I've named a syndrome, to add to the list of other syndromes we all may or may not have variations of. I could just name it The Melissa Syndrome, since I'm my first "patient" I've treated for the condition...

TPS is a condition becoming more prevalent in the US, some experts attribute this to the SAD (Standard American Diet) and the addictive components so common in a SAD.

A person suffering from TPS will only desire to eat processed, chemical-laden food, as well as food which illicit an immune reaction due to containing proteins that are incompatible with the individual. Often, the negative reaction to these foods is what is desired, as it can deaden the senses, feelings, and thoughts, much like a drug. Most people with TPS will not desire or seek help for this addictive condition.

There are two methods of treatment for TPS.

1. Cold-Turkey. Eliminate all processed foods and reactive foods (avoids) overnight. This requires a clean slate, and a cleaned out refrigerator and pantry. It sometimes requires fasting to re-adjust the appetite. Eliminating outside food messages is imperative. No television or advertisements of any sort should be allowed in proximity to the patient. Withdrawal can be treated with healthy, whole, beneficial foods and with exercise. Often it is best to avoid substituting neutral/compliant foods for old favorites, as the palate is not yet ready to accept substitutions.

2. Gradual. Eliminate most troublesome reactive foods (avoids) first, one at a time, over a set period of time. As with method one, advertisements and outside food messages must be avoided during the entire treatment period. Once again, withdrawal can be treated with healthy, whole, beneficial foods, and with exercise.

Relapse is always a possibility. One avoid can easily lead to another, and more than a few days of this can lead to relapse of TPS. Subsequent treatments are usually not as difficult as the initial treatment, but often requires more attention to the emotional aspects involved.

After successful treatment, individuals can make a full recovery. The palate returns to its natural state and regains its preference for the foods that are best suited for the individual.

For all who are embarking on this treatment for the first time, and those who are recovering from holiday or life-event-related relapses...I know what you're going through! There is a whole community of others who have recovered, and who are on the road to recovery. Feel free to join us at the BTD Forum!

As I become more involved in this virtual community we share as blood type dieters, I'm learning more about who we are. While there is no stereotypical BTDer, I've found many common threads...

1. Inquisitive: we're always willing to ask tough questions, even when we know we may not like the answer.

2. Intelligent: so many with advanced degrees in science, healthcare, and other fields. Compared to other diet communities, I've been surprised at how many of us have so much education and expertise.

3. Open-minded: in spite of our educations and backgrounds, we've all realized that there must be a better way to good health than what the authorities tell us, afterall, their advice doesn't work for everyone.

4. Recovering hypochondriacs: Many of us were 'difficult cases' for mainstream medicine, we confused our doctors, and often questioned their reasoning and methods of covering up symptoms rather than treating the causes.

5. Acutely aware of our health: We won't accept just feeling ok, or a little better, we want to be as healthy as possible, and are willing to sacrifice some comfort foods to do so.

6. Plan to be around awhile: Regardless of our age or state of health, all the attitudes that I've intoned from the different sounding boards is that we intend to be around to see the next generation grow, to see what the future holds, and to help shape that future.

Sure, sometimes we're frustrated with how difficult it can be in our surroundings to eat any sort of health food, sometimes we're faced with setbacks, sometimes we fall off the wagon and get bruised, but we know what we know and we're willing to fight to set things right.

I just had one of the most satisfying breakfasts ever. I woke up actually craving collard greens. I've had them southern style, and I've had them brazilian style, I liked both (better than home-style because I never cooked them right). So I found a description of how to cook them brazilian style.

The most important part is to slice them very thin (after removing the middle vein), you roll them all up together into a cigar shape and slice them as thinly as possible, 1/8 inch is recommended, though mine were mostly 1/4 inch.

The next most important thing is to use butter or ghee. Many recipes call for lard (which is pork based, thus an avoid), and I think any fat that comes from an animal works better for the flavor than just oil.

Saute a small onion (diced) and 2 cloves of minced garlic in about 2 Tablespoons of butter, when they're starting to brown, add the shredded collards and cook on high (turn down heat if butter starts to smoke) until they start to wilt or to taste, and add salt if desired. I also used the same pan to scramble some eggs afterward. It gave the eggs a good rich flavor. I didn't expect the greens to have that rich flavor, as I always attributed that flavor to the pork or lard that restaurants usually prepare it with. I added a little red pepper flakes to mine, for even more flavor.

My husband liked it too (without the red pepper), which surprised me, he usually doesn't like new foods.

I'd choose this over hash browns with my breakfast any day (and I used to be quite the hash brown connoisseur)... wouldn't it be nice if that were an option at more restaurants!

Can I just say again how thankful I am for the work of Dr. D'Adamo... I tried lots of other diets and none of them worked for me. I tried low-calorie, low-fat, vegetarian (yikes!), I ate what I heard from everyone was supposed to be good for me. Atkin's may have helped me lose weight, I found this before Atkin's, but it wouldn't have helped my health like BTD has in so many ways. With the cheese though, I'm not sure it would have even helped me that much with weight, as dairy seems to make it harder for me to lose weight. And I couldn't have gone off wheat just to lose weight, it was the promise of other benefits that I'd read about in Dr. D'Adamo's book, and Dr. Bland's Genetic Nutritioneering...those two books were what convinced me to eliminate wheat. I had a lot of back pain and joint pain back then, without any real explanation for it, along with a bunch of other weird symptoms and syndromes, and that is what motivated me. I was taking at least five prescriptions in my early twenties, and felt lousy. I felt immediate improvment once I finally cut wheat completely out of my diet.

The promise of less pain got me on the program. The emotional benefits kept me with the program. The digestive consequences scared me away from cheating on the program. The weight loss was a happy side-effect.

But wheat-free is not quite enough for me to lose weight, corn-free and dairy free are the other two important factors. The whole diet which on the surface looks like a complicated list of do's and don'ts ultimately combines into one big picture...it all just resonates with my cells and turns what was once an unfortunate combination of genetics and environment into who I should be. "I believe fate smiled on destiny" - Natalie Merchant

Who needs new genes when you can buy new jeans?

I'm happy to be shopping for clothes a little more lately. I still have some high school clothes, and I've been able to start wearing some of them, but it was time to update things a bit. I've always liked more classic styles, so my clothes never really go out of style, but seriously it was time for an update.

I love wearing my new jeans, and just got another outfit and a dress that I ordered online. I ordered them small, but they fit well already and will continue to fit as I lose more weight (heaven knows I have plenty of big clothes, though they are all getting worn out). It does a lot for a girl to get some new clothes, even a girl like me who has never enjoyed shopping. I now do most of my shopping online, as shopping with a toddler is nearly impossible for me. It takes a few tries to figure out the sizing and what brands work for my shape, but it's worth it for all the sales and clearance items I can find without having to scour a mall.

Reasons to avoid sugar, particularly applicable to non-secretors:

1. Avoiding sugar strengthens the immune system, particularly important for children as it is the safest way to boost their immune systems. Also particulary important for non-secretors who are more susceptible to many infections due to the lack of decoys (blood type antigens that germs will bind onto instead).

2. Sugar feeds candida/yeast problems. All anti-candida diets remove sugar.

3. Sugar promotes tooth decay, and non-secretors are more prone to tooth decay.

4. Sugar is concentrated carbohydrate, and carbohydrates are the enemy, especially for an O's metabolism.

Reasons to avoid artificial sweeteners:

1. Most artificial sweeteners are designed to not be digestible. Since Olestra, I tend to avoid foods that are designed to be undigestible.

2. Most artificial sweeteners break down into chemical waste in the body, some (saccharine) are probably carcinogens.

3. They may not even help weight loss. Here's an article that came out recently about that...

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/89/100381.htm

So where does that leave us?

Vegetable Glycerine! Despite it's artificial-sounding name, and the fact that I can only find it in the soap section of my Health Food store, it is not artificial. (Not to be confused with petroleum glycerine, vegetable glycerine is derived from edible vegetable oils) It is naturally occuring in the body, and almost always listed in the ingredient lists of granola bars, and protein bars. It is digestible, does have some calories, but doesn't cause blood sugar problems. It's been debated whether it is a carbohydrate or a fat, and is currently classified as a carbohydrate on food labelling, though that is still under debate. It tastes great, is twice as sweet as sugar, and works well in everything I've used it for. In moderation, of course!

Here's a previous blog on the subject:


New To Glycerine