Dr. Quincy Olasumbo Ayodele is the MD/CEO, Quincy Herbal Slimmers. She pioneered herbal slimming in the country when it was the vogue to travel overseas to deal with health problems arising from obesity. The banker-turned health practitioner learnt the trade from her late grandfather. In this interview with Adaeze Amos, she speaks about her lifestyle and what she does to keep firm. Excerpts:
You have been into herbal slimming business that people refer to you as queen of the coast and herbalist, how do these names make you feel?
I want to thank God that people have stopped calling me such names. It was when I first started in those days that people who didn't know the efficacy of medicinal plants called me such names and coupled with the fact that I'm light-complexioned. They said Iwas 'mammy water'. They used to think in those days that medicinal plants were evil or people who dealt in them were possessed with evil spirit. But I persisted and kept on talking to my people that medicinal plants are not evil. Today, nobody calls me such names. They now call me Quincy, the herbal woman.
Was there a time you felt like throwing in the towel?
Not on the job. Maybe on other issues like government policies. Sometimes I said 'what the heck; am I not healing people, why are they troubling me? What if I say I'm not doing again? But you know, the passion keeps me going. Yes, I was You were at a time very fat.
Did you feel inferior in the midst of slender ladies?
In those days, I used to weigh 90 kilograms over 5.2 feet. I lost confidence in myself. I know how it feels for obese women. I tried to cope, that it didn't matter. But I knew inside me that it mattered. When you now open your wardrobe, you have to look for dress to wear that would hide your folds and tummy. If you are still doing that, know it that you have a problem because you would wear a dress, if it is not concealing the folds well, you remove it. You are looking for the one that would not expose your folds. I went through all that and then I lost my weight and I gained my confidence, beauty and mental alertness.
Are you saying obese or overweight women are not beautiful?
No, I'm not saying obsese women are not beautiful but there is something they are going through. I have been through that before. They are always trying to cover up by consoling themselves that whether they are fat or not, life goes on. I have done it before. But life does not go on. When you are alone in your bedroom, you want to be like that other lady that can just put on anything and look trim and beautiful.
What is your advice for obese women?
I want to tell them that I know what they are going through. I have sympathy for you all because I have been through it before, but do not lose hope. You only need to be determined to lose weight. You can lose weight easily. In fact, it is not even difficult to lose weight. Just look for a knowledgeable herbal medicine practitioner that is an expert in that field. I wouldn't want to mention my name so that it doesn't appear as if I'm advertising myself. So, that the person can help you with medicinal plant, place you on diet and put your way of life into consideration too. Losing weight is a lifestyle. You won't say because you have lost weight, you have to go back eating everything. I always tell my new clients that when you are coming to Quincy, come with determination and discipline to lose weight...readiness to remain slim and healthy at the end of the whole programme. Afterwards you would regain your self confidence because you'll feel like a complete woman. Your husband would now be proud of you.
Are you talking from experience?
Yes, I am. My husband claimed to be proud of me when I was fat but when I became slim, he bought my clothes whenever he travelled. I wear size 10 now and he would go and buy it. But when I was wearing size 18 and 22, he used to go to plus sizes and buy me clothes. He didn't like that idea and he would only buy one. He is proud and shows me to people saying 'that's my wife'. Some people go through a situation where their husbands are not proud of them because of their size or they are obese. I have seen husbands of obese clients that come to me and plead that I should help do something about their wives...to get rid of too much fat. The wives would retort, 'is my size bothering you? But you didn't tell me now'. I could tell that men don't like overweight women.
Every human being has one bad habit or the other they are battling to curb, what is yours?
I know I have a habit that I have been trying hard to curb and that is perfume collection. I love perfumes and I love collecting. Maybe because I love good aroma and to have sweet aroma around me. But when you now begin to buy so many perfumes, it becomes a habit. I use all at times because I mix them.
That is a good habit, how about an ugly habit?
Did you say this is a good habit? When my three drawers are filled up with different perfumes and you say it is a good habit? I think I'm obsessed with perfumes. It is an ugly habit.
Do you carry your matrimonial problems to work and antagonise your staff?
No, I don't do that. I'm not like that. Women who do this should be told that it is not good. You should separate your home from your business. Once I get to my office, I don't even remember what is going on at home or what has happened at home before I resume at work. At home I concentrate with what is happening there. I don't carry my office work home. I do it in my office and the joy of the Lord has kept me going. You know that what I do is dominated by men and God has been faithful.
There must be things that make your day. And what's your motto?What makes my day is when a client comes or calls me to tell me that she lost weight. They always do that. When there is a positive result in what I do, that makes my day.
Simplicity costs you nothing but it buys you everything. But for Quincy Herbal Slimmers, our motto is remember if it is not Quincy, it is not slimming.
You have been married for about 30 years, and your marriage is still intact, what are you doing right?
I will say it is the grace of God. My husband works in Abuja but we are always communicating. I think what I have been doing right is that from the beginning, God's presence has been felt in the marriage. My husband is like my best friend, brother, we are close companions and we love each other. It isn't as we have been married for over 30 years. It is as if we just met. Our marriage has endured and we have produced children and grand children. We still see ourselves as that Laide that I met a few days ago and the same Sumbo he met a few days ago. That has kept us together.
Why are some successful women not doing well in their marriage?
It is because some women tend to lose their senses when the success begins. When they begin to climb up the ladder, they feel they have made it and begin to lord it over their husbands. But that is not how life is. You are married before you became successful, so your marriage is part of your success. Maybe if you were not married, you would not have been successful. So, you have to see both as success. If your business is successful and your marriage is not, you won't describe yourself as a successful woman.
Is it true you can decrease or increase breasts and even make them firm without surgery?
That is still the efficacy of herbal medicine. To me, herbal medicine is for every disease, every condition, there is a remedy in nature. There is cure for every disease. If you have the knowledge of medicinal plants, there is nothing you cannot use it to do. When I was in the village, there was an insect and fruit that you would be told not to let touch your breasts because if they do, your breasts would be bigger.
Could this be true? How about making it firm?
Yes, it is. There is an insect that makes hole by itself. They would say put it on your breast, it would make the breast bigger. Those things worked and they still are working. So, who would be querying what kind of plants do I use to make breasts firm? Of course, there are plants you can put together to make firm the boobs. You drink and massage such a plant on your boobs for a result. I can only do this for clients who have had children before and their breasts are sagging. Of course, if you have breastfed your children, the tendency is that your boobs would not be that firm. Such a plant would firm it up. Mine has worked for me. It is better to use plants to firm up your boobs than going through surgery. Today's women don't want their boobs to sag. That is modernisation for you. Don't think your breast dropping or sagging is not a big deal. To me, it is a big deal. It is until I'm 50 or 55 that I would ignore my boobs to fall or sag. I honestly would not allow them to fall. They may not be as firm as they were before I started having my children but they would not be flabby. I use my medicinal plants and I have results. I am not going to allow my breast to fall, they have to remain firm.
National Mirror
In life we have to face challenges no matter what so we all just have to pray for God's wisdom to overcome those challenges. I agree with him.