Dr. Jeevani Wickramatunga:

Versatile healer with a flair for life

Ruwini Jayawardana

How would you sum up a person who covers a multitude of fields and professional expertise, that her mere credentials leave you gasping in awe ? She is a Homoeopathic Practitioner, Psychological Counsellor, Hypnotherapist, Psychotherapist, Reiki/Pranic Healer and an author.

The list stretches up to over 20 fields: homeopathy, cancer, counselling, psychology, medication, Reiki, information related to personal experience, poetry, short stories, novels, cookery, environmental science, tour guidance, beauty culture.... She is Dr. Jeevani Hasantha Wickramatunga.

“My father, Dr. M. Wengappulai, was the second Homoeopathic Practitioner in Sri Lanka. He was there at the time of C.V.S. Corea, the first Homeopathic doctor in the island. I followed in my father’s footsteps,” Dr. Wickramatunga said.

Though she had made her mark in the science field, music was her first interest.

“I had a passion for singing and I loved to listen to Jim Reeves and ABBA. I possess the talent to play the violin and the piano. I studied in Sujatha Vidyalaya, Matara and Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo. I was in the school band as well as the dance troupe. My parents were quite concerned about this as singing is not a stable profession,” Dr. Wickramatunga said.

She obtained higher education at the University of Peradeniya, where she followed a science degree. She wished to become a Western medical doctor at first but destiny had other plans in store for her.

“I could not sit for the chemistry paper and I was very disappointed. I served as a science teacher for a short period before taking up a research officer’s post at Gannoruwa. I worked for five years in Kandy as well as in Nuwara Eliya,” she said.

Then she realised she wanted a profession which allows her to explore the creative side within her. So it was a step into journalism and a degree at the University of Colombo. She wrote a number of Sinhala and English articles for local papers before venturing into authoring books. Her first book, Hanthanayai Mal Suwandake was written within three weeks.

“There was an announcement in a local paper urging amateur novelists to send in their entries. The deadline was a month away. I wrote my book based on my experiences of my campus days at Peradeniya and won a certificate for it. Then I realised I have talent for writing,” she smiled.

She has written a number of children’s stories for which she had won certificates. She travelled to Western countries, gathered facts and wrote books related to her experiences abroad. Her aim was to distribute knowledge and share her experiences with others.

“I won the Jeewanashuri rank of honour presented by the Sri Lanka-United Nations Friendship Organisation on December 29 last year at the BMICH. Only five people were chosen from Sri Lanka and I received it for writing on the most number of varied subjects.”

Dr. Wickramatunga studied psychology and did her MSc at the University of Colombo on Environmental Science. She then went on to the tract in life in which she excels today - Homeopathy.

“Homeopathy is a new system that does not belong to either Ayurveda or Western medicine. It originated from West Germany and its pioneer is Samuel Heinnmann. This form of medicine uses sugar globules sprayed with the medicine kept under the patient’s tongue,” she explained.

“We make the medicine through serial dilution. Each step, we vibrate the ingredients and what will ultimately remain is a solution which is very powerful. It penetrates your vital pulse and cures diseases. This is a form of spiritual, miracle medicine.”

She is the Chairperson of a healing home and spa in Nugegoda which practises around 20 methods of treatment. Homeopathy, ayurveda, acupuncture, Pancha Karma, Reiki, and counselling are among them.

Dr. Wickramatunga has organised a programme to conduct two mind and body healing seminars every month. For this month, the first is on the 14th and the second, on the 17th. She also engages in telephone counselling and guides many of those desperate to overcome obstacles in life. She does this for free.

“I have cured more than 10,000 patients, some suffering from illnesses such as cancer, cattah, arthritis and paralysis. It is especially touching to receive a letter of thanks from such patients.” Is it possible to cure any type of disease using this method? Even AIDS? “Yes. I have not had any AIDS patients yet but that would be a challenge that I am willing to take up. This is a miracle form of medicine.”

Pictures by Saman Sri Wedage

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She pulls you out of the precipice

Menik Kanthi Thenahannadige

POSITION: Women tried to shake off the shackles of the past and wriggle out of a slavish bond and emerge better poised than before in the 20th century. Their efforts in that direction began to bear fruits.

They displayed they were able to be good mothers, wives, sisters and house wives. Their latent abilities were shown strikingly. They showed that they would share the responsibilities of their husbands with acceptance and commitment.

They made their presence felt in a wide range of activities such as social service, politics, science and technology. The achievements gained by her were the result of her mental prowess and strength of character.

Nobody conferred upon her any special blessings. She has a long way to traverse further. But she has the courage and the enterprise to embark upon it. How does this become a challenge to her? She would make the challenge a carpet for her to walk along.

Red life-giving blood of the mother is converted into pure milk by the sheer magic and astounding efficacy of her love. This transfer is nothing short of a magical phenomenon. It is the mother’s profound love that never deserts you.

That would be there as a divine benediction upon you. Everything might taper off, but not the love of the mother. It would remain aglow throughout. So, there is no exaggeration in the statement that mother is venerable and simply irreplaceable.

Children produced by mothers in the 21st century ought to be blessed with foresight, courage and endurable strength. But what is lamentable how women are subject to humiliation and suppression and are used as a vehicle of commercialism and an object of happy indulgence.

How could males with an iota of conscience, forgetting the milk given by their mothers, condemn women bitterly? How could such males turn a Nelsonian eye on the tremendous pains taken by their mothers to bring them up? The civilised society should never tolerate such mean attitudes of selfish males. The collapse of virtues begins with such attitudes.

The kitchen is not the legacy of a woman. The influence of the woman falls four square upon the family. Fortunate is the society where the place of the woman is high and respectable.

A woman’s love is the soothing balm to a man’s heart, a woman’s care is the remedy to any ailment, a woman’s presence is the lustre to any place, and a woman’s hand is the most reliable to pull one out of a precipice.

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Diet and Arthritis

Dr. Kaleel Cassim
MBBS, MD (Medicine) Consultant Rheumatologist Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital

Introduction

There is a great deal of advice about diet and nutritional supplements for arthritis and rheumatism in magazines, books, and on the internet. Much of it is confusing. Claims are made for many food supplements and diets, suggesting that they help with arthritis.

Some of the advice, particularly on the internet, is given by companies who produce food supplements, and who have an obvious interest in you buying their products! Some people end up taking expensive food supplements or following elaborate and inconvenient diets which do not help, or may even be harmful. Often the same results can be achieved by simpler, cheaper methods.

For example, it is generally better to get the vitamins you need from food, rather than take supplements. On balance, altering your diet will not have as great an impact on your arthritis as the more standard drug treatment and in particular you should not stop your medical treatment without discussion with your rheumatologist.

This article explains how the food you eat might affect your arthritis. It then gives advice on the most sensible diet to follow and answers the most common questions which people ask about food and arthritis.

Can changing my diet really help my arthritis?

Yes. The right diet can certainly help some people with arthritis and rheumatism. For example, if you are overweight and suffer from arthritis, one of the most important things you can do to help yourself is to change the amount and type of food you eat. Recent research has also discovered several new links between arthritis and diet.

It is also important to consider whether your regular diet is giving you all the important basic nutrients including minerals such as calcium and iron. If it does not, then your general health will suffer and this may have an effect on your arthritis - see the next section.

How can I change my diet (and lifestyle) to help my arthritis?

There are four golden rules you should follow to help your arthritis:

* eat a balanced and varied diet to maximize your intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients you need which will help to keep your weight within the recommended range change the type of fats and oils you eat and include oily fish

* eat a more Mediterranean style diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables

* take regular exercise.

(To be continued)

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All island patchwork competition

EVENT: The 15th All Island Patchwork and Needlecraft Competition, organised by Daisy Vittachi, will be held on June 2 and 3, 2007 at the BMICH.

If you are a talented quilter, you have a chance to register for this event and highlight your fancy creations. Entries close on May 15 and only a limited number of entries will be accommodated this year due to space restrictions.

This competition is open to all except those professionally involved in this craft.

This year a special category has been included to show appreciation for the masterpieces of our grandparents and great-grandparents who indulged in this craft in the years gone by. Any item over 20 years old will be displayed free of charge.

An attractive prize will be awarded to the best item and consolation prizes for a few others.

Schoolchildren are also encouraged to participate and entrance for them will be free of charge. Nearly 50 prizes are on offer in this category.

Over 150 other prizes will be awarded for various other categories such as Patchwork, Hand embroidery, Machine embroidery and Ribbon embroidery.

For more details and entry forms, please contact 4939969 or 142/1, Stanley Tilekeratne Mawatha, Nugegoda.

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Event that bound creativity, style and beauty in a single strand:

Hair splitting extravaganza

Ruwini Jayawardana

Hairstyles, bridal beauty and creativity unfolded at the ‘Sunsilk Style International’, hair, beauty, and bridal show presented to the local scene by the Professional Hairdresser’s Association (PHABA). This event was held for the first time at the BMICH from March 8 to 11.

It was a four-day programme including a range of exciting competitions, from bridal bouquets, bridal attire, poruwa decor, settee back decor, oil lamp decor, wedding cake structures and bridal portraits to nail art, creative cake structures and fantasy hair styles. Here are some highlights from the event.

Pictures by Palitha Gunasena

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Freshen up and glow

BEAUTY: The skin care products include cosmetics like skin fresheners, toners and astringents which basically contains alcohol and water. These products are used after cleansing the skin to freshen and tone up the skin.

They also restore the acid balance of the skin. Having cleansed, wipe away any last traces of dirt or oil with a skin freshener or toner (cleansing milk) which suits your skin type. Non-alcoholic fresheners are for dry and sensitive skin.

Those with alcohol (astringent) are for oily skin. People with combination skin should use toner and astringent.