For the past 26 years Lea Stening Health (previously Lea Stening and Associates) has helped individuals and the Christchurch community solve their nutritional problems.
Mobile facilities
We were the first Dietitians in the country to offer a mobile service and over the years we have run clinics in Rangiora, Halswell, Lincoln, Christchurch city, Aranui and Ferrymead from our base clinic in Ilam; according to demand. Our Online Service now links us with patients throughout New Zealand, Japan and the UK via Skype.
Lea Stening Health
We are a privately run organisation but in 2009 received funding from our local PHO (Partnership Canterbury) to run a weight loss service for people with BMI’s > 35, with co-morbidities such as diabetes, heart and respiratory diseases. We assisted 300 people to shift over 1,000kg in just 5 visits.
When the funding allocation ceased we continued free weight checks for a year with astounding results. One man lost 60kg and a women 92kg!
Workplace nutrition
Ray Pratt, Firefighter World championships 2008
Beyond our individual services our community work has extended to workplace nutrition education. We have been pleased to help groups such as NZ Rail (now KiwiRail), NZ Police and Fire Service, Air New Zealand, Airways (Air Traffic Controllers) and Solid Energy along with countless groups of small businesses to provide “wellness programs” for staff.
We believe that our message that “Nutrition can build sustainable energy” can raise productivity, reduce work related illness and build a stronger community.
Nutrition education
Lea with young netball players during a motivation seminar, 2010
We are dedicated to nutrition education and have gone into schools, kindergartens, universities and residential colleges.
Working with students, teachers and parent groups we have taught how eating well can improve mental and physical performance and self esteem.
Sporting groups
Lea on a supermarket tour with cricket academy students, 2000
Over the years we have been privileged to work with sporting and recreational groups such as Lincoln University, NZ Cricket, NZ Rowing, Motivationz, Canterbury netball, rugby and swimming. We have had loads of fun teaching young athletes how to shop and cook and clean up afterwards.
Between 2003 and 2009 Lea worked with Paralympics New Zealand and NZ Wheelchair Rugby, helping the Wheel Blacks rugby team during their bid for Gold at the Paralympic Games in Athens and Beijing and the 2006 World Wheelchair Rugby Championshipsin Christchurch.
NZ Wheel Black Dan Buckingham in competition, 2006
While on tour, cooking sessions followed by team dinners uncovered some real culinary talent in “The Wheel Black family”. Lea’s observations of touring with the WB’s to the 2006 Canada Cup in Vancouver has provided us many useful tips for travelling athletes.
Children
Lea's preschool puppet show, 1991
A lot of our fun has come from children. We have run puppet show’s for pre-schooler’s, helped the Nutrition Foundation run breakfast events for children at Science Alive and the Antarctic Centre. Our link up with the chefs at Scott Base to check out their breakfast menu was pretty special!
Breakfast sessions on the radio with Constable Keith and police dog Sniff and TV breakfasts with the What Now programme saw us pulling together recipes for a cook book. They also provided the practice for later radio sessions when Lea teamed up with Pete and Hilary on The Breeze for a regular breakfast slot.
In the media
Lea with Constable Keith and Sniff, 1989-1999
Through TV, radio, the press and numerous magazine articles we have helped to spread the word that “Nutrition can give energy for life”.
As we recover in Canterbury from a year of devastating earthquake’s we hope that this message can give us all hope for the future, for better health and fitness.