Muslims advised on stress management, healthy living

MUSLIMS have been implored to preserve their health by undergoing regular exercise and check-up and doing everything in moderation in accordance with the dictates of Allah.

The advice was given by experts at a health walk/talk organised by the Muslim Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (MUTAN) and the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), in Lagos last weekend.

Addressing the participants on stress management, a medical practitioner, Dr Abdul Gafar Shuaib, warned against engaging in excessive physical and mental exertion in order to avoid stress.

“Stress management is about taking things easy and leaving everything to Almighty Allah. Don’t do anything beyond your physical and mental limits. Read to the level that your capability can sustain and not go beyond the limit. When looking for money, do not adopt a desperate, do-or-die attitude. Do everything in Halal way. Your body is not a machine. It has to rest. Allah recommends moderation. Even our prayer is regulated,” Dr Shuaib said.

He charged the participants, especially the women, to go easy on addressing issues bordering on family, finances and other aspects of living in order to ward off emotional stress which, he said, might lead to psychiatric problems which are hard to treat.

Dr Islamiat Majolagbe, in her own contribution, recommended regular check-up to detect diseases early before they become untreatable.

She noted that some deaths that result from hypertension and diabetes could have been prevented if detected early.

Speaking on behalf of the organisers, General Secretary, Agbado Oke-Odo Area Council of MSSN, Ibraheem Kamarudeen, said the organisation of the programme was informed by the realisation that many people do not place premium on their health status.

He, therefore, sought the assistance of philanthropists to make the programme a regular one, while charging the participants to build on the progress recorded by engaging in regular exercise and regularly checking their health status.

The coordinator of Alimoso zone of MUTAN, Alhaji Muslim Adeniji, recommended further research into alternative medicine in order to reduce the side effects of some of the chemical used in orthodox medicine.

The programme, which drew teachers, students and members of the public, featured a walk from Alimoso to Egbeda and back to the starting point.

This was followed by medical tests featuring general health, eye and dental as well as health talks from various resource persons.