Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Joyce Hollman

Why late nights lead to blood sugar trouble

Can avoiding diabetes really be as simple as switching from a night owl to a morning person? The science says the difference can be substantial. But if your circadian rhythm or job makes that hard, you’re not doomed…

Jedha Dening

5 reasons you need more folate over 50

The health problems certainly seem to stack-up on us as we age… And one reason is because of changes in the body that affect nutrient absorption. In mature adults, more commonly known deficiencies include vitamin D and B12. But folate is one nutrient that’s equally important and often forgotten. Here are 5 ways it can help you age better…

Joyce Hollman

How a fat-burning hormone could keep Alzheimer’s away

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease for which there still isn’t an effective treatment. Experts say the newest drugs carry risks far higher than any noticeable benefit. Wouldn’t it be nice to have another way to slow Alzheimer’s, one much less likely to cause a brain bleed that may already be supporting your health?

Carolyn Gretton

The supplement that may soon fight tooth decay

Dental caries, or tooth decay, is one of the oldest and most common diseases known to man. Yes, it’s a disease and its damage goes far beyond your mouth. So we brush and floss and try to avoid the sugar that kicks it off. But a powerful phytonutrient just may make caring for our teeth easier…

Carolyn Gretton

How fitness influences Afib and stroke risk

The most dangerous outcome of atrial fibrillation is stroke. People with this heart rhythm disorder have five times the stroke risk of their peers. How can you avoid being one of the 40 million worldwide with Afib? Research says a low level of fitness should do the trick…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Fast-working over-the-counter ED gel gets FDA approval

The famous little blue pill helped men with ED discover they no longer had to suffer in shame or silence. In just 30 minutes you could get your sexy back. But thanks to a newly approved gel, spontaneous romance is back, and coming to a pharmacy near you.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The little-known drug danger people with obesity face

Over the years, we’ve learned that obesity carries higher levels of health risks. But a shocking and little-known obesity-related danger comes from a surprising source: medication that’s rendered ineffective or unsafe by increased body fat…

Joyce Hollman

6 ways to bake heart-healthy holiday sweets

Holiday baking is going into full swing. That means lots of butter and sugar, right? If you’ve been reading here for a while, you know that it isn’t the butter that will kill you. It’s the sugar. Here are seven ways to enjoy holiday sweets without heart attack danger…

Easy Health Options Staff

Halloween horror diet scares away calories

Sitting through a horror movie can make you scream and sweat. Even better, it activates metabolic activity that can burn calories from dipping into the bowl of candy you got for the trick-or-treaters! Here are the top 10 calorie-burning horror movies…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The weird connection between constipation and blood pressure

Having constipation can be uncomfortable. But its effects on the body don’t just impact the gut. Constipatiion and hypertension are two conditions where the conditions and their treatments can team up to make matters much worse…

Carolyn Gretton

Ignoring these bathroom symptoms can cut your life short

If you’re a man in your 50s or older, you may have experienced frequent urination and problems emptying your bladder. You may think it’s just a part of aging you have to put up with. But research shows the consequences of ignoring lower urinary tract symptoms can be dire…

Jenny Smiechowski

Tis the season for high risk heart trouble on Christmas Eve

You’re just about to tackle the last of the of unwrapped presents when you feel tightness in your chest. A heart attack? On Christmas Eve? It’s more common than you think. So if you experience pent-up emotions this time of year, or plain old stress, time to manage them…

Joyce Hollman

Mistletoe: From Christmas tradition to cancer treatment

Hanging mistletoe is a popular holiday tradition. But mistletoe extract has gotten the attention of researchers as a potent anticancer agent. It’s already shown promise in treatment resistance cancer, so what’s next?

Carolyn Gretton

Blood pressure: The one thing you should take lying down

You may think your high blood pressure is managed well. Better yet, your readings may indicate you’re in the clear. But did you try measuring your blood pressure lying down? It’s taken 25 years to get the data, but this is going to change the way we monitor our blood pressure, for good reason.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Mitochondrial damage: COVID’s impact on the heart

Looking back, researchers have been able to see the effects of a COVID-19 infection on the heart, and how it strikes at the very power source of cells that are responsible for helping the heart keep ticking. Here’s what they’ve learned…

Joyce Hollman

What giving up fats and carbs does to your life expectancy

Which is more important: a perfect body or a long and healthy life? That’s the kind of question that can make you go hmmm, because we think they’re one and the same. Healthy weight, healthy body, healthy life, right? Not if you’re going to extremes to get there.

Joyce Hollman

Why glaucoma may be the sneakiest sight stealer

You probably get a yearly checkup. But when was the last time you had your eyes examined? As we age, several conditions can degrade our eyesight. Glaucoma is one of them. And new research has found you could be suffering that damage right now — without any obvious telltale signs.

Carolyn Gretton

The natural ingredient that resists fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can be a setup for severe liver disease, diabetes and heart disease. There’s no treatment, so exercise and diet changes are recommended. But it just got a lot easier to resist a fatty liver and improve metabolism…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Women and the long-term effects of chronic fatigue syndrome

Certain diseases affect women disproportionately, like chronic fatigue syndrome. Though the medical establishment recognizes the condition, they can offer little help. But the world’s largest study of the disease reveals why it’s important to try to manage your symptoms better now than later…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 odd signs of heart disease

We’re conditioned to think of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and even shortness of breath when it comes to heart disease. But, there are outward signs, too. Here are the six signs you should look for…

Carolyn Gretton

How your smartwatch or fitness tracker can make you sick

These days, a lot of folks are wearing smartwatches and fitness trackers to get healthy. These electronics monitor heart rate and blood pressure or help us meet step goals. But, surprisingly, there’s a dark side about them that can actually make you sick…

Joyce Hollman

7 habits proven to reduce breast cancer recurrence

For a breast cancer survivor, the emotional repercussions are twofold: on the one hand, there’s relief. On the other hand, there’s the fear it can reappear at any time and without warning. These 7 habits can put your mind at ease…

Joyce Hollman

Blue legs syndrome: The latest long COVID symptom

Long-haulers are people previously infected with COVID-19 who continue to live with symptoms like fatigue, headaches, brain fog and shortness of breath. But COVID isn’t the only virus that can affect the body in strange ways, and blue legs don’t get much stranger…

Carolyn Gretton

How naked mole rats may help us live longer and cancer-free

Nake mole rats live nearly 10 times longer than other rodents of similar size and have shown resistance to age-related diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease and arthritis. And their secret may help us do the same…

Joyce Hollman

Flavanols: Heart health support that’s ‘official’

Guidelines have long been established for vitamins to help us avoid deficiencies. But bioactive compounds, nutrients that go beyond basic nutrition and are studied for their potential to prevent disease, are different. And flavanols have just become official…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The diabetes drug that blocks prostate cancer progression

Prostate cancer is ofen considered manageable and slow growing. But that’s not always the case. When it metastasizes, a deadly battle can ensue. But a common denominator between cancer growth and glucose metabolism means a common drug may stop it…

Joyce Hollman

In the dark: The scary truth about drug approvals

When a major university looked into the FDA’s challenge of balancing speed and safety for drug approvals, they discovered the scary truth about how little your doctor or you may ever know about the safety and efficacy of the medicine you take.

Carolyn Gretton

The link between your mouth, strep and coronary artery disease

No one likes the idea of gum disease. Unfortunately, half the world suffers from this affliction and it poses a serious threat to heart health. Unraveling this mysterious connection may have a lot to do with specific bacteria strains in the mouth…

Carolyn Gretton

How vitamin D powers up a cancer-fighting gene

Does vitamin D supplementation help protect against or fight cancer? So far, the connection has been promising enough that scientists continue to explore and strive to understand it. The latest? Its effect on a gene that can keep cells from becoming malignant…

Joyce Hollman

The weird way weight affects women’s longevity after 60

Are you a woman in her 60s? Want to live to be 90, 100, or more? It’s more under your control than you think. Here’s a hint: Throw out all you’ve been told about weight loss. You’ll be surprised to hear what research says…

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?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The mistake that could be skewing your blood pressure

A cuff squeezes your arm at your doctor’s office, helping your doctor determine whether he needs to prescribe medication. But you should know those blood pressure readings are wrong surprisingly often…

Joyce Hollman

Red ginseng helps slow aging, boost energy after menopause

Ginseng is an anti-viral and anti-inflammatory that stops our stress response cycle, including the immune response that follows stress. But for those who need help with energy and aging, its benefits may go to the cellular level…

Joyce Hollman

Chronic pain: How the Keto diet can help

A ketogenic diet is a diet that’s very low in carbohydrates. Most people go on a ketogenic diet to lose weight. But research has established other benefits of the diet, including the potential to relieve pain. The reason may surprise you…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

What coffee can do about digestion, gallstones and your liver

Research is proving that coffee has more perks than ever previously thought. But there’s one negative holdover: Many people think coffee increases their intestinal problems, when that’s just not the case. A review of 194 research publications shows exactly what we mean…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Researchers weigh in on how to blast belly fat this Spring

Is one of your resolutions to lose some serious weight this year? But, will hitting the gym give you the results you want? And how much can you expect to lose and how long will it take? Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have all of these answers…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The sleep disorders that more than double heart dangers

What if you did something that doubled your risk of high blood pressure, made you 70 percent more likely to get cardiovascular disease and 47 percent more likely to die for any reason? You’d change your ways, right? It’s not so easy, but these are two sleep disorders to get very serious about…

Carolyn Gretton

Estrogen may give women the edge in COVID-19 survival

Is estrogen a woman’s superpower? It may be when it comes to surviving a run-in with COVID-19. Enough so that researchers are wondering if balancing the hormone can help older women who may be particularly vulnerable.

Margaret Cantwell

Vitamin D2 or D3: Proof one’s a dud and the other fights infection

Vitamin D is mired in controversy. Preventive medicine has always sung its praises, while scientists have been skeptical. But not anymore: Researchers have finally proven one form does next to nothing, while the right form fortifies the immune system and keeps infections away. What’s in your bottle?

Jenny Smiechowski

How to squeeze the most cataract-fighting lutein from spinach

Lutein is a super healthy carotenoid. It reduces the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts, as well as coronary heart disease, stroke and metabolic syndrome. It may even improve your cognitive health. Here’s how to get the most of it from a great source…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Fatigue: How to keep it from shortening your lifespan

Do you feel good about your energy levels or do you struggle to make it through daily activities, even ones you used to enjoy, ending up exhausted? Your answer could predict whether or not you’re going to live a long, healthy life or die within the next three years.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Death during sex: Not just a danger for older men

Sex isn’t just enjoyable. It relieves stress and boosts your immune system. But it’s not all rosy when it comes to what happens between the sheets. Sometimes people die during or shortly after sex due to sudden cardiac death. And it doesn’t just happen to older men…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

One thing diabetics should eat to bring BP, cholesterol, and fasting glucose down

If you have diabetes, you’d think that it would be enough that you have to deal with the disease itself and all of the symptoms it causes… But you’re wide open for hypertension and heart disease. Luckily, just one nutrient can help you fight three of your worst enemies and hold onto your health…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The Amazonian fruit offering hope against cancer

If there’s one thing most doctors would agree on it’s that the most difficult disease to treat has to be cancer. And while the emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors has provided hope, there’s still room for improvement — and an Amazonia berry may be a key player.

Carolyn Gretton

How to get the most out of your N95 masks

As we’re coming out of the omicron wave, many places are beginning to lift mask mandates, but there are still areas where you may still need to wear a mask — like on public transit and airplanes, as well as in airports. That begs the question: How often can you reuse an N95 mask?

Joyce Hollman

The vitamin deficiencies making older adults depressed

Fatigue, memory problems, even walking difficulties all sound like problems to do with aging. So, when depression sets in, well, no wonder. But what if all of these are just symptoms of a simple vitamin deficiency?

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Frailty: The new #1 one risk factor for dementia

Too many believe dementia is a normal part of getting old, when in truth, losing your cognitive abilities is anything but. Even more shocking is that frailty can more than double your risk. That should make preventing old-age frailty a priority by following these steps…

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