Jeff Brown, manager of the Living Diet, a new Greenwood nonprofit health food store, says he is just doing his part to improve the health of the Delta.
“We as a community need to start changing the way we eat,” Brown said. “We really want people to be able to see the benefits of this.”
A grand opening will be held June 1 at the store, which has been open since May 1. It is on U.S. 82 next to Greenwood Comprehensive Medical Clinic.
Safflower oils, protein, flax-seed oils, fish oils and other supplements, and prepared organic food and beverages line the shelves. Brown said he also plans to add a juice bar where customers can stop by for custom protein shakes and other supplemented drinks.
“You always see the Delta at the bottom or at the top of some health list,” he said. “I want to see if we can do something about that.”
Brown said some people have visited the store on the recommendations of doctors.
“I’ve always been interested in ways to eat healthier,” he said. “The response has been pretty good so far. People really like the food here.”
In addition to promoting good health, he also wanted to provide food that was affordable.
“I’m not into this to get rich and make a whole lot of money,” he said. “I knew that when I got into it.”
Brown said he hopes the children of the Delta can learn about healthy eating at a young age.
“They should be able to eat things like this (all-natural organic) cookie, and realize that is what a cookie is,” he said. “Then when they get older they reach for that instead of Oreos.”
He said that he was a little intimidated about starting a business that may get some resistance from people who don’t want to change their diet.
“I was a little nervous at first, in the way that no one wants to fail at anything they do,” he said. “But I think once we get going people are going to catch on. They are going to look at what’s going on and say, ‘I can see what he was doing there.’”
The store also has several cosmetic and skin care items that use only all-natural ingredients.
