I thought I'd share this story with you from Newsweek Magazine about Oprah's healthcare advice. It's called Live Your Best Life Ever! I had mixed results from the health guidance I learned on Oprah's show and there were a couple items that conflicted with my own doctor's guidance. My doc always shrugged at how many supplements I knocked back in 2008, for instance.
How about you? Has anyone out there had any experience with following these suggestions on Oprah's show? Please share!
Thanks to everyone for your support and positive (and sometime not-so-positive) feedback about the CBNC segment on The Oprah Effect. As many of you noted, it is available on hulu.com. Just search for the title of the show and you'll find it there.
I paid a call to Book Expo America in NYC this weekend. It was such fun. I loved being around so many people passionate about books. I didn't see a Kindle anywhere! Speaking of Kindle, I honestly have no idea where mine is. I haven't looked at it for a while. I'm going to try again, though. Anyhow - I had the pleasure and honor of meeting Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project. What a generous person. She even offered up the suggestion that I join Twitter. So, on Gretchen's advice, rather than Oprah's, I think I'm going to take the plunge. I'm frightened. Anyhow - Gretchen introduced me to A.J. Jacobs from The Year of Living Biblically. He was at BEA to promote his new book, which I can't wait to read once the text is completed on my own. He introduced me to Kevin Roose from The Unlikely Disciple. It was a pretty funny group. All writers who invest ourselves in experiential research to gather information on topics we're fascinated by. Maybe we should unionize.
I caught the rerun of today's episode of Oprah. I had forgotten all about the discomfort of watching the show on ethics. Did you see it? The ethics experts (ethperts?) never seem to agree on the correct way to handle a situation. It was more confusing than clarifying, and yet entirely amusing. I think we might just have to become our own experts and not confuse things by turning to the talking heads who can't find common ground.
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38 comments:
LO-haven't followed any of O's health advice. I'm full of yoga-acupuncture-supplements-working out myself.
I'm sure AJ Jacobs was funny. He used to be one of my favorite writers. I just couldn't stand The Year of...I found it terribly misogynistic, and he twisted the rules to suit his own needs, esp. when he followed Christianity. Thanks for letting me vent.
I haven't ever followed Oprah's health advice. I think she's got some good ideas for mental health...relaxing, feeling at peace when you walk in the door, framing those special notes from people to remind yourself that you don't suck...stuff like that can be really helpful to lift your mood.
But dietary supplements and vitamins can only do so much for your body. The rest is up to you. Personally I find that exercise is a better way to help my body. I FEEL better after a good run, and I FEEL less likely to fall asleep after an invigorating workout. I don't take stock in Oprah's health advice.
Did you see the article in Newsweek regarding Oprah 'Best life or risky advise'? You have commented before regarding how authoritative is the advise. I guess others also questioned the advise of her guests.
LO - How can you not find your Kindle? I got one for Mom's day and haven't put it down since. I believe that I have read 6 books since I have transitioned to the Kindle. I TRIPLE LOVE mine!!! Do you not like the kindle - or miss the feel of a "real book"?
Why don't I remember Oprah recommending supplements? I sort of recall Fish Oil and Glucosamine for joints... I don't feel like I follow Oprah's nutrition advice, but since I watch all the time, I think the general "eat healthier" sinks in. I never gave up on beef even though Oprah did!
Do you GUYS believe in God & the BIBLE or not ... ????
If everything that is said/written in "those books"...let's remember
that .. what was included in "THE BIBLE" was "hand picked" by the
catholic church of the day ...
,,,but let's believe ,because we all NEED to believe , even if we FOOL OURSELVES ...
The Bible tells evrything we need to do or eat to be "healthy & pure"
There are NO SUPLEMMENTS AT ALL...
JUST EAT HEALTHY FOOD (we all know what that is)-exercise (we all know how to do it...
drink plenty of water .... !!!!
but most of all PRAY & SHARE ...!!!
Are YOU READY TO DO THIS ..???
It is actually very simple ...!!!
Thanks from THE DISTINGUISHED CLUB
RESCUING THE TRUTH & THE DECENCY ..!!!!!
We think it's WORTH IT ... !!!!1
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C U there !!!!
I think Oprah is responsible for a lot of good, but believe people would find it easier to stick to a (health regime or any kind of goal) if they searched for their deepest reason for wanting to make the change. These resolves are an internal journey which can be stimulated by the right words at the right time, but never forced. I really like HUG Audio's CD and HUG Audio Gift Cards. They are focused on discovering your own self-defined success story- rather than trying to live up to others definition of success. I think Oprah would agree! What do you think?
I LOVED Kevin Roose's book. The environment he immersed himself in is basically the kind I grew up in, so I was expecting... I don't know. I wasn't expecting as much compassion and understanding as he ended up having in the book. Now I keep deleting big long paragraphs I want to write about the book. I'm totaly geeking out that you met him!
I cannot WAIT to read your book, BTW. I'll get it on Kindle and one real one too. :)
Someone beat me to asking if you'd seen the Newsweek cover story. It's HARSH. I read it on Kindle so I didn't see the cover right away-- even harsher cover! It's mostly about Oprah's health advice and how she allows non-professionals like Suzanne Sommers and Jenny McCarthy so much unchallenged airtime. It's an interesting read, but it seemed somehow ruder than it needed to be.
I almost forgot the best part-- THE BUBBLE STORY is in the Newsweek article! The author totally blasts Oprah for acting like she brought the bubbles to herself due to The Secret instead of realizing she was an ungrateful gift recipient. hee.
Over the past few years, I've seen Oprah go from being authoritative to being naive and gullible.
The problem is that when people watch TV, they assume the host has done research into the validity of the claims. They trust that Oprah would never be irresponsible enough to put anything on the air that wasn't true or might harm us. It's like the joke "it must be true, because I read it on the internet!"
People need to become used to the idea that just because you saw it in the media, it isn't necessarily true.
Why do folks post anon here?
I think Oprah is like anyone else ... some of her advise will work for some and will be terrible for others.
I saw the Oprah effect when I was crashed on the couch with a headache yesterday. I liked the segment about you the most because you seemed like me.
I'm going to track your progress on your experiment because it intrigues me ... not because Oprah told me to ;-)
I wish people would just stop it. Stop trying to make everyone but self responsible for your life. Its your life. All Oprah does is give ideas and options. She does not ever say you must do this or that. I think this is pure stupidity and another effort by those individuals who have been trying to dethrone Oprah for years. Its just disgusting. Its your responbility to weigh the information you get from her show or anywhere else for that matter. Oprah did not recommend any supplements, Suzanne Somers did that. I'm not even sure Oprah agreed with it. Its options people, JUST OPTIONS. Does every pill on the market work the same for everyone? NO. That's common knowlege. So why would anyone think
Oprah does a lot of good for people. She is exposing people to different types of natural things that can work for people. Everyone needs to try and use what works for them. I don't ever remember her saying anything about "everyone has to do this!" I work with special needs children and many families and I can tell you that the vaccination issue is real. There are many things that are kept from the American public. Wake up and look at the other side. You would be surprised at how many natural therapies help. Be open minded!
OPRAH IS DOING GREAT SERVICE TO HER VIEWERS INFORMING THEM ON SO MANY SUBJECTS.AND THE INFORMATION COMES FROM HER GUESTS. ITS UP TO THE VIWERS TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER IF A SUBJECT INTERESTS THEM. OPRAH OBVIOUSLY IS A BLESSED HUMAN BEEING BUT SHE IS A TV HOST.NOT DALAI LAMA! SHE IS THE BEST IN WHAT SHE DOES.HOW WE USE THE INFORMATION ,IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY
OPRAH IS DOING GREAT SERVICE TO HER VIEWERS INFORMING THEM ON SO MANY SUBJECTS.AND THE INFORMATION COMES FROM HER GUESTS. ITS UP TO THE VIWERS TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER IF A SUBJECT INTERESTS THEM. OPRAH OBVIOUSLY IS A BLESSED HUMAN BEEING BUT SHE IS A TV HOST.NOT DALAI LAMA! SHE IS THE BEST IN WHAT SHE DOES.HOW WE USE THE INFORMATION ,IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY
I absolutely agree with Anjoh77, Anonymous, and Greek Fan. Oprah's providing options and alternatives for "traditional" western medicine thinking. And I, for one, appreciate it. There is nothing wrong with opening up a dialogue about subjects people might be curious about. She DOES NOT say that every guest she has on is stating absolute facts and she does not advocate one way or the other. Even if she did, we all have to decide for OURSELVES. Her discussions are only a starting point for further research on our parts.
I heard about your experiment from the CNBC special and thought I would see how things were going.
I have found the contradictions with O to be overwhelming for quite a while and will be interested in your findings. I do think her social issues show are the most interesting (race, drug addiction, class, etc.) while I rarely watch when it is about a medical/health issue or featuring a celebrity. I would be curious to see if there is a relationship between her chosen show topics and Obama's political agenda (ie: now he is focused on health care, a show about people who struggle in the current health care system).
I admit, I voted for BO (NOT because of Oprah! :)) but I do wonder if there is any correlation.
I just saw the Oprah effect - which I guess was a re-run. I enjoy your writing and applaud you for such an original idea for a blog.
You mentioned the Kindle - which was also mentioned on the Oprah effect...and although I have come to enjoy reading blogs, I don't think I can EVER get a Kindle. I love book shopping, touching, looking, searching for the next great book - and then reading it, nicely contained between two covers...Although a Kindle would cut down on some costs, I could never give up the "feel" of holding/reading a book...
Anyway - just wanted to stop by and take a look - I just started my own "blog" journey, so I am new to this and always on the look out for inspiration!!
I caught your segment on the CNBC show last night and overall thought the show was pretty freaky. I realized that Oprah can make or break careers, businesses, and services, but I didn't fully understand the influence that she has over people. It seems a bit extreme what you're doing (i.e. buying garden tools, fire pit when you live in an apartment). However, if you're getting a writing deal out of this and your dream is to be a professional writer, kudos to you.
Did you know that OPRAH is an
ACRONYM ... ???
Can YOU GUESS what OPRAH stands for ... ????
Send your "GUESS" to:
www.itsworthitg-g.blogspot.com
www.valelapenag-g.blogspot.com
You are in for a great surprise !!
From the DISTINGUISHED CLUB RESCUING THE TRUTH & THE DECENCY !!
Well I would like to just say I am a female 40 years old taking all different kinds of supplements that where recommended to me by "nutrition gurus" and they really where making me sick. I was taking 15 pills plus a day until about 8 months ago when I read on Oprah.com about doctor Oz's recommendation for women 20-40 and realized I was not getting enough of the right thing or to much of another thing. So I switched to Oprah/Dr Oz advice on supplement and Vitamin intake and within weeks I felt 1000% better. I even ask my personal doctor of the vitamins and he said yes these are the correct dosages most vitamins are still going off the RDA from the 70s such as vitamin A and so on. so thank you Oprah and Dr. Oz I had dealt with a lot of health problems for over 6 years until now.
I would just like to say that I think this whole project is absolutely rediculous. Just the fact that there are housewives all over the world that follow Oprah like she is some kind of prophet is absurd. All over the World men are working to support their family's while the wives are at home laying their children down for a nap willingly absorbing a steady beam of hypnotizing garbage. At least when we get home we can be sure to hear our wives say "THE Oprah said..." perhaps we should change the image of Jesus dying on the cross should be replaced by an image of Oprah doing so since her sacrafice of being wealthy is only to make our lives better.
I'm sorry I messed up the last sentence of my comment. "perhaps we should change the image of Jesus dying on the cross with an image of Oprah doing so since her sacrafice of being wealthy is only to make our lives better."
Hi - I've been following some information that Oprah has given on her show in this past year about how her thyroid problem was "cured", that she never took meds for it, and yet she feels worse than ever. Here is one of those areas where I feel she does a great disservice because the information she's touting regarding thyroid health is the exact opposite of what is true. Gah! It is frustrating when she has that much power and that much misinformation. It's too bad she is rarely objective or provides more than one point of view on her show.
Just saw the re-run of The Oprah Effect. I live in a bit of a bubble because most women I know tend to distance themselves from anything Oprah is touting, so I was a bit surprised to see she still has such pull.
im sure if you have the time and money you can do all the things that oprah suggests as long as you don't forget who you are along the way .
have fun you never know you might end up on the show.
LO, are you prepared for the tonage of criticism you are going to get for your "project?" Seems like you are goin to get the full weight of OPrah backlash.
I just watched the show on Hulu.com because I thought the topic was very interesting, and then I decided to visit your blog. Now I'm very curious to read more of your posts. But I'm out of the "Oprah loop" so I hope I can keep up.
Glad to know you're still writing!
Oprah is okay. I am sorry about the BSB thing earlier. But it is sad and true. I wish you the best of luck with your experiment. I just hate contridictorary people. Even more when I have known them as long as I was friends and a huge fan of them.
I wish you the best and just be careful and all of that. I do think Oprah and the media in general do tend to get alot of the domestic stuff wrong, and that there is little double check these days.
As far as health advice, study, study, study, and decide for yourself. That is what I was with by my mother and grandmother to do. If you can't figure it out or it is something that may be terminal at some point, see a doctor or if your sicker longer than normal.
Good luck with the Oprah thing, and please don't make any more mention of my comments on air please, it is bad enough what that music group is doing on top of work and taking care of my family that I do everyday.
I saw you on the program called the Oprah Effect on MSNBC. Very interesting. While Oprah will not be my Bible, I will certainly be watching and reading you through this process.
I think I found you thru someone else's blog. Just watched the CNBC show - you were great! Congrats on your success!
Most of the health advice via Oprah's show in the past year has come from Dr. OZ- Today's broadcast in Iowa was a re-run of his famous "Broken Penis" episode and health advice for men. I personally don't have a prostate or a penis- but I'm rather fond of the appendage and found the show fascinating all the same.
I am curious about the health advice of Oprah, and how she might meditate. I use guided Biblical meditations, and truly do enjoy them. I have written one from Jeremiah 18:1-5 called "In The Potters Hand" and it's amazing!
Try it out, let me know your thoughts... Go to my website to get it at www.AwakeningsLifeCoaching.com and click on Products... I'd really like to know what you think. Several yoga instructors use this CD at the end of their classes with their students and they LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
Joy and Journey's,
Kathryn Bonner
www.AwakeningsLifeCoaching.com
www.WomenOfPassionatePurpose.com
www.KathrynBonner.com
I just saw you on CNBC here in Manila- thought you looked great in the trench coat. What an interesting project- happy thoughts!
thank you for writting, I Love your blog1
I am so excited by your site. Thank you for taking the time to look at this phenomenon. We do need to ask some questions about the cult like following Oprah has created / branded. She may have "humble" roots but is now an institution. Like any institution, she now should be taken seriously by academics and social researchers. There is good and bad. Both should be uncovered and we need to have a Truthful conversation about each.
For me, western medicine rarely helps me. I feel as though wm treats any other ideas as quackery. I think they become arrogant. For instance take Dr.Deam Edel, he thinks vitamins don't work. Well, they work for me, so does massage, meditation,and acupuncture. WM takes a one size fits all stand when it comes to treating patients.They either prescribe a pill or cut out the problem, that is if you have the money to pay for it. I don't feel "heard" when I see a wm doctor.Suzanne & Oprah like toeducate about alternatives to health care and I am grateful. Also, look up Dr.Andrew Weil if you don't know who he is - he combines both alternative and western. Inge
Get you own Life! Please....For God sake! Ass The Wonder BoY
I enjoyed Oprah's show about the supplements, and learned some things I didn't know, too. Some people don't think supplements are necessary, but I feel better when taking them.
Hey, if you don't want your Kindle, you can give it to me! LOL
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