Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Get the spark you need to revive the romance in your life

Has the romance and passion in your relationship waned with the passage of time? That spark that can sometimes fade may not be as elusive and you think. As research has helped confirm, all you may need is a little time to shine to heat things up, thanks to what the “sex vitamin” can do for both men and women…

Carolyn Gretton

The dietary secret to keeping your body clock in sync

Does your job require you to travel across time zones? Maybe you work late or deal with other factors that disrupt your schedule often? If so, you know what it’s like when your body clock gets out of sync, causing fragmented sleep and lack of focus. Luckily, researchers may have found a simple dietary solution for your jet-lagged misery…

Joyce Hollman

4 head-to-toe benefits of lutein beyond your eyes

Lutein is a natural antioxidant found in green leafy vegetables and other healthy foods. It’s best known for promoting healthy eyesight and even reducing the risk of AMD. But you may be very surprised to know it can do a lot more, even affecting the aging process. Here are three important research-backed reasons you want to be sure you’re not missing out on this nutrient…

Carolyn Gretton

The health impact of ‘thyroid dimming’

Decades of research have demonstrated that the thyroid plays a key role in regulating the body’s metabolism, affecting weight gain and related metabolic problems like diabetes, high cholesterol and fatty liver disease. Once thought to operate like an on and off switch, new research reveals the liver’s role in thyroid ‘dimming’…

Margaret Cantwell

The simple reason statins don’t work for everyone

One of the reasons many people have a hard time with their cholesterol is because of how they respond to the popular statin drugs used to treat it. For some, drug therapy works, but for others, not so much. But a few tweaks can fix that…

Joyce Hollman

Experts validate 5 factors that drastically affect heart disease risk

If you have a family history of heart disease, you might assume you’re a time bomb waiting to go off and there’s little you can do about it. But you’d be wrong. As much as 90 percent of our risk comes from factors within our control. And some of those factors have recieved an updated seal of approval from the experts, validating their potential to save your life…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The pesticide that helps pack on the pounds

It’s no secret that for decades Americans have been getting heavier. There are a lot of reasons why, and we’ve been conditioned to believe they are within our control, and that not following a healthy diet or overeating is no one’s fault but our own. But it may not have been the food all along, and instead, what was on the food…

Carolyn Gretton

Is exercise a good idea with AFib?

If you have the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation (AFib), you may be confused as to whether it’s a good idea to exercise. No wonder. To this point, the few studies on AFib and exercise have been contradictory. But, there’s been positive indication that a carefully structured exercise program may help some people with AFib better manage their condition…

Joyce Hollman

The grain you’ve never heard of that could prevent diabetes

Most of us have gotten the message: eating more whole grains (as opposed to refined grains like white flour and white rice), is key to healthy living, especially if you want to avoid chronic disease. And nothing can become chronic faster than jumping from prediabetes to a full-fledged diagnosis. But the right grain can completely turn things around, and it’s gluten-free…

Carolyn Gretton

How many steps a day really lead to a longer life?

You’ve probably heard that 10,000 steps a day can lead to better health and longer life. But have you ever wondered why 10,000 steps? Truth be told, it was an estimate with little science behind it. Recently, researchers set out to determine exactly how many steps per day are needed for those optimal health benefits. Luckily, you can live a lot longer while walking a lot less…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Shocking number of lives could be saved by giving up this one thing

It’s no secret that eating or drinking too much sugar is an unhealthy choice. Foods and beverages laden with the sweet stuff have been strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack and heart disease. Scientists quantified sugar’s effects and found a shocking number of lives could be saved by giving up the worst culprit. One of those could be yours…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The secret to lower blood pressure with flavonoids

Flavonoids are known to have great effects on lowering blood pressure levels. But the results haven’t been consistent for everyone. Researchers found why, and how you can make them work better for you…

Carolyn Gretton

Targeting what drives prostate cancer at its source

About one in eight American men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime, and one in 41 will die from the disease. Researchers determined to improve those odds are working to uncover more effective ways to treat prostate cancer — and they may have found an answer in the way these cancer cells feed themselves…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How resistance training helps you enter ‘fat-burning mode’

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce chronic disease risk. Why? It helps burn fat that can lead to metabolic syndrome, a constellation of factors that increase your risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke. But the number one factor is an accumulation of fat around your middle. So if you’re going to exercise, pick one known to go straight for this fat…

Joyce Hollman

5 factors that can crush genetic risks for Alzheimer’s

Having a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s can be really scary. But the National Institutes of Health found that people who adhered to at least four of five specific healthy lifestyle factors lowered their risk of Alzheimer’s by sixty percent. Best news of all? Even octogenarians can avoid Alzheimer’s by following these habits…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How an acidic diet can take your kidney health down fast

When most of us think about the foods we eat, we get stuck on things like fat, calories and the amount of sugar in them. Yet, one thing few of us consider is the effect of food on the pH balance — alkalinity to acidity ratio — of the body, which is equally as important… even moreso, for your kidneys.

Joyce Hollman

Fermented foods or fiber: Tackling the driving force behind disease

Research has shown that the makeup of your microbiome greatly affects your immune system. But that’s not all. It impacts your weight, healthy aging and your risk of numerous chronic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease. Two types of foods, fiber and fermented foods, have been known to increase bacterial diversity in the gut. But one does a much better job…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Scientists calculate which foods add or subtract minutes from your life

Don’t you love the advice to eat better? Silly question. In fact, we hate to hear it because, what is better, specifically? Oftentimes, it’s conflicting. And it rarely includes our favorite indulgences. That’s why we struggle to choose and stick to a healthy diet. But would it be easier if you knew which foods added or subtracted minutes from your life?

Joyce Hollman

The drink that slashes your risk of heart failure

To keep our hearts healthy, we’re bombarded with well-meaning advice. Eat this, don’t eat that. Exercise this much. Don’t sit too much. Avoid bad habits and reduce the stress levels in your life. But there’s one simple piece of advice that, if you follow especially during midlife, could eliminate heart failure from your future…

Carolyn Gretton

Feeling like leisure time is a waste of time risks health and happiness

We have more leisure time than ever, between 36 and 40 hours a week by some estimates. But we live in a society that makes us feel like every moment must be a productive one. Once you believe that, and internalize the message that leisure time is a waste of time, research shows you’re going to be more depressed and less happy, unless you think of it this way…

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?

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…

Dr. Michael Cutler

Getting out of the box to treat Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

When it comes the Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, treatment varies depending on whether you go to a mainstream doctor who practices conventional medicine, versus the functional treatment you might receive from an integrative physician. Here’s what you can expect…

Jenny Smiechowski

How much can vitamin D protect against breast cancer?

Plenty of past research has tied low vitamin D levels to a higher risk of breast cancer. But how much is enough to be protected? The latest research found your levels need to be much higher if you’re looking for the true secret to breast cancer prevention…

Joyce Hollman

9 beautiful but deadly plants to avoid this summer

There are attractive, flowering plants all around you, maybe right outside your door, that can cause you serious harm if you do anything but admire them from a distance. As you enjoy the great outdoors, avoid these nine plants at all costs!

Virginia Tims-Lawson

6 steps to lasting energy for your mind and body

Fatigue and exhaustion eventually hits everyone. But, you don’t have to be stuck with it. Use these six steps to beat exhaustion, feel sharper and put your energy levels back on hyperdrive in a safe, natural and healthy way — for good…

Jenny Smiechowski

Do light drinkers have less cancer than teetotalers?

If you’ve been following the news on alcohol and cancer, you may have given up your nightly cocktail. After all, drinking alcohol is tied to at least seven types of cancer. Why risk it? But the connection between alcohol and cancer isn’t as straightforward as it seems…

Joyce Hollman

Golf, pesticides and Parkinson’s: How to avoid being poisoned

A Harvard study found a 70 percent incidence of Parkinson’s among farm and non-farm workers exposed to pesticides. Maybe you’re not a farmer but are you sure you’re safe? Ever notice how green and lush grass is on a golf course? It doesn’t get that way on its own…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The pain-busting practice proven to work

Weirdly enough, women with conditions like fibromyalgia have lower-than-average cortisol levels (a stress hormone). This contributes to pain, fatigue and stress sensitivity. But, researchers have found a way to combat that problem…

Jenny Smiechowski

A simple way to ‘biohack’ your blood pressure

You’ve heard the term ‘biohacking’ thrown around a lot, but what does it mean? It’s like lifehacking (using simple techniques to make your life better). Except with biohacking, you’re hacking your biology to make your health better. Let’s start with your blood pressure…

Joyce Hollman

Why most women can beat breast cancer without chemo

Chemotherapy has devastating side effects. Nausea, fatigue, hair loss and bowel problems are just the start. It can also cause anemia, nerve and muscle problems. And, for a large segment of breast cancer patients, the toxic treatment is unnecessary…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The allergy that causes heart attacks

According to research, if you have this allergy, not only could you build up higher levels of plaque in your arteries, you’ll build up a type of plaque that is unstable – leaving you in serious danger of both heart attacks and strokes…

Joyce Hollman

How you can win the race against osteoporosis

Many people think this bone condition is something only older women need to worry about. But any age is the right time for both men and women to start stacking the odds in their favor. If not, it could mean much worse than bone breaks…

Jenny Smiechowski

3 ways to flush dementia-causing toxins

Scientists are learning more and more about dementia every day. And one of the most groundbreaking things they’ve learned in recent years is that your brain drains waste through something called the glymphatic system. Here are three easy ways to keep your brain draining waste efficiently…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 health foods that make you fat and sick

Everywhere you turn, someone is giving you advice on what to eat… Eat this and you’re heart will be healthy… Eat that and you won’t get Alzheimer’s… This food cures the common cold… And, that one will help you lose weight. Not so fast…

Joyce Hollman

7 heart attack signs women should never ignore

The sudden, silent heart attack, known as sudden cardiac arrest, carries such a lethal reputation that most of us know it as the “widowmaker.” But it might be time to call it by another name… the “widower-maker.” If you don’t act quickly…

Jenny Smiechowski

12 foods to keep your lungs strong as you age

As you get older, you have less lung capacity and your lungs become more susceptible to infections like pneumonia. That means breathing’s not always easy in your older years, especially with the threat of flu — or coronavirus, now that we know it will be part of our regular “flu season.” There’s a simple step you can take to make sure your lungs stay young…

Dr. Michael Cutler

What doctors can’t agree on about Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis is a very common condition of low thyroid hormone function. Treatment by a mainstream physician will be very different than by a functional (integrative) medicine physician. And you deserve to know about both… 

Margaret Cantwell

Does type 2 diabetes set you up for the deadliest of cancers?

The scientific community has been aware of the strong connection between type 2 diabetes and pancreatic cancer for quite some time. But what has perplexed doctors and scientists for decades is whether diabetes is a cause or a symptom of this deadly cancer…

Jenny Smiechowski

The common, treatable condition fueling your asthma

Asthma makes you dang uncomfortable. And for most asthma sufferers, this discomfort is a lifelong burden. Sometimes, it even gets worse with age. But what if there was a common, treatable health issue making your asthma worse than it has to be?

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How to make your blood vessels younger to avoid heart attack and stroke

Toxins we’re exposed to day in and day out result in inflammation that actually damages our cells, speeding up the aging process. But, it doesn’t just affect your skin… It can lead to damage to your blood vessels too. This is where anti-aging leads to life saving…

Jenny Smiechowski

Eat this fruit to lower blood pressure in 2 hours

There are endless ways to enjoy it. And when you read the results of this study, you’ll be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner! Filled with healthy polyphenols, like mangiferin, quercetin and gallic acid, this juicy fruit provides full-body benefits, especially for…

Joyce Hollman

5 essential oils that put Minoxidil to the test

The mostly widely used drug for hair regrowth has a long list of side effects. Why use a chemical that may cause chest pain, swelling and high blood pressure when you can opt for natural oils that smell great, work wonders on your hair and carry extra benefits?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

6 medications that could make you depressed

While your doctor may feel like they have your best interests at heart when they write out a prescription, the truth is some drugs cause as much (if not more) harm. If not careful, you could trade in relief for a physical ailment for a bad case of depression…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why anxiety is bad for your bones

Chronic anxiety makes you miserable. And it messes with your health too. It puts you at higher risk for heart problems, stomach problems and respiratory problems. But there’s one anxiety-related health risk that even researchers didn’t know about until now… bone loss.

Dr. Isaac Eliaz

The surprising tool that boosts your willpower

The right foods can detoxify and heal our bodies, increase vitality and add years to our life. But, the wrong foods are more like illicit drugs: highly addictive and dangerous. So why can’t stop eating them, knowing the harm they can do? It’s like we have no willpower left…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Supplement combo could reverse your biological age

Does the date on your birth certificate really have so much influence on your health? Or, is there something you can do today that could reverse your biological age… and help you live healthier longer? That answer is leaning strongly towards yes.

Dr. Michael Cutler

Seeking sciatica pain relief

Sciatica pain is unfortunately too common. If you don’t suffer it, try to make changes to avoid it now. Buttock and posterior thigh pain from sciatic nerve irritation can be persistent and debilitating. Let’s look at causes and also the best ways to treat this condition. 

Jenny Smiechowski

2 secrets to staying healthy when you sit too much

Staying sedentary is bad for you. It puts you at risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke, depression and more. But what if you’re stuck being sedentary because of work? You can still be healthy, as long as you have two things…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Is any amount of tanning actually safe?

Each year before our beach vacation, I look at my pale Irish skin and wish for a beautiful tan. A friend suggested I start on my “base tan” so I wouldn’t burn and would tan better. But is any amount of tanning really safe? This is what I found…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The secret to happiness found in these 5 clichés

Inspirational quotes. While they may make you want to roll your eyes at times, you just might find the secret to happiness by following the advice of some classic clichés. Here’s how to put a few into action to smile more and stress less…

Joyce Hollman

Is your city medicating you without your consent?

No matter your stance on the fluoride debate, chances are you live in a city or town that doesn’t care what you think. That’s why your water contains this questionable chemical with a laundry list of health hazards backed by research. But tides are changing…

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