From the time she was a teenager, Kim Langille knew she was destined to own her own business someday.
And she knew she could do it.
Healthy Habit Health Store is the testament to that belief. Located at 805 Prince Street in Downtown Truro, the shop will celebrate its 14th birthday on Earth Day in 2013.
Langille explained that her dream really began to take shape when she was living in Lake Louise, Alta., and read a book entitled ‘The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity.'
"It contained information I had never heard before, but which made sense to me," said Langille. "By practicing the suggestions in the book, I was able to improve my own wellbeing.
"Subsequently, I completed the Wholistic Therapist Program with the Wild Rose College of Natural Healing in Calgary, which focused on many different modalities for healing, such as iridology, nutrition and herbal therapies."
After she moved back to Nova Scotia in 1995, Langille began seeking financing for her own business.
"What I wanted to do was open a whole food café, but financing wasn't available for that. However, it was suggested I look into the retail aspect."
Today, Healthy Habit Health Store is a destination for wellness solutions.
Langille notes that Health Habit's customer is someone who wants to get everything they need for their wellbeing in one convenient, comfortable space. And with its wide range of products and services focusing on healthy options for body, mind and spirit, Healthy Habit can certainly deliver.
Some customers arrive at the shop seeking help when conventional approaches no longer provide results.
"Positive results can be achieved through alternative healing therapies if individuals follow the suggested guidelines of lifestyle changes and abstentions," said Langille.
One of these therapies is traditional Chinese medicine, which is based on the premise that everything on the outside of the body, from lines to coloring to voice, is indicative of what is happening on the inside.
A holistic nutritional consultant is on staff at Healthy Habit, offering on-the-spot consultations or private appointments, depending on the complexity of the health issue. Space is also provided for various practitioners every Tuesday and Thursday, including a foot reflexologist.
"Applying pressure on the sole of the foot can stimulate energy to vital organs," said Langille. "Holistic therapies believe everything is connected."
Personal care products include a new line of 100 per cent natural cosmetics, lifestyle products feature a wide range of yoga accessories and feng shui tips for the bedroom may help with sleep problems. And then there's all the food - healthy never sounded so good!
Health Habit's take out menu is primarily vegetarian, always wheat and dairy free, with a focus on gluten free, as well. Selections range from sandwiches on wheat free bread to hot dishes such as sweet potato smoked chipotle chili and kamut lasagna rollups. Gluten free cookies, date squares and muffins are specialities and the Nova Scotia roasted Just Us percolated coffee offers up the taste and aroma of traditional brewed coffee.
Fish Fridays and free-range meats, including pastured beef, poultry and venison, offer non-vegetarian options.
"We like to call it the slow food-fast food movement," said Langille. "Everything is prepared from scratch, but ready to go in a moment!"
New not only to Healthy Habit but also to Colchester County is ‘Healthy Blossoms.' Featuring a variety of colorful fruits, these visually spectacular arrangements offer bouquets you can eat.
"They're perfect for any occasion - birth, graduation, seasonal holidays, corporate events. They're definitely a conversation piece; people literally gather around the bouquets at a function, so they become a social attraction."
But what Langille feels really sets Healthy Habit apart as an organic and natural foods destination is trust in the delivery of knowledge.
"Having excellent personal wellbeing is not something to take lightly and people trust the answers they get to their questions here," she said.
Whether it's healthy food for the family, aromatherapy for a stuffy nose, beeswax candles for your table, coffee and a snack for a mid-day break, a unique bouquet for a special occasion or answers to your health-related questions, Langille and her staff at Healthy Habit Health Store can provide exactly what you need for your personal wellbeing.
TAGLINE: Grace Murray is the promotions and marketing co-ordinator for the Downtown Truro Partnership. Her column featuring downtown businesses appears monthly in the Truro Daily News.
