While big-name companies seem to control the headlines in the health market, some local start-ups are making substantial discoveries in the physical fitness realm and earning a reputation for innovation.
With players ranging from small newcomers to companies that have been in business for more than a decade, central Ohio plays host to these underground ideas that are going national – and even international. The products and services that follow are a representation of individual health and nutrition ideas, and the companies and people who support a dream of a healthier world.
Beefing Up with the Joneses
Home gym supply company BodyCraft holds fitness and safety over all, and with its patented Jones machine, the Lewis Center-based business accomplishes its goal of a healthier – and safer – workout experience.
The Jones machine allows the user access to a multitude of lifts and exercises, including the bench press, deadlift and squat.
“In a nutshell, it’s the world’s safest barbell,” says Alan Gore, president of BodyCraft. “This machine is not another Smith machine. It’s similar in that the barbell rides up and down guided rods, but unlike the popular Smith machine, it travels on a horizontal plane. It follows and preserves the body’s natural movement. You’re not into a locked, machine-designed movement.”
The most popular Smith machine is a standard piece of fitness equipment with a barbell fixed within steel rails.
Habitual use of some gym machinery may result in injury because there’s no room for extra adjusting motion and natural balancing processes. Because the Jones machine allows the user to move up and down, front to back, it offers an experience that cuts down on long-term risk.
“The Jones provides a balancing component,” Gore says. “Suppose you’re stronger on one side. We came up with a way to attach the bar to the bearings so you have to balance it and develop equal strength throughout the body. It has all the benefits of the barbell and all the safety of a machine.”
With the flip of a wrist, the lifter can lock the weighted bar into place, at any level, and relieve himself or herself of the stress, if necessary.
“The bar hooks and safety spotters are always traveling with the bar,” Gore says. “If you start to fail, you can always rack the bar.”
And if a Smith is what you desire, the user can lock the vertical axis in place, replicating the old Smith machine experience.
BodyCraft has been in business since 1994, and the Jones machine – which has four different models available – is its signature product. The company recently opened up a showroom in Lewis Center.
“We’ve been an unknown entity, quietly doing business,” Gore says. “We’re growing at a rapid rate, hence the move. We touch on all the equipment categories, from weight benches, to bikes, to treadmills – all across the board at a high level. Our focus and our efforts, for 20 years, have been on making good equipment.”
Raisin the Dead
More often than not, a great night out leads to a world of hurt the next morning.
For those who suffer from vengeful hangovers after a night of alcoholic imbibing, there’s a cure with a fitting name: Life Support.
“Life Support is a drink derived from raisin tree extract from Japan, and it metabolizes alcohol,” says David Zamore, secretary and treasurer for Life Support. “It accelerates the natural processes that the body does to get rid of alcohol. It helps fight headaches and muscle aches for those who had one too many and have to work the next day.”
Each 3.72-ounce bottle contains a combination of B vitamins, phosphorus, Vitamin C, sodium and a special proprietary blend that helps detoxify the body.
The concept for the functional beverage was born when founder Terry Yanko visited Gunn Lim in South Korea.
“Terry saw all the drinking going on, like they do in the United States, but for business dinners,” Zamore says. “As they were drinking, they would have this little drink after. He brought that idea back here, where a recipe was created and Americanized.”
In need of marketing direction and a Columbus networking guru, so they tapped Cheryl Krueger, founder of Cheryl’s Cookies, for advice. Krueger is now president of Life Support.
“The functional beverage market is very fragmented; there’s no dominant player,” Krueger says. “Whoever can get to the finish line first will win, so we’ve been blanketing Ohio, Miami, Kansas City and Iowa with the product, trying to start to spread it.”
The product was practical, but the company needed sponsorship and financial backing to give it legs. Buckeye football great and current linebacker for the Green Bay Packers A.J. Hawk jumped at the opportunity to help support the brand.
“I hosted an event with the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer to help raise funds, and A.J. and his wife were there, along with the team,” Krueger says. “I was serving Life Support at my home. He liked it, said it worked and let us know that if we needed funding, he could help.”
Life Support is available at Duchess Shoppes, Kroger, Giant Eagle, Walgreens, Drug Mart and various convenience stores around Ohio. To receive a free sample, visit www.lifesupport.com.
Custom Cuisine
With chronic illness comes inevitable dietary constraints and the potential for a bland diet.
Vishal Patel, founder of Live Well Nutrition, has a background in both pharmaceuticals and cooking. With this expertise, he looks to combat culinary monotony, while preventing any complications from consumption.
Located in Hilliard, the project, while still in its testing phase, has the objective of creating custom dietary plans for those with lifelong illnesses.
“When you first go into the doctor’s office, they typically tell you to eat healthier and exercise, and leave it to you from there,” Patel says. “The majority of the time, the advice gets tossed aside, or those who are compliant only last a month, at the most. They just don’t have the expertise and methods to eat healthfully, and that’s where Live Well comes in. We create ready-to-eat meal kits for specific conditions.”
Among the company’s targeted conditions are Celiac disease, heart disease and habitual high cholesterol. Live Well will provide three weeks’ worth of unique meals for someone who signs up for the service. The meals are pre-weighed, portioned and sent to the individual.
The company is testing different options to make sure each meal is healthful, creative and appropriate for the needs of the consumer.
“We’re currently testing the use of grasshopper protein flour,” Patel says. “Would people be willing to try it? Could people tell the difference? It’s interesting to work with and see what great can come out of some of these ideas.”
A video component will be added to the meals to reduce the risk of user error.
“It’s the small things that can ruin food for taste and nutrition,” Patel says. “Blanching too long can bleed nutrients. The cooking times we give them may not be specifically correct 100 percent of the time, so the videos will show them how it should look and feel for their own judgment. It’s more than just cooking; it’s a lesson on becoming better cooks. If they want to do it outside of this, they can now.”
Live Well is projected to go live in July, but it is still in need of financial support. To learn more about the company and how to assist, email Patel at Vpatel5@gmail.com.
Live Well Nutrition’s research has found that an average home-cooked meal for four costs between $34 and $37. A typical dinner, purchased through the company, will cost about $40, but it saves on grocery store hassle, transportation and time spent researching new ideas.
Stephan Reed is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
