Category: Heath & Fitness

Missaka Wijenayaka: Providing Much-Needed Pain Relief

Missaka Wijenayaka brings over a decade of experience to our shores as he steps into the combined role of Sri Lanka’s first and only Remedial Therapist, Physiotherapist and Chiropractor. His knowledge of anatomy and physiology blend well into his treatments, providing much-needed pain relief from injuries sustained during sports, work, accidents and he also specializes in post-operative recovery, post fractures and arthritic conditions.

Missaka took the time out of his busy schedule to talk to us about Pain Management – what it is, what it isn’t, and why he chose it as a profession.

Missaka, what made you interested in Physiotherapy?

I was very interested in sports from a young age which meant injuries, which in turn lead to many visits to the physiotherapist! I liked how the physiotherapist interacted with me, so when it came to choosing a career, I decided to look closer into physiotherapy and remedial therapy. I migrated to Australia and obtained my qualifications from the University of Victoria and La Trobe University, after which I worked with various sports clubs such as the Collingwood Football Club and Melbourne Storm, a rugby league team which gave me a wealth of expertise in perfecting my skills as a Pain Management Specialist. Currently, I consult at the  Vasan Hospital #423, Galle Road,  Colombo 3.  

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Using my knowledge and skill set to bring relief from pain to all the people around me. I love dealing with so many different people and their issues: each one is different because each person is different. I enjoy getting to know patients and find it incredibly rewarding to see people get better.

Chiropractic care is not something that everybody is familiar with. What would be the simplest way to describe it?

Basically, it’s about musculoskeletal diagnosis. As a chiropractor, I use the physical assessment, motion palpation, joint mechanics, etc. to assess and alleviate people’s pain.

You have started a new concept where you perform pain relief measures (such as massages) in offices. How do you feel this will benefit staff productivity?

Today everyone, no matter what field they are in, is under tremendous stress. The success of the workforce is also causing its own productivity crisis. Many office workers develop work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs’), caused by sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity and don’t address these ailments until they get worse and they have to seek treatment. We might think that if our job role doesn’t require physical labour, we can’t injure ourselves at work, but we are at a risk of developing neck, back and shoulder conditions caused by bad posture. As a Pain Management Specialist, I help employees identify the causes of MSDs’ and provide short and long-term improvements for their ailments.

What are the advantages of remedial therapy as opposed to physiotherapy?

There is a very close relationship between physiotherapy and remedial therapy, which is relatively new to Sri Lanka. The latter is advantageous in that it is a more ‘hands-on’ type of treatment than physiotherapy because it can help treat soft tissues and restore their function. Remedial therapy aims to relieve pain, decrease muscle tension and promote healing of injured tissues. Physiotherapy, on the other hand, refers to the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of health conditions that result in pain, weakness, limited ability and degeneration. However, both types of therapy can be most effective if paired with a healthy lifestyle.

Tell us about some of the techniques you use for both types of treatment.

Remedial therapy involves the use of techniques such as Cupping Therapy, a form of alternative medicine in which special cups are put on the skin for a few minutes to create suction. The other technique I use is Dry Needling, a modern treatment designed to ease muscular pain, which penetrates the deep muscle, enabling better nerve reach and a higher rate of success in the treatment. Some of the other techniques used are kneading, trigger point therapy, myofascial releases and compression massage.

What are some of the common injuries that children sustain and how do you treat them?

Twisted ankles and playground injuries are very common amongst children. I don’t use dry needling and cupping for kids. However, chiropractor and some of the remedial therapy technique are used to relieve pain for kids

Tell us about how you treat injuries in the elderly folk.

Elderly folks have neck, hip, spinal and knee injuries, most of which have been sustained by lack of regular exercise. The majority of them have done the same type of work for long periods of time with the same methods and techniques, which also contributes in a big way to their ailments. I use techniques such as remedial therapy techniques, dry needling, cupping etc.

Thank you for your time. In terms of injury prevention in general, what would you recommend for everyone?

Regular exercise and stretching recommended because it reduces risks of injuries. Drinking plenty of water is also recommended as it is very important to keep muscles healthy, which in turn means fewer injuries. Maintaining good posture is also key.

Written by Michelle Alles

Ashanthi Soris Mirchandani: The Art of Fitness

Ashanthi has always been a fitness enthusiast and the proof is in her work ethic and her overall demeanor. Having been a former Senior Secretary at Dialog for 4 years, she has moved her attention to the whole art of fitness and also the aspect of health. Consider this as the first article of a two-part series: the second part of this series will be focused on my personal transformation under her guidance — expect to read it in the Feb/Mar issue.

At Breakthrough Studio, which is located at Perahera Mawatha in close proximity to the Beira Lake, the main focus is on high intensity training coupled with a focus on important aspects like coordination and nutritional advice aswell. The official spiel includes words like Pure Body Burn, RIP Training and TRX Suspension Training. While there are many different routes towards a great physique and also health, remember what Ashanthi offers is also an effective mode that is very forward-thinking and potent.

The TRX System, also known as Total Resistance exercises, refers to a specialized form of suspension training that utilizes equipment developed by former U.S. Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick, and Ashanthi can last claim to the fact that she is the first person to have brought the whole concept to Sri Lanka. Although I was skeptical at first, I can assure you that the whole contraption may seem deceptively simple, however, the fact is that it’s truly multifaceted and offers far more than a total body burn.

While we do have access to a great deal of information thanks to many fitness gurus out there, what is important to acknowledge is that there is also a lot of misinformation as well. Ashanthi is very erudite and persistent in gaining a great deal of information and also demands that her trainers stay well-versed with regard to the latest trends and information relating to fitness and health.

One of the main aspects that was personally very important for me was having a trainer who pushed me to my limit, and this was something I had with the privilege of working out at Breakthrough Studio. As a person who was very much into fitness — think Kyokushin Karate, Kandyan dancing, Tap dancing, swimming, and weight training — the philosophy practiced at Breakthrough Studio deals with a total body solution where flexibility, coordination, strength, and mental focus is key.

What is important to mention is the great deal of support that is offered by this studio for its clients. Personally, I’ve had immense support where I’ve been pushed to my limits while not being pushed into a danger zone — there’s a fine line here, and your trust should always be put into the hands of a professional. I’ve personally had terrible experiences training under certain gym instructors who follow the dangerous adage — No Pain No Gain. One incident left me with a bad case of rhabdomyolysis, which can be a fatal condition that leads to the breakdown of skeletal muscle.

I’ve been training at Breakthrough Studio for just over a month, and have seen immense results. My stamina and flexibility has improved, and I have enjoyed a great deal of fat loss followed by some amazing muscle gains. I must also admit that’s my mental acuity has improved drastically. Having the right trainer is very important and is a very important precondition when it comes to your fitness journey and fitness goals whatever they may be.

What is also impressive is the curated workouts that are planned where all aspects of your health and fitness goals are taken into consideration. All in all, Breakthrough Studio is filling in a much-needed area in the fitness arena of Colombo. TRX Training is something I’m convinced about and consider myself fortunate to have had this opportunity to train with an exemplary professional in the guise of Ashanthi. I have recently moved onto GOFLO training, which is suspension training where the focus is on your core and stability. The word — Effective — is an understatement here.

Moreover, Breakthrough Studio is the only fitness studio to have this particular type of training whilst Ashanthi is a certified trainer with regard to this. Interestingly, Steuart Lane is home to a brand new studio, which is Ladies only, and has the same facilities and qualified trainers as its main branch. It is definitely worth checking out.

With New Year resolutions being part of the plan this year, fitness is something that many would focus on, and rightfully so. I’ve been to many gyms in my life, but I have to strongly recommend Breakthrough Studio, and this is based on my own fitness journey with them. The level of positive change that has happened to me thanks to Ashanthi’s advice and the well-facilitated support system that is present at Breakthrough Studio makes them the default choice when it comes to making a lasting physical and mental change in 2020.

Written by Rohitha Perera

Why Health Insurance Matters…

As an adult, it’s hard for me to remember my mother before her sickness. But if I go back into childhood, I can access that.

— Bruce Eric Kaplan

One of the worst periods in my life was when my mother passed away due to colon cancer in February 2017. Having been in journalism for many years, garnering information and data in order to make sense of whatever conundrum I face is part and parcel of the various habits I have formed. When one is faced with a life or death situation, there comes a point that emotion dissipates and what you are left with is the need to find a solution to your predicament. As hard as it is to say this, there was a great sense of relief when she took her last breath since she was not in that horrid limbo where suffering was all she knew.

 

According to certain statistics there are around 6,000 people who are diagnosed with cancer annually here in Sri Lanka. While your genetic disposition can surely affect your chances of developing cancer, many other factors can also increase your chances of developing cancer – for example, smoking is known as one of the leading causes of oral cancer. My mother was misdiagnosed with a heart ailment when she was suffering from fatigue; in actual fact she was suffering from anemia, and was losing blood; the reason for this was a tumor that was the size of a coconut, which resided in her stomach. By the time a colonoscopy was done and the cause was found out – she was suffering from Stage Four colon cancer. I keep asking myself how a life could have been saved if early detection was something we were educated about.

 

An invasive operation was conducted to remove the cancer in 2016, and a steady stream of chemotherapy sessions were given in subsequent months. The only cure for cancer as per my understanding is early prevention. Sickness as an entity zaps so much energy from the person who is going through it and also from the family members. While the emotional despair is something that is very difficult to come to terms with so too is the level of financial strain. My mother went through two years of unbelievable agony, and all at a cost of LKR 6 million; this is taking into consideration the various misdiagnoses and the subsequent treatments for such false flags.

 

Adages and proverbs are there for a reason; one that surely comes to my mind is: forewarned is forearmed. The reality here is that I carry the same genes as my mother, and my aunt who passed away due to colon cancer as well. The advice given to me was to make sure I go for a screening every year. The cost alone for this is a taxing affair. Considering this reality and looking at the events of the past, what would really have helped me and my family would have been an insurance policy that was well-meaning and genuine in all aspects. A proper policy – like AIA’s Health Protector – would have helped us from a financial aspect, and even prodded us to go for regular health checkups to ensure a long and healthy life.

Written by Rohitha Perera

Stretching Boundaries in Health and Fitness

We turn our spotlight on Dumindha and Anuruddha Meddegoda and Migara de Silva, who founded ‘The Movement’, which is located at Colombo 7 and is built around circuit-based weight lifting, cardio interval training, customized meal planning and continuous app based progress tracking. These three young men, who are lean, mean and fighting fit machines sculpt better figures for their clients in an inclusive and fun atmosphere where you’re certain to stay motivated, meet new fitness friends and best of all, consistently stick to a workout routine.

 

EM: Tell us in brief about yourselves.

Migara: I’m a Barrister and I studied Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science. I was called to the Bar of England as a member of the Honourable Society of Lincolns Inn.

Dumindha: I studied Civil Engineering at Imperial College London and I’m currently employed at MAS Capital, in the Corporate Finance, Treasury and Strategy Division.

Anuruddha: I studied for a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Mathematics and Statistics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

EM: What prompted your decision to start The Movement? Have you always been active?

All: We all played sports in school, but only started training at the gym when we were 18. Unfortunately when we started out, we had no clue as to what we were doing! Information wasn’t nearly as widely available as it is now, so we didn’t see progress for years. But after years of trial and error and doing our own research, we started to see results. Ever since then, our passion for fitness and nutrition has meant tonnes of reading up and watching videos on workout techniques and the science behind nutrition. The three of us always spoke about the idea of starting our own business together and we knew it had to be something that we were very passionate about. Because of other work commitments, we were always ‘too busy’ to get something going. But last August, we decided to just start, somewhere. So we harnessed our collective passion and experience for working out to create a unique workout space in Colombo.

 

EM: What does the training routine at The Movement consist of?

All: We realize that most people with their hectic work schedules face a time crunch (no pun intended!). The workouts at The Movement are ideal for people who are short on time but still committed to getting fitter and leaner. Our workouts are circuit-based weight training classes which incorporate various forms of cardio as well.

In a typical workout, we would do a variety of lower body movements (e.g. squats), upper body movement (e.g. shoulder presses), cardio intervals on the spin bike and throw in some ab workouts!

In terms of equipment, we use dumbbells, barbells, spin bikes, resistance bands, medicine balls and your own bodyweight of course! Free weights are always the most effective form of weight training for burning calories; machines are great, but a person will tend to burn a lot less calories on machines because you’re usually seated and the stabilization portion of the exercise is done for you. Every class lasts for 1 hour, which includes warm up and stretches.

EM: How have your clients influenced you with regard to your own health and fitness?

All: Before we started The Movement, the most motivating thing for us would be when someone approached us asking for advice on training or diet. Now that we actually train clients, this motivation is there for us daily! We find our clients surprising and inspiring in equal parts a lot of time. Some of them have made more progress than we would have thought possible and have put in so much more effort than expected. Our workouts are challenging and intense, and seeing how many clients have improved gives us so much satisfaction.

 

EM: How do you motivate yourself to stay consistent with your fitness and strive to assist others with theirs? Have there been times you wanted to give up…if so, what who kept you going?

Migara: I did give up for a while, when I was studying for my Bar as it was too hard to balance with work and studies, and the cold made it so demotivating to train in England. My overall confidence, appearance and general health suffered, so I won’t go back there. For me, looking good (by my own definition) is a big part of how I feel about myself, and because my own happiness is at stake it is easy to keep motivated.

Dumindha: Balancing work and fitness has been a challenge for the past 9 years, ever since I started lifting weights! At MAS, we often have to work long hours, but if I have extra work, I’ll make sure to get my workout in (the gym closes at 9) and then finish off my work at home. Sometimes you just have to put in the work and sacrifice a bit of sleep! Of course there are weeks when I lack the motivation to train but then I think about the instances that people have approached me asking for advice on training, etc. and that itself motivates me to keep pushing. Knowing that I’ve motivated others to train is a pretty powerful tool.

Anuruddha: I wanted to give up on working out a few years back when I could no longer see any improvement or results. What motivated me to push harder with my training and diet and not give up on working out were the dozens of fitness articles I read and YouTube videos I watched of people in the fitness industry explaining that anything is possible if you try hard enough and put effort in, whether it’s in the gym or at home in the kitchen.

EM: Do you eat clean and let yourself have cheat days?

Migara: At the moment I do not eat clean or control my diet at all because I am trying to gain weight/bulk. I have a very fast metabolism so if I want to gain some more muscle I have to literally eat anything I feel like. I have set myself a weight target and when I reach that I will start controlling my diet again. I think cheat days and satisfying your cravings is important. You don’t have to starve yourself or even give up anything if you train hard and watch your meal timings.

Dumindha: I’m quite happy with where my weight is at the moment, not really trying to gain or lose weight. Since I’m at this maintenance stage, my daily calorie intake is at a level which allows me to maintain my current weight. I keep my daily protein intake high (around 180g); the rest of my calories are split between carbohydrates and fats. This means that I have room to have a few high-carb meals throughout the week, but I still have to choose between that cheesecake and chocolate ice cream; you can’t have both!

Anuruddha: I’m very flexible with my diet. I give myself plenty of cheat days because for me eating grilled chicken breast with broccoli and steamed rice 3 times a day is not sustainable. I eat a ton of Sri Lankan food and I’ll make sure I satisfy my sweet cravings regularly. When I’m cutting back, I’ll regulate my intake of sugary foods and cheat meals a bit more.

 

EM: Do you believe in supplements?

All: We tell everyone this. Supplements are just that: supplementary to your diet – diet is key! You can’t out train or out supplement an unsuitable diet for your body type and level of activity. Having said that, supplements do have their place in a meal plan if you are training hard; for people like us it is difficult to get all the protein we need daily from solid food alone, so taking a whey protein supplement helps and is convenient. Other supplements like fish oil and multivitamins are also beneficial to overall health. But there is no use in supplementing unless you have everything else in order and are educated on the topic. There are so many common misconceptions about supplements.

 

EM: What advice would you give to anyone who wants to transition their life towards a more healthy and fit lifestyle, but don’t know where to start?

All: Honestly it really doesn’t matter where you start, be it with us, a personal trainer or even just going for a walk at Independence Square. Just start. Once you do, seeing results consistency is easy. Just keep going till you get to that point. And try different things to figure out what kind of work out is fun for you. If you dont enjoy it, you won’t keep doing it. Consistency is king. Once you start seeing results, that’s all the motivation you will need to stick with your workout routine.

Also, we don’t advise anyone to do crash diets or crash course workouts to try and drop drastic amounts of weight in a short period of time. Because it’s not healthy or sustainable; you don’t want to sacrifice all the foods you love and then rebound badly after that! Creating a healthier lifestyle is about finding a workout routine and diet that you can sustain for the next few years (not weeks)!

 

EM: What are your future plans and goals for The Movement?

All: We would like to grow The Movement, to offer more classes a week and work with more people so that we can make Colombo a fitter and healthier place! Other than fitness classes, we would also like to explore other options in health food and clean eating.

 

By Michelle Alles

The Fitness Power Couple

One fine day Colombo woke up and decided that it wanted to get back to being fit. This opened up the floodgates for everything from jogging paths to healthy eateries and much more. So now it’s a new battle altogether of finding the latest diet, posting up exercise routines on social media and generally showing off abs, biceps and slim waistlines. But then there are a few who literally (and no pun intended!) have fitness in their bones and running through their veins. Esteem met up with the duo behind fit.lk, Sri Lanka’s most sought after Personal Trainers. Meet Isuru and Natasha Fonseka in a candid interview.

Was “fitness” something both of you was in to from childhood or is it something that just happened one day?

Yes we were both sportsmen and absolutely loved it. It was a passion that never died.

What are some of your fondest childhood memories?

Isuru: It has to be when my older brother Daniel and I plotted and planned to steal chocolates from our grandmother’s fridge and ultimately got caught

Natasha: there are way too many

How did the two of you meet?

It’s a pretty interesting story that cannot be summarized but the gist of it is Isuru made Natasha cry the first time he met her and the rest is history 🙂

How was fit.lk conceptualized?

Isuru: It all started with training myself and I saw results. Thereafter I wanted to help others see results and achieve their goals too so I tried out helping one friend and it worked! I then decided to go to Malaysia and get qualified as a personal trainer. Once I came back, Natasha and decided to open the first ever Personal Training Company, ‘fit.lk‘. It was solely based on mobile personal training.

What services do you currently offer?

We currently have a team of 6 trainers. Each client’s training schedule is customized to their particular requirement. We currently offer Personal Training which is one-on-one in the comfort of your own home or gym, Group Training for Corporates either on-site at your office or off-site, Aquafit which is conducted in a pool and sports training. All these services have mobile trainers. We also currently offer – Medical Assistance, Physiotherapy, Children’s fitness and partnerships for meal plans.

What is a typical day like?

5:30AM GYM (We like to train ourselves before our clients)

8-12PM – Client Training

12-3PM Spend time together trying out new cafes, watching movies and getting our chores done

3-8PM – Client Training

After 9 its bed, church or dance practice

What is your ultimate personal fitness goal?

We’d both like to compete at the IFBB World Championships

What are your plans for the future?

To own our own global chain of mega and boutique gyms, sticking to our main objective, which is, helping people take ownership of their life!

Information

Full Name: Isuru Fonseka

DOB: 13/04/1992

Alma Mater: St. Peters’ College

Family: 2 Brothers, 2 Sisters

Role-Model:  Kirby de Lanerolle and Roshith Perera

Philosophy in Life: To lead, you first need to know how to follow

Favourites

Food: Mom’s homemade pasta

Travel Destination: New York

Clothing Brand: Under Armour

Sport: Rugby

Hobby: Watching movies

Information

Full Name: Natasha Fonseka

DOB: 23/04/1990

Alma Mater: Alethea International School

Family: One and only 🙂

Role-Model: Fiona de Lanerolle and Tashali Perera

Philosophy in Life: Every outcome is a result of the ‘choice’ you make

Favourites

Food: Bread Rolls

Travel Destination: Anywhere there’s a beach

Clothing Brand:          Glam -Forever 21

Sporty – Adidas

Sport: Basketball

Hobby: Watching movies

For more information on fit.lk please call 0770 070262, email trainers@fit.lk or visit their website www.fit.lk

By Piyumi Fernando

From Disability to Victory: Asoka Abeysekera’s Story

Asoka with His New Cochlear Implant

 

Many a time have we heard about men and women who have been struck down in life with disabilities but have turned those very shortcomings around to reach great heights in life. Asoka Abeysekera is one such extraordinary individual.

Asoka was born on the 1st of March 1960 to a family who was already undergoing much difficulty. His parents both had their own disabilities in hearing and speech when they discovered that little Asoka also could not hear. At the age of 2 when he was taken to several doctors, they only confirmed the worst, that 80% of the nerves in his ears were not functioning thereby causing his loss of hearing.

Despite this setback Asoka’s parents enrolled him in St.John’s College, Nugegoda where he received a regular education like all other children. Determined to succeed in life, Asoka studied hard and performed exceptionally well in his Ordinary Level taking subjects such as Sinhala, Buddhism, History, Sinhala Literature, Geography, Business Studies and English. His exceptional results opened up an opportunity to continue his A/L’s at Ananda Shaasthraalaya in Kotte. Not limiting his achievements to academics only, Asoka was also a gifted debator and sportsman with interests in carom and body-building.

“I never wanted to be treated differently so I got involved in everything that my friends were doing. Whenever there were events in school, I was involved and I made sure I didn’t let my disability affect me”, he reminisces.

It was on his way home from school one day that Asoka happened to pass the original Wickramarachchi Opticians showroom in Delkanda and noticed an advert for hearing aids. Although Asoka and his family had been advised by their doctors to get hearing aids, at that time the devices were scarce and had to be brought down from abroad. The advertisement gave Asoka a new hope and his parents were able to purchase a hearing aid which enabled Asoka to now march towards his goals better equipped.

Asoka with His Wife

 

Determined to continue his education, Asoka went on to follow a degree at the Colombo University and follow it up with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education from the Open University. After completing his education he applied for his first job at Uniwalkers in 1987 for a salary of 600 rupees. During this time he was also a part of the YMCA Nugegoda where he continued his sporting career. In 1985 he became the Carom Champion and was later placed 3rd in a Body Building Championship as well.

His next posting was at the Youth Ministry under Lalith Weeratunge when he realized his desire to impart knowledge to the next generation. After applying for a teaching post, Asoka was sent to Padaviya in Anuradhapura to teach Social Studies to Grade 10 students in 1988. Despite his personal challenges, Asoka became a role model to his students there especially when he started to use his free time to teach hearing-impaired children and teenagers in the area. In 1993 he returned to Colombo to teach at the Janajaya Vidyalaya in Moratuwa and later returned to his alma mater St. John’s College.

During a teaching career of 30 years Asoka has continued to campaign for the rights of the hearing-impaired. He also taught at the Ratmalana School for the Deaf and was the Secretary of the Sri Lanka National Organization of the Deaf and the Treasurer of the Central Federation of the Deaf. He was also instrumental in the publishing of the “Sign Language” guide book in Sinhala and the commencement of Sign Language interpretation on national television, a service he provided for 2 decades.

For his significant achievements Asoka was also awarded with a scholarship to Japan from JICA and also attended the ESCAP sessions in New Delhi, India. He was also involved in the launching of a Sign Language Dictionary and the commencement of a sign language course conducted by the National Youth Council.

“I am forever grateful to that simple advert I saw at Wickramarachchi Opticians so many years ago and to Mr.Mihira Wickramarachchi and his team who have changed my life since then and supported me every step of the way. I was able to enhance my hearing aid over the years and then also get a Cochlear Implant later on. Despite progress being slow to uplift the lives of the hearing-impaired community in Sri Lanka, companies such as these give all of us opportunities to lead a normal life”, Asoka added.

Speaking on the outstanding achievements of Asoka Abeysekera, Mihira Wickramarachchi notes, “Teachers have been taught and are able to teach songs and national anthems with sign languages, but I wanted to prove to the world that a hearing impaired person such as Asoka is also an interpreter and world renowned for his achievements. I want more people like him to be able to get better jobs and live positive lives. Sadly, some with hearing impairments still live in ignorance. Hearing impairment is not an issue to be ashamed of anymore. This is why we want more and more people like Asoka to live life to the fullest through the products and services that we offer.”

For more information on the extensive range of hearing, speech and sight related services offered by the J M Wickramarachchi Group, please visit their website www.hearingsrilanka.com

Christell introduces PRP therapy – a non-surgical procedure proven to rejuvenate skin and hair

The Christell Skin Clinic in Colombo has introduced PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) therapy for skin and hair. This ground-breaking advancement in medicine is a non-operative treatment that helps to accelerate the normal process of renewal and healing, bringing a non-surgical alternative with natural results to rejuvenate the skin and hair.

Christell is a pioneering total skincare solutions clinic based in Colombo with Professor Ramani Arsecularatne at its helm. Educated in the US, UK, France and Japan, and a graduate of the Christine Valmy Institute in New York and Kimari International in Singapore, Professor Arsecularatne is an expert and pioneer in Sri Lanka’s beauty and hairdressing industry. She founded the Ramani Arsecularatne International Academy of Cosmetology (RAIAC) and has paved the way for qualified entrants to enter the field, thus improving both the scope and quality of skin care treatment in Sri Lanka.

Professor Arsecularatne founded Christell in 2014 with a team of cosmetic physicians, trained medical staff, and cosmetologists specializing in skin care, hair and beauty. PRP therapy is one of the most sought after treatments at Christell; it is a complex medical discovery, but works quite simply by injecting the client’s own blood platelets to the skin or scalp in order to eliminate the risk of adverse reactions to the treatment. PRP has been known to accelerate normal cell renewal and healing by stimulating collagen formation, revascularization and repair. It can also be used as a natural filler to restore volume where necessary.

When PRP is injected to the skin it activates dermal fibroblasts which play a key role in maintaining skin integrity and youthfulness, accelerating the process of skin renewal by synthesizing cell renewal ingredients. The treatment is effective in treating wrinkles and improving texture, elasticity, volume and skin tone. It is particularly effective around the eye area for dark circles and under eye bags, and for fine lines on the skin. Patients have reported an 82% improvement in skin tone, 52% improvement in wrinkle appearance and an 87% improvement overall.

Christell also offers PRP therapy for various types of alopecia and hair loss. PRP Hair Restoration works for both men and women, and is generally considered a non-surgical and natural alternative medical procedure for hair loss and thinning.

Results will appear as early as the second week post-treatment, and Christell recommends a package of 3-4 treatments for best results. “We’re very pleased to be able to be one of the best clinics to perform this procedure and we use equipment and consumables from Regen labs Switzerland which is among the best in the world,” says Prof. Arsecularatne. “It’s completely safe because there’s no risk of allergy to the materials being injected. And because PRP is a rejuvenation treatment, it’s about encouraging the skin to renew itself so it doesn’t result in a fixed or unnatural look after the procedure. It’s simply encouraging your cells to heal faster to naturally rejuvenate your skin and hair.”

For more details visit www.christellskin.com

How I Lost 51lbs By Walking

The proof really is in the pudding, you see. And it was pudding that ended up settling quite uncomfortably around my waist and led me to put on a gargantuan 105 kgs with a waist size of 45 inches. Ironically (or should I say — comically!), it was when I tried climbing the stairs to get to the chocolate mousse residing happily in the fridge did I realize that my knees probably wouldn’t last the 20-odd steps towards that mousse of decadence.

I had to do something. Next thing I knew I was on a treadmill in my room for two minutes walking. The next three minutes I was on the floor with heart palpitations. I truly was in a sorry state. What really hit me hard was that I was not always a fat guy. Back in my early 20s, I was very active indulging and obsessing over fitness in a big way. I used to get up at 4 am just to walk, jog, and sprint for two hours; go to the gym for an hour; head off to work; go to Kyokushin karate practice at night; and then head off to tap dancing and Kandyan dancing classes over the weekend. I also enjoyed badminton, tennis, and swimming, and I had a set of six pack abs that I look back at with envy.

So what happened? Well, corporate life happened. One too many cocktail parties, and too many days and nights burning the midnight oil led me to become a desk monkey with all signs and symptoms showcasing that I’d be the proud recipient of type two diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The first step was to realize that I had a problem. Secondly, I had to have a plan of action.

The simplest thing to do was get over my defeatist attitude and YOLO lifestyle, and start walking. I immersed myself in various sources of fitness information, and followed incredible individuals like Ido Portal, Poliquin, Peter Attia, and Christopher Sommers on social media. Let me encapsulate everything I learned since my fat loss journey — you need to move. The human body was made to move. Quite simply put: if you don’t use it, you lose it. I won’t go too much into the benefits of exercise since that’s a simple Google search away. Rather what I’ll tell you is that your health really is wealth, and you owe it to yourself to invest in YOU.

All stats and facts point to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer are on the increase here in Sri Lanka. As a person who has lost so many loved ones to heart disease, cancer, and complications from diabetes, I assure you that’s a great deal of misery you can do without. With our lives today being intuitively connected to our smartphones and various social mediums, there is a revolution afoot. I make it a point to walk 7 kms a day, and obsessively track my progress with my iPhone’s Health app. Science proves that walking is the best way to lose fat especially when done consistently. I’m proof.

Consistency and patience pays great dividends, and throughout the years I’ve peeled away the fat, and at 38 years of age, I stand at 5 feet 11 inches, sport a 33 inch waist and carry just 82 kgs on my being. I’m the healthiest I’ve been since 23, and it’s thanks to good dietary habits (I personally function well on a ketogenic diet, but that’s a whole different article right there!), Crossfit, and logging in hundreds of kilometers walking that helped me get my health back in order.

The first step is always the hardest, and I’ve found apps like AIA’s Vitality App incredibly useful in giving me that extra motivation to hit my walking goals. The Vitality App is available on Apple’s iStore, and Google’s Playstore; the application syncs with a Fitbit or Mi band, or even iPhone’s Health app and Android’s S Health to log in your progress, and reward you with some undeniably attractive gifts like PickMe or Takas.lk vouchers, mobile top ups from Z Messenger, and EAP movie tickets. How it works is simple: If you walk 7500 steps a day you will receive 50 points and if you walk 12500 steps a day you will receive 100 points, and based on when you achieve those individual targets, you will be rewarded accordingly.

In conclusion, let me leave you with this small story. I remember coming across a quote back in the 80s when I was hunting around for a BMX bicycle in one of Colombo’s most popular cycle stores; it read as follows: We sacrifice our health to earn our wealth, and then spend our wealth to get back our health. These are words of wisdom that I hold very dear since I very nearly did lose my health for good. I hope this article convinces you that you need to prioritize your health, and that with the advent of technology you really don’t have an excuse to fall into that evil trap of procrastination.

Fitness Connection…

At present, it seems as if there’s a burgeoning market for foodies in Colombo; besides the myriad of restaurants, eateries, bars, cafes, and hotels that seem to be stuffed into the heart of Colombo, there seems to be an insatiable desire for more opulent and decadent treats. Our waist sizes have increased tremendously, and so has the incidence of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

So much for the YOLO lifestyle fed to the masses by Hollywood and popular media that has instigated much havoc. While one side of the problem is processed foods, a stressful lifestyle, and a lack of discipline, the other side of the equation is the comfort of a sedentary lifestyle exacerbated by living in front of a computer.

But there’s a ray of hope, though. While Colombo may be indulging in its desire for food, there’s a fitness revolution afoot as well. Many a gym is cropping up and people are actively seeking an enviable set of six pack abs and lean physiques. Look anywhere and you’re sure to find plenty of Zumba classes, Crossfit boxes, MMA training centers, and even personal trainers offering tailored programs. The newest kid on the block is Fitness Connection, which is located on the third floor of the Racecourse building.

Newly opened, and well-appointed with a spread of the latest fitness equipment, this is certainly a hub of wellness boasting enviable levels of spaciousness highlighted by wooden accents and high airy ceilings. The gym is separated into a cardio section on one side of the floor, and a weights section on the other. Frankly, I’ve never come across gym that is both spacious and feature-rich.

Dinendra John who is the CEO of Fitness Connection is positively enthusiastic about its prospectives, and indeed he should be. With a steam room, sauna, massage room, spinning room, and even a rock climbing wall, there seems to be a fitness and wellness solution for everyone. All equipment are branded Cybex fitness solutions, which promise absolute quality and finesse.

Moreover, there are well-qualified personal trainers at hand who will craft effective nutritional and fitness regimes that are tailored to your specific requirements and goals. But let’s talk price: most new gyms are hardly accessible with their exorbitant gym membership fees, and I expected no different from a gym this big, but I was caught off guard to note that for an off peak membership, Fitness Connection offered it just at LKR 8,000 more than another quality gym nearby.

It needs to be said that another redeeming feature of this place is that the personal trainers are affable and helpful; the personal touch and interpersonal skill level at other similarly-priced gyms are sorely lacking. This is something that irks me greatly.

Let’s not forget the fact that deadlifting and squatting with a barbell can be a very dangerous affair especially if you are a newbie, and it is of paramount importance that you have the best trainers around to advice and assist you instead of chatting on Whatsapp or Instagramming their biceps in some other corner while you’re about to attempt a move that can compromise your vertebrae.

For the price you pay, you certainly are gifted a great deal of goodness. And I assure you that’s saying something coming from a guy who has worked out at around 80% of the gyms in Colombo. With diabetes affecting, according to some reports, 25% of the population, the argument for health and well-being is indubitably a strong one.

If there’s one investment that will offer you great dividends is one where you put your money into your health. I’ve always said that clichés are somewhat true, and the one that posits — health is wealth — is one that cannot be argued against. With a proposition that is value for money at hand here, you’d be hard-pressed to find other gym that offers great benefits such as Fitness Connection.

May I suggest that you take some time off from your busy schedule, skip the cheesecake and buffet, and head over towards Fitness Connection, and get more information? It’s bound to be one of the best decisions that you could make this year.

A Welcome to Wellness

By: Michelle Alles

‘The Physio’ opened in January 2014 and over 2 years later is a sought after state-of-the-art centre, with physiotherapist Theruni Wijewardene and her team consisting of four other physiotherapists, a fitness instructor, a GP and an amazingly supportive husband who works tirelessly behind the scenes as her business partner. As we seat ourselves in Theruni’s office, the first thing I notice is that she sits on a silver gym ball instead of a chair and I ask her why. The Australian qualified expert replies with a smile that she’s a very active person and since she moves around the clinic so much, she doesn’t sit still for long periods of time, so this suffices.

Theruni has lived in Australia most of her life and was interested in sports from an early age. Since she also had a fascination with the science behind sports and the effects of it on the human body, physiotherapy seemed like a logical move toward her career choice, which lead her to read for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports Science and a Master’s in Physiotherapy. She returned to Sri Lanka six years ago and she started off her career in physiotherapy at Nawaloka and then decided to venture on her own. It’s been 2 ½ years since she opened the practice located at 30/63A, Longdon Place, Colombo 7 and Theruni helps patients with physical difficulties resulting from sports, injury, disability, strokes or ageing. She tells us that back and neck pains are quite common, as are knee and shoulder injuries. We agree that the main cause of this is definitely due to being seated at a desk in front of a computer for long periods of time. The ergonomics of most of the offices in the country are not optimal and Occupational Health and Safety measures are also overlooked, unlike in most of the other countries.

During the school sports meet season, Theruni also sees quite a few young athletes with injuries caused by sports. She notes that rugby players in particular come in with the most amount of injuries. “That is mostly because it is a sport where a lot of contact is involved, but every sport has its hazards in some way. My job is to help people with disabilities or injuries to overcome such physical barriers and improve their movement and function using exercises, manual therapy and electrotherapy in addition to giving advice and making them more aware of their condition and the basic measures that can be taken to prevent a recurrence of their pain.” Theruni explains that the treatment and methods at ‘The Physio’ place heavy emphasis on manual therapy which includes exercise, mobilisation techniques and other modalities to improve functions.

Moving on to the next phase of their practice, Theruni informs us that they will be introducing a Wellness Studio along with a gym which will help athletes work out under supervision when they are ready to get back to physical activity after an injury. Expecting most of her clients to be sports men/women, I ask the question and I learn that they range from 5 year olds with neck pain, 10 year old tennis players to the elderly. “Pain can be caused by many factors such as sports or incorrect posture while working, falling, how much stress one has at home or work, etc. there are many causative reasons. At the Wellness Centre, we are including a Pilates studio for clients because after an injury, it’s important to ease oneself back into their workout. We also will be providing our clients with relaxation technique options,” she informed us. “It’s all about making people understand what causes their pain, holistically addressing the issues. We see a lot of pain that’s related to stress and our next step is to help clients figure out what is the cause behind it and help them correct it; it’s giving people ways to understand how their mind affects their body. Lack of exercise is also a large reason; also different factors contribute to pain and no two cases are the same,” she stated.

At ‘The Physio’, what they are passionate about is educating their clients/patients as to what causes their pain, how to address the root cause and manage it and the best way to prevent the pain recurring. “We take a lot of time with our patients, get their history and background and do the assessments thoroughly. There are times we can’t cure pain 100%, but we can help them manage it in the future and prevent the use of pain killers – if we can’t handle the case with physiotherapy, we refer onwards to a physician,” Theruni said.

A mum to really cute and active 3 year old daughter, Theruni credits her husband as the driving force behind her success. “It really truly is Ishara’s support that allows me to work so freely because I know he has everything else covered (and I mean everything!) From Ahaana’s schedule to the dinner menu, to ensuring that all the staff are looked after, to making sure there’s enough toilet paper in the clinic! He really is amazing and it was his vision and his confidence in me that gave me the courage to open the practice in the first place. Every bit of success ‘The Physio’ has had in the last 2 ½ years, I can attribute directly to him.” Theruni concluded.