On the genotype forum for explorers, Dr. D. said this:

"Personally, I have a hard time accepting that something is forever bad for someone who in a state of fitness could benefit from it. "

As an O-nonsecretor and newly discoverd Gatherer, I can fully appreciate that. I was getting in the business of figuring out what food I'd have to eliminate next... was I intolerant of yeast or tomatoes, what was going on? My digestion wasn't improving like I hoped. It was improving, but not like I hoped. I felt, and was observed by others, as unhealthy because there were so many foods I couldn't have. Now here I am, having eaten cottage cheese with my breakfast of all things, and feeling like a whole new person. Clean slate, no digestive trouble this week! Old enemies have become new friends.

It's so much like when I started ER4YT, and I worked into that gradually. Giving up wheat may have literally saved my life, it certainly gave me my life back. O-non helped immensely as well, and helped uncover my next step of gluten free. Those were all big and helpful steps for me, but I think GTD is the greatest of all.

I think I've lost some weight, though I'm not near the scale I used before I started (it's a bit on the lean side)... I estimate from that, that I've lost 1-3 pounds from my post-holiday weight. I'm more happy about not having any gas or diarrhea this week. As I mentioned above, my digestive trouble was giving me trouble (granted, I was eating too many avoids, but the reaction seemed out of proportion to the avoids). It's so nice that for me now, it's easy to avoid the avoids (or toxins) for gatherers, because I have so many filling foods and new foods I can eat. I think I really needed some dairy to feel satisfied, thus the cravings that shot be into toxin-land repeatedly over the holidays.

Next Thanksgiving will be different. I should be back to some rice flour by then (if I'm a good girl), so I'll make a ricotta pie or a quark cheesecake, and won't feel a need for whipped cream on top!

I do have to confess to having a bit of a black dot toxin yesterday, rice...I sweetened some chocolate with agave nectar (a neutral), then stirred in a bit of gen mai cha. As a tea it's probably beneficial, but in this case I ate it, once it cooled, including the crunchy little rice grains in it (I was in the mood for a crunch bar). It was really yummy! Best chocolate I've had in a long time! (even over in toxin-land)

I hope you all enjoy your new identities like I am. Jump into it, take chances, and you'll see what I mean.