By By BEN RAYMOND LODE / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- A new natural products and health food store called Harvest Market opened in downtown Niles on Friday.
The new store is owned and operated by South Bend, Ind., residents Lori Fleming, and her husband, Blair, a former Brandywine area resident.
In addition to offering natural and organic foods and other natural products, the store offers the services of a naturopath one day a week.
The naturopath will be available on Fridays for people who wish to undergo a one-hour health assessment.
The new store offers what a full line grocery would have, "from what you put on your body to what you put in your body," said Lori, who welcomed her first customers into the newly renovated store late on Friday morning.
The new business is located at 209 E. Main St.
Fleming, who has a bachelor in management a masters in ministry and was a youth director at her church, as well as a licensed insurance agent, however, hasn't always been hooked on health food and natural products.
In fact, she didn't become interested in it until her church one day offered a class on nutrition.
Having taken that class, Fleming said she stopped drinking soda pop and started to read articles related to nutrition.
When gallbladder problems became so painful that doctors suggested surgery, Fleming decided to try natural products as a source of remedy, instead of conventional medicine.
Using natural products, slowly but surely her gallbladder pains went away, she said.
Fleming hopes to provide products that will be of benefit to people in all age groups who suffer from ailments such as pains, arthritis and other common medical conditions.
Fleming said many people who visit a store like Harvest Market for the first time may not be familiar with the products available and what they can be used for.
Among the most common misconceptions about natural products and health foods, perhaps, may be that they don't taste good.
Jerry WineBrenner, Doctor of Naturopathy, will be doing the health assessments at the store.
Having owned his own maintenance business and worked as a paramedic for almost 10 years – the latter resulting in a heart attack – WineBrenner decided it was time to do something that would save his own health.
WineBrenner attended Trinity College of Natural Health, Warsaw, Ind. and graduated two years ago.
Currently he works with natural food stores, providing health assessments and advice on healthy living.
He thinks many people are ignorant of their own nutrition deficiencies.
He said because of that, many people suffer from pains and aches.
In addition to the overall health assessment, WineBrenner will also do foot evaluations at Harvest Market. He said studies have shown 85 percent of lower back pains are related to how people stand and walk.
WineBrenner, in addition to his involvement with Harvest Market, is also involved with a natural health support group from South Bend.
And, he does health assessments for clients of a natural food store in Mishawaka, Ind.