Oz's Orders 4/30/10

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/30/2010

The three things Doctor Oz wants you to remember from this show:

1.  Keep bird feeders 50 feet from home
to prevent unwanted pests from living under your roof

2.  Protect yourself from the sun
use a sunscreen with zinc or titanium dioxide to eliminate harmful UV rays

3.  Kill your cravings
try sunflower seeds instead of chocolate which trigger similar feel good hormones without the extra calories

Health is a lifelong journey.  Start it today!

Oz's Orders 4/29/10

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/29/2010

Three tips from Doctor Oz that you want to remember and share with a friend!

1.  Drink 3 cups of green tea daily.  This can reduce your risk of breast cancer by 50%.

2.  Wash infested (with lice) clothing and seal in bags for 2 weeks.

3.  Replace cheese in fettucine with cauliflower. 

Check out the book 10 Things You Need to Eat for recipes.

Oz's Orders 4/28/10

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/28/2010

The three things Doctor Oz wants you to remember from the show!

1.  Add 2 years to your life by eating beans daily

2.  Prevent Athlete's Foot by rubbing feet with lemon

3.  To increase metabolism drink 3 cups of Green Tea daily

Pass it on!

4/27/10 Highlights

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/27/2010

Today in the first segment, Doctor Oz talked about health supplements like chondroitin and green tea extract.  You have to be very careful when you buy them because they can contain illegal ingredients that are not listed on the label and they can have a different potency than what is listed.  Doctor Oz suggests buying single ingredient supplements at big chain stores.

Of course, it is best to get what you need from whole foods.  A diet high in fruits and vegetables will help you get a variety of vitamins and minerals.  The more color there is in your diet, the more nutritious it is. 

Remember, the foods that nourish us come from the ground, not a lab!

Oz's Orders 4/26/10

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/26/2010

The three things Doctor Oz wants you to remember from the show:

1.  Include iron-rich foods like raisins and soybeans in your diet
If you're always exhausted, you may not be getting enough iron in your diet.  To boost your body's iron stores, you can add raisins, soybeans, spinach and fortified cereal to your diet.

2.  Sharing personal items can cause infection
Be careful about what you borrow.  Using someone else's razor or wearing their earrings can expose you to dangerous infections.

3.  Mocktail recipes on DoctorOz.com
Instead of ending your day with the usual cocktail, try a mocktail

Remember, good health doesn't begin at the doctor's office but with the small decisions we each make every day.

You Can Reverse Heart Disease!

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/14/2010

I was fascinated by this episode.  Doctor Oz along with Dr. Dean Ornish provided a three step program to reverse heart disease.

1.  Get the plaque out of your arteries.  Eat a diet where only 10% of the calories come from fat, 15-20% come from protein and 70-75% come from complex carbohydrates.

2.  Reduce inflammation of the artery wall.  Get 30 minutes of exercise every day.  Doing so can cut your risk of premature death in half.

3.  Stop heart from spasming and make arteries more elastic.  The key to this is de-stressing.  Stress levels can be lowered through yoga and meditation.  It is extremely beneficial to meditate for up to one hour daily.

What amazed me about this episode was that there was a guest who participated in Dr Ornish's study over 20 years ago.  At the time, he had so much pain it was difficult for him to take a shower or walk.  He was actually waiting for a heart transplant.  Following the three steps above, he was able to get healthy.  He didn't need the heart transplant and he's healthy and energetic now.  Dr. Ornish said he looks better now than he did over 25 years ago.

Getting healthy takes some work.  It requires a commitment.  The rewards are immense though.  Personally, I would rather never be on the heart transplant list so I'm trying to take care of myself now.  The reason this struck me is that I would've thought that a person that needed a heart transplant was beyond repair.  I was wrong!  Clearly it doesn't matter if you are in bad shape, you can make a change and you can improve your health.  Start today!

Oz's Orders 4/23/10

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/23/2010

Today on the show -

Fatal attraction:  secret ways your spouse is destroying your health:  ways a spouse may destroy one's health; three generations lose weight; psoriasis

The three things Doctor Oz wants you to remember from the show:

1.  beware of 3rd hand smoke

2.  sleep on your side to eliminate snoring

3.  prevent psoriasis - use a vitamin D cream

Make healthy choices and your body will thank you!

Oz's Orders 4/22/10

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/22/2010

Three things Doctor Oz wants you to remember:

1.  avoid technology overload

2.  prevent bed bugs

3.  eat away the years

We are always learning.  Share your knowledge!

Oz's Orders 4/21/10

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/21/2010

Doctor Oz would like everyone to keep the following three things in mind:

1.  menopause may cause sleeplessness

2.  reduce indoor allergens

3.  choose foods high in choline to boost your memory

Getting healthy isn't going to happen overnight.  It's a journey.  Learn something new every day and apply it to your life.  Today is the best day to start!

Oz's Orders 4/19/10

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/19/2010

Here are three tips Doctor Oz wants you to take from the show!

1.  prevent glaucoma by eating foods rich in vitamin A

2.  soothe poison ivy by taking a tea bath

3.  provide a scratching post for cat in home

Take one of these tips and apply it in your life.  Getting healthy is easier if we all do it together!

Oz's Orders 4/16/10

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/16/2010

Here are the three things Doctor Oz wants you to remember from the show!

1.  For allergy relief, use a neti pot.

2.  Download the 5 minute de-stress plan on doctoroz.com.

3.  To ease joint pain, eat strawberries.

Share what you learn with one more person and together, we'll get the word out.  Be healthy!!!

The Dr Oz Show 4/15/2010

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/15/2010

Oz's Orders
1.  download de-clutter checklist on doctoroz.com
2.  aging can cause unwanted hair growth
3.  use saline drops to prevent dry eyes

A cluttered home is a sign of something that is going on inside.  When you work through your emotions, you will be able to get rid of the junk. 

The Doctor Oz Show 4/14/2010

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/14/2010

Oz's Orders

1.  download heart disease challenge on doctoroz.com

2.  to prevent blisters use anti-perspirant on feet

3.  do hip raises to strengthen glutes

Get well one step at a time!

The Dr Oz Show 4/12/2010

From The Doctor Oz Show
Aired 4/12/2010

Dr Oz's Ultimate Back Pain Clinic:  The top three sources of back pain, Dr Oz's wife, Lisa, offers tips on building family unity.

Oz's Orders
1.  try willow bark for back pain
2.  don't leave a sore throat untreated
3.  add natural cures to your medicine cabinet

Unemployment and Your Health

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/6/2010

Unemployment can wreak havoc on your health.  Of the things that cause us the most stress, financial matters are at the top of the list.  All the stress can lead to weight loss or gain, insomnia and high blood pressure.  What can you do to protect yourself?

Doctor Oz highlighted three things you can do to help reduce stress. 

#1  Follow a regular routine.  You may not have to get up at a certain time anymore, but you should.  You should get up and get dressed.  Don't just sit around watching TV in your pajamas.  Look for a job, work on your resume, do little projects around the house.  You want to continue to feel useful. 

#2  Get out for one hour every day.  It doesn't really matter where you go, although I would recommend something that doesn't cost money.  A walk, bike ride or rollerblading is great.  That way you will get the vitamin D that you need, which will help you stay positive.  You will also see other people and get some social interaction that you used to get at work.

#3  Exercise.  Exercise is great to combat depression and stress.  Eating healthy will also help you keep your spirits up.  The healthier you are, the better you will feel, the more confident you will be, the more someone will want to hire you!

If you are unemployed it is a great time to start getting healthy.  You shouldn't be eating out anyway so start making simple, healthy meals at home.  Get into an exercise routine and be sure and keep it up once you find a job.  You'll have the life you always wanted!

Protect Yourself From Superbugs

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/6/2010

Superbugs are gram negative bacteria.  It is pretty scary that people usually get them in hospitals.  Here are three things you can do to reduce your risk.

1.  Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.  Washing your hands is your number one defense against a lot of things.  When your hands are lathered, scrape the palm of your hand with your nails to make sure you get soap under your nails.

2.  Ask before you take an antibiotic.  Doctor Oz said that 10% of the adults who go to the doctor complaining of a sore throat need antibiotics but 70% get a prescription.  Don't just ask for antibiotics or just take antibiotics.  Make sure you actually need them.

3.  Get out of the hospital.  Like I said, this is where people get infected with this bacteria.  If you are in the hospital, make sure that everyone that comes in washes their hands.  Get out of the hospital as soon as you can.

It is pretty scary, I have to say.  In addition to these three steps, getting healthy is of course a protection.  Eating healthy and exercise boost your immune system.  Start taking care of yourself today!

Foods You Should Throw Out

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/5/2010

Doctor Oz talked about snacks and named three unhealthy foods you should not eat.  If you have them in your pantry, throw them out. 

The first one is unhealthy because it is so high in sodium.  It is a can of chicken noodle soup and it has 840 mg of sodium.  Always check the sodium content of any foods you buy.  Go for the low sodium variety.

The second food that you don't want to eat is high in sugar.  This is actually a drink that has 24 g of sugar - apple juice.  It is a much better idea to eat an apple.

The third food you want to avoid is tuna salad.  It is very high in calories at 383 calories. 

If you want to eat healthy, you have to avoid all foods high in sugar and salt.  If you want to lose weight, you definitely don't want to snack on high calorie foods.  Getting healthy requires you to watch what you eat.  The healthiest diet is full of whole foods.  An apple is a great snack.  Make one good choice today!

Are you happy?

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/5/2010

Today Doctor Oz had a guest on the show that is a Debbie Downer.  Do you bring down everybody around you?  Do you always have something negative to say?  If so, this show was for you.

Negativity is actually harmful.  Happy people are more creative, more productive, make more money and are healthier.  We could all use that!

So, what can you do if you are negative and unhappy?  The author of this book, The How Of Happiness, was on the show and shared 28 days to a happier you.  Week 1 you start keeping a daily diary.  Several times per day, write down what you are doing and who you are with.  Then write how happy you feel.  After a while, you will be able to pinpoint the things that make you feel happy so you can do more of them.  During Week 2, you fake it until you make it.  If you act happy and smile more, you will actually feel happier.  In Week 3 you will want to create a diversion.  Something to distract you when you start over-thinking and thinking negatively.  One thing you can do is have a rubber band around your wrist and when your thoughts turn negative, snap it.  Finally, in Week 4 you will perform one random act of kindness every day.  Giving and helping others gives us a surge of positive emotions that make us happier.  It can be feeding the meter for somebody or just telling someone they look nice.

Happy people are healthier so part of getting healthy is getting happy.  Living a healthy lifestyle can help you be happier.  Foods that are bad for us depress us so eating healthy can lift our mood.  Exercise is another great way to elevate our mood.  If weight loss is your goal, reaching it will make you feel happy.  Eating healthy and getting regular exercise will help you lose weight and feel happier so it's the best thing for you all around.  Health is not just physical but also mental and emotional.  So, smile and compliment someone today!

The DNA Diet

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 4/5/2010

Today Doctor Oz talked about the DNA Diet.  Our genes can explain why some people lose weight on certain diets and others don't.  That is because our genes influence how we metabolize foods.  Dr David Katz was a guest.  He works in this field.  Keri Glassman, a nutritionist, was also a guest.

The three diets that were discussed were the low fat diet, the low carb diet and the balanced diet.  Answer the questions to find out which will work best for you.

Low Fat Diet
Does heart disease run in your family?
Do you have low energy levels often?
Do you have high LDL levels?

If you answered yes to these questions you may achieve that elusive weight loss with a low fat diet.  Your calories would be broken up as 70% coming from carbs, 15% coming from protein and 15% coming from fat.

Low Carb Diet
Do you carry weight around your middle?
Do you have high blood pressure?
Are your triglyceride levels high?

If the answer is yes, you may be able to lose weight with a low carb diet.  If so, 30% of your daily calories should come from protein, 30% from carbs and 40% from fat.

Balanced Diet
Is there a history of heart disease and diabetes in your family?
Are you of Mediterranean ethnicity?
Are you prone to indigestion or constipation?

If this describes you, you could benefit from a balanced diet.  If you want to eat a balanced diet, 50% of your daily calories should come from carbs, 20% from protein and 30% from fat.

Of course, it's not enough to follow the calorie breakdowns.  It is important to make sure that your calories are coming from nutritious, whole foods.  My favorite quote from this show is:

"Food is the fuel for the human body".

That's what I'm always trying to get people to see.  If you drive a BMW, are you going to put regular unleaded gas in it?  Doubtful.  It is a performance vehicle and for it to perform optimally you would fill it with premium gas.  Why do people treat their cars better than their own bodies?  A healthy lifestyle, eating healthy, exercise are all musts in this cancer age that we live in.

These books are by the guests on today's show.  Haven't read them yet but they seem to have good reviews. 

What is the healthiest diet?

I've just been writing about general stuff I've learned from watching The Dr Oz Show and reading books.  Yesterday and the day before I was talking about how important it is to start eating healthy.  What does eating healthy mean?

Well, eating healthy is part of a healthy lifestyle.  It is not a diet.  It is not temporary.  Doctor Oz has talked about how yes, you will lose weight on a restrictive diet, but you can't sustain that.  Eating healthy is a way of eating for life.  The first thing you need to start eating healthy is to change your mindset.  Don't think of yourself as being on a diet.

The healthiest diet is a natural diet.  You should not eat chemicals.  You shouldn't eat food that has been processed beyond recognition.  Food that doesn't have labels is the best.  There is no need to put a label on an apple that says "Ingredients:  apple".  That's just silly.  If you eat something that does have a label, you should be able to recognize the ingredients.  The bulk of your diet should be whole foods without labels. 

Processed foods may have started out whole but now they are missing parts and missing nutrients.  Examples are white rice, white bread, white pasta.  Does high fructose corn syrup look like corn to you?  The first time you saw bacon, did you know it came from a pig?

The healthiest diet is high in vegetables, fruits and whole grains.  It is low in meat and dairy.  Vinegars, sweeteners, refined foods should be eaten sparingly.

These are great books.  I got hooked when I watched the "You Are What You Eat" show on BBC America.  It is amazing what a difference eating healthy and getting regular exercise can make.  I use the cookbook every week.

Give it a try.  You're worth it!

How To Start Eating Healthy

Yesterday I talked about the importance of eating healthy, getting healthy, living a healthy lifestyle, exercise, etc.  So, how do you get started?  That is a personal question and you have to find what works for you. 

If you have a go for broke personality, then go all out.  Saturday throw away all white flour, white sugar, processed foods, etc.  Then, go shopping for fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains. 

Do you need to start slowly?  Well, make a list of all the things you need to change and start crossing them off.  It could look something like this:

1.  eliminate all soda/coffee/sugary drinks
2.  eliminate white bread
3.  stop eating white rice
4.  don't eat any candy/candy bars/donuts/cookies, etc
5.  eat a healthy, fresh breakfast every day
6.  pack lunch every day
7.  cook dinner every day

Exactly what is on your list depends on you and your goals.  It is a good idea to go for a super healthy, vegetarian diet over the course of two months.  Then, when you've tried it and you see you can do it and you feel the benefits, you can add a little meat.  You can eat a little dessert no more than once per week.  You can try new whole grains, new vegetables, new fruits.  It's fun to experiment.

Obesity is a huge problem in this country and increases your risk for certain cancers as well as diabetes and high blood pressure.  Eating healthy will help you reach your ideal weight and it also evens out your blood sugar levels and lowers your blood pressure.  Weight loss is great for any illness you may have.  However, you may be surprised to find that you don't have to lose a ton of weight to see a difference. 

It is up to each and every one of us to take control of our health.  Do it for yourself and your family!

Do you want to get cancer?

Cancer is more and more common everyday.  We all know someone who has had it.  Doctor Oz talks about it a lot on The Dr Oz Show.  It seems to me, that although he talks about all different types of cancer, the best way to prevent it is the same for all of them.  Eating healthy and exercise will reduce your cancer risk.  Obesity raises your risk for certain cancers so getting healthy and maintaining a healthy weight is important.

People are increasingly aware of the need to eat healthy.  We are also realizing how unhealthy it is to eat fast food and processed foods.  A lot of people know they shouldn't drink soda.  Yet, people keep doing it.  I've heard over and over people say "I shouldn't be eating this" or "I shouldn't be drinking this" as they ingest something unhealthy.  Why do they do it?  Personally, I was a sugar addict.  I couldn't have even a tiny bit of sugar because it would send me on a binge.  I had to quit cold turkey and force myself not to eat any cookies or candy bars for months.  It got easier and easier until I stopped craving it.  Now I can actually eat a cookie or a little bit of ice cream and be happy with that.  This is what everybody needs.  Restaurants put salt and sugar in their food to make you crave them.  You have to stop eating altogether and detoxify.  It's like quitting smoking.  You have to get it out of your system.  It takes discipline but it doesn't have to be that hard.  What it really takes is planning.  Plan out your meals for the week, buy everything you need and prepare as much as you can ahead of time.

Exercise is another thing that people are always saying they should do.  "I know I should exercise."  "I know I need to exercise."  I hear it all the time.  It also takes discipline and planning.  What did I discover when I forced myself to exercise every day for 90 days straight?  I liked it.  I enjoy my daily walks.  Now, if I miss a day for some reason, I feel achy and stiff.  A brisk walk can really be invigorating. 

So, do you want to get cancer?  If you keep eating garbage and sitting when you should be walking, then I guess the answer is yes.  A healthy lifestyle is within everyone's grasp and can seriously reduce your risk of cancer.  What are you waiting for?  Get started today!

The Tenth Commandment Of Weight Loss

From The Dr Oz Show
Aired 3/12/2010

We've reached the end!  Doctor Oz counted down his ten commandments for people who want to lose weight.  Number ten is:

"Thou shalt not eat standing up or in a car".

I've talked about it before.  We need to eat mindfully.  If you're standing up or in a car you can scarf down an entire meal without even noticing.  A previous commandment was to chew at least twenty times.  You probably won't do that if you're not sitting down to eat.  Unfortunately, people don't appreciate food or meals.  Food is a wonderful thing and a meal isn't just about not being hungry anymore.  It is a time to enjoy eating nourishing food and being grateful for what we have.  Eating healthy is about what you eat but also how you eat it.  We need to really savor our food and take our time.  If we do that, we will enjoy eating a lot more and eat a lot less.  Getting healthy is about making lifestyle changes.  Start sitting down at the dining room or kitchen table to eat.  It will pay off in the long run!