Latest Stories

Latest Stories

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…

Carolyn Gretton

15 chemicals linked to early menopause

It’s long been known that following menopause, women face an elevated risk of numerous health problems. But for women who experience early menopause (before the age of 50), the risks carry an extra wallop. And unfortunately, outside factors are contributing to this phenomenon…

Carolyn Gretton

‘Altered metabolites’ could be causing your migraines

Researchers have identified a connection between a genetic link and altered metabolites that appears to increase susceptibility to migraine. Good news is, to correct these metabolites and hopefully cut down on the painful condition, they’re looking at diet and a particular supplement that’s already shown major promise…

Joyce Hollman

The confusing way iron levels factor into Alzheimer’s

Iron is an essential nutrient. Iron deficiency anemia is all too common, especially in women and people over 65. But iron overload can also lead to serious health concerns. This conundrum is plaguing research over the past five years that has discovered a complicated relationship between iron levels and Alzheimer’s…

Joyce Hollman

The chemicals causing high cholesterol

We’ve known about the harmful effects of phthalates for some time now. They disrupt our hormones. They also cause thousands of deaths from heart disease each year. A new study has shown exactly how a specific chemical works in our bodies to raise cholesterol and cause heart disease.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Does your blood type increase your risk for certain diseases?

A Japanese concept called ketsueki-gata suggests that blood type shapes personality. The Blood Type Diet suggests certain foods may be healthier based on blood type. And while research on the validity of these concepts may be lacking, science is learning that blood type may influence disease risks…

Easy Health Options Staff

Flurona: What is it and what to watch for

Months and months ago we warned that the fall and winter months were expected to be a little rocky thanks to the combination of COVID-19 and a potentially nasty flu season. There was concern the viruses could muddy diagnoses and delay effective treatment. But things have gotten more confusing…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 scary facts about flu and your heart

You might have heard the news that a bad flu season might be just around the corner. But while getting the flu might leave you worried that you’ll suffer from a complication like pneumonia, bronchitis or a bacterial infection of the lungs, most of us don’t think about what it’s doing to our heart.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Two hot drinks that could lower your risk of stroke and dementia

Do you prefer coffee or tea? Either way, if you’re drinking the optimum amount you’re doing yourself some big favors, especially when it comes to risk of stroke and dementia. You may love either drink, but they love your brain more…

Carolyn Gretton

To lower blood pressure, use your whole spice rack

If you have high blood pressure, you’ve probably been told to cut back on salt. But just because you’re using less salt doesn’t mean you have to skimp on flavor. There are plenty of herbs and spices that will not only add flavor to your meals, but will also lower you blood pressure, so says science…

Carolyn Gretton

The strong connection between bad sleep, bad attitude and bad aging

Getting older has its advantages, but losing sleep isn’t one of them. Not only does age-related sleep loss hurt your physical and cognitive health, researchers are finding it can make you distressed about aging. And that negative outlook could have further consequences for your physical and mental well-being…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Heart disease in a paper bag: The worst and least chemical-laden fast foods

There’s probably not one of us who believes eating fast food is healthy. But what’s the harm in the occasional indulgence? Well, you might be surprised to learn there’s far more lurking inside that greasy bag you get in the drive-thru than just anti-nutrients that pack on the pounds…

Carolyn Gretton

Can estrogen help stave off Alzheimer’s in women?

While there are a lot of myths surrounding menopause, one thing remains true — this midlife change brings estrogen production to a crashing halt. And that loss of estrogen can lead to health issues well beyond hot flashes and night sweats. The connection between estrogen and Alzheimer’s is one that may surprise you…

Joyce Hollman

Eat more fish to lower risk of vascular brain disease, stroke and dementia

Vascular brain disease involves damage to blood vessels in the brain and is a risk factor for vascular dementia and stroke. Sounds quite scary and it is. But if you’re eating the right stuff — specifically the best brain food — you can greatly lower your risk for the disease and the dangers that come with it.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The chemical-fat combo driving prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is only surpassed by melanoma as the most common cancer among men in the United States. In fact, almost 250,000 men will receive the diagnosis this year alone — a rate that’s predicted to skyrocket! What’s driving the numbers up? “Forever chemicals” and a dietary component that seems to accelerate tumor growth.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Your body on carbs: Metabolic distress and accelerated aging

A good deal of research has shown long-term overconsumption of carbs has a negative impact on metabolism, weight and overall health. But very little was known about how the body processes large amounts of carbohydrates eaten in a single meal. Hold onto your hats: it’s not just your metabolism that’s at risk…

Joyce Hollman

Why older adults are at high risk from this ‘open door’ to disease

When you hear the term “leaky gut,” some awful pictures may spring to mind. But the truth is that a leaky gut is like an “open door” through which harmful microbes (even COVID-19) and toxins enter your bloodstream, causing all manner of illness. If you’re an older adult, your risk is higher. That’s why researchers looked into ways to help you close that door for good…

Carolyn Gretton

The surprising hormone that helps burn belly fat

Most people consider ghrelin, the hormone that produces those hunger pangs, an enemy of their weight-loss efforts. But that’s not really the case. It turns out ghrelin may be an ally in losing a particularly stubborn form of fat…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

7 ways to reduce your risk of cataracts

Currently, the only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery to remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial one. This makes focusing on cataract prevention vital to maintaining healthy eyesight. Watch for these signs and follow these tips on how you can prevent cataract development — naturally…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

A salty diet can starve your brain of oxygen

Remember those old commercials that warned us of what drugs could do to our brains by frying an egg in a skillet? Turns out that same demonstration is fitting when it comes to salt’s effects on the brain… including tissue damage from hypoxia.

Carolyn Gretton

How spinach can help prevent colon cancer

Popeye was right — spinach really is a superfood. It’s loaded with fiber and nutrients like vitamins A, C, K and B2, folate, manganese, calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron — not to mention powerful carotenoids that support eye health. But science has pinpointed several ways this leafy green goes after colon cancer…

Joyce Hollman

Food vs. anti-aging wonder drugs: Which works best

Food is powerful medicine. Yet, there hasn’t been much detailed research comparing the efficacy of diet vs. “wonder drugs” for slowing aging processes, until now. Recently, three with the most credibilty were put to the test against food. See where metformin, rapamycin and resveratrol landed…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Want a good night’s sleep? Get naked

Sleeping well impacts your overall health. Yet, for many of us, getting those elusive eight hours isn’t just a struggle, it can seem impossible. But there’s good news. Sleep researchers have not only discovered why so many of us have sleep issues, they’ve also narrowed in on ways you can rest better — including stripping down before you hit the sheets.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The common chemical that’s shrinking penises

One of the top factors men have to worry about is the chemicals they’re exposed to, even in their aftershave. Now, a leading scientist has a new warning that’s more worrisome than what phthalates are doing to your testosterone levels and your bedroom performance. They’re also causing penises to shrink.

Joyce Hollman

Natural compound in basil kills Alzheimer’s ‘zombie cells’

As much as we’ve learned about the mechanisms of Alzheimer’s, a cure has still proven elusive. But there’s been a pattern of research results pointing to the food we eat as a probable source of what we need to beat this disease. Out of 144,000 compounds, this one holds the most promise…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Science says loneliness kicks off a dangerous disease trigger

As you get older, it becomes easier to feel isolated. Children move away and friends or loved ones may pass away, Your once strong network of social support can shrink dramatically. Sadly, this isolation can lead to depression, but it can also kick off a dangerous disease trigger. Now we know why and how to break the link…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Could you lose just 15 percent to reverse diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is serious enough on its own, but long-term can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, vision loss, even Alzheimer’s. Doctors will suggest weight loss to their patients, but researchers have evidence weight loss should become THE central focus — that is if you want to not only reduce complications — but reverse it.

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…

Joyce Hollman

6+ reasons pine bark extract could replace aspirin

Experts have starting asking is an aspirin a day worth the risks, including gastrointestinal bleeding. But what if aspirin is your go-to remedy for knee pain, headache or your doctor said it would protect against stroke and heart attack? How about an aspirin alternative?

Joyce Hollman

Feeling ‘young at heart’ will help you age better

This phenomenon of subjective age is nothing new to most people. What you may not know is that it can be controlled, and that this is a good thing, since it seems that it actually plays a part in determining how long, and how well, you can live…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How sleep debt can destroy your metabolism

A bad night of sleep can throw your whole day off, but that’s not all… After a single night without the proper amount of rest, the metabolism in your fat cells are already in trouble — leaving you unable to burn fat and beginning to store it instead…

Jenny Smiechowski

The oil that’s essential for long, healthy hair

As you get older, your hair changes. It thins. It gets more brittle. And your once Rapunzel-like locks begin growing at a snail’s pace. But, you might be glad to know that researchers have found a way to help hair follicles survive longer and stimulate hair growth….

Dr. Michael Cutler

Topical treatments for fine lines and wrinkles

Ultimately, it’s those lifestyle habits, the way you eat and how you treat your body — including your skin — that are the biggest factors to looking and feeling your best… even when it comes to fine lines and wrinkles. But the right topical treatments can go a long way to help…

Jenny Smiechowski

FDA finally considers depression-fighting compounds in mushrooms

Psilocybin, a compound found in some mushrooms, has major advantages over the current go-to depression treatment, SSRIs, including things like high effectiveness after just one dose and the ability to relieve depression without numbing other emotions.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

To live better longer: less weight or more muscle?

On a recent trip to the gym, I noticed most of the men were using weights while the women were focusing on aerobic activities and machines, like ellipticals. And I started wondering… In the long run, which matters most in terms of a longer, healthier life?

Joyce Hollman

The best nut to crackdown on chronic disease risk?

Nuts are considered a staple of healthy diets. While almonds are reported to be a big favorite with big benefits of their own, my favorite and a superstar reported to help reduce numerous disease-risk factors, including these big four, is the humble…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

5 steps to lower the dementia risk that follows stroke

Is any stroke ever minor? Even if you appear to gain a full recovery, there’s something sinister that could be waiting for you around the corner… Having a stroke greatly increases your chances of developing Alzheimer’s. But there are steps you can take to put the odds in your favor…

Joyce Hollman

Asbestos: It’s back and as dangerous as ever

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. And it’s dangerous as heck… a known carcinogen responsible for malignant mesothelioma and the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans. That’s why it was banned decades ago. So how is it making a comeback?

Jenny Smiechowski

Are your taste buds setting you up for cancer?

Food preferences come in all shapes and sizes. Some people have a raging sweet tooth. For others it’s salt, hot and spicy, or all of the above. But there’s one taste preference that could harm your health. It may even put you at risk for cancer… Sensitivity to bitterness.

Jenny Smiechowski

Sleep habits that increase your heart attack risk

You wouldn’t think your sleep habits would impact your heart that much… but they do. Depending on how you sleep you can significantly increase your odds of having a heart attack and dying from cardiovascular disease in the next ten to twenty years…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Cellular alterations prove plastic in the kitchen is just not safe

If the idea that the plasticware you may be using on a daily basis could result in chromosomal alterations isn’t enough to scare you, the scientists discovered one more thing that might… according to the researchers, those cellular alterations get passed down.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

An aspirin a day: Risky or worth it?

Some studies have indicated daily aspirin to help stave off cancer and possibly even dementia. That meant people without heart health problems, were suddenly “supplementing” with aspirin. When it comes to aspirin, it’s important to carefully weigh any benefits against the risks…

Joyce Hollman

Two surprising ways you can exercise less and benefit more

There are so many exercise types to choose from. Aside from considering your natural abilities, how do you know which will give you the biggest return for your time, energy and sweat? If that one question has you in a quandary, I have great news: You can forget about it.

Jenny Smiechowski

How whole milk keeps your heart whole

There are a lot of arguments against drinking whole milk, including fat, calories and inflammation. So we’re told skim or plant-based milks are better. But whether you believe any of this or not, there’s something you should know before you give up whole milk completely…

Joyce Hollman

Drugs that cause cancer and anemia found in our meat supply

Living in a polluted environment is something we’ve almost become immune to. But what about exposure to dangerous, even carcinogenic, drugs? No problem, as long as you’re not taking any, right? Except, these four banned drugs could be in your dinner tonight…

Jenny Smiechowski

The sleepy solution to fighting free radicals

Oxidative stress happens when too many free radicals accumulate in your body and damage your cells. There are plenty of foods and supplements that can help protect you, but what if the most powerful antioxidant is in the bedroom, not the kitchen?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The fake sweetener collecting in your body fat

The thing the food police liked about it was that you could suck down a tasty sweet soda and this great new fake sweetener would just pass right out of your body. No calories and no ‘nothing’ left behind. Now along with it’s toxic reputation, they’ve found it hides in your fat…

Joyce Hollman

Dangerous pharmacy slip-ups that could kill

In the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” young George Bailey stops the town pharmacist, who is distraught over the death of his son, from mislabeling a prescription in a way that would have had lethal consequences. Today, things are not that personal, and human error is rampant…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to time your meals for double the weight loss

Most of us eat from the time we wake up to the time we go to bed. Three meals (and snacks), same time, day in and day out. What if that routine (not necessarily the food) is what’s keeping the weight on? What if the key to getting in shape is just changing when you eat?

Jenny Smiechowski

What your personal care routine does to your hormones

One of the biggest sources of chemical exposure is personal care and beauty products. Think about the products you use each day. Each is a potential source of endocrine-disrupting chemicals! But combined, there’s proven potential to significantly and dangerously impact your hormones…

Joyce Hollman

How garlic kills resistant bacteria

Worldwide vampire legends share the belief that garlic has the power to protect against these un-dead, blood-sucking creatures. Stranger than fiction, though, may be garlic’s ability to protect us from a very real “evil”: antibiotic-resistant superbugs and the diseases they cause.

Jenny Smiechowski

Colon pain and inflammation? You need strawberries

When your GI tract becomes inflamed you know it, thanks to symptoms like stomach pain, weight loss, diarrhea and fatigue. Inflammatory bowel diseases are becoming all too common. Here’s a delicious way to say goodbye to disease-causing inflammation and hello to a healthy colon.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

A better way to measure body fat is a better way to measure disease risk

Cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Convention says your risk for any of these diseases goes up significantly if you’re carrying around too much weight. But, how do you know if you’re at a lot of risk, or just a little, if any, or if your weight is right for your height?

Dr. Michael Cutler

7 better-than-statin ways to lower heart disease risk

If your doctor put you on statins, I’ll bet you weren’t given better and safer alternatives to help prevent cardiovascular disease. Considering there are more than 900 studies on the adverse effects of this high revenue-generating drug, let me share seven better ways with you…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Two things causing your low thyroid levels and what to do about them

Thyroid disorders have become an epidemic, yet doctors seem to write them off with a prescription — and ignore the underlying cause behind the diagnosis. So, what is actually destroying your thyroid function? Were you just unlucky in the genetic lottery? Or, is it something more…

Joyce Hollman

‘Mind-body’ nerve reveals why a simple breathing technique could manage depression

The vagus nerve connects brain and body. It tells our heart to beat, our lungs to breathe, our stomach to digest… But the messages can go the other way, from our body back to our brain. Managing depression can be as easy as knowing how to message your brain.

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