Dr. Mehmet Oz, the TV doctor-turned-administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, advised his staff to practice portion control, eat slowly and use small plates this holiday season to avoid overindulging in food or drinks while enjoying the festive time of year.
As part of his weekly “Crushing Cubicle Cravings” newsletter, which provides healthy tips to employees, Oz listed a series of pointers to help people maintain a healthy mindset while surrounded by sweets.
“We all love a fun cookie swap and potluck this time of year. With several teams across CMS hosting holiday gatherings this month, I am sharing some strategies to help you make healthier choices – while still indulging in festive treats,” Oz wrote in the email obtained by WIRED.
“Decide in advance how many treats you’ll allow yourself to enjoy and try to stick to that number. You don’t have to try every cookie on the cookie table,” he wrote.
Among other tips, Oz, 65, recommended that people use smaller plates to support portion control, eat more slowly to help pay attention to their body’s cues about hunger, and “don’t double fist” to free up one hand for shaking hands with colleagues or friends.
The holiday eating tips were sent out to the more than 6,000 employees who work at CMS. It’s part of Oz’s ongoing internal advice column, which employees reportedly requested.
The Independent has asked the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for comment.
Christopher Krepich, a spokesperson for CMS, told WIRED, “Dr. Oz knows it’s not easy balancing a healthy lifestyle and a demanding job. That’s why he offers and welcomes tips and encouragement to help the hardworking CMS team stay healthy while they work hard to ensure millions of Americans access quality health care, which is entirely appropriate.”
“So far, the feedback has been positive,” Krepich said.
In other “Crushing Cubicle Cravings” emails, Oz recommended that employees meal prep “healthy snacks” that keep energy up and suppress overeating or indulging in sweets such as leftover Halloween candy, WIRED reported.
The tips and tricks are reminiscent of similar advice Oz gave to millions of viewers on his successful daytime television talk show, The Dr. Oz Show, which aired from 2009 until 2022. While Oz often espoused medical advice on his show, professionals criticized much of it for lacking scientific credibility.
Oz leaned into the alternative medicine industry throughout his career – thus becoming an ally of President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
However, as CMS administrator, Oz has served as a more grounded medical voice in the administration – publicly breaking from the president on unproven claims about Tylenol being dangerous during pregnancy.
