Tina Rodriguez’s path to opening Sonrise Wellness in La Center began with her own health journey.
After being diagnosed with diabetes and watching her mother die from complications related to the disease, Rodriguez said she became determined to make significant changes in her own life. That experience eventually led her away from her work as a mail carrier and toward nutrition-focused coaching.
“I have diabetes, and my mother died of diabetes complications, and so I went on that journey of being healthy,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said she was able to lower her A1C from 11 to seven and eventually stopped taking metformin. She credits changes to her diet, whole-food supplements and the guidance she received while learning about nutrition response testing.
Her introduction to the practice came while she was delivering mail to In Tune Nutrition in Vancouver.
Rodriguez and her husband eventually began working with the practitioner, she said, who recognized Rodriguez’s interest and encouraged her to pursue schooling in the field.
That mentorship helped launch a new career. Rodriguez said she attended Ulan Nutritional Systems, Inc. in Florida, completing portions of her education online while also traveling to Florida for hands-on schooling.
Sonrise Wellness now offers nutrition coaching based around what Rodriguez describes as nutrition response testing. According to Rodriguez, the process uses muscle testing to identify areas of stress in the body and determine which whole-food nutritional products may support a client.
“So nutrition response testing is like muscle testing,” Rodriguez said. “It's a non-invasive way of finding the root cause of poor health and the nutrition to heal it.”
Rodriguez emphasized that her business does not diagnose or treat medical conditions.
“Do we diagnose or treat? No, but we help you achieve a better quality of life,” she said.
The process begins with an initial consultation and what Rodriguez describes as a whole-body scan. She said she looks at which organs are stressed, prioritizes them and then determines what she identifies as the underlying stressor.
Clients also complete food logs so Rodriguez can track their progress and make adjustments to their nutrition and supplement programs.
“So I'm putting out your fire, but if you go put gasoline on it …,” she said, regarding if someone were to continue unhealthy eating habits. “Because you're going to have to change your diet also.”
Rodriguez said she does not expect clients to make every dietary change at once. Instead, she views her role as helping people make sustainable changes over time.
“It's a commitment on your part for you to be healthy,” Rodriguez said. “I can't coach somebody and help them achieve their goal if they're not willing to put the work in.”
That philosophy is rooted in Rodriguez’s own experience.
She said it took nearly two years for her health numbers to reach where she wanted them to be, and she continues to view her health as an ongoing journey.
“I'm only a tool in your toolbox,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said Sonrise Wellness is designed to work with people dealing with a range of concerns, including fatigue, joint pain, dietary issues and other symptoms. She said her approach is to look beyond an individual symptom and consider what she believes could be contributing to it.
“There's joint pain, fatigue, tiredness. There's fertility problems. There's so much out there that we don't know what the under root is,” Rodriguez said. “Just because you say you have allergies; what is actually the root cause of that or fertility problems?”
Rodriguez first started her own business in 2024 and recently celebrated the grand opening of the current location at the Heritage Center in La Center on Friday, Sept. 18. She said the event was meaningful because of the community support she received.
“That day meant a lot,” Rodriguez said of her grand opening. “It was so special between what the mayor had to say, the people that showed up and the support that I have. It was wonderful.”
Rodriguez said she hopes Sonrise Wellness can become more than simply a business.
“I'm here to help give back to the community, whether it's to help coach them in health or help the community in some other means,” she said. “That's just what I want to do. I'm here to help people get healthy.”
Sonrise Wellness operates by appointment, although Rodriguez said she is working to establish regular hours at the location. As well, Rodriguez said she will begin classes and programs that will be open to the public.
For Rodriguez, the business represents the continuation of a personal journey that began with her own decision to make changes to her health.
“It's a life change and it's for the better,” Rodriguez said. “And I'm here to help get people healthy.”
Sonrise Wellness is located at 419 E. Cedar Ave., Suite 209, in La Center. For more information, visit sonrise-wellness.com or call 360-773-0338.
