The produce department at the grocery store has new signs. They are based on the Color Diet, so naturally, they are very colorful and attention grabbing. At the top they say "Eat 5-a-Day for Better Health"

It makes me smile. How would a Type O manage on ONLY 5 fruits and vegetables a day? I eat a minimum of 9-a-day; often 12 or 13. I have a fruit (grapefruit, pineapple, or dried figs) while I'm fixing breakfast and packing lunches for the rest of the family. After they are out the door, I eat my seed and fruit mixture (another 2-3 fruits). I've had 4 fruits before 8:00 AM!!! I have 2-3 cold leftover vegetables with beef for lunch, a snack that almost always includes a fruit or vegetable when I get home from school, and another 2-3 vegetables with dinner.

Even my Type As who are allowed more grain and beans get 6-8 servings of fruit and vegetables. I might need to be careful of my serving definitions. If I grill an onion and cook greens or squash with it, I don't measure; I just count it as two vegetables. If I fix a big salad with Romaine and fresh spinach, I count that as two. If I season with garlic or horseradish, I don't count either of them.

I worked for one part of my journalism career in advertising. So I began to think about what kind of posters the D'Adamo clinic could print and donate to produce departments. The four lists of beneficials would certainly be confusing. And listing avoids would be sure to cause conflict. My college son is not happy to find that I don't intend to put oranges or orange juice on my summer shopping list.