Sassy Mama’s Ultimate Hong Kong Detox Guide

“Detox?!” we hear you scoff. We know that word once sounded appealing, perhaps even achievable. That once upon a time it did what it said on the tin, that it really did give us an other worldly glow, our pores really did emit holy water and we really did have more energy than a 5 year old. That was before packed lunches, pre-swimming slapdash dinners, lengthy family barbecues and well, kids in general. As idyllic as juicing sounds, it also threatens to use up a lot of hard work and energy that needs to be spent on our miniatures. We tend to find that after a couple of days of determination we run out of batteries/actual food and run to take shelter at the nearest Little Burro (guacamole is green, which counts right?).

Fortunately, detoxing is no longer as scary as it sounds and has actually become so commonplace that companies have had time to suss out what works and what doesn’t. Sassy Mama has stepped in to find the best options that are sustainable for on-the-go mums in our Sassy Mama Ultimate Detox Guide. We know you’re busy, but all you have to do is take the time to choose the detox that will work for you and go for it! The best thing you can do for your little ones is make sure you feel fabulous and energised and can outrun them on the Morning Trail up to the Peak. Go on, get your glow back.

JUICE CLEANSES

Delicious freshly-pressed juices, packed with nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, delivered direct to your door – a short-term juice cleanse could be just what you need to get refreshed and reinvigorated for summer. Simply pick the level and duration of cleanse depending on your needs and previous cleansing experience… and then let these guys do all the hard work for you juicing all those ingredients!

Punch Detox
Juice cleanses have taken the world by storm, and Hong Kong’s very own Punch Detox (the first company to bring the concept to the 852!) does it right – fresh delicious juices delivered direct to your door, with simple instructions and encouraging emails of support and advice throughout. All you need to do is give up food for three days… and reap the benefits!

By ingesting only tasty, organic and easy-to-digest juices, not only are you eliminating all the bad stuff from your diet (farewell MSG laden lunches and over-indulgent processed foods), but you’re also giving your body a bit of a break from digesting solid foods – so your body ditches the toxins, clears out imbalances and refreshes, recharges and re-energises your system. We put Punch to the test and felt lighter, brighter and healthier in no time… in short, we totally got our bounce back (and we may now be addicted to a couple of their yummy juices too – especially the ‘nut punch’)!

A six-pack juice (of your choice) costs $600; Punch Detox’s 3-Day Juice Cleanse costs $1,680, including delivery. For more information, see the Punch Detox website or email [email protected].

Genie Juicery
The two founders of Genie Juicery are probably the best advert for their cleanses – both Melanie and Cara do their detoxes regularly and are absolutely gorgeous. Genie has been around for a while now as Genie Concepts, but they’ve recently had a revamp and have some new, exciting products in store. Choose from cleanses that last from one to six days – their juice cleanse includes six of their delicious freshly-pressed juices, raw smoothies and raw nut milk every day, some natural supplements and a Genie Bible to help you along the way. Each juice uses nutrient-packed raw ingredients, stuffed full of minerals and vitamins that your body can digest easily. The result? More energy, radiant skin and a general improvement in your health and wellbeing – we’re in! You can even customise your cleanse if you’ve got some favourite juices, and they also offer group cleanses at a discount as well as a loyalty programme. Look out for their brand new IFC store opening this August!

Juice cleanses start from $600 (the 3-day cleanse costs $1,700) and can either be delivered to your home or picked up from their store in Sheung Wan; for more information, see Genie Juicery’s new website, call 2803 0369 or email [email protected].

Be-Juiced
Be-Juiced offers one, three or six day cleanses that maximise nutrition and minimise calories. Having worked with a team of nutritionists to come up with the best possible combinations of flavours and ingredients, the usual blend of fruit and veggie juices are all present, freshly pressed in HK and arriving at your door in neat cool bags – and thanks to their stylish bottle design and tongue-in-cheek names, Be-Juiced has quickly become the juice cleanse of choice for all the ‘cool kids’ in town!

Be-Juiced cleanses start from $600 (the 3-day cleanse costs $1,580) including delivery; for more details, see the Be-Juiced website, call 3693 4550 or email [email protected].

Pure Swell
These superfood drinks are new on the juicing scene, but they’ve already taken off because they’re so delicious! Allison, the girl behind Pure Swell, has been making superfood blends for her family and friends for a long time as a tasty way for them to get their daily nutrients. After moving back to Hong Kong in 2013, she decided to ditch life as a corporate lawyer and pursue her passion in health.

Pure Swell was born, producing drinks that are a delicious blend of the world’s most nutritious superfoods. All their blends are all natural, raw, vegan and pure. They’re brimming with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and enzymes – all the good stuff your body will thank you for. To boot, they’re also totally free from refined sugar, dairy, preservatives and other nasties that may shortchange your health. Make sure you try out these tasty juice alternatives!

Pure Swell blends start from $48 each and are available online at Eat Fresh or in store at IPC Foodlab and Teakha. For more info, see the PureSwell website here or email them at [email protected]. 

nood food
This venture is the talk of the town, offering up a selection of cold-pressed juices, superfood smoothies, juice cleanses and raw food. Their produce is all organic, ensuring that their food is free from all nasty toxic chemicals, providing Hong Kongers access to nutritional, pure food. Choose from a variety of super healthy snacks, including ‘Krispy Kale Chips’, raw granola and Maca bars. For all you juice fans, nood food offers three different juice cleanses that purge your body of toxins – and gym-going mamas will be pleased to hear that the additional protein will keep you sticking to your normal workout routine. Following the motto ‘you are what you eat’, nood food delivers high-quality juice that tastes good too… try them out at their Juice Bars and Grab-and-Go Fridges here, and be on the lookout for their Soho store, opening soon!

See all nood food store locations here and find out more on their website here. For general enquiries email [email protected] and for juice cleanse enquiries email [email protected].

Mr Green Juice
We like to keep you on top of the trends, so we had to mention this upcoming raw juice concept that’s launching this month! Mr Green Juice provides organic, cold-pressed unpasteurised juices. Each bottle of 16oz comprises more than 1 kilo of organic fresh vegetables and fruits – so you’re sure to get more than your necessary five-a-day with one of these bad boys! Using cold-pressed juices (the ‘Rolls Royce’ of juice extraction) leaves the juice fresh and raw, retaining most of the minerals and vitamins from the fruit and veg. With $100 recyclable and reusable glass bottles, Mr Green Juice not only looks after you but the environment too. Choose from 10 different juice recipes that will keep your immune system strong and four nut milks which make great, protein-packed snacks. Mr Green Juice delivers straight to your door, so this new juice is just a click away.

Mr Green Juice is launching soon! Stay tuned for their website and email [email protected] for more details. Juices start at $88.

Pressed Juices
Get your juice on at this cute new store on Hollywood Road! One of our Sassy Mamas noticed it as she was dashing to and from meetings, so we thought we’d check it out. Pressed Juices is actually already a much-loved Australian juice brand, and now they’ve branched out to Asia. With a range of healthy juices as well as coconut waters and almond ‘mylks’ available, Pressed Juices is definitely one to try.

For more info, see here. 

DETOXES

All juiced out? There’s a whole range of nutritional detoxes on the market, and here are just a few of the hottest programmes out there right now.

i-Detox
For a detox programme that encompasses not just your wobbly bits but your whole lifestyle, i-Detox is an all-encompassing one-stop system that will have mind, body and spirit all singing from the same hymn sheet in no time at all!

The 9- or 15-day Urban Detox super-food programmes are available in public or private groups or as a one-on-one session, all of which include a full rundown of the programme and a health assessment. You’ll then be provided with detox products to supplement your own healthy fruit and veg, along with a full manual explaining how it all works. If you want to go a little more in-depth, a Nutrition and Lifestyle Consultation with holistic nutrition coach Anita will get the whole family embracing better eating habits for the long term.

If the extra weight you’re carrying is more emotional than physical, the Emotional Detox and Stress Management service can help to make positive behavioural changes, many of which will impact your health. Add to that the Practical Aromatherapy tuition and you’re ready to take holistic health into your own hands.

A 15-day private detox is $3,980; the group programme is $2,980. For more information on all programmes, see the iDetox website, call 3904 1072 or email [email protected].

Downtown Detox
Downtown Detox works on the Isagenix system of cleansing shakes that provide optimum nutrition for your body, minus the calories. ‘Downtown Divas’ Jennifer (the company’s founder), and Deborah (a Downtown success-story-turned-detox-coach!) stress that this is not a fast, and that results are achieved by abiding with their sensible and measured high-protein plan.

Alternating ‘Nourishing Days’, where you drink protein smoothies, plus eat a healthy meal and regular snacks, with ‘Cleansing Days’ where you drink special detox juice but still snack (healthily!) throughout the day, the fully-supported plan can be followed for 6, 11 or even (gulp!) 30 days, depending on exactly what you are looking to achieve and your lifestyle. The aim here is not only to lose weight, but to kick-start a healthier lifestyle in the long term, including beating those 3pm sugar cravings, aiding good digestion and even balancing hormones.

The 11-Day programme costs $2,400; for more information, see the Downtown Detox website, call 9320 0232 or email [email protected].

Forever Living Clean Nine
Forever Living’s Clean Nine is a 9-day plan where you are cleansed of harmful chemicals along with (brace yourself!) built-up waste matter, which can account for a drop of up to 7lbs, and that’s before you take into consideration any additional fat burned during the programme! Scary… and pretty ick too!

The first couple of days require willpower as you’ll be drinking only shakes, plus downing regular shots of cleansing and nourishing aloe gel to get your metabolism moving in the right direction. Perhaps not as fun as tequila, but with 7-14lbs of weight loss on offer at the end of this programme, these shooters are definitely more bikini-friendly! After that, you’ll add a 600-calorie meal plus nutritional supplements to supress hunger and provide essential nutrients for the remainder of your detox. Bingo wings, be gone!

The Forever Living Clean 9 detox is $1,400; you can find out more information on their Facebook page.

IMI 10 Day Detox 
IMI’s 10 Day Detox for Busy People is a supervised clinical programme for those who want to get serious about kicking their bad habits. Whether it’s managing food addictions, getting ready to start a family or reducing allergies, this comprehensive detox is guided by a naturopath, and promises to leave you lighter and healthier at the end without the sickness and hunger that can sometimes be associated with these types of programme.

Kicking off your 10 days with a pre-cleanse followed by a liver flush (don’t stray too far from the toilet!), you’ll ease into two intense detox days before gradually re-introducing regular foods to your diet, by which time you should have a reduced appetite and be making more sensible food choices. Sessions run regularly throughout the year and include an introductory talk, along with supportive workshops if you need a bit of hand-holding along the way.

IMI group detox is $3,800; personal sessions are also available; see the IMI website or call 2523 7121 for more details.

EATING PLANS

Surviving on smoothies and supplements not really your thing? Check out a few of these carefully controlled eating plans instead to drop a few pounds…

Cambridge Weight Plan
The great thing about the Cambridge Weight Plan is its flexibility. After a one-on-one consultation with one of their advisers, you can figure out what works best for you – whether that’s a quick fix plan where you stick solely to Cambridge’s nutritious shakes, porridges and soups, chocolate bars and other drinks for a fixed number of days, or simply incorporate their range into your diet to replace certain meals. The Cambridge Weight Plan can also become a way of life; by supplementing a healthy diet with their products, it’s an effective way to maintain your weight in the long term.

However, for dropping a few pounds for that impending junk trip, the Quick Fix plan is probably your best bet. Check out our full review of the experience here – and Sabrina tells us that their mint chocolate shake is divine!

For more information, check out the Cambridge Weight Plan website, call 2525 7165 or email [email protected].

Eat Right
The Eat Right Programme is hassle-free healthy food made easy – perfect for us hectic Hong Kongers who don’t have the time to hunt supermarkets for nutritious home-cooked meals or scour food packets to calorie count! Eat Right tailor-makes healthy but delicious menus especially for you based on a professional body analysis, lifestyle assessment, your personal preferences and any dietary requirements (hate rocket? Eat Right will remember not to include it in their recipes!), coming up with meals that provide the ideal number of calories and balance of ingredients for your needs. Their plans are also fully flexible, and the team will come up with a plan that works for your schedule.

Meals are delivered direct to your door twice a day for the ultimate convenience – it’s basically like hiring your own personal chef!

Find out more information on the Eat Right website, call 6197 5820 or email [email protected].

The 5:2 Diet
If you prefer the idea of a long-term eating plan that’s more a way of life than a short-term fix, the 5:2 Diet could be for you. Originating in Britain, this now-global phenomenon has been credited with promoting weight loss, achieving a reduction in cholesterol and balancing blood sugar, leading to a decreased risk of diabetes. Unlike many seemingly ‘miracle’ diets, this one has even had (cautious) interest from the UK National Health Service.

The intermittent fasting regime, whereby you eat relatively normally for five days each week, then restrict food on two non-consecutive days, allows a meagre 500 calories for women or 600 calories for men on ‘fast’ days. The key to success with this diet is the fact that throughout the rest of the week you get to eat normally, reducing the likelihood of giving in to temptation, as you’re never more than a day away from that cake you’re craving. Sounds too good to be true? Average weight loss works out to around 1lb per week, and there is growing suggestion that those who practice calorie restriction diets can live longer… even more of an incentive than that new bikini!

Find out more about the 5:2 diet at the official Fast Diet website.

So whether it’s juice, shakes, fasting, super-foods or salads, there’s a weight loss option available to suit any mama – regardless of whether you’re ditching dress sizes, aspiring to a long-term healthier lifestyle or simply in need of some excess energy to keep up with the kids’ daily shenanigans!

With special thanks to Kate F and Rach!