1. Could my low-carb diet be making me fat?
2. How can I undo damage from fast food?
3. Help! I’ve got a case of “perimenopause brain!”

Could my low-carb diet be making me fat? After losing 12 pounds on a low-carb diet, the weight is creeping back on, plus I’m always tired. Ifollowed the guidelines perfectly, filling up on chicken and lean beef to get 35 to 60 grams of protein a day. What went wrong?

Animal protein is a beneficial weightloss tool, but consuming too much can cause some individuals to become overly acidic. This damages the cells of every organ in the body, including those that regulate appetite and blood sugar. And fatigue can set in since acidity prevents the body from being adequately oxygenated. My advice: Eat more plant-based protein. Foods like miso, squash, pumpkin, apples and sweet potatoes are alkalinizing, so they reenergize the body and restore natural slimming mechanisms. But continue to enjoy one to two 4 oz. servings of animal protein like lean beef, chicken and seafood daily. This way, your body won’t get too alkaline, which also causes low energy.

How can I undo damage from fast food? For years dinner had consisted of fast food four times a week. Now that I’m in my thirties and too busy to exercise, I’ve gained 60 pounds. My doctor said I’m officially obese, so I’m trying to cook at home more. But the weight loss is so slow. How can Ispeed things up?

It sounds like your liver is so burned out from years of processing fast food that it can’t burn fat efficiently despite those healthier meals. To jump-start your weight loss, drink 6 oz. of water mixed with the juice of half a lemon or lime two or three times daily. And add a little rind and pith (the white spongy tissue) to each cup. The fruit’s nomilin (which is in the juice but is super concentrated in the rind and pith) ups liver-cell turnover so the organ is better able to burn fat. Nomilin also boosts activity of the liver’s detoxifying enzyme glutathione S-transferase and increases output of fat-dissolving bile. After two weeks (the minimum time the liver needs to recover) of drinking the mixture, the weight will fall off at a faster rate—up to 6 pounds a week. Then you can reduce your citrus-water dose to one glass daily, preferably in the morning to get the liver primed to burn fat all day.

Help! I’ve got a case of “perimenopause brain!” Since turning 43 I’ve noticed that my memory and focus aren’t what they used to be. It takes me twice as long to prepare reports and presentations—not good when there are 25-year-olds chomping at the bit for my job. I’ve heard about all kinds of brain-boosting supplements, but they’re usually very expensive. Is there another way to help me stay at the top of my game?

Yes—shore up on vitamin D. Research reveals that D has a protective and rejuvenating effect on brain cells, speeding information processing and boosting attention among middle-aged subjects. Vitamin D also helps the body synthesize more of the female hormone progesterone, offsetting the age-related dips that cause mental slowdowns. I believe the RDA of 400 IU is too low, so aim for 1,000 to 4,000 IU (a perfectly safe amount) by eating at least three weekly servings of D-rich foods such as tuna and sardines and taking a daily supplement like Nature Made Vitamin D 1,000 IU ($20 for 300 tablets, at drugstores).