Soda Sales Down, Water Sales Up!

The Takoma Regional Hospital Surrender Your Soda Challenge was a success! Reports from the Takoma Café reveal that since we began the No Soda Challenge, soda sales have taken a significant dive! In fact, soda sales have decreased 35% and even more exciting, water sales have gone up. 

We had 103 participants at Takoma who completed the No Soda Challenge for the month of February and we are very pleased with this turnout the first time around! In addition, one of our awesome Creation Health coaches' Jennie Smith (who happens to be the Assistant Girls Softball Coach at Greeneville High School) challenged her softball team to take the No Soda Challenge with us. She had 16 girls participate, along with head coach Bob Fortel. Everyone said that they enjoyed the challenge and that even though it is “over” they are going to continue to do it! Many of them said that they had lost anywhere from 2-6 pounds and they weren’t craving junk food anymore!

Also, congratulations to our fitness prize winners: Laura Crum, Kim Kishbaugh, Kassie Lawson, Bethany Martin, Laura Walther, Sharon Hensley & Christina Greene! Let’s keep the challenge going by continuing to decrease our soda intake while increasing our water intake. One of the simplest tricks for drinking more water is to keep a bottle of it on your desk. It’s easy to take a swig regularly if you’ve got water in arm’s reach – and if you keep the cap on the bottle, there’s no chance of a spillage!

About the Author: Erin Franklin is the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County, the Head Volleyball Coach at Greeneville High School and the Founder/Director at Worthy of the Prize Sports Ministries. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization, and her ebook find joy in the journey: how 12 women could face tomorrow just because He lives for inspiring stories of women who found overwhelming joy despite their circumstances. Erin is the wife of Aaron, the Minister of Music & Senior Adults at FBC Greeneville, and the momma of 2 sons, Anderson and EJ. Click here for full bio.

We Did It!

We finished the 8-week Creation Health seminar for the City of Greeneville employees that was being held out at Public Works once a week this spring, which actually ended up lasting for 11 weeks due to snow and sickness cancellations along the way!

In our final session, we discussed N - Nutrition, how it is "the fuel that drives our whole system" and how "we really are what we eat."

Here our attendees are pictured taking a "healthy eating self-test." You can see that we had a great turn out each week, around 35 city employees who earned wellness points by coming, which in turn help keep their health insurance costs down. And all the while, they learn the 8 principle areas that affect our overall health and well-being.

I would say it was a success and I look forward to another round of seminars with more city employees in the fall!

Happy Weekend, friends!

About the Author: Erin Franklin is the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County, the Head Volleyball Coach at Greeneville High School and the Founder/Director at Worthy of the Prize Sports Ministries. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization, and her ebook find joy in the journey: how 12 women could face tomorrow just because He lives for inspiring stories of women who found overwhelming joy despite their circumstances. Erin is the wife of Aaron, the Minister of Music & Senior Adults at FBC Greeneville, and the momma of 2 sons, Anderson and EJ. Click here for full bio.

Coaches Update

I am SO proud of my coaches at both Takoma and Laughlin!

As you know, the coaches are the ones on the front lines in their respective hospitals, promoting the CH program to both the employees and patients in their units. They are not only hanging up fliers, decorating bulletin boards as well passing out books and other promo materials, but they are coming up with fun, creative things that the people in their departments can do together, to live out a Creation Health-y lifestyle by making small changes in each of the 8 principle areas that affect our overall health and well-being.

For about 6-8 weeks at a time, we focus on one letter principle, with a few weeks break in between. We started with C - Choice in the fall, R - Rest through the holidays, A - Activity in the new year and are now heading into N - Nutrition as Takoma finishes up its "Biggest Loser" contest.

Here are some of the fabulous ideas that my coaches have done along the way!

Choice:

A fall tree, where employees write one healthy choice that they are going to make for 2 weeks. After the 2 weeks has passed, they report their experience.

A fall wreath, where employees do the same thing as they did for the fall tree (see above).

Encouraging thoughts and quotes, posted for employees to read.

A list of healthy choices that employees can apply to their lives, posted in the break room.

A "Take the Stairs" flier displayed, showing the benefits of taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

A choices Christmas board displaying healthy choices, with a place for employees to write out the healthy choices they are committing to implement.

A grab bag, where employees draw out a healthy choice that they must try out for 1 week and report their experience. The next week they draw a new one.

Healthy snack options for employees, in addition to what is available in the vending machine.

Rest: 

A daily joke sent through email, to give employees a laugh break each day.

Rest related tips, sent to employees in an email to kick off the 6 weeks of rest or posted around the unit.

A bag of herbs for employees to place inside their pillow, to help them sleep better.

A sleep contest, where employees track sleep time and there is a winner for most sleep overall as well as most consistent sleep hours each day.

1 minute massages and "fresh air" breaks for employees.

Activity:

Bulletin boards in highly visible/trafficked areas with reminders, tips for getting both physical and mental activity into your day.

*A Steps Contest (see example below)

Hello Everyone!

The next Creation Health principle that we will be focusing on is ACTIVITY.  The project that we will be doing for Activity will be a STEPS CONTEST!  The contest will run from February 14^th – February 28^th and will include everyone on 2^nd floor.  If you know of someone that is not included in this email on 2^nd floor, please share this with them and let me know. 

Here is what you will need to do…..

*Purchase a pedometer (see below on pricing and locations for pedometers).

*Each day log the number of steps that you’ve taken for that day (see attachment for a log sheet).

*Turn in your log sheets with your name on them-the steps that you turn in are only from 2/14-2/28.  All log sheets must be turned in by Tuesday, MARCH 4^th.   You can turn them in by email, inter-office mail, or slide under my office door (2^nd floor-Diabetes Education).   

ANYONE WHO COMPLETES AT LEAST 50,000 STEPS DURING THE CONTEST TIME FRAME WILL BE ENTERED TO WIN A BRAND NEW FITBIT FLEX!!!

FITBIT FLEX IS A $100 VALUE.  HERE SOME OF FEATURES….

• Tracks steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes
• Monitors how long and how well you sleep
• Wakes you (not your partner) with a silent wake alarm
• LED lights show how your day is stacking up against your goal
• Easy-to-wear, slim, comfortable wristband
• Wirelessly syncs to your Mac, iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd or 4th Gen.) and iPod touch (5th Gen.)
• Set goals, view progress, and earn badges
• Share and compete with friends throughout the day
• Free Fitbit iPhone app
• Waterproof so you can wear it in the shower

WE WILL DRAW FOR THE GRAND PRIZE ON THURSDAY, MARCH 6^TH  (YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO WIN).  WE WILL BE SENDING OUT MORE INFORMATION ON LOCATION AND TIME OF THE DRAWING.

We want to see everyone from the 2^nd floor participate in this fun event!

Please see the attachment for some guidelines on goals for your steps each day and how to achieve them.  The 2^ndattachment is a sheet that you can print off and log your daily steps.

Locations and prices for pedometers:

Wal-Mart:  $4.97 (sporting goods dept.)

Walgreens:  $19.99

CVS:  $9.99 (thru Saturday), $19.99 after Saturday

Hibbett’s:  $15.00

Kmart:  $9.99

**I have listed the least expensive price for each store, prices go up from there depending on additional features.

Please remember this is a fun contest to encourage friendly competition and for everyone to ENJOY being active.  If you have any questions, please let me or Joanie know.

A few words of encouragement….

“Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states.” 

~Carol Welch

Dear friend, I pray that all goes well for you.  I hope you are as strong in body, as I know you are in spirit.”

~Apostle John

Congratulations to Brenda for winning the Takoma 2nd Floor Steps Contest!!

As we enter our next letter focus N - Nutrition, I have already heard several fantastic ideas floating around - can't wait to show you what they come up with! I will also be back soon, to tell you about the CH health fair that 10 of my awesome coaches helped me with! If you would like to implement the "coaches model" in your organization, I would love to help you get started!

About the Author: Erin Franklin is the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County and the Founder/Director at Worthy of the Prize Sports Ministries. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization, and her ebook find joy in the journey: how 12 women could face tomorrow just because He lives for inspiring stories of women who found overwhelming joy despite their circumstances. Erin is the wife of Aaron, the Worship Pastor at FBC Greeneville, and a work-at-home-momma to 2 crazy little boys, Anderson and EJ. Click here for full bio.

Fresh Homemade Applesauce

Creation Health has an easy, delicious recipe for homemade applesauce and I finally got a chance to try it out this week! As expected, it did not disappoint, which is why I am sharing it with you!

Because "the closer the food is to the way God made it, the better it is for you," I am trying to fill our home with more fresh, whole, natural foods...less processed, pre-packaged junk...more colorful, well-balanced meals!

The problem with this type of menu is that it takes alot of planning and preparation, or at least alot more than the other option! My goal is to find recipes that are not only healthy and delicious, but easy and family-friendly as well. When I find them, I will post them here, hopefully once a week or so.

That said, here is the recipe for fresh homemade applesauce...enjoy!

Prep time: 13 minutes 
Cook time: 12 minutes 

Ingredients:
8 apples (such as Braeburn, or Jonathan), cored, peeled and chopped 
1/2 cup sugar 
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon 
Juice of 1/2 lemon 
1 tsp. vanilla extract 

Directions:
1. Place apples in a 5-quart pot. Add sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and vanilla. Add just enough water to cover half the apples (to prevent a watery sauce). 
2. Bring apples to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer until apples are soft about 10 to 12 minutes. 
3. Hand-blend or mash apples to desired consistency. Serve warm or cold. 

Serves 6 

152 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 1g protein

Ok, seriously...it took me way longer than 13 minutes of prep time, but I have definitely not mastered the art of apple-carving! ;)

Oh and if you skip Step #3, you will have delicious cinnamon apples instead!

About the Author: Erin Franklin is the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County and the Founder/Director at Worthy of the Prize Sports Ministries. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization, and her ebook find joy in the journey: how 12 women could face tomorrow just because He lives for inspiring stories of women who found overwhelming joy despite their circumstances. Erin is the wife of Aaron, the Worship Pastor at FBC Greeneville, and a work-at-home-momma to 2 crazy little boys, Anderson and EJ. Click here for full bio.

Easy Low-Fat Ranch Dressing: Get those Veggies in!

Here at Creation Health, we like to refer to fruits and vegetables as nature's fast food!

Think about it...you simply wash, cut and serve. You can even divide servings into ziplock baggies ahead of time, so that you can grab and go, helping you to get in the recommended amount of 2 cups of fruit plus 2 1/2 cups of veggies per day for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.

And believe me, this is the kind of fast food you want to eat! The health benefits are tremendous, including maintaining a healthy weight and lowering your risk of cancer, to name a few. Just remember to eat the rainbow because different color groups have different benefits.

(Read more at the Original Fast Food.)

For those of you who like a little dressing with their veggies (or on their salad), this easy recipe is a healthier (but still tasty) alternative to ranch dressing and is great for parties!

Ingredients:

1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup skim milk

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch

**For an even healthier option, replace the package of Hidden Valley Ranch with a homemade mix. Go here for the recipe and use fresh ingredients when possible. Remember...the closer the food is to the way God made it, the better it is for you!

Directions:

Whisk together and chill!

I have to admit that non-fat Greek yogurt is my new favorite ingredient! I discovered it a few weeks ago when I made a healthy taco salad for an article in the Greeneville Sun, which I shared here. I used it as an alternative to sour cream and it tasted just like it!

When I saw this recipe, I knew had to try it! Let me know what you think!

About the Author: Erin Franklin is the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County and the Founder/Director at Worthy of the Prize Sports Ministries. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization, and her ebook find joy in the journey: how 12 women could face tomorrow just because He lives for inspiring stories of women who found overwhelming joy despite their circumstances. Erin is the wife of Aaron, the Worship Pastor at FBC Greeneville, and a work-at-home-momma to 2 crazy little boys, Anderson and EJ. Click here for full bio.

3 Healthy Recipes: Greeneville Sun Article

I am absolutely amazed at how much media attention Creation Health is getting around here these days! I am thrilled because it is obviously a great thing for the program!

Speaking of...we were featured again in the Greeneville Sun Accent section yesterday! I was hoping to find an online link to the article, no luck so far, but this picture gives you an idea of what it looked like!

For those of you who missed it, here are the good, easy, healthy, family-friendly recipes I shared....

Appetizer: Celery Sticks and Dips

Cut celery into sticks and serve with Peanut Butter dip!  We used equal parts peanut butter and light cream cheese. Then a splash of milk (we used 1%), until the consistency was smooth.  I beat it all together, and offered for a snack.  If you use regular peanut butter, no sweetener needs to be added.  When using all-natural peanut butter, you may want to add a touch of brown sugar or regular sugar.

***to make it even more kid-friendly, serve with plain peanut butter and whole grain Goldfish, allowing the kids to dip their celery sticks into the peanut butter and then use peanut butter to catch a Goldfish onto the end of their stick as if they are "fishing"...for adults, you can also serve with hummus (we used roasted red pepper flavored hummus)

Meal: Healthy Taco Salad

Serves 4 
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

3 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 1/4 tsp. paprika, divided
3/4 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
6 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup salsa
4 tbsp. nonfat Greek yogurt
Diced avocado (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. For the tortilla chips, cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Coat wedges with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the paprika. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp; let cool. 
2. In a large nonstick skillet cook ground beef over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon paprika; mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until water has evaporated, stirring occasionally. 
3. Place lettuce on 4 plates; top with ground beef, tomatoes, onion and tortilla chips. Top with salsa, yogurt (which makes a delicious and much healthier alternative to sour cream) and (if desired) avocado, and serve. 

Per serving: 172 calories, 4g fat, 2g saturated fat, 40mg cholesterol, 307mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 17g protein 

***to make it a little more kid-friendly, wrap into a wheat or corn tortilla and serve like tacos...if you prefer not to make your own chips and salsa, buy all natural

Dessert: Frozen Banana Bites

1. Cut bananas into chunks.  Arrange on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper with a toothpick in each banana.
2. Freeze for about 1-2 hours.
3. Melt some chocolate chips or chocolate bark (we used dark chocolate and vanilla) ***you could also use yogurt
4. Take bananas out of the freezer and dip each one in the melted chocolate (or yogurt), and then into the toppings of your choice (we did some plain, some with almond slices and some with sprinkles for the kids)
5. Return bananas to the freezer until the chocolate hardens up!

I actually made these myself, so I can testify that they are easy to make and good to the taste! ;) I am actually hoping to start a weekly series where I test healthy recipes and report back to you, will keep you posted!

For now, go here to see the recipes approved by Creation Health (just click "view recipes") and here to see other Creation Health media spotlights from the past week and a half! There have actually been more media features than the ones listed, but I am still trying to find online links to the others! :)

About the Author: Erin Franklin is the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County and the Founder/Director at Worthy of the Prize Sports Ministries. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization, and her ebook find joy in the journey: how 12 women could face tomorrow just because He lives for inspiring stories of women who found overwhelming joy despite their circumstances. Erin is the wife of Aaron, the Worship Pastor at FBC Greeneville, and a work-at-home-momma to 2 crazy little boys, Anderson and EJ. Click here for full bio.