Bites Nearby: Cafe Eden

Abby Sayler, the owner of Abby’s Health and Nutrition store as well as Café Eden at 14374 N. Dale Mabry Highway, is passionate about helping people get healthy. 

Sayler has spent her lifetime understanding the human body - first as a medical illustrator and later as a certified natural health professional.

Sayler’s store, which opened in 1997 and moved to its current location in 1999, is a mecca for those looking embrace a healthy lifestyle. The store offers supplements, vitamins, organic produce and sugar-free and gluten-free alternatives.  

The Café Eden menu follows the store’s philosophy offering smoothies, fresh juices and a wide variety of prepared foods - all of which are 99 percent organic.

Patch’s Gina Melton had the chance to sit down with Sayler to discuss her health philosophies.

Patch: How did you get into this industry?

Sayler: I was semi-retired, working at another health and nutrition store, when a father brought in his very sick son. We were able to get him on a supplement and nutrition program that eviscerated his symptoms over nine months. After that, the father suggested that I open my own store, and offered to finance the business.  We’ve been growing ever since. I wasn’t really keen on naming the store “Abby’s,” but I was encouraged to do so since it’s really my vision and passion.

Patch: What do you find most satisfying about owning your own store?

Sayler: I’ve had the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives.  I am able to help people with their health problems, sometimes by using bio-energetic testing (sometimes called muscle testing). My goal is to assist people on the road to disease prevention and help them be empowered to take their health in their own hands.  That’s powerful.

Patch: Tell me more about Café Eden.

Sayler: The café features take-out or eat-in options, including smoothies, juice, prepared foods and sandwiches. Many of the sandwich rolls are wrapped in rice paper so there are not a lot of carbohydrates. Also, our homemade soups are really the best!

Patch: If there was one eating tip that you could pass along to Patch readers, what would it be?

Sayler: Integrate more organic raw veggies in your diet! The best way to prepare veggies so that they maintain nutritional integrity is to roast or sauté them.  Boiling them zaps all the nutrients.

Patch: You take pride in being an educator. What types of programs do offer the public?

Sayler: We offer litany of free seminars. For example, in May, we have a raw food education and cooking demonstration on May 12, as well as seminar about how to alleviate chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia on May 18.