Who Was Clara Felix?

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Clara Felix, Berkeley resident and local treasure, was a passionate believer in the value of good nutrition, natural healing, traditional foods, and the wisdom of ancient cultures.  For 23 years and 125 issues, she wrote, edited and published The Felix Letter – A Commentary on Nutrition, and turned out the most deeply felt, most carefully researched, and most fascinating commentaries on unheralded nutritional research ever written.

The Letter expressed eloquently who she was.  She was always ahead of her time.  Many of the causes she embraced were taken up years later by the mainstream press.  These include the need for folic acid in infant nutrition, the importance of the omega 3 fatty acids, and the cardiovascular damage produced by hydrogenated fats and trans-fatty acids in processed foods.

She was a political immoderate, and immoderate in her expression of love and admiration for nutritional science, and for the originals and pioneers in the field of nutrition.  She was always available for consultation when one of her readers or a member of their family became ill, or needed an informed, alternative, second opinion.

One subject that Clara returned to repeatedly in her writing was the effectiveness of natural methods in treating sickle cell anemia.

In the course of her many years of writing about sickle cell, Clara emphasized certain concepts:

There are nutrients that are now deficient in our modern diets. Scientific research and clinical studies have shown that a number of these provide protection against pain, and many other problems, experienced by people with sickle cell disease.  These are not drugs, but natural substances with few problems or side effects.

It is possible to supplement our diet in order to replace these lost nutrients.

Small changes in diet can make significant differences in how people feel, and in keeping them healthy.

Clara passed away in March 2004.  She was devoted to her readers, friends, and family; and all who knew her miss her.  To honor her memory, in June 2004, we established a clinic in her name to make natural methods available to children and adults with sickle cell disease.


Elliot Wagner

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Elliot Wagner is Clinic Director of the Clara Felix Sickle Cell Clinic. In addition, he is founder and Executive Director of California Acupuncture Resources, a nonprofit organization that works with community based organizations to bring acupuncture and Chinese medicine into public health. California Acupuncture Resources has worked with the SF Department of Health, Walden House, the California Department of Corrections, and The Center for Aids Services in Oakland, and many other agencies.

Elliot has been a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, and nutritionist for more than twenty years. He is a teacher, and the author of several articles on acupuncture, including an essay on the doctor-patient relationship entitled The Heart of Healing.

Elliot loves working with sickle cell patients, and believes that the mission of the Clara Felix Sickle Cell Clinic will eventually allow him to work with them around the world.


About the Clinic

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The Clara Felix Sickle Cell Clinic is a project of CAR, and is an outgrowth of the work we have done for fourteen years in providing responsible, professional care to underserved people.
It is now our sole project.

Some of the scientific concepts underlying the establishment of this clinic can be found in the Further Information section of this website.

California Acupuncture Resources (CAR), founded in 1991, has as its mission to enable community-based organizations to offer acupuncture and alternative medicine services to clients who would not ordinarily have access to these services. We are unique in providing agencies with experienced, professional care in many aspects of public health, including HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, acute and chronic pain, and homelessness.


Roberta Hamilton

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President of the CAR Board of Directors
We are deeply grateful for her years of commitment and unflagging support!