Health food store owner shares tips for staying healthy

Keri Blanchard, of Healthy Ways, a nutrition store in Lodi, has been in the health food business for 16 years. She has owned her shop on Kettleman Lane for nine. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

Health food store owner shares tips for staying healthy

By Jennifer Bonnett
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Monday, January 5, 2009 6:36 AM PST

Comments (1 comment(s))

The New Year's resolutions have been written, and at the top of most people's lists is probably the plan to get healthier.

Keri Blanchard, owner of Healthy Ways on Kettleman Lane, provided these recommendations in improving your health in 2009.

What is your No. 1 tip for getting healthy?

To try to eat healthier, pay more attention to the foods you're eating, take a good multi-vitamin and exercise.

If people really stop and look at the foods they're eating, they'll see they're not getting as much nutritional value as they think. And if you really looked at the calorie intake, you could easily get 1,000 calories in one meal, with soda and French fries.

What's the most important vitamin supplement you recommend for living a healthier lifestyle?

Just a really good food-based multi-vitamin, meaning that it's got whole-food concentrates in it because your body will absorb the nutrients better. And if it's not food-based, you should take it with food.

Top 10 multi-tasking super foods

These easy-to-eat foods are packed with multiple nutrients to help you stay healthy.

1. Low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt is higher in calcium than some other dairy products and contains a great package of other nutrients, including protein and potassium.

2. Eggs make the list because they are nutritious, versatile, economical and a great way to fill up on quality protein.

3. Nuts have gotten a bad rap because of their high fat content. But their protein, heart-healthy fats, high fiber and antioxidant content earn them a place on the top 10 list. The key to enjoying nuts, experts say, is portion control.

4. Kiwis are among the most nutritionally dense fruits, full of antioxidants.

5. Quinoa is now readily available in many supermarkets and is one of the best whole grains you can eat.

6. Beans are good for your heart, and are loaded with insoluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol, as well as soluble fiber, which fills you up and helps rid your body of waste.

7. Salmon is a super food because of its omega-3 fatty acid content.

8. Broccoli is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C and bone-building vitamin K, and has plenty of fiber to fill you up and help control your weight.

9. Sweet potatoes are a delicious member of the dark orange vegetable family, which lead the pack in vitamin A content. Substitute a baked sweet potato (also loaded with vitamin C, calcium, and potassium) for a baked white potato.

10. Berries pack an incredible amount of nutritional goodness into a small package.

Source: WebMD.com

If I'm looking to lose weight, what is the most important thing I should look at?

Your diet — but not necessarily thinking of it as a diet, just eating healthier foods.

There are also a lot of good supplements that go with that to boost your metabolism ... like "Ultra Skinny Mini." There are no stimulants, like ephedrine, which is a no-no. But you have to follow it up by eating healthy and exercising. You can take lots and lots of pills, but unless you change the way you eat you're not going to see results.

What if I'm looking to start a vegetarian diet?

For some people, it works. But they need to make sure they supplement proteins and vitamin B-12. That's important because the main source (for both) is from animal protein, and a lot of your vegetarians do not get that, so they need to supplement it.

When do you see the most customers in your store?

Probably January, because with New Year's resolutions people seem to want to get healthier, change some of their bad habits. And we are here to definitely help them get through. I really try to focus on customer service, to help people along.

What about those body cleansers? Do they work?

That's something that's really popular in the new year. If people are looking to detox their whole body, they work.

One of the main issues they address is the colon, and there are so many people who don't use the bathroom regularly. ...That's the main way to eliminate their bodies of toxins.

What makes you feel healthy?

Good question. I think once people start eating better and healthier, they're going to feel better because they're not putting all that junk in their bodies. They'll also have more energy.

Are you healthy?

Fortunately, yes. I take my supplements, and I can't even remember the last time I was sick, because I take care of my immune system.

Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback

Patricia wrote on Jan 5, 2009 10:08 PM:

" Hi Kari,

Have a prosperous and healthy New Year! Love your store and your wonderful customer care. See you soon. "

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