1. Dodging dairy’s side effects.
2. Fresh-fruit alternative!
3. Sweet Tooth..

Dodging dairy’s side effects.  Now that I’m in my mid-thirties, I’m noticing that milk doesn’t agree with me anymore. Even the cream in my coffee causes bloat. I’ve heard that some people develop lactose intolerance as they age, and I think that’s what’s happened to me. I’ve stopped drinking milk, but I hate soy milk. Is there another alternative?

Why not give goat’s milk a try? While it may sound offbeat, it tastes similar to cow’s milk (and nothing like goat cheese!). It is easier to digest because it’s very low in lactose, the milk sugar responsible for bloat and cramps. And it’s nutritious: Compared with cow’s milk, it has 13 percent more bone-strengthening calcium, 47 percent more immune-boosting vitamin A and a whopping 134 percent more potassium, which helps maintain healthy blood pressure. It can be used in cereal, tea, coffee…even in baking or any other way you enjoy milk. A brand I recommend: Meyenberg Goat Milk. It’s delicious, all-natural and easy to find at health-food stores and supermarkets.

Fresh-fruit alternative!   It’s tough to find juicy, unbruised fruit in the Midwest this time of year. Does frozen or canned fruit provide the same health benefits?

Frozen fruit is the best choice when you can’t find good fresh fruit because most of the nutrients, enzymes and antioxidants are retained in the freezing process. Frozen fruit also tends to be the best value for your dollar, and there’s a large selection in the freezer section—anything from berries and cherries to exotic options like papaya and mango. Canned fruit offers some nutrients and fiber, but processing removes most antioxidants and beneficial enzymes. For example, canned pineapple loses bromelain, and canned papaya has no papain, two digestive enzymes that improve stomach health. The bottom line: Canned is fine, but fresh and frozen deliver the most benefits.

Sweet Tooth...I have a serious sweet tooth and over the past 3 years have gained a total of 85 pounds, so a week ago I decided to go on a dessert-free diet. But I’m miserable—I can’t stop craving chocolate and it’s making me crazy! Why don’t I have the willpower?

It may have more to do with biology than with lack of resolve: A study published in the American Journal of Physiology found that when sugary treats are freely available, females consume an average of 36 percent more calories a day than males and exercise less than males do. Plus, when they did exercise, it seemed to become less effective at suppressing appetite, suggesting that women are predisposed to the temptation to overeat and have to work harder at making weight gain avoidance tactics, like exercise, work for them. Try this spiced-up tip for decreasing sugar cravings: sprinkle cinnamon on lentil stew, chicken or lamb chops, and on baked apples and pears. Cinnamon not only boosts metabolism, it’s naturally sweet flavor satisfies taste buds, and it’s proven to even out blood sugar to quell a sweet tooth.