New Year, New You, New Workouts in London!

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London is certainly defending its title as a pioneer of fitness trends as more exciting and innovative studios pop up across the city. Here’s our round up of new workouts in London, guaranteed to kick start your 2017 as a very (hip and) healthy one!

 

Barrecore’s Sculpt class 
Barrecore’s sculpt class is certainly more challenging than their standard class. Using resistance bands, it isolates muscle groups, working areas you wouldn’t normally engage (or even knew existed!). The bands deepen and intensify the burn, while the stretches in between sets aim to lengthen the muscles, creating a long and lean physique. Sculpt is a faster-paced class; prepare for your muscles shake but for you to ultimately leave feeling more flexible, toned and relaxed.

 

Heartcore’s Low-Impact TRXCORE class 
Heartcore’s TRXCORE class is a great all-round workout. Focusing on the core, it combines a strength and cardio workout with exercises improving both flexibility and balance. With a variety of classes, you can chose between Core+Upper body, Core+Lower body and Core+Full body focused classes. While the workout is indeed intense, the movements are low-impact, so you’ll help keep your knees happy and your body injury-free.

 

Paola’s Body Barre opens in Wimbledon + new £99 Pop Pass Monthly Membership 
The infamous ballet-inspired class is expanding to Wimbledon, offering a new Pop Pass Monthly Membership at a fantastic rate of £99. The class works on lengthening, strengthening and toning, while also improving flexibility and posture. There are a variety of classes leaving you spoilt for choice – and allowing you to mix up the intensity of your workouts.

 

Rosewood Hotel’s in house PT Monty Simmons
If you’d like a more tailored approach to your 2017 fitness goals, the Rosewood Hotel has an in house PT Monty Simmons at hand to help. Monty is based at the five-star luxury gym and holds several black belts in different forms of martial arts. He offers each client a bespoke programme combining his insider expertise in the arts with nutrition, health and well-being. Monty’s unique nutrition and training system results in long, lean, strong muscles, and has made him the go-to personal trainer for boxers, triathletes, ballerinas, models and football teams.

 

BXR
BXR is London’s first state of the art boutique boxing gym, offering the highest level of professional boxing training. Situated in the heart of Marylebone, the gym boasts a full-size boxing ring and the best equipment and sound systems. Investing partner Anthony Joshua and the BXR founders have selected a team of elite trainers, including London’s most impressive boxing coaches, ex-champion boxers, MMA fighters and some of the top sports therapists and osteopaths. With an in house Joe & The Juice, steam room and sauna, BXR is the perfect place to de-stress and unwind. Both memberships and pay as you go classes are available.

 

F45 London Bridge
F45 is a new studio offering challenging HIIT classes designed to increase both fitness and strength. The 45 minute class uses a new training technique, and is self titled as the most innovative, challenging and systemised team training workout in the world. Located in London bridge, the seven day trial is a real bargain at £7.

 

MoreYoga Camden
MoreYoga is expanding its studios to Camden this year; opening on January 23rd, founding members can enjoy a discounted membership at £50. Offering over 14 types of yoga, from Morning Flow to Restorative Re-Charge, you are bound to find the perfect class for you.

 

words by Georgia May

image – Paola’s Body Barre

The Healthy Way To Detox

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There are many natural and healthy ways to support the body through an effective detoxification and weight loss programme. Unfortunately, the use of laxative based products, including those from a natural origin, are often used as a tool for losing weight. Strong laxatives artificially stimulate the large intestine to ‘empty’ its contents giving the illusion of weight loss. The problem is that we are losing vital minerals, electrolytes, fibre and fluids at the same time and the weight we have apparently lost will return as soon as we start to rehydrate our body. One of the key issues with these kinds of laxatives is that they can become addictive and can lead to malnutrition and dehydration. The way to successfully detox your body is to support the body’s natural detoxification processes occurring in the liver which will not only help us detox, but also boost our digestive metabolism and feel truly healthy.

 

Sebastian Pole, Master Herbsmith at Pukka Herbs discusses the importance of plants and herbs in our diet and just how powerful they can be at cleansing our bodies. He says in his new book, Cleanse, Nurture, Restore with Herbal Tea (which you can buy here!)

 

“Plants have been at the centre of human health forever and it feels like we are only just discovering how important they are to living well today. Helping to nourish, cleanse, rejuvenate and restore your whole system, herbs can be used for both optimising health as well as getting you better when you are unwell: in other words, they can be food as well as medicine. Their life-enhancing properties are simple to bring into your everyday life, and one of my favourite ways is to do this by making herbal blends and drinking their delicious infusions.”

While we wash away and eliminate waste daily, modern life throws so much at us that not all of it goes down the plughole. If we don’t take time to cleanse the inside of our bodies, then we run the risk of a range of symptoms from bad breath to sluggish digestion.”

“Feeling clogged up can also affect our emotional state – we might hold onto negative issues (the run-in at work last month, the break-up last year), instead of letting them go. Cleansing on all levels is central to being healthy. Toxins have damp, sticky and stagnant qualities. Ayurveda calls toxins ama, which refers to any undigested and unutilised wastes inside you. Toxins can cause inflammation and infection, and can lead to mucus congestion, poor immunity, loss of strength, water retention, tense muscles, bloating, itchiness, a thick tongue coating and depression, amongst other things. Remember the last time last time you had a cold and that ‘heavy’ feeling that you can’t get away from? Or the last time you were feeling depressed and stuck-in-the-mud? That’s a sure sign you need a cleanse.”

 

So how can one detox and cleanse in a healthy, safe way?

Below, Sebastian outlines some of Sebastian’s favourite super-herbs to use to help support the cleansing process.

 

Nettle

Nettle is more than just a weed with a nasty sting! It’s filled with nutrients and active compounds, and has been used as a medicinal herb since ancient times. One of its traditional uses is purifying and cleansing the blood – it’s known as a ‘blood tonic’. It’s rich in chlorophyll, which is traditionally thought to help cleanse and build the blood, and it has diuretic properties too, which may help flush out toxins from the body. Nettle is also rich in nutrients that support liver function and detoxification, including magnesium, iron and vitamin C.

Dandelion

Dandelion is a classic herb for supporting cleansing and detox. Both the root and leaves can be beneficial, but dandelion root is traditionally used for supporting the liver. One of its actions is to increase the flow of bile, which is the liver’s way of getting rid of fat-soluble toxins and wastes into the gut, to be excreted. Bile flow into the gut also helps digestion and supports normal bowel movements, and so dandelion root can also act as a digestive tonic, and can help if you’re a bit ‘bunged up’. This is vital, as we need good bowel movements when cleansing to properly excrete wastes and toxins from our body.

Fennel

Fennel seeds are another ‘everyday’ herb with many hidden powers. They’re perhaps best known as a digestive tonic: in India, the seeds are chewed after a meal to aid digestion, and they can specifically help to relieve digestive symptoms such as wind and bloating. This makes fennel a fantastic addition to your cleansing regime if you’re suffering the consequences of overindulgence during the festive season.

And that’s not all. Like dandelion and nettle, fennel has also been found to have diuretic properties, helping to flush out toxins via the urine. And it has antibacterial and anti-fungal activity too, potentially helping to improve the balance of healthy flora in the gut – and get rid of any ‘nasties’!

Aloe vera

Complementing the activity of all the other herbs is the amazing aloe vera. Aloe vera gel – from the inner leaf – has a cooling and soothing action, which can help calm the heat and inflammation associated with overindulgence. Aloe gel is used as a digestive tonic too, and may help to gently increase bowel movements (although it doesn’t have the strong laxative effect of aloe latex from the outer leaf). And it may also have a stimulating and cleansing effect on the liver. A great all-rounder.

Clean Me Green wellbeing kit

We love Pukka’s Clean Me Green 14 day wellbeing kit. £19.99

Pukka Herbs’ Clean Me Green wellbeing kit brings together the power of organic plants in one easy-to-follow, two-week programme. The kit includes Pukka’s Detox tea and Clean Matcha Green tea. Clean Greens powder, which contributes to healthy skin and supports both thyroid function and thyroid hormone production. The Clean Me Green kit offers much- needed nourishment to start the New Year.

The Clean Me Green wellbeing kit is made with the highest quality organic herbs and botanicals that support the digestive system and organs -enabling them to operate at an optimum level – ridding the body of unwanted toxins and inflammation.

Clean Me Green comes with a wellbeing guide, packed full of helpful tips and recipes to help you get your glow back.

Made using the highest quality organic herbs and spices.

Pukka’s new wellbeing kit is available now and can be purchased from www.pukkaherbs.com for an RRP of £19.99

 

promo logo

New Wellbeing Books To Add To Your Shelves!

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With 2017 in full swing, it’s time to dust off your book shelves and make way for some awesome, new wellbeing books! There’s nothing flicking through some fresh pages full of inspiration and ideas to help you become the best version of yourself. Below are a few of our faves that we can’t wait to read (and some previews on some new releases to watch out for this year!)

9781473619517

Deliciously Ella with Friends – Out 26th January

happy kitchen cover.indd

The Happy Kitchen

Print

Clean Eating Alice, Eat Well Every Day

Pip & Nut

Pip & Nut, The Nut Butter Cookbook

Porridge

Porridge, Anni Kravi

Pukka

Cleanse, Nurture, Restore with Herbal Tea – Pukka

Fit in 3 FINAL

Fit In 3, The Scandi Plan – Faya Nilsson

plenish

Fuel Your Ambition – Plenish

ms

A Year Of Beautiful Eating, Madeleine Shaw – Out 20th April

strong

 

Strong, Zanna Van Dijk

annie-clark

Mind Body Bowl, Annie Clarke – Out 9th Feb

Kathryn Fielding – Fitspo

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This week’s Fitspo is our lovely ambassador, nutritional therapist and yoga teacher Kathryn Fielding! We sat down with her to discuss her top tips to beat unhealthy cravings and her journey towards becoming a yoga teacher!

 

How did your yoga journey begin?
My mother used to practice yoga so she would be my first port of inspiration. I used to go through her books and (attempt) to replicate the postures.

 

What initially inspired you to become a yoga teacher?
When I started to practice frequently yoga soon became so much more than another form of exercise. The escapism and overall feelings of grounding and acceptance brought on by a deep practice were so strong I wanted to share this with others.

 

Where is your favourite location/place to practise yoga?
As much as I try to keep up with self-practice I am a big fan of going to classes. I’m still learning daily and Amme Poulton is a teacher who I respect and adore her approach to teaching! Monday’s at Equinox you’ll find me on the mat.

 

How do you inspire others to start practising yoga?
Gentle encouragement goes a long way. Also, dispelling the myths that you have to be flexible/ a dancer/ a woman helps too. Yoga really is for everyone and I try to be an un-intimidating as possible.

 

How has becoming a Nutritional Therapist impacted your health and wellbeing?
It’s helped me have a far more balanced approach to food. Eating is one of the most sociable things we can do and how we go about nourishing ourselves is something that should be valued and invested in. I am far more concerned with the journey of what I now eat and prioritise eating locally, seasonally and where possible organically to.

 

Making healthy meals and snacks can be very time consuming, what do you recommend to busy women that have limited time to prepare food?
Keep things simple. It may seem idealistic to make your own almond milk, but for many this is too time consuming and just won’t happen. There are great brands out there who are doing the hard work for us so I would recommend utilising them. There are certain things which can be done very quickly, and preparing a healthy meal often is best done using 5 or less ingredients. Another option is to allocate an afternoon to preparing food for the week in advance.

 

How do you advise people to deal with unhealthy cravings, what is the secret?
Habits are learned and equally un-learned. I start with explaining the benefits of removing/ replacing the “unhealthy” craving and give realistic alternatives. A balanced diet is just that, balanced, so entire deprivation often results in binging. Knowing you can have a slice of birthday cake without ruining your diet plan often is empowering. More often than not, the act of reducing consumption of “unhealthy foods” and increasing the consumption of natural, real food, changes peoples taste. Eating well undeniably feels good and this in itself becomes the motivation that helps clients steer clear of their “craved” foods.

 

Craving often indicate an imbalance, for example craving chocolate can be associated with low levels of magnesium (dark chocolate contains high levels of magnesium). By restoring minerals/ vitamins that may be lacking can go a long way in combating cravings too.

 

What is your favourite juice/smoothie?
I prefer smoothies to juice due to the higher fibre content which helps balance blood sugar levels. Coconut water, spinach, cucumber, lime, mint and spirulina is my go-to smoothie.

 

What 3 ingredients do you use most for cooking?

  1. Odourless coconut oil: Nobody can tell you are using coconut oil, personally I like the taste but it can divide the crowds.

 

  1. Turmeric root: tea/ soups / curries / smoothies – endless uses and the anti-inflammatory hype is there for a reason.

 

  1. Fresh chilli: I adore spicy food and equally appreciate the high levels of Vit C, Vit A, B6 and metabolism boosting properties found in chillies.

Find Kathryn on instagram here!

London’s Healthiest Lunches To-Go!

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It’s January and it’s time to hit the health. Whether you are on Dry January, ‘Veganuary’ or simply trying to clean up your act a bit, finding a healthy lunch is essential to staying on track. Getting a lunch that will fuel your day, be easy to grab and eat at the desk and nourish you in the best way is possible, but it’s all about knowing where to look.

 

Hemsley and Hemsley – Good to Go in Selfridges

The Hemsley sisters are back with their “Good to Go” pop up in Selfridges food hall. Stop by during an afternoon of shopping to grab a spot of lunch. Found in the famous Food Hall of Selfridges – you can grab a takeaway salad, turmeric tea, and even black bean brownies to name a few. If you’re feeling a January cold coming on, then the signature bone broth is one to grab! Jasmine and Melissa say the bone both is their “golden elixir for staying fighting fit and maintaining a radiant flow throughout these colder months”. What’s not to like?

 

Detox Kitchen – Soho

This is one of our favourites for a quick, yet super healthy place to eat. Combine a rainbow of salads with some protein like grilled salmon or an egg wrap for a lunch that will fill you up but also nourish you. Whilst you’re there, grab one of their delicious juices. Not only is this place super healthy but also extremely easy to take back to your desk (or sit in the park on a lovely summers day!) and enjoy!

 

Ottolenghi – Spitalfields

With a definite twist compared to so many other places in London, Ottolenghi never disappoints. If you’re in the city, the chances are you don’t have too much time on your hands but if you are looking to mix up the standard salad then look no further. Grab a combination of salads that you will find nowhere else in London that will keep you satisfied and still maximise on health points.

 

Rawligion – Tottenham Court Road

The new kid on the block for healthy eateries. Rawligion is a small but wonderfully vibrant place to grab a takeaway lunch. With a range of raw lunches, we must admit we were sceptical at first but can certainly say we’ll be back there in a flash! The kelp noodles with a pesto sauce were super tasty but had a light mix of flavours and textures. Grab one of their lunches to go alongside the menage of detox drinks and nut milks and if you’re feeling brave – try the John Dee detox drink!

 

Good Life Eatery – Chelsea, Marylebone or Belgravia

And oldie but a goodie, the Good life Eatery was one of the first to show us that drinking our salads was cool (and seriously nutritious). Grab a hearty but wholesome lunch, with their superfood salads or chilli avo toast. Have a lunchtime taste of the good life.. oh, and definitely grab a juice to go too!

 

Little H, Parson’s Green

There really is something for everyone here – from soups and sandwiches to protein filled salads. Not only something for your main but Little H also serves a mixture of homemade treats with lots of dairy, gluten and sugar free options too! Yes, really!

 

Pearl and Groove, Portobello Road

Now although we would not advise cake for lunch every day, we all need a pick me up sometimes. So if it’s been a long week, look no further than the most gorgeous array of sweet treats. With gluten free and dairy free options, Pearl and Groove is an absolute must for a post lunch pick me up. One word, heaven!

 

words by Rachel Cruickshank

How To Make It As A Wellness Blogger 101

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In the digital age we live in, blogging is the new black. Armed with a WordPress account and a few opinions, anyone can be a ‘blogger’. This can be both a good and a bad thing. It gives anyone a platform to share their thoughts, opinions and advice… but it also gives anyone a platform to share their thoughts, opinions and advice. In order to be successful, you need to have amazing content, a good social media strategy and a likeable tone of voice. So how do you make it as a successful health and wellness blogger?

Be authentic

First of all, you need to ask yourself: why am I blogging? What do I want to say? If you are writing what you think other people will want to read, then stop. You need to write content that is honest, real and true to yourself. Part of being unique is relating your own story, so share your experiences and make them relatable. People like to follow bloggers they feel they can connect with and trust, so if you’re trying to uphold an ideal of what you think a wellness blogger should be, your readers will see right through you. Some of the most successful health and fitness bloggers are so popular because they are real and honest.

Back up your facts

One of the biggest problems with health blogging is the lack of factual evidence used to back up nutritional, health, fitness claims in blog posts. Just because someone has 100k+ followers on Instagram, does not make them an expert in their field! As a general rule, if you’re not a qualified fitness instructor, nutritionist, dietician or scientist, make sure you back up all your health/fitness claims with a link to a relevant piece of up to date research. It’s also good practice to have a disclaimer either on your ‘About Me’ page or at the bottom of each post, stating that the views expressed are your opinions, along with the level of qualification you have. It is really important as a health and wellness blogger to make sure that the advice or guidance you give out is reliable.

Be active on social media

Social media is your biggest tool as a health and wellness blogger. It’s where you’ll find new readers and inspiration, connect with like-minded bloggers and grow your blog’s audience. It’s important to post updates regularly, and not just when you have a new blog post. Your social media channels give readers an insight into you as a person, and so everything you share or comment on should be in keeping with your blog’s tone of voice. Posting regularly also keeps you fresh in the mind of your audience, so they are more likely to want to read your latest blog posts.

Collaborate

Guest posting on other people’s blogs, having other bloggers post on yours and teaming up with brands for giveaways or partnerships are all great ways of expanding the reach of your blog. Each blogger or brand you work with has their own audience on social media, and by working together, you tap into all of those people too. If they like what they read, they are more likely to check out your blog and follow your accounts. Send speculative emails to bloggers and brands you admire explaining what sort of collaboration you’d like to propose. You never know where it might lead you!

Network

One of the best ways to get your blog out there is to connect with other like-minded bloggers. You can do this by engaging on social media (Twitter is great), commenting on other blog posts or by introducing yourself to others at events. Other bloggers will give you advice – most of them will have struggled at some point to get their blog recognised in the blogging-sphere; they know how tough it can be to become a successful blogger. Making meaningful connections can lead to collaborations, guest posting, or even just some friendly support and advice; all of which can be incredibly useful when you’re trying to make it as a successful health and wellness blogger.

 

If you’re looking to make meaningful connections with other health, fitness and wellness bloggers, check out the HBC event calendar. We host various blogger events throughout the year, and they are a great way of connecting with other bloggers and brands. [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hbcxmeet-bloggers-brands-networking-event-tickets-29815452822]

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthbloggers/
Twitter @hbloggerscom
Instagram: @hbloggerscom
Website: www.healthbloggerscommunity.com/

10 Of Your Nutrition Questions Answered!

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To end our whole food revolution week with Nākd, we asked you to comment your burning nutrition questions on instagram so we could get them answered for you! Nutritional Therapist and current Hip & Healthy cover girl, Fran Phillips sheds light below, on some of your questions!

@agirlnamednims
“I know that eating healthy can sometimes become unhealthy (especially if you overthink it and start limiting things). How can you recongnise this to ensure you’re not falling into orthorexia?”

FP – I’d say that if it’s interfering with your social life, you start to fear eating certain foods or you find yourself concealing what you’re eating, then you may need to talk to a registered Nutritional Therapist who specialises in eating disorders. Being healthy includes mental wellbeing also

 

@isabelleshury
“Bored of my day-to-day healthy snacks… Can you suggest anything a little different that tastes good?”

FP – Snacking isn’t for everyone but if it works for you I’d recommend oatcakes with hummus, an apple or date with nut butter, coconut yogurt, homemade energy balls, a chia seed pot or a protein shake made with hemp or pea protein, ice & almond milk

 

@jennyquinn
“I’ve heard it is not advisable to snack on too much fruit… what’s your view on this?”

FP – I’d advocate eating no more than 3 pieces of fruit a day, ensuring that you also eat plenty of vegetables. Those who suggest too much fruit is “bad” are talking about the sugar content in fruit. To avoid spikes in blood sugar levels, eat fruit alongside a small handful of nuts

 

@prettytablepia
“What is the best replacement for processed sugar? Have been using pure organic maple syrup but heard that brown rice syrup may be better?”

FP –  Personally I use organic maple syrup, brown rice syrup, coconut sugar or raw honey

 

@marina_maks
“Is it true that mixing plant protein with animal protein in one meal is not ideal?”

FP – There are many different theories on food combining. I’d say it’s more important to judge how you feel after eating certain foods. If you don’t get bloated or suffer any adverse effects then there’s no need to separate the two

 

@stormingfit
“Can eating too much fruit have any negative effects on the skin?”

FP – It’s been proven that eating too much sugar can have adverse effects on the skin. Whilst fruit does contain sugar, I wouldn’t recommend cutting it out completely. It has many beneficial effects – hydration, vitamins and minerals and fibre are all great for glowing skin

 

@julielemonjstlykndstuff
“What foods are most important to eat organic (when you’re on a budget)? Are there some foods where it matters much less?”

FP – Most importantly, if possible, make sure the meat and dairy you eat are organic. With regards to fruit and vegetables, you can look at the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen to find out where you should go organic and where it doesn’t matter so much

 

@allamatteroftaste
“I’ve given up chocolate this year and wanted to know if you had any substitutes for when those chocolate cravings kick in?”

FP – Loading up on dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, chard, rocket) can help to reduce chocolate cravings due to the high magnesium content. Taking a chromium supplement can also help reduce sugar cravings

 

@nancyellisx
“What defines a food as a whole food?”

FP – A whole food is any food that has not been altered from its natural state. For example, an apple is a whole food because you eat it exactly as nature provides it. Some food can have minimal processing (e.g. nut butter has been processed to get to that state) whilst others can have a lot of processing (e.g. fast food undergoes many stages of processing to end up as the finished burger and chips or pizza) 

 

@isabellaafp
“Is caffeine ok n moderation and if so how much should we have per day?”

FP – Caffeine is such a personal thing – some people can feel great drinking coffee whilst others react adversely. I usually advocate no more than 2 coffees a day, preferably organic, drank before 12 midday

Follow Fran on Instagram here – https://www.instagram.com/franvphillips/?hl=en

 

Fare Healthy 2017 – Who’s Going & What To Expect!

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Fare Healthy is back for its 3rd wellbeing show on the 4th and 5th of February and we can’t wait! The fair will take place at the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane. Co-founder Rose Lloyd Owen’s ambition behind the idea of Fare Healthy is to inspire, entertain and motivate people to eat, move, think and, as a result, feel better. Hip & Healthy women will love this wellbeing get together in the heart of London surrounded by people that love to live a healthy lifestyle too!

 

Hip & Healthy founder Sadie Reid will be hosting a discussion with TV presenter Melanie Sykes, The Detox Kitchen’s founder Lily Simpson, Nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson and Frame founder Pip Black. Together they will be talking about how they handle being successful business women as well as being busy working mothers! Learn how each of these inspiring woman deal with their day-to-day lives as well as allowing time to workout and stay healthy.

 

There will be lots of our favourite health inspirations hosting talks at Fare Healthy too. Jasmine Hemsley (Hemsley and Hemsley), Ella Mills (Deliciously Ella), Madeline Shaw and Amber Locke (Raw Vegan Blonde) as well as many others will be there to influence your cooking skills and give your a wellbeing inspiration boost!

 

Fare Healthy have brought in some of the most inspiring business individuals to tell their story of success. Cassandra Stavrou who co-founded PROPERCORN which is the UK’s fastest growing premium popcorn company will be talking about her company and how it began. There will be many other talkers discussing their accomplishments to inspire you and educate you in how our favoured healthy brands began.

 

There will also be a series of fitness sessions running throughout both of the days. From yoga, ballet, box fit, a velocity XL work out to boys yoga and Beyonce sass dance classes, there is going to be something for every individual fitness fanatic! With some of the industry’s leading professional running the sessions, we are sure you will leave feeling pumped and motivated!

 

Even the little ones are welcome! The kids zone will be dedicated to teaching children about healthy eating and how to make their best-loved snacks such as cake, biscuits and pizza much more nutritious by altering the ingredients.

 

Fare Healthy is the perfect way to spend the weekend to get motivated and boost your positive thinking, and there is no doubt you will learn tons of useful tips and tricks to stay healthy! To book visit farehealthy.com

Raw Cheesecake Recipe – Nākd

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This Raw Cheesecake Recipe is a “I had no time but doesn’t this look impressive!” dessert that anyone could make! A total crowd pleaser for dinner parties!

 

Nākd Lime Cheesecake

 Crust

4 x Cashew Cookie Bar moulded into a round dish

Filling

1 1/2 cups cashews (soaked overnight)

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup agave/ honey

1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)

1/2 cup lime juice

 

For the crust: press the naked bars into a round dish to form a ‘crust’ and pop in the fridge.

For the filling: blend all ingredients until very smooth. Remove crust from fridge. Spread the mixture onto the crust. Freeze the cake and remove at least 30 minutes before serving.

For more recipes like this, click here!

Nākd Inside-Out Orange Bounty Balls

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A super quick and easy snack to rustle up on a lazy sunday afternoon! These Inside-Out Orange Bounty Balls use one of our favourite flavours of Nākd Bars, Cocoa Orange! Double up the servings and store in a BPA free tub in the fridge for up to a week. Happy snacking!!

 

Makes 6 balls

Ingredients:

2 x Nākd Cocoa Orange bars

 

For the raw chocolate coating:

1 cup cacao

¾ cup coconut oil

¾ cup agave

½ cup desiccated coconut

 

Method

Chop the bars into three thirds each so you have six rectangle cubes. Roll each cube into a ball. Place in the fridge. Make the raw chocolate coating by melting the coconut oil and adding it to the cacao and agave in a ball, mix well. With the help of a spoon coat the balls in the raw chocolate mixture. Pop them on plate covered with parchment paper then sprinkle over the desiccated coconut. Put them in the fridge to set overnight.

For more recipes like these, head over to EATNĀKD.COM

5 Easy Ways To Eat More Whole Foods!

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We know a diet abundant in real food, made up of seasonal vegetables, adequate protein and low in sugar, is one we should be aiming for, but how exactly do you incorporate eating like this on a daily basis? Today’s focus isn’t on “superfoods”, instead on “wholefoods”, and how exactly you can make eating wholefoods part of your daily routine. Wholefoods can be defined as “food that has been processed or refined as little as possible and is free from additives or other artificial substances”.

As part of Hip & Healthy joining forces with Nākd for its Wholefood Revolution, below are 5 manageable steps to enjoy a wholefood diet, rich in low-glycaemic, nutrient-dense foods. Once you start you’ll almost certainly not go back!

 

Oats
Providing a steady release of energy, oats are low in sugar, known to help lower cholesterol, rich in dietary fibre and inexpensive. You can start the day with porridge, make your own muesli, add a tbsp to a yoghurt and berry combination, add oats to a smoothie, savoury flapjack or increase the nutritional content of a crumble by using oats as the topping. Avoiding gluten? Not a problem. GF oats are readily available and should be used by coeliacs. If you have a gluten intolerance, not allergy, oats may not cause discomfort as they don’t contain gluten, however in harvesting there may be some cross-contamination.

 

Omega Seeds
A combination of sunflower, pumpkin and flaxseeds is a great way to boost your omega 3 levels, Vitamin A and Vitamin E. Either purchase a pre-made mix or create your own. Having a jar to hand will make it easy to sprinkle this omega mix onto porridge, yoghurt, soups, salads and stews or eat as a snack. Not only will they help provide some crunch and texture, you can go a step further and lightly toast your seeds with sea salt and mixed spices to add an extra flavoursome kick to salads.

 

Nutty Nutrition
Ensure your blood sugar levels remain balanced to increase your energy, maintain a healthy weight and avoid binge episodes or making unhealthy choices due to a lack of choice by ensuring you have portion controlled access to nuts. Due to high phytic acid content it’s advisory to soak or bake your nuts, processes which also increase their digestibility. Buying in bulk online (1kg servings) will save you money, plus invest in a BPA free Tupperware container that you can keep with you when out and about. Almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and cashews are preferable. A handful counts as one serving size.

 

Soup
Make visiting your local farmers market part of your weekly routine so you can get to see what’s in season, support British farming, eat organic and often you’ll be saving yourself money too. Making soup is easy, quick and a great way to include a mixture of vegetables in one go. If you have time make a larger batch and freeze so you can enjoy throughout the week. For a more hearty meal add lentils or beans, which will also increase the fibre content, helping you feel fuller for longer.

 

Frozen Foods
Frozen foods don’t need to be the enemy, in fact frozen vegetables and fruits can be an excellent way to ensure you always can include nutritious, unprocessed foods, when you are short of time. Frozen spinach, broccoli, peas, corn and berries have a similar nutritional profile to their fresh counterpart and are a far better choice than canned fruits and vegetables which are often filled with preservatives and sugars. Ensure you buy plain versions, free from spices and sources and where possible go organic too.

 

So when you’ve made the effort to ditch the convenience foods, minimise the consumption of pre-prepared and packaged foods be sure to avoid frying at high temperatures, which can alter the nutrient content and generate toxic metabolites. Food should be prepared simply, by cooking methods such as steaming, slow cooking on a low heat, steam frying.

 

When you’re on the go and need a wholefood snack, try any of the Nākd range, which only use natural ingredients – for more information visit EATNĀKD.com

 

words by Kathryn Fielding

Hip and Healthy Ambassador

Nutritional Therapist DipION, mBANT, CNHC Registered

Yoga Teacher

@kathryn_fielding

www.kathrynfielding.co.uk

Benefits Of Eating A Wholefood Diet

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What are wholefoods?

So what exactly are wholefoods? Not to be mistaken with eating foods completely whole (yup, that’s now a trend) we’re actually referring to foods in their most natural and purest form. Unlike processed foods, which make up many people’s diets these days, wholefoods are free of any additives or preservatives – just like nature intended. This means consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds – the freshest and most organic form the better.

Studies

Research has shown that eating a wholefood diet provides the body with everything it needs, meaning there’s no need to take any additional supplements. Wholefoods are how the human body was intended to eat food – our bodies are designed to process them to get the most from them. Studies have shown that processed foods packed full of added sugars, salt and oil are extremely harmful to the human body and cause free radicals, which in turn cause inflammation in the body and can lead to signs of ageing and even disease.

The Benefits

The benefits of consuming a wholefood diet stretch far further than you might think. Take a look at this impressive list of benefits to see why you should be incorporating more wholefoods into your life.

  • Wholefoods are a lot easier for the body to digest, meaning you’re less likely to feel sluggish and bloated.
  • They’re absolutely packed full of fibre, vitamins and minerals, which your body will love you for.
  • All this goodness results in a stronger and well supported immune system, perfect for fighting off nasty infections and winter colds.
  • Helps to boost and sustain energy levels by having more pulses and wholegrains as part of your diet and less sugar crashes, leaving you feeling alert.
  • They’re super rich in antioxidants, which help you fight the harmful effects of free radicals.
  • Being far more filling than processed foods, you’ll find that you won’t want to snack as much, but if you do you can always reach for a wholesome Nākd bar or a handful of nuts.

What the experts say

“Whole foods make up the most part of my diet not only because they are delicious and make me feel amazing, but because they provide all the nutrients the body needs in exactly the correct amounts, as nature intended. For example, essential fat soluble vitamins D, A, K and E can only be absorbed by the body when consumed alongside healthy fats in the correct proportions. The problem with many low or non-fat products, popular options for many health-conscious individuals today, is that they lack the ability to facilitate the absorption of these essential vitamins due to insufficient levels of fat required for proper assimilation. Therefore to feel my best and ensure I’m supplying my body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function efficiently, I steer clear of fat-free or lab-altered food, in favour of foods that remain in their original nutrient-rich state.”
Victoria Roberts, Head of Culinary at HelloFresh, Certified Nutritional Chef, Certified Raw Food Chef and Certified Integrated Nutritionist

“For the past 15 years, eating wholefoods has been my way of life because it truly promotes balance on all levels. Physically it keeps me healthy and fit but also it supports my emotional wellbeing. More than anything it helps me stay in tune with myself, my intuition and the environment around me”  
Nicky Clinch, Certified Macrobiotic Nutritionist, Life Counsellor & Chef

 

Why do it?

We’re not saying that you have to completely avoid all processed foods as even some wholefoods have undergone a bit of a process such as oats. It’s just wise to think about what these foods are doing to your body and make little changes that will eventually result in big rewards. It’s easy to make simple switches to wholefood alternatives such a Nākd Cocoa Orange bar instead of chocolate or adding in pulses as a change to your lunch. Once you get started, you’ll start noticing the amazing benefits and want to include more of these foods in your diet. You will also find that your body and brain starts to work more effectively and you’ll even notice your taste buds changing and getting stronger. It’s a great way to get more creative in the kitchen and start experimenting with different foods and flavours – you’ll be surprised at the vast variety on offer!