1. Diet-hair loss link?
2. SOS for weekend cravings?
3. Pare excell pounds without moving a muscle!

Diet–hair loss link?  Over the past few months I’ve noticed that when I wash or brush my hair, I lose several more strands than usual. And that’s not all—at 34 years old, my face is suddenly breaking out, and I didn’t even have acne as a teenager! Needless to say, I’m panicking. One of my friends said it could be my diet. Is she right?

I suspect your friend is correct: The blemishes accompanying your recent hair loss indicate that a zinc deficiency may be to blame. Not only is zinc a vital component of skin and hair but it also plays a role in metabolizing testosterone, a hormone linked to hair loss and acne when in excess. My advice: Make sure your daily multivitamin contains at least 15 mg of zinc, the amount proven to help restore a clear complexion and promote healthy hair growth. Also, consider including flaxseed in your diet since it contains lignans, natural compounds that can reverse the effects of high testosterone levels. Simply sprinkle 2 Tbs. ground flaxseed (keep refrigerated once ground) on cereal, oatmeal and yogurt or blend into smoothies.

SOS for weekend cravings?   During the workweek, I find it’s easy to eat healthy portions since I’m not comfortable going overboard in front of my coworkers. But weekends are a different story: I treat my family to a Saturday breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese, home fries and sausage. You’d think I’d feel satisfied because it’s the biggest meal of my week, but instead it gets me snacking on chips and cookies for the rest of the weekend. Why?

Sharing a big family breakfast every Saturday morning is a lovely ritual, but you may want to reconsider your menu. Foods like sausage, cheese, corn oil and margarine that are high in unhealthy saturated fat can prompt overindulging and make it harder to stop, according to a report in The Journal of Nutrition. That’s because excess “bad” fat reduces sensitivity to cholecystokinin, a hormone that triggers the feeling of fullness, preventing your body from getting the “stop eating” signal. Fortunately, reactivating your feel-full signaling system is as easy as switching to healthier versions of your favorite breakfast foods. Opt for low-fat varieties of cheese, like Jarlsberg Lite, and breakfast meats such as Healthy Choice Breakfast Sausage Links, which have up to 60 percent less saturated fat than other brands. And try cooking with coconut or peanut oil—both contain healthy monounsaturated fat.

Pare excess pounds without moving a muscle!   Six months after having my first child, I’m still toting 30 extra pounds. I’ve been so busy with the baby and getting back to work that finding time to exercise is practically impossible, but I’d love to start the new year closer to my goal weight. Is there a way to slim down without exercise until my schedule eases up?

Exercise or not, the best way to lose fat is to consume more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a nutrient proven to block fat storage. Norwegian researchers learned that women who added 3.4 grams of CLA to their daily diet lost 10 percent or more of their body fat and kept it off for at least two years—without dieting or exercising. They also developed more calorie-hungry lean muscle mass. Grass-fed meats and dairy foods contain CLA, but you’d have to eat 72 servings a day to get just 2 grams, so it’s best to get the study-backed dose in a supplement. (One to try: Uni Key CLA, $26 for 90 capsules, call 800-888-4353 to order and mention First to save 10 percent.)