ITC OFFERS HEALTH AND WELLNESS INSPIRATION TO KICKSTART 2022

Promotional poster of the seventh session of the S.E.E.D. series brought to you by ITC

PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA, 28 FEBRUARY 2022: To activate the new year, Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) went into high gear with an inspiring and motivational talk on leading a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle from an Islamic perspective.

On 28 January, it organised a health-themed talk entitled “Kicking off the New Year: Resetting the Mind towards Health and Wellness,” held physically at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), Putrajaya. The talk was part of ITC’s signature in-house event, S.E.E.D., an acronym for Share, Enrich, Enhance, and Develop. 

The S.E.E.D. programme is a special series of talks organised by ITC with its partners to impart information on a variety of themes from an Islamic perspective, such as health, nutrition, spirituality, and current issues. It was in line with ITC’s branding and tagline “Enhancing Ties, Enriching Knowledge”. 

With strict adherence to the Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) in conducting this session which was limited to only 60% of hall capacity, ITC received a significant number of participants among the staff at MOTAC and tourism industry players.

Dato’ Dr. Mohmed Razip Hasan, ITC Director-General said: “In Islam, we are encouraged to take good care of our health and wellness. A healthy mind and body are necessary to enjoy travel and appreciate the journey, while performing obligatory duties.”

The distinguished guest speakers, Coach Bob Harun and Dr. Nurzalinda Zalbahar led the sharing sessions on how to think differently about health, nutrition and fitness, with practical tips that could be implemented in the daily routine.

Coach Bob Harun is a Health & Wellness Coach and a member of the Advisory Board at the Putrajaya Health Clinic. Coach Bob, fondly known as Coach Daddy, is also a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and has past experience in conducting health talks, group exercises, online coaching and Train of Trainers (ToT). Meanwhile Dr. Nurzalinda Zalbahar is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences from University of Putra Malaysia (UPM).

The session started off with a talk by Dr Nurzalinda Zalbahar about the topic, “Healthy Diet for 9 to 5 Working Professionals.” She shared the following tips and thoughts on creating a healthy diet for busy professionals: 

• Eating healthy guided by the Malaysian Food Pyramid 2020

A food pyramid is a visual tool and guide that helps one maintain a healthy diet. The first official Malaysian Dietary Guidelines (MDG) was released in 1999, then updated in 2010, and then again in 2020.

The food pyramid back then suggested eating more carbohydrates than fruits and vegetables. However, the new pyramid recommends an increased intake of vegetables and fruit as this is an important contributor in raising the body’s immune system.

A food pyramid is a good place to start if you need a guide for healthy eating. Eat for enjoyment, definitely, and don’t overly restrict yourself, but remember that you also have your health to take care of for your future.

• Never skip breakfast

Breakfast is essential for a bright start to the day. Break the fast, because the word itself suggests that if you don’t, you’ll confront an energy issue. It will keep you energised and prepared for the day’s task. Aim for a nutritious breakfast that includes complex carbohydrates, fibre, and protein. So, before you go to the office, make sure you eat a healthy breakfast.

Picture: Malaysian Food Pyramid 2020 from moh.gov.my

Next, Coach Bob Harun took to the stage with the topic, “Mindset Reset.” 

“As the new year is already upon us, we may be looking to set up some new year resolutions—and a fresh start. How about resolving to amp up your physical and mental health and wellness this year?” he suggested.

He then shared with the audience the “Big Why” that inspired him on his own personal health journey to reduce weight and to overcome his hypertension and diabetes medical conditions. “If I’m healthy, I can live longer with my loved ones. Being aware of and making healthy choices about diet, exercise, and staying happy are all part of wellness and fitness. This is the most important investment you can make in your life and you will never regret it,” he explained.

Coach Bob guided participants through one of his signature Bobata steps

Coach Bob gave the audience a bonus session by leading them through his signature Bobata steps, a gentler HIIT (high intensity interval training), inspired by the common Tabata sequence, intended to inspire beginners to include some movement into their everyday lives.The 15-minute Bobata session worked the audience into a sweat with routines such as planks, mountain climbing, jumpick jacks and burpees. 

The seventh S.E.E.D. session came to an end with a closing speech by the Director-General of ITC, Dato’ Dr. Mohmed Razip Hasan and a quiz with winners taking home some health and wellness prizes.

He noted: “The issue of health and well-being is a good one to spotlight today as many Malaysians are affected by their mental and physical health as a result of this pandemic. Therefore, ITC decided to kick off the S.E.E.D session this year on a topic that most of us care about: Resetting the Mind for Health and Wellness.”

He explained: “ITC hopes that such initiatives will encourage the public to realise the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and this should be made a priority for all. For the purpose of mental and physical health, let’s all work together to retrain our minds to think more positively about our health and well-being, Insha Allah.”

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Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) is an entity under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia tasked to develop the Islamic tourism segment for Malaysia. It advocates for Muslim-friendly tourism (MFT) by offering research and market intelligence, training, industry development consultation, Muslim-friendly tourism and hospitality (MFTH) service standards and certification, and information exchange.

In 2021, ITC received two key awards, i.e. Strategic Business Alliance Award at The BrandLaureate World Halal Best Brand E-Branding Awards 2021, and Best Islamic Tourism Leadership Gold Award 2021 by Malaysia Tourism Council. These are recognition of ITC’s efforts and endeavours in formulating new strategies to meet the new normal of the business environment to ensure business continuity and sustainability, notwithstanding its role to develop and grow the Islamic tourism segment in Malaysia.

In addition, Malaysia was named top country in the region in the MFT sector by the State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) Report 2020/21. Malaysia also retained the top-ranked destination in the MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2021, a position it has defended since the launch of the Index in 2015.

These recognitions are an added motivation for ITC to continue to strengthen its efforts in being a prime mover and leading institution to ensure Malaysia is at the forefront of MFTH.

For further details, kindly contact:

Islamic Tourism Centre,
Level 13, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia
No. 2 Tower 1, Jalan P5/6,
Precinct 5, 62200 Putrajaya, Malaysia
Tel: 03-8891 7177 or via email itc@mymuslimtrip.com/v2

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