Two letters from readers caught my eye this week:

Could you please clarify the location of the nutrient-absorbing cells of the body? My daughter-in-law had her colon removed at UCSF a month ago, and she now has an ileostomy, which seems to be working well. Thank you — H.M.

Most of the body's nutrient-absorbing cells are located downstream from the stomach in the small intestine. This is where specialized cells can absorb the breakdown products of protein, fat and carbohydrates as well as individual vitamins and minerals.

Farther south, cells in the colon (large intestine) absorb sodium, potassium and water. Bacteria in the colon also manufacture vitamin K.

We can't just absorb a whole sandwich into our blood stream, however. Food must first be digested — the process by which a meal is broken down to individual nutrients.

Believe it or not, that task begins as soon as we take a bite of food. As we chew, specialized enzymes in the mouth and all the way down the digestive tract help to release nutrients small enough to enter the bloodstream. Due to various factors, our bodies don't always absorb 100% of the nutrients we ingest. But we can help with the process: Choose nutrient-rich foods to eat. Space meals throughout the day so as not to overwhelm the digestive system. And chew, chew chew which actually helps expose more nutrients for absorption.

Hi, Costco Seaside has a pallet of New Mexico (Hatch) green chile in big jars once more! I bought two yesterday. Probably should have bought MORE! It will most likely be gone soon. Yum — MichaelYum, indeed! I am prejudiced for Hatch green chile because our family lived in Hatch, N.M., when I was a little girl. Green and red chile (which by the way are the same plant, just harvested at different stages of maturity) are low in calories and rich in nutrients and other substances known to decrease our risk for chronic diseases. That's according to the Chili Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University (my alma mater).