Empowering Seychelles through health and canine compassion |19 September 2023

●       Seychelloise spearheads two projects nationally

Upon her recent return from England, well-Known Seychellois dance and fitness teacher, Maria Dodsworth, born Doway, is already planning to spearhead two projects to promote well being though healthy living and therapy with the help of dogs.

‘Mind, body balance’

The first project, inspired by the UK's ‘Weight Watchers’ initiative emphasises that a healthy lifestyle encompasses more than just body weight; but rather involves dietary choices, sleep habits, nutritional awareness, and achieving a balanced life.

Her personal programme titled ‘Mind, body balance’, is currently in the development stage and she is gauging the community’s input as she wants it to incorporate elements of education, exercise, and holistic well-being.

The educational component will focus on raising awareness about daily sugar consumption, salt and cholesterol levels, carbohydrates, and the optimal timing for meals and their impact on the body.

“Certain things, if you eat it in the morning you can burn it but when consumed late in the day it turns into fat because you are not as mobile,” she noted.

Another aspect of this is intermittent fasting, to teach people it is not about starving themselves but rather to eat when they feel hungry.

“Not just eat because it says it is the morning and the world tells us we have got to have breakfast, or eat because it is lunchtime or dinner and in-between is a little break so that means a little snack. It is about having your own personal programme for your own body and making the decision that is right for you and the lifestyle that you want.”

Mrs Dodsworth recalled her own upbringing, where there was limited exposure to media and product variety in stores, and fast food outlets were scarce. Back then, meals were prepared with fresh ingredients from the garden. She noted that contemporary society tends to view eating and drinking as quick fixes rather than integral aspects of daily life, a challenge not unique to Seychelles but experienced globally.

“We eat to live, not live to eat.”

As for the fitness side of things, this will all depend on the person’s fitness stage and how a client is coping with trying to lead a healthy lifestyle.

“Fitness is not just about what you can see with your physical eye, it is about a healthy heart, healthy lungs, and strength. It is not about what somebody looks like in a dress, where they have a figure or what you see on TV as deemed to be what looks good. It is about having the endurance and strength and all your inner organs healthily with a healthy mental attitude.”

The Mind, body balance programme will be for both male and female adults, at any age.

‘Gentle Paws’

Mrs Dodsworth’s second project is about providing therapy with the use of trained dogs. The trainer is halfway through her international dog training qualification, and wants to go in-depth by training dogs in Seychelles from as early as three months, under a project called  ‘Gentle Paws’.

“It would be nice for the government to come on board and support this because then it can go into schools, into old people’s homes, because I want it to be a national thing, I want to help the people of Seychelles in so many different ways,” she proclaimed.

The service will also be available to anybody whose dogs have behaviour issues. “I want to educate and show that dogs can live side by side with humans. They do have feelings, they can communicate with you and you can communicate with them. And they should be treated with the same level of respect as humans.”

Mrs Dodsworth, who is the owner of a certified therapy dog named Alli, said they can go anywhere in the community, shops, restaurant, hotel and most importantly in nursing homes, and schools where they can provide emotional support to the elderly and children.

Alli is also trained to detect anxiety and stress along with depression and has been going into hospital homes for elderly people to be companionship and soothe patients.

With regard to children, Mrs Dodsworth, who has 23 years’ experience working with autistic children, has been in touch with the Seychelles’ autism organisation to offer her service.

With these two projects, Ms Dodsworth is confident that she will bring health and therapeutic benefits to society and is looking forward to working with different partners in the projects.

Sunny Esparon