Latest Stories

Latest Stories

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.

Carolyn Gretton

The spa secret that prevents menopause-related weight gain

Visiting a spa may seem like an indulgence. But evidence is piling up that one common spa practice may kick-start metabolism for less weight gain and increase insulin sensitivity to stave off type 2 diabetes, especially if you’re a post-menopausal woman…

Joyce Hollman

12 recipe switches for healthy (or vegan) holiday treats

It’s that time of year again! Time to get out the pie pans, baking sheets, and rolling pins. Let the holiday baking begin! Believe it or not, it’s also the beginning of a great opportunity to turn your holiday favorites into healthier treats. Here are some easy and tasty guilt-free substitutions…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How red meat leads to type 2 diabetes finally revealed

The incidence of type 2 diabetes has been rising at an alarming rate and most of the blame has been placed on weight, age and lack of exercise. But experts knew there was a red meat connection. It took 36 years, but they’ve found it…

Joyce Hollman

Sweet news about safer treatments for hair loss

Almost all men and women will notice hair loss or hair thinning as they age. But genetics and hormones play a part too. Current topical hair loss treatments work but side effects like decreased libdo, weight gain and tachycardia leave us looking for safer options. We may have found one…

Carolyn Gretton

When a fall may be a stroke warning sign

Most people have experienced a fall at least once in their life. Most of the time there’s a reason (you tripped over a tree root, for instance). But there’s a concerning connection to falling that could mean increased stroke risk…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 symptoms of ovarian cancer you shouldn’t ignore

Ovarian cancer is a mostly silent and fast-moving disease. But researchers have found symptom-triggered testing can pick up early stage aggressive ovarian cancer in one in four women. Know what to look for and the tests your doctor should be running…

Joyce Hollman

Low back pain? Walking it off really works

It may seem counterintuitive, but if you’ve got low back pain and you’re not walking, you’re missing out on a simple, free and proven-effective way to reduce your level of pain, enjoy more pain-free days and keep pain from interfering in your daily life…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Can You Slow Down Alzheimer’s by Taking Care of Your Heart?

Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease are two of the most significant health challenges we face today — and top the list of conditions my patients want to avoid. But what if these two seemingly separate conditions were more connected than we ever thought?

Carolyn Gretton

The metabolism-busting secret in olives rivals those new weight-loss drugs

The race is on to find safe, inexpensive alternatives to weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, like this naturally derived compound that melts the weight and may work better than two medications commonly used to treat diabetes.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The Alzheimer’s-diabetes connection that may be hard to escape

There’s no doubt diabetes and Alzheimer’s are intertwined. That’s why some experts labeled Alzheimer’s as type 3 diabetes. Finally, the mechanism behind the connection has revealed why people with diabetes may have a harder time escaping the buildup of amyloid plaques…

Carolyn Gretton

‘First of its kind’ study: Restricting calories slows pace of aging

By far, the most convincing evidence for slowing aging has come from calorie restriction. For years, studies involving fruit flies, worms and even mice have shown it can extend lifespan and delay onset of age-related disorders. Finally we know what it can do for us too…

Joyce Hollman

The ‘invisible’ chemical increasing Parkinson’s diagnoses

Trichloroethylene is a chemical used in manufacturing as a solvent and degreaser. Up until the 1970s, it was used to decaffeinate coffee, of all things. Now, there’s a strong possibility it’s increasing cases of Parkinson’s disease…

Joyce Hollman

The one factor that outweighs obesity-related cancers

Obesity has been synonymous with poor health, especially cancer, for decades. But does the label hold? After a review of 40 years of data, the picture of health might change. There’s more than weight behind these cancers…

Easy Health Options Staff

Alert: Blood thinner recalled for cancer-causing impurity

Another drug recall is in effect due to high levels of the cancer-causing impurity nitrosamine. This follows on the footsteps of two similar recalls over the past two years. This time, it is the blood thinner Dabigatran. Here’s what you need to know…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Reading: The guilty pleasure that could save your memory

There’s nothing better than getting lost in a book. Whether it’s a steamy romance novel or a seat-of-your-pants mystery that keeps you turning those pages late into the night, never feel your “guilty pleasure” is a waste of time. The truth is, it just might save your memory…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Using microbes to shrink your waist and cardio risks

Live microbes, and not just probiotics, from food have finally gotten the credit they deserve: the first real-world evidence that consuming more of them could be the easiest way to not only shrink your waist and BMI, but take down a whole host of health complications with them…

Carl Lowe

To make vitamin D work better, eat this superfruit

Vitamin D offers serious health benefits, from heart disease to autoimmune problems and lots in between. But there’s a superfruit you should eat to make its head to toe benefits even more powerful…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The sneaky gland causing cholesterol problems

If statin side effects weren’t bad enough, there’s the fact you may not even need those drugs in the first place. Your high cholesterol could actually be the result of a completely different health problem.

Carolyn Gretton

For infection prevention, hit the sheets

A lot of us don’t spend enough time in the bedroom. Then again, some of us could be spending a little too much time there. Why does it matter? Your time between the sheets has been linked to how well you can fight off infection.

Joyce Hollman

From postnasal drip to infection: Tips for a lingering cough

There are few things more annoying than a persistent cough, one that lasts for days or weeks and just won’t go away. Here’s what we know about chronic coughing, what it means, when you should be concerned and the treatments that work…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Is your thyroid causing your cholesterol trouble?

From muscle pain to kidney problems and double the dementia risk, it’s no wonder people are wary of statins. Besides those concerns, targeting high levels with statins, might not get to the root of your problem. That’s because cholesterol problems can start in a tiny, butterfly-shaped gland that produces some of the body’s most important hormones instead of your blood vessels.

Joyce Hollman

Is this trace mineral behind your blood sugar problems?

Type 2 diabetes is a major health issue that’s reached epidemic proportions. Exercise and diet are your main weapons against diabetes, but there’s a little-known mineral that could help in a big way…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The stroke risk linked to depression

Depression is considered a serious mood disorder. But there’s a big difference between having a blue mood occasionally and being depressed. It’s not usually something you can just push through, and that’s just one reason to seek help. Another is the increased risk for stroke…

Carolyn Gretton

Mediterranean diet improves cancer treatment for melanoma

Polyphenols are a subset of phytonutrients that are especially “bioactive.” They’re known for drug-like effects in human health. Considering the plethora of nutrition in the Mediterranean diet, finding it’s helpful in cancer treatment is no surprise…

Joyce Hollman

12 conditions that throw you off balance

As we get older, our sense of balance can weaken somewhat. But if you’ve seen your balance worsen in a way that’s not gradual, something else could be going on. Here are twelve health issues that can make you less steady on your feet…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Breaking the link between air pollution and osteoporosis

Is it any wonder that 80 percent of Americans living with osteoporosis are women? By nature, the odds are against us. And now we’re learning with every breath, it gets worse. Air pollution is eating away at our bones, but we’re not as helpless about it as it might seem…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The green fruit that keeps deep belly fat away

When we think about weight loss, we think about dropping body fat. But when you lose “deep” fat, you drop risks for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Problem is, it’s a lot harder to get rid of than regular fat, unless you eat this green fruit daily…

Carolyn Gretton

Is 11 minutes a day enough to keep early death at bay?

If you think you don’t have time to exercise, you’re far from alone. The recommended amount of 150 minutes a week often stops people cold. What if, in the amount of time it takes to drink a cup of coffee, you could reduce several risks that often lead to an early grave?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What any man can do to ‘last longer’

It’s no secret that having a good sex life can make your whole life feel better, your relationships run more smoothly and boost your confidence. But problems can sneak into the bedroom that create more frustration than joy. Here’s a secret every man should know…

Carolyn Gretton

Why skipping breakfast means getting sick more often

There are many proven reasons breakfast has earned the title of “most important meal of the day.” And the popular practice of fasting is proving yet another reason why: a chain reaction set off by inflammation that can make you sick easily and more often and set you up for heart problems…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Is revitalizing old blood the secret to slowing aging?

Research has demonstrated the power of young blood to rejuvenate older bodies, making hearts and muscles stronger and minds sharper. But you can’t walk into your doctor’s office and ask to be hooked up to an IV of blood from a 20-year-old. Here’s what you can do…

Joyce Hollman

How ultra-processed foods destroy your hunger hormones

Astrocytes are star-shaped cells in the brain that express receptors for hormones, including ghrelin, which signals hunger, and its counterpart, leptin, which signals fullness. But just 10 days of the wrong foods dismantles that whole system…

Carolyn Gretton

This early warning could save your heart years before signs of trouble

Given how deadly a heart attack or stroke can be, it helps to get as much advance warning as possible. But too often that’s not the case by the time the heart signals a problem. But there’s another part of the body where researchers have discovered a tell-tale sign that may save lives years in advance.

Jenny Smiechowski

Drink away high blood pressure and bad cholesterol

If you follow a few simple rules, you can drink tomato juice until your heart’s content (and your heart will be very content — and healthy — with lower BP and cholesterol!). That’s what people in this study did, and look how it worked out for them? Ready to give it a go?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to lower sleep apnea risk in 20 minutes

Snoring, waking up gasping for air or with a headache in the morning and feeling tired and irritable are all signs of sleep apnea, a condition that affects more than 29 million Americans. A new study has found an easy way to reduce your risk of sleep apnea in under 20 minutes per day…

Joyce Hollman

5 ways eating a banana could save your life

Will a banana a day keep heart disease away? Let me count the ways… bananas are high in potassium, a mineral that plays a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy heart. Without enough of this mineral, your heart and arteries simply cannot function the way they’re supposed to.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How forever chemicals set you up for disease later in life

If you think forever chemicals are new, you’d be wrong. PFAS have been around since the 1940s. That means most of us have been around long enough for PFAS to have taken advantage of a vulnerable window of time when they set us up for disease later in life…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why omega-3s came out on top of COVID-19

The health and longevity of people in blue zones is just one reasons for tons of research on omega-3 essential fatty acids. They’ve held an ancient secret that in today’s world is still proving they’re not only essential because we can’t produce them on our own, but good health depends on them.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Erythritol: The sugar substitute linked to sticky blood and stroke

Blood clots in response to an injured blood vessel. It’s a normal response even to a paper cut. As the bleeding stops, the clot is no longer needed and dissolves. Things don’t always go as planned, but who would have thought an artificial sweetener could make things worse…

Jenny Smiechowski

Golf lovers do this better

You wouldn’t think being a spectator at a sporting event would have a positive impact on your health. But it does — at least when it comes to one sport in particular, whose fans could put just about anyone’s Fitbit score to shame…

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