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Holistic Health and Wellbeing


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This succinct, fully asynchronous course explores diverse approaches to holistic health and wellbeing, including basic nutrition, cultural context, and consideration of what we consume beyond their caloric values.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Weaving together community wisdom from contributors at Plenitud Puerto Rico and expertise from trusted registered nutritionists, this course considers holistic approaches to nourishing our whole selves. Holistic Health and Wellbeing invites learners to consider what it means to "consume," thinking beyond simple caloric measures of what we eat and instead considering consumption across all senses, as well as how to carefully consume information related to health, wellness, and nutrition. The course also covers the relationships between our food choices and the choice architecture constructed through policy and colonialism. How can we navigate grocery stores? How can we push back on the prevalence of food-related chronic illness? How can we look back to ancient practices while integrating modern scientific knowledge? Join us as we explore our diverse relationships with food, offer guidance for building plates and spice blends, and unpack what we mean by "wellness" in a world that insists on selling it at a premium.

 

Learning Objectives

As they journey through this self-paced, online course, learners will have the opportunity to:

  • Survey new holistic perspective regarding eating, wellbeing and nourishment habits
  • Identify the tenets of basic nutrition and where many nutrition recommendations originate from, and leverage both to navigate nutrition choices in the real world.
  • Identify and practice habits that support their own healthy digestive process informed by an understanding of how the digestive system works.
  • Practice using herbs, spices, marinades and broths in cooking to support healthy digestion and enhance flavors.
  • Differentiate between whole-foods plant based food versus processed foods, and contextualize nuanced definitions of each.
  • Explain the connection between health and chronic disease.
  • Survey the basics of the current food system from agriculture to grocery stores.
  • Analyze stories and case studies that highlight challenges and successful endeavors in Puerto Rico and beyond to improve eating habits and the broader food system.

    This course was created through and is part of :

     

    COURSE-AT-A-GLANCE

    The topical overview of the course below provides an early taste of what you can expect as you embark on this learning journey. Toggle the "Lessons" tab above for detailed descriptions of each.

    Module One: What is Holistic Health?

    Module Two: Digestion Using the Five Senses

    Module Three: What is Our Relationship with Food?

    Module Four: Bodily Digestion, Basic Nutrition, and Best Tips for Eating

    Module Five, Part One: Our Food is Our Medicine: Understanding the Problems

    Module Five, Part Two: Our Food is Our Medicine: Solutions from the Soil

    Module Six: Local Solutions to Global Problems

              AUDIENCE

              Holistic health and wellbeing are loaded terms. Still, we can recognize that underneath the baggage they carry, at their core, they hold something valuable - something that we want for ourselves, even if we don't know how to get there. Lifelong learners who want to understand what holistic health and wellbeing mean for them and their communities, who want to understand how to nourish their whole selves, who never learned what nutrients their bodies actually need to thrive, and why offering that care and nutrition are so challenging will benefit from enrolling in the course. While the course does not offer personalized nutrition advice and we certainly aren't replacing the care offered by a medical professional, we have taken great care to offer the best general knowledge we can in an ever-evolving field to a wide audience. We learned a lot about ourselves when crafting the course, and we think you will, too. There are no prerequisites; all are welcome.

              COURSE FEE

              The price of this fully asynchronous course is the result of careful and intentional planning. While its high-quality content is the product of many hours of hard work and expertise by many hands, we recognize that the information it presents is relevant for all humans on the planet, regardless of financial circumstances.

              To meet this need, Sterling is offering Holistic Health and Wellbeing at $199, a far lower price than its rich content justifies. If this cost presents a significant barrier to your participation, please contact ecogather@sterlingcollege.edu to discuss options.

              COURSE FACILITATOR

              A truly holistic approach to health and wellbeing requires diverse perspectives. This class was developed primarily by Plenitud PR with additional contributions from the EcoGather team, others at Sterling College, and Christina Manian, RDN, a registered dietitian, sustainability professional, and trusted friend in Colorado. Meet some of the course contributors below:

              Image of twenty four people standing under light tropical tree cover on woodchip-covered ground. Everyone wears either an orange, yellow, light gray, or light green shirt with Plenitud PR logo, which is a sunflower-like image of swirled circle and petals extending from center. Hand-painted sign at the bottom reads Bienvenidos a Plenitud.

              We're Plenitud Puerto Rico, a 501c3 non-profit educational farm and teaching center dedicated to service, sustainability, and community.

              Through service, we find our greatest joy by giving equal value to the needs of others. Through sustainability, we help each other be more resilient and prepared for increasing global challenges, while minimizing our impact on Mother Earth. And through community, we see how much stronger we are together, unified in our shared purpose. We ground all of our programs and initiatives in this mission. 

              Our work helps facilitate the skills, knowledge, and inspiration needed to encourage inner growth and to live in harmony with ourselves, each other, and the natural world. More specifically, we aspire to help people acquire skills in sustainable technologies that can help them serve their communities in the areas of food, housing and water security, which we practice by organizing a variety of educational experiences.

              Since 2008, Plenitud PR has been bringing sustainable agroecological practices back to Puerto Rico. Our vision is to increase food sovereignty on the archipelago. This would be a huge victory. Puerto Rico currently imports 85% of its food, which results in environmental pollution, loss of cultural identity connected to local food and cooking, and epidemics of nutrition-related diseases. So, how are we increasing food sovereignty? We have 25 community gardens, we provide agroecological education to over 300 students in local schools through Crezco en Plenitud, we offer workshops in permaculture and agroecology to 600+ people, and we run a weekly vegetarian meal delivery service (the Amo mis Abus program) for 50 elders in our community. Our programs serve community members of all ages and backgrounds, and , we have integrated plant-based nutrition into all of these efforts.

              One of Plenitud PR’s biggest questions is "How do we really empower the Puerto Rican community through food?" There is a deeply rooted, multifaceted cultural, political, and economic problem facing most Puerto Ricans today—there are very few resources and/or opportunities specific to Puerto Rico’s context for community members to learn from. So, this is another thing we’re trying to change.

              Because we know that when someone really understands how to use food as a way to make their life more vibrant, it is undeniably life changing. We regain the sensory experience of the kitchen—the bright array of colors Mother Earth gives us in her fresh produce, the aromatic smells that fill the air, the distinctive flavor combinations that send our taste buds into their own ecstatic experience. But also, in a much bigger sense, we have seen that food has the power to transform how we connect with our community, our ancestry, and our own bodily autonomy.

              As Plenitud PR has grown and witnessed the worsening food and health crises that plague the lives of Puerto Ricans, we feel more committed than ever to improving food literacy and empowering the community. With the support of like-minded individuals who believe in the power of plants as medicine and as a key to living a healthy life, we know we can reach more community members who are ready to transform their lives through their diets.

              Read more about our efforts in an article from the Center for Nutrition Studies by course developer Seona Boyle!

               

              Meet Christina Manian, RDN:

              My name's Christina and I'm a driven freelance writer, registered dietitian, and sustainable food systems professional. I feel most passionately about improving the health of the planet and its people through evidence-based information, equitable education, and ethical products. For over seven years, I have been working as a clinician in both the hospital and outpatient settings, treating thousands of patients with the power of nutrition. During this time, I have also been creating written nutrition and healthcare content, helping to educate a larger audience on how food can make a difference in their health and wellbeing. In these roles, I've honed my ability to translate complicated information into approachable material for a diverse population. Most recently, I have learned about sustainability in relation to food systems through the Masters of the Environment program at the University of Colorado Boulder. This education, combined with my past experience, has solidified my desire for a career where I use writing as a tool to educate and inspire people to action. I also work with horses. If you're interested in learning more, please visit everywishwellness.com.

              DISCLAIMER: Course descriptions on this webpage are for informational purposes only. Content may be updated or changed as planning evolves. Sterling College reserves the right to alter the program specifics, including details about course content, instructors, collaborations, field trips, facilities and pricing, at any time without notice. 

              Here is the class outline:

              Course Introduction

              Welcome to Holistic Health and Wellbeing! Review a high-level description of the course, overarching learning objectives, and meet your instructors. You'll also find some helpful guidance on navigating NEO.

              Module 1: What Is Holistic Health?

              In this first module, we'll define the term holistic health in a twenty-first century context; survey and compare different holistic health traditions; reflect on behavioral and internal interventions that can improve wellbeing; and set reasonable goals for integrating personal practices that improve our minds, bodies, and souls.

              Module 2: Digestion Using the Five Senses

              In this module, we'll explore how our five senses - touch, taste, sight, hearing, and breathing - exercises are to be applied during the course; identify different tools that can help us compassionately digest thoughts, emotions, and experiences; and reflect on the breath and breathing as tools for processing a variety of situations and emotions that we experience in our everyday lives

              Module 3: What is our relationship with food?

              In this module, we'll identify major influences on food choice, and give specific examples of each; reflect on our current relationship with food and deconstruct ideas we were given about food, reframing our perspective to include a holistic approach; practice the tools needed to cultivate mindful eating behaviors and self-compassion; and envision how we would like our relationship to look like with our food and health to set benchmark goals for the course.

              Module 4: Bodily digestion, basic nutrition, and best tips for eating

              In this module, we'll outline how our digestive system works and identify habits that support a healthy digestive process; identify and apply the basic principles of nutrition; practice using herbs and spices in cooking to support healthy digestion and enhance flavors; and identify different food groups and strategically combine food groups to support digestion.

              Module 5.1: Our Food is Our Medicine: Understanding the Problems

              In this module, we'll differentiate between whole-foods, plant-based food, and processed foods while contextualizing these classifications; survey the basic structure of the current food system and food supply chain; connect the structure of the current food system and supply chain to the prevalence of poor health and chronic disease in the places we call home; and practice reading food labels to make the best food choices on our own.

              Module 5.2: Our Food is Our Medicine: Solutions from the Soil

              In this module, we'll explain the relationship between local food solutions and community participation and shared knowledge; explain the connection between plant-based eating and health; and experiment with using new healthier ingredients and their properties; and practice new recipes that use local vegetables, herbs, and whole foods that provide medicinal healing benefits to the consumer.

              Module 6: Local Solutions to Global Problems

              In this module, we'll define agroecology as both a social and industrial movement; identify local solutions to combat the negative impacts of a globalized food industry, using the food sovereignty and agroecology movement in Puerto Rico as a case study; explain the relationship between individuals, their context and cultures, and the global food system; and compare and contrast community food movements in other parts of the world.

              Conclusion and Additional Resources

              Learn a little more about Christina Manian, the registered dietician and nutrition expert who contributed to the class, and find ways to get in touch if you want more information.