By YVO NE SCOTT
DETRorr - S011'e people may
feel that health food and politics
are worlds apart, but no former
Detroit City Council member
Erma Henderson.
She is th owner and creator of
Erma Henderson's Wholistic
Health Food Store at 19444 Liver
nois.
"Working in the health food
field is a way of helping people. I
di vered that it was a way of
helping me to keep going under a
great deal of pure. I was able
to do a better job," said Hender
son
"Thirty yea ago under the di
rection of Orlando Sauer I gave up
meat and began to substitute
nuts, fish nd Amish chicken for
the proteins 1 needed. Since then
I've given up chicken and some of
the other things that ubstitute
for protein I gave up all dairy
products. I don't use salt or black
pepper or cook with it. I try to eat
as much raw food as possible," she
said.
ACCORD G TO Hender
son, it was her studies with Sauer
that taught her to respect the
health food way of living that she
has followed and passed along to
her children.
I tried to carry it on even
though I was still on the Council.
That was a big mistake. 1 should
have just waited and moved to
Detroit to open up. 1 tried to carry
on for them, but 1 couldn't do both,
so I finally moved to Detroit and I
carried on under the name Erma
Henderson's Wholistic }iealth
Food Store. .
She credits the good people
who have volunteered their time,
and who have worked for free or
low wages for the store's success
in getting started without any
type of government funding or
grants.
"As a Black entrepreneur I find
it very difficult for Black small
busin own rs to ge the help
they need from governm nt
sources, As a ult of the free
labor our an tors have done we
don't have significant amounts of
capital to pass on to our children.
BE U E 0 he circum
stances that have made i difficult
for Black entrep neurs to gain
access to capital, I feel the govern
ment should much more coop
erative as a form of repara ion to
correct the damage that has n
done," said Henderson.
One program the tore is offer
ing gi senior citiz ns a five per
cent discount regularly, nd ten
percen from the first through he
fifth of h month.
Recogni ion is given hose
people who ign up as boosters.
They iv five per nt dis
cou nt that can be at any time
long as they ign up and help
promote th to .
In addi ion 0 nterprising
money ving programs the store
isju t dventurou in their line
of f produ, vitamins and
min rals, They Iso carry books
nd ta
"Our vast majority of books are
on hIt h rbs re
, ,
such a fascinating ubject. Most
herb books list how the herbs are
used and the ailments that can be
alleviated by them.
IN OUR FOOD line we han
dle quite a few soy products such
as tofu, which is made from soy
beans. We also car:ry products
that contain no salt, sugar, or
MSG to assist these who are
eliminating these things from
their diets. One product that I've
had a good experience with is
Bragg Liquid Amino. This is a
liquid that tastes much like soy
and is an excellent seasoner, but
it has no salt in it. We carry a wide
range of products in order to di
versify," Henderson said.
. For these that want to change
their diet gradually, there are
some transition products that can
be utilized.
The store has soy and rice milk.
Both products are milk products
that can be used on cereal. There
is even an ice cream called Tofutti
(from soy) and Rice Dream ice
cream that is made out of rice
milk.
There are Veggie- Links that
look and taste like Hot Dogs and
Chicken-Sticks that taste like
chicken. These products are made
from soy and can be used as meat
ubstitutes for those who want to
reduce their meat intake.
There are several organically
grown products the store carries
and will order more of as long as
people continue to come in and
pick up what they order. "We' I
bring in organically grown carrots
which is a proven grea haler for
many kinds of ailments.
WE'LL BRING in other kinds
of products like th Natus Patch
ichigan ar
ollecto ' h
The Southwestern Michigan
Car Collectors' Club and St.
Joseph Today will present" ars
of Y, terday" the Ninth An.n:ual
Southwestern Michigan Car Col
lectors' Show on 8 tu rday , Sep
tember 18, from lOa. m. to 4 p. m.,
at the Lake Bluff Park in down
town 8t. J�ph.
The show is free for exhibito
and spectators. All cl ic and
pecial interest vehicl a in-
vited. Membership in the outh
western Michigan Car Club is' not
required.
which has been a miracle to the
store. It· a patch made from
healing herbs that literally tops
the pain from rheumatism, ar
thrit' , and other ailments.
Some customers buy half a
dozen patches at a time to cover
the many areas of pain that they
have. Customers believe this is a
miracle and we all have yet to
und tand it. All we know is
that it worksl" she said excitedly.
If a person wants to give up
sugar, Henderson urges that they
take a look at all the products that
allow them to have a bit of sweets
without having to go into white
sugar.
"White sugar is a product that
I think is almost internationally
known ,as perhaps being very
manufactured and against people
by causing quite a few illnesses
including holding water in the
system," she said
Henderson suggests it is a good
idea to use a variety of foods that
include a large portion of vegeta
bles.
"WHAT IS GOOD for diabe
tes, rheumatism or any number of
ailments. If we started to make
claims the Food and' Drug Ad
ministration (FDA) would put
pressure on us to make us stop.
That's why we urge people to
check with doctors who believe in
wholistic health and alternative
healing."
In keeping with a wholistic
philosophy Henderson spends
only minimal time overseeing the
operation of theatore and devotes
most of her time to nutritional
consultations which are available .
by calling 861-7575.
Her time away from work is
spent listening to music, attend
ing plays and walking.
"1 like to walk, and I'm blessed
that the mayor designated a park
in my honor, so sometimes I'll go
walking in the Erma Henderson
Park. I enjoy meeting with people
and talking to folks in the ma
rina, " she said.
Th ir hon ymoon w post-
poned for on y Clint'
job would not give him any tim
off. Howe r, wh n they did ke
their honeymoon, they wen to
Niagara Falls.
DETROn: HlGH S HOOl GAADUA -rES EARN SCHOLARSHIPS - Three Detroit men fr��
center, Undsay'Huddl.e ton II of Henry Ford High School, Shane Hughley of Northw� tern
High School and Sunil PhilJp of Cass Technical High School are among 18 metropolitan
Detroit high chool graduates receiving scholar hips from th� H.T. Ewald Foundation at a
luncheon .t the Golden Lion re �aurant in Grosse Pointe on Augu t 14. They are pictured
with, from left, Ted Ewald,. pre ldent of the foundation who made the presentation and
Carolyn Ewald. .
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