Hi I have submitted various questions to Heidi but have never received a reply or answer to these. I am not sure why - is it a technical problem or perhaps my questions are stupid!! Either way, if this email is getting through to you could you please let me know so that at least I can rule out the technical error! We can work on the other one later. I must admit I really miss the message board as there was always really good feedback to questions. I am a real fan of this diet but the questions I need to ask are almost gagging me! Please help! Shalinee

Shalinee, I’m sorry for your frustration. You’re not the only one who has not yet had a personal answer to their question. Let me explain the situation a bit so that perhaps you will understand the reason for the delay.

In this past week, I received 67 questions. Some weeks there are 50 or 60, sometimes 70+. Over the roughly 5½ months, or 170 days, I’ve been writing On The Diet, I’ve received nearly 1800 questions... not including the half-dozen or so emails I get daily. Some of the queries are in foreign languages. I do try to post multiple Q&A’s as frequently as possible ~ but as you can see by using the "list previous topics" button at the bottom of this page, I didn’t realize the need to do so until early June. I always expected there would be fewer entries, rather than more, as time went by. I was wrong. :-}

Some of the questions need their own column due to length, topic or complexity, and others have been answered with only one or two others because they so clearly fit together. Writing projects of this kind are always a bit of a balancing act between readability and information quality -- quite different from a message board, where the quality of information can fluctuate wildly. With two doctors "on staff" here, as well as many knowledgeable friends who write in to help, there is far less chance that what I tell you will be in utter error and dangerous for you to follow. We all have more time and emotional energy to focus on the information itself now.

It is my great regret that I haven’t yet responded to each and every question personally. It is true that I continually receive questions on subjects I have addressed in the past, so I urge everyone who has posted a question, or is thinking about posting one, to use the search function at the bottom of this page to discover if your question has already been answered one or more times. Enter the primary term for what you’re seeking: oatmeal... glycerine... hypoglycemia... chickpea... errata... blueberry... beet.... My mission is to get you your information as quickly as possible, and there’s nothing quicker than finding what you need with a simple search.

The On the Diet column is the work of a volunteer -- it is my choice, and my great pleasure, to do it -- but since I’m not a genius by any means, what value I can offer to you involves taking significant time to research and write replies to your concerns, to the best of my ability. There are some questions that are beyond my scope because they truly require the services of a skilled, local physician – I’m also going through a few of those every day and responding via email.

Shalinee, I have the two questions you posted in the last few weeks, and will answer those with tomorrow's column. I certainly do not want you to gag on your questions. I hope that you and others have a better grasp now of the mechanics of getting replies to everyone, and that you will concurrently seek help from your local health care practitioners, Peter's many books, and by reading everything our site has to offer -- I wish you all the very best!!

Greetings, Paula! While we have no rating for reindeer or tysk elk, I feel quite confident recommending them as "Neutral" for your type -- and I suspect this rating will apply to all members of the "Bambi" family you may encounter there in the Finnish woodlands! :-D

About wild duck, I am less sanguine. Duck, goose, grouse, partridge and quail are all avoids for Bs, which tells me that unlisted birdies are better considered "avoids" in your case. Pheasant, however, is fine for you, albeit rarer than ducks of all kinds, sorry to say!

Vaccinium vitis idaea (lingonberry) shares its small family Ericacea and genus Vaccinium with blueberries (including bilberries and whortleberries) and cranberries. My opinion is: eat them with gusto! Considering their relatives, they are likely Neutral for you, and might even be Beneficial.

Well, frankly, I had no idea rowan tree berries were edible at all... shame on me, and thank you for improving my education! I've always found the tree magnificently beautiful, and as it turns out, Sorbus aucuparia (European mountain ash, or "rowan") bears tasty fruit. You type Bs have much to be envied for, but for the moment I'll single out your magnificent fruit list. Rowan belongs to a huge family of plants (Rosaceae) of which not one is an avoid for you... so as to rowan berries, be my guest and call 'em "Neutral!" Hey - how do they taste? :->

Thanks for writing!!

The blood-thinning effects of that much vitamin E could potentiate other problems, and I don't suggest it for the symptoms you are experiencing.

Instead, consider the Congnitive Improvement Protocol in the Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia: Rhodiola rosea, 250 mg: 1-2 caps 2x daily; Thiamine hydrochloride (vit. B1), 50 mg: 1 cap 2x daily; Amla (Indian goooseberry): 250 mg: 1-2 caps 2x daily; and folic acid, 400mcg: 2 tablets daily. Phosphatidylserine is also an option, potentially highly effective but also quite expensive. The average dosage is two 100 mg caps daily.

Please let me know your results! take care, Jennifer! :-)

Hi, Judy! I'm sorry you're suffering!!

I think I can point you in the right direction, but I'd feel better if you could find a good BTD practitioner to work with you in person. Take a look at the Practitioner Registry and try your local health food stores and phone book for a lead.

First, you can design your own plan based on the nonsecretor diet. You know the bread, beans and soymilk shoot your sugar levels up. Get rid of them -- you don't need any of them to get all the nutrition you need. The soy (an avoid for nonsecretor Os) may be part of the cause of your cramping, as well. Cranberries, plums/prunes, blueberries or grapefruit should be the only fruits or juices you have, and very rarely for now. Monitor your reaction to them, and eliminate them if they pose trouble ~~ it won't be forever!

See if using vegetable glycerine (a tablespoon per day) will lower your sugar levels. Include a beneficial meat or fish at each meal -- three meals per day -- as well as a beneficial vegetable, especially the dark greens, pumpkin, carrots, winter squash (the neutral exception here), seaweeds, onions, garlic, hot peppers, and okra. Snack on walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Although flax is only neutral for us, the meal and the oil in combination with a bit of fish oil taken with meals can be of great help in regulating how you metabolize your food.

Eat dandelion greens and take the Taraxacum supp (250 mg, 2x per day), Bladderwrack (200 mg, 2x per day) and Deflect-O (2 caps with meals). Have some green tea to boost your antioxidant levels, if you can tolerate it. And if possible, include some nutritional yeast for B vitamins, and Phytocal-O to boost your mineral intake.

Judy, I sincerely believe you can use these guidelines to resolve your condition. It will be hard going for a while, as you'll need to be a little strict about focusing only on medicinal foods, but it will get easier as your body heals. Do take up your exercise program again, but gently! don't overburden or bore yourself with too-frequent repetitious strenuous workouts -- mix it up, take a walk today and lift weights tomorrow, then maybe a jog the day after, then a session on the rowing machine. Drink plenty of pure water. And let me know how you're faring! I COMMEND you for your efforts, and I know they'll pay off!!

Hello, Jan ~~ It's not uncommon to have to make small adjustments to the blood type diet guidelines, especially if one has a history of hypoglycemia as you do. It's also possible that you are a nonsecretor, in which case you would do better on a bit more meat and a bit less grain and sweet food than type B secretors.

Your breakfast indeed contained quite a bit of sugar, between the raspberries, jam, and rice syrup -- and eggs may not have the protein punch you need to balance out the bread carbs and the sugars.

I'd suggest using one of the lower-sugar fruits which are beneficial for either secretors or nonsecretors, such as grapefruit, plum/prune, blueberry or cranberry instead of raspberry in your MFC. Half an hour later, have your eggs with a little ground lamb or turkey burger, or a leftover piece of meat from dinner.

Get some vegetable glycerine (NOW and Heritage are two common brands) to use as sweetener in your tea. It is remarkable in that it tastes like liquid sugar, but actively helps stabilize blood sugar levels. It is fine for all types!

Have you tried your licorice tea alone, away from food? Sensitive folks have reported they do get a bit headachy from it. See if it affects you in that way, and use another herbal tea instead for a month or two if it does.

Hope this helps! and thank you so much for writing to me!

Hello, Eva! Sorry you had to wait so long.... but could you help me? I searched for any other questions from you, and came up with only one, below:



If you have others, please re-post them as they're not in my database. thanks!

Prepared foods like sausage are OK for us if all the ingredients are neutral or beneficial. If they are commercially packaged sausages, there is a risk that the meats used are not of the highest quality. Perhaps your butcher can make whatever sausage you want, from fresh cuts of meat and organic spices you provide? My butcher does this for me if I want cased sausage. I make my own sausage patties at home with fresh-ground meats and a few spices (sea salt, freshly ground pepper, thyme, paprika, garlic, fennel seed, cayenne). It is quick and can be adapted for any kind of meat or flavorings you'd like!

Calcium supplementation is not absolutely necessary, but it is advisable if you don't eat plenty of calcium-rich foods. Fucus is a helpful addition for weight loss and energy, but again not necessary. Do try to incorporate edible seaweeds like dulse, arame, wakame, hijiki, etc. into your diet. They provide beneficial polysaccharides, protein, and minerals (including calcium).

For the spider veins and couperose (also known as rosacea), strengthen the capillary walls with mineral-rich foods -- adding butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus), gotu kola (Centella asiatica) and horse chestnut extract(Aesculus hippocastus, the extract is "escin") in liquid or capsule form is highly effective for many people -- and avoid foods known for their inflammatory effects in type Os: wheat, coffee, alcoholic liquors, -- add to that list anything that you've discovered makes the condition worse for you. I also suggest taking quercetin, an inexpensive supplement usually derived from yellow onions. It is a great anti-inflammatory.

About chlorella ~ it is fine for all types, to my knowledge. It's simply a concentrated chlorophyll supplement. One of the food-based home remedies for heavy metal exposure is just a basic pesto sauce made with cilantro (coriander leaf), pumpkin seeds and garlic & olive oil. Pound them or put them in a blender together and adjust the proportions to your taste. :-) Add fresh basil if you like. LOTS of chlorophyll in this recipe!

Thank you for writing, Eva, and I hope this helps! My best to you and your husband!

I am trying to follow the ERFYT guidelines, due to two sisters dying in early fifties and I am 52 (female also; mother, father, and another brother died at 60). My blood pressure is slightly elevated but controled on 37.5 mg of Atenolol. I am 15 pounds overweight. I am exercising regularly, weight resistance and aerobic, but have a real hard time with food. Am trying to stay with the program but have a very hard time in the afternoon!

I have gone from 4 tablespoons of sugar in a single coffee to stevia in one cup each morning (decaf) campared to 6 cups a day with all that sugar x 6. I TEND TO HAVE ANXIETY THAT HAS COME ON AS MENOPAUSE HIT. WHAT CAN I EAT THAT IS NATURAL FOR A CALMING EFFECT ON MY SYSTEM? THANK YOU. ~ Pennie

_

Hi there, Pennie! You're having a real hard time with food, eh? It sounds like you've had a major victory with coffee, a terrible stumbling block for lots of Os!! In my humble opinion, you're doing beautifully, and deserve loud praise and a hearty pat on the back. Hey... maybe you're hungry in the afternoon because of all that exercise? Add a protein meal when the 3 or 4:00 blahs hit -- like a half portion of beef stew you've made & frozen. Or a couple of hard-boiled eggs with a drizzle of olive oil and a spray of fresh-ground pepper. I keep a couple of fish filets in a bit of olive oil and spice rub in bags in the fridge (replaced constantly, never more than one day old). If your workplace has a fridge and a microwave, it's better than most things you'd snack on in a sugar-pinch. If you're at home, just dump one in a pan, and grab a little salad. Instant protein gratification!

I understand that there's a lot of persuasive talk on the Net about supplements, especially calcium. Here's my view: How many of our ancient forbears munched on coral? It sounds silly to our modern minds, but the whole idea behind this diet plan and the supplements created to augment it is: food shall be your medicine. Peter's Phytocal products are based upon seaweeds that people have eaten for millennia, and will continue to eat. These are plants that re-grow at a speedy rate. Their harvesting does not reduce the potential supply, nor does it interfere with ocean ecosystems. And to address your specific concern, the absorption rate for these food-based mineral supplements is as high as any you will find. We are designed to eat sea vegetables. We are not coral-eating creatures. Using sea salt, seaweeds, and high-solids mineral water, along with foods high in calcium, will move you a long way toward optimal intake all by themselves.

The marketers of coral calcium supps would have you believe that vacuuming a reef involves no destruction of these delicate underwater ecosystems. I ask you: when you vacuum your rug, does your vacuum pick and choose what it will suck into the bag? Can it inhale the dirt, but spare the spider, so to speak? If you were vacuuming a reef, would your whoosher manage to pick up those heavy calcium droppings without also removing and destroying the much lighter organisms who inhabit and/or form the reef?

I urge anyone who cares about the health of this Earth and our own, to use sustainable food sources of calcium. :-}

End of speech!

Now, a couple of things that came to mind when you mentioned BTD -- I think you're in the U.S., so I just wanted to alert you that Live Right 4 Your Type and the ER4YT Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia have effective recommendations for stabilizing blood pressure and ensuring a smooth menopause transition. Maca root has a long history of levelling out hormonal surges, and is available from www.pennherb.com (my favorite) among other sites. I also wanted to mention the sweetener "vegetable glycerine" made by two companies I'm aware of, Heritage and NOW. This may prove more effective than stevia to curb your sweet tooth -- it actually helps normalize blood sugar levels, rather than throw them high and plunge them down, and it has an absolutely neutral "sugar" taste.

Don't be concerned for your lifespan because of how your family has fared. This is a different time, a different life, yours, and you are doing your utmost to prosper -- with tools they did not have. You will live a long time, dear. Do good, and do well ~ and share the joy. :-)

Heidi, Thank you for all your wonderful advice. I'm trying to reach the 5BX exercises and I keep getting this message: Your account is currently unavailable. Please contact your support representative. Sarah SE Oklahoma

Whooops! The Royal Canadian Air Force better pay their webhosting fees!

:-) Any RCAF folk around? Canadian military or civilians: if possible, please pass the message along!! Thanks for the heads-up, Sarah! :-D

I have just started the diet and I am an A blood type (unknown whether secretor or not). I belive that I am suffering from leaky gut and possibly candida. The symptoms are most distressing for me and are really getting me down. I seem to react to what I eat and have skin rashes on my face and neck. When I eat around my mouth flares up in an ugly red and flaky rash. But no one food stands out as causing it. I cant sleep at night because I am so itchy. I have the rash which doctors say is excema on my face, neck, arms, behind knees. I dont want to leave the house as i look so terrible and feel so self conscious.

Will just doing the diet help or do I need supplements. Which protocol do I follow as several seem to apply to me in the book, ie intestinal health, allergy, detox, anti-bacterial, yeast... Also I have just had a baby five weeks ago and am breast feeding and supplementing with formula as due to past surgery I dont have enough milk. I am an A and my husband is an O and the baby is on formula but will be presumably be an A or O and they should avoid dairy?? What effect will this have on the baby? I really look forward to your answer, I just want to be normal again and feel good about myself I live in New Zealand, can you get the supplements here? Thankyou Kylie

Hi, Kylie ~ welcome!

The first thing to do is get solidly on your diet. Make sure to take a tablespoon of flax oil daily, and include some fish and plenty of vegetables in your meals. Eliminate all wheat and all dairy (with the exception of yogurt) for now. Instead, get your calcium from dark leafy greens, sesame seeds, almonds, broccoli, blackstrap molasses, etc. -- see This Link for a list of high-calcium foods. You will also benefit from taking supplementary calcium -- try to find calcium lactate or calcium citrate.

Adding that bit of good oil, and fish, and cutting out red meat, uncultured dairy and wheat will start making a huge difference in your skin and your intestinal health. Doctors won't tell you this unless they happen to have an education in nutrition and complementary medicine -- 99% of them do not.

A folic acid supplement is essential for you right now, along with a solid basic supplement program (including calcium mentioned above). Your pregnancy has depleted your body of many vital nutrients, and you'll start feeling better right away when you begin building up your stores of these nutrients again. Read through the details of the supplements available in the Store here for type A -- Polyvite, Polyflora, Phytocal and Deflect-A. If you cannot order them from us or from www.stacktheme.com, search online for good supps that contain no avoids for your type.

You especially need a good probiotic. Yogurt will do some good, and a high-quality probiotic is a health essential for the resolution of your candida problems and allergies. Look for a product containing Bifidobacterium bifidus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus reuteri. And do take a tablespoon of nutritional yeast daily -- it will supply your B vitamin needs and will feed the beneficial bacteria. It can be stirred into warm soup, or used in a smoothie.

If I were to choose one protocol, it would be the Yeast protocol. Let me know if you need any assistance in following it. I'd be happy to help!

The baby will do well with your breast milk and the supplementary formula -- try to find a soy-based formula with NO corn sweetener of any kind. Alimentum and Nutramigen are two commercial brands which are designed for babies with allergies to both cow dairy and soy. I mention them only because of the slight chance your baby is a type O nonsecretor - in that case, a non-soy product would be far preferable. Another option is rice or almond milk with a little olive or flax oil blended in. Infant liquid vitamins can be administered if your pediatrician thinks it's necessary.

OK, so this should get you well on the road to feeling MUCH better, and soon! Let me know if questions arise -- and welcome to the BTD! :-D

Hi Heidi, I have been reading about the liver/gall bladder flushes and can't figure out if either of these would be a good idea for me. I'm 23 years old, not overweight (120 lbs), but would like to lose fat and be more toned. I'm an O non-secretor and follow the diet pretty faithfully except that I eat potatoes (only when I eat out - less than once per week) and I sometimes eat chocolate (I love chocolate so much, but I know it's bad for me and makes me feel bad too! - trying to give this up completely).

I do 30 min cardio and at least 30 minutes weights (constantly increasing what I lift) each week. I also take PolyVite O, Phytocal O, and Fucus. I have no health problems. So, would I benefit at all from doing either a liver or gall bladder flush at this point? Or should following the diet, exercise, etc be enough? Thanks, Kate

Hi there, Kate ~~ The diet, exercise (3x per week), and plenty of water should be perfectly adequate for you. That said, there's certainly no harm in doing an occasional 'self-therapeutic' like a gallbladder flush. It does improve fat digestion.

Thanks for your note, and I'm glad you're starting the diet at a relatively young age -- it's a wonderful long-term health strategy, and will stand you in good stead. :-D

Two items I cannot find in the blood typebase food index are clover sprouts and palm oil (not palm kernal oil). I need a solid fat for shortening other than butter. We have types A and O in our household. I do not know our secretor status. Thanks for your help. Candace

Hi, Candace! For a solid shortening, just make GHEE from 'organic' butter, and put the container in the fridge. It is a wonderful food for all types, and does yeoman's work as a solid shortening.

PALM OIL is not recommended for anyone. Clover sprouts would be OK for you as long as red clover is OK -- but since it is an avoid for all types except AB, I would avoid it in your case.

Thanks for your message! :-D

Heidi, What is the best breakfast for the Type O? I don't know my secretor status yet, I'm submitting that test in tonight. Some people say eating meat & veges is the morning is best, but sometimes that's too much work for my system to handle in the morning. I sometimes feel bloated and not so comfortable. Some people say vegetables only in the morning are best. The problem I have with that is I am starving by 9 am! Others suggest eating fruit in the morning is best to get the digestive system started, however I have hypoglycemic tendancies, and sometimes that causes a huge sugar rush that makes me feel sick by 9 or 10 am. Thank you so much for helping me with my breakfast menu! You are truly a God send! - Tina

Hello, Tina! Well, from your observation that meat & veg is too much, but veg is too little to keep you going, I'd certainly try (1) two eggs with a slice of turkey bacon and tomato; (2) a half cup of chopped nuts and two tablespoons of ground flaxseed, pour very warm water over it all and let it stand for 10 minutes -- then top with a handful of berries or a drizzle of vegetable glycerine or other favorite OK sweetener. Both contain good measures of protein and fat, and you'd then get LOADS of fresh vegetables the rest of the day, right? :-D let me know if these work for you, and thanks for writing, Tina! :-)

Hey there, Heidi! I meant to get back to you before this, but I'm a student and between school and work I've been one busy girl. I got the results of my secretor test (I'm a secretor), and I did another search with slightly different terms and found a source for grass-fed lamb. I haven't found time to look for rabbit or venison yet.

I searched for "cookbook" in your column and am slowly working my way through the list of past columns that came up, when I can find the time. I guess my big problem as far as flours goes is that my favorite cookbook is "The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook" which I think someone wrote in and suggested for O's. It's not so great for B's, however (lots of buckwheat, amaranth, and teff - I was especially fond of teff).

So, I would still be grateful for any suggestions you or anyone else may have. I also have a couple of other questions. Looking ahead to the fall and winter months, if I took the seeds from an acorn squash and roasted them, would they make an OK substitute for roasted pumpkin seeds? And, I want to try the alternate nostril breathing you keep talking about; does it matter which nostril you breathe in through and which nostril you breathe in through? I can see where it might not matter, but then again... Thanks so much for your help. Keep up the good work! Jessica

Hey there, Jessica! Glad you popped up out of that busy life long enough to write!

In the case of all cookbooks, the key is to identify the BTD-keyed changes a recipe requires, then try it out. Substitutions of spelt usually work for type Bs in the flour area, and other adjustments will need to be made in virtually every recipe of 5 or more items we come across. For those with multiple allergies / IBS / candida / and similar restricting conditions, it's VERY often best to set aside grains altogether until those conditions are resolved -- rather than cling doggedly to one's bread or pastry favorites and pouring energy into finding substitute recipes for them. If truth be told, one's health will not suffer as a result of eliminating these foods -- and it's a great feeling to be free of the idea that they are necessary in order to have a happy day. ;-) So, just establish which camp you fall into: the folks who can do well with substitute flours, and those who are better off without the breads, cakes, cookies, pasta, etc.

In all cases, once illnesses are resolved, then we can test individual foods to see if they can be re-introduced safely. Hoorah! :-D

Any winter squash seed can be substituted for pumpkin seeds, and they're just as tasty and nutritious! ;-) The alternate nostril breathing technique uses both nostrils -- you can start 'in' with either, then proceed to alternate as mentioned.

Nice to hear from you, and please pop up again when you can!! :-D

Dear Heidi, Thanks for your wonderful column, the information on it is so helpful. I wrote a while back about bacteria and yeast etc. Have now got heallix and at last I seem to be getting somewhere. Thank you for advising it.

I have several questions. What do you think to liquid minerals, for example Maximol which contains fulvic acid and is ionised. It is marketed by Neways International as a supplement.

I am confused about probiotics as a couple of people have written in in relation to heavy metal detox and have advised against using them and digestive enzymes while undergoing a detox, particularly in relation mercury. Do probiotics affect the process in some way.

Are all Dr Ds supplements that contain seaweeds screened for pollutants and heavy metals?

and finally what do you know about NDF and NDF Plus for heavy metal detoxing? It seems to be the new up and coming product for this purpose. I have been on all the websites and read all the information but cant decide whether or not it would work in relation to blood grouping. In both products they have probiotics and several herbs and mushrooms, some of which seem suitable and correct for certain blood groups but not others and I am not sure about the bacteria or doesnt it matter?

Would very much appreciate your thoughts on this as I know its hard to get rid of candida, fungi etc while you are heavily laden with mercuty deposits. One last thing. What is the upper limit you can take of vitamin B6 if you are pre-disposed to cancer? This is highlighted in the encylopedia but dosent say a limit. Many thanks for your time and energy. Do you ever sleep? best wishes val from England A resus negative A1MN secretor.

Hello, Val ~~ I'm very pleased Heallix is doing good work for you -- VERY exciting!!

I'm not familiar with the liquid minerals or other products you mentioned. I can certainly say that, as always, if a formulation contains avoids for your type -- don't use it. The NDF stuff is a case in point -- especially if it is to be used over a long period of time (and metal detox is a long-term process). "First, do no harm." ;-) Carefully evaluate any newly-popular product -- they spring up everywhere wide markets exist, and the metal-detox crowd is very much a growing market.

There are indeed bacteria which are suited to one type but not another. For a quick reference, compare the Polyflora-A product with Polyflora-B.

I am not at all well-versed in severe heavy-metal toxicity conditions, which is why I've referred questions such as yours to others better equipped to answer them. First, I suggest sending an email to NAP customer service with your pollutant-screening question. Second, pop on over to the BTD-UK site, where the estimable Dr. Tom Greenfield may be able to help you with the probiotic/detox questions. He's a wonderful fellow, and extremely helpful and kind!

As to the upper B6 limit, it varies. In the protocols, we suggest variations between 50 and 200 mg per day -- ONLY for the length of the protocol. Any symptoms of sensory peripheral neuropathy resulting from overuse of B6 will resolve on lowering the dosage or discontinuing it. If you want to supplement it on a daily and ongoing basis, keep it below 40mg -- and readjust if you find any problems cropping up. These calculations are on the basis of a 150-pound person, so tweak accordingly for your weight. ;-)

Hope this helps, Val -- let me know what you learn! best wishes!! :-D

I am an AB non-secretor who needs to lose about 30 lbs. I have been on the diet (mostly) for about 2 months and haven't lost any weight. I have in the past had chronic fatigue which will come back for short periods if I stress myself or don't eat well. There isn't a lot of information on how an AB should follow the program to lose weight, do you have any words of wisdom for me? Carol

Sure, Carol! I've got a lot of words, anyway! :->

Tell me what your normal weekly menu is like -- the kinds of dishes you eat, and how often. I'll help you adjust anything I see that may be hindering your progress.

Also, tell me about your daily schedule. Do you practice yoga, meditation, or any other stress-relief exercise? And do you walk, swim, bike, or get other regular exercise?

The diet will most certainly work for you, in conjunction with the stress relief and exercise parts of the whole plan. I also suggest taking PolyFlora-AB, and Cortiguard -- they work marvelously for my type AB friends!

I'll look forward to your reply, and thanks SO much for writing!

Heidi, thanks for your your response for the flour subs. I checked out Shiloh farms. Problem is that allof there bread except the spelt contains vital whest gluten as a enhancer. I will check on the flours later. Angel

Thanks, Angel! Yep, I wasn't recommending their breads -- just giving the site locale for a contact point on the flours. Keep me posted on what you find! :-)

Howdy, I really did try to find my answers in the database, but to no avail. Fish-- which is better frozen or canned? Those are my only options for a good part of the year.

And as an AB nonsecretor I am having a hard time eating my minimum two 2 ounce servings of turkey a week. I just don't like meat. Didn't eat the stuff for years. I can do ok with the fish, but not anything else. How critical is it?

Lastly, My bowels have always given me problems. Sometimes, rarely, I'll have a normal bowel movement. Most of the time, its the diameter of a pencil. The frequency is good. A few times a day at least. But the size thing bugs me. Peppermint oil and psyllium seem to help a bit, but I can't help thinking I'm masking the issue. I seem to run the best when the bulk of my diet is raw veggies. Anything else, rye, pinto beans and god forbid dairy, wheat, or meat play havoc. Any suggestions? Thanks, Marie

Hey there, Marie! Gee, lots of ABs posting lately ~ Whoo-Hoo!! keep 'em coming!

Fish: best choice is fresh, second best canned, third best frozen. Are there any places in or around your area where there's some fishing? A stream, lake, river? You might get to know a fisherman and arrange for a couple fish weekly now and again? Just a thought ~ and explore the www.eatwild.com site for any fish vendors. Plenty of people out there are salting and/or drying/jerking and/or vacuum-packing their fish, which is better than the canning process. If there is some time during the year when fresh fish is available to you, you can buy up a good quantity and preserve it at home.

Look online for a purveyor of salt cod. This is a beneficial fish for everyone, and it keeps for quite a long time. It is rinsed/soaked thoroughly to remove the salt, and you then have something very nearly identical to the fresh fish, ready for cooking.

How are you cooking the turkey -- does it not taste good to you, or are you having trouble digesting it? Or is it just the 'idea' that is unpleasant? Whether the turkey's necessary (or any item from that group) is largely a question of balance. I'd feel better if you continued with one serving weekly -- or if you treated yourself to a roasted quail now and again for variety, and tried a little of the other neutral or beneficial meats -- rabbit, maybe? (just very rarely, just to see if you might develop a taste for any of them.) If it's possible to add a serving of fish instead, and keep in line with the other protein recommendations from nuts, beans and dairy, then I'd say you can safely dispense with the turkey. :-}

Looks like your body is telling you that the bulk of your diet should be raw veggies. Nothing wrong with that at all! Follow that very good advice. ;-) Add in only the need-cooking vegs which are beneficials (MOST especially, the dark leafy greens -- VERY important for Bs and ABs in particular), and have raw stuff for the rest. And plenty of them -- at least four servings daily. Let me know how things go with that plan -- I think it should work out very well!

always lovely to hear from you hard-to-find types! :-D thanks for writing, Marie, and do keep in touch! :-D

Dear Heidi, after a long while I am back again with a question. In the meantime I feel that the diet has done very good things to me. Let me just tell you one thing: Here in Germany, we had for an extended period of time for us unusually high temperatures - around 30 to 35 C, almost no cooling-off at night, increasing ozon values etc. - and mind you: you hardly find any air condition here around - which might be good on its own grounds. However, I still "survived" quite good, and my blood pressure was in average 135 to 65. Without any medication again for high blood pressue which I stopped taking after I began with the BTD. Not bad for a 79 years old lady, isn't it?

I feel more energetic and of good mood. I also saw over the last month a slow weight loss and I still want to loose some. But now, without changing my regiment, I have been gaining weight again. I still eat maybe a bit more grains (no wheat!!!) than I should but I haven't increased the rate, rather decreased it slowly. I try to do sports but this is only possible in a limited way. I do my walks and a bit of biking on a home trainer. I don't think my weight gain is due to muscles. I supplement with Phytocal "0" - 3 to 4 capsules a day - and Fucus. Do you have an idea where this weight gain might come from? Also: Do you have an idea how I could speed up the weight loss? As always your help is greatly appreciated. With many thanks and greetings to New York, Helene

Well, look who's here! :-D That's a wonderful report, Helene!! I'm so pleased the O plan made the sweltering heat more bearable -- and that those blood pressure medications are gone for good. :-D

About the weight gain... could you tell me how much you've gained (and how much was lost before)? If I knew your height and total weight, that would help as well. In the meantime, start keeping track of your measurements with a tape measure. Take a measurement at waist, hip and around one thigh, and write it down. Then continue doing so on the same day each week. I'd like to have a good grasp of the situation before suggesting any changes. This may be just some water gain due to the weather, or due to your tissues gaining health and plumping up nicely! :-)

Let me know how much grain you're eating now, and of what kind. The clue may lie right there -- and once again, it may be water weight rather than fat, and a small adjustment in that one area may be of surprising effect! OK, I'll await your reply. You're a shining light to us all, Helene ~ thank you so much for keeping in touch!

When advising Cyndi about her type A pepper-guzzling husband, you said: "A thought: you didn't mention his type, but I'm gathering from the foods you mentioned that he's an A. Hmmm.... is he a nonsecretor? sure is tempting to find out, eh? since peppers are OK for A nonnies! ??? .... ;-)" As I recently discovered, A2s (even secretors) can also have red pepper including cayenne. It would be worth Cyndi's husband doing the full serotype.

I don't know (& neither did you when I asked) why they were OK. But on that point, is there any chance you couold find out whether the peppers become neutral for A2s because they no longer have the flocculating effect or because they have some other beneficial effect that is so important to A2s that it balances out the lectin harm?

If the latter I personally (as a person with cancer) would still probably avoid them and get the benefit from something else. Obviously for nonnies this does not apply as they aren't secreting the antibody so the lectin can't cause the reaction with the antibody in the gut (of which the in-vitro flocculation is a predictor). Sarah

Hey there, Sarah! A2 blood cells carry only the type 2A antigen, while A1 cells carry 2A, 3A and 4A -- to me this indicates a direction of inquiry on the lack of A2 interactivity with some of the A1 avoids. And nonsecretors do not secrete these antigens in the digestive tract, thus escaping certain lectins' effects.

I'd like to promise you a quick and definitive answer to your question, but I doubt I will obtain it any time soon, so I decided to go ahead and publish this q&a now. If I have the opportunity to find the answer, I'll do my best to get it and convey it to you. A note for now: the item that we're discussing is sweet red peppers, rather than the hot varieties. I agree that Cyndi's husband might find the full serotype panel useful, and I hope he'd be willing to get it done.

For now, I'd suggest leaving the red peppers out -- they are at best neutral for you, thus presenting little in the way of therapeutic benefit to you. Very best wishes, and I'll be in touch if I've anything of note for you! :-)

Read about Heallix for rosacea. What is it? I can't find it on the site when I enter the word. Thank you, Frances

Hi, Frances! The site is www.heallix.com -- let us know how it works for you! :-)

Hi Heidi, I read Bob's post where he relays that with the blood test he came out as a secretor and with the spit test he came out as a nonnie. This typing stuff I find very interesting and crucial because of its significance in following the BTD.

In the knowledge base, Metabolic and Immunological Consequences of ABH secretor status, http://www.dadamo.com/abh-lewis.html, it says, "ABH secretors are almost always Lewis (a-b+) since they convert all their Lewis (a) antigen into Lewis (b). ABH non-secretors are always (Lewis a+b-) since they lack the FUT2 dependent glycosyltransferase to accomplish this. " Given the above, is it possible that someone could come out as a secretor, Lewis (a-b+), using the blood test and a nonnie with the spit test?

I understand how a person could come out as a secretor with the spit test and then be blood typed and come out as a Lewis Double Negative. See below. "A small section (1-4% of the population dependent on race) will be Lewis Double Negative (LDN; Lewis (a-b-)) and for which Lewis typing cannot be used to determine ABH secretor status. In these individuals determination via saliva is necessary."

If you think best, I can take this up with Tom Greenfield along with the topic of secretor gradations of LDNs. Thanks for your understanding with my questions. I love this stuff! Best, Nina (A2 nonnie)

:-) Glad it's floatin' yer boat, Nina! Fun, ain't it?! :-) The answer to the first question is YES -- not only because of the fussiness and delicacy of the Lewis test, which requires great skill to perform and to interpret, but also remember that the text you quoted actually focused upon the reason why a nonsecretor is Lea+b-, not whether someone might be such a "weak secretor" that they are, for all useful (dietary) purposes, a nonsecretor. That's where the saliva test reigns supreme.

I think it's a grand idea to take it up with Tom, and I look forward to hearing what you learn! :-)

Hello Heidi, I'm starting Stone root(Collinsonia canadensis) in the form of fluid extract for my varicose vein condition(the thick ropey type, not the fine capilliary type), and wondered what dose to take.The bottle says rec. dose 1.0 to 4.0 mls 3 times daily.Should I take the min. or max dose? I am A2 type, aged 62. It would be great to achieve some improvement rather than have to think about surgery.Thanks once again for your incredible generosity of spirit to us all. Jenny

Greetings, Jenny! I'd go with the highest dosage of the stoneroot.

Take a look at This Link to a column I posted in January. There are some detailed instructions for dealing with varicose veins there. Please give them a whirl and let me know periodically how your situation is coming along. Thanks for your kindness, Jenny-- very best wishes to you!! :-)

Heidi, I'm type O and suffer from cystic Acne. I don't know yet if I'm a secretor or non-secretor. I've taken your advice from a previous posting to stick closely to the Type O diet (i've been on it for 4 months), Drink 2 liters of water with a squeeze of lemon daily, Take ARA6, PolyFlora-O, Deflect-O and have been taking Heallix for a month. So far, I can see a difference in the general health and oil of my skin, but I still break out in very large cystic pimples (3 or 4) a week before my menstrual cycle starts.

Part of my PMS symptoms that week before are the cystic pimple break-out, constipation, feel bloated, irritable (you know the drill...). I've read about the importance of EFA's in my diet. I've been taking Flax Seed Oil and eating oily fish, but have read that I should be taking Omega-6 supplement as well. I'm planning to start Black Currant oil since i don't know yet if i'm a secretor or not. The skin on my hands has gotten scaly and dry, which for me is a sign that i need to get some Omega-6 fats (GLA) into my body. Thank you so much for any guidance you can provide. - Tina

Hey there, Tina! OK, now we're narrowing down the problem. You need some balancing in the hormone area. Add the Female Balancing protocol for type O, and add two capsules twice daily of wild yam, and a tablespoon of maca root powder, daily. In one month, I think you'll experience a big difference. And see about getting some grass-fed beef for the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Very wonderful stuff!! I'll be eager to hear your report in a few weeks!!! thanks for keeping in touch, Tina! :-D

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! :-)

Good morning/afternoon I am type O. Your list for dairy products under "neutral" lists "farmer cheese". I cannot find such an item where I live in Australia. Someone said it is a Continental Cottage Cheese Spread (was Bakers Cheese apparently). Can you assist please with what it might be here in Australia? Regards Carol



Hi, Carol! "Farmer cheese" is indeed "baker cheese" in some locales. Here is a quote from the Specific Carbohydrate Diet pages:















I hope those descriptions give you some tips on what to look for there in Oz ~ Thanks for writing, Carol! :-)

I am an O non-secretor. I have been on the diet in increasing dedication for about 3 or 4 years. My question is about Chlorela and Spirulina. It is not always easy to get my greens. I was wondering what you think of Chlorela and Spirulina as substitutes at times for green vegetables and generally are they good for an O+ NS. Thanks, P.S. Results speak for themselves! Jeff



Hey, Jeff! Well... we nons REALLY need our fresh veg every day! Chlorella is a perfectly wonderful supplement -- meaning, as an addition to an otherwise healthy diet. It will probably prevent a deficiency in some elements if your vegetable intake is low, but vegetables and fruits provide fiber and trace elements that a supp can't give you... you know where I'm going with this, right? :-} As a substitute for whole food, actually, well... it wouldn't work too well that way. Figure out how much time it would take to steam two servings of veg a day and prepare one plain salad ~ add up the cost, then figure out how much the supp costs per day. Put a price on your time & do your own comparison. This doesn't figure in the difference in "feeling" between a vegetable-based diet and one heavier on supps, but do work it out for yourself and make the best decision for your lifestyle! thanks, Jeff!! :-)

Heidi, I am O, secretor, and while I try to follow the diet for my well being (I especially BREATHE better), I have been able to maintain an ideal weight for my size for the past 10 years. My weak area although, is my "gut". Even Dr. Bron mentioned that it is not advantageous to harbor extra weight in your stomach and I have had this problem since high school. (Not overweight at that time, although I was for a brief period in college.) I have tried ab exercises, but that doesn't help much either. My question is, has the lectin damage of all these years (I'm now 42), caused such damage to my gut, that no diet or exercise can reverse? Amber



Hello, Amber! Body proportion is not a health issue if your diet is good and your weight is OK and steady. You can sculpt your body with weight work done regularly over a period of months, but we are all built differently (God must like it that way!) even at a high level of fitness. I know it can be discouraging to focus upon the one area that does not meet our standards, so I suggest going to the level of the solution and getting right stuck into a thrice-weekly weight workout. The changes will come, and improvements can be immensely cheering! But again, worry not about that tummy ~ just look at how far you've come already! :-)

Hello, After the birth of my daughter a few years ago, went on a wheat, dairy and sugar free diet and reached my ideal weight of 7St 6Ibs, Put after a perlonged period of stress including a miscarraige, I regained the weight and since then despite my best efforts, I keep gaining weight every year I now weigh 8st 4ibs. I've been following the O type diet for about 5 months now, along with the programme of exercise recommended for O- types, 3 times a week at the gym. Intially I lost some weight, but now I seem to have regained the weight and some extra, please can you tell me what I'm doing wrong, I don't know what else I can do, and my weight keeps creeping up every year. I don't want to put any more weight on, and would be grateful for any help or explination about whats happening, or what I'm doing wrong, Thanks for your help, Emma Welsh



Greetings, Emma ~ First, let me say you are doing NOTHING wrong at all, you're doing fine! All you need is a little test of fine-tuning for yourself. Even within the O blood type, there are variations in metabolism that must be worked out individually. We all do this if we see results are slow or difficult, so don't feel you're failing, please! ;-) Two suggestions: twelve pounds is not so terribly much to lose, and with your workouts, you've probably built up a bit more muscle mass (a GOOD thing, it's the fat-burning engine!) which is heavier than fat. So measure yourself (at waist, hips, thighs) rather than weighing for the next two months, and keep track weekly. That will give you a better indication of *fat* loss than the scale can do. Second, remove all grain and dairy from your diet, and fill in with beneficial vegetables, meat, fish, nuts and oils. Add two tablespoons of maca root powder to your daily diet (in a smoothie, perhaps) for its hormone-balancing effects, and have two cups of green tea and plenty of pure water between meals. Let me know your progress in a bit! :-D

I recently started on the diet for "O Blood Type." After reading the book, I picked up the little companion book for "O's" on food, beverage & supplement lists that I could keep with me. I noticed in that book I'm allowed to eat "oat bran, oatmeal & oat flour which was considered "avoid" foods in your original book. Has more study gone into this changing some of the foods that "0's" can now consume as a neutral food? Karen



Yes, much more study has taken place ~ and we have come to what appears to be the final version for the foods already tested. So, the "little books" are of a much later date than the BTD book, and are the updated versions of the food lists! thanks, Karen!! :-)

Last year I took your Proberry 3 during the winter months and did not get sick (I am around kids all the time). I started your PolyFlora and Polyvite recently and wondered if I still need the Proberry 3 or is there enough in the vitimins? A recent blood test showed hypothyroidism The doctor suggested a product called Nature thyroid. The rest of the blood test was very healthy and I have to give credit to the type O diet I have been following for two years. I would be open to any suggestions you have as to how I can help myself other than the diet and the Nature thyroid. Thanks. Carol



Hi there, Carol ~ Would you write back and tell me what is actually in the Nature thyroid product you're taking? and how it's working for you? Since you're around kids constantly, yes, I'd keep taking the ProBerry3 year-round. Besides, it makes a magnificent soda ~ add other fruit concentrates if desired, fill up with mineral water and add a few ice cubes. :-D

How does blood type O react soy and tofu? It says to avoid soybeans, does that mean all soy drinks and products? Sorah



Hi, Sorah ~ The guidelines for soy differ, depending upon one's secretor status. Since most people are secretors, I usually advise that it is safe to follow the secretor list unless they are in severe difficulty to start with. For nonsecretors, soy is "avoid," and for secretors, "neutral." To check individual foods, use the TYPEbase 3 database. Thanks for your note, dear! ;-)

This is my first visit to your website. I would appreciate it very much if you can tell me what are the foods that I can eat and what I should avoid. My blood type is O+ and I suffer from intensely painful gout flare ups (in my ankle joint and knees) occasionally. Thank you. Kan Yau



Hello, Kan Yau ~ Right away, I will suggest that you avoid wheat and corn in every form and every product. And take a couple of tablespoons of black cherry juice or a handful of fresh black cherries every day ~ it is quite effective against the gout. You'll need the book Live Right 4 Your Type for the complete explanation of this plan ~ it's available from the Store on this site, as well as many online and neighborhood booksellers. Have a good look, and write again -- I wish you Godspeed in your healing!!

I am type O, and am trying to follow the Eat right for your blood type. I have eaten more or less a vegetarian diet for years and avoided red meat because I had polyops in my intestianal trace. Also I had a sister die of colon cancer. Can I safely eat meats. I was diagnosed with mycoplasm pnumomia and took antibotics at first and swiched to Colodial Silver and other supplements. Now I seem to have it back, and have been diagnosed with emphasema. I have been told that I need to take antibotics for 1 to 2 years to cure the mycoplasma and colodial silver to keep the yeast and bad bacteria under control. Originally, I took Dyfluken to control that. Please help me. I seem to continually have sinus and bronchal problems. Please excuse mispelled words. Thank you, Dorothy



Dear Dorothy ~ it is wheat and many other foods inappropriate for type O which bear the blame for intestinal disease, not the clean Beneficial and Neutral meats that we need for health and healing! Fish is especially important for you now, along with plenty of steamed vegetables and fruits. Please try your best to eliminate all grains and dairy for now, as it will make things far easier for you after the initial adjustment period. Diflucan is what started the problems with yeast and bacteria, and has worsened the gut trouble you have today. Antibiotics will severely damage the intestinal flora and fauna that make up your immune system! Please do not believe anyone who would have you take them for years! INSTEAD: please visit www.heallix.com and purchase a few bottles of Heallix -- it is ionized silver (far more effective and safe than colloidal silver) in a base of fulvic acid, and will do wonders in helping your immune and digestive system regain health. If possible, get a mini-trampoline and just sit and bounce on it for five or ten minutes every day -- it will help your lungs clear up. Do get out and walk, if at all possible! Dorothy, please keep in touch, OK? I want to hear how you're doing! thanks, dear!!

Dear Heidi, I just read the Sept. 3 note and my husband isn't quite as bad, but he is in the hopital right now with a severe attack of ulcerative colitis. He is Type O,so am I, but he doesn't follow the Blood Type diet like I do, but from now on he is game to try anything to avoid severe pain and bloody diarrhea. I've looked all the info. up in LR4YT, plus other books I have on hand. I know it is important to eat alkaline food, one info I have lists all fruits as alkaline except cranberries AND blueberries. I know how important blueberries are for Type O as beneficial, thank goodness I bought lots of wild blueberries on holidays and have in freezer. Also, should he avoid all grains right now except this white rice concoction? I glean so much insight from your column, thanks for your help. Jayne



:-} hey, we all had different reasons for coming to this plan, and it looks like your husband has found his own reasons. Yes, do avoid all grains other than the rice and blueberries dish. Don't worry yourself trying to run his diet on an acid/alkaline list ~ just keep healing that gut of his, and add other foods as he heals. Thanks for your kind words, Jayne, and I know he will come through and be healthier than ever! Keep me posted! :-)

Why is colustrum contraindicatdd for Type Os? I have taken it in the past with much success and want to resume taking it now (I've just spent the past 10 days recovering from a very bad reaction to Cipro that a dermatologist put me on for a fingernail infection). It really helped in the past for other reasons and I'd like to try it again. What do you think? Carolyn



Hi, Carolyn ~ I'd use our type-specific probiotic, PolyFlora-O, instead. And be aware that antibiotics are killers, and don't particularly care whether the casualties are the good guys or the bad guys ~ they just wipe them ALL out. An antiviral like ProBerry3 is an excellent preventative, and "Heallix" (available at www.heallix.com) is marvelous for preventing and treating internal and topical infections of a wide variety - and it actually supports natural immune function rather than compromising it as antibiotic drugs do. Those are my thoughts ~ I hope they help! :-)

I am a type O and am gaining much success by the Blood Type Diet. I started the diet in June of this year and have added a rigorous workout routine to my daily schedule. I am interested in taking fat burners, but, it seems that over 50% of ingredients in fat burner products are listed as "avoid" for my blood type. What do you recommend for me as suulements that will enhance my weight loss? Thank you V



Most fat burners contain harmful stimulants, and I'd advise strongly against taking any of them. Instead, get bladderwrack (fucus vesiculosis) in capsules, and take two or three per day. Drink a cup or two of green tea daily. Limit your grain and dairy servings to the absolute minimum, and fill up on green veg whenever possible. And use only the good oils, and pure water ~ with your determination, you'll see results in no time! and they'll stick with you, which I can't say for the effects of fat burners... OK? :-)

Firstly I would just like to say thank you so much for creating this amazing diet/way of living. I am an O from New Zealand and I live and swear by the book. Its my bible. At times it is frustrating that I cant dive into a plate of spaghetti cabonara at the italian restaurant, but when I look down at myself and see my improvements and assess the way I now feel it is all worth it. My question however, is regarding the portion sizes that the book gives as a guideline. One serving is 1 cup of uncooked rice and yet that is of course physically impossible to eat. Usually it is a 1/3 of a cup and I was just wondering why there was such a huge difference. Also, cheese portion is 60g whereas the backs of most cheese packets recomend 20g. These contradicitons confuse me somewhat. Its not a major problem because I know how much I need to eat and I do so. I have pretty much eliminated the carbs anyway, I would just like this matter cleared up. I have a few other questions but do not want to ask too many at this one time. It would be greatly appreciated to have this first one answered and I would love to know if I could ask a few more questions. I am sure you are inundated as it is. Thank you very much in anticipation. Sarah the kiwi.



:-D You'd be surprised! :-D Yes, just keep with it according to what you need to eat. Your results are telling you everything you need to know! The published portions may be a bit high ~ but thanks for that note, and I'd certainly like to hear your other questions. Congratulations on your success, and I look forward to hearing from you again! :-D

MAINTAINING WEIGHT LOSS... I AM A 53 YR OLD BLK WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE B TYPE DIET...I HAVE LOST 26LBS TO DATE...THANK YOU... I follow the beneficials to the tee. I don't have any problems following the B type diet because when I get on the scale it says it all. Holding on!! Maintaining my weight loss... I also do some exercise and yardwork. it is the best thing that ever happened to me. Finally I can eat and lose weight and know what not to eat MEANING THE AVOIDS...no problems, I can stay away from them. I FEEL GOOOD...I KNOW I LOOK BETTER, 26LB DOWN....SO MANY THANKS DR. P D'ADAMO...I LOOK AT THIS WEBSITE EVERDAY TO HEAR OTHER RESULTS TO THIS WONDERFUL WAY OF EATING...THANKS AGAIN... EARLENE

MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP DR. P. D'ADAMO...YOU TOO HEIDI....WE ALL BTD and LOVE IT... Did I tell you I purchased 3 of the books? I keep them close at hand, as it states, to stay on top of what I can and cannot consume ...(SMILE) / BLD TYPE B... EARLENE



Guess that says it all!

It's a joy to hear your success, Earlene! Thank you for taking the time to share it with us. You really made my day. :-D

Where can you purchase "pure" artichoke pasta? My local health food store has artichoke pasta but it is also made with semolina. Thanks so much for you time. Karen

Karen, we used to have a source which I've found is now defunct. I have to say it didn't taste too good, which is probably the reason people stopped buying it and the company then stopped producing it. However, let me put in a plug for the incredibly tasty DeBoles' rice pastas (ingredients: Rice Flour). The problem is, they are not stamped "organic," and that's a real concern in this day and age of genetic insertion of foreign lectins into food plants (GMO food), so it's worth a call to the 800 number on the package to encourage them to use organic rice flour. There are many producers of organic rice pasta, and the products seem to improve constantly. Take a peek around! and sorry, I've no leads on 100% artichoke flour pasta at the moment.



Can the blood type diet help me with high insulin and glucose levels? Apparently I am pre-diabitic. I am 37 and I have A+ blood type. Ella

The type A diet is most certainly the very best thing to do. Take a beginner's yoga class, too. Keep your consumption of grain foods down to once a day or less, and use vegetable glycerine for sweetening. Write back as you progress!



Hi, Heidi, a friend of mine just said potato lectins that make them avoids for Os and As are destroyed if potatoes are deepfried with their skins. She says this info comes from the net, but couldn't be specific where exactly. I searched this site and I couldn't find it. Is the above true as far as you know? .... It was good to read about vanilla, what's the case with cinnamon, please? Love, Rose/Hungary (O nonsec)

Rose, I'm as eager as you to locate the information about potato lectin destruction through frying. I look forward to hearing from your friend about this, as it's nothing I've ever seen or heard of. Cooking a potato, with or without skins, and at whatever heat, has no history of affecting lectin activity whatsoever. Cinnamon (its oil, actually) is avoid due to a lectin which As and ABs have protection from, but Bs and O nonsecretors are subject to. From long years of avoiding it (since BTD) I've come to prefer the flavor of allspice as a substitute! ;-)



May God bless your work and keep his hand over your family. I am interested to know as a type B rh neg kal neg what your thoughs are on black strap molasses. is this good for us or any blood type. Yours faithfully in New Zealand, Chris

Hello, Chris! Thank you for your blessings, I can use them! Blackstrap molasses is Beneficial for everyone except Os and type A nonsecretors (for whom it is Neutral). Remember our TYPEbase3 database is waiting to help with any and all food rating queries! :-D



I am Type 0. I see that I am suppose to avoid oats. I enjoy the Maple-Walnut Granola recipe from the book but it contains rolled oats. Why is that? Thank you, Sandy

The long answer is here, and the short answer is that most Os (secretors, in other words) have no trouble with oats, but nonsecretor Os should avoid them.



I need a good salad dressing for tossed green salads. I am a type A and have yet to give up dressing with vinegar. Any suggestions? cynthia

Try RECIbase® for some ideas. Salad dressing can be made at home in 10 minutes with organic ingredients and a blender, and it tastes and stores better than the storebought kind. Olive oil, lemon juice, fresh garlic, and sea salt is the basic recipe. Here are some recipes suitable for type AB, and which can give you excellent ideas on how to proceed. Cynthia, I like my homemade dressing a whole lot better than anything I've tasted in a restaurant or out of a bottle. I hope you enjoy your dressing experiments as well!