Synergy May Updates
Holistic Herbs for Seasonal Allergies
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.
Stinging Nettles
Components in the leaves of this plant inhibit histamine release. In fact, in one small clinical trial people taking 600mg per day of freeze-dried fresh nettle was more effective than placebo for relieving allergy symptoms. Almost half the participants stated that the efficacy of the nettles was the same or better than medications they had previously taken for allergies and there are no known safety issues with use.
Quercetin
Quercitin is an interesting compound found in many plants including apples, onions, citrus fruits, and dark-colored berries. It has activity that stabilizes the membranes of components of our immune system called mast cells which reduces the release of histamine. It is also an effective anti-inflammatory. Studies looking at this bioactive indicated efficacy at doses of 500mg twice per day.
As always, discuss with your doctor whether these herbs are appropriate for you.
Tick Bite Prevention and Management
With the return of warm weather, we have the return of tick season in MA. Ticks can be found in both the city and rural settings and are endemic to our region. Please remember that Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses remain the greatest risk when ticks are attached to the body for more than 36 hours. Therefore, we strongly encourage all our members to perform thorough daily tick checks. If you have been bitten by a tick and are unsure of how long the tick was attached, or if the tick was attached for more than 24 hours, please be sure to inform your physician as soon as you remove it. All tick bites should be monitored for signs of infection (i.e. spreading redness, “bullseye” rash, fever, night sweats, etc.). You can read more on this topic via the following vetted resource.
A special wellness event: Pranayama (yoga breath work for sleep) with Dr. Amit Anand
Renowned Sleep Medicine and Pranayama expert, Dr. Amit Anand, will join us Wednesday, May 4th at 2:30pm for a special live streaming event. He will help us understand how and why sleep occurs, then instruct us on introductory pranayama - yoga breathing techniques – that can help with sleep onset and quality of sleep.
Dr. Anand is a specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine who has spent many years practicing and teaching Meditation and Pranayama, including under the tutelage of acclaimed teachers Shri O.P. Tiwari and Dr. Deepak Chopra. To learn more about Dr. Anand and his work visit PranayamaRx. Additional instruction and course offerings will be available to Synergy members coming this summer. Join us May 4th to start to explore how to harness the power of your breath under Dr. Anand’s masterful guidance.
May Food-as-Medicine Event
We are thrilled to have Dr. Jacob Mirsky, director of the MGH Revere Food Pantry joining us for our monthly class on May 17th, 6:00 pm. We’ll be cooking up recipes that feature that week’s food distribution.
Please join us for this special event to support a fantastic organization working to enhance the health of those with food insecurity in the Revere community through access to healthful plant-based food
SENS May Event: Mindfulness and Movement 21-day experience
CCPHP is partnering with Movement Rx to bring you a powerful wellness experience at the intersection of Mindfulness and Movement!
Guided by a Navy SEAL Commander (Ret.) and a world-renowned Doctor of Physical Therapy, M2 will give you the playbook, the coaching and the accountability to summit the Pyramid of Emotional & Physical Freedom, reclaiming control over how you feel – both physically and emotionally – and over the time and attention you give to your life’s triggers in as little as 10 minutes a day.
You will be able to take back control over your time and attention, reduce negative emotions and improve your body’s function.
Get a running start with the May 11 Webclass. Then join the 3- week experience that starts May 18.
This article does not constitute the practice of medicine, healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should always talk to your healthcare provider regarding your specific medical needs.