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Living well with regular Yoga and good Nutrition

 

preliminary step to weight loss

Yoga is not simply a set of exercises but a lifestyle. When practising yoga, asanas and nutrition go hand in hand to improve your quality of life. Your digestive system, immunity and energy levels are directly linked to the food you intake. If there is a problem with any of these, yoga asanas can help resolve it.

Digestion: Not all food is easy to digest. Instead of popping laxatives and antacids after every meal, change the food you’re eating. Citrus fruits and leafy vegetables that are rich in fibre aid digestion and prevent constipation. Some foods like yoghurt, buttermilk are probiotics that support the growth of gut bacteria and keep your stomach healthy. Also include carminatives or foods that prevent the formation of gas like cumin, ginger and oatmeal.

Yogic Asanas such as the Spinal twist, Apanasana and Paschimottanasana can help smoothen the digestive process.

 

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Immunity: Eating the right food can help boost your immunity. Citrus fruits are rich sources of vitamin C that directly strengthen the immune system. Herbs like turmeric, ginger and garlic are rich in antioxidants and linked to the prevention of a number of diseases including several types of Cancer. Proteins also help nourish your immune system and hence should not be ignored.

A combination of asanas and yogic breathing techniques can help boost your immunity. Some asanas to try to include Viparita Karani, Bhujangasana, Matsyasana and Adho Mukha Svanasana. These poses help lower stress and boost immunity by pumping rich oxygenated blood to all the parts of the body.

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Energy: The food you eat is turned into glucose to fuel the body and maintain a constant supply of energy. Soy and green leafy vegetables that are rich in iron can effectively boost your energy levels. Fruits like apples, bananas and oranges can also help increase your energy. Yoghurt rich in magnesium does not directly contribute towards the creation of glucose but helps the body release this energy whenever needed.

Yoga asanas help increase blood flow and increase the heart’s capacity to pump blood through the body. A few yoga poses that can boost energy are the camel pose, tree pose and warrior asana.

Relaxation: Sipping on a cup of green tea is a good way to end the day and relax. Other food like honey, milk, celery and oatmeal can also help calm the body and fight off the day’s stress. Apart from being delicious, dark chocolate also releases hormones that ease stress and help relax a person.

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Practising yoga breathing techniques like Pranayama can effectively release tension. Supta Baddha Konasana, Viparita Karani and the Supta Matsyendrasana can also help increase energy levels.

We trust that this holistic approach to living well through yoga and good nutrition resonates with you. If you found these insights beneficial and have your own experiences or tips to share, we invite you to do so in the comments section below. For more articles and resources on enhancing your well-being through yoga and nutrition, explore our Healthy Reads. And, if you’re seeking personalised guidance and support on your journey to optimal health, consider subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health. Images shown are for representation purposes only and may not depict the exact recommendations or outcomes.

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Gopalkala Recipe – A Perfect Evening Snack

Gopalkala RecipeWe always learn a lot from our traditions. It’s not only stories, but also practical implementations that we can do in our day to day life. There’s so much to learn from mythology and history alike. For instance, we have grown up listening to stories of Lord Krishna. We all know that Lord Krishna was brought up in Gokul, where there was plenty of milk & milk products. He was considered notorious for stealing milk, butter, and curd in his childhood. In one of the folklores, it’s mentioned that Lord Krishna used to gather all the food stuff brought by his fellows and mix it up. This gave birth to the dish – Gopalkala (Dahikala) which has different foods mixed up with curd.

We celebrate Janmashtami –Lord Krishna’s birthday, the way Lord Krishna celebrated it; With all the goodies that he liked, prepared at home. Gopalkala or Dahikala is made and given in offering to him on this occasion and then served to the rest of the people.

On the occasion of Janmashtami, let’s look at a Gopalkala Recipe. It’s easy to prepare and doesn’t involve cooking. At the same time, it’s nutritious & healthy. One can have it as an evening snack, mid meal or even as a pre-workout meal! You can even give this dish to your kids in their school tiffin box as well.

What You Will Need

  • Thick Poha or rice flakes – 1 bowl
  • Fresh curd – 1 bowl
  • Chopped Cucumber- ½ bowl
  • Groundnuts – ¼ bowl
  • Roasted chick pea – ¼ bowl
  • Pomegranate – ¼ bowl
  • Grated coconut/ Coconut pieces – ¼ bowl
  • Grated ginger – 1 tsp
  • Chopped Green Chillies – 1-2 tsp
  • Chopped coriander – 1-2 tsp
  • Sugar – 1 tsp
  • Salt to taste

How To Prepare

  1. Wash the rice flakes in a sieve and keep it aside for 5 mins. Let it get soaked
  2. In 1 big bowl, beat the curd with sugar, salt, ginger, green chillies & coconut pieces
  3. Add rice flakes in this bowl. Let it soak for another 5 mins
  4. Add cucumber, groundnuts, roasted chick pea and pomegranate seeds
  5. Mix well & top it with coriander

Nutritional Value

It’s a healthy filling snack, nutritionally well balanced.

  • Poha or rice flakes contribute to the carbohydrate content
  • Curd, groundnuts and roasted chick pea make up for the protein content
  • Curd is an excellent probiotic that is extremely good for gut health and digestion
  • While the Gopalkala recipe doesn’t require oil or ghee, it has healthy fats from groundnut (MUFA) & coconut.
  • It completes your salads & fruits quota too through cucumber & pomegranate. So don’t worry about the fiber, vitamins and antioxidants!

Worried about Poha being a rice product and its GI (Glycemic Index)? Please don’t! The protein, fats and fiber in it will bring down the GI. So what are you waiting for? Don’t just eat it as an offering to God but include it in your daily meals.

We hope you do try this Gopalkala recipe at home and share your thoughts with us in the comments below! Alternatively, you can also take pics of your preparation and share it with us on the GOQii Arena or our Instagram page, tagging GOQii.

For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

Wish you all a happy Shri Krishna Janmashtami! 

#BeTheForce

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5 signs you’re not getting enough Protein

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The food market is constantly advertising about adding protein to all edibles, and this might mislead you into thinking that you are consuming an abundance of this key micronutrient in your diet. This might not be the actual scenario and a lack of protein may be ruining your health and your effort in the gym.

While protein requirement varies for every individual depending upon body weight and activity levels, there is no doubt that an adequate amount of protein keeps the body lean and preserves muscles strength as we age. If you are unsure about the amount of protein you are getting and wondering if it’s enough to fuel your fitness goals, here are a few ways to know.

  1. Your hair starts Thinning

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Hair thinning is a major concern these days and it haunts both genders equally.

But why? And how is protein linked to it? So, here is the answer. If you don’t nourish your body with adequate protein, then it looks for “non-essential” body parts like hair to pull protein from. The body needs nutrients for the basic functioning. Once your hair is deprived of the nutrient it needs, it starts thinning and even falling out. Next time when you observe hair fall or thinning, consume a high protein diet.

      2.Constant Injuries

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Injuries, as we all know, are barriers we have to overcome amidst our fitness journey.  But why do people get injured so frequently? Let’s solve the query. Apart from muscle loss, a lack of protein in diet precipitates several perils such as loss of bone mass and osteoporosis. The body tends to face difficulty in absorbing calcium which most likely will make you prone to injuries. This is the reason why we lack stamina during high-intensity workouts. So, if you are constantly injured, you may need to increase your protein intake. Some rich sources of protein are Seafood, white meat, eggs and green vegetables. Hog on them to keep the doctor away.

       3. Workout Doesn’t Entail Results

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It takes a lot of dedication and effort to wake up each morning and workout. Still, the scale in the weighing machine is not changing? So, here’s the answer to “But why?” Protein is crucial for building new muscle mass and also important in sustainable energy and motivation. It adds up the strength to recover the muscles post workout. A low protein diet may make you suffer muscle atrophy which is a condition when your body starts cannibalizing the tissue for fuel. If you don’t serve your muscle composition with adequate protein, no matter how much you work out, the results will always be below your expectation. Therefore, always consume a protein-rich pre/post workout meal for faster and better results.

       4. Unexpected Anxiety and Food Cravings

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Do you often lash out at your co-worker or others around you? This is not always stressing. Let’s dig deeper. Serotonin is a hormone that regulates calmness, and protein plays a vital role in helping the brain synthesize serotonin. Also, if you don’t consume enough protein, your body causes spikes and crashes of insulin, resulting in a craving for carb-rich snacks. Your body’s demand for biscuits and other oily snacks is not because of taste but because of lack of protein. Serotonin also helps in regulating the spike of insulin in your blood, so a lack of serotonin will result in imbalanced amounts of insulin in the blood. So, if you are unable to tame your temper or are craving for greasy and unhealthy snacks, it could be a sign of protein deficiency. When you feel anxious next time, you know what you need.

 

 

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