It's been less than two years since Dr. Mehmet Oz flew the golden 'The Oprah Show' coop, and already he's recognized by Forbes magazine as the third most influential celebrity in Tinsel Town. Not to mention, 'The Dr. Oz Show' is considered the most successful new talk show in nearly a decade and recently earned two Daytime Emmy Awards nominations. Not too shabby indeed!

This afternoon, he had a few of his fellow Hollywood cohorts, including our favorite R&B divas, Mary J. Blige and Patti LaBelle ask their most pressing health questions and even touch an internal organ during a special 'Ask Dr. Oz: Celebrity Edition.' But before they do, BV pulled rank and asked the good doctor a couple questions of our own:

Health tends to be an uncomfortable and sensitive subject, especially for African Americans. Yet your show has outperformed Dr. Phil, Regis & Kelly, Rachel Ray, Tyra, and the 'Today' show. What's the secret to getting people excited about medical matters?

I think the show has been successful because I don't want to be the dragnet or the gestapo of health. I don't want to force stuff down the audience's throat. I want to make the experience of life include a little health talk.

Okay, we're curious, what's the best advice Oprah ever gave you?

That people don't change their behavior based on what they know. They change it based on what they feel. So it's about getting them emotionally connected.

So is that the reason for that you select an assistant of the day from the studio audience?

Exactly. The person at home sees me and says:' Dr. Oz? That's not who I am. I didn't go to medical school. I don't look like him. I don't talk like him. But the woman standing beside Dr. Oz? I see myself in her.' And all of sudden, those little neurons in the front of our brains that allow us to have empathy for each other and see ourselves in each other kick in. Then the same person starts to say if they can do it, I can do it.

Plus, my assistant of the day keeps me honest. If I see that the AOD doesn't understand something I've said, looks a little confused or is out of it, then I know I haven't done a good job. So I have to do it again. Somehow we've begun to think that medical care is only about a doctor giving a diagnosis, it's not. Remember, the origin of the word doctor means teacher. If I'm not teaching you won't get it.


With all due respect, you have a pretty no-nonsense, buck-stops-here approach. Has an audience member ever challenged your advice?

I encounter resistance all the time. That's why I purposely invite experts on that can say it differently. It also helps to have someone who can talk to you about it from personal experience. So I also bring people who have been through it. People who have gotten in shape, beaten drugs, gotten their finances together, etc. So viewers actually see people that have been through the terrain, recounting what their experience has been like.

What are your personal must-haves from the grocery store?

-Nuts especially walnuts. But no peanuts -- peanuts grow under the ground.
-Tons of leafy vegetables
-As much as I can out of the produce aisle.

With the growing popularity of the green movement, there's been an emphasis on purchasing organic foods. Does organic really matter?

I don't push organic. I wish you could but if not, it's fine. Just buy the stuff it's still good for you.

Speaking of affordable produce, for folks on the go, which is a healthier choice: frozen or canned?

Frozen. Produce that they freeze at the time of harvest only loses about 15 percent to 20 percent of nutrients through freezing. So it's definitely better than canned. And sometimes, it's a as good as the produce that's harvested and then shipped because that [produce] waits almost three weeks to reach the supermarkets. And that's not the way you want your food to ripen.

Last but not least, what are five things we can do immediately to start losing weight without spending money?

Walk. Cut out sugar. Cut out fried foods. Increase your fiber intake. And lastly, eat breakfast at home. You cannot find healthy foods in a fast-food joint. You can do it for lunch and dinner but not breakfast. Start your day with a meal with your family. Make it start your metabolism in the right way especially for the kids.