Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The prostate drug that reduces hair loss and heart disease

For decades, doctors prescribed one medication for enlarged prostate. It turned out the same drug could be the answer for hair loss and, now, heart problems. But there’s a catch to getting these benefits safely…

Carolyn Gretton

The ‘pickled’ food that took down weight and triglycerides

Wouldn’t it be great if fighting obesity was as easy as adding one specific food to your diet? Well, according to multiple studies, this may be possible with a food that’s been eaten for thousands of years…

Carolyn Gretton

Twins help reveal powerful reason diet links to depression

For years, the answer to depression has been drugs that often don’t work and lead to depressing side effects. But an 11-year twin study provides unique insight on food’s strong link to the mood disorder…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The syndrome that speeds up heart disease risk by decades

Many factors affect heart disease risk, like poor lifestyle choices that can set up heart problems down the road. But some actually speed up that risk, like two conditions that bring about the potential for heart trouble almost three decades sooner…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Sweet, salty and boozy: A recipe for holiday heart syndrome

The holidays are about celebrations. They’re also about alcohol, sweets and salty savory treats and big meals that can leave you with a permanent heart condition. Here’s how to avoid holiday heart syndrome and the signs to watch for…

Joyce Hollman

The underestimated factor for ER+ breast cancer

After menopause, fat is the primary source of estrogen. Body mass index may not accurately measure body fat. This matters because body fat is linked to hormone-positive breast cancer, an underestimated deadly cancer risk…

Margaret Cantwell

The veggie that gives back the heart protection menopause steals

Estrogen is more than a female hormone. It helps regulate vascular wall elasticity. That’s why when estrogen plummets around menopause, heart problems rise for women. When hormone therapy carries a stroke risk, what’s a woman to do? Eat the veggie that gives back what menopause took.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Coffee: The cardiometabolic disease crusher that lowers heart disease, diabetes and stroke

Loads of research has stacked evidence of coffee’s health benefits. But it gets better. Beyond the heart, it slays a cluster of conditions, even in early stages, to crush what’s now known as cardiometabolic disease, and it just takes this much…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The berry boost for a better brain and blood pressure over 65

As you age, you probably tend to worry about the health of two of your most important organs — your brain and your heart. That’s why we’re urged to exercise and eat right. But what if you’re over 65, is it too late? Not for a berry boost…

Carolyn Gretton

The growing blood clot concern over low-calorie sweeteners

The average American consumes almost 19 teaspoons of added sugar a day. And that’s tied to more than 45 serious health problems. No wonder many of us turn to low-calorie sweeteners, like xylitol. But practicing moderation may be safer than risking blood clots…

Joyce Hollman

The risk factors most strongly linked to severe stroke

A mild stroke could be a wake-up call. But a severe stroke changes your life in ways you can’t bounce back from. Before it’s too late, do something about the most important risk linked to severe stroke…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

This could save your life if you take blood thinners

The newer generation of blood thinners are much easier to use because they don’t require the blood test monitoring the older drugs did. But researchers uncovered an alarming risk that doctors prescribing the meds were unknowingly putting on their patients…

Joyce Hollman

Pneumonia carries a heart attack risk aspirin can lower

If you have risk factors for heart disease, including hypertension and diabetes, a case of pneumonia can increase the stress on your heart further leading to some serious complications. But if your doctor approves, you can start working to prevent that possibility now…

Jordan Fuller

Why golf is the ultimate social sport for healthy aging 

Aging gracefully is about more than just adding years to your life. It’s about enriching those years with health, vitality and connection. Golf can help because it’s more than just a sport — it’s a pathway to a longer, fuller life. 

Joyce Hollman

When vitamin D helps lower blood pressure the most

Vitamin D is linked to positive impacts from healthy aging to prevention. Its effect on blood pressure has been inconclusive, however. But new research finds it may be a matter of when and who vitamin D can help the most…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Obesity’s fight-or-flight response driving diabetes

Obesity is at the root of most disease, from cancer to heart disease. But it’s most closely linked to is diabetes, hence the term ‘diabesity.’ But another hidden factor driving that connection has been recently uncovered…

Carolyn Gretton

The commonly prescribed pain medication linked to hip fracture

Gabapentinoids have been seen as a safer alternative to opioids for pain. However, they carry with them their own risks — including one debilitating condition that could be a death sentence for older adults…

Joyce Hollman

The high-risk factor for a 2nd cancer diagnosis

Coming out on the other side of a cancer diagnosis is no small feat. But survivors often live looking over their shoulders. Scientists have identified one particularly high risk factor that could leave cancer in the rearview mirror…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why heart attacks are more common in winter

Visits to the ER for heart attacks increase during the winter months. Experts say there are three levels of people for whom this is more likely, and one group never sees it coming. Here’s how to avoid being one of them…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 supplements that support normal blood pressure levels

The side effects that come with treating high blood pressure include thirst, dehydration, increased urination, dizziness, weakness and fatigue. That’s incentive to keep it at bay with a few healthy changes and 5 supportive supplements to keep your numbers where you want them.

Joyce Hollman

The diet that sheds pounds and keeps your brain from shrinking

Studies have shown it doubles weight loss, slows brain aging and brain atrophy and decreases liver fat. It could be the one diet to answer all our problems. Here’s how to go “green” for a big brain and slimmer waist and liver…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 serious health threats tied to menopause

Menopause is a dangerous time for women, beyond breast cancer. So how can you keep ‘the change’ from stealing your health? Whether you’re perimenopausal or post-menopausal, start now to avoid these 5 threats…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The macronutrient that improves cognitive function fast

Glitches in cognition are unsettling, even if doctors say not to worry. It’s hard to know what the future holds. But supporting brain health with a macronutrient that’s validated to improve things fast, is easy.

Joyce Hollman

Even a little licorice can raise your blood pressure

Licorice is candy. But in traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s a medicinal herb. Its powerful effects are why guidelines determined how much was safe to eat. But they were wrong about how little can have deleterious effects…

Carolyn Gretton

How to slash your risk of AFib by 60 percent

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of irregular heartbeat. It’s also a leading cause of stroke. Risk of devloping it climbs with age but it can also run in families and take your risk even higher. Do this one thing to slash it…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Foods that send aging into overdrive

I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want to slow aging. Understandably, there’s some skepticism when products claim to. But it can be as simple as avoiding the things that accelerate your rate of aging — like these foods…

Joyce Hollman

Busting the myths about what causes gout

For years, people with gout have been shamed for causing their own pain. It was thought their poor diet elevated uric acid which contributes to painful crystals in joints, like the big toe. Now we know there’s more to the story.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Micro-walks: Short bursts burn more for bigger benefits

If you can bang out close to 10,000 steps a day, more power to you. But there’s a more effecient way to rev up your metabolism and burn 60 percent more calories. This is one health hack that may sound too good to be true, but here’s why it works…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The supplement that trumps a genetic risk for high cholesterol

Thanks to genetics, even diet and exercise may not lower high cholesterol. And since many people ditch medication, researchers seek alternatives. After a study with 400,000 people, they’ve hit on one that’s effective even when it starts with your genes.

Carolyn Gretton

How fermented black garlic slows prostate cancer

Garlic has long had a place at the table and in traditional medicine, where the potent bulb is linked to heart health, reduced inflammation and a strong immune system. Now, taming aggressive cancer cells can be added to the list…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The one change that lowers BP and improves heart and kidney health

High blood pressure can do more than heart damage. It can weaken blood vessels, limit blood flow and dramatically reduce kidney function. This causes a fluid backup that can raise blood pressure even more. One change can fix that…

Joyce Hollman

When your urine test finds heavy metals and heart trouble

Scientists are drilling down into the serious heart threat heavy metals present to our health, and it’s not pretty. Nor is how easily we are exposed. If you have any doubt how ubiquitous these toxins are, just see what a urine test can reveal…

Carolyn Gretton

The nut that slays pesky pounds, diabetes and high cholesterol

Losing weight, like so many things, gets harder with age, while packing the pounds on seems to get only easier. Lucky for us, one of our favorite nuts may be the answer. New research says it’s powerful enough to be designated a superfood…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The ‘youth protein’ that age-proofs your vision

As age goes up, the more likely we are to experience vision loss due to age-related changes in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. But what if it was possible to age-proof our eyes with the help of a protein that keeps them young in the same way collagen helps age-proof our joints?

Carolyn Gretton

Alcohol and longevity: Does it help or hurt your lifespan

Some studies show alcohol is great for your health, in moderation. Others point out some definite risks. But the anecdotal evidence linking red wine, the drink of centenarians, to a long healthy life is extensive. When the research was revisited, though, the conclusion was sobering.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

10 serious reasons to rethink lash extensions

Eyelash extensions are a popular, non-surgical way to improve on what Mother Nature didn’t give you or takes back when menopause nears. Just like hair, eyelashes thin, become brittle and lose their upward curve. But before heading to the salon, you need to weigh some serious risks…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

The not-so-sweet stroke danger of two popular sweeteners

Low-calorie or no-calorie substitutes are often recommended, especially for people with cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. But more evidence about an increasing stroke and heart attack risk may have experts singing a different tune…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The seed that takes out disease-causing cells

Traditional seeds are making a comeback as people turn to options like quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and black cumin to avoid gluten, but benefits don’t end there. One such seed used in a medicinal Chinese liquor has been found to kickstart a process that helps rid disease-causing cells associated with Alzheimer’s and alcoholic liver disease…

Carolyn Gretton

Microplastics: From your gut to your kidneys, liver and brain

The dangers that microplastics present is no longer speculation. They’re in artery-clogging plaques and may cross the blood-brain barrier. Now it appears the gut may be an open door to how they wreak even more havoc on the human body…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 supplements that put the brakes on late-stage AMD

Age-related macular degeneration will strike around one in three of us by age 75. With no cure, slowing progession has been the best hope, except for those already in late AMD, the vision-threatening stage. But a second look at a group of supplements says otherwise…

Carolyn Gretton

The breakfast food that mimics how Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro work

Weight loss drugs like Wegovy work, but they come with some serious baggage. Fortunately, researchers looking to mimic these drugs have found a natural solution: a fat-reducing fiber in a popular breakfast food…

Joyce Hollman

The 8-week diet proven to slow aging

Making a diet change is a big commitment. But there’s one diet that appears to confer substantial anti-aging benefits, even when followed for just a matter of weeks. This may be the nudge you need to give it a try and slow your rate of aging in the process…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Fat burning ‘default’ switch?

What’s the difference in white, brown and beige fat cells? Beige cells burn energy (calories) and your body can be coaxed to produce them throughout your lifetime. Even better, scientists say a switch could turn hard-to-get-rid-of white fat cells to beige for a fat-burning metabolism…

Joyce Hollman

Accelerated aging: the downside of sugar you can slow

Over the years I’ve shared sugar’s unsweet impact, from heart disease to aggressive tumors. The fact it cuts life short is no surprise. But the discovery that it can undermine our healthiest efforts makes understanding how it hurts us all the more compelling…

Carolyn Gretton

What facial exercise can and can’t do for these signs of aging

Even with a positive attitude about aging, many of us struggle with the signs we see in the mirror and the desire to put our best face forward. Botox and fillers work, but they’re invasive, costly and temporary. What about those face exercises you’ve been hearing so much about?

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

The effects of probiotics on cholesterol levels

Probiotics have been linked to various health benefits, including enhanced immune function, reduced inflammation, and most notably, improved gastrointestinal health. But what can they do for your heart health? Let’s start with cholesterol…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Feel like your body fell apart after 40? Here’s why

If you’ve ever felt like your body is breaking down all at once, you’re not wrong. Researchers have found the aging process isn’t that gradual. We’re hit particularly hard during two specific times in our lives. Here’s when and a tip on avoiding the worst of it…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The berry that improved heart and blood vessel function in 30 days

When Hippocrates said let food be thy medicine, he must have had berries in mind. They’re full of uniquely beneficial compounds, wrapped in delicious little packages. If you don’t eat them daily, you’re missing out on a fast path to heart and blood vessel health…

Joyce Hollman

Orange peel extract: Natural heart disease prevention

People with higher levels of TMAO in their blood may have more than twice the risk of heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular problems. And when we eat a juicy orange, we’re throwing away the part that can inhibit this dangerous enzyme…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

These 5 changes could eliminate half of all cancers

The American Cancer Society says up to 50 percent of all cancer cases in the United States could be completely eliminated. No, they haven’t developed a cure, but have identified five changes they say are vital for cancer prevention, and they have the backup to prove it…

Carolyn Gretton

3 foods to take down blood sugar, blood pressure and weight

Few of us eat the recommended eight to 10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and it’s bringing our health down as a nation. Easy fix. Focus on just three: one you can drink and the other two only require one serving a day…

Joyce Hollman

Stopping ‘recurring loop of infection’ can end chronic UTI

Want to make a woman cringe? Just mention urinary tract infection. For the really unfortunate, UTIs can become a chronic problem, recurring over and over. Finally, they’ve figured out why that happens: Doctors have only been treating one body part responsible for harboring the virulent bacteria…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Olive oil: The easy antidote for a high-fat diet

We all know that eating greasy, high fat foods, like burgers with fries and a milk shake, aren’t good for us and can lead to health problems, like fatty liver disease. But, what if you could enjoy these foods and still remain healthy?

Carolyn Gretton

7-decade study reveals lifetime of diet on dementia risk

Cognitive performance can keep improving well into middle age, but typically begins to decline after the age of 65. And severe conditions such as dementia can develop alongside these aging-related declines. 70 years says there’s one sure fire way to avoid them…

Carolyn Gretton

Explained: How a high-fat diet fuels anxiety

If you tend to eat when you’re anxious, you probably go straight for your favorite junk foods hoping to feel better. But in reality, you’re fueling a vicious cycle of anxiety that starts in your gut and travels a superhighway to your brain…

Joyce Hollman

The changes that happen when you eat less red and processed meat

So, you’ve gotten the message loud and clear, and are ready to reduce the amount of meat you eat. What changes could you expect to see? How would your health improve? And just how much do you have to give up? If you need those answers to take the dive, read on…

Carolyn Gretton

The supplement that could prevent age-related macular degeneration

For years, scientists have been trying to stop age-related macular degeneration. And while there still is no drug cure, supplements like the AREDS formulations can slow progression — but they can’t prevent the onset. That’s where melatonin comes in…

Easy Health Options Staff

Another spice-related recall for lead contamination

Cinnamon is in the news again as yet another recall for a lead-contaminated brand has recently affected a few states. Here are the details you need to keep safe, and news you need to know about spices as a growing heavy metal health threat…

Joyce Hollman

The weird connection between mouthwash, gum disease and diabetes

There’s an especially complex relationship between gum disease and type 2 diabetes. It’s a loop where one condition exacerbates the other, and vice versa. But research says it may be possible to gargle away both problems. Let’s look at the facts…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Carbs aren’t the only macronutrient with an impact on blood sugar

If you’ve been ditching the bread, pasta and grains in order to keep your insulin in check, you might be missing some important information. It turns out two other macronutirents impact blood sugar in ways never before characterized by science…

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