Happy Tuesday!
Yesterday I pressed the snooze button for 45 minutes but I finally peeled myself out of my warm, comfortable bed, and made it to spinning class. My gym has 45 minute and 1 hour spin classes and I usually do the 45 minute classes because those are the morning ones. This past weekend, Kyle and I did the 1 hour class and man! Those extra 15 minutes are enough to kill you! I was so shocked by how much harder an hour class is compared to the 45 minute.
It’s okay though, because both classes played this song- one of my favorites:
After spinning I made myself a breakfast of 1 egg and 2 egg whites scrambled with zucchini, seitan, sprouts, a clementine, and green juice. Breakfast was consumed while I watched the new episode of Revenge of course 
I had the morning off and didn’t have to be in clinic until 12:30 so I got a little studying done, went to the Bank, and inhaled greek yogurt with blueberries and PB2 for lunch while I drove downtown.
The afternoon was spent in a pediatric urgent care clinic. I saw quite a few kids- all with fevers/ cough/ ear ache/ flu-like symptoms.
So if you don’t want your kid to come see me… get a flu shot! I was shocked at how many kids yesterday hadn’t had a flu shot.
I did see a couple pretty cool things: one was a pyogenic granuloma which is a skin growth that bleeds and looks pretty scary. It’s benign but I wouldn’t want one of these on my finger!
(Image courtesy of wikipedia)
I also saw a crazy skin infection that could be just a regular skin infection that the kid has picked at and made worse, but there were a few other issues about the skin lesion (mainly the fact that the patient was from a foreign country) that could make it a lesion from a parasite that we RARELY see here in the US. I’ve learned about it, but NEVER seen it- so that was pretty cool!! (For anonymity sake, I won’t explain further or show pictures- just close your eyes and imagine a really gross skin infection and then pretend like it’s a crazy parasite you learned about but thought you would never see).
After I left clinic I came home and microwaved a gigantic bowl of broccoli. I topped with with sriracha, avocado, and sprouts and that was dinner. Creative right?
I ended the night with 6 miles on the treadmill (I kept walking after I took this pic).
I was studying and doing school work while I walked which made the time fly.
I also took a 30 minute break to run and watch the Biggest Loser. Does anyone else think Jillian is way too mean this season?
My medical school sends out emails with some news articles and such and one of the articles I happened to read yesterday was this one:
Can you Trust Dr. Oz?
I have a great deal of respect for Dr. Oz; he has taken medicine and made it mainstream. He has amassed an enormous following of people who seem to care about their health. He has so much influence in this country that if he tells you to go out and buy a certain type of bandaid, because it will surely cure cancer, that bandaid brand will be sold out in 5 minutes nationwide.
But with his power to influence non-science folk comes a big responsibility! How much can he say about something and how science-directed should he be? I generally think that he should be completely science directed. If research shows that raspberry ketones don’t help you lose weight and prevent cancer, he shouldn’t recommend taking them.
But this is a FINE FINE line. Here is what I mean:
If Dr. Oz tells America to take some dietary supplement that is virtually harmless (to our knowledge) and may have some health benefits (probably not, but maybe), he could be doing some good. Because you might go down to the health food store and spend $30 on crap that won’t do anything for you (but won’t hurt you). Since you just invested in your health (or so you think) maybe you won’t go eat a burger. Maybe you will go for a walk. Hey- those raspberry ketones might placebo effect you into feeling so great that you join a gym!
See what I mean?
But the problem is when Dr. Oz starts recommending things that really could harm you. Check this out:
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| DR. OZ’S RECOMMENDATION | BEST AVAILABLE RESEARCH EVIDENCE | DO THEY MATCH? |
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| Take zinc (12-15 mg) daily for weight loss because it reduces hunger by increasing levels of leptin, a key hormone that alerts the body when it is full. | - A randomized controlled trial of 56 obese women found zinc supplements caused no significant changes in weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, waist circumference, or leptin levels (Marreiro et al. 2006). - A randomized controlled trial of 40 obese women found zinc supplements had no effects on body mass index or waist circumference; the only effects found were increased zinc in blood serum and urine (Kim & Lee 2012). - A retrospective cross-sectional study of 580 women found zinc was not associated with obesity or leptin levels in the overall population; in obese women, zinc was associated with lower leptin levels (Garcia et al. 2012). |
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| Take omega-3 fatty acid DHA (600-1000 mg) daily from fish oil supplements for many health benefits, including better cardiovascular health. | - Multiple systematic reviews found supplements and dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acid did not prevent cardiovascular problems, including stroke, heart attacks, and death; one review found a higher risk of adverse events with omega-3 fatty acid supplements because of gastrointestinal side effects (Kotwal et al. 2012; Kwak et al. 2012;Rizos et al. 2012). | |
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| Take vitamin D (400-1000 IU) daily to prevent various cancers, fight off colds, and slow down aging, along with a variety of other health benefits. | - Multiple systematic reviews found inconclusive evidence on whether vitamin D supplements prevent cardiovascular outcomes, cancer and mortality (Pittas et al. 2010; Elamin et al. 2011; Holick et al. 2011). - A systematic review by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force found vitamin D supplements had no effect on cancer risk; the Task Force recommended against daily supplementation with vitamin D at doses of up to 400 IU unless the individual is vitamin D deficient (Chung et al. 2011; Kuehn 2012). |
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| Take probiotic supplements or fortified foods to regulate the amount of beneficial bacteria in the body, promote digestive health, and normalize bowel movements. | - A systematic review of 82 randomized controlled trials found probiotics reduced the risk of certain types of diarrhea, but the results of the trials varied widely (Hempel et al. 2012). - Multiple systematic reviews found probiotics may help alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, but positive effects are limited to certain strains and included trials that have methodological limitations (McFarland & Dublin 2008; Brenner et al. 2009; Hoveyda et al. 2009; Moayyedi et al. 2010). - Multiple systematic reviews found conflicting results on the effect of probiotics on colitis (Dendukuri et al. 2005; McFarland 2006; Pillai & Nelson 2008). |
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| Take a multivitamin daily to ensure getting enough essential vitamins and to prevent heart disease, breast cancer and colon cancer. | - Multiple systematic reviews found no meaningful benefits from taking multivitamins to reduce the risk of death and prevent various diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, cataracts, macular degeneration, and hypertension (Huang et al. 2006; Chan et al. 2011; Macpherson et al. 2012). - A randomized controlled trial of 14,641 men found taking daily multivitamins very slightly reduced cancer risk but did not reduce cardiovascular events and death from cardiovascular causes or cancer (Gaziano et al. 2012; Sesso et al. 2012). - A prospective cohort study of 182,099 participants found no significant associations between multivitamins and cardiovascular disease, cancer, or death from any cause (Park et al. 2011). - A retrospective cross-sectional study of 38,772 postmenopausal women found a strong association between multivitamin supplements and increased risk of death (Mursu et al. 2011). |
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I love this topic!
I’ve thought about this quite a bit, and while I have a great deal of respect for Dr. Oz and his endeavors, my concern is that his show is somewhere in between WebMD and the actual scientific truth. Unfortunately for him, he has to keep on coming up with things to talk about on his show and leave with the audience, like “take fish oil supplements” (whose benefits are actually unproven). All things considered though- I think he’s done a great job not hollywoodizing medicine too much.
Monica recently posted…Exam Over, Now Fingers Crossed
even as recently as last year I ADORED him.
I blogged about the four reasons I loved him and even though people disagreed—I still liked his main mission.
No mo’
MizFit recently posted…What is HOPE?
I am SO glad oyu wrote this post! People seem to be following TV (Oz, The Drs, etc) for medical advice rather than their own Doc or research. It’s a scary trend.
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted…Work It Out: The Ab Edition
I don’t watch Dr. Oz. cause the format of the show just irritates me.
I don’t think I could eat at all after seeing those types of skin conditions!
I love REVENGE… it’s my favorite show!
I LOVE THIS ARTICLE! I would absolutely LOVE to see him only spout truth, but the fact of the matter is that he’s slowly (or very quickly?) becoming part of a media. His aim will probably shift to gaining watchers/followers/etc. And some truths are NOT what people will tune in to hear. You know what I mean? They want some quick fixes and easy answers when a lot of things medically just aren’t!
It’s kind of like Jillian, actually. I think she’s being a hardass but I still love her. These people are DYING and they aren’t seeming to take it seriously. And the world has made a ton of comments on Jillian acting this way. But would I personally take somebody sitting there just saying that I’m dying seriously? Not so much. I think she’s taking it to a more emotional level for her too, and that’s where the WAY WAY tough love is coming from.
Hello, my name is Amanda, and I just published a book.
Amanda @ Run Principessa recently posted…Confusing Musings
Just like anything else on television, I believe the material is made to be “sold”. People want to hear about the magic supplement that will help them to lose weight, prevent from getting sick, etc. Most wouldn’t pay attention if TV listed the real, straight forward research facts- they want instant gratification.
So, I think that we should take Dr. Oz’s advice with a grain of salt, and research further into the topic before believing what you heard on TV
This was a great post! Loved it!
I feel that any person on television has to be taken with a grain of salt. The point of any show on television is to get ratings and more people to watch it and therefore, not everything they say is truthful. They have to put controversy and such into the programs to make them interesting. I am always skeptical of things on television because I know that ratings matter more than truth, unfortunately.
Mel recently posted…Spinning, Studying, and Shopping
I’m very conflicted about this. I feel like he is a super smart guy and is doing a lot of good for the world by bringing health discussions into people’s living rooms, but you’re right, at the same time people are looking to him for advice instead of their own doctor who actually knows their patients conditions and specifics. I guess for me, better he’s doing something for health instead of nothing, so I guess the pros outweigh the cons.
I’m so glad you wrote about this issue with Dr. Oz. On another note, when you mix PB2 in with the greek yogurt are you mixing it in dry??
I do mix it in dry! Is that weird? lol!
I used to listen to Dr Oz, but then one day he said something that made me realize some company gave him a lot of money to promote their product. I wish he based everything on fact and HONESTLY looked put for Americas well being, but like everyone els, he has bills to pay too.
Great topic!! We were just talking about this the other day… I work in a nutrition store part-time & we get all kinds of people coming in for the latest things Dr. Oz is preaching. While sometimes I think they’re ok & might help, other times I do worry. Everyone takes his word as gospel, it seems & a lot of things he talks about seem like fad quick-fixes, IMO. I do think it may be good for someone to regulate his show… it should come with little warnings. LOL
Karey @ Nutty About Health recently posted…Feeling Conflicted
My mother worships Dr. Oz, and she, probably like a lot of his viewers, watch in the vain hope that he will say something that will magically make her lose weight. She takes more supplements than I can count, yet wont actually work out. She’s hoping for that quick fix that doesn’t actually exist. So, I think in a way Dr. Oz has to cater to these people to continue high ratings. And this could really be seen as this decades weight loss thing, like the no fat diet of the 90s.
Your mom sounds like the majority of women out there! He has such a huge influence- it is like the no fat fad of the 90s! As long as what he talks about doesn’t have harmful implications I think it’s okay- at least people like your mom are motivated to do something good for their health!
I am not a fan of Dr. Oz. When he would show up on “Oprah” from time-to-time, I liked him. But once he became a TV personality, I lost a good deal of respect for him. I have tried watching his show, but so much of it seems to have a “get thin quick” mentality, which I despise.
I do have to say that many of the supplements the story mentions, are suggested by not just him, but various other “tv docs” and such.
I think that when mainstream media gets in the way, everything gets confused! People start to preach what the public wants (which is a get thin quick remedy) and real science can get lost… thanks for your comment!!
So glad I found this article and scientific comparison between TV Doctors and ACTUAL SCIENCE! But what if your own doctor mentions Dr. Oz? I went in for my full physical last week and my blood tests showed I have a Vitamin D deficiency (like many Americans) and My doctor recommended Cod Liver Oil daily to bring that level up, did NOT recommend a multi-vitamin because (like these studies above state) she said they don’t really have any positive impact and that I should work to get my nutrients through eating healthy — all good advice, right? Right. But then when we were discussing the fact that I’m working to lose weight she mentioned Green Coffee Bean Extract, “something that Dr. Oz recommends” (her words). She said he often has good advice about preventative behaviors and wouldn’t recommend things that would be harmful. I have never watched the Dr. Oz show, though I know who he is… and having my Dr. recommend him, a supplement he’s recommended on his show, and basically tell me that she trusts him, sort of worried me. Is he a hack? I bought the Cod Liver Oil and the Green Coffee Bean Extract that day after my appointment and have been doing a bit of research on GCBE online since… and it just seems like a fad diet pill. I’m not sure I even want to take it. Should I be concerned that my own Dr. is endorsing Dr. Oz and things he recommends? In all other aspects she’s pretty awesome – conservative about drugs and always suggests diet, exercise, meditation over any drastic treatments (I’m a healthy 35 year old female with no medical conditions). Which is great because my last GP would pull out the prescription tablet at every appointment and try to suggest medication for every little thing (“I see you have ONE pimple, would you like me to give you a prescription for Accutane?” “You said you are stressed because you have a big project at work, want some Valium?” UM, NOOOOOOO?!) So I’m very happy with my Dr. in every other area — but this last appointment really threw me for a loop. Interested to hear another medical professional’s opinion, thank you in advance.
Hi!! Thanks for your great comment!! Here’s what I think: If you like your doctor in most ways and have a good relationship with her, I would not be concerned about her suggestions at all. The fact that she’s conservative with meds and suggests diet and exercise is AWESOME!!! There are so many doctors (I feel) who brush that stuff off because frankly, it doesn’t work for most people… I also think that Dr. Oz has a great motive for what he suggests- trying to help people make healthy choices- even though some of it is totally junk science and just fad diet stuff. As far as the Green Coffee Bean stuff, I have no idea if it works or not. But, sometimes when you pay money for a supplement and make the effort to take it every day, you become more conscious of other health decisions. You feel so empowered by taking your green coffee extract that you order a salad and then go for a walk… one healthy decision leads to more. Was it the coffee bean extract? Or was it a chain of events in your brain that changed some of your daily habits? Who knows! I hope this is making sense. I wouldn’t write your doctor off for suggesting something that is probably not harmful and maybe could help? Now, if she was selling you something from her office that she was profiting off of, that would be different! LOL!!