Raw Food, Vegan and Organic Options in Seoul, Korea

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There is hope. You can find some healthy restaurants and vegan, organic foods in Korea. Hopefully this guide will help get you started.

Loving Hut Mushroom Salad

For a healthy vegan restaurant, be sure to check out the Loving Hut. They have a nice green salad which is all raw, and 2 mushroom salads which are not raw but I do recommend that you give them a try. According to their mission statement, they put loving intention into their food. I’m going to honest and say that I don’t think they are MSG-free, so watch out for those vegan sausages, soy proteins and other flavored faux meats. The Loving Hut also sells some vegan cakes, vegan bread, vegan ice cream and some organic body products too. There are locations throughout South Korea and many in the Seoul area.

The Loving Hut
http://lovinghut.kr
Locations throughout Seoul (check website)

Cafe des Verts, Seoul

If you are looking for organic coffee, there are a few options. One is Cafe des Verts in Gangnam-gu. They have organic coffee to enjoy in the cafe but also sell it to take home. 18,000 KRW will get you 200 grams of organic coffee from either Colombia, Ethiopia or Brazil.

On their online shop, they have the organic coffee and also many organic teas for sale including Organic Blueberry Rooibos Tea. Remember, if you are doing coffee enemas, you absolutely should be using organic coffee!

Cafe des Verts
http://www.verts.co.kr/
2F Donghoon Tower, Gangnam-gu (check website for other locations)

Another place for organic coffee in Seoul is the Cafe Il Cipriana in the Jongno-gu area. This is a quiet little cafe tucked just off the main road, and they sell all organic coffee, smoothies, salads and panini sandwiches.

Cafe Il Capriani
10-6 Gahoe-dong, Jongno-gu
+82 (0) 2 762 5825

Organic Veggie Store

Between the Angsuk Station Exit 2 and Cipriana, I found another Organic Store selling fresh produce and some products. The produce looked very good and I would definitely recommend that, but the packaged items they sell were a bit of a mix, and many of them are things which I would not ‘approve’ as healthy. Just an example to not trust all items in a shop because the sign outside says ‘organic.’ Look for hidden sugars and MSG for sure. They did have Olive Leaf Extract though which I highly recommend as a natural anti-biotic and immune booster.

If you are looking for supplements, try the Noble Shop. They have flax oil capsules, vegan B12 tablets and Evening Primrose Oil amongst other things. They also carry some good body products, including the ‘Kiss my Face’ line, Lamas Beauty and an entire range of make-up products that were not tested on animals. On their website, I even found a Garden of Life at-home Detox Kit called ‘Raw Cleanse’ for 70,000 KRW!

The Noble Shop in Korea
http://veganshop.co.kr/

Hansalim store in Seoul

Another good resource for organic body and home products and also organic fruit and veggies is the Hansalim Store. They probably have the best prices of all of the places I visited, so I highly recommend them. The only catch is that you have to be a member to buy there, and I think you need to be a permanent resident of Korea. So try to find someone who can sign up for you – it will be well worth it. They do home delivery for members and you can also order from their website.

Hansalim
http://www.hansalim.or.kr/
Many locations throughout South Korea (check website)

Don’t forget that in normal supermarkets throughout Seoul you can buy buckwheat noodles for just 5,000 KRW. This is a great alternative to wheat for anyone cooking at home.

Finally, a new service has just recently been launched in Seoul and that is fresh organic fruits and vegetables home delivery service. This I highly recommend – I mean, how could they make it any easier?! The project is called Veggie Hill, and they work with local farmers outside of Seoul to get the best quality fruit and veggies. You can order by email, phone or online.

Veggie Hill
http://veggiehill.com/
010 2781 0772

For information on yoga classes, healthy events and to buy Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamps, check out the Mind, Body Seoul Studio in Itaewon.

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How often should you detox & What type of detox should you do?

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In this video, Jennifer answers the most commonly asked questions about detox – what type of detox should I do and how often? Understand how a spring cleaning or reboot is necessary to keep your internal temple pure. Realize that there is only Magic Pill – to live in alignment with the natural laws of Mother Earth. And heed to the dangers of becoming a ‘detox junkie.’

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

This video is an excerpt from a one-hour talk that Jennifer presents on this topic and was filmed in Seoul, Korea as part of Jennifer’s 3-week series of detox, raw food, cleansing and natural healing seminars. Other topics in later videos include Introduction to Superfoods, How to Read Food Labels and Understanding the Basics on Food Additives.

Unfortunately, we live in a toxic world. Because these environmental and dietary toxins can accumulate inside the body, it’s important to incorporate a colon cleanse into your annual or biannual health routine. The colon is one of the body’s major detoxification organs. When it becomes clogged with waste and toxins, its effectiveness is compromised. You can help restore your colon to optimal function with an all-natural herbal fiber cleanse.

Read more information on the liver and liver cleansing here:

Gallstone Liver Flush – Recipe & Cleanse Info

How to Do a Coffee Enema at Home

How to Do a Castor Oil Pack for Liver Cleansing

How to Do Onion Socks for Healing

How to Eat Clean: Start with Green Smoothies!

Green Smoothie for DummiesCheck out my book Green Smoothies for Dummies – I’ve got loads of recipes using dark leafy greens and many delicious combos without any chemical additives, flavorings or refined sugar. It’s so easy!

Clean your body from the inside out and watch your skin improve, your hair and nails get stronger, your eyes look brighter and your waistline slim down….all naturally and effortlessly! It’s simply amazing and your only regret will be that you didn’t start drinking green smoothies sooner.

When you take care of your whole body, you get whole body health.

When you let your food be your medicine, you are always moving towards better health.

Find the book Green Smoothies for Dummies on iTunes or amazon.com!

For more on how to achieve your health goals and actually start feeling great, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health & Nutritional Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a smart phone or digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval for Iridology Analysis.
3. We schedule a time to meet via phone or Skype!

More on anti-Aging:

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More on Healing Crisis:

Natural Charcoal Fluoride-Free Toothpaste from Korea

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Charcoal Home & Body Products

As I was traveling around Seoul, South Korea recently, I came upon an interesting store which specializes in all types of ‘Charcoal Living Goods.’ They have organic cotton clothing that is dyed with natural charcoal coloring and they also have an interesting body product line. Everything in the store is in Korean, including the labels and the marketing material, so it was difficult to know exactly what I was buying, but they were having a 2-for-1 on the charcoal toothpaste so I decided to give it a try. The toothpaste is normally 15,000 KRW for one tube; I bought 2 for that price, so $14 USD total or $7 USD each.

Charcoal Bristle Nano Toothbrush

They also had charcoal tooth brushes with black bristle brushes.

The woman explained to me that the charcoal bristles make the tooth brush more naturally anti-bacterial.

This seemed to make good sense to me, and knowing how much bacteria can live on toothbrushes, I was happy to see a new alternative.

I bought 5 brushes for 10,000 KRW or about $9.50 USD so they came to less than $2 each.

Luckily I have a Korean friend who was able to translate the label into English for me.

So here is what we found:

Forwell Charcoal Toothpaste

    1. Silicon dioxide
    2. Premium active charcoal
    3. PCC- Precipitated calcium carbonate
    4. Xylitol
    5. Peppermint scent
    6. Amino caproic acid
    7. Calcium hydrogen phosphate
    8. Allantoine
    9. Chlorohydroxy aluminum
    10. And more!

Well, the good news from my point of view is that there is no fluoride or sodium laurel ethyl sulfate (SLS) in this particular toothpaste. Fluoride is know to be a toxic material which can affect thyroid function, and the SLS is a foaming agent that is also known to have serious health affects. It is difficult to find a fluoride-free toothpaste in Asia, and this is certainly one that is readily available in Korea.

Fluoride-Free Toothpaste

The question is: what about the other ingredients? Well, I tried to do some research on these and it wasn’t easy to find so much obvious information. It seems like Xylitol is the healthier choice over sugar and saccharine and is commonly found in many other natural toothpastes. Silicon dioxide is used as an abrasive in the toothpaste and seems to be a common ingredient in the Asian toothpaste market. It comes from silica, or dust and quartz. Seems to me that baking soda would be a more natural alternative as an abrasive, but I’m guessing that the silicon dioxide is a cheaper ingredient.

The one ingredient that I am slightly suspicious of is the ‘Chlorohydroxy aluminum,’ mainly because of the ‘aluminum’ part, and I am just not totally sure what this ingredient is and if it has any relation to aluminum dioxide.

Still, we found no fluoride in the list of ingredients and the sales staff also assured me that this toothpaste is fluoride-free, so I leave you to make your own choice whether this is better than your Colgate or not 🙂 For me, I will continue to use it while in Korea.

The store is called ‘Forwell Charcoal Living Goods’ in the Insadong area of Seoul, South Korea. You can find more information on their website at www.forwell.co.kr but be warned that the entire site is in Korean! They have some other interesting products as well, such as Wood Vinegar Lotion, Charcoal Face Pack, Charcoal Shampoo and Conditioner, Charcoal cotton face mask and natural house cleaning products. If you suffer from any allergies, these are great products for you to check out. Also keep in mind, if you are doing a Master Cleanse, you should be reducing or eliminating all chemicals in your body during the cleanse and that includes chemicals in toothpastes, lotions and shampoos.

More Natural Body Products:

Raw Food and Green Smoothie Classes in Seoul, Korea

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Jennifer Thompson in Seoul, Korea

Certified Iridologist, Healthy Living & Raw Food Coach Jennifer Thompson’s talks and workshops!

Detox and Raw Foods Explained
Saturday, April 16, 2011 – 5:30pm. Free Talk!
Have you wondered about the detox craze – what it is, do you need it, and how to do it? Are you ‘raw curious,’ wanting to know more about the raw food diet and how eating more raw foods might benefit you? Learn the basics and hear some amazing success stories on weight loss, natural healing and more!

Superfoods – What they are, how to eat them, do you need them?
Tuesday, April 19, 2011 – 7:30pm. Free Talk!
Gain an understanding of the most popular Superfoods such as Acai powder, Goji Berries, Spirulina, Maca Powder, Cacao, Coconut Oil, Flax Seed, Hemp Seed, Green Powder, Kelp, Dulse and more!

What About (dot dot dot)….?
Friday, April 22, 2011 – 7:30pm and
Wednesday, May 4, 2011 – 10:00am. Free Talk!
Jennifer answers all the common questions and breaks down barriers, showing you how to make the best choices for your health with where you are in your life. Get answers to your concerns about…bread, coffee, white sugar, white rice, alcohol, meat, dairy, soy milk, tofu, sushi and more.

Truth in Food Labeling – Fast Ways to Read Labels and know what is in Your Food
Monday, April 25, 2011 – 7:30pm. Free Talk!
A few simple lessons will help you start to understand the tricks that manufacturers use to sell so-called healthy food. It’s time to know what is really in your food. You can make better choices. Jennifer will show you how.

How to be Healthy in Asia
Thursday, April 28, 2011 (day) and
Saturday, May 7, 2011 5:30pm. Free Talk!
Wherever you are in the world, staying healthy can be a challenge, but especially in Asia. When you are living in a foreign place, where do you begin? Jennifer has lived and traveled in SE Asia for 10 years and can teach you some simple techniques for travel, eating out, making better choices for your family & understanding foreign food labels. Prepare yourself now for a healthy path for the rest of your life!

Power of the Green Smoothies – Preparation and Information Class
Sunday April 17, 24 & 1 May 2011. 4:30pm – 6pm.

Jennifer explains the importance of dark, leafy greens in the diet, explains why it is the missing link to good health, then demonstrates recipes and combinations of various Green Smoothies so you have a complete toolbox of information to take home and start Going Green!
35,000 KRW per person.

Iridology Assessments
Private 1-hour consultations will be offered at the Mind Body Seoul Studio from 18 April, 2011 to 10 May, 2011 by Jennifer Thompson.

During an Iridology session, Jennifer makes personalized recommendations for improvement, taking into account your current diet and lifestyle and whatever other factors may be presently involved in your condition. After the reading, you will have a better understand of your body and health and feel empowered and motivated to begin making positive change.
100,000 KRW per consult.

Contact us to reserve your space or make an appointment!

For more information, you can also go to the Mind, Body, Seoul website.

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