Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The CBD solution to painful mouth ulcers

Random mouth ulcers are just plain painful. Over-the-counter topicals or prescription mouthwashes may reduce the pain, but they don’t help heal those canker sores so much. So a group of scientists decided to put CBD to the test. It’s been shown to do so much, why not?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Blood clots linked to COVID’s long-haul symptoms

While most people recover within weeks, many are left with what’s been dubbed long-haul symptoms, lasting weeks to even months beyond the initial infection. The exact cause of the condition now known as long COVID syndrome has been a mystery, until evidence pointed to the dangerous role blood clots play in symptoms that won’t go away…

Jenny Smiechowski

8 foods most likely to trigger diarrhea

My gut is somewhat out of whack thanks to long-term antibiotics I took several years ago. So I’m familiar with an urgent bathroom run. But there are some surprising things about some foods that can trigger diarrhea even if you have an iron stomach. If you’d rather not be caught off guard, watch out for these eight…

Joyce Hollman

Could you omit just 200 calories a day to save your heart?

The aorta, the main artery coming into the heart, becomes gradually stiffer with age, even without other risk factors, like smoking or obesity. This stiffening is the main reason the risk of hypertension increases as we get older. But even if weight is a problem, you might be surprised to find you don’t have to starve to make a significant difference in your heart health…

William Davis

How do you know if you have leaky gut?

People suffering from Leaky Gut spend years looking for relief. Knowing the symptoms and conditions that can be tied to leaky gut is a good starting point for you to nail down what’s ailing you and how to get relief…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How fructose supersizes the way your gut absorbs fat and calories

It’s no secret that high amounts of fructose are hiding in hundreds of foods, from condiments, like ketchup, to luncheon meats, apple sauce, breakfast cereals and more. It’s contributed to an obesity epidemic, but scientists were truly surprised to see exactly how: by conditioning the gut to absorb supersized amounts of fat and calories…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The strange connection between migraines and diabetes

The fact that migraines and diabetes are linked at all seems rather unlikely. While migraines happen in your brain, diabetes is caused by issues with your pancreas. And there’s a lot of body separating these two organs. But research has uncovered an odd connection that may seem like a silver lining for at least one of these conditions…

Carolyn Gretton

The surprisingly big benefits of starting exercise later in life

You may believe there comes a point when taking up exercise won’t make any difference to your health. But don’t give up just yet. Research in more than 30,000 people indicates that becoming physically active later in life can be almost as good for a longer, healthier life as having exercised consistently for years…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Want to feel better fast? Try a canine cuddle

From watching funny pet videos to relaxing with our favorite pooch, pets make us laugh, make us smile, and make us feel better. That’s why doctors and hospitals have long enlisted therapy dogs to help patients, whether they’re recovering from a physical injury or need emotional support. Here’s how your pet can help you feel better fast…

Joyce Hollman

Walnuts crack the code to longer years and less disease

Certain foods have a reputation as superfoods, meaning they possess particularly heathy attributes that confer improved health and even longer life to those who eat them. You can include them as part of healthy diet or, in the case of this one, the worse your diet is, the bigger the benefits you’ll see…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Study finds 4 big benefits of intermittent fasting

Time-restricted eating is a type of intermittent fasting. It’s an eating plan where you restrict consuming your calories or food to a specific window of time each day. You might eat during an hour 8 hour period and fast for 16 (a chunk of that when you sleep). It’s not for everyone, but these four big health benefits might inspire you to give it a try…

Joyce Hollman

Alzheimer’s to stroke: What playing an instrument does for your brain

At any given moment, I can listen to the right tune to help me feel calmer, happier, more focused or primed for sleep. But playing music also improves your life in multiple ways. In fact, learning to play a musical instrument is well worth the effort, especially for your brain, even if you don’t start learning until you’re an older adult…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

When erectile dysfunction is a three-alarm warning for your heart

Erectile dysfunction is a subject most men don’t want to talk about. After all, many men take it as another sign, along with laugh lines and a receding hairline, that they’re just getting older. But if you’re experiencing problems in the bedroom that you’ve been ignoring, the results of a study of over 95,000 men in Australia may be a wake-up call for you…

Carolyn Gretton

Missing link explains how heart disease can start in the gut

There’s a reason we’ve learned to trust our gut instincts. Research has revealed that it works for the body like a second brain and that its effects on total body health can reach far beyond its intestinal confines. That’s why when scientists had a gut feeling about its connection to heart disease, they couldn’t shake it until they discovered this missing link…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Keto: The diet with potential to starve cancer cells

Nobel Prize-winning physiologist and biochemist Otto Warburg hypothesized over 90 years ago that cancer cells use sugars for energy. If you take a cancer cell’s preferred energy source, what happens then? On the keto diet, the body turns to burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, but cancer might starve…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 immediate benefits of exercise says science

Sometimes staying motivated to exercise can weigh heavy on your fitness goals, no matter what they are. We’ve been conditioned that achieving them depends on the long haul. Not so for these five benefits that science says you can experience immediately. Hint: some of these may be the motivation you need!

Joyce Hollman

What ‘diabetes remission’ really looks like

Is it really possible to send type 2 diabetes into remission? That’s the word scientists used when they reviewed almost 100 papers about the effects of various diets on the disease. Their final assessment? It certainly is, as long as these two key strategies are part of the plan….

Jonathan Sharp

Is your mattress leaking fiberglass? Here’s how to know

If you’ve ever shopped for a mattress, you know that there’s a lot to consider, including size, price, and of course, comfort. Oftentimes, we get so preoccupied with finding the perfect mattress that will last a decade, that we totally overlook potential hazards. But how dangerous could a mattress be? Quite dangerous, actually, especially if it’s leaking fiberglass…

Carolyn Gretton

Walking significantly raises survival odds after a stroke

Walking is probably one of our favorite forms of exercise. But many hardcore fitness freaks might cast doubt on the benefits of waking a few hours a week. If they are ever unfortunate enough to experience stroke, they may change their minds. Reducing risk of death up to 80 percent is nothing to scoff at…

Joyce Hollman

Why napping won’t make up for your sleepless nights

Is napping your favorite pastime? Of late, it’s been mine. I’m not sure if the heat is to blame or just age. But I’ve been catnapping more often. That may sound nice, but I’ve noticed I don’t wake refreshed or any better able to focus. Turns out there’s a good reason for that. It’s called slow-wave sleep…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The age when metabolism really slows (it’s later than you think)

Maybe you remember a time that you could eat anything you wanted and not gain a pound. Yet now, if you even look at a cheeseburger, you can feel your hips and thighs expanding. If so, you’ve probably placed the blame on a slow metabolism due to age. But new research says your metabolism stays strong longer than you might think…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Meditation: Better concentration now and less degeneration later

Although millions of people around the world seek mental clarity through meditation, most of us in the U.S. ignore this powerful tool. True, most of us have little time to set aside for ourselves. But considering how much science shows the simple practice can improve concentration now and lessen the risk for degeneration, even Alzheimer’s, later, we can’t afford not to make time…

Carolyn Gretton

Osteoporosis: The forgotten mineral that lowers the risk

It takes more than calcium and vitamin D to maintain bone health. These popular nutrients tend to take the spotlight, though strong healthy bones depend just as much on important micro- and macronutrients. In fact, a single trace element — and don’t let that word diminish its big benefits — is instrumental in boosting your bone density…

Joyce Hollman

Can a COVID-19 infection cause diabetes?

COVID-19 hasn’t been shy about wreaking havoc on multiple organs in the body. And it’s come to light that in many cases, it goes after the pancreas. There it begins a dangerous game of cat and mouse with hormones that regulate blood sugar. In fact, there are real concerns that a bout with COVID-19 may leave lifelong blood sugar problems in its wake…

Carolyn Gretton

Considering hormone replacement therapy? Check your ‘vascular age’

For years, doctors have used a menopausal woman’s chronological age and years since onset of menopause to determine whether hormone therapy is too risky for her cardiovascular health. Now, researchers are suggesting physicians look at a completely different kind of age for a more accurate measure…

Carolyn Gretton

Combining metabolic syndrome with kidney disease can be deadly

Metabolic syndrome is bad enough on its own since it raises your risk of problems like heart attack, stroke and diabetes, not to mention premature death. But when combined with chronic kidney disease, the cluster of conditions that make up metabolic syndrome can send those risks into the stratosphere. Here’s how to avoid them…

Joyce Hollman

10 factors that increase bone fracture risk

Research has identified 10 factors that, if they apply to you, add up to a 30 percent higher chance you’ll suffer a fracture in the next two decades. Some of them are beyond your control. But there are a few you can address now to prevent broken bones later on.

Joyce Hollman

Early signs of COVID-19 differ by age: know yours

Did you know that the earliest COVID-19 symptoms are not the same for everyone? We’ve learned a lot through the pandemic and new research shows that, depending upon your age, the early warning signs may be different from what you think. Knowing your earliest symptoms can help you protect yourself and others…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Insulin resistance: What you need to know

Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance. They’re all manifestations of the same metabolic dysfunction, just to a different degree. And all individuals who develop type 2 diabetes are initially pre-diabetic. And all pre-diabetics are initially insulin resistant. The key may be stopping this hidden dysfunction…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Harnessing the simplest of supplements against autoimmune disease

Some things simply go hand-in-hand, like salt and pepper, peanut butter and jelly, a needle and thread. And according to scientists, another pair where you can’t have one without the other is vitamin C and strong, stable immune cells. In fact, this special combination could be the key to defeating autoimmune conditions for good…

Joyce Hollman

What you need to know about pancreatic cancer

Cancer is arguably the most feared word in the English language. Some cancers, though, are even more disturbing, because their rapid progress makes life expectancy cruelly short. Pancreatic cancer is one of these. It’s important to know the signs, risks and preventive measures that could help…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why your body needs a Facebook break

Stress can infiltrate your body without notice. Not until the damage is done do you even realize there’s a problem. So, just like bad foods and dangerous toxins, it might be time to take a health break from the effects of social media to undo the damage these experts are revealing…

Jenny Smiechowski

The age-defying food that keeps you disease-free

When it comes to natural ways to boost longevity, the only tips that are truly exciting are the ones that not only help you live longer but help you live better. I have one of these age and disease-defying tips for you today — and it’s backed up by more than two decades of research on real people.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The weird factor that could help more women survive a heart attack

The simple fact is that if you’re a woman having a heart attack, your symptoms can look different than the man having a heart attack in the same emergency room. But what else is different? Your chances of surviving, going home to your family and living a long, happy life are far less…

Jenny Smiechowski

The supplement that could stop staph infections

The scariest thing about life-threatening staph infections? You have this dangerous bacteria in your body right now. Most of us do. It hangs around in your gut or your nose and waits for an opportunity to run rampant. So, the less staph bacteria lurking around in your body the better. Here’s one way to get rid of it…

Joyce Hollman

Are you taking a drug from this “forbidden” list?

There’s a lot you can do to help yourself get to sleep before turning to medications, even over-the-counter ones. Because whether your sleep problem is insomnia or just a bad cold keeping your up at night, you should have some real reservations about what else these medications do to you…

Jenny Smiechowski

This big ‘oops’ about low-carb dieting may defeat all your reasons for it

Cutting carbs can quickly help you drop pounds and decrease your risk for heart disease and diabetes. But what’s the long-term effect of going low-carb? Is it all sunshine, roses and health benefits? Or is there a downside worse than not being able to eat pizza, pasta and bread? That depends…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Worried about stroke? See where you stand with this test

If you worry about your risk for a future heart attack or stroke, stop worrying and do something about it, especially if you have a family history that puts you in harm’s way. A simple test can tell you where you stand. But either way there are a few ways to stack the odds in your favor…

Joyce Hollman

How to lose 5.5 pounds just by standing up

It will come as no surprise that a sedentary lifestyle is bad for you. But it might very well surprise you to hear that the simple act of standing can cause you to burn calories and shed unwanted pounds, lowering your risk for these diseases. Here’s how it works…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Need to make an important decision? Take a nap

Facing a difficult decision? You might weigh up the pros and cons, ask friends for their opinions or stay up nights thinking about it. But the best way, according to how the brain works, is none of these. Here’s why napping could help, plus five more nap benefits that will make you want to break out the nap pad.

Jenny Smiechowski

The two most dangerous gluten-free foods to eat in restaurants

If you’re avoiding gluten because of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, eating out is like playing Russian roulette… As you probably suspected, plenty of supposedly “gluten-free” restaurant meals contain a hefty dose of gluten. And two restaurant foods are much more likely to be tainted than others…

Joyce Hollman

The metal toxin turning fashion statements to cancer risk

Cadmium is a heavy metal that causes neurological damage and is a known carcinogen. This statement says it all: Cadmium exposure is toxic for all humans. But your fashion statement could very well be setting you up for huge risks associated with this lethal endocrine disruptor right now…

Joyce Hollman

Scientists predict ‘solar-phobes’ may die sooner: Are you one?

Some people are so worried about skin cancer that they end up getting no exposure to the sun at all. If you’re one of those people, the World Health Organization wants you to know that you’ve gone to an extreme that isn’t necessarily good for you…

Jenny Smiechowski

The perfect dose of exercise for bigger happiness and a stronger mental state

When you exercise, your body releases feel-good hormones which make it easier to maintain a sunny outlook even when things go wrong. Plus, it fuels your brain cells and increases the odds you’ll feel optimistic no matter what life throws at you. How much will do the trick?

Jenny Smiechowski

How TV can make you as sick as the patients on those hospital dramas

If you love settling into the couch and binge-watching your favorite show every evening, it’s time to rethink how you relax. Watching too much TV is terrible for your health. How terrible? Depending on how many hours a day you watch, you could increase your risk by more than 54 percent…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

4 cancers you can get from the junk food aisle

Researchers performed an epic study to determine the impact diet plays in whether or not you end up with cancer down the road. They analyzed the food habits of 471,495 adults and followed up with them for over 15 years. The cancer connection was unbelievable with one group of foods.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

11 great ways to use coconut oil

One of my favorite products of all time is coconut oil. I use it daily and think it’s hands-down one of the best ways to improve your health and get clearer, softer, younger-looking skin. Here are several ways, and just as many more benefits, of using coconut oil…

Joyce Hollman

Sleep apnea’s impact on your stroke risk

Living with a partner who snores can put a strain on a relationship. But consider for a moment the plight of the snorer. Sure, it’s hard to see how they are suffering while you lie staring at the ceiling. But habitual snorers are at an extreme health risk…

Jenny Smiechowski

When over-supplementing can harm your bones

You’ve heard all about the supplements you should take to protect your bones: calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K. But what about the supplements you should avoid to protect them? Even though supplements do amazing things for your health, some might put you in harm’s way…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Diet, exercise or both: How much can you expect to lose?

If you’ve struggled with your weight, you likely have also struggled with how to lose it. After all, diet advice is so plentiful, embarking on a good plan isn’t as easy as it seems. Do you have to diet? Is exercise alone enough? And, how much can you reasonably expect to lose?

Dr. Michael Cutler

3 ways to reduce the appearance of cellulite

What’s good about the seasons changing from summer to fall? Most of us think it’s the cooler temperatures and beautiful foliage. But sadly, there are a lot of people, mostly women, who are glad to see swimsuit and shorts season go. Why? Cellulite…

Joyce Hollman

More than a dozen reasons to get to know your pharmacist better

When it comes to illness, medication, and medical advice, your doctor is naturally the first place you turn. But if you stop there, you are missing out on a lot of information that could be helpful and save you time and money — without an appointment.

Jenny Smiechowski

How plaque on your teeth leads to plaque on your brain

Heart disease and diabetes — three serious diseases that could kill you thanks to bacteria in your mouth. That should be enough motivation to keep up with your bi-annual dental checkups. But in case it’s not, here’s a bit more incentive…

Margaret Cantwell

7 ways to keep your job from killing you (because it is)

There’s a lifestyle habit practiced by the majority of American adults that’s so unhealthy, it can increase your risk of coronary heart disease by 42 to 63 percent. Any guesses what it might be? Overeating? Eating processed foods? Drinking soda? Not even close…

Joyce Hollman

7 jobs only your liver can do (and how to help it)

Your multi-talented liver is kind of like the overseer of your body’s functions. And it’s time you knew exactly what this powerhouse does for you, and how you can keep it functioning for years to come…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

When are you most likely to suffer sudden cardiac arrest?

You may have heard you’re more likely to die from sudden cardiac arrest on a Monday morning than at any other time. At least that was once the case. I say that because a new study has given us a whole new window into when you’re most at risk…

Jenny Smiechowski

Your breast bacteria could set you up for cancer

You already know how important it is to maintain the healthy bacteria in your gut. But your microbiome (the collection of bacteria, fungi and viruses in your body) extends far beyond your belly. In fact, an imbalance of bacteria in your breast tissue could lead to cancer…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Marijuana may hold the key to curing depression for good

There may be real help on the horizon for people living with depression (at least where medical marijuana is legal). And it’s been shown to not only alleviate depression in just 24 hours but also alter development of depression in the brain…

Jenny Smiechowski

The simple solution that slashes frequent bladder infections almost by half

Bladder infections travel in packs. Once you get one, there’s a good chance another one’s not far behind. In fact, over a quarter of women get a second bladder infection within six months. But there is something you can do to slash that risk almost in half…

Easy Health Options Staff

Resistance training helps the brain resist symptoms of MS

Resistance training has remarkable benefits for people with MS. Not only does this type of exercise improve MS symptoms, but it offers a form of brain protection that can slow the progression of the disease. Even better, anyone wanting to stop brain shrinkage can benefit…

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