Wellness Wisdom from the Three Wonderful Women of Sfera

Sfera Bio Nutrition is an innovative supplement provider led by three dynamic women who are committed to the health and wellness of their clients. Of course, they practice what they preach too. Dorea, Rona, and Carina take as much care of their own health as they do with the high-quality supplements they source and prepare. With a thorough Q and A session, you can find out how each of these inspiring women effectively manage their own health. Their healthy habits are filled with tips and tricks that are easy to adopt in your day-to-day routine.

 

Dorea Wessels

Dorea Wessels

Dorea Wessels is one of the founding directors of Sfera. Having forged a path in the health and wellness industry running retail shops, she is an industry veteran. Here’s what she had to say about her healthy habits.

What does wellness mean to you?

For me, wellness is about balancing the mind, body, and good nutrition. As part of my routine, I start each morning with a clear mind after meditation, and I balance each day according to my priorities. Making an effort to have a positive outlook, I have consciously trained my mind to think positive thoughts.

I maintain my energy levels throughout the day by eating healthy, freshly prepared meals. I avoid foods containing artificial ingredients, preservatives, high sugar, and salt. I read every label and avoid the artificial ingredients in prepared foods. I don’t eat meals after 5 pm either.

What aspect of wellness do you personally struggle with, and what have you done to try and resolve this?

I struggle with emotional stress. I find conflict extremely stressful, I have difficulty processing, which leads to insomnia. I have found meditation and listening to music really helps ease this stress.

What’s your go-to wholesome meal to make at home?

I like smoothies for breakfast. I eat salad greens and roast veggies in the afternoon, and in winter, I love soup with my homemade health bread.

homemade health bread

Protein-Rich Health Bread

This recipe makes two loaves of bread; it produces a healthy and filling bread that minimises any potential bloating.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of white stoneground unbleached bread flour
  • 1 cup of wholewheat flour
  • 40g of sugar or 2 tbsp of honey or agave syrup
  • 1 tbsp of molasses
  • 8g of dry yeast
  • 20g (1 ½ tbsp) salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 heaped tbsp of vegetable protein powder or chickpea powder
  • 600 ml of water
  • 20ml oil, you can use a little more, if necessary, oil helps to preserve the bread


Method:

  1. Mixed all dry ingredients except for the salt and oil.
  2. Add salt only once all of the dry ingredients are well mixed - salt can deactivate yeast if it is added at the same time.
  3. Beat the eggs and water lightly to incorporate the egg.
  4. Make a well in the middle of the flour, pour in the liquid ingredients, mix them, and add the oil.
  5. The dough should be fairly soft; add more water if you need to.
  6. Rub oil on your hands and knead the dough for at least 3-5 min on a floured or oiled surface.
  7. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it prove until it has doubled in size. This should take roughly an hour and a half.
  8. Punch down the dough to let the air out, portion it, and place each portion in a buttered or oiled bread tin. Sprinkle inside of pans with flour if they are not non-stick.
  9. Cover the bread tins lightly with plastic wrap, spray inside of wrap with oil to prevent it from sticking to the dough.
  10. Let the dough prove until it has doubled in size.
  11. Heat the oven to 220° C and place a baking dish or pan with hot water on the bottom shelf. The steam creates a crusty top and helps bread bake evenly.
  12. Bake the dough at 220° C for 20 minutes. Turn temp down to 190° C and bake for further 10 minutes. The bread is cooked if it sounds hollow when you knock on the crust.
  13. Leave the bread for 5 minutes, then turn the bread out on a cooling rack. If you leave bread in the pans to cool, it will become soggy.
green healthy smoothie

Any Time Smoothie

This is my mid-morning breakfast smoothie. It is very filling, so it lasts me until my evening meal.

Ingredients:

  • 250 ml almond milk (rice, oat, or dairy milk works well too)
  • ½ medium avocado
  • 1 very ripe banana
  • 1 level tbsp of vegetable protein powder
  • 1 tsp of collagen
  • 2 capsules of Sfera Advance Mycology
  • 1 tbsp of oat bran
  • 1 or 2 tsp of honey or agave syrup
  • ¼ tsp of dried ginger or 1tsp of chopped fresh ginger
  • Dash of Cayenne Pepper to taste, which is great for digestion

If you are making this smoothie for children, add 1 tbsp of peanut butter or replace the avocado with peanut butter.

Method:

Blend the ingredients; you may need to and add water if the mixture is too thick.


What’s your healthy eating-out hack?

I don’t mix protein like meat or fish with starch such as rice or potatoes; I opt for green vegetables or salad. I also frequently eat vegetarian meals. And I love a glass of good wine with my meal; it relaxes the body, which helps digestion. Most importantly, I limit my intake of fast foods.

How do you stay fit?

I take long brisk walks.

How do you manage stress and look after your mental health?

I love reading, especially before bedtime or in the garden. This takes my mind off any stressful situations I may be dealing with.

I spend most weekends in my garden, which is my sanctuary; it houses a few small wild animals too. I love animals and watching them is a brilliant de-stressor.

Listening to music transports my mind to a place of serenity, and I totally shut off from the outside world. I’m a great fan of classical music and operas, either listening or attending concerts.

I am involved in various charities. It gives me perspective on what is important and what is not. It gives me the feeling that no matter how small, a good deed can make a change.

My go-to supplements are Maca, Magnesium Complex and Ashwagandha.

Rona

Rona van der Riet

Focussing on the more technical aspects of formulation and manufacturing, Rona van der Riet is also a director at Sfera. Her ingenuity has been pivotal in the creation of Sfera’s result-yielding complexes.

What does wellness mean to you?

To me, wellness means having balance in life. Too much of anything is not good for you. I try and balance my work and private life and focus on the important things like spending time with my son and exercising to make sure my head stays clear.

What aspect of wellness do you personally struggle with, and what have you done to try and resolve this?

Emotional eating has always been my nemesis; it comes with being an empath. My best friend is a diabetic type 1; she really put things into perspective for me when I realised that everything you put in your mouth has an impact on the body. So, practising mindful eating is a habit I am trying to accomplish.

What’s your go-to wholesome meal to make at home?

I love making a salad with fresh peas as it adds just the right texture to any dish. I often make a buddha bowl with loads of colours and textures; this is one of my favourite dishes.

healthy buddha bowl



Buddha Bowl

This dish is so satisfying and easy to make. Because there are no rules, you can adjust them to your taste and substitute ingredients to suit your mood. This recipe is just one way you can make up a Buddha bowl.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ of a cup of fresh peas
  • ¼ of a cup of cucumber
  • ¼ of a cup of cherry tomatoes
  • ¼ of a cup goat’s cheese
  • 2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds
  • 1½ cups of rocket
  • 1 tsp of pepper
  • ½ an avocado

Method:

Chop the ingredients and put them in a bowl. There’s not much to it, but it’s delicious!

What’s your healthy eating-out hack?

I’ve noticed that the portions in restaurants are too big, so I try to order smaller protein portions and then supplement with vegetables or salad. The more water the food contains, the more you can have of that food. For example, 100g of rocket is almost a whole plate full of food, and the bitterness helps to stimulate stomach acid. The denser the food, the smaller the portion you should eat. Also, be aware of any added sauces; they increase the number of calories in the meal. Lemons and limes are my go-to food flavourings.

How do you stay fit?

My week consists of swimming training, mountain biking, and trail walking with a touch of running.

How do you manage stress and look after your mental health?

By taking baby steps. Manufacturing is an extremely high-stress environment; you have to make endless lists and tackle one task at a time.

Boundaries are also essential. I always try and find fun stuff to do so that I have something to look forward to when work gets very stressful.

Friends are the most important ingredient to keeping you sane.

Carina

Carina Lottering

Captain of the ship and CEO Carina is super organised. With her finger on the pulse and in every pie, she knows exactly what is going on in every corner of the company.

What does wellness mean to you?

To me, wellness is about having a healthy lifestyle and finding a balance between managing stress, nutrition, work, mental health, and exercise to reach overall well-being.

What aspect of wellness do you personally struggle with, and what have you done to try and resolve this?

I have a type of muscular dystrophy which leads to muscle weakness, inflammation, and tension migraines. The key to managing this condition is Pilates, which I do twice a week with my physio to strengthen specific muscles. I have a maintenance session with my physio once a month with needles to avoid flare-ups and muscle spasms. I also do daily stretch exercises for my neck and back muscles. I supplement my diet with Sfera Quercetin Complex and Sfera Advanced Magnesium Complex to assist with inflammation and muscle recovery.

I also have low blood sugar, so I take Sfera L-Glutamine every morning to assist with evening out my blood sugar levels. I experience low blood sugar symptoms like fast heartbeat, shakiness, and sweating otherwise.

What’s your go-to wholesome meal to make at home?

I love smoothies, especially with spinach, banana, mango, or blueberries; I like to add Marine Collagen Powder to them too.

mango and spinach smoothie



Mango and Spinach Smoothie

With the added collagen, this smoothie is a great all-around snack.

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup almond or soy milk
  • 1 cup of fresh baby spinach leaves
  • 1 ripe banana
  • ½ a cup of frozen mango chunks or blueberries
  • 1 scoop (25 ml) of Sfera Marine Collagen Powder


Method:

Blend the ingredients until smooth and enjoy as a filling snack or light meal.

 

What’s your healthy eating-out hack?

I don’t like greasy or fried food. I will rather order a grilled option with a side salad or steamed vegetables. I also like fresh food like poke bowls or sushi. I try to eat dinner before 7 pm. I tend to eat too fast, but I try and slow it down, so it takes me approximately 20 to 30 minutes to eat a meal, which is the length of a standard comedy show episode.

How do you stay fit?

I do Pilates twice a week; I also walk on the treadmill whenever I can find time, even if it is 10 minutes here and there.

How do you manage stress and look after your mental health?

Pilates is a big stress reliever for me; it is 40 minutes twice a week, where I can breathe, socialise with my instructor, and connect with my body.

I have put very specific boundaries in place - I try not to work over weekends; I need that time to rest mentally. I enjoy reading a book while sitting outside where I can hear the birds and wind; being connected to nature is vital to me; I also love gardening.

Sleep is crucial to me, I try and get my seven hours in every night during the week, and I enjoy afternoon naps over weekends.

Laughter is important to my mental health; l enjoy cracking jokes with family, friends and especially my husband; he makes me laugh.

I try to have a positive attitude towards life, even in difficult times; I have found that Sfera Ashwagandha aids me to adapt to stressful situations and calms me.

With such focussed and balanced women at the helm of Sfera, it’s no wonder their products are of such high quality. To see more supplements, have a look at the Sfera product page.