Natural Remedies | Murdock Herb Pharm Dispenses Sound Advice Along With Herbal Remedies
on September 6th, 2010 at 12:27 amAs an adult, Mitchell was a frequent customer at a health food store and later went to work there. Fourteen years ago, she opened her own, Murdock’s Herb Pharm, on Independence Drive in Warner Robins.
She admits she expected a more open-minded reception in a city where so many workers came from all over the country.
“We’re talking 14 years ago. It was hard when we first started. This was ‘snake oil.’ ’’ said Mitchell. “It wasn’t as mainstream as it is now, where you have Dr. (Mehmet) Oz on TV talking about the natural ways.
“This was a fight, tooth and nail, because of course the drug companies didn’t like us. But look at all the information coming out now.”
Complementary medicine has seen a surge in popularity as more people are turning to herbal supplements and other natural methods. That surge has meant more products on the shelf, with more claims about their benefits.
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Mitchell counsels customers on their purchases, helping them separate fact from fiction and making sure they know about possible interactions with prescription medicines and other supplements.
For example, she had a wave of customers come in to buy gingko biloba after Dr. Oz, a frequent guest on “Oprah” who now has his own TV show, was on the air touting the herb’s benefits regarding memory and Alzheimer’s.
She talked someone out of a purchase after learning the customer took a prescription blood thinner, which can have dangerous interactions with gingko.
“As much as they ask me questions, I ask questions back of my customer. If somebody comes in for something, and they haven’t asked me any questions, I ask them, ‘What are you taking this for?’ Because I’m not a pill pusher. I talk customers out of stuff, too. I’m a firm believer if you’re not broken, why fix it?”
There are, of course, some supplements that Mitchell tells customers they absolutely should take. Women, for example, need calcium, she said.
“A good multivitamin is good because most people don’t eat well. To be honest, most things all stem back to diet and exercise,” said Mitchell, who has an exercise bike in her office.
“There are great natural anti-inflammatories that don’t have the side effects of the prescription anti-inflammatories. I’d love to see people give them a try before they get on the non-steroidal anti-inflammatories that can damage their livers or their kidneys or whatever.”
One of those natural anti-inflammatories is turmeric.
“They’re even saying that turmeric has cancer-fighting properties now,” she said. “They’re finding out so much information. They’re starting to really do some studies. But I also know there are times when you do need the doctors.”
Mitchell considers doing her homework on all the latest information just part of the job. She pointed to a recent study that links some cases of the painful condition fibromyalgia to a severe Vitamin D deficiency. Customers have come in with prescriptions for heavy doses of the vitamin.
“Vitamin D is super important, and it’s inexpensive.”
Last week, she watched a doctor’s discussion on a study that found fructose to not only be a leading cause of obesity but also a toxin.
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