Tag: therapy

  • Embrace energy therapy, Nigerians advised

    Embrace energy therapy, Nigerians advised

    Nigerians have been urged to patronise energy medicine.

    According to the pioneer energy therapy (ET) practitioner in Nigeria, Chief Iwowarri James, energy therapy, which is also known as energy medicine or energy psychology offers various treatment’s options.

    He said the name was coined in the late 80s by some clinical psychologists, and energy healers, adding: “In the late 1990s, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is the official arm of health policy and implementation in the United States defined areas within Complementary and Alternative Medicine through five subdivisions.

    They are: mind–body medicine, biologically-based practices, energy medicine, manipulative and body-based practices, and whole medical systems.

    ET, he said, is the third leg of medicine in what is now known as integrative medicine, which combines orthodox medicine practice with natural medicinal practice comprising herbal and energy medicine.

    Moreover, energy medicine recognises that everybody is all energy and that our energy field gets clogged with all kinds of negative energy which man generates through emotional outbursts, environmental fields, electromagnetic waves, food we eat and the things we drink.

    The clogging, he said, affects people’s physical and emotional conditions which cause them to become diseased. “We need to clear the energy blockages resulting from the above so that we can be free and healthy, hence Energy Therapy,” he said.

    James said energy medicine is an age-old healing modality. Explaining further, he said it started over 5000 years ago in China and has been active in Indian cultures for over 3000 years. It is currently about 40 years in the US and 30 years in the United Kingdom and other European countries.

    “In Africa, energy therapy is as old as the Continent but because of lack of documentation in traditional African settings, its use was not documented. So we can say it is science of healing, which I now pioneer, it is just about nine years old in Nigeria. I started it in 2005.

    Energy therapy is recognised by the National Health Institute of America under its National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, as a major form of complementary and alternative medicine. Energy therapy is now making inroad into conventional health service provision as a credible alternative and complementary medical knowledge that is vital and supportive of healing and wellbeing. It has been found useful in human behaviour modifications and therefore complements and even replaces active models in this aspect of human resources development strategy. We are delighted to be the champions of this process that supports people in changing and upgrading their lifestyle through the elimination of burdensome thoughts and negative emotions, a veritable step in total physical and emotional healing journey. Naturopathy is a form of energy medicine even because it recognised the element of vibration in the process of restoration of the human system, though it was recognised earlier than the various other components which have become more efficacious in clinical practice such as Tapping.

    James said he introduced ET into Nigeria about  eight years ago.

    The reason why it is not so popular, he said, was because his inability to raise awareness on the profession. “The efforts so far have been one man’s effort,” he noted.

    Besides, I am seeking support from the Federal Government, corporate organisations and individuals to promote it.

    He said ET ensures speedy healing, adding that it handles very wide scope of diseases. “It is a major tool in trauma healing and helps in behaviour modification. More importantly is the fact that it is drugless,” he said.

    He further said that ET involved meetings between the client and the therapist.

    “The therapists has the knowledge of ET, the skill required to dig into the problems, the cause, and how to support the client achieve freedom. The energy therapist must be able to do exploratory diagnosis, know how to tap, understand how to achieve chakra health and in securing clean aura.

    “It is also in overcoming psychological reversals, which prevent people from healing at all levels. Energy Therapy helps the client to remove energy blockages, bring about energetic balance and support the individual to achieve total integration at body, mind, and spirit level.

    He said there are products and machines that can be used to enhance clients energy system. They are Resonance Tuner Card, Tesla Energy Lights, Young Living Essential Oils, Magnetic Bands.

    The products, he said, can be used to enhance energy level, dissolve negative energies and build immune system of people.

    The GIET Institute provides training in the use of these materials which any user must first evaluate energetically to be sure that their frequencies match theirs before use.

    He said treatment is affordable, adding that his Centre for Energy Healing Awareness in Lagos and Port Harcourt are the only centres in Nigeria.

    The other option is to go abroad where my colleagues provide similar service. However, going to the US or the United Kingdom will entail airfare, hotel bills, and associated expences. So doing it in Nigeria will obviously be cheaper even if it is a little pricey.

    James said there are plans in the pipelines to train at the GIET Institute.

    He said the practice has a bright future in Nigeria. This is because the world is moving steadily towards drugless therapies. “Energy Therapy is very well positioned to support Nigerians in their journey to total health and well-being without over reliance on drugs.

    “We need energy healings in schools, government, hospitals, organisations, businesses, sports and politics, among others. Just as we need energy therapists in these areas.

    He said ET does not cure any ailment rather it helps to eliminate negative energies in the human energy system.

    “Negative energies come from or are caused by issues such as anger, grief, worry, anxiety, fears and phobias, very bad feelings from emotional traumas resulting from rape, war, accidents, loss of relations, loss of jobs, loss of positions, and many more.

    “Research has also shown that some ailments of organ failures or organ discomforts start with these negative emotions,” James said.

  • Nigeria, broken nation in need of therapy

    SIR: Nigeria suppurates from many wounds in the same way a man who has been in an accident does. Is Nigeria not ailing from diverse ailments that debilitate it? The many dysfunctions that characterize our country are proofs that Nigeria is malfunctioning. But at the root of Nigeria’s problem is incompetent, corrupt, myopic, and visionless leadership.

    Since our attainment of political freedom in 1960, Nigeria has not got it right, politically. Bad and inept political leadership has been our bane since then. More so, the military incursions into our politics further compounded our national woes. Thankfully, now, we have been enjoying democratic governance for 15 unbroken years. Against the background of our volatile past characterized by religious crises and a civil war, 15 years of uninterrupted democratic leadership is a milestone.

    But our leaders’ inability to entrench national unity and cohesion in the country impedes our national development. Who does not know that unity is a force for national growth in a country? Ethnic and religious fissures have polarized our country. In the past, the Maitatsine religious uprising claimed many human lives. And, one Akaluka was vilely killed and his head hoisted on a pole for allegedly desecrating the Koran. We experienced the riot caused by the miss world beauty contest scheduled to take place in Abuja in 2002.

    Since political power slipped away from the grip of northern politicians, the North-east has not known peace. It has become a river of blood owing to the activities of the dreaded and murderous Boko Haram group. Members of the group control large swathes of land that cover Yobe, Adamawa, and Borno states. Members of the group kill people by exploding bombs in churches, schools, mosques, and other places. The insurgency in the North has created a humanitarian problem. Can economic activities take place in an area that has become a hotbed of violence and theatre of bloodshed?

    In addition to our security challenges, our economy is not sitting pretty now. Our mono-based economy solely depends on oil revenue for its survival. Sadly, the crude oil prices have plummeted with its sad economic consequences.

    But even when the economy was healthy, the dividends of the oil boom never trickled down to the poor. The federal government couldn’t diversify the economy to create jobs for millions of unemployed youths. And, millions of Nigerians are under-employed, too. Yearly, our universities churn out graduates who are sent into the saturated labor market.

    Is there not a connection between the existence of criminal activities in the country and the issue of unemployment?

    Are our leaders not capable of providing solutions to the myriad problems that have held us down as a nation? They can solve of national problems if they are determined to solve those problems. But the tragedy of the Nigerian state is that our leaders are with the warped perception that one’s occupation of an exalted political office is an opportunity for one to corruptly enrich oneself. Sadly, and regrettably, too, Nigeria is the worst for it now. Consequently, our country has not realized its potential. It has remained the eternal potential giant of Africa.

    Nigerian politicians should rise above politicking for their selfish ends and band together to salvage Nigeria from the cesspool of corruption and the wood of underdevelopment.

     

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye

    Uruowulu–Obosi, Anambra State

  • Why I offer free reconstruction surgery for the poor, by Modupe Ozolua

    Why I offer free reconstruction surgery for the poor, by Modupe Ozolua

    Thirteen years ago, when Modupe Ozolua ventured into the world of beauty enhancement therapy, many Nigerians were quick to dismiss her projects. But years after, with many body reconstruction and humanitarian activities, Ozolua is set to move into the next phase. Seun Akioye reports.

    There is something that glows about Modupe Ozolua, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Body Enhancement Limited and Founder, Body Enhancement Foundation.

    It also leaves one with conflicting emotions about her identity and personality. At least that was the consensus in 2001 when she appeared on the social scene and announced that her company would be involved in helping women enhance their bodies, especially the breasts.

    There were as many Nigerians that dismissed the gorgeous Ozolua as there were that embraced her body enhancement therapy. She held on to the belief that women who are not satisfied with their bodies deserve a second chance at looking young and beautiful.

    In the years following the opening of her cosmetic surgery centre, her clientele grew in leaps and bounds, many of them society women and business tycoons who wanted the anti-ageing therapy that Ozolua offers.

    But two years after opening the first cosmetic surgery centre in Nigeria and West Africa, she jolted her critics by doing the unusual: she founded the Body Enhancement Annual Reconstructive Surgery (BEARS), a charity organisation which specialised in helping the indigent in need of life-saving body reconstruction.

    Ozolua’s charity endeared her to many Nigerians who began to see her in another light. Her motive, she said, was to help the poor and the needy regain their lost body features.

    In the 11 years that BEARS existed, the organisation helped many indigent children and adult reconstruct either the face or other body parts. It was like regaining their humanity, pride and life. Using modern day medical technology, technique and skills to safely perform reconstructive surgical procedures to restore the lives of thousands of underprivileged people suffering from various types of physical congenital, developmental deformities, such as Vesico Vagina Fistula (VVF), cleft lip, cleft palate, burns and lacerations, cataract extractions, hernias, removal of tumors, cysts and fibroid.

    BEARS was also engaged in other humanitarian activities outside surgery, such as provision of relief materials and donation of food and clothes.

    This year, Ozolua again changed her strategy by changing the name of her highly successful humanitarian organisation from BEARS to Body Enhancement Foundation to better reflect the connection to her body enhancement company.

    “There isn’t a better time to draw people’s attention to what BEARS Foundation actually stood for. The acronym BEARS represented Body Enhancement Annual Reconstructive Surgery. Many people didn’t realise it was the charity arm of Body Enhancement Ltd, the company that pioneered cosmetic surgery in Nigeria, 13 years ago,” Ozolua said.

    But she insisted that the group did not change its name but only shortened it. She said: “When you look at what the acronym BEARS stood for, you will realise the name did not actually change, but has been shortened to Body Enhancement Foundation. In addition, as we conduct various types of humanitarian activities outside of surgeries, such as donations of items, exchange of skills, etc., and these are done more than once a year; it makes sense for the change.”

    The organisation has had its hands full in its 11 years of operation, especially from those in need of one body reconstruction or the other who can’t afford to pay for the usually expensive operation. Using volunteer doctors and funds from her other businesses, Ozolua has immersed herself in this life-saving venture, giving hope and life back to the poor and the needy.

    Her foundation is not only involved in free reconstructive surgeries, but also in helping other organisations cater for the poor and the needy. She said: “In the last few years, we have been quietly supporting other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in their causes by donating money, books, toys and clothing to them. We also send money to different parts of the country to pay the hospital bills of patients who can’t afford to pay them. This year is no different. Our dedication to helping the underprivileged in our society still remains the primary focus of this foundation.”

    The beauty therapist also has a consideration for the victims of bomb blasts and her organisation is open not only to treat them but to feed them. “We come in and identify those who can benefit from us and try to impact their lives as positively as we can. Not just surgical, but means of feeding too. After all, a bed ridden person cannot go to work and earn an income.”

    Ozolua has memories of some of her clients. There was baby Funmi who had a cleft lip, Jude, a young boy with severe burns all over his body and Sulaiman who had a terrible and unusual growth at the back of his head. They all came and were restored. Operations like these, Ozolua said, give her happiness.

    But an experience with a particular patient had stuck with her for a long time. She was only a little girl with cleft palate problems which had been operated on several times.

    ”She must have been about eight years old when we did her surgery. About three years later, her mother brought her to visit me in the office. I will never forget how beautifully dressed she was and how big she had grown. I thought she wouldn’t recognise me as the woman who had been part of the team that restored her body to wholeness and who was in the operating room with her; but as soon as she saw me, she ran straight into my arms and held me tightly,” she recollected.

    Ozolua also held on to her tightly and to confirm she recognised her, the child said: “You are Aunty Modupe who did my surgery.” Such experiences, she said, were clear reminder that though many people may not appreciate her efforts, but for the little girl, for Jude and Sulaiman, ”all effort and sacrifices on our part is worth it”.

    Also in addition to the name change, the Foundation has a new Board of Trustees, which include the Director-General, National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii; Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki (SAN); the Adviser, World Bank, Edith Jubunoh and Prince Oluwaseun Ozolua.

    Archbishop Desmond Tutu is the patron of the Foundation. The new website address is: www.b-efoundation.org.

    Ozolua said her foundation is open for business of saving lives and restoring pride to the poor. “We will soon start publicised advertisement of our treatments,” she said.

  • Antidepressant drug therapy

    Brain activity, including cognition or thinking, is physically mediated through chemicals called neuro-transmitters or nerve chemicals. Such chemicals transmit information, signals, and experience.  Scientists recognize that clinical depression in patients is associated with changes in certain brain chemicals.  These chemicals include serotonin (also called 5-HT), norepinephrine (also called nor-adrenaline), and dopamine – that all have chemical structures known as monoamines.
    The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a group of antidepressant drugs.  They were produced by a process called rational drug design.  These designer drugs act by increasing the availability of serotonin at its cellular sites of action thus enhancing its neurotransmitter function.  SSRIs are used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety and personality disorders (social anxiety, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder,and eating disorders), posttraumatic stress disorder, and chronic pain.
    SSRI drugs are widely manufactured and used in different countries all over the world showing the universality and high incidence of depression.  Examples of SSRIs (with their trade names) are (from Wikipedia):
    •Citalopram (Celexa, Cipramil, Cipram, Dalsan, Recital, Emocal, Sepram, Seropram, Citox, Cital)
    •Dapoxetine (Priligy)
    •Escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex, Seroplex, Esertia)
    •Fluoxetine (Depex, Prozac, Fontex, Seromex, Seronil, Sarafem, Ladose, Motivest, Flutop, Fluctin (EUR), Fluox (NZ), Depress (UZB), Lovan (AUS), Prodep (IND))
    •Fluvoxamine (Luvox, Fevarin, Faverin, Dumyrox, Favoxil, Movox, Floxyfral)
    •Paroxetine (Paxil, Seroxat, Sereupin, Aropax, Deroxat, Divarius, Rexetin, Xetanor, Paroxat, Loxamine, Deparoc)
    •Sertraline (Zoloft, Lustral, Serlain, Asentra, Tresleen)
    It takes about 6-8 weeks of treatment for the body to adjust to SSRIs and for the antidepressant drug action to have full effect. During the first 1-4 weeks adaptation phase various side effects may be observed – from head ache, nausea and vomiting to strange dreams, tremors, mania, and suicidal ideation, depending on the particular drug being used and the individual patient that is being treated.
    Suicidal behaviour may be seen in children or adolescents given such drugs therefore they are very risky if used for MDD in this age group.
    Many of SSRI side effects disappear by the 6th week.  Sexual dysfunction is a major problem caused by SSRIs during long term use in about a third of patients and this side effect is seen after the adaptation phase and can last long after the drug is discontinued or may become permanent (this is called post SSRI sexual dysfunction). The affected patients may manifest loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, or anorgasmia (no orgasm).  Couples need to be aware of this.
    Increased risk of bleeding is another side effect of SSRIs.  Antidepressants are strictly controlled drugs and you should never try to obtain them without a doctor’s prescription and expert monitoring of the effects on you.
    If a pregnant woman needs to take an antidepressant, she must know that: “SSRI use during pregnancy is associated with an increased rate of miscarriages, birth defects, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, newborn behavioral syndrome, and possibly long term behavioral problems. The risk of spontaneous abortion is increased about 1.7 fold” (Wikipedia).   Also, the drug taken by the mother reaches the baby in the womb and the baby could be born with neonatal abstinence syndrome , a withdrawal syndrome caused by the baby missing the drug, just as happens to drug addicts when they cannot have their drug.
    Antidepressants can produce dangerous effects when used together with other drugs or certain food components such as alcohol.   SSRI drugs affect the liver enzymes that degrade various drugs leading to toxic effects of those drugs.  You should discuss your diet and existing drug use with your doctor before startingantidepressant drugs.  Because of the possibility of side effects, antidepressant drug treatment begins with small doses of a chosen antidepressant drug which may be increased safely or the patient is switched to another drug (trial-and-error approach).
    The medical history of antidepressant drug use indicates more harm than good. This is possibly because of some inappropriate use of these drugs in the initial two decades of their introduction into clinical practice.  Many depression cases that could have been resolved by psychotherapy and other means were too quickly resorted to drug use.  The ease of conviction of the general populace through aggressive or clever advertising shot the drugs into unparalleled popularity.  Ignorant demand by patients took over rational prescribing by doctors.

    Dr. ’Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA.   For any comments or questions on this column, please Email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910