Latest Stories

Latest Stories

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…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Frontotemporal: The dementia that may be ‘repairable’

There are many different types of dementia, but no cures. One type though, known for severe behavioral changes, has been found to be rooted in a cause that could be repaired, reversing the disease..

Margaret Cantwell

Potato soup or toxic soap?

Each time I bring up the potato’s less than stellar qualities, it upsets some folks. I know you love your potatoes. I did too. But the science says that eating too much of this vegetable is just not good. Think Leaky gut, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

When hearing loss means your arteries are in trouble

Hearing loss is often lumped in with a long list of age-related changes many of us have a high chance of experiencing. Unfortunately, it’s not always a benign condition. Trouble hearing could be an indication of a condition that leads to stroke…

Joyce Hollman

An inconsistent link: Cholesterol, heart disease and statins

Doctors prescribe statins to lower “bad” cholesterol and to lower risks for heart attack or stroke. But do we really need to take a drug that can elevate risks for diabetes, liver damage, and neurological and cognitive problems — especially if there is any doubt it’s not at all what it’s cracked up to be?

Carolyn Gretton

The strange side effect of too much ‘good’ cholesterol

You probably already know there are two types of cholesterol: HDL (the “good” cholesterol) and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). HDL supports heart health and fights inflammation. But, when it comes to HDL, too much of a “good” thing may hurt your bones…

Carl Lowe

The appetite suppressant the diet industry hopes you won’t discover

In the supermarket aisle that holds diet foods, you’ll find bars, shakes and an array of other processed foods that are supposed to help you lose weight. But there’s a superfood great for aiding your healthy weight efforts you’ll never find in that part of the store…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The common sense rule for best vitamin benefits

You can’t pick up a product these days without finding not only instructions on how to use it, but warnings on how not to, usually because one person did something most people with common sense wouldn’t dream of. Let’s talk about vitamin D and that guy…

Joyce Hollman

Lead and cadmium: The ‘dark side’ of dark chocolate

Some dark chocolate brands, even organic ones, have been found to contain dangerous amounts of cadmium and lead, heavy metals linked to hypertension, kidney failure, nerve damage and more. Take precautions if your favorite is on the list.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Anti-nutrients: The hidden danger of meat substitutes

Mountains of research and our doctors tell us a meat-heavy diet is a fast track to early death. But if you’ve embraced meatless burgers and other mock meat substitutes, you’re cheating your body of vital nutrition. It starts with ‘deception’ on the ingredient label…

Joyce Hollman

5 health-based benefits of kindness

Being kind to others feels good. But the benefits extend even further than that. Science shows acts of kindness have real effects that impact physical health, from depression to heart health. Check out these 5 you can get more of…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Fast food and fatty liver: How much is too much

Fast food, offering tasty and effective transport of unhealthy fat, is horrible on the liver. And the heart. We’d be kidding ourselves to think we could give it all up completely and forever. But knowing where the point of no return is would be really helpful.

Carolyn Gretton

Cannabis: A new breakthrough in anti-aging skincare

CBD products are growing in popularity. You can find tinctures, gummies and even topicals made from phytocannabinoids (pCBs). Topicals are non-intoxicating and include creams, balms and oils. One more thing you may want to know: they may be the next thing in anti-aging skincare…

Joyce Hollman

The obesity-AMD connection and the nutrient that helps both

Obesity can steal your heart health. Now, research shows it could steal your vision, too. Obesity appears to be a trigger that uses inflammation like fire on DNA and may be the reason some people get age-related macular degeneration and some don’t…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

This six-minute trick beats fasting for brain health

The neurons in the hippocampus, the brain area responsible for memory and learning, depend on brain-derived neurotrophic factor for their production and survival. But BDNF’s potential to halt cognitive decline and how to boost it is what should really interest you…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What blood type can reveal about stroke risk

Stroke is a growing threat with age. In fact, after age 55 that risk doubles every 10 years. But people under 60 do have strokes. How can you know if that’s a probability so you can do your best to avoid it? See where your blood type stroke risk falls…

Joyce Hollman

How consistent hydration slows aging and prolongs life

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: it’s important to keep your body hydrated for reasons like termperature regulation, waste elimination and much more. But its effects on sodium may be the best kept secret yet…

Jenny Smiechowski

Keeping weight off requires different approach than losing it

You’ve probably heard weight loss is 80 percent diet/20 percent exercise. So, if you want to lose weight, focus on cutting calories and complement that with a modest calorie burn in realistic daily workouts. But for maintaining the loss, the same rules may not work…

Dr. Michael Cutler

Demystifying diagnostics: Blood tests and what they mean

Blood tests are part of annual health physicals for most of us. Sometimes, though, tests may be needed beyond the basics, including more advanced and in-depth tests for disease risk profiling. Here’s your insider’s guide to blood tests…

Carolyn Gretton

Plain and simple: The right diet keeps us from dying early

There’s just no denying the power of a healthy diet to reduce disease risk. But the payout gets bigger when you stick with it, as in reducing your risk of early death, period. But there is still the stroke conundrum…

Carolyn Gretton

10-minute test helps detect ‘curable’ hypertension

Is your doctor overlooking the most curable cause of high blood pressure? Nodules affect one-in-twenty people with the condition. Researchers found that a urine test and new scan help detect patients who come off all their medicines after treatment.

Jerry Walker, Ph.D., Dale Wilson, Ph.D.

The natural health benefits of an emotional support animal

From a natural health perspective, there is strong evidence to suggest various benefits to a person’s mental and physical health from interacting with a pet. Studies found a significant reduction in stress among cardiac patients when compared to non-pet owning cardiac patients with similar conditions.

Jenny Smiechowski

12 actions that could reduce dementia rates by 40 percent

Part of the reason dementia is so difficult to prevent and treat is that it doesn’t have one cause. It’s caused by a lot of different things. Genetics. Diet. Exercise habits. Pollution. These and many more factors play into your risk of developing this devastating disease. Luckily, new research published in the journal The Lancet […]

Jenny Smiechowski

Can plant-based meats really keep your heart healthier?

A lot of people choose plant-based meat over real meat in the hopes of improving their health. But many of these plant-based meats are highly processed and full of saturated fat and sodium. So, should you just keep eating real burgers? Well, if you’re concerned about your heart, plant-based meat may still come out on top…

Joyce Hollman

Keep diabetes away with a spoonful of cinnamon

It’s nearing the end of summer, so our favorite Fall spice may be on your mind, with good reason! Because not only is cinnamon tasty, it’s helpful for losing weight and managing blood sugar so well it could keep prediabetes from developing to full-blown diabetes…

Jenny Smiechowski

Can probiotics put a plug in urinary incontinence?

When it comes to staying healthy, it seems like all roads lead back to your microbiome. Everything from anxiety to Parkinson’s to diabetes to depression to multiple sclerosis to cancer has been linked to the microbes you have (or don’t have) in your body. And now there’s another common condition in which your microbiome may make a huge difference… urinary incontinence.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Losing weight may take the aggression out of breast cancer cells

Even though the medical community has long known of an association between obesity and increased breast cancer risk, researchers weren’t exactly sure why — until now. What they’ve learned about fat tissue, inflammatory molecules and breast cancer aggression is lifesaving information every woman needs to know…

Joyce Hollman

How to make bacon that won’t give you cancer or heart disease

Bacon is one of those processed meats that raises your cancer and heart disease risk. So, what’s a bacon lover to do? Some people turn to turkey bacon. But don’t kid yourself. It’s still processed meat. But there’s a tasty alternative you can make easily and eat to your heart’s content…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Supplementing lipoic acid for weight loss: Does it work?

Losing weight can feel like fighting a losing battle, leaving many of us to give up before the weight even starts coming off. What if there were an easier way to shed that extra fat and slim down without the struggle… all wrapped up in an easy-to-find medium-chain fatty acid supplement?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Smile! Science says faking a happy face raises your spirits

When you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Celebrities from Louis Armstrong to Katy Perry have produced hits praising the power of a smile to lift your spirits and make the world a better place. But is there science backing the premise behind these songs, or is it all just blind hope? The answer to that question will put a smile on your face…

Jenny Smiechowski

Don’t get duped by ‘whole grain’ decoys’ deceptive labels

With mounds of research showing whole grains help fight disease, filling your shopping cart to the brim with whole grains is one of the best decisions you can make for your health. Full stop. But what if the whole grains you’re buying aren’t really whole grains? New research shows that far too many of us are getting fooled by deceptive labeling. Here’s how to get the real stuff…

Jenny Smiechowski

How to calculate your stroke risk right now

Despite how sudden strokes seem, there are often clues that hint a stroke could be on the horizon years before it happens. The biggest clue is metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that include things like high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol levels. Luckily, researchers have recently developed a simple online calculator you can use to gauge your risk…

Jenny Smiechowski

What can we do about the microplastics found growing in our fruits and vegetables?

In case you haven’t heard, microplastics are taking over the planet. Scientists are finding them in every nook and cranny of the earth. And it’s kind of scary since microplastics contain BPA, phthalates and other toxins proven to harm human health…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How night-time blue light increases your colon cancer risk by 60 percent

Blue light from artificial sources like phones, tablets and LEDs has been linked to numerous health problems ranging from sleep disorders to obesity. Now, we find the risk for one type of cancer is through the roof, especially if you’re exposed during the nighttime hours. But a supplement may help…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Your gut-brain axis: Connecting bowel disease and dementia

Who doesn’t like a BOGO deal? When it comes to shopping, I’ll take a “buy one-get one” deal every time… but when it comes to health, BOGO means that when one system isn’t functioning, it affects all other systems. That’s why so many diseases are linked — especially when it comes to your gut-brain axis…

Will Bonner

Can these extreme-altitude wines reverse aging?

Do you know what’s in that wine bottle sitting on your kitchen counter? Try “oak” flavoring, “Mega Purple” dye and tons of sugar. But better wines do exist… and they don’t cost an arm and a leg either…

Jenny Smiechowski

Mangoes pack powerful prevention potential against 3 cancers

There are a lot of great reasons to munch on mangoes. Besides being delicious, they contain nutrients and antioxidants that can protect eye health, lower blood pressure, balance blood sugar, support a healthy gut and more. But what you may not know is that mangoes may keep cancer away…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 reasons you should be taking CoQ10 right now

If you’re not taking CoQ10, you’re missing out on one powerful nutrient. In fact, the power of Coenzyme Q10 is found in its ability to generate energy in every cell of your body. That’s why the supplement socks a serious punch to your health. Here are three big benefits of CoQ10 you can’t miss…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How concerned should you be about arsenic levels in your rice?

If you eat rice regularly, it’s time to understand the very real arsenic risk that experts believe contributes to a whopping 50,000 premature deaths yearly — many due to its impact on the heart. Does this mean you have to give it up completely? Not as long you’re careful and follow these tips…

Jenny Smiechowski

Never take this over-the-counter pain killer if you’re deficient in selenium

You’ve probably taken Tylenol many times in your life. Most of us have… whether it was to relieve a headache, reduce fever or tame a toothache. But unfortunately, like many over-the-counter pain relievers, it comes with serious risks, especially if you’re low in this essential mineral.

Joyce Hollman

Two reasons to be concerned about feeling lightheaded when you stand up

Do you get dizzy and lightheaded if you get up from your chair or bed too quickly? Orthostatic hypotension is the cause, and research shows that repeated episodes of this sudden drop in blood pressure put you at risk of dementia and stroke. For those reasons, it’s important to know what to do about it…

Jenny Smiechowski

Fish may lower women’s crazy high Alzheimer’s-air pollution threat

A variety of factors can contribute to the risk of Alzheimer’s. But one incredibly important factor often gets overlooked: air pollution. Women who live in highly polluted areas are as much as 92 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Luckily, there may be a simple way to counteract the Alzheimer’s-air pollution threat…

Joyce Hollman

8 tasty ways to stay hydrated as it warms up

Even those of us who normally hide from the heat and sun have felt the need to get outside to avoid “cabin fever.” Just don’t forget that the danger of dehydration can sneak up on you. Here are eight foods that have more than their share of water and can help you stay healthfully hydrated…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

7 reasons your sex drive (and your health) may be lagging

It’s normal to go through ups and downs when it comes to your sex drive. However, if you’ve found that your libido is chronically lagging, there could be something more going on. And even though it’s easy to just fall into a rut, a healthy sex life has too many health benefits to give up on…

Jenny Smiechowski

The secret ingredients for prostate cancer prevention

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men and the second leading cause of death. So, how do you protect yourself? Well, according to new research, eating more fruits, veggies and plant-based protein could deliver a potent dose of prostate cancer protection…

Jenny Smiechowski

Herbs to reach for when a hangover happens

The best prevention for a hangover is to drink wisely if you drink. My advice would be to stick to one to two drinks max, in which case you wouldn’t need to worry about hangovers at all. But accidents happen, and these herbs may be the remedy for such occasions…

Joyce Hollman

How curcumin prevents muscle damage and soreness

Why reach for dangerous NSAIDs when you can reach into your spice cabinet for something that relieves muscle aches without the side effects? Research shows that curcumin supplements are a safe, effective way to prevent muscle damage, pain and inflammation whether you’re exercising, working, gardening or getting your game on.

Jenny Smiechowski

When too much of a good thing could lead to colon cancer

You’re constantly being told to eat antioxidant foods to reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases. But what if these typically healthy antioxidants have an unpredictable side that can fuel cancer under certain circumstances? New research shows that may be the case…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

4 things that trigger an IBS flare

Living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome can feel like you’re living on a razor blade, never knowing when your symptoms are going to flare. But the truth is, there are a number of common triggers (not all food-related) that can make your IBS worse. Avoiding them could mean enjoying more symptomless days, making life with your condition much easier…

Joyce Hollman

Flu and pneumonia vaccines may prevent Alzheimer’s

If you’ve wondered about the benefits of a flu vaccine, here’s something to consider… If you already get it every year, you’ll be glad to know you may be getting something else: protection from another, seemingly unrelated disease that can rob you first of your memories and then of your life.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The grain science says can slow down aging

People have been searching for the fountain of youth for thousands of years. Research has found that diets that severely restrict calories do the trick. But who wants to give up food? You don’t have to! Simply adding one type of grain to your diet can mimic that life-lengthening caloric-restriction, without starvation…

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