Holistic Health Treatment Takes Root in Blue Ridge
Published Mar 23, 2009
Alongside its strong medical community, the Blue Ridge region has become home to a thriving holistic health-care sector, where entrepreneurs are using nature’s recipes to improve the health of residents and build a new generation of businesses.
The presence of Asheville and an appetite among residents for alternative kinds of health care have helped fuel the growth of new companies, from acupuncturists to herbal remedy purveyors to homeopathic healing clinics to businesses that measure bioenergy levels and offer yoga.
Among these startups is Roxanne’s Remedies, which offers all-natural foods to individuals with dietary needs.
Owner Roxanne Koteless-Smith started the company earlier this decade with a cookbook before expanding into prepared food in August 2008.
Sold at Greenlife Grocery in Asheville, the food includes vegan chili and chocolate mousse made by her three chefs. The foods are gluten-free, natural, organic and vegan without use of sugar or dairy products.
The growth of the business, she says, is driven by customers with an appetite for foods that make them feel sleepy and aren’t filled with additives that can cause heath problems down the line.
“Asheville is actually at the leading edge in this. Asheville has always been a community that embraces this,” Koteless-Smith says.
She has big plans for Roxanne’s Recipes, including selling items to hospitals and schools and eventually going national through mail distribution. She’s already selling the food at the Village Cup restaurant in Laurens, S.C., where customers drive hours to eat healthy.
Across town, Drs. Eric and Kristina Lewis operate a naturopathy practice they started in 2006. After meeting and marrying in naturopathy school, the Lewises saw no hospitals or health-care centers in Asheville that offered naturopathic care, a set of treatment principles based on restoring balance and order.
After opening in a small office, the two soon moved to a larger location with two treatment rooms. Patients submit their health information, including their diets and what supplements they take. An individualized plan is devised for each patient that focuses on nutrition, exercise, stress and supplements.
Eric Lewis, a naturopathy doctor, says individuals are hungry for this type of health care, which complements traditional medicine.
“There’s an understanding in Asheville of the value of preventive health care and holistic health care,” he says.
Story by Roy Moore
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