Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Carolyn Gretton

The sweet truth about dark chocolate, diabetes and weight

If you have a sweet tooth, there are worse things you can indulge in than a bar of dark chocolate. Especially if you want to avoid blood sugar trouble and weight gain…

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…

Carolyn Gretton

How to keep insulin from shrinking your brain

When you don’t have blood sugar problems, most of us don’t give our insulin levels a seond thought. But research has found that as we age, what’s happening in the brain can differ from what’s going on in the body…

Joyce Hollman

VILPA: Your ticket to low cancer risk when you hate exercise

Move over HIT, here comes VILPA, and if you’ve been beating yourself up for not exercising and missing out on benefits like a lower risk of cancer, find out how adding a little gusto to every day activities can lessen your risks of developing certain cancers up to 32 percent!

Carolyn Gretton

More proof olive oil is what your brain needs

If you’ve not embraced olive oil yet, what’s the hold up? It’s packed with taste and health benefits that decades of studies are bringing to our attention. And what it can do to safeguard your brain keeps coming up again and again. Now, we can add reduced risk of death to the list…

Joyce Hollman

High urine levels of cadmium linked to endometriosis

Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal that is of no use to the human body. It’s a carcinogen, affects blood pressure and induces bone damage. And it’s difficult to avoid. But a large study just found another good reason why women especially should try hard to…

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Two reasons to have your liver tested

If your liver was in trouble, could you tell? Probably not. By the time you or the doctor might, liver disease has often progressed and caused damage. That doesn’t mean you just have to wait and wonder. In fact, there are two major reasons to get your liver tested…

Joyce Hollman

The significant impact 500 steps has on your heart

Hold onto your wallet, because you won’t need an electronic step counter for this: Sure you already know walking is great for the health of your heart. But I bet you thought you’d need a lot more than 500 steps to make an impact like this…

Joyce Hollman

6 foods for a healthier heart and longer life

It seems that too much advice only warns us off foods that are unhealthy, when all we need is some simple advice, including food swaps, that can help us choose what to put on our plates every day to avoid the number one killer of Americans and add years to our lives. Well, here you go…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The surprising factor that accelerates aging faster than smoking

Most of us think of age as the number of years we’ve been on the planet, but the truth is not so simple. No matter your chronological age, certain things in life can make you older than your biological years. Of those, we used to think smoking was the worst, but not anymore…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The other supplement that helps you get the most from vitamin D

Low levels of vitamin D have been shown to go hand-in-hand with conditions ranging from osteoporosis and heart disease to Alzheimer’s. But there’s a mineral deficiency that could be working against all your best efforts to get enough of the valuable vitamin D your body needs…

Carolyn Gretton

How an early breakfast can help you dodge diabetes

We’re finding out that when it comes to chronic disease, when you eat may be as important as what you eat. Researchers are finding that an early breakfast may be key to reducing the risk of this common condition that sneaks up on far too many of us…

Rick Kaselj

Ageless backs: Maintaining a strong and supple spine after 50

Who says you can’t have good times after 50? With a healthy body and a strong spine, the sky’s the limit. But if yours isn’t as supple and strong as it should be we’ve got age-friendly exercises and supplements to get your vitality back…

Carolyn Gretton

The emotion that worsens heart trouble in diabetics

Certain factors can increase a person’s risks for heart trouble. Like a broken record, we’re warned to eat right, exercise and not to smoke to keep all our numbers low. But for diabetics there’s one risk factor that’s been found to worsen them all…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The snack that fills you up and makes weight loss easier

Whatever the time of year or our excuses, the weight we wanted to lose may still be hanging around — on hips, thighs and middles. Don’t feel bad. Even with the best laid plans, when trying to lose weight the odds are stacked against you — unless you know an inside secret…

Joyce Hollman

More lean muscle may lower Alzheimer’s risk

As we age, our lean muscle mass declines, but that doesn’t mean we’re helpless to stop it. There are many reasons to preserve it. If you need one more, consider what research has found about its connection to Alzheimer’s…

Margaret Cantwell

Black cumin seed and diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is considered preventable. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Other conditions can make it harder to reverse, including obesity, hypertension and metabolic syndrome. But there is quite a bit of published research that indicates an ancient seed could help…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 ailments to take apple cider vinegar for

Overweight, diabetic and suffering from everything from heart disease to cancer could describe a large percentage of U.S. adults today. If you want to make sure you don’t end up this way, there could be powerful help sitting on your kitchen shelf right now…

Jedha Dening

For lowest BP, eat your beets this way

Beets are a root vegetable we love for their bright purple flesh and pleasing sweet flavor. And if you’ve beat around the bush for a while, you might be aware that beets help your body produce a heart-healthy compound called nitric oxide. Here’s how to get the most of it…

Joyce Hollman

Fluctuating cholesterol: Causes and links to dementia

For a long time, the only concerns the medical community had about cholesterol were high levels and an inconsistent link to heart disease. Then, research uncovered cholesterol’s significant role in the brain, and that levels can do much more than climb high or lay low…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What an extra cup of coffee does for diabetes risk

Considering that 1 in 3 of us have prediabetes, researchers know the implications could be huge if they could could find a simple fix. Especially if it’s something most of us enjoy, don’t need a prescription for and tackles a key inflammatory biomarker…

Carolyn Gretton

That low-fat dairy advice has more holes than Swiss cheese

Cheese and other whole-fat dairy foods have endured a bad rap for far too long. Considering it’s one of six foods linked to longevity, experts are calling for a re-evaluation of low-fat recommendations and have proof the old advice has more holes than a hefty slice of Swiss cheese.

Joyce Hollman

The vitamin that reduced atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation or AFib causes an irregular heartbeat. When blood pools in the atria (top chamber) of the heart, stroke risk increases. AFib is not the same as heart palpitations. Here’s how to tell the difference and the vitamin that may keep the condition at bay…

Joyce Hollman

Why menopause makes time in the sun riskier

Sun exposure is a double-edged sword. The good side: vitamin D; the bad side: photoaging. But it goes deeper. Sun exposure can further throw a post-menopausal woman’s hormones out of whack, making her more vulnerable to significant health risks…

Carolyn Gretton

How green tea may shrink uterine fibroids

By age 50, up to 80 percent of women suffer with uterine fibroids. These non-cancerous tumors cause lower back pain, heavy bleeding, exhaustion, pain during sex, complications during pregnancy and bladder trouble. Research shows a tea habit may help…

Carolyn Gretton

How purple produce pushes back at blood sugar problems

The anthocyanins found in purple, blue and red plants pack a powerful punch against a host of inflammatory-related conditions and blood sugar issues. But researchers digging deeper into the impact of these powerful antioxidants have discovered an interesting quirk as to why they’re so effective at reducing diabetes risk…

Joyce Hollman

The light aging your skin that sunscreen can’t block

Electronic screens expose your eyes to the damaging effects of blue light. But what many don’t know is, the sun is a significant source of blue light and, just like UV rays, blue light prematurely ages your skin. But unlike UV rays, sunscreen can’t protect you…

Carolyn Gretton

The ‘Barbie drug’ for tanning, weight loss and cancer

It’s a lab-made chemical originally used to help treat certain skin conditions. It’s similar to a hormone produced naturally by our bodies that increases production of skin-darkening pignments. But it’s a killer tan that you want to avoid at all costs…

Carolyn Gretton

For lowering stroke risk, diet isn’t the answer (this is)

You’ve heard it time and again: eat healthy to protect your cardiovascular health. Yet stroke is the one cardiovascular condition that doesn’t seem to be influenced by diet. So, what can you do? The answer is another lifestyle factor (not exercise) that affects us all at one time or another…

Joyce Hollman

The dangerous connection between surgery and obesity

There are many good reasons to maintain a healthy weight. And most of them are on a long list of dangerous conditions. But it’s actually a health issue no one’s sounded an alarm about yet that may put anyone dealing with obesity in the danger zone…

Carolyn Gretton

It’s official: Aspartame could cause cancer

Much research has connected artificial sweeteners to not-so-sweet health issues, while health agencies continued to maintain their safety. It’s no wonder we’re confused. Now a recent declaration by a leading global health body has only made things murkier about this possible carcinogen…

Carolyn Gretton

How deep sleep tonight improves blood sugar tomorrow

Sleep is essential to our well-being. But we’re still learning how it helps prevent disease. One surprising finding? Deep-sleep brain waves reboot the body’s sensitivity to insulin, resulting in a more effective control of blood sugar the next day…

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