1. Are those cleansing teas safe?
2. Could this just be “new mommy syndrome?"
3. Is there a food cure for restless legs?

Are those cleansing teas safe?   I was hoping the 12 pounds I gained during the holidays would fall off once I started eating right again, but no such luck.  A friend told me drinking senna tea works like a charm, and women online seem to agree.  But is it safe? 

Senna is a powerful laxative that can help women shed up to 15 pounds in one week by flushing stagnant waste out of the colon.  But you are wise to be cautious: Taking senna in tea or pill form for longer than a week can create a potassium deficiency that triggers brain fog and fatigue.  To get the benefits of senna without the side effects, stick to one to three cups daily for four or five days.  Then, for safe long-term slimming, switch from senna to three daily cups of a blend made by mixing equal parts oolong tea and green tea.  This combo is proven to balance blood sugar (key to shedding belly fat) and rev calorie burn more effectively than either tea can individually.

Could this just be “new mommy syndrome”?  I thought m pregnancy was rough—I’d get headaches after eating anything “carby,” and I gained a ton.  But now, six months postpartum, I’m in even worse shape.  My head pounds after every meal, I’m always tired and somehow I’m 40 pounds heavier than I was at nine months along.  My friends say it’s all part of having a baby, but I’m not so sure.  What’s wrong with me? 

Given your headaches after eating carbs, plus the unexplained fatigue and weight gain, it sounds like you’ve developed pregnancy-triggered celiac disease.  This sensitivity to gluten in wheat, rye, barley and possibly oats can begin during pregnancy and remain for a lifetime.  To put an end to your symptoms, it’s imperative to avoid gluten.  Check all food labels to eliminate the aforementioned grains from your diet.  (They lurk in surprising places like beverages, sauces, condiments, gravies and luncheon meats.)  Most grocery stores now sell gluten-free versions of breads, pastas and baked desserts, so it’s easier than ever to find tasty alternatives for your favorites.  Also, I recommend drinking one to three cups of marshmallow tea (like Celebration Herbals Marshmallow Leaf and Root Tea, $5 for 24 tea bags, at amazon.com) daily.  It will reverse the gluten-induced internal inflammation that’s exacerbating your symptoms.

Is there a food cure for restless legs?  After a year of creepy-crawly feelings in my legs whenever I try to sleep, my doctor prescribed Mirapex.  But it made me so nauseated, and I read about strange side effects—one woman online talked about her increased need to gamble!  I stopped taking it, but I still want relief.  Is there a natural remedy? 

Yes.  Magnesium is a natural muscle and nerve relaxant that calms the involuntary spasms and creepy-crawly sensations of restless legs syndrome (RLS), plus it brings on more restful sleep.  Simply take 400 mg of magnesium glycinate (like Doctor’s Best High Absorption Magnesium 100 mg, $10 for 120 tablets, at iHerb.com and health-food stores) just before going to bed.  If RLS symptoms still wake you, take an additional 200 mg to calm the body and return to sleep easily.