DEARBORN  — With health issues such as diabetes, blood pressure control and cholesterol on the rise in the U.S., a few initiatives focusing on alerting the Arab American community have been set in place this year. The main focus of these initiatives is preventive healthcare, with the idea of alerting and educating locals on how they can properly take care of their health before they end up with life long problems.

At the Super Greenland Market located on Warren Ave. and Miller Rd. in Dearborn, a new section inside of the supermarket called Greenland Wellness has been started by Zeina Alawieh, a Medical Specialist, who co-founded a new company called Rxtra Solutions, along with her brother Dr. Sam Alawieh.  Through a leased space inside of the supermarket,  the Alawieh’s sells exclusive heath products geared towards the Arab American community. Among these products is a brand called Saha MD, which includes vitamins for blood sugar, cholesterol level, high blood pressure, diabetes and healthier bones.

Shoppers at Greenland are able to get a quick 411 on these serious health issues with the help and guidance of the Alawieh’s. They can pick up informational pamphlets to take home with them and be put on a health plan depending on the individual’s situation. 

“The first key thing in our community is education. I feel it’s the most important guideline right now. We are trying to promote preventive care, and the reason why we chose this location is because it’s the prime of Dearborn and in the middle of the community,” Zeina stated. 

One of the main factors that separates Rxtra Solutions products from other U.S. products is that they are marketed as halal vitamins. From vitamin B to vitamin D, detox systems, weight loss products, to diabetes, cholesterol and blood sugar control, all of these halal products can be found in the wellness section at Greenland. Additionally, the company is in the process of introducing halal vitamins for children, which have already been sent to the FDA for hopes of approval. Zeina says many consumers don’t comprehend most of the ingredients that go into similar health products.

“Most pills have gelatin in them. Some medication even use liver and beef…but the gelatin we use instead is made from cellulose rather than pork. We make sure there is no traces of animal in all our products. It’s mostly cellulose and plant ingredient based,” Zeina added. 

One new cutting edge technology that can be found inside of their section  is a saliva swab kit, which is able to detect hormonal imbalance among individuals.  Those who suffer depression, lack of sleep, weight gain, sexual dysfunction or fatigue are encouraged to take the test. The kit is a much cheaper alternative for locals who don’t have insurance to run blood tests at their local physician. 

“We see where there is an increase in something and we give them a natural product. Women can be going through menopause or some women could be gaining too much weight from high testosterone levels. The tests can also allow us to put them on a healthy weight loss regime,” Zeina added. 

The Alawieh’s have been hard at work trying to spread the message of preventive healthcare to the local community. On Wednesday, they held a health seminar at the supermarket that allowed customers to ask questions and get tips on their overall health. Dr. Sam Alawieh, who was present during the evening to guide customers, says the process of alerting the community has been somewhat of a struggle. Many locals are not educated about health in general, and sometimes it’s hard to relay the message. 

“The biggest struggle is trying to convince somebody that they need something without them misinterpreting that we are just trying to sell them a product. Coming from a background where our goal is to educate first, it is very difficult because you have to get them to accept that they need the education. The education and awareness campaign of being healthy and needing vitamins to get better has been an uphill battle,” Dr. Sam Alawieh stated.

The Alawieh’s say their next step is to expand the availability of their products. At the moment, they can only be found at Greenland, but they are in the process of reaching out to local doctors and pharmacists in hopes of getting them on board. They also want to hold at least one educational seminar per month, in hopes of attracting more locals. They are also looking to translate their educational pamphlets in Arabic to target more of the bilingual community. 

The Greenland Wellness section is usually opened Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a..m-7:00 p.m. and Sundays from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. The Rxtra Solutions products typically cost anywhere from $8.00-$23.00. Currently, they are running a 30% discount special on most of their items.