The world of Tzu Chi June 2020 (Vol.123)

2020 • 06 54 ellness Vegan with a Cause Fauzi Hussien, the owner of vegan restaurant SALA, adopted a vegan diet for health and personal reasons. To Fauzi, the vegan lifestyle is more than a passing trend; he delved deeper into the philosophy behind the concept and resolved to dedicate himself to advocating a vegan way of life for better health and a greener environment. By Gan Chian Nee Translated by Fu Jia Lik Photograph by Sam Pin Fook F or the local Malay community, vegetarianism or veganism is an unfamiliar concept, despite the frequent intake of vegetables in the typical Malay diet. Fauzi Hussien, who owns SALA, a vegan restaurant in the township of Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur, claims to be the first Muslim to operate a vegan restaurant. “Sala” means “living room” in Spanish and is also the acronym for the phrase “slavar a los animales”, which means “save the animals”. About a decade ago, Fauzi adopted the habit of working out at the gym five to six times a week, with each session lasting an average of two to three hours. He also started taking health supplements to complement his rigorous workout regimen. He maintained an active lifestyle, but the results of his medical check-up revealed that his cholesterol and uric acid levels were high and his liver function was adversely affected. Fauzi was baffled by the worrying state of his health, for he had been maintaining an active lifestyle and exercising routinely all along. The doctor suggested medications to keep his condition under control, but he was not too keen to rely on drugs and began searching for ways to improve his health. Fauzi recalled his father’s medical history of heart complications, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and other chronic diseases; his mother was also afflicted with hypertension. His father neglected to regulate his diet and take his medications as prescribed, causing his health to deteriorate and eventually led to his demise. He confided that he is concerned about inheriting his father’s condition, as he and his siblings are genetically predisposed to the health problems their parents were diagnosed with. He embarked on a quest for a natural remedy for his ailments and discovered that following a vegan diet had a positive impact on his overall health. Eight years ago, Fauzi resolved to commit to a vegan diet and has never looked back since. The decision was neither spontaneous nor impulsive; it was one backed by years of contemplation and prior research. “It all started because I was trying to figure out what I could do to make a difference in my life,” he affirmed. Fauzi reduced his intake of meat and turned to plant-based sources of protein to sustain his energy levels. After practising a vegan diet for half a year, he As a Muslim, Fauzi is not only a vegan, but has also opened a vegan restaurant.