Latest Stories

Latest Stories

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…

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…

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…

Joyce Hollman

How your blood vessels can accelerate your brain’s age

As we age, our brains age along with all of our other parts. But some people’s brains experience accelerated aging, and research has zeroed in on how their blood vessels could be responsible…

Carolyn Gretton

Coffee and tea’s connection to head and neck cancer

Many studies have been conducted to assess whether coffee or tea is linked with head and neck cancer, but results have been inconsistent — until now…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Here’s what we know about the first U.S. bird flu death

Bird flu has been on the perimeter of our minds. But the first severe case of human infection in a patient who has died as a result, has people asking “Is it time to worry?” It’s time to understand this flu and how to stay safe…

Dr. Mark Wiley

Norovirus: What to know and how to avoid it

It’s nasty. It’s miserable. And, it’s highly contagious. You might call it the stomach flu or the stomach bug, but the real name behind those unspeakable symptoms is norovirus. Here’s what to know and how to lessen risk of infection…

Joyce Hollman

How smokers can live longer at any age

If you’ve been a lifelong smoker, you might question whether it’s even worth the trouble to give up the habit now. A fifteen-year-long study found how to quit so you can live nearly as long as someone who has never picked up a cigarette in their life…

Joyce Hollman

Your diet and the inflammatory risk of GI cancer

The number of people under the age of 50 diagnosed with bowel and other gastrointestinal (GI) cancers has risen alarmingly in recent decades. Do you share this common factor found to fuel these types of cancers?

Carolyn Gretton

Cheap supplements that payout big for an aging brain

Your gut is almost a universe unto itself, populated by trillions of microbes that help keep it and your whole body healthy and balanced. Keeping it nourished can have an especially big payout for an aging brain, without putting a dent in your wallet…

Joyce Hollman

Ozempic and Wegovy associated with vision loss risk

Side effects associated with semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, keep piling up. Yet some experts say the benefits outweigh the risks. Even the potential for permanent vision loss?

Carolyn Gretton

How alcohol speeds aging (and which drinks are worse)

Anything you can do to slow the body’s biological aging process is a good thing. So if you’re hoping to slow the hands of time by putting a lot of effort into healthy living and nutrients that science shows can help, you may want to consider how alcohol factors in…

Joyce Hollman

The occasional sweet treat may be healthier than none

American adults consume about 60 pounds of added sugars a year. That’s almost 3 times too much. But one sugar source is worse for leading to heart problems. The good news is, there’s a sweet spot…

Carolyn Gretton

The omega-3 fatty acid that essentially blocks pain

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids your body can’t make. Without them, you could be in a world of hurt if you don’t consume enough, not just because they’re essential for life, but because research is zeroing in on how one in particular blocks pain signals…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The weird connection between macular degeneration and calcified plaque

Calcified plaque deposits are a real problem when it comes to heart and brain health. But this harbinger of circulation problems doesn’t stop there. New researchs show how it steals your vision and the plan to beat it…

Carolyn Gretton

How your doctor’s sex impacts the care you receive

It may be the 21st century, but gender bias remains a huge problem in healthcare. It means some of us aren’t getting the care we deserve and the number of deaths in certain populations is much higher. It may be time to switch doctors…

Carolyn Gretton

When wonder drugs lead to pancreatitis, gastroparesis and bowel obstruction

The GLP-1 agonist class of drugs appears to be a godsend for people looking to lose weight quickly and effortlessly. But there is a decidedly dark side to these medications, including several risky digestive side effects that could make life miserable…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Beer’s weird connection to rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful autoimmune disease that attacks the joints. What exactly triggers it is a mystery, though experts suggest it’s a combination of factors including lifestyle and diet, which makes one item on the prevention list stand out…

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

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. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Men: Keeping your heart health in midlife

When I was in medical school, a heart attack in a 40-year-old man was rare. Not anymore. We used to think heart disease happened primarily to older adults. But two risk factors hitting all-time high rates among men between the ages of 35 and 64 means it’s time to double down…

Jenny Smiechowski

6 supplements that lift lagging energy levels

Some people have plenty of energy. They’re out at Fleetwood Mac concerts. Cooking boeuf bourguignon for the family. Keeping a house so clean and well-decorated it would make Martha Stewart jealous. But if you’re not one of them, these six supplements can help you get your energy and your life back!

Joyce Hollman

The vitamin that halves the risk of melanoma

The common wisdom has been that, other than avoiding the sun and monitoring changes in your skin, there wasn’t much you could do to prevent melanoma, especially if you were at high risk. A vitamin study just changed everything about that…

Carolyn Gretton

Protecting pets from toxins linked to canine lymphoma

Cancer is difficult enough for humans. But when it comes to our dogs, it can be heartbreaking for us. Lymphoma in dogs is similar in many ways to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in humans, including concerns linking exposure to the herbicide glyphosate to the development of cancer.

Carolyn Gretton

Identical twins reveal exercise changes gene expression

We all know the drill: get more exercise, have better health. But one thing many of us don’t know is how deep the impact of exercise goes. There’s evidence it may not only influence cellular behavior but whether or not genes define your health destiny..

Joyce Hollman

How leaky gut leads to weight gain

Digestive troubles are so common, we pay them little mind. But the condition that allows bacterial toxins to leak into the bloodstream causes bigger problems: A cycle of weight gain and the inability to lose weight, by changing how the body metabolizes fat.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The secret to reducing stroke and heart attack with fewer steps

It’s exciting that health improvements can be measured by the number of steps we take. But for many of us, taking 10,000 steps every day seems impossible. Well, for cardiovascular health you may not have too, as long as you make these incremental steps…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The drink that protects against kidney damage

Acute kidney injury is a sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage that happens within a few hours or a few days. When it does, things can go downhill fast. Age, diabetes and heart or kidney problems increase your risk. But there’s one drink that can bring it down…

Carolyn Gretton

Alcohol and aging add up to accelerated muscle loss

There’s a lot of conflicting information as to whether moderate drinking can impact health in a good way or not. But one thing most researchers agree on is that crossing the line can lead to heart problems, dementia, cancer and this scourge of aging…

Joyce Hollman

How junk food interferes with brain-cleaning deep sleep

Have you gone to bed too soon after a slice of pizza, only to toss and turn with indigestion? Junk food can do far worse. It appears to be a culprit in altering slow-wave brain activity essential to the deep restorative sleep that “cleans” toxins from your brain…

Jenny Smiechowski

AGEs: Why diabetes is bad for your bones

Diabetes comes with a long list of complications that affect many parts of the body including the brain, heart, eyes, feet and kidneys. But less known is the skyrocketing risk of bone fractures, especially hip fractures, that diabetics face. Here’s why and how to reduce your risk of a life-changing break…

Carolyn Gretton

Remove cancer-causing toxins from your home with plants

Did you know the air within your home and building you work in can be more polluted than outdoor air even in a large city? That includes cancer-causing airborne toxins, unless you have a housefull of plants. Science says they can detox your air in a shockingly short amount of time…

Joyce Hollman

Alzheimer’s drug’s accelerated approval leads to deadly stroke

Ever hear the expression, “out of the frying pan, into the fire”? In healthcare, that expression could apply when a drug meant to treat a disease carries side effects far worse than the disease itself. That’s exactly the case with a newly approved drug for Alzheimer’s…

Carolyn Gretton

Eating grapes leads to subtle gut changes for major benefits

More than 1,600 phytochemical compounds have been identified in grapes, all of which affect different processes in the body. So benefits from lowering cholesterol to protecting the brain are not surprising. Now we have a better understanding of how they work, starting in the gut…

Joyce Hollman

Nature’s Ozempic? Berberine’s impact on blood sugar and weight loss

Berberine is a natural plant compound found in the barberry and goldenseal plants that, in study after study, has been shown to improve blood sugar, cholesterol and even weight loss efforts. Here’s all you need to know…

Joyce Hollman

Study finds optimal dose of omega-3s to lower blood pressure

Omega-3s have been under a lot of scrutiny. From cardio-protective to cholesterol-lowering and brain-boosting, the studies have had one thing in common: discovering that dosage matters. Now an analysis of 71 trials has found the magic amount for lowering blood pressure…

Joyce Hollman

Vitamin D levels bolster skin cancer treatment

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer drugs that take the brakes off the natural immune response so T cells can anihilate cancer cells, are especially effective against melanoma, when caught early. But a new finding says vitamin D levels play into how effective the immunotherapy can be…

Carolyn Gretton

The ‘genotoxic’ sweetener that damages your DNA

Artificial sweeteners are just as popular as ever. And it’s really suprising considering the health concerrns that have been raised over the years, including tumors and heart problems. Now we know why one in particular is especially troublesome…

Margaret Cantwell

What are your health risks from the Canadian wildfires?

Raging wildfires in Canada are causing major headaches and dangerous breathing conditions for parts of the U.S., reaching as far south as Georgia. Fine particulate air matter from wildfires is among the most toxic and passes to your lungs quckly and easily. But the biggest concern is the threat to heart health…

Dr. Michael Cutler

Tips to treat and avoid the fungus among us

We all have yeast on our skin, and for the most part you never know it’s there. But when you do, it’s quite annoying, itchy and uncomfortable. Some can be downright dangerous. So how can you avoid a yeast or fungal infection especially during the summer months?

Carolyn Gretton

How age, diabetes and dementia intersect

A growing body of research has established a link between diabetes and dementia. But where they intersect could triple dementia risk. That intersection? The age when prediabetes becomes full-blown type 2 diabetes…

Joyce Hollman

An apple a day could keep frailty away

Frailty is a syndrome that leads to a greater risk of falls, fractures, disability, hospitalization and mortality. In other words, it can take your independence and make life a lot less fun. Here are 5 signs it could be creeping up and maybe the easiest way to avoid it…

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…

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