Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Joyce Hollman

Why giving up saturated fats can lead to heart trouble

Are you a label reader? Do you review the fat content of almost every product before adding it to your grocery cart? We’re not judging but we do want to share some new evidence that will blow all your concerns about saturated fats and heart trouble out of the water — and make life easier…

Carolyn Gretton

Why are more of us more exhausted than ever?

A survey of 2000 respondents has found that an alarming 59 percent of us feel permanently short of energy. Just as many feel disjointed and unfocused. Worse, they say sleep isn’t the answer. Why do more of us feel more exhausted than ever before, and what can we do about it?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

One more risk of too little exercise: Pneumonia

Winter is here, and you know what that means: Your chances of getting sick and ending up with pneumonia are higher than at any other time of the year. And if you still haven’t gotten the message about the harms of a couch potato lifestyle, you’re missing out on the easiest intervention that works across all age groups.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

For women, hormones could wreak havoc on arteries

When it comes to your arteries, you want the consistency of a wet noodle, not an uncooked piece of pasta. Otherwise your risks go up for heart problems. Yet, age isn’t the only thing that can stiffen our arteries. From birth control pills to menopause, women face a unique risk that can have serious consequences…

Carolyn Gretton

The vitamin deficiency that doubles risk for heart trouble

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the No. 1 cause of death worldwide. And though we’re familiar with the three main risk factors for CVD — high cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking — research has uncovered another, less-obvious factor that can double your risk for heart trouble…

Carolyn Gretton

Eat this dairy daily to lower blood pressure by almost 7 points

If you have high blood pressure, you know it’s tough to get your readings down to normal levels, even with medication. One popular food known for health benefits could tank it by 7 points…

Carolyn Gretton

Experts may have found ‘fountain of youth’ in tiny seed

We’ll do just about anything we can to extend our lifespan, whether it’s following an anti-aging diet or exercise regimen — or as involved as using hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In all those efforts, there’s one goal scientists continue to chase: the ability to swallow one pill to stop aging. And they are inching ever closer…

Joyce Hollman

What you should know about peripheral artery disease

Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, is similar to coronary artery disease. Both involve a buildup of plaque inside the arteries, which slows the flow of blood that nourishes all parts of the body and increases risk for blood clots. Scary thing is, it’s considered a “silent disease.” Here’s what to watch for…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Good news for your bones if you’ve passed menopause

Saying the word “menopause” immediately conjures up images of hot flashes, night sweats and bones becoming frail and prone to fracture. However, while menopause isn’t always a walk in the park, everything post menopause isn’t always bad news…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

12-year study finds 8 foods to beat cognitive decline

More evidence is stacking up that, when it comes to keeping your brain at its best, what you eat counts. According to research that spanned 12 years, there are eight foods you’ll want to make a part of your regular diet if you want to ward off cognitive impairment and dementia as you age — and one to avoid like the plague…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Short of breath? It could be COVID-19 heart damage

If you’ve recovered from even a mild bout with COVID-19, you know that even the weeks and months following an initial infection are no walk in the park. But if it’s been a year and a walk in the park leaves you breathless, you may not be scot-free quite yet. It could be a sign of problems you need to watch closely…

Joyce Hollman

Got 10 hours? Use it to turn metabolic syndrome around

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms affecting one-third of American adults that increases risk for diabetes, heart disease and stroke. If you have excess belly fat, high cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar, you may be one of them. If you’ve got 10 hours, you can turn it around before it’s too late.

Jenny Smiechowski

Reversing age-related brain shrinkage is easier than you think

As you get older, the size of a certain vital organ becomes more and more important — your brain. That’s because, typically, the older you get, the smaller your brain volume gets. And if this shrinkage gets too out of hand, you end up with a serious cognitive impairment like dementia.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why cool temps could slow down autoimmune diseases like MS

By definition an autoimmune disorder is one in which your own immune system goes haywire, attacking the healthy tissue in your body, causing the disease. MS is one such disease. New research shows its symptoms may be improved and progress prossibly slowed with a change of temperature. Here’s why…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

New way walnuts improve cholesterol discovered

From controlling type 2 diabetes to stopping cancer in its tracks, if you want to stay in tip-top shape, nuts could be your ticket to a longer, healthier life. And it looks like the benefits of walnuts just keep stacking up, especially where heart health is concerned…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Women with long COVID may need extra help regaining activity levels

You’ve certainly heard of long Covid, the phenomenon where people “recover” from the virus that causes COVID-19 but are left with a laundry list of symptoms. However, what you might not know is that if you’re a woman living with long Covid, you may have an extra hard time getting back to normal life, especially if you enjoyed an active lifestyle.

Joyce Hollman

How to tell if it’s age-related memory problems or Alzheimer’s

Memory problems can be unnerving, especially when we get older. It’s easy to begin second-guessing everything and wondering whether you’re simply forgetful or if something worse is happening — like Alzheimer’s. How can you tell the difference? Here are a few things to take note of…

Carolyn Gretton

The surprising connection between MS and the sun

Sun exposure may be rough on the skin, but it has a lot of upsides for our sleep, mood and vitamin D levels. And now researchers are discovering that the benefits of sunlight may go even further by protecting us from certain autoimmune diseases…

Carolyn Gretton

Catching AMD before you start losing vision

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of sight loss in the Western world. And most people don’t know they have it until they’re already losing their sight. Researchers have been looking for ways to catch AMD before that point, and they may have identified some new early warning signs that can help them do it…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

10 steps to simplify living heart healthy

To lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, we’re told to eat a heart-healthy diet. What exactly is heart-healthy? Is it only eating certain types of foods and eliminating others? Or is there a way to get to that elusive heart-healthy status without feeling deprived? Yes, according to these new rules…

Joyce Hollman

11 exotic superfruits with supersized nutrition

Instead of dreaming of tropical islands this winter, why not try some exotic fruits that hail from warmer climates? Here are 11 exotic “superfruits” that are fun to try, and packed with enough nutritional power to dispel the winter doldrums and most anything else that ails you…

Carolyn Gretton

Why more men are getting thyroid cancer

It’s been known for some time that people who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of getting certain cancers, including thyroid cancer. But it’s been unclear exactly how many cases of thyroid cancer are connected with weight — until now — and the findings should be a wake up call, especially for men…

Joyce Hollman

Study finds inflammatory foods feed Alzheimer’s and dementia

Research shows inflammation is a driving force behind obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Now research is stacking up that connects it with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The good news? Foods feed that inflammation in a dose-dependent manner and a change of diet could make a big difference.

Joyce Hollman

Weird causes and signs of low blood pressure

Low blood pressure, or hypotension, comes with its own set of troublesome symptoms. And, just like high blood pressure, it may also be a signal of other things going wrong in the body — surprisingly enough, even with your thyroid…

Carolyn Gretton

How grains can dash diabetes by more than 30 percent

The average American eats less than one daily serving of whole grains, and some studies show that over 40 percent of Americans never eat whole grains at all. When you know what whole grains can do for blood sugar, it’s no wonder so many Americans are in trouble…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The unexpected truth behind AFib triggers

AFib skyrockets your stroke risk. By throwing your heart out of rhythm, the condition can result in blood clots being released, blocking blood flow to your brain. If that wasn’t bad enough, strokes caused by AFib tend to be more severe than strokes from other causes. That’s why getting to the truth about AFib triggers is vitally important…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Best reason to exercise: rebuilding your body to live healthy longer

Aging means slowing down, doing less and retiring, right? Wrong! According to research from Harvard, if you’re taking it easier as the years pass, you’re missing out on processes in the body that can actually build your body back stronger and fight disease to help you live healthier and longer…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

An unexpected perk of housework: Healthy aging

Need a reason to stop procrastinating when it comes to household chores and get that sweeping, vacuuming and dusting done? A study looked at housework specifically for its ability to increase the amount of physical activity people get, and found quite a few unexpected perks that promote healthy aging…

Carolyn Gretton

The surprising habit that weakens your pelvic floor (and we all do it!)

Sucking in our stomachs can seem normal, especially for women. But it turns out it’s not exactly healthy for us to be holding in our stomachs all the time. Read on to discover the dark side of “stomach gripping” and why it might have you running to the nearest restroom faster…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The FODMAP diet: Reducing symptoms and disease-causing bacteria

The FODMAP diet has been found to reduce the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. But it wasn’t clearly understood how. Well, now we know. We also know that many people with IBS have a very unique microbial signature that’s downright dangerous…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to get over your cold quick and keep from spreading it

You wake up feeling terrible and wonder, is it a cold or flu? How contagious are you and for how long? How can you keep from spreading your germs… but most importantly: How can you feel better FAST? I’ve got all the answers for you…

Jenny Smiechowski

What heavy drinking does to your DNA

Drinking is an expected part of social life. That may mean only having a margarita with friends once a month at your favorite Mexican restaurant. But if your social circle brings out the heavy drinker in you, there’s something you should know…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The drink that helps lower breast cancer risk by half

Even though a small portion of breast cancers are genetic, a whopping 85 percent of women diagnosed have absolutely no family history. That means it can come out of no where. Thanks to research, there are a number of ways to reduce that risk…

Jenny Smiechowski

Independent agers skip the gym for this instead

There are a variety of reasons older adults can lose independence. But mainly, it comes down to a loss of physical mobility or a loss of cognitive ability. If the gym’s not for you, try this fun way to lower your risk of losing your independence from either of these causes…

Jenny Smiechowski

The common drug combo that causes brain and stomach bleeding

More than 30 million people take NSAID pain relievers daily. The problem is, a lot of these same people also take a popular antidepressnt. If you’re one of them, you should know about the increased risk for brain and gastrointestinal bleeding this combination can cause….

Joyce Hollman

Is your favorite juice harboring high levels of harmful heavy metals?

If you’ve switched to juice to cut down on sugary soft drinks, you need to heed this warning: 45 different fruit juice brands have tested positive for measurable amounts of arsenic, cadmium and lead. Are you drinking one of them? If so, do these things now…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Is it allergies or head and neck cancer?

When is a persistent sore throat or hoarseness, along with earache and maybe problems swallowing, something to be concerned about? If it’s your allergies, you’re probably thinking hardly ever. But this combination mimics symptoms of a common head and neck cancer, too.

Jenny Smiechowski

The blood test that catches Alzheimer’s 16 years before serious symptoms begin

If you knew right now that you were going to get Alzheimer’s in the next 20 years, what would you do to change your destiny? Would you exercise more? Eat better? Try kirtan kriya meditation? All the above?

Joyce Hollman

4 real health benefits of a good cry

When was the last time you had a good cry? For me, it was just the other day. When it was over, boy, did I feel good! Why? It turns out there’s science behind what tears do for your emotional well-being as well as your physical health…

Joyce Hollman

5 smoothie recipes to fuel a disease-free body

Here are five “go-to” smoothies that I’ve tried and enjoyed, in no particular order. They all contain a wealth of fruits and veggies and are geared to boosting nutrients that science says helps decrease your risk of a host of diseases…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Mindfulness won’t take away hot flashes, but it could reduce this killer

Science hasn’t found a lot to offer that works across the board to diminish menopause symptoms, like hot flashes and night sweats. But it may have found a way for menopausal women to overcome one dangerous symptom it certainly creates in their lives…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How the antioxidant power of vitamin C could slay metabolic syndrome

It’s estimated that 35 percent of us suffer from metabolic syndrome, a serious condition associated with everything from heart disease to fatty liver disease to type 2 diabetes… even dementia. But getting more of an important nutrient could be your first step to defeating it.

Joyce Hollman

The drinking water contaminant killing sperm and men

It’s among the most frequently used weed-killing chemicals polluting our drinking water. Among it’s dangers, we can now add “fertility killer.” But if you think fertility isn’t an issue that impacts you directly, you should understand how it shortens men’s lives…

Jenny Smiechowski

2 surprising health tips modern-day ‘cavemen’ can teach us

Is everyone you know following the paleo diet to lose weight and gain health? Maybe you are, too. But there’s still skepticism about whether the caveman lifestyle really works. So to find out, scientists went to some real, live modern-day cavemen, and guess what they found?

Joyce Hollman

5 times burping might be something serious

In some parts of the world, belching might be considered a high compliment. But in the United States, well, it’s a real faux pas.The occasional burp can be embarrassing, but if it happens regularly, and often, it could be a sign of more serious concerns…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

When it looks like dementia but isn’t

If you spend time with an elderly relative or act as a caregiver, you know how those little signs their cognition is slipping can be cause for concern. But some seniors who appear to be headed down the path of dementia, are actually suffering from something totally treatable.

Jenny Smiechowski

Will eating fried food fry your lifespan?

No matter what diet you’re following, there’s one type of food that’s always on the no-no list — fried food. But how “dangerous” is fried food, really? What’s the true price of gliding through the KFC drive-thru and scarfing down a few chicken legs?

Joyce Hollman

Cancer’s complicated relationship with blood pressure drugs

Many people are unaware of just how many drugs there are to control blood pressure. That’s because if the first line drugs don’t work for you, the system is set up to get you on the next one. And that can lead you to a different and scarier disease threat…

Jenny Smiechowski

Can essential oils really cause male breasts?

Who doesn’t love essential oils? But if you’re male and use peppermint oil to ease a headache, lavender oil to relieve anxiety or tea tree oil to clear your skin, listen up… any potent substance that can make significant changes to your body comes with a risk of side effects…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to avoid neck pain from computer use

Poor posture may seem harmless but the truth is that it compresses your neck and not only cause headaches, fatigue, muscle pain, and problems concentrating, but over time it can actually damage the vertebrae in your neck. And it’s happening at your computer…

Joyce Hollman

2 simple methods to try for better memory recall

As I get older, my ability to remember things is changing, and not for the better. This shift is in no way debilitating, thank goodness… just annoying. So I was thrilled to find these fun exercises to strengthen my memory, and hope you will be, too…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The oil that works better than “those” ED Pills

Most men would like to boost their performance in the bedroom. Many men are tempted to turn to the little blue pill for help, but they could slash the chance of erectile dysfunction by a whopping 40 percent just by including plenty this oil in their diet.

Dr. Michael Cutler

15+ herbs, vitamins and nutrients that help fight dementia

Despite decades of research, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s dementia. That doesn’t mean all hope is lost to avoid this devastating disease. Current medications, at best, may slow the rate of disease progression. So, shouldn’t we consider natural options that may do the same, or better? Let me share them with you…

Jenny Smiechowski

The common household chemical that contributes to cancer and heart disease

Disease-causing chemicals are in our water, food, clothing, make-up, furniture — pretty much everything we encounter daily. We’re told they’e safe, but they’re making people sick. Case in point? This one raises your risk of two devastating chronic diseases…

Margaret Cantwell

The truth about lectins and the real reason beans ‘disagree’ with you

For years I struggled with digestive disorders. I tried elimination diets and finally found my problem was gluten. So I gave up grains. But still, certain foods, like beans, disagreed with me in a big way, and I mean more than gas. The reason why has been quite an eye opener…

Easy Health Options Staff

4 times you should pay attention to your breathing

The way you breath can increase or reduce stress and anxiety, effect the beating speed of your heart and the oxygenation of your blood supply — all things that impact your health. Here are 4 times you should pay attention to how you’re breathing…

Jenny Smiechowski

How to boost the Alzheimer’s-fighting hormone hiding in your brain

Right now, there aren’t many hopeful treatments for Alzheimer’s. Current drugs have minimal benefits and loads of side effects, including diarrhea. But research shows how you can  encourage your brain to release a hormone that could be the answer we’ve all been waiting for.

Joyce Hollman

The carcinogens hiding in your chewing gum

You wouldn’t eat food with cancer-causing chemicals in it, would you? Lucky for us, we have a government agency to warn us about such dangers. That is, when this government watchdog isn’t siding with the chemical producers, rather than with us, the consumer.

Jenny Smiechowski

The supplement that keeps your muscles from wasting away even when you can’t use them

It happens to all of us at some point… we throw out our backs. Or need surgery. Or break a leg. Or come down with a virus. And we’re couch-bound for weeks or months. In that time, your muscle mass can deteriorate fast, unless you’re getting plenty of this essential fatty acid…

Jenny Smiechowski

The dirty little secret hiding in your dental floss

Now, I’m all for taking good care of yourself. But sometimes our basic hygiene habits can backfire on us… That’s because many of the modern products we use in our daily hygiene rituals contain chemical ingredients that harm us rather than clean us.

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