{"id":288207,"date":"2026-02-09T02:26:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T02:26:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/288207\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T02:26:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T02:26:10","slug":"boosting-immunity-starts-with-education-says-winkler-wellness-expert-pembinavalleyonline-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/288207\/","title":{"rendered":"Boosting immunity starts with education, says Winkler wellness expert – PembinaValleyOnline.com"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rachel Blatz, owner of Soul Iris<\/a> in Winkler, says her goal is not to sell people everything on the shelf, but to help them understand what their bodies actually need.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really like to think of it as kind of just a safe space,\u201d Blatz said. \u201cPeople can come in, we can talk, just see what\u2019s going on in their life, see what\u2019s going on in their health.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blatz describes herself as an educator first, saying she aims to empower people to make informed decisions about their health.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo if I can empower somebody to make the right decisions to better their health, then I feel like my job has been done,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

No one-size-fits-all approach<\/p>\n

Blatz says the wellness and supplement world can feel overwhelming, especially with constant trends on social media.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s a one-size-fits-all when it comes to supplements,\u201d she said. \u201cThis space is very overwhelming. And there\u2019s a lot of information on social media, on TikTok where it\u2019s like, you have to take this, will change your life. And that\u2019s not true for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

She says her approach starts with asking questions and learning about each person\u2019s lifestyle and health concerns before making recommendations.<\/p>\n

While certain supplements trend in popularity, Blatz cautions against assuming they work for everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoringa had a season there for a while,\u201d she said. \u201cA lot of women specifically thought that Moringa was going to make them lose weight and make them have energy. And while it may do that for some people, it won\u2019t do that for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

Personal experience led to Soul Iris<\/p>\n

Blatz says her work in the wellness space is rooted in her own health journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went through my own health struggles,\u201d she said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t getting the answers that I wanted in the medical community. And so I started exploring some other options. And that really did change my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

That experience ultimately led her to open Soul Iris in Winkler.

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Using iridology to guide wellness plans<\/p>\n

One of the services offered at Soul Iris is iridology, a practice that involves examining the iris to gain insight into overall health.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it comes across sometimes as new agey, but it\u2019s actually been around for hundreds of years,\u201d Blatz said. \u201cThey\u2019ve been doing it since the 1800s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blatz says modern research has expanded the practice, allowing practitioners to reference a detailed map of the iris.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I can look and I can see how is each organ doing? How is each gland doing? How are you digesting some of your food?\u201d she said. \u201cSo that can give me a lot of information about coming up with a protocol for someone.\u201d<\/p>\n

She says thyroid concerns are one of the issues she works with frequently.<\/p>\n

Long-term immunity focus<\/p>\n

Blatz also emphasizes the importance of understanding how immune-support products work, particularly during winter.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the major things I want people to know is the difference between an immune stimulant and an immune modulator,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She notes that echinacea, commonly used in winter, is an immune stimulant and not meant for long-term use.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can actually burn your body out over time,\u201d Blatz said.<\/p>\n

Instead, she says immune modulators such as astragalus and cordyceps can be taken safely over longer periods.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can be taken by anybody of any age and they\u2019re completely non-toxic,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

A passion rooted in the Pembina Valley<\/p>\n

Soul Iris is located at the corner of 4th Street and Mountain Avenue in Winkler. The shop is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.<\/p>\n