Back then, in the 1980s and 90s, health food stores were a novelty, and in 1999 Ms Smith's parents moved to Shellharbour and opened the suburb's first health food store Wild About Health or Go Vita Shellharbour.

Fast forward 20 years and it's hard to find a product that isn't in someway marketed as healthy or for those who are health conscious.

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Mrs Smith, who took over her parents' Shellharbour store in 2019, says that as health fads and diets have come and gone, consumers have almost come full circle.

"It started off as people buying foods like grains and nuts and then over time it moved to vitamins and supplements," she said.

"Today, supplements are still a big part, but we have gone back to looking at food base lines as well as part of a holistic approach."

Part of this comes down to a greater scientific awareness of the connection between diet and health, seen in the proliferation of dietary guidelines from authorities around the globe, but also changes in consumption habits and lifestyles, as individuals adopt sedentary lifestyles and experience the rise of epidemics such as obesity and diabetes which are caused by what we eat.

Accompanying these population-level phenomenons has been the constant procession of the latest diet, something that clinical nutritionist Megan Jones says can often lead to more harm than good.

"People get to the point where they have depleted themselves, because they've made these radical changes, unaware of the nutrient requirement for their own body," she said.

In the past, this has been addressed through taking vitamin supplements, however as Ms Jones points out, supplements can only do so much.

"There's a saying we use in industry, which is you can't supplement out a bad diet," she said.

"You can have a shocking diet, and take all the supplements in the world, but because your gut integrity is so poor, you're not going to be able to absorb any of the nutrients within the supplements you're taking."

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This return to the fundamentals of diet has been a combined interest in gut health, particularly as individuals seek out food choices that support their health, said naturopath Liselle Maxworthy.

"Any foods rich in pre and probiotics, and having seasonal, whole foods, really supports the health and the gut, and in turn the health of the immune system," she said.

At Go Vita Shellharbour Mrs Smith said the store stocks the 'free from' foods, as well as items that are natural and organic to cater to consumer desires for healthier options.

With the proliferation of items marketed at the health conscious consumer, Ms Smith said purchasers should look for products that have an organic certification from a reputable body.

"Even though it may have 'organic' on the front of a product, it doesn't mean it is certified organic," she said.

Ms Jones pointed out that health benefits of diets or products will vary from person to person.

"Every body is different, and knowing what is right for you as an individual is where the professionals can help."

As concerns following COVID reinforce trends around healthy eating and health awareness, Mrs Smith said the trend is only going to continue.

"People are more aware of what they're putting into their bodies, and really thinking, 'This is my health and this is what I need to do to be able to take control of it.'"

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