The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON-Suzi Tasker has opened a new business in Dayton. Beginning last February, Tasker undertook a nine-month course through the Nutritional Therapy Association in Olympia, to become a nutrition practitioner.

On May 31, she and her husband, Duane, closed Aardvark Granola Blue Mountain Station, to allow her to concentrate on her studies, she said.

Tasker said that two years ago, she was struggling with some health issues that included two major surgeries to remove a benign but recurring tumor.

"That just walloped me," said Tasker. "I needed to make some changes. I had a lot of stress. I just had no more to give."

One day a customer popped into Aardvark Granola, and the two began a conversation about nutritional therapy and the importance of nutrition on behavioral health, that lasted over several months, she said.

Over coffee in Richland with her new friend, Tasker said she intuited that God wanted her to pay attention, and her focus turned to acquiring education about nutrition, so that she could help herself and others.

The online course of study with the Nutritional Therapy Association consisted of fifteen modules of both video and audio lectures, Tasker said.

She said she made three trips to Olympia for hands-on workshops, and practiced on "clients" around town, before final tests, in November.

Since opening on Dec. 1, Tasker has been conducting tailor-fit sessions with individual clients, she said. "One size does not fit all," Tasker said. "We are all unique."

For the individual sessions, Tasker undertakes the role of Nutritional Detective, she said. Clients are encouraged to keep a three-day food journal and answer a nutrition questionnaire, to help her prioritize health options.

Digestion, blood sugar balance, minerals, fatty acids, and hydration are all taken into consideration, Tasker said. The program emphasizes a nutrient-dense diet of whole foods properly prepared.

In January, Tasker is offering a five-week workshop, or virtual class, called the Restart Program, which offers nutritional education and emotional support while undergoing sugar detoxification.

"This is not about weight loss. It is about resetting the button in your life and working with real food," Tasker said.

New Thought Nutrition logo

Tasker said she would especially like to offer the course to corporations, through their health and wellness programs.

"I want people to receive a new thought about food and wellness, because that is what had to happen for me," Tasker said about her new adventure as a nutritional practitioner.

The Restart Program will begin on Jan. 4. The introductory price is $150, if registering before Dec. 31, and $175 after that date. Participants will receive all materials, group support on Facebook, and environmental support as well. Tasker said.

New Thought Nutrition is located at 242 East Main Street in Dayton. Tasker can be reached by phone at: (509) 524-8841 or by email at: newthoughtnut@gmail.com.