In his youth, Damian Paul used to work with bands like the Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin. While others may find the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle a one-way ticket to rehab, this former sound man found a new healthy life.

‘As I met more and more people who were into nutrition–you know how musicians are–that influenced me to become a vegetarian in 1969,’ says Damian, owner of the Source Natural Food Store in Kailua.

He followed his new passion into a career, opening a natural foods bakery in Hilo and eventually moving it to O’ahu in 1976. Ten years later, he opened the Source, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in July.

Along with his wife Karen, Damian Paul tries to helps others make sound nutritional choices through diet at the Kailua store. The Pauls, who have been married for 13 years and have eight children, integrate their lifestyle into the community. Karen, who is nearing completion of her Naturopathic Doctorate, has a background in nutrition and holistic healing. Damian has worked as organic farm inspector since 1994 and serves on the board of the Hawai’i Organic Farmers Association. In addition to the over-the-counter recommendations, the two also host a nutrition-based radio talk show Saturday mornings and hold monthly community-based meetings after hours.

‘For us, it’s always a lifestyle first, and then it’s a business,’ Damian says. ‘We just feel fortunate that something that we are able to work in this business we believe in so much.’

Karen is a member of the Women’s Community Group. The group, which meets monthly, began about five years ago as a response to community questions. It’s an informal group. No dues, no fees. People come and go as they please. Men used to attend, but they also tended to drop out. They try to discuss issues that may affect the larger whole and set the record straight on misinformation.

‘We started to see a lot of common symptoms and ailments,’ Karen says. ‘It’s more of a hui thing. We share information. We update on what everybody has read–hormone balancing and environmental toxins and things that affect the health of our children, health of our families. We talk about things that could be a community as well as a global concern. It’s almost like a community effort.’

On their talk show, which can be heard from 9-10 a.m. at K108, AM 1080, the duo interviews doctors, specialists and others within the natural foods industry. Though they haven’t yet had a call from Ni’ihau, Damian estimates the listening audience at roughly 10,000. On their show, they try to bring a different voice to traditional media coverage.

‘Seventy-five percent of the media coverage of the natural foods industry is negative,’ Damian says. ‘It’s amazing. If there is what we consider a flawed study, it will get so much publicity. But when the true information is brought to surface, the media doesn’t cover it.

Damian worked as a farm inspector for HOFA for many years, at one point serving as its president. When his tenure ended, he had the business certified. It’s the only certified organic grocery store in the state, which may be irrelevant to other sellers of organic goods. But for the Pauls, certifying their store is an extension of their beliefs.

‘I believe in organics,’ Damian says. ‘For many different reasons. I believe organic produce has more nutrition than conventional produce. When you use chemical pesticides on produce, they always wind up on our waterways. And we live in a fragile island environment.’

Since the Source opened in 1986, the Pauls have witnessed the revolution of organic goods. Double-digit growth of organic produce have made the big chains take notice. The small neighborhood store now competes with Costco, Safeway and even Wal-Mart.

‘We’ve seen a lot of places come and go,’ Damian says. ‘And now supermarkets are carrying organic groceries. But that’s OK. Because we offer cutting edge information. People can come in here, ask questions and get an intelligent answer. My wife is a nutritionist. I worked as an organic farm inspector. That kind of information isn’t available at the supermarket.’

On one recent weekday morning, one of every two people came in and asked for Karen. Nearly 100 people a week come into the store to seek her advice. ‘I’m trying to clone her,’ Damian says. But Karen modestly demurs.

‘It’s really a two-way street,’ Karen says. ‘Our customers–they are the barometers of what’s going on in the community. They come in with all kinds of tidbits of information. They give us old remedies from their grandparents’ time. The kinds of things that the kama’ainas used.’

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