host posted on June 20, 2008 13:27
Carol Ketring
Manager, The Health Food Center, Oklahoma City
My name is Carol Ketring, and I’m the manager of the Health Food Center in Oklahoma City. When Doug asked me to write an article, I was a little bit intimidated because I wasn’t sure which subject to write on. And then I thought, why not just tell you why I’ve stayed in this industry for as long as I have?
Maybe I should start by telling you that I haven’t taken an antibiotic in about seventeen years. I remember the last time I took one. I was a new manager at the Health Food Center. This is how things sometimes go: You get a job in the health industry, and immediately you get sick! That’s what happened to me. Bronchitis. The doctor, as expected, put me on an antibiotic and I had side effects, not the least of which was severe, acute depression and crying. I also had that antibiotic smell that sort of seeps through every pore of the body. When I told him what my symptoms were, he said, “Wait a minute. Those aren’t listed as potential side effects. I think this is all in your head.” Well, he was right! My head, my nose, my throat – everywhere!
It was at that point that I realized that I had all of these products surrounding me that purport to help alleviate symptoms naturally. Why not just dive right in? I stopped taking the antibiotic, (and incidentally, my side effects stopped, as well), and started taking things like olive leaf extract, high dose vitamin C, grapefruit seed extract, and other things. I was amazed. I had no idea just how powerful these products could actually be. We are led to believe that the only thing that works for illness is a drug. As it turns out, we were led astray.
My philosophy is to help as many people as I can by providing the best products available. If you were to look inside the Health Food Center, you’d see an entire aisle devoted just to Doug’s sponsors’ products. NSC, BioActive Nutrients, Essential Formulas, Primal Nutrition – and all the rest. It makes it easy for those who watch Doug’s show to just come in and pick out the products they see every day.
Doug has been a big part of our business. We have him out once or twice a year for seminars, and it’s always a packed house. If you were to come in during the day when his show airs in Oklahoma City, you’d see it playing on the TVs we have in our store. Some people come to our smoothie bar, have a nutritious juice, and watch Doug. It’s great!
One of the things I’m concerned about for people is that they get QUALITY supplements. If you go to a discount chain, you’ll find ultra cheap supplements, but I wouldn’t recommend them. I’ve had the privilege of traveling all over the world to look at supplement manufacturers’ facilities. Folks, it makes a huge difference when you purchase from reputable brands versus the cheap brands. There are certain brands I simply won’t carry at our store, like those with dangerous fillers and binders, dyes, and ones with super low milligram strength. It’s like throwing your money in the trash when you opt for those, no matter how inexpensive they are.
One of the things that distresses me is when I hear someone say, “Oh, those dietary supplements just don’t work.” Then, when I find out what they’re actually taking, I’m never surprised that they aren’t getting a good result. Too many people haven’t had the chance to experience what really quality supplements can do, and they just think the whole industry is a sham. But it’s not. It’s all about quality, and if you get quality products, expect a quality result.
I have benefited from everything from multi-vitamins to protein powders to homeopathy to herbal products. There’s a huge variety of quality brands and modalities from which to choose. I’m finding that more and more people are experiencing the benefits from supplements – people who, even 5 years ago, wouldn’t have thought of trying nutritional supplements.
It’s so rewarding when people come to the store who have serious illnesses, and who come back 6 months later with a clean bill of health. It’s even more rewarding when they have open-minded health practitioners who come in and say, “Mrs. Smith is my patient, and she told me that she buys her products from you. I’d like to learn more about what they do, and if they continue to work, I’ll send my patients to you.” (It doesn’t happen every day, but it happens more today than it did just a few short years ago!)
A good supplement program is simple, once you learn the basics. Soon, if you choose quality over price, you’ll find yourself feeling better and then looking for more products for even more benefits. If you keep up with a quality diet, too, (Organic, Phase One, etc), great things can happen.
I hope that you have access to great supplements and quality food. And if you do, I hope that you actually exercise the discipline to really use them for all their worth. It’s an everyday habit that gives life and energy to the days God has given us!