DEAR DR. BLONZ: Do fruits and vegetables put in a blender have the same fiber value as if eaten normally? -- D.D., La Jolla, California

DEAR D.D.: There is no problem with the blender, as the fiber and nutrient values are the same. You are eating the entirety of the same foods that went into the blender. The physical breakdown that takes place in the blender may end up causing the food to spend slightly less time in your stomach, but the net effect of the fiber should be the same. The same could not be said for a juicer, in which the fibrous bulk gets separated from the food and is not a part of the final product.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: It was my understanding that there is a considerable difference between soybean oil and palm oil. A popular whole-grain cracker lists in its ingredients "soybean and/or palm oil." If there is a significant nutritional difference between these two oils, isn't this somewhat deceptive? The product even has a red heart symbol, saying it may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Why are they allowed to use this seal if one oil ingredient is of questionable health value? -- M.M., Humbolt, California

DEAR M.M.: There is nothing deceptive about an ingredient statement indicating that a product contains soy and/or palm oil. That red heart seal on the product is likely based on the fact that the cracker is made from whole grains, and that the food is low in total and saturated fat. The numbers on the Nutrition Facts panel would have to be accurate irrespective of the oil or oils used.

Your concern about palm oil is misplaced. Palm oil is about 49 percent saturated, 37 percent monounsaturated and 10 percent polyunsaturated. You may have been thinking about palm kernel oil. Although from the same plant, palm kernel oil is quite different from palm oil: Palm kernel oil is around 82 percent saturated, 11 percent monounsaturated and 2 percent polyunsaturated. If you enjoy these crackers, the either/or oil ingredient should not be a reason to cross it off your list.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: Is there a vitamin or mineral that can reduce the dark circles under my eyes? -- K.K., Sedona, Arizona

DEAR K.K.: Darkness under the eyes can be brought about by a number of factors. Perhaps the most common cause is a natural thinness in the skin under the eyes. The skin isn't darker in that area, but it is thinner, which makes it easy to see the vascular bed underneath. This trait can run in families, and it doesn't necessarily reflect any health problem. If one is fatigued, under stress, or affected by allergies, the skin can lose its natural vascular glow; when this happens, the thin skin under the eyes can take on a paler tone and make the underlying vascular bed appear more prominent. I am sorry to say that aside from any vitamins you already take for your overall health, I have seen no evidence that specific vitamins or minerals can eliminate this problem.

Send questions to: "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I have gone through a situation you touched on in a recent column on cancer advances, and thought I'd respond. I, too, believe that the pharmaceutical companies are not on the cutting edge of finding a cure. There is so much money involved in the treatment industry, and Big Pharma rakes in billions. If a true cure were found, their profits would collapse substantially. Scientists, on the other hand, would rejoice if they found a cure, since they are not tied to the cash flow like pharmaceutical companies are.

But enough of that. As I write this, a close family member is dealing with terminal cancer. First there was surgery, then the painful "poisoning and burning" from treatments, by which the cancer was supposedly vanquished. Four months later? Stage 4. One round of chemo was followed by an "alternative approach." An acquaintance had endured the same type of cancer 15-plus years ago, went to Mexico for treatment, and has been cancer-free since. Off went my family member, and followed the protocol precisely, expecting that the cancer was then taken care of. Honestly, those very expensive treatments didn't slow it down at all. So now we wait for the inevitable, less thousands and thousands of dollars.

Aggressive malignancies leave very few survivors. Until medicine can decode each individual's genetics and then modify a treatment specifically for that person, cancer will continue to do its deadly deed. -- S.G., via email

DEAR S.G.: The very idea of cancer is an affront to our passion for life. With cancer, a combination of events allows a "nonself" growth to be treated as self and receive all the privileges of membership. The cancer's effective use of bodily resources, its continuous growth and spread, and its ability to skip detection as an invader provide a competitive advantage over normal cells. It has also led to the current strategy of radiation and chemotherapies, which put a careful dose of poison in the system so that the cancer's constant need for sustenance will bring about its earlier demise.

While there may be similarities among cancer types, each individual creates a different spin, and there lies the rub in finding an effective treatment. There is a fine line between providing the correct dose of the right agents to hobble the cancer and destroying the body in the process.

You confess disdain for "Big Pharma," but an equal dose should be directed at bogus alternative methods. They often claim a focus on providing support for our immune systems and allowing the body to successfully weed out the cancer, but this assumes the immune system can tell the difference between friend and foe. Once the cancer has set up shop, however, such enhanced support may also provide succor to the enemy.

Finally, I totally agree with your assessment that the missing element is an ability to genetically decode an invading cancer. We need to identify treatments based on a cancer's Achilles' heel. This will happen, and we are on the road there. Science, including "Big Pharma," is working on this. Your skepticism aside, cancer treatments have made remarkable advances in recent years. In the meantime, it is incumbent on all of us to live in a way that lessens our risks. Please convey my concerns to your family member.

Send questions to: "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

Dear Dr. Blonz: What is the word on melatonin, a dietary supplement that is supposed to help with sleeping and sleep/wake patterns? Is it a reasonable supplement as a sleep aid? -- O.S., New York, New York

DEAR O.S.: Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pea-sized pineal gland that is located in the center of the brain. It is thought to be a key player in the control of the body's sleep/wake rhythms. The release of melatonin is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light. The rationale behind taking melatonin supplements for a sleep disorder, such as jet lag, is that it can cajole the body into a more rapid shift to the light/dark cycle of a new time zone. There is some research to support this, but it is inconsistent at best. As a sleep aid, a meta-analysis in the Feb. 18, 2006, issue of the British Medical Journal reported that melatonin does not seem to be very effective for sleep disorders.

For most, there is little danger in trying melatonin, as most studies note an absence of adverse effects -- especially when small dosages (3 milligrams per day) and short-term use is involved. Keep in mind that you are taking a hormone normally produced by the body, so unless specifically instructed by your physician, this is not something you want to be taking on a regular basis.

Other sleep aids that can work include a warm glass of milk (flavored or not) before bedtime and/or a warm bath. Tryptophan is an amino acid that serves as the precursor to a neurotransmitter (a key brain chemical) called serotonin, which encourages relaxation. A metabolite of tryptophan, called 5-HTP, is also available, but again, I would not recommend using this product on a regular basis. Valerian is another herb that is also used to treat insomnia, but the evidence here is inconsistent at best. There is a good discussion of insomnia at the National Institutes of Health at tinyurl.com/7l99b4p.

I want to emphasize that the idea of a sleep aid is to get your sleep/wake rhythm back on track, not to have a pill become an essential part of your nighttime regimen. Be up-front with your physician to alert her or him to your sleep issues and avoid potential interactions between your sleep aid and any medications or health conditions.

Other approaches to consider: A good diet and regular exercise habits help with sleep. They not only help to decrease stress, which is a potent sleep robber, but exercise can help tweak the body toward a regular activity/regeneration cycle. There are a number of relaxation techniques and tapes that may be of help.

Send questions to: "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.