The Creation of Bee Healthy Bar

 

By Mahlon Smoke

Eating healthy can be a daunting task when it seems like there aren't a lot of options. Thanks to people like Becky Smoke, owner of Bee Healthy Bar - healthier options are becoming available in Akwesasne. For Smoke, it was a matter of health and safety for her diet change. Around 15 years ago she was diagnosed with Celiac disease, an auto immune disease that prevents an individual from eating gluten as it would damage their small intestine. This radically changed Smoke's life as she now had to be cautious about what foods had gluten and work around that. Unfortunately, at that time there were limited options for a gluten-free diet and Smoke has come across a lot of problems trying to avoid foods with gluten.

Since living with Celiac disease, Smoke has a much better idea of how to make gluten free dishes and what to look out for when shopping for gluten-free foods. She was left to do her own research on what foods did and didn't have gluten in them. Back when she was first diagnosed, it felt like there were little to no options for Smoke. Over time as Smoke continued her research, she became more aware of which foods had gluten, such as certain salad dressing, sauces, and others.

During this time Smoke started to become a go-to person for people who were suffering from stomach problems, asking her questions about what she was going through and what it felt like to have celiac. Now that it's much easier to diagnose the disease through a simple blood test, more people are finding out that they too, have the disease. With so many community members with stomach issues, it was then Becky Smoke decided to open up her own business to help bring healthier options to Akwesasne.

Two years ago, Bee Healthy Bar opened right outside of Smoke's own home. There she began making smoothies and gluten-free products to help those who are also going through stomach issues and those who want to eat healthier.

"Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that requires a gluten-free diet. I've had celiac disease for 13 years now and want people to feel safe about the products they get from the Bee Healthy Bar. You do not need to be on a gluten-free diet for any of the drinks, just want to be healthy," Smoke said about her condition and the creation of the Bee Healthy Bar.

For the past two years, she's been providing smoothies and protein bars for the community - thanks to word of mouth and Facebook. While Smoke does have a full-time job, she still finds time to test each recipe and make sure that they are delicious and nutritious.

Some delicious options that are available are the detox smoothies, both yellow and green, the weight-loss strawberry smoothie, a breakfast smoothie, and so much more. All are made with organic and gluten-free ingredients meant to promote a healthier diet for everyone.

Smoke takes all her orders through her Facebook page for the Bee Healthy Bar. In keeping with COVID restrictions she has a no-contact pick up system. Payments are also no-contact and made online through Venmo, PayPal and other payment apps.

As her business expands, Smoke plans to include more gluten-free foods on her menu and continue the no-contact delivery as the pandemic continues. But these plans remain in the future and Becky Smoke welcomes anyone to contact her through the Bee Healthy Bar's Facebook page for orders and locations to pick up, allowing community members access to healthier options and a healthier lifestyle.

 

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