Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Painless prostate cancer test claims 90% accuracy

Prostate-specific antigen testing for prostate cancer is known for a high rate of false positives that can lead to routine biopsies that can do more harm than good. A new, simple and highly accurate test may put an end to all that…

Carolyn Gretton

The heart condition 3 times more common than thought

It’s hard to tell sometimes if health problems are on the rise or just underdiagnosed. Both could apply to atrial fibrillation, a condition that substantially increases risk of stroke. With such dangerous stakes, it a good thing researchers are taking a closer look…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

A growing connection: Cardiovascular disease and cell phones

Mobile phone usage is gaining a reputation for trouble. Two studies in as many years link it to cardiovascular diseases through disrupted circadian rhythm, endocrine and metabolic disruption, and increased inflammation. Here’s what you need to know about the data and your risk…

Joyce Hollman

Eat this now to avoid depression pitfall of aging

Depression in older adults is common, but contrary to popular belief, it’s not a normal part of aging. Illness, medication, loneliness and limited mobility can play a part. But the biggest contributor? Foods that you should be eating now to boost production of happiness hormones later…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The safe simple drug-free weight loss strategy that works

While GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are having their moment, we’re learning they can lead to intestinal damage and the possibility of “life-long treatment” to keep weight from returning. Why risk it when researchers say another evidence-based strategy is safer and works?

Joyce Hollman

Colorful carotenoids: Foods that fight aging inside and out

Carotenoids are pigments in brightly colored fruits and vegetables. They’re also powerful antioxidants with a serious capacity to scavenge free radicals and guard against cellular damage. But their anti-aging effects don’t stop there…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How exercise improves belly fat even when you don’t see it

Do you spend several hours a week working out to lose weight? Maybe you’ve been at it for a while but aren’t seeing the results you hoped for in the mirror. You may even question if it’s worth it. These findings will leave no doubt in your mind about the benefits you’re reaping…

Carolyn Gretton

9 physical signs you could have depression

Depression causes feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anger and more. But depression isn’t confined to the mind. It can manifest in physical symptoms that can make it hard to understand what’s going on and interfere with getting the right kind of help…

Joyce Hollman

Potential Parkinson’s prevention found in seaweed antioxidant

There’s no cure for Parkinson’s, but research provides insight into steps we can take to reduce our risk. The most compelling is the free radical assault that puts Parkinson’s into motion and strong evidence the right antioxidant can prevent it…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Researchers conclude: Gluten’s harm goes way beyond Celiac  

Autoimmune conditions have been on the rise. And after years of denying its role in anything but celiac, science admits: Gluten induces oxidation, cellular stress, gut dysfunction and inflammation linked to multiple autoimmune, metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Study links spirituality to healthier blood pressure

As a preventive cardiologist, one of the most common conditions I treat is hypertension. Nearly half of adults have it. Medications help, but lifestyle avenues interest my patients most. Now research has opened another avenue to lower their readings, with impressive results…

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.

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

Could the key to good sleep start in your gut?

Everyone has trouble sleeping occasionally, with the most common causes being stress, anxiety and depression, neurological problems and pain. But there’s another group of middlemen that can make sleep tough, and they reside in a surprising part of your body…

Carolyn Gretton

The nut that lowers cholesterol better than exercise

Nuts are givers of great health. Almonds have been called the world’s most nutritious nut. Walnuts have been known to crackdown on chronic disease. And pistachios have been hailed as natural weight loss helpers. But what is the best nut for lowering cholesterol? The one that dropped numbers significantly lower than exercise intervention…

Carolyn Gretton

Are banned food additives making Americans sick?

There are a few differences between Americans and Europeans. But one of the biggest differences is the food we consume. Take dangerous food additives. Here is a handful that have been banned in Europe, but are still fed to us, starting with your morning toast…

Jedha Dening

6 teas that boost metabolism, tame appetite and fight fat

Did you know habitual tea drinkers have lower BMI and waist-to-hip ratios, and less body fat than non-tea drinkers? In addition, teas offer protection against many of the health risks associated with being overweight. Here are six that top the list…

Joyce Hollman

Less salt, more bananas could save your memory

Cognitive decline can lead to dementia, and dementia is irreversible. But if you keep your intake of sodium low and your potassium intake high enough to support blood flow through the brain you might just avoid it…

Carolyn Gretton

The link between grapes, your skin and the sun

You may have heard the phrase “Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” This holds for many health conditions, like heart disease and diabetes. But few of us realize this wise adage applies to protecting the skin from UV damage too…

Joyce Hollman

Red light could turn back the clock on your eyesight

What if you could hold a simple device to your eyes each morning, look into it for several minutes and improve your vision? This isn’t science fiction, but the next possible step in turning back the clock, so at 70 years old you might see as well as you did at 40…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The anti-heart disease, stroke, diabetes, breast cancer vitamin

I have a medicine cabinet packed with different vitamins and supplements. But, of all of them, there is one that is by far the most important. Without it, your risk of metabolic syndrome and heart attack, stroke and diabetes goes up considerably, not to mention cancer…

Jenny Smiechowski

Forget fasting: These 14 foods turn back time

Your cells accumulate toxic, damaged material as you age. A cell cleaning process called autophagy removes this toxic junk, but it happens less frequently with age. The more junk your cells accumulate, the faster you age. In comes a compound found in certain foods that helps make cells new again…

Carolyn Gretton

Food poisoning: How it raises your colon cancer risk

There’s no denying how unpleasant food poisoning caused by salmonella can be. The good news is that the symptoms are usually gone after a few days. But for some, the infection can cause long-term gut problems of the worst kind…

Carolyn Gretton

The unsettling truth about sleep medication and your brain

After a long stretch of sleepless nights, it can be very tempting to reach for a prescription or over-the-counter sleep aid. But research keeps stacking up indicating that could be the worst move you could make for the health of your brain…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How I finally got a steel trap memory in my 50s

Like a lot of people in their 50s, I’ve had my fair share of “senior moments.” But I couldn’t help but wonder if I was experiencing something more concerning. Here’s how you can tell the difference and experience those senior moments less and less…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Supplement combo relieved long COVID fatigue in just days

One of the symptoms of long COVID is crushing fatigue, the kind that, even though the virus has cleared the body, makes it feel almost impossible to get back to normal activities. But two nutrients were found to turn that around in a short period of time…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Take your coffee with milk to double down on inflammation

When inflammation becomes an unwanted guest, chronic conditions, including autoimmune disorders, could join the party. Luckily, sending inflammation packing may be as easy as taking your coffee with milk to double down on one powerful ingredient…

Joyce Hollman

6 ways to lessen your risk for gallstones

Gallstones are tiny, hard “pebbles” made of cholesterol. They’re usually very small but can grow to several centimeters, causing pain and sometimes, medical emergencies. Here are some tips to make it less likely you’ll get them…

Joyce Hollman

Why sarcopenia is dangerous: Diabetes, heart disease and dementia

If you’re over 40, you’re fighting an uphill battle to keep sarcopenia from stealing your muscle mass. But what most people don’t realize is the gradual deterioration of muscle increases the risk of diabetes, heart attack and dementia…

Joyce Hollman

Watch this toilet plume and you’ll never flush with the lid up again

A toilet plume brings to mind a world of nasty carrying all sorts of germs. But are we getting paranoid about these kinds of things? A video made by engineers shows how far those germ-filled droplets can reach, and it’s shocking…

Carolyn Gretton

Unusual early signs of Parkinson’s disease

You may be familiar with tremors as a symptom of Parkinson’s. But in working to identify the earliest symptoms, researchers are finding that some signs appearing years before a diagnosis is made are, surprisingly, not neurological in nature.

Joyce Hollman

Alzheimer’s: Another reason to eat eggs

In the years from 2000 to 2019, Alzheimer’s deaths increased by 145 percent. A missing piece of this puzzle may be a once-vilified source of an essential nutrient that plays a vital role in memory and brain support…

Carolyn Gretton

Vitamin D metabolism: Why it’s not a one-size-fits-all vitamin

Studies into vitamin D have produced mixed results. Take the VITAL trial that saw reductions in cancer deaths and autoimmune diseases with vitamin D up to 40% in some people, and minimal results in others. Now we know why: it’s not a one-size-fits-all vitamin.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The gene that makes eating just one potato chip impossible

We all know that one person who eats just one bite of cake at a birthday party and can open an entire bag of potato chips and really eat just one — while the rest of us struggle to put down the bag. What’s the difference between us and them?

Joyce Hollman

Fast-talking drug ads: Risky new drugs that don’t measure up

There’s big money to be made in shiny new drugs. And the pharmaceutical giants are banking on your help, especially since the majority of advertised drugs have been found not to measure up to older, cheaper existing ones…

Joyce Hollman

Pre-workout veggie boosts muscle nearly 10%

However you do it, exercise is on top of any experts advice for keeping a body healthy and fit. But what if you’re having a hard time giving it your all? No worries. This veggie can help you eat your way to more muscle power…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Another reason to floss: Atrial fibrillation

Is your gum health a priority? If not, listen up: a disease of the gums that can lead to bleeding and bad breath, can also leave your heart scarred and struggling to maintain a healthy rhythm…

Carolyn Gretton

Gut bacteria: The missing piece of the MS puzzle

Evidence keeps stacking up that the gut microbiome plays a strong role in MS. And recent findings reveal systems that may be manipulated for new treatments, perhaps with supplements that promote protective bacteria — without the side effects of medications.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Dopamine levels and testing: Get your pleasure hormone back

As part of the brain’s reward system, the hormone dopamine contributes to feelings of pleasure, happiness and motivation. Low levels do just the opposite and may indicate serious neurological conditions. Here’s your mind and body on dopamine…

Carolyn Gretton

Why some mitochondria ramp up aging

Mitochondria are tiny organelles that power our cells. Convention says they begin to slow down and kick off aging. But some ramp up, then burn out, taking your energy with them. Scientists have an answer that seems counterintuitive, but they say works…

Easy Health Options Staff

8 things you didn’t know vitamin D does

You go to the doctor for your yearly check-up and say to him, “Doc, I want a pill that will make me stronger, smarter, healthier, disease proof, age-proof, thinner and with great skin and strong bones. Got anything like that?” In a perfect world, the doctor would say, “Yes, I do. It’s called vitamin D.” Here’s why…

Jenny Smiechowski

Say goodbye to type 2 diabetes in 8 weeks

If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you may be operating under a false belief about your situation… You may believe that once you’ve crossed the line into type 2 diabetes territory, there’s no going back. You’re stuck with this disease for the rest of your life. But that’s far from the truth.

Joyce Hollman

How to slash the dangers of sitting surprisingly fast

As someone who sits at her desk all day long, I’m a prime candidate for diabetes, heart disease and dementia. Obviously, my work day leaves only minutes to spare. But to lower blood pressure and blood sugar, that’s literally all I need…

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