Responses to Questions:

I’ve been so busy lately, but I have a bunch of comments to reply to. So I’m just going to toss them out and answer them here…So for Julie, Redd, Gina, Rebekah and Alicia, here goes, I’m only about halfway through them, so I’ll post more in the next couple days:

Carob status: Os can have carob and cocoa, but chocolate bars are a bit harder to come by since non-secretors can’t have milk or sugar. Thanks for the recipe, Rebekah

Rebekah’s Freeze Recipe Now, I can’t mention a recipe without posting it,… I haven’t tried it yet, and have a bit of adaptation to do for nonsecretors, but it sounds great and for you secretors, here you go: “Rebekah's Freeze: 3 bananas 3-5 fresh dates almond milk walnuts nutmeg, *when you peel and freeze bananas, their structure changes. Peel and freeze the bananas for 24 hrs. Make almond milk by blending a cup of blanched almonds with 3 cups water for 1-2 minutes, then strain with cheesecloth. This is nice to have on hand. Yum. Use about 1/8 of a cup of almond milk, processed with the dates in the food processor. Smash it or process it with the frozen chopped bananas, (Making sure all ingredidnts are kept really cold) and add walnuts and spice at the end. Cardamon is also nice. This is not exactly unlike Chunky monkey ice cream, sans chocolate.” If any nonsecretors try it, let me know how your substitutions go…prunes instead of dates? Or maybe just some molasses to sweeten it. I did try some frozen bananas with blueberries and rice milk, it wasn’t as sweet as a typical smoothy, but I liked it and it kept me away from the ice cream everyone else was eating.

Eye color: Blue-hazel, but they always looked green to me because they’re blue with gold in the middle, and yellow + blue make green : )

Cabbage Status: According to TypeBase, cabbage is neutral for secretors, avoid for non-secretors. That seems to be the most up-to-date ranking.

Avocado Status: Beneficial for O non-secretors, but yes, they are avoids for secretors. Yet, secretors can have a little dairy and soy, while alack, non-secretors cannot. So I sometimes use avocados to fulfill my need for something smooth and creamy. They’re beneficial because they’re good for our vulnerable non-secretor teeth.

For Redd: I agree with the idea that garbage gets stored in our fat cells, and comes back to haunt us when we lose weight. That’s interesting about smelling the cigarettes from long ago during weightloss and cleansing. I’ve never smoked, but I have noticed feeling old yuckiness when losing weight… I gained a lot after having mono, and was quite sick, then when I lost that weight, I had some of my mono symptoms return. I think exercise helps flush the junk out of your bloodstream a little faster after it’s released from your fat cells.

Why Shouldn’t Meat be Frozen I don’t remember where I read it, either Live Right or the Encyclopedia, but freezing meat increases the polyamine content. It's still better to eat meat that's been frozen, than not eat meat, for Os, but fresher is always better. Where I live, fish is almost always frozen, especially the good stuff like wild alaskan salmon, so I eat it, and balance it out with foods that lower polyamines. Actually, Thanks to Nina and Heidi, I now know that it's only commercially flash frozen meats that have higher polyamines. Foods you freeze in your own freezer are fine. That's a relief! Thanks for the note on that!

Ibuprophen: I’ve had doctors tell me to take this as well, for maintenance, since I too am prone to inflammation. It’s unfortunate that O’s are more prone to inflammation, but also more prone to stomach problems from the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories, like Aspirin and Ibuprophen. I don’t think Dr. D’Adamo recommends taking them, but there are some herbs that can help, and of course, the diet is the best medicine of any. Check out the anti-inflammation protocol: http://www.dadamo.com/protocols/4.html Not to say that I never take ibuprophen, but I try to not take it too often. Be sure to really avoid wheat, corn, and dairy products, but I’m beginning to think that for Os, all avoids cause inflammation.

Here’s my recipe for energy balls, it’s in RecipeBase, but I made some adaptations, so I’ll post it here…

Recipe: Energy balls or bars

Submitted by: Deb (wheelsnz@ihug.co.nz)

Can by used by: A,O

Description Dried fruit, nut & seed snack, sweet but not as sickly as some bought bars. Inspired by Energy Balls sold in Homestead Health Shop, Wgtn, NZ, but some Ingredients changed to suit an O/A household. Any combination of dried fruit, nuts & seeds could be used.

The "LSA" included in the recipe comes from "The Liver Cleansing Diet" by Dr Sandra Cabot and consists of 3 parts flaxseed, 2 parts sunflower seeds, 1 part almonds, all ground up together. Good sprinkled on cereal or added to baking. Store in freezer. Category Other Ingredients

I’ve adapted it to an O non-secretor (I think it’s okay for A’s as well)

¾ Cup prunes

¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds

½ cup almonds or walnuts or any combination

¼ cup flax seeds

½ cup raisins

½ cup dried cranberries

Approx 2 Tbs water

Approx 2 oz sesame seeds

Directions Put the prunes, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts & flaxseed into food processor. Process till fruit is mashed and nuts & seeds are roughly chopped (or till all pureed together, if you prefer a smoother texture – which I do).

Add raisins & cranberries and process till just combined. Add just enough water to bind together (about 2 Tbs)

To make balls :

Roll spoonfuls of the mixture in sesame seeds till well coated. Chill. Makes about 20 small balls (I eat 2-3 at once for a small snack) or could be made into 10 bigger balls.

To make bars : (not as fiddly)

Stir the sesame seeds into the mixture and press into a tin that has been lined with baking paper or lightly greased. Chill. Can then be cut into whatever size you want. This amount fills a tray about 5" by 9", but the recipe could easily be doubled or tripled.

Note : B, AB's - you could probably try different combinations of fruit & nuts, but I'm not sure whether it could work without the seeds.

Enjoy!

I don’t know if my As are secretors, but I’ll assume they are for this listing of veggies that are beneficial to both types. I figure, if I’m going to go to the trouble of preparing vegetables and trying to get my A’s to eat them, I’m going to concentrate on the veggies that are beneficial for all of us. I've listed them loosely in the order of what's most common/easy for me, to what I've never tried or hardly heard of:



Carrot

Broccoli

Onion

Garlic

Spinach

Pumpkin

Artichokes

Ginger

Horseradish

Beet Greens

Swiss Chard

Dandelion

Escarole

Kale - I've tried this but haven't prepared it myself

Collard Greens - I've tried this but haven't prepared it myself

Okra - I've only tried this in soups and prepared foods

Kohlrabi - I've never tried this one

Chicory - Until recently I wasn't even sure what this was...

I thought chicory was curly endive, but I think it looks more like a wrinkled collard greens.

PhytoBase info on Chicory:

As a vegetable, Chicory is mentioned by the ancient authors Horace, Pliny, Virgil, and Ovid. The blanched leaves can be used cooked and in salads. In France and Belgium, the roots are sliced, kiln-dried, roasted, ground, and added to coffee, imparting a slightly bitter taste and dark color. For medicinal purposes, the leaves, the roots, and the entire plant--both fresh and dried--are all subject to use. Chicory works by increasing the flow of bile into the digestive tract.

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Brief update:

Thanks to Paul, I now know that Chicory is related to dandelion, and it tastes good in a green salad. Hmmm. Maybe I have space to grow some...I don't have much space, but he said it doesn't take much. I find it interesting to read about his fall and garden harvest, during my springtime. It seems to tie the passage of the seasons together in my mind; I'm usually just stuck in the season I'm in, without really thinking about the next.

My herb seedlings are sprouting! The basil is doing especially well (I'll have to thin it out soon since my little one thought it was fun to toss the seeds around), the italian parsley is a bit behind but strong looking, and the tiny chamomile seeds have turned into tiny seedlings.

No more pot luck dinners for me! I should have eaten before going and taken some deflect, but I was too busy making a salad. I ended up so hungry that I ate too many avoids at the dinner. I don't know which ones got me, but they got me good. It took me 3 hours to get to sleep last night, as I was achy, gassy, itchy, and restless. Drat! And I've got a busy day today.

I think I'll make and freeze some homemade compliant TV dinners to take with me from now on. I'll get some of those sectioned plates with lids, like ziplock or gladware, that type, and just grab one out of the freezer and throw it in the car on my way out. Frozen is better than full-of-avoids. Meat, rice, veggies...just basic little meals. That will be my goal for this week...to put those together. I'm the only O and hate cooking for one, so I'll cook for 8, and freeze the other 7

I did meet my goal for last week, that was planting some herbs and starting some herb seeds. That was a fun goal, and I'm excited to see them grow, and more excited to eat them.

I just made a makeshift lunch with no meat in the fridge. I scrambled 2 eggs, added one 15 oz can of salmon, then put the 'scramble' on top of lettuce, with lemon juice sprinkled on top (saving half of the salmon for later). It was pretty good, and very satisfying ... a better lunch than I expected to have when I trudged into the kitchen!

While we're on the subject of vegetables, I found some nice artichokes yesterday so I bought 4 of them. I've eaten 2 since then. I've always liked artichokes, and they're beneficial for Os and As. This time I steamed them in the pressure cooker, and they tasted better than when I boil them...less water, more flavor. If I'd been really ambitious, I would have made hollandaise sauce, but I found lemon juice and salt does just fine. Just cut off the stem to make a flat base, then cut off the top inch or so. Some people trim the top of each leaf, but I don't think it's necessary, unless you just want to make them pretty and less prickly. You can boil them for up to 45 minutes until tender, or follow your pressure cooker instructions to steam them with a couple inches of water, mine was 10 minutes at the lower pressure setting. To eat, gently scrape the bottom of each leaf off with your teeth and discard the rest of the leaf, don't eat the tiny or hairlike leaves in the middle (the choke), but do eat the heart, which is the bottom/base of the critter. If you haven't had an artichoke before, the flavor is kind of starchy, but also has some greenness too it, maybe a little like cauliflower without that cabbagy flavor. I like them more each time I try them.

I had the best tasting steak I've ever had last night, It was the 8 oz. filet at Prime Steakhouse in Park City, Utah. If you're ever in the area, and you're an O, I highly recommend it. The sear it at 1700 degrees and serve it on a sizzling hot plate. The seared tuna appetizer is also wonderful, about as rare on the inside as I've ever dared eat, but sooo delicious. Made me think that maybe I could enjoy sushi. I'm sure their salmon and chicken are exceptional too, for any As, although the steak is difficult to resist. It's not often that you find a restaurant where the dessert is not the best part of the meal, it wouldn't matter what the dessert was, it wouldn't be better than that steak.

Here's the long-awaited recipe for o-nonnie gluten-free flatbread...

A BIG thanks to Linda P. for sending me her recipe. I changed it a bit, as she usually uses rice flour, and my rice flour had gone rancid (it's been a while since I cooked) I had some fresh amaranth flour in the fridge, so I used it, then had to add eggs because amaranth doesn't hold together as well as rice flour. So here you have it:

Flax Flatbread

1/4 Cup flax seeds

1 1/2 Cup amaranth flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2-3 Cups Water (enough to make it a very thin batter)

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

1/4 teaspoon baking powder (optional)

4 beaten eggs

Just mix it all together, you can vary the recipe quite a bit, Linda has used lentil flour, quinoa+rice flour, and added various spices. With rice flour, you don't need the eggs (I made a few that way before I realized it was bad flour)

Pour 1/4 cup or so of batter onto a hot (about medium high) oiled pan, and tilt pan or spread it around to make it as thin as possible. Wait for the top to become dry and the sides to start curling, wait a little more, and flip it over. I didn't burn any, they don't seem to burn as readily as your regular pancake. When they're done, they'll be browned on both sides and feel a little crisp with now sogginess. As they cool they will soften a bit but still hold together well (if they don't, put them back on the griddle for a bit).

I ate one with almond butter on it. My version gets little holes in them as they cook, so double them up if you're wrapping messy stuff in them, as they will leak a bit. The rice version didn't get the holes. Linda also recommends storing some in the freezer between wax paper, and baking them to make them crispy. I'll keep you posted if I find exciting uses for them.

I did have a couple epiphanies today in the kitchen, regarding getting sick after eating the pizza I made Sunday. The rice crusts do have an avoid in them, potato, and once I bought them from the same store and got them out of the freezer that same day to find that they had somehow gotten moldy, so I have some cause for concern about quality control. This one wasn't moldy, but makes me wonder how fresh they are... one taste of my rancid rice flour made my stomach turn a little, so if the crust was a bit off, that could have also made me sick. For now, I'll just keep avoiding the avoids, and watch out for reactions to food that isn't fresh.

Oh! I'm also excited that we got a new freezer today. It's so big! I plan to fill it up with fresh goodies from the kitchen, as time permits making them. I know some foods shouldn't be frozen...like meat and fish, but I'll keep a little of that in there too, since I can only buy some of them, like wild salmon, if I buy them frozen. Then I'll keep cherry juice and other beneficials that lower polyamines, on hand. Every week I'll make extra energy balls, flatbread, etc. and freeze it, as well as any herbs I grow. (I bought some italian parsley, sage, (I already have thyme), rosemary, lavender, and oregano plants today, and some seeds for basil, chamomile, and curly parsley. My son will enjoy helping me plant them and getting thoroughly dirty.

Enjoy the recipe!

I’m still making good progress, even with my hard times. I’ve lost almost 20 pounds since January, and I’m almost to my pre-pregnancy weight. Then I want to lose another 20 pounds to get to my goal weight. Then…I will continue with the diet of course, and see what other nice surprises lay in store for me.

The question is, once my weight and health are where they should be, will I still find motivation to stay on the BTD way of living? I hope so, and would like to plan ways to stick with it this time. It was a gradual road to low compliance, last time. I figured I could afford to cheat now and then. That became more and more often, and began to include corn and dairy. I think my ‘cheats’ next time will have to be more strict…like a few more neutral carbs here and there, but no avoids. Especially not avoids that are in the top ten or so worst avoids for my type…like corn and dairy surely are. Is there a category of superavoids? Of course, the diet isn’t about what we can ‘safely’ cheat with, an avoid is an avoid, they all have consequences.

Here’s some other motivation I just thought of…Think of the example you can set when you continue on the diet even after you are obviously healthy. That’s bound to get more interest in the diet than before, I would think. To be a person who others ask “what’s your secret?” To have been overweight, lost the weight, then kept if off for years of excellent health is more an accomplishment than just losing it in the first place.

Of course, I haven't met my goals yet, but I'm sure I will, and I'm sure some of you have!

I actually hit the sidewalk again today, 3 miles, walking, up and down hills, pushing a stroller. It was a good workout, but my allergies almost did me in. I took some nettle root when I got home; next time I'll take it before I go. It seems to work as well as allergy medicine, without making me tired.

I've become more aware of my weaknesses and bad habits over the last month or two, and I've been developing a strategy to end them. Especially in times of stress or illness, I crave some of my old comfort foods. For times like those, I'm devising substitutions. I don't think substitutions are always a good long-term strategy, but for those times, they certainly help. For long-term, I often feel more satisfied when I just forget about the comfort foods all together and focus on beneficial foods that may not resemble my old comfort foods whatsoever.

Here are my weaknesses, and some O-nonnie substitutions:

Corn chips, corn shells: I'm going to try a recipe for flat bread that I was given here. I'll let you know how it goes. Since I have gluten intolerance, many of the simple substitutions, like ezekiel tortillas, don't work for me.

Colas: I have a weakness for Coke, mainly, as Pepsi has too much artificial citric acid and thus gives me gooseggs on my head and a headach. Anybody else experience that? Anyway, back to the subject at hand, sparkiling water and neutral or beneficial juice works great. I use more juice to water when I'm really having a hard time with compliance, as this more closely resembles the sweetness of colas. I also occasionally add rice milk for a cream soda, but haven't yet found or made a compliant rice milk to recommend.

Sweets: Mix a little molasses in almond butter, it satisfies the sweet tooth a bit better for times when that's needed, spread on a rice cake. I've heard that frozen grapes taste like candy, but haven't tried them yet. Bananas and fruit are always good too.

Salty, crunchy snacks: If you can find a compliant rice cracker, they taste pretty good with guacamole or other compliant dip. Homemade jerky also works, slice it really thin, or have a butcher slice it for you before you make it, I like to eat it out of the freezer as it's crunchier and easier to chew. I need to find more substitutions in this area...

Any other ideas...feel free to comment them to me and I'll post them on my blog for everyone to enjoy!