Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Carolyn Gretton

5 health conditions made worse by summer heat

Summer is here, and the mercury is rising in parts of the country. Being outside in hot weather doesn’t just put you at risk of heatstroke and sunburn. If you have any of these 5 conditions, it could exacerbate your symptoms…

Carolyn Gretton

Why broccoli is a gut-saving disease-fighting superfood

Broccoli is a superfood for many reasons, including protecting against diabetes and age-related ailments. But that’s not all. While further exploring broccoli’s health impacts, researchers discovered another molecule that closes the door on a frequent gateway to disease…

Jordan Fuller

Got osteoarthritis? Why you should be golfing

Being diagnosed with osteoarthritis can feel like a prison sentence. You might think your sporting days are over, but golfing has been proven to be one of the best activities for those with this condition. Here are the benefits and reasons why you should be golfing…

Joyce Hollman

10 signs you may have this blood circulation disorder

Dizzy whenever you stand up too quickly? You may have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, a circulation disorder of the autonomic nervous system. Here’s what you should know about the condition and how to get help…

Joyce Hollman

The one-a-day vitamin that slashed death from cancer

Taking a vitamin once a day seems a simple enough strategy for anyone to stick to. But how many times have you read about the amazing benefits of one vitamin in particular, got started enthusiastically and then just gave up the habit? This is one vitamin you can’t afford not to commit to…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The weight-loss snack that shrinks fat and increases willpower

It’s hard to give up snacking. But what if you could snack and still meet your weight goal, all the while increasing your willpower? It sounds too good to be true. But just in time to help you hold on to your New Year’s resolution, I’m here to tell you it’s not…

Joyce Hollman

For lowest risk of stroke or heart problems, this is when to exercise

The research shows exercise is crucial, from fighting cancer to turning back biological age. If you’re not doing it, you have no one to blame but yourself. Luckily, that research is honing in on findings that can help you make the most of it when you do…

Joyce Hollman

How blueberries keep your blood pressure (and more!) in check

If you’re not already eating blueberries daily, let me remind you: They have a solid superfood reputation for not just one good reason, but several. If you need convincing, I’ll lay out multiple ways this one tiny fruit is the best thing you can eat for a healthy heart…

Joyce Hollman

Half a million medical records link viruses to neurodegeneration

For years now, researchers have noticed curious links between a handful of viruses and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. A new look into a staggering number of health records indicates even though the link may not be causal, it warrants serious attention…

Joyce Hollman

9 steps that make summer grilling healthier

Time to break out the grill, but you should know that grilling meat can generate two known carcinogens. The good news: there are a few steps you can take to reduce this threat, including the right marinade…

Carolyn Gretton

Relief for long COVID fatigue: Resetting the vagus nerve

Long-COVID is no joke. Almost half who suffer from it experience crushing fatigue they say impacts their quality of life. Researchers hot on the trail of why it happens and how to relieve it may have hit a nerve… one that has a history of dysfunction related to other viral infections.

Jenny Smiechowski

3 serious conditions most likely to be misdiagnosed

Over 100,000 Americans die or are permanently disabled each year because of diagnostic errors. How do you prevent a nightmare like this from happening? It’s helpful to know which conditions are most likely to be misdiagnosed in the first place. And lucky for you, a new study just revealed the top three…

Margaret Cantwell

Energize your cells to shrink fat—literally

If you struggle with weight issues despite sticking to a reasonably healthy diet and regular exercise routine, it’s time you got in on this little secret. It isn’t your fault. The standard American diet has made you the victim of a tragic nutrient deficiency that could otherwise shrink fat cells.

Debra Atkinson

16 ways to ‘get in the mood’

One in 10 women experiences a loss of their sexual desire. That’s 16 million women who’ve lost an important part of a healthy life. Maybe you don’t really think it’s a big deal, but there’s something you should know…

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Moringa: An anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic superfood

The moringa is a veritable vitamin powerhouse rich in phytochemicals, antioxidants, calcium, iron and potassium — and that’s just for starters. Praised for its healing properties for thousands of years, its popularity has reached the states and evidence is piling up. Here’s how to use it… Moringa is native to India and grown in Asia […]

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The link between artificial sweeteners, infection and multi-organ failure

You wouldn’t sit down in a restaurant and grab a little pink packet of bacteria to stir into your tea or coffee, would you? Or drink down a can of diet soda that has it already mixed in, right? Considering how artificial sweeteners ramp up and enable dangerous bacteria in your gut, you may as well…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Women and heart disease: The menopause years

I remember when I experienced my first night sweat. I knew it signalled menopause, but also knew there wasn’t much to do about it. After all, hormone therapy was dangerous. But did a flawed study scare women away from a therapy that could lessen thier heart disease risk?

Carolyn Gretton

Drinking toxins: Heavy metal contamination reaches beyond juice

You may remember when we broke news about arsenic, lead and cadmium contamination in juice. Well, that threat has grown and leached to popular “health drinks.” Considering daily exposure from other sources, your heart and brain health could suffer if you don’t cut these drinks out…

Joyce Hollman

Feed a cold, starve a fever (or leave it be for faster recovery)

A fever is the body’s reaction to infection. Turning the heat up improves the performance of immune cells and stresses the pathogen behind the illness. So is it any wonder that the practice of medicating fever is coming into question or that skipping it could clear infection in half the time?

Joyce Hollman

10 signs of early-onset dementia

Early-onset dementia can hit much earlier than you might think. And even though a few signs are similar to what older people experience, some stand out. It’s important to know them and how up to 40 percent of early-onset cases may be avoided…

Joyce Hollman

5 ‘magic’ seeds to snack on every day

In some case, the smallest part of a plant contains the most powerful nutrition… Here are five seeds in particular that you should know about. Because these tiny powerhouses are so packed with goodness — they could actually help you live longer and healthier!

Jenny Smiechowski

Triple nutrient cocktail could help stave off heart attack and stroke

Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart attack, but it also causes about half of all strokes. And there are often no symptoms until it’s too late.

Margaret Cantwell

The unseen damage of vitamin deficiencies: Sacrificing longevity

When it comes to supplements, most doctors say forget them. But nutrition science ignores the fact that most vitamins and minerals are not only needed to maintain daily health, they’re also required for processes that impact longevity. If you’re not taking in enough of the ones on this list, it’s your lifespan that gets cheated…

Carolyn Gretton

When it comes to aspirin and heart protection, does dose matter?

Using aspirin every day remains part of most therapeutic plans to keep people who’ve already had a heart attack or stroke from experiencing another. But there have been concerns about bleeding. Researchers recently took a look at which dose would be best as far as efficacy and safety, and what they found was surprising…

Carolyn Gretton

‘Miracle’ molecule may speed diabetic foot ulcer healing

Because it’s increasingly common, it’s easy to forget just how insidious diabetes is. It can tear the body down — from your heart to your limbs. But new technology may harness a naturally occurring molecule to speed the healing of at least one common but dangerous complication…

Carolyn Gretton

Coffee’s blood pressure benefits ‘closest to the heart’

Of all the benefits applied to coffee, there’s been some conflicting data about its effects on blood pressure. But Italian researchers have discovered something surprising about coffee, blood pressure and the best predictor of stroke and heart attack…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Women and heart disease: Don’t wait to take it seriously

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S. That’s still surprising to some, but consider this: the likelihood a woman will die of breast cancer is about 1 in 30. The chance that she will die from heart disease is 1 in 3. That means it’s never too early to take your risks seriously.

Margaret Cantwell

Could a resveratrol supplement fight Lyme disease?

Not to sound paranoid, but my biggest concern about being outdoors isn’t snakes, it’s ticks. More than 475,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported each year in the U.S. Though early antibiotic therapy can help, a few plant extracts found to kill the bacteria may hold more promise…

Carolyn Gretton

What your get-up-and-go says about a sinister sign of aging

Most of us expect we’ll slow down at least a little as we age. But it doesn’t mean we need to sit back and wait to see what happens. In recent years, the connection between a healthy body and sound mind have been made clear: lose your get-up-and-go and your mind will follow…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Green tea extracts may turn superfood’s benefits harmful

Green tea boasts the most disease-fighting power in each and every sip. From improving weight loss and blood pressure to protecting DNA, it’s often considered the holy grail of teas. So, wouldn’t leveling up with high-dose green tea extract be even better?

Carolyn Gretton

When eating milk chocolate can help curb your appetite

Most of the health benefits of chocolate are attributed to dark chocolate. But because milk chocolate is so much more popular, a team of researchers decided to see just how much of an impact it had on weight and blood sugar. The findings were pleasantly surprising — depending on what time of day it’s eaten…

Easy Health Options Staff

The best diets for cancer patients and cancer survivors

Lifestyle changes often follow a cancer diagnosis, both during treatment and after. Eating well is often the first step. And there is good reason for it, say the experts. But of the five most popular diets that cancer patients or those wishing to avoid cancer often turn to, two really stand out…

Joyce Hollman

What are your chances of becoming a supercentenarian?

The oldest living person, Jeanne Calment of France, was 122 when she died in 1997. Seems unbelievable, but new research says living to 125 or even 130 years by the end of this century is well within the realm of possibility. That’s because extreme longevity is on the rise…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Cut heart failure risk in half just by sitting less

Staying active is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy. But according to the American Heart Association, simply getting your recommended levels of exercise might not be enough. In fact, if you’re a woman over 50, you might be doing everything right and still doubling your risk of heart failure…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Why you should take sleep as seriously as nutrition and exercise

So much research has come out on the impact of sleep on our health that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has declared sleep “essential to health” in a statement that has now been endorsed by 25 organizations. Statements like these aren’t made lightly. Here’s why they hope you’ll heed this wake-up call…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

A chiropractor’s tips to avoid back and neck pain when working from home

Working from home has its perks: no more rush hour commute and who doesn’t love taking Zoom meetings in pajama bottoms? But it also comes with some downsides — like back and neck pain if your home office setup isn’t supporting you properly. From your neck down, here are seven tips straight from your resident chiropractor.

Carolyn Gretton

Antibiotics may be driving colon cancer among those under 50

For years, public health experts have advised doctors and patients to curb unneeded antibiotic use, mainly because of the rise in infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But there may be an even more urgent health reason for people to avoid antibiotics whenever possible — particularly if you’re under 50…

Joyce Hollman

6 habits that help dodge the Alzheimer’s bullet

If you’re not genetically predisposed, lifestyle changes may be enough to keep Alzheimer’s at bay. But there are people whose brains already show the effects of Alzheimer’s, but continue to function without any signs of dementia. Who are these “cognitive super-agers,” and how can you increase your chances of becoming one of them?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The 5-minute breathing technique that lowers blood pressure like a drug

Fewer than 40 percent of people with high blood pressure meet the recommended exercise guidelines to bring their readings down. If you’re one of them, you might be thrilled about a simple breathing technique that, in just five minutes a day, lowered blood pressure far more than the exercise and some medications doctors recommend.

Carolyn Gretton

The red wine secret to living better post menopause

Following menopause, women are at a higher risk for osteoporosis, heart disease, and osteoarthritis. Also, chronic pain is a symptom that isn’t discussed nearly as much as more familiar symptoms, like hot flashes. Research says a plant compound in some favorite foods can be a big help in all of these areas, so you can live better post menopause.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

More proof coffee is a liver-protecting beverage

Coffee is hands down the world’s most popular beverage. But studies have been piling up for years about how it can improve health. It’s looking like, as far as the health of your liver goes, coffee has definite superpowers…

Joyce Hollman

Is it possible to eat French fries and lower blood pressure?

Potatoes have gotten a bad rap for years, especially that baked potato slathered in butter and sour cream. And don’t get me started on those French fries covered in salt and ketchup. Hypertension waiting to happen, right, or is it? Well, it’s time to think again about the humble potato and what it may do for your blood pressure.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Tai chi may help stroke survivors beat depression, anxiety and sleep problems

For approximately one-third of stroke survivors, the future can feel less than rosy. That’s because afterwards, many face three common problems: anxiety, sleep problems and depression. But there’s hope and help available from an ancient practice that’s already been proven to be good for both the mind and the body…

Carolyn Gretton

Chronic pain? It could be what you’re eating

Chronic pain affects people around the world, making it difficult for them to work or carry out day-to-day tasks. And current treatments for pain have many shortcomings. That’s why scientists are looking to more holistic ways to relieve pain. And they’re finding that the answer could be as simple as eating more…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How stress increases pain sensitivity and how to get relief

Have you noticed that when you’re stressed, pain from your bad knee or a headache kicks in? And it’s the last thing you need, right? The fact is, stress can make everything in your life worse, including pain levels. This inescapable truth starts with immune cells and that one abomination that contributes to everything “unwell.”

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ are hiding in your cosmetics

Think the makeup you put on your skin each day is safe because the label says, “Clean” or “Natural”? Think again! Testing of more than 200 cosmetics sold across the United States and Canada, found your cosmetics could be hiding a dirty toxic secret — “forever chemicals” associated with everything from thyroid disease to cancer.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The nutrients that lower depression up to 70 percent

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for reasons other than your body not producing them on its own. From improved heart health and cognition to longer life, omega-3s have long been identified as important nutrients to avoid numerous health problems. Add relieving depression to the mix, but there’s one caveat…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Research confirms how diabetes drives Alzheimer’s

Doctors and researchers have long known that some sort of link exists between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Yet, while they could see that the two went hand-in-hand for so many patients, they never actually understood why. Until now…

Margaret Cantwell

How leaky gut leaves you vulnerable to a virus, like COVID-19

As you already know, COVID-19’s symptoms weren’t just upper respiratory. It’s been reported that many people with the virus experienced GI problems, too. It may seem random, but the connection with viral infection is much more concerning: A condition that can act as an open door to disease…

Joyce Hollman

Postural muscles: The key to reducing your fall risk

Injuries and deaths related to falls in older adults are such that the problem has been described as a “hidden epidemic.” My balance is no longer something I take for granted. Because I don’t want to end up incapacitated and unable to enjoy doing the things that give my life meaning, here’s what I’ve learned and practice….

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Boosting blood oxygen levels may halt early sign of Alzheimer’s

Healthy, oxygenated blood flow is vital. That’s why during a stroke, seconds matter. But a catastrophic event isn’t the only concern when it comes to blood oxygen levels. Research has found that the brain is operating on the bare minimum, even on a good day. On a bad day, it can lead to Alzheimer’s earliest sign…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Hops compounds may fight fatty liver

While heavy drinking can lead to liver disease, a quarter of the people in the United States today have a dangerous liver condition that has nothing to do with alcohol. But there may be hope to defeating this condition from an unlikely source — hops.

Carolyn Gretton

How to get up to 10 times the benefits from eating blueberries

Blueberries definitely pack a health punch. But it can be tough for our bodies to absorb all the antioxidants present in the fruit. Now, researchers may have found a way around that problem by combining blueberries with this common food…

Joyce Hollman

10 natural pain relievers and what the science says

No one wants to live with chronic pain. In fact, if given a choice, no one wants to live with pain even for a short time. But standard methods of pain relief can be risky, including acetaminophen, ibuprofen and opioids. Here are 10 alternatives that all fight the root cause of most pain…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The proof is in the spinal fluid: The Mediterranean diet deters Alzheimer’s

The list of diets you can choose and trends you can follow is virtually endless. But when it comes to one that consistently scores high for both brain and body health, it’s the Mediterranean diet. And it may be hands down the most protection against Alzheimer’s plaques you can eat.

Carolyn Gretton

Want to avoid junk food temptation? Get your groceries online

The pandemic made online grocery shopping necessary, but there’s good reason to stick to it that has nothing to do with a nasty virus and everything to do with better food choices, and making fewer of those kinds of purchases we regret later. In fact, the science shows the outcome could mean a better diet and better health.

Carolyn Gretton

Sore throat? OTC cold remedies won’t help and may harm

Catching a cold is a drag and little is worse than a sore throat. Every swallow reminds us of the misery, which is why we turn to over-the-counter cold remedies to ease the discomfort. But not only have they been shown to do little good, they harm upper respiratory cells…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The best prescription for better blood pressure and cholesterol

You might want to ask your dotor about your prescriptions. If they’re treating your cholesterol, you could end up with double the dementia risk. If it’s your blood pressure, they may have you on the medication found to thicken blood vessels and makes things worse. Maybe it’s time to walk away with a brand new and surprising prescription.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Bloodroot offers promise against triple-negative breast cancer

One of the most difficult forms of breast cancer you could be up against is known as triple-negative breast cancer. It doesn’t respond to traditional treatments and it’s especially aggressive in African American women. A simple plant compound may lead to more effective treatments…

Carolyn Gretton

The nutrient with huge disease prevention potential we don’t get enough of

Between the glut of highly processed foods in the average Western diet and the popularity of meat-heavy diets like keto and carnivore, too many of us are not getting enough of a simple but powerful health-boosting nutrient that wards off heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and more…

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