Dear Dr. Gott: We have a 33-year-old daughter who is mentally ill. She has currently gone off her meds and is hospitalised in a psychiatric ward. She will likely be transported to a state facility. She has refused to sign the paper allowing us to converse with her doctors and caregivers, although we are the only people she has. It is not our desire to control her, but it is our wish to be sure that she is safe and to let those who are caring for her know there is someone out there who still loves her. How can we work with this system that allows her to be her own guardian when she is incapable of even caring for herself?

Reply: This is a serious dilemma. Your daughter is an adult at 33. I don't know how serious her condition is and how much outside assistance, if any, she requires. Is she able to care for herself as long as she remains on her medication? Or is the situation much worse than that? If she is certified as mentally ill, I am surprised she doesn't have a family member, attorney, trusted friend or state designee as power of attorney who can make necessary decisions. If she is in a psychiatric ward, why is the staff allowing her to refuse her medication? Is her condition so mild that she does not need it? But if this is the case, why then is she hospitalised? With your inability to speak with her doctors, I'm sure that you don't have answers to these questions. And it's likely that, if she has someone in charge, she has made it abundantly clear that you are not to be involved in any way. You might speak with your attorney or patient advocate to determine if you have any rights at all, but my guess is that you don't.

Dear Dr. Gott: For health reasons, I have chosen to be a vegan. I eat no animal matter and watch closely not to take in many refined carbohydrates. I am in excellent health. My problem is that during annual physicals, my blood tests come back distorted, usually indicating I am slightly anaemic.

I have no outward symptoms of any illness. I tell my doctors that I am a vegan, but each year they search for some other cause. In non-Western countries where animal protein is not a large part of the diet, do doctors have different standards for blood-test results? Would I then be normal in those countries?

Reply: Frankly, I am unsure if you were tested in another country whether your lab work would reveal anaemia or not. Numerous studies have shown that poor meal planning is the cause of nutritional deficiency, not the absence of animal foods.

Do you feel tired, run-down and lacking in energy? From the sound of your letter, I would guess not. You are likely healthier than a great number of us. If you feel your diet may be lacking in any way, consider a good daily multivitamin. Beyond that, stay on course and you'll likely outlive us all. To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report 'Vitamins & Minerals'. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped number ten envelope and a $2 cheque or money order to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, Ohio 44092-0157. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.

Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including 'Live Longer, Live Better', 'Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Diet' and 'Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook', which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com.