Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Giving in to wanderlust may be what you need right now

After a year of lockdowns, things are finally loosening up. If you’ve been suppressing your wanderlust, now may be a good time to give in. Not just because it could be safer, but because of some measurable wellness benefits that could impact your well-being.

Carolyn Gretton

From hemorrhoids to heart trouble: Why you shouldn’t strain to ‘go’

We don’t like to talk about it, but the truth is, constipation is a common problem. When you’re constipated, you may have to strain to pass your stools. And if you strain too hard, it can lead to complications much more serious than hemorrhoids…

Joyce Hollman

Brain fog: How chronic sinus problems may change your brain

If you suffer from chronic sinusitis or rhinosinusitis, you know how it can interrupt your daily life. And it’s not even the runny nose or sinus pressure that’s the most disruptive. The inability to concentrate can make everyday tasks almost impossible for some. Now you can feel validated: Science shows sinus inflammation affects your brain’s connections.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Enzymes: The safer, healthier choice for digestive upset

From gas and bloating to abdominal pain, heartburn and diarrhea, surveys show that 74 percent of Americans are living with digestive problems. If you’re one of them, you may have wondered about digestive enzymes and why you need them. Here are the answers to your questions, and the relief you need.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Who’s most likely to experience long-haul COVID-19 symptoms?

One of the most frightening issues with COVID-19 is that unlike other viruses we’e exposed to, such as the flu or the common cold, which are over when they’re over, COVID symptoms can linger for months. But everyone isn’t affected the same way. Here’s why you could be at higher risk for the long haul and what might help…

Joyce Hollman

7 ways to start ridding your life of brain-damaging BPA

We’ve long known that the chemicals BPA and BPS, found in many common plastic products, can cause damage to your liver, thyroid, heart and other organ systems. Now, a team of biologists has found that these chemicals may also cause permanent brain damage. Follow this advice to reduce you and your family’s risk.

Carolyn Gretton

The antioxidants that could lower HPV infection risk

Cervical cancer can be one of the more deadly cancers women face. Human papillomavirus causes the vast majority of cervical cancer and in recent years a vaccine was developed for both women and men. But many older adults have never received the vaccine. Luckily, researchers are examining other ways to reduce this threat.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Is bacon worth a 44 percent increase in dementia risk?

Dementia is a disease that’s not only on the rise, it seems to be taking the world by storm. While there are currently approximately 50 million cases of dementia globally, every year another 10 million are diagnosed. You could avoid being one of them if you cut out this kind of meat…

Joyce Hollman

The real ‘fat factor’ driving osteoarthritis

Many people believe osteoarthritis (OA) is an unavoidable result of aging, as the cartilage in joints wears away, leaving them stiff and painful. Carrying extra weight is thought to worsen it. But new research has revealed that it’s a different kind of fat factor driving OA.

Carolyn Gretton

2 types of stress putting women at high risk for heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is more prevalent in men than in women, but that doesn’t mean women are safe from it. Mature women are at especially high risk of developing CHD, partly because of low estrogen, and partly because of the weight of two specific types of psychological stress…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What your brain pH can tell you about your health

The measure of pH reveals how acidic or alkaline the body is. Too much, either way, can contribute to illness. Researchers have been able to see the effect of pH on brain chemistry and there are significant impacts…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Dopamine: The link between exercise and cognitive health

For decades, aerobic exercise has been linked to improved cognitive function. But the “why” hasn’t been clear. New research connects it to a feel-good neurotransmitter that may not only help your brain but help you with the motivation you need to get fit.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Mix up your daily activities to boost your well-being

The pandemic didn’t make dealing with depression or anxiety easy. In fact, by curtailing social and recreational activities and movement, your well-being may have taken an even bigger hit. Though this was a social experiment none of us volunteered for, here’s what research learned about how our daiy activities impact our well-being and how to get the most from them.

Joyce Hollman

7 reasons to get your omega-3s from krill oil

If you want to support your heart and brain health, your doctor may have recommended that you eat at least two servings of fish a week to get your omega-3s. Fish oil supplements have become popular for this reason — but they’re not your only choice and there’s some evidence they may not be the best choice.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

What processed foods are doing to your kidneys

When we think about poor food choices affecting our health, we think of heart disease and diabetes. But microvascular diseases, ones that affect your small arteries and blood vessles to cause big problems, like kidney disease, are on the rise. Here’s why and how to protect your kidneys.

Carolyn Gretton

Want a better brain? Start with your heart

It’s no secret that the health of your brain depends a lot on your heart health. And the American Heart Association recently issued guidelines that reiterated the importance of this link, as well as the steps you can take to strengthen both your heart and your brain health…

Joyce Hollman

The mineral secret to living longer lighter

To help control weight and promote a longer healthspan (a longer healthier lifespan) many people are turning to restrictive diets, like the vegan diet, known for its health and longevity benefits. But thanks to the mineral found in Brazil nuts you may not have to…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Drink this 30 minutes before exercise to burn more fat

Many supplements claim to enhance sports performance and even muscle gain. But what if you want to maximize your fat burn without mazimizing your workout? If that’s the case, there’s household machine you should crank up before your next workout.

Joyce Hollman

Simple hack boosts effectiveness of anti-aging supplements

It’s no secret that nutritious food, exercise and a low-stress lifestyle can add up to a longer, healthier life. But is that enough? It doesn’t have to be, when research has uncovered a treasure trove of nutrients that can help. And now they’ve found you can boost their effectiveness by taking them at the right time.

Carolyn Gretton

Can stress really make your hair fall out?

A little hair loss is natural — we lose about 50 to 100 hairs from our heads every day as part of the normal hair growth and turnover cycle. If you’re losing far more than that, there could be a number of reasons. Could stress be one of them? Here’s what a Harvard study found…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The saturated fat link to heart disease may be melting away

If you’ve given up the guilty pleasures of a perfectly cooked steak, dripping rich juices, butter melted just perfectly onto your biscuits… or your favorite cheeses, hold up. Research has revealed that not only is the evidence against saturated fats weak at best, those fats may even be vital to our health.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How household dust may contribute to breast cancer

Chemicals have been developed to make our lives easier and safer. But is that always the case? More and more studies are finding it’s not. In fact, something as innocuous as the dust in your home can pose a cancer threat, thanks to chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system.

Carolyn Gretton

Do you have to choose between meat and heart health? Maybe not

If you’re at risk for heart disease, you may be avoiding meat, especially red meat, and eating more vegetables, per doctor’s orders. While more of the green stuff is always a good idea, a 10-year study has found some good news for meat lovers: All meat isn’t off the board — just this group found to significantly raise the danger risk for your heart.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Cocoa: The drink that protects your heart when you’re stressed

When you’re anxious, your heart rate and blood pressure go up. The function of your arteries is also temporarily impaired. So, what can you do other than try to Zen out or medicate? Tantalize your taste buds with the drink that wards off stress-induced cardiovascular events.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The diet that wins for weight loss, cholesterol and insulin sensitivity

There are a number of reasons people diet, but if you had to narrow them down, they’d probably all fit in two categories: to lose weight and to improve a health condition. What if you want it all?

Joyce Hollman

Why your weight can increase your Alzheimer’s risk

Most people don’t know that obesity doesn’t just place a strain on your body, but on your brain as well that can set you up for Alzheimer’s. Maintaining a healthy weight can lessen the risk, and it may be a little easier with the one nutrient that feeds your brain and helps you lose weight.

Carolyn Gretton

Bleeding gums? Check your blood pressure

Keeping your teeth and gums clean can go a long way toward protecting the health of your whole body, including your heart, lungs, kidneys and brain. In fact, good oral health has been linked with an important measure of heart health: your blood pressure…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The juice that promoted healthier aging in just 10 days

Things change with age. But you don’t have to settle for poor blood vessel health, high blood pressure, and senior moments just because a few extra years have passed — not when you know how to kick up production of an important compound that can get things going in the right direction in as little as 10 days.

Joyce Hollman

The pre-diet step for lasting lower blood pressure and weight loss

If you’ve been discouraged with results after dieting, the problem could be your gut bacteria. Researchers identified a pre-diet step that boosts the benefits of
a healthy diet and helped participants lose weight, get control of their blood pressure and even cut down or eliminate BP medication.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Are you taking one of these medications that increase fall risk?

Chances are, if you’re 65 years of age or older, you’re currently taking at least one prescription drug that could cause a dangerous fall, a hip fracture, head trauma and worse. Coinciding with the rise in medication is the rate of death from falls. Here’s a list of the worst offenders…

Jenny Smiechowski

The vitamin that squashes psoriasis symptoms

People with psoriasis have noticed something strange about their chronic, painful skin condition… It gets better in the summer. If you have psoriasis, you may have noticed this seasonal shift in symptoms yourself. But have you ever wondered why this happens?

Jenny Smiechowski

The deep-sea supplement that restores youthful stamina

Exercise makes you younger on a cellular level. If you stop because it gets harder with age, you create a vicious cycle of aging. You’ve got to plow through the pain in the name of a more youthful body and brain. And this supplement can help make exercise easier at any age…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

2 common habits you’d never guess are blowing up your BMI

About 10 years ago my dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, after trying so hard to lose the weight that contributed to his diagnosis. Now, a study is giving us insight into why it’s so hard for some people with blood sugar problems to lose weight, and what to do about it…

Joyce Hollman

Can a nasal spray treat depression and prevent suicide?

Almost two decades ago, researchers discovered that an FDA-approved anesthetic drug could relieve severe depression and suicidal thoughts within hours. Sounds like a godsend for the mental health community, right? Here’s what you need to know since it’s about to be fast-tracked…

Jenny Smiechowski

2 modern medicine fails medical marijuana could solve

Marijuana is controversial. Not everyone’s open to it. But if you’re only getting a few hours of restless sleep a night due to insomnia, you should know research says it’s incredibly effective… as well as for another condition that often accompanies insomnia — chronic pain.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What you really need to know about feminine hygiene products

I was in “that” aisle of the drugstore the other day. You know the one… the feminine hygiene aisle, and I was floored by the number of products out there. But, are they safe? Are they healthy to use on some of the most sensitive tissue on your entire body?

Jenny Smiechowski

4 reasons to try America’s forgotten inflammation-fighting tea

Do you start your morning with a cup of Guatemalan coffee? A cup of Chinese green tea? Or Peruvian yerba mate? Most of us get our daily dose of caffeine from halfway across the world. But there was a time when Americans got their caffeine fix from a source closer to home…

Joyce Hollman

The shocking trend causing 13 kinds of cancer (it’s not cigarettes)

According to the CDC, nearly half of all cancers in people age 65 and younger between 2005 and 2014 were associated with a health condition that is fast becoming more dangerous than smoking. Experts predict this epidemic will soon overtake smoking as the leading cause of cancer deaths…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why berries are the best at fighting cancer and aging

If you’re looking for a simple way to eat healthier, without counting calories or following crazy diet rules, here’s a healthy eating philosophy you can follow: Eat more of this super healthy compound that has an astounding effect on cancer and aging, found in the tiniest fruit…

Dr. Michael Cutler

Clearing the confusion about cooking oils

Is there anything more confusing than the truth about vegetable oils? The FDA tells us they’re good for us because they are polyunsaturated fatty acids, and not saturated oils. The problem with that is that the scientific literature says otherwise. So, let’s clear things up…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How many alcoholic drinks before your life expectancy shrinks?

The subject of alcohol can be a very polarizing one. Some people don’t drink at all while others think of it as part of their daily life and part of their social scene. I probably fall somewhere in the middle. The thing is, what’s the limit before your life expectancy shrinks fast?

Joyce Hollman

A spring guide to beating bug bites and infection

As winter is ending and spring is poking her head out, it’s time for us to get outside, too! Time to enjoy the spring sunshine by walking, biking, canoeing or just strolling around the neighborhood. Too bad the bugs are coming out of hibernation, too.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to break this deadly sleeping habit (slideshow)

If your sleeping habits are like mine, not only do you have a higher risk of diabetes, psychological and neurological disorders, you also have a 10 percent higher risk of dying! But I made changes to reduce my disease risk and feel better than ever! Here’s how you can, too…

Joyce Hollman

How to keep a common infection from turning deadly

Bacteria have a natural tendency to adapt to the drugs meant to kill them, so antibiotic treatments become less and less effective. And the antibiotic pipeline is at a standstill. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself from the superbugs, like MRSA, roaming free out there…

Jenny Smiechowski

This best high-carb food for your blood sugar and weight

Did you know that eating white rice has pretty much the same effect on your blood sugar as eating sugar? It’s a scary thought. That’s why so many people avoid carbs. They don’t want to go on a blood sugar roller-coaster ride, but does that mean you should give up all carbs?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How food can dash your depression symptoms

Getting help for depression usually means a prescription that then causes you to go through nausea, weight gain, fatigue, constipation, irritability, anxiety and sexual problems. But for many, a special diet that’s often prescribed for stroke and heart attack sufferers can significantly help…

Joyce Hollman

Beet benefits: A must-have for healthy living and disease prevention

So much research has been done on the benefits of beets that to say they’re good for you is a huge understatement. You may have heard how great they are for your heart health, but you can add Alzheimer’s, cancer and more to the list of diseases beets may help you avoid. Here’s how…

Joyce Hollman

The ‘unnatural’ danger that follows a natural disaster

Six months after Hurricane Harvey, area residents still have questions about the long-term health consequences of chemical exposure during this catastrophic event. But don’t think this has nothing to do with you. What’s happening in Houston is just one sign of a larger, more insidious problem…

Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby

The antioxidant you’ve never heard of

When researchers realized the extent of cellular damage caused by the biological process of oxidation, it answered so many questions (and created countless new ones). Now, new research has confirmed that not all free radicals are the same, nor are the antioxidants that counter them.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

8 sneaky ingredients that could be making your eczema worse

Did you know that there are ingredients lurking in items in your house, that you probably use every day, that can make your eczema worse? They can lead to the inflamed, itchy, red patches of skin you absolutely dread. It’s time to put a stop to that and start feeling better by avoiding these sneaky eight…

Jenny Smiechowski

When weight loss means cancer

Unintentional weight loss could be a sign that something’s seriously wrong. In fact, a recent scientific review found that it’s more likely a cause for concern than celebration, because it’s one of the top predictors of cancer. So when should you worry?

Jenny Smiechowski

12 fruits and veggies you need to buy organic (and 15 you don’t)

Eating organic is great for your health, but not for your bank account. Do you really need to buy everything organic? When it comes to certain fruits and veggies you definitely do, but others you can slack on…

Dr. Isaac Eliaz

The diet that sheds pollutants, pounds and packs on health

Chemicals are inked to some of the most serious health conditions, including cancer, diabetes, neurodevelopmental disorders, and more. For support against this constant barrage of toxins and pollutants, you need strategies that remove them from your body, for good…

Dr. Michael Cutler

The iron condition that steals your energy and causes liver cancer

If annoying symptoms like fatigue, low-thyroid, abnormal weight gain, low interest in sex, palpitations, joint and low back pain won’t go away, iron could be the problem. An estimated 16 million Americans have elevated iron. The good news is it can be easily detected. Check it out before it increases your risk for liver cancer…

Jenny Smiechowski

Binge watching brings big bowel cancer risk for men

Spending hours in front of the TV keeps you sedentary, which means it’s not great for your waistline. But there’s one health problem attached to your TV time that’s less obvious… and it’s a doozy… Watching a lot of TV increases your risk of bowel cancer.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 really weird signs you might have heart disease

We’re conditioned to think of certain signs when it comes to heart disease… things that are going on inside our bodies as a result of changes in the health of our heart and blood vessels, like high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. But, did you know there are outward signs too?

Joyce Hollman

The whole food that’s 40% better at building muscle

The older you get, the less protein your body produces. If you don’t get enough, you leave yourself open to a condition of muscle loss and weakness known as sarcopenia. One food the medical establishment falsely blamed for heart disease can help you build muscle 40% better…

Easy Health Options Staff

3 sneaky reasons your vision goes bad (and how to save it)

As you age, your eyes are especially vulnerable to damage that reduces your ability to see. Here are 3 sneaky causes of vision loss that you can avoid, and 3 easy ways to protect your peepers…

Joyce Hollman

6 factors including sex that help grow new brain cells

For a long time, science has told us that our brains reach their peak performance at around age 25, and that things slowly go downhill from there. But new findings are proving that we can help our brains continue to grow and develop well into old age. Here’s how…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How cutting just a few calories helps you age slower

One of the first trials using human subjects put the effects of calorie restriction on aging to the test. Previous studies have resulted in longer life spans for monkeys. The bigger winners, rats and worms, saw life spans up to twice as long as normal in prior tests. And people?

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