Enjoy some real therapy with your retail therapy at your local health food store.

How to get the best out of a health food store!

My first few trips to a health food store were intimidating and overwhelming. With walls of product and multiple options, I had no idea where to start. But time, passion and experience has made me a veteran of the health food environment. Here are some tips for buying natural health products that will make your shopping experience a fruitful one.

Knowledge
Many members of staff at health food stores are industry-certified holistic nutritionists, dieticians or a holistic practitioners. Take advantage of their expertise by asking lots of questions. In addition to your own research, knowledge gleaned from staff is a great way to choose products with effective results. Most brands in your health food store offer additional, high quality training on their products, enabling staff to pinpoint the right product for your needs.

Demonstrations
Conducted by company representatives, demonstrations teach you more about products you already use or introduce you to what`s new on the market. Taste the newest smoothie recipe for a protein or greens formula, a new gluten-free cookie, the latest healthy snack or a sample a chemical-free body care line. Demonstrations also offer you the chance to ask questions, not to mention score some samples. In some cases you may get the chance to meet the founder of the company.

Special events
It’s common for brand ambassadors and well-known natural health authors to do national and regional speaking tours or book signings. Keep an eye out for these in your area to learn about key health and food concerns and the latest in research. Also consider attending local consumer health shows for education and sampling. Your local health food store is a source for news on such events.

Loyalty programs and deals

Some health food stores may offer a loyalty program such as a VIP card or reward dollars after an accumulated amount is spent. Do they have weekly or monthly flyer specials? Ask about customer loyalty or special event days where great deals are offered.

Timing
Most brands have their own policies and, generally, if you have an adverse reaction to a product will honour the return at the store level. You may need to supply personal details of the reaction to help the manufacturer track quality issues. Keep in mind that some natural remedies can work upon first use or within a few hours, but some may take days, weeks or longer before you start to see results. Ask the staff when you should expect to see results.

Healthy shopping on your next health food store visit.

More inspiration: Check out our guide to reducing meat in your diet!