Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Carolyn Gretton

The hormone missing from a low-fat diet that could treat Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is like a thief stealing a person’s memories and personality. No treatment exists that can halt its progression, but researchers are coming closer to finding compounds that can unravel the complex mechanisms behind the onset of Alzheimer’s. The latest? A hormone that will make you want to ditch your low-fat diet.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to time your exercise to lower your risk for cancer

Exercising is one of the best things you can do for your health. But what if I told you that timing your workouts could bring even bigger benefits — at least when it comes to cancer prevention? According to a brand-new study, just changing the time of day you work out could dramatically lower your risk of breast and prostate cancer.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why wild olives might provide the healthiest oil yet

We’ve all heard that olive oil is one of the healthiest choices we can make in our diet. After all, the oil is known for lowering bad cholesterol and fighting heart disease, inflammation and cancer. And now, thanks to a new study, things just got even better with a new olive oil option made from ancient trees.

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

What your ear wax could reveal about your stress levels

Cortisol, which is made in the adrenal glands, is commonly known as the stress hormone. It’s crucial for helping your body deal with stressful situations. But too much cortisol for prolonged periods can lead to all sorts of health problems including high blood pressure, fatigue and type 2 diabetes. Here’s what to watch for, how to balance it and an interesting way to measure it.

Carolyn Gretton

A mushroom-derived compound that may treat depression like magic

Depression rates are spiking as the pandemic drags on, and although there are plenty of medications to treat it, they’re not always effective and can come with unpleasant side effects. To broaden the treatment options, researchers are taking a look at a mushroom with a less-than-savory reputation…

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

How to DASH your risk for high BP, cholesterol, heart disease and more

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors or symptoms occurring together which increases your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. If you only have one of these conditions, it doesn’t mean you have metabolic syndrome — but if you have three or more of the following risk factors, then you could be on a fast track to serious trouble…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Root bacteria may be ginseng’s healing secret and answer to Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is a perplexing disease, but we do know more about it than ever before. Where conventional medicine has fallen short, research into natural solutions is pushing the envelope in Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment, most recently with the discovery of compounds wrapped around the roots of the ginseng plant that may work against amyloid plaques and tau aggregates.

Joyce Hollman

Rheumatoid arthritis and cancer: a tangled web

Rheumatoid arthritis and cancer often go hand in hand, but they present conflicts in terms of treatment. RA drugs suppress the immune system, while cancer drugs work to make the immune response stronger. Some cancer drugs make RA worse, and some RA drugs may cause cancer. It’s a tangled web to maneuver to know what’s best for you.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Avoid stroke and heart attack by avoiding these foods

Each year, heart disease and stroke kill more people in the U.S. than all cancers, lower respiratory diseases and cases of influenza and pneumonia combined. But you don’t have to become a statistic. Thanks to a new study, there’s now an easy cheat sheet so that you can know what foods to avoid to keep your heart healthy.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

45 is the new 50 when it comes to colon cancer

If there’s one medical procedure that’s universally dreaded and put off for as long as possible, it would have to be the routine colonoscopy. But considering the statistics on colon cancer, it’s the one procedure we should all be clamoring to get. Well, you may get your turn sooner than you expected…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to save your muscles without moving

Whether you’ve been injured and stuck in a cast, imobilized due to surgery or stroke or maybe you just have a bad shoulder or knee, being immobile leads to muscle wastage that steals strength that’s hard to get back. But don’t let being sidelined prevent you from exercising the limbs you can move. New research shows the benefits can be transferred to the ones you’re not even moving!

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Why ‘normal’ blood pressure readings set you up for a false sense of security

Healthy blood pressure equals a healthy heart. Or so we’ve been told. But, according to recent research findings, relying on normal blood pressure as a sign that a heart attack or stroke is not in your future has painted a pretty picture that’s been revealed to be nothing but a facade — a false sense of security that could put you in deadly danger.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Eat takeout? You’re ingesting up to 10,000 plastic particles yearly

A new study has some sobering information for those of us who’ve made a regular habit of it eating takeout. Along with your favorite foods and a hefty side of convenience, those takeout containers carry a mega dose of plastic that’s finding its way into your meals. Here’s how, why you should be concerned and how to reduce the harm…

Joyce Hollman

The secret cancer weapon in oats, barley and mushrooms

The human body has two different immune systems with different roles. But did you know that one of those systems can be trained to seek out and destroy cancer? That’s exactly what immunotherapy is all about and why researchers are excited about a nutrient found in certain foods that could double our immune power against cancer.

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

5 ways a heart-healthy diet helps beat cancer

When you eat in a way that helps lower cholesterol and improve overall heart health, you’re also helping lower risks associated with cancer, dementia, arthritis and other diseases. Here’s why and how…

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Can diet reverse heart failure? Keto might

Based on available research, a ketogenic diet may be associated with improvements in cardiovascular risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes and HDL cholesterol levels. And now, it certainly looks promising as a nutritional intervention for heart failure.

Joyce Hollman

Is a lower body temperature the new normal?

Do you take your temperature and regularly find it hovering around 97 degrees? Or feel sure you have a fever only to find the thermometer reads a “normal” 98.6? There are several theories as to why this happens, but if you’re like me, you want to know if it’s anything to worry about. Here’s what we’ve found…

Carolyn Gretton

Relieving the symptoms of shingles naturally

Shingles can strike anyone who’s had chickenpox, although older adults tend to be more susceptible. This painful, burning, itching rash takes time to heal. But you can relieve its symptoms through a number of natural means while waiting for it to disappear…

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Old test could give your doctor new insight into aspirin risk or benefit

Taking a low-dose daily aspirin has been widely accepted for decades as an easy way to prevent a heart attack or stroke. But aspirin’s safety in prevention has been challenged over the last couple of years, and now it’s a call you should leave up to your doctor. Luckily an old test may provide new insight into whether it’s worth the risk for you or not…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The Chinese proverb that’s helping researchers lower liver cancer

While we tend to hear a lot about cancer of the lungs, breasts and colon, liver cancer tends to be ignored — kept as kind of a dirty little secret. Yet, deaths from the cancer are skyrocketing. But there is good news. A brand-new study has found a simple way to keep your liver healthy and decrease your risk of liver cancer dramatically. And it has to do with how much you eat.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The high blood pressure danger of social isolation for women

If you’re a woman, simply not socializing enough can put your heart at as much risk as if you put on weight, regularly take medications with cardiovascular side effects or eat a lot of salt.

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Delay frailty with higher doses of the sunshine vitamin

From preventing osteoporosis to shoring up your immune system, vitamin D is one of the most important supplements you can take. But most people are barely getting the minimum when there’s good reason to get more. To avoid frailty, stay strong, fit and active, higher amounts matter.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Drinks that lead to heart disease: Sugary, artificially sweetened or both?

You may think of artificially sweetened beverages as a better alternative to sugar-laden drinks and a good way to avoid weight gain. Surely one is at least heart-healthier than the other, right? That’s not just wrong… it could be dead wrong.

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

Omega-3s shown to help heart attack survivors come out on top

For many years, omega-3s have been reported to be heart healthy. The Mayo Clinic recently quanitified that as a fact in a review of 40 clinical trials. And now we’ve learned that in the event of a heart attack, these fatty acids can make all the difference…

Carolyn Gretton

The plant that’s stepping up against chemo-resistant cancer

Colorectal cancer is most commonly treated with chemotherapy. But the most widely used chemotherapeutic agent is only effective in less than 30 percent of cases. More and more researchers are turning to nature to try to broaden the array of effective therapies, and one plant is stepping up to the plate…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Metabolic benefits from weight loss surgery may outweigh natural weight loss

Your doctor put it all on the line: Lose weight or have a heart attack. How would you do it? Diet? Exercise? Bariatric surgery? It’s a lot to think about, but the Cleveland Clinic has some pretty shocking information that may help you make up your mind…

Joyce Hollman

9 ways to save your brain from disease-causing particles

Research has proven that small particles breathed in from polluted air are connected to Alzheimer’s. Now we’ve learned they can lead to Parkinson’s and motor neuron disease. This brain damage starts at an astoundingly early age because with every breath, aluminum, iron and titanium may build up in your brain…

Joyce Hollman

Why you can ignore what the glycemic index says about potatoes

People with type 2 diabetes are often told to avoid potatoes because they’re high on the glycemic index and thought to raise blood sugar. But a new study shows potatoes may actually be the starch of choice…

Tracey G. Ingram, AuD

How exercise kicks the immune system into gear against cancer

Research has indicated exercise may improve the prognosis of cancer, but experts haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly why. One theory was that exercise activates the immune system to support the body’s ability to prevent and inhibit the growth of cancer. Now researchers know why it works, and not just in mice…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Sugar in the brain may initiate Alzheimer’s

We’ve seen plenty of research on brain plaques and tangles, the telltale signs of Alzheimer’s. But experts may have linked the disease’s beginnings to a surprising cause… one that bolsters a long suspected association with diabetes and increased risk for this mind-robber — sugar made in the brain.

Dr. Mark Wiley

4 ways to ditch the pain that kills

Chronic pain is one of the most damaging and soul destroying things you can face. As a chronic pain sufferer nearly my entire life, I know what it can do to your spirit, drive, desire, dreams and daily life. But I didn’t know it was a killer…

Jedha Dening

Your prescriptions may mask this deadly condition

One incredibly fascinating thing about the human body is its resilience. We can treat it poorly and still it will continue to do its best to maintain balance so we can get on with life. Of course, its ability to go on with being treated poorly eventually lands us in trouble…

Jenny Smiechowski

How you walk may double your chance of a heart attack

Traditionally, doctors measure your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body mass index and blood sugar to see how your heart’s doing. But there’s another simple way to gauge your heart attack risk that doesn’t involve a trip to your doctor’s office…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Sweetest hair treatment cures dandruff

Have you been suckered in by those commercials that make you believe those chemical-laden dandruff shampoos will give you the gorgeous, silky, flake-free hair you’ve been wishing for? Fortunately, there is a sweet natural solution…

Dr. Isaac Eliaz

Are you too clean for your own good?

The amount of money we spend on germ-killing cleaning supplies reveals how we feel about bacteria. But are antibacterials a good thing? We like to stay clean but antibacterials may not be a clear-cut solution to cleanliness…

Jedha Dening

How to energize your body for better sleep

It goes without saying that if you’re not sleeping well, you need to do something about it. And as it turns out, there’s a 2-step routine that can address your sleep issues. And it starts with an unfamiliar vitamin…

Jenny Smiechowski

11-minute trick tames the alcohol urge

If you love your cocktails but also value good health, then you’re probably looking for a way to scale back a little. After all, it’s been shown to cause at least seven types of cancer and contribute to rapid aging. But cutting back isn’t always easy, unless…

Dr. Michael Cutler

7 ways to bring healing energy to your life

Positive energy represents an important, foundational principle for healing — from any chronic illness, including cancer. So it’s important for you to surround yourself with “energy enhancers.” Here are a few I’d like to suggest…

Debra Atkinson

7 steps to lose weight (even after menopause) [slideshow]

These seven ways to weight loss after menopause are not random. They each impact the next. You don’t have to go for them all at once. These seven components have helped midlife women finally lose weight and feel great. Now it’s your turn…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Build a brain that fights off Alzheimer’s in 2 steps

I’ve never been one to sit around and wait for doctors to fix me. And I hope that’s not what you’re waiting for either. Especially when there are a couple ways you can get started today to make a better brain for tomorrow…

Jenny Smiechowski

The best essential oil to relieve stress

If you’re like most people, your body is in a state of stress. Whether you’re fretting over a work deadline, worried about a relationship or feeling frazzled by finances, it’s easy to let daily life send you into a stress spiral. But there is a way to stop it…

Dr. Mark Wiley

Get back in the saddle with seated straddles

Tensions finds its way into your lower back and legs from stress, periods of extended sitting, exercise or injury — and some people will tell you it’s just part of aging. Whether it is or not, you don’t have to let it slow you down…

Jedha Dening

The secret symptom that signals diabetes

When you think of type 2 diabetes, insulin and blood sugar come to mind. But before type 2 diabetes develops, there’s an increased production of inflammatory molecules throughout the whole body. And by the time you’re diagnosed…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why belly fat fuels cancer growth

Cancer and obesity are closely linked. In fact, extra body weight contributes to 1 in 5 cancer-related deaths. But when it comes to the cancer-obesity connection, things aren’t as straightforward as they seem…

Craig Cooper

My top 3 tips for travel fitness

How can you travel successfully without losing all you’ve worked so hard to achieve? There are different strokes for different folks, but because I travel a lot, I’ve come up with a system that works great for me. I think it might work for you too…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Feeling fat, foggy and forgetful? Drink this

Fat, foggy and forgetful. It’s safe to say that a lot of us feel this way, especially when we hit middle age. And, while many people, even doctors, write it off as just a part of aging, that’s not the case…

Jenny Smiechowski

What’s so special about water from copper mugs?

You may have heard a thing or two about the health benefits of copper mugs… like storing water in copper containers helps purify bacteria, while also infusing the water with trace amounts of copper that can benefit your health. But here’s the thing…

Dr. Mark Wiley

Loneliness kills like a 15 cancer stick-a-day habit

Loneliness and isolation is a horrible place to be, and not just in your mind. New research suggests that the effects of loneliness and social isolation are more detrimental to your health and wellness than smoking and obesity…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to use peppermint oil to stop hair loss

Whatever the reason, hair loss affects millions of people around the world. And while some believe it’s just a fact of life, there is an all-natural solution that can help you stop hair loss, maintain a full head of hair for life and feel more confident…

Dr. Isaac Eliaz

Two DNA hacks to improve your bad genes

When you’re trying to lead a healthy lifestyle, you often focus on things like building muscles and maintaining a healthy weight. But there’s something very important we often overlook — frankly, because we don’t realize our actions can have much effect on it. It’s the tiniest but most essential part of what makes you tick…

Jenny Smiechowski

Keep things dark to lighten your breast cancer risk

Maybe you’re used to light from street lamps streaming into your bedroom window every night… Or bright lights beaming down on you from car dealerships, grocery stores and big box retailers’ parking lots as you go for an evening drive. But there’s a dark side to living somewhere with a lot of artificial outdoor light…

Jenny Smiechowski

Beware of this not-so-sweet side effect of coffee

You’ve been hearing a lot about the health benefits of coffee lately — like that it can protect your neurological health, ward off liver cancer and help you live a longer life. But there’s an unintended side effect of drinking coffee that you may not have noticed even though it’s definitely happened to you…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

8 safe and sane steps to a flatter belly

Are you battling belly bulge? Is that spare tire around your middle expanding? Counting calories alone is not enough to get the flat stomach you’ve always wanted. It’s also about what you eat and smart supplementing. With that said, here are the eight steps to a flatter stomach you can start taking today…

Carl Lowe

6 head-to-toe benefits of one simple action

One simple activity can exert a tremendous influence over your health. Scientific research proves the health-power of this activity, but most people don’t seem to understand how much it can improve their lives.

Margaret Cantwell

How helping Texas can make you happier and healthier

Doesn’t your heart just ache for the people of Houston? Like me, you probably want to help. Fortunately, there are many ways you can. You may already know that, but here’s something I bet you didn’t: When you help someone, that act of generosity is returned to you in a scientifically proven and healthy way…

Easy Health Options Staff

How to grill up less cancer [slideshow]

Cooking meat at high temperatures, like on a grill, produces the same carcinogens found in cigarette smoke and car exhaust, and they’re linked to colorectal cancer. Want to reduce your risk? Follow these tips on how to grill your red meat for a safe and tasty cookout…

Dr. Mark Wiley

4 ways to strengthen your legs and your independence

Do you find yourself sitting more and more and moving less and less? Well, if you do, I hope this will be a wake-up call… According to experts, the single best predictor of whether or not you will end up in a nursing home is your leg strength. If you stop moving, the weakness sets in…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

6 ways to beat the habit that ages you 8 years

A few hours of T.V. time in the evenings, a little computer time here and there, or maybe going to see a movie or dinner with family or friends. These are all things you probably enjoy, but they have one dangerous thing in common…

Jenny Smiechowski

The secret to a bigger brain is on the dance floor

Aerobic exercise not only prevents the brain shrinkage and cognitive decline associated with aging, it reverses it. But there’s one aerobic activity that has bonus brain benefits: It’s time to overcome any hesitations you have about dancing and head to the dance floor…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Caffeine’s role as pain-reliever moves to the operating room

Do you have a surgery coming up? Are you dreading the pain that goes along with it and feeling anxious about how you will deal with it? While your doctor will most likely send you home with a narcotic pain medication, you might want to try an old-fashioned cup of coffee…

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