February is heart health month and we are passionate about helping people achieve heart health through evidence based lifestyle measures. Join our own cardiologist, Dr. Kimberly Parks, along with Synergy Health Coach Susie Robertson for a high intensity interval training routine that you can begin using today to help reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

During this holiday season, you may consider how holiday parties and gatherings could impact your health and wellbeing. While experiencing joy and social connection are an important part of your overall wellness, it can be helpful to use moderation as a tool to engage in holiday activities while maintaining awareness of your health and wellness goals.

Think back to the last time you were running late to an important meeting or appointment. What do you remember about the physical experience of stress? You may have felt your heart racing, blood pressure rising, or even a change in vision. These are all signs of the Sympathetic Nervous System adjusting to your circumstances and perceived level of threat.

The latest COVID, Flu, RSV vaccine information.

Over the course of our lives, bones constantly break down and rebuild. In the case of osteoporosis, bones break down at a faster speed than they rebuild.

A Greener Mediterranean Diet & Added Health Benefits: Food to support your metabolism and reduce visceral fat

Soy foods (foods made from soybeans) contain isoflavones which are hormone-like substances called phytoestrogens that can mimic the action of the hormone estrogen. The phytoestrogens in this food act in a synergistic way with our bodies supporting estrogen-like function in times that this is needed, and in other times acting in an anti-estrogen manner.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important signaling protein in our central nervous system. It plays a critical role in helping our brain to forge and maintain connections between nerves, including as this relates to learning and memory. As we get older, our levels of BDNF naturally decrease which may cause a decline in our ability to maintain memories.

We know that our members have many questions and concerns about Monkeypox. We hope to address them here.

Monkeypox is a viral infection that causes a skin rash that can look like pimples or blisters. In addition to the rash, people with monkeypox can experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and body aches. Symptoms usually appear within 7-14 days after exposure, but the full range is 5-21 days. Since May 2022 there have been over 5,000 cases in the US with over 100 cases in Massachusetts. Most cases have been mild and have not required hospitalization; no deaths have reported in the United States.

As everyone enjoys the outdoors and the hot summer days it is important to remember the risks of UV radiation from the sun. Ultraviolet (UV) rays that come from the sun are invisible but can contribute to skin and eye damage.

After a colder-than-usual New England spring, we hope that our members take advantage of the warmer weather to do more outside. Moving more, focusing on breath, and spending time in nature are evidence-based ways to promote your health and wellbeing, and help to prevent illness.

Are you looking for natural options to help manage your allergy symptoms this spring? Here are a couple of Dr. Pardo’s favorites to target the histamine responsible for your runny nose and itchy eyes.

The BA.2 Omicron variant now accounts for most cases in New England. The oral medication Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir) remains effective against this variant and is typically the best option for treatment for most patients. It must be started within 5 days of symptom onset, so please be sure to contact our team upon having a positive COVID test result.

We are all relieved to see that the trend of the COVID infection rate continues to decline. At the same time, we’d also like to remind our members to please contact your physician if you do acquire this virus as there are now several outpatient treatments available for the appropriate candidates.

We are proud to share with our members that Dr. Kim Parks and Dr. Janine Pardo have once again been recognized among the top in their field as Boston Top Doctors for 2022.

Our team is happy to announce that beginning mid January we will be administering the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine for both the primary vaccine series and booster doses in our office.  

Synergy members are reminded that everyone over the age 18 is now advised to obtain a COVID booster vaccine. For those who received Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, a booster is appropriate six months after receiving the second dose.

As November brings colder weather and the start of the holiday season, and we think about gathering with family, we also know that safety is at the forefront of our minds.

We continue to expand our team to provide the best possible care and service for our members. Last month we welcomed Samantha (Sam) Maynard, RN in her role as Clinical Triage Nurse. Sam is providing Dr. Parks and Dr. Pardo with leverage to be able to triage and respond to our members clincal inquiries and related needs more expediently.

Most of our members are now aware of the update to the vaccination series for those who are immunocompromised. These patients should receive a third dose of their mRNA vaccine to complete the three dose series if they received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccination only.