November is National Health Food Month

By now, with fall in the air, you may be starting to think of the upcoming gift-giving and holiday season. Well, the CHFA (Canadian Health Food Association) and its members invite you to give those you love the Gift of Health, an initiative being launched in conjunction with National Health Food Month. Look for National Health Food Month banners, window decals, mobiles and staff buttons. Ask your local health food store what events and special product promotions it has planned.

These initiatives started in 1999 with Donna Herringer, CHFA president, seated at a harvest table filled with organic fruits, vegetables, grains and goodies. It was the first National Health Food Week that's right, week. November was designated National Health Food Month only last year.

Originally conceptualized and suggested to the CHFA by Bruce Cole, editor and publisher of Canadian Natural Health Retailer, a business magazine for retailers, National Health Food Month is now recognized across Canada. It distinguishes CHFA member-stores as leaders in natural health and aims to differentiate health food stores from their grocery and drug store competitors.

"National Health Food Month promotes stores and suppliers as being on the leading edge of quality, safety and freedom of choice when it comes to natural health products," says Herringer.

Think of your local health food store as a specialized Christmas boutique. Premade packages, such as "Vegetarian Lovers Gift of Health" and "A Good Night's Rest Gift of Health," will be filled to the brim with various natural health products. For customized packages, knowledgeable staff in participating stores can assist you with information and advice to truly personalize your gifts.

There's no better gift than one that will aid in the health of someone you care about.

The Canadian Health Food Association is the voice of the natural products industry. It represents the manufacturers, distributors and retailers whose collective aim is to offer you Gifts of Health. It's mission is to provide leadership to its members by promoting natural health products, foods and organics as the primary source of well-being for all Canadians. CHFA members believe that unrestricted availability to natural health foods and nutritional supplements is the democratic right of every Canadian.

The association began in 1964 in Vancouver as the Canadian Health Food Dealers Association. At that time, a group of concerned individuals banded together to give one another mutual support in reaching a larger public with the information and services needed to create better health through good nutrition. This organization became the Canadian Health Food Association in 1966. Since then, scientific and public awareness of the natural foods and services has grown tremendously, supporting the association's steady increase in both number and influence.

We'd love to hear what you think of National Health Food Month and the Gift of Health program. Please send your comments to:

Canadian Health Food Association
550 Alden Road, Suite 205
Markham, ON
L3R 6A8