Below are the Felix Letters that Clara had chosen to include in her master list
1981
Felix Letter No. 1
WHY THE FELIX LETTER? The medical establishment tends to belittle nutrition's healing forces. Some of us are battling to turn this around!
Felix Letter No. 2
FOOD FOR THE MIND: Sugar & children's behavior; choline for memory. MARC & THE TONSILS 'MIRACLE': The new Adelle Davis fan vanquishes tonsillitis in her small stepson. Does science deal kindly with 'anecdotal' medicine of this kind? Not on your life!
1982
Felix Letter No. 3
NUTRIENTS & THE HEART: Why vitamin E supplements may be major, overlooked factor in decrease in heart attacks since 1968. THE BEAN BREAKTHROUGH: Sprout beans to reduce their--oops!--Flatulence Factor!
Felix Letter No. 4
THE CHROMIUM CAPER: Trace mineral is useful for heart disease & diabetes, and may also help to keep weight down. A TASTE OF SALT: Delicious 'primitive' diet with no added salt.
Felix Letter Nos. 5/6
LOSING WEIGHT: Tips from nutritional biochemistry to help us shed fat, not muscle.
Felix Letter No. 7
SHAPE OF FAT: Body shape & type 2 diabetes. EXIT STOMACH CANCER: Vitamin C blocks nitrosamines. ZINC & PREGNANCY: It protects mom & babe. CERVICAL CANCER: Folic acid stops it! DIABETES & CARBS: Helpful fiber.
Felix Letter No. 8
FOLK TALES: Cod-liver oil seems to work, even if science isn't sure why! PROSTATE GLAND ENLARGEMENT: Effective nutrient remedies. ALCOHOLICS AGRONOMOUS: Beery solution to garden snails & slugs.
Felix Letter No. 9
A VITAMIN E SCARE, Part 1: In-depth examination of purported dangers of vitamin E reported in JAMA.
Felix Letter No. 10
A VITAMIN E SCARE, Part 2: The AMA's anti-nutrition policy. What vitamin E actually does in our body. Foods that provide natural 'megadoses'.
Felix Letter No. 11
MOTHERS' MILK: Science's new respect for it. La Leche & revival of breastfeeding in U.S.
1983
Felix Letter No. 12
MATTER OVER MIND: Dietary precursors to nerve transmitters. NUTRITION & IMMUNITY: Thymus hormones strengthen immunity. DIET & THE HEART: Limitations of anti-cholesterol policy. A better nutrient strategy!
Felix Letter No. 13
SUPPLEMENTARY WISDOM: Vitamin E made my skeptical father a believer! HEALING THE HEART: Dr Jacobus Rinse freed himself from heart disease 30 years ago with the "Rinse formula."
Felix Letter No. 14
THE PRIMROSE PATH: Ist of series on essential fatty acids. Fishy ones that reduce heart disease. Oils of primrose & flaxseed for major ills.
Felix Letter No. 15
BRAIN FOOD (2nd in series): Human brain needs Omega-3 (w3) fatty acids. Breast milk is far better source than infant formula! Prostaglandins from w3 control brain & body function.
Felix Letter No. 16
OIL & HEALTH (3rd in series): Economic interests distort research direction. Omega-3 fatty acids help prevent heart disease. OMEGA-3 CONTENT OF SOME FOODS.
Felix Letter No. 17
A UNIFYING CONCEPT: Donald Rudin MD says major illnesses may be modern variations of pellagra or beriberi. NUTRITIONAL MISSING LINK: New significance of w3 fats for humans. Rudin's study with 44 patients. EVOLUTION & SCHIZOPHRENIA: David Horrobin MD suggests schizophrenics may carry trait that leads to prostaglandin imbalance; manipulation of fatty acids in diet could be beneficial.
1984
Felix Letter No. 18
A HEROINE REVISITED: Adelle Davis worked to establish primacy of nutrition in medical treatment. She may win yet, posthumously. NATURE'S BROOM: Fiber can tidy up the gut. Height of toilet seats exacerbates hiatal hernia, constipation, hemorrhoids! DEFUSING THE BEAN: We repeat easy way to tame wind-making rascals.
Felix Letter No. 19
MARGARINE: KILLING WITH THE CURE? Investigators say margarine may cause as much heart disease as it's supposed to prevent! PHASES FOR FUN: Unique way to build up exercise endurance. TELL ME IT'S NOT TRUE! Cigaret ads in magazines for mothers---how sweet it isn't!
Felix Letter No. 20
SAVE-THE-HEART DIETS, Part 1: What's good and what's bad about "prudent" low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. Overlooked fats protect heart.
Felix Letter No. 21
SAVE-THE-HEART DIETS, Part 2: Which fats, in what amounts? Vitamins, minerals & fiber to process fat safely. Best sources of w-3 fats.
Felix Letter No. 22
ALFALFA SPROUTS: Eat them cautiously. VEGETARIANS' BLOOD PRESSURE: It's lower! Potassium-rich diet may be reason. FISH & POLLUTION: Choosing safe seafood. ZINC & PREGNANCY: High prenatal doses of iron may suppress zinc. HYDROGENATION & NURSING: Nasty trans-fatty acids get into breast milk. GIFT WRAPPING: Keeping preemies nite & day on mother's breast works better than incubator!
1985
Felix Letter No. 23
FISH OILS: Important benefits to heart & in rheumatoid arthritis. NATURAL FARMING: It's more profitable in the long run. SQUATTERS' RITES: Bring back thunder mugs!
Felix Letter No. 26
FATS & BREAST CANCER: Heart advisers say to eat more unsaturated fat, cancer advisers say cut down on all fats. Pritikin diets say no fats. Who's right?
1986
Felix Letter No. 27
GORILLAS AS TEACHERS: Dian Fossey (Gorillas in the Mist) spent 18 years studying cancer-free mountain gorillas. Folic acid prevents cervical cancer in women, spinal defects in babies. Table of folic-acid foods. BREASTFEEDING UPDATE: Newborns can't make certain fats needed in eyes & brain, but mama's milk supplies them!
Felix Letter No. 28
LINUS, I LOVE YOU: In How To Live Longer & Feel Better, Dr Pauling explores vitamin C's roles in human health & how forces in the 'business' of medicine distort or bury this research.
Felix Letter No. 29
OMEGA-3'S & ANSWERS TO SOME HEALTH PUZZLES: When missing w3 oils are supplied, high cholesterol & other too-high fats in blood go down. In experimental animals, fish oils inhibit cancers in breast, colon, & prostate!
Felix Letter No. 30
QUICK RELIEF: Slightly scatological look at how to avoid hemorrhoids & constipation. LOW BACK PAIN: Method to quell oncoming back spasms works for me, but no guarantees! IMMUNE COMPLEXES: Arthritis, eczema, asthma, migraine, mental symptoms can stem from allergies. GOOD & EASY FOODS: w3's in oats, chia, & flaxseeds.
Felix Letter No. 31
FUNNY FATS IN MARGARINE: Why margarine is not the best grease for arteries. Dr Mary Enig's great studies. BACK TO BACKS: In Freedom from Back Pain, orthopedic surgeon Edw Abraham explores myths about ruptured disks, offers self-help guide to prevention & recovery.
1987
Felix Letter No. 32
CAN DIET SHRINK ENLARGED PROSTATE? Simple, safe nutrients reverse chronic condition. I'D RATHER BE POOR: Cigaret advertisers crack whip over editors. PREGNANT & HEALTHY: Abruptio placentae & toxemia avoidable thru good nutrition. THE ROYAL OIL: Ancient Egyptians used flaxseed oil!
Felix Letter Nos. 33/34
EASY WAYS TO FIGHT CANCER: Too much fat may encourage cancers, good fats prevent them. NATURAL PROTECTORS: Vitamin E & other antioxidants safeguard DNA & immune defenses. TAKE IT EASY, SUPERMAN! Workouts use up vitamin E.
Felix Letter No. 35
OUR BIG BRAINS & HOW THEY GREW: New look at Aquatic Ape theory of evolution. Clara suggests soft w3-rich marine foods got us small teeth & big brains!
Felix Letter No. 36
COPING WITH CHOLESTEROL: If yours is high in spite of lo-fat lo-cholesterol diet, safe, easy approaches may get to the cause. Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine. Naturopath Ronald Schmid draws on anthropology for healing tools.
Felix Letter Nos. 37/38
ECZEMA: A NUTRITION CONNECTION: What does nursing mom do when her 1-year-old gets eczema? Pat put herself & baby on anti-allergy diet, cleared up his skin, restored her figure! FRESHEN YOUR MEMBRANES: Nutrients to counter free radicals in heart & brain from aging,, stress. NEW EVIDENCE ON DIABETES: Foods that protect people from adult-onset diabetes. ANTS & WORLD PEACE: Benign solution to my ant war.
1988
Felix Letter No. 41
BYPASSING SURGERY: Mine could all have been avoided with correct nutrients!. A FIBER THAT LOWERS CHOLESTEROL: Psyllium's benefits. FEEDING THE THINKING BRAIN: Schoolkids on supplements showed big increase in intelligence scores! MORE ON RDA FOR VITAMIN C: A clarifying letter from Linus Pauling. HOW TO OUTWIT MENSTRUAL CRAMPS: Use foods & oils high in w3s. BREASTFEEDING & HEALTH: Breastfed infants less likely to be hospitalized for infections.
Felix Letter No. 42
HYPOTHYROIDISM: A MISSED DIAGNOSIS: Stephen Langer MD talks about patients who overcame chronic fatigue, overweight, acne, depression, with appropriate thyroid medication.
Felix Letter No. 43
"FRIENDS, ROMANS, COUNTRYMEN": Flaxseed is best source of special fiber that combats breast & colon cancer! Review of new studies confirms why ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, Indians, Romans, Vikings, etc. cherished flaxseed.
Felix Letter No. 44
VITAMIN E & DAMAGE CONTROL: It safeguards vision in diabetics, protects against pollutants, may slow aging. BOOKS YOU'LL WANT TO SHARE: Beyond Pritikin by Ann Gittleman & Solving the Puzzle of Your Hard-to-Raise Child by Wm. Crook MD. In Your Family Tree Connection, Dr Chris Reading says gluten allergy may be major hidden factor in Alzheimer's, Down's syndrome, cancer, alcoholism, depression! MORE ON FLAX & FISH OIL.
1989
Felix Letter No. 45
FISH OILS: SHOULD WE TAKE THEM? Pro & con from experts. Guide to safe dosage.
Felix Letter No. 46
THE JOY OF CHEWING: Relaxation aids digestion, normalizes saliva. TAMING BLOOD PRESSURE: Foods that work to lower it. COLD HANDS, WARM HEART: Fish oils improved circulation in icy-fingered patients. SAFE AMOUNTS OF TRACE MINERALS: Too much zinc cancels iron, & vice versa. REFLECTIONS IN A NUTRITIONIST'S EYE: Why I expect nutrition some day to be medicine's greatest ally!
Felix Letter No. 47
GETTING GROWERS TO CLEAN UP THEIR ACTS: Consumers work to get rid of Alar in apples, pesticides in grapes, steroids in beef. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE; A CLUE TO THE MYSTERY: Provocative theory by Lloyd Rosenvold MD on gluten in wheat as big factor. SARDINES & HISTORY: Safe, cheap Omega-3's.
Felix Letter No. 48
A FOLLOW-UP TO A CASE OF ECZEMA: Two years after mother & baby began supplements & anti-allergy diet, 3-year-old Alex is free of eczema, & Pat stays slim. EASY WAYS TO USE FLAXMEAL: Simple recipes. Omega-6: Excess Polyunsaturate Folly. Too much of wrong oils may harm us, says author G.G. Pique. A strong case for olive oil, sardines, & chia seeds.
Felix Letter No. 49
FEMALE HORMONES--A NEW STUDY: Cancer rate higher in women who take estrogen plus progestin for more than 6 years. A VICTORY FOR NATURAL FARMING: It's as productive as hi-chemical agriculture. PROTECTING YOUR EYES FROM WITHIN: Nutrients that decrease risk of cataracts. Review of A Professional Dietitian's Natural Fiber Diet by Margaret Belais Salmon. ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE: Medical journals shield doctors from reports on nutrition's healing power.
Felix Letter No. 50
SAVE YOUR BONES--Smart ways to fight osteoporosis: Much more than calcium involved. Table of foods high in magnesium plus calcium. Clara says tap-dance to build bones!
1990
Felix Letter No. 51
WATER BABIES: Karil Daniels' remarkable video on water birthing, filmed in USA, France, Russia. UPSTREAM & ONWARD!: Richard Kunin MD says 'incurable' tardive dyskinesia responds to specific nutrients. CHILDREN'S LUNCHBOXES & PARTY SNACKS: A treasure of a cookbook by Rosetta Schuman. GIVING THE FETUS ITS DUE: Folic acid early in pregnancy prevents common birth defects.
Felix Letter No. 52
ACID & ALKALINE: In Brain Allergies, Wm. Philpott MD says our acid-base balance is off more often than we suspect. My own formula based on his work = fewer food cravings, less allergy, better dreams! In Acid & Alkaline, Herman Aihara tells how to use foods for acid-base balance. Making Miracles by Paul Roud tells how 11 persons won against 'incurable' illnesses.
Felix Letter No. 53
OXYGEN: FRIEND & FOE: Antioxidant vitamins & minerals = 1st line defense against heart disease, glaucoma, cataracts, & cancer. ENZYMES ARE US! Our enzymes combat free radicals from oxygen. Supplemental enzymes (made from wheat grass) work to augment our own. BUBBLES FROM BICARBONATE: More on normalizing acid-alkaline balance. LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBREAD: I learn to live happily on low-gluten diet after I find nongluten breads!
Felix Letter No. 54
FISH-OIL UPDATE: Medical review of latest benefits; safe dosages & alternative sources. Scare tactics from FDA re fish oils shown to be baseless. SNIPPETS FROM READERS' LETTERS.
Felix Letter No. 55
MARGARINE & INVASION OF TRANS FATTY ACID MONSTERS! Great study proves margarine causes problems it's supposed to prevent! PRONOUNCEMENTS FROM ON HIGH TO US SIMPLE FOLKS: New (10th edition) RDAs slash the very nutrients needed in pregnancy.
Felix Letter No. 56
PROGRAM FOR ADDICTS THAT WORKS: Amino acids & nutrients take pain out of withdrawal, bring long-term success. FEEDING THE INNER EAR: Unorthodox remedies for head noises & hearing loss. SWEET, HEALING SLEEP: Nutrients help insomniacs. FATS THAT BURN WELL: w3 fats for heating. INSTANT SATISFACTION: Back home, where CoolWhip is king!
1991
Felix Letter No. 57
STOP THE WORLD, I WANT TO GET OFF: Leukemia in kids of UK nuclear facility workers. Scientist says hi-w3 diet might prevent it. SEDUCTION OF INNOCENTS: Junkfoods give racoons bad teeth, hi cholesterol! ALLERGIES 'R US! Harness your sneeze-making leukotrienes by balancing w3/w6's. BETTER'n BUTTER: Recipe for tasty w3/w6 butter. YOU MEAN, MD'S WILL BE TAKING VITAMIN E, TOO? Low vitamin E in blood is predictor of heart disease. Review of Paul Stitt's Why George Should Eat Broccoli. WHAT IS A GRANDMA? How 9-year-old sees it.
Felix Letter No. 58
ALL THAT WE CAN BE: The Driving Force by Britain's Dr Michael Crawford may prove to be the new Origin of Species. He is first to clarify how availability of key nutrients was the pivotal force in evolution. Aquatic w3s were key to evolution of big brain!
Felix Letter No. 60
A GOOD BIRTHING POSTURE: Nova Scotia hospital finds that squatting speeds up delivery. LINUS STRIKES AGAIN! New research by Pauling's group shows vitamin C stops buildup in blood of "bad" Lipoprotein (a). STALKING WILD GASES: Tips for dealing with ill winds we blow. In Super Nutrition for Woman, Ann Louise Gittleman says gluten overload is big contributor to irritable bowel. MORE ON FLAX: Easy ways to fill w3 requirements with flaxmeal.
Felix Letter No. 62
AMAZING TALE ABOUT SKIN: One man's story of using simple food oils to conquer eczema of 48 years. SUPER-EASY HIGH-w3 DISHES: Lazy Chef's Salmon Salad & Quickie Chowder. IS THERE LIFE AFTER SOAP? Reprise of theory about too much soaping as factor in hi cholesterol. I contribute to new anthology on menopause, Women of the 14th Moon. WASTE NOT, BURN NOT: Environmentalist argues for wet/dry recycling, against large-scale incinerators.
1992
Felix Letter No. 63
PHARMACEUTICAL LULLABY: Sleep-ing pill Halcion banned in UK. Amino acid taurine is safe sleep aid. SORE NECKS & SARDINES: Student from Japan learns why hi-seafood diet stops aches. Get Healthy Cookbook by Bessie Jo Tillman MD lays out 8-week wellness program. IN HUMAN NUTRITION, PURE SCIENCE IS A MYTH! RDAs for magnesium & folic acid are lowered, yet studies confirm high needs in pregnancy. YES, BIG CHANGE IS ON THE WAY: Religious leaders call USA's public healthcare system a disgrace.
Felix Letter No. 64
OF MICE 'n MEN 'n CATS: Cats require EPA & DHA, in organ meats & seafood. WISE & WONDERFUL: "NEW"TRITION by longtime researcher George Meinig DDS provides satisfying answers to health questions. ANOTHER NUTRIENT CATS CAN'T MAKE--TAURINE: Update on surprising benefits for people, too.
Felix Letter No. 65
SKINNINESS NO, FITNESS YES!: Nutrients + exercise work. TOOTHY ANECDOTE: Calcium, magnesium, & hydroxyapatite stop tooth twinges. SALT VS. SODIUM: Sodium chloride (table salt) may trigger hypertension, but non-chloride sodium salts don't. ARE WE SEEING A MEDICAL TURNAROUND? Time's April 6, 1992 cover extols "Real Power of Vitamins." Antioxidants are big stars! New studies by Pauling & Rath find vitamin C is major preventer of heart disease.
Felix Letter No. 66
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A STORY OF TWO WOMEN: Jenny has conventional treatment, Celine chooses self-healing & alternative Rx. NUTRITION GESTAPO: FDA's tactics hurt us all. FLAX, NEW DESIGNER FOOD: Good news about ancient staple. Carrot-flaxmeal muffin recipe.
Felix Letter No. 68
SEVEN WEEKS TO ABSTINENCE: Groundbreaking book, Alcoholism: The Biochemical Connection by Dr Joan Mathews Larson, a guide to self-treatment based on her clinic's program. Fascinating info on "alcoholic biotypes.” Invaluable for health workers & families of alcoholics.
1993
Felix Letter No. 69
EXPERTS PLAY CATCH-UP: New respect for vitamins E & C as preventers of heart disease. MORE CATCH-UP: Experts acknowledge dangers to heart of trans fats in margarine. FLAXSEED: IS IT SAFE? Reassurance from current studies. Flax's nitrilosides may lower blood pressure, help sickle cell anemia. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT w3's? Plant sources benefit heart, show anticancer promise, increase w3's in hens' eggs. INFANT FEEDING: A NEW LOOK: Babies need w3 EPA & DHA for eyes & brain, but infant formula contains none! Artemis Simopoulos MD says hi- DHA eggs make good baby food.
Felix Letter No. 70
LACTATING LASCIVIOUSLY: Florida allows moms to breast-feed in public. BACKWARD TO OUR HUNTER-GATHERER ANCESTORS! Colic rare among babies in pre-industrial societies--they nurse 2-4 times/hr, sleep with mom! BRING BACK SIMPLE REMEDY: 1910 medical book chose sodium bicarb and cod liver oil for many ailments. Bicarbonates' (sodium & potassium) unexpected benefits. WOMEN WHO MISCARRY: A FATTY ACID CONNECTION? More w3 oil needed, not aspirin! "SPIRIT & FLESH": Elissa Wagner's wry ode to pursuit of slimness. THUMBS-UP FOR CALCIUM: It benefits kidney stone sufferers, improves bone density.
Felix Letter No. 71
SICKLE CELL ANEMIA: AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW: Hope comes from foods that raise blood thiocyanate. MARGARINE POLITICS: Recipe for "Better Butter." DIABETES & INSULIN RESISTANCE: Good w3 & w6 fats improve person's response to insulin. FLAXSEED LONG AGO: Author Shyrle Hacker, 83, recalls childhood uses in Nevada mining town. A GOOD START IN LIFE: Dr Michael A Crawford clarifies role of w3 & w6 fats in preventing brain defects in newborns, calls for inclusion in infant formulas.
Felix Letter No. 72
LIPIDS THAT LOVE YOU: Infant brain & neural tissues depend on ready-made long-chain w6 & w3s from breast milk. Formulas don't have any. Do vegetarian mothers make enough for their unborn & nursing babies? The Ohlone Way by Malcolm Margolin tells how Indians of California got these fats by feasting on shellfish, salmon & seabird eggs. SICKLE CELL A BLESSING? 2nd in series on nature's foods that ameliorate sickle cell anemia & protect against malaria. Two trailblazing books: Sickle Cell Anemia: A Solution at Last by Oji Agbai PhD; & Back To Our Roots: Cooking for Control of Sickle Cell Anemia by Chef Ujamaa.
Felix Letter No. 73
FORAGERS ALL! Going 'nongluten,' Ben finds answers to lifelong eczema, Matthew beats arthritic pain. ADDICTIONS: A NEW CLUE TO RECOVERY? Substance abuse & eating disorders linked by hidden allergy to gluten grains! Julia Ross of Recovery Systems, Mill Valley CA, launches 1st UCB Berkeley class on successful biochemical repair for substance abuse & eating disorders.
Felix Letter No. 74
GRANDMA'S FLAXING TOO! Readers' reports on benefits from flax oil & meal. BIRTH MEMBRANES & VITAMIN C: Premature rupture associated with mother's low vitamin C. ARE YOU LISTENING, BURGER KING? Insects contain w3 & w6 fats, just like us! MEDICINE'S STEPCHILD: Intolerance to gluten under-diagnosed in USA, but MDs in UK & Europe pay attention. GLA--A GOOD FAT: Dr Horrobin's review of systemic benefits. HANG ON TO YOUR TONSILS! MDs now have second thoughts about yanking 'em.
1994
Felix Letter No. 75
TWO FOR THE HEART: Effective angina treatment with vitamin C & lysine, developed by Linus Pauling & Matthias Rath. GARY BEATS POST-FLU BLUES: Nutrients, etc. used to shore up immune system. DON'T EAT BUTTERFLIES! Another yummy report from Food Insects Newsletter. SICKLE CELL ODYSSEY, CONT'D. Wm E Richardson MD of Atlanta says thiocyanate formula developed by biochemist Oji Agbai PhD improves blood picture of his sickle cell patients. Tasty foods that supply thiocyanate.
Felix Letter No. 76
PROGESTERONE vs PROGESTINS: Natural Progesterone, landmark book by John R Lee MD illuminates this master hormone. Why real progesterone is safe, & synthetics ("progestins") do harm. How, when, & where to use progesterone creme. Susun S. Weed describes herbal remedies in Menopausal Years. Betty Kamen's Hormone Replacement Therapy: Yes or No? and Super Nutrition for Menopause by Ann Louise Gittleman add valuable concepts to Lee's work.
Felix Letter Nos. 77 & 78
MORE ON HORMONES: Real progesterone makes protective cortisone. I HOPE THEY SERVE NONGLUTEN CINNAMON BUNS IN HEAVEN: A long look at our wheat-based culture. AL JOLSON & NELSON EDDY STARRED WITH THEM, TOO. Review of Shyrle Hacker's On Stage, Gypsies: A Memoir of a Dancer in the '30s. WHAT IN HECK DOES TOOTH ENAMEL HAVE TO DO WITH ACID-ALKALINE BALANCE? Everything, and so does all-around health! TWO NEW BABIES! Omega-3 success stories. BLOOD PRESSURE--TO MEDICATE OR NOT: Key nutritional approaches. TUNA EYEBALLS: Don't ask!
Felix Letter No. 79
LINUS PAULING: A hero of our times. FINDING YOUR WAY THRU THE HORMONE JUNGLE: Real progesterone rebuilds bones. Estriol may be safer than other estrogens. Traditional herbs for menopausal disorders. OUR ANTS: Outdoor food depots keep grateful ants out of house. THE EERIE CANAL: In Root Canal Cover-up Exposed, George Meinig tells of remarkable studies by Weston Price, 'buried' for 70 years, on occult infections from root canals as cause of heart disease, etc.
1995
Felix Letter No. 82
A WORD FROM THE NEWLY WISE!: Excitoxins by Russell Blaylock MD tells of unsuspected harm to brain from Nutrasweet & MSG. TRANS-FATS, COURTESY OF CSPI: When these man-made fats replaced tropical fats, our health suffered. USDA PYRAMID DIET: It encourages too much processed flour intake, too few essential fats. SICKLE CELL, 1932 & TODAY: In 1932, potassium thiocyanate relieved intractable sickle cell pain. Why no follow-up? FUN & FROLIC WITH FLAX! New studies show anti-cancer promise.
Felix Letter Nos. 83/84
STILL MORE ON HORMONES: Benign plant estrogens vs harmful xenobiotics. Real progesterone restores bone density. ANOTHER LOOK AT CHOLESTEROL: Drugs like Lovastatin lower not just cholesterol, but vital coenzyme Q10. Heart disease related more to regional diet than to cholesterol levels. SEED SAVERS: Native Seeds/SEARCH rescues traditional seeds from extinction. COLIC CHRONICLES: Writer Anne Lamott's nursing baby's colic stopped when she switched to nondairy, nonwheat diet. MY 1st ISSFAL CONGRESS: I review great research on w3 & w6, reported at 2nd congress of International Society for Study of Fatty Acids & Lipids.
Felix Letter No. 85
ON THE SICKLE-CELL FRONT: Promising report on 1st double-blind study of thiocyanate in Nigerian sickle cell patients. YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE: Carl Reich MD of Calgary says combined deficiencies of vitamin D, sunshine, & calcium sap cellular energy, bring on common illnesses. AGING WITHOUT KVETCHING! Review of Women's Solutions to Problems of Aging by Sonja Soehnel. FOLATE'S NEW BENEFITS: Folic acid taken a month before conception lowers incidence of cleft palate and cleft lip in babies.
Felix Letter No. 86
FATS IN THE FIRE: Tropical fats (good!) vs trans-fats (bad!). THE WILD BUNCH: Boys with "attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder" & low w3 & w6 levels. DYSLEXICS & w3 DHA: DHA improves their night vision. CATARACT & LIPOIC ACID: Little-known supplement's anti-cataract activity. THE FRIENDLY HORMONE!. Topical application of real progesterone stops abnormal breast cell growth. Progesterone renews myelin sheaths of nerves. WINDS OF CHANGE, MAYBE: Thiocyanate's anticancer effects.
1996
Felix Letter No. 87
CYANOGENIC GLYCOSIDES: Aspirin-like molecule in natural foods may lower risk of colon cancer. BLOOD PRESSURE NEWS: 3-day a week aerobics ease severe hypertension. Potassium bicarbonate improves moderate hypertension. SUNLIGHT, VITAMIN D, OR BOTH? Review & update. A.M.A. IS NOT AMUSED! Alternative care clinics become respectable! FLAXSEED GOES BIGTIME: Scientists cover wonderful new ground in Flaxseed in Human Nutrition.
Felix Letter Nos. 88/89
HI-CARB, LO-FAT? NOT FOR ALL! In-depth reviews of Your Body Knows Best by Ann Louise Gittleman, The Zone by Barry Sears, & Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. LIGHTING UP MY LIFE: My new bionic vision!
1997
Felix Letter Nos. 90/91
POSITION PAPER: Aussie MDs say height of toilet seat may cause hemorrhoids! A BETTER FUTURE FOR BABIES: Vegetarian DHA for infant formulas. I APOLOGIZE! Dr Edward Siguel's trailblazing work described in Essential Fatty Acids in Health & Disease. SALT & OSTEOPOROSIS: Too much salt = calcium lost in urine. SORRY, I MEANT WHEAT GRASS! Breads with sprouted wheat seeds do not qualify as gluten-free. Gluten intolerance can lead to joint pains, depression, vision deterioration. LEAVING THE OLD COUNTRY: Health loss of Indian immigrants in UK related to loss of traditional foods like flax oil. SUCH GOOD NEWS! Studies confirm vitamin E's heart benefits. THEY SET THEM FREE: Odyssey of great pioneer psychiatrist Abram Hoffer.
Felix Letter No. 92
SOUND THE BUGLES! Nonmusical beans in our future? DUMPING ON w3s: Flawed anti-w3 prostate study by Giovannucci,& flawed anti-flax oil warnings in Sears' The Zone. FISH OIL & ASTHMA: w3 EPA & DHA reduce 'bad' leukotrienes, improve asthma. AN OLDER LADY'S WISDOM IS NEEDED, TOO! Present-day hunter-gatherer tribe depends on grandmas for food-gathering. A DEDICATION: To Felix Letter cartoonist Clay Geerdes, a great soul & my dearest friend, who died age 63 of cancer.
Felix Letter No. 93
TILTING AT LANCETS: I take on Lancet articles that overlook nutrition's healing potential in (a) atrial fibrillation, (b) osteoarthritis, and (c) osteoporosis. Lancet articles on plus side (a) question aggressive promotion of estrogen therapy to prevent heart attacks; (b) suggest antioxidant nutrients may stave off dementias; (c) tell of brain dysfunction from exposure to solvents; and (d) show how tryptophan deficit affects mood.
Felix Letter Nos. 94/95
I THINK THEY FORGAVE ME: Adelle Davis & Tiger's Milk -- or, why my fledglings flew the coop early! NAG, NAG, NAG: Insidious gluten intolerance causes many ailments yet is ignored in U.S. medical practice. THE KINDNESS OF ANTS: Iridodial, an antiviral substance ants make, may prove to have anticancer effects in people. BLESS 'EM, ONE & ALL! American Academy of Pediatrics urges mothers to breast-feed babies a full year. BRAS & GIRDLES: Constriction of circulation by bras may predispose to breast cancer. Not wearing girdles may predispose to aching backs, Clara says, so loosen tops, tighten bottoms! WE HIT A GUSHER! Landmark study by Harumi Okuyama et al. shows why Japan's current rise in chronic diseases stems from modern switchover to high w6 & lower w3 intake. Felix guide to easy foods for safe & sane w6/w3 balance.
1998
Felix Letter No. 96
THE OMEGA PLAN by Artemis Simopoulos MD explains why the right w6/w3 dietary ratio affects every part of body, including brain. PURSLANE AGAIN! Botanical scholar James Duke tells about wonders of purslane & other healer-plants in The Green Pharmacy. A PERSONAL JOURNEY: Dr Harumi Okuyama's life's work was changed by Dr Donald Rudin's 1981 paper on w3s – the same study that inspired my w3 reporting, starting in 1983.
Felix Letter No. 97
ALL DOPED UP! In Molecules of Emotion, Candace Pert PhD tells how she first proved that receptors exist in the brain for morphinelike molecules & how peptides carry messages connecting body & brain. Exorphins from gluten are morphinelike peptides that may explain why people get "addicted" to bread, pasta, etc. YOU STARTED IT ALL, ADELLE DAVIS! Supplements, herbal remedies, and yes, w3s, are getting mainstream attention at last. All to the good, since ''properly' prescribed medications kill ~100,000 people a year in the U.S.
Felix Letter Nos. 98/99
ADDICTION DOESN'T MEAN A LIFE SENTENCE! Breakthrough amino acid etc. treatment described of substance abuse or eating disorders. Julia Ross of Recovery Systems helps clients heal from damage to brain & body. Case histories of Native American clients restored to health, free of cravings!
Felix Letter No. 100
VEGETARIAN ALERT! The Carnitine Miracle by Robert Crayhon MS tells how humans thrived on fleshfood for 2.6 million years. Fleshfood provides carnitine, plant foods don't. Carnitine specifically is needed before the body can turn fats into energy. Crayhon says in his 12-year nutrition practice, carnitine affords clients greater exercise endurance, increased weight loss, lower blood fats, relief from depression and better brain energy. AUTHOR, AUTHOR!! Clara's new pocket-sized booklet, All About Omega-3 Oils.
1999
Felix Letter No. 101
QUESTIONS...& A FEW ANSWERS: Practical ways to use flaxseed. ACID-BASE SEE-SAW: How to balance high-protein foods to keep bones strong. MAGIC UNCRAMPING QUICKIE: Pinch flesh under nose to stop muscle cramps! FREEDOM FROM FEAR OF FATS: Medical panic re saturated fats & cholesterol doing more harm than good. Despite big media campaign, soy is NOT answer to every health problem. Estrogenic effects in infants on soy formula. EASY LBNGHG* RECIPES: (*Low-budget, non-gluten, hunter gatherer). DEAR BELOVED SUBSCRIBERS! A plea to send change of address promptly.
Felix Letter No. 102
AGING WITH PZAZZ! Extra weight & higher cholesterol may be okay in older folks! American Heart Assoc. is crazy about high-powered statin drugs despite grim side effects, but warns about dangers of....fish oil! A FAULTY PARADIGM: Dr. Margo Denke, lo-fat lo-cholesterol spokeswoman, pushes statin drugs and monstrosities like Olestra. MORE LOGICAL THEORIES: Homocysteine buildup recognized finally as major cause of heart disease. Nutrients can prevent or correct it! Newly accepted theory--chronic inflammation in blood vessel walls--can be prevented or healed with nutrients. CARNITINE: Anecdotal benefits.
Felix Letter Nos. 103 & 104
THE SUNSHINE VITAMIN: Insightful MDs correct a missed diagnosis--vitamin D loss—thereby saving young woman's bones. WATCH IT, FOLKS, PLEASE! "Prophylactic" baby aspirin doses can do serious mischief in adults. CORN & BUTTERFLIES: Genetic engineering = dead butterflies. BRAVE NEW w3 & w6 GUIDE-LINES: Super guide to healthy fat intake. Infant formula becomes battleground for corrupted science. I'M BLUSHING: Correction in FL#102 carnitine values. CHROMIUM & DIABETES: Unspeakable lag in acknowledging deficiency connection. FOR DEEP THINKERS ONLY! Landmark book by Donald O.Rudin MD, The Nature of the World.
Felix Letter Nos. 105 & 106
IS THE BUGLE BLOWING TAPS FOR SICKLE CELL ANEMIA??? First-time talk at big USA conference on effectivenes of thiocyanate as anti-sickler. Review of historical anti-malarial and anti-sickling roles of cyanogenic foods. CURE YOURSELF OF DIETING! Julia Ross' revolutionary The Diet Cure is guaranteed to change your thinking about weight loss obsession. CATCHING THE GOOD RAYS: You're not getting enough sunlight on your bod, Reinhold Vieth's vitamin D review shows. Result: osteoporosis, hypertension, arthritis!. If you can't run around naked, increase your vitamin D intake!
2000
Felix Letter No. 107
DEGREES OF WISDOM: Depression kid Clara starts Felix Letter, trumpets omega-3s early on. SICKLE-CELL REVELATION! Successful US govt thiocyanate study in 1974, yet nary a follow-up since. EARLY REMEDY FOR HYPERTENSION: MDs. got results with thiocyanate in 1920s,'30s,'40s. GOOD TIDINGS: Our brain cells do renew themselves! D'YOU SUPPOSE THEY'LL EVER SAY THEY'RE SORRY? Experts labeled vitamin E quackery, slashed folic acid RDAs, now admit both needed to prevent heart disease! And folate is needed around conception to prevent birth defects! BURIED TREASURE: Dr. Reinhold Vieth explains why nutrition info gets lost in dusty archives.
Felix Letter No. 108
GOOD NEWS ABOUT BLUES! In Seven Weeks to Emotional Healing, Joan Mathews Larson PhD lays out nutrient-based program for recovery from common & uncommon emotional disorders. THE FRIENDLY FATS: High points from major review on w3 & w6 fats. BE K-K-KAREFUL! Too-low vitamin K means more hip fractures in women. TO ERR IS HUMAN, BUT...! Clara corrects goofs in #107 re cyanide in apricot kernels, etc. More on thiocyanate-yielding foods.
Felix Letter No. 109
BEWARE OF KILLER VITAMIN C! News stories abound on false perils from vitamin C, but ignore research on benefits. Katherine Milton says wild monkeys take in huge amounts of C. MORE ON HOMOCYSTEINE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW: How to defeat heart-disease villain with nutrients. LONG AGO IN CALIFORNIA: Before Europeans came, its First People lived in gourmet heaven, thriving on seafood, wild game, berries, pine nuts, acorns, etc., celebrating with day-long sports & dances. AS PLAIN AS THE NOSE ON YOUR FACE: Shellfish surely were early humans' easiest protein source.
Felix Letter Nos. 110/111
ANCIENT OLYMPIA: Clara's 1st-hand report on Fourth International Conference on Nutrition & Fitness in Greece, at site of first Olympics in 776 BC. Summaries of talks by researchers, educators from all over the world, plus my own. MORE SUNNY NEWS FROM BACK HOME: More evidence that too-low vitamin D is widespread, making us vulnerable to arthritis, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cancer.
Felix Letter No. 112
CEREAL GRAINS--HUMANITY'S DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD: Loren Cordain's scholarly review tells of dark side of grain-dependence. MY DRUG OF CHOICE: Big vitamin C doses normalize decreased blood flow in heart muscle of smokers. RESCUING THE HEART: Doctors are alarmed about build-up in arteries of a "new" villain: Lp(a). But Linus Pauling & Matthias Rath described it ten years ago as a pinchhitter for vitamin C. Now, Rath updates with sublimely heartening data on how to use nutrients to prevent and reverse heart disease. NEW AHA GUIDELINES: A wee bit of progress here.
2001
Felix Letter No. 113
HE CHASED THE SHADOWS AWAY: Salmon oil rescues ex-Marine from 35 years of bipolar manic-depression. SEASHELLS: Clara, cats, ants, & birds love mollusks! I NAG BECAUSE I CARE: More on vitamin D. Undiagnosed rickets in 'talking' chimps.
Felix Letter No. 114
VITAMIN D--FASCINATING, COMPLEX, ELUSIVE: New research points to unexpected big benefits from this vitamin-hormone. SPRING (ARTERY) CLEANING: Trans-fats are the villains, not natural saturated fats. CALICO UNCLEAR ON CONCEPT? Clara's "grandkitty" wants to play with gopher.
Felix Letter No. 115
WHO'S MAKING BIG BUCKS FROM SICKNESS? Vilifying vitamin C. CLEANING UP YOUR ACT: Wise chiropractor Linda Berry's superb guidebook--Internal Cleansing. STATIN-TAKERS, BE INFORMED! Harm from loss of coenzyme Q10. HOW TO FEED YOUR HEART: Practical, protective nutrients. A SHINING LIGHT: Clara's improved vitamin D status & thicker hair.
Felix Letter Nos. 116/117
LET'S LOOK AGAIN AT CHOLESTEROL, SATURATED FATS, HEART DISEASE CONNECTION: In-depth review of The Cholesterol Myths by Uffe Ravnskov MD, plus critical thoughts of other researchers. VITAMIN D-(LIGHT-FULL): Getting calcium to the right body parts.
Felix Letter No. 118
MAMA EARTH & PAPA SUN: How to get vitamin D's blessings yet protect your skin. Too much w6 harms skin. Too little vitamin K stops vitamin D's benefits. MEET SOME GOOD FOLKS: Price-Pottenger Nutrition Fndtn's journal is a must on Clara's reading list. SICKLE CELL—GOOD TIDINGS: A breakthrough in Nigeria for Dr. Agbai's nutritional thiocyanate formula for sickle cell.
2002
Felix Letter No. 119
THE COURAGE OF HER CONVICTIONS: Laura Brainin-Rodriguez & folate. I'M CELEBRATING! At last, FDA approves DHA & ARA for baby formulas! MORE ON VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENT SAFETY: Results in Dr. Reinhold Vieth's study using 4000 &1000 IU. DON'T BYPASS BASICS! Medical reviews omit nutritional approaches to bipolar disorder, heart arrhythmia.
Felix Letter No. 120
THE HEALING DARK: Is chronic sleep deprivation a factor in insulin resistance, hormonal screw-ups, & obesity? Review of Lights Out by T.S. Wiley. SUNNY SIDE OF CYANIDE: Underexplored healing roles of thiocyanate from traditional food sources, e.g., broccoli, mungbean & broccoli sprouts, collard & turnip greens, flaxseed, chickpeas, apricot kernels, blackberries, manioc, sorghum. Dr. Oji Agbai tells African MDs how hi-thiocyanate foods protect against sickle cell anemia. SPLASHING IN FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH! Thrilling new studies on alpha-lipoic acid & acetyl-L-carnitine as brain/body revitalizers. I FIND MY MISSING LINK! Yep, vitamin D heals my knee. Important for muscles, too. MDs EMBRACE OMEGA-3s! Exciting studies on protection from sudden death from heart arrhythmia, prostate cancer, mental problems. FELIX LETTER goes quarterly.
Felix Letter No. 121
ALL THE POOP ABOUT INNER PEACE! Ancient gut remedy, mastic gum, works for me. EXPERTS COME AROUND: National Academy of Sciences now says: increase w3s, limit w6s. W3s—HOT TOPIC AT LAST! Clara's booklet, All About w3 Oils, available from her. TWO MORE MUST BOOKS: Brain-Building Nutrition, by Dr. Michael A. Schmidt; & What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancerby John R. Lee MD & David Zava PhD. A BIG FAT LIE? Gary Taubes skewers low-fat misguidance. FLAX IS ROOTED IN HISTORY: Human anti-cancer studies. MORE MDs PAYING ATTENTION TO LOW VITAMIN D: Repeat blood tests of 25(OH)D important.
Felix Letter No. 122
HEROES OF THE HEART: A letter to me from Linus Pauling. Why his and Matthias Rath's great 1990 study showed cardiovascular heart disease (CHD) to be early form of scurvy. Dr. Rath uses vitamin C & safe nutrients to prevent and reverse CHD. JOY TO THE WORLD! Yep, chocolate is good for you. DIFFERENT LOOK AT MEDICAL PUZZLE: Tom Brewer MD says not genetics, but maternal malnutrition, including low-calorie, low-salt diets, is true cause of pre-eclampsia. WORD WEAPONRY: Choice bumper sticker. FUNNY-PECULIAR, NOT FUNNY-HAH-HAH: Unborn babies get unwelcome trans-fats from moms who eat the stuff. CRAMPS AWAY! Simple remedy repeated. HOW TO TRAIN A WILD SQUIRREL: A true fable.
2003
Felix Letter No. 123
MERCURY AND FISH SAFETY: You can have your Omega-3s from fish and fish oils without consuming dangerous methylmercury. REJOICE: Vitamin C's ability to fight infectious diseases as well as toxins has long been known, as reported in Tom Levy's (MD, JD) 2002 book, Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases and Toxins: Curing the Incurable.
Felix Letter No. 124
YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW: More about the curative powers of Vitamin C: Let's get the word out to the medical community! FOR MILLIONS, IT'S NOT THE STAFF OF LIFE: Gluten intolerance (celiac disease), more prevalent than previously thought, is the cause of a range of ailments. Luckily, non-gluten foods are readily available. FROM HERE AND THERE: Mercury update; High protein for better bones; Plasma Vitamin C is reduced in children of smokers. TRADE SECRETS: Merck could have mitigated damaging effects of cholesterol-lowering statins but chose not to.
Felix Letter No. 125
OPRAH, READ THIS BOOK: the remedy for sickle-cell anemia lies in traditional African foods, not in Big Pharma drugs. Reverend Chinyere Agbai, wife of thiocyanate researcher Dr. Oji Agbai, has written Back to the Mother Land Home Remedies: For Prevention and Control of Cancer, Sickle Cell Anemia, and Other Diseases, touting the importance of traditional African foods and the deep sense of community in Nigerian life. GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: Felix's booklet, All About Omega-3 Oils. FELLOW FELINE FACTS: Siamese cat Kiki knows — and acts upon — what she wants. YOU'LL SEE MORE RAINBOWS: Nutritional supplements are gaining ground. Vitamin C, flow of electrons, and magnets.