*As featured on www.TheHealthSeedConcept.com

As co-founder of one of Hong Kong’s leading health brands, I’d like to say I have an exciting transformation story that depicts a rousing and inspiring transition from unhealthy eating into raw food eating, but unfortunately that is just not the case! Growing up in Australia, healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle isn’t a thing – it’s a part of our culture. I grew up going to the beach every weekend and eating fruits picked from trees in our backyard. A variety of vegetables were always included on our dinner plates so that break through moment or transition from unhealthy to healthy was no such thing. However I will say that moving to Hong Kong made me realise how good we had it at home. So many options and such great access to different foods. This probably stems from Australia being such a multicultural country – in any given neighbourhood you would have your Indian, Thai and Chinese restaurants as well as your local grocer and butcher. And our supermarkets are second to none. They really are a one-stop shop. No going to 3 different supermarkets to get ingredients for one dinner! Everything is under one roof and the ranges are phenomenal.

That’s was probably the most obvious change I noticed moving to Hong Kong. That and the change to my lifestyle; I ate out a lot more, didn’t prepare my own meals, I drank a lot more alcohol – the typical Hong Kong expat experience! Healthy eating in Hong Kong was limited. Things of course are different here today, with great cafes and restaurants popping up all over the city with wholesome options. However 7 years ago, this was not the case. At the time I was also working in Kowloon where options for healthy lunches were few and far between. It was during this time that I went on a trip to the US that I was introduced to the concept of cold pressed juicing, and so began my journey towards Genie Juicery!

I dove head first into knowing everything I could about the concept. We experimented with not only juice combinations, but also raw food recipes. Even though we grew up eating raw foods, the concept was new to us. We made raw food apart of our original company set up but with the rapid demand for juice and not enough resources to keep up with the demand, we focused our attention on providing the best cold pressed beverages in town. Cara and myself both enrolled in the School of Integrated Nutrition and gained certifications as health coaches. Our lives were consumed in all things green, fresh, raw and delicious. We were determined to become as well versed as we could on the subject. We had a drive to educate Hong Kong and try to build a need for more readily available, wholesome products.

I did begin to see some changes personally. I felt different, I felt cleaner. My energy levels soared and I no longer felt sluggish and lethargic. Living in Hong Kong, we are constantly surrounded by pollution, noise and people. Add over processed foods, sugars and alcohol and its no wonder we get sick and run down. Once cold pressed juices and real food was a constant in my diet, I felt a million bucks. Back then we were making it all ourselves – breakfasts, lunches and dinners, as access to these sorts of foods was limited to our own kitchens. But that is not the case today; fresh, real foods are readily available to grab and go. Our goal of promoting a healthier Hong Kong had been achieved.

Raw food means foods that have largely been untouched – picked from the ground, plucked form a tree – these are the foods that will give you a new zest for life.

Going raw can enhance your body’s ability to prevent and fight diseases, especially chronic illnesses. Another nice side effect is people often experience weight loss as you naturally eat fewer calories! Raw and living food contains essential food enzymes that are destroyed when the food is heated above 116 Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius). Nature has given each food its unique perfect mix. These vital enzymes allow us to fully digest our foods without having to rely on our own digestive enzymes. The cooking process destroys or alters these enzymes, as well as essential vitamins and minerals.

If going raw is something that interests you, my advice would be to do some research of your own; get online and get to know what raw food is and the science behind it. You don’t need any fancy equipment, aps or programs. We are fortunate that Hong Kong now has so many great online platforms, which help aim to promote the latest natural finds around the city. Hit up your local market and get busy in your kitchen! And slowly make some changes to your diet – remove the soda, cut the meat. And instead, eat real food. Visit us at Genie Juicery in ifc – we have a whole range of food, snacks and drink items that are 100% raw. We have been obsessed with this concept since 2011 so you can rest assured that every product on our shelves is not only raw and nutrient rich, but delicious! Our blog is a great resource for healthy facts and we are constantly updating our Instagram with fun titbits on the subject. I hope that my journey has enlightened you somewhat and perhaps even turned you towards a more wholesome, raw lifestyle!

With thanks,

Melanie Barnish, Co-Founder Genie Juicery