Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Jordan Fuller

Why golf is the ultimate social sport for healthy aging 

Aging gracefully is about more than just adding years to your life. It’s about enriching those years with health, vitality and connection. Golf can help because it’s more than just a sport — it’s a pathway to a longer, fuller life. 

Joyce Hollman

When vitamin D helps lower blood pressure the most

Vitamin D is linked to positive impacts from healthy aging to prevention. Its effect on blood pressure has been inconclusive, however. But new research finds it may be a matter of when and who vitamin D can help the most…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Obesity’s fight-or-flight response driving diabetes

Obesity is at the root of most disease, from cancer to heart disease. But it’s most closely linked to is diabetes, hence the term ‘diabesity.’ But another hidden factor driving that connection has been recently uncovered…

Carolyn Gretton

The commonly prescribed pain medication linked to hip fracture

Gabapentinoids have been seen as a safer alternative to opioids for pain. However, they carry with them their own risks — including one debilitating condition that could be a death sentence for older adults…

Joyce Hollman

The high-risk factor for a 2nd cancer diagnosis

Coming out on the other side of a cancer diagnosis is no small feat. But survivors often live looking over their shoulders. Scientists have identified one particularly high risk factor that could leave cancer in the rearview mirror…

Carolyn Gretton

What half an avocado a day does to your blood pressure

Avocados have long been considered a superfood. Yes, they’re high in fat and calories but also contain some valuable nutrition. That’s what caught the attention of researchers looking to put the blood pressure-busting effects of avocados to the test…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why heart attacks are more common in winter

Visits to the ER for heart attacks increase during the winter months. Experts say there are three levels of people for whom this is more likely, and one group never sees it coming. Here’s how to avoid being one of them…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How a mushroom with anti-diabetic properties starves cancer

For thousands of years, medicinal mushrooms have been used for tumor therapy in traditional Chinese medicine. But one stands out because it also has anti-diabetic qualities. And if you know cancer’s favorite fuel source, it’s a no-brainer how it works…

Joyce Hollman

The diet that sheds pounds and keeps your brain from shrinking

Studies have shown it doubles weight loss, slows brain aging and brain atrophy and decreases liver fat. It could be the one diet to answer all our problems. Here’s how to go “green” for a big brain and slimmer waist and liver…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

5 serious health threats tied to menopause

Menopause is a dangerous time for women, beyond breast cancer. So how can you keep ‘the change’ from stealing your health? Whether you’re perimenopausal or post-menopausal, start now to avoid these 5 threats…

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

Even a little licorice can raise your blood pressure

Licorice is candy. But in traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s a medicinal herb. Its powerful effects are why guidelines determined how much was safe to eat. But they were wrong about how little can have deleterious effects…

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…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Foods that send aging into overdrive

I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want to slow aging. Understandably, there’s some skepticism when products claim to. But it can be as simple as avoiding the things that accelerate your rate of aging — like these foods…

Joyce Hollman

Busting the myths about what causes gout

For years, people with gout have been shamed for causing their own pain. It was thought their poor diet elevated uric acid which contributes to painful crystals in joints, like the big toe. Now we know there’s more to the story.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Micro-walks: Short bursts burn more for bigger benefits

If you can bang out close to 10,000 steps a day, more power to you. But there’s a more effecient way to rev up your metabolism and burn 60 percent more calories. This is one health hack that may sound too good to be true, but here’s why it works…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The supplement that trumps a genetic risk for high cholesterol

Thanks to genetics, even diet and exercise may not lower high cholesterol. And since many people ditch medication, researchers seek alternatives. After a study with 400,000 people, they’ve hit on one that’s effective even when it starts with your genes.

Carolyn Gretton

How fermented black garlic slows prostate cancer

Garlic has long had a place at the table and in traditional medicine, where the potent bulb is linked to heart health, reduced inflammation and a strong immune system. Now, taming aggressive cancer cells can be added to the list…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The vitamin deficiency behind restless legs

Being plagued by restless legs can make a good night’s sleep more than difficult. For far too long, RLS has been a miserable and poorly understood condition. But a link between a common vitamin deficiency and a neurotransmitter that may kick off the RLS cycle is stacking up…

Joyce Hollman

Higher vitamin K intake lowers risks to heart and blood vessels

Misguided experts often discourage supplements, as if we all eat a perfect diet. Not today. This time they’re advising more than the standard guidelines suggest for a healthier heart and blood vessels. Here’s how to get the vitamin K (both types!) you need…

Joyce Hollman

The sleep trigger that could prevent a 2nd heart attack

After a heart attack, it makes sense that you’d want to sleep more. But the need for sleep is more than the physical exhaustion of going through a traumatic health event. It’s a signal for healing that if not heeded could mean a 2nd heart attack…

Joyce Hollman

Say goodbye to nighttime leg cramps

Nothing jolts you awake like a leg cramp. Sometimes they’re associated with a serious condition. Other times, they strike from too much or too little exercise. Say hello to this vitamin and goodbye to the pain…

Carolyn Gretton

What triggers cold sores to flareup?

The “cold sore” virus is extremely common. It’s believed to be present in more than half of all Americans. That doesn’t make it any easier to deal with when cold sores flareup. Gaining a better understanding of the virus may…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

The herb that helps you get your groove back

When your adrenals are constantly stressed, this sets off an autoimmune inflammatory response in your entire body. If you’ve got thyroid problems as well, things can go south real fast. The result? Feeling hopelessly stuck — tired, overweight and unhappy. There’s a way out…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

A cardiologist answers: What can apple cider vinegar really do?

Apple cider vinegar is a versatile household staple, from brightening salad dressings to unclogging drains. It’s also touted as a health elixir. How can you separate the hype from the real benefits? See what the doctor has to say…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The environmental threat hardening our arteries

Environmentalists have sounded alarms about the harm it’s doing. But a more dire warning may be the estimated nine million premature deaths that happen each year because it’s hardening our arteries. As a doctor, this is how I’m protecting myself…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The disease-fueling denominator 6 in 10 Americans share

The idea of a healthy diet has been based on older dietary measures that steer us towards food groups or specific macronutrients. But it’s the effect of food inside the body that’s the common denominator fueling disease…

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?

Joyce Hollman

Sleep longer with this 3-minute activity

Changes to your circadian rhythm that happen with age can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. That in turn, can increase your risk for heart trouble. This easy 3-minute activity can help you beat both…

Joyce Hollman

The not-so-surprising reason these OTC decongestants will be banned

With cold and flu season approaching, you need to hear an ugly truth: Many decongestants we’ve turned to for sinus pain and pressure have been deemed ineffective and will leave drugstore shelves soon. Here’s why some work and some don’t…

Carolyn Gretton

8 proven benefits you only get from extra-virgin olive oil

After decades of research proving the many health benefits of olive oil, we’ve gotten the message. But it may be a little cloudy. To lower risk of heart and cognitive problems, cancer and risk of death with a spoonful a day or two, only one olive oil stands out…

Joyce Hollman

Vitamin B12’s impact on multiple sclerosis treatment

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that current treatments can only slow. But a missing link between B12 signaling and MS has the potential to fight neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, not only for MS but also for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s…

Jedha Dening

A simple trick to lower morning blood sugar

Gaining tight control over your daily blood sugar levels by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, stressing less and getting good quality sleep, will all help control your morning readings. But there is one simple trick that may help even more…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How heart disease, anxiety and depression feed off each other

The sympathetic nervous system is part of the involuntary nervous system that increases heart rate, blood pressure and also contributes to anxiety and depression. Finally research is realizing how heart disease, anxiety and depression can promote each other and worsen outcomes…

Joyce Hollman

13 ways to make the holidays safe for your pet

Having a pet is not only heart-warming, it’s good for you. So it’s only fair we protect our pets and keep them safe, too. This can be especially challenging during the holiday season. Here are more than a dozen tips for making the season safe for your furry friends.

Carolyn Gretton

Supplements that fight 4 roadblocks to healthy aging

Who doesn’t want to keep their health and independence as we get older? But our bodies tend to deteriorate in ways that make that difficult. Luckily, a review of supplements shows we don’t have to sit back and let these conditions wreck our lives…

Joyce Hollman

3 spices that tackled A1C, fasting glucose, insulin and won

Spices are at the top of the ORAC scale. That means they have exceptional anitoxidant capacity to keep oxidative stress from ruining our health. And when it comes to type 2 diabetes, three really stand out against three threats to your glycemic profile…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Smoking’s link to dangerous belly fat

Despite all we know about the dangers of smoking, nearly one in 12 U.S. adults still does. And while many of them may want to kick the habit, concerns about weight gain is one excuse holding them back. If only they knew the irony of what smoking does to their belly fat…

Joyce Hollman

Think twice about beta-blockers after a heart attack

Beta-blockers are often prescribed to prevent a second heart attack. But they come with risks of their own. And research shows not everyone benefits from them. This new information will help you talk to your doctor before you decide if they’re right for you.

Carolyn Gretton

How heart disease fuels cancer growth

There are a few risk factors that heart disease and cancer have in common, including smoking, diabetes and obesity. But a new connection that has surfaced goes deep inside the body and involves an injured or diseased heart’s release of tiny bubbles that promote the growth of cancer cells.

Carolyn Gretton

ACV: From ancient remedy to social media sensation

Social Media’s favorite new health fad, apple cider vinegar, is actually thousands of years old. But it’s experiencing a resurgence for its potential in treating some modern ailments that have grown in prevalence over the past several years…

Joyce Hollman

The daytime secret to better sleep at night

If you have trouble sleeping, or you feel tired in the morning, and you’ve tried everything under the sun (and moon), it’s time to examine what your day looks like. It may hold the secret to the elusive and essential sleep your health depends on…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The free solution to ‘dry eye’ you can do at home

When you blink, your eyes are awash with a substance known as “tear film.” It keeps your eyes moist and feeling great. But when it’s compromised, you suffer from dry, irritated eyes. You’ve probably tried the prescription and even the over-the-counter drops to find relief. Save your money, and try this…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

When benign essential tremor spells trouble

When the word “benign” appears before essential tremor it implies “not harmful.” But the word “mild” before “cognitive impairment,” doesn’t mean you’re only “mildly” losing your memory. It can get worse, and a surprising association with tremors is why you need to know that…

Carolyn Gretton

Healthier ‘made with real fruit’ products to reach for in a crunch

Most of us still aren’t eating enough fruit. That’s why in a crunch you may reach for a “made with real fruit” alternative. But how much fruit is really there is anyone’s guess. The only thing for sure is the added sugars. Here’s how to tell the good from the bad choices…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Sex-specific activities drive men’s higher risk of ALS

While most of us probably think that Lou Gehrig’s disease or ALS is genetic, the truth is 90 percent of people who get the disease have no family history. But research has honed in on the toxic secret driving ALS and the sex-specific link…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Are you sleeping enough to finish your brain’s wash cycle?

When you fall asleep tonight, the dishwasher in your brain will turn on. It won’t keep you awake while it silently washes out metabolic waste left from the fuel your brain needs to run on. But if you’re not sleeping well and your neurons aren’t up to the task, waste buildup could spell trouble…

Joyce Hollman

Trouble exercising to lower blood pressure? Just sit less

Exercise isn’t easy, even if you’re young, fit and healthy. But it can get even harder with age. If you’re worried about your blood pressure but find exercise difficult, you can still lower your numbers practically as much simply by sitting less…

Carolyn Gretton

The unique way polyphenols improve heart and brain health

Polyphenols may keep cardiovascular and neurodegenerative conditions at bay, but how they do what they do in the body has been a mystery, until now. Researchers have nailed it down and provided a nice list of benefits you don’t want to miss out on and the foods that supply them.

Joyce Hollman

A blood test could predict how fast you’re aging

Some of us are healthy agers, while probably a lot more of us are rapid agers. Being in the latter group means your body is much older than your driver’s license may say. What if a blood test could clue you in to heading off that destruction and deterioration?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The symptoms that predict whether MCI turns to Alzheimer’s

Living with mild cognitive impairment can keep you up at night wondering if memory lapses are just that, or if they will progress. In other words, if you have MCI how likely are you to develop Alzheimer’s and will you or family members be able to see it coming?

Joyce Hollman

The indestructible toxin attacking your immune system

PFAS are “forever chemicals” that poison your drinking water and sneak into your body via furniture, clothing, take-out and dental floss, too. They’re hard to avoid. And now we know how they cause disease: by destroying the most important parts of our immune system…

Carolyn Gretton

How to start feeling younger overnight

Is feeling old keeping you from doing the things you want to, even the things you once enjoyed? Studies have shown that “feeling” can have a real impact on your health. Here’s how to ditch it and start feeling younger overnight…

Joyce Hollman

Eggs’ bad rap cheats those who need their benefits most

For far too long, too many misconceptions about eating eggs have had us second-guessing: Are eggs good for us or as bad as they say? Fortunately, attitudes are changing and research like the latest shows giving up eggs can lead to cracks in your health when you need them most…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Reducing the unique high blood pressure threat of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis comes with a 50 percent higher risk of fatal heart problems. That makes it less surprising that people with RA often have high blood pressure. Luckily, research found a solution with benefits that accumulate for long-term blood pressure reduction.

Joyce Hollman

Why the red meat-colon cancer link is higher for some

The colon is the last stop in your digestive system, so it stands to reason that food can significantly impact the risk of colon cancer, especially red and processed meats. But new research shows why that risk is even higher for some of us, and how we can take it down…

Carolyn Gretton

10 reasons your leg could be hurting

Sometimes if you have leg pain, the cause is obvious. But there are times when you may not be sure what’s going on. And whatever the source, no one wants to suffer through pain, wondering if the cause is anything serious or not. Here are 10 reasons you could be experiencing leg pain…

Carolyn Gretton

New prostate cancer therapy offers fewer side effects, more hope

Prostate cancer therapy hasn’t provided many choices other than surgery or radiation. And given the life-altering side effects those options cause, it’s time for some good news — as in less-invasive and fewer side effects…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

The significant link between blood pressure, anxiety and depression

There are multiple factors that can contribute to high blood pressure that are reversible. The ones that come to mind include excess weight, smoking, inactivity and poor diet. But have you considered the impact of anxiety, stress and depression on your numbers? Here’s why you should…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

This ‘living drug’ could be the real fountain of youth

No need to travel to Florida. New findings reveal the real fountain of youth is much closer to home. Tweaking our own T cells, immune system cells, is the start of what scientists are calling a “living drug” to halt the ravages of time…

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