Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Joyce Hollman

How intense exercise starves cancer and stops the spread

Exercise is good for almost everything that ails us, even cancer. Past research says it cuts the risk of invasive breast cancer. And the latest shows no matter what kind, exercise can reduce cancer spread as much as 72 percent. But what it reveals about “permanent” protection is the big story…

Carolyn Gretton

The sweet truth about honey and your heart

There are so many types of sugar, natural and not-so-much. Still, the consensus among nutritional experts has been “a sugar is a sugar” and mostly all bad. Well, that adage may have just been debunked, thanks to honey’s surprising heart benefits other sweeteners lack.

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Forgetting fiber over the holidays could do some lasting damage

From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, we’re allowed to splurge. But two studies demonstrate the damage that does even in the short-term to your colon, weight, blood sugar, cholesterol and more. So, enjoy the goodies but don’t forget the one nutrient they said could make all merry and bright again…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The number of medications and types that increase dementia

Many factors play into dementia risk, from health and genetics to lifestyle. That makes understanding more about the risks within our control, like the number and types of medications you take regularly, paramount. Here’s the number and dangerous drug combos to watch for…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 Japanese remedies that knock out a cold fast

Winter doesn’t just mean cooler temperatures. It can mean the common cold and feeling cruddy for days. There are plenty of over-the-counter cold medicines to ease your symptoms, but there are just as many reasons not to rely on them (like brain shrinkage!). We’ve got you covered…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

What a single cup of veggies can do for your heart

If there is one health problem that’s most likely to steal your life, it’s one that affects your heart. You could start taking a laundry list of medications now or discover the surprisingly significant impact of just one cup of the right vegetables on your heart…

Carolyn Gretton

The ‘other’ male hormone that predicts longevity

Every day new things about the human body are discovered that may extend our healthspan — the number of healthy years we live. For men, a new discovery may unravel the puzzle as to why some men are more prone to developing age-related illnesses than others…

Joyce Hollman

The popular tech gadget that works like a hearing aid (without the cost!)

About 75 percent of Americans with hearing loss don’t use hearing aids because they’re costly. That increases their risk for depression and dementia. But hearing experts say a popular tech gadget can provide virtually the same improvements in hearing for a fraction of the cost…

Joyce Hollman

Fermented foods and fiber: A recipe for less stress

We all experience stress from time to time. Next time you’re feeling like you need a better way to manage it, try food before turning to medications. Researchers may have found the best recipe for less stress…

Miguel Leyva

Intoxicating beauty: Chemical hair straighteners linked to uterine cancer

In recent years, we’ve learned that our personal care products may harbor dangerous chemicals that can make us sick, including parabens and others that have been linked to cancer. Unfortunatley, it looks like adhering to beauty standards is indeed intoxicating…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

What causes high LDL cholesterol?

You might think this post is another speech from a doctor about lifestyle factors that cause LDL (bad) cholesterol to rise. But I really just want you to know about the biochemical processes that influence cholesterol levels that aren’t alway explained to patients, and which ones you may or may not be able to control…

Easy Health Options Staff

This vitamin gets sucked from your body when you soak up the sun

Sensibly soaking up the sun is a good way to boost your vitamin D. But research shows that while you’re soaking up the sun, the sun is soaking up your stores of another very important vitamin — one that can help your body fend off some pretty nasty illnesses and chronic conditions…

Joyce Hollman

Sedentary habits and sugar worse on men than women

Getting little, if any, exercise and following an unhealthy diet add up to a surefire recipe for disaster. These bad habits were thought to be equally risky for both men and women. But it’s been found men’s health can suffer much faster and face bigger dangers in a surprisingly short time.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Eating nuts strengthens your brain waves

You already know nuts are brain food. But a new study has measured their powerful effect in the form of brain waves. They tested six different kinds of nuts, and all of them produced brainwave frequencies that can improve cognition, healing, learning, memory and more…

Joyce Hollman

6 silent heart attack symptoms lucky survivors missed

Last month, my friend Jeff felt a strange heaviness in his upper arms. It wasn’t from exercise and it wasn’t painful, just strange. He called his doctor, who suggested a trip to the ER. Jeff was having a heart attack. What would you have done if you were Jeff?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How your microbiome helps or hurts weight loss

When you think about losing weight, chances are you think about your gut, the one that’s central in the battle of the bulge. But you might be focusing on the wrong gut. Research has found a surprising reason there that explains when you and your friend follow the same diet, only one of you loses weight.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Exercise: A powerful drug-free remedy for chronic anxiety

It’s no secret that exercise can help you feel better about yourself and your life. In fact, studies have shown regular physical activity to combat depression and put a smile on your face. But is a drug-free solution to chronic anxiety that easy?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 sneaky signs of a vitamin deficiency

Even in first world countries, like the U.S., vitamin deficiencies may be more common than you would ever guess. How do you know if you’re getting enough of the nutrients considered essential? Besides having your blood tested, pay attention to these six often sneaky signs of a deficiency…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What omega-3s do to a middle-aged brain

Most of the research into brain health has focused on slowing or reversing the mind-stealing conditions you see in the elderly. But what, if anything, can omega-3s do for a middle-aged brain, especially one with a genetic predisposition for those very problems?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Cut carbs now to cut 3 major health threats

Approximately 37 million Americans have diabetes and another 96 million are pre-diabetic. If you’re one of those 96 million, you may not even know you’re on the verge of developing diabetes, much less at increased risk for heart attack or stroke. One change could turn that around…

Carolyn Gretton

What you should know about shingles and stroke

Shingles may seem like more of an annoyance than a serious threat to your health. But that’s not exactly true. Shingles can actually affect your eyes, cause nerve pain and attack your internal organs. It can also raise your risk of potentially life-threatening cardiovascular complications…

Joyce Hollman

The two consistent warnings women get before heart attack

Many people still think that a heart attack strikes suddenly, or with very little warning. A Harvard Health survey tells us that, for women, the warning signs can come as much as a month in advance. And they’re anything but the classic signs most people look for…

Jenny Smiechowski

Is winter really heart attack season?

As the cold weather approaches, you know you have to protect yourself from ailments like cold and flu. But what about more serious events, like heart attack? Surprsingly, as the temperatures go down our risk for heart attack goes up. Here’s why (an odd effect on blood vessels, for one) and what to do…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Best for a sharp brain: Crossword puzzles vs. high-tech games

Certain activities help stimulate the brain to keep it running like a high-performance race car. That’s why there are plenty of sophisticated web-based cognitive games specifically designed to improve those skills we need to keep our independence. And then there are crossword puzzles…

Craig Cooper

Osteoporosis: Not just a woman’s disease

Even though men in their 50s don’t have the same rapid bone loss women do, that changes around 65. Then, men lose bone mass at the same rate, and recovery from fracture is riskier for men. Most surprising? The risk of an osteoporotic fracture in men is higher than the risk of prostate cancer.

Carolyn Gretton

The link between CoQ10 and age-related frailty

Frailty can strike anyone over the age of 65, and the subtle changes can sneak up if you’re not careful. The factor that makes it more likely is the loss of a certain nutrient that circulates in your blood less and less with each passing birthday, increasing vulnerability to this scourge of aging…

Carolyn Gretton

Sit a lot? Activity ‘snacks’ counter the harm and maintain muscle

The research is in: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to diabetes, heart disease and obesity, and weaken our bones and muscles, making us more susceptible to frailty as we age. But adding this “snack” to our daily menu could go a long way toward reversing that damage to live longer and healthier…

Jenny Smiechowski

Fight colds and cancer with camu camu

Need an edge this cold and flu season? It’s time you discovered the berry with up to 60 times more vitamin C than an orange, and enough potassium, calcium, protein, beta-carotene, amino acids and antioxidants to support your heart, liver, eyes and more.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Lose weight and keep it off: Tips from 6,000 people who have

Only about one in five people who lose weight will actually succeed in keeping it off long-term. So does that mean you’re doomed to failure? Definitely not. Just take the right advice to heart, from those who’ve been there, done that and, most importantly, succeeded…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

5 cardiologist-approved tips for heart-healthy holidays

The holiday season can make it extra challenging to stick to your heart-healthy eating plan. With cardiologist-approved tips, you can make it, and still enjoy every single holiday…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What you give up after starting BP and cholesterol medications may destroy your health faster

Sometimes healthcare is a Catch 22. Meds and treatments can help us live longer, better, and healthier unless we make this mistake researchers found can actually accelerate your health problems in spite of your doctor’s best efforts…

Jenny Smiechowski

The secret to getting curcumin’s anti-Alzheimer’s benefits

Curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound proven to act against a variety of cancers and possibly reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. For big benefits, it’s important to improve the amount your body can absorb. Here are a few ways to do that…

Joyce Hollman

The surprising reason vertigo can take hold and how to break it

Dizziness, or vertigo, can have lots of causes. But while the initial episode of dizziness may be physically based, when it continues, a person can get trapped in a vicious cycle, a self-destructive feedback loop that must be broken…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The diet that may lower stroke risk almost 75 percent

Did you know that while heart disease still reigns number one, the second most common cause of death worldwide is actually stroke, beating out all forms of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and even lower respiratory infections? Time to lower your risk…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why simple soap slays viruses better than alcohol and disinfectants

“Drastic times call for drastic measures.” And the pandemic was one of those times. It was tempting to apply drastic measures to our disinfectant efforts. But something we learned that we can carry forward, no matter what virus we face, is that the simple answer turned out to be the best answer…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

A story about allergies and a racehorse with asthma

Over the years I’ve had numerous occasions where I’ve stopped, clutched my chest and looked at my husband and said, “Am I having a heart attack?” If you knew my family history of heart disease, you’d understand why. But this time, my thoughts went straight to coronavirus…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Getting fit: The exercise overdose that can lead to heart attack

“Exercise is medicine, and there is no question that moderate to vigorous physical activity is beneficial to overall cardiovascular health. However, like medicine, it is possible to underdose and overdose on exercise — more is not always better and can lead to cardiac events.” Here’s lifesaving info on how to do it right…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How bacteria in your gut makes a meal out of cancer cells

Gut health has become a buzzword for those who want to feel better, fight off disease, and live longer. And with good reason: Poor gut health is associated with everything from weight gain and autoimmune conditions to heart and kidney disease. Now, there’s another reason to focus on your gut — fighting cancer.

Jenny Smiechowski

Why carbs and diet soda are a disastrous combo you need to avoid

Studies show diet sodas increase the risk of stroke, dementia and metabolic syndrome, among other issues. If you can give them up, you really should. But, at the least, remember this: Don’t eat carbs with your diet soda. Because new research shows that could be where the real danger lies…

Jenny Smiechowski

How heart problems steal gray matter from your brain

You know what happens when you tip over one domino — the whole row falls. And the same thing happens with your health… In fact, a new study shows that the amount of blood your heart pumps out directly impacts the amount of oh-so-important grey matter you have in your brain…

Joyce Hollman

How playing ping pong reverses symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced by a portion of the brain called the substantia nigra. Dopamine controls muscle movement, everything from walking and gripping with the hands, to smiling and swallowing. As Parkinson’s patients produce less dopamine, symptoms become more apparent. But a fun activity shows promise for keeping them active.

Easy Health Options Staff

Can’t find Lysol? Try these 6 essential oils in your diffuser

This past weekend, like most everyone else, I went in search of Lysol disinfectant spray and came home empty-handed. After all, when you want to ward off the spread of anything in your home, that’s been our go-to disinfectant, right? But if you can’t find it, here’s how you can use essentials oils in your home…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The oil that’s packed with antioxidant power even after cooking

Olive oil isn’t just part of the amazingly healthy Mediterranean diet. It can stand alone and still confer all of those benefits… thanks to its high antioxidant content! In fact, extra virgin olive oil shows a unique composition of fatty acids with a higher antioxidant content than any of the other edible oils. But does it stand up to the heat?

Joyce Hollman

A popular citrus fruit could help peel back fat and diabetes risk

Hypertension, stroke, heart disease and diabetes are directly linked to obesity. It’s also viewed as a predictor of a dozen types of cancer or more. So it’s no wonder that research is ongoing into how we can stem the tide of obesity-related conditions that, at worst, lead to death and at the least, greatly affect the quality of life for most Americans…

Joyce Hollman

Could dessert with breakfast be the easiest weight-loss hack?

Chocolate cake at breakfast may help you keep weight off… Hard to believe? Not ready to break out the cake yet? Then you need to know what happens when you eat breakfast that doesn’t when you eat any other meal of the day. Let’s take a look at the research behind these claims…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How you can use ‘vitamin F’ to slow premature aging

Although skincare experts have coined the term, vitamin F is not a real vitamin. In fact, the F simply stands for fat. Specifically, vitamin F is two types of fatty acids – linoleic acid (an Omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (an Omega-3). These acids are now the hottest trend in skincare. And here’s why…

Jenny Smiechowski

The most important nutrient for lower blood pressure

Scientists and doctors agree that eating too many calories, and the weight gain that causes, are the biggest factors in high blood pressure for most people. But just cutting back on calories isn’t always enough to get that high BP down. Case in point? A new study shows that this missing nutrient can trigger high blood pressure…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The aromatherapy of love can help you sleep better

Is it any wonder that poor sleep is one of the fastest ways to send your health down the drain? Not at all. Luckily, thanks to a new study from researchers at the University of British Columbia, there’s a new weapon you can holster in your sleep arsenal to help you rest better — as long as it passes the smell test.

Joyce Hollman

Do you know what sugar’s doing to your cholesterol?

Scientists just published the results of a long-term study that confirmed the fact that sugar doesn’t just lead to metabolic syndrome by messing with your blood sugar… It comes at you in another serious way… So to avoid that cluster of conditions that lead to stroke, heart disease and diabetes, read this asap…

Jenny Smiechowski

You can measure your breast cancer risk by how much milk you drink

There are so many “milk” options, and the advice about them is constantly changing… Almond, oat, coconut and soy milk. Just when you decide on one, a new one pops up. And you wonder… should I drink that instead? Let’s make it easy: Be wary of the one that increases breast cancer risk by the cup as much as 80 percent.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

These microscopic particles at work or your home office change your genes

Being exposed to printer toner can change your genes themselves, alter your protein production, and lead to real and lasting health problems. Don’t believe me? Read what the researchers saw it do in the lungs of mice. It was worrisome enough that they immediately went to a printing company to check out their lungs…

Jenny Smiechowski

What too little (or too much water) does to your brain

Changes in your cognitive abilities can start subtly. Maybe you forget doctor’s appointments and lunch dates. You lose your train of thought in conversations. You may become concerned it’s dementia. But before you start thinking worst-case scenario, there’s something you should know…

Joyce Hollman

The strange connection between sleep, food (or vice versa) and heart disease in women

Women are particularly prone to sleep disturbances across their life span. And heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in the U.S. Is there a connection? It’s prompted researchers to examine how poor sleep quality and not enough sleep is related to the risk of obesity and heart disease…

Jenny Smiechowski

Move over resveratrol, this healthy fat fights aging better

Dietary fat used to be the scapegoat for heart disease, obesity, diabetes, premature aging — you name it. Now we know the opposite is true. Eating fat is one of the best things you can do. In fact, healthy fats may even top antioxidants as the most effective nutrient for fending off disease and aging…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 ways to sleep better despite Daylight Savings Time

Daylight Savings Time can do far worse than make you late for work Monday. In fact, when we set our clocks forward this weekend, most of us will experience sleep loss that triggers problems lasting for weeks or more. That’s why we’ve put together the best tips for getting good sleep despite the time change…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

A potent flavonoid for lowering blood pressure, heart attack and stroke risk

Study after study has looked at a popular plant pigment found in many foods, like onions, teas, apples, and even red wine, for its potential to protect the heart. In fact, the current news is based on a pooled review of 17 separate scientific studies. The results? It ‘markedly’ reduced systolic blood pressure…

Joyce Hollman

Your doctor’s treatment for hip and knee pain may cause more harm

The knee and hip joints are the two joints you hear about most in connection with osteoarthritic pain and joint replacement. Treatments are available that ease the pain of OA, including cortisone injections. But recent research has revealed that these injections are more dangerous than we’ve been led to believe…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What your cancer risk really looks like

In 2018 alone, 9.5 million deaths worldwide were due to cancer. When you combine those facts with an ever-growing list of lifestyle habits that can increase your risk of the disease, is it any wonder that worrying if you’re next can keep you up at night? Put your mind at ease by learning more about actual risk.

Jenny Smiechowski

The common gut infection that leads to long-term tummy trouble

Irritable bowel syndrome is a mystery. Doctors don’t know what causes it. And that’s frustrating, especially when you suffer chronic stomach cramping, diarrhea, gas and other uncomfortable symptoms. But it turns out those chronic symptoms may be tied to something that happened to you years ago…

Joyce Hollman

5 ways obesity accelerates the mechanisms of aging

At least 40 percent of Americans suffer from a preventable condition that significantly shortens their healthspan. Not only does this condition cause hypertension, heart disease and diabetes, but it damages the body on a cellular level — the kind of damage that mimics changes that normally come with getting old…

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