Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Joyce Hollman

What cocoa does for healthier arteries

Peripheral artery disease is a condition in which your arteries are narrowed and can’t carry enough blood to the parts of your body furthest from your heart, like your arms and legs. It increases heart attack and stroke risk, too. Its early signs can be surprising, but perhaps not so much as the spice that can help…

Joyce Hollman

The treatment that can keep a ‘broken heart’ from killing you

Can you really die of a broken heart? Previous studies leave little doubt. In fact, a person’s risk of having a heart attack increased 21 times over in the day immediately following the death of a loved one, and six times in the following week. It’s serious enough that doctors are looking at how to prevent a ‘grief heart attack’…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

What really matters about cholesterol in the big scheme of things

Cholesterol remains one of the most confusing areas of both nutrition and heart health. So, I’ll break it all down for you here… First, you need to know the difference between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. Because one is a scapegoat that’s stealing the spotlight and keeping your focus from where it needs to be…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The best first-aid step for minor burns to avoid scarring or worse

What do you do when you’re taking that hot bowl of soup out of the microwave and it splashes on your hand, blistering your skin and bringing you to tears? Everyone has their own ideas on how to treat a burn. But if you make the wrong choice you could end up with scarring, needing a skin graft or fighting a nasty infection…

Jenny Smiechowski

Sick of being told what to eat? Try the anti-diet

Many of us have lost our natural ability to simply eat. We worry we eat too much or too little. We count calories or eliminate entire food groups. Wouldn’t it be nice to let go of oppressive dieting rules and learn to eat intuitively again, just like when you were young? Here are 8 simple ways to make eating fun again…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Can trying too hard ruin your chance at happiness?

Here in the U.S., our Declaration of Independence says that each of us is entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Another very American mantra is to try and try again. But for a lot of us, following that advice is resulting in the exact opposite of what we’re looking for…

Jenny Smiechowski

Is it possible to get fiber’s fantastic health benefits without the bloat?

When you embrace healthy habits, so many good things happen… Your skin clears up. You have more energy. Your mood is lighter. But occasionally, healthy living comes with a side effect or two. Take high-fiber diets as an example… there’s a definite downside. If the bloating is unbearable here are tips to get past it…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

7 warning signs of a thyroid problem

That butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your throat, known as the thyroid, may be small, but it packs quite a punch when it comes to your health. According to the American Thyroid Association, up to 60 percent of Americans with thyroid issues don’t know it’s causing their problems. Watch for these common signs…

Joyce Hollman

Can stress really turn your hair gray?

When Marie Antoinette was captured during the French Revolution, her hair reportedly turned white overnight. One look at “before and after” photos of most American presidents tells the same story. We’ve all heard tales of people who turned gray after a stressful event. But what does science say about it?

Jenny Smiechowski

The surprising reason yogurt lowers breast cancer risk

If you’re looking for an easy way to take a bite out of your breast cancer risk, eating more yogurt is a safe and simple way to stack the deck in your favor. That’s because bacterial-induced inflammation may be at the root of cancer in general… but more specifically breast cancer. Here’s some solid evidence…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

One vital reason men may want to cut down on dairy

Check out any current food pyramid and you’ll still see a tall glass of milk taking its place of honor in the dairy section of the chart. But, is dairy really heathy for us? Well, according to a new study, the answer might be a resounding no — especially for all the men out there trying to avoid prostate cancer…

Joyce Hollman

The common factor that makes gum disease as dangerous as diabetes, obesity and heart disease

Inflammaging means that, as we age, our bodies become progressively more inflamed. The immune system army has been fighting disease for years, and it’s left some ‘destruction’ behind in its wake. So it’s time to get serious about the common factor behind this unifying theory of disease…

Jenny Smiechowski

Algae may be just what you need to make your gut alright

Our guts are ailing us on a massive scale. Acid reflux, ulcers, constipation, diverticulitis, leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, food allergies and intolerances. Something is not agreeing with our guts. The question is… what can we do about it?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

DIY vertigo relief corrects a surprising cause of this dizzying condition

If you suddenly feel as if the world is spinning around you, you could have a condition known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV. BPPV’s vertigo-inducing spin can be frustrating, nauseating and limiting. And, the experts say that it’s all caused by tiny crystals in your ears. Here’s one way to beat BPPV…

Jenny Smiechowski

The belly fat and repeat heart attack connection medicine can’t save you from

In the months and years after a heart attack, there’s concern about having another one. After all, 20 percent of people who’ve had a heart attack have a second one within five years. Worrying, though, won’t prevent another, and neither will medicine for that matter. But your belly fat might…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

A cardiologist’s warning about giving up the carbs

As a cardiologist who’s always been interested in nutrition, I encourage you to step away from the hype and the false trends, move beyond macronutrients, and follow the dietary advice that has stood the test of time, allows humans to live long well, and is profoundly elegant, simple and sound, starting with carbs…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The flavonols found to reduce Alzheimer’s risk by almost 50 percent

You’ve probably heard of antioxidants. They’re the healthy compounds that fight free radical damage from the oxidative stress caused by everything from exposure to U.V. rays to eating fried foods and even your body’s own physiological processes. Now, the effect of one kind at keeping Alzheimer’s away has been measured, and it’s amazing…

Joyce Hollman

Doctors finally admit they’re rushing patients to unnecessary treatments

When you’re contemplating surgery, there are two things you’re probably thinking about: How expensive will it be? And, more importantly, how risky will it be? A third question should be: is this surgery even necessary?

Jenny Smiechowski

4 health conditions CBD helps the most according to Johns Hopkins

Cannabidiol has the potential to improve a lot of people’s health. But what conditions will it work for? That question’s a doozy. Especially since there’s a lot of misinformation out there about what cannabidiol can and can’t do. But recent research by the ‘big guns’ shows that CBD is helpful for at least four health conditions, and probably more…

Joyce Hollman

4+ ways strength training protects you from disease and frailty

We know by now that exercise is not an option… but not for the reason most often associated with exercise, like getting in shape. Without some form of regular exercise, most of will find it hard to live a long, full, healthy life, avoid cancer and weak bones and the telltale signs of frailty creeping in…

Margaret Cantwell

The kidney disease research that could save hearts

For far too long, saving our hearts has focused on one thing: cholesterol. But heart research into another growing health problem may intersect this blind spot of cardiovascular research to provide an answer for two very serious health conditions that both lead to vascular calcification… and hearts that give out.

Margaret Cantwell

10 researched ways to reduce your breast cancer risk

I don’t know about you, but I was so sad to hear that actress Shannen Doherty’s cancer is back… and with a vengeance. It’s a risk many of us worry about, and some, more so than others, have an elevated risk. Though there is no cure, we can lessen those risks, starting with these simple habits, backed by research…

Joyce Hollman

Ginger’s potential to ward of superbugs and other ways to avoid nosocomial infections

When you’re admitted to a hospital, whether for surgery or an illness, you expect to come out healthier than you went in, or at least not sicker. Unfortunately, for one in every ten people, just the opposite happens. While in the hospital, those people contract a nosocomial infection.

Jenny Smiechowski

The most widely-consumed cooking oil’s alarming brain side effects

It’s one of the most popular ingredients in packaged foods… from bread to protein bars to chips to lunch meat. And then there’s restaurant food. So even if you don’t cook with it, you’re likely eating it. Research links it to diabetes and fatty liver disease, and now the brain…

Joyce Hollman

Can we avoid the cancer-causing forever chemicals in our water?

Once you’re exposed to perfluoroalkyl substances or PFAs, they end up in your bloodstream forever. In fact, PFAs can be seen in the bloodwork of 99 percent of Americans. PFAs are carcinogenic. They’re linked to thyroid, liver and kidney disease. Here’s how to cut down on exposure and detox what’s there already…

Jenny Smiechowski

The ‘fat overspill’ mechanism behind type 2 diabetes and how to reverse it

Fat is normally stored under our skin, but when there’s too much, we run out of room. The amount of fat that you can store under your skin varies from person to person. But what happens once you run out of room? Scientists discovered it gets caught up in an overspill mechanism that can be reversed…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The dairy choice that slows aging by almost five years

Some people say we should avoid milk completely. Others will tell you to only go with whole milk because the fats in it are good for your brain. How do you know what’s right? Well, a new study is shedding more light on the subject, at least when it comes to how fast you age…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why a cancer warning could get slapped on this popular painkiller

Phenacetin was a popular painkiller until 1983 when the FDA banned it because of its connection to cancer. Good riddance, right? Not so fast… it’s connected to a very popular OTC pain killer on our drugstore shelves right now that may increase the risk of several cancers, including kidney, bladder and blood cancer…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

When natural isn’t healthy and reduced sodium is a hoax

From “natural” to “non-GMO,” food labels can make almost any item in the grocery store appear good for you. But we know that most processed foods are far from healthy. If you’re confused in the grocery store aisles, here’s Dr. Klodas’ guide to exactly what all the labels mean…

Joyce Hollman

5 secret side effects of exercise that have nothing to do with fitness

It’s no secret that a sedentary lifestyle, where the most exercise you get is standing up from your chair, can be deadly. Just doing any sort of exercise regularly can protect your best years. Because staying active does much more than control blood pressure and prevent strokes and heart attacks.

Dr. Mark Wiley

The safe way to treat low back pain

Low back pain seems to be a common thread that plagues many people. Not only is it one of the leading causes of primary care office visits in the United States, but it has also been reported that 2.63 million annual hospital emergency department visits are related to low back pain.

Easy Health Options Staff

Avoid this starch and you miss out on colon cancer protection

If you want to resist colon cancer, a starch known as “resistant” starch offers a way to lower your risk. You can consume this special starch in a variety of foods, but you have to eat them the right way.

Easy Health Options Staff

Sweets in the house: Tips on avoiding temptation

The holiday season has begun and Halloween is one of my favorites. That means there may be enough candy to binge on for days and weeks in my house soon, and all that sugar is not good for one person. So the dilemma I’m facing: What to do with all this candy? Try this…

Debra Atkinson

How to look 5 pounds thinner instantly

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That’s what mom would say. But hype and gimmicks aside, I’ve got a quick routine that can actually help you look thinner — and feel healthier — in about 10 minutes.

Craig Cooper

Natural testosterone boosters that work

It is entirely possible to boost your T levels without resorting to testosterone replacement therapy by learning which natural testosterone treatments work and applying them on a consistent basis. Here are ten great ones to get you going…

Jenny Smiechowski

Are unnecessary medical tests giving you Alzheimer’s?

You can exercise, eat a healthy diet, keep your brain stimulated and stay socially connected — all proven ways to reduce your Alzheimer’s risk. But even if you do all that, there’s still another risk factor you may be overlooking…

Jenny Smiechowski

Mull this over: Berry compound helps you burn fat

There’s one kind you want more of — brown fat. Brown fat is healthy fat that causes your body to burn more calories. In fact, its main purpose in your body is to keep your body warm by burning calories to generate heat. What if all your fat could be that easy to burn?

Easy Health Options Staff

How to make friends, influence people and survive the office germs

There’s a simple health habit that takes 20 seconds to perform but provides health protection 24/7. And it will make you the toast of the office because, let’s face it, no one likes that co-worker who sneezes into their hands and spreads their germs all around the office — especially during cold and flu season.

Easy Health Options Staff

Try the magic elixir that keeps colds and flu away

Even if you don’t eat an apple a day to keep the healthcare practitioner away, researchers have something else that can boost your health: a daily, desirable beverage that helps your immune system beat off the colds, flu and other illnesses that go from house to house each year.

Easy Health Options Staff

Look at this to check your cancer risk

If you want to know what type of cancer you are most at risk for, take a look at your paycheck. While both rich and poor get cancer, the kind of cancer that presents the highest risk for you could depend on how much you earn and the affluence of your neighborhood.

Dr. Isaac Eliaz

Heart health and blood pressure: What really works

What causes high blood pressure? Unfortunately, it’s complicated, and there isn’t just one smoking gun. High blood pressure, aka hypertension, can be caused by age, weight, chronic stress, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, smoking or other issues. Usually though, hypertension is caused by…

Jenny Smiechowski

Cracked: How to quadruple lifesaving antioxidant benefits

Vitamin E has impressive abilities at fighting free radicals that cause heart disease, Alzheimer’s, eye disease and even cancer. It can also boost your immune system, improve blood flow and prevent blood clots. But your body is struggling to absorb it…

Jenny Smiechowski

Do you need an Rx for more rest?

You’ve heard all about the benefits of being active and exercising. But what about the benefits of some good old fashioned down time? The truth is they’re equally as important to your health. The trick is striking the right balance, which most people aren’t doing.

Dr. Mark Wiley

Meditation: Harvard says it really works!

Today, there are enough people practicing meditation, and enough research, that meditation is gaining ground as perhaps the best overall non-medical practice for promoting well-being. And science shows the practice really changes your brain — and your health.

Dr. Michael Cutler

IBS: Getting specific about non-specific pain

Non-specific abdominal discomfort is a very common complaint among my patients, as well as many people across the country. These complaints often result from various causes that contribute to a perplexing disorder known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The cause can be as individual as the person, but there is hope…

Easy Health Options Staff

Too much insulin is shrinking your brain

This is true even if you don’t have diabetes. Yes, research at the University of Pennsylvania shows that type 2 diabetes is linked to accelerated brain degeneration.

Easy Health Options Staff

Give your DNA the edge over cancer

Have you heard of epigenetics? Sounds like science fiction, right? It’s definitely science, but the reason this is important is that the study of epigenetics is the study of why your DNA is not your destiny.

Jenny Smiechowski

Should you really feed a cold and starve a fever?

You’ve probably heard the old saying “Feed a cold, starve a fever.” But is there any truth to it? A recent study suggests it’s probably not as accurate as your mom led you to believe. In fact, there may be a new adage to guide you next time you’re feeling under the weather…

Jenny Smiechowski

The surprising health threat your BMI reveals

You’ve probably figured out your body mass index (BMI). But the jury’s been out on what this number really tells you about your weight or your health. Despite its faults, the latest research suggests BMI can tell you one important thing… the future of your brain health.

Dr. Brad Cutler

Four important factors for optimal health

One of my main health goals is to feel good each day. I’ve found something that works for me, and I want to share it with you. I don’t know anyone who couldn’t use more energy. It’s not half as complicated as you may think either…

Dr. Michael Cutler

Cholesterol and heart disease: Prepare to be mind-blown

Testing for cholesterol has been the standard used to evaluate heart disease risk for decades. But if you look at all the data, you might be surprised. Cholesterol itself is not even a real cause of heart disease. It’s time you heard the truth…

Debra Atkinson

How to avoid the weight-gain ‘souvenir’ when traveling

With the holidays around the corner, travel may be on your horizon. With a little forethought you can make your travels more enjoyable, lessen your mental and physical stress and survive them without bringing home an unwanted souvenir — excess baggage around your middle.

Margaret Cantwell

Watch out for this food-borne ‘flu’

One of my friends came to me the other day. She was not feeling well and had lost much of her energy. She had decided to follow a new diet after learning about the success I had in turning my health around when I first converted all those years ago. But I forgot to warn her…

Dr. Mark Wiley

Tone your abs and hamstrings with toe taps

The core muscles are very important for the stability posture of the entire body. The hamstrings help move and bend the legs and balance the lower body. Often one of these areas is stronger or weaker than the other, and muscle imbalance occurs. When this happens, your posture is shifted and can cause pain.

Cara McCarthy

The proper way to clean your produce

Did you know that pesticides, poop and people have likely touched your produce? Here are 3 steps for getting fruits and veggies safe and ready for consumption.

Dr. Terry Wahls

An epidemic much larger than Ebola

Ebola has cost thousands of lives. It is infectious and terrifying because of its ability to rapidly spread and kill. People are understandably afraid. Governments are struggling to contain the epidemic. I think we are missing a key component in containing this and other future epidemics. That is the health of the host.

Margaret Cantwell

10 ways to reduce your risk of breast cancer

With or without pink ribbons to remind you, the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign has done a very good job of getting the message of early screening across. So what I’m going to say about mammograms may surprise you… If you’re relying on them to save you from breast cancer you could be in trouble…

Craig Cooper

5 supplements every man over 50 should consider

Why are supplements so important? No matter how hard you try, you just can’t get all the nutrients you need, especially to avoid or fight disease, recover from treatment, maintain a healthy lifestyle and feel good, as well as meet the special needs every man faces…

Easy Health Options Staff

Just minutes to live…

Strokes and heart attacks are frightening. Most people are aware that they have just hours if not minutes to get life-saving treatment. So if there were a method that only took a few minutes but would allow you to prevent these killers?

Easy Health Options Staff

The anti-diabetes burger?

The food choices we’re offered at the store by manufacturers make it very difficult to lose extra pounds, or keep excess fat off your body. But, research shows there’s a food you can eat for dinner that may help control…

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