Feature of the Month – December 2007

Olga’s Health Food

The holiday season is a time for festive gatherings with loved ones, but it can also be a time when we overindulge ourselves. Whether it is gelt, gingerbread or gravy, most of us are tempted to stray from healthful whole foods this time of year. Enter Olga Hallett.

Olga’s Health Food store has only been in Forest Hill Village since last February, but already Hallett has made a tremendous impact on the lives of many. Her philosophy is simple: Eat well, feel great.

“Someone comes into my store, I sit down with them and discuss their health issues, I take their number down, I follow up with them to make sure they’re ok, and I adjust their diet when needed,” she says. “It’s important to listen to your body.”

Hallett’s interest in healthy eating dates back to when she was a teenager, when an “amazing” phys ed teacher showed her some of the benefits of whole foods (“She calls me for advice now.”). Her passion for healthy living grew until she opened her first store on the Danforth. Yet she was always intrigued by the idea of having a store in Forest Hill Village.

“My clients would say, ‘You belong in the Village, you’re too good for the Danforth’”, she says. “I’d take my daughter to dance classes at Bishop Strachan School and she’d say, ‘Wouldn’t it be awesome mummy if you had a store in the Village?’  I just love the area.”

Sure enough, she eventually did have a store in Forest Hill Village.

Clearly, one of Olga’s Health Food’s greatest assets is Hallett’s infectious enthusiasm. She proudly boasts about her daughter’s decision to become a vegetarian at the ripe old age of 8 (she’s now 20) then gushes about the anti-aging anti-oxidants of mangosteens.

“I remember one lady came into my store and she was so hyper,” she says. “Her eating was healthy but she didn’t sleep. I told her to eat something different in the evening and gave her a glass of mangosteen juice and after awhile, she was so much calmer.”

When prodded about ways to eat well over the holidays, Hallett is cheerfully helpful.

“Sugar is a big culprit,” she says. “Be careful of hot beverages like egg nog, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and even some fruits, especially if you have an imbalance. These foods will cause your blood sugar to spike, which can lead to pain in your body. White flour, white rice and white pasta can also cause pain and make you feel irritable. Avoid process foods as they’ll make you feel sluggish.”

She recommends loading up on whole vegetables, lean proteins such as turkey, raw nuts, fibre and dried fruit for the holidays. For those of us worried about catching a cold, she suggests natural garlic and foods containing acidophilus (such as yogurt, particularly if it’s organic) to stave off illness.

Fortunately, many of these foods are sold in Hallett’s store, and she’s always happy to give advice about eating well when needed.

“A whole food diet makes you feel on top of the world,” she says. “It’s happiness. I love what I do!”

Olga’s Health Food is located at 400 Spadina Road. For more information, please call (416) 469-6782.