m e dicapy p h a r macy - b o bbi e ba r b r e y , r p h , cc n Mr. Barbrey in a health planning session.
Art, Science and Healing
“I will never give up on the in
potential for healing every patient.”
their doctor test their fasting insulin. That’s an earlier clue of sugar handling issues because it will be elevated before your fasting blood sugar starts rising, putting you on the path to becoming a full-fledged diabetic. And have your hemoglobin A1C tested at the same time. These are simple ways to get a heads up if you are headed down the wrong path.”
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C h an gi n g Vie ws
Livin g t h e D iagn o sis
Mr. Barbrey expresses concern about “receiving a diagnosis that may lead people to start living the diagnosis, to believe that they are trapped—possibly for life—in a disease state: ‘I’m a diabetic!’ “At this point,” he says, “I love to interact with the patient and say, ‘OK, you’ve got this diagnosis, and I respect the medications that you have to take—but let’s look at this condition differently.’ “‘Your body wants to be healthy, and our goal is to provide the support it needs to achieve optimum health. Now comes the hard part: You have to be an active participant. You have to step up and say, ‘OK, I ignored the symptoms and now I’m in this position carrying a label, and I’m willing to do something about it.’ “I’m blessed,” he says, “to be working with a technology called BioMeridian Stress Assessment, a non-invasive scanning device that is a blending of art and science. It helps me identify possible areas of inflammation in the body so we can then target those areas for support. “This is not a diagnostic tool, but when we are able to identify possible areas of the body that are inflamed—knowing that inflammation is often a precursor to disease— it gives me information to make recommendations for the patient more precisely—a critical step in tapping into the client’s own innate healing mechanisms. “Of course I don’t work only with people who already have a diagnosis. Many people come for this assessment who simply want to monitor their overall health. They may consider this an early warning system. Are there other conditions that are starting to move out of balance that we need to adjust now, before they earn a diagnostic label?”
Originally published in Health & Healing in the Triangle, Vol. 16, No. 5, Health & Healing, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC, publishers. Reprinted with permission.
For more information, contact: Bobbie Barbrey, RPh Certified Clinical Nutritionist PCAB Accredited MEDICAP PHARMACY 6675-101 Falls of Neuse Road Raleigh, NC 27615 Telephone: (919) 676-6161
[email protected] www.MedicapRaleigh.com
Number 5
“When it comes to seeing diagnoses, I’ve had a ring-side seat as a pharmacist for more than 30 years,” he observes. “Early on, it was very exciting to link a diagnosis with the drugs needed to treat the problem. In those early days, I really thought the medications were helping the patient to heal, and in some cases that was probably true. But over time, I continued to see these patients come back with an additional diagnosis, needing additional medications. I began to wonder if we were really making progress—were we really improving their health?
“Eventually I came to the conclusion that in many cases—especially in treating chronic conditions—the traditional diagnostic-medication process was not working well. In 2001 I opened my own pharmacy, motivated by my passion to help people achieve a higher level of health and wellness. Having my own independent pharmacy allowed me to interact with patients with more depth and substance than ever before, and to have better control over the product lines I recommended to support their healing process.” It’s a formula that has been life-changing for a legion of clients. “And the excitement of what I do every day at work is unmatched,” he exclaims. “Some years ago, I watched my dad die of advanced heart disease. In that process he received one medication after another. I always thought he was going to get better with the next medication—I was a believer of healing with drugs—and some drugs did provide symptomatic relief, but only that. “I do not diagnose or treat illness in the work I do, but I engage with people to help identify what they can change in their lives and habits that can have a profound, beneficial impact on their overall health. Perhaps they already have a diagnosis, and with these healthy changes, the diagnosis may change or even go away. “A patient may have a diagnosis of diabetes, for example, and they may have prescriptions for treatment. Of course they need to follow their doctor’s treatment plan, but there is an even greater concern: What happened along life’s journey that resulted in the patient becoming diabetic? “There are many clues on such a journey that were simply not picked up—by doctor or patient,” notes Mr. Barbrey. “I encourage every person who reads this article to have
“I carry a variety of supplements and only carry lines that I know are of highest quality. For example,” he says, “with botanicals, I use Gaia Herbs primarily because I have been to the farm where the herbs are grown and know that they are of exceptional quality. With nutritionals, we want pharmaceutical grade products to achieve the results we need. And I love working with homeopathic products—it’s probably the foundation of much of what I do. But the goal is always to give the body what it needs to rebuild in a carefully crafted stepby-step process. “Our assessment sessions last a little over an hour. We’ll do a survey of 58 points on fingers and toes. The most important thing we’ll get out of this session is a plan—a specific plan for nutritional supplementation and a plan for lifestyle and diet as it relates specifically to the client. Importantly, I’m not looking for a cookie cutter approach where everyone has to proceed along the same path. We talk and negotiate a plan that works best for the client—not what would work for me or for someone else. “The guidance helps take the guesswork out of what to do next. It is clear and when followed, will produce results. Everything counts. A 10-minute walk at lunchtime is powerful. Do it. Sufficient water intake, restorative sleep, movement, nutrition, balance and quiet time during each day—all are important, and individualized. It’s a joy for me to guide people along this path to exuberant good health.” h&h
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will never give up on the potential for healing in every patient—whether blood sugar issues are developing, or even with the presence of cancer. I don’t react to the diagnosis. I look at how we can up-charge the body in such a way that it can repair itself and heal. It’s the body that does the healing. We just have to figure out what the body needs.” These passionate comments come from Bobbie Barbrey, who has spent the past three decades acquiring a deep and powerful understanding of the human healing process—an understanding that he enthusiastically shares with his clients. Mr. Barbrey wears many hats as the owner of Medicap Pharmacy in North Raleigh: he is a registered pharmacist, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, and an accomplished compounder of custom prescriptions. His pharmacy recently achieved PCAB accreditation, which is confirmation that they follow the highest compounding standards possible. Medicap is the first and only pharmacy in Raleigh and the seventh in North Carolina to meet this PCAB standard.
Q u alit y S u ppl e me n t s
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