5 yoga studios in Hong Kong for beginners

Yoga has been around for more than 5,000 years and combines strengthening and stretching poses with deep breathing and meditation or relaxation. Not only does it feel great, it also offers a number of health benefits. From increasing muscle strength and core to relieving back pain, anxiety and even stress, it is no wonder that the popularity of this mind-body workout has boomed over recent years.

If you are looking to try your hand at yoga but are unsure of where to start, our roundup of the best yoga studios in Hong Kong for beginners has got you covered.

Kita Yoga

5 yoga studios in Hong Kong for beginners — Image courtesy of Kita Yoga

Described as a cosy neighbourhood studio with a chill vibe, Kita Yoga, offers vinyasa based yoga classes with a focus on promoting health and wellbeing. The inviting space with small class sizes gives beginners the chance for a one-to-one experience. For newbies, Foundations, is the perfect class with a workshop-like structure. Students are guided through the practice with detailed and targeted alignment cues. In addition to yoga, the contemporary studio offers meditation classes that are grounding, energising and allow you to be present and mindful. What’s more, mats are provided, so all you need to do is book a slot and get ready to experience some serious peace and tranquility.

If you are ready to find some balance in your life, you’ll be pleased to hear that Kita Yoga’s Introductory offer (unlimited week) is a steal at only $300 HKD. For more information, visit www.kitayoga.com

The Yoga Room

Conveniently located in the heart of Sheung Wan, The Yoga Room, is a boutique yoga studio with a focus on small classes with highly-skilled instructors. Complete with four studios, the Yoga Room offers over 100 classes per week and is highly regarded as one of the best yoga studios in Hong Kong for beginners. The Forrest Yoga Beginner classes will allow you to practice each pose safely and progressively at your own pace, without struggle and with the confidence that there will always be someone to support you and something to achieve in every class. For beginners looking to experiment with different types of yoga, the Antigravity Fundamentals class is a great introduction to aerial yoga.

Feeling inspired? You are in luck! The Yoga Room offers a free trial group class (for first timer with valid HKID). For more information, visit www.yogaroomhk.com

Yoga Bam Bam

A popular choice amongst beginners and advanced yogi’s, Yoga Bam Bam offers a wide selection of traditional and creative classes. While both studios are located close to Central, they are positioned in hidden artistic neighbourhoods with a sanctuary-like feel. The chic, designer studio offers small classes, ensuring individual attention from the teacher. With no membership fees and with most classes tailored to all levels, this pay-as-you-go yoga service is the perfect chance for those looking to trial a class or two.

You can reserve your spot online by visiting www.yogabambam.com

Mari Yoga

Mari Yoga is one of the few studios in Hong Kong to offer Qi Gong, a practice that blends yoga with martial arts and is popular for its strengthening and stretching health benefits. While there are three studios at Mari Yoga, the Sheung Wan classes are the best fit for beginners. Creating suitable yoga sequences based on your needs and conditions, Mari Yoga promises to help you transform your quality of life through Yoga Asana, meditation and beyond.

To book a class or for more information, head to www.mariyoga.com

Pure Yoga

For those that prefer bigger classes, Pure Yoga is a great choice. As Hong Kong’s biggest fitness chain, they offer various types of classes for all levels. A five pillar system has been designed to aid the selection of appropriate classes for new students and allows you to make informed choices on how to grow and develop in your own yoga practice. If you are looking for yoga with a view, head to Pure Yoga in Tsim Sha Tsui or for something more dynamic, try your hand at the Detox Flow.

If its your first time at Pure, you can schedule a free trial online at www.pure-yoga.com/hongkong

Text: Hira Desai

Relax, Restore and Rejuvenate at Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong’s newly opened Spa at Base Camp

On 9^th June, The Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong, officially opened its doors to the Spa at Base Camp.

Offering a slice of serenity within the urban jungle of Hong Kong, the Spa provides guests with an intimate experience, complete with three en suite treatment rooms alongside a couples VIP suite.

Focusing on a “Back to Basics” concept, the Spa at Base Camp encourages guests to relax, restore and rejuvenate by removing any stress and tension.

Take a step inside and you will be instantly transported to another world, reminiscent of beautiful Bali. The interior is comprised of Balinese wooden display racks, bamboo towers and cabinets, along with dark wood and masonry decorations. In addition, the terrace that overlooks the magnificent Victoria Harbour, will ensure that you feel instantly refreshed from the moment you enter.

Relax, Restore and Rejuvenate at Kerry Hotel Hong Kong's newly opened Spa at Base Camp — Spa Waiting Lounge

Next, you will be welcomed by the team of friendly therapists. Internationally and professionally trained by Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, they promise to provide you with world-class treatments.

What’s more, the Spa at Base Camp is the first in Hong Kong under Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, to offer the “Signature Asian Blend massage”. Using a blend of traditional Asian spa techniques, this treatment aims to restore balance to the body. Thai acupressure, Chinese Qigong, as well as Balinese and Malaysian deep tissue massage techniques are combined together to seamlessly release tension and refresh your mind, body and soul.

If you wish to indulge further, the “Spa Journey” offers a combination of personalised private exercise classes and massage treatments to help you relax, restore and rejuvenate completely. After learning about your specific needs, the Spa will arrange a tailor-made 60-minute session with a personal trainer or yoga instructor at Base Camp Kerry Sports, followed by a 90-minute or 120-minute spa treatment. Other journeys also include a bespoke poolside lunch on the outdoor terrace, as you look out to the harbour views feeling recharged.

Guests will leave feeling relaxed and invigorated not only through the massage and exercise techniques, but also through the specially chosen luxury spa products. The first of the brands is Omorovicza, powered by a potent blend of Hungary’s mineral-rich healing waters. The second brand, Zents, combines healing with products containing restorative powers. Choose from five scents ranging from warm and invigorating Mandarin to energizing and balancing Oolong. Opt for the one which best suits your mood and be ready for the ultimate spa experience!

To celebrate the special opening, Spa at Base Camp is extending a range of offers and promotions to hotel guests and visitors. So, go ahead and book yourself a staycation or experience some peace and tranquility at Hong Kong’s newest urban sanctuary.

Grand Opening Offers

Hotel Guest Exclusive Offer:

Hotel guests can enjoy a 15% discount on all spa treatments (except spa packages and Journey)

Hotel Visitor Offer:

Complimentary 30-minute body massage with the purchase of a 60-minute facial treatment
Complimentary 30-minute facial treatment or body scrub with the purchase of a 60-minute body treatment
50% discount for any second treatment upon the purchase of a 90-minute body massage treatment

*Offers valid until 30 June, 2018

For more information please visit, www.shangri-la.com/hongkong/kerry/health-leisure/

Address: 4th Floor, Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong, 38 Hung Luen Road, Hung Hom Bay
Reservations: Book online by clicking here or call (852) 2252 5350

Text: Hira Desai

Fivelements Hong Kong: A detox with a difference for Hong Kong’s urban dwellers

Nestled in the hidden depths of the rural hillside of Sai Kung and far from the city’s crowds, lies Fivelements Hong Kong – the ultimate wellness retreat for urban dwellers.

Located just 40 minutes away from bustling Central, the urban sanctuary offers guests a chance to escape from the hectic schedules of their daily lives and to recharge with the help of carefully curated wellness rituals, including half-to full-day experiences and retreat stays.

As an addition to their multi-award-winning resort in Bali, Fivelements Hong Kong, forms part of the region’s first holistic sports wellness destination, Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy (HKGTA) offering a range of facilities from state-of-the-art golf coaching studios to indoor and outdoor swimming pools and tennis courts.

Easing into a slower pace of life, begin your retreat with a 105-minute Signature Balinese massage in the Royal Luxury Wellness Suite. Adorned with gold and red embellishments and artfully designed with furnishings hand-crafted by talented Balinese artisans, you will instantly feel a million miles away from home.

The therapist will begin by gently rocking your body and you will find yourself becoming more relaxed as the layers of tension are released. Smooth broad strokes will then be used to soothe muscular aches and pains with the help of a luxuriously silky coconut oil. Emphasising a deep pressure with a meditative pace, this calming massage employs entrancing waves of touch, interspersed by gentle stretches to loosen the joints. As you gradually fall into a tranquil sleep, your hands and feet will be massaged using kneading and acupressure techniques.

You will confidently awake from this meditative massage feeling invigorated and ready for your Do-In Taoist yoga and self-massage session with Anne, a registered Somatic Movement Educator, Experiencing Practitioner and expert in the mind-body connection. Derived from Taoism and Chinese Medicine, Do-In combines gentle stretching and movements with meditative and breathing techniques to activate and balance the circulation of life force through the body’s energetic pathways, also known as the meridians.

Feeling uplifted and energised after a session of Do-In, continue your retreat with a delicious dinner at the Saki Dining Room. Helmed by Chef Arnaud and hailed as a pioneer in healthy, epicurean plant-based cuisine, Sakti Dining Room is renowned for its 3, 5 and 7-course Chef’s Tasting menus that are sure to surprise even the most experienced epicure with its range of palates.

Begin your dinner with a refreshing grape and ginger sparkling drink, followed by the Yellow Zucchini Tian. Beautifully decorated with fruity lemon basil, sunflower seeds and sour cream, this simple yet impressive dish is the perfect starter. Next, enjoy a delicious Confit Tomato and Zucchini Tarte served with a pleasantly sweet and sour bell pepper marmalade and a garlic emulsion offering the perfect balance of flavours. The zucchini tarte lends a perfectly crisp texture alongside the tangy confit tomatoes and will only leave you hankering for more. End with a Passion Fruit and White Chocolate surprise, complete with strawberries, tonka beans and baby corn. The unexpected medley of flavours and textures creates a harmonious end to a delectable culinary experience.

At this juncture, you may well feel like taking a siesta and members of the HKGTA can do just that. Combined with a rich sense of heritage and contemporary vision, enjoy a restorative sleep in the richly-appointed apartments and villas. For a complete wellness experience, a stay in one of the luxury Royal Sleeping Suites, adjoining your private treatment room is a must.

While the overnight facilities are for patrons of HKGTA, non-members who wish to enjoy the unique atmosphere of Fivelements can partake in the Friends of Fivelements, a pre-paid value special privilege programme. Simply purchase a pre-paid value card and enjoy special privileges at both Fivelelements Hong Kong and Bali.

Whether you are looking for a getaway to celebrate a special occasion or would simply like to pamper yourself to a day of wellness treats, Fivelements Hong Kong is a haven of surprises that will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, ready to take on the world!

Address: Fivelements Hong Kong, 81 Tai Chung Hau Road, Sai Kung
For more information visit, www.hk.fivelements.org or call (852) 3959 0000

Text: Hira Desai

Transcendental Meditation: Maze of mantras or highway to inner peace?

Navigating through the tricky world of wellness mantras can be mind-boggling, especially with each one promising to outshine the next! But if you find yourself undecided on the path to ‘inner peace’, going back to a practice that has stood the test of time for centuries might be a good place to start!

Yes, we’re talking about Transcendental Meditation, a form of silent meditation that originated in ancient India and was practiced by rishis or monks in Vedic culture. Mostly an esoteric practice for centuries, Transcendental Meditation – or TM as it is better known – spread its wings to the rest of the world at the hands of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the late 1950s.

In recent times, this practice has found endorsement from countless celebrity supporters, including Hollywood A-listers Hugh Jackman, Ellen DeGeneres, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey and Clint Eastwood, to name just a few.

For a wellness fad that has attracted so many high-profile practitioners and is so much in the limelight, Transcendental Meditation has remarkably few controversies and detractors. This is probably because it’s billed as an ‘effortless’ form of meditation. Indeed, as opposed to some other wellness paths, the practice does seem rather straightforward – the practitioners only need to silently repeat a personalised Sanskrit mantra with their eyes closed for 20 minutes twice a day.

Apparently, doing this allows the mind to simply take a step back from the everyday clutter and to experience a state of restful calm consciousness. According to Bob Roth, TM teacher and author of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Transcendental Meditation, “We are living in an epidemic of stress, and we can’t muscle our way out of it. Transcendental Meditation transforms the mind and body.”

His claims do find some scientific support. John Hagelin, a quantum physicist by profession, says: “Transcendental Meditation is the most widely researched form of meditation, and its benefits to mind, body and emotions have been verified by hundreds of peer-reviewed studies.”

But nirvana comes at a price, apparently. The Transcendental Meditation programme is taught in one-on-one sessions by certified teachers for a fee which varies by country. For Hong Kong, the fee for a six-month course ranges upwards of HK$6500 (find more here).

Is it worth it? If we go by what talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has to say, the answer’s a definitive, resounding ‘yes’.

Watch her interview with Bob Roth here.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Hydrate your skin from the inside out with these top 5 miracle foods

Fact: Nobody likes dry skin! And sometimes, no matter how many products we use, we just can’t seem to get that hydration that our skin so desperately needs. As you nod your head in agreement, remind yourself that hydration ultimately comes from within. For that long-lasting natural glow, check out these healthy miracle foods that will have your skin looking firm and radiant from the inside out!

Watermelon

With a content of more than 90% water, this popular summer fruit is the ideal snack for staying hydrated. Providing a source of vitamin A, B and C, as well as minerals such as manganese and potassium, watermelon not only improves your skin’s appearance but also stimulates health. Add your daily dose of watermelon to a blender and mix with other fruits to create a healthy and hydrating fruit juice.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil is one of the best plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Not only is it extremely beneficial for chronic skin conditions such as rosacea, acne and dermatitis, it also aids hair growth, weight loss and blood health. Incorporate this miracle liquid into your daily routine by adding into into your smoothies or juices, or use it in place of other types of oils when creating salad dressings or dips. Lastly, remember to store your bottles in a dark and cool place to avoid oxidation.

Avocado

The avocado trend is here to stay! Not only are they super tasty, they are also superstars for your skin. While the water content hydrates the skin, the healthy fats and chlorophyll help to reduce inflammation, and Vitamin E promotes softness, preventing wrinkles over time. To make a homemade mask made from avocados, take a 1/4 ripe avocado and mash it up into a bowl until it turns lump free. Mix into the pulp, 1 teaspoon of plain organic yoghurt and ½ teaspoon of honey. Stir them well until you get a paste of uniform consistency. Apply the mask onto your skin for 10-15 minutes or until it dries out and wash off to reveal smooth and silky skin!

Apples

The fruit bowl favourite proves that it is not only tasty but contains plentiful nutrients for healthy skin. Boasting a high content of vitamin C, apples help to build collagen and their levels of copper encourage skin to produce melanin, pigment responsible for colour in your skin. They also contain a number of antioxidants such as flavonoids and polyphenols that help protect the body against harmful bacteria and viruses. Moreover, the beta carotene in it has anti-cancer and anti-cholesterol properties.

Cucumber

Cucumber is not only recommended for eating, but it is also good to apply on your skin. The flesh of the cucumber is mostly water, but also contains Vitamin C and caffeic acid, both of which help to soothe skin irritations and prevent water retention. This may explain why cucumbers are often helpful for puffy eyes and burns. Add slices into a jug of water and pop into the fridge for an easy go-to drink that will both quench your thirst and keep you hydrated throughout the summer days.

Now that you have your diet in order, all that’s left to do is to incorporate some of the latest skincare products into your daily routine and then sit back and watch your complexion glow, day after day.

Text: Hira Desai

Birth Rights (and Wrongs) : A candid survival guide for new parents

You might think you are fully-prepared for bringing your first-born home, but you’re not. You’re really not. No matter how many self-help manuals, teach-yourself-child-rearing websites or well-meaning relatives you have consulted, your state of almost complete unreadiness remains fully intact. Trust me on this one.

For the ill-prepared new parents, though, there are maybe six advicey nuggets that should be particularly clung to in the long sleepless nights, briefly enlivened by the maybe-smiles from your mini-me, that lie ahead.

Firstly, your home is full of sharp, savage edges. No matter how twee, safe and accommodating it looked just nine months ago, it now has scary protuberances everywhere, just waiting for you to slip or to drop your wee one. Best invest in sure-grip soles and cover your apartment’s every pointy bit with bubble-wrap and padded sockery, though it won’t help counter that lingering feel of impending dread all that much.

Secondly, Checking That Folk Are Breathing is now A Thing. While padding up to the cot and checking on the chest movements of your wee one is permissible, best not to let such practices intrude into your work life. In many Hong Kong offices, conspicuous respiration may be deemed a sign of ostentatious ambition and, in several government departments, it is actually seen as a bar to promotion.

Thirdly, beware of discerning patterns. Any indication that your new arrival has fallen into a routine with regard to eating, napping or nappy-filling is purely an illusion, probably brought on by a lack of sleep. In truth, the fruit of your loins is no more regular than KITEC’s post-gig bus service and far less likely to cease any discernible activity after 10pm.

Fourthly, although a cork dropped four streets away will be more than enough to wake your heir apparent once you’ve spent three hours gently rocking and coaxing them to sleep, a detonating gas main immediately below your apartment will not suffice to stir them should you want to impress impromptu visitors or proudly Skype your diapered-darling to overseas well-wishers.

Fifthly, according to Science, your beloved new-born will not form their first congruent thought (“wanna wee”) for some time – around 18 months for a girl and, for boys, shortly before their 17^th birthday. In a by-product of Darwinistic opportunism, however, this will not stop your infant charge from assuming a mantle of infinite wisdom pretty much the instant they are de-wombed.

While their cold young / old appraising stare merely belies the fact that they have approximately the same sentience as a hand towel, if will suffice to instil an unmasterable sense of soul-bared exposure in any passing parent. This is, in fact, an evolutionary asset that stops even the most self-centred of progenitors from indulging in any activity – finishing box-sets, watering a hibiscus, eating… – that does not directly benefit the new-born in question.

In fact, one feckless father, found to have half-considered a few liveners with a briefly-in-town old mate down Wan Chai way, was subsequently found quite dead in an SCMP Sunday supplement, with a glowering four-month-old looking on. While it later transpired that the child merely had wind, there was no way that the doomed dad could have known that, at least not for sure.

Text: William Elliott

The full version of this feature appears on Gafencu Magazine’s April 2018 print issue. You can download the free app for digital editions of the magazine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Hong Kong

Asia’s faithful Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is hugely popular in Hong Kong but for newbies, it can seem a little daunting. If you are feeling sluggish, tired, or are just curious to learn more about the ancient legacy, we have rounded up a list of the best places for Traditional Chinese Medicine in the 852.

The Mandarin Spa

Offering an extensive range of treatments, including a wide choice of therapies drawing on the philosophies of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), The Oriental Spa is the perfect place to embark on a holistic sensory journey that will transform the body, mind and spirit. Developed with the assistance of specialists in TCM, each signature therapy consists of a relaxing, hands-on body massage ritual that combines the powerful effect of an oriental meridian massage with the therapeutic benefits of custom-blended essential oils, created specially for Mandarin Oriental.

Treatment: The Chinese Meridian Massage focuses on acupressure points and directional flow of the Qi in the body. It is more than a system of relaxation and tension release. To strengthen your overall health, opt for the Chinese Doctor Consultation where a doctor will tailor a treatment specific to your needs.

For more info and bookings: www.mandarinoriental.com, mohkg-spa@mohg.com, (852) 2825 4888

Chuan Spa

Back in 2005, the Chuan Spa – part of the Cordis Hong Kong – was one of the first to adopt TCM as one of its underlying principles. Following its success in Hong Kong, the approach was exported to 15 of the spa’s overseas operations, including its Chicago, London and Auckland branches. Each individual treatment has been created to cultivate the 5 Wu Xing elements that form TCM’s focal point. Chuan believes the task of a Chinese doctor is to restore an imbalance in the harmony of Yin and Yang. The aim is to aid the deficiency or reduce the excess.

Treatment: Ho Guan, also known as Cupping, is the ancient Chinese practice where a heated cup is applied to the skin. The pressure in the cup has a therapeutic effect on the skin and superficial muscle layer. Cupping is also applied to certain acupressure points that are affected by pain. Be sure to reserve your spot atleast 24 hours in advance as this popular treatment is known to get booked up quickly!

For more information and bookings: www.chuanspa.com.hk, (852) 3552 3510, cdhkg.info@chuanspa.com

Balance Health

As one of Hong Kong’s earliest natural alternative clinics, Balance Health has supported many patients to achieve their optimum health and well-being. Located in Central, the natural health clinic offers a great selection of TCM and alternative treatments.

Treatment: Curious to see what the effects of acupuncture are but feeling squeamish at the thought of needles? Balance Health has the perfect solution for you. Rather than stimulating the body through the insertion of needles or Moxibustion, the Tui Na Massage aims to stimulate the body through the hands of the therapist. Used in conjunction with other remedies, it can be a great treatment for many conditions such as vomiting, asthma and constipation.

For more information and booking: www.balancehealth.com.hk, (852) 2530 3315, appt@balancehealth.com.hk

Oriental Health Chinese Medicine Clinic

Oriental Health Chinese Medicine Clinic offers traditional healing treatments combined with natural therapies such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs and Qi gong. With a team of highly experienced doctors and a full range of treatments, Oriental Health is a great place to address your imbalances and stay healthy.

Treatment: Acupuncture comes in the form of the painless insertion of needles in the skin with the aim of stimulating the body or the use of burning moxa sticks on human skin where the desire is to stimulate the body with heat. Both treatments can be used to treat a variety of conditions including anything from stress and depression to women’s health. If you’re not squeamish, give it a try!

For more information and bookings: www.orientalhealth.com.hk, (852) 3904 3369

Traditional Chinese Medicine is gradually gaining credibility across the globe and could easily represent a “viable alternative to Western medicine”. To read more about the healing power of TCM and its progression in the West, click here.

Image Credits: Facebook – Oriental Health, Balance Health, Oriental Spa at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Text: Hira Desai

To try or not to try: Judge these five popular weight loss diets yourselves

With summer approaching, if you’re looking to lose a few pounds to flaunt your beachwear, we have for you a line-up of weight loss diets that you may want to try (besides the Keto diet that we covered some time back). But please seek your doctor’s opinion before embarking on a strict diet, and above yourself, love your body, no matter what!

Atkins Diet

Devised by American physician, Robert Atkins, this weight loss diet restricts carbohydrate intake, marketing the debatable claim that carbohydrate intake is directly related to weight gain/loss. Atkins Diet can be divided into four phases. In phase 1, partake less than 20gms of carbs per day for two weeks, and supplement your diet with high-protein, high-fat and leafy foodstuff. In phase 2, add more nuts, low-carb veggies and fruits. In phases 3 and 4, start adding more carbs, but make sure they are healthy fibrous food.

Dukan Diet

This is another protein-based diet fad invented by French nutritionist Pierre Dukan. Made popular by Kate Middleton, who tried this weight loss diet before her royal wedding and lost two dress sizes, this diet advocates a high-protein, low-carb routine. Like Atkins Diet, this one’s broken down into four phases as well. Phase 1 is protein-heavy, phase 2 allows some carb-containing veggies, phase 3 permits some more veggies, fruits and diary products and phase 4 is all about maintaining the reduced weight while incorporating some amount of carbs in the daily diet.

Paleo Diet

Like the Dukan diet, this one’s protein-heavy too. The premise? To replicate a Paleolithic caveman’s diet as closely as possible. In a nutshell this means, if a caveman didn’t eat it, neither should you. Foods to avoid include cured meat, artificial sweeteners, processed food, all dairy products, etc. Instead, consume more lean meat, game animals, free-range chicken, eggs, fish, nuts and seeds, fruits, non-starchy veggies, etc.

Monotrophic Diet

This one’s a bit of an extreme diet fad that should best fade into oblivion. It involves eating only one food item only (such as potatoes or apples) or one type of food only (such as fruits) for the entire period that you are dieting. Though popularised on YouTube a few years back by Leanne Ratcliffe who lost 40 pounds after eating up to 51 bananas a day, monotrophic diet has received a lot of flak from all quarters for being skewed and not taking care of a person’s holistic dietary requirements. A word of advice: skip this one.

Pritikin Diet

On the other end of the spectrum is the Pritikin diet, which, thankfully, has no extreme elements in it. Pritikin diet can be divided into Go Foods, Caution Foods and Stop Foods. Go Foods include fruits, veggies, whole grains, fish, lean meat, etc. Caution Foods include oils, starch, refined grains, salt, etc. Stop Foods comprise cholesterol-rich food like egg yolks, processed meats, saturated fats, etc.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Image courtesy: www.dukandiet.com, Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images

Healing Touch: Why the world is waking up to the goodness of Traditional Chinese Medicine

For visitors to Majorca, one of Spain’s most popular tourist resorts, the St. Regis Mardavall has everything you might expect of a world class hotel, including premium yachting, golf and spa facilities. It also boasts an unlikely mastery of the arcane art of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), an expertise that has seen wellness worshippers from across Europe beating a path to its door.

On this front, the hotel’s poster boy is Dr Lu Zhang, “currently one of the greatest TCM experts in Europe,” if his website is to be believed. Previously a professor of TCM in Beijing, he found his way to Spain as the Chinese government’s TCM ambassador to the West.
Zhang’s work with the mainland government represents one of the most recent attempts to export China’s 2,500-year-old healing and health regime to the wider international community.
It’s been a long and difficult process, but now many of the more enlightened Western practitioners acknowledge that TCM could represent a “viable alternative to Western medicine.”

Sensing TCM’s moment might have come, last July saw China enact new legislation formalising the status of TCM and requiring local governments to launch institutions promoting its practice in medical centres across the country, while also increasing the funding available for TCM development.
Wang Guoqiang, deputy chief of China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission, says: “I’ve visited a number of countries where the head of state has expressed their desire to import TCM expertise, a sure sign that awareness of its efficacy is rising.”
Honed and refined over countless generations, TCM is a fusion of five different techniques – acupuncture, massage, herbs, dietary therapy and qigong exercises. According to its advocates, the key advantage of TCM is that focuses on prevention rather than seeking to simply provide a cure.

Providing some insights into the essential nature of the philosophy behind TCM, Jeremy McCarthy, Global Director of Spa and Wellness at the Mandarin Oriental, says: “The Western world tends to have a dualistic approach to wellness – considering the mind and body to be wholly separate – as opposed to the more holistic and integrated approach embraced by TCM.”
Despite such high-level endorsements, TCM is still frequently criticised by the Western media for its lack of definitive methodologies and abrogation of animal rights. Taking such criticism on the chin, Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) says: “TCM has many critics and their criticisms must be addressed if it is ever to perform a legitimate role within a wider health system. It is entirely wrong, however, to dismiss the entirety of this ancient art as nothing but ‘snake oil’ medicine.”

In Hong Kong, where the Western and Chinese medical traditions have long existed side by side, TCM has become one of the staples of the city’s wellness providers. Back in 2005, the Chuan Spa – part of Cordis Hong Kong – was one of the first to adopt TCM as one of its underlying principles. Following its success in Hong Kong, the approach was exported to 15 of the clinic’s overseas operations, including its Chicago, London and Auckland branches.
Looking to build the body of evidence in support of the efficacy of TCM, the Oriental Spa – part of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group – often collaborates with the Mayo Group, a non-profit medical practice and. research group, on the development of a range of TCM-related health and wellness initiatives.

With the growing influence of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as a number of other Asian therapeutic traditions, such as Indian Ayuverda medicine and Middle Eastern Hammam rituals, it looks as if the direction of the flow of influence is beginning to change. For many, it’s an all but revolutionary break with centuries of Western dominance.

It’s also spurred a new thought – if, in the medical world, the West is finally catching on to something Asia has instinctively known for millennia, what else might it learn if it casts its cynicism and intransigence aside for long enough?

Text: Julienne C Raboca

For the full feature on Traditional Chinese Medicine, please check out the latest issue of Gafencu’s print magazine or the PDF version on the Gafencu app. Download the app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store

Keto: Killer diet?

Gafencu editor Xuan Dai tried the low-carb, low-sugar keto diet for a week so you don’t have to.

For decades, fat has been deemed Public Enemy No 1 insofar as nutrition and fitness are concerned. That perception, however, is changing with the reemergence of the keto diet – an old method that has made a comeback in recent months, with celebrities like LeBron James, Halle Berry and Kourtney Kardashian swearing by its success.

The diet, which is high in fat (70%) and allows for a moderate amount of protein (25%) and very limited carbs (5%), was first used as a treatment for epilepsy in the 1920s. In more recent times, dieticians have started using it to help people lose weight.

The idea is to induce ketosis, a metabolic process in which the body derives its energy from fat (the foods you’ll be eating) instead of glucose (mostly from carbohydrates, which are practically eliminated on this diet).

With that in mind, Gafencu’s Xuan Dai decided to try the keto diet for 1-2 weeks to see how much fat I could shed. I bought keto sticks to test my urinal ketone levels daily and stocked up on nuts, butter, olive oil, sour cream and other fatty foods, while also cutting out sugars and limiting my carb intake to 20g per day.

Day 1: I felt hungry all the time, anxious at work and couldn’t sleep at night.

Day 2: In the evening when I tested my urine, I was already in a state of ketosis, which happened a lot quicker than the anticipated 1 week wait. I felt quite energetic, but again I couldn’t sleep.

For the next couple of days I drank chicken bouillon to stand in place of carbs – which retain water – in order to boost my electrolyte levels. I stuck to my gym routine during ketosis, but I had noticeably less energy while lifting weights.

Day 5: I went to an intense HIIT workout session and did OK, but struggled to keep my mind sharp as a result of the insomnia. This side effect is caused by lowered levels of serotonin, a chemical which carbs help produce.

Day 6: Lack of sleep had really taken its toll on me at this point, so I decided to quit the diet. After eating some bread, I immediately fell asleep.

In the end, I lost about 1kg and 1cm off of my waistline, and my obliques were now visible.

Would I recommend it? Maybe if you can get to sleep, but be sure to monitor your health very closely and only do it for a short period of time. Unless you’re Halle Berry, this is a tough diet to stick with for long.

Ready to take the keto diet plunge? Here are a few easy meals you can try at home:

Breakfast options

Scrambled eggs with bacon and steamed broccoli
Pancakes with berries and whipped cream
Frittata with fresh spinach
Coconut porridge
Chorizo shakshuka (poached eggs in tomato sauce)

Lunch options

Chinese braised pork, stir fried greens and pork soup
Asian beef salad with sesame dressing
Smoked salmon with mayo and lime, and a side of spinach
Avocado, bacon and goat cheese salad
Cauliflower soup with crumbled pancetta

Dinner options

Ribeye steak with stir fried asparagus and bleu cheese

Pork chop with green beans and garlic butter
Chicken casserole
Italian sausage with cauliflower gratin
Sundried tomato and feta meatballs with spinach salad

Snacks

Half of an avocado with salt and pepper
24 raw almonds
2 squares of Lindt 90% chocolate
5 celery sticks with almond butter
2 string cheese sticks

Text: Xuan Dai