Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How much meat can you eat and keep cancer risks low?

More and more, research is proving that being a meat lover can put you at higher risk for cancer. But is it really an all-or-nothing deal? Maybe not. You may only need to follow a few simple rules to enjoy meat and keep the “big C” at bay…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Autoimmune disease over 50: Why the rise and how to stop it

If you’re at an age where heart and brain health are top of mind, you might be missing a threat that’s 50 percent higher in older adults than it was 25 years ago. The good news is that the nutrients that support your heart and brain can also decrease your autoimmune risk by 30 percent.

Joyce Hollman

The diet that slowed over-50 brain shrinkage

With age, the size of the human brain shrinks. Age-related brain atrophy occurs due to a loss of brain cells. With fewer brain cells, connections are lost and cognitive decline begins. What if you could pump up the volume with a simple diet adjustment?

Joyce Hollman

4 ways cherries make you feel better

It’s no accident that the small, sweet cherry has found its way into idioms that express how good life is. To “put the cherry on top” means to make a good thing even better. That’s because there are few downsides to eating cherries, and a lot of benefits to be had…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Melatonin + late-night eating: A recipe for diabetes

Late-night eating can lead to weight gain or high blood sugar levels. That’s a recipe for diabetes. But new findings show many of us carry a gene that can make that habit worse by turning a hormone naturally produced in the body against us.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Better sleep provides better odds against mind-stealing plaques

When your sleep cycle gets screwed up, so does your health. Disruption to your circadian clock has been found to interfere with the brain’s ability to clear a protein closely linked to stealing your brain functions and memories. But getting it back on schedule isn’t so hard…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Study seems to settle the connection between cancer and alcohol

While none of us doubt that heavy drinking is a danger to health, the jury has been out for decades as to whether light to moderate alcohol use can be helpful or harmful. But one consistent debate has centered on alcohol’s connection to cancer. Well, now, the jury may have made a final decision.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The scientific myth putting men’s bones in danger

For years, if not decades, health care providers have assumed people with higher levels of body fat have high bone density and are at low risk of fracture. Turns out that was a mistake that’s left men, especially, in danger.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Is meat the link to autoimmune reactions and MS?

More and more evidence has mounted over the past decade suggesting that bacteria in the gut can affect the immune system, particularly an autoimmune reaction. If what we eat can affect the bacteria in our guts, could diet also play a role in whether or not we end up with MS?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The mistake that could be skewing your blood pressure

A cuff squeezes your arm at your doctor’s office, helping your doctor determine whether he needs to prescribe medication. But you should know those blood pressure readings are wrong surprisingly often…

Joyce Hollman

Red ginseng helps slow aging, boost energy after menopause

Ginseng is an anti-viral and anti-inflammatory that stops our stress response cycle, including the immune response that follows stress. But for those who need help with energy and aging, its benefits may go to the cellular level…

Joyce Hollman

Chronic pain: How the Keto diet can help

A ketogenic diet is a diet that’s very low in carbohydrates. Most people go on a ketogenic diet to lose weight. But research has established other benefits of the diet, including the potential to relieve pain. The reason may surprise you…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

What coffee can do about digestion, gallstones and your liver

Research is proving that coffee has more perks than ever previously thought. But there’s one negative holdover: Many people think coffee increases their intestinal problems, when that’s just not the case. A review of 194 research publications shows exactly what we mean…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Researchers weigh in on how to blast belly fat this Spring

Is one of your resolutions to lose some serious weight this year? But, will hitting the gym give you the results you want? And how much can you expect to lose and how long will it take? Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have all of these answers…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The sleep disorders that more than double heart dangers

What if you did something that doubled your risk of high blood pressure, made you 70 percent more likely to get cardiovascular disease and 47 percent more likely to die for any reason? You’d change your ways, right? It’s not so easy, but these are two sleep disorders to get very serious about…

Carolyn Gretton

Estrogen may give women the edge in COVID-19 survival

Is estrogen a woman’s superpower? It may be when it comes to surviving a run-in with COVID-19. Enough so that researchers are wondering if balancing the hormone can help older women who may be particularly vulnerable.

Margaret Cantwell

Vitamin D2 or D3: Proof one’s a dud and the other fights infection

Vitamin D is mired in controversy. Preventive medicine has always sung its praises, while scientists have been skeptical. But not anymore: Researchers have finally proven one form does next to nothing, while the right form fortifies the immune system and keeps infections away. What’s in your bottle?

Jenny Smiechowski

How to squeeze the most cataract-fighting lutein from spinach

Lutein is a super healthy carotenoid. It reduces the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts, as well as coronary heart disease, stroke and metabolic syndrome. It may even improve your cognitive health. Here’s how to get the most of it from a great source…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Fatigue: How to keep it from shortening your lifespan

Do you feel good about your energy levels or do you struggle to make it through daily activities, even ones you used to enjoy, ending up exhausted? Your answer could predict whether or not you’re going to live a long, healthy life or die within the next three years.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Death during sex: Not just a danger for older men

Sex isn’t just enjoyable. It relieves stress and boosts your immune system. But it’s not all rosy when it comes to what happens between the sheets. Sometimes people die during or shortly after sex due to sudden cardiac death. And it doesn’t just happen to older men…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

One thing diabetics should eat to bring BP, cholesterol, and fasting glucose down

If you have diabetes, you’d think that it would be enough that you have to deal with the disease itself and all of the symptoms it causes… But you’re wide open for hypertension and heart disease. Luckily, just one nutrient can help you fight three of your worst enemies and hold onto your health…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The Amazonian fruit offering hope against cancer

If there’s one thing most doctors would agree on it’s that the most difficult disease to treat has to be cancer. And while the emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors has provided hope, there’s still room for improvement — and an Amazonia berry may be a key player.

Carolyn Gretton

How to get the most out of your N95 masks

As we’re coming out of the omicron wave, many places are beginning to lift mask mandates, but there are still areas where you may still need to wear a mask — like on public transit and airplanes, as well as in airports. That begs the question: How often can you reuse an N95 mask?

Joyce Hollman

The vitamin deficiencies making older adults depressed

Fatigue, memory problems, even walking difficulties all sound like problems to do with aging. So, when depression sets in, well, no wonder. But what if all of these are just symptoms of a simple vitamin deficiency?

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Frailty: The new #1 one risk factor for dementia

Too many believe dementia is a normal part of getting old, when in truth, losing your cognitive abilities is anything but. Even more shocking is that frailty can more than double your risk. That should make preventing old-age frailty a priority by following these steps…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

COVID’s Alzheimer’s-like damage on the brain

Brain fog, fatigue and other neurological and psychiatric symptoms of long COVID syndrome plague many survivors. But there may be more to deal with, including markers of brain damage normally seen with Alzheimer’s…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

‘Retinal age gap’: A window to how well you’re aging

Your eyes are the window to your soul. Now, research shows your eyes can tell even more. Comparing the age of your retina to your chronological age may present a powerful screening tool to see if you’re at a heightened risk for death.

Jenny Smiechowski

The chemicals seeping into your most sensitive areas

You may not know this, but a woman’s sensitive “private areas” are highly absorbent when it comes to chemicals. In fact, the rate of chemical absorption in your genitals is 300 times higher than in your feet. And a recent study shows that products like sanitary pads and diapers are seeping chemicals with consequences…

Joyce Hollman

Bitter is better when it comes to blood sugar

Including more vegetables in your diet is good for your health in innumerable ways. But not all vegetables are created equal. In fact, their taste can give people with type 2 diabetes a big clue as to which they should choose to better control metabolism and blood sugar levels.

Carolyn Gretton

Calcium, retinal blood flow and the connection to glaucoma

Glaucoma is a dreaded diagnosis that can lead to incurable blindness. That’s why researchers are continuing to study the mechanisms behind this disease to develop more effective treatments. And they may have found an intresting connection between calcium and retinal blood flow…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

8+ ways an ingredient in beer can boost your health and fight cancer

If you drink beer, you should be familiar with hops, since the flower of the plant is used to make beer, including ales, lagers, and pilsners. Hops are best known for adding the flavor, color and bitterness, but for years experts have claimed hops aren’t just good for making beer, but good health, too. Hops may even fight cancer…

Joyce Hollman

Why time seems to move faster as we age, and how to slow it down

Remember the endless days of childhood? It seemed like so many things happened in a day! Now, as we get older, time goes faster and faster, and we’re not happy about it. Well, it turns out there’s a scientific explanation for this phenomenon, one that might show us how to feel like we’re getting more out of each day.

Dr. Michael Cutler

What to eat (and how to supplement) to ward off stroke

Stroke scares the heck out of just about anybody. But the right antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory nutrients can help reduce the development of cerebrovascular disease — which can lead to stroke. Find out how these foods, herbs and nutrients you can supplement can help push your stroke risk far away…

Jenny Smiechowski

How you could get a superbug from an unnecessary urine test

Peeing in a cup was once a routine part of getting a yearly physical. Doctors would test for traces of blood, protein or sugar, to check for hidden cases of diabetes or kidney disease. Some doctors still routinely check urine. If your’s does, it could pose an unexpected danger…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Is your weekly cheat day damaging your blood vessels?

The best thing about dieting is cheat day, right? Besides a little indulgence, cheat days were believed to keep the body from “adapting” to the diet and preventing weight loss plateaus. But that theory has been called into question. It turns out this six days on, seventh day off philosophy could actually be harming your health.

Jenny Smiechowski

The strange nocturnal sign you have high blood pressure

How many times do you go to the bathroom at night? I’ll admit, there are nights when I go to the bathroom a few times. And sure, it’s annoying. But I never thought it was anything to worry about. Unfortunately, if you get up to go several times at night (like I do sometimes), your nightly bathroom habits could be a harbinger of bad news.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The 12-minute trick to a happier life

How do you lift your spirits when you’re feeling a little down? Researchers found that the way your thoughts revolve around the people around you can go a long way toward making you a happier person and it only takes 12 minutes. And the technique worked across the board on people of all different personality types.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to safely clean your ears without losing your hearing or infecting your brain

I grew up cleaning my ears with cotton swabs. Unfortunately, those swabs are still big business and the chosen ear-cleaning method for many — even though they can result in a ruptured ear drum, ear infection, impacted ear wax or much, much worse… like a life-threatening infection of the lining of your brain…

Joyce Hollman

Mushrooms can help you conquer cognitive decline even if you don’t like them

Mushrooms can lower blood pressure, protect the liver, and improve digestion. Some even have anti-cancer properties. And a very recent study gives us strong evidence that eating a handful of mushrooms each day can help you maintain your mental faculties well into old age. Don’t like them? Not a problem…

Jenny Smiechowski

The surest way to make cancer treatment resistant and help it spread

There’s nothing more stressful than getting diagnosed with a serious disease… especially if that disease comes with as much baggage as cancer. The second your doctor delivers your test results (or even mentions cancer as a possibility), you switch into fight-or-flight mode. That can really hurt your chances…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Have drugs and therapies helped make heart disease the #1 killer?

It wasn’t long ago that The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released its health statistic brief… And, yet again, heart disease was at the top — as the leading cause of death in the United States. It’s been like this for years, and years and years. Not surprising, right… but, you know what was?

Jenny Smiechowski

The best way to finally relax, melt stress and fight disease at the same time

Here’s a simple truth we take for granted: Relaxation is powerful medicine. It can prevent mental health issues, counteract the physical damage caused by stress and reduce your risk of chronic disease. Those are facts. But for it to work, you have to actually feel relaxed, and that’s not so easy unless…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The burning truth about hot tea (and maybe coffee) and esophageal cancer

When we think about cancer, most of us worry about breast, lung, or colon cancer. After all, those are the ones you hear the most about. But, there’s another type of cancer that shouldn’t be forgotten in your quest for prevention, considering an innocent daily habit could fuel it…

Joyce Hollman

Shingles: It’s not just grown-up chickenpox

If you’ve reached adulthood without having had the chickenpox, you may consider yourself lucky. And in a sense, you are. Unless you’ve never had chickenpox, a case of shingles is always a possibility. Along with the long-term nerve damage and serious complications shingles can bring, if you’re not careful…

Joyce Hollman

Common drugs that make you sicker by stealing nutrients

Even if you eat a healthy, nutrient-rich diet, you could be losing much of the benefit if you’re taking a medication that sucks that nutrition out of you as fast as you can put it in. You may not notice it at first… until you gradually feel the symptoms of a vitamin or mineral deficiency.

Jenny Smiechowski

How this nut changes breast cancer genes to help women survive

Let’s say you’re diagnosed with breast cancer. Research shows that eating just two ounces of a certain nut daily alters your genes in a way that could help you survive…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

A great way to shake down your weight, BMI and blood pressure if you’re diabetic (or not)

Weight loss can be a challenge for anyone. But if you have a health condition, it can be even harder — especially if you have type 2 diabetes. That’s because insulin doesn’t just help move glucose from blood to your cells. It promotes the storage of fat. But researchers may have found the best way…

Joyce Hollman

Did the FDA really just approve a ‘party drug’ to treat depression?

Ketamine has long been abused as a “street drug,” with side effects like convulsions, irregular heartbeat, hives, shortness of breath and blurry vision. So, why would the FDA approve a drug from this dangerous source for people who are already emotionally at risk, and put off a “natural drug” that’s safer?

Jenny Smiechowski

Why is this strange sight-stealing hormonal condition 150 times more common than it used to be?

Chronic hormonal imbalances are common nowadays because our hormones are under constant assault. But these imbalances cause more than moodiness, insomnia, and anxiety (which are bad enough). They cause scary hormone-related health conditions… like idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Dr. Michael Cutler

8 strange stroke risks explained

Some of the strongest risk factors for stroke deaths are elevated systolic blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. But there are some less obvious risk factors, and some you might find strange. But the more you know, the better you can protect yourself from ever experiencing a life-changing, and often deadly, stroke.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Tears hold clue to Alzheimer’s test and the potential for earliest treatment

In a perfect world, you might do everything known to lessen the odds for Alzheimer’s. But, truth be told, you may take the gamble and put off healthy lifestyle changes until a diagnosis is staring you in the face. But what if a simple test could reveal if plaque were already invading your brain so you could get serious about stopping it?

Jenny Smiechowski

Don’t ignore these 4 food cravings

Do you ever find yourself overcome by food cravings so strong your willpower goes out the window? But if you find yourself craving certain foods over and over again, it’s actually more than just inconvenient. It’s a sign of what’s really going on with your health…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 ways poor sleep is killing your heart

Being in debt to the Sandman can do much more than just leave you tired. It’s long been known that poor sleep increases your risk of cardiovascular disease. In fact, here are three ways researchers have found a lack of sleep can elevate risks that are detrimental to your heart…

Joyce Hollman

Why Alzheimer’s may be late-stage type 2 diabetes

Research is piling up that points the finger at insulin as an instigator to the buildup of plaque that leads to Alzheimer’s. In fact, Alzheimer’s has been referred to as type 3 diabetes. But as startling as this revelation is, it’s also promising as far as avoiding it…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The missing nutrient that could prevent peripheral artery disease

PAD happens when a buildup of fatty plaque in your arteries narrows the vessels so that your blood has a hard time going where your body needs it. The disease can be serious, but many people are able to stop or even reverse their symptoms with a few changes, and this one is too easy not to try…

Joyce Hollman

How sitting makes you diabetic

It’s a good thing that research into the benefits of walking is ongoing. It serves to remind us that if we’ve “fallen off the wagon,” spring is a great time to get moving again. Especially if you’re already at risk for diabetes. Because it’s almost shocking how inactivity brews a perfect storm for this disease…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why a CPAP machine could save your brain

Sleep apnea sufferers hate CPAP machines. And for good reason… CPAP machines are loud, uncomfortable and can cause dry eyes and skin problems. But if you have sleep apnea, you better learn to love it, because sleep apnea may cause tau proteins to accumulate in your brain…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Can we prevent osteoporosis after menopause?

It’s long been recognized that post-menopausal women are also at higher risk of osteoporosis. And although doctors have thought that the loss of estrogen during menopause might be the cause of this osteoporosis link, they really didn’t know why until a recent study.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

A secret for ‘controlling’ how young you can feel

Recent research is proving that the secret to feeling young is something most of us wouldn’t expect… It turns out that while how much stress they’re under and how healthy they are plays a significant role in how old younger adults feel, for the over 60 crowd, one big factor that took center stage…

Joyce Hollman

The medical device ‘coverup’ that could threaten your life

Medical devices are everywhere, from tongue depressors to knee replacements to pacemakers. We’re talking about any non-drug product used in medical treatment. While it’s mandatory that companies report deaths associated with their devices, reporting any other negative outcomes is strictly voluntary.

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