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Tag: dr. oz

  • Charlie Sheen Wants Child Support Payments to Brooke Mueller Reduced

    Charlie Sheen has asked the court to reduce his child support payments he makes to Brooke Mueller in support of their six-year-old twins, Bob and Max.

    According to court documents obtained by People magazine, Charlie Sheen pays Brooke Mueller $55,000 per month for in child support.

    Sheen feels he should pay less child support than he has been paying because his income has taken a big hit since the divorce and child support agreement was made. When Charlie Sheen starred on Two and a Half Men, he brought home $613,000 per month. These days he’s bringing in about $87,384 monthly, even in light of selling his rights to Two and a Half Men for more than $26 million.

    In addition to the significant decrease in income, Charlie Sheen also maintains he spends $25,000 per month in medication–he recently revealed he is HIV positive–not covered by his medical insurance. He spends another $105,000 per month in bills and fees, and is carrying about $600,000 in credit card debt.

    It was back in 2011 that the child support agreement between him and Brooke Mueller was reached. He will return to court on April 13 to see if that amount can now be reduced.

    Brooke Mueller and her sons must be living quite well on $55,000 per month. How much does it cost to raise two six-year-olds these days?

    Of course the Hollywood set seems to think kids need a lot of luxuries they could very well live without. Do you suppose that might be the case in this scenario?

    In February, Charlie Sheen told Dr. Oz, while he was a guest on his show, that he would like to reduce child support payments paid to Denise Richards, too. He and Richards are parents to daughters Sam, who is 11, and Lola, who is 10.

    “We came up with a number a long time ago and I had a great job and everybody was living large. and that’s not the case right now, but there’s still that expectation to still keep paying this kind of money,” he told Dr. Mehmet Oz. “At some point you just can’t justify it, especially when there’s no gratitude behind it. None. I would send somebody flowers every hour if I got that kind of dough tax free.”

    Do you think the family court system will allow Charlie Sheen to pay less child support to Brooke Mueller? If so, Denise Richards had better watch out. She will no doubt be next in line for a monthly reduction.

  • Yolanda Foster Says Her Kids Have “Kept Me Alive”

    Yolanda Foster opened up to Dr. Oz on Tuesday’s episode about her life after filing for divorce and her Lyme disease diagnosis.

    Yolanda Foster filed for divorce from her husband David last month, but she doesn’t blame David as much as herself.

    It seems Yolanda Foster recognizes that her battle with Lyme disease changed her, just like a major battle with any other illness would.

    Yolanda Foster said of her divorce,”The patient suffers, but the caretakers suffer too. Because life doesn’t only change for us, it changes for the person next to you.”

    She continued, “At the end of the day, David never changed, I changed. Unfortunately, these are the cards that life dealt me. It wasn’t by choice. But, I’m not the woman I used to be and I probably will never be again.”

    She added, “My focus, my energy goes to trying to get well, trying to make a difference, trying to find a cure for my children. And David’s life is really traveling, going to concerts, loud music. And I mean, I couldn’t, I can barely listen to the radio.”

    Yolanda Foster also has two children who suffer with Lyme disease, Bella and Anwar. Along with her other daughter, Gigi, her kids are what keeps her going from day to day when the pain seems like it’s too much to bear.

    Foster said of her children, “My children is what kept me alive. I remember just waiting for them to get out of school, you know, just to give them a hug and look at them for for hope. I mean they’re the ones that kept me fighting and wanting to live.”

    Thank you #WWHL for your warm welcome and all my mini favorite things……. @bravotv @bravoandy #BabyCupCakes

    A photo posted by YOLANDA (@yolandahfoster) on

    Yolanda Foster dealt with ridicule last month when her Real Housewives of Beverly Hills co-star, Lisa Rinna, accused her of having Munchausen syndrome instead of Lyme disease.

    Yolanda Foster tried to explain why Lisa Rinna may have made such rude comments, saying, “You know what, they’re maybe saying what a lot of people are thinking in the world. I mean, there’s such ignorance when it comes to invisible disease and millions of people are suffering with those problems, of family members, friends and people out in the world judging them by the way they look. So, maybe they’re just voicing what a lot of people are thinking.”

    What do you think about Yolanda Foster’s dedication to her children as her will to live through Lyme disease?

  • Shannen Doherty Talks Breast Cancer Struggle With Dr. Oz

    Shannen Doherty, star of the original 90210, talked with Dr. Mehmet Oz earlier this week about what she has endured since she was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of 2015. Dr. Oz reiterated her struggles during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, adding that Shannen Doherty is now trying to decide whether she should undergo a lumpectomy or a mastectomy.

    “Shannen is juggling those two decisions–neither one is perfect but both are acceptable, as long as the cancer comes out,” Dr. Oz said. “The part of Shannen’s story that’s most stunning to me is that she’s had that cancer in her breast for over a year and hasn’t had it taken out yet – [the] cancer’s still in there.”

    “She has decided to have the breast cancer to removed surgically, and that is a big decision for a woman… It was really up to Shannen to decide she was ready to go through an operation she feared would be disfiguring,” he added. “Shannen was very transparent about what’s going on in her breast–she has cancer on one side, it’s a big tumor–it has spread to the lymph nodes on that side, but we don’t have any evidence that it’s gone any further than that.”

    Dr. Oz expects Shannen Doherty will make a full recovery.

    “Thankfully, if we aggressively can treat it, we can save Shannen’s life, and her doctors are superb and they’re all over that decision,” he said.

    On The Dr. Oz Show Thursday, Shannen Doherty said of her difficult decision, “Ultimately, they’re just breasts, right? I mean, I love them, they’re mine, they’re beautiful, but in the grand scheme of things, I would rather be alive, and I would rather grow old with my husband.”

    Dr. Oz has fears that Doherty waited too long after discovering the lump before seeking medical treatment. He understands why she did, however.

    “She had to come to grips with the fear–sometimes that fear has paralyzed her over the past year,” he said. “That’s why a bright woman has sat with a cancer in her breast for that long. We run from the things we fear–I think she’s embracing it now.”

    It will be interesting to learn whether Shannen Doherty opts to have a mastectomy or a lumpectomy. Hopefully the 90210 alum makes a full and speedy recovery regardless of her choice,

  • Big Ang of “Mob Wives” Dies of Cancer

    Big Ang of “Mob Wives” Dies of Cancer

    Big Ang of the reality show Mob Wives died of cancer on Thursday. She was just 55 years old.

    First receiving a diagnosis of stage 2 throat cancer, Big Ang–whose real name was Angela Raiola–later learned she had stage 4 lung and brain cancer. She admitted while a guest on Dr. Oz that she believed a lifetime of smoking gave her lung cancer. The episode on which she appeared aired just two days prior to her death.

    “I was smoking for 40 years,” Big Ang told Dr. Oz. “I think whoever smokes should quit, and if they didn’t start, don’t start.”

    Dr. Oz shared his dismay over her passing via Twitter.

    Known for her loud, raspy voice and her buxom physique, Big Ang didn’t mince words, but tried to always maintain her sense of humor.

    Even as her health sharply declined, she continued sharing her life on both Mob Wives and Couples Therapy.

    Big Ang is survived by her estranged husband, Neil Murphy, as well as two children and six grandchildren.

  • Charlie Sheen Dedicates Life to Finding Cure for HIV/AIDS

    Charlie Sheen went public with his HIV-positive status in November. During a conversation with Dr. Oz on Monday, he says he has since dedicated his life to finding a cure for the deadly disease.

    Sheen began his conversation by discussing the meds used to keep HIV-positive patients from developing full blown AIDS.

    “There’s a host of side-effects that are manageable,” he told Dr. Oz. “I was just curious, as I think a lot of people are. You know, you ingest something every day, and you feel a certain way. I just got curious about what I might feel like off this stuff. And then, if what was being professed, if any part of it was true, then I thought it was worth exploring.”

    Charlie Sheen regrets, however, that he took so long to begin treatment following his HIV diagnosis.

    “I’m amazed that I’m actually alive. But I beat myself up from time to time about why it took me so long once I knew that I was HIV positive to really start embracing the whole physical package and the whole psychological package about bettering myself,” he tells Dr. Oz.

    Since coming out about his battle, Charlie Sheen says he is dedicating the rest of his life to finding a cure. No, he doesn’t plan to research the disease himself, but rather to provide funding instead.

    “I hope in my abilities to do something really positive with this,” he said.

    After disclosing his illness in November, Charlie Sheen discussed his situation with The Today Show co-anchor Matt Lauer.

    “I have a responsibility now to better myself and to help a lot of other people,” he said at the time. “And hopefully with what we’re doing today, others may come forward and say, ‘Thanks, Charlie. Thanks for kicking the door open.’”

    Hopefully Charlie Sheen makes good on his promise to help find (and fund) a cure for HIV/AIDS.

    Do you think people take the former Two and a Half Men star seriously–enough to believe he will actually help fund this research? Has he lost a lot of believability because of his erratic behavior?

  • Dr Oz Slammed As Wrong Half the Time by New Study

    Dr. Oz was already dealing with a recent appearance before Congress that put a dent in his believability. Now another study has come out that says the famous TV doctor is wrong at least half the time.

    The British Medical Journal study outlined 40 episodes from last year that included 479 separate medical recommendations. But they found that medical research yielded evidence that only supported 46% of Dr. Oz’s recommendations, contradicted 15% and wasn’t available for 39%.

    But the study went further. Other findings of the study included these interesting tidbits:

    Believable or somewhat believable evidence supported 33% of the recommendations on The Dr. Oz Show.

    The most common recommendation category on The Dr. Oz Show was dietary advice (39%).

    A specific benefit was described for 43% of the recommendations made on the show.

    The magnitude of benefit was described for 17% of the recommendations on The Dr. Oz Show.

    Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest accompanied 0.4% of recommendations.

    The Dr. Oz Show recommended consulting a healthcare professional 9% of the time

    By the time the study was over, the researchers reached the conclusion that “recommendations made on medical talk shows often lack adequate information on specific benefits or the magnitude of the effects of these benefits. Approximately half of the recommendations have either no evidence or are contradicted by the best available evidence. Potential conflicts of interest are rarely addressed.”

    Their recommendation?

    The public should be skeptical about recommendations made on medical talk shows.

    Back in June, Dr. Oz came in to a Commerce subcommittee hearing in the U.S. Senate to testify about weight-loss product fraud. While he was there, Senator Claire McCaskill let him know how she felt about his show.

    “I don’t get why you need to say this stuff because you know it’s not true,” McCaskill said to Oz.

    “No one is telling you not to use passion, but passion in connection with the words ‘miracle,’ ‘weight loss’ and ‘pill’ is a recipe for disaster in this environment in terms of the people looking for an easy fix and getting sometimes delusional,” she said.

  • Kris Jenner Talks About Her ‘Chubby’ Kids and ‘Boob Jobs’

    Kris Jenner, matriarch and star on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, dropped by Dr. Oz to chat about herself and her famous family. The topic of raising kids to have decent self-esteem came up, which hits close to home with a family full of models.

    Recently, Rob Kardashian has had to deal with press and social media flak over his weight.

    “Putting the girls and Rob, now, on magazines definitely sells them,” Kris told Dr. Oz, “but I taught the kids a long time ago that it starts with when they were younger. I’ve tried hard to raise strong daughters and give them a sense of self-esteem.”

    Kris says her kids went through the same body-issue stages that other kids do.

    “They were just like other kids,” she claimed, “where it was that real chubby stage. Everybody went through it. They had braces, they were awkward. Rob was chubby and that’s when kids need you the most.”

    It may be tempting to write the Kardashian/Jenner clan off as not needing sympathy or going though any real difficulties because they have money and live on reality TV. But Kris says they have to stick together as a family to support each other, especially when one of them gets attacked for a little weight gain or a scandal over lip injections.

    “We’re such a close family we’re always encouraging one another,” Kris said. “I think just to be a real supportive parent and tell them how much they are loved and how beautiful they are on the inside. As long as they were okay on the inside, then everything else would be gravy.”

    Kris herself has “had some work done,” as the polite expression goes. She’s not the least bit ashamed to admit it.

    “Gravity just took over,” she explained. “I had these four beautiful kids. From the waist up, it was not pretty. I had a boob job… and it made me feel like a million bucks.

    Kris says that her stress in raising and managing her famous family also takes its toll on her body, necessitating some maintenance.

    “About four or five years ago, I decided to do a little situation there,” referring to her facelift. “It kind of scared me. I have a lot of responsibilities. It is a lot of stress and I happen to internalize my stress. I think I have tough skin. It definitely takes its toll,” she said.

  • Wendy Williams Show Back for New Season in 1st Place

    The Wendy Williams Show is back for a brand new season–its sixth–and has earned the coveted top spot in the daytime talk show demographic of women in the ages 25 to 54 bracket. Way to go, Wendy. That’s quite an honor, seeing as how she beat out shows like Ellen, Dr. Phil, and Live! With Kelly and Michael. Madam Noire reports the show has seen a fifty percent increase in ratings since season five.

    The Wendy Williams Show distributors, Mort Marcu and Ira Bernstein–also co-presidents of Debmar-Mercury–issued a statement to the media regarding the show’s success.

    “This is an amazing accomplishment. To have the No. 1 show in the category most important to advertisers, a record-setting household performance and phenomenal year-to-year growth is astounding. It is a lasting testament to Wendy, their fantastic team and the many stations across the country that have believed so strongly in Wendy. We couldn’t be more thrilled,” the statement read.

    App.com says of Wendy Williams, “She keeps her fingers on the pulse of celebs, from the Kardashians to Chris Brown. Last October, she said she’d eat crow if Kim Kardashian and Kanye West actually got married and stayed together longer than the 72 days Kardashian was previously wed to basketball player Kris Humphries.”

    “I am a woman of my word,” said Williams during a conference call with the press last week. “I stopped at a red light. I was driving the other day and looked to my left and saw a crow crossing the street. I said, ‘Oh my gosh, they are so small. They have very little meat.’”

    In recent days the Wendy Williams Show has hyped viewers–and the press–by Wendy’s revelation that she has been treated in the past by the same doctor who performed the throat procedure on Joan Rivers–the one that ultimately cost the comedienne her life. Williams saw the doctor last summer.

    Wendy Williams assured her fans that Gwen Korovin–the doctor in the Joan Rivers case–didn’t have to operate on her.

    “Thank god!” she added.

    Even more interesting, however, is this.

    “She doesn’t take insurance! Believe me, I gagged about that. Fortunately, because I went to see her on TV time, TV paid for it. Although, that special was a Wendy Williams production so somehow, I paid for it!” the talk show host said.

    Are you a fan of the Wendy Williams Show? Does it surprise you that she has beat out Ellen DeGeneres, Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan, and Dr. Oz for the daytime women’s 25 to 54-year-old age bracket?

    Best wishes to Wendy Williams as she embarks on what will no doubt be a highly successful sixth season of her show.

  • Dr. Oz Defends His Touting of ‘Miracle’ Diet Supplements

    Dr. Oz defended his ‘miracle’ weight loss supplements and his reason for condoning them during testimony at a Senate hearing on Tuesday. The TV talk show host has been accused of false advertising for touting some questionable dietary supplements said to promote weight loss and good health on The Dr. Oz Show. The show boasts a viewership of over 12 million.

    “I get that you do a lot of good on your show,” Senator Claire McCaskill, who chairs the Senate’s Consumer Protection panel, said. “But I don’t get why you need to say this stuff because you know it’s not true.”

    “My show is about hope. We’ve engaged millions in programs – including programs we did with the CDC — to get folks to realize there are different ways they can rethink their future,” Dr. Oz responded.

    Critics argue that fueling hope is fine, but is no excuse for making promises to those who desperately need that hope when based on unfounded and unscientific research.

    “I’ve got no problem with celebrity endorsements of any product but I do have a problem when a science-based doctor says something is a miracle when there’s no science to back it up,” McCaskill said in an interview with CBS.

    She claims that Dr. Mehmet Oz–as well as others who tout ‘miracle’ supplements on national TV–need to do their own research in an effort to weed out those advertisers who are fraudulent.

    Dr. Oz posted to his Facebook account yesterday, praising the efforts of those behind this hearing.

    Post by Dr. Mehmet Oz.

    The ‘Dr. Oz Effect’ is now a term used among such advertisers as well as the lawmakers who are questioning Dr. Oz’s practices of touting them. Following one of his shows in 2012 when he praised a product called green coffee bean extract a company in Florida that sells the pills sold half a million bottles. That said, who wouldn’t want Dr. Oz to tout their products? And if they sell a half million bottles as a result of his claims, how much money is padding his pockets?

    Dr. Oz agreed to testify at this hearing saying he, too, wants to make these companies accountable for their claims.

    “I strongly support the need to look at whether the products are safe or not,” he said.

    The doctor hasn’t touted anything controversial on his social media sites recently. In fact, a remedy for upset stomachs is the most recent tip he has posted.

    Is Dr. Oz trying to save himself from what might potentially become a series of huge lawsuits? Senator McCaskill told him he had two options.

    “I know you know how much power you have,” she told him. “I know you take it seriously. You can be part of the police here or you can be part of the problem.”

    Good choice, Dr. Oz. At least for now.

    Image via YouTube

  • Garcinia Cambogia: Is Pure More Effective?

    In November 2012, Dr. Oz talked about an exciting breakthrough for weight loss on his television show. Women all over America hurried to buy bottles of the “revolutionary fat buster” off the shelves, even though it’s effectiveness and safety were questioned.

    A small pumpkin-shaped fruit that grows in Southeast Asia and Australia, Dr. Oz claimed it could be the “magic ingrediant” to help a person lose weight without diet or exercise. However, clinical trials do not support claims that Garcinia cambogia is an effective weight-loss aid and the side effects, including liver damage, can be toxic.

    One of the main ingredients, HCA (Hydroxycitric Acid), is a derivative of citric acid and claims to metabolize carbohydrates and curb hunger. But when HCA was used in a study of rats prone to obesity, although it did suppress fat accumulation, it had a high testicular toxicity.

    A spokesperson at Garcinia Cambogia Unleashed said that consumers need to only look for the pure form of the product for noticeable results.

    “100% natural product means that it contains the Garcinia Extract and maybe some minerals, without any fillers or binders which might have side effects,” she said. “Pure Garcinia Cambogia capsules constitutes that it should contain at least 50% HCA, in order see significant weight-loss results.”

    WhyGarciniaCambogia.net, a website that helps people decide if the supplement is right for them, recently updated its recommended provider to Miracle, a company that claims to have the most pure and effective Garcinia Cambogia on the market.

    Miracle pills contain 60% hydroxycitric acid, are made in the United States, and contain a two-month supply per bottle.

    A Garcinia Cambogia spokesperson said, “Miracle is the best Garcinia Cambogia supplement we have tried to date. It fulfills our holy trinity of reliability requirements being made in the US and blasting the minimum HCA requirement out of the water with a massive 60% per capsule. It is our duty as an authority on the subject to help guide individuals who want to try the supplement toward a recommended provider whose quality and efficacy is assured. As such, we are proud to recommend Miracle.”

    The website also says that in order to see maximum results, the supplement needs to be taken with a balanced diet and good workout plan which, interestingly enough, is the key to any weight loss.

    For more information about Garcinia Cambogia, talk to your doctor or health care provider … who will probably tell you to eat a balanced diet and exercise for healthy weight loss results.


    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Detox Diets Could Help You Lose 10lbs In 10 Days

    Have you ever wanted to drop the pounds fast? Who hasn’t right? You have probably been told by everyone from your doctor to your mom that there is no way to lose that much weight in such a small amount of time, but a detox diet could make it possible.

    People who use detox diets swear by them and say that they see the results promised. Even Dr. Oz has created his own detox diet plans that can allow you to lose weight quickly while getting rid of harmful toxins that hide in your body.

    Dr. Oz’s newest detox diet promises to not only help you lose up to 10lbs in 10 days, but to also improve your metabolism and provide you with more energy. The diet claims to give your metabolism a complete makeover so you can burn fat and lose weight faster than with other diets.

    The diet plan was created by a guest host, Dr. Hyman and the diet plan promises to:

    -Lose up to 10 pounds
    -Reverse chronic health problems such as joint point and type 2 diabetes
    -Alleviate brain fog and allergies
    -Prevent conditions such as acne and headaches
    -Help autoimmune disease

    The 10 day detox diet promotes easting healthy and getting rid of processed foods and empty calories. It also requires dieters to remove certain foods from their diets including:

    -Processed foods unless it is a canned whole food such as sardines or artichokes with only a few real ingredients such as water or salt
    -Any food or drink that contains added sugar (including honey, molasses, agave, maple syrup, organic cane juice or artificial sweeteners), especially any sugar-sweetened beverages or fruit juices
    -Anything that contains hydrogenated oils and refined vegetable oils (like corn or soybean oil)
    -Any foods with artificial sweeteners, preservatives, additives, coloring, or dyes
    -Anything sugar or flour based (cookies, cakes, candies, etc.)
    -Grains (rice, oats, quinoa) and all foods made from flours (crackers, pasta, bread, pretzels, etc.)
    -Starches (sweet potato, potato, squash, parsnip, beets, etc.)
    -Beans and legumes (chickpeas, lentils, peanuts, kidney beans, etc.)
    -Dairy (yogurt, sour cream, cheese, milk, etc.)
    -Coffee and anything caffeinated (tea, soft drinks, lattes, etc.)
    -Alcohol (wine, beer, spirits, etc.)

    As with any diet, it is important to exercise while dieting and afterwards. After you have finished the 10 day diet, you should also continue to eat healthy. Like any diet, the 10 day detox diet should be used as a way to boost your weight loss and get you started on living a healthy lifestyle.

    Have your tried the detox diet and do you think it will work?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Daphne Oz Gives Birth to a Baby Girl

    It’s a girl for The Chew co-host Daphne Oz and her husband John Javonovic.

    Oz, the daughter of health guru Mehmet Oz, and Javonovic, an investment fund analyst, welcomed their first child into the world at 10:03 pm on Wednesday. The precious bundle of joy weighed in at 6 lbs. 13 oz. and is 20.5 inches long.

    “Mom and baby are doing very well. We feel so blessed,” the new dad said in an interview.

    The couple, who married in August 2010, have not released the name of their daughter yet.

    This hasn’t stopped proud grandpa Oz from going to Twitter to share his news, nor has it prevented others from congratulating the new family of three.

    This is not only the first child for 28-year-old the Oz, but it the first grandchild for Dr. Oz and his wife, Lisa, who also have three other children, Zoe, Arabella, and Oliver.

    Oz announced the news on The Chew, during the show’s season premiere taping back in September. As the other hosts, including Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, and Michael Symon, discussed what they did over the summer break, Oz began talking about how she and her hubby visited Italy and France. Instead of pulling out photographs of the trip, she presented a sonogram picture of the little one, seriously shocking her co-workers.

    What the adorable scene below:

    Congrats to the family!

    Image via Daphne Oz, Twitter

  • NeNe Leakes & Dr. Oz Talk Blood Clots

    NeNe Leakes & Dr. Oz Talk Blood Clots

    The outspoken reality show star NeNe Leakes has successfully shown her different dimensions by showcasing her acting chops on Glee as well as a regular spot on the well-received new comedy The New Normal, and she opened up with Dr. Oz on Thursday to get really personal about a recent health scare.

    In November, Leakes suffered a pulmonary embolism, the very same condition that rendered the pregnant Marlise Munoz brain dead. Fortunately, Leakes is still with us and fully recovered, and wishes to pay it forward by educating women of the symptoms and what actions prevent this often deadly occurrence.

    On the show, Dr. Oz warned watchers that sitting for extended periods of time can cause pulmonary embolisms; blood clots often start in the legs, and travel up to a person’s heart causing the severe reaction. Other factors such as high blood pressure, being overweight, or crossing your legs also contribute to this condition.

    During the show, Dr. Oz and Leakes discuss vegan-ism, and Leakes expressed that she is definitely is altering her diet to prevent the recurrence that she had to admit “scared her to death.”

    Dr. Oz went on to emphasize to Nene Leakes as well as to the audience the importance of supplements to prevent pulmonary embolisms such as Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D and multivitamins.

    Nene Leakes’ testimony certainly helped those who watched, and both she and the audience left with a bounty of helpful information from Dr. Oz. His knowledge obviously impressed her,

    and her appearance touched viewers to give sentiments such as these:

    You can catch more of Nene Leakes on Real Housewives of Atlanta at 8p.m. EST tonight on the Bravo television network.

    Image via Twitter

  • Garcinia Cambogia: Is It Really Safe?

    The newest craze in weight loss supplements, Garcinia cambogia and GC Select is flying off the shelves in an all out effort to support weight loss for those seeking to drop those extra pounds.

    The gambooge fruit, also known as the Malabar tamarind, ripens to a red or yellowish fruit about the size of an orange, but with more of a pumpkin shape.

    Even the supplements containing this fruit are seeing record setting sales. But is this just another weight loss gimmick, or has it been proven effective and safe?

    After being featured on the Dr. Oz show, this little miracle weight loss product promises success for dieters, which what made this little fruit so extremely popular.

    This product, as described on the show, when combined with Hydroxycitric acid (HCA), is hailed as a “revolutionary fat buster. That just might be the most exciting breakthrough in natural weight loss to date.”

    The Dr. Oz Show claims: Many studies have shown promise. One randomized placebo-controlled study followed 60 obese persons for 8 weeks. With a calorie-restricted diet (1200 kcal/day) and an HCA dose of 1320 mg/day, the experimental group lost an average of 14 pounds (compared to 6.1 pounds in the placebo group). The participants also noted reduced appetite.

    Sounds intriguing if it is true, but what have others studies shown?

    “Some studies have shown that HCA stops an enzyme that turns sugar into fat,” said Catherine Ulbricht, senior pharmacist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and co-founder of Natural Standard Research Collaboration, which reviews evidence on herbs and supplements.

    If a drug company wanted to sell HCA it wouldn’t fly unless there was stronger evidence that first, the substance worked, and second, it underwent more rigorous clinical trials. As it is now, the HCA wouldn’t pass Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. However, the FDA is a bit more lax when chemicals are sold as nutritional supplements, as they don’t fall under the same burden of proof as pharmaceuticals. Further, supplement manufacturers only have to make products safe to eat and label them responsibly.

    The FDA issued a safety warning in 2009 after receiving more than 20 reports of severe reactions, including liver damage from people taking Hydroxycut. At the time, Hydroxycut contained a Garcinia cambogia extract. The product also contained chromium polynicotinate and Gymnema sylvestre extract, so the liver damage cannot be specifically blamed on Garcinia cambogia extract.

    Still, caution is suggested, as Garcinia cambogia does have other side effects – it may lower a person’s blood sugar, so it can interact with diabetes treatments. And the product hasn’t been adequately studied in pregnant women or women who breastfeed. Garcinia cambogia could also be a problem in Alzheimer’s or dementia patients, Ulbricht said.

    Ulbricht’s suggestion those wishing to take this extract and supplements containing HCA should consult their physicians first.

    Image via GHI

  • Steven Spielberg Ousts Oprah as Influential Celeb

    Steven Spielberg has ousted Oprah Winfrey as the most influential celebrity in the U.S., according to an annual study conducted by Forbes magazine. It seems it was the film Lincoln that gave Spielberg the edge over Oprah. Earning him 12 Oscar nominations as well as $275 million at the box office in the U.S., it also brought in $93 million at the global box office. Forty seven percent of people surveyed rated Steven Spielberg as influential.

    “A celebrity’s ‘Influential’ score represents how that person is perceived as influencing the public, their peers, or both,” president of E-Poll Market Research, Gerry Philpott, said. E-Poll Market Research conducted the study for Forbes.

    Oprah Winfrey topped the Forbes list last year with a 49 percent influential rating. She slipped this year to just 45 percent–still impressive, of course, but not high enough to top Steven Spielberg. Reps at Forbes think that Oprah staying out of the limelight for much of the past year contributed to her decline in influence.

    Forbes magazine announced Steven Spielberg as their most influential celebrity on Wednesday using a variety of social media outlets–Twitter being among them.

    So who else made the list of influential celebrities behind both Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey? Star Wars creator George Lucas earned third place in the survey. Directors Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese came in fourth and fifth, respectively. Other celebrities who made the top ten list include Barbara Walters, Bono and Dr. Oz.

    And while Forbes hasn’t said exactly how many people took the survey, E-Poll Market Research ranked more than 6,600 celebrities on 46 personality attributes in their efforts to compile that top ten list.

    Are you surprised that Steven Spielberg beat out Oprah Winfrey as most influential celebrity? Was there anyone noticeably absent from the top 5 who you might have expected to see there?

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Camille Grammer Talks Cancer and Slams Kelsey

    Camille Grammer, “Real Housewives” star and cancer survivor opened up on Thursday’s episode of Dr. Oz about her radical hysterectomy on October 11th, according to ABC.

    “It’s been four weeks today, a month ago. I’m feeling great,” Grammer said. “I have to say once in a while I’ll get a little pain here and there, but I’m walking around. I was able to go trick-or-treating with my kids and my life is moving forward and I’m feeling very well.”

    Her healing is obviously going well, but anytime a person finds out they have cancer, that can really be an emotional and detrimental moment. When asked about the moment she found out that she had cancer, Grammer said, “My heart sank. You know, you think about your children, am I gonna make it, I want to be alive for them. I want to see my daughter get married, I want to see my son get married, graduate high school, college.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6yUhuvhRK4

    However, in the midst of all this talk of serious issues going on in her life, including the restraining order she recently had to obtain against ex-boyfriend Dimitri Charalambopoulos for alleged physical abuse, Camille took the time to make sure and get in a quick jab at ex-husband Kelsey Grammer, regarding their two children together,

    “My ex-husband hasn’t seen the kids since July, so I’m mom. I’m there. So I really needed to be here for them. My son doesn’t really understand it that well, but my daughter said, Mom, I’m so glad you’re getting surgery ’cause then the cancer’s gonna be all gone.”

    According to Reality TV magazine, his rep replied to the gut-punch, and explained that Camille “neglected to say that Kelsey was filming out of the country” during the that time, and then added, “Also, Kelsey does not wish to be drawn into commenting on their personal life in a public forum.”

    Ouch.

    Image via youtube

  • Camille Grammer Talks Cancer With Dr. Oz

    Camille Grammer, known for her role on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and for being Frasier star Kelsey Grammer’s ex-wife, chatted with Dr. Oz this week on his talk show about her cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery.

    Diagnosed with early stage endometrial cancer, Grammer says she was initially terrified, but doing much better now.

    “It’s been four weeks today, a month ago. I’m feeling great,” she told Dr. Oz. “I have to say, once in a while I’ll get a little pain here and there, but I’m walking around. I was able to go trick-or-treating with my kids and my life is moving forward and I’m feeling very well, thank you.”

    Grammer describes ex-husband Kelsey Grammer as an absentee dad, and maintains that she is the only present and active parent that her children have. This added extra stress made being diagnosed with cancer even more frightening.

    “My heart sank. You know, you think about your children, am I gonna make it, I want to be alive for them,” Grammer said. “My kids — my ex-husband hasn’t seen the kids since July so I’m mom. I’m there. So I really needed to be here for them. My son doesn’t really understand it that well, but my daughter said, mom, I’m so glad you’re getting surgery ’cause then the cancer’s gonna be all gone.”

    Cancer hasn’t been the only frightening thing on Camille Grammer’s mind either. She recently too out a restraining order on her younger boyfriend, Dimitri Charalambopoulos after he beat her up at a Texas hotel. Charalambopoulos denies the charges. This obviously added insult to injury to her healing efforts post-surgery. No one in the world should have to experience that kind of abuse.

    Camille explained to Dr. Oz how she intends to get through both of her harrowing ordeals with the help of a therapist.

    “Oh, it was just terrible ’cause, you know, right after any kind of procedure, you want to be surrounded by love and you need good healing vibes and positive energy around you,” she said. “I was physically abused and assaulted by this person and it was very traumatizing. But now, I’m working with a therapist and I’m going to be okay. I’m doing well.”

    Did you catch Camille Grammer’s conversation with Dr. Oz on Thursday, November 14th? Don’t you admire her bravery in the face of these two incredibly scary challenges? Her strength will no doubt serve her well. Her cancer ordeal has proven to herself and to her children, too, that she can endure great challenges with courage and grace.

    Image via Facebook

  • Dr. Oz Sued Over Insomnia Remedy

    Dr. Oz Sued Over Insomnia Remedy

    Unlike some daytime TV doctors, Dr. Mehmet Oz is an actual medical doctor. While that means his medical advice on The Dr. Oz Show may carry more weight than other TV doctors, it also means some viewers may put too much stock in some of the more home-brewed “remedies” sometimes described on the show.

    The New York Daily News is reporting that a New Jersey man is suing Oz over an insomnia cure the doctor described on his show.

    The remedy that caused the man such trouble was one described by Dr. Oz on a show in April 2012. The “knapsack heated rice footsie” cure for insomnia involved placing uncooked rice into a pair of socks, heating them in a microwave, and placing them on the feet for 20 minutes to help with sleep.

    The man suing Dr. Oz, 76-year-old Frank Dietl, ended up with third degree burns on his feet after attempting the remedy. Dietl reportedly has neuropathy in his feet due to diabetes, meaning he could not feel the rice burning his feet.

    The Daily News report states that Dr. Oz did warn his viewers not to heat the rice sock too hot, though no specific warnings were issued for people with neuropathy.

  • Lisa Lampanelli Talks To Dr. Oz About Huge Weight Loss

    Lisa Lampanelli is best known for hurling insults at people–mostly her friends–while onstage, either during her standup comedy routine or at various Comedy Central Roasts. But since her weight loss surgery five months ago, she’s dropped 80 pounds and is gaining some attention for her new look.

    Lampanelli says she’s tried for years to stop overeating and drop the excess weight, but nothing worked for her. When she decided to go through with gastric bypass surgery, she knew she had to use it as a tool to lose the pounds and not as an answer.

    “I tried every single thing imaginable – diet, exercise,” she told Dr. Oz. “I even bought a house on the health spa property and I still gained weight. For 32 years, from 18 to 50, I tried everything on the planet, and once I had a clean slate with that I said, ‘You know what? Nothing’s working for me. I’m going to treat this like the addiction that it is. I’m going to get this surgery and use it as a tool. That’s all it is, a tool to help me get over it.”

    The surgery removed 85% of her stomach, so now she’s learning about portion control and says she feels full after just a few bites. She now says she’s where she always wanted to be, size-wise.

  • Transcendental Meditation: Oprah Recommends It For Employees

    Oprah Winfrey devoted her show last night to the topic of transcendental mediation after visiting the Maharishi University in Fairfield, Iowa.

    It’s a topic she’s familiar with since discovering the benefits of the practice last year and sharing it with her employees; she has also gained some knowledge of it through her work with inner-city schools, where, under the tutelage of Maharishi board member David Lynch–yes, the “Eraserhead” guy–the practice was introduced to children who suffered from behavioral and academic problems.

    Basically, it’s a spiritual practice that allows one to find stillness and calm, not unlike prayer. Winfrey says she introduced the idea to her employees and it spread like wildfire around the studio, and the results were staggering.

    “…You can’t imagine what has happened in the company. People who used to have migraines, don’t. People are sleeping better. People have better relationships. People interact with other people better. It’s been fantastic,” she told Dr. Oz last year.

    Lynch said he started meditating on the advice of his sister and discovered he was a very angry person; transcendental meditation helped dissolve that.

    “I was filled with an anger and sorrows and doubts and melancholy. And I took it out on my first wife. I made her life pretty much a hell,” Lynch said. “So I start transcendental meditation, and two weeks later she comes to me and says, “What is going on? This anger, where did it go?” Things lift away so naturally.”

    Forbes writer Peter Cohan says meditation can be an excellent way for startups to change things for the better.

    “…Many entrepreneurs start companies not for money but to change the world,” he writes. “If entrepreneurs’ visions of what that world would look like end up improving life for other people, those start-up CEOs are using a kind of spirituality to attract and motivate top talent.

    Furthermore, when entrepreneurs hire those people, they look for integrity. As I described in my book, Value Leadership, integrity means that people do what they say they will do. And in a start-up, integrity has a compelling business imperative — there is no time or money for people who can’t be trusted. That’s why it is so critical for company founders to conduct exhaustive due diligence on potential employees.”

    The practice isn’t just recommended for stressed-out students and employees, however. Lynch and his foundation also work with veterans and prisoners to show them an outlet for their rage, and also to help them learn to stop and think about their actions and the consequences they have before an incident occurs.

    “So something that people say is, “Before I started meditating, I just reacted. Now, with meditation, I have this pause and this reasoning: Do I really want to blow this man’s head off with a .357 Magnum in my hand?” And then the answer is, “No, I don’t think so.” They have time to think,” Lynch says.

    The practice is getting a lot of attention now that Oprah has given it her stamp of approval.

    (image)@TMmeditation
    TM Meditation    Watching Oprah’s Next Chapter about TM and Fairfield, Iowa. Are you? What do you think? #Oprah #meditation(image) 12 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

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    Samantha Miller    Transcendental Meditation Receives Heightened Awareness – Following the Oprah Endorsement: http://t.co/WEWqSUFD –… http://t.co/e7W54IiY(image) 5 hours ago via twitterfeed ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

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    LESLIE SCOTT    @Owntv @Oprah I have always wanted to know about TM….Transcendental Meditation. I can’t believe u r taking us in. http://t.co/5AHIkT72(image) 6 days ago via Safari on iOS ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

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    MeditationAsheville     Oprah’s Next Chapter: Meditation — In ‘America’s Most Unusual Town’ http://t.co/dBoofibJ via @HuffingtonPost #transcendental(image) 31 minutes ago via The Huffington Post ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto