Watching Dr Oz 5/8/12: Health Myths Exposed, Diet Confessions Tackled, Gross Health Habits Exposed, Health Confessions Confronted, Bonus: Embarrassing Body Problems

The Dr. Oz Show

Airdate: May 8, 2012

Dr. Oz The Biggest Health Myths You Believe...Exposed!

• Dr. Oz exposes the biggest health myths people have believed for years!
• Diet confessions are discussed and Dr. Oz provides substitution recommendations
• Spouses turn in each other for their gross health habits
• Viewers share health confessions they won't discuss with their doctors
• Bonus: Three tips for embarrassing body problems

Dr. Oz is exposing the biggest health myths around. The myths that your mother taught you are going to smashed today. He also tackles dieting confessions, spouses turned in for gross health habits, and confessions viewers won't tell their doctors.

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Dr. Oz The Biggest Health Myths You Believe...Exposed!

Dr. Oz Biggest Health Myth #1: A Sunburn Will Fade Into a Tan

People looking for the perfect tan rush out on the first warm day of the season but they end up getting a sunburn instead. Don't worry, people have said, that sunburn will turn into a tan. That's a myth, says Dr. Oz.

With an animation, Dr. Oz explained that sun exposure creates melanin deep in the skin giving us that sun-kissed tan. That first sunburn of the season it's desirable, in fact, it's damaging to the skin.

To demonstrate the damage caused by a sun burn, Dr. Oz and his audience assistant poured boiling watering into delicate wine glasses bursting the glasses. The shattered glass representing damage to the delicate structures of the skin.

Folks like the FDA are worried about sun exposure and skin cancer risks and have changed sun exposure and sun screen guidelines. Dr. Oz says to use sun screen with SPF 30, apply a shot glass worth of sun screen before exposure, and reapply throughout exposure.

Dr. Oz Biggest Health Myth #2: Mosquitoes Are Attracted to Sweet Blood

Why do some people get eaten alive by mosquitoes and others are left alone? Some say the amount of sugar in your blood attracts the biting bugs. Dr. Oz says that's just not true.

A mosquito can sense a person from 160 feet away. Despite popular belief, they are not attracted to blood but they are attracted to:

• Body odor;
• Dark colors; and
• Carbon dioxide from your breath.

To keep the mosquitoes at bay, Dr. Oz recommends lemongrass oil which has natural citronella. He says to add a few drops of lemongrass oil to your sunscreen before applying. Lemongrass will make the mosquitoes think you are a predator and they will steer clear.

Dr. Oz Biggest Health Myth #3: Spicy Foods Cause Ulcers

Hot wings and spicy ribs will burn a hole in your stomach, so we've been told. Dr. Oz says that's a big myth. The burn and discomfort experienced after eating spicy foods is actually a good thing, says Dr. Oz.

Dr. Oz demonstrated that the burn experienced from spicy foods along with irritation and inflammation actually helps to heal the ulcer. He says don't be afraid of that burning sensation, it's a good burn.

Dr. Oz Top 4 Dieting Myths Exposed

Dr. Oz Dieting Myth #1: Eating Fat Makes You Fat

A small amount of fat in the diet will help you to feel full, eat less calories overall, and aid in vitamin absorption. Dr. Oz says to focus on polyunsaturated fats and liquid fats such as canola and safflower oils that won't raise cholesterol levels.

Dr. Oz Dieting Myth #2: Working Out on an Empty Stomach Will Help You Burn More Fat

Working out burns calories and the body will burn the same amount of calories whether the stomach is empty or full. The difference is that working out on an empty stomach will encourage the body to burn fat as well as muscle and as you workout you'll lose energy. On a full stomach however, the body is encouraged to burn fat instead of important muscle mass. Dr. Oz recommends to eat a liquidy snack 30 minutes before working out, yogurt or a protein shake. Protein in the snack will the support the building of muscle.

Dr. Oz Dieting Myth #3: It's Harder For Women to Lose Weight Than Men

It's equally hard for men and women to lose weight, says Dr. Oz. Certainly hormones and muscle mass is different between the sexes but over a long period both will lose the same amount weight. The key to weight loss, Dr. Oz reminded us, is diet and exercise.

Dr. Oz Dieting Myth #4: All Calories Are Created Equal

Huge misconception that all calories are processed by the body in the same way, says Dr. Oz. Some calories are filling and satisfy the appetite for a long time and other foods will stimulate the appetite demanding that you eat more food after you've just eaten. The wrong calories from the wrong sources will only make your appetite worse, says Dr. Oz. He recommends including unsaturated fats to your healthy diet such as avocados and nuts which will fill you up and turn off the appetite. White flours and sugars, on the other hand, will only leave you feeling hungry soon after eating them.

Dr. Oz Biggest Diet Confession

What is getting you off track of your diet? Audience members were asked to share their biggest diet confessions, the secrets they haven't told anyone. The best confessions are discussed.

Dr. Oz Diet Confession #1: Addicted to Pizza

Pizza is one of the most popular diet breaking foods out there. Instead of giving into to your pizza craving, Dr. Os says to make his Portobello Pie which is a good 170 calories less than what you would be eating in pizza.

Portobello Pie

1 large portobello mushroom

1 tbsp low-sugar pasta sauce

1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheese

Vegetable toppings of your choice

Preheat oven to 375°F degrees. In place of crust, use a Portobello mushroom that has been cleaned and the stem removed. Place the mushroom on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes to dry it out. Remove the mushroom from the oven and add 1 tbsp of low-sugar pasta sauce. Then drizzle 1/2 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese and your favorite vegetable toppings. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Dr. Oz Diet Confession #2: Addicted to Salty Foods

Potato chip junkies listen up! Dr. Oz recommends snacking on popped chickpeas. Make your own, recipe below, or choose from several products in several flavors by The Good Bean company. Dr. Oz also recommends the Somersault SnackCompany's snack that are based with nutrient dense sunflower seeds and toasted grain both ingredients provide more protein and fiber than potato chips.

Make your own Popped Chickpeas

1 tbsp olive oil

1 can of chickpeas, drained

Your favorite spices to taste

Sauté the chickpeas in the olive oil until they pop. Sprinkle with your favorite spices to taste. Enjoy!

Dr. Oz Diet Confession #3: Addicted to Chocolate

Dr. Oz says this is the best recipe he's ever had on the show. As an alternative to chocolate, Dr. Oz recommends carob which has a similar taste and is lower in fat and calories than chocolate, carob is also caffeine free. Each tablespoon sized piece is only 50 calories so Dr. Oz says you can have two!

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup carob powder

1 to 1 1/2 tbsp sugar substitute

1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt coconut oil over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in carob powder, sugar substitute and vanilla. Drop the dough in tbsp sized drops on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until solid,

Dr. Oz Spousal Gross Health Confessions

Husbands and wives turn each other in for their gross health habits and Dr. Oz discusses if these bad habits are harmful to their health or not.

Dr. Oz Spousal Health Confessions #1: Belly Button Lint

Her husband has a large accumulation of belly button lint at the end of each day and it grosses her out. She harvested a rather large chunk from her unsuspecting, sleeping husband to share with Dr. Oz and viewers!

Belly button lint is an accumulation of fabric from clothing, dead skin cells, and bacteria. That sample she collected was submitted to a lab which found some bad bugs lurking. Corynebacterium which causes diphtheria and bacillus which causes food poisoning were both found in her husbands lint.

Belly Button Health Solution: Dr. Oz recommended to the husband, and says he does this himself, to spray hair spray on his belly button every morning to prevent the gunk from getting into the belly button and building up.

Dr. Oz Spousal Health Confessions #2: Her Husband is Getting More Hairy

She has noticed a rapid increase in hair growth in places that her husband didn't have hair before: in his ears, up his nose, on his neck hair and back. Dr. Oz explained that the hormone DHT is responsible. As we age, this hormone gets out of balance causing more hair to grow all over the body and in areas where it didn't before.

Hairy Health Solution: Dr. Oz recommended that the husband trim his nose and ear hair weekly with a trimmer specifically labeled for such use.

Dr. Oz Spousal Health Confessions #3: His Wife's Foot Calluses Gross Him Out

At night, his wife rubs her hard, callused feet against his legs and it grosses him out. Dr. Oz recommends softening the calluses so that lotion can penetrate. Apply a lemon slice to the callused area and wrap with a bandage then cover with a sock. Leave this on over night then in the morning apply a lotion with glycerin. Citric acid in the lemon will soften the skin allowing the lotion to get in there are further soften the callus.

Dr. Oz Health Confessions You Won't Tell Your Doctor

Nothing should be off limits when it comes to talking to your doctor about your health, says Dr. Oz.

Dr. Oz Biggest Health Confession #1: Multivitamin Misuse

She shared that if she forgets to take a multivitamin one day she'll double or even triple up the next day.

Demonstration, when you take a multivitamin the body takes in what it needs and fills up your nutrient tank. Adding a second and third dose, causes your body to have to process through more nutrients then it can handle and too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing. Antioxidants can turn into pro-oxidants and inflammation can spread throughout the body.

Multivitamin Solution: Dr. Oz says if you skip a multivitamin then just start up at the normal dose the next day, don't take any extra to make-up.

Dr. Oz Biggest Health Confession #2: Wears 2-Week Contact Lenses for One Month

Wearing your contact lenses longer than recommended may seem like your saving money but in the long run you may be damaging your eye site. The problem with wearing contact lenses too long is that protein and germs build up on the underside of the lens and can scrape and tear away at the cornea. Damage to the cornea in the form of scratches and tears is an invitation for bacteria to take hold and wreck havoc to the eye and potentially lead to a loss of vision. Dr. Oz showed a picture of an infected cornea, the cornea turned green!

Contact Lens Health Solution: Dr. Oz recommends cleaning contact lenses regularly and adding a drop of over-the-counter protein remover to your lens solution for at least 6 hours to break down and remove that build up.

Dr. Oz Biggest Health Confession #3: She takes her Husband's Sleeping Pill

If she has trouble falling asleep she will, sometimes, take one of her husband prescription sleeping pills. Dr. Oz explained the dangers of taking someone else's prescribed medications. Every person is different and medication are prescribed based many individual factors including their body weight and health circumstances.

Sleeping pills, says Dr. Oz, may give the illusion of a good night's rest but they actually do not allow the body to experience the necessary peaks and valleys of light and deep sleep during the night. Sleeping pills provide the user with shallow peaks and valleys that do not provide restorative sleep.

Sleeping Health Solution: Dr. Oz recommends drinking what he calls his Bedtime Beer 90 minutes before bed. To a glass of club soda, add a hops extract and fresh squeezed orange juice. He says the hops extract will calm the mind and body and induce brain wave conducive to sleeping. Oranges balance cortisol levels, the stress hormone, and allow for relaxation.

[For more posts from Dr. Oz Show episodes that busted and challenged other health myths, click the links below:

11/10/11: Health Myths Busted

1/30/12: Health Myths Challenged]

Dr. Oz Bonus Tips! Solutions for Embarrassing Body Problems

Dr. Oz Solution for Embarrassing Problems #1: Warts

Duct tape to get rid of warts? Dr. Oz says that's what he uses at home! Cut a square of duct tape large enough to cover the wart area. Leave the tape on for a week to begin suffocating the wart. After a week, remove the duct tape and file down gently with an Emory board. Repeat the process until the wart is gone. It may take months to get rid of the wart but each application of duct tape will continue to break down the roots of the wart.

Dr. Oz Solution for Embarrassing Problems #2: Cold Sores

Dr. Oz recommends using lemon balm tea to tame a cold sore outbreak. Brew a cup of lemon balm tea and using a cotton ball apply it to the effected area. Dr. Oz says the lemon balm will soothe the area and boost healing time too.

Dr. Oz Solution for Embarrassing Problems #3: Sweaty Feet

To combat sweaty, and smelly, feet Dr. Oz has a simple foot powder you can make at home. Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of fresh cornstarch. Apply the powder to the inside of shoes, socks or stockings. The cornstarch will absorb moisture from the feet and the baking soda will neutralize odor.

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