Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Carolyn Gretton

When diabetes leads to the worst heart trouble

People with diabetes who have no other risk factors for heart disease are five times more likely to die of heart disease than those without. Researchers now know a critical factor that if caught early enough can help dial the heart health risks down…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What prunes can do for your heart

After menopause a woman’s risk for serious heart trouble only increases. But keeping your heart healthy post menopause could be as simple as eating prunes. Yes, prunes! Just a few a day improved several markers that matter. And there’s no reason men can’t benefit, too…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How vegetable oil could trigger your migraine pain

Migraine is one of the most common causes of chronic pain. If you live with these extreme headaches, you know there’s no easy answer to finding relief. If you’ve tried the medications and they don’t work for you, take a close look at the oils in your diet. One type has been found to trigger them, and another may help reduce them…

Margaret Cantwell

Clot-dissolving Japanese food has potential as COVID treatment

Natto, made from fermented soybeans, is believed to one of the reasons that the Japanese population is healthy and long-lived. The island country is home to more than a quarter of the world’s population over the age of 65 — and boasts the longest life expectancy on Earth. Now research is targeting the traditional dish for help against COVID-19.

Joyce Hollman

The real reason fibromyalgia increases pain sensitivity

Imagine being in pain all over your body, feeling crushingly tired and weak, and being so foggy-brained that you can hardly accomplish simple, everyday tasks. Now imagine years of being misdiagnosed or told “it’s all in your head.” That’s been life for people with fibromyalgia, until now…

Carolyn Gretton

NEAT: How capsaicin can help you burn fat

You may think your body only burns energy when you’re doing vigorous, aerobic exercise. But that’s not entirely true. NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) refers to burning energy through simple daily movement. And you can boost NEAT to improve how your body converts energy to burn stored fat and improve endurance with just a little heat…

Joyce Hollman

Why you can’t depend on your doctor to know if prescriptions are safe

You trust your doctor to keep you safe. They’d never prescribe a drug that could cause you harm, right? Not so fast. Special alerts were set up to help doctors stop prescribing a group of common brain-stealing medications. But did they heed the warnings to give their patients safer alternatives?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What should you eat to avoid heart disease?

In the past, dietary advice for a healthy heart has been all about what not to eat. But broad research says there is no indication that any food is poison in terms of cardiovascular risk. It’s a matter of quantity and frequency of consumption. Here’s a simpler way to eat best for your heart…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How the common cold could protect against COVID-19 this fall

Health experts have warned that relaxed social distancing during the summer months may lead to new cases of COVID-19. But it also may lead to more common cold infections. Believe it or not, this year that couldd be a good thing, because researchers say it could halt replication of SARS-CoV-2.

Joyce Hollman

Low omega-3 levels? You might as well be smoking

Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart. Smoking is bad for your heart. Those are two well-known truths, right? Well, here’s a new and shocking one: Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that low levels of omega-3s are just as powerful in predicting early death as smoking.

Carolyn Gretton

When eating milk chocolate can help curb your appetite

Most of the health benefits of chocolate are attributed to dark chocolate. But because milk chocolate is so much more popular, a team of researchers decided to see just how much of an impact it had on weight and blood sugar. The findings were pleasantly surprising — depending on what time of day it’s eaten…

Easy Health Options Staff

The best diets for cancer patients and cancer survivors

Lifestyle changes often follow a cancer diagnosis, both during treatment and after. Eating well is often the first step. And there is good reason for it, say the experts. But of the five most popular diets that cancer patients or those wishing to avoid cancer often turn to, two really stand out…

Joyce Hollman

What are your chances of becoming a supercentenarian?

The oldest living person, Jeanne Calment of France, was 122 when she died in 1997. Seems unbelievable, but new research says living to 125 or even 130 years by the end of this century is well within the realm of possibility. That’s because extreme longevity is on the rise…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Cut heart failure risk in half just by sitting less

Staying active is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy. But according to the American Heart Association, simply getting your recommended levels of exercise might not be enough. In fact, if you’re a woman over 50, you might be doing everything right and still doubling your risk of heart failure…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Why you should take sleep as seriously as nutrition and exercise

So much research has come out on the impact of sleep on our health that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has declared sleep “essential to health” in a statement that has now been endorsed by 25 organizations. Statements like these aren’t made lightly. Here’s why they hope you’ll heed this wake-up call…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

A chiropractor’s tips to avoid back and neck pain when working from home

Working from home has its perks: no more rush hour commute and who doesn’t love taking Zoom meetings in pajama bottoms? But it also comes with some downsides — like back and neck pain if your home office setup isn’t supporting you properly. From your neck down, here are seven tips straight from your resident chiropractor.

Carolyn Gretton

Antibiotics may be driving colon cancer among those under 50

For years, public health experts have advised doctors and patients to curb unneeded antibiotic use, mainly because of the rise in infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But there may be an even more urgent health reason for people to avoid antibiotics whenever possible — particularly if you’re under 50…

Joyce Hollman

6 habits that help dodge the Alzheimer’s bullet

If you’re not genetically predisposed, lifestyle changes may be enough to keep Alzheimer’s at bay. But there are people whose brains already show the effects of Alzheimer’s, but continue to function without any signs of dementia. Who are these “cognitive super-agers,” and how can you increase your chances of becoming one of them?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The 5-minute breathing technique that lowers blood pressure like a drug

Fewer than 40 percent of people with high blood pressure meet the recommended exercise guidelines to bring their readings down. If you’re one of them, you might be thrilled about a simple breathing technique that, in just five minutes a day, lowered blood pressure far more than the exercise and some medications doctors recommend.

Carolyn Gretton

The red wine secret to living better post menopause

Following menopause, women are at a higher risk for osteoporosis, heart disease, and osteoarthritis. Also, chronic pain is a symptom that isn’t discussed nearly as much as more familiar symptoms, like hot flashes. Research says a plant compound in some favorite foods can be a big help in all of these areas, so you can live better post menopause.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

More proof coffee is a liver-protecting beverage

Coffee is hands down the world’s most popular beverage. But studies have been piling up for years about how it can improve health. It’s looking like, as far as the health of your liver goes, coffee has definite superpowers…

Joyce Hollman

Is it possible to eat French fries and lower blood pressure?

Potatoes have gotten a bad rap for years, especially that baked potato slathered in butter and sour cream. And don’t get me started on those French fries covered in salt and ketchup. Hypertension waiting to happen, right, or is it? Well, it’s time to think again about the humble potato and what it may do for your blood pressure.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Tai chi may help stroke survivors beat depression, anxiety and sleep problems

For approximately one-third of stroke survivors, the future can feel less than rosy. That’s because afterwards, many face three common problems: anxiety, sleep problems and depression. But there’s hope and help available from an ancient practice that’s already been proven to be good for both the mind and the body…

Carolyn Gretton

Chronic pain? It could be what you’re eating

Chronic pain affects people around the world, making it difficult for them to work or carry out day-to-day tasks. And current treatments for pain have many shortcomings. That’s why scientists are looking to more holistic ways to relieve pain. And they’re finding that the answer could be as simple as eating more…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How stress increases pain sensitivity and how to get relief

Have you noticed that when you’re stressed, pain from your bad knee or a headache kicks in? And it’s the last thing you need, right? The fact is, stress can make everything in your life worse, including pain levels. This inescapable truth starts with immune cells and that one abomination that contributes to everything “unwell.”

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ are hiding in your cosmetics

Think the makeup you put on your skin each day is safe because the label says, “Clean” or “Natural”? Think again! Testing of more than 200 cosmetics sold across the United States and Canada, found your cosmetics could be hiding a dirty toxic secret — “forever chemicals” associated with everything from thyroid disease to cancer.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The nutrients that lower depression up to 70 percent

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for reasons other than your body not producing them on its own. From improved heart health and cognition to longer life, omega-3s have long been identified as important nutrients to avoid numerous health problems. Add relieving depression to the mix, but there’s one caveat…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Research confirms how diabetes drives Alzheimer’s

Doctors and researchers have long known that some sort of link exists between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Yet, while they could see that the two went hand-in-hand for so many patients, they never actually understood why. Until now…

Margaret Cantwell

How leaky gut leaves you vulnerable to a virus, like COVID-19

As you already know, COVID-19’s symptoms weren’t just upper respiratory. It’s been reported that many people with the virus experienced GI problems, too. It may seem random, but the connection with viral infection is much more concerning: A condition that can act as an open door to disease…

Joyce Hollman

Postural muscles: The key to reducing your fall risk

Injuries and deaths related to falls in older adults are such that the problem has been described as a “hidden epidemic.” My balance is no longer something I take for granted. Because I don’t want to end up incapacitated and unable to enjoy doing the things that give my life meaning, here’s what I’ve learned and practice….

Jenny Smiechowski

Gassy, bloated and tired? You’ve got a leaky gut

In case you don’t know, leaky gut syndrome is where the barrier between your gut and the rest of your body gets weaker and becomes leaky. Literally, undigested food particles and bacteria leak into your blood stream. No wonder you feel so bad, right? But there’s a fix…

Holly Klamer

8 reasons every senior should have a pet

Pets provide a form of unconditional love and support that can be incredibly beneficial to seniors, particularly seniors who aren’t able to socialize as much as they’d like. That’s because the bond between a human and pet can be incredibly healthy…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Ticks, chiggers and meat: A recipe for anaphylaxis

You don’t have any problems when you eat meat so this doesn’t apply to you, right? Wrong. You could have eaten red meat all your life. But just one more bug bite could send you into anaphylaxis — where your airways close up and you can’t breathe. This is how it happens…

Joyce Hollman

Why protecting your hearing could prevent dementia

Many people confuse dementia with Alzheimer’s, when it’s really just one cause of dementia. Other causes include Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, stroke and depression. But, research has uncovered a previously unrecognized cause you need to hear about…

Jenny Smiechowski

The wrinkles that indicate your heart disease risk

The lines in your face reveal a lot about your life — how much you smile, whether you’re a stomach or a side sleeper, how you feel about sunscreen. But what if they revealed major details about your future? Like how you might die…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The #1 way to reverse type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is most likely to strike after you’ve succumbed to the middle-age spread. But a new scientific study has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt how to reverse it. But there’s a catch: Your timing has to be right to completely reverse it and be diabetes free for life…

Joyce Hollman

Boswellia: Nature’s answer from inflammation to cancer

Boswellia serrata, a tree that is native to India, has long been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine to control arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Lots of research has shown that it’s a safe, natural substitute for dangerous NSAIDs, but that’s not all…

Dr. Isaac Eliaz

How to use mushrooms for health conditions

There are more than 270 types of mushrooms with loads of health benefits. So how do you know where to get started using them to boost your health? You can’t go wrong with any of them, but here are some top recommendations and how they help…

Jenny Smiechowski

How a common gum infection and a vitamin deficiency adds up to diabetes

People with periodontitis, a common gum infection, face a diabetes risk that’s “greater than the sum of the individual effects” if they also have a certain vitamin deficiency. In other words, two conditions worked together to fan the flames of type 2 diabetes risk more than anyone could imagine…

Joyce Hollman

Tired of tinnitus? There’s an app that could help

For years, the best options for dealing with tinnitus have been antidepressants to help with sleep, treating any underlying causes like high blood pressure or changing medications that could be the problem. But an exciting new therapy you can do at home has been successful…

Dr. Michael Cutler

How to set your doctor straight on statins before it’s too late

Doctors feel secure prescribing any medicine that’s been shown to be effective. The statin drug manufacturers know this and successfully established their studies showing big benefits of statins to lower cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. But what did they hide?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Marijuana’s cousin stops ovarian cancer in its tracks

Many people think of hemp and marijuana as being the same thing, but they’re not. The big difference being that hemp, unlike marijuana, doesn’t contain THC (the psychoactive compound that makes you high). But they both contain cancer-fighting cannabinoids…

Joyce Hollman

What seniors need to know about rose hips

Fall is the time to leave peaches and melons behind, and start enjoying those crisp, juicy apples. But did you know there’s a tiny ‘cousin’ to the apple that you can harvest at the end of summer? It has more vitamin C than an orange and that’s just the start of its benefits…

Jenny Smiechowski

The supplement that prevents weight gain even when you’re overeating

The only surefire way to lose weight is to give up the greasy fries, sugary milkshakes and fast food burgers. But what if you slip up? This extract of an Amazonian fruit could speed up your metabolism even when you go on a regrettable junk food binge…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

7 natural ways to reduce the look of spider veins

Spider veins are caused by enlarged blood vessels and are similar to varicose veins which often occur on the legs but are much bigger, bulging and can be painful. Spider veins may not be imminently dangerous, but they are unsightly. Here’s how to reduce their appearance…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How to save your brain in 2 minutes

When you sit, your heart doesn’t beat fast and your blood doesn’t pump as quickly. This adds up to less oxygen and nutrients flowing to your brain to help you stay sharp, focused and to preserve your memory and cognitive function as you age. You can fix that in just 2 minutes…

Joyce Hollman

What do Parkinson’s, diabetes and heart disease have in common?

Here’s a surprise for you: At least three studies have shown very clearly that there’s an intimate link between the symptoms of metabolic syndrome and a disease we’ve always thought to be neurologically based. What does it have to do with heart disease and diabetes? A lot…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The happiness secret to living longer

We would probably all like to live to a healthy ripe old age. Yet, even though most of us are taking more control of our health than ever before, there’s one thing that we’ve been missing… and it has a huge impact on how long you live. Here are 5 ways to get it…

Jenny Smiechowski

The surprising benefit that makes alcohol healthier than you thought

I’m sure you’ve heard the bad news: Drinking alcohol is terrible for your health. But before you commit to life as a teetotaler, there’s a hidden benefit to drinking that plenty of people don’t think of… Alcohol makes you social, and that comes with some serious health perks…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Lose just this much weight to lose your disease risk (seriously, that’s all!)

We all know that being overweight can cause major health problems and has been linked to everything from heart disease and diabetes, to Alzheimer’s and even cancer. But how much weight loss is enough to lower these risk? Surprisingly, much lower than you think…

Joyce Hollman

Watch out for this kind of ‘invisible’ heart attack

The symptoms of a silent heart attack can be similar to those you’re familiar with. But blood tests will show no signs of heart damage. There will be no signs of arterial blockage, and an EKG will look nothing like it does in a traditional heart attack. Until…

Jenny Smiechowski

The antioxidant-packed tea that kills cancer stem cells

At some point in your life, you’ve probably been told to “treat your body like a temple.” And that’s good advice. You only have one body, after all. And it has to last you for a while. But, if you’ve been a little rough on it, no worries. One special drink could turn things around for you…

Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby

Two proven (and free) ‘antibiotics’ to put to use today

There are two powerful antibiotics that can’t be patented. They’re free, plentiful, and you can access them anywhere, except perhaps the darkest polar nights. But for their introduction into early modern medicine, we owe a forward-thinking nurse a debt of gratitude…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to get coffee’s secret fat-burning compound

I’m thrilled to have valid, healthy reasons to drink a few cups of coffee every day — guilt-free! But the really great thing about coffee is this: The less we do to it, the more it gives up its gold. That’s because it contains a special fat-burning compound you don’t want to roast away…

Jenny Smiechowski

What cannabis can do for Crohn’s and colitis

I know someone who has Crohn’s, and once he got a medical marijuana card, it changed his life. He was able to manage his pain without dangerous opioids. He stopped taking the steroids that were giving him osteoporosis. And his symptoms improved. But here’s the thing…

Joyce Hollman

The superspice that could save us from superbugs

More and more disease-causing bacteria are immune to the drugs used to treat them. That’s why research into one healing spice is so exciting. It could be the answer that saves us from succumbing to “superbug” infections that are killing thousands of people each year…

Dr. Michael Cutler

Why that Harvard professor is wrong about coconut oil

You may have heard about the recent YouTube video in which a Harvard Professor called coconut oil “pure poison” and “one of the worst foods you can eat.” Like I did with the American Heart Association, let me set the record straight about this highly nutritious food…

Joyce Hollman

4 powerful reasons to pop some pistachios now (slideshow)

The Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when healthy adults with high LDL levels ate one serving of pistachios daily, their LDL cholesterol levels dropped by nine percent. Those who ate two servings per day saw a 12 percent drop in LDL. That’s just for starters…

Joyce Hollman

4+ reasons diabetics should be eating mushrooms

If the mushroom’s only “gold star” was that it benefited your immunity, or helped lower blood pressure or inflammation, it would still be a superior natural remedy. But mushrooms can do much more, like helping you process glucose and possibly preventing diabetes altogether…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The best supplements to crank up your husband’s sex drive

Sometimes, as you get older, it can seem like all the fun you used to have in the bedroom is replaced by more sleep and lots of TV time in bed. But, it doesn’t have to be. Despite the fact that 52 percent of men will experience erectile dysfunction, you can crank things up…

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