As a licensed pharmacist with over 20 years experience in traditional medicine, I have also been lucky enough to work in some less traditional pharmacy settings. I am supporter of both traditional and alternative forms of medicine, which may sound funny coming from someone who peddles drugs for a living. I feel that there are many ways to support and treat the human body.

I have learned how to compound medications that are not commercially available and use nutritional supplements to support general health as well as replenish the body after treatments such as chemotherapy. These eventually led to an introduction into naturopathy, homeopathy, and eventually aromatherapy.

Through life’s ups and downs I have also learned that chiropractic adjustment and massage therapy can prove invaluable to support the body during times of stress, whether that comes from everyday life or “traditional medical treatment” of an underlying disease. I am convinced that making healthy food choices and moderate exercise are two of the most important things we can do to keep our bodies at their best.

People today have become increasingly dependent on seeing the doctor for a prescription at the first sign of a sniffle. They want a pill to make it go away and the “go to” drugs are antibiotics. This has put stress on the practitioners to “treat” something that the human body may have been able to fight off on its own and was probably not bacterial in nature anyway. As you know, colds and flus are viral, which has led to monumental overprescribing of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. While all those prescriptions certainly help me pay my bills, I’m not sure they’re always the best things for our bodies.

So the next time you feel a cold coming on, maybe you don’t need that prescription after all and you can find a more natural way to support your body in fighting it off. That is why I am devoting my Wednesdays to healthier living and alternative choices, as well as traditional medical practices.