Q: I’m 44, had a second child a year ago, and I’ve lost all my baby weight. At 5 feet, 1 inch tall, I weigh about 133 pounds, but still have a big stomach. I’ve dieted, work out hard with cardio sculpt three times a week and advanced Pilates three times a week. I wanted a tummy tuck, but the doctor said no because the fat is in the omentum, which can’t be sucked out. How do I reduce omental fat? — Paige, Little Rock, Ark.
A: You’re already on your way to paring down your omentum — the cushion of tissue that hangs from the stomach to the pelvis. The reason your doc can’t liposuction it out is that it’s not padding you from underneath your skin, it’s deeper than that, where it damages far more than how your figure looks in jeans.
Omental fat is closer to your organs than other body fat, so they look to it for energy. The fat it releases goes to your liver, and from there to your arteries, where it’s linked to increased lousy LDL cholesterol and worse — low HDL, high triglycerides and inflammation-causing chemicals. The more omental fat you have, the less of an anti-inflammatory, anti-stress chemical called adiponectin you produce.
All this is bad news for your heart. Exercise will help, but excess food is likely the main culprit pumping your omentum. A healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, 100 percent whole grains and good fats (omega-3 fats), and light on sugary and processed foods will, with some portion control, also help stop the omentum momentum.
Q: My mother-in-law sent me an e-mail supposedly written by a doctor about how and when to eat fruit. It says you should always eat fruit on an empty stomach to avoid gas and bloating, and not to drink a cold drink after eating because it solidifies the oils in the stomach and slows digestion. How true is this? — Angela, St. George, Utah
A: It’s just nuts. We found a copy of this e-mail at , where Internet rumors like this are debunked. Not only is the e-mail incorrect, we’re disappointed that people would think that a doctor would write: “Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst and dark circles under the eyes — all these will not happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.”
And let’s be clear: Not only does drinking cold water after eating not solidify oil in the stomach, it doesn’t cause cancer, either, as a more recent iteration of this misinformed missive suggests.
The original article on which this e-mail is believed to be based is on the website of a Singaporean chef and cookbook author who is neither a doctor nor a dietitian. Her recipes look luscious, and she gets some things right — like recommending that eating whole fruits is better for you than drinking juices — but her medical expertise seems quite a few grapes short of a bunch. Which, by the way, you can eat any time, followed by a great big glass of ice water, or just chilled to 55 or 62 degrees after fermenting and consumed as a 5-ounce joy for dessert once a day.
Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen are authors of “YOU: On a Diet.” Submit questions at .
