I is for Iron (pumping iron that is)

As we get older it seems there’s so much to think about, but one of the best things you can do is pump some good ole fashioned iron. Recent studies have shown that after age 40, most people lose about 1 percent of their muscle mass each year! 

So what’s the big deal about losing muscle mass, and why should you care? Actually… there are many reasons why.

Having less muscle also alters metabolism, which could lead to obesity or other changes that could alter a body’s ability to use insulin effectively, thus increasing the risk of diabetes.  Muscle loss can also lead to weak bones, again increasing risk of breaks and injury.

The good news is… studies show that building muscle (through pumping iron) can stop, and potentially even reverse, all of these effects, regardless of age or what shape you’re in.

Studies have also found that pumping iron can help create a feeling of well-being, reducing risk of depression, and it’s been said that it may even help improve overall mental/cognitive health, which is why many doctors are starting to recommend weight training to patients with Alzheimer’s.

Weight lifting, according to studies, is one of the most important activities that adults can pursue to stay healthy. Today adding a little iron to your routine is simpler than ever, and you don’t have to go to a traditional gym. Men’s Health offers a fantastic Muscle Plan on their website and we’ve been touting the benefits and results of bar classes on the Sprout Strategy Facebook page for months (a Sprout ‘must try’). 

Marketing Idea: One of the things we’ve been learning from consumers, especially those just entering the natural foods market, is they need our help – the idea of “being healthy” is not only foreign to them, but very overwhelming and intimidating, making them ‘hungry’ for solutions.

The Sprout’s know that healthy eating and nutrition is THE key to staying healthy, but it seems this has become an extremely myopic and undifferentiated idea for Natural Food companies. There couldn’t be a more perfect positioning for these brands than the idea of “Total Body”. We would love to see more step outside their comfort zone of nutrition and encouraging total-body health, and it can be as simple as providing new and interesting exercises on/in packaging, a dedicated page on their website or even partnering with a fitness organization, personal trainers or special events.

Here’s to pumping iron and in return, living your best possible life!

F is for (Shocking) Food Facts

The Sprouts are constantly asking ourselves questions like…

America’s obese, Africa is malnourished, why?

If I eat fish, am I contributing to extinction?

Can vitamins really make a difference?

Well, you know how the Sprout brain works.

And then come along movies like Food, Inc., and TV shows like Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, packed with the reality of the who, what, where, when and how of our food, and things start to become a little more clear for us.

Adding to our clarity is a new book called The Little Book of Shocking Food Facts, (which we were lucky enough to get a first hand peak of the layouts before it was finalized for production). The book’s crucial facts, figures and tidbits about the food we eat and the process it takes to make it and get it to our mouths (all of which are gleamed from the world’s most admired and trustworthy authorities on food and food production), at times even had us uttering a “WHOA!” under our breath.

The core idea of ‘shock value’ resonates not only in the startling facts, but also in the graphic design and photography, making each page turn an adventure in facial expressions to be sure.

And all of this can’t help but make us wonder…it’s interesting that so many are turning to shock in order to get our attention when it comes to eating and producing food in a healthy and humane manner. What’s more shocking is that despite all these efforts is thousands of McDonald’s Big Macs are still be scarfed down by some of the largest and most unhealthy people in American and at the same time those in India, Bangledesh and Ethiopia (just to name a few) continue to fight for the chance to eat a decent meal and drink a clean cup of water.

Our question: Can shock work to change people’s ingrained behaviors and make us, and the world, healthy?

What do you think? Is shock the answer or is there a better approach?

While you, and the Sprouts, ponder that interesting question, we’d like to thank Craig Holden Feinberg, a friend of Sprout, for his beautiful graphic art design of the book and for an awe-inspiring, and quick, lesson on global food politics, fast food culture and healthy nutrition. The book is available for pre-order at Amazon and will ship in November. For those of you who can’t wait, we’ll try to get our hands on some pre-released copies to give away to clients, or maybe we’ll do a Sprout Strategy Facebook trivia contest in the coming weeks and give you the chance to win a copy.

Here’s to living your best possible life!

Welcome to Sprout Strategy

Welcome to Sprout Strategy. We’re so happy to have the opportunity to share our passions of health, wellness and sustainability with you.

Sprout Strategy is a Brand Growth Boutique and was started because we wanted to do some good with our marketing talents. Let’s be honest. There are tons of products out there that people just simply don’t need – they don’t really truly make you, your life, or the planet any healthier, brighter, or more enjoyable; most of the time it’s just more stuff to fill our closets, time and minds and take our attention away from what really matters.

Now that’s not to say that we’re not all for a little indulgence, we’re all for exploring all aspects of our desires. A good friend described our mission best, “the ideal mix of inspiring intellectualism and debauchery and abandon” – so I guess you could say we Sprouts know how to live life to the fullest. So while satisfying our innate desire to let go and be free is definitely tops on our list, products and services that have no interest beyond making a buck are not OK by us.

Our blog is dedicated to bringing you our perspective on what’s happening in the world of health, wellness and sustainability. We hope in the days and months to come our blog will be a place you will turn to for news, updates, events, insights and ideas on new and existing products, events, people and places. In the process we hope to shed some light on who’s doing a good job and what lessons we could all learn. Our goal is simple. We want to provide that little spark of inspiration that helps all of us do a better job of helping each other live our best possible lives in this crazy mixed up world.

So with that, we’re kicking off our blog with “Health and Sustainability A-Z”. It all starts Monday, October 12, 2009 with, you guessed it, “A” – everything from Antioxidants to those little Acai berries that are so doggone hard to pronounce, but so yummy to eat and drink. Each Monday we’ll introduce a new letter and share with you ideas, products, initiatives, and services that start with that letter. We’ll touch on everything from music to carbon emissions and the best running shoes to delicious treats.

We hope you enjoy the next 26 weeks with us. If you’ve got any ideas on what you think we should highlight for a letter of the alphabet, we’re all ears and you can reach us at grow@sproutstrategy.com. And, while Monday’s are specifically dedicated to A-Z we’ll still be tweeting and writing about anything and everything that catches our eye or interest.

Thanks again for joining us. Please let us know if there’s anything we can do to make your visits more enjoyable, informative or inspirational.

Live well,
The Sprouts.