Avia Lukacs

Avia Lukacs
Avia Lukacs at her home in Wisconsin

Originally from Mahtomedi, Minnesota, Avia Lukacs now lives in New Richmond, Wisconsin with her husband, RJ.

Avia graduated as a Medical Secretary from Century College in 1983. As a single mother of two she continued her education while working as a technical writer, graduating in 1991 with a B.S. in Technical Communications from University of Minnesota. She worked several years as a freelance technical writer.

Avia’s father, a Hungarian immigrant, often used herbal and folk medicine in treating illnesses and injuries. As a child, Avia loved working with her father in the garden and creating teas, salves, rubs, etc. After being diagnosed with a nerve disease in 2000, Avia decided to revisit her childhood and the family traditions for healing. Her interest in herbs took a new direction as she began to look for ways to incorporate them in her treatment. In addition, she began exploring a healthier diet based on organic ingredients with herbal additions. As Avia’s interest in natural and homeopathic medicine increased, she took additional coursework, becoming a licensed massage therapist in 2006 and a certified aromatherapist in 2005.

Currently Avia is semi-retired, massaging part-time at Massage Envy in Hudson and doing full-time care for her mother, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. She loves to work in her garden and create new recipes utilizing fresh, local ingredients. She is an active vendor at her local Farmer’s Market. Her aromatherapy products can be found at Shoots and Stems, the local florists.

Whenever possible her granddaughters help Grandma in the garden and with mixing up “potions” (as they call them!). Rainy and cold winter days give her the opportunity to write poetry, herbal tips, and short stories. Avia recently finished her first book 20 Herbs for Your Wedding and has started on her next books 20 Herbs for Your Honeymoon and 20 Herbal Teas for Every Season.