Ocho Rios gets IV therapy bar as Inner Bloom opens

Banking on her own health-related experiences, wedding consultant, fashionista and entrepreneur Shelle Parchment has taken another bold step with the launch of St Ann’s first IV bar, Inner Bloom. The facility officially opened recently at the Drax Hall Manor Clubhouse.

Parchment and nurse practitioner Antoinette Fisher are co-managing directors of the venture.

IV (intravenous) therapy is a growing trend among health-conscious populations. Though it has been present in Jamaica for a few years, uptake has been gradual. IV bars, sometimes referred to as lounges, are specialised wellness centres that deliver fluids, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins directly into the bloodstream, allowing for rapid absorption.

The treatment is increasingly used to address fatigue, hangovers, dehydration and vitamin deficiencies, as well as to boost energy levels. It has also gained popularity for weight loss and beauty enhancement.

Parchment said her interest in IV therapy was shaped by her own health struggles. As a child, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever and joint pain, and was told she would not live beyond the age of 21.

“When I was about nine years old, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever and pains in my joints, and I was told I wouldn’t live past 21, so I’ve worked out all my life,” she told The Gleaner. “I’m always doing what’s healthy, eating well, running, swimming, whatever form of exercise I could do, I would do. Then, a couple of years ago, I found out about IV therapy and started doing it.”

Having experienced the benefits first-hand, Parchment said establishing the facility was a natural next step.

“So I’ve created this space, Inner Bloom IV Therapy Bar, where you can come, relax and renew your body, and get all glowed up,” she said. “Every day we’re taking care of everybody and everything, and we’re not taking care of our own bodies. This is the space for that. You get it as often as your body needs it.”

She added that the convenience of IV therapy was another draw.

“I like that I can just get a shot with all the vitamins that I need instead of going to the pharmacy, buying five or six different bottles, and having to wake up every morning to take tablets. That wasn’t working for me,” she said. “This makes sense, 30 to 40 minutes out of my day to stay healthy, live a little longer and have absolutely glowing skin. We don’t just do it for health, you know, we do it for the pretty looks too,” she added, laughing.

Each session lasts between 30 and 40 minutes, during which the prescribed treatment is administered via one-litre IV bags. Fisher, who is also Parchment’s cousin, oversees the medical side of the operation.

Fisher is a board-certified autonomous Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) with more than 20 years’ experience across critical care, telemetry and medical-surgical nursing. In Florida, where she was previously registered, she practised without physician supervision and carried out general primary-care functions.

Addressing guests at the opening, Fisher explained the IV therapy process and answered questions from the audience. She noted that depleted vitamins and amino acids must be replenished, and while some can be obtained through food, many people do not eat a balanced diet or take adequate supplements.

Conditions such as low energy, weight gain, jet lag, alcohol over-indulgence, pain and skin concerns are among those IV therapy can address.

Costs vary. “It can cost about US$120, and you can take a shot for the month,” Parchment said. “A shot is a bag of fluid that goes into your system with five different vitamins.”

carl.gilchrist@gleanerjm.com