DEAR DR. BLONZ: Two weeks ago, I found out that I was six weeks pregnant with my first child. I had no idea that I was pregnant, as I typically have irregular periods. I have a good overall diet, but at the time I found out, I had been drinking a glass or two of wine about every other night with dinner. I am very concerned with whether or not this will affect my unborn child.

Several people have told me that they had a glass of wine every day during their pregnancy, and that nothing happened to their babies. And a friend of mine told me that her doctor said a glass of wine once in a while during pregnancy wouldn't do any harm. How would someone know if that were safe, considering "once in a while" could differ from person to person? -- D.T., Chicago

DEAR D.T.: First, let me offer my congratulations on your pregnancy. Unfortunately, the question of whether your wine consumption might have an effect on your child is impossible to answer with any degree of certainty. We simply don't know, and nobody is ever going to do a study in which they give pregnant women increasing levels of alcohol under controlled conditions to get a more definitive answer. What we do have is research data and statistical tables from which we can discern associations between the level of alcohol consumption and subsequent occurrence of problems with the developing children.

Please understand that you are not the first woman to find out that she was pregnant while engaging in a healthful lifestyle that includes a moderate consumption of wine. It's not an uncommon circumstance, so don't let it wrack you with guilt. A moderate alcohol intake (an average of about one drink per day, with a meal) does not appear to be associated with any harm to the health of the unborn child or the mother. Having the alcohol with food is important.

However, we need to acknowledge that an excess of alcohol is never good -- and, of course, alcohol is not essential for your health, nor the health of your child. Of all the times in life, pregnancy is not the time to take risks, even if they are small.

I recommend that you talk about these issues with your OB-GYN. Your question described your wine consumption as happening "at the time," so I am assuming that you have stopped for now. It is always best to err on the side of safety. I look forward to hearing from you once you have joined that wonderful world of motherhood.

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: A juice bar near me is selling "hydrogen-rich" water with a long list of health claims, including an ability to lubricate joints, detoxify the body and increase brain function. It all seems quite loopy, but the stuff sells. Is there anything to support these claims? -- W.N., Berkeley, California

DEAR W.N.: I compliment your instincts to question these "rich" claims. There is absolutely no basis to assume that the limited amount of hydrogen that will dissolve in a commercial water product will do anything significant for its consumer -- with the exception of costing him or her more money. There are way too many questionable claims out there these days: more than those charged with consumer protection can keep tabs on.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I recently heard about a new type of water-soluble mineral. The company claims that the minerals are "angstrom sized" and have a 99 percent absorption rate. If this is true, wouldn't this be a far better way for us to get our minerals? -- T.W., Portland, Oregon

DEAR T.W.: The product you mention is being promoted as a new and better way to take dietary minerals, but it smacks of sales talk seasoned with out-of-context science-sounding babble. I predict that aside from dubious testimonials, there is little offered in the way of actual evidence to back up the claims.

Our bodies do a reasonably good job of absorbing minerals from foods; we've been doing it that way for centuries. Food must always be your first choice for obtaining minerals, which means a healthful diet will always be the ticket. But there are a wide variety of mineral supplements that can help you fill in the gaps. You can read more about minerals at tinyurl.com/no5dzly.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: Can I be allergic to niacin (vitamin B-3) to the point where it is harmful to my health? I stopped taking niacin because I get some pretty bad rashes, like an allergic reaction, when I take it. What do you say? Is this normal? -- S.T., Peoria, Illinois

DEAR S.T.: It is doubtful that it's niacin, an essential nutrient, that you are allergic to. Niacin is involved in the health of the skin, nervous system and digestive system, and it also plays a key role in the body's energy producing reactions.

What you are probably experiencing is a "niacin flush," which occurs when large doses of niacin (about 10 times the RDA) dilate the capillaries, the small blood vessels near the skin. There is a release of histamine involved with this reaction, so it is possible that niacin might aggravate other existing allergies you have.

I have no idea why you are taking niacin, so if it was medically directed, be sure to speak with your physician about these side effects. It may be possible to lower your intake of niacin, take it in divided doses or shift to nicotinamide, which is a form of niacin that doesn't induce the flushing effect.

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 am in very good health, but have had an annoying muscle ache after a strain that has been slow to heal. Workout friends tell me that this may be due to the fact that I do not eat red meat. Could this be true? Is there anything I should supplement my diet with, to compensate? -- V.E., Santa Clara, California

DEAR V.E.: Good nutrition is good nutrition, regardless of whether you eat red meat. You did not mention whether you consume other animal products, but if yours is a vegetarian or vegan regimen, there are a few nutrients that you may need to pay extra attention to. These include protein, vitamin B-12, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin D.

In most cases, protein doesn't represent a special problem. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and of the 22 different amino acids, our body can manufacture all but nine. These nine, referred to as the essential amino acids (EAAs), need to be supplied by our diet. Most foods contain some amino acids. Animal proteins, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy, are considered "complete proteins" because they contain all nine EAAs.

Except for soybeans, vegetable proteins such as grains and legumes are incomplete proteins because they lack one or more of the EAAs. Vegans can easily meet their daily protein requirement by combining different foods so that sufficient amounts of all the EAAs are consumed during the day.

One nutrient that may be a potential problem is vitamin B-12. It's needed for red blood cells and nerve tissue, and is only found in bacteria and animal products. Vegetarians can use specially fermented soy products, such as tempeh or miso, as a dietary source of B-12, or rely on foods fortified with it.

If you consume dairy, you shouldn't have a problem getting enough calcium, but if you are a strict vegan, you will have to rely on other calcium-rich foods. These include broccoli, dark-green leafy vegetables (such as kale and turnip greens), almonds, figs, some legumes, calcium-set tofu and calcium-fortified drinks (such as soy milk and orange juice).

Red meat is an excellent source of iron, but it can also be found in dark-green leafy vegetables, legumes, raisins and prunes. Iron absorption is facilitated by acidic foods, such as citrus juices, and vitamin C. Zinc, which can also be in short supply without red meat, is found in nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes.

Vitamin D, needed for calcium absorption and bone formation, is another nutrient that's not widely available in vegan cuisine. Besides food sources such as fish and vitamin D-fortified milk products, the body produces this nutrient upon exposure to direct sunlight. Again, the alternative is to rely on a fortified food or a supplement. See tinyurl.com/hpqpavn for more tips on vegetarian eating.

Finally, you might consider seeing a physical therapist for your persistent muscle ache. Your physician may be able to provide a referral. A therapist can make sure that your current activities aren't preventing healing or even making thing worse, and provide specific exercises to help strengthen the affected muscles.

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.