Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The drinking habit linked to stroke 10 years early

One of the most debated topics of health is alcohol consumption. Studies have shown benefits, while others show harm. Is moderation key? You may be surprised at how few drinks a day can put you at the same risk as heavy drinkers for a catastrophic brain bleed.

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

The fiber that could stave off liver damage

High fructose corn syrup isn’t healthy, in the least. But the damage it can do to our livers, without a single symptom, should be criminal. Protection against, and even reversal of, fatty liver could lie in the right fiber…

Carolyn Gretton

How to slash your risk of AFib by 60 percent

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of irregular heartbeat. It’s also a leading cause of stroke. Risk of devloping it climbs with age but it can also run in families and take your risk even higher. Do this one thing to slash it…

Carolyn Gretton

3 benefits of a daily coffee that cut Afib risk

Afib is a heart rhythm disorder that causes the heart to beat too quickly and irregularly. People with Afib have been warned off coffee for years. But in a shocking turn of events, a daily coffee could help manage the condition. Here are 3 reasons why…

Joyce Hollman

Turn up the tunes to turn down dementia risk

Music has always been a vital part of my life. I depend on my playlist to help my mood, get work done and relax. If music doesn’t play into your life, here’s why it should: Music is medicine that may significantly lower dementia risk…

Carolyn Gretton

Best for blood sugar control: cardio or weights?

Which is better, aerobic exercise or strength training? While the ideal answer is “both,” one is clearly better at improving one aspect of health that, unchecked, is a kick-off point for metabolic disaster…

Joyce Hollman

Weight loss without hunger? Try Hara Hachi Bu

Japanese culture offers a wealth of wisdom on how to nourish the body, including hara hachi bu, one simple principle for shedding weight, getting healthier and feeling satisfied when you leave the table…

Carolyn Gretton

What happens when you stop supplementing omega-3s

Omega-3s are healthy fats your body can’t make on its own. They help lower triglycerides and reduce risk of stroke. Here’s what you should know about getting them from food or supplements and the impact your metabolism could have on your levels…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Processed food fats may not be so bad on our hearts

By now, you’re sure to have heard about the heart health dangers of processed foods. Relax, there’s good news: Some processed food fats may not be nearly as bad for our health as we were led to believe — within reason…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Metformin cancels out the diabetic benefits of exercise

Yes, you read that right. The most popular drug for treating type 2 diabetes may cancel out the biggest benefits expected from exercise when part of a treatment strategy. Beyond diabetes, that may be a setup for long-term health risks…

Carolyn Gretton

Magnesium: An inexpensive defense against colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer rates are rising, so it’s vital to decrease your risk by avoiding lifestyle habits that can raise it. But research reveals the surprising way magnesium goes to work right where the cancer can start…

Carolyn Gretton

The scientific reason it really is better to give than receive

Everyone loves giving and getting gifts. But it seems we enjoy gift-giving a bit more. Turns out the old adage “it’s better to give than to receive” is actually true in terms of the response it elicits from your brain…

Carolyn Gretton

The simple blood test that could detect stroke risk

Stroke often hits with no warning. And your doctor may not even know you have an elevated risk for stroke until you’ve had one. Luckily, researchers may have found a way to detect stroke risk with a simple blood test…

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…

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…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The macronutrient that improves cognitive function fast

Glitches in cognition are unsettling, even if doctors say not to worry. It’s hard to know what the future holds. But supporting brain health with a macronutrient that’s validated to improve things fast, is easy.

Joyce Hollman

A brisk walk lowers a leading cause of stroke by 46%

Hopefully you’ve gotten the memo about the heart benefits of walking. And if you pick up the pace a little, you could avoid a condition that doubles mortality and is a leading cause of stroke…

Carolyn Gretton

How to live disease-free at 70 and beyond

Healthy aging is defined as reaching 70, free of major chronic diseases, with cognitive, physical and mental health intact. What if you’ve thrown caution to the wind for years? Can you turn things around? Here’s proof we can…

Joyce Hollman

The warning bladder leaks could have for your heart

It’s not unusual for research to discover connections between seemingly unrelated conditions. And that’s the crossroad we find ourselves at today, of urinary incontinence, heart problems and stroke…

Carolyn Gretton

Losing it just to gain it back? Blame fat cell memories

It’s beyond infuriating when you work so hard to lose weight, only to see it effortlessly come back. This yo-yo effect is called weight cycling. Stop blaming yourself and understand your enemy to defeat it…

Joyce Hollman

Sex hormones can trigger opioid-like pain relief

Chronic pain is one of the most difficult things someone can face. But a radical discovery can upend how we treat it, explain why some painkillers work better for women than men and reveal why menopause is painful…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Scientists find 109 chemicals never reported in people before

Recently researchers detected 109 chemicals in the bodies of women. Among them were 55 which have never been reported in people before, plus 42 “mystery chemicals” whose sources and uses are a complete unknown. So how do you avoid becoming a walking pool of potentially harmful chemicals?

Carolyn Gretton

The surprising reason fatty liver can double your death risk

Fatty liver has a new name: metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. But it’s just as dangerous, and new research shows how it can practically double the risk of death from a host of unrelated causes.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Don’t trade hot flashes for liver damage

Menopause isn’t for the weak. But a new drug to relieve symptoms like hot flashes is on the market, designed for women for whom HRT could pose risks. Just be careful not to trade your hot flashes for liver damage…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The brain-boosting benefits of surfing the internet

There are lots of warnings linked to too much time on computers, smartphones and tablets. But surprisingly, how you use these devices could support your memory by improving a memory recall impairment linked to Alzheimer’s.

Joyce Hollman

Medicinal cannabis linked to health-related quality of life

Over the past decade or so, study after study and personal reports have demonstrated how cannabis can impact a variety of conditions. Now, it hits a home run in one area that few prescription drugs can touch…

Carolyn Gretton

The fermented, gut-loving benefits of sauerkraut

Wouldn’t it be great if there were just one thing we could do (or take) that could grant us complete health and well-being? The unfortunate truth is that no such “magic bullet” exists. But there is one thing that comes close…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Beef tallow: Benefits, risks and truths behind the trend

You can’t scroll through a social media feed without running across someone touting beef tallow’s benefits. From nutrition to skin care, this “ancestral fat” is definitely having its moment. Should you just jump on the bandwagon?

Carolyn Gretton

Are ultra-processed foods the new smoking?

Ultra-processed foods have been around for decades, but their health effects are finally being called out. Some researchers believe ultra-processed foods may be the new smoking…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

How to handle that ‘growing’ prostate problem

If you open a magazine in a waiting room, you’d think only women face urinary problems. But that “growing problem” men face has them feeling the urgency, too. Finding relief starts with understanding prostate changes…

Joyce Hollman

When low-calorie sweeteners backfire: Increasing cravings & weight

If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s reasonable to think low-calorie sweeteners are a good choice. Not so fast. They cause the opposite effect by hijacking an area of the brain that regulates appetite control and weight.

Joyce Hollman

4 common movements that cause back pain & what helps

The opioid crisis made it painfully evident that drug therapy, the first line of treatment for back pain, isn’t good enough. What can you do? Avoid movements that tweak your back and reach for nutrients that strengthen, relieve, support and heal.

Carolyn Gretton

Parkinson’s toxic triggers and how they enter the brain

Scientists have debated for years about where a protein that plays a crucial role in the development of Parkinson’s Disease originates. But more interesting may be how it gets to the brain…

Carolyn Gretton

Why bad breath is a red flag for liver trouble

From heart disease to dementia, the link between the health of the mouth and the health of the body has been firmly established. But for people with liver trouble, the link may be highest…

Joyce Hollman

The troubling effect gum disease has on COPD

Research has long shown that the health of the mouth is closely linked to the health of the body. Take heart disease. Now, we’re learning how it could exacerbate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Carolyn Gretton

The plant compounds that keep breast cancer from coming back

Surviving breast cancer can be a triumphant moment. But for many women, it’s tempered by the fear it may return. That’s why reasearch into plant compounds that can help are especially hopeful…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The strawberry solution to heart disease and diabetes

Strawberries are the sweetest thing about summer, pun intended. What’s even sweeter is news that eating them isn’t just enjoyable: adding strawberries to your daily diet means better blood sugar and a significantly lower risk of heart disease…

Joyce Hollman

2 factors that protect women from stiff arteries at any age

Stiff arteries, a harbinger of heart disease, can happen for a few reasons. But mostly, it’s another age thing we just have to deal with. But research has found that for women at least, 2 modifiable factors can protect against it — at any age…

Joyce Hollman

40 things that go wrong with your body when you don’t exercise

Hippocrates warned that if all parts of the body “are unused and left idle, they become liable to disease, defective growth and age quickly.” Modern science has proven him right. Here are 40 ways your health can go wrong without exercise.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Sleep impacts microvascular complications in T2D

If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, you know the importance of taking steps to keep your arteries healthy. But if your doctor hasn’t discussed your sleep habits, you could be missing a crucial factor in guarding against microvascular damage.

Carolyn Gretton

1 change in 17 risk factors reduces risk of stroke, dementia and depression

Health conditions start popping up like a game of Whac-a-Mole as we age. Smash one down, and another pops up. That makes prevention our best bet. What better odds than making one change to beat three diseases of the brain?

Joyce Hollman

Phthalates & placenta: The danger that breaches the womb

The placenta was thought to act as a shield protecting a developing baby from harmful substances. But a modern scourge has found a way to get in and wreak havoc. Here’s what moms-to-be need to know…

Carolyn Gretton

Dopamine receptors link pathways from ADHD to Parkinson’s and more

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and the brain’s reward center. New findings about it could lead to new treatments for disorders, including ADHD, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why the fight against colon cancer might start in your mouth

In my work, I see the data regularly and know that colon cancer has been on the rise for several years. As more and more research is being carried out to get to the root causes and slow the tide, a disturbing revelation may have just been found in a surprising place — the mouth.

Joyce Hollman

The common condition accelerating Alzheimer’s

More than a blood sugar problem, T2D can set you on the road to cognitive decline by kickstarting mild cognitive impairment, a transitional phase from cognitive changes in normal aging to those typically found in dementia.

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