Prayer, sex, exercise, noni juice and nutritional supplements have emerged as the top coping mechanisms being employed by several candidates in the western region as anticipation over the outcome of the September 3 polls mounts, according to Observer West checks.

“Without giving any public endorsements I am a Herbalife man. I stick to the regime and it does me very well. I also grow my own noni plants and make my own juice,” said Minister of Labour and Social Security Derrick Kellier, the ruling Peoples’ National Party’s candidate for South St James.

Kellier, who is going for his fifth term, describes himself as an old horse at the game.

“I have always tried to keep fit…at times I even outpace the younger fellows,” he said.

His opponent, the opposition Jamaica Labour Party’s Noel Donaldson, says he has no need for any added stimuli although the physical part of the campaigning has been tough.

“The truth is I am motivated and titillated by challenges and when you are going up against someone who has been there for eighteen and a half years. a vice-president of the ruling party, a member of the cabinet; it is something you are either going to be daunted or motivated and I am highly motivated to send him into retirement and really give the people of south St James the quality of representation they so richly deserve,” he said.

Clive Mullings, the JLP’s candidate in West Central St James says for him, laughter and a strict adherence

to ‘Centrum Performance’, is the best medicine.

I try to find the humour in things and I find that helps considerably. I am so empirical in what I do, I force myself to think about what I have before me, it is a mental thing for me. If I think too far ahead I tend to get complacent and make mistakes,” he said.

Former Minister of Tourism, Francis Tulloch, who will try to unseat Mullings said the campaign has been a good one for him as it has helped him come down to his natural weight of 184lbs.

“I walked to meet my people and there are a lot of hills in my constituency,” he said.

Laughing off queries about nervousness he said:

“Not after four elections, the older you get the more spiritual you become and you know whatever God wants is what will happen, so no anxiety.”

A diabetic, Tulloch has to be very careful of what he eats. Consequently there have not been many changes in his dietary and nutritional intake.

Horace Chang, the JLP candidate in North West St James says he is confident the party will do very well in the region and as such has no anxieties.

A medical doctor, he thinks it is better if persons learned to relax mentally to avoid the build up of stress.

“For myself personally I don’t take any medication for stress. There is a group of medication that can give individuals who may feel they need some pharmacological back up but you are better off doing mental exercises and learning how to focus and relax.”

Chang’s opponent Henry McCurdy says he is motivated by the response of the people and draws mental and physical strength from them.

“The people keep me going…they call me each day, come out to see me, they say they are praying for me, they are supporting me and tell me to stay strong and those words alone keep me all right,” he told Observer West.

McCurdy says he has stopped taking vitamins as they make him hungry at times when he is on the road and unable to eat. Additionally his wife who is a part of his campaign team ensures that he gets his proper meals on time.

The JLP’s candidate for Central Westmoreland, Russel Hammond, says he’s anxious to see the day and the results, but not stressed.

“I’m coping very well.. when I see the flu (influenza) coming on I will take my vitamin C to fight it off, but other than that I don’t take other tonic.

I rest well, when I get in I ensure I get my rest. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, so because of that my system is well on top. I do my exercise and the walking… I am always energised by the kind of response you get from the people. It just gives you the energy to go on,” he said.

The JLP’s candidate for Western Westmoreland, Earl Melhado says his optimism keeps him going.

“I am the happiest man on planet earth. I am from a poor upbringing so I am used to hard work. I don’t take any supplements or tonics to keep me energised…the only anxiety I have concerns the guy who has left so much to do after 10 years…when I go into certain areas and see the abject poverty in which people have been living It gives me an anxiety to go on,” he said.

The PNP’s candidate for Central Westmoreland, Roger Clarke says that outside of concerns about the suffering occasioned by Hurricane Dean, there’s no real stress for him.

“I am somebody who strives under these conditions. When the going gets tough, I get going.

What I do is I eat right. I take my vitamins. I am encouraged by the support I get from the people so that helps them understand and they don’t pressure me to that extent,” he said.

The PNP’s candidate for Northern Trelawny, Dr Patrick Harris says the fact that he enjoys the work along with a healthy diet supplemented with multivitamins and an occasional dose of Noni works for him.

“Physically, mentally, I am fine and ready.. I don’t drink coffee period. and I don’t take any stimulants and I don’t take alcohol, although the temptation is high,” he said.

Don Foote, the JLP’s candidate for Eastern Westmoreland says the love of his wife keeps him going.

“I am a strong person. I have a very strong supportive wife and family. I am energised by the tonic of my wife’s love,” he said.

The PNP’s candidate for Eastern Westmoreland, Luther Buchanan, says he eats and works right to cope.

“I am ready to be elected the third time around. I am very confident and comfortable. I am Buchanan and Buchanans are strong so I don’t need any tonics,” he said. I just eat right and work right.

The PNP’s candidate for Western Westmoreland, Wykeham McNeil eats properly, takes vitamins, drinks lots of water and exercises to cope.

“I am not unused to hard work. This is just a different focus. One has to enjoy being with people and enjoy being on the road,” he said.

“When people are campaigning they either put on weight or they lose weight. It depends on whether you are socialising too much or you are stressing too much. I do neither. My people around me are supportive, they ensure that I eat well,” he said.

The PNP’s candidate for Western Hanover, Ian Hayles said that although the campaign is at times stressful, he is confident of victory and is encouraged by the tremendous support he has been receiving from senior officials of the party, including Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller.

To cope with the rigorous campaign – which has resulted in him shedding a few pounds – the JLP’s candidate, Dennis Meadows has in the past few weeks increased his intake of vitamins and other supplements.

“I am anxious. I am a human being. In a constituency working for over a year now one must be anxious,” he said, adding that his anxiety is complemented by a “sense of confidence’.

In the neighbouring constituency of South Trelawny, Insurance Executive Doneth Brown Reid the PNP representative in the area said while she does not take supplements, she is trying to eat healthy.

“I am trying to eat properly. I have couple small meals … just trying to eat good. Normally I would go to a gym but I don’t have the time for that now,” Brown Reid said.

After the election she plans to don a bathing suit and have “some fun somewhere.”

Kern Spencer who is representing the PNP in South East St Elizabeth told the Observer West that he eats properly and take vitamins and other “stuff” to keep pace with the rigors of the campaign.

His colleague in the neighbouring constituency of South East St Elizabeth, Norman Horne, takes nutritional supplements and keeps a doctor on call.

” I am very, very confident of victory. I have been through this before and I know what it is like and so I am not anxious or nervous,” he said.

Chris Tufton, the JLP’s representative in South West St Elizabeth said despite the intense campaign, he still finds time to exercise and eat properly. Additionally, he said he takes multivitamins and comforts himself by the thought of the ‘rewards yet to come’.

DK Duncan who will contest the eastern Hanover seat for the PNP said he is now running on adrenaline.

“Like most candidates now I am doing walks in the communities,” he told Observer West. “That stimulates you, just being there in the communities meeting with the people.”

To maintain good health DK says he drinks a lot of water on his walks to prevent dehydration, eats a good meal in the morning and wears comfortable shoes.

Edmund Bartlett, the JLP’s candidate for East Central St James says the walks have proved therapeutic for him. That, he said, and eating plenty of oranges has helped him to stay fit on the campaign trail.

– reporting by Mark Cummings, Paul A Reid, Horace Hines and Keril Wright.