Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Margaret Cantwell

The bladder exercise better than confounding Kegels

If you’re dealing with a leaky, overactive bladder, you’re not alone. But you may think your choices are limited to adult diapers, questionable drugs that impact the brain or “practically impossible to master” Kegel exercises. You’d be wrong. Here’s a new easier way to cut the restroom leash…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Blood pressure drugs tied to surprising fracture risk

As our age goes up, so can our risk for fractures. And it’s a risk not to be taken lightly: Fractures have been linked to early death for both men and women, especially in those of us over 65. Not long ago we shared the threat long-term use of blood pressure drugs can pose to our kidneys. Now I need to share another…

Carolyn Gretton

The simple blood test that could detect stroke risk

Stroke often hits with no warning. And your doctor may not even know you have an elevated risk for stroke until you’ve had one. Luckily, researchers may have found a way to detect stroke risk with a simple blood test…

Carolyn Gretton

Ignore your body clock at peril, especially if overweight

Most people’s natural circadian rhythm signals bedtime between 10 p.m. and midnight. Those who ignore it in favor of late-night TV or scrolling, can see it add up to higher levels of body fat, triglycerides and glucose in the blood, increasing risk for metabolic syndrome…

Carolyn Gretton

 The sweet truth about yogurt, honey and your gut

Separately, yogurt and honey both have excellent health properties, including the ability to protect the gut. But what about together? Researchers decided to see if two are better than one when it comes to probiotic survival in your gut and the benefits that follow…

Joyce Hollman

The prostate cancer ‘testosterone paradox’ solved

Oncologists know testosterone injections slow tumors and prolong lives in men with late-stage prostate cancer. But in early cancer stages, testosterone must be blocked to halt tumor growth. This paradox has kept a life-saving treatment from going mainstream, until now, hopefully…

Joyce Hollman

This supplement reduced genetic Alzheimer’s risk even in older adults

Many people are walking around with an inherited “time bomb” just waiting to go off. The APOE4 gene dramatically increases risk of Alzheimer’s. But a common supplement can slash that risk in as little as a year, even in older adults.

Craig Cooper

Why blood pressure testing is mostly wrong

Hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and the second greatest health threat. Getting an accurate measurement of blood pressure is critical. But are we? Some experts say change is needed…

Carolyn Gretton

‘Ignored biomarkers’ predict 30-year heart disease risk

Cholesterol is just one contributor to heart problems. Two biomarkers strikingly absent from regular testing, when taken into account with cholesterol, can better predict risk of major heart trouble over the next three decades. We’ve sounded the alarm about one of them for more than a decade…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The vitamin-bacteria combo that beats IBD fatigue

Inflammatory bowel disease can be unpleasant and painful. But in addition to digestive problems, it causes crushing fatigue. A simple vitamin provided relief for many, but not all. Now experts discovered the secret to turning thiamine into an energy-generating machine everyone can benefit from…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Anti-inflammatory diet slashed dementia 31% in high-risk group

Inflammation can lead to problems in specific areas, like the brain. That’s why people with a cardiometabolic disease have higher odds of dementia. But research proved the power of diet to not only take down inflammation but substantially reduce dementia risk.

Joyce Hollman

Is ‘dead butt syndrome’ behind your low back and knee pain?

Dead butt syndrome is no joke. It happens when your butt muscles suffer from gluteal amnesia. In other words, they forget how to function and researchers say this modern-day dilemma is a contributor to chronic pain. Here’s what you need to know…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Blood pressure-lowering vegetables that take down stroke risk

One of the biggest risk factors for heart disease, heart attack and stroke is high blood pressure. It’s also a risk factor food can take down. We’ve created a short list for you of the best veggies research says can lower each of these risks…

Joyce Hollman

Microplastics have breached human brains: What are the implications?

Microplastics have been found in our blood, liver, kidneys, muscles, heart, artery plaque and blood clots. As if this weren’t scary enough, we’re now learning for the first time that they have also invaded our brains. What does it mean and what can we do?

Carolyn Gretton

Using saltwater to shorten colds and stop the spread

Households with children know they often bring home more than homework. That makes it hard to avoid whatever “crud” is going around. Unless you know the saline solution trick that activates an immune defense…

Carolyn Gretton

Why Alzheimer’s may be an autoimmune disorder

Ask anyone and they’ll say Alzheimer’s is a brain disease. But some scientists think it has more in common with autoimmune conditions. Considering Aducanumab, the Alzheimer’s wonder drug that received accelerated approval has been discontinued, it may be time to listen to them.

Carolyn Gretton

Boost well-being and fight depression in 10 minutes a day

Mindfulness may be something you associate with monks or yogis. But there’s really nothing mystical about it. It just takes a little concentration. With benefits that include a calm, focused mind, healthier habits and better sleep, why not give it a try…

Joyce Hollman

Nighttime heat: The stroke risk we didn’t know about

It can be hard to get the bedroom temperature just right, especially during warmer months. But being too hot when you sleep is more than just uncomfortable. New research shows nighttime heat is a significant stroke risk we knew little about…

Joyce Hollman

The omega fatty acid solution for that itchy feminine infection

The painful itching of bacterial vaginosis is something almost all women experience at some point. And when well-meaning doctors prescribe antibiotics, our natural chemistry can become even more unbalanced. What’s a girl to do? Harvard and MIT may have the answer.

Joyce Hollman

The common denominator between osteoporosis and short telomeres

Research has found a direct connection between the way our chromosomes age and the development of osteoporosis. By tackling a common denominator, not only can we age slower and healthier, but support long telomeres for longer life…

Carolyn Gretton

The surprising deficiency that could raise diabetes risk

If you find yourself perpetually shortchanged on sleep, it can do a lot worse than make you cranky and foggy. it can raise your risk of heart disease and diabetes, And if you’re a woman who has trouble sleeping, research shows you could be at greater risk for poor cardiometabolic health…

Carolyn Gretton

The weird connection between RA and atherosclerosis

Inflammation is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis and many other diseases. One of those is heart disease, which people with RA are prone to. All this inflammation may be why people with RA are also twice as likely to develop blood vessel disease. But new treatments may tackle it…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 cancers in men linked to ‘female’ cancer gene

While men account for half of carriers of the breast cancer gene, they get tested for these genetic mutations at one-tenth the rate of women. It’s a dangerous game of Russian roulette, since this “female gene” can lead to three types of deadly cancers in men.

Joyce Hollman

Flexibility may be the easiest flex for a longer life

At 68 I can still touch my toes. That kind of flexibility not only helps me feel younger, there’s proof it lowers blood pressure. And since my goal is to live to 100, like my mom, research shows I’m on the right track. Here’s why flexibilty is linked to multiple benefits, including longevity…

Carolyn Gretton

Rocket fuel: The toxic danger lurking in our food

A dangerous chemical found in rocket fuel has gone from infiltrating our water sources to the foods we eat. Some of us are especially vulnerable to this forever chemical, which disrupts hormone production, metabolism, thyroid function and causes brain damage…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Ditch these foods found to accelerate brain aging

Something about starting my day with food I know does my brain and body good, gives me some incentive to keep that healthy momentum going. But when I splurge on the weekends, I’m doing more damage than I thought. Avoid these on your breakfast table to avoid a setup for dementia…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

When aspirin for colon cancer prevention is worth the risk

You may have heard that taking an aspirin a day could help keep cancer at bay. However, doctors have questioned whether or not the potential side effects are worth is. But the jury is in and they know who can benefit the most from taking aspirin to stave off colon cancer.

Carolyn Gretton

Keto’s gut changes that raise your stroke risk

To keto or not to keto? If you’re looking to lose weight and control inflammation, the keto diet can help. But there are risks to this diet as well — including its negative impact on your gut, cholesterol levels and ability to process carbs which is a setup for diabetes and stroke…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The one thing about blood pressure that stacks stroke risk

Strokes are incredibly traumatic. And while they may seem to strike without warning, there are danger flares sent up by your body that can indicate a future stroke. High blood pressure is the obvious culprit, but depending on how long you’ve lived with it, your stroke risk is climbing…

Joyce Hollman

Conquer inflammation to live longer with vim, vigor and health

Inflammation is central to a unifying theory of disease. So it’s no surprise it’s behind unhealthy aging, decrepitude and shorter lifespan. What if a treatment could cool it at the cellular level? Science say it could extend years of healthy life, that’s what.

Dr. Geo Espinosa

Pygeum: Natural prostate support that stacks up

Enlarged prostate is typically a benign condition that significantly impacts a man’s health and lifestyle. It can be both uncomfortable and inconvenient, making you feel you can’t be as spontaneous and active as you once were. A remedy with ancient roots and scientific clout could be just what you need…

Joyce Hollman

The blood pressure drug that makes blood pressure worse

A common class of blood pressure drugs has come under scrutiny. They’re designed to keep calcium from stiffening the vascular smooth muscle cells so blood flows freely and BP stays in the healthy range. But research is showing they may actually cause damage that can make your BP worse…

Joyce Hollman

Three ways diabetes can cause Afib

There’s a long list of things that can trigger AFib, a heart arrhythmia that causes the heart’s upper chambers to beat irregularly and rapidly and increases stroke risk. Most people don’t know how close type 2 diabetes is to the top of that list…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The meal that boosts your heart health the most

Heart trouble isn’t just a man’s problem. We’ve learned that for women, heart attack can be doubly deadly. If you want to slash your risk for coronary artery disease, consider the meal that boosts your heart health the most…

Carolyn Gretton

The crazy high cancer risk that comes after gallbladder surgery

Few of us give our gallbladders any thought until trouble starts. As a result, gallbladder removal is one of the most common procedures in the United States. So no big deal, right? Wrong. New insights into what happens after the tiny organ is gone highlight a very high risk for kidney cancer.

Joyce Hollman

10 neurotoxic pesticides linked to Parkinson’s

A cure for Parkinson’s has been elusive. But one thing’s for sure: the death of dopamine-producing neurons is a hallmark of the disease. Research has identified 10 commonly used pesticides toxic to those neurons linked directly to Parkinson’s development.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Prickly pear: The cactus fruit that lowers cholesterol

High cholesterol can affect our health in some surprising ways. And relying on statins has its downsides too. You might be excited to know a fruit that tastes like a cross between all-natural bubble gum (if there were such a thing) and watermelon is surprisingly effective…

Carolyn Gretton

The habit the healthiest and happiest seniors practice

Nothing can stop the march of time. But there are plenty of ways to slow it down and avoid age-related decline. If you follow certain lifestyle habits, you’ve got the recipe for living your senior years long and healthy. But there’s one thing that’s like the icing on the cake…

Joyce Hollman

Laugh away stroke and get happy to lower hypertension

Happiness and laughter do more than make us feel good. These emotions affect our blood vessels and directly impact hypertension risk and heart health. Need proof? See what these studies found out about the emotional connection to these serious health issues…

Jenny Smiechowski

What almonds do to your cholesterol

Your body needs cholesterol to make hormones and vitamin D, help you digest your food — not to mention it’s like brain food. But once your body has enough cholesterol to do what it needs to do, the rest is just superfluous. This is where HDL comes in…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How CoQ10 supports kidney health

37 million people in our country are living with chronic kidney disease, mostly due to high blood pressure and diabetes. And most don’t even know it. Luckily, a review of multiple studies is offering up an easy way to help make sure you don’t become one of them…

Carolyn Gretton

For women, heart attack can be doubly deadly

When it comes to heart attack, the gender gap is real. In past studies, women were found to be 20 percent more likely than men to die within five years of their first severe heart attack. Now, research indicates the odds of survival may be worse than that…

Joyce Hollman

The bad bedroom habit that leads to metabolic syndrome

When you don’t turn off all the bedroom lights, processes in your body that normally shut down after dark keep going. And when they’re running overtime, they impair glucose and cardiovascular regulation — risk factors for a metabolic nightmare…

Carolyn Gretton

4 ways mouth breathing wrecks your health

Do you often wake up in a puddle of drool? Is your mouth drier than the Mojave desert in the morning? These are annoying signs of a common issue that can impact your health far more seriously than you ever dreamed. From bad teeth to low oxygen, mouth breathing takes a toll…

Jedha Dening

What this tiny seed does to your big appetite

Blood sugar spikes chip away at your body’s sensitivity to insulin. Make a habit of them and they’ll lead straight to insulin resistance, putting type 2 diabetes just a hop and a skip away. But there’s a tiny food that can help… and curb your appetite, without any side effects…

Margaret Cantwell

The secret to lower blood pressure in your pickle jar

How does eating a salad with a tasty dressing that includes salty ingredients and sugar lower blood pressure? Your doctor would roll his eyes, but the research validates the numbers went down. And the secret’s in the vinegar…

Joyce Hollman

Sleep apnea: A much bigger worry than just snoring

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder that causes a person to stop breathing multiple times during the night. It often goes untreated in people at high risk for cardiovascular disease, although up to 80 percent of people with heart disease also have OSA. Here’s everything you should know about this serious health threat…

Joyce Hollman

What a doctor with cancer discovered about cannabis

No matter the cancer type, when it comes to treatment, chemo brain, pain and poor sleep are along for the ride. And even though some doctors are supportive of alternatives like CBD, they don’t know what to tell their patients. A doctor with cancer believes her research can…

Joyce Hollman

The gut problem that hardens your arteries

It’s no secret that a high-fat high-cholesterol diet is bad for the heart. But understanding why it’s worse for some people is another story. Until you understand the gut is a window to the body capable of turning the thermostat up on atherosclerosis…

Joyce Hollman

The carcinogens behind that new-car smell

I remember my first new car. It was exhilarating driving it around. And that new-car smell? Funny how we thought of it almost like a status symbol. But now we’re learning that new-car smell is a byproduct of a chemical process known as off-gassing, and the cancer threat stinks more than you know…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Do statins hurt kidneys?

Can statins hurt your kidneys? My answer is a bit complicated. As a doctor, I could provide three observations right now, not necessarily pointing in the same direction. But let’s start with diabetics, those with established heart or vascular disease and those with familial hypercholesterolemia…

Joyce Hollman

The trace mineral that slows brain aging and helps after stroke

Selenium plays a role in many bodily processes, including reproduction, thyroid function, and protecting the body from free radicals and infection. But what it can do to slow brain aging got our attention, even in the event of stroke…

Carolyn Gretton

5 health conditions made worse by summer heat

Summer is here, and the mercury is rising in parts of the country. Being outside in hot weather doesn’t just put you at risk of heatstroke and sunburn. If you have any of these 5 conditions, it could exacerbate your symptoms…

Carolyn Gretton

Why broccoli is a gut-saving disease-fighting superfood

Broccoli is a superfood for many reasons, including protecting against diabetes and age-related ailments. But that’s not all. While further exploring broccoli’s health impacts, researchers discovered another molecule that closes the door on a frequent gateway to disease…

Jordan Fuller

Got osteoarthritis? Why you should be golfing

Being diagnosed with osteoarthritis can feel like a prison sentence. You might think your sporting days are over, but golfing has been proven to be one of the best activities for those with this condition. Here are the benefits and reasons why you should be golfing…

Joyce Hollman

10 signs you may have this blood circulation disorder

Dizzy whenever you stand up too quickly? You may have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, a circulation disorder of the autonomic nervous system. Here’s what you should know about the condition and how to get help…

Joyce Hollman

The one-a-day vitamin that slashed death from cancer

Taking a vitamin once a day seems a simple enough strategy for anyone to stick to. But how many times have you read about the amazing benefits of one vitamin in particular, got started enthusiastically and then just gave up the habit? This is one vitamin you can’t afford not to commit to…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The weight-loss snack that shrinks fat and increases willpower

It’s hard to give up snacking. But what if you could snack and still meet your weight goal, all the while increasing your willpower? It sounds too good to be true. But just in time to help you hold on to your New Year’s resolution, I’m here to tell you it’s not…

Joyce Hollman

For lowest risk of stroke or heart problems, this is when to exercise

The research shows exercise is crucial, from fighting cancer to turning back biological age. If you’re not doing it, you have no one to blame but yourself. Luckily, that research is honing in on findings that can help you make the most of it when you do…

Joyce Hollman

How blueberries keep your blood pressure (and more!) in check

If you’re not already eating blueberries daily, let me remind you: They have a solid superfood reputation for not just one good reason, but several. If you need convincing, I’ll lay out multiple ways this one tiny fruit is the best thing you can eat for a healthy heart…

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