Now that I can call myself a celiac, without reservation, I've been thinking about it more. Of course I still have an unpleasant reminder of the rye down in my belly, so that makes me think about it all the more. I'm trying to trace it back, and I think I remember being about 6 years old with that feeling in my stomach. I thought everyone got stomach aches as often as I did, it was probably at least twice a month. It's a heavy discomfort that combines both feeling too empty and feeling too full at once. Of course there are other symptoms, but I won't go into that, and I've blocked out those details from my memory. Suffice it to say, I wasn't "normal", although I wasn't severe enough to suspect anything.

I was never the typical undernourished celiac, though I do remember once losing 14 lbs, in two weeks for no good reason. I was a teenager then, so I didn't complain.

It is sad that it is so underdiagnosed in America. I've heard that they screen for it in other countries. While the blood test isn't totally conclusive, from what I understand, it would still be helpful for me to have gotten as a routine test. Then, there are those who won't change their diets even if their doctor tells them to. I think that's as much rooted in not wanting to give up something that tastes good as it is rooted in not wanting to be "different" socially. I can certainly understand both reasons, and it is a pain to be 'nutritionally challenged' especially in social situations or at restaurants, but everyone on the blood type diet understands that frustration! Sometimes I wish I could just cut loose and eat whatever I want for once, yet for a celiac especially, it's really not worth it. Living Without magazine sometimes has some good articles about how to deal with it, and points out that having special dietary needs gives other people a chance to help you that they wouldn't otherwise have. For somebody who is self-sufficient, or proud, like me, that's hard to accept, but when I think about it, it is kind especially nice when friends, family, or waiters and chefs, go to lengths to accomodate me. I only wish Campbells Condensed Soups weren't so prevalent in every casserole around these parts. I wish casseroles weren't so prevalent, in general. The low carb craze has helped with that though. More people are on restricted diets, and more food is served as a square meal with the meat the carb and the vegetable all separate...that is such an improvement!

Food diary, and an informative setback.

Today, not the best day, son woke up 3 hours earlier than usual with a cough, and I never caught up on the sleep, though he has. Had a very late breakfast (11 or 12-ish) of some of the bunch of burgers I made in my foreman grill last night, free-range of course) 2 small patties 1/3 lb. I’d guess. On top of mixed baby greens (organic asian blend in a bag: baby red and green kale, baby mustard (neutral for nonnies), baby chard, and topped with Broccosprouts (broccoli (, red kale ( and garnet amaranth (?) sprouts, a recent find at the HFS), all topped with salt, red pepper and lemon juice. The great thing about raw veggies is…you don’t have to cook them… d’oh!

Lunch was not so good, but still avoid free. Made lentil soup (from a can) for the baby, and he didn’t eat much, so I ate the rest (avoid-free). Had a small slice of rye Manna (Essene) bread (I’ll explain that choice below) with almond butter and all fruit avoid-free cherry spread. Then leftover beef souvlaki from takeout (not sure if it had avoids, but it always agrees with me).

Haven’t drank enough: 12 oz. Water, 6 oz pineapple/cherry/pom juice + 6 oz sparkling water, 5 oz sip right.

Ah, yes. I was going to explain my manna bread choice. It is an experiment. You may remember from my earlier blogs that I’m gluten intolerant. Now for the rest of the story…I don’t do well with wheat (of course), spelt, kamut, oats. I was gluten free for a long time due to this, the grains that are readily available are not grains that I can eat. I asked my doctor about it, but as I was already gluten free, they couldn’t accurately test for celiac disease and didn’t need to. He said, besides, the best way to tell if you’re intolerant to a food is to just stop eating it and see the results, so if you already know this, then the tests won’t change anything. I never got around to testing rye and barley, since it’s not like they are easy to come by, you have to seek them out. Lately I’ve started to wonder if maybe I’m sensitive to something else in the wheat and other grains. So, today I’m testing it with one of the safer grain options I could find 100% sprouted rye manna bread. (I know Ezekiel bread doesn’t work well, so I didn’t try sprouted wheat in the manna bread) Maybe rye will be okay every now and then; so far so good, my joints and gut feel fine.

Later…

Eh, no. Definitely reacted to the rye manna. Classic celiac reaction. Diagnosis confirmed. Oh well, I'm sure it was more pleasant than a biopsy. I should have tested rye long ago and confirmed it then, while my former damage was still fresh…of course, it’s only been a couple weeks since the big wheat mistake (the restaurant told me they didn’t have any wheat or wheat noodles in the kitchen, but the shrimp rolls must have come from a different kitchen!) The rye today must have damaged the new cells that were forming after that wheat damage, because it was more severe than I anticipated. I can now say without doubt that I’m a celiac, and I can be more assertive about it at restaurants. Maybe I’ll even order one of those "Silly Yak" t-shirts I saw advertised in the Living Without magazine.

I didn’t eat much else, just a banana, some deflect, and some sparkling water.

I still fume when I hear criticisms about the diet, they don’t use science in the picture, they just use catch phrases like “Choosing a diet based on blood type is as effective as choosing it based on your astrological sign” and the same catch phrase recirculated in the press over and over and over like a one hit wonder.

Ask my cells what my sign is, they can’t tell you, IMO. Ask them my blood type, they’ll shout it loud and clear. Hey, I'm intelligent, I know what I'm doing, I know nutrition, I know genetics and biochemistry (studied biotechnology in college), I’m not easily swayed by trends or the press…I can tell science from hype. I’ve never fallen for any common scam, I don’t buy from door-to-door salesmen or give information to telemarketers, etc. etc.

Ok, so I did buy into the food pyramid. I was even a vegetarian for a year as a teenager (oops! Wrecked my thyroid, bad news for an O adolescent girl!). I’ve tried all kinds of mainstream advice, and it didn’t work. Not for me. Period. You can’t take statistics and apply them to 100% of everyone. So one diet works for 30% of the population, or an average weight loss from a diet or a pill is 8 lbs.; that’s considered a statistical success, print it in the papers then, but what about the other 70%, what about those who brought down the average? Cookie cutter approaches and statistics just don’t work for everyone. Until the press and the powers that be understand that, they will continue to waffle between low-carb, low-fat, sugar-free, this and that, because they aren’t looking for the RIGHT answer. Statistics do nothing for that one person in 50 million that does get hit by a meteor, it’s just playing with numbers, and I’m not just a number.

I figure it’s time to stoop to the level of the press and those who push other diets on people. I’m only half sarcastic here. This diet really helps people, and I want to publicize it.

Marketing Ideas: T-shirts and bumper stickers

“Body by D’Adamo” - muscle shirts

“Healthy Product of 100 Years of Blood Type Science”

T-shirts that tell how much weight you’ve lost in 10 lbs increments: “It works! I lost 20 pounds with Eat Right 4 Your Type. But the best part is… I feel great!”

“Lean, efficient, Antibiotic-Free, Chemical-Free, Free-Range O…ask me about the Blood Type Plan” and similar phrases for each type.

Any other ideas out there? Let's get brainstorming!

I don’t know if it’s because I’m an O, because I’m a non-secretor with such a black and white reaction to avoids, or because I haven’t often dieted in my lifetime (not really a yo-yo dieter, at least not a successful one), or what, but losing weight on the Blood Type diet is really easy for me. Maybe I’m just really patient in that regard…my hair grows out of bad haircuts seemingly overnight, yet it actually takes as long as anyone else’s, I just don’t think about it every day.

For other diets, weight loss doesn’t come at all. The first time I tried to lose weight I thought I had tried EVERYTHING. Very low calorie diets (down to below 1000 calories a day, before I gave up on that), and lots of exercise (2 hours a day at the gym, 6 days a week). But I got NO results from any of that until I tried the BTD. The pounds kept creeping on, even with low calorie intake and lots of working out. It was such a godsend to try this diet! I was about to give up on myself all together. Atkin’s may have worked if I’d tried it, but it wasn’t quite the rage yet, and I didn’t trust it as far as the health consequences of cutting out so many fruits and veggies, and eating so much bacon and cheese. My high weight was 185, and I couldn’t blame it on pregnancy because that hadn’t happened yet. What I could start to blame it on was mono at 19, which started a crash course through bad health…mono, thyroid, CFS, antidepressant mayhem, back injury, etc. etc. I could hardly walk up a hill, or survive on less than 12 hours sleep a night. Of course WHEAT was a major culprit in all these problems, I cannot stress enough how much damage it does to me. (My grocery store down the street now stocks spelt flour! A few years ago I had to order it over the internet. Times have changed. Of course, I can’t have spelt now, but it still makes me happy to see it on the shelf.)

The epiphany moment for me was, after reading Genetic Nutritioneering by Dr. Bland, and Eat Right 4 Your Type, the ideas were fresh in my head. I didn’t want to find out if I had to give up wheat though. One morning I felt pretty good, got up early and didn’t have breakfast for a couple hours, I got a lot accomplished that morning. When I did have breakfast, it was my old breakfast standby of whole wheat cereal. Within 15 minutes of eating it, I had to go back to bed. I felt tired, lethargic, depressed, achy, the whole bit. That’s when I started to take back control of my body. Found a new breakfast of champions, and a new life. I’m stubborn, of course I tested it over and over before teaching myself it wasn’t worth eating. I tested every avoid after that, before I finally am now convinced that all the avoids really are bad news for me, whether or not I feel the consequences right away.

Anyway, the first week after cutting out wheat I lost 11 pounds. This was miraculous and scary, but I loved it! After I reached my goal (140) I did what I won’t do this time…I got lax with the diet. One avoid led to another, and soon I was eating corn and yogurt and dairy again. Gained back a little, gradually. Then I gained 50 pounds with my pregnancy…yikes!. Of course some of that came off in the months after the birth, then I plateaued back at 185. That’s when I gave up my lovely rice bread, corn & dairy, and came back into the diet in earnest in January when I started blogging. Since then I’ve gone down to 160 (or less, I haven’t weighted myself in a few weeks), and I’m still making progress. The first week wasn’t as drastic as it was the first time I tried the diet, as I’ve never gone back to wheat so the change wasn’t as drastic as before. Before January I could sense that things were starting to go awry once more in my body…stomach problems, allergies, getting sick more often, the whole package. That quickly turned around as soon as I got back on track.

So that's where I'm at now. Making progress toward a goal, becoming healthier, getting closer to my physical potential. I still have moments of weakness, I still make mistakes, I'm still learning, but I am very happy with the power the blood type diet has given me over my health and my life! I add my thanks to the many who have thanked Dr. D'Adamo. A big Thank You!

“I have often wondered how people maintain health in this environment without making it a full-time occupation.” Tom Greenfield, May 26 article.

I enjoyed reading Tom Greenfied’s Nature Cure article today, and he expressed some of what I’ve been thinking about lately when it comes to my health. It really does take a lot of work to be healthy today. Yet, it beats the alternative, being an unhealthy couch potato. In fact, once you start down the healthy path, it enables you to go further and further in the right direction. The extra energy, improved outlook, better sleep, all combine to give you more resources to do everything you need to do and to do what it takes to become healthier.

I can’t say that I never complain about it though. It would be nice to just be healthy without thinking about it or going to any extra effort. Yet there is joy in the journey, in discovering that you have more control over your body than you imagined, in finding that you have more potential than you dreamed.

That being said, here’s a nice, simple recipe for eggs:

Non-deviled Eggs

Slice the boiled eggs lengthwise, leave the yolks in place. Drizzle some lemon juice over the yolks, then sprinkle with curry powder (or red pepper powder), add fresh parsley if you have some. Done! Tastes great, it’s easy, and it’s nonnie-compliant! You won’t miss the mayo.

Finally made it out jogging again today. It had been almost a week since jogging last; I've done a few exercise videos, and some resting from a little cold, but I find jogging to work best for me. I can't slack or coast as easily while jogging, as I can with other forms of exercise. So I had to push a stroller, but I got the jogging stroller fixed, so it was easier. Then the walk back up the big hill was a good workout too. I really want a treadmill, then nothing can stop me.

I've had a few questions I've taken too long to answer. So, here it goes: the wheat-free dairy-free fig Newman's (Newman's Own brand) that my son eats can be found at most health food stores. Unfortunately, they do have corn syrup in them, so only type A secretors are allowed them. Also, teff can be found in the grain section of most health food stores. It is a very small dark brown grain.

Today has been difficult, food-wise. My son woke up with a fever, so I haven't spent much time cooking. and I've mainly been eating foods I prepare for him: lentil pilaf, watermelon...but I did cook a leg of lamb and some of that got me through the afternoon. I'm looking forward to a banana. A little late, but it works for me.

So Thursday wasn’t a good day. I don’t remember what I scrounged up for breakfast and lunch, but I had an event I had to bring food to in the evening and never got myself dinner. I had brought plenty of compliant foods (ala Costco), but one non-compliant one, and it was the only one that really seemed like something satisfying in my hungry state. It was spinach artichoke parmesan dip, loaded with dairy, but smelling of garlic. I had too much, and started to feel sick instantly; maybe I was already coming down with something, but this made it worse. The nose started running (I should have been the one running – away), and within 12 hours I noticed my dairy-consumption phenomenon, my throat gets a nasty, but temporary, itch, way down inside. The type of itch that a cough would seem to help, but doesn’t really. It wasn’t worth it. If I only were a B. I can get over the carb cravings after a time, but I’ve never gotten over dairy cravings. Maybe it just takes more time.

Since then, I have had a cold coming on, so I’ve been loading up on herbal teas and trying my culinary hand at making soup. It was my son’s idea, he grabbed a can of lentil soup from the cupboard and insisted on it. I had nothing to go with my free-range ground beef, so I added that to mine. We both enjoyed the lentil soup; so I am impressed by the good ideas in this baby’s head. Today, I had some kale and some more beef to prepare, so I made a soup from the kale, and onions, and broth and beef. I kept the beef out until serving, in case my As wanted some of the soup. I think I’ll keep trying that trick with soup, make a vegetarian base, then add meat to mine. For dinner, I added some organic turkey sausage. It enabled me to finish off the whole bunch of kale (alas my As didn’t try much, but at least they took a taste). It’s quite good with some red pepper added before serving as well (for the Os). I like kale, it’s cleaner and easier to wash than spinach, and it holds it’s crunch, which is good in soup. I find if you’re new to kale, it’s best to chop it up small, that way the texture isn’t as surprising.

I did some gardening today, I’ve been a wimp with the running, due to this cold I have and my joints were all asking for a break. So, yesterday I walked up some hills with the stroller, and today I gardened. The oregano I bought from the garden center has a good deal of mint in it, I’m glad I noticed before I cooked with the mint (I don’t really like mint for cooking). Mint has a square stem, and the leaves were a bit less hairy and more pointy on the tips, than Italian oregano. Of course, smell is the best way to tell, although I can get confused on scent alone. I have been cooking with my herbs, which I’m proud of, in the past I’d forget to use them. Of course, when you’re an O nonnie, you welcome any added variety to your meals, especially the yummy green kind.

The newest Living Without magazine had an interesting article on ADHD and food allergies. The doctor in the article, Dr. Mary Ann Block talks about food allergies and intolerances and their role in ADHD behaviors. The most common offenders in the food category in order of magnitude are listed as: 1. milk 2. wheat, then corn, yeast, orange, soy, peanut, beef and chicken. I thought that list was interesting, as most of the foods listed are major avoids for one or more blood type. My biggest are wheat and corn, they make me irritable and foggy-headed. I’m still learning what milk does to me, but have concluded that it does some pretty mean things as well. My nephew (an O or a was a very terrible toddler until they figured out that peanuts were what made him act out, without peanuts he was a star child. The other thing I thought was interesting about the article is the broad definition of allergy and intolerance, and the fact that the doctor took them all equally seriously. Also the doctor stated that children never really outgrow a food allergy, it just manifests itself in different ways at different stages. So, even though my son may not always get spots on his skin from milk, it may make him irritable, or asthmatic…the possibilities go on. Guess the BTD is here to stay for us! If Dr. Block would review some of the science behind Dr. D’Adamo’s work, it would be interesting to see how blood types factor into the allergy testing she does (she monitors fine motor skills, mood, and more, after exposure to the allergen).

Tuesday was interesting. I did too much running around and not enough eating. Then made the mistake of having 2 oz of wheatgrass juice instead of my usual one. On an empty O stomach, that was a bad idea. From all I can find, wheatgrass juice is good for all types, though pretty potent, so I should have been more careful. I may switch over to a different green drink. Anyway, after how upset my stomach was I thought I could never eat another green thing! I could hardly eat any dinner, but tried to eat some free range, deli roast beef with a salad. Ended up having a banana a little later to keep me going. I finished the beef and salad Wednesday for breakfast after adding some avocado, lime juice and eden shake (from the HFS, toasted nori with sesame seeds, quite good). Fortunately, I’ve overcome my temporary aversion to green things. Yet the last couple days my favorite things are bananas and avocados.

Today I had more deli roast beef rolled up with avocado for breakfast, and a free range sirloin steak for lunch (salt-seared, with onions and fresh parsley). It was a great lunch! I still need to fit in some more fruit or veggies, once my baby takes a nap.

What is wholesome? At it’s root is the word ‘whole’ yet advertisers apply the word wholesome to foods that are anything but whole. Then they use emotions to make you feel like you have to buy their products for your kids to show them you care.

As much as I try to change it, when I see certain processed foods, the first word that comes to mind is “wholesome”. Take the graham cracker, one of those foods everyone (almost everyone) feels good about giving their children. Or that snack that smiles back, or Sugar Snacks-wait, I mean Fruit Snacks… Part of me still thinks of these foods as something every child deserves to eat. Yet they aren’t the best choices, even for a type A baby. Changing my son’s diet is as much about changing my own brainwashing as it is about changing his tastes. Would any loving mother really make her child eat black-eyed peas rather than processed chicken nuggets? Why does part of me feel guilty when I don’t feed him what other moms feed their children? So he likes beans, he likes broccoli, he likes peas…why would he need graham crackers? Part of me feels that he should be entitled to eat all the treats I ate as a kid, or that other kids eat. Yet, I know that one of the greatest gifts I’ve been given is the guidance of the Blood Type Diet for my health, and wouldn’t it be nice to have grown up with some of those healthy habits?

Then there’s the milk. Of course, my son is very allergic to it. (Regrettably, I had lots of milk and yogurt while pregnant and nursing, avoiding it, like I’m supposed to, may have helped; it may have helped if the lactation consultant in the hospital had given him a few drops of soy instead of milk formula while teaching him what to look for) Anyway, I’m never tempted to give him milk, and I never feel guilty about keeping it away from him. Yet, everyone tries milk for their babies first, then if that causes obvious problems for the baby, they switch to soy. I wonder if for As and Os that isn’t backwards. Of course breastmilk is always the first choice, but is milk formula a better second choice than soy formula? Soy bashers may attack me on this one, but I feel that we should feel empowered to make this type of choice, as mothers, without guilt coming into play. Others often feel sorry for my son, that he can’t have milk, like he’s not only missing out on yummy treats that other kids like, but that he’s also missing out on some sort of whole-some-ness that is inherent in milk. Granted for B’s, milk does have wholesomeness and a lot to offer health-wise (especially if it’s from healthy cows free of antibiotics and hormones), but for As and Os it has nothing to offer that we can’t get from other sources, and much to be avoided.

I suppose I’m just having a I-wish-the-whole-world-were-blood-type-enlightened moment.

A reader brought up an observation that I've noticed before, and would like to explore, that is that there seem to be a lot of A and O couples. I know many couples that are A and O, only two that are O and O, and only one couple that's A & A (Paul & his wife - Wait! no, she's an AB, I just discovered - I don't know any A & A couples then!). I also know a few B&O's and 1 B&B couple, since I come from a family of Bs. There are a few explanations, 1) there are mostly Os and As in the world, so pairs would be common, 2) the perceived difference among BTDieters may be from more interest in different diets when an A and an O are together and know already that they don't thrive with the same diet, 3) maybe they do attract each other...

I think the different stress profiles between As and Os can be complimentary and exciting. One benefit I've seen is that my husband and I rarely get upset at the same time. He's more instantly reactive, and I have a longer fuse, but take a lot longer to calm down once I do get upset. By that time, he's already made peace with the situation and can help me calm down.

You're all welcome to let me know what you think about that, or cast your vote for what type you and your significant other are, and if you don't mind me posting your observations to my blog, note that in your comments...

Jog Blog...

I made it jogging tonight, it was dark, but that just made it more exciting. (I do plan to buy a treadmill for days like this, but I haven't been able to research them yet.) I couldn't remember how many laps make a mile, but I think I did 3/4 of a mile (I hope!). I'll find out tomorrow. It felt good, however far it was. I'm embarassed by how sedentary I was up until a week ago, now that I know I have more potential. I've never been 'athletic'. I played soccer one year in high school, and that was great, I wish I could have played more than one year, but the first high school I went to didn't have a team, and I wasn't good enough at other sports to get on a team. I never thougth myself a runner, I wasn't quite tall enough for track and didn't think I had the endurance for cross country. I'd like to get the endurance though. For the first time tonight, running started to feel kind of natural, like walking, not like a constant effort just to keep one foot in front of the other. The night air was crisp and cool, the track was nice and cushioned, and I felt free. Kind of like that horse movie when they save a horse that was destined for slaughter, and take it out, train it, and turn it into a winning race horse... that's how I'm beginning to feel.

My abs are also nice and sore from a video I checked out at the library. It's kind of a dorky video, with nothing too exciting on the exercises, but it works. Maybe I'll go weigh myself tomorrow as well...I've lost at least 20 pounds since January, but now I suspect I've lost more. The jeans that were too tight when I started out in January are now too loose...I can pull them down over my hips without unbuttoning them, and my hips have never been what you'd call small. My back is doing well too.

My increase in exercise has really increased my appetite. The second night of my new routine left me having massive Carb cravings. I tried to counteract it with more protein, and that helped, but it was too little too late, and I had a little of my son's A-friendly cereal. I survived that better than I expected, but still feel a little achy. Now I've increased my meat portions by half (or just as much as I can eat), and I'm trying to increase my vegetable portions by more than double, but that's a challenge for me. I tried kale for the first time, but forgot to keep track of the cooking time, so I don't know if they were undercooked or overcooked, they were pretty chewy, but palatable. I always like greens best in soups, so I'll try that out sometime. I have some baby carrots to munch on next time a carb attack hits.

Until I get my protein and veggies worked out, I've increased the amount of juice I drink (all beneficial juices) just to keep me away from any avoids. I splurged on a $3 little bottle of pomegranate juice, since pomegranates are beneficial for O non-secretors, and I wanted a treat. It's potent stuff, www.pomwonderful.com reminds me a little bit of noni juice, but better. It says on the label that it has more antioxidant power than red wine and blueberry juice. Flavor-wise, a little goes a long way, and it's great mixed with plenty of sparkiling water. I'm big on antioxidants these days, most of the fruit I eat is the darkly pigmented beneficials like blueberries and plums.

My body told me to take an extra rest day from the jogging today. I still got a good workout in... pushing the stroller up a couple of the biggest hills I could find for 30 minutes. I may need to do another ab session tonight though, it just feels like I need to do a little more than I have. I didn't get much sleep last night, and it's really throwing me off. I went to the library to try some other exercise videos, decided I better try it before I buy it.

I'd like to welcome the newest blogger, Dr. D'Adamo! Yup, he's up above where the As I See It column used to be. He's already made 3 entries in the last 24 hours... that's a tough act to keep up with!

I am now officially no-longer sedentary. I'm surprised I stayed sane before, when I didn't get regular exercise. I've been jogging every other day. I'm still at the wimpy 1/2 mile distance, that's my minimum, then walking or climbing hills after that. I had PMS when I started, and I was just SO angry, for no apparent reason, and crying, blah blah blah...all that was built up inside of me. Combine PMS with Seasonal Affective Disorder, with seasonal allergies... it was bad. Now I feel great. I have to get out and just do it. Today I kept looking for excuses to stop and walk before I reached my minimum distance, my heart just wasn't in it. I kept telling myself "I'm designed for this", and similar mantras, to keep going, then I even sprinted the last leg of it just so I wouldn't feel like a slacker. It felt good, I left the track feeling calm and focused.

I'm still working out what to do on the off days, I tried yoga last night, but it left me feeling kind of loopy, although my body liked it. I prefer the emotional focus that jogging gives me, to the feeling yoga gives me. I used to do quite a bit of pilates, but one of the exercises didn't agree with my back. I think I prefer just a difficult abs workout, I just need to find a good exercise video for that, since I don't really have time to go to the gym for classes. What I really want to accomplish by that workout is to really strengthen my abs and upper body, as last time I started jogging I injured my back with the impact. I was heavier then, and hadn't found the BTD or it's anti-inflammatory benefits, but I'm still cautious.

My eating is going well too, the wheat I accidentally got last week at a restaurant is now out of my system and things are running smoothly. I cooked a mess of buffalo burgers yesterday to keep myself in the protein for the next few days. I'm starting to feed my son more variety of good foods for his type. All he ever wants is chicken nuggets and watermelon. But he'll eat beans, and this morning he ate all but five of MY blueberries. I'm trying to get him used to the taste of tofu (he's an A), but haven't had much luck yet. So far the other good snacks he likes are: milk-free rice and granola bars, wheat-free milk-free fig newmans, little boxes of rice milk and soy milk. He also likes pears, pinto beans, refried beans, lentils, lentil soup, rice, broccoli (a little), onions and garlic (in foods), peas & eggs. The eggs are a recent victory, he has slightly low iron, so every yolk counts. I went on a shopping spree at the health food store today, mainly foods for him. Soy ice cream, goat yogurt (we'll see about that one), more snack foods, etc.

I go nuts in the summer, I get so irritable and stir crazy. I need to exercise more, but my allergies and sun sensitivity keep me indoors. Yesterday, though, I just had to get out and pound it all out. Do I like to run? Sure, just not very far I've decided to change that though. I wasn't given long legs, and an Os stress profile and metabolism for nothing. I want to see what my potential really is. The furthest I've ever run in one stretch was one mile, so yesterday, only the second time I've run in 4 years, I decided to run 1/2 a mile. I had to run through lots of walls, but I made it to my goal. I would have done another 1/2 mile after my cool-down 1/2 mile walk, but my throat and lungs were too burned. My husband tells me it gets easier after the first few times, as far as that goes. It felt good, I ran instead of just plodding/jogging. At the end of it, I pictured a finish line and competitors...all alternate reality versions of me who just couldn't quite keep up.

I was really good an the diet for a week, and could tell the difference. I cooked all my food at home, in batches, ate more fish, the whole deal. Then I had a couple restaurant experiences that didn't turn out so well. My problem with eating out is that I love to try new things instead of sticking with the tried and true, and some avoid always slips in. One thing about avoids is, like unwelcome guests, they're lots harder to get back out, once they get in.

My new goals are to push myself with running every other day, and to eat more antioxidants. Yesterday's natural health update on the home page about antioxidants and gastric cancer really hit home with me, since I've had h. pylori in the past, I need to supersize the fruits and vegetables; I'm also adding in more supplements and teas.

I often have trouble finding things on dadamo.com. There's a ton of information, but it's hard to find it all. I have found the search function useful, though even it is hard to find (from the support button at the top, Search The Site link). Or just use this link

And here is a list of links to the recipes I've posted to my blogs over time (my favorites have stars*) These are recipes for O non-secretors, unless noted otherwise:

O-Nonnie Refried Beans*

Nonnie Flax Amaranth Flatbread*

Sauteed Mushrooms

Teffioca Pudding

Pineapple Curry Egg Salad instructions*

Jerky instructions*

Rebeka's Freeze, 4 secretors

Energy Balls, nonnie O*

Stew Instructions

Crock Pot Beef Brisket - before I learned tamari is a nonnie avoid...if you're a nonnie use a little molasses, salt and water to approximate the tamari sauce.

The question I get most of all is in regard to what it means to be a secretor or non-secretor, how to find out, etc. So Here goes...

For beginning on the BTD, it is advised to start out with the Secretor version of the diet, or that found in the wallet foodlists. That is simply because most (about 80%) of all people are secretors, and it’s a little easier diet to follow when you’re starting out as grains and sugars aren’t as restricted. After a time, though, you will want to find out your secretor status, especially if you have any chronic health problems. This enables you to fine tune the diet further and see even more amazing results.

You can order the salivary secretor test through this website’s online store, North American Pharmacal, or a few other sources. Here are some links:

NAP Secretor Test

In Europe, go to

http://websell.pipex.com/beta-cgi/rightforeu/4-kits.html

You must know your ABO bloodtype beforehand, and the rest is simple, with detailed instructions provided. Basically you spit into the little tube provided and mail it to the lab in the postage-paid envelope provided. You can get your results either through the mail or online. The salivary test is more accurate than blood tests, as it is easier to read in the lab.

Then, when you get your results, if you find out you’re an O secretor, congratulations! Have a party, and eat some strawberries for me. If you’re an O non-secretor, time to study up and make the mental adjustment to giving up soy, dairy, spelt, and cutting further back on carbs. O’s can see my archive for things that non-secretors can add back into their diet, the blog was titled “O Secretors: 58, Non-Secretors: 16”, from January. For most of you the news of your non-secretor status won’t be a complete surprise, you may have already noticed some of the signs: increased food sensitivities, more problems with UTI’s, Candida, h. pylori, dental cavities, etc. In my case finding out my secretor type helped me get a diagnosis on my h. pylori. I realized, you know, I do have some symptoms, so I explained my symptoms to my doctor and he tested me for it with a positive result.

Keep in mind that it’s not easy to guess ahead of time, as not all non-secretors have all the telltale signs. For instance, I have great teeth, not one cavity, but I do have most of the other problems (more than a handful of food allergies/intolerances, previous problems with h. pylori, previous recurrent UTI’s, etc.). I attribute my good teeth to diagnosing myself (inaccurately) with hypoglycemia as a teenager and going sugar free for many years. I didn’t have hypoglycemia, my sugar levels were normal, but I knew then that I felt better when I didn’t eat sugar, especially sodas.

Here is a good overview of secretor subtypes I just came across:



http://websell.pipex.com/beta-cgi/rightforeu/4-Lewisgroup.html

The Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia and Live Right 4 Your Type give the most comprehensive information I can find, so I recommend those especially for my fellow non-secretors.

Also, if you're a nonsecretor, you don't need to worry about the Tier system in Live Right, all non-secretor food lists are automatically like Tier II. We nonnies have to be good, but the potential for great health is certainly there, if we follow the plan. Many non-secretors express how sick and tired they are of being sick and tired...we were often the sickly children, getting prescribed antibiotics time after time, missing school or work, repeated unfruitful doctor's visits, etc. The great news is that we can turn that around and become the image of good health. In my experience, we O nonnies can lose weight very quickly on the diet. Do other nonnies have this experience? I often worry about losing it too quickly. I have to avoid stepping on the scales or else I might be tempted to slow things down by eating too many carbs. Just focus on how you feel, not what the scale says.

What I eat on a good day

Breakfast

1 cup cherry juice with ARA powder

2 eggs with beans, veggies, or fruit

A couple dried figs or prunes for a snack

Lunch

Beef burrito with nonnie flatbread (see Flip It post), beans, salsa, avocado

Or salmon scramble (or some chicken or tuna) on salad, with lemon juice as dressing

Banana for snack

Dinner

Beef with sautéed mushrooms or onions

or Fish or lamb chops

Broccoli or other vegetable

Sometimes a little rice, or sweet potato

Of course, I drink water and seltzer throughout the day, though usually not enough of it.

Sauteed Mushrooms A/O-nonnie compatible:

1-2 Tablespoons ghee

8 oz package whole mushrooms, cleaned, stems cut flush with top

broth appropriate for your type, I used chicken

salt

terragon

Saute mushrooms in ghee over medium to medium-high heat until they brown and start to soften, add broth to finish cooking, add a little terragon to taste. Less is better if you aren’t used to the flavor yet, but it compliments the mushrooms quite well. Lemon juice would also be good sprinkled on top.

For me, the mushrooms add flavor to whatever meat (usually beef) I’m eating, for my type A husband, they fill the role of meat. Yes, he’s starting to cut back more on meat. He’s not too interested in the technicalities of the diet, but has realized that meat doesn’t agree with him or his metabolism, so I’m encouraging that, and starting to cook more with that in mind. My A son doesn’t like red meat, and loves beans, so he’s on track as well. With both of them I just try to introduce more beneficials, and find some that they really like before I start cutting out much else. Of course, they’re just happy if I cook!

My other goal is to cook one big batch of something good for my diet each day. Yesterday I made ghee and compliant refried beans (I posted the recipe a while back), today I planned to make more flatbread, but I may have to put that off till tomorrow. Next in line is to cook up more mushrooms and a bunch of buffalo burgers for meals on the run, then some brown rice pilaf to go with them. Then some more energy balls for my sweet tooth. I also want to try a recipe for nonnie-compliant almondaisse, because I miss mayonnaise. I’ll blog my progress.



Oh, there was one other comment I wanted to respond to...how much nettle root I take for allergies, I take 1 capsule twice a day, and I'm thinking of switching to stinging nettle leaf, from NAP and adding their Querticin. Right now I just take one from the health food store.