Latest Stories

Latest Stories

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.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The silent liver disease that’s worse on your heart

There’s a one in four chance, unbeknownst to you, you’re living with a common liver condition, and it’s damaging your heart right now. Researchers are so concerned, they say we can’t view the heart and the liver as completely separate functioning organs any longer…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Verified secrets that supercentenarians share

Sister André was a supercentenarian, someone who lives significantly beyond 100. When she passed at 118, it reignited a well-known longevity theory. You may think you know all about the French Paradox. But few know what it does for artery health is its best-kept secret…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How well are you aging? Your nose knows

Frailty increases risks for infection, disability and hospitalization. This makes preventing frailty a vital part of healthy aging. You may still be active, but there’s an easy way to know if frailty is sneaking up on you, in time to do something about it…

Carolyn Gretton

When coffee and hypertension are a dangerous mix

Loads of research says coffee is protective against heart failure, heart attack and stroke. But depending on your blood pressure range, it could be a dangerous mix and do just the opposite. That’s why it’s important to know how much is too much…

Dr. Michael Cutler

9 types of cough and how to treat them

Cough is the most common complaint most doctors see this time of year. So, I thought it would be helpful to look at the different types and causes of cough and their treatments. Just remember, it’s always best to err on the side of precaution…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The vitamin duo that beats depression and anxiety: K2 + D3

If you’re living with depression and anxiety, don’t suffer in silence or from the unwanted side effects of prescription antidepressants. Two vitamins have been shown to boost a depressed mood and relieve anxiety — especially when combined. Get your groove back, naturally…

Carolyn Gretton

How scrubbing the toilet with gusto can help you live longer

Exercise is such a powerful tool, but we’re still not doing it. So researchers are working on creative ways to make it easier without sacrificing benefits. They may have hit upon the perfect formula: increasing the intensity of everyday activities a minute at a time, with huge results…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What your tongue can tell you about your heart

If you’re worried about your heart, look in the mirror and say “ah!” Not because it’s time to relax. But because the tongues of people with heart failure look totally different from those of healthy people. Here’s what to look for…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What the number of pushups a man can do reveals about his health

Who wouldn’t like to have a crystal ball that could predict your health over the next decade? That way, you’d know exactly what areas need improving. Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health may have found the next best thing — pushups.

Joyce Hollman

Is a ‘silent’ food allergy attacking your brain?

Food allergies can be uncomfortable and even life-threatening. But is it possible to have a food allergy and not know? Here’s evidence silent food allergies can cause problematic changes in the brain you might chalk up to something else…

Jenny Smiechowski

How optimism helps you sleep better and live longer

Research has proven time and time again that optimists live longer than pessimists. In fact, one 2019 study found that they live 11 to 15 percent longer than pessimistic folks on average. But what exactly is it about a sunny disposition that leads to a longer life? A new study shows it could all come down to this surprisingly simple factor…

Jenny Smiechowski

A small increase in these foods makes a big increase in lifespan

More people get their protein from meat even though eating more plant-based protein could do them a lot of good. In fact, the more plant protein, the longer the lifespan. And it’s not an all-or-nothing deal… Research shows you can eat your meat and increase your plant-based protein just a little for some really big benefits…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Beta blockers may pose unique danger for women

One of the most common prescriptions for hypertension in the U.S. is beta blockers, drugs that are supposed to keep your blood pressure in the green zone and protect your heart. But now, according to a new study, these same medications are hiding a danger of heart failure, especially if you’re a woman.

Joyce Hollman

Signs of serious eye conditions and the nutrients to guard them

As we age, our eyes become more vulnerable to disease. Age-related macular degeneration is just one example of diseases that become more likely in our 50s, 60s and beyond. Know the signs and learn how to protect your eyes before it’s too late.

Jenny Smiechowski

Eat this summer berry to soothe skin rashes

We’ve all been there… you brush against a patch of poison ivy or try a new skincare product and your skin erupts in a rash. Typically, you’d need a topical steroid cream to get it under control. But there’s another proven way to tackle this type of allergic response — and you can find it in the fruit aisle.

Jenny Smiechowski

Ditch these foods to lift brain fog

Do you have a hard time concentrating? Do you forget words or lose your train of thought during conversations? Do you feel spacey or out of it often? If you do, you may be dealing with brain fog. You can lift the fog by ditching these foods…

Jenny Smiechowski

2 simple secrets people who live to 100 share

How do you live to 100? Despite what you may have heard, it doesn’t require extreme diets, expensive medical procedures or unusual health rituals. New research shows it may just require two habits that are so simple they may surprise you…

Joyce Hollman

Lower your blood pressure at every meal

Diuretics and ACE inhibitors can be effective in treating high blood pressure. But they come with side effects like diarrhea, lightheadedness and muscle cramping. So, what else is a person to do besides eat right and exercise? Add herbs and spices known to naturally lower blood pressure to foods you already eat.

Joyce Hollman

5 ways oatmeal can beat back metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome sneaks up on people. It might start with your cholesterol. Before you know it, your blood pressure goes up. Next, your doctor is concerned about your blood sugar which is going up with your weight. Before you wake up one day on more medications than you’ve ever taken in all your years, try a daily bowl of oatmeal instead.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Passive stretching: The artery ‘workout’ that improves blood flow

You have roughly 100,000 miles of blood vessels and veins that make up your arterial superhighway… and much working against them. Your heart, and more, depend on them. Luckily, new research has found a way to make it easier than ever to decrease arterial stiffness and improve blood flow. Just grab a partner and stretch…

Jenny Smiechowski

Essential oil diffusers may pose an unexpected risk

I’ve never thought of my diffuser as anything but a blessing to my health and home. It’s an easy way to take advantage of the benefits of aromatherapy and a great alternative to chemical air fresheners. But I recently read something that indicated there may be a dark side to my diffuser…

Jenny Smiechowski

Low-to-moderate drinkers may have cognitive edge over non-drinkers

It’s fun to read about the health benefits of guilty pleasures… like drinking coffee, looking at cat memes or indulging in a glass of wine. We get a lot of mixed messages about that last one though. But a new study shows that people who drink low-to-moderate amounts of alcohol have better brain health than those who don’t.

Joyce Hollman

6 signs of prediabetes and tips that turn it around

About 84 million adults in the U.S. have prediabetes. That means 34 percent of adults, at any given time, are poised to cross a threshold that would take them down a chronic disease path. Sounds daunting, doesn’t it? But what if I told you they could turn that trajectory completely around in a matter of steps?

Jenny Smiechowski

2 excellent reasons to go crazy for capers

How often do you eat capers? You know, those tiny green balls you see hanging out in your chicken piccata, on top of your salmon lox bagel or in your salad. The answer for most of us is probably not that often. That’s a shame because they’re packed with a potent compound for brain and heart health…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Is butter back? The truth about saturated fat

Breaking health news contends that limiting dietary saturated fat does nothing for reducing heart disease events or for heart disease prevention. The study’s conclusions run against the advice of most health authorities, but by sheer numbers alone, it feels pretty compelling…

Joyce Hollman

How to correctly disinfect with wipes during cold and virus season

Using disinfectant wipes to clean the surfaces in your home? You should know there’s more to it than just pulling one out and wiping. Follow these tips to make sure you get the most out of them during cold and virus season…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Common ailments that zap your energy

If you’re feeling like all your energy has been drained, you can barely get out of bed in the morning and struggle to make it through the day, you’re not alone. Lack of energy is a common complaint and can be due to a wide range of issues. Figuring out what’s got you dragging is a challenge. Here are some clues…

Jenny Smiechowski

The other omega fatty acid that fights cancer, heart disease and diabetes

You’ve probably heard that omega-3 fatty acids fight inflammation and disease, while omega-6 fatty acids fuel them. But recent research shows this isn’t entirely true. Omega-6 fatty acids from healthy sources aren’t the inflammation-causing boogeymen they’ve been made out to be. In fact, they may even have unique health benefits…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Self-care tips to bring your blood pressure down

High blood pressure can stem from a combination of issues. And while your doctor is prescribing medications, far too often other causes get ignored, leaving you with uncontrolled blood pressure problems that even the strongest medicines can’t fully control. Put these blood pressure-reducing interventions to work…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why the FDA’s new food labeling rules put allergy sufferers at risk

When you have food allergies, you become very good at inspecting labels. That’s because, if you don’t, it could have serious consequences. But what if, despite all your careful label reading, you’re still exposed to a food allergen because it’s not listed on the label? That’s a food allergy sufferer’s worst nightmare. And the FDA’s new food labeling rules are making it more likely…

Joyce Hollman

Menopause, brain energy and the Alzheimer’s connection women need to know more about

Most people think menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, memory loss start in the ovaries, when in fact they are neurological symptoms. That’s because estrogen helps produce energy in the brain. As it delines neurons slow down and age quickly. That’s why women need to protect their brains as they age…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why healthy eating isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution

Food is a powerful tool for optimizing health. But how come some people try a certain diet and experience dramatic results while others barely notice a difference in their weight, health and well-being on the same diet? Luckily, research has us one step closer to figuring out how to make healthy eating work for everyone…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

5 health warning signs men should never ignore

Men have a reputation for avoiding check-ups. and even putting off sick visits for as long as possible. That’s why we’ve put together five warning signs something’s wrong with your health that you should never ignore, just for you guys…

Jenny Smiechowski

Overeating? Berries can put you back in control

We all have times when we overdo it at the dinner table. Unfortunately, overeating regularly causes you to gain weight, increases your risk of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cognitive decline and cancer and triggers hormonal changes that make it harder to stop overeating. Luckily, this simple, healthy snack can stop the vicious cycle of overeating…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Clearing out heavy metals that weigh your health down

Adopting clean-living strategies are commonplace for those of us who realize the health dangers posed by toxins. But while we’ve been focused mostly on toxins and poisons, there’s another threat that deserves your attention, capable of contributing to autoimmune diseases and the underlying inflammation that accelerates the process of chronic illness.

Jenny Smiechowski

The high cholesterol-carb connection

You probably remember the days when saturated fat was the enemy of people prone to high cholesterol. In fact, you’ll still see many widely respected health institutions advising people with high cholesterol to cut back on the fats. But a lot of recent evidence shows that this advice is outdated. If you really want to lower your cholesterol, you need to focus on carbs instead…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Conditions scientifically shown to benefit from chiropractic care

If you haven’t tried chiropractic care yet, you could be missing out. While some dismiss chiropractic care, believing that the only way to find relief is through medical treatments and drugs, scientific studies are proving that chiropractic works! Here are a few conditions getting adjusted could help…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Natural help for passing and preventing kidney stones

Kidney stones may be one of the most painful things you’ll ever experience… many people compare it to giving birth. Arming yourself with ways to dissolve small stones and preventing new stones from forming is so important. Here are the natural options you can use at home…

Joyce Hollman

5 health-changing reasons to eat arugula

When most people think of healthy greens, they think of kale or spinach. But have you tried arugula? This peppery-spicy, delicate-looking green can help lower your blood pressure and save you from bone fractures, and that’s just for starters…

Jenny Smiechowski

How red light can restore your after-40 vision

Your skin, hair and metabolism aren’t the only things that start to show the signs of aging once you hit 40. The cells in your retina do too. And that can cause major vision problems as you get older. But red light could help you protect these critical cells and keep your eagle eyes a bit longer…

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