Testimonials

Barriere Construction Co entered a team of 11 riders for the annual American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure bike race on Saturday, April 20. The event kicked off in Mandeville and offered 10, 25, 50, 62, and 100 mile route distances for various levels of cyclists. Over 530 riders participated from across the state.

The Tour de Cure is an annual event held in 44 states across the nation.  Riders are encouraged to raise funds toward educational outreach, advocacy efforts, and research for diabetes.  Barriere’s team raised an impressive grand total of $12,000 to earn second place out of 60 teams. Furthermore, three of the top five individual fundraisers were from Barriere’s team; 2^nd Place Craig Clark, 3^rd Place Tiffany Clark, and 5^th Place Pete Boiling.

Barriere’s team captain, Craig Clark, said this was his first year to participate in the Tour. Clark has only been cycling since last June and completed the 100 mile century ride. Clark is motivated to ride to fight diabetes because he has several friends and family members who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Next year the team hopes to rally together to host a crawfish cook-off with the goal of raising $20,000 for the American Diabetes Association.

Congratulations to all of the riders of the Barriere Tour de Cure team: Eric Amerland, Pete Boiling, Shannon Brayden, Charlie Cassreino, Craig Clark, Tiffany Clark, Gideon LeBerton, Brad Leckert, Michelle Lignieres, Doug Olsen, and Lisa Kirwin. Together this team rode over 713 miles and burned around 24,000 calories, equivalent to almost 15lbs of fat!

 
For more information about the American Diabetes Association or the annual Tour de Cure race, visit tour.diabetes.org

A NEW LEASE ON LIFE is how Rachel Garrison would describe her recent weight loss success.  As a participant of Sterling’s weight loss program, Rachel checks in weekly with Marie Beechy, RN, a Sterling health coach, for progress tracking and motivation. “I love the accountability of checking in with Marie. I want to be able to tell her something positive,” she states.

Rachel started her weight loss journey shortly after New Year’s Day in 2010. She was shopping for new clothes and became quickly discouraged when size 18 pants were all that fit. Within a year, she had dropped 45 lbs and started tracking her calorie intake and physical activity on MyFitnessPal. She was exercising regularly and still hit a weight loss plateau. “Marie gave me the best tip ever,” she proclaims. “Add strength training!” On top of her typical cardiovascular regimen at the gym, Rachel has included her own strength training circuit 4-5 days a week. Rachel admits getting to the gym is the hardest part, but then once she’s there, she makes every minute count.

Exercising was never as big of a struggle as eating in moderation. “I’ve always struggled with portion control,” she confesses. Rachel’s typical lunch is a deli style sandwich with as many veggies as one can stack on top; beets, carrots, spinach, tomatoes just to name a few. She’s not ashamed to admit she has a vice for chocolate and ice cream. She allows herself 1 snack size of hershey’s chocolate or a sugar free jello cup to satisfy her sweet tooth.

Her biggest hurdle to overcome was to stop making excuses. With two kids, a husband, and a dog at home, Rachel had to make her health a priority. Although she has not hit her goal weight yet, she is more motivated and confident. Rachel states, “I will never go back to my original weight again.”

A:  Although these are common symptoms that many of us frequently experience in our fast paced society,

Liz Alleman, LPN, is a Nurse and Certified Healthy Behaviors Coach for Sterling Wellness.

one has to consider if there is an underlying problem when these symptoms persist and begin interfering with daily life. Several conditions can cause similar side effects, but one possibility is a thyroid disorder.

The thyroid is a gland in the front of the neck that produces hormones to keep the metabolism working properly. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid cannot make enough thyroid hormones to keep the body functioning as it normally should, therefore slowing down the metabolism. Symptoms of an under-active thyroid include constant fatigue, despite getting the proper amount of sleep, difficulty staying focused, weight gain for no obvious reason, dry skin or brittle hair, and depression.

Conversely, the thyroid can also make too much thyroid hormone causing hyperthyroidism. The higher levels of thyroid hormone production leads to the body’s metabolism working too fast. Grave’s disease and goiter are common forms. Symptoms include heart palpitations, feeling nervous, weight loss for no reason, hand tremors, perspiration at rest, and bulging eyes.

If you have one or more of these symptoms that persist, notify your physician. Contrary to some beliefs, thyroid disorders occur in men as well as women. Treatment depends on the symptoms and severity of the condition. Regular follow-ups and blood work are usually performed to ensure that your levels are within normal limits, and to try to get you feeling back to your normal self again.

Rene L., 26 Dallas, TX

“I hadn’t gotten blood work done before, but I wanted to check the current status of my health.  I called Sterling Wellness to discuss what type of lab work I should get done to test all of my levels.  Jessica was a big help in explaining which tests I should run and what the results would tell me.  I ordered my labs at a location in Dallas, TX and was in and out in 10 minutes.  I got a call from Sterling 2 days later to go over the results with me to let me know what they meant.  Turns out everything’s great!  Couldn’t be more pleased with the results and how the process was handled.  It was very comforting to speak to someone about my results in the comfort of my home and who could answer all of my questions.  I highly recommend Sterling Wellness for lab work.”

Our Direct Access Lab Testing is an extremely easy and affordable way to have lab work done. You can order lab work for numerous tests without visiting your physician. Confidential testing allows patients to keep lab results out of their medical records, and away from potential insurers. To order a test, simply log on to Sterling Wellness Solutions website, and click on the Sterling Labs tab. The testing categories are listed on the left hand side or you can enter search words in the search box in the upper right corner. Sample tests include general wellness panel, cardiovascular and cholesterol panel, prostate and thyroid testing, STD testing, liver and kidney function, and many more! Add the test you would like to order to the cart and proceed to secure checkout. After you checkout, print the order and bring it with you to any LabCorp in the U.S. and have blood work drawn. Some tests may require you to fast for 8-10 hours prior to getting screened. Results are printed in our central office and an experienced nurse or health coach will contact you with the results within 2-3 business days. A copy of your results can either be securely emailed or mailed directly to you. For more information about our Direct Access Lab Testing services call 1.800.838.0337 or visit our Sterling Labs page.

Congratulations to Sterling Wellness Solutions for becoming the first recognized “Babies in the Workplace” company in Louisiana. Sterling has created a baby friendly environment for new mothers wanting to bring their infant to work by providing a safe and nuturing space for feedings, diaper changes, and privacy. To see a complete list of Baby-Friendly workplaces across the country, click here.

Read about Sterling Wellness in the news! Sterling Wellness Solutions was recently featured in the Crowley Chamber of Commerce member spotlight. Click here to go to the Crowley Chamber of Commerce website to view the article, or read the article below:

Sterling Wellness Solutions is dedicated to reducing the cost of employer’s health care by educating employees and their dependents about how to manage their health risk factors. Their comprehensive selection of wellness services provides clients with a complete health management solution. Services includeonsite health screenings and preventive lab testing, onsite and telephonichealth coaching, health risk profile analysis,incentive plan design and tracking, health challenges, online action plans, electronic personal health records, aggregate analysis and reporting, and a variety of onsite and online health education tools. Sterling also offers individual lab testing services through our nationwide clinical lab network at a discount with no physician order required. Sterling’s goal for every client is to reduce healthcare costs and keep individuals out of the hospital by improving the employee’s quality of life, decreasing absenteeism and increasing employee productivity, morale and longevity.

The Chamber is proud to recognize Sterling for the service they provide to their clients, ultimately resulting in reduced costs and a higher quality of life for all. Additionally, we recognize them for the many ways they give back to the community. They have been strong supporters of the Chamber. In addition to sponsoring and attending numerous Chamber events, Claire and Keeffer have served on planning committees for Gumbo Cook-offs and the Acadia Parish Health Fair. They are members of the Crowley Town Club, with Keeffer serving on the Board of Directors and Claire serving as the General Coordinator for the 2011 Mardi Gras ball. Keeffer is also a member of Kiwanis, currently serving as Vice President. They are strong supporters of the local arts and are also members of the Crowley Art Association.

Sterling’s local staff pictured above Charles Mayeux, Claire Kelbaugh, Chamber Secretary Melinda Malmay making the presentation, and Keeffer Kelbaugh; (second row) Heidi Schmid, Marie Francis, Carmen Valentin, Jaclyn Beaty, Heather Hedrick; (back row) Annette Rosinski, Liz Alleman, Jennifer Witmer, Jessica Habetz; not pictured is Casey Lejeune.

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View pictures of our screenings, meet the team, and read up on current health and wellness information in the news. Click here to be directed to our Facebook homepage. Join now!

Did you know that Sterling Wellness Solutions offers inexpensive direct access lab testing through our CLIA certified laboratories? No physician’s order required. Order today at www.sterling-wellness.com.

“I just wanted you know that I used the online service to do labwork at Labcorp.  I decided to call in because I had a question. Your staff was very helpful. The process is fast, convenient, and easy. I was able to ask your office staff a question, get my order to bring to Labcorp in 10 minutes, was in and out of Labcorp in 20 minutes.  The process is great!!” – D. Manly

Just look at the quality of care that we offer and what happens when the participant cares about his health:

“My health has changed a great deal since I’ve started caring. My weight has gone from 245lbs. to 220lbs in 6 months. My cholesterol has gotten back to normal and I feel better than I’ve felt in 20 yrs. My 6 yr. old grandson and his 1yr. old sister have given me a great incentive to live and live much more healthy than before. I have a workout routine and use it everyday. Thank you for being in my life just when I needed it the most!”