Cindy, a Dartmouth resident in her mid-50s, is putting the final touches on the seventh annual compilation of speakers, displays, and booths, many with sample treatments. The show at the Halifax Forum’s multi-purpose centre, which annually draws more than 2,000 people, lets patrons know how they can help themselves with health issues by calling on practitioners and products that supplement the standard health system. “The health system is not in the greatest shape,” she says, smiling at someone who recently had a surgery cancelled and re-scheduled for three weeks later because of a lack of beds. “It’s not doing anything for prevention or chronic diseases. People are interested in wellness. They don’t want to get sick.”

“I looked at the numbers and decided to give it a go,” she says. “We’ve printed annually since, sometimes up to 40 pages, this year only 32 because of personal problems at home, but I see it jumping again to 40, and maybe 48 pages. There’s just so much out there now for people looking for alternative treatments.”

Cindy printed 35,000 copies this year, distributing it free through doctors’ offices, hospitals and pharmacies, as well as on line at www.healthhelp.ca
Cindy smiles. “My doctor finds it useful even though she’s not holistic in her approach.”

The Health Help website also features a health events arm. “We started it in January as a community service. This gives anyone the opportunity to list events at no charge, from health conferences and events to health organization fundraisers,” Cindy notes. “We even have a monthly newsletter that’s distributed by e-mail.”

When she started the directory, there were two entries for naturopaths. Now there are close to 15. There are now two massage schools teaching therapy. Cindy says there is a glut of yoga teachers where there used to be just a few.

“We’ve even discovered a Chinese herbal drug being researched and experimented to assist with anaphylaxis (the shock caused by an allergy). Within 10 years, there’s hope for a cure for people with peanut or sesame seed allergies.”

The Good Health Show kicks off Saturday at 9:30 a.m. continuing until 5 p.m. and running again Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gift bags for the first 1,000 visitors, seminars and speakers will highlight the two-day event. With a smirk, Cindy notes the first show or two attracted “women over 40, menopausal or near it, but now were getting a lot of young people, 18 to 30 years of age, who like the interactive things and sample treatments, and men looking for information, not being dragged behind their wives.

Seven years ago she attended a Halifax health show “and I really liked it. The organizers didn’t do it again but I had the database from my directory. I talked to people who’d run trade shows, and thought, ‘Why not?’ I knew I was smart enough but I had to really examine the numbers. It was
going to be a business for me.”

That first show, only one day, drew about 800 people. Last year, close to 2,000 enjoyed the offerings. “We seem to have a cult following but I want to reach out to more people.”
She stresses taking care of yourself is the key to good health and at times the standard medical system can’t do it. Cindy wants people to be proactive with their care. The way to do that is to know the alternatives. She’s there to pave the way.

Bright Spot appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Be sure to read Great Kids in The Sunday Herald. Contact Joel Jacobson via e-mail at jacobson@herald.ca or fax at 426-1158, or phone 902-4260128,