Can You Get the Benefit of Walnuts Without the Nuts?

Q. I often hear you talk about the benefits of walnuts. But they leave my mouth sore, and I’m not crazy about the taste. Are pecans equally healthy? -- Lisa, Elbert, CO

A.Sorry, but walnuts have at least six times more healthy omega-3 fats than pecans do; other nuts just aren’t as healthful. (For a great taste, try roasting those walnuts for 9 to 12 minutes in a toaster oven set at 275 degrees Fahrenheit.) Want other ways to get healthy fats to protect your eyes, brain, and heart? Get ’em from fish oil capsules (2,000 milligrams of fish oil a day); or just take the crucial fat, DHA. If you go that route, take 600 milligrams a day, and if you’re vegetarian (or not), you can get DHA made from algae. That’s where fish -- and the YOU Docs -- get their DHA.

Q: Call me paranoid, but I refuse to use a microwave. Do they cause cancer? -- Lucy B, via e-mail

A: No, but they do cause more than extreme pizza sogginess, if you’re not careful about what you put in those ovens. About 90% of Americans have plastic residue in their urine because they microwave in plastic (the residue is called phthalates, for you spelling-bee champs). This is potentially harmful because some additives used in the manufacturing of plastic, particularly those that make it pliable, love to migrate into your food, especially at high temperatures. Only use containers specifically designed for microwave cooking. Discard them when the surface shows any sign of breakdown.

Q. I've had two of my teeth crack in the past year. Both times I was just having a meal. I am a bit concerned about this. What’s happening, and how can I make it stop? -- Anonymous

A. Part of the problem is natural wear and tear: Decades of pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and other crunchy foods weaken your pearly whites. Large fillings and crowns make them even more vulnerable.

The other part of why your teeth may be crumbling has to do with how you treat them. Biting into or chewing hard things like ice and popcorn kernels can mess with a tooth’s integrity (so lay off them). So can sudden temperature changes in your mouth (no ice cream with a hot coffee chaser!).

But tooth care isn’t all about food; stress is also a nightmare. If you clench or grind your teeth at night, a mouth guard can help protect them. That pencil-chewing habit you have in meetings? Not good, either. Even if you treat your pearly whites right, you can’t skip regular visits to the dentist. He or she will also look for, help you prevent, and treat gum disease, which can also weaken teeth and lead to cracking and damage.

Q. Every month, I go through very bad mood swings 2 weeks before my period. Is there an over-the-counter product I can take that won’t hurt my diabetes? -- Anonymous

A. Drugstore products abound, and some are more than wallet transfers. But first, we recommend checking your grocery store, because the way to eat to counter PMS helps control your diabetes, too. The key is to avoid (yes, avoid) saturated and trans fats -- almost all women who avoid these say PMS vanishes. But you have to stay 100% away from all products from four-legged animals -- and even some from two-legged animals -- and from palm and coconut oil. Ditch large meals in favor of three small meals and two or three snacks. These keep your blood sugar from spiking and dipping, which controls diabetes AND keeps moods from getting out of control.

At the drugstore, pick up vitamin B6 (take 200 milligrams twice a day), important for synthesis of that feel-good chemical, serotonin, in your brain. Other PMS fighters to try: 200 milligrams of magnesium twice a day, plus borage oil or evening primrose oil (3,000 milligrams a day). Calcium should also be part of your plan for fighting PMS while building bones and protecting joints (1,200 milligrams, but take it in two doses), and vitamin D (1,000 international units) is essential, too.