To promote a healthy lifestyle among female employees at the institution, the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) hosted a ‘Wellness for Women’ event on Wednesday, 08 August at Steve Biko Campus.
Held under the theme, ‘Time to Blossom’, the event which forms part of women’s month celebrations, provided DUT employees with valuable tips on ways in which they can keep their bodies healthy.
Speaking during the event, Charmaine De Wet, the founder of Naturally For You, a company which provides healthy eating plans and weight management programmes, singled out breakfast as a starting point towards a healthy lifestyle.
“We do not appreciate ourselves enough, we are mature people, we move and we even neglect having breakfast. Also, if we eat breakfast, it triggers the body to be healthy and burn fats. So from today moving forward, give yourselves breakfast and you are going to feel 50% better,” she said.
She further encouraged healthy eating and keeping the body busy through exercising activities.
“You can exercise but your body will not change if you are not eating clean. We need women who will eat proteins in the morning, we need women who will go to the gym and do the treadmill to keep their bodies in shape,” she added.
With 42% of South African women considered obese according to a study conducted by the Health Data organisation, Munoo Bowan, a health specialist, delivered a presentation on the mind’s role in health, with focus on wellness relating to metabolic health and hormonal health.
“Most of the people who are obese are as a result of the ghrelin hormone which sends the signal to the brain when you are hungry. For some people their ghrelin hormone is over-working and they constantly become hungry,” said Bowan.
Reflecting on the event’s proceedings, the manager of the Employee Assistance Programme, Samantha Rajcoomar said the ‘Wellness For Women’ event empowered women with knowledge on healthy living.
“I was very impressed with the speakers as well as with our employees who attended, because one would see from the interaction and the engagement that they enjoyed the knowledge which was shared with them,” Rajcoomar said.
During the event, participants won raffle gifts such as a pamper bath, cellulite clipping, detox massage treatment, hormonal health assessment and a 30-day pack of recharge supplements offered by Naturally For You.
Pictured: Health specialist, Munoo Bowan; Nutrition Diet Coach, Vimi Kalan; DUT Employee Wellness Manager, Samantha Rajcoomar; DUT Employee Wellness Programme Admin Assistant, Nobantu Buthelezi and Naturally For You sales consultant, Julia Hamilton.
Sandile Lukhozi
