On the night of November 10, 2004, Susan Cabana and her husband, Chris, put their daughters (ages 5, 3, and 1) to bed, then hit the sack themselves. "Rachel was teething, so the last words Chris said to me were, 'I've got her tonight,'" Cabana recalls. Hours later, she heard him get up and then Rachel calling for her. "I saw him lying in front of her, and I knew he was gone," she says. "His heart just stopped. There was no explanation."

Cabana met her husband in college; they both worked in finance in Boston and were married a month shy of 10 years. "After his death, I was just a shell," she says. "I was in shock." She began to process her grief through exercise, which also made her rethink her diet.

As a newly single mom with a demanding job, she'd typically served and eaten "whatever was fastest and easiest: pasta with jarred sauce, mac and cheese, chicken fingers, peanut butter on white bread, takeout. Nothing whole or natural."

She cut out refined sugars, white flour, and highly processed foods, but still felt a void. "I was physically there for the kids -- preparing meals and getting them to school -- but I wasn't there emotionally," she says. "I didn't want them to lose their mother too."

Pictured here: Cabana's three daughters play soccer, dance, and practice yoga with their mom.

Early 2009 delivered another blow: She was laid off from her job of 18 years. "I went right back to the place where I lost Chris and felt everything was out of my control," she says. This time, rather than retreat into depression, she upped her new yoga habit to five times a week. "I was sitting on my mat one day when my teacher said, 'Yoga opens you up to unlimited possibilities.' I felt as if she was talking directly to me."

Cabana also took courses in integrative nutrition. She wanted to help others heal after devastating tragedy the way she had -- breath by breath, bite by nourishing bite. A year ago, her health-counseling business, Nourish Your Soul, was born. Cabana's philosophy is simple: The quality of food we eat gives us positive energy, and exercise distributes that energy. Making thoughtful choices every day about what we put into our bodies leads to presence of mind and joy.

Susan's Favorite Things
We asked Cabana what products helped her through her transition -- and then found them online or in stores. Pictured here: Martha Stewart Clean products. "I've switched to green cleaners," Cabana says. "I love having a house that's clean and chemical-free." $4 to $8; marthastewart.com/clean

Cabana attracted her first clients, mostly working moms, with cooking demos and workshops in her home. She typically sees them every two weeks for three to six months, exploring how foods make them feel physically and emotionally. Then she plans their menus, helps them shop, and, if they're seeking greater clarity in their lives, suggests daily meditation. "They might lose the 10 pounds they were hoping to, but they end up achieving so much more than that," she says. "They gain energy and balance."

Susan's Favorite Things
We asked Cabana what products helped her through her transition -- and then found them online or in stores. Pictured here: "The Alchemist." "This book, by Paulo Coelho, is for anyone on a personal journey," says Cabana. "It's about listening to your heart." $15 amazon.com

"Kale is my favorite leafy green," Cabana says. "It has calcium and is loaded with vitamin A and fiber. You get the benefits whether you juice it, steam it, or eat it raw."

"Good fats are important. I like avocados best. They're easy to add to almost anything -- even smoothies -- and have a high fiber content."

"Walnuts contain more omega-3s than any other nut. They're also a really great source of antioxidants."

Her girls, now 11, 9, and 7, "juice" with Mom most mornings. (Cabana advocates eating some raw food daily because it's packed with live enzymes.) She calls their tasty blend "green lemonade": a head of romaine lettuce, two apples, and a lemon (peeled to reduce bitterness).

But the newest development in their household has nothing to do with business. Cabana is pregnant, due in late December. Dad is a recent boyfriend, who remains very close. "A new life is a beautiful gift after such a devastating loss," she says. "And I'm having a boy, which is just so cool."

Susan's Favorite Things
We asked Cabana what products helped her through her transition -- and then found them online or in stores. Pictured here: Jade Harmony Yoga Mats. "Yoga helps me focus on the present. I like these natural rubber mats." From $50, amazon.com

Name: Susan Cabana

Age: 42

Hometown: Winchester, MA

What she does: Runs Nourish Your Soul, which provides health consulting through nutrition and yoga instruction

Favorite part of the day: "When I'm not yet fully awake. Listening to my inner voice helps guide me."

Most essential pantry items: Raw honey and Himalayan pink rock salt