Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

7 powerful health benefits of watermelon

Summertime is here and that means farmer’s markets and grocery stores across the country are once again selling that sweet, juicy fruit kids and adults alike wait all year for. And we’ve got good news: If you eat watermelon, you’re getting much more than a tasty treat…

Carolyn Gretton

How to get up to 10 times the benefits from eating blueberries

Blueberries definitely pack a health punch. But it can be tough for our bodies to absorb all the antioxidants present in the fruit. Now, researchers may have found a way around that problem by combining blueberries with this common food…

Joyce Hollman

10 natural pain relievers and what the science says

No one wants to live with chronic pain. In fact, if given a choice, no one wants to live with pain even for a short time. But standard methods of pain relief can be risky, including acetaminophen, ibuprofen and opioids. Here are 10 alternatives that all fight the root cause of most pain…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The proof is in the spinal fluid: The Mediterranean diet deters Alzheimer’s

The list of diets you can choose and trends you can follow is virtually endless. But when it comes to one that consistently scores high for both brain and body health, it’s the Mediterranean diet. And it may be hands down the most protection against Alzheimer’s plaques you can eat.

Carolyn Gretton

Want to avoid junk food temptation? Get your groceries online

The pandemic made online grocery shopping necessary, but there’s good reason to stick to it that has nothing to do with a nasty virus and everything to do with better food choices, and making fewer of those kinds of purchases we regret later. In fact, the science shows the outcome could mean a better diet and better health.

Carolyn Gretton

Sore throat? OTC cold remedies won’t help and may harm

Catching a cold is a drag and little is worse than a sore throat. Every swallow reminds us of the misery, which is why we turn to over-the-counter cold remedies to ease the discomfort. But not only have they been shown to do little good, they harm upper respiratory cells…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The best prescription for better blood pressure and cholesterol

You might want to ask your dotor about your prescriptions. If they’re treating your cholesterol, you could end up with double the dementia risk. If it’s your blood pressure, they may have you on the medication found to thicken blood vessels and makes things worse. Maybe it’s time to walk away with a brand new and surprising prescription.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Bloodroot offers promise against triple-negative breast cancer

One of the most difficult forms of breast cancer you could be up against is known as triple-negative breast cancer. It doesn’t respond to traditional treatments and it’s especially aggressive in African American women. A simple plant compound may lead to more effective treatments…

Carolyn Gretton

The nutrient with huge disease prevention potential we don’t get enough of

Between the glut of highly processed foods in the average Western diet and the popularity of meat-heavy diets like keto and carnivore, too many of us are not getting enough of a simple but powerful health-boosting nutrient that wards off heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and more…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Superfoods for blood sugar, blood pressure, inflammation and more

Superfoods have a valuable impact on our health because they’re nutrient-dense or possess special compounds. Three new studies have taken a closer look at the science behind these superfoods. And they’ve discovered benefits that go far beyond what we previously knew…

Joyce Hollman

How heavily weight factors into prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is only second to skin cancer among men. When diagnosed early, the five-year survival rate for prostate cancer is nearly 100 percent. Except, that is, if you’re obese. It’s important to understand weight’s connection to agressive prostate cancer, the worst fat and how to lose it…

Carolyn Gretton

The lifestyle habits that can outweigh a family history of dementia

Having a first-degree relative such as a parent or sibling with dementia can increase your dementia risk by a staggering 75 percent compared with someone who doesn’t have this familial history. While this statistic is sobering, there’s more and more evidence that it’s by no means set in stone…

Carolyn Gretton

How effective is garlic for osteoarthritis knee pain?

It’s no secret that obesity can put you at risk of a number of chronic illnesses. It can also increase your risk for osteoarthritis and make you a tough candidate to find relief from osteoarthritis knee pain. You may have heard that garlic can help. But how effective is it really?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The foods that decreased frontline workers’ COVID risks by 73 percent

There’s more proof that food choices matter, and it comes from the front lines: Data from doctors and nurses with extensive exposure to SARS-CO-v2, found that depending on whether you choose high protein, low carbs, more plant foods or fish — risks from COVID-19 could be lowered as much as 73 percent.

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Wegovy: What you can expect from the ‘new’ weight loss drug

If you were paying attention to the news this summer, you probably heard about Wegovy™, a “new” drug just approved for weight loss. It’s an injection that you self-administer once a week under the skin. And it works! Sounds great, but before you give it a try, here are all the details…

Carolyn Gretton

Kidneys carried the second-highest COVID-19 viral load

It’s no secret that COVID-19 can do major damage to the lungs. But the virus can hurt other organs as well. In fact, a recent study appears to show that after the lungs, the kidneys are the next organ to bear the brunt of COVID-19 damage…

Margaret Cantwell

How fortified foods and the breakfast myth make us sick

The idea of fortified foods was to reduce nutritional deficiencies. But you can’t cut corners, use cheap ingredients, remove natural nutrition and expect that throwing in a few synthetic vitamins will make up for a product that does more damage than any vitamin deficiency…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What fruit can do for insulin sensitivity

High levels of circulating insulin can damage blood vessels leading to high blood pressure and heart disease. That’s why improving insulin sensitivity is paramount. Here’s a sweet way to lower your risk of blood sugar problems by a whopping 36 percent, by doing just that…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Can zinc lower blood pressure?

The number one modifiable risk factor for heart disease and premature death is high blood pressure. That means if you can control it, you can greatly lower that risk. Maybe you’ve cut back on salt, started exercising and eating right. But what about your zinc levels?

Joyce Hollman

Genetic risk of glaucoma? Cut out the caffeine

This sneaky vision-stealer gives virtually no warning signs, not until peripheral vision starts to disappear. Even with treatment, many with the disease will lose vision in one eye. But even in those with a genetic predisposition, you can lower your risk… starting with caffeine.

Joyce Hollman

Milk may do your cholesterol and heart good

Milk has been given a bad rap for a long time. I’m referring to good old-fashioned cow’s milk, blamed for weight gain and heart disease. But a huge study’s found a connection between drinking milk, better cholesterol and keeping your heart strong.

Carolyn Gretton

Your breast microbiome and breast cancer risk

You’ve probably read a lot about your gut microbiome. But you may not be as aware that other parts of the body have their own microbiomes that are just as important to your health, like the connections between diet, breast microbiome, some supplements and breast cancer risk.

Easy Health Options Staff

Ischemic, hemorrhagic and mini-stroke: What to know

If there is a lack of blood flow to the brain, the brain is going to starve. That’s why there is ittle time to spare when stroke symptoms arise. Here are the differences between the two main types of stroke as well as TIA or mini-stroke…

Carolyn Gretton

Want to lose belly fat? Give tai chi a try

The gentle, flowing movements of tai chi aren’t usually the types of exercise you’d associate with losing weight or inches around your middle (where that dangerous fat collects). But a recent study suggests this seemingly sedate practice actually packs a fat-loss punch…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Is your real blood pressure problem incorrect readings?

What’s defined as high blood pressure varies depending upon who you listen to… the American Heart Association or the International Society of Hypertension. In my own practice, I typically favor the more lenient definition. But regardless of which scale you follow, getting correct readings is what really matters…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How weight can turn you into a COVID long-hauler

It’s no secret that underlying health problems increase the risk of a severe COVID-19 infection. Luckily, most of us are at lower risk than we were a year ago. Still, we’re not home-free, especially if weight is an issue. Now’s the time to get serious about it to avoid both the threat of infection and becoming a COVID long-hauler…

Joyce Hollman

When housework can lengthen your life as much as a workout

About 30 minutes of daily moderate exercise is ideal. It’s not easy for all of us to commit to that, but just a few hours of light physical activity can provide major benefits on par with more exercise. Just be sure to avoid the one thing that can negate them.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Do you flail and kick in your sleep? It could mean Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s is a disease that causes tremors, stiffness and rigidity, cognitive decline and more. And though there is currently no cure, there are drugs and alternative health methods that can help slow the disease progression. That’s why seeing the early signs matters so much…

Carolyn Gretton

The hormone that may signal COVID-19 severity in men

Testosterone is a key hormone for regulating men’s health. Low levels have been linked with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. It can also affect bone, muscle and energy levels. And in the age of COVID, men with low-T face another serious threat…

Joyce Hollman

No time for heart-healthy exercise? Try a hot bath

Exercise. Either you love it, or you hate it. But it’s proven good preventive medicine. It’s been shown that regular exercise can prevent heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. The good news? There’s an indulgent activity that carries a lot of the same benefits.

Margaret Cantwell

The one thing that undoes your healthiest habits

You might be shocked to find what’s just as bad for your health as gorging on junk food daily. If you’re letting it get the best of you, forget spending money on healthy foods like salmon, quinoa, kale and kefir. Because all your best health habits could go out the window…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 health risks you can take down with vitamin D

If you haven’t had your own levels checked, it’s time to make an appointment because there are six serious health dangers optimizing your vitamin D levels could save you from.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Your brain pH can make you prone to Alzheimer’s

After examining the brain tissue samples of healthy people in comparison to the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, researchers found that the pH of your brain plays a pivotal role in how amyloid plaques form and take over your brain…

Easy Health Options Staff

The mineral that cures colds three times faster

Winter is coming. So is the common cold. That means you should be checking your pantry to take stock of anti-virals and immune-boosters that can ward off these nasty buggers. But there’s one you should especially have on-hand to kill that cold fast…

Joyce Hollman

Does your happiness quota add up to disease or longevity?

It’s hard to feel positive when you’re feeling ill. And negative emotional states can certainly bring about physical symptoms. What may surprise you is how connected your happiness is to length of life, disease and death…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Is baking soda the key to managing autoimmune conditions?

Inflammation causes severe health problems and destroys your quality of life when you’re living with an autoimmune disease. And, finding a way to stop the inflammation could give you back your life. Could it really be this simple?

Joyce Hollman

7 indicators that can reduce Alzheimer’s by 70%

Science is telling us that keeping our hearts healthy will also protect our minds. There is evidence that many of the factors that contribute to physical illness also contribute to mental decline, especially these seven indicators…

Jenny Smiechowski

In serious pain? Aromatherapy and reflexology could help

So many conditions cause serious, long-term pain. Fibromyalgia. Arthritis. Back injuries. Nerve damage. Migraines. Multiple sclerosis. Shingles. Cancer. Forget the opioids and try these alternatives that are heavier hitters than you might think…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Don’t get duped into this unnecessary surgery

Do you still have your appendix? Well, hold on to it… Long-term scientific research is questioning whether surgery is even necessary for an appendix attack. It turns out you do have another option, and for more than half of patients, it worked better.

Jenny Smiechowski

The surprising way multiple medications can turn deadly

It’s easy for the number of medications you’re taking to spiral out of control. But in addition to the minor (or sometimes not so minor) side effects each medication has on its own, there’s also a major side effect of taking multiple medications you may not suspect…

Joyce Hollman

28 ways to drop the weight that leads to 13 cancers

How is it possible that most of us aren’t aware of the obesity-cancer connection? Let’s set the record straight: Carrying too much weight can be deadly. In fact, in the next 25 years, more cancers will be attributed to weight than smoking. Think about that…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The contact lens infection that can steal your sight

The number of infections seen with contact lens use is increasing. In fact, there’s a threefold increase in the number of infections caused by one particularly nasty eye infection known as Acanthamoeba keratitis. Here’s how to avoid losing your sight if you wear them…

Joyce Hollman

Weed killer’s killing spree shows no signs of stopping

Glyphosate is killing people. Are we surprised, then, to find out that glyphosate is also getting to the honeybees, the creatures whose pollination is responsible for about three-fourths of the world’s food crops? Is our food supply next?

Jenny Smiechowski

The most delicious way to get your vitamin D

Roughly two-thirds of US teens and adults have low vitamin D levels. But there are a bunch of easy ways to boost it: Get more sun. Eat more fish. Drink more milk. Take a vitamin D supplement. Eat chocolate. Yes, I said chocolate!

Dr. Isaac Eliaz

Two plant compounds leading the fight against colon cancer

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. These numbers, together with the statistics on outcomes from conventional therapies, reveal an urgent need for integrative approaches to stop cancer development and spread… specifically, plant-based compounds that fight against colon cancer…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

7 times you should consider genetic testing for cancer

When it comes to cancer, there are many factors that can increase your risk… age, diet, physical activity and even your weight all play into the equation. Fortunately, they are also factors that you can control to limit your risk and hopefully avoid that cancer diagnosis.

Joyce Hollman

4 conditions you can fight with fall’s favorite fruit

We all know the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But you may not know there’s abundant research, including six anti-cancer studies at one university alone, to show that no matter what variety is your favorite, you’ll be making a healthy choice…

Jenny Smiechowski

The supplement to save us from antibiotic resistance

The fewer antibiotics each of us take, the less antibiotic resistance there will be worldwide. How can we do this? There’s a safe supplement that could make all of us much less likely to rely on an antibiotic script from the doctor…

Dr. Michael Cutler

What are your choices for sagging skin?

Good skincare can cut down on further damage, but to reverse the look of sagging skin, you might have to consider a cosmetic procedure. These days, that doesn’t mean a full-on face lift. In fact there are many, much less-invasive options to choose from…

Margaret Cantwell

Much ado about a drug that doesn’t even relieve pain

It’s no secret that opioids come with serious side effects: nausea, vomiting, constipation, depression and a huge risk of addiction. Most people put up with these side effects, because opioids made that pain more tolerable. At least that’s what we thought…

Joyce Hollman

4 blood tests that could prevent heart disease and stroke

There are quite a few other things my doctor could be looking at besides my iron and cholesterol levels. A few could actually save my life. In fact, there are several simple blood tests that will alert you to changes you can make to slash your risk of heart attack and stroke…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The really big vegetable with stroke-fighting power

They’ve been reported to have the power to lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of clots that lead to both heart attacks and strokes. But until now, no one was sure why or which variety offered the best protection…

Jenny Smiechowski

Get younger, healthier cells in 2 minutes

Mitochondria are the energy centers of your cells. As you get older, your mitochondria don’t work as well. They become less active. Some become defective. This causes physical aging and illness. You can change that…

Joyce Hollman

Why you want a superager brain and how to get one

A “superager” brain stays sharp and protects your body, too. The same brain regions that control your decisions and dreams also regulate your organs, your hormones, your immune system, and predict how much energy your body needs…

Joyce Hollman

10 hypertension risks you may not know about

About one in every three American adults suffers with hypertension. You probably know the big things that can bring on hypertension, including family history, salt, anger, stress, smoking, being overweight. But there are a few sneaky ones you need to know about…

Jenny Smiechowski

The best supplement for better bones, sex appeal and a healthy glow

Did you know that most people with osteoporosis don’t realize that their bone density is slipping away until they have their first fracture? If you’ve been lazy about boosting your bone health, a single supplement may be able to slash your future bone loss in half…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Training your fight-or-flight response to keep your heart healthy

Music is a well-known stress management tool, which could be very helpful to someone with heart disease. But let’s hope that you’re not there yet. If that’s the case, there’s another important way music might help keep you from ever having your first heart attack…

Jenny Smiechowski

How low-quality foods are feeding cancer

Food is everywhere. But we’re woefully deficient in nutrients. Underfed and undernourished. And this has serious consequences for our health. In fact, there’s compelling evidence these low-nutrient foods could be causing the cancer epidemic…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Want to stress less? Give of yourself more

Have you ever felt that warm glow when you do something for someone else, from helping a neighbor with their yard work to dropping a few dollars into the hand of someone who really needs it? Well, you should see what it does to your brain…

Jenny Smiechowski

The number one diet rule for dodging diabetes

While healthy foods play a role in diabetes prevention, science shows there is one food that goes above and beyond in the fight against type 2 diabetes. And its serious diabetes protection might come as a shocker in more ways than one…

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