Welcome back folks!! We hope you enjoyed learning a little about our owner Serena in last weeks Elite Tip.  We sure enjoyed interviewing her and now we get to interview her mother Patty!  We like to refer to her as our resident health guru!

Patty started working at Elite’s previous location for years before her daughter bought the store and moved it across the street.  She cultivated a dedicated customer base over the years due to her expertise in nutrition as well as her friendly warm personality.  The original owner of Elite had several other stores in town and slowly all of them ended up closing except for Elite Nutrition.  Patty managed the store wonderfully and continued to build the customer base over the years, so much that it saved the livelihood of the business.  Let’s learn more about her…

Tell us a little bit about yourself…

I have 25 years of experience in nutrition.  When I first began working at Elite Nutrition I was not that familiar with natural medicine.  I followed the manager around and took lots of notes.  She was incredibly knowledgeable about nutrition and supplements.

I then took classes at The School of Natural Healing and received an 80 hour certificate of acknowledgement as a Vitalist.  This certificate taught me that the body can balance itself if you give it what it needs– using healthy foods, herbs and supplements.

In my free time I love gardening, taking care of my precious pets (they are my light), spending time with family, and focusing on spiritual growth.

What is the most valuable lesson that you’ve learned since working at Elite Nutrition?

There is not a ONE cure-all for everyone.  Health can be subjective to the individual.  I have found it most effective to work with customers based on their lifestyle, diet, and stress factors to harness a holistic approach to assist them in their journey.

What is your favorite thing about working at Elite Nutrition?

The people– employees and customers! I also enjoy working in a store filled with positive energy.  I really like being around the herbs and supplements, they have an uplifting energy!  We are really lucky to work in this store!

Can you share some of your personal health tips and/or supplements that you cannot live without?

One personal health tip- is to eat everything organic to avoid unnecessary toxins. Also, state of mind is the most important thing to consider!  We can make ourselves sick just by our thoughts.  I feel it is necessary to learn how to handle stress in a healthy manner.  Chinese Traditional Medicine believes that most of our sicknesses are caused by excessive/long term stress.  I’d say that I agree with that sentiment.

There are many great supplements that I cannot live without.  I really like Nature’s Life Magnesium because it is a higher strength and contains B-6 to help relax the nervous system.  I take it every night to help with relaxation and sleep.  Magnesium is an incredible mineral involved in over 300 processes in the body.  It helps promote natural tranquility and relaxes the muscles as well.

Another favorite of mine is American Health Ester-C. This Vitamin C absorbs faster and stays in the body longer than regular Vitamin C.  I take this because our body is not able to make Vitamin C on it’s own.  It is also really important for the immune system!

I also make sure to take an eye supplement for aging eyes.  I like the one from Now Foods with Lutein and Zeaxanthin.

My last favorite supplement is Fish Oil!  This is great for cardiovascular and brain health. I switch off between different brands but I make sure it is a high quality fish oil.

If a new customer walks in the store and asks what are two products that will help improve their over-all health and wellness, what would you suggest?

That’s a tough question!  I would say the powdered greens are so important for health and wellness because they are naturally loaded with vitamins and minerals.  This can be helpful since some diets are low in nutrient dense foods.  It is important to incorporate them in a daily routine.

The other thing I would suggest is to NOT take life so seriously, LAUGH MORE!  When health issues hit you, you have to find your laughter!  It is true what they say– LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE!

Fun Fact about Patty: She is a State Champion Racquetball Player! 

Patty is a wealth of knowledge– TRULY our resident health guru!  Stop in on Fridays after 2 pm if you’d like to meet her or ask her questions about your health.  Thanks for reading more about the super stars that make up our special store!  Next week we will get to know our manager Michelle! Until then…

As always, do what you feel is best for YOUR body — if you aren’t sure, ask your doctor.  We are health ENTHUSIASTS not licensed practitioners.