Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Key player in kidney disease identified (and a supplement that helps)

37 million Americans live with chronic kidney disease. If you have diabetes or hypertension, you’re at high risk of joining them. Luckily, a new treatment, and better yet, preventative, is on the horizon. Even better, it’s available right now without prescription…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The serious threats that stick around after the virus is long gone

Fever, cough, chills, congestion and body aches… a viral infection can be rough. When the symptoms are gone, it feels like the worst is over. But a surprising symptom sticks around: elevated risks for stroke and heart attack.

Easy Health Options Staff

Read before hanging out under the mistletoe

A kiss under the mistletoe is a longstanding holiday tradition, steeped in ancient lore. Depending on the health of your kissing partner, when you indulge in a 10-second kiss, you exchange much more than good tidings…

Joyce Hollman

Half a dozen ways to avoid weight gain over the holidays

The holiday season isn’t kind to people who are trying to lose weight or maintain a holding pattern. But don’t give up hope. I’ve got some strategies to avoiding tipping the scales to share with you…

Carolyn Gretton

A sweeter way to boost hair growth

Living with androgenic alopecia, a common cause of hormonal hair loss in men and women, is challenging, especially when the suggested treatment isn’t all that effective. That may be changing…

Carolyn Gretton

This could be why your blood pressure medicine isn’t working

About 20 percent of people with high blood pressure are resistant to treatment, leaving them vulnerable to heart attack and stroke. Researchers trying to get to the bottom of why are onto something…

Joyce Hollman

The diet that could keep gum disease away

The Mediterranean Diet is always at the top of any “best diet” list. It just has so much going for it, promoting healthy aging, better blood pressure and protecting against cognitive decline. The lastest? Gum disease…

Joyce Hollman

How to have the memory of a 50-year-old at 80

Diet, exercise and sleep are important for keeping your brain sharp with age. But what if you can’t do it all, like exercise? SuperAgers do more of one thing that’s not on this list, and it works for them…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The hidden arterial dangers of being ‘skinny-fat’

You can easily zip your jeans and your doctor’s happy with the number on the scale. That means you’re fit and healthy, right? Not necessarily. Being skinny-fat may mask artery damage setting you up for stroke or heart attack…

Carolyn Gretton

What your neck size can reveal about your heart

BMI was considered the gold standard for estimating a person’s body fat, until we learned it overlooked a critical detail that’s a much stronger indication for heart trouble, one your neck size could reveal…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

9 signs of poor circulation you shouldn’t ignore

Good circulation is one of the most critical factors for good health. Your heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and everything in between receive life-giving oxygen via a complex network of blood vessels throughout the body. Do you know the signs if yours is failing?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Sugar ruins your gut surprisingly fast — but there’s an antidote

Thanks to all the sweet treats that go hand-in-hand with social gatherings, I have no doubt that I eat more sugar during the holidays than in the previous six months combined. But eating a high-sugar diet for even a short amount of time can result in shockingly fast health problems…

Jenny Smiechowski

Avoid hidden heavy metals this holiday season

Decorative tableware is never more popular than during the holidays. But those festive platters can serve up toxic metals that shorten lifespans and endanger your heart on par with cholesterol. Before you serve guests, how dangerous is your holiday setting?

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Simple hack stops ‘viral vitamin’ from plummeting during winter

It’s no secret why cold and flu season go hand-in-hand with the dark days of fall and winter. Luckily, scientists have discovered an easy way to bio-hack the ‘viral vitamin’ we need most this time of year…

Margaret Cantwell

More proof of skin cancer prevention in a vitamin

A few years ago, a small study from Australia, the skin cancer capital of the world, suggested a simple vitamin could help prevent the most common skin cancers. A much larger study just put those findings to the test, and they were right…

Carolyn Gretton

The real cholesterol culprit cracked: It’s not eggs

If you have elevated cholesterol, you’ve probably been avoiding eggs. Turns out, that advice may be as dated as bell-bottom pants. In fact, it’s this Western breakfast staple that may be the real villain in the cholesterol war…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 changes that happen when you eat one ounce of walnuts

One of the easiest ways to grab big health and nutritional benefits is by adding nuts to your diet. But the cost of nuts, like everything else these days is going up. Good news: all it takes is one ounce to see these 6 improvements…

Carolyn Gretton

The unusual link between HRT and women’s immune health

Hormone replacement therapy has largely shed its bad reputation, given the heart, bone and brain health benefits revealed in recent years. New evidence shows it could shore up another system critical to keeping women well…

Joyce Hollman

The perfect pair to beat disease-causing inflammation

There are lots of supplements that support gut health and fight disease-causing inflammation. But a perfect pair that produces a crucial short-chain fatty acid essential to healthy aging may be the most potent anti-inflammatory to do the job…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

10 sneaky conditions that lead to weight gain

When you do everything right and still gain weight, it can be frustrating. It’s probably not even your fault. Many health conditions, some you’d never suspect, can make it hard to maintain healthy weight or even cause sudden weight gain…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

16 medical tests to expect in your 60s and beyond

Some preventative medical tests are a piece of cake, while we dread others. And it seems new ones gets tacked on with each passing birthday. Here’s what to expect at 60 and beyond, including when you can start saying ‘no’ to some of the poking and prodding…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What is ‘Ghost Poop’ and what it signals about your health

‘Ghost poop’ is making the rounds on social media. Who you gonna call? Not Ghostbusters. We’ve got all the answers about what this spooky-sounding term means, who experiences ghost poop, and what it signals…

Jenny Smiechowski

Eat this ONE veggie for clearer arteries

Most people with atherosclerosis don’t know they have it until artery-clogging problems show up, like stroke or heart attack. So, what can you do to steer clear? Eat the one vegetable that reduces vascular calcification.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The unseen fat that’s your heart’s biggest threat

A layer of fat around the heart offers protection. Unless there’s a little too much and it’s composed of damaging substances that can leak directly into your heart. Here’s how that happens and how to gauge your risk…

Joyce Hollman

The Parkinson’s clues found in ear wax

Right now, diagnosing Parkinson’s is costly, subjective and slow, taking an average of three years. When the only hope is to slow progression, every second counts. Here’s why ear wax could lead to faster diagnoses, but don’t break out the swabs…

Joyce Hollman

Common drugs that disrupt your gut years after taking them

You may be done with that antibiotic, but is it done with you? Not by a long shot. But research has found it’s not the only common medication that continues doing damage to your gut long after you’ve finished it…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to get more from your vitamins

Are you among the 80 percent of Americans supplementing? Most of us realize that to feel better, have more energy, fight the ravages of time and avoid chronic conditions, nutrition matters. But are you making these 13 mistakes that can sabotage this healthy habit?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 foods and drinks that lower blood pressure like a prescription

A growing body of research is proving that some foods and drinks can lower blood pressure to a level often on par with prescription medication, reducing what is normally a high risk for heart attack or stroke.

Joyce Hollman

The critical deficiency doctors can finally test for

The human body can produce many of the nutrients it needs to maintain health. But not all of them. And if you’re not eating all the right foods, you could be deficient in one of the most critical: omega-3 fatty acids. Finally, someone’s doing something about it…

Carolyn Gretton

Is kiwi the cure for chronic constipation?

Chronic constipation affects 1 in 5 Americans. It’s been a problem for far too long time. But scientists revisiting existing research have found, among other things, that a popular fuzzy fruit could provide some much-needed relief.

Joyce Hollman

Soda, sugar and the other reason it leads to diabetes

Soda has tons of sugar, so it makes sense it might lead to diabetes. But it’s more complex than that. For the first time, a study has “connected the dots,” showing how soda alters the gut to sabotage our metabolism.

Carolyn Gretton

Why probiotics may be the next big thing for lower blood pressure

Believe it or not, poor gut health is linked with higher odds of heart disease. And some studies show the gut microbiome can influence blood pressure as well. In fact, researchers have identified two probiotic strains as promising treatments…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Depression can bring on physical illness 30% faster

Depression is considered a mental condition. But a new look at how it affects us in middle and old age has revealed it should be viewed as a “whole body” condition that multiplies and accelerates the development of physical illness.

Margaret Cantwell

4 ways sparkling water supports weight loss

If you’ve been trying to lose weight, you’ve probably heard the chatter that sparkling water, AKA fizzy water and, technically, carbonated water, can level up a fat-burning metabolism. Just what are the facts? Here are 4 of them…

Carolyn Gretton

An extra glass to keep colorectal cancer at bay

Milk, a source of calcium, is said to do a body good. But calcium, which promotes good bones, muscle function, heart health and more, may also be a big help in lowering the risk for a particular cancer on the rise…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 steps to avoid recurrent urinary tract infections

UTIs have become increasingly difficult to treat since the bacteria that keeps them coming back is resistant to most antibiotics. Instead of fighting infection after infection, three supplements could help you avoid them altogether…

Dr. Geo Espinosa

Kegel exercises for men: Do they work?

Kegel exercises are not just for women. They are one of the easiest and most convenient ways men can improve their urinary, prostate and sexual health, and you can do them without anyone ever knowing…

Carolyn Gretton

How your parents may have increased your stroke risk by 60%

Let’s start with what’s shocking about the fact that there’s a 50% chance your parents inceased your risk of stroke as an adult by 61%: It’s not hereditary. It’s not something they passed from their genes, but it’s just as unintentional…

Joyce Hollman

How hungry fat cells starve cancer

Cancer needs fuel to do its dirty work. That much we’ve known, so starving it has been a goal of researchers. A startling discovery found cells in our bodies can gobble up exactly what cancer needs to grow…

Carolyn Gretton

Nothing fishy about the supplement that slowed aging

Your body runs on clocks. And one of them is a good indicator of how fast you’re aging. A research team has found that if you’d like to slow that down, even late in life, there’s one nutrient you’ll want to take every day…

Joyce Hollman

Brain aneurysm: A not-so-uncommon risk

More of us than you’d think could be living with the threat of brain aneurysm. It may seem like a roll of the dice, but understanding risk factors and how to decrease them stacks the odds in your favor…

Carolyn Gretton

Palm oil’s toxic trait that fuels MS

Palm oil is a high-yield/low-cost crop, making it ideal for processed foods and a nightmare for health. Research into MS discovered its toxic trait: triggering mitochondrial damage that helps fuel brain inflammation…

Joyce Hollman

The processed food ingredient found in cancer tumors

Chronic inflammation increases cancer. But in the case of colorectal cancer, something else very disturbing is happening. A common ingredient in processed foods has been found inside tumor cells, fueling their growth…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The surprising kitchen appliance that’s a hotbed of bacteria

You might expect a damp sponge or counters to be teeming with bacteria. But researchers show there’s an appliance that needs our attention, even though it’s suprising how germs could flourish there…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Dare to take a scientifically validated Valentine’s test?

You don’t have to read an issue of Cosmopolitan to gauge your love relationship. A Valentine’s scale validated by two intensive studies helps measure relationship satisfaction and stir up the romance. Dare to take it?

Joyce Hollman

The toxins linked to deep vein blood clots

Unless you live in a bubble, you’re exposed to air pollution. A 17-year study shows that’s a bigger problem than we ever thought, increasing the risk for deep vein blood clots exponentially…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Aspirin: A high-risk gamble or perfect prevention?

Innocuous little white tablets, perfect for a headache and a blood thinner anyone can grab at the drugstore. But it turns out an awful lot of us don’t realize the true scope of aspirin’s dangers or benefits and for whom which is which.

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

The cholesterol-lowering trifecta that supports your heart

Lowering cholesterol isn’t just about cutting back on high-cholesterol foods or unhealthy fats; it’s about nutrients that actively work to improve your lipid profile. The real magic happens when these three come together…

Carolyn Gretton

NiMe: The good gut diet that improves health fast

The simple act of eating healthy can be overwhelming, so you might roll your eyes at another diet. But the more research digs into diets that can make us healthier, they are finding ones that do it faster, like NiMe…

Joyce Hollman

Why muscle loss sets off a cascade of unhealthy aging

The loss of muscle mass with age leads to functional decline if it isn’t reversed. But many don’t know that it kicks off metabolic decline and can predict your survival of a critical illness. Here’s why and how best to stop it…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

An invisible connection between psoriasis and Crohn’s disease

Psoriasis manifests as scaly, red and itchy skin, but is far more than just skin-deep. It can cause unseen damage, affecting the joints, blood pressure and heart health. Now there’s an answer for the stomach problems…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The threat increasing your body’s resistance to antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance has been a cause for concern for years, continuing to escalate without a clear solution in sight. Now we know why. A sinister threat from within disrupts how the antibiotics we take should work…

Carolyn Gretton

Alzheimer’s protection as simple as breathing

Inflammation is believed to contribute to the growth of amyloid plaques, hallmarks of Alzheimer’s in the brain. Breathing an inert gas has been found to clear them right up. Could an inhaler-like treatment be the answer?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The ‘superhealthy’ diet that can halt hair growth

A diet linked to healthy aging, longer lifespan and reduced risk of disease (and backed by research) almost sounds too good to be true. And if you want a headful of hair, it just might be…

Carolyn Gretton

More omega-3, less omega-6 could slow prostate cancer

Omega fatty acids are essential, but for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer, there’s been some controversy. However, the right balance looks very promising for men who’ve been put on the watch and waitlist.

Joyce Hollman

Kidney stones: The sweet tooth connection

Sugar. We have a love-hate relationship with the sweet stuff that’s as hard to give up as any vice. But the reasons to do so have been stacking up for years. If kidney stones are your bane, then here’s one more reason to tame your sweet tooth…

Joyce Hollman

Blood samples connect loneliness to stroke, heart disease and diabetes

Research has long shown that social relationships positively influence our wellbeing, and that loneliness has major health consequences, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes. The proof is in our blood…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

‘Miracle weight loss drugs’ may be shrinking hearts

“Miracle weight” loss drugs are making a lot of people happy. However, a growing list of side effects that indicate they have the potential to be detrimental in the long term can’t be overlooked…

Joyce Hollman

How 43 years of eating meat affects your brain

Red meat. Talk about a love-hate relationship. Nothing new right? But it might be time to pay attention to what 43 years of data shows it can do to our risks for cognitive decline and dementia…

Carolyn Gretton

19 disease risks that disappear with one habit

A healthy lifestyle isn’t easy. But if you can commit to just one healthy habit, choose the one that lowers your risk of 19 chronic diseases, inlcluding heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Do nothing and watch those risks soar…

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