David: You do counsel people when they come in here, and they don't know what they want, but they do know that they would like some help. Do you ever get people that come in here, who are certain that they need something, and are absolutely sure that they're going to buy it because it's good for them, because they've read it somewhere or heard it somewhere? Do you dissuade them? Can you dissuade them?
Cindy: Absolutely. I think the thing is that again, it's a matter of asking some key, pointed questions, of why do they think that they need this particular medication-or, medication-this particular herb or vitamin, and why in fact, if they're also taking any particular medication at this particular time. Something as simple as ginkgo biloba-we have a lot of people who want to buy ginkgo biloba, and if they're on aspirin therapy, something as simple as aspirin therapy, you can't take ginkgo biloba, because it will make the blood even more slippery. It will make it more viscous.
David: Are people aware of these things?
Cindy: No, I don't think that they are. They just read something, and it sounds good, and they want to take it. It's a matter of being educated in this particular environment, and this store here in Tsawwassen is extremely well educated. We have a very, very educated staff. We're always in school, we're always taking courses, and we're really concerned about the people's health when they come in here. David: You mentioned that in addition to taking certain things internally, that there's other things that can be done-massage therapy. What is something that's rather interesting and innovative that you find works in addition to the taking of certain supplements? Cindy: We have some wonderful therapists that come through the store. We actually had a naturopath, that of course was-as a naturopath, you have quite a high degree of education, and is able to do some blood work analysis for people; is able to maybe go a little bit more in-depth than what we are able to do, because we don't have that ability available to us, and some of us are not educated in that aspect, in drawing blood. We also have a wonderful massage therapist here; she does hot stone therapy which is extremely relaxing. We've had some very happy people that have left the store, just feeling more relaxed. David: This is all, I think, now it's much less considered alternative, but for a time it was considered alternative. I think now it is exceptionally mainstream. What is another kind of alternative approach to wellness that seems to get a bad rap in the press, and is looked down upon, but may in fact not be-should not be looked down upon?
Cindy: I think that when they come out with some of these misleading stories about vitamin C being not beneficial, or beta-carotene in fact causing cancer, or that if you take vitamin E-anyone taking vitamin E has a higher percentage of dying of any cause, which is absolutely ludicrous, because if it means of any cause, then that means the person who doesn't take vitamin E, and I take vitamin E and I happen to be sitting beside him on a bus, does that mean that person has a higher chance of dying because he's sitting beside me? So I don't think the studies are well researched, and the vitamin industry has been extremely-the industry has come out with some really good evidence, good concrete evidence to support that these nutrients in fact are beneficial, and that they can debunk these stories that are very misleading in the press. David: I can't imagine that anybody would even believe for a moment that vitamin C, vitamin E are bad for you. We grew up on this stuff. I take it; everyone takes it. Do people actually believe this?
Cindy: Unfortunately, when it comes out in the paper, we have people coming in here the very, very next day saying "Oh, my gosh, I read this. I can no longer take vitamin C or vitamin E." But we're very quick to respond with really good, concrete, scientific data that will support it. Trust me, if vitamin C was bad, I would be the first person not to take it. But you'd really have to come up with concrete evidence to support that it was in fact bad for you. Linus Pauling, I mean, he won a Nobel Peace Prize for his research, and he certainly has supported it over and over again, that it is in fact a certainly necessary nutrient. I think that where people go wrong is when they go over-crazy, when they're taking mega doses. But even in those particular cases, please show me the bodies. There hasn't been. The bodies are and still do lie with the pharmaceutical industry. That's not even a myth, I mean, you just have to look at the research. David: I want you to disabuse me of this belief I have. I saw a report on homeopathy. It said it was physically-based on the nature of physics-impossible to actually work in any possible way. Is this true, or is it bunk itself?
Cindy: I think it's bunk itself, because we've been using homeopathy for years. It's been around since, I guess, the late 1900s, and Dr. Samuel Hahnemann has proved over and over again that it does. It has to be a very specific remedy for a specific condition, and I think that what they're looking at is more on the chemical structure. I think that on an energetic structure it is highly beneficial.
David: "Energetic structure." What do you mean by that, specifically?
Cindy: I think that it works on the energy of the body more effectively. It's something that can't be measured. In other words, because it's diluted, you can't measure it, but on an energetic level, it can be measured. David: Thank you very much for speaking with me, Cindy.
Cindy: You're welcome.
