Purify U: A Journey to Holistic Health with Dr. Brenda Branch
Jan 16, 2024
Patricia
Embark on a transformative health journey with the Good Neighbor podcast as we sit down with Brenda Branch, a visionary naturopathic doctor at the helm of Purify U. Her story is not just about a transition from pharmacy to naturopathy; it's a revelation of passion meeting purpose. Through her Tuscaloosa wellness center, Brenda merges tried-and-true methods with groundbreaking therapies like infrared sauna and salt therapy alongside power-plate devices, debunking myths and highlighting the tangible science that affirms their efficacy. It's a compelling tale of a local hero's dedication to demystifying holistic health practices, making them accessible and relatable to all.
Our conversation with Brenda doesn't just stop at uncovering the spectrum of services at Purify U. We also uncover the deep roots she has grown within the community, fostering an environment where education and empowerment go hand in hand. Whether you're a longtime resident or just passing through, Purify U's doors are open, inviting you into a serene space dedicated to nurturing body, mind, and spirit. Her enthusiasm for wellness education and supporting local enterprises is infectious, making it clear that Purify U is more than a wellness center—it's a cornerstone of a community striving for better health and well-being. Join us and be inspired to take the leap into a life of vibrant health with Brenda's expertise as your guide. #GNPNorthport #PurifyU #RedLightTherapy #SaltOxygenTherapy #PowerPlate #holistichealth #wellness #holistichealing #health #healthylifestyle #holistic #selfcare #healing #nutrition
Embark on a transformative health journey with the Good Neighbor podcast as we sit down with Brenda Branch, a visionary naturopathic doctor at the helm of Purify U. Her story is not just about a transition from pharmacy to naturopathy; it's a revelation of passion meeting purpose. Through her Tuscaloosa wellness center, Brenda merges tried-and-true methods with groundbreaking therapies like infrared sauna and salt therapy alongside power-plate devices, debunking myths and highlighting the tangible science that affirms their efficacy. It's a compelling tale of a local hero's dedication to demystifying holistic health practices, making them accessible and relatable to all.
Our conversation with Brenda doesn't just stop at uncovering the spectrum of services at Purify U. We also uncover the deep roots she has grown within the community, fostering an environment where education and empowerment go hand in hand. Whether you're a longtime resident or just passing through, Purify U's doors are open, inviting you into a serene space dedicated to nurturing body, mind, and spirit. Her enthusiasm for wellness education and supporting local enterprises is infectious, making it clear that Purify U is more than a wellness center—it's a cornerstone of a community striving for better health and well-being. Join us and be inspired to take the leap into a life of vibrant health with Brenda's expertise as your guide. #GNPNorthport #PurifyU #RedLightTherapy #SaltOxygenTherapy #PowerPlate #holistichealth #wellness #holistichealing #health #healthylifestyle #holistic #selfcare #healing #nutrition
Speaker 1:
This is the Good Neighbor podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, patricia Blondheim.
Speaker 2:
Welcome to the Good Neighbor podcast. I'm your host, patricia Blondheim, and today we have Good Neighbor Brenda Branch, and Brenda is the doctor and the owner and founder at Purify U here In Tuscaloosa. Brenda, how are you this morning?
Speaker 3:
I am great Thanks for having me I.
Speaker 2:
Am excited for everyone to learn about what it is that you do. It's very different. I've met a lot of people that have gone to see you and to experience Purify U. They can't say enough good things about you, so tell us about Purify you, tell us about your business.
Speaker 3:
So Purify U is a health and wellness service-based business that is meant to help our community to be well and stay well. So we have services like infrared sauna, we have salt therapy, oxygen therapy with red light therapy and we have a Device called a power plate. So, with using these services as a naturopathic doctor 30 years, I started using these services, probably about 20 years ago when I had my wellness center in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 3:
So there's things that I've used for many, many years, have really found to be scientifically proven and Very, very helpful. So in an hour 15 minutes to be well and stay well, I make it simple for you rather than difficult, and so it's a nice Get away and a lot of times people who use these services just feel good mentally and physically and it really makes it an incredible difference for them so this is like a an hour and 15 minutes of Using these different therapies all together.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and is this, is this say, a membership?
Speaker 3:
It is a membership you can. You know we have happy hour. You can come do a service for $20 during the hour the swell and the four. You don't always have to be a member, you can use them single. But you know, all these services really have that value of a medical service about $50 a service. But what I wanted to do is to bring it to the community so that it was Affordable for everyone for wellness, to be well and stay well and preventive and to really take care of themselves. So if you can mentally feel better and physically reduce inflammation and reduce pain and really facilitate the health in our body, really it really has made us an Incredible difference. So I've kind of formulated this over many, many years.
Speaker 2:
And it seems to me like this is a one-stop shop for wellness treatment. You know you've got you. You're a naturopathic doctor, you can see patients, you've got the different Modalities that you use, including red light therapy, but you also have a line of supplements that that you very carefully vetted and and and branded, and and those are available there too. I.
Speaker 3:
Yes, it was, you know, for me to be able to trust somebody, because I spent 30 years of working for different companies and sitting on the board for quality assurance, formulating products to take them to a market. So for me, that purpose and passion, I have been just wanting to discover everything. So this is a culmination. Like I said, I do have that kind of one soft shop because I want to help you with the services. I want to help you to your journey and wellness with the supplements, to understand, not take too much, get what you need, find out where your stresses are. Let's identify these specific. So many people just recommend, hey, take this, take that you don't even know what you're taking. You know, let's get some direction. So I'm here as a guide. You know I'm here on the journey. You know, let's walk arms, let's go forward and let's make a difference. But again, identify what your needs are, be very specific and be much more successful in wellness.
Speaker 2:
Wonderful. We'll tell our listeners, brenda, how you got here. How did you end up in naturopathy?
Speaker 3:
So I started up a school pharmacy and you know I decided that was what I wanted to do, met a naturopath and I said, oh wow, listen to it. You know how can I help people to be well and stay well. But even when people are in dire straits and not having a good time maybe they've got some disease process going how can I help them with their wellness? That can be a tool in their toolbox in addition to the medicine. So let's work together, let's make the best case scenario.
Speaker 3:
So I started, I opened up my business 30 years ago in Pennsylvania. I still have my store today in Pennsylvania, but five years ago I started in Susqueluza and I actually met my husband, bill Branch. How I made it to Susqueluza and we met in St Thomas, bill Branch, and it's quite a story another podcast, which, for sure. But you know, I felt like I always wanted to be in the South for some reason. I just, you know, watching the movies and the people are just so dear, so sweet and so kind. So I'm so glad to be here, to be part of Susqueluza and to be part of the community to make efforts for people to really move a healthier life.
Speaker 2:
Susqueluza and Northport. Both they're wonderful communities and full of people that are truly kind. It makes it a very special place, don't you think?
Speaker 3:
I really do. I mean, I just I feel very comfortable. Everybody, like I said, is just beyond sweet and I think that it's just been a wonderful time and I feel like I'm home, even though I'm a transplant. I think people have been very generous and accepting of me.
Speaker 2:
Well, I think it would be a misconception to say that we don't embrace transplants. I'm a transplant too, and have been embraced by this community and just love it. So can you tell us, while we're on the subject of misconceptions, what, what, what sort of misconceptions do people have about what you do?
Speaker 3:
You know, sometimes people have misconceptions. They're like is this science-based, is this legitimate? You know, I have really done my due diligence as far as the research is concerned. I'm really specific. I don't want to do something for someone that's not going to make an incredible difference in their life too. You know, if you're going to spend the money, you're going to spend the time. Let me help you do that wisely.
Speaker 3:
So sometimes people are, you know, they come in and they're like oh, it's a spa and it's really great. I look good and feel good, I love that. But it's behind the scenes. I am helping prevent disease. I am helping as a naturopath. I've solved too much cancer and diabetes and all these blood pressure issues and I said how can I help people to keep prevention more? So? I mean, I still help people that are diagnosed, but I really would love to be more proactive with that. So it's just, you know, misconception can be. Is this really that good? As they leave and they say I really feel so good physically and mentally. Is it all that or is it just in my head? I'm like no, it's all that and there's a lot of science behind it to prove that. So sometimes the myths are like, yeah, is this the real deal? And I have to say that it really is.
Speaker 2:
Well, an ounce of prevention you know the old canard it's worth a pound of cure. But I wish I had known I was a cancer patient and I wish I had known before my journey through cancer about how important other things are to keeping my body strong and well. I could have theoretically, I believe, avoided the whole trauma of cancer by having the advantage of, say, having someone like you in my life.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, sometimes you know cancer. It's near and dear to my heart, as I very begin in the beginning to really just be working with cancer patients and, looking at that, you know what was happening with them and what they went through. I think some of it can definitely be prevented. But I do feel like when people who have been diagnosed with cancer, when they can say you know this is the best thing that's ever happened to me, it's a real wake-up call and things you know, you put things into perspective what is my life, what is happening? So you know it's actually it's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just really how do we approach it?
Speaker 3:
How do we, you know, walk arms, you know, get the boots strapped on and let's get this going and finish the situation? So we don't have to re-experience this but identify where we may have needed a little bit of help. How can we help ourselves? And I think it can be a really rewarding experience for men's people and I know people do say I wish it. You know I would have known. But it is what it is at the time and it's great and the information is there for them and the direction is there for them. So I just think that it's very powerful that I can aid people in this type of illness and I've only found, you know, god's grace is in it. So yeah, it's been a wonderful experience.
Speaker 2:
Well, obviously you're dedicated to what you do. It must take a lot of time. Doctors are very busy, but what do you do for fun? Do you ever have time for fun? What do you do?
Speaker 3:
Well, I'm a beach lover, so I really love the beach, so every chance I get I try to get that connection. You know I'm from Pennsylvania, so I've experienced the cold and the woods and being in that up in the mountains. So now I'm exploring and being in contact with just the earth as far as like, and just being so grateful for what we've been given. And so the ocean calls me.
Speaker 2:
I agree. I think the ocean is a marvelous healer also, and I guess it's up on you.
Speaker 3:
And that's kind of why PurifyU was created, because if you can't get to the beach, it's kind of like a day at the beach you got your salt, your oxygen, you get your light red light you get a little warmth from the infrared sauna, you get a little walk on the beach, the power plate. It's very enjoyable. So that maybe might have been a little bit of an influence too of creating PurifyU.
Speaker 2:
Well, brenda, has there been a hardship in your life, a challenge that has made an impact in your life and it's brought you to this place as a stronger and better person?
Speaker 3:
Well, I can't say. The pandemic has been a little bit of a challenge and it has definitely made me stronger. It was being very resilient to be open during the pandemic for mental and physical well-being for my members and for the people that were coming. They were very grateful for it but were under the category of health services, so it was something that we could continue to do, but it was very challenging to be there for everyone and to see everybody through and raise their level of immunity and to help their respiratory system and prevent illness.
Speaker 3:
So there was a lot, but a lot was learned then, but I could say the same thing for 9-11 and in recession. Over the 30 years, we've seen a lot of things come and go and it shows you how strong you are, what you're capable of doing and the fortitude that we all have. So I think that we're all given these experiences. We can grow from them and be better for them.
Speaker 2:
I agree. So, before we go, what is something you want our listeners to take away about PurifyU?
Speaker 3:
To give PurifyU a chance. We ask people come in try all the services.
Speaker 3:
It only costs $40 to try them all. Open yourself to wellness, open yourself to the possibilities. It does not have to be overwhelming, it's baby steps. We have layers of wellness at PurifyU. So when you come in we're going to start you out, but the naturopathic can come and the water we use. I mean we're just teaching you every step of the way, so you're entering a wellness community. So if you've always thought I'd love to work on my health, I'd love to be healthy and do the best I can, we would be a natural fit for you and I think, after these things that we've had going on, your health is really what you've got. This is all we have to be as healthy as possible to our last day. It's not going to have you live forever, but you're going to live comfortably, with lots of energy, better sleep, better frame of mind, and I want that for everybody. I just wish everyone to experience life to its fullest and PurifyU can be that place for individuals.
Speaker 2:
Well, brenda. How can listeners learn more about PurifyU? How do they contact you?
Speaker 3:
Well, we're located in Tuscaloosa, at 500-town Center Boulevard. It's behind, oh on, mcfarland, behind the Heritage House and so kind of in the medical area, and they can, you know, go on to PurifyUcom. You know, it's just Purify the letter, or with the letter U, so Purify the word. With the letter U, so PurifyUcom. Lots of information on there and, of course, you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram, twitter, all those things. We're constantly providing information and education. I do have seminars that I do here in town, so I'm all about education. I spend a lot of time educating, so you know to contact us and to go online and to just you know, stop by, would be wonderful, we'd love to see you.
Speaker 2:
Well, I encourage our listeners to start a wellness journey, you know, to dip their toe in and to go in and see you at PurifyU and make a huge positive difference in their lives. And thank you for what you do, brenda, it's been great having you in the studio.
Speaker 3:
Well, thank you so much. I appreciate the opportunity to tell more people about wellness and to change our community. So you're doing a wonderful job, you know, showcasing all these different businesses, because the business world and entrepreneurship is a tough little road and any help that we can get to spread the word of what we do is very important to us as business owners. So we appreciate you so much.
Speaker 2:
Well, it's my pleasure and thank you for being here.