Watching Dr Oz 12/13/11: Jane Fonda Talks Aging, Adrenal Fatigue, Best Anti-Aging Breakthroughs of 2011, Best Superfoods of 2011

The Dr. Oz Show

Air date: December 13, 2011

Jane Fonda's Longevity Revolution

• Jane Fonda shares her biggest life lessons and how she stays young at any age
• Are you looking for Jane Fonda-like energy? Look to your adrenal gland for help
• Four anti-aging breakthroughs for 2011
• 2011 Superfoods

Actor, political activist and wellness champion, Jane Fonda talks about her life and how she stays young.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LIKE WatchingDrOz on Facebook!

And stay up-to-date with WatchingDrOz.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jane Fonda has published a new book, Prime Time: Love, Health, Sex, Fitness, Friendship, Spirit; Making the Most of All of Your Life, and released a new exercise DVD, Jane Fonda: Prime Time – Fit & Strong, all at age 64. Looking back on her life and career, the theme of her new book, Ms. Fonda categorizes her time into three Acts. [The three Acts described are not necessarily in chronological order.]

Jane Fonda's Act One

Ms. Fonda was born into a Hollywood life-style to her father and actor Henry Fonda and mother [Francis Ford Seymour Brokaw]. She describes her father as emotionally distant. Her mother killed herself while institutionalized when Ms. Fonda was only 12 years old.

As a teenager, Ms. Fonda decided to go into acting. From there she was a success in films, and became a sex-symbol for her role in Barbarella, and won two Oscar's in the 1970's for her film roles in Klute and Coming Home.

Jane Fonda's Act 2

This second Act in Ms. Fonda's life finds her searching for answers during the Vietnam War and taking political action [her actions during this time are still a controversy and people continue to question her about her beliefs.] She's been called Hanoi Jane [stemming from a photo of her on an anti-aircraft gun. Read Ms. Fonda's response to the Hanoi Jane controversy published July, 22, 2011 on her official website www.JaneFonda.com.]

Ten years later, Jane Fonda's Workout videos transformed women's health and promoted exercise. [She also introduced leg warmers as fashion. We all have regrets, right?]

During this Act, Ms. Fonda suffered from anorexia and bulimia. She also married three times and divorced three times.

Jane Fonda's Act 3

Act 3 for Ms. Fonda is about healing psyche wounds starting with her relationship with her father. In a famous scene from On Golden Pond, Ms. Fonda's character tells her father, “I want to be your friend.” She reaches out to touch her father in a scene that still leaves her in tears watching it today. [This is one of my all-time favorite movies and I teared up too watching the short clip. A breathtaking movie.]

“I always get so emotional when I see that scene. It's such a hard see for me to see. I'm crying because I miss my dad and the scene was so real for us and had so much to do with our real relationship.” She [purchased the rights and] produced the film so that she and her father would have the opportunity to play that scene together. She says she's grateful for it.

Dr. Oz asks Ms. Fonda to help us understand why it was so difficult with her dad.

She explains that he had a hard time expressing emotions. Parents are supposed to reflect love back to their kids and she says that hers did not. For most of her life, she thought it was her fault until she looked back as an adult to see them as humans and not as parents. Ms. Fonda says her parents did their best and they were good people.

Why do you say that being perfect can be toxic?

Ms. Fonda says that women in particular, we want to fit in and be perfect and end up pushing a side of ourselves aside. If we don't achieve perfection, there's this perception that no one is going to love us. She explains that people can't really have a full relationship only bringing part of yourself to the table. Ms. Fonda says, we are not meant to be perfect, God is perfect. We are meant to be whole, not be perfect, and it took me into my 60s to realize that.

You went back and found writings of your mother?

Yes, she says she dedicated to her new book mom as a means inspire her to learn more about her mother. Ms. Fonda got a copy of her mother's medical records and learned that her mother had been sexually abused at age 8. She thanks God for finding out because it explains so much about her mother and their relationship. She explains that when a child is sexually abused they are brainwashed into thinking that the only thing of value is their sexuality. Through finding this, Ms. Fonda was able to forgive and wanted to take her mom into her arms. At age 64, she says she finally understood so much.

Were your three marriages difficult?

No, not difficult. Ms. Fonda says she was blessed to have been with each man. In her first marriage [to director Roger Vadim, who directed Ms. Fonda in Barbarella], she says she learned how to be a female impersonator in Barbarella. Mr. Vadim's first two wives were Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve – quite the shoes to fill.

From her second husband, Ton Hayden, Ms. Fonda says she learned about politics and baseball. From her third husband, Ten Turner, she learned more that she can ever communicate and they are still friends.

Will she ever marry again?

No. Her boyfriend was in the audience. He is a fan of The Dr. Oz Show, he even takes notes. But, she says she will never marry again.

Dr. Oz wanted to talk about Jane Fonda's body!

Ms. Fonda responded with, you teach what you need to learn. She suffered from eating disorders for 20 years before this and with any addiction, you can't be a whole person which in the addiction. It has helped her be the subject of her own life

Why did you make an exercise video at 64?

With a fake knee, a fake hip, having survived breast cancer she feels because she's old and impaired she's the person do it. The video is geared toward people who are older or who have never exercised or who haven't exercised in a long time. Being active leads to being more independent. Even doing a few chair squats every day can make is so that getting up isn't such a challenge, getting out of the car isn't so hard. In the video, she uses light weights to work arms, shoulders, back while stretching at the same time.

Picaso said, “It takes a long time to become young.” To Ms. Fonda, that means as we age we get more feisty, especially women, and we are happier. It's unhealthy, she says, to play it safe. What have you got to lose? Take risks. Stand-up to your fears. Look at your failures and problems, that's where you learn.

Jane Fonda Looks Back To Move Forward

When you turned 59, you did a life review. What is it?

Ms. Fonda says as she was approaching 60, she realized this is her last 30 years to live. To determine where she wanted to go, she says she had to figure out where she had been, who she was. Through her life review, she learned about her parent. Interview your parents, she encourages the viewers. Tape record and write it down the interview. She says to interview each of your parents separately otherwise you'll get the same story from each.

One out of three women are sexually abused in this country. Her father suffered from undiagnosed depression. She says if he had been on anti-depressants then her life could have been so different. Looking back to her past allowed her to make sense of her life.

Ms. Fonda shared three questions she used while taking a review of her life.

Question 1: What would you say about yourself and what would your family say about you?

The story she believed about herself was that she revolved around the men she was with until she talked to her friends and family and heard that they did not connect her with her husbands.

Question 2: What goals do you have the rest of your life?

Ms. Fonda says her goal is to want to end life knowing she is person she wants to be. She says she rehearsed her own death and imagined herself dying surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and friends. Sharing a good life, the Ms. Fonda, means that she has established that love from family and friends and has learn something so that she can have something to say to them.

Question 3: What do you want it all to add up to?

Adding it all up means you are a whole person, not leaving a part of yourself behind. You can die having a lot of experiences but without wisdom. Ms. Fonda says that she wants to look back and learn from those experiences to gain wisdom that can be shared.

Are Your Adrenal Glands Tired?

Dr. Oz wants to know if you ask yourself these questions: Why am I always tired? Why can't I fall asleep? Why don't I have Jane Fonda's energy?

Ask yourself these important questions to determine if your adrenal glands are fatigued.

Adrenal Question #1: Do you wake up feeling tired even if you've had a good night's sleep?

Adrenal Question #2: Are you gaining weight in your middle?

Adrenal Question #3: Do you crave salty foods?

Adrenal Question #4: Are you irritable, impatient, or pessimistic?

Adrenal Question #5: Do you have a decreased sex drive?

Dr. Oz says three or more yes answers then you might have adrenal fatigue. It's a big debate in the medical field – is adrenal fatigue real or not? The alternative medical field is already on board.

What is the difference between burnout and adrenal fatigue? They are the same thing. Hormones become out of of balance and are not able to bounce back. When the adrenals are burned out or fatigued, they cannot process key hormones, leaving the body and mind feeling overwhelmed and stressed in situations that normally could be handled.

The adrenal glands [there are two adrenal glands] each sit right on top of a kidney and they look like a dunce cap [attractive description for such an important gland] and are responsible for making testosterone, cortisol, adrenaline, aldosterone - a hormone that when out of balance can cause salt carvings. [Read more about aldosterone on WebMD.com.]

Blood vessels and nerves are connected to the adrenal glands bringing blood and messages. Hormones are then produced and sent out of the adrenals. A tired, overwhelmed adrenal looks like a dried out raisin instead of a normal plump grape and the hormones are not processed properly or sent out through the body leaving you feeling stressed and unable to deal with relationships at work and at home.

Dr. Oz says the best treatment for adrenal fatigue is nutrition and specifically getting enough protein each day – 70g of protein each day.

Further, he recommends taking 1,000mg of Vitamin C daily along with 100mg of Siberian Ginseng twice a day. He suggests taking these for at least two weeks to allow the hormones to realign.

Additionally, doing things that remove stress are also beneficial. Dancing, singing, yoga, intimacy with your partner were all recommended as ways to reduce stress.

[James Wilson authored a wonderful book on adrenal fatigue which provides a wealth of information, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21^st Century Stress Syndrome.]

Best Anti-Aging Breakthroughs of 2011

Perry Romanowski, cosmetic chemist, visited Dr. Oz today to discuss the year's biggest and best breakthroughs in anti-aging products.

[Read an excerpt from Mr. Romanowski's book, Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?.The book is also for sale through DoctorOz.com.]

Dr. Oz asked him what is the biggest secret the cosmetic industry doesn't want consumers to know? Mr. Romanowski shared that many inexpensive cosmetics works just as well, if not better, than their more expensive cousins. Skin care doesn't have to be expensive, you simply have to know what to look for.

Women will pay more for a body care product if they think it will work better. Mr. Romanowski's anti-aging cosmetic recommendations may save you money and do a better job then other products.

Hair Breakthrough

Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment

Retails for around $42.00.

[From LivingProof.com:

Restore Mask Treatment is an intensive weekly treatment that deeply nourishes and conditions the hair, adding strength, softness, shine and body. Hair is protected from further damage and hair strands are healed over time. Restore Mask features Living Proof’s breakthrough moisture-controlling molecule, PolyfluoroEster. Dry or damaged hair has a damaged protective layer and is very porous. PolyfluoroEster restores hair’s protective layer and reduces hair’s porosity by smoothing the cuticle and strengthening each strand weightlessly.”]

Skin Breakthrough

Reviva Skin Lightener For Day Fade Cream With Kojic Acid

Retails for around $13.00.

Kojic acid helps to lighten the skin and reduce the appearance of age spots. Mr. Romanowski recommends using the cream for two to four months in order to start seeing results. Other creams with similar ingredients sell for $100 or more.

Teeth Whitening Breakthrough

Colgate Optic White Toothpaste

Retails for about $5.00.

Optic White by Colgate contains the same ingredients that are in over-the-counter whitening strip kits – hydrogen peroxide. What makes this toothpaste different is that the peroxide has been stabilized and, according to Mr. Romanowski, will not damage tooth enamel. Results can seen in about a week but it's best to continue use for better results.

Facial Cleansing Breakthrough

Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleansing System

Retails for $119.00.

From the people who brought you the Sonic Care Toothbrush, comes a little machine that cleanses better than a wash cloth with some cleanser and it exfoliates too.

Best Anti-Aging Superfoods of 2011

Dr. Oz says the best anti-aging tool is food! Here are four foods that can help you stay healthy as well as feel younger.

Red Lentils

Red lentils can help to manage weight while providing a whopping 18g of fiber per 1 cup serving - ¾ of the daily recommended amount of fiber. The average American gets a small fraction of the daily recommended fiber. Eating red lentils can you feel full and is a healthy alternative to meal. The natural protein in lentils will help support the adrenals. When cooked, red lentils turn yellow and they pick up the flavor of any food cooked with it. Red lentils cook faster than brown, in about six minutes. [That would explain why the pot of lentil soup I simmered on the stove for an hour turned into to a gritty in-eatable mess. Red lentils sell for about $3.00 per bag. [No details on the size of bag provided.]

Amaranth

Amaranth is considered a super grain and is a great source of iron, magnesium and calcium all needed to build bones. Dr. Oz says amaranth can help fight osteoporosis. Toast some amaranth grains in a skillet with a little olive oil to make a healthy snack that tastes similar to popcorn. Amaranth sells for about $7.00 per bag. [Again, what size bag are they talking about?]

King Trumpet Mushroom or King Oyster Mushroom

Dr. Oz says that mushrooms are great cancer fighting food. They are a fungus and come in different forms and shapes. He recommends to eat a handful of mushrooms – could be any mushrooms – twice a week. Mushrooms are full of antioxidants and beta-gulcans for health. King Trumpet Mushrooms sell for about $7.00. [No size, again, was given. I've not heard of these mushrooms and I'm thinking they might be hard to find. If they aren't available in your area then look for white or brown button mushrooms and portobella, some of the most popular mushroom varieties and are more common in standard chain supermarkets.]

Pistachios

Salt-free pistachios are a heart healthy food and can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Pistachios support healthy blood pressure and allow the arteries to relax.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Place your vote for this week's quiz

and return on Saturday for the answer.

Thank you for making Watching Dr Oz a success!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~