Dr. Mehmet Oz, once hailed as “America’s Doctor” through his frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and his long-running daytime program, built his reputation on offering wellness tips to millions of viewers. But some former insiders to the occult world are warning that his advice comes with a hidden cost: spiritual deception.

On a recent episode of the podcast Ex-Psychic Saved, host Jenn Nizza launched a three-part series examining what she describes as the influence of the New Age on modern medicine. The first installment focused on Dr. Oz, with guest Marcia Montenegro, a Christian apologist and former New Ager, raising concerns about his worldview and practices.

“Dr. Oz admitted to being a follower of Emanuel Swedenborg,” Montenegro explained, referencing the 18th-century mystic who denied the Trinity and taught that sickness stems from “bad thoughts.” She warned that such ideas laid the foundation for the New Thought movement, which claims the mind creates reality. “If you’re influenced by that worldview, you cannot base knowledge on objective truth or the Bible,” she said.

Nizza, who spent years as a psychic medium before coming to Christ, admitted she once found Oz trustworthy. “He was giving good tips about osteoporosis and weight-bearing exercise,” she recalled. But her trust faded when she noticed him featuring psychic mediums on his show. “That was a huge warning sign,” Nizza said. “We’re talking about someone who not only welcomed psychics but promoted their messages to millions of viewers.”

Montenegro added that Oz has also embraced transcendental meditation, a Hindu-rooted practice often marketed in the West as a relaxation tool. “Transcendental meditation is deeply spiritual,” she said. “It opens the door to influence from fallen angels.”

The pair also pointed to Oz’s involvement in The Daniel Plan, a faith-based health program spearheaded by Rick Warren, the founding pastor of Saddleback Church. Oz, along with Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Mark Hyman, helped shape the initiative. Montenegro expressed concern that “all three of these doctors have New Age views” and that their influence on a church-based wellness program was troubling.

Oz’s credibility has been questioned in secular contexts as well. A 2013 New Yorker profile documented his shift from respected cardiothoracic surgeon to TV personality promoting fad diets, supplements, and unproven remedies—issues that later drew congressional scrutiny. “He moved away from medical knowledge and into areas shaped by his spiritual worldview,” Montenegro said.

The podcast hosts compared Oz to Anthony William, known as the “Medical Medium,” who claims to channel health advice from spirits. Montenegro warned that Christians should steer clear of such figures, noting that even when their recommendations appear helpful, they rest on dangerous spiritual foundations.

For Nizza, the issue is not whether people should seek medical help, but whether they can discern 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.”

Montenegro also cautioned against the growing acceptance of practices like Reiki, yoga, and Tai Chi under the umbrella of “integrative medicine.” While not every doctor practicing them is a New Ager, she argued that the willingness to recommend them shows how deeply these ideas have infiltrated 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 ended the episode with a plea for prayer. “We pray he comes to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” she said of Oz. “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 Dr. Amen and Dr. Hyman, both of whom Montenegro says promote similarly “spiritually compromised” approaches to health and wellness.