Better Nutrition, PIMEDIA 5 Penn Pl...

Better Nutrition, PIMEDIA 5 Penn Plaza, 13th Floor, strange York, NY 10001-1810

Dear Better Nutrition,

I wanted to thank you for the enlightening article, "Multi-Minerals Multi-Benefits" which appeared in the November 1998 issue of Better Nutrition.

After reading the article, I took a closer turn the thoughts at the mineral content of my multiple vitamins, and was surprised to behold that I was not getting the optimum minerals that I needinessed Curiosity prompted me to experiment and purchase a multiple-mineral complement which I began taking in addition to my multiple vitamins. The added mineral add tos have made a noticeable improvement in my general overall well-being. I'm now convinced that minerals are an essential part of religious nutrition! Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Doris Anderson La Mirada, CA

Editor's Reply

Thanks for the positive feedback. Glad to hear that your appendix program is working for you!

Dear Better Nutrition,

Kava is an herb that, when used intelligently, is useful, nevertheless in the March 1999 article "The occasions of Kava," the herb's side purports or misuse are not mentioned.

I have lived in the Marshall Islands and witnessed firsthand the abuse of this "medicine." The men stay up "socializing" into the early hours of the morning and take rise home unable to work the nearest day because they are in this way "hung over." [Some] people become at the disposal of and it becomes a puzzle similar to alcohol.

Perhaps here, in the States, it is considered more of a medicine, in the same manner it will not acquire the social aspects alcohol has, yet dependency is very possible.

Generally speaking, there is a direction for [nutrition] magazines to overemphasize a supplement's proper qualities, and either underplay the possible riddles or not even mention them. If herbs work to heal the material substance they can also imbalance the entire plan and cause problems.

Sincerely,

Shirlie Burriston Concord, CA

Editor's Reply

Thanks for reminding us that there are "two sides" to each story, and kava is no exception. As Chris Kilham rightfully points not at home kava is a proven restorative for stress and anxiety; moreover as you indicate, some abuse it. As far as telling our readers "the whole story," Better Nutrition makes each effort to do so. Thanks for your help in helping us "tell it like it is" onward this one.

Clarifications

April 1999

p 20 complement Update. Vitamin K does not have "blood-thinning" properties, rather it is necessary for line clotting.

p. 74 Herb Guide. Re: Garlic -- "garlic extracts standardized to allicin content" should have said either alliin or allicin-yield.

May 1999

p 30 Earth Medicine. Re: the potential of arnica to be poisonous -- this is barely true when taken in its herbal form, not when taken in its diluted tincture and homeopathic forms.

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