Features | Feb. 2025
NATURAL GROWTH
By Thomas Connors
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIA PONCE BERRE
HAIR AND MAKEUP BY DORIA DEBARTOLO
STYLED BY THERESA DEMARIA
Leah Bostrom wearing Veronica Beard, neimanmarcus.com.
Change can come slowly or suddenly. It can be random or planned. It can be minute or monumental. But when it makes us feel better or more fulfilled, there’s nothing quite like it. Leah Bostrom was staying home with her kids in Wilmette when “as a mom of young kids with food allergies, I was interested in learning more about nutrition,” shared Bostrom. She pivoted to become a health coach and healthy snack line creator, developing a brand identity as “Chia Leah.”
As a health coach, Bostrom recognizes getting in shape and eating well isn’t always easy. Bostrom, who received her health coaching certification through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, didn’t get serious on this score until she was in her 30s. So, she understands the challenges but notes that no matter the individual’s genetics, health history, or lifestyle, three key elements drive success. “First,” she says, “it is imperative that we understand and trust the power of our intuition. What is your body saying yes to, what is your body saying no to? Second, to make a successful and sustainable change, we must be specific and consistent. This takes time. So many of us get frustrated because we don’t see change quickly enough. Third, habit change should not be an overhaul of one’s entire lifestyle but a small daily change. For instance, one client used to come in from work exhausted and stressed and she’d go straight to the pantry looking for a salty snack. We identified that if she grabbed the leash for the dog before she even stepped into the kitchen, a quick walk around the block with her beloved pooch would leave her energized and ready to think about making dinner instead of mindlessly eating something from the cupboard.”
Like anything worthwhile, becoming a better you takes work. And sometimes, a mental reset is required. “Most clients’ original goal is losing weight,” notes Bostrom. “Instead, if we shift the mindset to an overarching goal of longevity, so we can do the things we want to do now and for a lifetime—like someday lifting up our grandkids, traveling to exotic places—it takes the pressure off of ‘losing weight.’ Focus on what you gain in making changes, such as more energy, less stress, better sleep, happier joints.”
Bostrom’s foray into nutritional snacks began in 2015 when she debuted an oatmeal breakfast cookie at a farmers’ market. Vegan and gluten-free, her products are made with a host of healthy ingredients, including quinoa flakes, nutritional yeast, chia seeds, and fruit. In addition to that original breakfast cookie, the Chia Leah Clean Eats line-up includes Sweet & Spicy Granola, made with Himalayan pink salt, cayenne pepper, and organic cinnamon, Sublime Mango, dried mango slices drizzled with dark chocolate and lime, and the Rosemary Clean Cracker. Today, Chia Leah Clean Eats products are available online and at 30 local retailers, including Conscious Cup and Sunset Foods. They are also on sale at Bostrom’s space at 3217 Lake Avenue in Wilmette, which she has dubbed Chia Leah Headquarters. “It houses our Chia Leah team, our commercial kitchen, our storefront market where we sell all of our offerings, plus other locally owned emerging brands that are in line with our health and wellness mission, and my coaching office, where I meet one-on-one with people or to coach small groups.”
“Our team has worked creatively and collaboratively to build the brand through networking, cold calling, lots of sampling, and learning from other local brands,” explains Bostrom. “My motto in learning about the food business has been, ‘I don’t know yet, but I’ll figure it out.’”
Figuring things out never ends. That goes double when trying to grow a business. “It’s time-consuming and stressful,” acknowledges Bostrom, whose latest endeavor is catered wellness workshops for corporations. “I prioritize my mental health by exercising each morning and by setting boundaries with work. I love what I do, but to stay sane, I don’t respond to emails or calls between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Instead, I hang out at home with anyone who will spend time with me, call my daughter away at college to discuss Survivor, and get to bed early. I also lean heavily on our Chia Leah team. I am lucky enough to work with absolutely incredible, dynamic people. We all care a lot about each other, and our motto is ‘family first.’ If we take care of ourselves and our family, we can come to work focused and dedicated. It helps that we always have healthy food here to nosh on.”
Fueling a healthy lifestyle with small batch, health coach-created products. Made with gluten-free and vegan ingredients, no preservatives or refined sugars are ever invited to the party.
Breakfast Cookie inspired both by Bostrom’s mom’s banana bread and a healthcoaching client who “didn’t have time for breakfast.” It’s like a baked oatmeal on-the-go artisanal protein bar. We make these daily, always using fresh bananas!
Super Food Dark Chocolate Bark described by one customer years ago as “a carnival for your tastebuds!” Bostrom created it as an upgrade to chocolate, providing protein, fiber, and antioxidants in your dessert. Boom!
The Rachel Salad Inspired by the Jennifer Aniston Detox salad, we had some fun with the name, and proving Homer Simpson wrong: you DO win friends with salad. It’s full of chopped veggies, herbs, garbanzos, and quinoa for protein and fresh lemons are squeezed daily for the bright and refreshing dressing.
Better Buckeye This is where Bostrom’s quiet business and life partner “Chia Bill,” gets the credit for coming up with the most decadent and guilt free bon-bon that was named after his grandmother’s buckeyes recipe. Always looking to upgrade nostalgic foods, instead of butter, sugar, and white flour, these yummy bites are made with only wholesome ingredients, dipped in Chia Leah’s vegan 70 percent dark chocolate and make for the perfect healthy treat.
Beet Hummus and Clean Crackers House roasted red beets are the perfect way to add some detox to one’s diet. The Clean Crackers are filling, full of anti-inflammatory brain food, and they just hit the spot. Bostrom always tells people, “there is nothing in this cracker that your body doesn’t utilize!”
No time to nourish yourself and family the way you want to? Then stop by Chia Leah and grab healthy ready-to-go salads, hummus, crackers, energy bites, tea, coffee, and more. Find all these goodies and other local brands at Chia Leah, 3217 Lake Avenue in Wilmette. For more information on Bostrom’s health coaching services, visit chialeah.com.
