Lakshmi Ajitha’s story inspire you to make a lifestyle change? Then download the GOQii App and subscribe now! To read more inspirational stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce

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Here’s How The GOQii Vital ECG Saves Lives

GOQii Vital ECGDr. Arvind Sinha has been suffering from hypertension for the last 3 decades and has had cardiac problems for close to 2 decades now. He first developed cardiac problems when he was around 46-47 years of age due to a sedentary lifestyle. About 25 years back, he underwent a coronary bypass operation. Almost a year ago his son Dr. Chandan Sinha came across the GOQii Vital ECG band, he decided to get it for his father to keep a check on his ECG. 9 months later, Dr. Arvind Sinha, one afternoon, suddenly developed palpitations. This kind of palpitations was something he had never experienced in 3 years. He had an oximeter by his bedside and so he first checked his SpO2 levels. His SpO2 levels were normal and BP showed 148-88mmHg. But, the palpitations continued for a while. Then around half an hour later, he again felt uneasy which is when he decided to use the GOQii Vital ECG band and check his ECG. The time was around 5:30 pm. The ECG reading showed abnormal – Atrial Fibrillation. Dr. Sinha was having palpitations when he took the ECG. He took his ECG (on his own) and the device helped him to understand what was happening to him.

GOQii Vital ECGDr Chandan Sinha says, “We do have a proper ECG machine at home where we would take my father’s ECG readings. But, it would have taken a while before we took his ECG when he had palpitations. In such a scenario, the device is handy and it helped understand the abnormal situation immediately. What surprised us was we got a call from their Bangalore HQ and the person on the other side sounded concerned and was asking for the well-being of the patient. Moreover, he wanted us to connect to a doctor if required. Now, this is something which would help the elderly staying alone in smaller cities of India. I feel it’s a must have item for parents, not a normal fitness band but the perfect health tracker!” he adds.

1.53 mn deaths happen in India due to heart attacks every year  

How often have we have heard of situations wherein a cardiac patient has felt uneasy due to a very high heart rate (upwards of 180 beats per minute), uneasiness in the chest, severe sweating, high BP and has been rushed to the hospital and the first thing that is done is to take an ECG. Imagine if the same can be taken immediately with a band on the wrist of the patient; it can save a life. The GOQii Vital ECG device, according to both Dr Arvind and Dr Chandan Sinha, is a good preventive device on the wrist that gives you an indication to take action immediately.

The likelihood of surviving a heart attack is over 80% if action is taken within  the first 2 hours

GOQii Vital ECG provides ECG reports powered by Tricog Health, a platform that instantly and accurately interprets ECG readings with advanced technology and medical expertise. GOQii’s data shows that since August 2019, a total of over 10000 ECGs have been taken and the average age, of approximately 1000 users using the device, is 45 years of age. The ECG report is verified by Tricog & delivered within one minute in GOQii App. The ECG report in PDF format can be shared immediately with the doctors via Whatsapp, E-Mail, etc.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 17.7 million people lost their lives due to cardiovascular disease in 2015, making it the number one killer. In India, around 1.5-3 million deaths happen due to heart attacks every year. The high rate of mortality caused by heart attacks is mainly because the symptoms are often ignored or misunderstood. The likelihood of surviving a heart attack is over 80% if the action is taken within the first 2 hours. However, the average time between symptoms and treatment in India is over 6 hours. 

“We at GOQii are fostering a preventive health ecosystem. Our aim is to focus on real-time and easy ECG diagnostics on your fingertip, coupled with lifestyle coaching advice. We are interpreting GOQii Vital EGG data along with state-of-the-art deep learning-based Arrhythmia detection algorithms. This is a big step towards the reduction in India’s mortality rate due to heart disorders and is in support of PM Modi’s Vision of #FitIndia,” says Vishal Gondal, Founder & CEO, GOQii.

According to doctors, Cardiac diseases is the number 1 killer in India, due to the lack of awareness and availability of necessary medical infrastructure. Most people only check their ECG once they have suffered a cardiac episode, even though it is a quick and inexpensive test. The reason being most primary care clinics are not equipped with ECG machines owing to their high cost and complex nature. Secondly, a lot of primary care doctors do not receive sufficient training in ECG interpretation.

“Heart palpitations which tend to get overlooked is a strong indicator or symptom of an underlying heart problem. By raising awareness & providing a band which easily provides an ECG report by means of a simple touch, GOQii is revolutionizing the prevention of serious heart and brain ailments,” says Rajashree Menon, Business Head- Healthcare, GOQii.

The GOQii Vital ECG along with Tricog is here to bring in a new generation of heart monitoring on people’s wrists. “Undetected Arrhythmias can lead to potentially life-threatening conditions like strokes, that can be prevented with the use of technology and medicine,” says Dr. Charit Bhograj, Chief Cardiologist and CEO at TricogBhograj. 

Adding and echoing Dr Bhograj’s words is Dr. Vanita Arora, Director and Head Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab & Arrhythmia Services, Max Hospital, Saket. She adds, “The GOQii Vital ECG band will help diagnose symptoms of arrhythmia that are transitory in nature, thus aiding in quick analysis and interpretation as the symptoms exist only for a brief period. The patient can understand that the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat is irregular in a period of 30 seconds, and can take immediate action to prevent any fatalities.” Atrial Fibrillation increases the risk of Stroke and associated complications.

The GOQii Vital ECG wrist wearable can record a single-lead ECG, off the user’s wrist and makes diagnosis readily available to the masses. Also, users can book an online consultation with a cardiac specialist for a nominal fee. The consultant can help analyse the ECG report along with the lifestyle data, to recommend changes. 

The band also has a feature to detect serious heart conditions like Atrial Fibrillation. This has been made possible due to Tricog Health’s deep learning-based Arrhythmia detection algorithm -DeepRhythm™. It will provide GOQii’s users with accurate interpretation of their single-lead ECG. DeepRhythm is Tricog’s proprietary algorithm* (FDA pending) that has been developed with over three years of research, using 30 million traces of ECG recordings to detect several forms of Arrhythmias. The GOQii Vital ECG is only a screening device and not a medical-grade device.

Want to know more about the GOQii Vital ECG and why you should get it? Click Here

To read more about GOQii, check out Healthy Reads!

#BeTheForce 

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