In Kate Lloyd’s article, the benefits of kimchi and kefir are mentioned, as well as yoghurt (Is it true that … eating yoghurt can heal your gut?, 24 March). What about beer, and why is it always missing from these lists? Real ale contains live yeast, is readily available, and is clearly palatable to a large part of the population. In addition, we all know what happens to gut health if we consume too much from the bottom of the barrel, where the excess yeast makes the beer cloudy. Could Kate please investigate?
John Young
Monkswood, Monmouthshire
• In a recent holiday let, a bedroom window had been improperly sealed, allowing cold winds to enter. Fortunately, there were enough scatter cushions to fill the entire window space (Letters, 23 March).
Linda Mockett
Winnersh, Berkshire
• In response to Cathy Rooney hoping for swallows in Scotland (Letters, 21 March), I am pleased to report that two made it to Meerbrook, Staffordshire, on Sunday. Summer is on its way!
John Cutter
Bollington, Cheshire
• I can see that Keir Starmer might not have wanted to say he hates and despises the US president, but “likes and respects” seems a bit extreme (Report, 23 March).
William Outhwaite
Emeritus professor of sociology, Newcastle University
• A point in favour of bridge, when comparing its merits with those of chess, is that the highest value suit is “no trumps” (Letters, 21 March). That seems to clinch it for me.
Melvyn Ellis
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
• Do you have a photograph you’d like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers’ best photographs galleries and in the print edition on Saturdays.
