Hanna Kroeger

May 7, 2011 marked the 13th anniversary of Hanna’s passing. This blog post from 2009 was our first entry in the creation of the blog and Hanna was the subject. If you’ve never read this post, take a look! It gives you a glimpse into the busy days in the bustling New Age Foods Store on Pearl Street where Hanna helped so many people.

Hanna would walk in the back of her store at a brisk pace, through the stock room, past her employees and into the retail area.  She would stay just long enough to see how many people were waiting to see her.  Four days a week from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm she would share her knowledge with people seeking her help.  They would start lining up sometimes hours before she got there so they could be first in line.  She would survey the line, see how many people were waiting and after a quick hello to her employees jump into her tiny examination room and start with each person’s needs.

The room was all of about 6 ft by 6 ft and was filled with vitamin and herbal supplements from floor to ceiling and covering every wall.  There were a few small chairs and just enough room to stand if you weren’t lucky enough to get a chair.  By the time she asked you how you were doing and what you had come to see her for she was half way to determining it on her own.  You might have a specific need you wanted her to address and she would listen to your ideas but would already have a suggestion in hand or a flyer ready for you to read.  She would answer your questions, tell you what to do and then stood up and walked out of the room (expecting you to follow) and motioning for the next person in line to go in the room for their turn.

She gave you time to tell your story, to look at what suggestions she had in mind and probably even gave you a little bottle of the product she thought would help you.  The only thing she didn’t give you was the time to absorb what your next step was.  That you had to do on your own.  “Next!” she would say. And there you were, already out the door and talking with one of her employees trying to get all of your questions answered.  Once you got your answers, you took your new remedies home and started on them right away and before you knew it felt very good in little time.  She must be good you would say, I feel much better.  That’s probably why the next time you waited in line to see her you didn’t protest her style, you did what you did last time and in no time you  were feeling well again.  That was Hanna, she helped you feel better and that was always her bottom line.  It soon became yours!

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To celebrate the life of Hanna and her work, we wanted to include 2 recipes for you that are a part of her book, “Ageless Remedies from Mother’s Kitchen.” This book is important to the memory of Hanna because of her firm belief in finding healing in your own kitchen. We hope you will enjoy these remedies and will consider trying them.

DIARRHEA–Brew a strong pot of black tea and drink 1 or 2 cups unsweetened, sipping slowly. (Hanna once recommended to one of us here at Hanna’s to drink the tea as hot as possible. IF YOU DO THIS–please be careful to not burn yourself!)

BACK PAIN–Heat salt until hot in a skillet, wrap in a towel or cloth and lay the heated salt bundle over your back where you are experiencing pain. Not only does this hot salt filled cloth contour to your back and provide heat therapy, the salt helps to draw the pain from your system.