LIL CHATS: Meet Bailey Jelinski, founder of wellness brand MORNINGS
Photo provided by MORNINGS.
Here at The Ging Edit, naturopathic medicine has been a long-time staple in our wellness journey. Weβve turned to adaptogens to heal our over-worked adrenal glands after a demanding 9-5 has taken its toll. We begin our days with vitamins and minerals like vitamin b and trusty iron to keep our energy levels up, and on an odd night when we canβt sleep - weβre definitely reaching for the melatonin.
But since the advent of the global pandemic that has changed arguably the way we function as humans for good, weβve seen an entirely subsequential pandemic arise: we are stressed, we are anxious, and we are fatigued. We are in a global crisis of imbalance and weβre spending either all of our hours communicating and being entertained via screens, and for front-line workers and those with children, constantly in what feels like a battle zone. For MORNINGS founder Bailey Jelinski, who launched her line of functional herb and adaptogens in the midst of the global pandemic, it was her intention to address these common ailments felt by all too many with her range of simple, all-organic (and equally visually pleasing) extract tinctures.
Below, in the first of our LIL CHATS series, Jelinksi shares with us her thoughts and beliefs towards what it means βto be wellβ, and just how her adaptogen, immunity-boosting, and anti-inflammation blends can fit into your wellness journey. Whether it be calming the nervous system with MORNINGS Organic Ashwagandha, winding down after too much screen time before bed with the sleep-inducing Zzz Remedy, or increasing our immunity with Organic Echinacea, these potent, 50ml tinctures are a beautiful way to begin, or end, the day.
Q
What is the inspiration behind the brand? Can you tell us a little bit about the importance of your ashwagandha, echinacea, and sleep remedy blends?
I created MORNINGS because I was looking for a product that was high-quality and convenient to use but also looked good on my shelf. When looking at the market there weren't many herbal extract products available that fit into the lifestyle category, most were very medicinal looking and didnβt appeal to my aesthetic.
I chose to launch with organic ashwagandha, echinacea and a sleep remedy because I wanted to hit a variety of categories while also offering more recognizable herbs that most people have heard of before. Echinacea was my first choice because it has always been my go-to when my immunity is feeling compromised. Ashwagandha is another widely used herb due to its ability to ease stress and anxiety and has been used for over 4,000 years in Ayurvedic medicine. When creating both MORNINGS Echinacea and Ashwagandha drops, we developed the extracts to have a higher concentration of herbs per volume of finished product compared to competing extracts. Providing a stronger concentration enables the herbs to be more effective thus allowing the customer to use less product.
Lastly, MORNINGS sleep remedy, which we called Zzz Remedy, is the first herbal blend MORNINGS offers. There are many sleep remedies on the market so we took a look at what herbs work together most effectively when developing a sleep aid which resulted in selecting valerian, hops and lemon balm. The inability to fall asleep or have a deep restful sleep is something that many people suffer from, I wanted a product that could be used nightly or in a case-by-case situation.
Q
How important was it for you to maintain a locally-made product?
When beginning to research manufacturing for MORNINGS products I really wanted to find a company within Canada that I would connect with and trust where they were sourcing ingredients from. I also wanted to find someone in Canada to keep my start-up costs low while also supporting another Canadian business. Ultimately, I found someone within British Columbia which was the icing on the cake.
Q
What is your history with health and wellness? Have you always incorporate naturopathic medicine into your lifestyle?
Iβve always led, what I believe to be, a fairly healthy lifestyle. I grew up in a household where my mom always cooked very nourishing meals made from fresh ingredients and products. There was never a recipe she wasn't afraid to tackle and was always open to all food groups and ethnicities when cooking. When I moved away from home, I had a pretty good understanding of how to prepare wholesome meals for myself and leaned into exploring new flavours and ingredients.
As I got older and naturopathic medicine became more mainstream, I began doing research and incorporating the odd herb and supplement into my diet. What really opened my eyes to naturopathic medicine was when my acupuncturist introduced me to muscle stress testing. When prescribing naturopathic medicine to me she used this technique and it made me realize the importance of listening to your body and finding the right herbs that specifically work with your body
“What really opened my eyes to naturopathic medicine was when my acupuncturist introduced me to muscle stress testing. When prescribing naturopathic medicine to me she used this technique and it made me realize the importance of listening to your body and finding the right herbs that specifically work with your body.”
β BAILEY JELINSKI
Q
What are some of the current practices you embody on a daily basis to ensure that you maintain mental, emotional, and physical wellness?
Movement and exercise have been a big part of my life for many years. I try to make a conscious effort to move every day even if itβs just getting in a walk around the neighbourhood. I always feel my best after a workout, it helps clear my head and release any stress Iβve been holding on to.
Additionally, I strive to eat a healthy, balanced diet with an emphasis on fresh vegetables, fruit and whole grains. Iβve been a vegetarian for over 11 years and have eaten a predominantly plant-based diet for the last 4 years. With that being said, I lean into my craves and indulge every now and then β sweets are my weakness!
Q
Are there any specific past times, hobbies or interests that are helping you get through the global pandemic and challenges that come along with it?
Getting outside has been huge for helping me get through the monotony of the pandemic. My finaceΓ© and I started integrating nightly walks into our routine as a way to wind down before bed which I always look forward to especially after a long day.
Q
What are some of your biggest aspirations for the brand, and in life?
My aspirations for MORNINGS is that the brand continues to grow and educate customers on the power of plants. It is important for MORNINGS to maintain its approachability with its products, messaging and imagery. I would like to expand MORNINGS product range across other categories in the lifestyle and beauty realm. Our focus in 2021 will be expanding into wholesale, MORNINGS receives numerous requests every week from businesses interested in carrying our product and I believe this expansion will allow MORNINGS to reach a wider audience. We will also be expanding our product line shortly with a new mushroom extract which I am really excited about followed by additional herbal blends.
My personal aspirations are to stay true to myself and maintain integrity in both business and life decisions. Itβs easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of what other people and brands are doing but it's important to take a step back and acknowledge what works best for myself, my family and business.
SHOP MORNINGS
ORGANIC ASHWAGANDHA
50ml, $35 CAD.
When it comes to the nervous and endocrine systems, ashwagandha is your best friend. This mighty adaptogen has been used for thousands of years in cultures around the world for its anti-anxiety and anti-stress mechanisms and today, naturopaths prescribe ashwagandha for all the same reasons: to increase the vitality of the adrenal glands, and to calm the body and mind through its cortisol and blood sugar-regulating properties. Each 50ml MORNINGS bottle contains 333mg Certified Organic ashwagandha, and the brand recommends multiple doses throughout the day dropped under the tongue, or in your favourite smoothie.
ORGANIC ECHINACEA
50ml, $30 CAD.
We all want to rely on our immune system to ward off infection and disease, right? Well, echinacea is your guy when it comes to strengthening your immune response to all the yuckies out there. Since naturopathic medicine is all about preventing disease and infection, this flowering plant is key for warding off the common cold and flu, and it can be taken seasonally, or throughout the year.
ORGANIC REISHI
50ml, $37.
In some naturopathic practices, there is the belief that the route of all disease is considered to be inflammation. In this case, the reishi mushroom reigns king as the go-to supplement to aid in inflammation (an abundance of research has shown it helps to reduce tumour size in cancer patients) but its also known for the cognitive and immunity benefits, and positive energizing effects.
ZZZ REMEDY
50ml, $40 CAD.
Made with valerian, hops, and lemon balm, Zzz Remedy is said to reduce jitters and anxiety before bedtime to soothe you into a deep sleep. Thi blend includes lemon balm, which is widely known in the naturopathic-world to be beneficial for those suffering from insomnia, or other sleep disorders. We think this is the perfect blend to try to help us relax and wind-down, especially after these anxiety-inducing pandemic days.
Follow Bailey Jelinski and MORNINGS on Instagram.
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