Firm canvasses total wellness among Nigerians

A WELLNESS company, “The wellbeing of a nation is measured not only in terms of the physical health of her citizenry, but it’s the totality of the mental/emotional, financial/economic, intellectual, environmental, occupational and spiritual wellness that adds up and truly defines the wellbeing of a person and by extension a nation.”

   This is the view of the Principal Consultant, Weight A Minute Wellness Company, Fola Osasona during a press conference to kick of the campaign in Lagos last week.

   National Wellness Campaign is aimed at improving the overall wellbeing of Nigerians by helping citizens in families, corporate organizations, institutions, communities government, faith based organizations identify and integrate these wellness dimensions to reduce stress and achieve their lives goal. 

   Speaking at the event, Fola said that the campaign is about caring for the most critical national resource- the citizens- by pitching stress management at both personal and national level. 

   According to WHO report, 80 per cent of deaths in developing countries is caused by Lifestyle Chronic Diseases (LCDs)- hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cancer- which claims the lives of its victims in their prime are mostly stress induced among other factors such as unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle. “Preventing Chronic Diseases; A Vital Investment: WHO GLOBAL REPORT, 2005.

   Fola said that the stress/challenges we face as a people and a nation stems from trying to achieve one aspect of wellness at the expense of the other. For instance, trying to achieve financial wellness at the expense of our physical wellbeing (physical wellness) or without identifying what causes scarcity in our lives (mental wellness) leads to stress in the long run. 

   She also added that the National Wellness Campaign is set to create a mental shift among the citizenry to embrace wellness as a tool for achieving personal and national goals beyond physical health.

   Fola further explained that for effectiveness, the National Wellness Campaign would be launched under these 4 categories, which sum up the seven dimensions of wellness: Think Well- A new level of thinking; what needs to change for our lives to change is always our thinking; Choose Well- Our ability to make choices today, with the future in view, understanding that for every choice there is a consequence. When we pick one end of the stick we automatically pick the other. Making healthy choices as to what we eat and drink, choosing to invest rather than spend all, choosing to solve a problem rather than being a part of the problem to be solved, choosing to vote, choosing to pay our tax, choosing to say no to corruption.

   Others include Act Well- Our ability to act responsibly not just in reaction to our environment by taking responsibility for our actions and finally, Become Well- Becoming healthy role models in the society

  Meanwhile, the Principal Consultant stated that as part of her corporate social responsibility, the wellness company is putting together a twitter event tagged “Beyond Elections: The Bigger Picture” which started last Monday, February 9, 2015 and will run till tomorrow. 

   She said the platform is to encourage Nigerians to make healthy choices to improve their wellbeing and that of the nation while at the same time, challenge Nigerians to take responsibility for their roles in the present state of the nation and take initiative to make Nigeria a better place.

   She disclosed that the twitter event would feature change agents, fitness experts, nutritionists, life coaches and mind therapists. “We will be taking in depth look into how these nationals have been able to integrate these dimensions of wellness to achieve their goals and give back to the society”, she said.