Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Carolyn Gretton

Medical marijuana and high blood pressure: Here’s what we know

Medical marijuana, or cannabis, has been used medicinally to provide relief for chronic pain, nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and muscle spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients. But what about heart health? More studies are needed but there’s positive news about its effect on blood pressure.

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Taurine: A natural ‘antibiotic’ and more

Antibiotics are lifesavers. But because we’ve relied on them too heavily, we’ve contributed to a big downside: antibiotic resistance. But scientists are finding promise in a nutrient found in many common foods that may trigger good bacteria in the body to go after disease-causing pathogens.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How bacteria can provide a barrier against pneumonia

The difference between a mild case of the flu and possible hospitalization is the development of pneumonia. Just in time, researchers have identified one more way to reduce risk for a lung infection…

Carolyn Gretton

Why your mouth is the gateway to health or disease in your body

We know it’s important to keep our teeth and gums clean, but we often don’t consider how much good oral hygiene is connected with our whole-body health. More and more research is showing just how much our oral health can influence our overall health — and vice versa…

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Coffee’s secret power: Taking down heart failure risk

Across the U.S., fifty percent of us drink coffee daily. It’s a love affair that likely has a lot to do with energy-boosting caffeine. Too much, and coffee can make you feel jittery and nervous. But if you want to reduce the risk of heart failure, decaf may not have the power to do it.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

What a daily glass of alcohol does to your heart rhythm

For the past decade, there’s been a lot of buzz about how a daily glass of wine promotes good health. But for every study that supports that, there’s another that shows harm. New research sheds light on what happens to your heart when you drink a daily glass of alcohol.

Joyce Hollman

Using aspirin to lower the risk of colorectal cancer

You’ve probably heard about daily aspirin therapy as a preventative for heart attack and stroke. But have you heard of its effect on colorectal cancer? Turns out there’s compelling evidence for it, with one caveat…

Dr. Mariza Snyder

What is estrogen dominance and how does it affect your body?

You’re in your 30’s and 40’s and suddenly you don’t even recognize yourself anymore. That’s because there’s a real change happening in your body. But meeting these hormone shifts head-on is the best way to get you back to your rockstar self as fast as possible.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

CBD found to destroy antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Germs that could once be knocked out within a few days of antibiotic therapy have grown resistant to what medicine has to offer. But a new and powerful option has been found in a source that’s been making the headlines for a while now, and it may lead the next generation of antibiotics.

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

A link between surgery, Alzheimer’s and a vitamin that may help

Going under anesthesia and enduring surgery comes with complications. But cognitive decline may not be one you’d expect. For some of us, that risk may be heightened…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

What doctors aren’t trained to tell you about heart health

There’s an Ayurvedic proverb: When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need. It sums up the problems most doctors have with treating the symptoms of disease with unnecessary medicines and invasive procedures instead of addressing the root cause…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Is more oleic acid in the diet the answer to MS?

MS is an autoimmune disease that attacks from within and wears down the protective coating around nerve fibers in the central nervous system, slowly stealing independence from its victims. But research has found they share a common deficiency in the form of an omega fatty acid that could combat the disease.

Joyce Hollman

The ‘infection’ allergy that may cause IBS and gluten intolerance

For too long, patients with irritable bowel syndrome and gluten sensitivity have been told it’s “all in their mind.” The reasons for their pain, cramping and other life-interrupting symptoms have been poorly understood. Now, scientists are uncovering a surprising cause that not only validates the suffering but could lead to better treatments.

Joyce Hollman

8 good reasons to get up out of your chair NOW

While many of us are stuck inside and working from home to avoid COVID-19, we’re being exposed to another serious threat: sitting too much. In fact, there are some overlapping threats between the virus and sitting too much that you should address sooner than later. Here are eight very real, research-based reasons to get up more often.

Joyce Hollman

Researchers sniff out a smelly cure for Alzheimer’s

Researchers have found that the “rotten egg” gas the body produces has an upside: It’s capable of preventing the formation of tau protein tangles, the main cause of the cognitive, motor and memory losses of Alzheimer’s.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

4 serious but lesser-known dangers of high blood pressure

When you think of high blood pressure, what comes to mind? For most people, answers might include heart disease, stroke, heart attack, or maybe even an aneurysm. They would be right. But they’d also be missing something. That’s because not all of the dangers of out of control blood pressure are so well known.

Carolyn Gretton

How much are those french fries hurting your heart?

A diet loaded with foods high in unhealthy fats can really hurt your heart health. And fried foods are one of the biggest culprits. Researchers are studying just how fried food affects heart disease risk, and so far what they’ve found is disturbing, including the damage a one-cup serving can do…

Carolyn Gretton

Resveratrol fights effects of a high-fat diet and Alzheimer’s

There appears to be a connection between a diet high in saturated fat and brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s. As researchers explore this link, they’ve discovered that a particular nutrient may help protect the brain in those consuming high-fat diets…

Dr. Mariza Snyder

The connection between declining hormones and depression

You may be asking yourself, “How did I get here? Why do I feel so bad?” If you’re between the ages of 35-50 then your hormones are most likely to blame. Your reproductive hormones are fluctuating, and ultimately beginning to or finishing their decline to menopause. It can be a difficult time. But it doesn’t have to be.

Joyce Hollman

The diet that can keep Parkinson’s away

About a million people in the United States are presently living with various stages of Parkinson’s disease. There is no cure for this progressive disease that slowly robs you of your physical and mental capabilities. But the right diet could keep it at bay for quite a long time.

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Tips to trigger your happy chemicals and boost your mood

For a minute, just close your eyes and think about what makes you happy. We often think about people in our lives, circumstances or possessions. In reality, however, happiness is largely a chemical experience. That means you can intentionally trigger your mood-boosting neurotransmitters.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Research proves age is no barrier for weight loss

As a society, we’re conditioned to see weight loss as something for the young. Even among medical professionals, there’s existed a strong misconception that weight loss isn’t safe for seniors. But not only can seniors lose weight, they may have the biggest benefits to gain.

Dr. Mariza Snyder

Top 3 ways to naturally increase low progesterone levels

If you find yourself with symptoms that your body isn’t functioning at its best, low levels of progesterone may be to blame. Learning as much as you can about progesterone might be just the key that you need to get your body back into balance in a healthy, natural manner!

Carolyn Gretton

PQQ: The ‘longevity’ nutrient with big heart benefits

We’re familiar with how the antioxidant pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) can benefit the mitochondria, the “power plants” of our cells. But it’s been less clear what specific disorders this longevity nutrient can impact. Researchers are beginning to identify those conditions — including a life-threatening heart disorder…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The 6-month diet that could put type 2 diabetes into remission

Ready to battle your blood sugar problems and win the war against diabetes for good? According to an analysis of research, your best weapon could be a simple diet you only need follow for six months to ditch diabetes, lose weight and even improve your triglyceride levels.

Carolyn Gretton

Does obesity increase your disease risk or not?

Bad health and obesity don’t always go hand in hand. Yes, there’s a connection with some health problems, including diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer. However, some obese people are considered healthy by most standards. Scientists believe they’ve pinned down what makes the difference…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

What I tell my patients about statins

Many patients come to see me because they want to avoid medications or get off of statins. There’s a lot to consider, including guidelines, but that’s not all considering the risk calculator is, in many ways, flawed. Here’s what I tell them…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

‘Banned’ chemical in everyday products fast-tracks fatty liver disease

In 2016, it was banned from soaps and body washes. But despite the evidence of the harm it does, the FDA has yet to force its removal from other types of household products. Not only can it absorb through your skin, it accelerates fatty liver disease. Here’s what you need to know…

Carolyn Gretton

New gluten-free ‘flour’ packed with nutrition and a dash of caffeine

It’s easier than ever to make the switch to a gluten-free diet with all the gluten-free flours and baked goods now available. However, those goods tend to lack the fiber and nutrients found in wheat. Now, there’s an alternative “flour” that can make up that shortfall…

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Bisphosphonates for bone health: Therapy or fracture risk?

The goal of oral bisphosphonate medications is to slow down the rate of bone thinning. But then again, they’ve been tied to fractures. That’s why researchers are trying to determine how helpful or effective they actually are…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The weight-loss resistant gut bug foiling your diet

You know some bacteria can be antibiotic resistant. Well, a certain bacterial strain in your gut is weight-loss resistant, and it’s living in the guts of at least 50 percent of us. That explains why diets work for some, but not for others. But there are a few ways to remedy this situation…

Carl Lowe

The reason more women get multiple sclerosis and what to do about it

Recently, the actress Selma Blair came forward announcing she’s doing her best to fight Multiple Sclerosis. MS is an autoimmune disease that targets many more women than men. In a perfect world no one would suffer from it. One doctor, who’s also a patient, is doing her best to make sure that happens.

Margaret Cantwell

The painful truth and questionable use of off-label pain pills

As soon as my friend handed me the list of potential side effects the pharmacist had provided him, printed on a sheet of “caution tape” yellow paper, I could see why he wanted to talk. He asked me if I thought it was worth it, trading the pain for these dangerous risks. I had to say no. And here’s why…

Easy Health Options Staff

3 Ways to activate your cancer-fighting cells [slideshow]

Scientists are harnessing the human body’s own natural cancer-fighting cells in their continuing research to stop cancer. But why wait on them? Here are three natural ways to boost the cancer-killing effectiveness of your own T-cells yourself…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Just 3 cups slam heart disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s risk

Do you drag yourself out of bed in the morning to pour yourself a big cup of coffee? Maybe, you even down multiple cups throughout the day. It’s all good: a review of 200 studies of coffee drinkers will give you a guilt-free pass to pour yourself another cup…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

To lower BMI, BP, lipids and more: Get your breakfast on!

I do my best to eat healthy, not because I’m obsessed with my weight but I have concerns about heart disease. I really thought I was doing everything right until I found out it was actually something I was NOT doing that could be leading me down the path to heart disease.

Joyce Hollman

It’s time to get the lead out of your water—and your body

If you don’t live in Michigan, you may have never given a second thought to the town of Flint before the reports of dangerously high lead levels in drinking water. But what if you live in one of the 3,810 towns with lead levels as much as four times higher than what they found in Flint?

Jenny Smiechowski

Unlocking vitamin D’s autoimmune superpowers

If you want to prevent autoimmune diseases, the science is clear: Get enough vitamin D. But for people living with an autoimmune disease, it’s not as simple as popping a supplement and watching symptoms disappear. That doesn’t mean vitamin D can’t help, but there are a few things to know…

Joyce Hollman

Why you should squat once a day

If you seldom put your hips and knees through their full range of motion, never bending them past 90 degrees, your body gets the wrong message: make less synovial fluid. Consequently, your joints become less lubricated … stiff… arthritic. Here are two ways to fix that…

Jenny Smiechowski

2 surprising ways to heal a wound faster

You can slather on the antibiotic ointment, but if your immune system’s not operating at its best, the healing process is going to be slow and painful. You need to promote wound healing from the inside out. How do you do that? Well, the U.S. Army Institute of Environmental Medicine found this works…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The weight loss secret the biggest losers didn’t know

80% of people who successfully lose at least 10% of their body weight gradually regain it to end up as large or larger than before they went on a diet. Why is regaining the weight you lose so easy? Let me explain, because once you understand, it makes the secret to keeping it off easier!

Dr. Mark Wiley

Avoid the medical error killing as many people as breast cancer

Doctors are professionals operating with a patient’s best interest at heart. But, even armed with a toolbox of knowledge and tests at their beck and call, they are still human. Diagnostic errors are much more common than often reported — many life-threatening. Here’s how to avoid the danger…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why menopausal women are getting asthma

Think you’re safe from asthma because you never had it as a child? Feeling short of breath, coughing or wheezing more? Asthma is influenced by hormones. No wonder menopausal women, going through the biggest hormonal shift of their adult life, are at an increased risk.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The steroid deficiency behind stubborn weight gain

Before you decide to take drastic measures and get prescription weight loss pills that can cause side effects like headaches, dry mouth, constipation, gas and more, you should know there’s a little-known natural steroid you might be missing that could be behind your weight gain.

Jedha Dening

9 foods that fight skin aging

Various components offered by food can affect the structure and integrity of your skin. So if you want to avoid the visible signs of aging, it’s recommended you avoid junk foods and sugar, and focus on eating the healthiest diet you can, starting with these 9 foods…

Jenny Smiechowski

Biweekly yoga gives you a bigger brain

If you do yoga, you may have noticed that yoga changes your thoughts, mood and emotions for the better. So it’s got to be doing something inside that noggin of yours, right? Well, it absolutely is. It’s actually altering the physical structure of your brain…

Jenny Smiechowski

The surprising bacteria fueling gut disorders

Need a little incentive to keep getting those twice-yearly teeth cleanings? Well how about this… if you get too lax on your oral hygiene, your mouth could become a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria that can quickly ruin your health…

Dr. Mark Wiley

The mind hack that makes things better

The smell of pie in the oven can trigger strong feelings from another time and place… proof of the mind’s ability to associate and affect a reaction from a cue. Now, imagine a cue that stops your arthritis pain, a migraine attack or self-defeating thoughts. Here’s how to do it…

Dr. Isaac Eliaz

Top tips for cold weather health

Winter can be rough… it’s cold and damp, people are regularly coming down with viruses, and we often don’t feel like we’re at our best. That’s why a little extra effort to boost your immune system and your mood could go a long way in helping you survive it. Here are a few tips from Dr. Eliaz…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The tea that beats belly bloat

Do you feel bloated and miserable? You could be suffering from good, old-fashioned belly bloat. But, there’s really nothing good about it. Well, luckily for you, there is an answer…

Joyce Hollman

Orange juice: Pure, natural… and poison?

How often do you make a tall glass of orange juice a part of your breakfast? A few times a week — or every day? Well, that’s how often you’ve been drinking a potentially lethal serving of glyphosate, a “probable human carcinogen.”

Jenny Smiechowski

Beware of the B vitamin-cancer connection

B vitamins do amazing things for your body. B12, for example, keeps your neurological health intact and wards off two of the most serious brain diseases — Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. But in certain situations, a real danger arises…

Dr. Michael Cutler

Restoring health: The latest in stem cell therapies

Stem cell treatments are gaining in popularity. These cells and growth factors can differentiate into bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, collagen, nerves, blood vessels, skin, hair or other tissue types. They can be infused by IV or injected directly into your joints, tendons or ligaments.

Jedha Dening

Butter or margarine on your Thanksgiving table?

When you think about butter versus margarine, you may automatically think margarine is better, healthier. But as it turns out, there is quite a bit more to the story you might want to know if you’re trying to decide which may be better for your family. For starters…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The exercise that could cut your cancer risk by a third

Whether you choose to exercise at the gym, at home or even in your local park, research shows one thing is for certain: All exercise is not created equal if you want to increase your life span and reduce your risk of cancer…

Margaret Cantwell

4 supplements that fight aging and gum disease

There are four specific supplements that you should be taking to help keep a healthy mouth. And they are supplements that can also improve the overall aging of your body. Not only that, they cut your risk of three different cancers tied to periodontal disease…

Jenny Smiechowski

What really matters most about your workout [slideshow]

If you’re ready to experience the most benefits possible from your workouts, you’ve got to know this secret. Across the board, these better results and improved quality of life will leave you wondering why you ever worked out any other way.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The weird heart-liver-calorie connection you should know about

You may have read a lot lately about the life-lengthening benefits of calorie restriction. The opposite, excessive calorie consumption, leads to metabolic changes in your body that can lead to heart disease. But what I didn’t know was how it all connected with my liver…

Dr. Mark Wiley

Tortoise Pose: A stress-busting, sleep-promoting stretch

Yoga has many poses, or asanas, as they are collectively known. One of the more advanced ones is known as Kurmasana, or tortoise (turtle) pose. This posture offers a great stretch for the spine, upper back, shoulders, legs and groin.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Swap ‘exercising’ for fun fitness with friends for fast results

We’ve all been guilty of putting off getting in shape at one time or another. Luckily, new research is offering insight into a simple step you can take to boost your chances of fitness success… Gamification.

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