Eat fruit or drink water anytime

Question: 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

Answer: It's just plumb nuts. We found a copy of this e-mail at www.snopes.com, 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 outbursts 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 Web site 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.

Question: 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.