28 — THE CHRONICLE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
COMMUNITY
A R A ISI N TO SM I L E
After a long, fruitful journey of nutrional health careers, Yaakov Levine is retiring from Natural Grocers as a nutritional health coach today, Aug. 29. JEN BLUE/THE
CHRONICLE
Nutritionally speaking, Yaakov’s retirement
is going to be grape
BY ALIYA HALL
STAFF WRITER
Yaakov Levine, 66, of Creswell, has always
been on a journey to be healthier. His father was
a semi-invalid from heart disease by the time
Levine was 5 years old, and it made him want
to live a healthier life. What originally started
out as a hobby has turned into a fruitful career,
with Levine teaching nutrition to those in the
community.
But at the end of the August, Levine is retir-
ing from Natural Grocers as a nutritional health
coach. He said part of what gets in people’s way
of reaching their health goals is the everyday
stresses of life – whether positive or negative –
and “for me to fully walk my talk, retirement
will help me do that,” he said.
When he was younger, he took an aptitude
test that suggested he work in a profession where
he could be helping people; as a budding nutri-
tionist, he decided he could share what he was
learning with others. In 1990, he received a job
offer from his local health food store in Tulsa,
Oklahoma.
Levine had a few careers, working as a dairy
farmer and in manufacturing, before he focused
on the herbal products industry.
He was working in California when he
attended a supplement herbal workshop in
Oregon, and that gave him the opportunity to
join an apprenticeship program, which attracted
him to move to Oregon. One of the places he
worked was Wise Woman Herbals in Creswell,
making product, before he decided to go back
to school and get his credentials as a nutritional
health practitioner. Levine said when he looked
at the required books list, he realized he owned
most of the books on it already.
In 2007, as part of a community service proj-
ect for his degree, he wrote a nutrition column
for The Chronicle. He said he never wrote in that
capacity before and he struggled with it until he
realized he didn’t have to be an editor.
“I enjoy being able to share with folks and it’s
exciting for me to learn how to be healthy,” he
said. “I have information that I could share to
help educate others.”
Levine still writes weekly columns for The
Chronicle.
For six years starting in 2006, Levine had
an office in Creswell where he would meet for
consultations. In 2014, he began his nutritional
health coaching position at Natural Grocers in
Eugene and he said that it’s “been a great five
years.”
Store Manager Nate Hancock started work-
ing at Natural Grocers in March and called
Levine one of his biggest champions, helping
him transition into the role.
“Working with Yaakov is great. He’s
extremely knowledgeable and supportive in life
and work,” Hancock said. “I’m going to miss
him a lot. With the store, he’s by far surpassed
any expectations in his role here by bringing
in classes and creating community relations.
He’s an all-star with his role throughout the
company.”
Due to his time teaching at Natural Grocers
and consulting in Creswell , Levine has become
a highly visible person. He said he was up in
Portland with his wife and people would
approach him and ask him questions.
“I hope to have a little more anonymity when
retiring,” he admitted. “It does help that people
will listen to what I say. I don’t know everything,
but I know a lot and people trust me.”
He said that most teaching is listening and
being sensitive to where people are at, and
teaching them from whatever level they are. He
said people have different knowledge and inter-
est levels and he tries to make the classes enjoy-
able for everybody.
“Teaching is one of my favorite things to do in
the world,” he said. “To have that sort of interac-
tion, I want to make my classes interactive and
interesting and fun.”
Along with his love for teaching, a major
reason he does this work is his own striving to
be healthier. In 2000, he had a bout with kidney
cancer and had to continue to make changes to
live a healthier life.
“If I’m talking about doing something for
health, I want to walk my talk,” he said, “and
when I’m making suggestions about different
ways to be healthier, I’m talking to myself too.”
When he was in nutrition school and was
asked what he would specialize in, Levine said
he just wanted to help people be healthy, and
that he enjoys working with people regardless
of what they come to see him for. The most
rewarding aspect is when people tell him that
what they’re doing is working better for them –
“having an impact on people to eat healthier and
take charge of their health,” he said. “I’m most
proud of supporting folks to find a sustainable
way to be healthier.”
Going forward, although he will still be pres-
ent in the community, Levine said he doesn’t
have any plans in his retirement. He wants to sit
back and let the dust settle.
“I’ve been working since I was 12,” he said.
“We’ll see what happens. I’ve never retired
before; I don’t know what it’s going to be like.
We’ll see where life leads me next.”