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March 22, 2025 By Trupti Hingad 3 Comments

7 Tips To Help You Drink Water The Right Way

7 tips to help you drink water the right way World Water Day 2025 is a timely reminder of the value water holds in our lives—not just globally, but personally. While this year’s theme focuses on glacier preservation, we often overlook a key question: Are we drinking water in the best possible way for our health?

We all know hydration is important. But how you drink water matters just as much as how much you drink. Water is a vital life force—it fuels digestion, flushes out toxins, supports metabolism, and keeps every cell functioning. Yet, many of us are unaware that drinking water incorrectly can impact our health.

How To Drink Water The Right Way 

Let’s explore 7 essential tips to help you hydrate better, smarter, and more mindfully every day.

  1. Sit Down to Drink Water
    When you stand and drink water you upset the balance of fluids in the body and this may lead to more accumulation of fluids in the joints. When you sit and drink, your muscles and nervous system is relaxed and you absorb it nicely. Also, kidney pace of filtration is good when you sit and drink water
  2. Sip, Don’t Gulp Large Quantities
    Avoid drinking large amounts of water in one go. Gulping too much too quickly can block air intake into your lungs and put undue pressure on your heart and lungs. Instead, sip water slowly throughout the day—this helps your body absorb and utilise it more effectively.
  3. Avoid Ice-Cold Water
    Cold or chilled water may feel refreshing, but it disrupts digestion by cooling the internal fire needed to digest food properly. Cold water also reduces blood flow to various organs and can lead to issues like constipation. Try to drink room temperature or warm water instead—it aids digestion, supports metabolism, and even helps control cholesterol levels.
  4. Listen to Your Body’s Thirst Cues
    Your body is smart—it tells you when it’s low on water. Dark yellow urine, dry lips, dry tongue, and persistent fatigue are signs of dehydration. Clear or pale urine means you’re well-hydrated. Pay attention to these signs and hydrate accordingly.
  5. Start Your Day with Water
    Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning helps flush out toxins and cleanses your digestive system. It supports smoother bowel movements and kickstarts your metabolism—setting a healthy tone for the rest of the day.
  6. Store Water the Right Way
    Traditionally, water stored in copper or silver vessels is believed to balance the body’s energies by positively charging the water. Copper is known for its antioxidant and antibacterial properties, while silver is believed to have a cooling effect on the digestive system.While copper and silver vessels might not be common everywhere, you can opt for glass or stainless steel bottles as safe and eco-friendly alternatives to plastic. These options are free from harmful chemicals like BPA and help maintain the water’s purity.
  7. Drinking Water Isn’t Just to Quench Thirst
    Water is essential for replenishing lost minerals and salts, especially after sweating or physical activity. It hydrates muscles and joints, supports digestion, maintains fluid balance, and prevents acidity. Make water a daily habit of recovery and rejuvenation, not just a thirst response.

Drinking water the right way is about more than just hitting your daily quota. By being mindful of how and when you drink water—and how you store it—you can improve digestion, boost energy, and support overall well-being.

Let this World Water Day inspire a renewed appreciation for water—not only as a global resource but as a vital part of our personal health.

💧 How do you ensure you stay hydrated daily? Share your tips in the comments below!

#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.

February 3, 2025 By GOQii 5 Comments

Why You Need To Consume More Water During Winter

consume more water during winterWinter can be a dreadful experience if you don’t have the resistance to withstand cold. While searching for things to keep us warm from the outside and within, consuming water is quite low on our winter checklist. But there are many reasons why you need to consume more water during winter – one of them being that we get more dehydrated during winter.

Why Do We Feel More Dehydrated During Winter? 

It’s a fact that we get more dehydrated in winter when compared to summer. This is because when the surrounding temperature drops, we cling to the heater or cover ourselves with layers of clothing to keep us warm. This artificial heat causes dehydration.

Though we do not sweat during this season, water vapor is still lost from our body through our breath. Winter can even accelerate dehydration because of the lifesaving mechanism that’s functional in our body which constricts our blood vessels in cold weather, in turn conserving heat and maintaining body temperature.

Shrinking blood vessels increase blood pressure, making our kidneys produce more urine which means less blood to fill in the veins and arteries and frequent visits to the loo, hence, increasing the risk of dehydration. Dehydration causes muscle fatigue, cramps, loss of coordination and even a stroke. A dehydrated body is easily prone to flu and winter cold.

Basically, during winters we refrain from having enough water. With the days being short, it makes us exercise less and our food intake grows. When our body is well hydrated, its efficiency to break down fat for energy increases so that we have better control of our appetite.

The other concern is that of water retention due to the body not being well hydrated during winter. This takes place when our body starts feeling the scarcity of water and it starts holding back water leading to water retention.

How do I know if I am dehydrated? – Thirst is our body’s way of saying “I am on the verge of dehydration”. You can even be watchful of how clear or light colored your urine is. If it is dark, hydrate immediately.

How Do I Consume More Water During Winter?

  1. Drink Warm Water: 90% of the excuses that we give for not having water in winter is that it makes us feel cold. The best solution here is to drink lukewarm water, which would not only soothe your throat but will also replenish your water stores while boosting your metabolism
  2. Balance Tea and Coffee With Water: Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics (they cause us to lose more water through urine), so try to have a glass of water before having your evening tea/coffee. Have another glass after a few mins of after having your tea/coffee This way, we can replenish our body’s water store.
  3. Include Water Based Food In Your Menu: Vegetables and fruits are naturally rich in water, which also provide vital minerals and vitamins. Soups are the best way to go! Try this Chilli Bean Soup to keep you warm.
  4. Drink Water Throughout Your Exercise: Make it a point to have water before, during and after your exercise. Due to the cold climate, there are very fewer chances of sweating too much or feeling too thirsty, mind it your body needs it!
  5. Make Water Interesting: Many find drinking plain water very boring. If you are one of them, then you can add natural flavors to water (not free calories though) by adding some fruits or herbs which give the water some mild taste and make it delicious to sip on.

In conclusion, I would say be it summer, monsoon or winter, our body remains same through the year. So keep sipping and always stay hydrated! If you have difficulty keeping track of your water intake, you can log and track your daily water intake via the GOQii App as well as set reminders to drink water.

We hope this article helps you consume more water. For more on staying healthy during winter, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for 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.

May 24, 2024 By Azra Faizan 41 Comments

How to Reduce Side effects of most commonly used Drugs

“For every drug that benefits a patient, there is a natural substance that can achieve the same effect.”
– Dr Carl C. Pfeiffer

Then why is it that drugs have become our first choice and not herbs? Well, the answer is obvious, in today’s fast-paced life we all want immediate results and while, some herbs do give immediate results for simple ailments, more serious ailments call for a longer treatment with herbs which most people don’t have the patience for. Also, at times the harm done is so extensive that we do need immediate results.

But, the biggest problem with allopathic medicines is their side effects, they might cure your ailment, but they more often than not, leave you with another one, resulting in the Doctor prescribing you another drug to reduce the side effect. This can sometimes become a vicious cycle.

From my personal experience, I understand that even though medication, long-term or temporary, sometimes is a necessity but, having further prescription drugs to counter the side effects of medications can usually be avoided by adopting simple home remedies instead.

So what are the most commonly occurring side effects of most allopathic medications?

Hyperacidity, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal cramps, water retention, oral ulcers, weight gain, weight loss, bone and joint pains, hair fall, high blood pressure, liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, drowsiness and, even hallucinations.

 So let us learn a few tips to keep in mind whenever on medication.

  1. Know your medicine – Don’t blindly accept whatever the Doctor has prescribed, without counter questions. Inquire about the side effect so that you are aware if it ever occurs, check the dosage too, and always make sure to ask your Doctor for the minimum dose required.
  2. WATER, WATER, WATER – Keep yourself hydrated, side effects occur because all oral medicines affect our whole body and not just the affected part. So drinking adequate water helps in flushing out the toxins present in drugs.
  3. Supplementation – Most drugs along with the ailment deplete our body’s vitamin and mineral stores, in turn leading to the side effects. So, why not replenish our vitamin stores instead of treating the symptom alone. Supplementation also helps in a quicker recovery.

Now; I know what my colleagues would be thinking “How can a nutritionist say take supplementation, instead of trying to get essential micronutrients through food?? “

Yes, like most nutritionists I do agree that healthy eating can keep giving us all the essential micronutrients that we need and that supplementation gives us synthetic vitamins and minerals which are not equally effective. But, the rules are changed when on medication, and to make up for the fast depletion and to prevent simple side effects, supplementation is key.

Now let’s take up those common Side effects individually and know what can be done about them.

Hyperacidity – If you have ever been prescribed an antibiotic, you would have noticed that your Doctor always prescribes an antacid along with it. And, it’s not only antibiotics that cause acidity, most drugs do.

DID YOU KNOW – antacids themselves can cause drug dependence, constipation or diarrhoea, the vicious cycle that I was talking about.

Instead, ditch the antacid and go for a glass of warm water with half a lemon squeezed in it – first thing in the morning. In fact, don’t wait till you get the acidity, start beforehand to prevent it, Plus lemon water also helps to remove those toxins I was talking about.

For severe acidity, you can have lemon water after every meal too. And for immediate relief, you can try chewing on a basil leaf – works same as 2 tbsp of prescribed antacid syrup.

Constipation – Another simple side effect, with a simple cure, though in the case of any complaint from the patient for constipation along with medicines, the Doctor will never fail to prescribe yet another syrup for relieving the symptom. The problem – drug dependence again. The Solution – adequate hydration, good soluble fibre in the diet, simple fruits like papaya, and bananas can work wonders.

In the case of severe constipation, a tablespoon of Psyllium husk (Isabgol), that is a naturally occurring fibre can work as good as any prescribed syrup.

Diarrhea – If it’s not constipation, it’s diarrhoea – more often than not diarrhoea is caused due to hyperacidity. So the above-mentioned lemon water works as the best prevention. Another quick age-old cure is black tea with lemon -tea contains astringent tannins that help reduce intestinal inflammation.

And to replenish the electrolytes lost during severe diarrhoea, just have simple ORS solution, lime juice (with sugar and salt), juices and coconut water at short intervals.

Nausea – Nausea or vomiting again usually subsides with lime juice and ORS solution.

Oral ulcers – Another common occurrence whenever someone is prescribed antibiotics. These are caused due to hyperacidity and depletion of B-complex vitamin stores in the body – So a supplementation of B-complex and the first prevention that is lemon water usually works best.

For severe and painful ulcers – applying honey on the affected area, and gargling with lightly salted water usually, helps alleviate the pain.

Water retention and weight gain – Almost 70% of weight gain due to medication is because of water retention. So by simply reducing our salt intake, upping our potassium intake and water intake, we can say goodbye to our water intake.

Fruits like sweet lime, oranges, tomatoes, and bananas are all high in potassium, and not to forget my favourite – coconut water.

Increasing our water intake also helps in reducing water retention.

Replacing some of our salt with black salt also helps in increasing your potassium intake and reduce sodium intake. Another big culprit of high sodium in processed food which can be easily avoided.

Water retention aside, the long-term use of some drugs – like oral steroids, antidepressants, Antihistamines, and even insulin can cause weight gain.

In such a case, eating healthy, and having a good exercise regime helps a lot. If a healthy lifestyle is adopted, these drugs are less likely to affect our waistlines. Knowing that the drug can cause weight gain also helps in making sure we try and avoid long-term use of the same.

Weight loss – With most medications, weight loss results due to severe loss of appetite, and the toll the ailment and its treatment is taking on the body. Good Proteins and good fats to supplement our diet along with medication helps a lot in preventing severe weight loss.

It is also important to understand that this weight loss is temporary and due to the condition, which can be reversed once the medication stops.

Bone and Joint Pain – Many drugs leach calcium from our body and some medicines can also cause depletion of Vitamin D. So, timely Calcium and Vitamin D supplementation along with prescribed drugs can usually reduce these symptoms.

Hair loss – Again, nothing but protein depletion, and your body’s proteins are getting used up elsewhere to fight inflammation.

Liver toxicity – Our liver should be cleansed timely, ailment or no ailment, side effects or no side effects. It may sound complex but, it’s really easy. A daily morning glass of lemon water on an empty stomach can detox your liver. For added toxicity or side effects, garlic is another excellent food to cleanse the liver. Just chew on a clove of raw garlic every morning, and the allicin (an organosulfur compound obtained from garlic) works wonders.

Kidney toxicity – Simple kidney toxicity or high uric acid levels can be easily corrected with just increasing our water intake, for cleansing the liver further, you can just add a cup of coriander or parsley tea to your routine daily.

Drowsiness – Drowsiness is usually just temporary, and again, knowing in advance that a drug can cause you to be sleepy, can prevent any serious damage.

Hallucination – Yes, some drugs do cause hallucination, again temporarily, And the best way to manage these is to be aware that the said drug can cause hallucinations. If we stay aware, it is less likely that the hallucination will scare or disturb us.

Follow the above and avoid complications due to medications.

We hope this article equips you with valuable insights on reducing the side effects of common medications. By incorporating these natural remedies and nutritional tips, you can manage your health more effectively while minimising adverse effects. If you found this information helpful, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

March 22, 2024 By GOQii 44 Comments

Water Fasting: The Healthiest Way to Detox!

Water FastingA couple of months ago, my aunt practiced a month-long water fast. In essence, she only drank water throughout the day. No food, no tea, no coffee, no milk and not even coconut or lime water. In short, it was nothing but just water! When I got to know of this, I was initially taken aback. I rushed to my aunt and asked if she was alright and what was the need to punish her body in this manner. To which my aunt replied, “I am doing this for religious purposes”.

Does Water Fasting Actually Help?

I am aware that fasting is an ancient, spiritual practice in many religions across the world. Also, fasting gives inner strength and confidence. But, like most of the traditional remedies, beliefs and practices have scientific reasoning and benefits attached. I was pretty sure water fasting would have some too. I researched on the benefits of ‘water only fast’ and was astonished to see multiple articles on the same that stated the various benefits of ‘Water Fasting’. Broadly, the benefits lie on the basic belief that the human body has self-healing abilities.

Water fasting gives improved energy and vigour. It removes mental blocks and gives clarity of mind. It also eliminates toxins from the body and can go a long way in preventing future illnesses. Water Fasting can improve immunity and has anti-aging benefits. The digestive system gets a break. All the energy that is used by our digestive system to break down foods, beverages, toxins, fats, and sugars, gets channeled to actual cleansing, detoxification, and repair of our vital organs, cells, and tissues. Many report a certain euphoria after a day or two of water fasting. You’ll likely feel a certain increase in energy as well, as you lose that slack, logy feeling.

After all the research and understanding about ‘Water Fasting’, I was naturally prompted to attempt water fasting for a day. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try just for a day and then post some tips from my personal experience which can be guidelines for others who wish to take this up for a day or two.

It was not easy for me or let me put it this way, if you have never attempted to do any kind of fast, this is going to be a little tough. Hence, I would like to share some tips and my personal experience which might inspire or support you to take up this challenge once in a week or probably a month.

Tips for Water Fasting

  • The right day to take up this fast would be to choose a day when you have lesser activities planned. If there are excessive activities, then they consume a lot of calories and that will make you hungry
  • Fasting should ideally start in the morning by drinking about two glasses of water which will clear your bowel movement
  • Simple pure water is the best. Boiled or cool water will also do. Drinking 1 ½ liters to 3 liters of plain water in one full day depending on individual capacity is good. You can drink more if you are up for it. I honestly did not count mine
  • Few bodily reactions which may seem scary but are considered normal and you all will experience as well if you are water fasting for the first time. Some of the signs are weakness, dizziness and nausea and these are common due to the sudden lack of food. I personally experienced a slight drop in blood pressure and headaches during the latter part of the day. The key to this is just lie down and relax whenever these symptoms become intense. The more difficult you find it, the more it means that your body has a lot of toxins to clean out
  • Towards mid-day, you will feel a sudden bout of hunger. Just have one or two glasses of water to dilute the gastric secretions. Then lie down and take rest. The hunger should go away in a short time
  • After having fasted, learning how to break a fast is important. As there is hardly any digestive activity during fasting, one should be very careful while breaking the fast. The best way to break a fast is with lime juice or orange juice which will make the stomach alkaline. It’s wiser to have few spices and no oily food during this time. Second meal of the day can be normal

All in all, I enjoyed my water-only fast of 24 hours. I look forward to doing this once every month. I recommend this to everyone to self-realize the benefits attached to this. If you can’t do 24 hours, start off with 12hrs and then build it up as you get better and used to it. As we always say, take gradual and small steps to reach your big goals sooner. So Good luck! Use nature and natural ways as your best medicine to prevent as well as treat your body.

For more tips on healthy living, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a GOQii Coach to get the right guidance and motivation by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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