Imbibery London: cold-pressed juice

Cold-pressed juice has quickly become the latest craze on the health scene, and drinking it is an ideal way to give your digestive system a rest and to flood your body with nutrients.

Eager to get in on this healthy fashion and try it for myself, I decided to read up on what the different juice brands have to offer, and settled for Imbibery London in the end as I have been following them on Instagram for a while and they have been recommended by so many healthy food bloggers who I love, such as Deliciously Ella. This London-based juice company was founded by two American best friends, Meryl and Lily, and all their juices are cold-pressed, raw and unpasteurised to ensure optimum nutritional benefits. 

As well as ordering a vast quantity of different flavoured juice online, I ordered two nut mylks and three "shots" (Turmeric Kick, Hot Shot, and 100% Pure Ginger). Imbibery offer so many different flavours of substantial juices to sip on, and personally, I found the taste of the juices very refreshing and I looked forward to each one. 

One of my favourite juices was the Green Juice (spinach, cucumber, celery, apple and lemon). Although it contains mostly vegetables and not much fruit, this juice tasted relatively sweet thanks to the apple, in comparison with many other green juices that I've tasted in the past, which have been much less enjoyable to drink.

I also really enjoyed the "Hot Shot" which contained ginger, lemon and cayenne pepper. This shot boosts your immune system as well as your metabolism, and I mixed it with warm water to make a tea that was bursting with health benefits.

The two mylks I chose were Mind Mylk and Cacao Mylk. Mind Mylk was specially formulated by Dr. Tara Swart, a neuroscientist who is passionate about health and wellbeing. It is made up of matcha, cucumber, cashew, chia seeds, coconut oil and date, which means that it is full of antioxidants, magnesium, Vitamin B, protein and omega 3 fatty acids. I found it absolutely delicious and I loved its rich and creamy consistency.

Above all, my favourite Imbibery drink would have to be the Cacao Mylk, which I was very much looking forward to trying since I have a super sweet tooth! This is a delicious combination of cashew, cacao, coconut oil, date, vanilla and Himalayan sea salt, and tasted like dessert in a bottle - almost like a chocolate milkshake! 

The wonderful thing about Imbibery is that their juice is not made exclusively for "cleansing", but is also encouraged to be consumed alongside a healthy diet - but if you choose to do a juice-cleanse, in which you only consume these and do not eat any other food, I suggest drinking several litres of water throughout the day - try infusing your H20 with a squeeze of lemon and slices of cucumber to make it more exciting!

After finishing each juice, I felt incredibly energised knowing how much nourishment my body was receiving. Whilst some people like to do a full cleanse every now and then, I have come to the conclusion that cold-pressed juice is the perfect complement to a balanced diet. It makes me feel invigorated, gives me glowing skin and boosts my energy levels!

I highly recommend Imbibery juice, whether it is for a cleanse or not. If you are interested, head over to their website: www.imbiberylondon.com, where you can find information on the cleanses, stockists and prices. 

How to cope with exam stress

Exam season = stress. Depending on how you react, this could mean sleepless nights, constant tiredness, anxiety attacks, poor appetite, emotional eating, headaches and negative mindsets.

Here are my top tips to help you cope with stress around this time of year.

1. Nutrition

Fuel your brain as well as your body. A balanced diet is the key to optimal cognitive functioning. 60% of your brain is fat, so be sure to consume lots of Omega 3's, such as avocado, salmon, nuts, flax seeds and chia seeds.

Protein contains amino acids, which are vital for brain functioning. Some of the best sources include meat, chicken, fish, lentils, beans, quinoa, oats, nuts and chickpeas.

Carbohydrates give you energy. Ideally go for wholegrains, pulses, fruit and vegetables - there's a reason marathon-runners are known to have a pre-race banana!

Vitamins and minerals are crucual, particularly iron, vitamin B and zinc for preventing tiredness, and can be obtained from kale, spinach, red meat and lentils.

In addition, beware that too much sugar and processed foods will make you feel tired and sick, cause energy highs and lows and even insomnia!

2. Hydration

The average human body is made up of well over 50% water, the brain being about 85% water! It is obvious that dehydration will severely impact your ability to focus. 

I start the day by drinking 1 litre of water, and  carry a bottle of water with me to sip on throughout the day, which I like to infuse with slices of lemon and cucumber for a refreshing taste. I also drink plenty of green tea and peppermint tea, but avoid coffee as too much caffeine can make me feel jittery. 

3. Exercise

When you're busy and stressed, it's understandable that you might not want to exercise - but nothing de-stresses the mind faster than physical activity, so try to find a way to build it into your timetable. Exercise is great for helping you concentrate and it's also a real mood booster, plus it makes you sleep better! Being stuck indoors all day is not fun, so go for a walk outdoors and soak up some vitamin D!

4. Socialising

You can't spend the entire month of exam season locked away in your room studying! Plan your breaks and give yourself some time off and enjoy life! Having that balance makes a real difference to your wellbeing and stops you feeling depressed and isolated. Why not combine revision with socialising? You could form study groups where you can share notes and motivate each other!

Keep things in perspective and stay positive - it is possible to survive exams and there is life after exams - just think how great summer is going to be!

Good luck!

Healthy pancake recipe

Anyone who knows me will know that I am a huge fan of pancakes. They are the perfect weekend breakfast as they feel like the ultimate indulgent treat yet they are so versatile and with a few simple modifications, you easily can transform them into a perfectly nutritious yet equally decadent stack! It all depends on which ingredients you choose to use - swapping the white flour and refined sugar for ground oats and maple syrup is a great place to start.

If you avoid gluten and dairy like myself, or if you're just looking to enjoy your favourite weekend breakfast in a more healthy way, look no further! Here is my step-by-step guide to making the perfect healthy pancakes:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 mashed ripe banana
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground flaxseed

1 tsp maple/date syrup

2 tbsp almond milk

Optional add-ins: 
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cacao powder

1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
Handful of blueberries
Dark chocolate chips

Topping suggestions:
Fresh berries, homemade fruit compote, banana slices, maple syrup, raw honey, date nectar, peanut butter, almond butter, homemade cacao sauce (healthy chocolate spread), freshly squeezed lemon juice, desiccated coconut, cacao nibs...

Method:
1. Mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another.
2. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk everything together thoroughly.
3. Heat a frying pan with some coconut oil and add 2 tbsp of the batter per pancake. 
4. Cook for about 2 mins per side until golden, then flip.
5. Add as many toppings as your heart desires - the more the merrier!