Dr. Mehmet Oz, the popular surgeon-turned-television personality once celebrated for his health advice on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and his own daytime program, has built a career on offering wellness solutions to millions.
But behind the public image lies a troubling spiritual foundation rooted in the occult, a former psychic medium has warned.
In a recent episode of "Ex-Psychic Saved," host Jenn Nizza launched a three-part series exposing prominent doctors she says promote New Age beliefs disguised as medicine.
The first installment focuses on Oz, whom Nizza and her guest, Christian apologist Marcia Montenegro, describe as deeply influenced by mysticism and occult practices.
"Dr. Oz admitted to being a follower of Emanuel Swedenborg," Montenegro said, referring to the 18th century mystic whose teachings denied the Trinity and claimed illness stemmed from "bad thoughts." "Swedenborg's ideas were the seed of the New Thought movement, which teaches that your mind creates reality. If you're influenced by that worldview, you cannot base knowledge on objective truth or the Bible."
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Nizza, who spent years as a psychic medium before converting to Christianity, recalled how Oz once appeared trustworthy, offering practical tips on osteoporosis and weight-bearing exercise.
But she said her trust eroded when he began hosting psychic mediums on his show. "That was a huge warning sign," she said. "We're talking about someone who not only welcomed psychics but promoted their messages to millions of viewers."
Oz's openness to such practices, Montenegro added, extends beyond TV appearances. He has endorsed transcendental meditation, a practice tied to Hindu spirituality.
Though often presented in the West as a stress-reduction technique, Montenegro said the practice involves Hindu rituals and initiations. "Transcendental meditation is deeply spiritual," she explained. "It opens the door to influence from fallen angels."
Montenegro also noted Oz's role in The Daniel Plan, a faith-based health program launched by Rick Warren, founder and former pastor of Saddleback Church.
Oz, along with Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Mark Hyman, helped shape the initiative, which was promoted as a Christian wellness plan. "All three of these doctors have New Age views," Montenegro said. "It was very disturbing to see them advising a church-based program."
Oz's credibility has also been questioned outside faith circles. Montenegro pointed to a 2013 New Yorker profile that traced his journey from respected cardiothoracic surgeon to daytime host promoting diets, supplements and unproven remedies, some of which prompted a congressional hearing. "He moved away from medical knowledge and into areas shaped by his spiritual worldview," she said.
For Nizza, the issue is not about discouraging people from seeking medical treatment but about recognizing spiritual deception.
"This program is not about whether you should take vitamins or go to the doctor," she said. "It's to expose doctors who are doing things that are unbiblical and spiritually dangerous."
The hosts likened Oz to Anthony William, known as the "Medical Medium," who claims to receive health advice from spirits. Montenegro said she has warned Christians against William, noting that some of his followers later reported harmful side effects. "Why would you take health advice from someone who claims to channel spirits?" she asked.
They also warned that hospitals sometimes promote Reiki, yoga or Tai Chi under the banner of "integrative medicine." Montenegro said while doctors might not personally subscribe to New Age beliefs, their willingness to recommend such practices shows how deeply these ideas have permeated mainstream healthcare. "I would go to an atheist doctor before I would go to a New Age doctor," she said. "The New Age skews your view of everything."
Nizza closed the episode by urging prayer for Oz and those influenced by his platform. "We pray he comes to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," she said. "Right now, he's being used to deceive masses of people. That's why this conversation is so important."
Future episodes of the series will turn to Amen and Hyman, both of whom, according to Montenegro, promote similarly "spiritually compromised" approaches to healthcare.