Raw Food, Detox & Healthy Living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

by

Kuala Lumpur is a popular travel hub within South East Asia, but did you know it could also be a place to find organic vegan, vegetarian and raw food too? Next time you pass through KL, consider staying a day or two and take advantage of some nice healthy options that the city has to offer.

A Healing & Metaphysical Oasis

A Healing & Metaphysical Oasis

The Bukit Bintang area is a great place to start. Unwind from your travels with a yoga class or meditation at the Lightworks Metaphysical Shop.

Different workshops are held weekly so be sure to check their online schedule. Reiki, Tarot Card and other forms of Energy Healing are also available. They have a very good selection of New Age books, music, DVDs and crystals as well.

I occasionally offer Raw Food, Superfood and Iridology Talks and Classes at Lightworks throughout the year.

Check my schedule to see when I may be there next!

Lightworks Metaphysical Shop, 19 Jalan Mesui (Off Jalan Nagasari) Kuala Lumpur
www.lightworks.com.my

If you walk around the corner from Lightworks towards BB Plaza, you will pass right by some of the best fresh fruit vendors in Kuala Lumpur, and maybe even in all of Malaysia. Don’t miss your chance to try the durian. Yum!

Vegan Bread at Woods Bio Marche

Vegan Bread at Woods Bio Marche

When you get to Bukit Bintang, turn right and walk down the road just 150 meters towards the Low Yat Mall. On the right-hand side you will see Woods Bio Marche Macrobiotic Restaurant. This is a great option for vegan and vegetarian food. There is one raw food salad on the menu – the ‘5-energy salad with miso dressing,’ but mostly this is a cooked food restaurant. The restaurant also has a small shop which sells organic dried fruit, seaweeds, nuts, seeds, beans, Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and fresh organic fruit and vegetables.

Well worth a visit for sure! They also have locations at Bangsar and Bukit Kira.

Woods Bio Marche, Bukit Bintang (across from Low Yat Plaza)
www.macrobiotics-malaysia.com/

Middle Eastern Bliss

Middle Eastern Bliss

Still in the Bukit Bintang area, you can walk in the other direction back towards Lot 10 Mall. In the basement of Lot 10, there is supermarket where you can buy all types of dried Arabian dates. You will find them on display near the fresh fruit and produce area. Choose from Mariami, Piarum and Mozafati dates from Iran, Harmoni dates from Egypt and Medjool dates from California, USA. Now that is some serious raw food bliss!!

Across the road from Lot 10 on Bukit Bintang, there are several Middle Eastern restaurants where you can enjoy some really yummy salads. My personal favorite is the Tarbush Restaurant with ‘Arabic & Lebanese Cuisine to Satisfy All Your Senses.’ Love it!

Restoran Tarbush, 138 Jalan Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur
www.tarbush.com.my

Lee Yen, Jennifer & Callie - Girl Power!

Lee Yen, Jennifer & Callie - Girl Power!

If you have more time, make a trip out to the Mid Valley Mall. There you will find a fantastic organic store called Just Life Shop. This place is awesome. Full of organic produce, teas, dried foods, cleaning products, body products, books and more, this place is like a Disneyland for health advocates. Take the train or a taxi to Mid Valley, then walk through to the Gardens which is a smaller mall next door. You will find Just Life on the Lower Ground Level.

The staff at Just Life are so friendly and also highly knowledgeable. Their organic produce comes from local farmers and you can even arrange to visit the farms yourself. There are several locations throughout Kuala Lumpur and also in Penang – check their website for details.

Just Life Shop (several locations), The Gardens, Mid Valley Mall Kuala Lumpur
www.justlifeshop.com/

Yogi Tree Cafe - Wheatgrass Yeah!

Yogi Tree Cafe - Wheatgrass Yeah!

Also in the Gardens Mall is a nice little healthy restaurant called the Yogi Tree Cafe. If you have been hanging out for some fresh wheatgrass juice, then go straight to Yogi Tree!

Start with a fresh wheatgrass shot and chase it down with a freshly made juice – like the Peak Performer with grapes, pear, apple & pineapple. They have a good selection of smoothies and salads as well.

Yogi Tree Cafe, The Gardens 1rst Floor, Mid Valley Mall Kuala Lumpur
www.yogitree.com/

Rainforest Juice o.m.g. SO good!

Rainforest Juice o.m.g. SO good!

About a 10 MYR and 10-minute taxi ride from Mid Valley is the Bangsar Village Shopping Mall. In there you will find Country Farm Organics Restaurant and Store. This place is ok – they have a good selection of produce and products, but the restaurant did not ‘wow’ me. I wouldn’t go out of my way to get back there, but if I happen to be in the area, I would definitely stop in for a ‘Rainforest Juice’ (fresh wheatgrass and green apple juice). That is a great combination!

In the store, they have organic pet foods and a special gluten and wheat-free section.

Country Farm Organics, Bangsar Village Shopping Center, Kuala Lumpur
www.countryfarmorganics.com

For detox and cleansing in Kuala Lumpur, I would definitely recommend a visit to Dr. Chan at his Natural Health Clinic in the Pertama Complex. Especially if you are looking for a specialized heavy metal detox program, Dr. Chan is the man to see. He uses German technology to test for heavy metal toxicity and makes homeopathic remedies based on the test results. Dr. Chan works with a trained dentist in KL for safe removal of amalgam fillings. If you have had a lot of vaccinations or have a lot of dental work, you should seriously consider visiting Dr. Chan.

Dr. Chan, Pertama Complew 3rd Floor Kuala Lumpur
www.natural-health.com.my

NEW! Here’s an awesome Raw Food Malaysia update…there is now a detox and raw food delivery service in Kuala Lumpur! Whether you are passing through on holiday or a resident looking for healthy raw food delivery, this place is for you. I know I’ll be hitting them up the next time I’m in KL! Check it out: Delicious Detox Delivery, Malaysia.

I hope you enjoy your time in Kuala Lumpur, and remember that every destination can be a healthy and fun destination! You may even meet more like-minded souls!

More on Traveling Raw:

Quan Yin Chanting & Meditation at Guan Yin Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

by

Quan Yin is the Chinese Goddess of Compassion; she is a Bodhissattva, using kindness, compassion, joy and giving to save all living beings. They say she has a ‘thousand hands and a thousand eyes’ because she will always be present for you and can always provide what you ask for. Her love and generosity is ever-flowing.

Close your eyes, absorb the magic! Say a prayer for compassion.

Quan Yin, Bodhisattva, Goddess of Compassion

Quan Yin, Bodhisattva, Goddess of Compassion

As living beings, we should learn Kuan Yin’s kindness and be kinds towards those with whom we have no affinities. Kindness means making living beings happy. It means sharing our own happiness with living beings, not being selfish. Compassion means rescuing human beings out of suffering. We should help those who are suffering or in difficulty. Joy means feeling happy and not being angry even when others get angry at us. Giving means taking our most sentimental prized possessions and sharing them with living beings. If we can practice these four acts of the Bodhisattva, then we are truly Buddhists.

The practice of chanting to Kwan Yin is important in Chinese Buddhism because they believe that in calling her name, you become focused, sincere, less greedy and calm. When you recite ‘Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva,’ she becomes mindful of you. The Chinese believe that she will then lovingly answer all of your prayers.

Guan Yin Temple, Kuala Lumpur

Guan Yin Temple, Kuala Lumpur

Join the beautiful chanting & recitation of the daily Ceremony Of Repentance Of the Great Compassion With A Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes at the Dharma Realm Guan Yin Sagely Monastery on Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Jalan Ampang is located just behind Petronas Towers and the temple is about a 5 minute walk or 300 meters from the KLCC mall.)

The chanting takes place daily from 12:30pm – 1:45pm. It is free and the public is welcome.

The monastery also has books on Quan Yin and Buddhism available in English for free to help spread the teachings of the Bodhisattva.

It is well worth it to experience the magical power of this ancient form of chanting and to feel the presence of Kuan Yin’s loving kindness within yourself.

More on Traveling Raw:

Organic, Vegan & Macrobiotic Food in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Woods Bio Marche

by

The Woods Bio Marche restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is a little healthy oasis right in the heart of the city. They serve food which is 100% organic, macrobiotic, all vegetarian and vegan with no chemicals, flavor enhancers or MSG. What a gem! Don’t be fooled by the lure of Indian and Malaysian street vendors all over town selling cheap food from their stalls – you can be sure those foods are full of low quality vegetables and a lot of additives and flavor enhancers. Remember, you get what you pay for! The Bio Marche is very affordable for the quality of food that they offer and certainly the investment in your health is well worth it!

Woods Bio Marche, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Woods Bio Marche, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Macrobiotic concepts:

  • Food & environment are closely related

  • Eat food in it’s whole form

  • Pure food is medicine

  • Balance is the essence

Each dish on the menu is labeled with a specific health benefit, such as acid balance, bone health, anti-inflammatory, relaxation, digestive, good memory or high calcium, so you can plan your meal accordingly.

They have set menus for 26 RM and the average main meal costs about 12 RM.

The 5-Energy Salad with Miso Dressing

The 5-Energy Salad with Miso Dressing

I had the 5-Energy Salad with Miso Dressing, a nice salad made with organic shredded carrot, cabbage, seaweed and cucumbers with sun-dried raisins and soaked soy beans. Very nice!

I was quite impressed to see their ‘charged water’ or energized water from crystal minerals, selling for 4 RM per glass. Another great element to add to any healing diet!

Their health food store sells many different items including nutritional yeast, organic flax seed, raw cashew nut spread, Manuka honey, fermented miso, organic nuts and beans, celtic seas salt and fresh organic vegetables.

The Woods Bio Marche is located on Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (right across the street from the Low Yat Plaza). They have other locations as well.

For more information, visit their website at http://www.macrobiotics-malaysia.com/.

More on Traveling Raw: