By Miles J. Varn, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at PinnacleCare As the winter holidays approach, people are hoping to make up for the togetherness they missed during last year’s holiday season because of the pandemic. Much has changed since last year’s holidays and even since COVID-19 vaccines first became available last winter: Vaccines: Everyone 12 and older has been eligible…

By Miles J. Varn, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at PinnacleCare There’s no magic elixir that will prevent you from getting older, but by making appropriate lifestyle choices and being proactive about finding new ways to optimize your health, you can be healthier as you grow older. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent update of the…

By Miles J. Varn, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at PinnacleCare Being a parent has always been a demanding job. Working to keep your children safe and physically and mentally healthy, balancing work and home life, acting as a caregiver for older parents and relatives, and managing your own health and wellbeing can be stressful at times. But during the pandemic…

By Miles J. Varn, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at PinnacleCare It’s no surprise that more people than ever are living with anxiety. The ongoing pandemic and its emotional and economic fallout, social injustice, and disrupted lives all contribute to a marked increase in people who are reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety. …

By Miles J. Varn, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at PinnacleCare The number of people who’ve received the COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. continues to climb and, in response, many states are relaxing or ending rules that have been in place during the pandemic. …

By Miles J. Varn, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at PinnacleCare With vaccines to protect against COVID-19 now available and about half of Americans having received one or both doses of the vaccine, one question that keeps coming up is, “If I’m vaccinated, why would I still wear a mask?” There are several reasons why wearing a mask, continuing to practice…

By Miles J. Varn, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at PinnacleCare For a year, Michelle hadn’t been feeling well. She saw several doctors, but no one could provide a diagnosis. When she and her young daughter were both finally diagnosed with celiac disease, she was overwhelmed and didn’t know where to turn. …

By Miles J. Varn, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at PinnacleCare The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of people in the U.S. and around the world who are living with anxiety and depression. One report in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report noted that during a single week in late June 2020, 40%…

By Miles J. Varn, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at PinnacleCare Years ago, when you perused the drugstore shelves for vitamins and minerals, you probably came across what looked like alphabet soup. There were vitamins A, C, D, E and several types of vitamin B, in addition to minerals like iron and calcium. …