Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Key player in kidney disease identified (and a supplement that helps)

37 million Americans live with chronic kidney disease. If you have diabetes or hypertension, you’re at high risk of joining them. Luckily, a new treatment, and better yet, preventative, is on the horizon. Even better, it’s available right now without prescription…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The serious threats that stick around after the virus is long gone

Fever, cough, chills, congestion and body aches… a viral infection can be rough. When the symptoms are gone, it feels like the worst is over. But a surprising symptom sticks around: elevated risks for stroke and heart attack.

Easy Health Options Staff

Read before hanging out under the mistletoe

A kiss under the mistletoe is a longstanding holiday tradition, steeped in ancient lore. Depending on the health of your kissing partner, when you indulge in a 10-second kiss, you exchange much more than good tidings…

Joyce Hollman

Half a dozen ways to avoid weight gain over the holidays

The holiday season isn’t kind to people who are trying to lose weight or maintain a holding pattern. But don’t give up hope. I’ve got some strategies to avoiding tipping the scales to share with you…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The best way to beat down inflammation

Inflammation seems like such a benign and common symptom. But as the saying goes, “give it an inch and it’ll take a mile.” Once it takes hold — which is easy because it’s fueled by stress, sleep loss, sugar, pollution and countless other modern-day threats — it can completely wreck your health.

Carolyn Gretton

A sweeter way to boost hair growth

Living with androgenic alopecia, a common cause of hormonal hair loss in men and women, is challenging, especially when the suggested treatment isn’t all that effective. That may be changing…

Carolyn Gretton

This could be why your blood pressure medicine isn’t working

About 20 percent of people with high blood pressure are resistant to treatment, leaving them vulnerable to heart attack and stroke. Researchers trying to get to the bottom of why are onto something…

Craig Cooper

10 ways to lower your PSA levels

An elevated PSA can be an early indication of prostatitis, an enlarged prostate or other health concerns. Research suggests that lifestyle changes, targeted nutrients, and inflammation reduction may help support healthy PSA levels.

Joyce Hollman

The diet that could keep gum disease away

The Mediterranean Diet is always at the top of any “best diet” list. It just has so much going for it, promoting healthy aging, better blood pressure and protecting against cognitive decline. The lastest? Gum disease…

Joyce Hollman

How to have the memory of a 50-year-old at 80

Diet, exercise and sleep are important for keeping your brain sharp with age. But what if you can’t do it all, like exercise? SuperAgers do more of one thing that’s not on this list, and it works for them…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The hidden arterial dangers of being ‘skinny-fat’

You can easily zip your jeans and your doctor’s happy with the number on the scale. That means you’re fit and healthy, right? Not necessarily. Being skinny-fat may mask artery damage setting you up for stroke or heart attack…

Carolyn Gretton

What your neck size can reveal about your heart

BMI was considered the gold standard for estimating a person’s body fat, until we learned it overlooked a critical detail that’s a much stronger indication for heart trouble, one your neck size could reveal…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

9 signs of poor circulation you shouldn’t ignore

Good circulation is one of the most critical factors for good health. Your heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and everything in between receive life-giving oxygen via a complex network of blood vessels throughout the body. Do you know the signs if yours is failing?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Sugar ruins your gut surprisingly fast — but there’s an antidote

Thanks to all the sweet treats that go hand-in-hand with social gatherings, I have no doubt that I eat more sugar during the holidays than in the previous six months combined. But eating a high-sugar diet for even a short amount of time can result in shockingly fast health problems…

Jenny Smiechowski

Avoid hidden heavy metals this holiday season

Decorative tableware is never more popular than during the holidays. But those festive platters can serve up toxic metals that shorten lifespans and endanger your heart on par with cholesterol. Before you serve guests, how dangerous is your holiday setting?

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Simple hack stops ‘viral vitamin’ from plummeting during winter

It’s no secret why cold and flu season go hand-in-hand with the dark days of fall and winter. Luckily, scientists have discovered an easy way to bio-hack the ‘viral vitamin’ we need most this time of year…

Margaret Cantwell

More proof of skin cancer prevention in a vitamin

A few years ago, a small study from Australia, the skin cancer capital of the world, suggested a simple vitamin could help prevent the most common skin cancers. A much larger study just put those findings to the test, and they were right…

Carolyn Gretton

The real cholesterol culprit cracked: It’s not eggs

If you have elevated cholesterol, you’ve probably been avoiding eggs. Turns out, that advice may be as dated as bell-bottom pants. In fact, it’s this Western breakfast staple that may be the real villain in the cholesterol war…

Carolyn Gretton

The unusual link between HRT and women’s immune health

Hormone replacement therapy has largely shed its bad reputation, given the heart, bone and brain health benefits revealed in recent years. New evidence shows it could shore up another system critical to keeping women well…

Joyce Hollman

The perfect pair to beat disease-causing inflammation

There are lots of supplements that support gut health and fight disease-causing inflammation. But a perfect pair that produces a crucial short-chain fatty acid essential to healthy aging may be the most potent anti-inflammatory to do the job…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

10 sneaky conditions that lead to weight gain

When you do everything right and still gain weight, it can be frustrating. It’s probably not even your fault. Many health conditions, some you’d never suspect, can make it hard to maintain healthy weight or even cause sudden weight gain…

Amanda Wilks

6 Anti-aging superfoods that will make you feel younger

Take into account just how important a factor food can be when it comes to aging. Stuffing yourself full of foods with added sugars and bad fats can be almost as destructive as hours sedentary on the couch. If you want good health to feel and look better, try these…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

16 medical tests to expect in your 60s and beyond

Some preventative medical tests are a piece of cake, while we dread others. And it seems new ones gets tacked on with each passing birthday. Here’s what to expect at 60 and beyond, including when you can start saying ‘no’ to some of the poking and prodding…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What is ‘Ghost Poop’ and what it signals about your health

‘Ghost poop’ is making the rounds on social media. Who you gonna call? Not Ghostbusters. We’ve got all the answers about what this spooky-sounding term means, who experiences ghost poop, and what it signals…

Jenny Smiechowski

Eat this ONE veggie for clearer arteries

Most people with atherosclerosis don’t know they have it until artery-clogging problems show up, like stroke or heart attack. So, what can you do to steer clear? Eat the one vegetable that reduces vascular calcification.

Joyce Hollman

Two common conditions increasing pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is on the fast track to becoming the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Why? A common denominator in two common conditions turns cells cancerous, but there’s a way to throw a kink into the equation…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The unseen fat that’s your heart’s biggest threat

A layer of fat around the heart offers protection. Unless there’s a little too much and it’s composed of damaging substances that can leak directly into your heart. Here’s how that happens and how to gauge your risk…

Joyce Hollman

The shortcut to living longer than people who walk 3 hours daily

We’ve got all kinds of reasons for not exercising. But if you’re not walking because it takes hours a day to get in 10,000 steps, I’ve got the shortcut to better benefits in a fraction of the time…

Joyce Hollman

The Parkinson’s clues found in ear wax

Right now, diagnosing Parkinson’s is costly, subjective and slow, taking an average of three years. When the only hope is to slow progression, every second counts. Here’s why ear wax could lead to faster diagnoses, but don’t break out the swabs…

Joyce Hollman

Common drugs that disrupt your gut years after taking them

You may be done with that antibiotic, but is it done with you? Not by a long shot. But research has found it’s not the only common medication that continues doing damage to your gut long after you’ve finished it…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Cold water immersion: Adapting your cells to live longer

It may not be your cup of tea, but evidence links cold water immersion to living longer. After taking a deep dive, researchers know why: It enhances a critical cellular protective mechanism that promotes health and longevity.

Jenny Smiechowski

How olive oil and chocolate keep your arteries clear

Some foods are just made for each other… Beans and franks. Chips and dip. Mac and cheese. Peanut butter and jelly. Spaghetti and meatballs. But nothing’s better than a food pairing that keeps your blood pumping…

Joyce Hollman

The major impact of mini-stroke on the brain

Stroke can change or take your life in an instant. But one type, known as a mini-stroke, is often referred to as a warning stroke. Heed it and you might escape significant harm. But that adage no longer holds up…

Joyce Hollman

Semaglutide melts muscle: Why that’s bad news for blood sugar

The list of harmful effects tied to semaglutide keeps growing. Sure, it melts fat, but almost half the weight loss may come from muscle loss. That’s trouble for anyone, but especially if you have blood sugar problems…

Carolyn Gretton

How antibiotics wreak lasting damage in your gut

The good news is that antibiotic use is on the decline after years of discovering the damage they do to the gut microbiome. But, there are times they’re necessary, and that means the risk of another sinister way they cause harm long after their use…

Carolyn Gretton

The surprising risk AFib carries for early-onset dementia

Atrial fibrillation is more common in people over 65. But trends in certain risk factors are changing that, and linking the condition with more than a 50% increased risk for early-onset dementia, even without stroke…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The habit that helps cancer survivors live like they never had cancer

Colorectal cancer is growing among folks 50 and younger. But a potent daily habit could help survivors live longer, in some cases, than their peers who never had cancer. Here’s what we all need to know to kick our bodies into high gear for cancer survival and prevention…

Joyce Hollman

Diversify your flavonoids to ditch disease and live longer

“Eat the rainbow” was coined for a good reason: To reap the incredible disease-fighting benefits of flavonoids and reduce your risk of early death, research suggests it’s key to get them from these different sources…

Joyce Hollman

Why cannabis is as bad for your heart as cigarettes

There’s no question that smoking is a significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke. But if you thought cannabis, smoking or eating edibles, was safer, we’ve got a warning about how it could impact your blood vessels…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The chemical exposure behind early onset breast cancer

Health experts are sounding a warning as rates of early-onset breast cancer in women under 50 are growing dramatically. It’s a trend, they say, that cannot be explained by genetics alone, and we know eactly why…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The weird warning your feet send about your blood vessels

Feet get cold, sore and tired. It’s par for the course, right — or is it? Your feet are surprisingly responsive to what’s going on in your body. One serious signal spells danger for your heart and blood vessels. Here’s how to recognize your feet are flashing a warning light that requires attention…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The deficiency threatening to bring back goiter

While goiter was once a common health problem, it seemed to all but disappear. So why are we now hearing it may be making a comeback, the kind no one wants to see? The reasons may surprise you…

Joyce Hollman

The vitamin treatment for COPD that delays cellular aging

COPD is an inflammatory lung disease with no cure that can compromise quality of life. A simple vitamin holds much promise as a potential treatment and improves levels of a coenzyme that delays cellular aging…

Joyce Hollman

The one-a-day vitamin that slashed death from cancer

Taking a vitamin once a day seems a simple enough strategy for anyone to stick to. But how many times have you read about the amazing benefits of one vitamin in particular, got started enthusiastically and then just gave up the habit? This is one vitamin you can’t afford not to commit to…

Joyce Hollman

The secrets to healthy aging found in your gut

Every day we learn more about the far-reaching role the gut plays in our health. The latest? It holds clues that can reveal if frailty or healthy aging and longevity are in the cards for you and how to play them for a winning hand…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The ONE nutrient to fight inflammatory and metabolic disorders

My favorite road trip game is the one where you choose the ‘one thing’ you couldn’t do without if you were stranded on a desert island. For me, it’s a no-brainer: the nutrient science shows can fight all inflammatory and metabolic disorders.

Joyce Hollman

Boost your cancer-killing white blood cells in 30 minutes

The immune system’s first line of defense is white blood cells that fight infection and disease, including cancer. But some white blood cells support cancer growth. If you’ve got 30 minutes, you can increase the good guys and take down the bad ones…

Carolyn Gretton

Tick bite? Take this first step to avoid disease transmission

Multiple sources report this tick season is going to be a doozy. Not only do there seem to be more ticks, but they are also more likely to carry diseases, including Lyme disease, Babesiosis, and Anaplasmosis. Here’s your first step to reduce your chances of getting sick…

Joyce Hollman

Are these TikTok trends really self care?

I’m not sure when I first noticed that “life hacks” were a thing, but now they’re everywhere, and anyone and everyone is an expert. But here’s the thing, are these hacks worth the hype and truly helpful? Let’s find out…

Joyce Hollman

The protective ‘signal’ fiber sends your heart

Americans eat much less fiber than we should. So what? Constipation troubles? It’s a lot more serious that that. Without enough fiber your heart misses out on protective signaling that, among other things, lowers blood pressure…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The bone-weakening effects of a common thyroid medicine

Low thyroid among Americans ranges from 5% to 20% due to variables constituting what’s normal. But for those diagnosed and receiving treatment, there’s a warning about the most commonly prescribed medication for the condition…

Joyce Hollman

How antioxidants reverse the damage of a high-fat diet

A high-fat diet doesn’t just cause weight gain; it makes enzymes that break down sugar and metabolize fat dysfunctional, making weight harder to lose and increasing prediabetes risk. But there’s a secret weapon…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The full-body impact of depression: Chronic disease

In the U.S., one in 10 adults takes antidepressants. And when you come with physical complaints, it gets blamed on the depression. But depression doesn’t just hurt. It contributes to the diseases that cut our lives short.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The common condition rapidly aging American’s brains

It’s not Alzheimer’s yet. But it could be. That’s because this common condition not only shrinks brains, an MRI study shows it’s rapidly aging them, too. Luckily, it also links a single nutrient to keeping them young and plump…

Joyce Hollman

The liver link to coronary artery disease

Your liver health is a big deal. But your heart health ends up in the spotlight more often. Considering the role the liver has been found to play in coronary artery disease, that maybe changing…

Joyce Hollman

How to make managing blood sugar less stressful

Plenty of dietary guidance is available to manage diabetes. But that doesn’t make developing meal plans and choosing the right foods less daunting. Can you imagine carrying this weight every day? Cut yourself some slack…

Carolyn Gretton

How your gut could be aging your blood vessels

With age, our blood vessels stiffen, hindering circulation, increasing blood pressure and risk for heart attack and stroke. Poor lifestyle habits often get blamed, but it turns out your gut may be prematurely aging your blood vessels…

Carolyn Gretton

Two existing drugs that could extend human lifespan

We eat healthy, exercise and reach for supplements in hopes of adding years to our lives and enhancing the quality of our health. What if I told you it could be easier? Two currently available drugs may be the longevity cocktail we’ve hoped for…

Joyce Hollman

The weird connection between mouthwash, gum disease and diabetes

There’s an especially complex relationship between gum disease and type 2 diabetes. It’s a loop where one condition exacerbates the other, and vice versa. But research says it may be possible to gargle away both problems. Let’s look at the facts…

Margaret Cantwell

Cancelling the mercury threat in tuna

Toxic metals, like lead and mercury, cause brain damage, heart problems and kidney dysfunction. Abundant in daily life, the threat is real, but the news is good: Mercury can be manufactured out of our favorite nutrient-rich fish.

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