1. Why Do I Lose Everywhere Except My Belly?
2. Help! I Gain Weight Every Winter!
3. How Can I Protect My Family From E. Coli?

Why Do I Lose Everywhere Except My Belly?   After seven long months of low-fat dieting, I’ve managed to drop 25 pounds.  But I’m still toting a huge spare tire around my middle.  Now all my pants are tight around the tummy but droopy everywhere else—I look shapeless!  How can I get my body into proportion and uncover the curves that I know are there somewhere? 

You may have heard that the key to losing abdominal fat is eating more fat.  And the latest studies show that eating a specific type of fat called monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) helps women shed stubborn belly fat while maintaining the waist-to-hip ratio that’s considered most attractive (with the waist about 70 percent smaller than the hips).  This healthy fat reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which, in high amounts, triggers the accumulation of abdominal fat.  The best MUFA sources are olive oil and macadamia nut oil, which you can add to salads or soups or use for grilling and stir-frying. 

Help!  I Gain Weight Every Winter!   As soon as the cold weather sets in, I get intense cravings for comfort foods like macaroni and cheese.  Last year I gained 27 pounds as a result, and it took me the rest of the year to get rid of it.  Is there anything that can help me before the cravings really kick in? 

Your best to beat those winter cravings is to start consuming the amino acid 5-HTP as soon as the days start to get shorter.  The body converts 5-HTP to the brain chemical serotonin, which our bodies lack during winter.  (Sunlight plays a role in its production.)  A supplement to try: Carlson 5-HTP Elite ($8 for 60 tablets, at iHerb.com and health food stores).  Take one 50 mg table twice daily.  But if cravings increase as the days get even shorter, up the dose to four times daily for maximum crave-fighting power. 

How Can I Protect My Family From E. Coli?   Since the E. Coli spinach scare a few months ago, I’ve been worried that contamination could happen again, maybe even with other foods.  How can I protect my family from these “bugs”? 

Regularly consuming the lactobacillus and bifidobacterium strains of probiotics may be the answer.  Japanese researchers found that these healthy bacteria protect against and remedy the illness caused by the two most common food contaminants, E. coli and staphylococcus.  The reason: As probiotic bacteria attach to intestinal cells, they trigger the production of chemicals that attack invading germs.  Consume kefir (available at grocery stores) and unsweetened plain yogurt, which contain probiotics.  For extra protection, I also take a supplement called Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12 Plus ($53 for 60 capsules, at UniKeyHealth.com or call 800-888-4353) every four months.  I take five capsules in the morning and five in the evening for six days.  To make it easier, I open the capsules and mix the contents into applesauce, oatmeal or juice.  Mention First when you call Uni Key, and you’ll get a 15 percent discount.