TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Hearing your child has an auto-immune disease is something that can be difficult to navigate. But a Twin Falls couple’s search to better their daughter's health through nutrition has led them to become business owners.
4 Roots Juice Bar and Gluten-Free Cafe have been owned and operated by Beth Sluder and Chris Steen for the past three years. Before they were owners, Sluder was looking to nutrition as a way to help her daughter's auto-immune disease, and 4 Roots was one of the only local places that could accommodate their daughter's auto-immune diet.
“She was getting life flighted all the time, she was almost dying, we were always in the hospital," said Sluder.
Through Sluder’s research with the auto-immune diet, they now credit a change in their daughters' diet to saving her life. They often visited for help and later became the family businesses when the previous owner decided to sell.
“We always use the highest quality ingredients so that people are not coming in here and getting sick," said Sluder. “It’s like a safe place for people in here.”
Since taking over, they have made some changes. Their menu of juices, smoothies, and food items now cater to various diets, including vegan, paleo, and keto-friendly. Both Sluder and Steen say the most rewarding part of being owners is helping people who are in situations just like theirs.
“They have just gotten some bad news about their own health and they come to us for guidance and encouragement,” said Steen.
Their newest goals include starting a new location from scratch in a bigger location and expanding throughout the state.
“To try and inspire the community, you do not have to just hide behind a mask. You can be proactive about your health,” Steen said.
