Nowadays we can get our hands on pretty much anything, and choosing the right products isn’t always easy. But believe us when we say that a mindful and educated approach to shopping pays off!
In the midst of an overwhelmingly endless market, it is so important to recognize the products that will truly support you. Once you’re able to discern which products are right for you, you’ll be able to stock up on some amazing staples and feel empowered enough to try new ones.
So, without further adieu – here are some tips to help you become an empowered shopper, and a few easy-to-implement tricks to avoid any setbacks along the way!
Do your homework
Bringing to light some of the details surrounding your purchases, like how they work and what impacts they have, can be a great insight into what specific brands you’ll be purchasing. It allows you to feel confident in the standards you’ll want to uphold in your search! For example,
Some of you may be avid decaf coffee drinkers to avoid the caffeine jitters, but did you know that there may be other reasons for feeling this way? Coffee is one of the most highly pesticide-ridden and chemically treated crops! This is partly because of the demand for beans, and a need for maximized production throughout the world. These chemicals are harmful to the farmers, the communities surrounding the farms, the environment, and the ones sippin’ on the brew!
Keep an eye out for: Organic, Single-Origin Coffees! Your body and mind will thank you.
Coffee also often contains something called mycotoxins, which are byproducts of mold. Mycotoxins are produced during the fermentation process of the coffee cherries, and levels will depend on the practices being held at individual farms. Mycotoxins consumed in your daily cup of joe can have some unwelcoming effects on our brains and our bodies. In short – pesticides and mycotoxins are not something your body is craving and they can be what contributes to an icky feeling after consuming a not so high-quality cup of joe!
In actual fact, although caffeine is considered a stimulant (and yes, some people are absolutely more sensitive!) when consumed, it can help to enhance certain neurotransmitter systems within the brain. Dopamine supports feelings of motivation and drive, and acetylcholine supports your ability to focus and enhances memory and learning. So, do you think you may want to switch over to a cleaner, friendlier brand of coffee, instead of just hopping over to decaf?
Doing your homework can also help you determine whether the products you’re looking for, are best suited to your intentions. Oftentimes things might work wonders on someone you know, but won’t be of service to you in the same way! YOU are as UNIQUE as YOUR NEEDS. Thankfully, this flooded market is just about as vast as it is diverse, so getting what you need isn’t impossible – but actually, far from it! For example,
You may have heard amazing things about MCT oil – hello healthy fats for energy and a well-functioning brain! But if you have a compromised or sensitive digestive system or your body is not used to high levels of fats, you may not want to jump on the bandwagon too quickly. You’ll want to start with a small amount and work your way up to a full serving size so as to not overload your body, leading to diarrhea and gastrointestinal discomfort. If you know you want the benefits of MCT oils, but want to mitigate any digestive challenges, you’d be better off choosing a product like Brain Octane. Brain Octane is a bit easier on your digestive system, and contains C8 MCT oil – an easily absorbable fat that produces the highest level of ketones, and therefore energy and optimized brain function!
Being informed helps you better target your body’s unique needs
Needless to say, we aren’t numbers and what works for some, may not work for others! So do some digging and see what comes up. You may be surprised to know what you find!
Trust your supplier
If you’re someone who has a busy schedule or simply enjoys carefree shopping – then this one’s for you!
As much as we believe attaining your own product knowledge is vital, finding the right supplier is a great way for you to get your hands on quality products, without having to do the heavy research yourself. This will not only give you peace of mind, but will probably make each purchase feel a whole lot more intimate! The more you can identify with the person behind the counter, the better you’ll feel about what you’re buying. This can also lead to amazing connections within your community while supporting your local economy, allow you to meet more like-minded people, learn more about THEIR process, and the list goes on and on.
Here at The Wellness Refinery, it’s important for us that you have the freedom to shop intuitively, feel empowered with your purchases, and learn more about yourself and your wellness products in the process. This is why we choose brands that are transparent, authentic, and are overall supportive in nature.
To shed some light on what this means for us, we thought we’d give you some examples of the values we uphold when building relationships with new brands:
- Have they done THEIR research?
What research goes into the product(s) they’re producing? Are there evidence-based practices being implemented to create these products? - Are their practices mindful and sustainable?
Zero-waste is about ideal as it gets! - Are they local or Canadian-based?
We have so many AMAZING local artisans, handcrafters, and changemakers, we’d be silly not to support them first! Plus, #SupportingLocal has a vast amount of benefits on its own (but that’s for another blog post!) - Minority-owned and operated?
This one isn’t a dealbreaker, as we like to be as inclusive as we are minority-supportive!
This list allows us to connect more deeply within these new relationships, and also allows us to feel good about those that we’re choosing to support and share with our community. We like to know that the products we carry, do right by ourselves, our community, and to the world – and we want you to know too!
Read the labels
This can be a tricky one! If you’ve already found your trusted supplier, this process can be a little easier. However, there are still things to keep in mind before you spend your hard-earned dollars!
We’re not alone when we say, we’ve picked up products, quickly jumping to conclusions based on its appearance without even knowing anything about it. If you’re nodding your head – we HEAR you, along with the many others before us!
Although the Certified Organic, GMO-Free, or Gluten-Free labels can be important, try to also take a peek at the Nutrition Label, and anything else about the product housing that sticks out. If your eyes scroll through the ingredients and a long list of things you’re unsure of comes up, or the package you’re holding is excessive in waste (i.e. too much harmful plastic!), then maybe there’s a better product waiting for you.
Use your intuition
We are firm believers in trusting your gut!
If you have a feeling that something isn’t right, it probably isn’t. Just because a product checks all the boxes, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right fit for you. It can be so helpful to trust your gut and choose the products that not only look right, but feel right too.
This is also a great time to tone up your intuition! Next time you’re weighing the option of whether to make a purchase or not, notice how you feel when you sway in one direction, and then the other. Take note of how your physical body actually responds (i.e a gut sensation, tense shoulders), because it talks to us! It’s safe to say you may not always feel drawn one way, but just begin to notice what comes up. The more you become mindful of these feelings and sensations, the easier intuitive shopping, and living will feel!
In the end
You should never have to be held back from exploring some of the amazing products out there or be tricked into buying ones that aren’t right for you. If you become more knowledgeable, you can then make informed and empowered decisions. With that, you’ll be able to unlock the door to the vast amount of supportive products waiting to enhance your experience in this lifetime!
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