FIVE MINUTES WITH

Five minutes with Patrick Linden

Katrina Lau meets the co-founder and CEO of SWISS FX

“Sai Kung is the most beautiful part of Hong Kong,” says Patrick Linden, cofounder and CEO of SWISS FX. “I once tried wakeboarding there and treated myself to the amazing fresh seafood, it truly felt like a mini-vacation.” The man behind SWISS FX surely knows how to enjoy a relaxing time in Sai Kung and he has also found a way to bottle up that relaxation.

In a seven million plus metropolis like Hong Kong, many people are having a hard time finding a good work-life balance. It almost sounds like a myth. Severe insomnia, stress and anxiety seem to be more common than ever. Besides ingesting more artificial chemicals, Linden has found a natural cure.

“Basically, CBD is present in a range of foods, even in orange peels. It just so happens that the hemp plant contains a higher and purer concentration of CBD,” says Linden. The latest miracle ingredient in skincare and coffee is proved to have calming effects and accelerates recovery. Many people in Hong Kong already know about CBD oil from travelling abroad and the local demand for the therapeutic oil has been going up ever since it was legalised in Hong Kong last year.

“I first came across CBD in 2016 at a tradeshow in Germany”, Linden recalls. “I liked its calming effect on the mind in stressful situations as well as after an intense gym session.” Unlike specific supplements that target a single symptom, the benefits of CBD sound almost too good to be true. “It helped with quicker musclerecovery and my occasional headaches. Most of our customers take CBD to help with insomnia, pain-related issues and anxiety.” says Linden.

For fitness buffs or those who are pursuing a natural lifestyle like Linden himself, you may want to consider ditching chemical drugs and treat your body better with natural ingredients. A small amount goes a long way. Depending on your bodyweight and severity of symptoms, the amount of CBD oil you take varies. “Take a few drops, leave it on your tongue for 90 seconds and swallow. You’ll be able to notice the effects in 10 to 20 minutes.” Linden says.

The most common worry about CBD products is its purity. Selling products that contain THC (Tetrahydrocannbinol) and CBN (Cannabinol) is illegal. “Most importantly, we publish laboratory certificates of every product batch on our website that confirm the CBD content in each bottle and that our products are free from illegal components.” Linden notes.

On the market, beauty brands have also been exploring the perks of adding CBD to moisturizers and body creams. “CBD topicals for skin therapy are becoming more popular,” Linden says. Studies have shown that the ingredient helps fight acne and calm inflammation. Stirred with the hype for natural and organic beauty products, the possibilities of CBD-infused beauty lines are yet to be explored. Looking forward, SWISS FX has plans to cater the demand for CBD skincare and has recently expanded its product line.

Explore its range of products and learn more about the benefits of CBD on

swissfx.hk.