Its About More Than Just Medicine
By Karen Carestia
A pharmacy listed under “alternative medicine” may come as a surprise to some. However, for Alpine Apothecary, alternative is actually a reflection of a more traditional approach. Alpine Apothecary is a blend of today’s conventional approach to healthcare with a more traditional patient-oriented approach still used in many parts of the world. Apothecary is an historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses medicine. The name acknowledges our belief that good health comes from more than just prescribed medicine. We put “apothecary” in our name to recognize the practice of preparing prescriptive medications for each patient individually.
Our compounding lab is the focal point of our practice. Within the lab, we formulate prescriptions to fill the gaps left by a pharmaceutical industry focused on medicine manufactured for the masses. By compounding each patient’s prescription, Alpine Apothecary is able to meet individual needs. This means the right medicine in the correct dose, using the optimal delivery method. It also means we can leave out unwanted active ingredients, artificial dyes and preservatives the patient may not want. In other instances, Alpine Apothecary is able to prepare needed medications that may be discontinued by the original manufacturer.
Our lab allows us to utilize effective drugs in unique ways to address many needs. For example, antibiotics can be utilized in a nasal spray to treat sinus
infections without subjecting the intestinal ecosystem to these flora-disruptors. We formulate muscle-relaxing and/or pain relieving medications into creams for local application, thereby avoiding symptoms such as drowsiness or stomach aches that can make pain pills difficult to tolerate. A toddler with a sore throat can enjoy a medicated lollipop instead of swallowing an unpleasant syrup and the list goes on. We also work with doctors to create solutions for each patient, including veterinary patients.
Like any traditional apothecary, we believe feeling your best is about more than just medicine. Alternative healthcare in the form of nutrition and botanicals is another focus for us. Our OTC department consists solely of pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements. Not all supplements are created equally, so our offerings have been hand-picked as products with proven track records, whether experienced by us, our valued customers, or upon recommendation by the many holistic physicians in our area.
Alpine Apothecary skin care products, like our prescriptions, are made from scratch in our lab using our “keep it natural” approach. Skin is a barrier, but not an impenetrable one, so it is important to be vigilant about what is in the creams one is using. Fortunately, a wealth of literature has demonstrated that nutrients such as folic acid, Vitamin D, green tea, caffeine, licorice, and Vitamin B-12 (to name few) have very beneficial effects on the skin.
Park City is a vibrant community. Being healthy inside and out is a priority for Parkites. Alpine Apothecary is proud to be a part of the local health scene by providing custom prescriptions, nutritional supplements and natural skin care products for our active population.
