DEAR DR. BLONZ: I eat well and have a pretty active lifestyle. I take a daily packet of multivitamins and minerals -- nothing fancy or excessive, just a small group of pills that should provide 100 percent of the body's needs. My husband is also taking this product; it is our form of "insurance." About four or five months after we started them, my husband was complaining of nausea an hour or two after taking them (even though he made sure to take them right after breakfast). He discontinued them, then tried them again a couple of weeks later and had the same problem. Is there a particular vitamin or mineral that could be doing this? He is less inclined than I am to eat fruits and vegetables, so I want him to take some sort of supplement. -- J.M., New York

DEAR J.M.: Your obvious priority is to focus more on what's not on his plate, than any side effect of what is in those packets. The tone of your letter would suggest that this may be the topic of an ongoing discussion, and I encourage you to keep up whatever diplomatic pressure you can to get his diet and lifestyle on a healthful footing. That represents the foundation of good health, and supplements should be thought of as extra.

That obligatory sermon delivered, some individuals can experience mild nausea or some other untoward reaction after taking a multivitamin supplement. It is not that common, and there may not be one particular nutrient responsible -- it could be the fact that you are taking a number of pills and capsules all at the same time. When they dissolve together, they can potentially irritate the stomach.

It is good that you are taking them with a meal, and the more complete the meal (protein, fat and carbohydrate), the better. If breakfast is a small meal in your house, you might consider taking your supplements with a more substantial meal, or splitting the contents of the packet between two meals.

I also encourage you to contact the manufacturer and tell them of your experience. And there is always the option of switching to another product.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: Last year, you advised me to seek advice from a gastroenterologist. After tests from A to Z, I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It's been a long and difficult journey. I now use IBS hypnotherapy tapes, developed in the U.K. where they have taken IBS very seriously. Do you happen to have any new information on the subject? -- J.R., via email

DEAR J.R.: It is good to have an answer, even in the form of a diagnosis that you may not welcome. I don't have more information on IBS, but in addition to working with your gastroenterologist, you might consider joining a group such as ibsgroup.org. Be aware that such groups tend to be patient-led; while they can be empowering, be sure to exercise care with any advice given. This means consulting with your physician to check that any new action, however well motivated, won't counteract what you're already doing.

I remain hopeful that you will continue your travels down the road to better understanding and health.

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 controls how much cholesterol is in the body? Can we manufacture more cholesterol than we get in food? If I were to go vegan and effectively cut out all dietary sources, would that do the job of eliminating cholesterol? -- F.F., Oakland, California

DEAR F.F.: Cholesterol is an essential structural element in just about every cell of the body. In addition, cholesterol is a raw material for a number of hormones, including estrogen and testosterone.

People tend to be surprised when they learn that most of the cholesterol in our body is manufactured in the liver. That means that if you were to go vegan and there was no cholesterol in your diet, your body's liver would continue to crank it out as needed. When cholesterol is present in the foods we eat, the liver will adapt and make less.

There are a number of genetic conditions in which the body makes way more cholesterol than it needs, but these conditions are rare. More common are individuals with unbalanced diets: too much sugar and not enough whole plant foods, including grains, fiber, fresh fruits and vegetables. This way of eating can contribute to blood cholesterol levels that are inconsistent with good health. Fold in weight issues, a bit of stress, smoking, excess alcohol and lack of physical activity, and things get even worse.

The bottom line is that you shouldn't think of cholesterol as the "bad guy."

Levels that are excessive -- too-high levels of LDL cholesterol and too-low levels of HDL cholesterol -- can be indicative of a diet and lifestyle that's chronically off track. To be sure, there are medications that can help adjust your blood cholesterol levels, but equally essential is the effort to bring other aspects of diet and lifestyle into line.

You mention the vegan diet. There are many different takes on a healthful diet, and veganism might not be for everyone, but it does represent an excellent approach as it is entirely focused on plant-based eating. For more on cholesterol, check out: tinyurl.com/zqxrsnb.

Other relevant information, if you do decide to go vegan: Health statistics for vegans and vegetarians include lower rates of heart disease, obesity, obesity-related diabetes, colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, hypertension, osteoporosis, kidney stones, gallstones and diverticular disease. Granted, many people who adopt an entirely new way of eating also adopt other healthy habits, and those habits play a role in these statistics. But the extent of the correlations remains impressive.

Being a successful vegan means learning which foods are required for your complete diet. As long as you eat a varied vegan diet, protein should not be a problem. However, when giving up meat, fish and dairy, these essential nutrients become less available: calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D and riboflavin. You can get all of these nutrients in foods, but consider a supplement for added insurance. There is more on vegan/vegetarian eating at tinyurl.com/jd7voh4.

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: My boyfriend takes a dietary supplement that contains bovine colostrum to increase his lean muscle mass. Coincidently (or maybe not), he is noticing that his heart has been racing a lot. Do you think there is a connection? -- S.S., Oakland, California

DEAR S.S.: Colostrum is the first fluid from a mother's breast following the birth of her young. It is a liquid that is rich in "immune proteins," tailored to give the newborn's immune system a boost until it can begin manufacturing disease-fighting antibodies on its own. This type of protection, referred to as "passive immunity," is considered to be one of the great health advantages to breast-feeding.

What, then, does a colostrum supplement -- and one that comes from a cow -- have to do with an increase in muscle mass in humans? Little, I am afraid. As harsh as it sounds, this type of colostrum only makes sense if you are less than 6 months old and bovine in origin. If you know of any solid scientific evidence to the contrary, I would enjoy seeing it. There are certainly more traditional and reliable methods to build muscles.

As for the racing heart, it is certainly possible that something in the supplement is causing that symptom. It could be allergenic in nature, or it could be due to a stimulant in the product. Check the ingredient label to make sure there are no surprise ingredients. It would be prudent for him to stop taking the product and see if things settle down.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I recently had cardiac bypass surgery. I'm now in search of a healthy lifestyle and am naturally concerned about my diet. I have read that the oils in certain cold-water fish are beneficial, so I've been eating sardines because they are easily available. I recently looked at the label of the brand I buy and saw that I have been consuming 24 grams of total fat, 6 grams of saturated fat and 140 mg of cholesterol. These figures seem excessive. My question is, should I discontinue eating sardines? Or are some of these fats the so-called "good" fats? -- F.M. San Diego

DEAR F.M.: There is no need to stop eating sardines, especially if you enjoy them. You might, however, consider cutting back. The totals you cite are for an entire tin, which is the equivalent of about one cup of fish. According to my nutrient database, aside from its 24 grams of fat, one cup of sardines also contains over 50 grams of protein, and about 800 milligrams of calcium. These numbers approach the amounts needed for the entire day!

Sardines have a moderate fat content, and they do contain the heart-healthy omega-3 fats. The key to a healthful diet, however, is variety and moderation. You should be eating a variety of fish, not only sardines, and making sure that every meal includes whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Blend these all together with a daily serving of physical activity, and you'll be on your way to that healthful lifestyle you seek.

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.