by Mary-Elizabeth Meagher  

This time of year, we often have two pressing questions on our minds: “How can I protect my immune function to survive the height of flu season? And what steps can I take right now to ensure I’m at my healthiest and most vibrant when the summer arrives?” 

Fortunately, there’s no reason to navigate these questions on our own—we can call in the experts, just like I am doing for this month’s Community Spotlight. Enter: Laurie Lombardi, who owns The Natural Apothecary Shoppe here in Sarasota. Lombardi brings 30 years of experience in the holistic wellness industry to the Suncoast region, and it’s my pleasure to introduce you to her wealth of insight in the Q&A discussion below.    

Natural Awakenings: Could you summarize the inspiration and motivation behind opening the Natural Apothecary Shoppe here in Sarasota?  

Laurie Lombardi: I have always known that beauty starts from within, and this core value has informed each stage of my career. I first began as a makeup artist for NBC Studios on The Today Show, Saturday Night Live, Inside the Actor’s Studio and Late Night with David Letterman, as well as many feature films. In both 2001 and 2002, I also won the “Outstanding Makeup Artist” Emmy Awards for my work on David Letterman. 

However, my belief that wellness and beauty are influenced by more than just one’s surface-level appearance motivated me to earn Clinical Nutrition and Paramedical Esthetician degrees as well. I am passionate about educating others on how their dietary choices, exercise regimens and other lifestyle factors impact their overall skin health, so I used my scientific knowledge and partnered with a chemist to formulate a natural skincare and cosmetic line, which sold at prominent locations throughout New York City.  

Then, the infamous events of 9–11 occurred, causing my business to shutter in the aftermath. Fortunately, I later met my now-husband Eric Sauer, a Holistic Pharmacist with 30 years of experience in the field. At this time, he owned a natural compounding pharmaceutical company in New Jersey. Soon after, we joined forces to create another USDA organic skincare line together. This business was successful for a number of years, but we’ve since chosen to leave the Northeast and move to Sarasota. This is how the Natural Apothecare Shoppe came into existence, and it’s now been open for one full year.     

 NA: Which products, services and wellness protocols do you offer at the Natural Apothecary Shoppe, and what can clients expect when they come here?  

Lombardi: We have our line of organic skincare, and Eric has his own brand of nutritional supplements and digestive enzymes, which he has been formulating for 20 years. All of these supplements are natural and professional-grade to help the body extract nutrients from food more efficiently. We also offer plant-based multivitamins, probiotics to increase healthy gut bacteria, and homeopathic tinctures and elixirs.   

Eric is an expert in both homeopathy and enzyme therapies. He believes that digestion is a barometer for wellness. Immune function is related to gut health which, in turn, is directly proportional to digestive enzyme levels. Therefore, low enzymes can make one more susceptible to illness. Nobody should have to resign themselves to this immune dysfunction, however. No matter your age, it’s still possible to achieve a healthier lifestyle. In fact, Eric creates tailor-made protocols for clients from six months to over 90 years old.   

NA: With the height of flu season currently upon us, what would you tell someone who wants to ward off illness and strengthen immune function naturally?  

Lombardi: We work with clients to help them find relief from any number of illnesses that compromise immune function. Our advice is to choose natural, organic supplements with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. A few nutritional supplements we recommend to bolster immune resilience include zinc quercetin, vitamin B complex, protease enzymes, NAC and NOS enzymes, and NRF2 accelerator longevity boost.  

Hormone replacement therapy can be an effective immune boosting protocol as well. Eric has partnered with a local physician in the Sarasota area named Dr. Rademaker to formulate a compound, non-synthetic, yam-based hormone replacement therapy lozenge. He performs a one-day saliva test on clients to evaluate the whole kaleidoscope of their adrenal function and hormone balance at the cellular level, then he customizes the hormone replacement therapy in order to meet their unique, specific health needs.  

Many of the clients we see are exhausted—they’ve often been to multiple doctors without achieving relief. We’re not physicians, so we do not treat their conditions, but since we both have worked in the natural wellness space for 30 years, we are here to help anyone who walks through our doors. We also believe in the power of educating our clients to find holistic, long-term solutions for their own quality of life. This mission is the backbone of our business philosophy, and it continues to fuel our presence in the Sarasota community.  

Laurie Lombardi, MS, CDN, is the owner of The Natural Apothecary Shoppe, located at 6608 Gateway Avenue, Sarasota. Laurie is a Clinical Nutritionist and Paramedical Esthetician, while her husband Eric Sauer, R.PH., DHPH, is certified in Enzyme Therapy, Homeopathy, Clinical Nutrition and Homotoxicology. For more information on The Natural Apothecary Shoppe, call 941-554-8623 or visit NaturalApothecaryShoppe.com.