1. Reversing sneaky middle-age spread.
2. The real deal on “acidic” weight gain.
3. A smart way to always have fruit on hand.

Reversing sneaky middle-age spread!   It’s infuriating me that my doctor insists the 53 pounds I’ve gained in the last year are just a normal part of turning 40! He’s ignored the fact that my morning tea, fruit and yogurt used to keep me satisfied till lunch, but now I’m tired, cranky and starving by midmorning. And for the first time ever, I constantly crave sweets. What gives?

Your symptoms sound like impaired glucose meta­bolism, a condition in which insulin loses the ability to help cells use glucose as fuel. The resulting blood sugar spikes trigger fatigue, mood swings and cravings for sweets, plus signal the liver to store fat. But an easy breakfast switch can restore well-being. Sweeten your tea and plain yogurt with the herbal sweetener stevia, which improves ­glucose metabolism with daily use. (Try SteviaPlus, $7 for 50 packets, at health-food stores.) I also advise taking a cinnamon supplement. A compound in the herb called methylhydroxy chalcone polymer lowered blood sugar spikes by 20 percent to help Finnish women in one study lose an average of 13 pounds in a month. (Try Cinnergen, $35 for 32 oz., at drug store.com or call 800-378-4786.)

The real deal on “acidic” weight gain!   At a family picnic last weekend, everyone was buzzing about my cousin who’s lost 60 pounds. When I asked what her secret was, she said (as she bit into a cheeseburger) that she pairs acidic foods with alkaline foods. I need to lose 40 pounds―can her trick help me, too?

I’m sure it will. Sixty percent of American women have a body pH that’s too acidic, mostly because of stress. And this acidity affects function of the insulin and thyroid hormones, disrupting blood sugar balance, slowing metabolism and prompting fat storage. Luckily, counteracting fattening “acidic” effects is simple. Opt for less acidic fare like grilled chicken, shrimp or fish. Or pair acidic favorites like fried chicken, cheese­burgers and potato salad with alkaline produce like lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, avocados, water­melon and berries. These are all rich sources of potassium and magnesium, two minerals that neutralize excess acidity to speed weight-loss efforts.

A smart way to always have fruit on hand!   In a past column, you explained that frozen fruit is as healthy as fresh. Now that it’s summer and there’s so much fresh fruit available, I’m thinking of freezing some to save for later in the year, when it’s hard to find good produce. Is that a wise idea?

Yes! Fruits like grapes, berries, pineapple, mangoes, bananas, kiwifruits and ­peaches are great for freezing in plastic bags. Grapes and berries simply need to be washed and dried before freezing whole. Fruit with edible skin, like ­peaches, should be washed, pitted and cut into chunks to freeze since they’ll be hard to cut later on. And for fruit with inedible skin, like pineapple, peel before cutting into chunks and freezing. It takes about a year for freezer burn to set in, so the fruit should last through winter. While grapes can be eaten frozen, most other fruit can’t. So for a tasty treat, blend them into smoothies or use for baking.