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Effective Tips to Boost Your Immunity

boost your immunityAs we prepare to welcome the monsoons, along with the ongoing pandemic, the change in season might affect some of you as you may show symptoms of cold and flu. During this time especially, it becomes important to protect your body against any illness or disease caused by bacteria or viruses. The best way to prevent cold and flu is to boost your immunity! 

Types of Immunity 

  • Specific Immunity: Is related to specialized cells located throughout the body like thymus, lymph nodes, bone marrow, spleen, lymphoid tissues, etc. which respond to invasions of foreign materials/microorganisms like bacteria, virus, fungi produced by or entering the body.
  • Non-Specific Immunity: Is related to the physical barriers like skin and mucous membrane. They form the first line of defence against the entry of microorganisms or foreign substances in your body.
  • Others: These include mobile cells like leukocytes and lymphocytes. They are released in the blood and carried to the site where they are needed when any microorganism invades the tissue.

How To Boost Your Immunity 

Each person has a different spectrum of immunity ranging from good to bad. But there are certain things you can do to try to boost your immunity. 

  • Have Nutritionally Adequate Meals: There are supplements in the market claiming that they increase immunity. However, it’s best to do so by consuming foods that boost your immunity. A healthy immune system is dependent upon a healthy eating pattern. Malnourishment leads to low immunity as nutrients like zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid and vitamins like A, B6, C and E are needed to maintain an optimum immune system. Some foods that boost immunity are Vitamin C rich foods like oranges, grapes, kiwi, pineapple, lemon, etc, along with broccoli, ginger, garlic, turmeric, green tea, etc.
  • Boost Gut Health: Gut health is directly related to our immunity. The healthier the gut, the healthier the immune system. Adding prebiotics and probiotics like yogurt/buttermilk/curd, garlic, onion, apple, bananas, oats, flaxseeds, wheat bran, apple cider vinegar, Kombucha, Isapgol, etc. to your diet as they boost gut health, which in turn boosts your immune system. As they have good bacteria, they prevent digestion issues as well. For healthy digestion, make sure you avoid too spicy and junk foods, avoid long gaps between meals, hydrate yourself well, be on the move throughout the day, have a light dinner and keep stress away. Also have lots of fibre in the form of raw fruits and salads, oats, nuts, etc.
  • Get Active: Exercising regularly for at least 20-30 minutes helps to bring in a healthier you by improving bones, muscle and joint strength. It prevents various metabolic disorders like diabetes, cardiac issues, etc. It also increases blood circulation which allows the proper functioning of T cells – which is a type of white blood cell that guards the body against infections to work efficiently and prevent us from getting any kind of viral infection or disease. A regular workout schedule even reduces stress which is a major contributor for low immunity.
  • Curb Alcohol & Smoking: Alcohol and smoking are scavengers of our immune system. Try to limit the intake of the same to avoid cold or flu as they affect the liver and lungs respectively which helps in detoxification. They lead to medical problems like cardiac issues and blood pressure, which if uncontrolled, leads to cardiac attack. Smoking leads to respiratory tract infections like tuberculosis and bronchitis and alcohol also leads to fatty liver and in severe cases, leads to liver cirrhosis. Drinking and smoking also leads to cancer.
  • Get Sufficient Sleep: Make sure that you get at least 6-8 hours of sleep everyday as enough sleep helps our bodies recover from everyday stress, both physical and mental. If you feel that your sleep is disturbed, try to be active throughout the day, avoid caffeine or alcohol before sleeping, keep the bedroom cool and keep the electronics away before sleeping and do some deep breathing or unwind yourself. 
  • Reduce Stress Levels: Stress is directly linked to our immune system as it secretes cortisol which interferes with the functioning of T-cells. To keep your stress in check, practice yoga, meditation, socialize on the internet and practice positive thinking or deep breathing in your regular routine.
  • Maintain Good Hygiene: Wash your hands for 20 seconds under running water frequently in a day with soap or use a hand sanitizer with alcohol to disinfect yourself from germs frequently. After entering the house, make sure to immediately wash hands with soap to avoid infection. Wear a mask as instructed by WHO if you’re stepping out. Also, make sure to wash raw fruits and vegetables before consuming them.

Good immunity is the pillar of a healthy body and very important for providing longevity to life. Try the above tips and boost your immunity to live a long and healthy life. For more tips on immunity, check out Healthy Reads or view LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. 

Stay home, stay safe, boost your immunity and #BeTheForce 

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Top 5 Effective Workouts For Weight Loss During Lockdown

effective workouts

Visiting gyms, joining classes for yoga and zumba have become troublesome because of the COVID-19 lockdown. With limited options, it is natural to get bored and stumble back into a sedentary lifestyle. Don’t put on all the weight you’ve worked so hard to lose. We have some effective workouts to help you lose all that unhealthy weight. 

5 Easy and Effective Workouts To Lose Weight

1. Walking/Running:
There’s nothing better than running outdoors – the fresh air and all but the problem is that the lockdown prohibits anyone from stepping out… so how do you do it? There are many ways, in fact, it is easier if you have a treadmill. If you don’t, try spot jogging and taking frequent breaks in between your work from home schedule to walk around the house and unwind. 

2. Jump Rope:
Do you want that sleek, slender body? Jump Rope is your answer! It is one of the most underrated yet effective workouts. If you’re new to this, start with a 2-5 min warm up, then do the traditional rope skipping with 30-50 reps. Then, you can run up and down your building stairs, do the rope again for 30-50 reps and end with a cool down. It is high intensity, low cost, doesn’t consume time and is still one of the most effective workouts for weight loss.  

3. High Intensity Interval Training:
As the name suggests, it is periods of High Intensity exercises coupled with Low Intensity exercises/rest. The aim for HIIT workout is to target 80% of VO2 Max (Max Oxygen Consumption) for maximum results. 

Your typical HIIT session can be: 

  • Warm Up
  • Lunges for 1-2mins at a stretch
  • Walk/Jog in place for 30secs
  • Pushup for 1-2mins
  • Walk/Jog in place for 30secs
  • Squats for 1-2mins
  • Walk/Jog in place for 30secs
  • Abdominal Crunches for 1-2mins
  • Walk/Jog for 30secs
  • Cool down

You can add more exercises and modify the exercises as per your fitness levels.

4. Weight Training:
Yes, this might be impossible since most of us don’t have dumbbells and other gym equipment at home but that shouldn’t pose much of a problem. You can still use your daily household equipment as weights. For instance, water bottles filled with water as dumbbells or a bucket of water for your deadlifts. In fact, you can also use your own bodyweight. The key idea here is to undergo a process called Hypertrophy of the muscles, wherein the body increases the size of the muscles and reduces the fat around it. Weight training helps in burning fat 24×7 as opposed to burning fat only during the workout. A beginner can start with 20 reps + 3 sets of deadlifts, squats, lunges, bicep curls, etc.

5. Boot Camp:
This is one of the most intense and effective workouts which alternate between aerobic activities of sprinting/running along with strength exercises and drills. It simultaneously works on your endurance and strength. 

You can start a typical routine as: 

  • Warm up
  • 1 min each of Push ups, Lunges, Pull ups, Crunches, Buttkickers, spot jog
  • Repeat the exercises 
  • Cool down.

To make things easier for you, you can find all the above effective workouts for weight loss on GOQii Play. You’ll be guided by fitness experts in LIVE sessions. More so, you can also subscribe to GOQii and get tips, guidance and motivation from a certified GOQii Coach. 

We hope this article helps you choose your workouts and lose weight during the lockdown. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more tips on fitness, do check out Healthy Reads within the app as well. 

Stay home, stay safe, get active and #BeTheForce 

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Small Changes Lead To Big Results – Charanjit Dangotra User Journey

Charanjit Dangotra

Stomach and digestion issues are not something you want on your side and if you’ve already had your run in with them, you know how they can hamper a good day. One of our GOQii Players Charanjit Dangotra faced a similar issue but with help from his GOQii Coach, he was able to turn his condition around and make a positive lifestyle change! Want to know how he battled Gastritis and won?

Life Before Joining GOQii

Like every working professional in Mumbai, the 33 year old Charanjit Dangotra led a very erratic lifestyle which revolved around long traveling hours and work. Untimely eating habits, no physical activity and a general lack of concern for health took their toll. 3 years back, he was diagnosed with Gastritis and has been on medication for the same.

Due to his long commuting hours, Charanjit Dangotra couldn’t find time for any physical activity and his available time was spent on television or his phone. When things couldn’t get any worse, his doctor advised him to take up the GOQii program in June 2019. He got a free 3 month subscription and from there on, there was no looking back.

Making the Shift to a Healthier Lifestyle

Once he was aboard the GOQii platform, he was assigned a GOQii Coach who spoke to him to understand his medical condition. The first thing addressed by his GOQii Coach was regularizing his meal timings. Now, he eats all his meals on time no matter where he is. He finished his dinner by 9 PM and sleeps by 11:30 PM on most days.

He manages to go to the gym 6 days a week where he performs cardio along with weight training as advised by his Coach. He has also begun introducing salads and fruits to his diet on a daily basis.

As a result of the minute lifestyle changes he made, he saw positive changes.

Although he still continues with his medication, the frequency of stomach pain has reduced. He feels more energetic nowadays and can give more time to things he couldn’t before. He has also reduced his weight from 69kg to 60kg.

What Does Charanjit Dangotra Think About His GOQii Coach?

He happily attributes all his improvements in health to his GOQii Coach. He says that it is due to her constant motivation, prompt responses and close monitoring of his habits that helped him make the shift. If he was unable to follow any habit for one particular day, his Coach would suggest alternatives. This gave him the flexibility he needed to manage his health while traveling.

“I trust her completely and reach out to her for anything and everything. I have even begun doing yoga once a week – an activity I was never inclined to. That’s how much she has influenced me!” He said.

What Does His GOQii Coach Have to Say About Him?

“Charanjit was a bit curious about what he can consume without causing any more stomach pain but was determined to improve his medical ailment (Gastritis – burning sensation and pain on right side of stomach) when he came on board. I was impressed by his sincerity to achieve his goal. We started with incorporating some physical activity in his routine. Along with that, we also worked on his nutrition. Since he was determined and followed habits regularly, we started seeing results such as reduction is stomach pain.

Slowly, we began working on his sleep and stress too. In between, he got a fissure problem, which after making a bit of modification in his water and nutrition we were able to improve to a 100%. Currently, he is not suffering from it and isn’t taking any medication for it either.

After constantly working on his goal and achieving good results, his doctor has also advised him to start incorporating foods which he was not allowed to eat before. Seeing his progress motivates me too and I’m sure that soon enough, we will be able to achieve his goal!”

After seeing all these wonderful results and changes, Charanjit has renewed his subscription to a whole year! What’s stopping you? Subscribe to GOQii now and witness the power of a healthy lifestyle. To read more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce

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Refreshing and Healthy Iced Tea Recipes

iced tea

Water is probably the best drink you can have during a hot summer day! Drinking at least 2 litres of water or more during the day helps your body dissipate excess heat – especially if you’re exposed to a high-temperature environment. A lot of people struggle with drinking water and rather opt for beverages full of sugar. Instead of hydrating on drinks detrimental to your health, why not opt for some tasty and healthy Iced Tea? Let’s look at some thirst-quenching recipes. 

1. Rose Iced Tea 

Ingredients: 

  • Handful or rose petals fresh or dried
  • Cardamom – 2 crushed 
  • Green Tea – 1 bag 
  • Raw honey – 1-2 tsp 
  • Hot water – 1 cup 
  • Ice cubes or chilled water 

Method: 

  1. Put rose petals, crushed cardamom and a green tea bag in a glass jar. Pour 1 cup hot water over this. Let this sit for 15-20 minutes. 
  2. Remove the tea bag after 3-5 minutes if you don’t want to make it very strong. 
  3. Add raw honey or any sweetener of your choice (avoid processed sugar) and mix well.
  4. Strain the rose petals. Fill a glass ¾ with ice cubes & pour this tea over ice cubes or add chilled water. Your refreshing rose tea is ready! 

2. Fennel Coconut Tea 

Ingredients: 

  • Fennel seeds – 1 tbsp 
  • Coconut water – 1.5 cup chilled 
  • Green tea – 1 bag 
  • Raw honey – 1 tsp 

Method: 

  1. Heat 1 cup water in a saucepan. Add fennel seeds & boil until it reduces to half. 
  2. Add the green tea bag for a few minutes. 
  3. After a few minutes, remove the teabag and strain the tea in a tall glass. 
  4. Add raw honey and mix well. 
  5. Pour over chilled coconut water and enjoy.

3. Apple and Cinnamon Tea 

Ingredients:

  • Apple – ¼ cup chopped or thinly sliced 
  • Cinnamon – 2-inch stick 
  • Cardamom – 1 crushed 
  • Green tea – 1 bag 
  • Raw honey – 1 tsp 
  • Water – 2 cups 

Method: 

  1. Boil 2 cups of water with cinnamon and cardamom for 5 minutes. 
  2. Turn off the gas, add a teabag to this and cover for 5 minutes. 
  3. Put apple slices in a glass jar and pour the boiled mixture over this after removing the teabag. 
  4. Add honey and mix well. Keep this in the fridge for minimum of 30 minutes to let the flavours infuse. After 30 minutes, strain and serve.

4. Pineapple and Ginger Iced Tea

Ingredients:

  • Pineapple – ¼ cup finely chopped 
  • Ginger – ½ inch thinly sliced 
  • Mint leaves – 4-5 
  • Lemon juice – 1 tsp 
  • Green tea – 1 bag 
  • Raw honey – 1 tsp 
  • Hot water – 1 cup 
  • Ice cubes

Method: 

  1. Put all the ingredients, except honey and ice cubes in a glass jar. 
  2. After 5 minutes, remove the green tea bag, add honey and mix well. 
  3. Let this sit for another 30-60 minutes at room temperature. 
  4. Now fill a tall glass halfway with ice cubes, strain and pour the tea mix.

5. Orange Peel Tea

Ingredients:

  • Peel of half an orange or kinnow
  • Water – 2 cups
  • Green Cardamom – 2 crushed 
  • Cloves – 2 
  • Cinnamon – 2 inch stick 
  • Green tea – 1 bag 
  • Raw honey – 1 tsp 

Method: 

  1. Boil cardamom, cloves and cinnamon with water for five minutes. 
  2. Kill the flame and add the green tea bag and orange peel in this. Cover for 5 minutes.
  3. Strain the mixture, add honey and let it cool in the fridge for 30 minutes at least before serving.

Tips and Highlights of the Iced Tea Recipes 

  • These recipes can help you fight inflammation, boost digestion, improve immunity and also aid you in removing toxins. 
  • These iced tea recipes can be a great addition to your routine to curb hunger pangs and promote weight loss. 
  • If any of these flavours become your favourite, you can lock in those flavours in the form of ice cubes and preserve it for a few days to enjoy it without waiting. 

We hope you try these recipes and enjoy them. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to cooking sessions on GOQii Play. 

Stay home, stay safe, hydrate well and #BeTheForce 

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