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April 8, 2024 - Dr. Oz Podcast
42:41
Energy Pick-Me-Ups That Won’t Make You Crash | Dr. Oz | S7 | Ep 10 | Full Episode
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We're turning up with new ways to get your energy up.
I want you to rethink how you imagine energy.
My energy mobile is heading to streets with the surprising on-the-spot boost that beats coffee.
It definitely gives me more energy.
It keeps me going for a longer period.
Plus, would you smoke caffeine for energy?
I'm going to try the newest energy fad, caffeine e-cigarettes, to find out what it does to my brain and body.
coming up next we'll save lives today We are ready to get healthy!
Thank you very much.
All right, everybody.
So, let me tell you a short story.
Get comfortable.
I remember when I was first starting as an intern working in the emergency room, I was shocked because you'd work a full 24-hour shift, and then instead of going home and sleeping, I'd rest a little bit, then do a 36-hour shift, and then they gave me 12 hours just to sleep, which is all you could do.
I would wait until I was completely drained, just like all the other interns, before recharging, which is not just a habit of interns and residents.
A lot of you all tell me that you go, go, go until you hit a wall.
Then you look for a buzz from caffeine or from sugar to pick yourself up.
Well, on today's show, I want to review the best and the worst ways to beat your energy slump.
So...
I'm gonna try the newest energy fad, caffeine e-cigarettes, to find out what it does to my brain and body.
Beyond coffee, better energy pick-me-ups that won't make you crash.
And I'm gonna crash a party to reveal why your thyroid may be robbing you of your energy.
We've actually got a checklist with everything you need to know before getting your thyroid checked.
So, you ready to get started?
I got a little present for you.
This is a caffeine e-cigarette.
They're the latest caffeine fad that's starting to pop up.
And while being monitored by a doctor, I did an experiment to find out the big question.
What effect does inhaled caffeine have on my body?
I'm here today outside the Amen Clinic to make myself part of an experiment.
I want to find out the effects of these caffeine e-cigarettes on your body and more specifically your brain.
Today I'm going to try one of these cigarettes so you don't have to.
I met with Dr. Amen and his staff who walked me through the experiment.
So what we're going to do is something called a quantitative EEG. We're going to measure the electrical activity in your brain before, so we'll get a baseline, and then after you inhale the caffeine.
I was hooked up to the EEG, and my baseline measurements were taken.
I also had Nisa from my med unit check my vitals to see if they would change after inhaling caffeine.
Here you go, Dr. Oz.
But before we get started, let me show you how these things work.
These e-cigarettes produce vaporized caffeine using a battery and cartridge containing a blend of stimulants.
When you inhale, the heaters vaporize the ingredients to give you a puff of caffeine that goes straight to the brain.
Alright, here we go.
the first puff.
It's a little bit of a sweet taste.
I sense the smoke.
I don't feel anything that in my head.
I can feel my chest.
Just feel fuller with the smoke.
Sort of eerie, because you wonder where the smoke went.
I guess I'm metabolizing it.
It's going into my bloodstream, ultimately to my head, so we'll see what it does.
Getting a little bit of a buzz, but I don't know if it's from the caffeine or from the deep breath.
At 10 minute intervals, we paused so Dr. Amen and Niza could measure my brain activity and vitals.
Do you feel like exercise gives you more energy, more of a buzz?
Exercise would give me more of a buzz than this, yes.
That's for sure.
But this might be sneaking up on me.
I can't tell.
I don't feel any jitteriness.
I don't feel nauseated.
I do have that little light buzz.
It hasn't changed much since the sixth inhaling or so.
It's not hitting me as much as a big cup of coffee would.
I don't feel a major change in how my body is based on what I've done so far.
How much caffeine do you think is really in this?
So on the website it said 0.08%, but you don't know what that means as far as a cup of coffee, You know, is it a small one or a big one?
If I took as many sips of coffee, I would definitely be feeling more of a buzz than I have now.
After 30 minutes of smoking, we took our final measurement.
We're finished.
I'm gonna process the results, see if it made a significant difference or not.
At this point, I'm sure I'm taking more pups than the average person would take, especially in a half-hour period.
You know, I don't feel it physically.
I'm wondering what's happening with my brain scan.
While Dr. Amen processed the results, I left to continue my day.
It's about two hours after I smoked the caffeine.
I actually have a bit more of a buzz now in my head than I did when I was doing the experiment, but my team is telling me that I have a very frenetic pattern.
I'm speaking too quickly.
I'm coming at them real quickly on things that normally I'd be a bit more calm on.
So I do think it's having...
A delayed reaction.
I'll call it that.
I'll try to calm myself down.
So it's sort of confusing to me.
I didn't have a big change in my vital signs.
But people around me, for example my EP Amy, actually noticed a change in my behavior an hour or two later.
So she's actually here as a first-hand witness.
Am I misstating it?
Was I more frenetic than usual?
Well, you were, because initially I asked you, how did it feel?
And you said, oh, I'm fine.
It was fine.
And then we started having a conversation.
And while you normally speak fairly quickly, as everyone knows, it was so fast that at one point I had to stop you and go, I can't even make out the words that you're saying.
And we knew.
We knew.
I wasn't the usual calming influence.
No.
Thank you.
Here's a question.
Even if I can't tell, or frankly, sometimes you probably can't tell when you're being hit, what happens inside of our brains?
What was going on inside of my brain?
Dr. Daniel Amen is here.
Dr. Amen's brain scan experience is vast.
And he took the time to analyze mine.
So you just heard my executive producers and others told me the same, which is that I was very frenetic that day, even though I didn't sense it.
So what was happening inside of my head?
So we did a baseline scan, which we see up here, and what we're doing is we're comparing different electrical bands to a normal population.
And normal is the yellow, so overall mostly normal.
So after the caffeine, 40 minutes, because I kept taking these different shots.
I probably smoked it 80 times, and I don't even know how to smoke right.
So I was struggling, hyperventilating.
This is what I look like, the bottom level here.
Right, and what the blue means, these are areas of decreased activity.
So these are actually sleepy waves, daydreaming waves, so you feel more...
This is an alerting response, so the red here, it's okay, well now you're beginning to tune in, maybe even a little obsessive here, but one of the judgment areas, left frontal lobe is down, and then these are the really fast waves, so we think of focus, forethought, judgment, impulse, control, planning.
These are dropping out.
So here, so you feel better, you're tuned in, but your judgment's not as good, and that may not be a good thing.
So you can really sort of pay attention, but you might not make the right decision.
So, okay, this is something that you typically see after, I gather, people taking caffeine.
Well, actually not.
What's interesting, the literature and our own studies show that all of the power bands drop with caffeine.
But when you inhale it, it comes in in a different way.
And so that may be why we're seeing the increases here.
So even more alert, but still not with good judgment.
I would be looking for other ways to boost your energy.
All right, let's bring Dr. Ginsberg into the equation.
He's a toxicologist, and he's going to dissect what we know about these e-cigarettes.
So just as a high level, what do you think about this new fad?
Well, I don't think it's a good idea.
The stimulants that are in these cartridges, we know something about them because they're common in energy drinks.
And ten years ago, with the beginning of the fad of energy drinks, we didn't know where that would take us.
And where it's taken us is a lot of overdoses, a lot of increase.
For emergency room visits, we don't know where this vaping energy phase will take us, perhaps in the same direction as the drinks.
So let's be specific now, because I just learned that the effect of caffeine when you drink it might be different from when you inhale it.
Absolutely.
Walk us through what happens when we inhale ingredients that otherwise I'm often comfortable with.
For example, ginseng I think is useful in some settings.
How is it different if we smoke it?
Okay, well there are case medical reports of people who work with ginseng, formulating it, encapsulating it, that have gotten occupational asthma.
So who knows how much allergy and asthma we may be generating.
How about things like guarana, which is found in a lot of energy drinks, and taurine?
Yeah.
Well, guarana, of course, is a very strong source of caffeine, and then you're adding vaping on top of it, and how much vaping might someone be tempted to do?
It's an easy thing to overdo.
And the taurine's an amino acid.
That's probably safe, or you don't know?
Taurine is a normal constituent of the body, a normal constituent of our diet, and it's very easy to excrete.
So let's take a step back here.
Should the FDA be approving these?
Have they spoken about these e-cigarettes?
For caffeine.
Well, not for caffeine.
They are trying to increase their jurisdiction over nicotine-based e-cigarettes, so the world of caffeine vaping is completely unregulated.
FDA has even tried to reach its arm out in that direction.
Thank you very much.
So my medical team has been researching these types of products ever since we heard about them.
We're going to keep looking into this and we will update you.
But I gave you my bottom line for now is I just don't know enough about it to recommend it.
I don't think our experts do either.
So I think you ought to be cautious.
Up next, I sent out my energy team to bring you better pick-me-ups to bring you out of your slump.
Stay here.
Later, forget coffee.
My core team of experts hit the streets with the best tips to beat your midday crash.
There's a natural way to up your energy.
Pick me up to power through any afternoon.
Coming up.
I go from doctor to patient.
Not to test a supplement.
What am I going to find out?
To expose a nationwide epidemic.
As a teen, it even affected me.
The concussions that I remember were both in football.
I only had two that I know of.
Even the term concussion, that's not even a good term.
We should call it a brain injury.
The unexpected news from my brain scan.
Please share with everyone what you found.
That's coming up tomorrow on Dr. Oz.
Today we're talking about the best and worst ways to beat your energy slump.
Kim says she's a huge coffee person.
Just how huge of a coffee person are you?
How many cups a day?
I love it.
It's like four to five.
Four to five?
Four to five.
Throughout the entire day?
Throughout the entire day.
I'm in love with creamer, so I mean, coffee and creamer is like my best thing, my best meal of the day.
Are you jacked up now?
A little bit.
Just a tad bit.
I have to go and get some more.
I want you and everyone out there to rethink how you imagine energy.
Because I think we've got a false promise coming to us sometimes when we take all these extra things.
So let me draw you a little picture.
This is actually what most of us have for our energy these days.
Now, your baseline is somewhere in here, but you get this big peak when you take a little bit of caffeine, then it'll drop into a cratered valley, then you go back up again with some sugar, you crater back down, up and down, up and down, all day long.
You get the high, but it doesn't last.
So when you crater down there, down that valley, when you've crashed, what does it feel like?
It doesn't feel that well.
I feel like I don't have much energy and I need another cup of coffee.
Yeah, so that's why I have so many because I get to that point where I'm just like totally tired and can't do anything and I feel like, let me brew some coffee.
Here's my thought.
Yes.
There are better ways to do this.
We can revitalize our body to use natural energy stores in our minds as well to take the ups and downs into a new stable place where you don't have the valleys and it's actually higher up.
Right.
Because the thing with a lot of these supplements and crazy things we put in our bodies is they're actually making withdrawal from your energy bank.
Wow.
But it's your energy they're taking.
Yeah.
Instead, use natural source and build it up high.
The question is, how do you do that?
Instead of having it fizzle out, how do you maintain it where it needs to be?
Here's what I did.
I pulled together a team of top energy experts and I sent them out to you.
Their mission is to share the best energy pick-me-ups that won't make you crash.
I call them the Energy Squad.
Nutritionist Carrie Glassman.
Eating lunch that's too big can contribute to feeling sleepy in the afternoon.
But I have a simple remedy to help you beat the afternoon slump.
Fitness trainer Donovan Green.
Going for a walk around the block might help to clear your mind, but if you're looking for a bigger energy boost, have I got the right trick for you.
And psychotherapist, Dr. Mike Dow.
The people we surround ourselves with really can have an impact on whether or not we feel depleted of energy.
They're my trio of experts who will teach you how to fight fatigue with pick-me-ups that won't make you crash.
First stop, the coffee shop, where people are lining up to get rid of their afternoon sloppy.
Hi girls!
Hi, how are you?
Having your afternoon coffee?
Yes, yes.
Girl, it's needed.
It's needed?
So are you ladies Java junkies?
I can't go a day without having a coffee.
I'm fully addicted.
This is what I need every day, three times a day.
So this is what you normally do at this time of day?
Absolutely.
We call ourselves the coffee clutch.
The coffee clutch!
Okay, well, I like the hanging out together.
Did you know that the caffeine in coffee that most people think of as giving them energy actually isn't providing energy, it's a stimulant.
So you might feel a little more revved up, but it's not real energy.
But what if I told you that there's a natural way to Up your energy for that afternoon slump.
I don't know if I could give up my coffee, but I'll give it a try.
Your remedy to that afternoon slump?
Ice cold water.
60% of our body is water.
So if our body is not hydrated properly, we feel lethargic and tired.
Cold water helps lower our internal body temperature faster, cooling us off faster, helping us feel less lethargic.
You're going to feel more energetic.
You've fueled your cells.
Alright ladies, I got something for you.
Some nice cold water.
Here, drink up.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Next up, Donovan Green showed our ladies how to get physical to boost their energy.
I'll show you how to get your energy up.
We're going to get it up higher than coffee.
And guess what?
It's going to last longer than coffee.
You're going to perk your body's natural energy with HIIT. It's short for high intensity interval training.
The idea of HIIT is to get your heart rate up.
It's going to increase your metabolism.
But here's the fun part.
It's a 60 second time frame for the exercise.
You want to go as intense as you can for 60 seconds and rest for 15 seconds.
It's active recovery.
Y'all ready?
Yeah!
Let's do it!
It's a jump rope first.
It's called speed rope.
Let's go.
60 seconds.
Go for it.
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go.
Go, go, go, go, go.
Mountain climbers.
You hit the deck.
Legs up.
You move.
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!
Remember, ladies, your energy comes from you!
You're getting those blood cells up, your heart rate is up, your cardiac output is up.
Next one, front raise, outside, come back, squat, you come up, down, that's with the dumbbells.
We got this?
How we feeling?
Hey!
How we feeling?
Awesome!
Dawn is here.
Apparently her co-workers argue that if they were to cut open your veins, coffee would drip out.
That's true, unfortunately.
I'm a little scared after all the things that I've heard so far.
So this HIIT, this exercise that Donovan was showing you, have you been keeping up with it?
Yeah, especially the jump rope portion of it because I have a little nine-year-old and she loves to do it right in the kitchen.
Are you any good at it?
I'm awful at it and I want to get better at it, but it's like anything else.
It takes practice.
Let me show you what's happening in your body.
This is why HIIT is sort of cool.
It's ideas like this that actually make me so confident we have complete power over this energy issue.
So when you're doing these kinds of activities like this, high intensity for small periods of time, it turns out that the actual cells in your body, they make more of these energy factories.
It's these functioning factories that make a deposit into your energy bank.
Whereas a lot of these extra products we throw in our bodies, the caffeine in particular, they give you a sense of energy, you don't get drowsy, but when that chemical wears off, you crater because you don't actually have real energy producing factories in your body.
I used to drink lots of those big cups of coffee, right?
How do you compare that effect to the effect you're getting from the HIIT exercises?
Oh, I just think exercise in general always makes you feel good.
Does it last longer for you?
Yeah, definitely.
Definitely.
A measurable difference like that's what I'm interested in.
Keep it up.
Keep going back in your kitchen with the kids.
You're training them as well.
All right, up next, for everyone who reaches for sugar as they pick me up, I got a quick and easy snack that's scientifically proven to give you energy without the crash.
Stay with us.
Later in the show, we've all been there.
A super productive morning, then the afternoon slump.
It's time to fix the fatigue.
Two tasty pick-me-ups that don't include sugar or caffeine.
Oh, it's really good.
Time to know.
We've been following my energy experts as they drove around giving better pick-me-ups to unsuspecting people during peak afternoon slump hours.
And they ended up running into some women who usually grab a sugary snack in the afternoon.
Next up, we met some ladies who wanted a healthier snack alternative for their mid-afternoon slump.
Hi ladies!
Hi!
How are you?
Okay, so of course you also crave some real physical energy because we know we need to eat every few hours to keep our energy up.
We want to have a combination of protein and fiber.
Protein keeps you satisfied and fiber keeps you full.
The combination of those things is going to give you this sort of time release effect of energy.
So I have some goodies for you right here.
So here is a turkey jerky, a healthy turkey jerky, and veggies.
So you're getting protein, you're getting a little fiber in the veggies right there.
And I'm going to give you some nuts and dried fruit.
You're getting protein and fiber and healthy fat in the nuts and the dried fruit, some fiber.
And we've got some nut butter and apples in there.
So you're getting, again, the protein and the fiber.
I'll give you some nuts back there.
We've got some eggs for your hard-boiled eggs.
A lot of good protein.
Again, some fiber in the veggies.
What about me?
And Mr. Mike over there.
You're getting that.
Turkey!
So when you're in that afternoon slump, instead of having that sugar crash, a combination of the protein and the fiber is going to keep you nice and satisfied and full with a good, steady release of energy.
You'll be feeling great all afternoon.
And not going to dinner starving.
How good is that?
So, Benedetta is here.
What is it about the afternoons that makes you so darn tired?
Because everyone's complaining about the same thing.
Yeah, well, I start my day extremely early.
I have three young kids.
I have twin girls whose birthday is today, Alina and Talia.
Today?
Today, Alina and Talia.
They turn six.
Congratulations.
And I have two-year-old, the boss of the house.
So between the twins and the baby, and I just open up a new restaurant in Montclair.
So between the twins and the restaurant, it's a busy day.
So I go from morning to night, all day long.
So this combo that you were told about, protein with fiber, which you can make in many different ways.
You've been trying it.
Has it worked for you?
It's definitely been working.
It gives me more energy.
It keeps me going for a longer period.
This is how you make it, right?
Yes.
Do you eat this all day long, just once in the afternoon?
I mean, a couple of times a day, especially in the afternoon when I'm feeling a little bit hungry, a little bit perkish.
A little protein bar with tea time.
Well, I trust you since you've got a restaurant, so teach me a little bit about this.
Okay, so typically it's a couple of ingredients, which are the oats.
Just dump it all in a bowl.
The granola.
Mix it up a little bit.
Mix everything together.
And that was just graham crackers crushed.
This is the almond, again, for your protein.
Mix it together.
And the honey's more for a little bit of the flavor and the sweetness.
And you want it to, like, stick together a little bit.
So you take these little babies, and you scoop them in?
So basically, yes.
Get it as clustered and stuck together as much.
Pour it in, and then you mold it together so it becomes into a little ball.
Let it sit, or put it in the freezer, and then you can move to some music, a little shake, a little dance, and, you know, yeah.
Groove it, shake it.
That's what it looks like when it's stuck.
Yeah, because it's in the fridge.
Here, catch this over there.
Catch it, catch it, go to the trap!
One more time over here.
Catch it, catch it, catch it, catch it!
Yes!
Okay.
And it actually tastes really good.
Tastes, let's see what you guys think.
Either with water, with tea.
Oh, it's really good.
It's really good.
Nicely done.
And happy birthday to the twins.
Thank you so much.
Up next, big question.
Do you take your coffee black or do you like all those lattes?
When we come back, find out what your coffee order says about you.
Stay tuned.
Later, I'm going to reveal the hidden reason for your low energy.
This body part could be the culprit.
It's about that size.
It's a gland.
It's a gland.
The penis?
What kind of penis is that?
Coming up.
A nationwide epidemic.
Concussions.
As a teen, it even affected me.
The unexpected news from my brain scan.
Please share with everyone what you found.
That's coming up tomorrow.
So I'm backstage here at the show.
My good friend Cameron Paula, he's taught me how to make my currently favorite coffee, which is a little espresso and...
Espresso, hot froth milk.
And don't forget the cinnamon.
Just don't sneeze it in your nose.
There you go.
And you can actually read the cinnamon pattern.
Thanks, buddy.
Appreciate it.
Excuse me, Doc.
A little something.
I'll get you tomorrow.
It works every time.
It's the best way to go.
Anyway, I love this.
It is fantastic.
I love this sentiment in particular.
But the question is, what does it really talk and tell you about my salary?
I mean, my salary.
My coffee.
Both.
I'm not making enough to pay him a tip.
Today's show is all about separating the best and the worst ways to beat your energy slump.
So, what else will we talk about today in today's conversation about what our topic is, which is everyone's favorite energy booster.
Coffee.
What does your coffee order say about you?
So we asked your local neighborhood baristas all across the country to take a survey in order to match your coffee order, some of which are quite complex, to your personality traits.
And I've got the results in my hands right here.
Everyone, I want you to meet Alyssa, our very own barista, who's going to help me out today.
How are you, Barista?
All right, what do you got?
What's a coffee?
It's a little present for me to you.
Don't think it all at once.
All right.
Who's our first victim?
Okay.
Peachy is our first victim with a black coffee.
Very delicious.
Very pure.
And her name is?
Peachy.
Peachy.
What a peachy name.
There she is.
I'll take it down to her.
She's labeled black, notice.
So, Peachy, are you a black coffee fan?
I am a black coffee fan, only since watching your show over these years, because I was trying to cut back on the extra calories, and I knew the sugar was no good for me.
So first went the sugar, then I noticed the cream had sugar in it, then went the cream, and I acquired a taste for black coffee, and I feel like I'm giving myself a chance.
Well, you hit it right.
You got rid of all the things I worry about, the creamers and the sugars and all those things.
But there's a lot more we can learn about in your personality, which is why we did this little survey.
So here it is.
Here's what black coffee drinkers are like, according to the baristas.
Are you ready?
The black coffee drinker is an old-school person and a purist.
They keep things simple and low-maintenance.
They can get coffee anytime, anywhere, and they're extremely efficient.
Sound like you?
Yes.
Enjoy your black coffee.
All right, who's up next, Alyssa?
So our next order is for Kimberly, and it is a double ristretto, venti, half soy, non-fat, decaf, organic chocolate brownie, vanilla double shot gingerbread cappuccino, extra hot with foam, whipped cream, cinnamon sprinkles, upside down, double blended, one sweetener.
What?
What is what I say, too.
Kimberly.
Where's Kimberly?
You're Kimberly?
We're going to spill this coffee on you, Kimberly.
It took so long.
Have you always been a complicated person?
Kimberly, your order's not even ready yet.
Are you a complicated person?
No.
Not at all?
So what kind of order is that?
I guess a hard day at work.
It makes a hard day at work for the baristas, that's for sure.
I do accounting, so...
Well, again, it is a health show, and I love the coffee part of it, because it actually is, in many ways, a healthy option.
But I wanted to, again, find out your personality.
Oh.
And that can affect your health.
You are a complicated coffee order, which means that you're a perfectionist.
Yes.
The baristas say you're outspoken.
You aren't afraid to ask for your coffee to be made again.
Absolutely.
That's true?
That's me.
I'm not trying to be crazy, Alyssa.
That's me.
Yeah.
No, I'm just kidding.
They're usually a little impatient, too.
They have extremely high expectations.
Yes.
Give that back.
Thank you very much.
Listen, when we come back, we'll reveal the body part that could be the hidden reason for your low energy.
Don't miss it.
Coming up, studying medicine is as much of an art as it is a science.
I've got my paintbrush ready and going undercover to reveal the hidden reason for your exhaustion.
And coming up later, my personal go-to snack when I need an energy boost.
Coming up.
We are bringing a healthy back this season and want you to bring it too.
Grab your prescription pad for fun and sign up for free tickets today.
You can go to DrRoz.com slash tickets and sign up.
I was told in medical school that studying medicine is as much of an art as it is a science.
So earlier this week, I got my paintbrush out and went undercover to reveal the hidden reason for your low energy.
Hi everyone, my name is Mia.
I'm going to be your instructor today here at Paint and Sip Studio New York.
I am so excited that you're here for our mystery painting today.
I'm about to crash a paint and sip class where they, well, literally they paint and they sip.
They have no idea what they're painting and they have no idea I'm the guest teacher today.
We're going to go across and we're going to go up.
Connect these two lines.
With one final line length.
When you're doing these lines, you want to use nice, long strokes.
- Surprise!
Surprise!
Would you mind if I help out?
How are you?
Good.
Can I displace you?
Sure.
Oh my good, what are you guys painting?
Any thoughts on what you're painting?
After all, it's a doctor show.
Hypothalamus, lungs.
This is very important, this organ.
It's sort of shaped by two thumbs like that.
It's about that size.
It's a gland.
The penis?
What kind of penis is that?
Ovaries, not ovaries.
Thyroid!
Thyroid high five!
Thyroid!
You want to see a real thyroid?
Are you up for it?
This is what the actual gland looks like.
Go ahead and feel that.
What do you think about that?
Dried fruit?
Are you hungry?
It actually lies up in your neck like this.
All the blood supply has got to go through that thyroid to carry the thyroid hormone to your body, which is why your pictures are so red.
That's all the blood vessels carrying the hormone to you.
And when it doesn't work right, it's a problem.
Now, how do you guys know if your thyroid is normal or not?
Is there a way you can do it while you're sitting here right now?
Sometimes a doctor just can feel your neck and know That's right.
Well, you know what?
I'm going to show you how to do it right now.
I want you to take two fingers, index finger and your thumb, go beneath the Adam's apple.
As you sip this, you're going to swallow.
And as you swallow, you're going to feel something touch your fingers.
Your thyroid gland is going to come out from underneath the big muscles of your neck.
I swallow.
You've got a normal thyroid.
I feel yours really well.
You feel right there?
Okay, now you actually have...
A little tube trauma into the thyroid.
So look at Erica's neck.
You see how it's a little full in here?
Yes.
Y'all notice that?
That's because your thyroid's enlarged.
Get your thyroid checked out.
So it's a deal.
Are you going to high five me on this?
I want everyone in the audience to do just what we showed you as well.
You can do it at home.
You're self-exam for the thyroid.
Simple to do.
You're going to find your Adam's apple.
So I'm going to take your right hand.
Find your Adam's apple, the voice box.
I'll put a little picture up here.
I'll show you where it is.
And that little picture will show you.
See that little bluish thing at the top?
That's the Adam's apple.
Go down below that.
As low as you can, and then grab your little ridges that you feel, that's called trachea, on both sides gently, and then swallow.
That's why they were sipping on the wine.
Swallow.
And as you swallow like that, you're gonna feel this little sort of soft, shouldn't be lumpy or granular, thing come up and touch your fingers.
Everyone do that again.
Anybody nervous, scared, intimidated?
Show of hands if you're worried about your thyroid.
Oh, you got one.
What's wrong with your thyroid?
No, well, because I have high blood pressure, so they think that maybe my thyroid might be...
Here, hold this for one second.
Sure.
Can I do this?
Do you mind?
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Swallow.
And one more time.
I know.
Actually, I'll get you some coffee here.
Actually, I don't feel it to be abnormal, but we're looking for big ones now, ones that are trying to overreact.
That's what we're examining.
If yours is enlarged, and you saw in Erica's that it was enlarged, that means your thyroid could be sluggish or working too hard.
Both could happen, and it could be a hidden reason for your low energy if it's sluggish.
Here's why.
If this is your thyroid gland, these paintbrushes, they've got to take the thyroid hormone, which is the paint, and put it on the blank canvas of your body.
So if you have an underactive thyroid, everything gets sludgy like that, like the hormone.
It's just sort of meandering its way.
It's supposed to be like a drumstick pounding away, pushing hormone all over the place, but it just can't do it.
Very slowly.
But see, the hormone doesn't come off the right way.
It comes off in dribs and drabs and nothing much happens.
But what you want to do is move from that To this, where you got real paint the way you want it, and then what your body does, that hormone begins to pump out of your glands because it's pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter.
That's a healthy body.
So I want you all to practice with me.
We're going to make a little painting together.
Make lots of room in here.
Are you ready to do this together?
Pitter-patter.
Ready?
Go.
That's it, that's it.
And that is a healthy thyroid pushing hormone into the body.
Are you ready?
Stop!
Now everyone's signed this beautiful artwork.
It is actually shaped just like a thyroid.
That's actually the shape of the thyroid gland.
Didn't they have pretty good rhythm for painters especially?
I was very proud of them.
So if you've got low energy and you think it could be your thyroid, you're gonna need the thyroid checklist.
It will give you everything you need to know before getting yours checked next.
Later, my favorite pick-me-up snack gets put to the test.
Did it really boost energy?
A nationwide epidemic.
Concussions.
As a teen, it even affected me.
The unexpected news from my brain scan.
Please share with everyone what you found.
That's coming up tomorrow.
So I want you to take two fingers, your index finger and your thumb, go beneath the atoms' apples.
And as you swallow, you're going to feel something touch your fingers.
Your thyroid gland is going to come out from underneath the big muscles in your neck.
Okay, now you actually have a little too prominent of a thyroid.
So look at Erica's neck.
You see how it's a little full in here?
That's because her thyroid is enlarged.
So have you ever had your thyroid checked?
Today's all about giving you better ways to lift your energy, and that was Erica, the moment, the exact moment she discovered on the spot that her thyroid is enlarged, which of course is worth getting checked out with your doctor.
So I asked her to be here today because I'm giving all of you the thyroid checklists, everything you need to know before getting yours checked.
So I noticed you were sort of avoiding me that whole day.
She wouldn't come forward, she wouldn't participate.
Of course not, you're a doctor.
I'm a doctor.
Yeah, we stay away from you.
So what is it about doctors that make you nervous?
Every time you go in there, it's like bad news.
Oh, you have high blood pressure.
Oh, your diabetes is acting up.
No, I'm good.
Are they making you nervous now?
Yes.
I mean, my hands are clammy and I'm just like getting ready to think I'm on a boyfriend, like the whole date thing, you know?
Like for the father.
Are we dating now?
Yeah.
Okay, come here.
Let me go through this list for you just to comfort you a little bit.
We're going to find out if you might actually have symptoms of the thyroid that seems to be enlarged.
So, tiredness.
Is that one of your symptoms?
Tiredness is always my symptom.
It is?
Yes.
All right, so this is the thyroid symptom checklist.
It's on dros.com.
Easy to get it.
I'm going to check that off.
Okay?
Now, you take that pen, and let's go through these.
Sensitivity to cold.
Wait, can we go back to tiredness?
Yes.
Two checks.
Three checks.
Okay, perfect.
Cold sensitivity.
We get a little baby check.
Not that much.
Constipation.
Be honest.
Please.
I'm a doctor.
Big time.
Okay.
Dry skin.
Oh, man.
Have you seen my regimen?
It's olive oil, Vaseline, sometimes mixed with lotion.
All three?
Yes.
All right.
Weight gain?
You didn't see the puffiness?
Like, this is all muscle, but...
I thought it was swelling.
All right.
Puffy face?
Yes.
You don't get horse, I don't think.
No.
Okay, good.
Muscle weakness?
I thought that was for my gym workout.
It might be, but maybe not, just in case.
Muscle aches and tenders and stiffness?
Yes.
Joint issues?
No, you've got kids.
Joints?
No.
Menstruation?
Is it heavier than normal?
I'm sorry to ask this.
Oh, good gracious.
Only because I like you.
Okay.
How's your hair doing?
My medicine cabinet has the whole hair, skin, and nail thing, because I thought I was going to fix myself.
You'll fix yourself.
Yes.
Well, you're going to, but not through the stuff in that cabinet, I don't think.
So go ahead and check that off also.
You don't seem down, but can I ask you if you are depressed sometimes?
Yes, I do suffer from anxiety and depression.
You do.
Yes.
And how about difficulty remembering things?
Middle name.
Middle name.
Okay.
So what we're going to do is I'm going to give you this whole thing.
You're going to take us to your doctor.
Get that side.
All right.
You're going to take it.
No.
No.
We're gonna take this page off.
This is my prescription pack for you.
There we are.
Take this off.
Take this off.
And watch this.
That's all yours.
Okay.
Fold that up.
Take it to your doctor.
You don't have to do that.
We're going to give you a small version of that.
Everything on the list is there.
Again, everyone can get their own list.
It's a small list.
You can actually check off the boxes on a piece of paper and take it to your doc because it will help them identify whether you need to have a thyroid check and what to do about it.
I want you to meet Dr. Aviva Ram.
She's a functional medicine specialist.
She treats people.
Who has thyroid disease, and she's a brilliant expert at it.
So what tests would people obtain if they had that kind of a list of symptoms that might be related to the thyroid?
So there are three basic tests that I recommend that any doctor can do in any doctor's office.
Those are the TSH, free T3, and free T4. Now, once you've talked to your doctor about these symptoms and they figure out if you get these tests, I think that people can go one step further.
They can actually get the numbers themselves.
You gotta ask the doctor for the tests and you have to get the numbers yourself.
Why is that important?
So you want to get the test results and then you want to see what the range is for that particular lab because there can be some variation.
But there's actually a divide amongst doctors as to when to start treating low thyroid.
Some doctors will only start treating when the thyroid symptoms and the labs are kind of at a rolling boil and the number is between 4 and 5 depending on the lab and the patient has symptoms.
But other doctors will treat when the TSH is 2.5 or over.
So more when things are simmering and there are symptoms.
And actually, there's a lot of data that shows that patients do really well when they get treated when they're at that lower level.
That is the thigh gap, by the way.
There's a different thigh gap.
Different thigh gap.
The real thyroid gap.
And that's that difference between that 2.5 and that 4 or 5. And the reason, again, this is important, because the medications are pretty safe, but they can interact with other medications, so you don't want to be on things if you don't have to be on them.
And the other thing I want you to do is make sure you take all the medications you're currently on, if you're on, take a picture of them, or bring the bottles, but get that information to your doctor, because those things can also interact with.
Dr. Ron, thank you very much.
My pleasure.
All right, the moment of truth.
The moment I've been waiting for all show long.
Now, you all remember Nicole in that little package.
Nicole is Erica's best friend and she was keeping her honest.
If it wasn't for Nicole, darling Nicole, I would never have noticed Erica.
She was hiding in the back.
So, why do you think it's important for your good friend to get tested?
Because she's always tired.
She's like, girl, I feel this way.
I'm tired.
I got a headache.
So I'm like, go to the doctor.
I don't have time.
So when you came in the room, I was like, please, get her together.
Sign her up.
Yes.
Thank you.
All right.
So I've actually asked the phlebotomist to join us.
Are you willing to take the long walk from here to that chair to get your blood tested?
Yes.
You'll do it?
Yes.
How are we?
Come on over here.
Let's get you comfortable here.
So you can get a head start.
When you go to your doctor, you actually have the lab results.
All right?
That's how much you're going to be in front of the game on this thing.
Okay.
You're okay with the needle?
Yes, but my only thing is, do you have, like, the cool band-aids at the end of this?
Because, you know, if we're going to get stuck...
The children's band-aids?
That's what we call them.
The children's band-aids.
The kiddie ones?
You don't have to say it like that.
We have kiddie band-aids.
Here we are.
Like, these ones, would they work for you?
Oh, yes.
All right.
I promise I will do that.
And you know what?
I'll be your squeezy ball.
It'll help you relieve stress.
I'm sure?
Yeah, just squeeze my arm.
Do it as muscle?
I know.
I'm looking at it.
I'm fearful.
Here, I'm holding on tight.
We'll both be in pain.
All right?
So as you get your blood drawn, we're going to go to commercial.
When we come back, you'll see the results here.
You can find Dr. Rahm's extra tips on thyroid testing on drrahms.com.
Check them out.
I'll fix my own personal favorite good energy snack.
Hold on, Tigers.
I'm here for you.
I go from doctor to patient.
Not to test a supplement.
What am I going to find out?
To expose a nationwide epidemic.
Concussions.
As a teen, it even affected me.
The concussions that I remember were both in football.
I only had two that I know of.
Even the term concussion, that's not even a good term.
We should call it a brain injury.
The unexpected news from my brain scan.
Please share with everyone what you found.
That's coming up tomorrow on Dr. Oz.
Erica got her blood taken and she's recovering very nicely backstage.
I even kissed the wound so she's quite happy.
Now for all of you chocoholics out there, count me as one of your own.
This whole show we've been talking about better pick-me-ups for your energy, my favorite energy snack.
Comes out of this.
It's a piece of dark chocolate every day.
I really do this.
I have it downstairs in my room.
I keep it backstage as well.
Not only does it boost your physical energy, but it can also get rid of some of the stress in your life and de-stress you at the same time.
So, as any good chocoholic knows, that all chocolate is created equally.
The good stuff.
And here's something you'll be talking about tomorrow.
It is what I call the SNAP test.
So, audience, you all have some chocolate in your hand.
Don't eat it.
Don't eat it.
I'm gonna demonstrate first, then we're gonna do it.
So, when you actually have high quality chocolate, the right kind of chocolate for your energy, right, you're gonna notice that when you take a little bite out of it, it's got a little snap to it.
Ready?
Everyone together?
Bite.
Did you hear that snack?
Now, you want that.
If you don't get the snap, and your teeth begin to sink into it, and it gets chewy, that's because of all the milk and the sugars.
Now, I do have to acknowledge, some folks, how many of you think it's a little bit bitter for your taste?
A little bitter?
I've got all the complainers out there.
I'm giving you chocolate, and you're complaining it's bitter.
Here is the solution.
If it's a little bit bitter, what you're going to do is sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on it.
It brings out the sweetness.
If you don't believe me, pass that around.
Compare it.
Little whiners.
Original chocolate was just fine.
Now they want salt in their chocolate.
But it actually brings out that sweetness.
And if you love chocolate like I do, play with this stuff.
It's fantastic.
Now, I posted this to my Facebook and Instagram accounts, and I want you to post it to yours and tag the Chocoholics in your life.
Remind them to reach for the dark stuff.
Remember, Healthy and happy starts at home.
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