MESQUITE - Despite the economic down turn, one business is booming -- even more so because of the swine flu. Those who buy into it are convinced it's actually saving them money on health care.
When the economy hit a sour note, many of Janet Behning's piano students had to quit. That left her with far less cash to put towards prescriptions. With less income, Behning decided to turn to illness prevention through vitamins.
"This is really helping," she said. "I just don't get sick anymore."
Behning is far from alone when it comes to turning to vitamins. Sales of supplements have surged as the stock market sinks.
"Despite people watching their spending, we have seen a steady increase in business, in customer count and sales," said Erika McCarthy, with the Sunflower Shoppe in Colleyville.
Market research from Information Resources, Inc. showed business in the vitamin industry as a whole has gone up more than eight percent.
"They can't afford to go to the doctor," said Bryan Bradford, a certified nutritionist. "They can't afford to be home with sick kids. So, they're looking for alternative cares to at least try to keep them healthy during the meantime."
Bradford said sleep aids and stress busters are among the more popular sellers.
"Anything that deals with the immune system, including probiotics, is what we're selling," he added.
As a means to boost the immune system, Vitamin C and colostrum have also been hot sellers as well.
For Behning and her sister, Nadine Burke, elderberry concentrate has proven to be an ounce of prevention.
"If nothing else good happened out of my husband losing his job and losing our insurance, this was something that got me off of all those medications," Burke said.
Doctors caution about substituting supplements for traditional health care.
But, Behning said thanks to eating right and taking some key vitamins, she doesn't need much medicine in her cabinet anymore.
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