Good Nutrition is Way of Life for One Earth Health Food Manager

One Earth Health Foods opened last month on Railroad Avenue, next door to Peet's Coffee.

"We choose our location strategically," says manager Cathy Fanella, whose partner Tim Stainken is the owner. "We get a lot of foot traffic and people come in who are just curious about our products."

Fanella brings years of experience to One Earth. For 9 years, she owned a health store called Earthly Goods in Gurnee, Illinois. A couple of years ago, she decided to uproot to California with her 16-year-old daughter Alexandra to be with Stainken.

Path to Health

Fanella has a very personal connection to the health food industry.

"In 1993, when I was pregnant with Alexandra, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma," says Fanella. "By the time I was diagnosed, it was already at stage four. It was amazing that I made it through."

She received chemotherapy for the inoperable tumor, which was located in her chest and pushing against her heart. She said by the time she gave birth, she had lost all her hair to chemo but, amazingly, Alexandra was born with a full head of hair.

Alexandra had a low birth weight, however, and mother and daughter were weakened by illness and chemo.

"There was a lot of touch and go for both of us," recalls Fanella. "Both of our immune systems were so compromised that if we caught a cold, it would take us a month to get better."

She decided to seek the help of a nutritionist.

"It was an introduction to another world that worked for both of us," says Fanella, who followed a slow, two-month detox plan that included proteins, fish oils and simple, bland foods.

She said the chemo treatment had taxed her liver, so her nutritionist recommended an ongoing regimen of liver support that included fish oils, antioxidants and multi-vitamins.

"I feel healthier now than before I got sick," says Fanella. "It's not a fad or a diet, it's become a way of life."

Fanella said she opened her first store in Illinois because she wanted to help others, just as she'd been helped.

"It progressed from a plan to an actual brick-and-mortar building," she says. "A health food store is a great place to be and I still learn something new every day from my customers and suppliers."

Products and People Skills

The 1,500-square-foot shop is a welcome addition to Danville where three health food stores recently went out of business. Fanella says things are going well.

"We're getting a good response," she says. "People are glad there's a health food store in town."

Fanella uses her years of experience to select products for One Earth.

"I do a lot of research on what we carry," she says. "Every company has its own niche, so I try to educate myself on what's out there."

The store carries a selection of gluten-free foods, including baking mixes; healing flower essences originated by the famous English Dr. Bach; and an inviting selection of vitamins, minerals and detox products. The store also carries pet supplies, including digestive products and nutritional oils – and biodegradable doggie waste bags.

Fanella loves to support local producers so she sells honey from Alamo, raw milk from Fresno and skin and beauty items from San Clemente.

Fanella says it's not just the quality of her products, but the knowledge and customer service that a small independent store like One Earth can provide.

"What keeps us going is the trust and sense of community that we build with our customers," says Fanella.

One Earth Health Foods is located at 49 Railroad Ave., Danville. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.oneearthhealthfoods.com or call (925) 820-2586.