A WELLNESS CENTRE WITH A DIFFERENCE

It is the opinion of the author and co-authors that a Wellness Centre with a difference is of the utmost importance! A unique centre where patients will be treated in a unique manner (all ages)

We are living in a world that is changing at an ever-accelerating pace.  Life, society, and economics are becoming more complex by the day.  The nature of work is radically changing, and jobs are disappearing at an unprecedented rate.  We are living in the age of uncertainty where the past is no longer a true guide for the future.  We are in the turbulent years of the new millennium and the challenges that we encounter are creating increased stress levels in humans.

Although some of us believe we are “normal”, the question arises: “What is normal?”  Is normal not the state of the human being where body, mind, and soul are in balance and harmony?

This unique ‘Wellness Centre’ should be beneficial to society as a whole and treat people from before birth until the day of death for each person to live a full life to his/her full potential.

1. Let us start at the beginning and explain the reason why stimulation of the unborn baby is important:

“There is no period of parenthood with a more direct and formative effect on the child’s developing brain than the nine months of pregnancy leading to the birth of a full-term baby”.

• Marian Diamond

Hundreds of studies show the vulnerability of the unborn child because of its sensitivity, impressionability, and ability to relate to the mothers’ emotional and physical state.  The nutritional state as well as every thought and action of the mother gives rise to hormones and other bio-chemicals that create a pleasurable or incoherent foetal environment.

Dr Lester W. Sontag, in studying pregnant women during WWII was the first to make us aware of the effects on the foetus of maternal anxiety.  During pregnancy, the effects of chronic stress give rise to elevated adrenalin and cortisol levels which are passed onto the foetus, with the consequence often of irritable babies who are hyperactive.  The adrenalin from the mother increases the foetal heart rate while cortisol acts on the brain, preventing some of the dendritic branches and spines of the nerve cells from forming as well as reducing the number of neurons.  Babies that are exposed to high stress levels, in-utero, exhibit reduced resistance to disease and could have sleep and feeding disorders. In extreme cases normal development could be retarded with as much as 60%. Stress devours nutrients that are needed for the optimal development and growth of the baby.

Stress in pregnancy leads to increased blood pressure, sending more blood to the mother’s big muscles for fight or flight while shunting blood away from the developing baby.  This lack of blood to the baby squeezes of as much as 60% of the oxygen and nutrient supply e.g.  Neurotransmitters.

A new-born baby’s central nervous system has few synaptic links between neurons.  Complex synaptic links develop later in life especially during the first seven years.  The more the sensory system (the receptors) is stimulated, the more synaptic links develop. It is during these first seven years that nutrition is of the utmost importance to ensure the building blocks for the different syntheses.

It is of the utmost importance to expose the unborn baby to sensory integration therapy. Sensory integration is the ability of the brain to organize, process, and integrate sensory stimuli.

During sensory integration therapy on the unborn child the focus is to stimulate the formation of the maximum number of synaptic links as possible. When this therapy is done in utero, the entire central nervous system functions more effectively during later development and leaves the baby with a distinct learning advantage in later life.

It is however true that babies are born into the world with a backlog – already in the womb this potential harmony is disturbed by the diet of the mother – not intentionally but by the intake of the available food.

The food industry today prides itself in the fact that it can provide technologically developed and refined food to the nations –moving away from naturally grown foods, resulting in the intake of large amounts of anti-nutrients with decreasing nutritional value.  Even the water that is available to drink contains non-natural chemicals to ensure purity, palatability and at the same time pollute the body of the pregnant mother.

These unborn babies may be our future leaders! The question therefore arises whether this issue is addressed at any Wellness Centre in the world or at all?

1. Pre-school age:

Although each child is born with the basic ability of sensory integration, it must still be stimulated through interaction with its environment and the adaptation of the body and brain must occur during childhood.

A specific programme of stimulation should be followed at this level and this age.

If the brain’s ability for sensory integration is sufficient to cope with the demands that the environment presents to the child, his response is creative, sufficient, and satisfying.  If your child can respond to this challenge and react successfully, then it can be said that the child has achieved “pleasure”. It can also thus be said that this “pleasure” is described as successful integration and has prepared the child for the educational system that follows.

The physical part of the child can however not be overlooked.  The World Health Organization predicts that by the year 2020, mental illness like depression will be the most debilitating affliction in the developing world. The mind-body connection between depression and disease has been well established in research (Lang Schmidt: 2001).   Disease and chronic health problems can start at this early age.  New models must be explored which allow us to look at deficiencies affecting the body and brain’s ability to function optimally.  Nutritional deficiencies will affect the functionality of the neurotransmitters in the brain adding to the sub-optimal performance of the body. Nutritional assessments and rehabilitation will become increasingly important not only to attain optimal health and performance, but also to prevent serious and chronic disorders to develop in future.   The correct nutrition is essential for the brain but so is the stimulation of the brain.

1. The years in the Educational System:

“There is not a problem that cannot be solved”

• Paul Torronce

Lower educational attainment and poor analytical and decision-making skills, face the problem of the educator.  Learning and behaviour is also the tangible evidence of sensory integration.  This means that the brain cannot effectively organize the flow of sensory impulses, with the result that the individual does not receive the correct information regarding himself or his environment.  This influences the behaviour of the individual and results in the inability to handle general behavioural requirements and stress.  As only sections of the brain function in a disorganized manner while the rest functions normally. The child, therefore, in total, functions below his age expectation and presents with, amongst others, learning disabilities, concentration problems, etc.

We believe that learning is a function of the brain, and that the sensory integration process is directly linked to academic performance.  A special program was developed to ensure the neuro-physiological development of the child.  Learning how to learn, think and solve problems is part of the sensory integration process. The techniques developed by Luzanov (Suggestology, relaxation and language) are also applied during the therapy sessions while   special attention is given to creativity, motivation and building of self-esteem.

Important is to accept that every child has unlimited potential and has a unique learning style. Learning should however be facilitated through the use of Multiple Intelligence models and techniques such as Brain Gym to achieve greater integration between the left and right brain. This enables the child to develop and use maximum of his/her potential.

One can however not stimulate the brain if the physiological status of the body has a problem.  It is therefore crucial that the nutritional status of a learner/child is assessed, and personalized supplementation is prescribed to ensure that the optimum nutritional status is achieved and maintained. This program is called the Metabolic Symphony Program and comprises the following: Collection of samples, nutritional profiling, interpretation of profiling results, consultation- discussion of results and recommendations.  This is followed by a closely monitored Rehabilitation program making use of focused supplements to address the specific disorder (being it a learning disability, Autism, etc.).

1. Post Educational phase – holding down a job or climbing the corporate ladder.

All the above mentioned also applies during this phase of life and can prevent the individual of attaining success in his/her work situation, if the brain and the body is not in balance.  During this phase it is important to place emphasis on the development of leadership and entrepreneurial skills.  Life skills are very important e.g., handling of conflict, problem solving, thinking skills, etc.

1. Senior phase:

Elderly people are less mobile and if the body and brain become out of balance, more problems arise and can cause conditions like rheumatism, Alzheimer, Parkinson’s, etc. Many so called “old age” problems can be prevented by optimal nutrition, stimulation of the brain and the correct exercise programs. The aim must be to lead a successful productive life for as long as possible because experience and wisdom increases with age and does not end at ‘retirement’.

CONCLUSION

A Wellness Centre should be beneficial to everybody and should have the following facilities and expertise:

1. A pre-natal and post-natal clinic
2. A metabolic unit where Nutritional profiling can be done in a special laboratory that analyses blood and urine samples. The results are studied and compared to a statistically determined “normal” profile.  This highlights the existing deficiencies especially in the amino acids as well as vitamins and minerals.  Consultation with the patient where the results are discussed, and recommendations are made regarding possible rehabilitation and nutritional therapy which includes individualized supplementation.
3. Standardized assessment of the individual on the Neurological level to determine his/her ability.
4. A Training centre – Training of teachers on a special program with accelerated learning techniques and a sensory integration program to be incorporated in the normal curriculum (individualized education for every pupil).

– Training of Dieticians and Nutritionists in nutritional therapy and rehabilitation on a personal basis.

5. A Tutor Centre on the premises of the Wellness Centre which can serve as a model for research and training while treating special cases.
6. A Therapeutic horse-riding Centre. This therapy program makes extensive use of horses.  On a horse the vestibular system is activated while the specific therapeutic exercises on the horse’s back focuses on the bombardment of the lower brain with different stimuli.  The activated vestibular system is more receptive to the different stimuli. This allows the “forceful” creation of new neuro-channels which ensure that the stimuli from the different sensory organs are carried through to the correct parts of the brain to extract the correct reactions.

7. Individual and group therapy for problem areas which are identified from the standardized testing where specific problems are addressed.

8. An active continuous research centre.

9. A SPA and Health Centre where disciplines like Reflexology, Aroma Therapy, Massage Therapy, Colour Therapy, Sound Therapy, and light Therapy etc. could be presented.

Summary:

The whole concept of a healthy body housing a healthy mind which creates the tranquil environment for the attainment of the inner peace that will allow the connection with one’s higher self is quite vast, unique and different. Due to the intricate and technical nature of the concept it can only effectively be explained and alluded to in a personal presentation by the author and co-authors.

This concept should further be developed to include the fourth dimension with which man should live in harmony – the physical and natural environment. Mr. Van Rooyen, with his expertise and creative background as a Conservationist, terrestrial Ecologist and Marine Biologist is able to bring man back to nature in an effort to develop natural nutrition and create sustainable natural resource utilization.

The ultimate mission for man is to attain the perfect connection with his HIGHER SELF and for me, this is God. It should therefore be man’s highest ambition to tap into the realm of the soul, making this journey the highest quest on which we can embark. Ultimately what we need is ‘a science that acknowledges the existence of an inner self.’ The wake-up call for mankind (his soul) will be to ensure that his Physical Body functions optimally in harmony with the Brain.

It is our belief that the balance between body and mind is a pre-requisite to attain the state of Spiritual Freedom. Similarly, man must live in balance with nature to ensure his continued existence.

We are passionate about our views and what we do to create a better world for all and we will gladly share our expertise with you 

IT IS BETTER TO

PREPARE LIVES

THAN TO

REPAIR LIVES 

The Healing Centre should consist of the following and cater in the following areas: 

1. Medical Doctor
2. Swedish Massage
3. Indian Head Massage
4. Steam Room
5. Sauna
6. Reflexologist
7. Pedicure
8. Detox Foot spa
9. Heated swimming pool
10. Water therapy
11. Gym
12. Pilates
13. Nutrition
14. Homeopath
15. Acupuncture and Acu-pressure points
16. Floating therapy
17. Cranial-sacral therapy
18. Yoga, meditation, visualization
19. Beauty – Hairdresser/Nail specialist
20. Aromatherapy
21. Ozone therapy
22. Therapeutic Horse-riding
23. Kinesiology
24. A housing component (chalets)

 The Target Group: 

1. Pre-natal up till death (all ages)
2. Learning difficulties
3. Sportsmen and women
4. Executives
5. Stress related problems
6. Trauma and neurological problems