Related news
Morning television has become time slots marked by current affairs magazines and political information. Except Arusers from laSexta, which combines information with humor, the political and social gathering format prevails in Public Mirror from Antenna 3, Mornings from the 1st and let’s see from Telecinco.
However, years ago they relied on a different model of television, in which Mornings were synonymous with cooking, health, wellness and various advice programs.. This is how successful formats would emerge in the 90s such as Know how to live either Grandma’s Apothecary.
The absence of social networks helped these television spaces dedicated to health and naturopathy gain weight and become authentic audio guides for viewers of all ages. They were unconventional remedies and treatments, without drugs and 100% natural, but told in a dynamic, close and familiar way..
[TVE recupera ‘Saber vivir’: volverá cuatro años después en las mañanas de La 1 como programa de fin de semana]
La Botica de la Abuela, precursor of a new concept
Although many believe that the mythical Know how to live, which is still on the air on weekend mornings on La 1, the truth is that before said program became a reference in audience and impact, it began to be broadcast in 1996 Grandma’s Apothecary.
Gontzal Mendíbil was the creator and director of the program Grandma’s Apothecarya new television concept that sought to bring the most common small ailments and the most effective remedies in this regard to the small screen. As Mendíbil assured the press of the time, his inspiration was the programs of Arguiñanobut focused on grandma’s health remedies.
Mendíbil, a sociologist and musician by profession, managed to shape a television format that reached audience shares of around 1,500,000 viewers and an average audience of just over 27% share. A true revolution. Added to this was a book of the same name that became the best-seller among those classified as non-fiction.
The team of Grandma’s Apothecary It was made up of 32 people (documentaries, biologists, doctors and the presenter of the program, Txumari Alfaro). But, without a doubt, The alma mater of it all was a 76-year-old woman who delighted Spanish television, Maite Zumeta.
Widow of an apothecary and born in Tolosa (Guipúzcoa), she worked for 19 years in the family business. Throughout her life, she used natural and home remedies to care for and raise her family, based on the advice her grandmother taught her, Serafina Zabaleta. With a lot of character, Zumeta managed to get into the pocket of the Spanish audience every morning, arousing passions and moving the general public. Maite herself came to assure: “The Apothecary’s remedies are the medicines from when there were no medicines”.
Txumari at a book signing
Txumari, the visible face
In front of Grandma’s Apothecary There was Txumari Alfaro, a naturopath who had run a famous practice for a decade before. With a degree in naturopathy from the International College of Natural Health, was a pioneer in natural health treatment since the late 80sbeing one of the first to bring it to television format.
He presented himself as an expert in home and natural medicine remedies, with great knowledge in iridology -discipline capable of diagnosing diseases such as iris analysis-, but also in traditional chinese medicinelike acupuncture.
With a controversial personality, he became a consecrated face of television Spanish at the end of the 20th century and gained prestige by interviewing medical experts on its program and introducing natural remedies in different formats.
His advice has not been without controversy.since numerous media and medical communities publicly expressed their discomfort at taking some of his words out of context. He was accused of offering remedies based on pseudoscience, such as urinotherapy or publicly stating at a conference that nothing should be done about cancer.
The new stage of ‘La Botica de la Abuela’
In January 2003 the news broke that La 2 de TVE was recovering this space with 65 new programs from the hand of Ines Almagrowho worked in a pharmacy for more than 12 years, and Pedro Luquinnaturopath-apothecary.
Later, in February 2010, Cuatro reinforced its morning programming with the microspace Grandma’s Apothecaryled by Carmen Sanchez Risco. From this they developed a line of products and vitamin and food supplements aimed at the general public.
What happened to Txumari Alfaro?
Two years later he would join the staff of flavor of youof Ana Rosa Quintanauntil finally in 2000 Antena 3 would offer it its own program, similar to the primitive one, named The Txumari Pharmacy. Nevertheless, It was a failure in terms of audience and was only on the air between January and April of that year..
Subsequently, between September and December 2005, he would go on to collaborate in the space at your sideby Emma García. Inside it led the section Txumari’s advicealthough the section did not achieve much progress.
In 2007 he published the book A body for a lifetime and in September 2008 he began to collaborate in the program Health on demand from laSexta with the cook Bruno Oteiza. Finally, in May 2011, he ended up at Intereconomía TV to broadcast the program Txumari’s advicea short section that he directed and presented himself. But, like previous experiences, the format He suffered the same fate and remained on the air for a short time..
The final stretch of his professional career focused on give lectures and talks on natural medicineas well as write several books on natural therapies that are widely accepted throughout Spain. Likewise, he continued to consult focusing on his television experience and the remedies he offered at that time.
Grandma’s Apothecary got franchise your health and beauty store model through natural methods in two pilot establishments in Bilbao. From there, they spread to other parts of Spain such as Madrid, Vitoria and the Canary Islands. A mix between a natural products store and a beauty salon that included massage and aesthetic cabins with natural treatments.