It Started in December 2021
My partner contracted COVID-19 in December 2021. What we thought would be a few weeks of recovery turned into a life-altering journey that continues to this day.
Within months, they developed POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), and what seemed like countless new food and environmental allergies. Simple activities like standing, walking, or eating foods they'd enjoyed their entire life became unpredictable triggers for debilitating symptoms.
Our lives changed overnight.
The Hidden Challenge: Shopping
One of the most frustrating—and unexpected—challenges was shopping. Suddenly, every product needed to be scrutinized: Does it contain allergens? What about fragrances or preservatives? Are the materials safe for sensitive skin? Will the ingredients trigger a POTS flare or worsen ME/CFS symptoms?
Online shopping became a maze of uncertainty. Product descriptions were vague. Ingredient lists were buried or incomplete. Reviews rarely mentioned the details we desperately needed to know. Each purchase felt like a gamble—and the cost of being wrong wasn't just wasted money, it was days of symptoms and suffering.
I watched my partner spend hours researching a single product—cross-referencing ingredients, searching Reddit threads, calling manufacturers—all while battling brain fog and extreme fatigue. It was exhausting to witness, and it felt deeply unfair.
There Had to Be a Better Way
I'm a software engineer, and I kept thinking: "There has to be a way to make this easier."
I knew AI could help analyze product information quickly. I knew Chrome had released built-in AI capabilities that run entirely on-device—no servers, no data collection, complete privacy. And I knew there were millions of people like my partner who were struggling with the same problems every single day.
So I built Shop Well.
What Shop Well Does Differently
Shop Well isn't just another product recommendation tool. It's designed specifically for people whose bodies react unpredictably to ingredients, fragrances, materials, and additives that most people never think twice about.
It uses Chrome's on-device AI to analyze products in real-time while you shop—scanning for allergens, identifying potentially problematic ingredients, and providing condition-specific insights for POTS, ME/CFS, and Celiac Disease.
Most importantly, it's built with privacy at its core. All processing happens locally on your device. No data is sent to external servers. No account required. Because I understand that privacy matters—especially when it comes to health information.
The Mission: Helping Others Like Us
My partner's journey taught me that chronic illness doesn't just affect health—it impacts every aspect of daily life, including something as simple as buying a bottle of shampoo or a bag of snacks.
Shop Well is my way of helping others in the chronic illness community reclaim some control and reduce the cognitive burden of shopping. If this tool can save even one person hours of research, or help them avoid a purchase that would have triggered symptoms, then it's worth it.
This extension is—and will always be—completely free. No subscriptions, no premium tiers, no monetization. It's built for the community, by someone who's seen firsthand how hard it can be to navigate the world with chronic conditions.
You're Not Alone
If you're reading this because you or someone you love is struggling with POTS, ME/CFS, Celiac Disease, or chronic allergies—I see you. I know how exhausting it is. I know how isolating it can feel.
Shop Well won't solve everything, but I hope it can make one small part of your day a little easier.
Try Shop Well for Free