Body Image high on health and wellness

Thus, the two became the proud owners of a full-service health and wellness organisation known as Body Image Consultants Ltd.

Once a tomboy, the eldest girl in her tight-knit family Hassette always considered herself to be a kind, nurturing person who loved helping people. “I always loved how massage therapy works and passing on that information to others so that they can enjoy a better quality of life,” she says with a sparkle in her eyes.

Growing up in Picton Road, Laventille, she recalls where it all began when she visited an old lady (Mother Niles) for a sprained thumb at the age of 14.

That accident occurred after she disobeyed her mother’s instructions to stay indoors but went outside to play hide and seek instead.

“When my mom asked me to mix cake batter the next day and I was forced to tell her what happened, I got licks on top of the sprain!” she jokes.

“I was amazed and in a lot of pain as I watched her (Mother Niles) place soft candle on my thumb and anoint it back into place. She then wrapped it with the wonder of the world herb and bandaged it up. That was the day I fell in love with healing and knew I wanted to help people in the same way that she helped me,” Hassette shares.

After being treated inhumanely, working long hours for little pay at one of her former jobs, she thought it better to endure this sacrifice working in her own business than for someone else. She soon met her business partner Sam – a family friend who shared her vision for the business. The duo has merged three aspects of the business: the first being fitness, the second Sam’s company which is Sekhem Health – a holistic company catering to people who have lost mobility, strength, balance and hand and eye co-ordination. The last component is aromatherapy, massage therapy and physiotherapy done by Hassette. Her aim is to also become certified in reflexology and acupuncture and incorporate this into their business.

Located on the Eastern Main Road (upstairs Burger King) before Curepe junction), Body Image Consultants Ltd which opened in April also offers weight management programmes as well as ionic foot detoxes.

Piloxing which is a combination of boxing, pilates and aerobics – is taught by the only certified Piloxing instructor in TT – Aaron Hassette (Niquisha’s brother). For fun one can also enjoy salsa, Zumba and kizomba (a type of Latin dance).

Trained in massage therapy and sports massage therapy from the Institute of Medical Education, Hassette learnt to treat sprains, spasms and cramps with ice and heat therapy as well as the use of essential oils.

“I learnt which nerves connect to which muscles, the art of touch, how to use corresponding oils (aromatherapy) which is way deeper than meets the eye. Massage therapy is a form of relaxation and a good way to get your endorphins and blood pumping and it also improves circulation.

A massage is an exchange of energy and afterwards you feel like you can conquer the world!” Hassette explained.

Sam who is a corrective exercise specialist brought his 24 years of practising fitness and 22 years of teaching to the business.

He analyses how your muscles perform through movement and makes adjustments if there are any imbalances. He explains it all started when he attended a lecture by Dr Edwin Ryan on corrective exercises and functional movement at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

He found that a lot of men do not like cardio and over the years he developed core cardio programmes which target the stomach area, increasing your heart rate using your core muscles Sam’s desire to pursue this career path also began in his teens. At age 13 he witnessed his (adopted) grandmother pass away at the back of his uncle’s car. “I remember everyone running around like headless chickens not knowing how to save Mama. It was my first experience witnessing someone die and I remember asking God to never let that happen to me, or at least I wanted a job where I could help,” he reflects.

There seems to be nothing Sam has never tried. He has been exposed to diverse areas of training but space only permits me to share a few - American Fitness (AFFA), postural assessment and corrective exercise, Rev Master, physical training instructor’s course- PTI (TTDF), 4dan Black Belt Purple Dragon Don-Jitsu Ryu and even courses at Hotel School and in nursing.

In his search for the right career, he recalls wanting to join the special forces and become a soldier. “I joined the Coast Guard and remember cooking in the galley with my best friend Ulric Neversen and realised that job wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. It was when I taught martial arts for five years at a Purple Dragon dojo, that work didn’t seem like work. That was in 1988 and I never worked a day in my life since then,” Sam said with all smiles as he recalls that memory.

He shares another turning point in his life after his last 8-to-4 job as a sports and wellness conditioning coach at the UWI came to an end. “When my threemonth contract ended, I felt depressed because I became dependent on that salary, but I took Steve Harvey’s advice in one of his videos to “Jump” and I was able to surpass my previous salary within two to three weeks of starting my own business and building my gym from nothing,” Sam says proudly.

To complete their total wellness package, Body Image Consultants Limited offer their clients a supplement known as Transfer factor which is a molecule found in white blood cells clinically proven to boost your immune system. Transfer factors were first discovered in 1949 by H Sherwood Lawrence and the molecules are extracted from bovine colostrum and chicken egg yolk.

Sam explains that it teaches your immune system how to remember, respond and react to possible threats. It comes in the form of a protein shake, capsules, liquid, energy go sticks and more. It proposes to treat different forms of health ailments including kidney, bladder, urinary system, memory, eyes, breast and gynaecological health.

An exciting afternoon spent with the owners of Body Image Consultants Limited proved that they are as serious about their vision as they are about staying true to fulfilling their purpose. “We want to provide a supportive and uplifting environment to people of all ages to achieve their personal goals through emotional support, nutrition and fitness, focused on body, mind and spirit. We want to make people healthy and happy and enjoy life to the fullest.” For more info: niq.biconsultants@ gmail.com or Facebook.

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