I am type 0, and a vegetarian, can you suggest some meal plans? Debby

Hello, Debby! Well, give me a little more information and I'll see what I can do. A few questions: Why do you want to try the blood type diet -- weight loss? specific health problem to resolve? Do you know your secretor status? Do you eat any flesh protein at all (dairy, eggs, fish)? Are you willing to take supplements derived from meat (some of the essential amino acids cannot be found in plant protein sources)? Do you have any food sensitivities or foods you won't eat for whatever reason?

Eliminating the O avoids and eating as many beneficials as possible will do good things for you. With a little careful supplementation and a focus on exercise and optimizing your plant-protein choices, you'll be in the best shape an O-veg can be. As far as I have been able to tell from the people I've heard from, the type O vegetarian individuals who are happy with their state of health are relatively few & far between -- but they're out there. So, making an all-out try of it is the only way you'll learn for yourself if you'll be satisfied with the long-term results of a vegetarian diet. At that time, you can decide whether to continue it, or to adopt a new mindset about vegetarianism. Thanks for writing, Debby ~ and get back to me if you'd like to pursue this! ;-)

hello heidikins, as a fellow o nonnie,i know i need my exercise.i followed your links recently for the canadian air force bases exercise plan.i have only just started the xbs profile yesterday.to establish what level i am at i did what exercises i could in each allotted time and realise i am already at my maximum goal for my age(level 22)!i will work on this even though it doesnt say level 3 or 4 for my age i won't overdo it though & will be careful(after all 'better a lame dog than a dead lion) however,the superslow technique i'm having more trouble with.i cannot locate any superslow centres in uk.also i'd like to do a video at home but can't locate anyone who sells in pounds sterling.i'd like exercises that don't use specialised machines as i don't have the room or money.please can you help (you usually can!) thanks debs from uk



Hey there, Debs! How did the surgery go, by the way? The 5BX program suggests that one can start at the beginning (Chart One, Level D-) and continue onward to Level D, Level D+, etc. after a period of time determined by the age charts. If you're already comfortable with the level prescribed as the max for your age, you can keep doing that level for the appropriate age-related period before continuing up to the next one. Nice going!

I did a quick search on amazon.com/uk for "super slow" and found Super Slow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol, but no videos. I suggest you email Ken Hutchins at ken@superslow.com, and ask if he has any leads for you on instructors in your area or videos available for pounds Sterling. If that doesn't pan out, you can always pick a video on high-intensity weight training -- there are many of them. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Joe Weider, and Mike Mentzer are well-known figures who have numerous books on the market which might also be of help. Keep pegging away at it, Debs -- I'm sure you'll find something that will do the job for you! :-)

My husband is an "O". 1. In the Dairy/Eggs category soy milk and cheese are considered neutral but all yogurt is to be avoided. What about yogurt made from soy? Also, how about frozen soy products in lieu of ice cream? 2. I am confused about Ezekiel bread (beneficial for Os in the book). However, the label says it contains sprouted-wheat but the book also says to all wheat products. Please explain this apparent inconsistency. Bev

Hi, Bev ~ Ezekiel bread -- and Essene bread -- IF made from 100% sprouted grain, are great for Os. It's the sprouting that destroys the lectin ~ more on this in the books Eat Right 4 Your Type and Live Right 4 Your Type. Soy yogurt and frozen soy products would be OK, as long as all the ingredients are OK. Read, read, read those labels. ;-> -- and thanks for your note!

Hormone Replacement – Will it help slow the aging process and/or will it put me at risk for cancer? I’m type 0-, secretor, age 59 and these last two years seem to be aging quickly (I had a complete hysterectomy at 44). For the last 3 months I’ve been taking estrogen, BIEST (Estriol/Estradiol) , Progestorone S.R. Micro , DHEA S.R. Micro, Armour Thyroid, Testosterone van. Cream. Also, since I’m not going through menopause, I didn’t know if I needed to add the Fem Balance to my list. I presently have on hand MethylB12 Plus, PolyVite, PolyFlora, Phytocal, Fucus Plus, ARAplus, Deflect, folic acid, vit. C and E. I’ve been on ER for about 5 years...get side tracked every now and then but have committed myself totally to this way of life. I feel great as long as I stay away from my avoids, so it does not make sense to eat the avoids and feel down, no energy, and big problems with acid reflux, snoring and lower back pain. It takes some of us a little longer to get that AHA moment. LOL! Vegetable Glycerine - I ordered the Vegetable Glycerine by NOW and am a little confused as to whether it is ok for me to take. The ingredients...which says it is "all-natural product derived from vegetable oils, predominantly coconut oil". Coconut oil is an avoid for everyone except 0-non sec. Also, my skin is very dry...would this be good to use on your skin? Thanks for all your help and all you do. Linda

Hello, Linda! OK, I have to say that I'm no expert on hormone replacement therapy. I do wonder, though, if you're taking synthetic estrogen as well as BIEST separately, and if your doctor prescribed all the hormones & creams, as well as the Armour? One note, however: instead of DHEA, you might use its precursor, pregnenolone. Here is a link to Dr. Mercola's page on it. It has so far proven quite safe, and it does nice things. :-) There is quite a huge amount of info in the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia on menstrual issues, which I think you'd benefit from reading. He does firmly support the use of the fraction estriol rather than estradiol, and the use of phytoestrogens rather than the synthetic individual fractions. There are anti-aging protocols as well. Well worth a read!

About veg gly from coconut, have a nice read through my All About Veg Gly column from December '02. Glad the diet is making life pleasant for you, dear! Doesn't matter when the AHA moment comes, cuz when it does, it brings "great cheer." :-D

I've bought about ten copies of your book to loan to friends who ask my advice on how an old fart like me can still look good. I think your research makes more sense than anything I've read in the past ten years. However - a problem. I also bought the pocketbook-sized reference for Type O and keep finding tons of contradictions. Which one is real? Do try to answer this one - past emails have never been answered and I really want to know the facts on this one. Tony

Hi there, Tony! OK! When a reader posts a message to this column, it is not done by email. It is a "post" in a "form." The questions sort into a database by date, and I answer them in the column, not via email. I mention this because many websites offer similar forms in which one can post a question, and the answer comes to the email address you enter into the form. I'm afraid some people are still confused by this one! By the way, if you enter your first name into the search form at the bottom of this page, I think you may find you did get an answer or two to your questions ~ and bear in mind I'm still doing major catch-up on the O Qs. ;-} I'm still in gosh darned January with you people!! (once again, it's "you people" when I'm complaining and "we Os" when it's something happy, of course! :-D)

Now, ya old fart! ;-D So, you're a walking ad for the BTD, eh? Nice work, and the credit goes to YOU, dear!! :-D Here are the facts on the books: first, take a look at the bottom of this column. For a month or so, I've been putting a note there about which book to use for which situation. The Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists are a bit like BTD in that they are don't exactly follow the secretor food list, nor do they follow the nonsecretor list. They zig and zag between the worst avoids/best beneficials/neutralest neutrals for secretors AND nonsecretors, in order to best serve the many folks out there who might be either one but don't know which and don't plan to find out. So if you compare the "little books" with Eat Right, you'll see contradictions because of the new research incorporated into them. If you compare them with Live Right, the Encyclopedia or TYPEbase 3, you'll see contradictions again -- because the "littles" don't quite match the secretor column, nor do they fully agree with the nonsecretor column.

I hope that explanation clears things up for you, and thanks so much for writing!! (and keep up the great work!! :-D)

I have just started the blood type plan for "O". The questions I have are: 1.Where do you find kelp or foods with kelp? 2. Can flaxseeds themselves be eaten by tpye O? 3. Can I still take the codliver oil capsules and glucosumine/chondritin tabs my doctor said would help my degenerative pain? 4. How does regular medicine affect this diet? Ogen(hormone)Elvil (for muscle relaxate in place of muscle relaxantes and Bextra? Thank you for your time and effort on my behalf. Marilyn

Welcome, Marilyn!! So glad you found us! :-D Kelp and other seaweeds are a great addition to the diet. Browse through the Maine Coast Sea Vegetables site for more information on seaweeds, and a great menu of products. If the kelp Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosis) is the one you're looking for, I suggest this store's product, which you can read about Here!

Flaxseed is fine for type Os ~~ and if you have any other questions about food status, the TYPEbase 3 database is always at your service! (remember to use the "search" button -- your 'enter' key won't work on this page.) Try the term "cod" to search for cod liver oil. :-)

N-acetyl glucosamine is great for you, but the chondroitin is not. It breaks down into substances that act like a bad blood transfusion for Os and Bs. Peter's column's Deflect for Arthritis and Glucosamine/Chondroitin for O explain it all in detail.

The drugs you are taking may slow your progress somewhat, but the diet will still work its magic. Just keep at it. Our general approach is to find natural substances to take the place of synthetic drugs, since they are accepted by the body, do not toxify the system, and cost far less in money and health down the road. I believe you are taking Elavil? This is a tricyclic antidepressant, generic name amitriptyline. Pretty powerful stuff just to treat muscle spasms, although I know it is often prescribed for fibromyalgia patients. About Bextra, I found this site on new labelling due to side effects discovered with this new drug. We work hard to eliminate the cause of disease, through recommending the best diet, exercise and stress relief plan for each type. If you persist with the O plan, eventually you will be able to wean off the drugs. Right now, pick up a copy of the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia and read what you can do holistically to start resolving your troubles. Take care, dear! and thank you for writing!! :-)

Bonjour Heidi. Thank you for all the good advise and ditto ideas you give your readers every day. Now I would like to know a little bit more about soaking rosehips in water overnight for C-vitamin intake as you suggested to Don. How many rosehips would be necessary and is there anything special to take into account? Sounds such a great idea. Bianca

Ça va, Bianca? I soak 1/2 cup in two cups of spring water, at room temperature (right on the counter). Shake, strain & serve. :-) You can also blend them up finely with their liquid, and pop them into a smoothie. It's a simple sort of thing, a bit like taking a rose-hip vitamin C supp without the supp. You can judge your own dosage by doing this for a few days and monitoring whether your stools become too soft. If so, back off 1/4 of the dose and continue. Very old-fashioned and unscientific ~ just how I like it sometimes!! :-D thanks for keeping in touch, dear! ;-D

Hi, I am type O and have a question about meat tenderizer. Fist is it OK for Os to take, secondly is it a healthy thing in the first place (I believe its made out of pineaple enzymes or something), and lastly is tenderizing ones meat in this way (rather than bashing about with a hammer) a good thing for Os or are you making it too easy to digest. It certainly makes beef that much easies to eat! Thanks a lot -- Colin

Hey there, Colin! I'm not much of a fan of store-bought meat tenderizers. They're far more expensive than a bit of olive oil & lemon juice (and whatever other flavors you'd like, herbs, spices & such) which will do the trick beautifully as a marinade. Any acid such as lemon juice, tomato, grapefruit, etc. will do the same job. That said, if you prefer the tenderizer, just check the ingredients carefully for avoids. Remember that very lean meats are best cooked in moisture (stewed, or cooked/baked with added oil/liquid) and fattier meats work well on the grill or with any other dry-cooking method. However, if you have a kitchen mallet, give it a few whacks just for good measure! ;-) You'll both "feel" better! :-D thanks, dear!! ~:-D

Dear Heidi, My congratulation for your column. I find it interesting and involving. Since last September, when I discovered by chance on a shelf of a bookshop in my town an extract of Dr. D’Adamo’s first book, I've been collecting more and more information about the eat4your type diet to the point that I'm now a strict follower of my blood type (0 +) diet. The change in my food habits - I used to eat pasta and cheese almost every day while avoiding animal proteins-has lead, as you can image, to big improvements in my life, such as no more headaches, water retention, dermatitis and gastritis. I've also started a daily gym program by purchasing some fitness videos and I feel great! However, as I like from time to time to spend my holidays abroad, I would like to know which supps I should take during the trips to counterbalance my not being totally on the diet. Last December I got one box of Coleus forskohli, which I've not used yet, and I couldn't buy the "Protein Energy Bars " because they were out of stock and being redesigned. What would you suggest? Thank you very much for all your job and the empathy you put in it! Ciao, ciao. Alma (from Milano, Italy)

Welcome to the BTD, Alma! What a marvelous thing you've achieved: a happy type O surrounded by all that pasta... and polenta... and Gorgonzola! ;-D You're a woman of strong character, my dear!! Well done! :-)

Well, just as in Italy, the regional cuisines of any country will offer splendid options to the travelling type O. Fish, meat, vegetables in plenty, and fruit in season. If you keep in mind that simple foods and simple preparations, without heavy sauces, are least likely to contain corn and wheat lurking within, you'll do fine on holidays. The key supplement to take along would certainly be Deflect-O, available here in the Type O Store. And a copy of your food list, just for quick reference. On long plane trips, I make sure I have a bag of nuts/seeds/dried fruit, a couple of hard-boiled eggs, a small container of raw veg like carrots, celery, raw red pepper and a bit of sea salt, along with some edible dried meat or fish (we call it "jerky"), and bottled water on hand. It's my little survival kit ~ I'll never touch that muck they present as "food" to airline passengers!! phew!

Adapt that kit to your tastes and travel needs, pack your Deflect, and you're in business! Thanks so much for writing, Alma ~ hey everyone, if an Italian woman surrounded by Milano's numerous magnificent culinary temptations can stick to the O plan, ANY of us can! :-D

Hi, Heidi. I know you're a big fan of Phytocal. I'm an O Secretor and am wondering why our version of Phytocal contains such a small percentage of magnesium compared with calcium. Most nutritionists (non-BTDers) recommend at least 1:2, mag/cal. Others even recommend a 1:1 ratio. Please explain. I emailed the NAP folks, but their response was "that's the best ratio for O's". I'd like more info than that. Thanks! Lisa



Hey there, Lois ~ I realize most one-size-fits-all supplement advice emphasizes the need for magnesium along with the calcium. However, the Phytocal supps are designed for people who are following the blood type diets. Those highly beneficial greens are there for a reason ~ a commonly available, cheap and abundant supply of magnesium, among other things. Calcium needs, on the other hand, are not so easily filled by one item eaten daily ~ although concentration on the O-OK items in the Ask Dr. D. high-calcium food list can help. Thus, the cal to mag ratios in the Phytocals are designed to ensure that you can get enough calcium from them without triggering magnesium-overdosing, even eating your greens every day. Nice to hear from you, Lisa! write again! :-)