Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Carolyn Gretton

Is your ‘true age’ increasing your stroke and dementia risk?

Most of us don’t worry about health problems till we’re older, when disease risks can skyrocket. But If your body’s biological age is older than your birth certificate shows, you can face higher stroke and dementia risks much sooner…

Joyce Hollman

Early-onset cancers jump 80 percent: Lower your odds

Cancer has been considered a disease of aging. But the fastest-growing group of cancer victims doesn’t fit that stereotype. Fortunately, identifying the culprits is the first step to lowering odds that have jumped significantly in the last 30 years…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 ways diabetes shortens lifespan up to 14 years

Diabetes can strike at anytime. And whether you’re diagnosed at 30 or 50, a countdown begins that can steal up to 14 years of your life. Researchers identified the three most common ways diabetes leads to an early grave…

Jenny Smiechowski

Cottage cheese: 3 big benefits of this old-school superfood

I love cottage cheese, even though it’s fallen out of fashion. I eat it often, and you should too, because the benefits of this retro superfood still hold strong several decades later. Here’s what eating a hefty bowl of cottage cheese every day can do for you…

Carolyn Gretton

The Wegovy plateau you should know about

Wegovy and other GLP-1 agonists, hailed as miracle drugs, have helped people drop pounds like nobody’s business. But a new consequence no one’s talking about is how these drugs work until they just don’t anymore, and the weight isn’t the only thing that comes back…

Joyce Hollman

Menopause: Why some women have it worse

Menopause is hard enough. The hot flashes and night sweats can make life miserable, not to mention the unmentionables…UTIs, dryness and a vanishing libido. But some women have it a lot worse, and now we know why…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The seed that offers protection against Parkinson’s disease

With no definitive causes and or gold-standard treatments, living with Parkinson’s encompasses medications that help manage symptoms but hold little hope for disease progression. As far as Parkinson’s prevention, we’ve been left out in the cold. Until now…

Carolyn Gretton

The artery assault that happens when you go to bed late

Sleep is just as important as diet and fitness to your health and well-being. Still, a few nights a week, most of us burn the candle a little past bedtime. The harm? A shocking attack on your blood vessels linked to inflammation, dysfunction and serious heart trouble…

Margaret Cantwell

Molecule ‘switch’ programs cancer cells to self-destruct

As long as research into treating cancer has gone on, there are still just a handful of therapies oncologists rely on. Even when used together, cells can become resistant and the treatment can cause significant harm. But switching on cancer’s self-destruct switch is closer than you think…

Carolyn Gretton

Blood work differences reveal why some live to 100

There’s been much speculation as to why some people live to 100 and beyond. But why wonder when you can compare the blood work of centenarians against their shorter-lived counterparts and see the specific biomarkers linked to exceptional longevity…

Carolyn Gretton

Neighborhoods that decrease cancer risk have a common thread

Obesity carries some dangerous health risks, including obesity-related cancers. While stats show a small decrease in most cancers, those associated with weight are on the rise. Weight loss could help, but there’s another common thread among the cancer-free: their neighborhoods.

Margaret Cantwell

Why going meatless isn’t always a good idea

What happens when you exclude all meat and animal products from your diet? For starters, that makes you a vegan. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But if it’s about health, you should know that much of the research warning us off meat is being called into question…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Breakthrough: Scientists cause aging cells to self-destruct

Anyone over the age of 50 can agree: getting older isn’t for the faint of heart. Thankfully research into slowing the effects of aging is at a fever pitch. The latest? Breakthrough research that shows aging cells can be made to self destruct before causing age-associated ailments…

Carolyn Gretton

3+ ways pumpkin can boost your wellness

Fall is the time of year that pumpkin spice abounds. But if you can get past the pumpkin spice latte with whipped cream topping, the pies and pastries, pumpkin can be a remarkably healthy and versatile vegetable. Here are three reasons you should be adding pumpkin to your menu…

Carolyn Gretton

Beware of this lesser-known cause of cancer deaths

There are a lot of secondary conditions that can come with cancer. And the most dangerous is a result of surgeries, chemotherapy and dead cancer cells. It’s important to be aware of the increased risk of blood clots and know the signs. Even better, avoid it in the first place…

Joyce Hollman

An extra coffee a day helps keep the weight away

On average, women over 50 gain a pound and a half a year. If you’re not paying attention, that can creep up on you fast, literally. Could coffee help? It already has many researched benefits, so it’s no wonder we’re taking a close look at how it affects weight…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Nitric oxide successfully treats viral lung injury

Respiratory failure due to COVID-19 pneumonia can lead to critically low oxygen levels, ventilator tubes and poor prognosis, both short and long term. But heading into cold, flu and COVID season this year, researchers found an effective treatment that battles these lung injuries…

Joyce Hollman

Why women who struggle to sleep risk high blood pressure

Are you a woman who struggles to sleep enough hours a night? Do you have trouble staying asleep? Diabetes and Alzheimer’s could be in your future. But the increased risk of high blood pressure caused by poor sleep may be a more immediate problem…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The products releasing hundreds of chemicals into your home

A clean home doesn’t just make you feel good. It can help you stay healthy. But the cleaning products most of us use are proven to emit hundreds of hazardous chemicals, even known carcinogens. Does “green” cleaning help? With one exception…

Joyce Hollman

Parkinson’s: The gut-brain link grows stronger

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disease. Or is it? Research is showing that it may all begin with an immune system attack that likely starts in an organ far from the brain. That means a cure might be in our near future…

Carolyn Gretton

Stressed or depressed? Your Alzheimer’s risk may be 4 times higher

Stress can do a number on our bodies — including our brains. It can even affect our ability to form memories. But does that mean stress can cause dementia? Researchers set out to answer that question, and it’s concerning…

Joyce Hollman

Zinc link to diabetes may lead to new therapies

Increasing zinc intake improves blood glucose control in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. And now that research has clarified this link, a potential new therapy target may do that and more, including reducing the fatty liver disease that tags along with blood sugar trouble…

Carolyn Gretton

The hazard that increases stroke risk in just five days

Air pollution is practically impossible to escape. Everything around us, both indoors and out, is constantly generating gases and particles that end up in the air and our bodies. But there’s an urgent reason to counter your exposure now…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

A novel way to make your cake a superfood

Cake might not be the healthiest choice for those of us looking to slim our waistlines or battle back diabetes and blood pressure problems. But what if there was a way to bake a cake with superfood benefits?

Joyce Hollman

Another major study confirms: Multivitamins slow cognitive decline

Clinical trials have already shown multivitamins can help reduce cognitive decline. Now findings not only confirm they can improve memory performance by years, but why people with heart problems should be especially excited about this research…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Sweet, salty and boozy: A recipe for holiday heart syndrome

The holidays are about celebrations. They’re also about alcohol, sweets and salty savory treats and big meals that can leave you with a permanent heart condition. Here’s how to avoid holiday heart syndrome and the signs to watch for…

Carolyn Gretton

Snacks that come with a license to cheat

You might think that if you eat healthy otherwise, splurging on a few snacks a day balances out. It depends. Choose wisely and you’ll carry less fat compared not only to those who snack on the wrong stuff, but also compared to those who don’t snack at all…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 ways an unhealthy gut worsens arthritis and joint pain

More and more health problems are being linked to an unhealthy gut, from Parkinson’s to Alzheimer’s and heart disease. But osteoarthritis and worsening joint pain? You’ll be a believer when they detail how fixing your gut may be the truest way to find lasting relief.

Jenny Smiechowski

6 ways to reignite your youthful energy

You used to run mini-marathons in the morning, work a full-time job, catch a late show with friends and still have energy to spare. But now you need to take a nap after grocery shopping and doing a load of laundry. What happened?

Carolyn Gretton

The 50-step-a-day activity that slashes heart disease risk

Having trouble getting in 10,000 steps a day? I have good news: Many studies show that much may be overkill. The magic number for better heart health may be much, much lower — as long as you’re getting them this way…

Carolyn Gretton

Having irregular periods could lead to liver disease

For the longest time, having long or irregular periods was dismissed as something women just had to put up with. But that’s changing. We now know a menstrual cycle gone awry can be a sign of serious illness — including liver disease. A few ways to rebalance your cycle can also protect your liver…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Cholesterol absorber or cholesterol producer: Which are you?

LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood are determined predominantly by two very different biochemical pathways. Depending upon which one is dominant for you, it’s possible to determine how well you’ll respond to medication versus simple diet changes to lower cholesterol.

Easy Health Options Staff

Blood pressure drug recalled for cancer-causing impurity

The pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has announced they are voluntarily recalling several lots of blood pressure medications due to the presence of a cancer-causing impurity known as nitrosamine. Find out if you’re affected and what to do…

Joyce Hollman

Severity of joint pain during menopause clue to deadly condition

Menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life. But because doctors expect to hear women come to them with complaints of fatigue, sleep problems, headaches and joint pain during this time, women are being left behind when it comes to a dangerous and potentially deadly condition…

Joyce Hollman

Study identifies how many years your brain ages per drink

What’s the harm in a daily drink? Despite what smaller studies have found, it turns out just one drink followed by just one more can exponentially age your brain by shrinking it. In fact, a shockingly small amount can steal a decade from your brain…

Carolyn Gretton

The air pollutant increasing your risk for cognitive decline

Breathing in ozone pollution is harsh on the lungs. It can also raise the risk of heart attack and stroke. Is that the worst of it? Long-term exposure to ozone has been found to contribute to cognitive decline. You have to breath, but you can still protect your brain….

Virginia Tims-Lawson

‘Everyday’ plastics mess with metabolism, increase fat cells

Endless commercials tell us if we join weight loss programs and eat their pre-packaged meals, the pounds will drop. Maybe you’ve tried them or followed a diet at home, working out on top of all of that, but the scale keeps going up. Let me be the first to tell you to stop beating yourself up. Here’s why…

Joyce Hollman

New therapeutic target takes aim at Age-related Macular Degeneration

AMD leads to loss of the sharp vision required for activities like reading, driving, recognizing faces and seeing the world in color. It can also lead to blindness. To keep that from happening, research looks into gene therapy, inflammation and oxidative stress…

Joyce Hollman

8 tips that take the stress out of eating for weight loss and wellness

If you still think being mindful about your eating habits has something to do with meditation, you’d not only be wrong, you’d be missing out. Here are 8 ways to simplify eating better, losing weight if you want and avoiding disease to live healthier…

Joyce Hollman

Live longer strengthening muscles just one hour a week

Anything you can do to develop stronger muscles will add years to your life — up to 20 percent more! But if you’re like me you’re not a fan of breaking a sweat. I have good news for all of us: When it comes to the benefits of muscle-strengthening exercise, less is more…

Joyce Hollman

Common painkillers can put you in the sodium ‘danger zone’

They plop. They fizz. And what a relief they bring. But the reason those fizzy pain relievers dissolve so well is the sodium they contain. Surely, it’s not that much, right? It’s enough to raise risks for stroke and heart attack even if you don’t have high blood pressure.

Jenny Smiechowski

Hurting? Swap your NSAID for this vitamin

Arthritis, menstrual cramps, fibromyalgia, back pain — you’ve probably dealt with one or more of these forms of chronic pain in your lifetime. And maybe you’re still trying to rein in your chronic pain… even after you’ve tried everything medicine has to offer…

Carolyn Gretton

The brain perks of pet ownership

Having a pet is great for your health, particularly if you’re a senior. Your pet can keep your blood pressure and stress levels down, keep you from getting lonely and make sure you get daily exercise. And now, there’s evidence having a pet may even benefit your brain…

Carolyn Gretton

10 factors most likely to manifest before Alzheimer’s sets in

There are a lot of factors believed to contribute to Alzheimer’s. Without a cure, there’s hope that early identification of these factors may give us the chance to intervene. These 10 factors have been identified as those most likely to manifest many years before Alzheimer’s onset…

Joyce Hollman

Is your doctor prescribing ‘low-value’ heart care?

A review of cardiovascular care in the U.S. found it’s prone to a high frequency of “low-value” tests and procedures. It happens to nearly half of patients and leads to more invasive tests that come with higher risks, costs and questionable benefits. Are you one of them?

Carolyn Gretton

The surprising way your immune system helps burn fat

You may think your immune system is only activated when you’re sick. Truth is, it remains active in your body even when you’re perfectly healthy. In fact, It has cells stationed all over the body that are busy performing vital functions, such as those related to energy production and burning fat…

Carolyn Gretton

The silent way your gut influences heart disease

The gut influences processes in our body far beyond digestion. In fact, it’s known that disturbances in the microbiome and heart problems can go hand in hand. But there’s been some uncertainty about where the issues actually begin and what could be done to decrease the harm…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How body fat can function to stave off old-age ailments

Most of us think of body fat as something we need to lose. However, growing research is proving it’s much more than a reservoir for storing calories. Depending on how well it functions, fat may be key to preventing some of the most common age-related ailments.

Carolyn Gretton

The cholesterol-busting power of caffeine

Caffeine has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. But it’s been unclear exactly how. Turns out, there’s an interesting connection between caffeine and a protein that stimulates cholesterol production.

Joyce Hollman

How the right fiber helps slash dementia risk

We’re always hearing we should eat more fiber. It helps maintain a healthy digestive system, reduces cholesterol and improves heart health. Now, research is finding that eating more of a particular type of fiber may also keep dementia away…

Joyce Hollman

Microplastic ‘magnets’ deliver poisons to your bloodstream

Who in their right mind would sit down and eat a bunch of plastic particles with their meal? But we have been for a long time. To the point that it’s poisoning us in an entirely different and alarming way…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How much meat can you eat and keep cancer risks low?

More and more, research is proving that being a meat lover can put you at higher risk for cancer. But is it really an all-or-nothing deal? Maybe not. You may only need to follow a few simple rules to enjoy meat and keep the “big C” at bay…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Autoimmune disease over 50: Why the rise and how to stop it

If you’re at an age where heart and brain health are top of mind, you might be missing a threat that’s 50 percent higher in older adults than it was 25 years ago. The good news is that the nutrients that support your heart and brain can also decrease your autoimmune risk by 30 percent.

Joyce Hollman

The diet that slowed over-50 brain shrinkage

With age, the size of the human brain shrinks. Age-related brain atrophy occurs due to a loss of brain cells. With fewer brain cells, connections are lost and cognitive decline begins. What if you could pump up the volume with a simple diet adjustment?

Joyce Hollman

4 ways cherries make you feel better

It’s no accident that the small, sweet cherry has found its way into idioms that express how good life is. To “put the cherry on top” means to make a good thing even better. That’s because there are few downsides to eating cherries, and a lot of benefits to be had…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Melatonin + late-night eating: A recipe for diabetes

Late-night eating can lead to weight gain or high blood sugar levels. That’s a recipe for diabetes. But new findings show many of us carry a gene that can make that habit worse by turning a hormone naturally produced in the body against us.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Better sleep provides better odds against mind-stealing plaques

When your sleep cycle gets screwed up, so does your health. Disruption to your circadian clock has been found to interfere with the brain’s ability to clear a protein closely linked to stealing your brain functions and memories. But getting it back on schedule isn’t so hard…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Study seems to settle the connection between cancer and alcohol

While none of us doubt that heavy drinking is a danger to health, the jury has been out for decades as to whether light to moderate alcohol use can be helpful or harmful. But one consistent debate has centered on alcohol’s connection to cancer. Well, now, the jury may have made a final decision.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The scientific myth putting men’s bones in danger

For years, if not decades, health care providers have assumed people with higher levels of body fat have high bone density and are at low risk of fracture. Turns out that was a mistake that’s left men, especially, in danger.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Is meat the link to autoimmune reactions and MS?

More and more evidence has mounted over the past decade suggesting that bacteria in the gut can affect the immune system, particularly an autoimmune reaction. If what we eat can affect the bacteria in our guts, could diet also play a role in whether or not we end up with MS?

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