COVER PROFILE

She might look the same on the surface, but the 28-year-old returning Melrose star has triumphed over health problems and totally revamped her diet and exercise routine in just over a year.

She's back, and better than before. This summer marks the return of Josie Bissett to Melrose Place as the unlucky-in-love fashion designer Jane Mancini. And not only has poor Jane pulled her life together enough to leave the comfort of her family in the Midwest to try once again to settle in Los Angeles, but Josie has conquered her own health problems to feel and look her best ever.
     The beautiful blonde actress was plagued for years by terrible headaches. She went from doctor to doctor, specialist to specialist, and they would each put her on some kind of medication. The drugs might work for a short period of time, but when the headaches rebounded, they were worse than ever.
     Finally, Josie decided to do her own research on the subject. She read every book she could find on headaches and alternative medicine cures. She settled on trying herbal remedies, in the form of teas and a variety of supplements. Within a few weeks, the headaches began subsiding - lessening in both frequency and intensity.

     One pleasant side effect of her new herbal remedy was increased energy, which led to a desire to make her whole lifestyle healthier. Josie eliminated all sugar, caffeine and dairy products from her menu, and lowered her overall fat intake. In fact, she shuns just about every form of fat except olive oil when she's cooking.
     She also switched from eating three meals a day to several smaller ones. The 28-year-old makes sure to dine on fish at least three times a week because of its health benefits. Josie's meals are high in fruits and vegetables, too. And she loves fresh veggie juices like carrot, beet and celery concoctions.
     Fiber is high on Josie's daily menu, with lots of her dishes focused around either brown rice or whole wheat bread. In addition, skipping the dairy section gives her an added boon because it's turned her on to the possibilities of soybeans. Josie doesn't have to give up favorites like cereal or pizza since she can substitute soy milk and soy cheese for their milk-based counterparts.
     At the same time she began improving her diet, Josie also took up an exercise program. She has incorporated activities that focus on each element of fitness, including cardiovascular health, strengthening and flexibility. The 5'6", 113-pound pixie learned a lot about setting up a safe, effective routine by hiring David Kelmenson, a personal trainer popular with many celebs.
     Josie keeps busy with regular aerobics classes and a weight-training schedule for toning. She also power walks with arm weights twice weekly for about an hour at a time. And two hour-and-a-half yoga classes each week are terrific not only for keeping her in top shape, but they are the best thing for de-stressing as well. Finally, to round out her active lifestyle, Josie has her own stationary bike on which she pedals her way to ensure that her legs stay lean and lovely.
     Now virtually headache-free, she's happy to be back on Melrose once again. And Josie is thrilled to be working with her handsome husband Rob Estes. He started on the show just before Josie took her hiatus, but their overlap was slight and their scenes together were few. This time that will all be different. And while the hectic pace of shooting the super soap may not have changed, Josie's fitness plan is bound to be a major plus that will provide her with more energy, health and happiness than the first time around.

HERBAL HELPERS

Herbal remedies like those that were so effective for Josie Bissett are thousands of years old, dating back further than "traditional" Western medicine in numerous cultures. This type of alternative medicine is usually best for those with chronic problems such as headaches, fatigue and arthritis, that have not responded well to standard treatments. One of their biggest benefits is that herbal supplements usually have little or no side effects, but because they aren't regulated as drugs are, you must be careful about what you take.      Few good studies have been completed on the effects of most herbs, so if you're interested in taking them, do your homework. Read everything you can find about a particular herb in books, magazines and newletters. And speak to your physician about it: Most doctors understand that patients want to supplement their health care, and while they may be skeptical - particaularly if little scientific research has been done - they may also know the dangers involved in taking some herbs      If you want to join the approximately 60 million Americans using herbal remedies, here are some of the most popular choices and what they are purported to do: Herb Effects  Ginseng  Relieves fatigue, fights stress  Garlic  Lowers cholesterol levels  Gingko Biloba  Improves circulation and memory   Echinacea  Prevents cold and flu symptoms  St. John's Wort   Acts as an anti-depressant