Tersia Theron believes that taking the right natural products, coupled with a sensible and balanced lifestyle, is the answer to good health, no matter what changes life brings. Tersia Theron believes that taking the right natural products, coupled with a sensible and balanced lifestyle, is the answer to good health, no matter what changes life brings.
‘Things change,” says Tersia Theron, owner and founder of Nature Life SA, which distributes a range of 100 percent natural French health and beauty products countrywide from its Joburg base.
Politics change, the economy changes and our time of life changes, explains Theron who, 13 years ago, started getting hot flushes, mood swings and other menopausal symptoms in her mid-forties.
“This early menopause came at about the same time I decided to go it alone and start my own business,” she explains.
Having been in marketing for many years, Theron wanted to start marketing something of her own, something she strongly believed in.
As it happened, she visited the UK during this time and she picked up the Daily Mail and read an article about a 100 percent natural anti-ageing product from France called French Parad’ox.
“Made from the skins, seeds and stalks of red wine grapes, it was huge in the UK at the time, and it sounded so good that I decided to visit the laboratory in France that produces it, called Arkopharma.
“The moment I got there, I knew I had found my business. Apart from French Parad’ox, they had natural soya-based capsules called Phyto Soya for menopausal symptoms and an impressive range of plant-based therapies for every possible ailment.”
It was a case of right place, right time of life, and a deal was struck.
Theron’s Nature Life SA became Arkopharma Laboratories’ South African distributor.
Arkopharma is Europe’s leading manufacturer of 100 percent natural phyto or plant-based beauty and health products, and has been for the past 25 years.
French Parad’ox was one of the first products Theron imported, alongside Phyto Soya, which is Nature Life SA’s bestseller.
“What impressed me about Arkopharma is the depth of research and clinical studies backing every one of their products,” she says.
Safety and efficacy studies on Phyto Soya, for example, were presented at the World Menopause Congress in 2009, and published in the international medical journals Climacteric and Menopause.
Theron has been taking Phyto Soya capsules for the past 12 years.
“I’m not saying they work for everyone, but ever since I started taking the capsules, my hot flushes and mood swings stopped. If I stop taking them, after three days the symptoms return.”
She hastens to add that no pill, potion or cream can perform miracles.
“To feel good you need to be as healthy as possible, do some exercise and try to keep your stress levels down,” says Theron, who describes herself as a “plain eater”.
By this she means salads, steamed vegetables, fish, chicken, steak, oats, wholewheat toast, no sauces.
On top of this she walks, does weight training at the gym and believes in a good night’s sleep – she’s in bed by 10pm.
She’s also early to rise because it takes her over an hour to drive from the Bryanston home she shares with her husband of 29 years to her office and warehouse in Jeppestown on the east side of Joburg’s inner city.
“It’s quite a drive but I use the time to make all my phone calls on the speaker phone,” she says.
She is based in Jeppestown as rentals are more affordable here.
“In this economy we need to keep our overheads as low as possible and I’m working harder than ever before. I don’t mind, it’s part of change, and I just get on with it. I still live a happy and full life.”
When she’s feeling run down, Theron goes for reflexology and to her homeopath.
At the same time she stresses that she is “not a health fanatic” and will consult a medical doctor or even take the odd antibiotic if the occasion calls.
In addition to her anti-ageing and menopause-related range, she has other 100 percent natural plant-based products that help women deal with common problems from poor circulation and water retention to migraines, headaches and bladder infections.
In September she is launching a new product from Arkopharma called Gyno-control – a probiotic in capsule form for vaginal problems such as thrush.
Nature Life SA prints and packages all their French products as the instructions need to be in English, and because South Africans prefer bright packaging.
“South Africans love packing that grabs you and South Africa is really good at packaging,” she says.
Theron’s business partner is her brother, Phil Swart.
Their biggest client is Dis-Chem, with about 60 outlets countrywide, and they have 10 agents servicing over 800 pharmacies countrywide.
They also sell their products through their website www.naturelife.co.za, but most of their sales are over the counter.
“The natural health and beauty product industry has become highly competitive. When I started the business we had five competing menopause brands, where today we have more than 30.”
An essential element of good business, she says, is to make sure you get orders to your clients straightaway – a basic rule of business that too many businesses neglect. Most of her marketing is word of mouth.
l For more information visit the website www.naturelife.co.za