Apothecary added to healing centre

A healing centre in Woy Woy has undergone a change of ownership and a facelift.

Naturopaths Liliana Aitken-Jones and Tiffany Smith took over the Gnostic Healing and Natural Apothecary Centre in July.

Renovations were completed last month, including the addition of a new naturopathic apothecary for the dispensing of herbs, nutraceuticals and hand-blended skin care preparations.

Ms Aitken-Jones said there was much that existing customers would be familiar with, but alongside existing services and practitioners, additional services and more specialised products had been introduced.

The retail shop has been expanded to house the new naturopathic dispensary and an extensive range of herbs and healing tea blends.

Founded on an old-world style apothecary and based on traditional herbal knowledge from a bygone era, the Natural Apothecary specialises in accessible affordable natural remedies via a walk-in dispensary, she said.

Creams will be prescribed for a range of skin problems, and their own skin care products will be available.

"Where possible we'll use recyclable and sustainable packaging and will offer a refill service on our products if a customer returns their cleaned jar to us," said Ms Aitken-Jones.

"While treating chronic and acute health care conditions is our prime focus, our practitioners also view themselves as having a role to play in health education.

"Promoting good health to prevent ill health is vital, with the benefits ultimately leading to greater self-responsibility for health, less reliance on drugs, reduced costs on the community, healthier people and a healthier planet," she said.

Email, 1 Sep 2011 Liliana Aitken-Jones, Gnostic Healing and Natural Apothecary Centre