The Dr. Oz Show
Airdate: April 9, 2012
Your Health From A to Z: Your Body's Health Warning Signs
- Health warning signs
- Annoying skin problems
- Best solutions for colds
- Chicken soup recipe
- Help for digestive issues
- Super charge your immunity
- Tips for better sleep
It's Dr. Oz's ultimate guide to your health from A-Z. Today, Dr. Oz is tackling the entire alphabet to give you everything you need to know about health from anti-aging to get getting better sleep. These 26 simple letters spell out the problems you deal with everyday with solutions from Dr. Oz.
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Dr. Oz Health Warning Signs
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: A is for Abdominal Bloating
Ashley from the audience gets bloated after big holiday meals. Some bloating can be benign but bloating could also be a sign of diverticulitis which happens to 2/3 of all people and is more common as we age.
When the colon squeezes to move poop through the system that squeezing can cause little out-pouches. Dr. Oz showed a tissue sample of the colon where holes developed and feces got trapped. Trapped feces causes irritation and inflammation and that's diverticulitis. These irritated out-pouches of the colon can rupture allowing feces to get into the rest of the body.
How do you know if bloating is benign or cause for concern? Bloating that is also accompanied by sever abdominal pain and fever is concerning and required medical attention.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: B is for Bladder Issues
What happens when bladder infection spreads? Bacteria can travel through the body to the kidneys then into the veins where it is called sepsis which leads to the heart working too hard and can eventually result in death.
What are the alert signals? Fever, a rapid heart rate, rapid breathing and back pain. Back pain is the most important clue because it can indicate an issue with the kidney.
The kidneys are under the rib cage in the back of the body. Doctors will tap the ribs in the back to see if there is any pain which could be an issue with the kidneys.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: C is for Changes in Smell
A change in the sense of smell may be a warning sign of Alzheimer’s disease. The area of the brain in charge of smell is effected in the early stages of Alzheimer's. Performing a smell test at home could give you an idea of the strength of your sense of smell.
There are 12 key smells: strawberry, smoke, soap, peppermint, leather, lemon, lilac, clove, pineapple, natural gas, rose, and cherry.
Dr. Oz says you need to be able to identify 9 out of 12 correctly. If you can't get 9 smells then there's a concern that the body cannot sense smell correctly.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: D is for Dizziness
Dizziness may be a warning sign of heart disease. When the heart is weak, it cannot pump the proper amount of blood to the brain and people will typically feel dizziness.
How can you tell if dizziness is a sign of heart health concerns? Dizziness accompanied by nausea, sweating, shortness of breath, as well as jaw and neck pain.
Shortness of breath is the biggest symptom of heart issues which can be an indication that fluid is entering the lungs.
Dr. Oz Five Most Annoying Skin Problems
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: E is for Eczema
To provide instant soothing relief to red, itchy skin, Dr. Oz recommends taking a bath in ½ cup baking soda and soak for 15 minutes.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: F is for Fever
When experiencing a fever, Dr. Oz recommends drinking fluids with Vitamin C, such as orange juice, which helps to regulate the system and prevent dehydration.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: G is for Growths
Dermatologist Doris Day, MD, says skin tags occur in areas of high friction. Skin tags can be as small as a sunflower seed and as big as a fig! On the neck, skin tags can be irritated by jewelery. Dr. Day encourages people to show skin tags to their dermatologist but, if there is no irritation then there's nothing that you need to do.
Dr. Oz said that over-the-counter wart removing products can help to remove a skin tag but to be sure and put the product only on the tag and not on the surrounding skin.
Dr. Day demonstrated how she removes skin tags in her office. The audience member who volunteered to have her skin tag removed had the area numbed before the segment. With special curved scissors, Dr. Day cut the skin tag off then burned it at the base so it doesn't scar and the skin tag doesn't come back.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: H is for Hives
Raised, red patches pop up when histamine is released in the body due to exposure to an allergen.
Dr. Oz showed an animation of what happens when a person allergic to shrimp, a classic allergen, eats the shrimp. White blood cells are released throughout the body watching out for allergens in the blood stream. Those white blood cells sends messages throughout the body to release histamine which shows up as red spots on the skin.
Hives are a sign of hypersensitivity in the system. Dr. Day recommendations an over-the-counter antihistamine to suppress the reaction until the histamine wears out in the system in about 6 weeks. Topical remedies won't work on hives as the reaction is not a skin problem but an internal immune response.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: I is for Ingrown Toenails
Dr. Day says that ingrown toenails can be the result of genetics, high friction from dancing or running shoes, closed toe shoes, and even the way you cut your toenails. To reduce the possibility of developing an ingrown toenail, cut the nail straight across [and trim toe nails once a week].
Dr. Day recommends soaking the ingrown toenail area in Epsom salt and then create a band-aid therapy wrap. [From DoctorOz.com: “You can also try placing a band-aid on backwards and away on the affected area, so that you're pulling the nail away from the nail bed.”]
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: J is for Joint Pain
A natural way to ease joint pain is yoga. Dr. Oz says that yoga's fluid motion can provide relief to the joints and it's a low-impact exercise.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: K is for Keratosis Pilaris
Rough, bumpy skin on the butt, thighs, or the back of the arms may look like pimples built up it's really dead skin built up around hair follicles. Dr. Oz recommends a gentle exfoliating scrub to get rid of the dead skin cells.
Dr. Oz Best Solutions for Colds
Prevention Magazine Contributing Editor, Tasneem Bhatia, MD says that Spring can be just as bad for cold viruses as the winter. When warm weather comes along, people often let down their guard and can be even more susceptible to colds. The virus may change based on the season but, the treatment remains the same, says Dr. Bhatia.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: L is for Laryngitis
Laryngitis is painful and it's hard to function without voice. Dr. Bhatia recommends Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat Tea which contains the anti-inflammatory herb licorice as well as slippy elm which binds mucus, loosens it up. She recommends drinking Throat Coat four times per day.
Another remedy, which Dr. Oz says is an even better idea, is a whiskey gargle. Mix 1 teaspoon of whiskey into 8 ounces of warm water, gargle and spit it out. This remedy was met with great applause from the audience. Dr. Bhatia explains that whiskey is an astringent, anti-inflammatory, and an antiseptic which can help to open up the larynx.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: M is for Mucus
To target mucus build-up, Dr. Bhatia recommends taking NAC, 250mg daily. Dr. Oz shared that NAC is commonly used in hospitals across the country.
Cost: about $8 in health food stores
Cold Bonus Tip: Chicken Soup
Dr. Bhatia shares her recipe for Chicken Soup which Dr. Oz says is the secret to supporting the body through a cold.
Be sure to get bone-in chicken because the marrow in the bones contains iron, calcium, fat and protein all which play a role in boosting the immune system and helps to get rid of mucus. Adding chilies to the soup will increase the cold support by providing Vitamin C.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: N is for Nasal Congestion
Dr. Bhatia recommends juicing to help relieve nasal congestion. Drinking the fresh juice from 2 apples, 1 pineapple, and 2 teaspoons of honey will provide vitamins and nutrients to support the immune system during a cold. Be sure to keep the skin on the apples for more nutrients.
Another remedy to support nasal congestion is steam inhalation of eucalyptus or rosemary. Place 2 sprigs of each in boiling water, remove pot from the stove, put towel over head and lean over the steam inhaling deeply. Doing this 2-3 times a day for at least 5 minutes helps to break up congestion and mucus and open up the bronchial passages.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: O is for Orgasm
having a problem reaching the Big O? Dr. Oz recommends eating asparagus which contains folate, a B vitamin that helps boost arousal.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: P is for Psoriasis
To help reduce the discomfort from psoriasis, Dr. Oz recommends mixing equal parts of cayenne pepper powder to olive oil and apply to the skin with a spoon.
Dr. Oz Help for Digestive Issues
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: Q is for Queasy
Dr. Oz's recommends his secret recipe to get rid of a queasy stomach: Caraway Mint Tea
Add 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds and 1 teaspoon of dried mint to 12 ounces of boiled water, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. To sweeten the tea, use 1 teaspoon of honey if needed. The combination of herbs supports smoothing of the muscles in the digestive tract and can help to relieve gas.
Another remedy for a queasy stomach is to take artichoke leaf extract pills. Artichoke increases the amount of bile and helps to digest food more rapidly. Dr. Oz recommends taking 1 capsule twice a day with food for stomach relief.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: R is for Rectal Pain
It's a real pain in the butt. Dr. Oz says the remedy for rectal pain is to soften the stool, making it easier to pass through the intestines. He has two recommendations to help soften stools.
Dried figs contain cellulose, a natural laxative. Soak 3 dried figs in water overnight and eat them the next morning on an empty stomach. Drink the water from the soak too. The figs will get slimy overnight and act as a beneficial mucus to the digestive tract. Repeat before dinner and continue for a few weeks.
The second recommendation is white radish, or daikon which looks like a long white carrot, and honey to stimulate the colon muscles that push stool along. Mix one cup of chopped white radish and drizzle with one teaspoon of honey to sweeten it up.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: S is for Soft Stool
“S” is Dr. Oz's favorite letter in this section. For years he's been telling people the ideal shape of poop is an “S”. If you have soft stools, sometimes the solution is to harden the stool.
Dr. Oz's B&B Special Oatmeal – the B&B stand for blackberries and banana.
½ cup blackberries
1 banana
1 cup cooked steel-cut oats
Blackberries reduce inflammation and the banana contains pectin to soak up excess water in the stool. Fiber in the steel-cut oatmeal will also absorb water. If you eat too much, Dr. Oz says not to worry, it won't make the stools too hard.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: T is for Teeth Whitening
To get whiter teeth, rub white inside of an orange on teeth before brushing once a day.
Dr. Oz Super Charge Your Immunity
Dr. Oz issued challenge to 3 viewers. You don't have to go far to boost your immunity, it's as close as your local health food store. Three viewers were each given a letter and told to find a product that will support the immune system starting with the letter they were given.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: U is for Ugli Fruit
The ugli fruit, from Jamaica, is a hybrid fruit of grapefruit, orange, and tangerine. Dr. Oz cautions that grapefruit can cause drug interactions. Ugli Fruit is high in vitamin C which benefits the immune system. To learn more about the ugli fruit visit Ugli.com.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: V is for Vitamin D-3
The audience member with the letter “V” picked vanilla yogurt for her letter. Dr. Oz said the probiotics in the yogurt are great for immunity but it's not what he was going for.
“V” stands for Vitamin D-3. Dr. Oz says Vitamin D is the most important supplement and that most Americans are deficient in it. Vitamin D supports the boosting of immune cells and can reduce the risks of cancer and other immune disorders.
[DoctorOz.com provided more information on Vitamin D: Dr. Oz recommends taking 1,000iu of Vitamin D daily. The best food sources of Vitamin D are salmon, tuna, mackerel, fish liver oils, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks. Or get your Vitamin D from the sun with 10-15 minutes daily sun exposure.]
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: W is for Watermelon
The audience member chose wheat grass juice for “W”, which Dr. Oz said was a wise choice but not what he was looking for.
Watermelon sometime gets a bad wrap but it's Dr. Oz's first choice to support the immune system. The red, pulpy flesh contains the mother of all vitamins: glutathione. Glutiathione contains Vitamins C and A to strengthen immune system. Watermelon also has the highest concentration of lycopene - even more than tomatoes - an antioxidant that supports the reduction in risks of heart disease and cancer.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: X is for XXX
Turn up the heat in the bedroom with this native herb from Peru – Maca. Dr. Oz recommends putting ½ teaspoon of maca to smoothies or hot drinks
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: Y is for Yellow Nails
Combining 2 supplements may be the trick to whitening yellowed nails. Dr. Oz recommends 1,000iu of Vitamin E with 50mg of zinc daily.
Dr. Oz's Alphabet of Health: Z is for Getting Your ZZZ's
One of the most important things you can do for your health is to get more sleep. Dr. Oz has three recommendations for a better night's sleep.
Dr. Oz Sleep Remedy #1: Catnip Bath
Take a catnip bath before bed for relaxation. Catnip makes cats crazy but calms humans. From the mint family, catnip has a special chemical that promotes relaxation. Steep 1 cup of dried catnip in hot water and add the water to the bath. Be sure you get pure catnip herb and not from a pet store which may contain extra ingredients.
Dr. Oz Sleep Remedy #2: SleepPhones
Dr. Oz recommends using SleepPhones to fall asleep faster. SleepPhones are a fleece headband with imbedded speakers that play pre-loaded calming sounds that support relaxation and sleep.
Cost: about $39.95 online
Dr. Oz Sleep Remedy #3: Cooling Rice Sock
Lowering body temperature triggers the body to produce more melatonin, a hormone essential for sleep. Fill a (clean) sock with rice and place the sock in the freeze for 45 minutes. Place the rice sock under you pillow at bed time to help lower body temperature and support restful sleep.
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what were the 10 things dr.oz talked about not eating before going to bed/sleep?
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