Ifat Hindes is an advocate for all things health and wellness. She started by opening the city’s first gluten-free restaurant and bakery five years ago, and established Choice Healthy Foods soon after, supplying gluten-free foods around Hong Kong. In 2016, she founded Project Wellness, bringing pantry makeovers and cooking classes to the masses, plus offering health advice to chefs and restaurants. Needless to say, Hindes is the perfect person to know when it comes to giving your diet and lifestyle some TLC.
We caught up in advance of her upcoming book release to talk all things healthy, and hear what’s set to be big this year in the world of wellness.
We have to ask, what’s up with dieting?
First tip, diet is not dieting – it is a daily lifestyle.
In the last year, I’ve made a shift from focusing only on healthy and nutritious foods to health and wellness as a whole, in every aspect. This includes self-empowerment. Some days you can have all the energy in the world and others you will have less. In order to have a healthy body, I believe you need a healthy mind, spirit and environment.
“Know your source” is a phrase I use a lot because I’ve noticed that too many people buy their groceries, skincare, vitamins and so on, with one eye shut. Butchers such as Gonzalos, Farmers Market and MM Fresh Food in Hong Kong are completely clear on where they get their produce from.
In the past years, trends such as Keto, intermittent fasting and paleo have gained popularity. What’s your diet looking like?
As far as diet trends go, I’ve tried most of them.
Predominately our home is run paleo – gluten-free is under this – and also keto has done leaps and bounds for making my body feel more energetic.
When it comes to these trends though, the best advice I have is to see what works for you; one size doesn’t fit all and its best to explore and learn more before you begin. Some people just cannot sustain themselves on certain diets whilst others will thrive. Go in eyes wide open!
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What’s next for Hong Kong’s health and wellness scene?
For one, I’m loving that organic and natural beauty products are becoming easier to find and shop for in Hong Kong – companies have switched to cleaner, healthier and more natural ingredients that our bodies love.
The medicinal mushrooms and bulletproof coffees, IV solutions, Infrared light therapy, and supplements – they have all stepped up. There are even supplements that are completely personalised for each individual. I have about 12 supplements I take ranging from cod liver oil to vitamins.
Another interesting one to look out for would be copper bottles, which can kill bad bacteria, stimulate brain activity, aid digestion, help with skin problems, and are great for the thyroid gland, for those with arthritis and inflamed joints. Simply fill it with water at night and drink it in the morning.
What is clean eating to you?
Food with a three-step process – maximum.
How would you get someone started on a nutritional path?
When people change so much so fast, they often go back to their old ways, so I’d first discuss their current lifestyle and what their goals are, then we’d make small adjustments here and there that fit the way they live.
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