Sterling Health and Wellness

Clean, Green, Healthy Eating

Amy Robinson — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:30:37 +0000

Rebecca Sterling rocked GreenU on Saturday, delivering a TEDesque presentation on clean, green, healthy eating. While the video footage is making rounds in the editing cave, check out some of the visual health enlightenment we shared with the crowd:

Put this into perspective: a pound of wheat takes 155 gallons of water to produce.

An estimated 5,000 people came through the GreenU festival. Read the slide below and think what an impact we as a community could make if 1/5 of us replaced one serving of meat per week.

Our blog readers and visitors to visualizing.org will recognize this infographic. The next time you sit down for a meal, make a fist and look at it. Then look at your plate. We’re starting a small portion revolution!

When you do eat meat, do yourself and the world a favor and choose free range.

Think of food as an investment in your body. Would put your retirement money in a fund with a negative return? Go a step farther. Imagine if you could choose between earning 1% or 20% returns. While this is only a dream for financial advisors, it is a reality in the context of health. Every small decision makes a difference. For example, say you decide to eat 2 more servings of vegetables each day for a week, at the end of the year you’ve replaced about 91 pounds of your diet with healthy foods.

The next time you are faced with a decision between habit and health, remember that you are essentially a complex biochemical reaction. The food you eat, along with the air you breathe and the beverages you drink, plays a pivotal role in the function of your body, which contributes to overall well-being.

Be the Warren Buffet of your health. The big payoff comes in what we call “superfoods.” These are nutrient dense foods, which means they are low cal and loaded with vitamins, minerals and micronutrients. Vegetables and fruits top the list, along with whole grains and lean meats. Keep in mind that these foods pack a powerful punch – just one handful of blueberries delivers health benefits that help your body function and thrive (and remember the size of your stomach – grab a few almonds or walnuts plus a big cup of water and you have a superfood and super easy afternoon snack).

Delicious!
We leave you with this thought by Nobel Prize winning psysiologist A. Szent-Gyorgyi.

A bonus for the brain buffs out there: research suggests that healthy lifestyles improve cognitive function and brain efficiency.

We hope that this has inspired you to think differently about what you put into your body. Because ultimately, your life is up to you.

Panel Discussion: Local Farmers Speak

Amy Robinson — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:50:14 +0000

Via the North Alabama Food Policy Council:

“Local Farmers Speak: the Opportunities and Challenges We Face”

Panel Discussion

August 16th, 2011 at 5 pm

320 Fountain Circle

City of Huntsville Engineering Building

Here’s a chance to know your farmer, know your food! The North Alabama Food Policy Council steering committee is hosting a panel of local farmers and ranchers who will share the opportunities and challenges they face bringing locally grown foods to market. Panelists include:

Ed Rains, whose family farmed in Jackson County starting in the 1900’s until national agricultural policies and the S&L banking crisis impacted his family farm in the 1980’s.

Joey Dye, whose family farms 25 acres in Madison County of vegetables ranging from purple hull crowder peas to patty pan squash. They sell directly to consumers at the Madison County Farmers Market and family-run farm stands.

Henry Fudge of Fudge Family Farms raises heritage Duroc hogs – perhaps the only ones of their type still in existence today. Fudge raises his livestock outside in open pasture and sells to esteemed Alabama chefs including Frank Stitt of Highlands Bar & Grill and James Lewis of Bettolla. He also sells to local restaurants including The Ledges and Pauli’s Bar & Grill.

Don Spencer, is transitioning some of his land holdings – 75 acres out of commodity (corn and soy) production to local foods. His innovative plans include operating a regional food hub, an education initiative and on-farm restaurant.

Dairus Jacobs, whose family has been farming for over 100 years despite multiple moves due to eminent domain. The family operates a diversified farm raising grass fed Black Angus while experimenting with Indian vegetable staples and aquaculture.

A brief North Alabama Food Policy Council Steering Committee meeting will follow the panel discussion. All are welcome.

***

The North Alabama Food Policy Council Steering Committee is a grassroots coalition of citizens dedicated to the development of a chartered Food Policy Council in North Alabama to aid and advocate for a locally-based, self-reliant & sustainable food system accessible to all. “

Delish Nutrish Avocado Recipes

Amy Robinson — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:25:12 +0000

Check out these delish nutrish recipes from our friends at California Avocados.

My favorite is the avocado and artichoke stuffed tortillas (left). Simple healthy Mexican food in a flash.

Also try the avocado lentil salad:

“Fast, fresh, and full of fiber, this meatless main salad explodes with fresh flavors of basil, rosemary and sweet tomatoes. The tenderness of the avocado combined with the deeply marinated artichokes makes every bite pop!”

What’s your favorite?

How big is an empty stomach?

Amy Robinson — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:56:24 +0000

Your stomach expands to accommodate the food you eat; up to 10 times its original size. We recommend eating nutrient-dense foods in small portions.

It can take up to 20 minutes for the chemicals that tell your body that you are hungry to be reabsorbed and replaced by those that signal fullness. This is why doctors recommend you stop eating when you are satiated, rather than full.

Food for thought next time your belly is on your mind.

Body 101: New Visualization Series

Amy Robinson — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:33:24 +0000

John Mayer’s iconic song title, Your Body is a Wonderland, can be taken literally. The fact that you exist is jaw-droppingly spectacular sand mindbogglingly complex. Sterling Health is launching a new series of visualizations called Body 101, inspired by National Geographic’s The Incredible Human Machine. These infographics will shine light on the amazing feats that your body accomplishes every day (or in this case, 60 seconds).

Get the latest visualizations delivered weekly to your inbox.

Ten Tenets of Whole Living

Amy Robinson — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 06:00:33 +0000

Martha Stewart knows no bounds. I consider her wellness project, Whole Living, one of the best beginner health resources out there.

Whole Living is regularly updated with recipes, fitness and motivation and topped off with a delightful scoop of innovation.

The Top 10 Tenets of Whole Living speak for themselves:

1. Happiness is a choice. Make that choice today and every day.2. Good health isn’t a gift; it’s a habit you cultivate.3. A healthy, fit body is not enough–true fitness engages the spirit.

4. Think more about what you should eat than what you shouldn’t.

5. Laugh at yourself. You’re funny.

6. Nurture your spirit. It’s your source of strength.

7. Stay connected to the natural world. It will feed your soul.

8. Believe in yourself. Your intuition is rarely wrong.

9. It’s never too late to take the first step toward your aspirations.

10. What you pay attention to will thrive.

What are you waiting for? See for yourself!

Fresh food on the fly: 5 minute granola.

Amy Robinson — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:52:44 +0000

Cretacious Cardio

Amy Robinson — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:00:16 +0000

You can do it! Get your mind and body moving with one of our favorite motivators:

DailyFeats

“DailyFeats helps you do good things. It’ll guide you in doing small but significant actions, or “feats,” that add up to big change. Along the way, you’ll earn points, share with friends, and treat yourself to real-life rewards, motivating you to go do good – every day.”

Game mechanics coupled with real-life rewards make this one of the ultimate social motivators.

What motivates you?

Smart Food

Amy Robinson — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:23:39 +0000

Props to San Francisco based designer Renee Walker who won UC Berkeley’s nutrition label redesign competition. We hope to see these infographic labels on the shelf soon!

National Junk Food Day? Our favorite recipe.

Amy Robinson — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:22:40 +0000

We heard on Twitter that July 21 is National Junk Food Day. We are a wellness center with a sense of humor, so here’s a “junk food” recipe and challenge.

Ingredients: bananas.

Peel, slice in 1″ pieces, place on parchment paper and freeze for at least 1 hour (paper is important – frozen banana pieces are virtually impossible to pry off a plate. Trust us).

Directions: place banana pieces in food processor. Pulverize. Serve immediately.

The Challenge: serve this at your next pool party or summer get together.

We did. Guests complemented our homemade ice cream. Then their jaws dropped when we told them how it was made. Play around with ingredients. Add strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, cinnamon and let us know how it goes!

Happy Junk Food Day!