Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Carolyn Gretton

The one time the benefits of exercise don’t hold up

If exercising to be healthy, how much exercise should you get and how hard should you workout? For supercharged benefits, vigorous exercise appears to have a greater impact than moderate exercise. But for immune health, the opposite may be true….

Joyce Hollman

The link between diabetes and silent heart attacks

The human body is complex. Conditions that may seem unrelated can have connections below the surface, like diabetes and the increased risk for heart problems. And as if it couldn’t get more complex, there’s the “silent heart” attack factor…

Joyce Hollman

The low-fat answer to lung cancer, even for smokers

Diet has long been proven to make a huge difference, not only in matters like weight, but in disease risk. And one component, fat, gets the most attention. No wonder. When your choice of fat can reduce lung cancer risk, even in smokers, that’s a big deal.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why night shift leads to weight gain and diabetes

Working night shift does more than mess with your sleep. Flipping your schedule on its head releases a cascade of damage that leads to chronic metabolic conditions that research shows can turn your good health bad surprisingly fast…

Carolyn Gretton

What drinking alcohol on a plane can do to your heart

Maybe you’re traveling for vacation. Maybe for business. Either way, you may not think twice about enjoying a cocktail to unwind, unless you know about the risk that drink carries for your heart that it doesn’t when you’re on the ground…

Joyce Hollman

7 amazing benefits of pterostilbene

If you try to stay on top of your heart, brain and blood sugar health, you’re aware of resveratrol, the polyphenol found in red wine and dark chocolate. But what about its powerful cousin? From blood pressure to calorie burn, you’ll want pterostilbene in your life…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Margarita burn: The risk to watch for

If you’re hitting the pool or the beach this summer, you may want to think twice before you reach for a citrusy cocktail. You could end up with an unexpected “allergy-like” reaction that could quickly end a good time…

Carolyn Gretton

Easing chronic pain the drug-free way

Doctors admit relieving chronic pain leaves them baffled. Often the pills don’t even work or their sides effects can be intolerable. If that’s where you are, a surprisingly simple answer might take a little time, but has been shown to work for thousands of people…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Food and drugs that harm your ‘memory’ transmitter

Researchers have found that in patients with Alzheimer’s, a neurotransmitter involved in memory and learning, called acetylcholine, gets depleted. If that could be avoided, could cognitive decline? Thankfully, a few simple changes could keep that from happening.

Carolyn Gretton

Unraveling the sleep connection to migraine

Migraine can accompany sleep disorders, like insomnia, trouble falling or staying asleep, poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness. But is migraine what’s causing these sleep problems or vice-versa? The answer could lead to relief…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The longevity debate: To run or not to run

There have been questions about whether running long distances is good for your health or not. Some data shows it could induce a heart attack but some says it lowers risk of death in general. If you’re on the edge, the longevity debate may settle it for you…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

When alcohol sets women up for heart disease

Far too many women still believe dangerous myths when it comes to heart disease, like it being an issue that mainly impacts men. The truth is it’s the #1 killer of women in the U.S. And your personal risk can be far higher depending on your drinking habits…

Joyce Hollman

The drink that encourages bone growth and blocks bone loss

A Chinese medicinal herb has been shown to not only block bone loss, but encourage bone growth. That’s great news for anyone with osteoporosis. Even better, the active compound responsible for that phenomenal bone support is also found in coffee beans…

Carolyn Gretton

The RA patients with the highest risk of heart trouble

It’s known that rheumatoid arthritis carries a higher risk for heart trouble. But researchers are finding it can vary, and hope personalized treatments that tackle the effects of oxidative stress, sky-high inflammation and out-of-control immune cells can take that threat down…

Joyce Hollman

How to stack the odds against bad genes by 62%

If you’ve inherited a genetic predisposition that could shorten your lifespan, it may feel like the cards are just not in your favor. You might think “game over.” But is it really? A first ever study compared genetics to lifestyle and the findings might blow you away…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How car seats increase your exposure to carcinogens

A car wreck is the worst we might expect when climbing into a car. But safety features have been designed that could limit injury. However, thanks to outdated federal standards, every single moment we spend in our vehicle means breathing in known carcinogens…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Prostate problems: Too common to ignore

There isn’t enough confirmed evidence about the precise blend of influences, including genetic, environmental and dietary, that lead to prostate issues. This uncertainty means there’s no simple way to avoid these problems. But the connection between prostate and heart health is a place to start…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

3 amazing benefits of summer’s best heart-healthy vegetable

If you didn’t know, there’s a vegetable you need to take advantage of right now on your next visit to the farmer’s market. It’s the one that provides huge amounts of 8 important nutrients, a compound that lowers blood pressure and one that fights disease-causing inflammation…

Joyce Hollman

The fast health benefits of taking the stairs

Not everyone has the knees to take the stairs. But if you’re able to, you should know it’s the answer to two types of exercise in one and can turn back several factors that add up to metabolic syndrome, heart attack and stroke in just a matter of weeks…

Carolyn Gretton

The 2 worst ultraprocessed foods you should ditch now

Ultraprocessed foods have been associated with bad health and early death. But avoiding them has seemed an impossible task, til now. A 30-year study reveals a starting point: Remove the two worst offenders shown to have the strongest impact on your health…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The new stroke risk? Being 65 or younger

Most of us think stroke is something that happens when you’re old. Not anymore. Not only can a stroke occur at any age, the numbers game shows more people under 65 are having strokes than ever before. Here’s why stroke rates are rising so dramatically in younger people…

Joyce Hollman

Kombucha: The bacterial boost your metabolism needs

You may have heard of kombucha, but not jumped on board the hype. Well, if you’re looking to reduce fat, lower triglycerides and lose weight, kombucha can get you there by boosting the bacteria your body needs to ramp up your metabolism.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Exercise renews the brain’s plaque-fighting cells

We’ve read the research that exercise can boost cognition and prevent brain shrinkage, among other benefits. But what can it do against that scourge of aging marked by those nasty brain plaques? It gives back the fighting power of a youthful brain to eat them away…

Carolyn Gretton

11 unusual signs of chronic inflammation

Chronic inflammation can cause all kinds of problems. But how do you know you have it? As a diagnosis, it can be hard to detect, which is why we’re giving you 11 of the more unusual signs that it could be wreaking havoc inside your body right now…

Joyce Hollman

Perk of a heart-healthy lifestyle: Slower aging

We have no control over the passage of time. But we do have a lot of control over our physiological age. That means we have a lot of say over our health as we age. In fact, if you’re already taking care of your heart, you may have already slowed your rate of aging…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 symptoms prove chronic fatigue syndrome is ‘biological’

People with chronic fatigue syndrome have battled not only their condition but also skepticism that the condition could be psychosomatic. A landmark study that started eight years ago has compelling evidence that nothing could be further from the truth…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Medicating against your circadian rhythm can be toxic

Most of us don’t think about what time it is when we take medication. Sure, you may have one or two your doctors suggest taking at a certain time of day. But if a headache hits, you probably pop a pain releiver without a second thought. That could be toxic and bad for you and your liver…

Carolyn Gretton

The syndrome that quadruples the risk of diabetic neuropathy

More than 50 percent of the half a billion people with diabetes suffer from a nerve condition that can cause pain and numbness. And most of them aren’t even aware they have it, the threats it poses or about the syndrome that quadruples their risk for it…

Joyce Hollman

What we can learn from the man beating Alzheimer’s

This is the true story of a 55-year-old man whose fate seemed to be sealed, When it came to genetics and dementia, he’d drawn the short straw: two copies of the APOE4 gene. But he didn’t take it sitting down. Today, his brain tells a different story, one that can belong to any of us…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why high fat adds up to high Alzheimer’s risk

Studies have connected a diet high in saturated fats with Alzheimer’s. But how these fats harm the brain hasn’t been clear. Now researchers reveal three distinct ways a high-fat diet can damage the brain in a short amount of time. But we wouldn’t tell you this if there wasn’t a way around it…

Easy Health Options Staff

Alert: Blood pressure tablets recalled over cancer risk

Just before Christmas, the FDA announced, as a public service, that drug manufacturer Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. has issued a voluntary recall for Quinapril — a blood pressure-lowering medication that may contain a cancer-causing impurity. Here’s what we know…

Carolyn Gretton

Lower your blood pressure in 20 minutes without sweating

Sure, exercise will lower your blood pressure. But it’s not the only way. Have you ever wondered what people mean when they talk about mindfulness? It’s much more than mumbo jumbo. Not only does it take BP numbers down, it kickstarts a signaling molecule your body uses to do just that…

Joyce Hollman

The ‘causal link’ to Alzheimer’s you can break

Research relies on different types of studies. Some are “observational,” where researchers observe the effect of a risk factor. Then there are the ones we get really excited about. These identify an actual causal factor that, if avoided, can greatly cut your risk of something like Alzheimer’s…

Joyce Hollman

Kidney cancer is silent, until it’s not: Know the symptoms

Kidney cancer is fast becoming one of the more common cancers. It often strikes around age 65, but likely starts sooner because, in its earliest stages, kidney cancer often does not cause any noticeable symptoms. And diagnosis occurs after it has spread. Know these signs…

Jenny Smiechowski

How to reduce dementia risk by 90 percent

Exercise and brain health go hand in hand… But how much time do you have to put in to prevent the most dreaded of age-related brain diseases — dementia? Science finally has a solid answer: A recent study determined a goal you can set to obliterate your dementia risk…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Stretch away low back pain in 6 simple moves

If you’re living with low back pain, you’re not alone. And whether your pain is sharp and shooting, dull and achy or radiating, there are things you can do at home to get relief, including the 5,000-year-old practice deemed just as effective as physical therapy…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The virus no one wants that could eradicate cancer

When you think of the herpes simplex virus, not much that’s pleasant comes to mind. But what if the virus that can wreak so much havoc could also be used for good, like causing advanced tumors to disappear, shrink or stop progressing?

Joyce Hollman

What’s in your mug could lower your risk for hip fracture

A hip fracture, especially over 60, can be a nightmare. The long period of immobility that follows can bring on dangerous health complications. Calcium and vitamin D are important, but you may be shocked to know how much your coffee or tea habit may help…

Carolyn Gretton

Allergies in the wintertime: Weather as a trigger

For some people, allergies can be an issue year-round. Even when there’s frost on the ground and no pollen in the air, they’re still dealing with sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes. One allergy expert points to weather as a possible trigger and what may help…

Carolyn Gretton

Why bladder problems increase with age for some women

In the United States, roughly 17 percent of women ages 20 and older suffer from urinary incontinence. While that doesn’t seem like a lot, the number skyrockets as women age. And so does overactive bladder. But why are these conditions worse for some, and where’s the relief?

Miguel Leyva

Glyphosate and thyroid cancer: Too little too late

Research into the causes of thyroid cancer is ongoing, but exposure to pesticides has long been suspected. One, in particular, glyphosate, was associated with a 33 percent increase in cases. 2023 is the year this health destroyer is supposed to be phased out. Is it too little too late?

Jenny Smiechowski

The 4-minute hack that lowers blood sugar for hours

Did you know that every time you exercise, your muscles start using more of the glucose (and fat) in your bloodstream? That’s why it’s recommended for balancing blood sugar. But what if you have high blood sugar, but no time to exercise? Try this instead…

Jenny Smiechowski

The diet that improves aging (even in nursing home residents!)

As you age, your body starts breaking down and becomes more inflamed. This leads to frailty… or what’s commonly thought of as “getting old.” You walk slower, feel creakier and just don’t have as much physical or mental spunk as you once did. But here’s something you may not know… the right diet can turn that around!

Joyce Hollman

How to put stress to work for a better brain

Stress is bad for you. Or is it? It certainly has its downsides, like increasing risks for conditions such as nausea, migraine, hypertension, heart disease and even cancer. But all stress is not the same and can, in fact, have the opposite effect…

Carolyn Gretton

Vascular dysfunction: A direct path to disease

There appears to be no end to the havoc a poor diet can wreak on the body: the heart, liver, kidneys, blood sugar, and metabolism all suffer… but the damage a bad diet does to your blood vessels provides a direct path for that destruction and more.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Aortic aneurysm: A reason to check blood pressure in both arms

Getting your blood pressure checked is simply a routine procedure to be sure your heart is effortlessly pumping blood like it’s supposed to. But if your doctor is only checking one arm, you could be at higher risk for heart attack, stroke or sudden death and not even know…

Carolyn Gretton

How flavonols put the brakes on memory decline

What’s considered normal memory decline with age is not as disruptive as Alzheimer’s or dementia. But still, who wouldn’t like to maintain strong mental faculties as long as possible? If you’re getting plenty of this nutrient, you’ll keep a sharp brain at any age…

Carolyn Gretton

The condition that can skyrocket your risk for AMD

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is on the rise as the population grows older. And as more is learned about how it can steal our vision, research is also revealing connections to other conditions that can increase the risk of the blinding eye disease even more…

Joyce Hollman

‘Good’ cholesterol’s role as heart health predictor challenged

The fact that “good” cholesterol, AKA HDL cholesterol, is beneficial to heart health is just that, a long-standing fact. But sometimes facts bear re-examining. That’s because HDL may not be the harbinger of heart health we once thought, at least not for everyone.

Joyce Hollman

The diet that doubles fat loss and reduces disease risk

The traditional Mediterranean diet is well known for its benefits that lead to longevity, partly by improving heart health and weight. Hard to believe it could get any better than that, but hold onto your hat… Find out how to double visceral fat loss and drop disease risk, even more!

Joyce Hollman

Common chemical found to drive heart disease and early death

Chemicals are an invasive part of our lives that we have a hard time avoiding. Many of them can make our lives easier, but that luxury demands a high price. In fact, we’re paying with our lives… 100,000 a year to be exact, lost to heart disease and early death. But you may be more shocked to learn how you’re exposed to this killer chemical…

Carolyn Gretton

The beverage that helps prevent calcified arteries

We’ve known for some time that coffee and green tea are exeptional health-promoting beverages. But you may be less aware of the significant heart protection another common drink offers. Researchers have discovered a daily cup can protect against this indicator of heart attack and stroke…

Carolyn Gretton

How phthalates can trigger abnormal growths in women

A growing body of research is showing how dangerous phthalates are to our health. But one hazard in particular that women need to be aware of when it comes to these widespread pollutants strikes at a very personal level…

Joyce Hollman

How a salty diet literally ‘stresses you out’

You know salt promotes high blood pressure and increases the risks for heart problems, including stroke. But did you know sodium can literally stress you out? Research says that alone can wreak havoc on your health in ways you never thought…

Joyce Hollman

Limiting protein: A strategy for cancer treatment and prevention

The search for a cure for cancer is proving to be a long-term effort, but experts are honing in on the mechanisms by which cancer cells grow and spread. Nutrition, especially, has often been examined as a possible path for preventing cancer. Now it may also treat it…

Dr. Mark Wiley

Chlorella: Mother Nature’s superfood miracle

Chlorella is a true superfood, packed with amino acids, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients that support the health of the body. If you are seriously ill, suffering a modern-lifestyle disease or an athlete looking to perform and feel better, chlorella may offer just the boost you need.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Busting the myths about screentime, blue light and sleep

You’ve probably heard all the warnings about cutting down on screentime at bedtime to avoid blue light, especially if you hope to get a good night’s sleep. Not so fast. It turns out you can have your iPad, phone or TV, and your sleep too if you just follow a few simple rules…

Dr. Mark Wiley

Acai: Miracle of wellness

Acai is reported to be a miracle fruit that can work wonders for arthritis, cholesterol, obesity, heart health, digestion, energy, erectile dysfunction, inflammation, detoxification, diabetes, allergies, bloating, muscle cramps and oxidative stress. But how can one fruit do all that?

Joyce Hollman

8 holiday depression triggers and how to work around them

The Christmas season can be a double-edged sword. It brings with it feelings of love, togetherness and joy. But many people find themselves stepping around emotional landmines that trigger feelings of anxiety and depression. Here are some healthy ways to cope and have a truly rewarding holiday season…

Carolyn Gretton

Diabetes medications and more: Why MS is on the rise

Selma Blair and Christina Applegate are part of a trend, but not a popular one. Autoimmune diseases are on the rise in people aged 50 and older. While scientists examine why, one possible reason is a common medication. Another isn’t so easy to avoid…

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