Ginger Orange is an East London rebel fitness brand. I curate, write and edit their fitness, health and wellbeing journal.

Ginger Orange Guide to Drinks to Put a Spring in Your Step

From a perfectly brewed espresso to zingy kombucha, Ginger Orange Team has been exploring drinks designed to perk us up. In true GO fashion we stuck to the more natural options and avoided anything in a can/ heavily processed/ full of chemicals or that that glows in the dark (we did try that luminous taurine-pumped stuff once and even the thought of it still gives us the jitters…).

Here’s our guide to drinks to put a spring in your step:

ESPRESSO: Our feisty friend the espresso has gotten GO through many a dark morning. As it’s caffeine (around 75mg per shot depending on bean, roasting and brewing methods) is undiluted by milk or excess water, it’s ‘lifting’ effect is more instant on the body than it’s longer relatives. Research has also found that drinking 3-6 cups of coffee a day drastically cut the risks of getting Type 2 Diabetes, Parkinsons and heart disease. On top of all of that, it’s rich in anti-oxidants, helping the immune system and fighting free radicals. Now, we’re not intending to drink it by the bucket-load but it’s nice to know that our morning pick-me-up actually does our body some good (as well as getting us to work on time…)

BULLETPROOF: ‘Upgraded’ (free from mycotoxins like moulds that can be found on regular beans) organic coffee, grass-fed butter, XCT oil (often replaced by coconut oil). This unusual combo sounds… well, sounds pretty gross, but we were up for the challenge. Being plant-based we opted for coconut oil instead of butter (an option available at the gorgeous Ethos in Noho, London) and were pleasantly surprised that it tasted creamy, not oily. The main benefit of this concoction is that it triggers ketosis: switching your body to fat burning, bringing a mental clarity and focus well above that of the humble espresso and satiating cravings. You’re advised to drink bulletproof first thing in the morning – getting your body and mind on track for the rest of the day. An added benefit was that when we licked our lips we were applying a layer of coconut oil to them – no need for lip salve that day!

MATCHA: Matcha is made from the whole tea leaf and contains over 130 times more antioxidants than regular (sencha) green tea. It also contains catechin ECGg – one of the most potent antioxidants with cancer-fighting properties. On top of this, mighty matcha packs detoxifying chlorophyll, around 35mg of caffeine for a gentle lift and L-theanine – an amino acid that helps mental focus and clarity. This green delight might taste a bit like grass but for the beautiful balance of a ‘switched on’ mind and a gentle pick-me-up without the jitters, matcha has become a our favourite.

KOMBUCHA: This spring, London grabbed kombucha by it’s scoby (the alien-looking slice of symbiotic bacteria and yeast culture used to help ferment kombucha) and shouted in approval. This refreshing probiotic tea-based drink has been drunk in China for centuries where it is called the ‘Immortal Health Elexir’. 2000 or so years on, London has finally caught up and kombucha is popping up in every on-trend café and food store. Research has shown it to have liver-detoxifying properties, boost immunity, help digestion and help energise the body through the iron it contains (released from the tea during the fermentation process). It is also known to lift moods and help with anxiety thanks to the B Vitamins in packs. It might not give you the same kick as a coffee, but the long term benefits of kombucha are amazing… just don’t be afraid of the freaky-looking scoby.

LEMON INFUSED WATER: Simple, cleansing and caffeine free: with the gentle lifting affect of citrus this might not have the punch of coffee or give you the sharp focus of matcha, but it is an amazing way to detox, support liver function and balance PH. If you’re looking for long-term gains, this is a brilliant way to start your day.

BLACK TEA: With around 26.2mg of caffeine per cup, this classic classy beverage can certainly help you through a mid afternoon slump. However, unlike coffee, research has found that tea also has a relaxing effect on the body and helps control stress hormone cortisol – meaning it can perk you up while also chilling you out which is a fabulous combination Not only packed with antioxidants, black tea is also full of tannins which can ease asthma and sooth digestive issues.

We chose to side-step cans of fizzy drinks and orange mocha-choca frappuccinos – of course we’d get a big ole sugar and caffeine kick from them but we didn’t fancy putting ourselves through that post-high slump. What we put in our bodies has both a short and long term effect and it can be a difficult balance the two – ‘I haven’t had enough sleep and need to get to a meeting so hand me the jug of caffeine’ v ‘long-term, natural, self-generated energy and positivity.’ However, with the health benefits of all the drinks we explored, at least we don’t have to feel guilty about reaching for an espresso once in a while…

5 Top Tips to Eating Beautiful for Spring 2016

With our tips on nutritional beauty, you can eat and drink your way to clearer, smoother skin, bright eyes and glossy hair. So whether you’re striding through the streets of Soho or Omming on a beach at sunrise, you can do it all with a gorgeous inner and an outer glow.

1. Avocados: These multitasking beauties are packed with biontin (also known as Vit H) which can improve keratin structure, helping your hair and nails grow long and strong; fatty acids to help keep your skin plump and moisturised; and vitamin C – necessary for the creation of collagen and elastin, which support firm skin. If that isn’t enough they are full of antioxidants to help fight environmental damage from free radicals: so your skin can stay youthful and you can keep your avocado-fuelled glow.

2. Pomegranates: As well as being chocked full of antioxidants, what’s rather unusual about the pomegranate is it’s anti microbial properties – keeping skin clear and even protecting against dental plaque. They also up your ‘salad game’: just throw a handful of pomegranate seeds on any salad and pretend you’re Ottelenghi.

3. Coconut Oil: Swap out your vegetable oils and butters for coconut oil. Unlike most other oils, which contain long-chain fatty acids, coconut oil’s fatty acids are medium-chain – making them easier to digest. It is reported that easing this strain on the gut can help heal common skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis from the inside – out. Plus, you can use it as a chemical free moisturiser: the sweet exotic smell will make you feel like you’re wafting down a beach (and not actually on your way to work).

4. Lemon infused water: Start your day with warm water infused with lemon (and not a double espresso) and know you’re doing something amazing for your body. Drinking lemon water is a great way to detox: it helps flush toxins from the body and balances PH levels, (unlike coffee, which is acidic for the body), making it fantastic for clearing and brightening skin. If you’ve had one too many glass of wine recently, lemon water also supports liver function, helping your body rebalance.

5. Broccoli: This cheap and cheerful superfood might be shunned by kids across the world, but it can set you on the path to bright, clear eyes. Broccoli contains Vitamin A which helps prevent dry eyes as well as a wealth of antioxidants and minerals that support eye function. To get the full benefits of broccoli, eat it raw… although that doesn’t mean you can’t slather it in hummus.

Top all this off with plenty of water (2 litres of filtered a day) and soon friends will be asking you where you get your facials done: you can tell them it’s at your local fruit & veg stall.

HERO OF THE MONTH – LONDON PALEO GIRL

Today we chatted: to the most wonderful Tessa Seward aka London Paleo Girl. Through her blog and Instagram, she has become an important role model for her thousands of followers – focusing on being fit, healthy and well from the inside out.

Tessa has to be one of the hardest working people in London, squeezing in a phone chat with us between writing her blog, developing Co Fro (her brand of coconut soft serve frozen yogurt), collaborating with like-minded companies, working out with her personal trainer flatmate and (we kid you not) while riding her bike to a meeting with her distributor. Not only are we amazed at her energy and multi-tasking skills – we are also pleased she didn’t come off her bike during the interview!

We are delighted to introduce you to the source of energy, life and love that is Tessa Seward – London Paleo Girl. 

How did you get where you are now?

My family is really foody and I think everything has come from that. At uni I did hospitality management and my placement with John Torode (of MasterChef fame) really amplified my love and passion for food. Then, the day of my uni graduation ball, I felt absolutely terrible and had to go home. I was diagnosed with glandular fever and it developed into ME… It absolutely wiped me out. I was put on antidepressants and a high fat diet that included lots of dairy. I had no energy, I couldn’t get out of bed and there wasn’t one week that I didn’t have a cold, flu or a fever. I started reading up on nutrition and then someone suggested I looked into Paleo, which, a couple of years ago, wasn’t such a well-known thing.

I cut out anything that was processed, didn’t eat refined sugar or dairy (and I used to love cheese!) and really cleaned up my diet. I started to notice the differences: my immune system got stronger, I wasn’t getting ill any more, I had way more energy and I came off the antidepressants. I’m now a massive believer in super foods, natural ingredients and natural healing. However, for me, Paleo is a way of living and not just a diet. I’ve stared to meditate and do yoga and pilates and I’ve slowly learned to manage stress better – now I really try to find balance in things.

How did you develop Co Fro?

I launched Co Fro last year – mostly because of my love for frozen yogurt! I was sure I could create something that was free of dairy and refined sugar and tasted as good or even better than normal frozen yogurt. I really wanted something that was light so that when you added bespoke things – like nut butters or cakes – it didn’t become overly rich. It took me about two years of developing and tasting the product for me to be happy with it!

I had everything planned for the launch and then, that week, my dad was rushed to hospital for open-heart surgery. Everything had to stop. Launching a brand you really need to be living and breathing it and obviously I couldn’t do that and didn’t want to do that while my dad was so ill.

So, earlier this year, after he’d recovered, I did a little pop-up at Grill Market in Fulham. People associate ice-cream with being a summer thing and I wanted to prove it’s a sweet treat for all year round – so we did these amazing apple crumbles and chocolate brownie Sundays. From there, Co Fro went into Raw Press in Chelsea – they’re full-time stockists of it now, which is just amazing. The brand is really developing, I’m super pleased with it and I’m excited about where it’s going. I’ve wanted to do everything myself in terms of funding, developing, marketing and promoting it and if people like it and they talk about it then that’s great. It doesn’t have a huge amount of money behind it but that has made it a much more organic process – word of mouth from people who genuinely love it.

What does a normal day look like?

Wow, they’re all so different! Today I got up and did a workout with my housemate (who handily, is a personal trainer!) and then we had breakfast. I spent the morning testing products for a company I’m working with, then I had a meeting to secure my new intern (which I am super excited about), then I went straight to a meeting with a client I do consultancy work for (it’s a really cool start-up café in the city and I was helping with their social media marketing), then lunch at my friend’s café in Chelsea followed by a couple more meetings – and now chatting to Ginger Orange while on my way to meet with a distributor for my new line of superfood Protein Pops! This evening I’m doing a class with a friend at Lomax followed by dinner with my housemate and then… finally… we’re going to Float Works in Vauxhall to float in the Epsom salts and relax.

Do you have a favourite exercise?

I love going to PHIIT as their workouts are incredible, especially their HIIT class. It’s great for toning, fat burning and cardio and you feel so good for it. 

Do you have a favourite spot in London?

I’m from the country and now I live in Fulham. I love this area because it has this young, chilled, country vibe and you’ve got healthy cafes and restaurants – it’s a really nice atmosphere!

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?

It really is my sweet tooth! But I’ve found a way of tweaking recipes and making them Paleo so that they taste as good or even better that the original. It means there’s never something I can’t have.

Do you have a personal hero?

I would say – and everyone laughs when I say this – David Attenborough – I love everything about him! His passion for what he does is amazing and how he’s such authority within his industry. I’ve met him and he was just like what you see on the tv – genuine and lovely – but I was so in awe I couldn’t even speak!

 Lastly, if you could choose a superpower, what would you pick?

I’d be a natural healer, healing everything in the world and making everyone better…. and giving everyone positive energy, as cheesy as that sounds, I think that that’s what the world needs sometimes.

GINGER ORANGE’S TOP 10 ADVENTURE HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS 2016

Need some colour in our life other than Brexit blue? Fancy sprinting up a volcano? Partying in Mexico? Or getting your chill on in Kefalonia? Whatever your reasons for grabbing the suitcase/rucksack/yoga bag, here are Ginger Orange’s top 10 adventure holidays for 2016. Sometimes we all need a little adventure in our lives…

1. DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL, MEXICO

Enjoy the British summer (ahem) and save your holiday for when the weather turns cold and the nights draw in. Head to Mexico City in late October for this dark but riotously colourful festival. Celebrate all those who have passed from the land of the living by painting your face, pulling on yourLa Reina Mora leggings, feasting on some sweet pan de muerto bread and dancing like there’s no tomorrow.

2. HAVANA, CUBA

The US are moving towards normalising relations with this Caribbean island for the first time since the Cold War. This thawing could mean an end to the US trade embargo. Ginger Orange loves it when we all get along but will this soon mean there’ll be a Starbucks on every corner? A MacDonalds on every block? Get yourself to Cuba in 2016 to ensure you get the most of the rich culture. Drive a 1950s Cadillac, sip rum (maybe not at the same time!), clamp a fat cigar between your teeth and get ready for your cultural adventure.

3. WEST DONEGAL, IRELAND

With beaches called things like ‘The Murder Hole’, wild seas and wilder craic, it’s amazing that West Donegal remains so un-touristy. Grab a surf board, strap yourself to a land yacht or brace yourself on your wind surfer: W.Donegal has some of the best wind and waves in Europe. When you’re done, settle in to the local pub and reward yourself with a Guiness. You could even try chewing on some local dulse seaweed… (It’s full of vitamins and minerals and has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties!).

 4. GREAT WALL MARATHON, CHINA

Flat marathons are so 2015. If you’re looking for a real running adventure get yourself to China. Staring at the beautiful old fortress in Huangyagyang, you’ll run, scrabble and climb over bricks as old as 220 BC. Absorb the history and beauty of the surrounding areas then reward yourself with the biggest plate of dumplings you can find.

5. WADI RUM, ARABIA

The Wadi Rum Valley is carved deep into the sandstone and granite of Southern Jordan. Made famous by the film Lawrence of Arabia (the real T.E. Lawrence travelled through it during the Arab Revolt), you can retrace those steps on foot, by camel, or if those Manolos aren’t a fan of sand, by Jeep. Wonder at the beauty of the Jebel Khazali mountains. Trace the wall paintings. Stand in awe atop the Burdah Bridge… And then head back to the hotel for G&T (well, it is anti-malarial you know…).

 6. VIA FERRATA, ITALY

Head to the Via Ferrata (iron bridge) in the Dolomites for an amazing climbing adventure. Whether you’re a newbie climber or a true rock monkey, there are graded climbs, walks and scrambles through the mountains. You’ll be harnessed and clipped in at all times so you can forget about the drop and enjoy the stunning scenery.

7. YOGA IN KEFALONIA, GREECE

Stuck in a sweaty yoga studio in the city? Friends’ Instagram posts are all beach postures and infinity pool meditation? Get yourself to Greece! The sleepy little village of Vigla in Kefalonia is home to some of the most beautiful cliff top and beach yoga. Practice twice a day with local yogis, go to meditation classes and top it off with fresh, healthy Greek food from local restaurants. Your shoulders will drop, your brow will unknit and you’ll finally have that Instagram-worthy downward dog shot.

 8. MOTORBIKE ACROSS SIBERIA

Beaches bore you? Claustrophobic in crowds of holidaymakers? Straddle a motorbike and Ride the Road of Bones through the Siberian wilderness. The history of this road is as chilling as the local weather – soak it all up as you cruise through the one of the remotest landscapes on earth. If Ewan McGregor can do it…

9. RUN UP A VOLCANO IN LANZAROTE

Have a triathlon coming up? The volcanic hills of Lanzarote and the smooth, calm seas provide the most amazing training ground. No wonder it is now home to super high-end training camps capitalizing on the natural facilities. Get the edge on your competitors by beasting yourself up volcanoes and freestyling around the coast. Then you can relax in the camp with a massage, dinner and a soak in the pool.

10. MAYAN ADVENTURE IN BELIZE

The Crystal Skull may not have been the best Indiana Jones movie. It did, however, show off some stunning scenery and Mayan ruins. Channel your inner Indi, head to Belize, stay in a jungle lodge and go in search of your own Mayan adventure. Now where did we leave our whip…?