Latest Stories

Latest Stories

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.

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

‘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…

Joyce Hollman

Neuroplasticity: Shaping your brain for your best life

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change and develop in response to our thoughts and feelings. One neuroscientist shows us how we can fight depression, reduce stress and anxiety and improve the quality of our lives by using a method that rewires the brain to better handle these challenges.

Joyce Hollman

How many years can a better diet add to your life?

Studies have shown that your diet can help change the genetic pathways that regulate metabolism and aging. But just how many years could you add to your life by eating differently? We’ve got the answer and more good news: You don’t have to make major changes….

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 ways to improve your carbon footprint and your health

Most of us would like to think that the food we eat isn’t just good for our health, but also our wallets and the environment. That’s not always the case. Here are 3 simple ways to hit all those bases without making drastic changes to your diet.

Carolyn Gretton

How you can tell your dog’s true age?

It’s an equation we’ve cited for decades: 1 dog year equals 7 human years. But the canine aging process isn’t quite that simple. Read on to discover how old your dog really is — and how you can make their life a long, healthy and happy one, since they bring so much to yours….

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to lessen the damage cancer treatment does to the heart

A cancer diagnosis is about the worst thing anyone could face, until the treatment starts. And the side effects from treatment don’t always end when the drugs do. In fact, one common side effect of cancer therapy that can be both long-term and extremely serious is heart damage.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Evidence long COVID zaps your cellular power generators

Long COVID can keep people from returning to living their normal lives. Researchers have struggled to find a commonality between the young and old, and mild and severe infections that result in it. Until they dug into the single source that supplies energy to every cell in the human body…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Even in brains riddled by Alzheimer’s, exercise helps memory

You’ll find that physical activity does everything from offering you a mood and energy boost to improving your sleep. Now, there’s one more reason to get active. Staying active as you age could be the key to saving your mind, even if Alzheimer’s is already there…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Got a muscle injury that needs healing fast? Avoid this

As we get older, it seems like the number of aches and pains we suffer, or muscles we pull, goes up, along with the time it takes to heal. And according to a study from a team of scientists at Tokyo Metropolitan University, something in your food could be making the situation worse…

Joyce Hollman

Do negative calorie foods exist?

A lot of diet “hacks” are touting the value of “negative-calorie” foods as an easy way to boost weight loss. But can eating more of them really help on the scales or are you punishing yourself? Here’s the skinny on negative calories…

Carolyn Gretton

Three seconds to stronger muscles? It’s not as crazy as it sounds

Fitness experts have focused in recent years on exercise programs that pack a lot of benefit into a short amount of time. They may have beaten an all-time record: a technique that improves strength in just a few seconds a day and may be the easiest way to avoid the ravages of aging.

Joyce Hollman

Chew slow and savor to burn calories

Diet-induced thermogenesis refers to the increase in metabolic rate that follows the ingestion of food. Turns out you can kick it up to enhance the energy expenditure associated with the metabolism of the food you eat. In other words, you can burn energy while you eat. Does it get any better?

Carolyn Gretton

How heart disease can set you up for Alzheimer’s

If you have heart disease, your risks for other conditions are higher, including Alzheimer’s. That’s because circulation problems lead to brain dysfunction. The surprise is how early it harms the brain and how it can triple those telltale plaques directly associated with Alzheimer’s…

Joyce Hollman

Myopia epidemic: Why nearsightedness is on the rise

Experts are warning of an emerging ‘epidemic’ of myopia after observing sharp increases in the number of adult-onset cases of nearsightedness among late baby boomers. What gives and is there anything you can do about it?

Joyce Hollman

Amplify broccoli’s superpowers without having to eat it raw

Broccoli has established itself as a “superfood.” It contains a compound called sulforaphane with an amazing reputation. But you’ll need to eat your broccoli in a particular way so sulforaphane can do all the great things it has the potential to do for you — and believe me, it’s worth the extra trouble…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Boosting testosterone could help men ward off type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is considered the most preventable disease of all, yet blood sugar problems are at epidemic proportions. The question is, with rates skyrocketing, how do you avoid becoming another statistic? The key could lie in your hormones…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

One more reason to give up bottled water: Your gut

Microplastics have now invaded every corner of our planet, compromising our food supply and flooding our once pristine oceans. You may be concerned about their effects on the environment, but it’s your gut you really need to worry about…

Jonathan Sharp

Benzene: What to know and how to avoid tainted sunscreen

Benzene is an industrial chemical and a known human carcinogen. It would be natural to think it has no place in consumer products such as sunscreen. So you might be asking yourself how it made its way into these affected products and what you can do to protect yourself…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why nuts are a breast cancer survivor’s best friend

Breast cancer isn’t just the most common cancer among women in the United States. It’s also the second leading cause of death. For survivors, recurrence is a nagging fear. But a new tool with significant clout takes that risk way down…

Jenny Smiechowski

The food additive fueling celiac disease

As much as three percent of us in the US has celiac disease, whereas it was previously thought to be one percent. This increase isn’t just because doctors are getting better at diagnosing it. More people are developing the disease thanks to a bacterial enzyme…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The most effective tool for healthy blood pressure we don’t commit to

It’s never a good idea to simply ditch your blood pressure medications. But there’s an important tool that science says really lowers blood pressure… without side effects. And chances are your doctor would be thrilled if you committed to using it…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Do this for one month and reap 10+ life-changing benefits

Whether or not you’ve already made your resolutions, there’s one you might want to add. You only need to do it for one month to get big results. In fact, it can help you sleep better, feel more energetic, lose weight — and then some…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 breast cancer risks you can control and 1 your doctor may not know about

What puts some women at risk, while others live a long healthy life free of breast cancer? Several things. But here’s the rub — some you can control and some you can’t… and one your doctor probably doesn’t even know about yet.

Jenny Smiechowski

How sugar blocks the bacteria that keeps you lean and healthy

Sugar. It’s delicious, but it’s dangerous… Say you eat a glazed donut from a local bakery. It’s packed with sugar. And that sugar stealthily glides through your body and into your gut. Once it’s inside, it attacks one of your body’s biggest assets…

Joyce Hollman

How tiny toxic plastic particles are ending up in your food

Microplastic is defined as pieces of plastic that are less than 5mm in size. Think confetti, or sprinkles on your ice cream. They’re that small, and they travel fast. They’re also poison and they’ve made it to your dinner plate. Here’s how to avoid eating them…

Joyce Hollman

Is it a chest cold or bronchitis and is pneumonia far behind?

What many people write off as just a “chest cold” is actually an inflammation of the lungs called bronchitis. Here’s how to know if you’ve got it, and how to treat it, keep yourself comfortable, and make sure it doesn’t become a more serious illness…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why your baby blues make you less susceptible to the winter blues

The winter months are tough for a lot of us… If you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, it can be especially difficult. Some of us are less likely to be affected than others, but wherever you fall in the spectrum, you can slash your depression risk…

Jenny Smiechowski

The bigger this body part, the smaller your stroke risk

When if comes to body image, there are lots of body parts where size might matter. There’s one body part, though, where what really matters about its size isn’t so much for appearance’s sake, but what it might indicate about your risk for a potentially deadly event…

Jenny Smiechowski

The most critical habit for maintaining your brain power

Fortunately, most of us won’t get Alzheimer’s. But that doesn’t mean you get off scot-free. Many of us will develop some cognitive impairments as we age. So, what can you do to keep your cognitive abilities from slipping away? It’s simple, really…

Jenny Smiechowski

8 foods that could fuel MS flare-ups

As the years go on, we learn more and more about multiple sclerosis (MS). For a long time, scientists suspected that MS was caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. But did you know food allergies may be a major piece of the puzzle?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The controversial breakfast food that beats away diabetes risk

Can what you eat for breakfast really change your metabolic profile for the better, preventing the risk factors that lead to damaging blood sugar problems… and ultimately to type 2 diabetes? This food can, and that’s only the beginning…

Joyce Hollman

Is the secret to beating superbugs right under our feet?

Long before antibiotics, cultures around the world have used medicinal plants to treat bacterial infections. That’s a good thing, considering the rise of antibiotic resistance. But all along, a powerful bacteria killer has been hiding under our feet…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 full-body benefits of dancing

Hitting the dance floor (even in your own home) and boogying the night away (or the hour, or even just a few minutes) has been proven time and again to be one of the best things you can do for your health. Let’s take a look at just a few of the benefits dancing delivers…

Dr. Michael Cutler

Weird medical ‘food’ could be best treatment for gut conditions

As a former ulcerative colitis patient, I am very interested in ways to restore intestinal health. In 1997, I underwent drastic surgery for this condition. I’d like to be able to help others get relief without such extreme measures. That’s where SBI comes in…

Joyce Hollman

How your diabetes drug sets you up for heart attack

If you or someone you love is taking metformin for type 2 diabetes, it’s only a matter of time before a second-line drug will be necessary. But recent findings show that with some of these medications you’re jumping “out of the frying pan and into the fire.”

Joyce Hollman

9 times to listen to your body’s signals

Here are nine things you should never ignore, or chalk up to “nothing.” Go to your doctor and get them checked out. They could save you time and expense, and could quite possibly save your life.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The best nutrient for fighting autoimmune disease

Autoimmune disease is something that runs in my family… Over the years, we’ve tried everything from natural supplements to prescription drugs but as anyone with this type of disease knows, autoimmunity is difficult to defeat. Fortunately, a new study just might have the answer we’ve all been looking for…

Jenny Smiechowski

The simplest (and most entertaining) way to slash depression risk in half

The longer you’re on this earth, the more likely you are to experience depression. But there are plenty of ways to keep depression from dragging you down… including one super simple and entertaining habit you only need to practice once a month to feel better…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The diet that makes statins more effective

If you live with high cholesterol or heart disease, chances are your doctor has prescribed statins for you. But certain enzymes in your body might keep them from working. Luckily, a new study has the answer to boosting statin effectiveness.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

3 overlooked causes of erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction affects at least one in five men over 60. But, the more you know about what contributes to erectile dysfunction, the more you can do to prevent it. In fact, there are three often overlooked causes that could be fueling your bedroom boredom…

Joyce Hollman

What your nightmares reveal about your health

Which comes first, the nightmare or the illness? It’s hard to say. But one thing is certain: your dreams, particularly your nightmarish ones, are intimately connected with your health. If nightmares are disrupting your sleep, something else might be happening…

Jenny Smiechowski

The surprising heart disease danger as risky as smoking and obesity

Everyone knows that smoking and obesity put you at risk for heart disease. But before you pat yourself on the back for staying away from cigarettes and keeping your BMI low, there are two equally dangerous risk factors you might not have under control…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why back pain takes a bite out of your lifespan

There are a lot of ways to gauge how long you’re going to live… You can look at your family tree. You can take your lifestyle into account. If you’re eating well and exercising, the odds of a long life are in your favor. But what about the condition of your back?

Joyce Hollman

How to tell if you have a sugar allergy

There’s never been a question that sugar is at the root of metabolic syndrome  and diabetes. But even before it gets that bad, sugar is doing its dirty work in your body. You may be among those who have a sugar intolerance or, more rarely, a full-blown sugar allergy.

Joyce Hollman

How Big Pharma bribes you to keep taking their drugs

Most prescriptions are way too high. That’s why drug companies offer some incentive programs to help us afford their expensive medications. But insurance companies aren’t too happy with these financial incentives, and may soon put patients in a bad spot…

Jenny Smiechowski

The snack habit that sets you up for sun-damaged prematurely-aged skin

The genes that metabolize food so efficiently during the day don’t work that well at night. They think they’re off duty. That means late-night snacking could lead to metabolic imbalances and weight gain. But there’s more to the story than just that…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What sleep has to do with obesity

It’s no secret sleep is vital to your health. And now we know if you’re not getting it, you can’t control cravings, improve your metabolism or keep your blood pressure stabilized. No wonder it leads to diabetes and obesity…

Joyce Hollman

Is your doctor letting you ‘drug and drive’?

Nearly half of all older adults are using seven or more prescription medications that could impair their driving ability — making them dangerous not only to themselves, but to others. Are you one of these people? It’s not something your doctor always catches…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What to know about colonoscopies and cancer risk

No one looks forward to a colonoscopy. After all, the prep that keeps you running for the bathroom, not to mention having a scope inserted into your, well… bottom. If you’re overdue and not sure about going through with it, this may help make up your mind…

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