Good health is more than just taking a prescription pill. 

Thanks to the work of scientists, doctors, and drug companies, we have wonderful prescription medications that can help treat ailments and improve quality of life.  No doubt, part of what Bluebird Pharmacy does is filling prescriptions; but we believe that a broader view of good health leads to wellness.

A few of the threads that Bluebird Pharmacy emphasizes are:

Functional Medicine or Integrative Medicine—You can Google a variety of formal definitions and in-depth writings on these similar concepts, but a basic thread is to take a more comprehensive view of good health and try to treat the root cause of disease. 

If your boat is taking on water, you could grab a bucket and start bailing, or you could work to find and patch the hole.  Prescription drugs can sometimes take the role of the bucket.  They improve the situation, but, taking a step back and assessing the root cause of the problem may lead to a better long-term solution. 

Bluebird Pharmacy and Spa believes that adopting a more holistic view of wellness that includes physical, emotional, mental, social, and environmental factors may help you reduce your risk of getting various ailments in the first place and belongs in any strategy for good health, rather than just treating ailments once they surface. Functional medicine focuses on preventative measures and anti-aging processes.  We encourage you to be proactive, not just reactive, and to take control of your health--the sooner in life, the better.

As just one of many possible examples of a holistic approach, consider that many people do not have a good night’s sleep.   A conventional step to address this problem is for the doctor to write a prescription for a medication such as Ambien or Temazepam, but these have undesirable side effects and addiction risks.  A functional medicine approach to this issue would be to consider what is causing the sleeplessness? Is there a hormone imbalance?  An underlying medical condition? Stress?  Is there a drug side-effect that causes the sleeplessness?  If so, focusing on addressing such root issues could improve the overall situation. 

We work closely with your functional medicine doctors or prescribers to deliver vitamins or other compounded medications that are tailored for you.  At Bluebird pharmacy you will find conventional prescription therapy, but also natural or herbal medicines and supplements, all with an experienced pharmacist helping to optimize your regimen.  If you are interested in an alternative therapy, schedule an appointment here.

With the homogenization and consolidation that is so prevalent in retail these days, the unique is rare, and the common is bland.  There is no other store in the world, however, exactly like Bluebird Pharmacy and Spa: A compounding pharmacy with an in-house organic mini-spa.  A store layout and retail fixtures designed by Italian architects.  A “more-than-just-dispensing-pills” approach to wellness that values connecting with nature and developing quality relationships with people. 

SPA

Do you feel good if you look good?  Or do you look good if you feel good?  Yes!  To both!

We designed Bluebird Pharmacy and Spa from a concrete slab and empty shell building several years ago.  During planning and construction, we made numerous decisions in favor of the health of our clients and staff.  Walking into the typical nail salon too often means being met with a wall of noxious fumes and particulates.  A NY Times investigation several years ago was the first to raise concerns about the health hazards of cheap manis and pedis. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/nyregion/nail-salon-workers-in-nyc-face-hazardous-chemicals.html  Bluebird Pharmacy and Spa decided to offer a different experience.  A few examples:  We chose not to offer acrylic nails (grinding creates an unhealthy cloud of dust), we chose to use premium Deborah Lippmann nail polishes that are formulated without the nasty, volatile chemicals found in typical nail products, and we decided to spend the extra money to incorporate HEPA filtration into our HVAC system. 

HEPA  How many spas do you know that have HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration—the type found in hospital operating rooms—built into their ventilation system?  The Covid-19 era has demonstrated that having superior filtration and ventilation is important in many ways.  At Bluebird Pharmacy and Spa, there is only client at a time in our mini-spa, the room air is ventilated with HEPA filtration, and both client and our aesthetician are wearing masks.

LocalNatureRx

Interacting with Nature contributes to good health https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44097-3.  Whether it is the physical exercise of the hike, the mental engagement of learning to identify different species of wildflowers and birds, or the spiritual connection of seeing the sun rise, hearing the birds sing, feeling the breeze on your skin, smelling the flowers, and strolling through greenery, it is all therapeutic. 

One thing Bluebird Pharmacy enjoys doing is helping to introduce our audience to our local Nature through LocalNatureRx series on Facebook and Instagram.  Our vice-President, Brett, whose other full-time job is being a science teacher at the Bolles School, regularly explores wildlife preserves in NE Florida, takes photographs, and reports on what he finds.  If you are unable to get outside on a given day, this may give you some enjoyment.  Also, as you learn more about the local species and where to see them, you may be more likely to get out and interact with Nature yourself, reducing stress and providing other health benefits. Be sure to follow us on social media (@bluebirdpharmacy) for this content.