The less sleep I get the more I binge eat. Nothing satisfies my hunger. What foods should I eat when I feel like this that aren't turning to fat?

If you are binge eating, you are eating more than you need. Therefore any food you eat that is not used to fuel your body will be stored as fat. When you feel restless, before reaching for something to eat, joural how you feel and see if you notice a pattern of behavior.

Alzheimer’s disease has affected some of the members of my family. Are there any foods that can help lower my risk of getting this terrible disease?

I am sorry that you have had to deal with this awful disease and its effect on your family. We are all at risk for this disease (and many others) but we can lower our risk through lifestyle changes. This means regular exercise and a diet consisting of whole, unprocessed foods.

Foods to eat that lower your risk of Alzheimer’s are fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, tuna and mackerel. Also make sure you consume monounsaturated oils like olive oil and nut oils. These foods contain omega-3 fatty acids and these acids help the brain develop new cells.  The well known Framingham Heart Study found that people who consumed foods with omega-3 fatty acids three or more times a week lowered their risk of Alzheimer’s by 39%.

I really like steak and other red meat and have it 2 to 3 times a week. Is this meat bad for me? Does it cause heart disease and diabetes?

Red meat from cows, buffalo and lamb are excellent sources of iron and zinc plus they contain complete proteins.  Harvard researchers did 20 studies involving 1.2 million people and found no association with eating unprocessed red meats and either heart disease or diabetes. However, when the meats were in a processed, refined form such as bacon, hot dogs, deli meats and packaged lunch meats, consuming them raised the risk of heart disease by 42% and diabetes by 19%.  So eating red meats or any meat for that matter in a clean, whole unprocessed way is healthy. Eating processed, refined meats of any kind is not recommended.

I know salmon and avocado are good for us, but are they good protein sources? Do they build muscle? Are there any other advantages to these two foods?

Salmon is high in protein, high in vitamin D and is considered an 'oily fish' because it is high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Avocados are high in mono-unsaturated fat and loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Avocados are high in fiber and have a slow release of energy  so they are very good for athletes.  Avocados and salmon are great foods to eat if you wish to fuel your body. The other advantage these two foods have is they are good, clean sources of healthy fats, protein, carbohydrates and fiber. Salmon, avocado, leafy green vegetables, colored peppers and other colorful fruits and vegetables in a salad will provide a person with all the nutrition we need.

To build muscle you need to lift weights to the point of muscle fatigue. If you simply consume these foods but do not engage in weight training, you will put on pounds in the form of fat, not in the form of lean muscle.  

My daughter has lost a lot of weight since she gave up eating cheese. I need to lose some weight too. Should I give up cheese?

There is nothing wrong with cheese. Cheese is a great source of healthy fat and an excellent source of protein as well, not to mention calcium. Your daughter has lost weight because she gave up calories. She took a regular source of calories in her diet and removed it. Fewer calories means weight loss! It doesn’t really matter what food is given up if you want to lose weight. What matters is not replacing the calories you took out with calories from another source.

What your daughter is doing is concentrating on what she is eating, how much she is eating, when she is eating and why. She is focused. She has chosen to give up a steady source of calories (cheese) and so far it’s working. If she is happy with her weight loss and wants to resume eating cheese, she may have to reassess her diet and may have to cut calories somewhere else. Alternatively she could cut the portion sizes of the foods she eats.

The key to keeping a stable weight is to always be aware of the calories going in to your  body, your activity level and how many calories are going out due to that activity.