Hi Meg:

 

Always interested in reading Tony Ramirez' Medicine Man column, particularly in the December issue, as he mentioned several herbs he takes for increasing his immune system function as a way to prevent or treat flu symptoms: cat's claw, echinacea, gobernadora, pelargonium, and others.

Pelargonium? This is not an herb that most natural food and herb enthusiasts will recognize, but some day soon they probably will. An impressive amount of clinical research on Pelargonium sidoides, an herb from South Africa , has been conducted on an extract manufactured in Germany by the same company that first pioneered the research on ginkgo leaf extract for age-related dementia and memory loss about 30 years ago. This clinically documented extract has shown to be safe and effective in enhancing the immune system's function in cases of colds and flus. It is now just beginning to make its way into the U.S. health food market under the somewhat unusual trade name UMCKA, a name borrowed from the native name for the herb in South Africa . Not promoting the product, just clarifying what otherwise might be an unusual name for many of your readers.

 

Cordially,

Mark Blumenthal

Founder & Executive Director,

American Botanical Council

Editor,

HerbalGram

P.O. Box 144345 ,

Austin , TX 78714-4345

tel: 512-926-4900

fax: 512-926-2345

e-mail: herbcowboy@aol.com

www.herbalgram.org

 

 

LareDOS:

 

Just so you know, the coffin of Louis XIV is on spin cycle right this very minute. That was a great cover, Meg, your best. The story, too: los boneheads de Webb County .

 

Best wishes,

Leonor V.,

Austin

 

María Eugenia Guerra,

 

I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy reading LareDOS. I admire your intelligence and your style of writing. Thanks for your sense of humor and the wonderful anecdotes that are made available to us through your paper. Have a Blessed New Year.

 

Anabel Cruz

Administrative Assistant

to the City Attorney