Do products using texturized soy protein--the fake "meats"--get categorized with other soy products? Joe



Hey there, Joe! Those faux meat products are highly processed foods, and have fairly numerous ingredients (often including wheat), so can't be put under any one category. Read the labels carefully, and evaluate each component against your food list. :-) thanks for your note!



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Hello Heidi, the column is looking very good. >I'd ask the nurse at your medico's office what diagnostic lab they use. Then, phone the lab. Get the procedure, costs and request forms for the tests you want, then take that information to your doc or clinic.< I saw your advice above to my compatriot. It caused me a moment of wry amusement. You may know we have a publicly funded national health service here: we pay for the whole thing through taxes & never have to pay a single penny up front for treatment, nor take out insurance. This is really excellent if you have some serious illness. The down side is, treatment is rationed, we have very little choice over what doctor we see, and no way would a general practitioner (family physician) order blood tests unless he or she thought them necessary. ie, we cannot order up tests ourselves in the manner you suggest. The only way to get such a test would be to arrange it privately outside the National Health service, but I suspect one might not need to go via a doctor at all. I am posting a link to that column on Tom's site, Tom will be able to give advice (and probably does the tests himself). Sarah



LOL! Sarah, I'm glad you still think the column looks good! ~:-D Yes, I assumed Olympia would have to step outside the National Health system, but I'm fascinated to learn from you if it is possible to order a test such as the serotype panel she sought without getting it via a doctor. Any walk-in laboratories in the UK? Thanks for your note ~ it took me back many years to my first summer in London, and the astonishing sight of groups of women in full purdah and jewelled metal masks, sweeping along the pavements. A friend told me it was quite common for people to take a summer holiday there, stay long enough to satisfy the requirements of the National Health, get their medical needs seen to, then return home. I've lived in New York for many years, and never seen a thing to rival it. *sigh.* Lovely place you have there! :-}



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Hi Heidi, My Blood Type is O and I would like to know how many times per day I may eat meat and/or fish and the amounts. Thank you. Jane



That's difficult to answer without knowing your height & weight, activity level... secretor status would help, too! And it's not just any old meat or fish, although I think you're probably aware of that. At least one 2-5 ounce serving per day for women is a VERY general guideline ~ hope this helps! :-)



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For whom is rooibos tea ok? Nice site, but I couldn't find the tea info. Thanks. Marie



Hello, Marie ~ Follow this link to a column I wrote in June of 2002 ~ and scroll down near the end to follow the links contained therein! :-D



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As recommended by my family physician, I tried the blood type diet (I am Type O). I always thought my diet was alright, calorie wise, but could not loose weight (I only need to loose 10-15 pounds). My diet did consist of mostly proteins, but also a modest amount of dairy and wheat. Well, I did the diet for three days and had diarrhea for three days! When I added the dairy and wheat back, the diarrhea stopped. It seems that every Type O meal I eat, it is followed by diarrhea. What am I doing wrong, or is there a supplement that I am missing? I would really like to make this diet work! Thank you! Deborah



Hmmm... Questions for you: Which book are you using? What did you eat on the three days? Which foods did you not eat that you're accustomed to? Diarrhea can be a very good sign that your new diet is allowing the bowels to get rid of a lot of old impacted matter ~ it can also be an indication of food allergy or other reactions too numerous to mention here. Deborah, could you write back and tell me more about all this? Many thanks, and I look forward to a bit more info so I can get a better idea of the trouble. :-)



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And: A note for Clark, on his search for 100% buckwheat soba noodles: EDEN makes them, so check your local HFS or largish supermarket ~ thanks go to Lily and Maddy, for the tip! ~:-D



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Seed of sun in the womb of winter: red berry bright on snow-bent bough. In blackest sorrow, hope's fierce fire.



A brilliant Winter Solstice to all!