Well Stocked

Staying well can be confusing in this age of constant information that seems to contradict itself from day to day. But there are local women whose hard work takes the guesswork out of healthy choices whether that be the food, supplements, or herbal remedies.

MADELINE LEE, owner of Superfree Food, has created a line of anti-inflammatory foods that will satisfy and heal. Owner of longtime favorite Lovey’s Natural Foods & Café, MARIE MONTEMURRO has the knowledge and experience to help select the best food and supplement choices. ADRIENNE ARRINGTON-KENION, owner of Queen Esther Teas, has created immunity-boosting tea blends to help the body feel its best.

Each of these women has put their heart and soul into helping others feel good. Their dedication to health and wellness provides tangible approaches to being well and staying well.

For MARIE MONTEMURRO, Lovey’s Natural Foods & Café is more than her store. It is her family. Lovey is her mother’s name and the name of the store where she and her team have keeping people healthy for more than two decades.

“We make food by hand, the way your mother or grandmother would have done,” Montemurro says. “We do things back there that nobody else does.”

In Lovey’s Café, from the mayonnaise to the falafel to the egg salad, customers are guaranteed to get fresh organic ingredients made with love, according to Montemurro.

“It is just me and my daughter, and all the great people I have working here, and we care. It’s a family. If you work here, you are family,” Montemurro says.

Montemurro admits that it is hard work, but it is rewarding. She says how much she loves knowing that she can help people and guide them to being their best selves. It all starts with the food and the products she handpicks.

While she recognizes that super food ingredients like mushrooms, cruciferous greens, and maca maca are trendy right now, Montemurro emphasizes the need to take a holistic approach to wellness.

“The thing is, you are what you eat and what you put in your body reflects your health; your mental state reflects your health, and there are so many things you can do to make yourself better,” Montemurro shares.

Modern farming practices, pesticides, and water pollution all have had tremendous impacts on people’s health, Montemurro asserts, and it is up to the people to take matters into their own hands.

Eating organic is a key component to staying healthy, as well as ensuring that vital supplements are taken daily.

“I recommend that people get DNA testing done, so they can know what is needed, specific to their bodies and take supplements as needed, but there are the staples of a multi(vitamin), a fish oil, and a probiotic,” Montemurro says.

Montemurro says she stands behind the quality of the ingredients in her products, which she and her team are trained on regularly. Emphasizing the importance of third-party testing, she warns against buying products on the internet.

Being a locally owned store allows Montemurro and her team to share the information they gain with their customers, so they know they are getting the best quality. She is quick to share the Lovey’s motto: “Eat local. Shop local. Support Local. You’ll love it at Lovey’s.”

To view more of photographer Daria Amato’s work, go to dariaphoto.com

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