The Crestwood Pharmacy is a locally owned community pharmacy that has served the Mountain Top community for nearly seven decades.
Like most community pharmacies, Crestwood Pharmacy offers its customers a variety of services, including conventional prescription filling, immunizations, travel vaccinations, pill packaging, medical therapy management and medical synchronization to allow customers with multiple prescriptions to pick them up on the same day each month.
Additionally, the Crestwood Pharmacy, located at 10 S. Mountain Blvd., offers a service unique among area pharmacies – holistic screenings.
“We’ve seen an increase in patients who are looking for natural alternatives (in medical care),” explained pharmacist Jessica Orloski. To accommodate that need, Orloski, who along with Sonya Mylet own the pharmacy, has obtained training in holistic and herbal medicines.
“The holistic approach treats the whole person,” Orloski explained. “It looks at nutrition, stress, mindset and community support (for each individual).”
According to an article on WebMD, Holistic medicine practitioners believe that the whole person is made up of interdependent parts and if one part is not working properly, all the other parts will be affected. In this way, if people have imbalances (physical, emotional or spiritual) in their lives, it can negatively affect their overall health.
Often, Orloski explained, patients come to them because they have exhausted all other means to treat a chronic condition. Sometimes, she noted, it is someone who has been taking a prescription for some time and is looking for an alternative.
“Our goal is to give the patients the tools to help their bodies heal,” she related. Those tools may include changes in lifestyle, nutrition, sleep, stress management or movement.
The screening includes a review of medications and supplements the patient is taking, Orloski explained. “We do a deep dive into their health,” she noted. That includes the person’s family medical history.
After the initial review, Orloski may suggest testing such as for hormone levels (for men and women), in particular the level of Cortisol, a stress hormone, in their system. She also may suggest a comprehensive stool test.
“Hippocrates told us that all disease begins in the gut,” Orloski pointed out. “Chronic bloating, chronic fatigue or even brain fog all can be signs of chronic inflammation or infection in the gut.”
She may also test for nutrient levels which can show signs of heavy metals or toxins in one’s body.
Whether or not the patient chooses testing, Orloski helps them identify goals and what lifestyle changes they may need to improve their overall health.
“I identify how we can help them, but not everyone is willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes,” she pointed out.
Orloski often recommends herbal medications or holistic supplements such as turmeric or magnesium to help improve health.
Some patients opt for a one-time screening while others may choose to continue for three or six months. “It depends on their goal and commitment,” she related.
For more information on the pharmacy’s holistic screenings or to schedule an appointment, call Crestwood Pharmacy at 570- 474-5859.
