January 2024 Newsletter

January 2024 - New Year, Healthier You

New year, new you? Nah, you’re great just as you are! Instead, what about new year, new habits that prioritize your health goals with the help of your direct primary care physician? 

The long winter months can have us all feeling a little depressed and sluggish, pushing our health to the backburner. This is a perfect time to reconnect with your DCPP doc and set some goals for the new year such as health screenings, blood work or your yearly checkup. We are here to help you every step of the way so you can start 2024 off feeling your best. 

Walk with a Doc: Winter Indoor Edition

DCPP doctors are partnering with the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh for an indoor edition of Walk with a Doc through March. Dr. Emily Scott will lead the walks on Tuesdays Jan. 9, Feb. 13 and March 12 at 5738 Forbes Ave., in Squirrel Hill. We’ll be joined by some of our PT colleagues from Drayer Physical Therapy Institute. All are welcome to join us!

New Year, Healthy Body Image coaching program with Dr. Natalie Gentile

Ditch the “new year, new me” all-in mentality and learn more thoughtful ways to improve your health in 2024. This series includes 12 virtual group sessions spanning three months beginning on Jan. 8 – that’s today! Sessions meet on Mondays at 9:30 a.m. with rotating weekly sessions with DCPP’s Dr. G and Margaret Peacock, NBCHWC, of Terra Health Coaching. 

It’s $99 per month for all DCPP and Rebel Wellness members and $179 per month for non-members. Schedule your breakthrough call to learn more: https://calendly.com/cecilia-terrahealthcoaching

DCPP in the News

Dr. Gentile was recently featured on Case Specific Nutrition’s podcast. CLICK HERE to listen. 

Dr. Gentile has a regular segment on KDKA-TV’s talk show, “TALK Pittsburgh.” See her segment at 3 p.m. every other Wednesday to discuss the health issues that matter most to you! If you missed them, watch her latest segments on the CBS Pittsburgh website.

The latest vaccine information

• Updated COVID-19 vaccines: A new year is a great time to make a plan to get up to date on vaccinations. Dr. Gentile, Dr. Scott and Dr. Loughner have them available at their respective offices. Please schedule with your DCPP physician today. 

• Does insurance cover the COVID-19 vaccine? Most insurances will cover the vaccine at DCPP, but it's important to check with your physician first for support with evaluating your insurance's coverage. Most pharmacies now have the vaccine, as well. We can’t predict which plans will cover the vaccine so it's always important to contact the pharmacy first to check about coverage. Visit this website to find the vaccine options near you.

• What if I don’t have insurance?Can I still get the COVID-19 vaccine? Because this COVID-19 vaccine is now part of routine use, it's not being covered or offered at a lower cost. Learn more here and talk with your DCPP doctor to discuss your options.

• MORE RESOURCES: The guide for navigating cold-and-flu season and guidelines for Paxlovid for COVID-19 are available on the DCPP website under “Patient Resources.”

• RSV Vaccine: The FDA has approved two new RSV vaccines for older adults. They are currently available at several pharmacies. People can visit their local pharmacy’s website for more information. It can be given concurrently with a flu shot but not with a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your DCPP doctor to see if it's a good choice for you. 

  Still need a flu shot? DCPP can help! 

  • Patients can schedule an appointment online for a flu shot at Dr. Gentile’s practice in the East End. 
  • DCPP Allison Park with Dr. Lin will offer flu shots (both regular ones for ages 6 months to 64 years and high-dose ones for those 65 and older) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays by appointment. Sign up for an appointment online.

Recipe of the month: Delicious (and nutritious!) lentil soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 14-ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes
• 2 cups of dry green or brown lentils
• 7 cups of vegetable broth OR water with vegetable bouillon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3 cups of baby spinach or kale, sliced 
• 1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring frequently for about 4-5 minutes.
2. Now add the can of tomatoes (with juices), lentils, vegetable broth, cumin, coriander and smoked paprika. Stir to incorporate everything.
3. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes – until the lentils are tender and the soup has thickened. For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to blend a few times in the pot. Alternatively, add 1-2 cups of the soup to a regular blender, blend until smooth and then return to the pot.
4. Stir in the spinach and lemon juice. It will only take a minute for the spinach to wilt. Season with salt to taste.

BONUS! Want to enjoy a delicious mocktail to go with this soup? Head over to our Instagram account for an Apple Ginger Moscow Mule recipe. 

Patient Spotlight: Emily Askin

Emily Askin is a local real estate agent who, together with her business partner Abby Wilson, created the Askin-Wilson Group at Compass in 2023. Emily has diverse pre-real estate experiences in New York as an actor, comedian and cosmetologist, which led her to open her own salon in 2013 when she returned to Pittsburgh. The process of designing the salon piqued Emily’s interest in interior design and was intensified when she and her husband bought and renovated their first home. They later bought, renovated and sold multiple other homes. 

During the pandemic, Emily took interior design classes and officially began working as a real estate agent in early 2023. At that time, Abby was working in design, psychology and career coaching – all of which Emily thought could be helpful in real estate. After Abby obtained her real estate license, the childhood friends officially became business partners. 

As “Pittsburgh’s premier gal pal real estate super duo,” Emily and Abby provide full-service support to their customers and work with new technology to make the customer experience seamless. With more real estate information available to customers than ever before on websites such as Redfin and Zillow, Emily and Abby use unique marketing efforts to draw customers’ attention. Working in a city full of old homes, Abby and Emily emphasize the health implications of housing quality and work closely with their clients to make sure that their homes are safe. They aim to help people be better stewards of their homes and, ultimately, help to elevate the housing stock in Pittsburgh. 

Emily has been a patient of Dr. Gentile’s for about two years and first met her in a parking lot flu shot clinic during the pandemic. She appreciates the continuity of care DCPP provides and feels as though she has a strong, accountable health advocate in her corner that she hadn’t experienced within the big box healthcare system. 

Dr. Gentile “gets to know me as Emily, not just as a patient or as a series of medical issues,” Emily said. “I feel heard and seen when I interact with her. I feel like I have a partner in my healthcare journey.” 

People can connect with Emily and Abby at breadsaltbroom.com or on Instagram @emilyaskinrealtor.

Would you like to be spotlighted? Do you know another DCPP patient who would make for a great profile? Let us know, and you could be featured in a future newsletter. 

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