Fitness

India’s drugs regulator had recently approved Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for restricted emergency use. The vaccination drive is all set to begin across the country to initially inoculate three crore healthcare and frontline workers. But health experts and critics raise several concerns and questions over the safety and efficacy of the coronavirus vaccine in India. So, is the coronavirus vaccine safe? Let’s uncover the truth behind the coronavirus vaccine in India. 

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What are the Approved Coronavirus Vaccines in India?

Currently (As of 06-01-2021), India has approved two vaccines- Covishield vaccine developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India and the Covaxin vaccine that is developed by Oxford University and Astra Zeneca, and produced in India by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (IMCR). On 03-01-2021, the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) Dr. VG Somani granted the emergency use authorization to Covishield and Covaxin based on the recommendation of the Subject Expert Committee (SEC).

According to the suggestions made by the National Expert Group on vaccine Administration for COVID-19, the central government will directly procure the vaccine supplies and distribute them throughout the nation.

Read more: Does health insurance cover coronavirus in India?

Concerns Regarding the Coronavirus Vaccine in India:

One of the major concerns that various health experts have expressed regarding the coronavirus vaccine in India is the absence of Phase 3 trial data on Covaxin. The only phase two clinical trials have shown efficacy and phase three trials are still ongoing. The SEC granted accelerated approval and restricted emergency usage to these vaccines considering the existing pandemic situation, high mortality, and lack of definitive treatment. Although the health ministry had earlier stated that the COVID-19 vaccination will be voluntary, health experts and critics have cautioned that giving premature clearance to the vaccine could risk the lives and fuel vaccine hesitancy in India. 

When can we Receive the Coronavirus Vaccine in India?

According to the Union Health Ministry, the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine in India will most likely be administered on January 13. This would be the Covishield vaccine which has been developed by the University of Oxford and produced locally by the Serum Institute of India. 

How Long will the Vaccine be Effective?

The coronavirus was only just discovered at the end of 2019 and with the speed at which the vaccines were approved, there is no clear information on how long this vaccine will be effective. It is quite certain that the vaccines have long-lasting protection but the actual length of time is unknown. This is not just the case for Covishield and Covaxin vaccines but also for other vaccines including Moderna’s and Pfizer’s vaccines. 

How Effective will this Vaccine be in the General Population?

Technically, no vaccine is perfect and it takes time to provide protection. Although you get strong protection against COVID-19 after receiving the vaccination, there is still a chance that you could get infected with the virus. Because even after you get these vaccines, it may take several weeks for your body to start building immunity against the virus. So, realistically speaking, you could get sick with the virus, just before or even just after getting the vaccination.

Should the People who had Already been Affected by COVID-19 be Vaccinated?

Health experts advise that those who have already had COVID-19 still get the vaccine. Because natural infection with coronavirus only gives you some degree of immunity, and it doesn’t give you full protection. The COVID-19 vaccines are specifically designed to neutralize the virus and its ability to infect. So, even if had been infected with the virus before, getting vaccinated gives you an extra layer of protection against the virus.

Read more: Can you get coronavirus from second-hand smoke?

To conclude, although many of us are believing that vaccines are the end of COVID-19 and life will be back or normal after vaccination, this is not entirely the case. As mentioned, vaccines are not 100% fail-proof, so, we need a greater community effort to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic.

The post The Truth About Coronavirus Vaccine in India: Is Coronavirus Vaccine safe? appeared first on Qalfit.

Did you know that 70% of all diseases you encounter in your life are related to your diet? It is no surprise that good food yields good health but there is a question of what is that ‘good food’? The benefits of a vegetarian diet have been a flaring topic for some time now. You would have heard buzz over the years that following a vegetarian diet is better for your health, it helps you lose weight and the benefits of a vegetarian diet is ‘magical’ 

But ever wondered why people adopt a vegetarian diet? What exactly is a vegetarian diet and how is it better than the normal diet that we all are accustomed to? Here are a few benefits of a vegetarian diet.

Read more: 5 signs you need to move to a healthy diet plan

What is a Vegetarian Diet?

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based diet, all are similar terms with some distinct differences. Technically, the vegetarian diet that we are speaking of here usually includes fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. However, all of these vegetarian diets exclude all kinds of meats. Here are some of the vegetarian diets or subsets of vegetarian diets as one would see.

• Lacto-Ovo-vegetarian diet: Includes eggs and dairy products
• Lacto-vegetarian diet: Includes dairy products
• Ovo-vegetarian: Includes eggs
• Pescatarian diet: Includes fish 
• Vegan: This does not include any animal products including milk.

Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

1. Promotes Healthy Food Intake

Going vegetarian means, you’ll eat more vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains, and nuts instead of meat. This group of edibles at an appropriate calorie level usually leads to an adequate intake of dietary fiber and a low intake of saturated fat and hydrogenated vegetable oils. This way, vegetarians also avoid preservatives in processed meats, such as sodium, nitrates, and nitrites. Hence, vegetarians tend to have lower bad cholesterol levels in the body, normal blood pressure, and overall, a healthy body.

2. Helps in Weight Loss

This is one of the well-known benefits of a vegetarian diet. An increasing number of people are turning towards vegetarian diets in the hope of shedding excess weight. This is a proven benefit of a vegetarian diet. Several pieces of research by various reputed medical organizations has shown that people who follow a vegetarian diet tend to be thinner and have lower Body Mass Indexes (BMIs) than non-vegans. So, in fact, vegetarian diets are more effective for weight loss than the diets they are compared to. 

Read more: Ayurveda and weight loss: Lose weight the right way.

3. Reduces Depression

A vegetarian diet promotes eating patterns that are rich in health-promoting phytochemicals and vitamins such as vitamin C and E, which are known antioxidants. These antioxidants protect us against oxidative stress. Moreover, there is an element of freshness to most vegetarian foods that give us a pure and cleansing feel to our minds. Thus, following a vegetarian diet reduces depression and boosts a good mood.

4. You’ll Live Longer

Following a vegetarian diet is closely associated with increased lifespan. There are many reasons why a vegetarian diet supports this purpose. One of the reasons is that people who consume saturated fat and chemicals used in meats for preservation have a shorter lifespan and more disability at the end of their lives. Animal products tend to clog your arteries and slow down the immune system. So, the more fruits and vegetables you eat instead of processed meats, the lesser is the toxin and chemical build up in your body. This way you’ll add a few more years to your lifetime.

Read more: What is the Paleo diet? All you need to know about the Caveman diet A.K.A. Paleo diet.

Going vegetarian and reaping the benefits of a vegetarian diet is not as difficult as you may feel. All you need to keep in mind is that consuming adequate amounts of vegetables and fruits will certainly reduce major health risks and by all means promotes a healthier lifestyle. So, the real question here is, why not consider becoming a vegetarian?

The post Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet: Why Should You Consider Becoming a Vegetarian? appeared first on Qalfit.

The Indian brand GOQii has announced its entry into the smartwatch category with its Budget smartwatch, GOQii Smart Vital. GOQii Smart Vital is an upgrade to the successful GOQii fitness band series. This smartwatch has caught the eye of many Indian users as it comes with some interesting health-tracking features at a very low cost. So, what does the GOQii Smart Vital smartwatch pack? What are the features and functionalities of this smartwatch? Check out this GOQii Smart Vital review by Qalfit.  

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GOQii Smart Vital Review with Key Specs:

• 1.3” colour display
• Pedometer, Dynamic heart rate monitor, sleep monitor, calorie count
• Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
• Smartphone connectivity (Android 4.4 or iOS 9.0 and above)
• IP67 water resistance
• 7 days of battery life
• The dimensions are 47.18 mm x 34.98 mm x 10.78 mm 

GOQii Smart Vital Review with Key Features:

• The GOQii Smart Vital Smartwatch comes with a rectangular 1.3-inch colour display and it takes major inspiration from Apple Watch in terms of design. It comes with a plastic build with a matte finish.
• You can easily check your Heart Rate, Oxygen Levels, Blood Pressure. It also has a comprehensive sleep tracking feature. But, the one feature that caught the eye of most users is the body temperature monitor. 
• You can pair your GOQii Smart Vital Smartwatch with your GOQii app on your smartphone to get personalized coaching. It gives you an in-depth analysis of your health, fitness levels, and provides you recommendations for a healthier lifestyle.
• The GOQii Smart Vital Smartwatch comes with 18 exercises or sports modes including running, cycle, walking, cricket, tennis, and volleyball. 
• You can control music, stopwatch, timer, set alarm, check the weather, and find your phone with your GOQii Smart Vital Smartwatch. You can also set personalized watch faces and match your outfit with vibrant straps. 

Positives:

• Sleek look
• Value for money
• Decent battery life

Negatives:

• No GPS

Cost: INR 5, 999

Check Full features: Goqii Official

The GOQii Smart Vital Smartwatch is a decent smartwatch with a real-time blood oxygen tracker and a heart-rate monitor. It has a sleek look and a week-long battery life too. So, if you’re looking for an Indian-made budget smartwatch with decent fitness and sports tracking features, GOQii Smart Vital Smartwatch is worth a look.

Read more: Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 Smartwatch Review: A Smartwatch Powered by the Latest Snapdragon Chipset and Google OS

The post GOQii Smart Vital Smartwatch Review: Indian-made Budget Smartwatch with Decent Health and Fitness Tracking Features. appeared first on Qalfit.

With New Year’s Day just around the corner comes the return of the fitness new year’s resolution for 2021, like every year. At the beginning of 2020, many of us have decided to accomplish our fitness new year’s resolution, but just a few weeks into 2020, the ‘new year’ became the ‘new normal’ for everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for many to exercise this year as gyms were closed for a time. Moreover, taking into account the fact that 80% of resolutions are broken within the first three months and up to 66% don’t even make it past the first month, we need a solid plan to successfully carry out our fitness new year’s resolution for 2021.

Today, as we await 2021, we can get started on the right way to successfully follow fitness new year’s resolution 2021. Here are a few tips to make your fitness New year’s resolution for 2021 a successful one.

Read more: How to do outdoor workouts safely right now?

Fitness New Year’s Resolution for 2021:

1. Include the 5 main components

Before you lock in your favourite fitness regime for this new year, you need to know about the five aspects of a multicomponent fitness program. This helps you get in touch with what kind of exercise gets you fired up to move. 

• Muscular training- To increase your overall muscle fitness, lean mass, and body’s resting metabolic rate.
• Cardiorespiratory training- To control blood pressure and strengthen the immune system.
• Core training- To boost endurance, strength, and aid in limb mobility.
• Mobility training- To avoid injuries, balance strength and integrity of your muscles.
• Rest- To avoid burnout and overtraining.

2. Make a Plan

All these are just another set of things in your ‘to-do’ list that you’ll probably ignore if you don’t have a plan. Now that you know about these components that make up a well-rounded fitness plant, you need to build your workout plan. Choose the workouts you need to focus on and try planning your workout schedule around that. The most common reason people stop a routine is that they won’t have a plan. So, don’t make this rookie mistake and make a plan. 

Read more: Getting back to the gym after a long break: Gym hacks

3. Don’t forget wellness:

This is where most people make mistakes. Fitness new year’s resolution for 2021 is not all about working out a day and going to the gym regularly, there is much more to fitness than just working out. While the main objective of your fitness goals is often to get fit, lose weight, build strength, or run faster, you need to see the overall picture here- Wellness. You need to include some goals that don’t have to do with exercise, such as eating more vegetables, quitting processed sugars, or avoiding junk foods. Focusing on wellness will keep you motivated to stick with your fitness goals. 

4. Fit should be Fun:

All this fitness new year’s resolution for 2021 works only if you are involved both physically and mentally. Set fitness goals that get you excited about working out and make sure you include some fun in your fitness goals by focusing on exercises you enjoy. Whether you like cardio, strength training, power lift, endurance training, or something else, centering your goal around your favourite form of exercise will make you more motivated to continue your fitness new year’s resolution for 2021. This way you’ll more likely keep going to the gym and follow your fitness goals. 

Read more: Inchworm exercise benefits for a full-body workout

We have a habit of looking towards New Year resolutions as life changers and barely managing the same. But this coming year, your fitness new year’s resolution will not be the same as always. With this specific and goal-oriented guide, try to get started the right way.

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