Latest Stories

Latest Stories

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…

Joyce Hollman

Why poor balance is a sure sign of a shorter life

If you don’t use it, you lose it as you age, specifically muscle strength and flexibility. But balance may not be something you give much thought to, at least not its impact on how long you live or how early you die. Here’s a test than can answer that for you…

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…

Margaret Cantwell

NAC: The liver’s ally for healthy aging

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an amino acid essential for antioxidant production. It’s also a powerful detoxifier. But with NAC, you also gain a powerful ally, capable of tackling multiple threats, including those that come with age…

Joyce Hollman

Best treatments for dry winter skin

Winter can be brutal on your skin. The dryness, itching and flaking are miserable and cause breaks in the layer of protection meant to keep your skin healthy. How about a crash course in choosing the right moisturizers (and a bonus ingredient with extra benefits)?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Forever chemicals: Hijacking genes to kill brain cells

We’re all intimately familiar with forever chemicals, whether we like it or not. They disrupt hormones, health and increase disease risk. But what they do when they cross into the brain is the most sinister of all…

Joyce Hollman

An important caveat for coffee’s heart-healthy benefits

Coffee’s reputation has been growing for decades. But for “grande” benefits, researchers shared a caveat that’s especially relevant to coffee’s link to lower cardiovascular mortality (hint, it’s not about decaf either!)…

Carolyn Gretton

Planning a family? Avoid this robber of male fertility

Couples planning a family try to do everything right to increase the odds of conception. But if men are eating certain foods, exposure to an unwanted ingredient could tank their fertility rates and semen quality…

Joyce Hollman

How red light signals ‘stop’ to reduce blood clot risk

Blood clots to help control bleeding. But it’s not always the protective mechanism it should be, and the danger is rarely discovered before it’s too late. But for those at higher risk, a new therapy could work…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Walk this way to add 11 extra years to your life

Do you need a little incentive to be more active? Who doesn’t? My favorite part of the day is when I get to put my feet up and relax, if only for a short while. But when I learned I could trade some of that time for 11 extra years, I was on board, almost…

Joyce Hollman

Aortic stenosis: What’s insulin resistance got to do with it?

Insulin resistance is coming to light as more than just a little blood sugar problem. We already know it can lead to type 2 diabetes. Now we’re finding it may be an instigator for the world’s most common heart valve disease…

Carolyn Gretton

The simple supplement that keeps muscles stronger longer

I never used to worry when I had trouble opening a jar or lifting a package, but these may be signs of age-related muscle loss. I thought I was keeping them strong, but I’d forgotten the mineral that can keep them stronger longer…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The antimicrobial fruit combo that fights gum disease

Periodontitis is a type of gum disease that causes inflamed bleeding gums and tooth loss. Traditional products can be irritating, but there’s a fruity option that’s gentle on your mouth and effective at fighting it off…

Joyce Hollman

7 cancers that may lead to warning on alcohol labels

The United States Surgeon General has called for a cancer warning on alcohol labels, similar to what we’ve seen on cigarettes. The reason? These 7 cancers and how much or how little can increase their risks…

Carolyn Gretton

How weight-loss surgery takes down pancreatic cancer risk

It’s no wonder some people living with obesity turn to bariatric surgery. Aside from weight loss, the procedure has far-reaching impacts on other areas of health — including a particularly deadly type of cancer…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Is green tea the holy grail for brain health?

Green tea has a reputation as a holy grail for preventing a plethora of conditions. But against those that steal your memories and cognitive abilities, the evidence seems to go both ways. Take the guesswork out of brain and memory support…

Joyce Hollman

The berry that boosts metabolism, burns fat and fights flu

Since ancient times, elderberries have been used medicinally and have a reputation for fighting flu. But a regular dose of elderberry juice or tea just may be what your metabolism and blood sugar need to get in gear…

Carolyn Gretton

The non-invasive test that’s the best heart attack predictor

Calcium accumulates in arteries way before significant blockages develop, which is the best time to catch it. One test that measures it has proven its accuracy for predicting life or death even beyond heart disease…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Colonoscopy: Is every 10 years really necessary?

Whether your rite of passage was at 50 or 45, anyone who submits to a routine colonoscopy is informed they’re expected to repeat the procedure every 10 years. Now for some good news: some of us may get a reprieve…

Joyce Hollman

Newer cholesterol drugs linked to reduced lung function

Cholesterol-lowering drugs, especially statins, have been controversial almost from the get-go. After years of use, the list of side effects keeps growing. A newer class of drugs treats cholesterol differently, but it sounds like the same old story…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The truth about coffee’s effects on heart rhythm

If caffeine gives your brain a jolt to get your morning started, might it also give your heart a jolt that could cause rhythm problems, like atrial fibrillation? That’s been the subject of debate. After following more than 300,000 coffee lovers for 4 years, there’s an answer…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Why New Year’s resolutions can backfire

Are you hearing less about your friends’ New Year’s resolutions? Experts say that’s because the practice can lead to stress no one needs. What can you do instead? Try just three simple habits for better days this year and beyond…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The hidden hazards of burning candles in your home

Those candles you light before a relaxing bath or the ones that give your home a warm glow are doing more than you bargained for. Here’s what and why you need to know about the hidden health hazards of candles…

Jedha Dening

Two kinds of fat your brain needs to reduce stroke risk

Stroke is perhaps the scariest of all vascular conditions. Odds are one in six of us will suffer one at some point. But research says that adding two specific fats to our diets won’t only lower risks for the development of stroke but reduce the severity should one happen…

Margaret Cantwell

How pork fat contributes to your nutritional fitness

If you’ve been scared off fat and are considering a diet craze that ditches entire food groups, this is for you: Pork fat ranks in the top 10 for a higher nutritional score than “healthy” foods like kale, broccoli or salmon. Here’s why…

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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