Top 10 Healthy Hangover Cures Posted on 25th August 201618th October 2016 by gomammoth Look we’ve all been there. Waking up after a big night with nausea and a throbbing head is never fun, but fearnot, through extensive research in the office , we present to you our top 10 healthy hangover cures which hopefully will relieve you from that that belly full of regret. Note: If you want to dive in deeper to living a healthier lifestyle then check out our employee wellness programs guide here. Before we get started with this awesome list, we should really be responsible and tell you the best cure is abstaining from alcohol all together or drinking in moderation, but as you’re undoubtedly going to laugh in our faces, let’s kick off with the list. Rehydration Sachets Always keep a box of rehydration sachets in your kitchen cupboard as the sachet powder (combined with water0 work wonders to counteract the effects of alcohol in your bloodstream. Thing is, if you want to truly see the rejuvenating effect that rehydration drinks have against booze, you need to consume one of these before you go to bed, as the sugar in the powder helps regulate your blood sugar levels, while the minerals and electrolytes help the body replace lost fluids. Oats The body loses many essential minerals and vitamins during your big night the day before. Oats consist of many of these nutrients, including Vitamin B (good for the liver and mood) and magnesium, calcium and iron. Oats also help neutralise acidity levels in the body, clean the liver, absorb toxins and slowly raise blood sugar levels. All in all, waking up and making yourself a bowl of porridge isn’t such a bad idea. Watermelon Alcohol causes blood sugar levels to drop which can cause you to feel weak and shaky. Watermelon helps reduce theses effects as its high in fructose (which is a fruit sugar) and is also a highly concentrated fruit helping to rehydrate the body. Pickles Pickles contain a number of nutrients, including vitamin A, iron, potassium, vitamin K, calcium, and manganese. So eating a couple of pickles can help increase your sodium levels steadying your vitamin and mineral levels Coconut Water Coconut water has a similar effect on hangovers as rehydration drinks. Coconut water, which contains essential electrolytes (including calcium, potassium and magnesium) to boost hydration, and is also soothing for the stomach. Coconut water also has the same five electrolytes found in human blood whereas sports drinks only have two. Honey & Lemon Tea Honey helps in removing the harmful effect of alcohols because of the fructose present, while lemon juice is great for regulating the level of sugar in your blood. Give it a try. Soup As we have now established, the best way to treat a hangover is to rehydrate the body. This can be done through what you eat as much as what you drink. To increase your fluids and sodium levels and get some important nutrients all at once, try some health-boosting vegetable or miso soup. As an added benefit, soup is easy on the stomach so it’s easy to eat if you’re feeling a bit nauseous. Ginger Ginger reduces the oxidative stress to your stomach as well as blocking the serotonin receptors in the stomach that lead to nausea. You could try adding some grated ginger to hot water for a ginger tea, blending into a fresh fruit or vegetable juice, or snacking on ginger biscuits for stomach-soothing satisfaction. Eggs Firstly, eggs are high in protein, which helps raise mood-boosting serotonin levels as well as helping to reduce nausea. Furthermore, eggs are rich in an amino acid called cysteine, which helps fight against the alcohol-induced toxins that contribute to your hangover. Bananas Bananas are filled with potassium and magnesium, which are two important minerals that become depleted when we drink alcohol. A lack of potassium in the body can cause nausea, weakness and tiredness, so eating bananas can help reduce these hangover symptoms. Bananas are natural antacids so great for reducing stomach acid, and are good for providing a boost of energy if you have a busy day ahead. Finally, bananas are quick and easy to eat and can be consumed on the go which makes it our number one hangover cure. Check out the 5 superfoods that will give you super skin
What is yoga and what yoga styles do we offer? Posted on 8th August 20161st May 2017 by gomammoth If you look up yoga in the dictionary you’ll read that is “a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures.” But what the dictionary definition doesn’t tell you is that it’s a fitness discipline does wonders for the body and mind. It helps to build and maintain strong bones and muscles and assists with posture, bloody circulation, agility and mobility. It’s a fitness discipline that helps the body feel purified and detoxified, while many yogis also feel that it’s a great stress reliever. Go Mammoth’s classes our open to all levels – our instructors modify the movements and poses as your technique improves and you become stronger and more flexible. We offer classes in two distinct styles of yoga: Hatha and Vinyasa Flow: Hatha Yoga Hatha, or Haṭhavidyā, means “willful” or “forceful” and in its basic sense, refers to the practice of performing yoga poses. Although you’ll still be physically exerting your body when performing Hatha postures, it’s often regarded as the most gentle form of yoga, due to the lack of movement, or flow, between poses. We’d definitely recommend this class to yoga beginners or people who feel they are slightly unfit. Our helpful instructors will slowly guide you through the postures – after couple of months of classes, you’ll definitely feel more flexible, healthier and stronger! Vinyasa Flow Yoga With ‘Vinyasa Flow’ yoga, poses smoothly flow from one to another at different speeds. Movements are synchronised to your breath, so your instructor will spend time working with you on aligning the synchronicity of your breath to your movements. Along with exerting your body physically, you’ll find the dance-like movements of Vinyasa Flow will also give you an enjoyable cardio workout. If your job involves being seated for eight hours a day, we’d definitely recommend this class as it will assist your body with blood circulation and flexibility. What to expect at your first Go Mammoth yoga class — Ready to sign up to a Go Mammoth yoga class in London. Select a location below: Join a yoga class in Aldgate Join a yoga class in Angel Join a yoga class in Balham Join a yoga class in Clapham Join a yoga class in Clapham South Join a yoga class in Kings Cross Join a yoga class in Putney Join a yoga class in Victoria Looking to buy a yoga mat? Check out our top five yoga mats for beginners
15 Health Benefits of Yoga Posted on 8th August 20161st May 2017 by gomammoth Physical and mental health benefits of yoga: Yoga can help you maintain a healthy weight. As with all exercise, the more you put in, the more you will get out. Regular yoga sessions will help you feel more energetic on a day-to-day basis. Ease back pain. Many yogis believe that yoga can help ease the pain in your lower back. Get your blood flowing! Blood circulation is essential for keeping your body in tip-top shape – improved circulation will also help you feel warmer in winter. Yoga will delight your digestive system Your digestive system will thank you as performing yoga poses can help stimulate bowel movements. That’s a relief right!? Go Mammoth says relax… Lead a busy and stressful life? Go Mammoth yoga classes take place in a calming, relaxed environment – your stress levels will definitely be reduced after an hour a week practicing it. Feel good in body and in mind Similarly regular yoga sessions will do wonders as a general mood lifter Struggle with your sleep? After a few weeks of practicing yoga you will definitely be adept at catching more z’s! Your focus will improve Struggling to concentrate on the most straightforward of tasks? Practicing yoga will focus your mind on dealing with the task at hand, especially when you’re trying to perform a complex pose! Define muscle tone As your yoga ability improves, so too will your muscle tone. You’ll definitely notice the difference after a couple of months. Yoga is great if you regularly work out or play another sport: Yoga is your flexible friend! You will become more flexible practicing yoga. Fact! Reduce the chance of spors-related injuries If you’re injury-prone, practicing yoga will gradually loosen the tightness in your muscles Improve balance and composure If you play fast-paced physical sports, practicing yoga will help you stay on your feet, as it’s great for developing balance and composure. Make your core more competitive If you play mainstream sports like football, netball, rugby or tennis, you’ll be relying on your core strength. Yoga classes are perfect for developing core strength – just ask the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team as many of that World Cup winning side regularly practice it. So if it’s good enough for the All Blacks, why not give it a go? Yoga dials up your dexterity More complex poses yoga poses will help with your dexterity, which could make all that difference when you have to make that all-important catch, tackle or shot Read more about the different yoga classes we offer at Go Mammoth Ready to join a class? Join a yoga class in Aldgate Join a yoga class in Angel Join a yoga class in Balham Join a yoga class in Clapham Join a yoga class in Clapham South Join a yoga class in Kings Cross Join a yoga class in Putney Join a yoga class in Victoria
5 best yoga mats for beginners Posted on 8th August 20161st May 2017 by gomammoth Thing is, there’s a lot more than support and grip to consider before buying your first yoga mat: shape, size, thickness, thread count, cushioning and colour are just some of the factors that will influence your eventual decision. But as we want to take the pain out of your purchase, we thought we’d ask our expert Go Mammoth Yoga class team to share their best yoga mats for beginners: Manuka Life Beginner’s Yoga Mat This affordable starter mat does two essential things to assist beginners; its slip-resistant composition ensures stability, while its spongy texture assists with comfort. Although you may not get years of use from this mat – depending on how frequently you use it, its relative affordability makes it an attractive starter product. Plus, the Manuka Life Beginner’s understated floral motif gives the overall product a touch of elegance that belies its affordable price point. Oh, and like the other mats this list, the Manuka Life Beginner is composed from environmentally-friendly materials, so when you do move onto your second mat, you can rest assured it won’t sit festering in a landfill somewhere for years to come. Buy the Manuka Life Beginner’s Yoga Mat Yoga Matters “Classic Mat” Yet another affordable beginners mat with excellent grip to help with composure and at around 5mm thick, the Classic Mat helps with comfort when performing any poses on your knees or back. Lightweight portability is also a plus for this pleasant purple product, as is its length if you’re a yogi that stands between the 5”10 and 6” mark. It is, however, a little narrow compared to others on this list, which may become an issue when performing certain poses. There’s nothing more to be said about this one really – it’s a fairly simple product – but if we had to describe the Yoga Matters “Classic Mat” in six words we would go with: lovely looks, great grip, pleasantly purple. Buy the Yoga Matters “Classic Mat” PRANA – Eco Yoga Mat Yep this one does escalate in price a little compared to the predecessors on this list, but its two-sided textured surface ensures this mat is as gripped to the floor, as it is to your body. It has an almost luxurious feel to it too, making the PRANA Eco a product that feels as premium as it looks. We’re about to get technical for a moment so bear with us; PRANA claim that its mat’s “closed cell construction” prevents germs from absorbing in the mat. As we’re not scientists we can’t verify that claim, but what we can tell you is that this product doesn’t pong after repeated use, which is a plus right? The downside to the Eco yoga mat? Well, although our yoga team hasn’t had any issues with it, this product may be suited for more gentler styles of yoga such as Hatha, as there are a couple of reviews across the web mentioning its durability may struggle against the rigour of regularly repeated Vinyasa Flow or Ashtanga yoga sessions. For beginners just embarking on their yoga journey, we’d happily give this mat two thumbs up. Buy the PRANA – Eco Yoga Mat Jade – Yoga Harmony Mat Take a little look for yoga-related pics on Instagram and there’s a good chance you’ll see an influential “celebrity” yogi using one of these – Jada Yoga mat has skyrocketed to rockstar status over the past six months, but you know what, this is a mat whose style has the substance to back it up. Its grip? Great! The Harmony mat has to be utterly drenched in sweat before it gives up its grip – you’ll feel like Spider-Man when planted to this mat. Its looks? Lovely! The Harmony mat comes in a wide range of attractive tones that really stand-out (our personal favourite is the almost hypnotic Sedona Red above.) Its comfort levels? Comfy…so very comfy. There is a lot of bounce in this mat, which in the long term, will ward off sore joints. Its downsides? Divisive depending on how portable you need this one to be, because at 4.5cm this is quite a thick mat, which means it’s not as portable as some of the others on this list. As long as you’re not planning to trek to your classes on public transport with this, this won’t prove to be a problem. Buy the Jade – Yoga Harmony Mat Manduka Prolite Mat Last, but definitely not least on our mammoth list of mats is this great little mat from another big brand in yoga. Now if you’re planning to travel with your yoga mat to either a far flung exotic retreat or on the tube to your local Go Mammoth class, this will be your perfect travel partner. It’s lightweight and portable, but crucially, it’s not flimsy, which means that if you’re practicing yoga in a location outdoors, you can rest assured you won’t have to weigh down your mat with stones or similar objects to keep it in place. This is yet another mat with a “closed cell surface” which will ward away germs, but after repeated use, we did noticed it started to smell a bit. That reminds us…just a word of caution, when it comes to washing the Prolite mat (and the other mats on this list come to mention it!), do so by hand before hanging it to dry; the danger with washing it in a machine is that it could its strong synthetic grip more quickly. Plus, sticking it in the washing machine also voids this mat’s lifetime guarantee from Manduka, so don’t do it. The Prolite is a product that lives up to its name; excellent performance meets perfect portability. Yes, it’s a little bit more expensive than some of the other mats on this list, but you’ve always got the lifetime guarantee to fall back on…well as long as you don’t put it in the washing machine! Buy the Manduka Prolite Mat Ready to join a Go Mammoth yoga class? Join a yoga class in Aldgate Join a yoga class in Angel Join a yoga class in Balham Join a yoga class in Clapham Join a yoga class in Clapham South Join a yoga class in Kings Cross Join a yoga class in Putney Join a yoga class in Victoria
5 Things to Expect At Your First Yoga Class Posted on 8th August 20161st May 2017 by gomammoth A few things before starting in one of our Yoga London classes… We provide a yoga mat… If you don’t have a yoga mat ahead of your first class, don’t worry, we’ve got that covered. However, you may want to invest in a beginner’s mat for your course beyond as it’s an essential accessory for anyone practicing yoga. If you’re unsure about which one to buy, check out our top 5 yoga mats for beginners. Do I need to bring anything else with me? Wear clothes you’re comfortable in exercise in – you’ll be practicing poses and stretching for the best part of your hour class. Ensure they are loose fitting but not too baggy – certain yoga poses can be quite revealing! No trainers required We carry out our classes in barefoot. If you practice yoga wearing socks, you won’t achieve the same connection to the mat. Plus your instructor won’t be able to accurately see the positioning of your feet during poses if you’re wearing socks or trainers. Don’t worry about your lack of flexibility! A common misconception about yoga is that everyone who practices it is super flexible – this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not all yogis are super supple; you’ll see many of them bending their knees to touch their toes during warm-ups. Your instructor will help you become more flexible and will guide you through a series of gentle warm-up stretches at the start of each class to help you prepare for poses. After a few weeks, we guarantee you’ll be more flexible than when you started. Try to arrive to your first class a little early We’d advise arriving at least 10-15 minutes before your first class so you can meet your instructor. Before the class, it’s a good idea to tell the instructor about any recent or existing injuries you may have, as they will be able to advise as to whether you should modify or sit out certain poses. Signed up for a Go Mammoth yoga class? Check out our top 5 yoga mats for beginners Want to sign up for a yoga class with us? Select your region below: Join a yoga class in Aldgate Join a yoga class in Angel Join a yoga class in Balham Join a yoga class in Clapham Join a yoga class in Clapham South Join a yoga class in Kings Cross Join a yoga class in Putney Join a yoga class in Victoria