Of course I remember you, Joyce! :-) Rice, oats, barley, quinoa and millet come to mind ~ along with spelt, which makes a more recognizable sandwich-y bread dough than rice or millet alone. If you enjoy making breads at home, try mixing a number of flours, including oat flour ~ a flour mill to grind the grain fresh is a nice gadget ~ and experiment with the yeast quantity, liquid, and rising times until you have a good feel for how these flours work. There are also commercial rice, spelt, millet and quinoa breads as well as the sprouted grain varieties. If you are trying to eliminate wheat, sprouted wheat flour or bread is fine, as is spelt ~ but you may find you make better progress resolving the bloat and ovarian troubles if you set grains (and sugars) aside for a few weeks. It will certainly do you no harm, and the hiatus in grain eating will allow you to add one grain at a time later on and see exactly what your reactions are. Good luck, Joyce, and drop me a note to tell me how it's going!

_

Type B and PMS My wife (B age 39, and me (O) age 36, have been following the BT lifestyle for 4 months now, with great improvements in helth, energy and weight loss. Anyhow my wife is the cutest, nicest and most lovable woman in the world, 3 weeks every month. BUT, the last 3 days before she gets her period, and the following days, she turns in to a "monster". Aggressive, no tolerance and generally in a bad mood. We both follow Dr. D's plan very strictly. Is there anything you recommend to reduce the "hormone-party" in my wifes body? Geir

Oh, dear, you're having fun, eh? Well, how are her calcium and magnesium levels? Lots of dark green leafy veg, almonds, allowed dairy products? Does she get adequate protein? Additional time on the diet, along with the recommended B-group stress-relief practices such as visualization, meditation, even a nice rousing martial arts class around that time of the month, may be the keys to balancing those hormones. If the problem persists despite the diet and stress-relief regime, she might try the following supplements. I doubt you have access to the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia there in Norway yet, so I'll transcribe here the suggestions for raging type B PMS: FOR EIGHT WEEKS: Cordyceps sinensis, 500 mg: 1-2 caps 2x/day, GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) 500 mg: 1 cap 1x/day, Inositol, 500 mg: 1-2 caps 2x/day; Schizandra (or "Wu-Wei-Zi") herbal tincture: 15-25 drops 2x/day. FOR FOUR WEEKS (can be concurrent with the above): Chaste Berry (Vitex agnus-castus), 400 mg standardized extract: 1 cap 2x/day, Raspberry leaf (Rubus spp.) tincture: 15-20 drops, twice daily, Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) tincture: 10-15 drops 1x/day; black currant seed oil, 500 mg: 2-3 caps 1x/day. Let me know what you choose & how things proceed! :-)

_

Heidi, two of my children have very high cholestrol levels at a very young age. My son was 10 and my daughter was 4 when they were routinely tested and were found to have cholesterol levels near 400, and their HDL/LDL's were not very good. They are otherwise extremely healthy, thin, muscular, active, good students, etc. They are now 11 and 17 years old. My pediatrician keeps trying to get me to go to specialists for the last 7 years but my husband and I don't want them put through all kinds of tests and live the "patient" life from appointment to appointment, test to test, blah blah...especially when there is so much contradicting advise, medications, etc. which brought me to BTD in the first place. I have always suspected that it was something with their diet and their heredity so in the past I struggled to find out what would help them until 2 years ago I found ER4Yt. I have been on the diet since Feb./01 and have been feeding my kids right as best as I can, my daughter is very compliant, but my 17 year old son cheats every chance he can get even though he has seen positive results in the way he feels, and acne clearing up, and athletic performance levels when he eats right. My daughter is type 0 and my son is type B. I have stopped trying to discuss any of this with the MD, since they don't agree with the diet and think I should persue consultants and specialists and possible put them on lipid lowering drugs. I haven't had them retested since I don't want to involve MD in this any more. My concern is should I be doing more for them ? Is there any way to monitor their progress or lack of progress ? I just don't know what to do and I am sort of burring my head in the sand and just hoping and praying that the diet will do it's job and just pretend that I never found out that their cholesterol was so high in the first place. ( we never even knew about such things 20 years ago anyway). Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated . Thank you. Suzanna

Hi, Suzanna ~ hey, you're in a stressful situation there, and I understand how scary it can be when you're so worried about your kids you don't want to THINK about it anymore! :-} Let me suggest an approach that might take the mental pressure off you without making your children live-ins at the MD. If the cholesterol levels started out that high, I'd test them twice per year (then forget about it until next time). I suspect this may just be a condition that runs in the family, but don't despair! There is a SAFE natural alternative to the specialists and the drugs called Red Yeast Rice. Before you run out and purchase a bottle from the HFS, I'd like to recommend that you get the best RYR available -- highest levels of cholesterol-lowering compounds, and government-certified against any harmful elements. That brand is from Jingxin ~ here is their webpage and the phone number to call in the U.S. is 732-257-8844 -- it's in New Jersey. Each batch comes with its own chemical assay and certification. "Michael" is the person I spoke to when I ordered my kilo (2.2 pounds) package. The prices vary, and when I purchased it they did not offer capsules - only bulk - but it can be stored in the fridge for a year and used in smoothies or stirred into pineapple or carrot juice for the kids. A teaspoon a day will do it! It works within weeks, rather spectacularly. If you have any questions about this, please write again. Take charge of the situation, and you'll sleep better at night, dear! Take care!! Let me know how this works out!

___

Thank you all for writing!!!

Diane, I think you're doing just fine. My cholesterol is low, too -- around 160 -- but the HDL/LDL ratios are spectacular (as I suspect yours are) and it appears this is something we can thank our genetic heritage for ~ it's been associated with good health and long life, as long as we're getting ENOUGH good fats! Feel free to add the flax oil back into your routine -- it will help, not hurt, your weight loss plans. And a little more ghee is a good idea, too. Keeps the intestinal walls smooth and the flora & fauna joyous. :-)



For Type As, I have some questions related to the BTD: (1) Is cactus (any variety) a suitable vegetable? (2) Why are peanuts beneficial but not peanut oil? (3) Can scrod be included as a beneficial or neutral fish? (4) Artichoke pasta is allowed but I cannot find it in health food stores. Help! (5) Are blueberry juice and aloe vera juice highly beneficial? Should blueberry juice be diluted with water? (6) Is meat tenderizer (unseasoned) a beneficial or neutral spice? (7) Do you have specific suggestions for someone who is immune compromised? I had Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 1997 and my spleen and adominal lymph nodes were removed. (FYI: I was always very healthy, rarely got sick, skipped most childhood diseases, have my tonsils, adenoids and appendix and went 2-1/2 yrs. without a cold between 1994 and 1997. Oncologists say this cancer is brought on by a virus, hits most people in their 40s and is the fastest rising cancer within the U.S.) Since 1998, I have taken numerous nutraceuticals, eaten a clean diet (before I discovered BTD) and take AM/PM probiotics with FOS. Mira

Whoo! Mira, I'll take these questions in order:

(1) Prickly pear is the only cactus, other than aloe (a succulent) listed in our databases. Aloe is beneficial for secretors, neutral for nons... and prickly pear is neutral for all As. Unlisted cactuses ("unknowns") may be considered neutral for folks who are not overweight or trying to resolve other health issues.

(2) Peanuts vs. peanut oil: see Peter's Ask Dr. D'Adamo column entitled Peanut Oil Versus Peanuts for the answer!

(3) Scrod's been added to the lists since BTD! In late 2000, as a matter of fact. See the TYPEbase3 reference database on our site, remember to use the "search" button (hitting the 'enter' key don't do it), and have fun!!

(4) Once upon a time, there was a brand of 100% artichoke pasta... it tasted so spooky, few customers bought it twice, and the product was discontinued. Use one of the many great organic rice pastas instead!

(5) Blueberries are a low-sugar fruit, but I'm from the tradition of "dilute all fruit juices 1/2-1/2 with spring or mineral water." Unless you're using them in combination with other fruits in a juice, I'd say you could get away trying it at full strength... but if it boinks your sugar metabolism at all, go back to diluting, OK? :-)

(6) Meat tenderizer... hmm... You mean the chop-headed mallet I pound things with? Fine for all types! ;-) I hope you don't mean that MSG-stuffed chemical substance sold as a powder in supermarkets? Yikes! Get it away, get it gone!! Not OK for any type, especially not for As, most especially not for As with health challenges. By the way, what kind of meat are you eating that you'd be putting tenderizer on it? For fish or fowl, use a quick trip to the fridge in marinade (olive oil, lemon juice, salt is the basic recipe - 20 minutes for fish filets, 2 hours for the birdies) instead of the powdery unpronounceably-ingrediented chemical product.

(7) Yes. (a) Get hold of Live Right 4 Your Type AND the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia from this site or any major bookstore or health food emporium. (b) Check your nutraceuticals against the lists for possible avoids, and (c) consider using the PolyFlora-O product sold here along with ARA6, a truly astonshing flora-food and antioxidant.

You sound like a woman with determination and energy, and robust natural health & healing abilities ~ and I know you will prevail over any challenges you face. Keep in touch!! :-)

I am already 10 months on ERFYT diet,O+ (non secretor). First period went rapidly wery wel, I lost 4 kilos overweight (after pregnancy) but the most importent of all I do not have migraine attacs any more (until now). But there is one thing I cant clarify, my weight goes up and down in periods, between 58 and 60 kilos. Some times obviously water retantion. Also a swelling of the stomac/belly area. But I dont know why?? Because I strictly eat according the diet. I decided to register every thing I eat, may be in this way I can find an answer. I love eating fruit all from the list beneficials/neutrals dry or fresh. I replaced bread with rice cracers and rarly kamut bread. I know that non secretors more sencetive for insuline/water retantion.Should I reduce even more the amount of fruit or grains. could you please advice about more factors may be I am not aware of. Thanks! Lisya

Lisya! Writing down everything you eat and how you feel & digest afterwards is the BEST way to track down inscrutable symptoms. Smart thing to do! And I'm really happy the migraines are gone. What terrible things they are. I'd suggest going grain-free and fruit-free for one week. Also, no sugar or sweeteners except for vegetable glycerine. The next week, add one grain or fruit item - eat it at the same time each day, and see if your bloating returns after any of those meals. If you do get a reaction to a food, mark it as a temporary avoid and stop eating it - and if you eat nuts, watch carefully for a reaction there as well. The week after, choose a different item to add, and proceed that way until you've tested all the fruits & grains you usually eat. There are plenty of simple meals you can make from fish or meat and vegetables ~ eat small amounts at four daily meals, if possible, to simplify the job for your digestive processes. Let me know how this is working for you!

_

type A, curently have Limes with hives, BIG ones. tried to stay away from staroyds untel diffaculty with breathing. This tretment worked imiteley, today infact was the first dose. My concern is, the last time ( ten years ago ) I was not able to get OFF staroyds. I would get down to 5mg. and flar up again. When this happens the welts are Large,I'm weak, cold, garthing thought is difacult, light headed... This went on for nine mo's. then I colapsed.(braking three toes) The only thing that worked was the drug SELDINE, (since taken off the market),. ONE if the ingrents in Saldine stoped the rebound sydrum. Am now taking Doxyccline 100mg.x2 and Prednisone 10mg.starting at 5 tabs 2x day. Each day decresing one with each dayly dose. I looked in your three books for info. Hives connected to same? Is there any thing I might do drefernt at this point? I am 67 years NEW,200lbs,5.5 1/2 atteng Weight Witches). Just so you get a better idia of the " Witch " your dealing with... I coulden't resist... patricia

:-) Hi, Patricia! ~ Lyme infection is nasty, eh? let's try to steer you a course toward improvements. First, follow the type A diet strictly, and get going with your yoga -- either a class (preferable!) or tapes you can do at home. You really need to remove the food burden from your immune system, and to drop your cortisol levels through the yoga in order to get the hives under control. I'd also like you to keep a journal of everything you eat, and when, and note if a hives attack or any other negative reaction follows soon after. At least keep a very close eye on what your body thinks of what you eat! In your present state, the food could be an avoid, neutral, or even beneficial -- but eliminate it if it triggers the hives or gives any discomfort. Once you've gotten rid of food irritations and excess cortisol, you're going to see great improvements, and your medication can be reduced further (under your doctor's supervision, of course) and eventually eliminated. Hey - watch those Witches, and make sure they don't influence you to alter your diet from All A, All The Time. Get the support at your meetings, they're great for that -- but "fly alone" on your food choices, OK? You have a great spirit, and you'll have great success! Keep me posted on how you're doing!!

_

hi there! have been recommended your book & diet by a friend & wish to start soon. have just spent approx. 1 hour on your website & found very interesting - but- did not find the answer to my questions. i am type o with lebanese parents. the type o chart is divided into african, caucasian & asian.eg: milk & yogurt are 0 for african & up to 2-3 for asian. which category do I use with my lebanese background? also i am approx. 10kg overweight, underactive thyroid not picked up by doctor but by the naturopath, have 2nd recurrent ovarian cysts (last time pathology showed benign but low grade cancer potential),have had sinus & pimples & acne mainly on back, chest & back almost all my life (i'am almost 40), now have hyperpigmentation as well.any further hints/suggestions to help with all of this? looking foreward with thanks. rose

Welcome, Rose!! You're a Caucasian ~ use those charts. Since you have something brewing there in your ovaries, I suggest (1) you eliminate all dairy completely for the time being, and (2) you obtain your secretor status. Ask your naturopath (and may I say, you are EXTREMELY fortunate to have one in your area!!) to give you a saliva secretor test (if available) or to direct you to a laboratory that tests for Lewis subtype (it's a blood test), which corresponds exactly to secretor type (with some rare exceptions). Try to get hold of the newer book, Live Right 4 Your Type, and follow the protocol just as closely as you can. Emphasize the clean meats and fish, and the beneficial vegetables, have some eggs a few times per week, take a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast every day (my favorite brand is KAL, and it tastes great in salad dressing, meat sauce, even fruit smoothies -- and disappears when added to tuna with oil & lemon), and include either VERY FRESH flax oil or some fresh-ground flax meal soaked for 20 minutes in a bit of water, every day for now. The O plan of diet and exercise will do the lion's share of the work, but if you're motivated to use these tips, you'll speed your progress. At any rate, you've come to the right place for the last diet you'll ever need!! Please keep in touch and let us know how it's going for you!

_

__

Hello, George! The type O diet is the place to start. Modify it as follows for one month: eat no refined sugars, no grains, no fried foods and no nightshade vegetables (tomatoes or peppers of any kind). We want to eliminate anything that might be worsening the psoriasis, so if you notice any food that seems to make things worse, give it the boot. Every day, grind up (in a clean coffee-grinder or with a mortar & pestle) a tablespoon of brown or gold flaxseed. Cover with a little water for 20 minutes, and slurp it down. Follow it with a teaspoon of good, fresh fish oil. Eat as many raw and lightly-steamed beneficial vegetables as you can stuff into yourself. Have your organic meat and one serving of fish every day. Get an (organic) egg or two per day. Drink near three quarts of pure water every day (NOT distilled, but spring or filtered water), and a quart of high-solids mineral water such as Gerolsteiner. Take the PolyFlora-O and ARA6 supps from this site if possible ~ they will speed your healing.

Check EVERY SINGLE INGREDIENT of every product that goes in your mouth. It’s a lot safer to make your own salad dressing in a blender, using oil, lemon juice, salt, and anything else you like to add, than to risk any storebought brand which may contain bad oils or corn sweeteners. Same goes for ketchup & mayonnaise… although there are some decent ketchup brands such as Muir Glen. I plan to post basic recipes for common condiments here soon. They are simple to make, take about 5 minutes, keep just as long as the commercial stuff, and are much tastier when you make them at home.

If you are now taking any drugs, or have been on courses of antibiotics and/or corticosteroids, I cannot tell you to stop taking them ~ but these drugs do slow the course of your healing. They impair your immune functions, which reside primarily in the health and activity of beneficial flora and fauna in your digestive system. Psoriasis is a symptom of autoimmune dysfunction. These drugs are given because conventional medicine doesn’t know how to treat the causes of your condition – they’re doing the best they can to limit your symptoms, but such treatments are counterproductive in the case of most health troubles, including yours. As your condition improves, consult with your doctor about very gradually lowering the dosages of the psoriasis medications, if any, that you’re on.

The last thing you’re enthusiastic about right now is exercise, right? ;-) I want to strongly encourage you to begin an exercise plan. Its benefits are far above and beyond the effort it takes to get started and stick with it. Every aspect of your life will thank you for pursuing a solid type O exercise regime ~ including, most swiftly and notably, your largest organ: your skin. And consider a deep stress-relief practice such as Transcendental Meditation or Medical Meditation ~ the book Meditation as Medicine is available at most general bookstores and from online sellers like amazon.com and is a treasure in a package. Lower your stored stresses, and allow your body’s natural healing to take over from the fight-or-flight mode which lies at the root of autoimmune disorders.

Folks, if you have psoriasis, just follow these instructions based on your own ABO diet and activity plan. And please, give me your feedback on your experiences with psoriasis. This is a disabling disease that strikes children, adults of childbearing age, the elderly... let's work together to make it as rare as hens' teeth! My ears are wide open over here! :-)

Hello, Cheryl! Good question! Barley malt (the sweetener; that’s its common name), is the avoid. Whole barley and sprouted barley or ‘malted barley’ (the whole grains or flours) are neutral for ABs. On product ingredient lists, the sweetener will appear as “barley malt” and the OK stuff will show up as “sprouted barley” or “malted barley,” or the flours made thereof. Sorry for the confusion! :-}

_



The best grapeseed oil available is expeller-pressed. If you find an organic brand, please let me know and I’ll publish it here ~ I’ve yet to find either grapeseed or rice bran oil, domestic or imported, from an organic producer, and those are the oils whose high smoke-points make them safer choices for high-heat cooking. Organic wine makers would be the logical place to start to find organic grapeseed oil, but I suspect their output is not yet large enough to support a commercial oil-pressing endeavour. Same for organic rice farms, but check into it for yourself if possible. There’s no ABO rating for grapeseed oil at the moment, so it may be considered neutral for all types for now. A note: if your walnut oil is unrefined (a few high-end companies like Flora offer it), it should be used only in low- or no-heat applications ~ salad dressings, or a drizzle on already-cooked food. Same goes for all nut oils, like macadamia or almond, and seed oils such as safflower or flax. By the way, sesame oil has a smoke-point near that of olive oil (325 F or lower), and is an avoid for ABs, so make me happy and stay away from that one? After all, you’ve got peanut oil, you lucky devil! Even better, look into soy oil ~ it has the highest smoke-point of any oil on your neutral & beneficial list. :-) I’m going on a bit long here, so let me refer you to a basic reference for oil composition and great details: the CYB Edible Oils Site. Enjoy!

_



Well, Shani, the more listed avoids you’ve been eating regularly, the more spectacular your progress will be when you get fully on the AB diet! So I want to hear you thank that chicken for how great it makes you feel when you stop eating it. :-D The food lectins for specified items do not change from location to location ~ however, named foods (beans and fish especially) may be confusing due to the U.S. terminology we use, or missing altogether from the lists because of the item’s rarity or general unavailability here in the States. This problem shouldn’t arise as much for you in Canada as it does for folks in – say, China, for example ~ but if you find unlisted foods common in your area, drop me a note and we’ll stumble through it together! I’m batting a pretty high average for fish, and our readers haul me up on the bean issue when I need it. Keep in touch!!

_



Oh, drat. This is a complex issue, on which I’m truly not professionally equipped to comment and as well severely prejudiced in favor of abolishing inoculations altogether except in cases of specific and extreme risk. Let me set aside my personal feelings and relate to you what our Blood Type Encyclopedia (page 454) has to say: “Blood group AB has a relatively [compared with the other ABO types] poor ability to generate antibodies against any of the influenza viruses.” So I have to say, if you decide you are at risk, do get that flu shot. If you do so, plan ahead to embark upon a program of taking Probiotic-AB and ARA6 every single day thereafter; the toxins and potential digestive imbalances created by the action of the influenza vaccination should be dealt with immediately for your greatest health and comfort. As my personal opinion only: if you are solidly on the AB diet and in good health right now, get a bottle of ProBerry3 from our store here and take it according to the package directions, every day till Spring is sprung. Include ARA6 to motivate your intestinal health and feed those vital flora and fauna, and eat your beneficials all winter long ~ with special emphasis on hardy greens, turkey, coldwater fish, eggs, oils, yams, and tempeh. Immunity resides in your gut, and we want those wonderful creatures to be happy, happy, happy. If you’re in the U.S., visit www.heallix.com and spring for this expensive but nearly miraculous compound. A little goes a long way, and nothing’s nicer than knowing you’re safe from viral and bacterial infection. Good health and a flu-free winter to you, Karen!

_





I'll paraphrase my column from August 12: The coffee status is an update ~ a refinement to the original ratings, based on new research and made possible by further work on secretor and nonsecretor reactions as well as other recent developments in this field. Peter decided that when considering all the new data together, coffee’s known detriments to your type have now been judged to outweigh the benefits – thus, the rating was adjusted. This is still a rather new science, but we expect more additions to the lists than changes from here on in. Thanks for your patience, and take a look at all the marvelous coffee substitutes on the health-food market that you can have & I can’t! Kaffree Roma and Teechino in all its varieties come immediately to mind, along with Raja’s Cup (a potent cup of antioxidants that we ALL can use). Your wide choice of grains means nearly every coffee sub you see will be OK for your type, and don’t forget roasted dandelion root ~ it’s lovely made into a tea that does yeoman service as a coffee-ish drink. Read the labels and pick a tasty one that will help enhance your health!!! _



Hi, Pamela ~ I can’t recommend coral calcium, for reasons I went into in the column on October 22. Your AB diet is “secretly” supporting an ideal acid/alkaline balance in your body, so stick with it. The Phytocal-AB product sold here on this site is the one type of calcium supplement I can wholeheartedly endorse, not only for the care taken in gathering its elements, and the high absorption factor of its ingredients, but most of all for the crafting of the supplement to suit AB biochemistry – including their generally rather low comparative stomach acid levels. A friend of mine credits the addition of Phytocal-AB to his diet for the remission of his intractable prostate cancer ~ I can’t say for certain that this happened as he described it, but it’s worth a mention here if only as an anecdote. I hear a lot of them, and the general trend leads me to believe that any AB concerned about their calcium intake will be well served by the supp Peter made just for YOU.

_

Type ABs ~ Want to see more columns about youse guys? WRITE IN!! :-) I’m running mighty low on AB questions! I'm sure there are plenty of ideas you have on topics of interest to those rare birds among us! Gimme ‘em.

:->

Is grapeseed oil acceptable to use on an O Type diet? Dianne

The nice thing about grapeseed oil (and rice bran oil) is the high smoke point. It is better for high-heat cooking than olive oil. However, both products undergo far more processing to extract the oil than olives, nuts and seeds (all higher in oil) and this fact is a concern for whole-food advocates. In terms of ABO reactivity, we have no test results for either of them ~ they may be considered "neutral" until proven otherwise. :-)

Hi Heidi, This may be more a doc Bron query, but: I am type O on the diet for over a year, do the high protein, high raw version but have recently encountered a strange problem: I now have dark discoloration at the outside corner of each eye, the same as the typical circles under the eyes, which I don't have a problem with. I once read somewhere that discoloration of the skin around the eyes related to kidney or oxygen uptake issues, which I hope isn't happening to me. What could cause/cure this condition? thanks. jc

J, you've taken a shot in the dark by offering me this Q, and I've little other than the same to shoot back: Is this a pinkish-brown or a bluish discoloration? Do you spend most of your waking hours in front of a video monitor? I'd say if it is pinkish rather than blue, it may be cause for adding at least a liter per day of mineral water to your diet as well as some really fresh flax oil or meal. If it is bluish, it may be simply the result of a sharp reduction in your skin fat layer ~ or the result of eyestrain. Bilberry? Cheap and worth a shot! ;->

Hi, Heidi, I'm not going to give you time to respond to my previous question before asking again because this has been "bugging" me since I got the Blood Type Encyclopedia this summer. I have been an advocate of natural remedies for decades, and was surprised to see how some of them were classified. I am a type B secretor, and have been taking, among others, garlic, hawthorne and bilberry for their supportive effects. I take others, but those three are interesting because they are not listed as being beneficial to type Bs for their usual support (cholesterol, cardiac and eye health respectively). They aren't listed as avoid either, but it makes me wonder if they do any good for a type B, as they are listed with those benefits or as part of the protocols for one or two other blood types such as O or O and A. Herb

Herb, since you have the Encyclopedia, I'd suggest you use your experience and knowledge of your own body's reactions to design your own protocol. Some herbs/supps/compounds work wonders in one type while they're rather limp noodles for others, even though they do no active harm. The issue is bang for the buck. Using the Encyclopedia's recommendations means you can take advantage of this research in order to maximize your results per dollar.

:-)

I want to suggest that a map location of the dadamo clinic be posted on this site because I live in san diego , CA & I have an appointment at his clinic on dec /11/2002 thanx

I notice that some listed avoid foods make energize me & some beneficial foods sicken me,?what can be determined about that?

the Encyclopedia says Caviar is avoid 4 type(A): ?Is that all species of fish eggs even beneficial fish?-Happy holidays:-)

I forgot to mention that I put a little squeeze of fresh lemon in the hot filtered water with Cortiguard pills. bhop

Bhop, if you go to www.yahoo.com, you'll see a tiny link to "Maps." Just enter the address listed on our site for the clinic, and a map will be created before your very eyes. :-) If any of the beneficial foods give you trouble, put them aside for a month. Test small amounts at that time, and give it another month's break if they still don't sit right. As to the avoids, I must say that whole wheat and sugar energize me, too ~ then they drop me like a rock, all the while urging me to eat more, more, more.... many avoids act as drugs, and although the initial effect may seem positive, they do nothing but harm and entail a withdrawal period which we all face if we're committed to better health. "Caviar" means Beluga, Sevruga and Osetra caviar. Salmon roe is listed separately. Others (unlisted) are unknowns, to be treated as neutrals unless you are trying to resolve a health problem. About the lemon water & cortiguard ~ interesting, thanks!!

I just started on the blood type diet. I am type O. Under cereals in the book, kasha is listed as neutral. I'm not sure what that is, and have not found it in a store. However, I found a cereal by the name of Kashi at the Whole Foods store. Is that the same thing, or if not, is it still allowable for type O? It does have Whole Hard Red Winter Wheat listed as the first ingredient, and I didn't know if that was different than the whole wheat that is on the Avoid List. (This kashi cereal also contains whole long grain brown rice, honey, evaporated cane juice, whole oats, whole barley, whole triticale, whole rye, whole buckwheat, sesame seeds.) Thanks very much! Joan

Hi, Joan ~ Kasha is ... well, I'll let the folks at AgInnovation News explain it:

"A whole buckwheat seed looks like a tiny black pyramid with a round base. About 16 seeds fit on a thumbnail. The seed's hull is black and fibrous, but not that difficult to crack. Inside lays the light and sweet groat, which some say tastes like honey and nuts. Cracked buckwheat groats are sold as buckwheat grits. Roasted buckwheat groats or grits are known as kasha.

Kashi, on the other hand, is only a company name, and as you so astutely pointed out, the ingredients list is "where it's at" when deciding whether to purchase a product. Good work!! :-)

thanks again, everyone!! :-D

:-D Well, with all four blood types in your family, my opinion is that if your husband and kids get up in the morning, get dressed, get fed and go about their daily business, you're doing a spectacular job! You've got the basics down cold, and what can I say? Whew! Have a seat for a moment or two, and let's put our heads together on making that job a bit easier.

There are a few basic meals that work for everyone. I compiled these originally for dinner party menu planning, since I don't always know everyone's blood type ~ that situation rarely continues past the appetizer course (:-D) but if I don't get the chance to sneak up behind the "unknown types," yell "SURPRISE!!" and prick their finger, at least I know I haven't fed them avoids. tee hee!

I. Fish/green veg or salad/rice. Bullhead, carp, chub, cod, croaker, cusk, drum, halfmoon fish, mackerel, mahi-mahi, monkfish, mullet, perch of all kinds, pickerel, pike, porgy, red snapper, rosefish, sailfish, salmon, sardines, scrod, shark, smelt, sturgeon, sucker, sunfish, swordfish, tilapia, tuna, weakfish and whitefish are all OK for all types. Many of them are cheap and readily available in most seasons. Cod, mullet, snapper, salmon and others do well with a touch of lemon, butter and salt and a quick jaunt under the broiler. Your daughter & husband will appreciate a bit of OK cheese sprinkled on their half of the filet. Canned Alaskan salmon and sardines are amazingly inexpensive and beneficial for nearly all of us. A "fishloaf" made from mashed canned salmon (with the bones and skin), dried Ezekiel bread crumbs, egg, sea salt and minced onions & green herbs is simple and fast to make. Try the www.foodtv.com site for Mario Batali's recipes for oily fish like sardines and mackerel. The kids will like them, trust me!

II. Turkey/green or orange veg (and/or salad)/rice. Good quality organically-fed birds are more and more commonly found in large supermarkets these days, and year-round. If you buy a 15-pound bird, it can be roasted (unstuffed) very simply on a bed of carrots, celery and onions, and will provide a meat course for 4 for a few days. We carve the turkey immediately after roasting, and make stock from the bones and roasted vegetables. Frozen in pint containers, this is a great base for a quick soup of any kind later on. There's a vast number of veggies which work for all types. Also: ask your butcher for ground dark meat turkey. It makes great burgers for everyone.

III. OSTRICH in a rich stew with vegetables (carrots, celery, turnips or parsnips, cremini or portobello mushrooms, onions, parsley, garlic, kale sauteed separately with onions & salt, and some warm sweet spices like ginger and clove -- you can really stuff the veggies into them this way!!) with some red wine or marsala for richness (the alcohol boils away). If you live in an area of the world where ostrich is inexpensive, by all means make use of it. Just sear the chunked meat in a bit of oil, add the veg and broth, wine if desired, and sea salt, pepper & spices to taste. Cook until the ostrich begins to show a "looser" texture, but not so long that it begins to shred. It does have a flavor reminiscent of venison (a touch liver-y) which virtually disappears after storing the stew in the fridge for a day. At that point it will fool everyone into thinking it's beef. Reassure your son & husband that it's OK!

IV. Two-Pot Stir-Fry: A little olive oil and water in each pan. Onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, curly kale, broccoli, summer or winter squash, ~ asparagus & spinach in the spring ~ In the type O & B pot, put slices of the beef, lamb, liver, venison, turkey, or others, and in the A & AB pot, sizzle up some sliced tofu or tempeh... or turkey.

V. The Spanish Tortilla: It's a huge, thick omelette, primarily made up of vegetables -- onions, garlic, greens, shredded squashes, you name it. Saute it all in a heavy pan with olive oild, cover with beaten egg salted & peppered & herbed (if desired). Scatter some ground meat on one half, some diced tofu or tempeh on the other. Bake it until toasty-gold on top and cooked through. This can be sliced pizza-style and eaten hot, room temperature or cold. Grated cheese is a nice touch for the cheese-eaters. Tomato & sweet or hot pepper fans can have their portions sprinkled accordingly. A fresh salad goes superbly with it.

VI. Little Green Mystery Bundles: Boil a pot of salted water and add whole kale or collard leaves, with the stems snipped off. Leave them for a minute then plunge them into ice water, drain and set out on a pan. For the stuffing, some steamed rice for the hubby & kids, some tofu seasoned with tamari for hubby & son, sliced leftover meat for you & daughter, and any leftover cooked veggies for everyone. A little grated horseradish in each packet, roll up the leaves over the stuffing, secure with a toothpick, pour a cup of broth over the whole thing and bake for 30 minutes at 350 or so. Mark each one with a piece of veg, or different-colored toothpicks, so you'll know which is which! :-)

I know Denise isn't the only head cook of a four-type family out there. Got strategies of your own? Send them in, and we'll publish them for the benefit of all the readers. Denise, I hope these offerings stimulate your creativity and reduce your workload!! You are already doing a superb job of feeding your family. We'll do our best to support you!! My sincerest admiration goes out to you, and congratulations on your devotion to your family's health and well-being. Prosper, my dear!

Yes, it is perfectly OK to avoid the higher-carb foods for now, and to introduce them very slowly as your body's balance re-asserts itself. Most of the beneficial vegetables in the O diet are dark greens, very low-carb. The pork and dairy products as well as the avoid fats, vegetables and fruits approved under the Atkins plan are contributing to the toxicity (skin healing trouble) and high blood pressure. You will certainly see an improvement if you follow the Live Right 4 Your Type food list, with an emphasis on the beneficial meats, vegetables and fats. You can still have a serving (or two) per day of low-sugar berries -- you need those proanthocyanadins for skin health and antioxidant effects.

I'm sure that if the Atkins plan helped somewhat, this one will work wonders for you. It incorporates all the basic theories behind that system, but protects you from the deleterious effects of pork, bad fats and dairy. Consult the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia for specific protocols to boost your thyroid functioning.

Keep in touch about your progress, and thanks for writing, Sophie! :-)