Natural Health September 2017

COVER Story
What’s your secret to looking
so fabulous?
Vegan ice-cream! Haha. A vegan diet is a big aspect, as well
as a young, positive attitude.
What’s your diet like to look
slim and sexy?
I don’t monitor what I eat but I make sure that I always eat
real food – food that are fresh, unprocessed and homemade
whenever possible. I keep myself hydrated and eat a lot of
fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, beans and legumes.
For desserts, I also bake my own cakes and cookies. I regularly
post up pictures and recipes of the food and drinks I make on
my Instagram, @imdavinagoh. If you’re curious to check out
#whatveganseat and maybe try it out for yourself!
What’s your philosophy in life?
Great things come out of gratitude.
What’s your ultimate goal
in life?
As a plant-based lifestyle advocate, my ultimate goal is to
encourage and inspire others to lead happier, healthier lives
by adjusting attitudes towards what we put into our bodies.
Malaysia is one of the most obese countries in Southeast
Asia and I am working towards changing that. I have been
receiving messages from people who have been eating less
meat because of knowing who I am and what I do. I hope that
together, we can all take part in this cultural shift towards more
mindful eating.
If you’re to choose only one
among all the roles you play
– teaching, playwriting, spoken
word and dance – which one
would it be and why?
I would certainly pick acting. It has been my first love and still
is, my number one love. As a teenager, I used it to escape
from my insecurities. As the years went by, I started using it to
hone my empathy. It has helped me discover the person who I
am today.
What does fitness mean to you?
Fitness gives me life! It gives me so much energy. It allows me
to appreciate my body for its capabilities; I learn humility from
my injuries and it instils discipline when I need to work hard to
stay strong or be stronger in the face of physical shortcomings.
How do you keep yourself fit?
I just keep moving! I love hiking, swimming, running – anything
that keeps me outdoors. I met my husband at a kungfu school
and we do fitness dates! He’s a great motivator in my life. I
also have regular sessions with a Master Trainer called Jeck
Beng at Fitness First Malaysia. Jeck has been instrumental in
building up my overall strength over the past year.
You’re a vegan and showcase
vegan cooking. Can you tell us
why being a vegan is important
to you? How difficult is it to be
a vegan in Malaysia?
Being a vegan is important to me because it’s the greatest
investment I’ve ever made for my health. And, for that reason, I
believe that a plant-based diet should be important for everyone
else. A majority of us eat several times a day every single day,
so changing what we eat is the easiest and most effective way
to improve our wellbeing. Malaysia is blessed with a huge
variety of tropical fruit and vegetables and beans, tofu and
tempeh are cheap and easily available. I have also observed
that there are now more vegetarian/vegan F&B establishments
in the Klang Valley than there has ever been in the last five
years. It’s a lot easier to maintain a balanced vegan diet here
than many may think!
Can you tell us about your stint
as a student at Maling Shaolin
Kung Fu Academy in Jiangsu
Province, China?
I’m not sure where to start with this because lessons were
learned on so many levels. It was challenging every single
day, not just physically but also dealing with never feeling
good enough. Injuries were frequent which hampered training.
During my time there, China was experiencing one of its hottest
summers and it was also the first time ever that I'd experienced
snow and winter with no central heating at the school. In eight
months my body transformed in strength, endurance, speed and
flexibility. I overcame a lot of fears and made a lot of peace
with myself. I bonded with students from all over the world who
had their own extraordinary stories about how they turned up at
the school. No one was spared from showing their ugly sides
and we relied on each other for encouragement and support.
I still consider them some of my closest friends. It was the
experience of a lifetime and I’d do it all over again, if I was a
bit younger!
22 Natural Health * September 2017 VOL 83