Dikshi Gupta

Thanksgiving Every Day

November 30, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

How often in a given day you say Thank you, God. Mostly, it is when we are distressed and in need that we remember God. What about when you wake up in the morning when there’s no inspiration for you? Throughout the year, we see God’s greatness, love, and blessings in such incredible ways, but we are not as grateful as we ought to be, and we don’t express it as often as we ought to do.

There is one such day, however, in the United States and Canada which celebrates the past year’s harvest and other blessings. This day is called Thanksgiving Day. An essential Thanksgiving tradition is a big meal with family or friends. Thanksgiving is an opportunity to express our gratitude for the abundance in our lives, whether that’s the good relationships we have with our friends and families, our prospects, and our health.

Expressing gratitude towards God is very important. Every day we wake up, we can still see, hear, walk, and eat. In other words, all the functions we enjoy every day. So, why not wake up every morning and say thank you, God. Do the same during the day also. Something good comes our way, we should thank him. We should live the lives of Thanksgiving all the time. Thanksgiving is offering thanks to God for his forever endurance, love, and blessings under all circumstances.

Thanksgiving Reminds Us to Be More Than Grateful

Let’s help those who need it. Let’s not be mad that the world isn’t helping the needy. Let’s see what we can do as an individual. Compassion is the key, and empathy is essential, and that’s one reason that we should focus on trying to help those in need. It may mean that we are in a space in our lives where we feel we can’t currently help anyone, but certainly, there’s just one person out on the street we can impact. We could change their experience, maybe just for a moment. Thanking God keeps us consciously aware that God is always there in our life and helps us trust him more and more. Thanksgiving is essential to our rejoicing amid suffering.

For many people, Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful. Gratitude is an attitude, and giving thanks is an action. It appreciates the blessings in one’s life. Gratitude can take us from feeling sorry for ourselves to feeling joy. Doing a daily gratitude exercise will make us happier, more self-disciplined, accomplish our goals, even healthier physically. Perhaps best of all, gratitude frees us from emotional pain. If we want to let go of emotional distress, choose gratitude, or simply if we’re going to feel more happiness, choose gratitude. When we experience more joy, we make the world more joyful.

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We should teach our children gratitude and Thanksgiving very early in life. It should be a part of our thinking, our experience, and how we operate. This thanksgiving festival, give yourself and others good health and joy, download the JoyScore.

How to Manage Diabetes Effectively

November 18, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

I got my facts corrected a little late when my father was diagnosed with diabetes. I had assumed consuming sweets and chocolates was the reason for high “sugar” levels in the body. After doing a little research out of curiosity, I found out that diabetes occurs due to increased glucose levels in the blood cells, either caused by insufficient insulin in the body or the ineffectiveness of insulin on our blood cells.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes has become the most common chronic disease in the current lifestyle. In 2019, diabetes patients worldwide were estimated to be 9.3% (463 million people), and it is predicted to rise by 10.2% (578 million) in 2030. These statistics consist of three types of diabetes patients.

Know your Diabetes

In the first type, the body produces no insulin or a very little amount. The immune system, responsible for fighting off viruses and diseases, attacks and destroys the secretion house of insulin, the pancreas. Instead of diffusing the insulin in the cells, the sugar in the bloodstream builds up. Although weight is not a reason for the first type, a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors is believed to trigger the disease. The second type, the most common form of diabetes, can be caused due to lifestyle factors or genes. When our body is inactive, as it does not get physical exercise, it starts putting on weight leading to obesity or being overweight. This causes insulin resistance, the inability of the blood cells to utilize the insulin transported from the pancreas. Extra weight around the belly develops when our body lives in a prolonged sedentary position, which has become a lifestyle in the pandemic. Also, a bad diet can be a reason. This can link to insulin resistance and heart and blood vessel diseases too. Prediabetes is the initial stage of type 2 where blood sugar is high but not as high to be turned into type 2 diabetes. The last type is Gestational diabetes. It can be activated during pregnancy as pregnancy leads to insulin resistance. Though gestational diabetes is temporary, if not taken necessary precautions, it can result in further complications.

ABCs of Diabetes

Tensed you might have one of these factors in your routine?

You need to know your ABCs if you have diabetes. A firm control on your ABCs can lower the risk of strokes or heart attack, since a diabetic person is more likely to counter them compared to a non diabetic person. The American Diabetes Association and the American College of Cardiology have teamed up to raise awareness of “ ABC of diabetes”. A stands for A1C test which shows an average of your blood glucose level from the last 3 months. Your number should be below 7. It is advised to take this test at least twice a year. B stands for blood pressure. The heart works harder with higher blood pressures. Keeping the blood pressure under control in case of diabetes, can prevent the risk of heart attacks, strokes or kidney diseases. Many people aim for the blood pressure levels to be below 140/90 or lower in some cases. C stands for cholesterol. Cholesterol is the waxy substance produced by the liver to protect nerves, make cell tissue and used to secrete certain hormones. LDL or bad cholesterol should be below 100. HDL or good cholesterol should be 40 or higher. Higher amounts of bad cholesterol can also be a striking factor for heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases.

How to live with Diabetes

Keeping the ABCs numbers checked and doing every possible thing to manage diabetes, the question now is will it ever fully cure. Studies suggest that type 2 can be reversible in some cases. There is no cure yet but through proper diet and regular exercise, one has a chance to reverse it. Living with diabetes needs an iron will to make lifestyle changes. While making these changes you can face a lot of stress which may affect your glucose levels. Your body responds with fight or flight mechanisms when you are experiencing stress. This increases the hormone levels in the blood and consequently elevated glucose in the bloodstream. Your body may not act on this glucose if you have diabetes, giving rise to high sugar levels. Hence, it is important to manage stress in the day to day life. Starting your day with 15 mins meditation can set a tone for the rest of your day. You can simply sit in a chair and recite mantras like “I will have a good day” or “today is the best day of my life”. You can also focus on your breathing, naturally resisting the unwanted thoughts in your mind. Regular practice of meditation will definitely give you peace of mind and also keep you calm in times of stressful situations. The major changes with the most effective results are eating habits and exercise. Higher intake of fatty fish, leafy greens, eggs, avocados, beans, etc become a great source of nutrients, protein, vitamins, and fiber to lower complications of diabetes. A proper diet must be followed by regular exercise. Yoga is a real stress reliever which also makes you flexible and stabilizes your blood glucose level. All you need is a mat and some open space. If you already have a bike, hitting the road in the morning can make your heart rate go up, burn calories, and also lose weight. If not, a simple 30 minutes walk in the morning can put your body in motion and lower your stress. Putting a habit of using stairs instead of elevators or walking to the grocery store in case of buying a few items also can work up your heart and lungs and regulate the glucose levels.

Conscious choices constitute a greater change. Download JoyScore app to help you manage diabetes effectively by suggesting activities that contribute to changing your lifestyle. Let’s live a mindful and healthy life together.

Do you know what are BRAIN FOODS?

November 14, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

You might need to make a lifestyle change if you want to manage stress and anxiety effectively. And brain foods can be one of those factors in your lifestyle which can help you do that. Food can be either your biggest allies — or enemies. It can make your stress levels go up or down, so when you feel frazzled, it’s essential to pay attention to what you’re consuming. Studies show that stress can increase your need for certain nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin B, selenium, and magnesium. And you can get this balance of nutrients from BRAIN FOODS.

The quantity and the quality of nutrients you consume can impact the body’s neural circuits that control emotion, motivation, and mood. Fighting stress with food is an easy way out. But unhealthy eating habits will cause stress levels to skyrocket and possibly increase the risk of health issues in the future. According to an analysis in the Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences, a well-balanced and healthy diet is potentially essential for good health.

The microorganisms( gut microbiota ) in the intestine comprise excellent and harmful bacteria, essential to the relationship between what you consume and how you react. Microbiome or gut health affects your mood, emotions, and psychological health. Since they interact with the brain, the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut microbiome is essential. But the composition of bacteria is unique in each person’s gut.

Certain foods can fix the imbalance of good and bad bacteria within our gut. Changing how you eat will lead to a shift in your levels of stress. These adjustments will trigger a rebalancing, which will have a positive outcome. So, next time your stress levels start to skyrocket, fill your plate with these scientifically validated brain foods that will make you feel less frazzled.

B – berries that give you fiber and antioxidants.

R – a rainbow of colors from fruits and veggies.

A – Antioxidants help to get rid of harmful compounds created in the body.

I – Includes, which means the inclusion of lean proteins.

N – nuts, a rich source of healthy fats.

F – fiber-rich and fermented foods that nourish the good gut bacteria.

O – oils: healthy oils have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties like olive oil.

O – Omega-3 fatty acid rich foods- such as fatty fish, for anti-inflammatory effect.

D – dairy, which adds healthy bacteria to your gut.

S – Spices help in boosting your immunity.

Foods that you need to avoid are also just as important to know. You must stray away from processed foods and those with artificial sugar. Below are specific foods for the betterment of your mind and body :

The foods like Beans, legumes, fruit and vegetables, kefir, miso, and kimchi feed the healthy bacteria in the gut are rich in fiber.
Vitamins B9 and B12 found in Legumes, leafy green vegetables, fish, and shellfish help protect brain cells.
Prebiotics: Foods like Beans and legumes, oats, bananas, berries, garlic, onions, asparagus, artichokes, leeks feed the good bacteria within the gut.
Probiotics: Live bacteria and yeast that replenish the gut with good bacteria. Examples are Yogurt with active cultures (be sure to skip the fruit-sweetened versions); fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha.

Brain Foods Conclusion

Although food can not replace the medication for mental health, it can significantly improve your daily life and attitude. Adjust your diet with foods that are not only yummy but safe to boost your lifestyle. Eat nutritious food and improve the quality of your life. You can also do so by downloading the JoyScore app and following easy to make healthy recipes. Come, let’s live a mindful life with JoyScore.

Small Daily Actions Lead To Remarkable Results

November 6, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

Nowadays, we all want outcomes, and we want them now. However, what we surpass is that results often take time to illustrate. Whatever your goals may be, you can achieve success by building your vision brick by brick. It’s that simple! If you were to hit the gym today, workout, come back and look in the mirror, what would you see? Nothing, Right? And, if you went to the gym the next day and came back and looked in the mirror, you wouldn’t see any change. There are no results. It seems ineffectual to go to the gym and work out. So what do you do? You quit. Was working out fruitless? No. It’s just that the outcomes never seem to come quickly enough for us, and that’s why we surrender. Even if the results are not visible, it doesn’t mean the effort was ineffective. The measures are stored. Small Daily Actions Lead To Remarkable Results.

Too often, we convince ourselves that to achieve significant results we need to take massive action. For example, to clean our room, we assume that we need to dedicate say 3 hours in a day. This builds us up psychologically and makes us resistant to act. We hold the same beliefs when it comes to losing weight, write a book, or achieve some other aim. We overestimate the value of one defining moment and underestimate the importance of making small improvements daily. Changing the way we think is incredibly challenging. So instead of chasing the quick-fix, we should learn to set long-term goals and divide them into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Success doesn’t happen in an instant. It occurs through the progressions of lots of little achievements held together over some time. When you set a vision, a dream, or even just a clearly defined end goal, the concern is not how you can make that happen immediately or tomorrow.

The question is, what habits can I put in place that will make it possible for that end objective to manifest? You can try some of the following tips:

1) Stay committed to your goals

Make it a point to commit to your daily goals. And do it. Resilience is the key to making things happen.

2) Maintain a Journal

Even if it’s one paragraph or three sentences, do a quick check in to see where you’re at and write it down. In the long term, this will keep you grounded. It all starts with acknowledgment.

3) Check your inner circle

Surround yourself with people who are in line with what you ultimately want to become. If you aren’t happy with where you are or where you are going, scrutinize the people around you.

4) Track your goals

Don’t just set goals- track them. Make a project plan for your life. Plan all the things that you want to do in the next 2 months at least. It will show you all the things you need to know, like when things are due and how much time I needed to spend on them to get them accomplished. Do this more often, and you will measure the results and what actions need to occur to fix that habit immediately.

5) Meditate and reflect.

It would be best if you took out time for reflection in parallel with the journaling habit. You won’t be able to fully integrate the lessons you’ve been learning along the way without contemplation.

6) Wake up at a particular time every morning

Wake up when you say you are going to wake up. When you set the alarm the night before, you promise yourself you’re going to get up at that time. Keep that promise.

Conclusion:

Don’t forget that small moves in the right direction over time lead to outstanding outcomes. So, dream big, act small, and build your vision step by step. Joyscore can help you inculcate these small habits through mindful activities. Download the JoyScore app today and bring more Joy in your life.

Holistic Fitness- An Emerging Trend To Follow

October 26, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

Holistic Fitness can mean different things to different people. In current times, it is difficult to say that one terminology defines it all. Traditional exercise and weight training are practiced to tone and build our muscles, making our outward appearance pleasing. Being self aware of our emotions and facing them effectively takes care of our inner being. So what exactly is holistic fitness?

Holistic fitness fixes more than your strength, stamina and endurance. It is a health protocol that aims to:

Reinforce the fitness and emotional health of the entire human body.
Combine stress control techniques, nutrition, traditional exercise, and sleep patterns.
Redefine fitness and health in achieving the primary objective of continuously improving one’s overall well-being.

Holistic Fitness- an integral part of a healthy lifestyle.

Fitness is a vital part of a balanced life that allows you to enjoy a wide variety of activities and cope with stress. It is wholesome. It has nothing to do with small waists or huge muscles. Fitness implies a much broader perspective that encompasses all three realms—mind, body, and soul.

Many people enjoy fitness as a free, easy, and gratifying source of happiness. For others, fitness means only “exercise,” a daunting activity that they associate with boredom, pain, and possibly even humiliation. Many feel they fall short of society’s (or their local gym’s) standard for physical fitness. They also may have too narrow a concept of the kinds of activities that can make them fit. As a result, they either avoid healthy activity at all costs or never manage to make it a long-term habit.

Many people think of exercise as being all about losing weight. That’s just one potential benefit of regular activity, and possibly not even the most important. Exercise keeps your bones healthy, boosts immunity, and wards off heart diseases and other chronic ailments. It enhances mental clarity, lifts mood, and creates a sense of accomplishment that can lead to more outstanding performance in other life areas. Fitness leads to more joyful living, a happier state of mind, and greater self-esteem—all of which support personal and professional success, creating even more joy.

Tips to stay consistent with your fitness regime:

Visualize your goals.

Whatever you choose, create a strong mental picture of yourself achieving your goal.

Chant a mantra.

Spend a few minutes each day repeating to yourself what you want and how you will get it. Continue this for a few minutes each day, and soon enough, your mind will start turning these thoughts into actions.

Find a support-buddy (or groups)

who can exercise with you.

Take a Walk

Even if you feel you have absolutely no time to work out, try to set aside just ten minutes a day to take a walk.

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To summarize…

When you develop a balanced lifestyle, you may be better able to make health and fitness a priority. Whether the aim is to lose weight, tone muscles, reduce chronic pain, re-energize, build up your immunity, detoxify, or sleep better- you would feel and look best! Download JoyScore app to help you improve your holistic fitness.

Power Of Superfoods Which Are Easily Available

October 19, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

No single food can provide you all of the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants you require. It is crucial to eat a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods to obtain our bodies’ health benefits. There is nothing wrong with consuming a food item that provides you a fair percentage of a specific vitamin or mineral that you require.

What is a Superfood?

The word “superfood” mostly describes foods that are supposed to make you look and feel lively and help you become stronger against all odds, but what are “superfoods,” and what makes them so great? Superfoods are considered nutrient powerhouses that contain vast amounts of antioxidants, phytochemicals (chemicals responsible for colors and smells in plants), vitamins, and minerals. There’s no exact definition of what a superfood is. Many superfoods are plant-based, but the cut also includes some fish and dairy. Superfood is a reasonably new term referring to foods that offer maximum nutritional benefits for minimal calories and are a source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Some popular superfoods, to name a few are, salmon, kale, berries, kefir, almonds etc. Since superfoods do not have a strict description, any nutrient-dense food comes under this category.

Benefits of Superfoods

The mineral and vitamin content found in superfoods will help your body protect against diseases and keep you healthier. These foods can aid heart health, weight loss, increase energy levels, and even decrease aging effects when integrated into a well-balanced diet.

Antioxidants present in many superfoods may help prevent cancer, while healthy fats can reduce your heart disease risk. Fiber can help prevent diabetes and digestive disorders, which is also present in many superfoods, including lowering the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. It is also well known that superfoods protect your organs against toxins, lower cholesterol, control metabolism, and decrease inflammation.

Popular superfoods

Below are 5 top superfoods that are good for you and worthy of the esteemed superfood title.

Berries

Berries such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants which act as a nutritious powerhouse that can avoid certain diseases. The potent antioxidant capacity of berries is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and other inflammatory conditions.

Cinnamon

Not only is cinnamon delicious, but it has antioxidants that help cut down inflammation and helps improve insulin sensitivity. Here’s the catch: The cheap cinnamon you find most often in the supermarket isn’t the best. Ceylon is a type of cinnamon which you might want to try out. It does wonders to your cooking.

Salmon

Salmon is a very nutritious fish filled with healthy fats, protein, B vitamins, potassium, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids. But, limit your consumption of salmon to avoid potential adverse effects from contaminants common in fish and seafood.

Avocados

Avocados are high-fiber fruits that are nutrient-rich and can play a role in reducing inflammation and chronic diseases. They have a creamy texture and can be consumed by preparing dips or spreads.

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes, which have antioxidant effects, are highly nutritious foods filled with carotenoids. Carotenoids act as the body’s antioxidants powerhouse. It has the potential to fight cancer, improve vision, and develop growth in children.

Eating a well-balanced diet will do the magic.

Achieving maximum and balanced health through food and nutrition is about more than focusing on one or two of the latest food trends. It is recommended to use superfoods as part of daily nutritional consumption, but only when eating a safe, balanced overall diet. Instead of relying on individual foods, consume a “super diet.” Be mindful of what you eat by being more aware of yourself and your daily habits. Download JoyScore to lead a happy, fulfilling, and healthy life.