The Blog - REDEMPTION BAR

PLANT ALCHeMY WITH THE HUMBLE WARRIOR

1/16/2020

introducing our friends at humble warrior

As soon as we met the awesome team behind Humble Warrior we knew our paths were aligned! Founded by dream team Rosh and Andy, inspired by Rosh's childhood in Sir Lanka and their deep respect for the power of plants and living a healthier lifestyle. This naturally lead to creating kick ass botanical drinks. Along with the expert eye of herbalist and all round wizard Micheal Isted, founder of the Herball they have harnessed the awesome power of ancient plants to do, well, what natured intended! To help us thrive and work in harmony with our bodies and mind. Its pretty powerful stuff....

We are fascinated by this world of plants and wanted to learn more about not only what plants they use but how they can have powerful effects on our body. We are so excited to be hosting a one off masterclass with Micheal in our Covent Garden deli this Sunday 19th January! Together with the team behind Humble Warrior they will be taking us through the ancient properties of plants and how to create amazing drinks. You will get the chance to make your own botanical concoctions and learn more about the world of plant alchemy...There are only a few places left so book now to get involved!

BOOK NOW!

We took some time out to talk to the humble Rosh about all things plants!

What inspired you to start HW?
I use to drink Amla juice (made with indian gooseberries) as a child. My parents migrated from Sri Lanka to Australia, and we grew up there enjoying the incredible roots, barks, leaves and spices they'd source in small Sri Lankan off-licences! When we moved to London, I found that these plants I'd grown up with were relegated to powders or tablets here. That was the moment, Andy and I realised that there are so many extraordinary plants hidden from half the world...we knew we had to bring them out of the shadows and into the everyday.

What is your favourite herb and why?
I love gotu kola. It is a parsley shaped leaf and quite bitter to taste. My dad used to give it to me and my brothers before exams - it is awesome to get the mind in gear and focused. It's in our reishi & pineapple, and is a mindblowing treat!

What does 2020 have in hold for you?
The Roaring 20s are going to be big for HW! It may or may not be a coincidence that the last time we were in this decade - the 1920s - we saw prohibition in the US! What a time that was, and while we would never EVER want to return to those times, we have great plans for hw to keep giving people delicious, genuinely healthy and exciting drinks to enjoy when they're out. Expect to see new formats and more flavours!

Top tips for more mindful drinking through January and beyond...
1. Use the month to do more! One of the best things about not drinking, is the time you get back the next day. You can be completely productive from the moment you wake up. It's an awesome feeling knowing you've squeezed every second out of your day.

2. Try out something you haven't done before! So with the help of 1), it can be fun to try something completely knew. Start bike lessons (most boroughs offer free lessons to encourage more of us to away from cars!), teach yourself the piano (there are great lessons online), get into a new exercise, start knitting, get into spoken word...you get me!

3. If you break the commitment, that's ok. There's always tomorrow, next weekend, next month, next year, next February, next March...hey even next January! Dry is dry no matter when or where or for how long! Enjoy the journey you're on.

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CBD - WHAT IS THE ALL THE FUSS ABOUT?

1/14/2020

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With our first CBD cocktail now on the menu, we wanted to give you a little run down on CBD, bust some common myths and reveal some of the legendary properties of this wonderful plant. Our cocktail created by La Maison Wellness; The Fresh Focus uses CBD bitters to stimulate and highlight the delicate flavours in the drink.

Cannabidiol known as CBD is one of over 100 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids found in the cannabis or marijuana plant, Cannabis sativa. Unlike its sister component Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis) CBD is not psychoactive. You get all the benefits but with your feet firmly on the ground!

Myth busting: CBD is legal & does not get you high

The human body contains a specialised system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is involved in regulating a variety of functions including sleep, appetite, pain and immune system response. This system works in a delicate balance with our body and can be affected by external factors including, stress, trauma and the chemical environment.

The body produces endocannabinoids, which are neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors in your nervous system. CBD oil has shown promise as a treatment for both depression and anxiety due to CBD’s ability to act on the brain’s receptors for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and social behaviour

Myth busting: CBD oil is not the same as hemp oil

CBD is extracted from the cannabis plant and usually combined with a base oil (often olive or coconut ). Hemp oil is extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant and should not contain CBD, or any other cannabinoids. Hemp oil and seeds are associated with their own list of health benefits. We use hemp seeds in our protein packed burger as a complete protein and great source of Omega 3 & 6 (the good fats)

Continued use of CBD can help with anxiety, depression, pain relief and help with other issues caused by inflammation. This is down to the unique way it interacts with our own cannabinoid system and can help create internal balance. However, doses and amounts needed will vary on your condition. The levels used in food and drink are not a medical cure but enough to help induce feelings of relaxation and help reduce mild levels of stress. We suggest reading into the effects more to understand this original super plant!

Cannabis and all parts of the plant have been used for thousands of years from fabrics to food, medicine to ceremony. We now have science available to look deeper into the medical benefits of the plant and how we can integrate into our modern world.

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January - lets go!

1/5/2020

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Welcome back - we hope you are ready to blast into 2020 a fresh and motivated you!

This month we are focusing on the two things we feel most passionately about; eating more plants and drinking less booze! Hurrah, its the one month that guarantees more interest, questions and we hope more revelations about living a healthier more sustainable life!

Today we are talking about booze, plonk, that social elevator, the relaxer, the most socially acceptable and yet most dangerous drug available to us. Legal and celebrated, yet something went wrong along the way with our relationship with booze. Since the first grapes fermented and the friars turned undrinkable water into a palatable brew, we have developed (especially in the West) a weird co dependant relationship, that although brings us happiness at times causes a lot of tears, bruises, sickness and pain. The type of relationship you would tell a friend to run a mile from! Some of us can flirt with this toxic suitor, sharing a cheeky glass or two over a weekend, taking them along for a fun party date but then kick them out when they get too demanding. Sadly many are stuck in a more co-dependant relationship that takes over.

However, 2019 was the biggest year for the no and low alcohol market and we have some exciting times ahead. We saw alcohol consumption falling in the 15-30 age bracket last year and this trend is set to continue! To celebrate a new year and the infamous Dry January we are hosting a cocktail masterclass this Wends 8th January with the lovey Camille Vidal from La Maison Wellness

Camille has over 15 years experience in some of the worlds best bars and now has developed La Maison Wellness, as a brand and content platform to help people make more mindful choices and enjoy a healthy hedonism! She has developed a unique serve called the Fresh Focus which combines delicate botanicals with CBD infused bitters. CBD will be seen much more this year integrated into foods and drinks to hardness its powerful properties (no it doesn't get you high..watch our for our upcoming CBD post later in the week to give you the low down CBD and its benefits). We caught up with Camille to find out a little more about why she started LMW ...

What drove you to create LMW
I wanted to inspire people to live well in a way that felt like a celebration rather that cutting out more growing the pile of good things

With La Maison Wellness I create mindful cocktails and guide people through the healthy hedonist lifestyle because I believe that mixing in mindfulness into every aspects of your life is the fast track to living well and being happy.

What top tips do you have for being more mindful and for anyone taking the dry January challenge
Open your mind
Try something different
Have fun along the way

Check out La Maison Wellness website and youtube channel for inspiration and tasty mindful cocktails

If you are taking the dry January challenge or just want a more mindful 2020, then planning social events and learning more about this new delicious world of drinks is a great motivation. We are holding this workshop and then Humble Warrior plant alchemy on 19th January!

Book your place for La Maison Wellness below

COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS BOOK NOW

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