1. Help! I don’t want to get fat again this winter
2. Could my tap water be causing my high BP?
3. Can you really slim just from soup?

Help!  I don’t want to get fat again this winter!  Every year when the weather cools down, I start craving comfort foods and end up gaining about 20 pounds.  My sister says that cutting out carbs (like macaroni ‘n’ cheese) is the only way to avoid this, but that would require enormous willpower.  Is she right? 

Avoiding carbohydrates during cold weather can actually work against you.  Carbs signal brain cells to soak up tryptophan, a building block of the feel-full neurotransmitter serotonin.  And when weak winter sunlight sends serotonin levels plunging, this boost can be a life-saver.  The trick is to enjoy a few “pure carb” snacks (with little or no protein) each day.  By maximizing overall tryptophan uptake, such foods can slash comfort-food cravings by 81 percent.  Your slimming strategy: At each meal, have at least one serving of carbs and one serving of protein (11/2 cups of mac ‘n’ cheese fits the bill).  Between meals and again after dinner, snack on a pure carb.  Options include apples, oatmeal and unbuttered air-popped popcorn. 

Could my tap water be causing my high BP?  I’ve been avoiding salt because my doctor was threatening to put me on meds for high blood pressure.  My BP has dropped, but I’m not in the clear yet.  When I told a friend, she said my softened water could be to blame.  But why? 

 Most softeners use crystals of sodium chloride (better known as salt) to treat water, which may very well account for your elevated blood pressure.  Perhaps the easiest and most affordable fix is to switch to potassium chloride crystals (available at home-improvement stores), which are just as effective at softening water and won’t raise blood pressure.  Or have your kitchen sink fitted with a sodium filter or a reverse osmosis filter, both of which can remove the mineral.  (Log on to TheWaterExchange.com or call 888-297-4887 for sodium filters starting at $170 and reverse osmosis filters starting at $240.)  Also smart: Aim to consume four daily servings of food containing potassium and magnesium, two nutrients that flush excess sodium from cells.  Good choices include bananas, oranges, spinach, avocados and squash.

Can you really slim just from soup?  I’ve heard that if you have soup before a meal, you end up eating less.  I’d love to try this, but I work long hours and don’t have time to just whip up a pot of soup from scratch.  Do those microwavable soup cups work, too? 

 The soup rumor is true: Women in one study who started their meals with soup consumed 20 percent fewer calories overall—enough to lose five pounds every week.  But it’s key to opt for a variety with 150 calories or fewer per serving.  This usually means sticking to soups with a chicken or veggie broth and avoiding high-cal ingredients like noodles.  Also, many ready-to-eat soups are too processed to deliver any slimming perks.  One brand I do like is Kitchen Basics vegetable or chicken stock (about $4 for 32 oz., at supermarkets).  This flavorful soup is free of additives that can sabotage weight loss.  And since it contains just 20 calories per cup, even a big bowl with a cup of chopped veggies is in the healthy range.