Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Coffee: The healthy aging secret under our noses

While everyone has been looking for a way to live healthier longer, it appears the simplest answer has been under our noses. A review of dozens of studies shows our favorite drink challenges 7 pillars of aging…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

What happens to your body and heart during sleep

Sleep is more than just downtime for your body. When you sleep, the workload on your cardiovascular system catches a break. That’s why the doctor says you should never ignore sleepless nights…

Joyce Hollman

How omega-3s and omega-6s impact cancer risk

A study that spanned a little over a decade indicates that higher levels of two essential fatty acids reduced the risks for several cancers. However, the benefits and potential harms vary. Here’s what you need to know…

Carolyn Gretton

The one health hack you should do every morning

Deciding to make healthy changes can be daunting, what with so many to choose from and all. If you want to avoid setting yourself up for failure but want to be healthier and happier, get started with this one simple thing…

Joyce Hollman

8 steps to slow aging as much as six years

The American Heart Association has a running list on how to achieve optimal heart health. As a nation, we’ve got a lousy score. But an unexpected finding of adhering to this list doesn’t just mean a higher score… it can help you turn your age back as much as 6 years.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

4 heart health reasons to ditch sugar for maple syrup

Sugar has serious drawbacks, but do you have to go sugar-free to stay healthy? Not if you switch to this truly natural sweetener that not only satisfies your sweet tooth, but also reduces four significant risk factors for cardiometabolic disease…

Carolyn Gretton

The diabetes warning that comes from your arteries

Have you heard of “vascular compliance?” It’s a term for how stiff or flexible your arteries are. And it’s key to maintaining healthy blood pressure and avoiding stroke and heart attack. Now, researchers are finding it may also be the strongest indicator you’re developing blood sugar problems…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The prostate drug that reduces hair loss and heart disease

For decades, doctors prescribed one medication for enlarged prostate. It turned out the same drug could be the answer for hair loss and, now, heart problems. But there’s a catch to getting these benefits safely…

Carolyn Gretton

The ‘pickled’ food that took down weight and triglycerides

Wouldn’t it be great if fighting obesity was as easy as adding one specific food to your diet? Well, according to multiple studies, this may be possible with a food that’s been eaten for thousands of years…

Carolyn Gretton

Twins help reveal powerful reason diet links to depression

For years, the answer to depression has been drugs that often don’t work and lead to depressing side effects. But an 11-year twin study provides unique insight on food’s strong link to the mood disorder…

Joyce Hollman

Study confirms an IBS treatment better than medicine

Traditional medications for IBS can produce side effects including heartburn, diarrhea, gas and abdominal pain — the very symptoms they’re meant to eliminate. Research has confirmed a treatment that works better with none of those side effects…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The syndrome that speeds up heart disease risk by decades

Many factors affect heart disease risk, like poor lifestyle choices that can set up heart problems down the road. But some actually speed up that risk, like two conditions that bring about the potential for heart trouble almost three decades sooner…

Joyce Hollman

The underestimated factor for ER+ breast cancer

After menopause, fat is the primary source of estrogen. Body mass index may not accurately measure body fat. This matters because body fat is linked to hormone-positive breast cancer, an underestimated deadly cancer risk…

Joyce Hollman

9 strange symptoms of heart trouble you can’t ignore

Would you know if you were having a heart attack? Conventional wisdom says that chest pain, sweating and shortness of breath are classic signs. But there are others that aren’t talked about nearly as often. Don’t mistake these symptoms…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 supplements that stop unsightly bruising

If you’re tired of those deep purple and red splotches that happen with the slightest bump and make your skin look beat up and older than it should, there is an answer… and, it’s easier than you might think.

Jenny Smiechowski

This cholesterol-lowering vitamin could cause eye damage

If you have high cholesterol, you may be on the hunt for alternatives to statins. Why? Because they have side effects that are intolerable for many. This one works so well your doctor may recommend it. Just be careful…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The berry boost for a better brain and blood pressure over 65

As you age, you probably tend to worry about the health of two of your most important organs — your brain and your heart. That’s why we’re urged to exercise and eat right. But what if you’re over 65, is it too late? Not for a berry boost…

Carolyn Gretton

The growing blood clot concern over low-calorie sweeteners

The average American consumes almost 19 teaspoons of added sugar a day. And that’s tied to more than 45 serious health problems. No wonder many of us turn to low-calorie sweeteners, like xylitol. But practicing moderation may be safer than risking blood clots…

Joyce Hollman

The risk factors most strongly linked to severe stroke

A mild stroke could be a wake-up call. But a severe stroke changes your life in ways you can’t bounce back from. Before it’s too late, do something about the most important risk linked to severe stroke…

Joyce Hollman

Pneumonia carries a heart attack risk aspirin can lower

If you have risk factors for heart disease, including hypertension and diabetes, a case of pneumonia can increase the stress on your heart further leading to some serious complications. But if your doctor approves, you can start working to prevent that possibility now…

Jordan Fuller

Why golf is the ultimate social sport for healthy aging 

Aging gracefully is about more than just adding years to your life. It’s about enriching those years with health, vitality and connection. Golf can help because it’s more than just a sport — it’s a pathway to a longer, fuller life. 

Joyce Hollman

When vitamin D helps lower blood pressure the most

Vitamin D is linked to positive impacts from healthy aging to prevention. Its effect on blood pressure has been inconclusive, however. But new research finds it may be a matter of when and who vitamin D can help the most…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Obesity’s fight-or-flight response driving diabetes

Obesity is at the root of most disease, from cancer to heart disease. But it’s most closely linked to is diabetes, hence the term ‘diabesity.’ But another hidden factor driving that connection has been recently uncovered…

Carolyn Gretton

The commonly prescribed pain medication linked to hip fracture

Gabapentinoids have been seen as a safer alternative to opioids for pain. However, they carry with them their own risks — including one debilitating condition that could be a death sentence for older adults…

Joyce Hollman

The high-risk factor for a 2nd cancer diagnosis

Coming out on the other side of a cancer diagnosis is no small feat. But survivors often live looking over their shoulders. Scientists have identified one particularly high risk factor that could leave cancer in the rearview mirror…

Carolyn Gretton

What half an avocado a day does to your blood pressure

Avocados have long been considered a superfood. Yes, they’re high in fat and calories but also contain some valuable nutrition. That’s what caught the attention of researchers looking to put the blood pressure-busting effects of avocados to the test…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why heart attacks are more common in winter

Visits to the ER for heart attacks increase during the winter months. Experts say there are three levels of people for whom this is more likely, and one group never sees it coming. Here’s how to avoid being one of them…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How a mushroom with anti-diabetic properties starves cancer

For thousands of years, medicinal mushrooms have been used for tumor therapy in traditional Chinese medicine. But one stands out because it also has anti-diabetic qualities. And if you know cancer’s favorite fuel source, it’s a no-brainer how it works…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 serious health threats tied to menopause

Menopause is a dangerous time for women, beyond breast cancer. So how can you keep ‘the change’ from stealing your health? Whether you’re perimenopausal or post-menopausal, start now to avoid these 5 threats…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The macronutrient that improves cognitive function fast

Glitches in cognition are unsettling, even if doctors say not to worry. It’s hard to know what the future holds. But supporting brain health with a macronutrient that’s validated to improve things fast, is easy.

Joyce Hollman

The surprising condition causing premature muscle loss in men

Who would have thought a handshake could send a clear signal that something is wrong with your health? But research has found for men, it’s a clear sign your muscles aren’t getting enough oxygen, and muscle loss and premature aging are setting in…

Jenny Smiechowski

The best feel-good foods by age group

Have you ever woken up feeling irritable or down for no apparent reason? Scientists are learning that some foods can set you up for a happy, positive mood, while others leave you feeling depressed, anxious and irritable. And these foods and feelings change with age…

Joyce Hollman

Genetic cancer testing: The reason anyone should do it

If you’re male and ovarian cancer runs in your family, you wouldn’t feel you were a target. The same might go for a woman whose father had prostate cancer and brother had colon cancer. But hereditary cancer isn’t that predictable, and testing is cheap…

Carolyn Gretton

A single molecule may drive cognitive decline and aging

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that there’s no one magic bullet when it comes to health. But there are a few things that come close. One of those is a Nobel Prize-winning molecule we produce less of with age. Scientists believe that’s a big problem for our brains…

Joyce Hollman

How the right foods protect against lung infection

Broccoli is good for a lot of things. For one it supports your gut’s lining, keeping bacteria from escaping and causing harm. Turns out, your lungs have a similar barrier, designed to let oxygen in and keep viruses out. Eat the right foods and you’re all set!

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Brain rejuvenation secret discovered circulating in our blood

Researchers had one goal: Discover exactly why three interventions have been found to turn back the clock on an aging brain. They didn’t expect to find a common denominator. And they certainly didn’t expect to find it already circulating in our blood…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

The case against Ozempic and Wegovy

Ozempic and Wegovy are presented as miracle injectable drugs, both made from the same ingredient: semaglutide. The difference? The blurred lines between health and weight loss. If you’re on the line, see what the doctor has to say…

Joyce Hollman

Forever chemicals and testicular cancer: A direct link

Forever chemicals are endocrine-disrupting chemicals and known carcinogens. But some people still need “proof.” They’ve found it, sadly, in a group of men who’ve been diagnosed with testicular cancer at much higher rates than others…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Eating all the time? Put on a sweater

Do you slim down for the summer, only to find yourself pulling out the stretchy pants as the cold winter days drag on? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us routinely gain weight as temperatures drop, and there’s a simple scientific reason…

Carolyn Gretton

The post-heart attack symptom you should never ignore

Chest pain is one of the classic symptoms of heart attack. But that pain usually passes after the heart attack has been treated. Or does it? If you find yourself still experiencing any pain months or years after your heart attack, here’s why you should never ignore it…

Joyce Hollman

The pre-symptomatic Alzheimer’s sign that starts in your gut

Slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s is all we have right now. But once cognitive decline is apparent, is it too late? Instead, the earliest sign may come from the gut. And the more we find out, the closer we are to heading off the mind-stealing disease…

Joyce Hollman

10 NEAT ways to burn calories without trying

What makes the difference between putting weight on and keeping it off? It’s already part of your daily routine, so why not put it to work? Here’s why it works, how to add more to your life, and the internal Apple Watch that tries to keep you moving and losing…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

This 6-ingredient drink squashes joint pain

You don’t have to take prescription arthritis medications with a laundry list of side effects, like stomach problems and the risk of heart attacks, strokes and infections to get the pain relief you’ve been looking for.

Joyce Hollman

Citrus for lower cholesterol and stroke risk

Want to manage your cholesterol, lower stroke risk and keep a healthy heart? Take a stroll down the produce aisle. A growing number of experts have been examining the connection between citrus fruit and cholesterol, and the evidence is pretty juicy…

Joyce Hollman

Closing in on a key driver of aging and disease

Does aging have to come with a host of age-related diseases? If we work hard at keeping our health all our lives, is there an expiration date that takes it all south? No, but it does have a key driver we may soon put a hard brake on…

Joyce Hollman

10 natural ways to make ‘onion breath’ go away

Onions are right up there with green tea and red grapes for their polyphenol content. That makes them more powerful than a lot of highly-rated superfoods. So eat to your heart’s content and follow these tips to reap the benefits without the onion breath!

Jenny Smiechowski

The anti-diabetes antioxidant that reverses insulin resistance

When your cells become resistant to insulin, diabetes is at your heels. Research shows as the CoQ10 levels in cell tissues get lower, insulin resistance gets higher. In other words, the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 helps reverse insulin resistance.

Joyce Hollman

4 teas that naturally balance cholesterol

Diet and exercise can help keep your doctor happy about your cholesterol numbers. But you’ll definitely want to try some herbal teas. There are at least four different refreshing varieties that can help keep your cholesterol in check, thanks to powerful health-promoting plant compounds…

Carolyn Gretton

The consequences of removing the thymus (and why doctors routinely do)

Experts have long believed the thymus gland, which produces all the immune-boosting T cells the body needs during childhood, was of little use once we got older. Turns out they weren’t just wrong, they were dead wrong — as in “double the risk of death” wrong.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Try this at-home stem cell ‘therapy’ to regenerate aging cells

Stem cells are you’re body’s “master cells” and work as your internal repair system. But, they decline rapidly as you age. Luckily, there’s a way to rejuvenate your own stem cells in just 24 hours to start feeling like your younger self again…

Easy Health Options Staff

8 little-known berries for fierce free radical protection

As we age, we build up free radicals, dangerous little molecules that have been linked to everything from cancer and Alzheimer’s, to premature aging. So, as the amount of free radicals we’re exposed to goes up, so does our need for antioxidants to combat them. Here’s where to find them…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Weekend sleep-ins won’t undo sleep deficit heart damage

In recent years, experts have declared sleep “essential to health” for its significant impact on our health. So, if you’re still skimping by and thinking you can make up for it by sleeping in occassionally, this is your wake-up call coming from your heart…

Joyce Hollman

A clove a day to keep heart attack away

There are several types of drugs that treat hypertension, relax blood vessels, prevent clotting and generally try to head off heart attack or stroke. But there’s one food that’s been healing since Biblical times, and modern-day studies confirm its amazing effects on the heart…

Debra Atkinson

When hormones drain your workout energy

As a trainer, I frequently see women seeking energy from exercise but end up digging themselves into a hole. Or worse, giving up on fitness altogether and missing out on the best way to avoid disease. That’s because when adrenal fatigue hits, you may not realize what’s happening…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The dementia danger in common stomach medications

There’s not much worse than acid indigestion that hurts so bad, you think you’re having a heart attack — or is there? As bad as that can be, getting dementia from the very medications you use to feel better may take the cake, baby back ribs or spicy buffalo wings.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Break the feedback loop that fuels pain

Pain is often poorly understood until you realize that pain, depression and anxiety are frequent fellow travelers, thanks to a bi-directional feedback loop. If you only seek treatment for what’s happening in your muscles, joints and nerves, it could be a painful journey…

Carolyn Gretton

The ‘survival switch’ fructose flips to make us fat

Summer is almost over. And with winter just around the corner, you’ll want to give up the one thing that can make you pack on the pounds like a hibernating bear. And no, it isn’t a stew or casserole that’s the culprit…

Carolyn Gretton

The mind-eye connection to dementia

You may think poor vision simply raises your odds of bumping into things. Unfortunately, there may be more to it than that. A growing body of research indicates a strong link between vision problems and the development of a condition we all dread…

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

What garlic can do for the common cold

Garlic has been used medicinally for centuries. And modern research has found it can stand up to many strains of bacteria. But what about the common cold? Let’s see how it stacks up…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Coffee shown to decrease your Parkinson’s risk

Parkinson’s disease can progress quickly, stealing bits and pieces of your life as it marches on. There’s no cure — only treatments. News of a study that has found potent Parkinson’s protection in your daily cup of coffee was a must-read for me…

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