When I was in college I got into the habit of having a diet Dr. Pepper every afternoon at 3:30. I continued the habit after graduation when I started working. One day, I think I was on a photography assignment away from the office, I skipped my afternoon soda, and I soon had a splitting headache. I realized I was addicted to caffeine.

I also realized I didn't feel as hungry when I had my diet Dr. Pepper. The next time I gained weight, I decided to have a big jug of tea mid-morning and my soda mid-afternoon. That should keep me from being hungry, and I should lose weight. (This was 30 years ago! Before I had any interest in nutrition and long, long before the BTD)

I did lose a little weight, but I was jittery, headachy, and generally wired. I realized my plan had backfired. I decided to cut out all caffeine for a few days and get it completely out of my system. As my body was going through these ridiculous ups and downs, I did notice one thing. When I increased my tea and soda intake my background ear noise got worse. When I stopped drinking coffee, tea and soda, the ear noise went away.

Nerve deafness runs in my family, so that got my attention. I decided to give up all caffeine. So for 30 years, I have not had coffee, tea, or soda except for an occasional decaf coffee and herb tea. When I started the BTD and read that green tea was beneficial, I bought Celestial Seasonings Decaf Mint Green Tea. I have really enjoyed it, and peppermint is also beneficial.

Tonight I was making myself a cup and thinking about Dr. D'Adamo's Bird Flu Blog. It dawned on me for the first time that I might have jumped to the wrong conclusion about caffeine. Coffee is avoid for Type O, so are black tea and commercial sodas. Could it be that the headaches and ear noise were caused by the avoids and not the caffeine? Should I try regular green tea to see if it is more beneficial for me or whether it brings back the ear noise? I'll give it some thought.

This illustrates why, though the anecdotal evidence for the BTD is interesting, the scientific method is what gives the BTD credibility.

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This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:18