All Episodes
Previous Next
July 29, 2024 - Dr. Oz Podcast
42:39
Jamie-Lynn Sigler’s Secret Battle with Multiple Sclerosis | Dr. Oz | S7 | Ep 69 | Full Episode
| Copy link to current segment

Time Text
Today, Jamie Lynn Sigler's private battle with MS. Why did you decide to keep it a secret for so long?
The painful truth she hid from the world.
An industry professional at the time, he told me, if you can hide it, it will be best.
The experimental treatments she's exploring.
I thought it meant that I was going to end up in a wheelchair.
and her message to millions living with MS.
Coming up next.
We'll save lives today. - Hey!
We are ready to get healthy!
Today, Jamie Lynn Ziegler steps out of the shadow of secrecy like she has never before.
The award-winning actress grew up before her eyes on the hit show, The Sopranos.
But while much of her life has been spent in the public eye, she's been hiding a very private health issue.
Find out why Jamie is only now coming forward after suffering in silence about her 15-year battle with MS. And stay tuned because later on we're taking weight loss to a whole new level with transformations you have to see to believe.
Today you're going to meet women who have lost half their weight.
I'm talking about hundreds of pounds.
And more importantly, they're sharing secrets to keeping their weight off for good.
And that's not all.
My daughter Daphne is coming by to show you the easy way to make the half-calorie dessert that you've been craving.
She's good at that.
And she's going to introduce you to the newest member of my family, who happens to be the smartest, cutest baby in the entire world.
I'm a grandfather.
What else do you expect?
Little John's there.
He's coming on.
We're going to surprise you with him.
It's all coming up.
But first, the truth about the diagnosis that has changed Jamie Lynn Sigler's life forever.
She won over America's heart with her career-defining performance as the feisty daughter of Tony Soprano on HBO's hit series, The Sopranos.
Just 16 when she was cast, Jamie Lynn Sigler became a red carpet darling as America watched her transformation from a spunky teenager into a beautiful and confident adult actress.
But Jamie hid a secret from the world, a 15-year-long battle with multiple sclerosis.
Diagnosed at age 20, Sigler attempted to work through her illness by strategically covering it up.
But in 2005, her symptoms worsened, and she eventually confided in her co-stars, including on-screen father James Gandolfini, who she says was especially protective of her secret.
Now married and the mother of a two-year-old, Jamie is finally ready to open up about her fight with MS. Please welcome Jamie Lynn.
It must be a little scary to come forward like this all at once.
It's very scary, you know, particularly because it's when you hold a secret for that long, you know, you allow yourself to develop so many fears about it and about what it will be like when you come out.
Why did you decide to keep it a secret for so long?
Well, when I was diagnosed, I was originally diagnosed at 19 with Lyme's disease and when about a year and a half later I had a flare-up, which I thought was the Lyme's again and was re-diagnosed with MS, I was scared and confused because I didn't feel sick.
I was so young and so active and I had this great career happening.
I was about to star on Broadway for a couple of months and I confided in an industry professional at the time and he told me and I know he was protecting me at the time but he said I'm gonna pretend you didn't tell me that and I highly suggest that you never share that with anybody because you don't look sick if you don't feel sick and if you can hide it it will be best because I think that you know you will be judged unfairly you will be limited unfairly and probably won't get much work.
So I followed his advice.
I think there are a lot of people who either feel that or have been told that.
They live their lives with that cloud of secrecy, which I'm very proud that you're lifting today.
Thanks.
Let's go back to the very beginning.
You mentioned you had Lyme and then another flare-up that ended up being the diagnosis of MS. Did you accept that?
I would suspect most young women would probably have been in denial.
No, I didn't accept it until very recently.
And this has been almost 15 years.
So it's a very hard thing to accept when somebody gives you a diagnosis like that because MS, especially at the time, I didn't know much about it.
I thought it meant that I was going to end up in a wheelchair very soon.
And, you know, I was terrified.
I thought it meant that all my dreams were through and I just didn't want to accept it.
And so for me to sort of live in this state of denial and keep this secret meant that it wasn't true because I wasn't talking about it.
So you're being told not to talk about it.
You don't want to talk about it.
You're in a little bit of denial.
And yet your career is exploding.
You're on The Sopranos.
You're about to take on Broadway.
How'd you hide it?
How'd you cope?
Well, in the beginning it was easy because I went fairly symptom-free for quite some time.
And as years went on, I know you talk a lot about stress is never a good thing.
And I, at the age of 24, went through a divorce and it was a very stressful time and things started to manifest.
And, you know, there's things that I hate to talk about, but if I'm being honest, I'm open, and a lot of people with MS suffer from incontinence issues and weakness on my right side.
And, you know, I have really bad scoliosis and a disc issue, so I was able to use that because I wasn't lying saying that I was limited by that, but I wasn't telling, obviously, the whole truth, but it made it a little bit easier for me to cover up that way.
Did you share the truth with the people you're working with?
I heard that you'd spoken to your on-screen father, Jane Gandolfini.
Yeah.
With the cast members that I was closest with, obviously the people that were in the family were like my family, so I did tell them, especially at the time when there were things that I couldn't hide.
You feel so alone, and with a disease like this, you need support.
Just even to have somebody to hold my hand or even just to ask, are you okay, would make me feel stronger and better.
Weren't you worried that the story would get out?
You know, it's so crazy to think about because over the years, obviously, I've told more and more people within my inner circle, but it just really shows me what amazing friends I have and what a great family because they've fiercely protected me and kept this secret.
Not because they thought they needed to or wanted to, but because I asked them to.
I mean, for many years, the people that are closest with me have tried to encourage me to come out about this, but I just wasn't ready.
So why are you ready now?
Why did you choose this moment?
Well, a lot of things.
Motherhood, number one, changed me.
As it changes, you know, being a parent changes everyone.
I didn't want to raise my son.
There's little Bo.
There's my son.
That's cute.
I didn't want to raise my little boy.
He's two and a half now, and he's going to get to an age fairly soon where he'll be pretty conscious of it, and I didn't want him to feel like he had to hold a secret for me, and I wanted to be an example of strength of his mom fighting, and to teach him compassion, and that anyone with any limitation is still deserving of opportunity and love and everything.
Absolutely.
Also, too, you know, with the encouragement of my husband, you know, it's been a process, but I think we've got it down now.
I hope.
I think you're well on your way.
Can I show you a picture?
Yeah.
This is a picture of you and your husband, baseball player Cutter Dykstra.
I was a big fan of his father, by the way.
Yeah.
He's at your wedding.
So when you see that beautiful picture and you look at yourself, what do you see?
I'm so happy.
I'm so proud.
I wanted to share this story at the same time as my wedding because I wanted to be Give somebody hope that maybe is getting diagnosed and doesn't think they're going to be able to walk down the aisle or dance the night away at their wedding.
I didn't even think I was going to be able to do that.
I wore my high heels at my ceremony, which I really wanted to do, and then I took them off and I danced barefoot all night.
I almost forgot about my MS for one day, and it was really nice.
I had the best day of my entire life.
I'm so happy.
You're not defined by this disease.
Yeah.
You're redefining what it's like to live with it.
Thank you.
That's why what you're doing is so, so important.
Thank you.
I really applaud you for what you're doing, but you're not going anyway.
No, I'm going to hang out.
When you come back, Jamie's going to reveal, she's going to hang out, and we're going to reveal the truth about the overseas experimental treatment she has turned to and all the other things she's doing is how to find a cure for this.
Stay with us.
Thank you.
Next, Jamie opens up about her challenges with MS. You have to have a fighting attitude.
How she copes with motherhood and the symptoms she must manage every day.
It's everyone's enemy.
Plus, what she learned from her experimental treatments for this debilitating disease.
Coming up.
Imagine giving birth one hour after finding out you're pregnant.
What went through your mind?
Plus, Wendy Williams takes a stand against the number one killer in women.
So why is this a passion project?
All new odds.
That's coming up tomorrow.
You all remember Jamie Lynn Ziegler for her memorable role as Tony Soprano's beloved daughter.
But today, Jamie's stepping forward and revealing the truth about her secret battle with MS.
It's a big day for you.
Yeah, it is.
You were saying earlier that the first day you've spoken publicly on camera, and you could have up days and down days with a chronic illness.
Is today a good day for you?
What are you feeling?
Today's a good day.
You know, I've really...
Thanks.
I've really...
You learn a lot with this disease, and I've really learned how to manage it.
You know, I think you have to have a fighting attitude with something like this, and I think coming forward and being public is going to inspire me even more to be...
Fight even harder.
Come right over.
Okay.
Now, fatigue is a part of the challenge we face in life.
Absolutely.
And coping with a child of two, I'm sure, sometimes pushes you a bit a little harder.
Mm-hmm.
I do want to show you what's happening inside of you.
Okay.
If it's okay.
Sure.
So, here's some gloves for you.
Thank you.
Purple's my favorite color.
Oh, it is?
Yeah.
I like purple, too.
My mom loves purple.
It's a good color.
So, have you ever touched human organs before?
Um, no.
What was the first time?
Everything.
So you've probably heard this described to you before.
Here's the brain.
Yeah.
And there's a spinal column.
I'll bring it closer to you.
Okay.
You see a little wrapping around it.
Yes.
So you go ahead and feel it and touch it and you've got...
That's why I'm not a doctor.
So, in MS, there's no simple blood tests, obviously.
Be noticed on scans of the brain or in the spinal cord, there'll be little defects.
So, I can show you an organ and work you through it this way, but I also thought one way to explain it might be this little demo.
Okay.
So, when you think about your nerves, there's the cables, electrical cables on the inside, but there's a covering on the outside.
And that sheet's really important with stress and other events.
You'll actually inflame with your immune system the sheath.
It'll literally, from the inflammation, start to burn away.
And the irritation of that surface will allow holes to develop here.
So the cables that are supposed to be insulated so they can conduct electricity to your body, no longer can do it.
And that's what causes some of the shooting pains.
You know, Jack Osborne was on the show who has MS as well.
He said that MS is like your fingerprint because it's different for everybody.
Yes.
Because it can crack anywhere.
Yep.
So what are the symptoms that usually are the ones that slow you down running after that beautiful two-year-old?
Stairs are hard for me, and you know, as much as you hate to talk about it, but I want to be truthful, you know, and I know it's sort of the common denominator amongst many women with MS is incontinence.
It's a hard thing to not control your body, you know, and it can be embarrassing and hard, but you can control it with medication and protection and things like that, which, you know, you just figure out as time goes on.
Now, you have traveled the entire planet looking for solutions.
Yeah.
I'd love to hear some of the insights you get.
You're obviously an incredibly bright, very honest woman.
You've figured out a lot of things that are just a waste of time and probably came into some ideas that can be life-changing.
Sure.
Well, I traveled to another country and had fetal stem cells injected in my spinal cord.
Not to say this wouldn't work for other people, but it didn't work for me.
The things that have worked for me are my medication and a clean diet.
And it's really hard because I'm somebody who loves junk food.
I was never into healthy eating at all.
But a gluten, dairy, sugar-free diet, it really helps.
It's so hard to do and you need support and help with it.
But when I follow it and I'm consistent, it really makes a big difference.
James is going to stay with us up next.
She's going to reveal her secrets to beat the fatigue, and they don't just work for MS, they work for a lot of problems.
Plus, Jamie's message to everyone living with a chronic condition.
Stay here.
Next, Jamie speaks out about the stigma that surrounds MS. It's not a death sentence.
And shares the lifestyle changes she's made to keep her energy up.
Plus, the impact she's making on so many others living with chronic illness.
Your life isn't over.
Coming up.
We are back with Jamie Lynn Ziegler, who is bravely coming forward to share details of her life with MS.
So do you still think there's a stigma around this disease?
I do.
I think a lot of people don't understand still what it means, what it is, and the truth of the matter is it's different for everybody, but it's not a death sentence.
It doesn't mean your life is over.
I didn't realize, but when I came out about this, I felt such an overwhelming sense of responsibility now to represent a group of people that are maybe suffering in silence and that don't know.
For anyone who's just got diagnosed or gets diagnosed tomorrow, your life isn't over.
I'm living a really full life, and there's no reason to think you can't participate and have a good one.
You're so perfect.
Alright, so I've been following you.
And especially when I learned you were coming out, we started collecting some of the tweets.
And there's so many.
So I'm going to share a few of these if I can.
Okay.
This is from PMR. She says, people thank you for your story.
It helps to know that no one is fighting this battle alone.
You provided hope and courage to me.
And Kelly said, I was hospitalized last week, slurred speech after waking up, headaches, I'm stunned, scared.
At being diagnosed with MS, you give me hope.
I could go on forever.
Jessica said, thank you for your courage.
Your being so open has changed many lives already.
I promise you.
That's so nice.
These are folks who've just been diagnosed at times.
They're trying to just keep their hands on something tangible.
Thanks.
And if you're willing to share a little bit more, I've got someone who wanted to be here today who has a lot in common with you.
Her name is Melissa.
Okay.
She's age 20, just like you were when you were diagnosed, and she's been diagnosed with MS. Can you come up with me?
Yes, please.
Thank you.
Welcome to Jamie.
Hi.
I'll sit next to you.
How are you?
Nice to meet you.
Good.
So, Melissa, why don't you share your story?
Sure.
First, I want to say thank you for being so brave and for sharing your story with all of us.
Like you, I was diagnosed in my early 20s.
I've only had it for a few years and I was devastated at first.
I was very scared that a lot of the things that you had said, I was concerned that would I be able to advance in my career?
Would I be able to have a family?
And I quickly learned, like you said, you have to really manage your stress, your diet, and exercise.
And you have to have a very positive attitude to get through this.
I'm very fortunate because I have a very supportive husband and family.
Soon I'll actually be following in your footsteps.
I'm going to be a mother.
I'm three months pregnant.
And thank you, because it really takes, you know, a really strong person to support someone with this.
And so, thank you.
You're so lucky.
Yes, thank you.
I am very lucky.
Gina, what things have you done in your life that Melissa's going to start doing and hopefully is already doing that's made a difference?
Well, we talked about the diet for sure.
B12 injections have helped a ton, and they're really positive, I think, for the myelin as well.
Vitamin D, I think, is something that we all know is very, very important, especially with MS. I do Pilates, which helps a lot because it's stretching and strengthening.
And, you know, when I talked a little bit about, like, the disease being so isolating, I think it's an important thing is to participate as much as you can and don't keep yourself at home and don't isolate yourself.
You really will go leaps and bounds further than you ever thought you would.
Thank you.
Let's talk about the future.
Yeah.
From Melissa, Jamie, everybody.
Your doctors, I understand, have mentioned to you the idea that there could be a cure for this.
Yeah.
Not just in our lifetime, but in the next 10 years.
Mm-hmm.
My doctor's not very generous with his words, and he really believes wholeheartedly that that is the truth, and I believe him.
I do.
I think that there's groundbreaking things happening, and I will be the guinea pig to...
Try anything.
You know, I think, you know, a friend of mine said to me recently, and I think he's right, like, what are we famous for but to use our platform?
And, you know, this was the thing I was most afraid of in my entire life, and now it's the thing that, one of the things that inspires me every day, and so I will not give up on this fight for us and for everybody, and like I said, I will be the guinea pig and try whatever it, until I'm pregnant again, and then I'll take a break.
It has been a great, great pleasure having you.
Thank you for your honesty.
Thank you for caring enough to be public about this and I wish you the best of luck.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
We'll be right back.
Coming up next, the wait is over.
We're taking weight loss to the next level.
How much weight did you lose?
I have lost over 120 pounds.
Real advice from real women.
How they lost half their body weight and how you can do it too.
Coming up next.
I have a big announcement.
The weight is over.
You're about to meet women who have lost half their weight.
I'm talking about hundreds of pounds.
These are transformations you have to see to believe because today we're taking weight loss to a whole new level.
We've seen amazing weight loss transformations on this show.
The befores and afters, nothing less than incredible.
But what happens after the after?
The truth, more than 80% of you who lose the weight gain it back within two years.
That's why today, we're taking weight loss to the next level, showing you how to get the weight off and how to keep it off for good.
Today, the time has come.
The weight is over.
We've searched the country for the biggest, most inspiring transformations to bring you real advice from real women who've lost half their weight.
They'll tell you how they've maintained their weight loss for years.
They'll show you exactly what they eat in a day.
And they'll share the life-altering aha moment when it all clicked for them.
Hearing their stories and advice might just be that aha moment for you.
So let's meet Rachel.
She was overweight her whole life.
She remembers family vacations and being self-conscious when her siblings wore bathing suits and she felt she had to keep her clothes on.
Rachel was approaching 30 and her weight was creeping up towards 300 pounds and she knew she had to make a change.
That was over a decade ago and Rachel has never looked back.
Rachel, come on out.
I am completely speechless.
Oh my goodness.
Thank you.
I wouldn't have even recognized you.
Yes, a long time ago.
So tell me, how much weight did you lose?
I have lost over 120 pounds.
Good question.
I just have to hear.
You know, you were overweight your whole life.
We just showed those beautiful pictures of you, but you weren't looking always like you were proud of yourself.
What was the aha moment?
What was the time when you suddenly got the message that you could do this?
It was definitely being in the doctor's office.
I remember being there and I always hated going to the doctor.
My blood pressure was high, I was overweight, they had to weigh me, always telling me my health was at risk.
And I remember the doctor using the word obese with me.
And that really, I knew that I didn't want to do that anymore.
You know, I've been ridiculed and lived my whole life overweight and I knew I needed to make a change.
And you did it, which is spectacular.
I don't even care what the motivation is at the end of the day, as long as something in your body says, you've got to make this happen.
So your story is really important to me because you kept the weight off.
Yes, for over 13 years.
So what kept you going on those dark nights when you're going to bed and you just don't even know if you can keep it off anymore?
What keeps you going?
Creating new habits is getting rid of the old ones and creating a whole new lifestyle.
I automated my life.
So we took your ideas and we created something that everyone can remember.
So I want you to look exactly at what Rachel eats every single day, the meals that have helped her maintain 120-pound weight loss for over a decade.
I try to have protein and veggies at every meal, starting with breakfast.
Between breakfast and lunch, I power up with a protein smoothie.
I'll make a big batch of super chili over the weekend, so I can have it with the salad every day for lunch.
An apple with two tablespoons of almond butter is a great snack.
Dinner is a classic protein with veggies and a complex carb.
And for dessert, I get creative.
I just love that.
You can get Rachel's creative dessert.
That's that chocolate mug cake.
The recipe's on drraz.com.
You can do what she was able to do.
Now, I want you to meet Carmen.
Carmen grew up overweight in a family of thin siblings.
Her father was a doctor, and her mother a nurse in the healthcare field.
And she says they tried to help her, but she always felt isolated and alone because of her weight.
Now, as she approached high school, her weight crept up to 270 pounds.
And she was relentlessly bullied until she decided it was time to make a change.
What did she do?
Carmen literally lost half of her weight.
And she's kept it off for good.
Carmen, please come out and show us.
You deserve to be escorted.
That is unbelievable!
If you don't mind, I mean, I can never get tired of doing that.
You look spectacular!
Thank you.
I need to hug, though, because I know how hard it is to do what you've done.
Thank you.
Being bullied is tough no matter what.
Yes.
But it's especially tough when you're struggling with the way you look and you're not happy and you're not proud of it.
So I want to know how you keep motivated throughout that period so you don't slip back to whatever would have led you to gain weight.
Well, the main thing for me has been journaling.
So I write down everything that I consume in a day, the foods, the quantity, the amount of calories, but then also an important factor is I write down how I felt when I was eating those foods.
So what are you going to write about today when you journal about how you felt here?
Um, this is the first time in 10 years that I'm actually, I don't know, like, broadcasting my story to everyone.
So it's just one of those, like, taking off that shadow.
You know, I'm really happy that you're broadcasting your story for the first time, because right now, someone's watching us, and they're going to start their journey because of you, because you're brave enough to do yours.
So God bless you for that.
Thank you.
I want you all to take a look at what a day of meals looks like for Carmen so you can copy it.
I typically eat my carbs in the morning.
Between breakfast and lunch, sometimes I want something sweet.
For lunch, I love loading up with fiber and protein.
Snacks don't have to be boring.
At dinner, who doesn't love spaghetti and meatballs, but I do it with spaghetti squash.
I end the day with a light ice cream sandwich, and I never feel deprived.
I love, love what you have been able to do.
I know how difficult it is to overcome it, so I want to hug you guys both.
At the end of the day, it's all about these stories.
You guys are giving everyone at home the motivation that they need.
Up next, you're going to meet the 400 pound plus size model who lost half of her weight.
Don't go anywhere.
Woo!
Go.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Nice to meet you.
Go out.
Next.
To the cameras, she appeared happy and beautiful.
But behind the scenes, she was hiding a very real pain.
How she lost over 200 pounds and transformed her life.
The lessons she wants to share about her weight loss journey.
Coming up.
Take a look at this picture.
And this one.
And this one.
This plus size model weighed over 400 pounds.
But behind that beautiful smile, she was hiding a very real pain.
Now you're about to find out how she lost half her weight, and how doing it didn't just transform her body and her career, but her life as well.
Meet Rosie Mercado.
Growing up, people would always look at me and say, what a pretty face.
But I knew their eyes were saying, too bad her body's so fat.
I was the fat girl with the pretty face.
By 10th grade, I was already a size 16. I didn't even go to my own senior prom.
I was the girl who did everybody else's makeup.
Makeup became my profession and I took some photos to show my work.
That led to plus size modeling offers.
But I was in standard shape even by plus size standards.
People flat out told me that my body's proportions were completely weird or wrong.
Then I went through a horrible divorce and my son was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy.
It happened all in one year.
It was the worst year of my life.
My weight skyrocketed to 410 pounds.
I couldn't fit through regular doors or even sit in regular chairs.
I was a spectator in my own life.
I had to hire a sitter to take my kids on amusement park rides because I couldn't fit.
Then the turning point.
Getting on a flight, I was singled out and told I had to buy an extra ticket to board the plane.
People around me were laughing, and I just broke down and cried.
I knew right then I wanted a different life, and I had to make a change.
Rosie Ricardo is here, over 200 pounds lighter than the day she took that flight.
Please join us, Rosie.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Oh my goodness.
Thank you so much.
Your eyes are so big.
I know why you're a model.
Oh, thank you.
They stand out.
Oh my goodness.
It's such a blessing to be here.
Thank you so much.
The blessing is mine.
So there's something that you feel you need to share with everybody right now.
Something that is so important that you want to start off with it.
I think authenticity is so important in life and living life with integrity.
And one thing that has not been said is that I did the gastric sleeve.
I lost 100 pounds on my own before doing it and started gaining some weight back.
And I didn't want to go back to my old lifestyle.
Okay.
I'm not sure how you do this.
This is so important.
So the first thing, you mentioned structure as we were speaking.
Yes, structure.
What's scheduling your meals?
And you give me something called a protein clock, which I think is really a good idea.
So explain what this protein clock means.
So it was really important because before, my habits were eat whatever is available, doesn't matter how much, whenever it's available.
Now, it's discipline.
It's knowing what I'm going to eat, a high protein with a vegetable, my small snacks, small portions.
And that's what helped me.
So, let me ask the big question, because I think this is ultimately what really motivates us all.
When you look at a picture of yourself, I want you to show you one if you don't mind.
These are photos of how you used to look.
How do you see yourself differently?
I think it's...
What I've learned on my journey is gratitude.
Being grateful for the good, being grateful for the bad, and knowing that through this journey I've changed so much.
I'm a happy person.
Very well stated.
You know why I'm so proud of you today?
Because you're authentically telling us the truth about what happened and how you did it.
Because when people who are watching you right now see everything about how you made this happen, and it's not just some fiction, you change their lives too.
So God bless you.
Thank you.
We'll be right back.
Coming up next, the mother of my wonderful grandchildren, my daughter Daphne.
How she's adjusting from one child to two.
And what everyone can do to stay in shape after childbirth.
Plus, her delicious half-calorie dessert you'll be craving.
Up next.
Imagine giving birth one hour after finding out you're pregnant.
What went through your mind?
Plus, Wendy Williams takes a stand against the number one killer in women.
So why is this a passion project all nuanced?
That's coming up tomorrow.
We couldn't do a show about cutting things in half without giving you a recipe for a delicious dessert that cuts the calories by more than half.
And your whole family will love it.
Here to show you how to make it is one of my favorite people on the planet.
Happens to be the mother of my grandchildren.
She's my daughter, Dafti Oz.
Hi!
So good to see you.
I'm so happy you're here.
I know.
I got to celebrate.
Daphne gave birth to our grandson, our first grandson, John, almost 12 weeks ago.
Yes.
I want you to look at him.
I got a little video of him.
Exclusive video footage.
That was delicious.
Like a piece of candy.
Thanks.
You're going to get the meat feel of my little granddaughter and John in a few seconds.
Yes.
But first, there we are.
Look how she's such a good big sister.
Well, she's babysitting him right now, so we'll see how that works out.
So, a couple quick questions, then I'm going to get to this recipe.
First, going from one child to two child, underage two.
Yes.
Some of us have been there before.
What's it like?
Hands raised.
Anyone with two kids under two at some point?
It's a lot.
Look how tired they look.
No.
This audience is healthy and fit.
It is...
What I found is it's just a lot more juggling.
There's no downtime.
It forces you to make your priorities very clear in your mind.
I want every spare moment I have to be with my children, so I'm going to get rid of all the things in my life that take me away from that and that aren't making me happy.
I think all of us are looking for that moment in our lives that force us to see what are the things that make me really happy and feel fulfilled.
For me, it's my family.
I love my work and I love the things that I get to do for fun.
And I make time for those things first and foremost.
But certainly missing out on like eight hours of sleep is something that takes its toll.
It takes about 18 years you'll get it back again.
That's what I would hear.
So let me share a little insight with you all.
Something sort of awkward happened over the holidays.
We were vacationing and Daphne was on a beach with the two children and my son-in-law took a picture of you.
Yep.
And you posted on Instagram.
It generated a ton of controversy about the appearance of a woman after burying children.
There's the photo.
So what do you think?
Were you surprised by the conversation?
To be honest, yeah, I was really surprised that it generated that level of conversation and that there was so much of it that was controversial because, to me, that picture wasn't about me at all.
Like, we were on the beach as a family.
It was our first time, you know, on the beach as a family of four, and I really...
John captured that moment, and I thought it was special and beautiful, and I put it up there, and, you know, my fans, of course, were like, oh, this is amazing.
Congratulations, you guys.
And there were lots of people online who were...
Wicked, just harsh, so harsh about the way a woman's body should look after you have a baby.
I mean, at that point, I was four weeks postpartum.
And to me, it gives me goosebumps because it made me angry and sad that today our focus was still on here's how you're supposed to look five weeks after giving birth as opposed to celebrate the life that's just happened, celebrate what your body gave you, what the potential is there.
And of course, like you want to feel good and strong on your skin again, but that was so not my priority at the moment.
Again, it's all about priorities.
Yes.
And what I feel very blessed to be able to do is just, you know, and not on purpose or intentionally, but just because this is my body and my experience, is represent a little bit more of that side of the equation of like, I didn't bounce back to my pre-baby size.
I still am not there.
I'm still working hard at it.
And I'm going to get there, but I'm going to get there in my own time.
Well, it's real, and I'm very proud of you.
All right, come on over here.
I hear there's a great diet I can follow.
Yes, yes, the day-off diet.
The day-off diet, guys.
Even in my own household.
It's the beginning of the new year.
Everyone's excited about ways of cutting calories.
Daphne has a great dessert.
We're going to talk about it right now.
They will actually do just that.
And it's, knowing my daughter, and she's always been a foodie, I guarantee this will taste fantastic, but I will order this just in case.
So it is apple crisp a la mode.
Apple crisp a la mode.
So the typical apple pie, a caramel apple pie a la mode, You would be shocked if I told you, but it's true.
Runs about 793 calories per slice and has 46 grams of fat, which, you know, it is delicious, but I put those numbers in my head.
I'm like, oh, that's like eight hours on the treadmill.
That's way too much.
Exhibit A. So my goal was to make an equally delicious apple crisp, take away a lot of the calories, a lot of that.
We're actually cutting this down to 286 calories.
That's way less than half the calories and only 10 grams of fat.
So you really are lightening it up, but it's going to be a tremendous flavor bomb in your mouth, which I'm really, I'm really very proud and excited about this recipe.
So the way that I ended up taking out a lot of that fat and a lot of the calories was first and foremost, I eliminated the crust on the bottom and I really got rid of a lot of the sugar in the actual filling.
So a whole bunch of apples that we just sliced and cut up.
Gala apples, you can use anything you like.
Granny Smith are a little tart, so it's something sweet.
And then you're gonna do the juice and zest of two lemons.
You can add in zest, Dad.
Zest?
Yeah, the yellow stuff.
I'll put my zest in here.
Okay, zesty.
A little bit of cardamom, which I love in apple pie.
It's a little different than the traditional.
Some cinnamon, perfect.
That's grated fresh ginger.
As you know, super anti-inflammatory, so healthy, and obviously gives a great, very apple-y, delicious ginger taste.
What's this?
That is coconut sugar.
Oh!
Yeah, so this is the sweetener I've been working a lot with that I like.
It's still a sweetener, but it's a little bit healthier.
So you give that a good toss, and that goes into a greased baking dish.
Perfect.
Look at you, you're a chef.
Just like home.
Oh yeah, just like home.
I'm not very helpful at home.
But you're a great eater, which is half a battle.
So here's the part that I'm really most excited about, and this is the crumble topping.
Now what I did was I took plain old rolled oats and I pulsed them in a food processor until they make a nice fine flour.
And this is going to stand, if you've ever made a streusel, this is going to stand in for your basic all-purpose flour.
But of course, It's a really natural high fiber version of that.
And so I have the pulsed oats.
I have the regular old fashioned oats.
I have that same coconut sugar again.
I have some walnuts, delicious walnuts.
And then a little bit of salt.
You gotta have a little salt with your sweetness.
It helps your tongue taste it.
A little bit of cinnamon.
And then we're gonna stir this together and so you're gonna get almost like little flaky You're gonna have those lumps in there that are the delicious walnuts, and so you're gonna get that crunchy texture, that sweetness, that oatmeal that's gonna crisp up and get golden brown and give you all the sensation of having your apple pie.
So you get to have your pie and eat it, too.
It's perfect.
Okay, so that goes into a 300...
Notice the puns, by the way.
They roll off her lips.
I was not lost on me.
I learned from the best.
375 degrees, 35-40 minutes.
What you're looking for, and I'm always big on the IQs rather than the times, is you want a bubbling sort of molten interior and then that golden brown crisp topping.
You know what I'm talking about?
That's what you want.
Okay, no apple pie.
What about the ice cream part?
It's complete without the ice cream, of course.
So on your indulgence week, you're having the regular ice cream.
For me, when I'm trying to keep it light, and especially around now when I'm trying to lose this remaining baby weight, I love to go with Halo Top.
So friends of mine from college actually introduced me to Halo Top because they know I love to eat and I want indulgences that don't make me feel guilty.
I tried it and I loved it so much that we all decided to invest and really wanted to make it something that was available to everybody.
And this product blew me away because it's 20 grams of protein, and more importantly than that, it's 280 calories for the entire pint.
The entire pint, which is literally a quarter of what regular ice cream would be, and it tastes delicious.
And for me, you know, I tried all those things.
I was like, wow, that's amazing.
I flipped it around waiting to see what the ingredients were.
And they're all natural things that I can pronounce and recognize, which for me was also the most important part because I'm trying, you know, I'm making milk.
I need to make sure my body's healthy.
So this is a product that I fell in love with, and it keeps the calorie count way down.
And of course, it's kind of like eating a protein bar, which is great for the ice cream.
I like the taste a lot, but I especially like the protein you mentioned.
Isn't that awesome?
And this problem is as crispy as you promised.
Right?
A little bit of nuttiness.
I was feeling enjoying this at home.
Does she eat these?
Philomena is such a foodie, and I know people think I'll say that, but she really is.
She loves to cook.
She loves to eat.
It's actually, I'm going to take away this after I tell the story.
She's so cute.
This is her at Christmas.
Her favorite thing to do in the morning, if she's upset going to bed the night before, I'll tell her, tomorrow morning we'll get up and we'll make breakfast.
We'll crack eggs.
And she goes, crack, crack, crack.
It's so adorable.
You can find this wonderful recipe for Daphne's apple crisp island mold on DrRuzz.com.
And we will bring out that little foodie, Philo and little John, Daphne's most amazing creations.
They're here next for the very first time.
February on The Dr. Oz Show.
What's next for Charlie Sheen?
Jamie Lynn Siegler speaks out on her secret battle with MS and the truth behind America's biggest foods on The Dr. Oz Show.
Nothing makes my parents happier than spending time with their grandkids, and they are in hog heaven right now.
Mom and Dad, come on out here with my babies.
You like all the people there?
Yay!
Is everybody clapping?
She likes them.
You know, I gotta say, Pila's just learning how to speak, and she learned the word caca and bebe the same week.
So she calls little John caca now, which might stick.
Can I show you all a little video?
This is a video.
We had a wonderful pediatrician come on showing us how to deal with a crying baby.
So I actually applied it to little John recently when he wasn't happy.
And look, it really works.
Here he is.
Look at him.
He's crying now.
Like this.
Good grandfather.
And then you go like this.
And then watch this.
Oh, there he goes.
There he goes.
Oh, he's swimming.
It's like he's swimming.
Little John's on the TV. Oh, what?
Look.
What do you think?
It worked.
Are you happy with that video of your brother, Philo?
I had one aspiration for Philo this year.
I want her to learn my name.
Who's Amma?
Who's Amma, Philo?
She's the only person who still doesn't know your name.
You should be happy about that.
Where are you going?
Go ahead.
Before you run, I want a selfie, and then I'm going to send everyone home today, because happy and healthy, it starts at home, even if they're a little unhappy.
Are you ready, guys?
Here's a picture.
On the phone.
On the phone, little one.
On the phone.
Three, two, smile.
Smile.
▲
Export Selection