Hi Heidi -- On Townsend letter for Doctors and Patients October 2002, there is an anoucement of a new website by George Mateljan, creator of Health Valley Foods: (WWW.whfoods.com) It's called the world healthiest foods website. Check it out. Very useful for folks on the go. Ken

Whoo hoo! Nice place!! Things DO change for the better, eh? thanks for that note, Ken!

I am a O+ who is confused. In Cook Right 4 your type Leeks are recomended as being Highly Benificial for type O's yet in Live Right 4 Your type and web data base Leeks are on the Avoid for type O's. Could you please advise which is correct and why? Thank you and have an awesome day Donna

Hey there, Donna! See the bottom of this page ~ it explains which food lists are correct. Also, take a look at the Updates Page! :-)

My husband and I are Blood Type "O", and both are taking medicine for high blood pressure. We also have slightly high cholesterol. I've noted some disparities between the Book "Eat Right 4 Your Type" and the Supplement "List for Blood Type O". Which is correct? (X=Book, Y=Supplement): Barley -- X = Neutral, Y = Avoid Ezekial Bread -- X = Highly Beneficial, Y = Neutral Apple Cider -- X = Avoid, Y = Neutral Apple Cider Vinegar -- X = Avoid, Y = Neutral Pinto Beans -- X = Highly Beneficial, Y = Avoid Sunflower Seeds and Chestnuts -- X= Neutral, Y = Avoid Beer -- X = Neutral, Y = Not Recommended White Wine -- X= Neutral, Y= Avoid Cucumber -- X= Neutral, Y= Avoid Leek -- X= Highly Beneficial, Y = Avoid Eggplant -- X= Avoid, Y = Neutral Brussels Sprouts, all cabbage, cabbage juice and sauerkraut -- X= Avoid, Y = Neutral

I have a degree in foods and nutrition, and I find this concept fascinating. However, there are some things I don't understand about the diet, and would like your assistance. 1. Butter is an animal fat, and high in cholesterol. Why is it neutral? 2. Mozzarella cheese -- The package label indicates the same ingredients and milk type as any other cheese. Yet, Mozzarella cheese is neutral, while the others are to be avoided. Why? 3. Are Soy Yogurt and Soy Ice Cream o.k.? They are not listed in the books. 4. Avocado -- Since it is a vegetable oil, why should it be avoided? Also, Avocado has "good" cholesterol, while butter has saturated fat. This seems paradoxical. 5. Liver is high in cholesterol. Why is this highly beneficial? 6. If white wine is neutral, then why is white balsamic vinegar to be avoided? 7. Can you give an opinion of the characteristics of "Smart Beat" Margerine, Fat Free cheese slices, and Fat Free mayonnaise. Thank you very much for your courtesy and reply. Pauline

Hi, Pauline! welcome! In answer to your first paragraph, please read the paragraphs at the bottom of this page (I'm including them at the end of my columns now, for everyone's reference!). About serum cholesterol: 90% of it is produced in the liver, and only 10% can be traced to cholesterol in the diet. Type O cholesterol rises with wheat ingestion, and falls with animal flesh/fat ingestion -- quite different from the type A response. That's one of the reasons we have four modifiable diet plans ~ folks with varying physiologies can't all prosper on the same diet. On the subject of those commercial products you mentioned, I don't know the ingredients so I can't comment. However, ghee (clarified butter) is an active healer of the digestive tract (for ALL types), tastes and cooks just like butter, and takes only 15 minutes to make. Fresh cheeses from reputable sources will always be healthier choices than any highly-processed item counting for sales on the fat-free craze. I've never heard of white balsamic vinegar... sounds neat, could you tell me more about it?I guess what you're facing is a bit of a paradigm shift! ;-) Many of the seeming-paradoxes can be unwound by a careful read of Live Right 4 Your Type -- and of course, the hundreds of columns written by Peter, Bron & me on this site can be searched or perused for particular questions. Additionally, as a professional you might be especially interested in the Science section of the main page. I hope you and your clients prosper from all the knowledge! thanks for writing! :-)

Hi! I e-mailed you earlier this month with questions concerning certain spices, and discrepencies between BTD and the web page. Unfortunately I have not been answered yet. I was also wondering whether types O and B can have rice bran oil. Thank you. Sara

Dear Sara ~ Please see the bottom of this page. Items not listed in TYPEbase3 may be considered neutral for people with no health difficulties including overweight. I've searched my emails, but have not received one from you. Which address did you send it to? thanks, dear! :-)

Hello Heidi. I read your column almost every day. I hope you can help me. I am a 63-year- old Type O Secretor, and have followed the BTD successfully for several years. I found the elimination of dairy and wheat to be the best thing I have ever done for my health. Several months ago, I developed an itchy, pustular rash that began around my ankles and lower legs and soon covered most of my body. At first I thought it was poison oak that became systemic. It began to clear up, and I thought it was going to go away, but it didn't. I still have it, mostly on my lower legs where it began, and still some on my arms. It comes and goes. Recently I had the doctor do a biopsy on one of the tiny blisters. The results came back consistent with atopic dermatitis (eczema). I have never had allergies to anything I know of or a skin problem of any kind other than some mild adolescent acne many years ago. I am mystified, especially in light of my improved diet and health, and mostly following the diet for my blood type. I take Type O probiotic daily (have for years), ARA 6, Phytocal O, Type O multiple, flaxseed, eat lots of raw fruit and veggies, meat, fish and fish oils, poultry, not many grains. What else should I be doing? Could this problem be diet/food related? The doctor says no, they don't know what causes it, and had no suggestions for me other than keeping the skin well hydrated with topical creams, including cortizone for the itching. She said it could become chronic and that I might have it off and on with flare-ups for years. Help!Nancy

Nancy, you are only the second person I know who's had that exact same problem. She's also type O. She nearly drove herself nuts trying to find the cause, but she did! (and I hope you're about to benefit from her hard work!) By a long series of experiments, she found out that it was the flaxseed causing the horrible rashes and itching. Get this: she never experienced this problem from flax oil -- only from the seed. So, I'd quit the flax immediately and see if your rash disappears. I'm not surprised by your doctor's conclusion that diet would have nothing to do with it. ;-) Let me know what happens, OK?

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Dear Heidi, Namaste! I'm a 50 year old woman, type O, secretor-type unknown. For 35 years, I've been mostly vegetarian, a few years pure veg, a couple years on fish, alternating. After reading BTD, I understood why I could not stay longer on the veg diet and would become sick, weak and craving fish. I tried the elimination-rotation diet and found many of the Type O Avoids that apply to me. Here's the problem: Five years ago, I moved to India where potatoes are the base of all meals. There is zero animal flesh eaten among the majority of the population. Meals are very low fat except for the dairy from cows or buffalo, and I could not avoid eating every wrong thing for me. Although I have remedied the situation during the last year, so that I can now eat fish fairly regularly, I am very concerned about healing myself. Wrong foods and emotional stress have almost ruined my system. I see myself aging fast. I am mostly sedentary and have become skinny. My teeth have started to abscess (I lost one in June, another is starting to get serious) and when I eat something wrong, not only do I lose focus on my tasks, but I get almost suicidally depressed. I get sick fast and get well slow. In desperation I came on the web to find answers and your website and database are a godsend, especially the updated Type lists so I can check every vegetable and fruit. Each time I have been able to eat fish regularly, my strength and energy becomes so much more vibrant that my body insists to get up and exercise, but one or two wrong foods and I get blown out crying and angry. This is socially dangerous as well as physically unhealthy. People think I am psychotic and between losing my teeth and the depression, I fear for myself. Please, other than dosing up on "my" fish and serious Avoidance of every common staple food here, what can and should I do to heal my teeth and nervous system, FAST? Are there ayurvedic or homeopathic remedies you can recommend, or is there any warning about those medicines? One more note is that although I gladly eat fish (whether ocean or Ganges river), I do Not want to eat land animals. Even here where the animals have no steroids or antibiotics, I see that they are not cared for properly and the slaughter and meat handling is too gross. Thank you so much for your educational and healing service. I have studied and tried "every" diet over the years (the grape cure, mucusless diet, macrobiotics, vegan, fruitarian) and boy was I shocked to find that it's the flesh food makes me healthy!!! Only now do I see how seriously I must follow this regimen... Love & light, eliza Dear Heidi, Namaste! I forgot to add that I am Rh negative. I hope my question wasn't too long or too hard to edit down. and of course I hope it has enough interest to answer! Thank you. I have been studying all the O info on the site. Now I have downloaded a few articles that I can show to people that I have a scientific basis for my weird food trips. They thought I was rejecting potatoes because they are "poor peoples food," and that my claims of emotional affects from food were just selfish and capricious... So thank you and the D'Adamos for the help I have already received! Love & light,

Whoa, eliza ~ you went through the same exact menu of stringent diets that I did! and thoroughly failed on! Hey, sister! :-) You know, you've answered your own questions about how strict you need to be in following the diet that maintains your health. I can explain in brief why your moods go haywire -- it's due to the intestinal ganglia, or "gut brain," being subjected to avoids -- it's not your imagination and you're not going nuts. :-) I'm going to suggest a couple of things for your gums and to help shore up your immune system. Do a search on www.alltheweb.com/advanced for "pregnenolone" with the must-include fields: "adrenal" and "exhaustion." Read up about this supplement, as it may be just what you need in the short term to begin building up your adrenal strength and immunity. The cheapest brand will do -- they're all the same product. Start with 30 mg with breakfast, and increase it each day by 30 mg increments if you don't notice a lightening of mood in a day or two. Folic acid (and plenty of dark green leaf veg) and CoQ10 for the gums/teeth. A proxa-brush or other thorough cleaning system is a good idea. A friend of mine who had similar problems found they cleared up just by using *unwaxed* dental floss after every meal. If you are grinding your teeth when you sleep, see a dentist for a custom-fitted guard you can wear at night. Of course, since you are an Rh-neg O, I'm not well pleased with the absence of meat in your diet. I thoroughly understand your reasons! and I imagine you remain in your area because of overwhelming personal commitments. Just really chow down on all the fish you can get your hands on, OK? And anyone who implies to you that your needs are selfish or capricious should be gently urged to understand that the body's requirements are not matters of emotional content: they are facts, and well-documented ones. I think you've soldiered through admirably, and I hope you'll drop me a note on how you're doing in a week or two! ~:-D

help.i'm getting a bit confused about carbohydrates & starches. i know you can't combine carbohydrate with proteins,but can you mix starch with protein? ie;sweet potato & fish(i'm an o).please could you advise me asap as i can't find any info on this,ta very much & keep up the good work,by the way pot pourris is a good idea as many problems sorted simultaneously, cheers debbie

You can, if you like! :-) It's best not to mix grain with protein, but experiment with starchy veg and see if you experience any trouble -- I don't think you will. Take a look at the "trophology" (food combining) portion of this website. It contains quick guidelines on how to manage food combining, or "food separation." and thanks so much for your kind words, debbie! take care, dear!! :-)

I have ulcerative colitis and am type o I have bought glutamine to take as it seems appropriate at this time however it has acacia init and I wondered if this will be ok or will it have too detrimental effect on the uc Many thanks Chrystene

Greetings, Chrystene! I wouldn't take a supplement containing acacia gum ~ try to find a brand with better ingredients? Have a read here, and also look into the supplement "SEACURE" -- Peter recommends it for colitis in Live Right 4 Your Type. Please let me know how it goes for you! I wish you all the best, Chrystene!

Do you know the effect of using Revival soy for weight loss(.5-1 lb/wk) and treatment of hot flashes? I am a type O Secretor and nursing. My immediate family is basically type O, but my husband is Non-secretor and I am a secretor. How should we work this out with our kids (5)? thanks -- Angel

Hello, Angel! :-) If Revival Soy contains no avoids for your type, then it's fine to take ~ but I am not familiar with its effects on weight loss, and I hope you aren't going over your "bean" allowances by eating it every day... ? Your kids could be either secretors OR nonsecretors, so for now I'd feed them the secretor diet (but watch for reactions to some of the nonsecretor avoids in there -- mainly the soy and grain avoids -- and be prepared to make adjustments for the kid(s) who show those reactions, like constipation/weight gain/digestive distress). It is likely at least one of your kids is a secretor. It's possible they are ALL secretors - that's if you carry two secretor genes -- but if you have a recessive nonsecretor gene, whoo! all bets are off! :-) Well, you married a nonnie, but at least you're both Os! good work, dear! :-D

I have pruchased the blood diet books and followed it faithfully. I am a type O and have gained weight from this diet. What should I do? I do need to tell you that I am 49 and am in menopause. Although I have gained weight, I must admit that this is the best that I have felt for a long time. Pat

Hi, Pat! I am certainly happy you're feeling good!! The key for you will lie in (1) portion control (follow the guidelines in LR4YT; (2) limiting or eliminating grains and dairy (until you achieve your ideal weight again); (3) exercise, exercise, exercise... :-) and (4) hormonal rebalancing -- for which I suggest maca root, a couple of tablespoons every day in a smoothie or stirred into juice. www.pennherb.com is a great place to get it. Another possibility: you many be a nonsecretor, and if you are motivated to get that weight off, it's a good investment to get the saliva secretor test in our Store here, or get the Lewis blood test done, then follow the diet 4Y secretor type! The fact that you're feeling better means you're on the right track! just a little tweak here and there, and I'm sure the weight will start coming off. thanks for writing, Pat! :-)

Dear doctor, I am an O+ and a newbie here! I have no idea if I am a secretor or not. I read something about BTD in my country and on this site and it sounds very interesting! BUT...there are some difficulties! I have been a vegan for about 4 years and a lacto-ovo-vegetarian during the last 2 years. Apparently I did the opposite you recommend for my type! I love pasta and bread (they are delicious and daily fresh where I live!) and I hate red meat as I find it disgusting! I am on a yoga path even if it's more on a spiritual/meditation style rather than strictly physical and my group suggests not to eat meat. it has been very easy for me to follow this suggestion. Since I gave up meat, I had improvement in my body. I stopped having headaches, back pain and colitis. My monthly pain has reduced to little pain. I also hadn't suffer for sinusitis and colds since then even if I couldn't be able to give up smoking (5-6 sigarettes per day)! Besides, I think that I've always been a little bit depressed and in the last months that has got worse due to circustances of my life. Eating animal food seems to enhance this mood, making me feel very sad and sleepy, especially after meal. Now, I ask you why shouldn't I eat food that satisfies my taste and eat food that tastes very bad for me? Isn't the pleasure side important? It's quite difficult for me to buy the right food here as they are not wide-spread. I like soy beans, but how can I be sure that it's not transgenetical, especially the canned type? Last thing: in the last months I suffered for intestine pains and bloating every now and then and for a perioral dermatitis on my face. Do you think it could be related to my nutrition? thanks a lot for your answer and sorry about my English! Melly

Hi there, Melly ~ I'm not the doctor, but I'll do my best to help! and your English is just wonderful! :-)I'll tell you a secret: I love bread and pasta, too -- I just don't eat them -- and I'm also on a spiritual path. Part of my practice is to give thanks to the animals I eat, and do my best to see that they have healthy lives, are treated well and roam freely, and are taken for food in a humane manner. This allows me to take simple pleasure in the gift of food, including vegetables, fruits, etc., and to maintain my health and energy as my God-given physiology requires. An "organic" label guarantees against GMO foods ~ for now, anyway. We are going to see changes, due to the fact that bees and breeze carrying pollens do not stay within man-made field boundaries.Bloating, intestinal pain and perioral dermatitis are common symptoms type Os experience from eating plenty of grains and lacking the right kind of protein for their digestive systems. In fact, it was a skin problem that took me to the acupuncturist who correctly guessed I was a type O vegetarian -- and advised me to change my diet before the problems I couldn't see manifested themselves more powerfully. At any rate, I hope you will follow the diet to the extent you can; that's what we all do, actually! and I wish you the best in all things! :-)

On the O diet, is catsclaw of any use and is it beneficial? Is Ginko Biloba of any use on the O diet and is it beneficial? Thanks for your help! jjoseph

Instead of catsclaw, use quercetin ~ it is a potent anti-inflammatory. Gingko is more effective for types A and B, but Rhodiola rosea and folic acid, along with Indian gooseberry, are great for cognitive enhancement for type Os. :-)

I'm 0 pos. and a non-secretor. Is it possible that non secretor mothers also would show low IgA levels in the colostrum after childbirth. If so would this diminish much of the protection received from breastfeeding? Thanks, Carolyn

That is an excellent question, Carolyn! I have no idea what the answer is, but I'll pass this one on to the experts. I'll see what the consensus is, and I'll post it here in a bit. :-)

I have a friend that has menieres disease and wondered if the blood type diet would help. He is not sure of his type yet so I can't give you that info. Thanks Carol

Dear Carol ~ the blood type diet, along with the recommended exercise and stress-relief suggestions, is the perfect basis for a healthy life. From my reading, diet and supplementation of various kinds have proven effective in treating Meniere's, so I am certain this plan will help your friend. I also suggest an internet search for "Meniere's Disease," where you'll find many self-help and support sites. In particular, magnesium has anecdotal support, and here is a site detailing one sufferer's cure. I would ask that he first get his blood type, and begin the plan -- then use suggestions from other sites as long as they do not take him off the diet. Best of luck to him, dear ~ and thanks for being a good friend! :-)

Hi ^Heidi^, Noticed today that your column was about exercise and Doc Bron's was about longevity. I am about to embark on a program (personal) that is so simple ... like 1 minute/day of peak exercise each day 3 wks out of 4. I have sent you at least one of these links before, but since then it has been revised and its much better to understand: for exercise - http://www.dardikinstitute.org/ ; for brain performance - http://www.0disease.com/0waterheal.html ; for longevity and maximize all mental physical functioning via enhanced breathing - http://www.intellectbreathing.com/lectures/lecture3.en.php . This particular combo ... along with diet strategies - show theoretical great promise. Will let you know how well they work for me! I haven't flipped out yet, I think. These concepts turn normally accepted realities and clearly define them towards specific (basic) roles. Theoretically, they strongly impact on health status ... I'll see. John

Hey John, you wrote this back in September but haven't reported back with your findings! REPORT! LOL! ~;-D I look forward to hearing how you're doing!

Hi, would you be so kind and explain why diet drinks are bad? I take one or 2 diet cokes a day. I'm O blood type and stick to the diet most of the time; no wheat at all, rarely some cream or yoghurt or milkchocolate and a lot of beef and lambs meat, fish, vegetables and salad. Do a lot of physiacl exercise, 51 yrs old, feeling good. I have sometimes an exzema problem: could that be caused by the diet drinks? Thanks! Liesbeth

Greetings, Liesbeth ~~ I'm not sure which sweetener is used in your diet drink. If it is Splenda, please take a look at this column. If it's aspartame (Nutrasweet), just search on the web for the terms aspartame and hazard. You'll find thousands of pages on the horrible effects of this artificial monstrosity. My question: why would you want to use diet drinks? Heck, I can't see risking one's liver in order to save twenty or thirty calories. Personally, I make my soda at home from fruit concentrate and mineral water. If you like things a bit sweeter, use vegetable glycerine ~ which actually does nice things for the metabolism! For your skin, just eliminate grains as best you can, and make sure your intake of good fats from fresh fish and beneficial & neutral oils is adequate for you. Let me know how you do, OK? thanks!! :-D

Do you have any guidance or information concerning blood type diet for type O with Narcolepsy? Deborah

Hello, Deborah ~ As this is a genetic neurological disorder, a specialized supplementation program could no doubt be put together to rebuild neurotransmitter efficiency, and I am sure the diet would help the healing process -- not just the diet, but a regular exercise program as well. I would immediately set up a staggered sleep schedule, with the longest stretch being from 10 or 11 o'clock at night to three or four in the morning -- then an hour awake, then another brief sleep time, either immediately or as a one- or two-hour nap in the late morning/early afternoon. This kind of schedule has remarkable effects on the physiology and mental functions. I'd also strongly recommend the book Meditation as Medicine by Dr. Dharma Singh and Cameron Stauth, for its brief, simple and powerful meditation techniques (and loads of case histories). I hope this gives you pointers as to how to proceed ~ please let me know if I can help further! :-)

I'm blood group O. I enjoy fish, but not meat. Are meat alternatives, like quorn, ok to eat? Gaynor

Hi, Gaynor! Actually, I wrote a column on quorn, which I'll quote here:"Quorn is a commercially manufactured substance, one which is entirely new to the human digestive system and which has a significant record of stimulating allergic response. It is not made from mushrooms, nor any other plant. Rather, it is created by propagating a fungus present in soil in a glucose medium, and forming the resultant goo into edible-looking products. Its manufacturers in Europe have received a government edict to stop advertising it as a mushroom derivative, and health warnings have been issued in several quarters. It has only recently been marketed in North America, and until its safety and some idea of its nutritional value, if any, have been established, I strongly suggest eating real food instead. :->"At any rate, it has none of the benefits of meat for your type. So, load up on those fishies, and please add some fowl in there as well! Best of health to you, dear! :-)

I love bread ... I mean I LUUVVV bread. Obviously, for a type-O this is a problem. There are some ingredients I am trying to validate in order to make my own bread since wheat, corn, potatoes, and milk (contained in one form or another in 95%+ of all prepackaged foods, and 100% of retail bread, i.e., non-healthfood store-bought bread) are containdicated. What is the word on xanthan gum, tapioca starch, and kudzu starch for type-O's? Starch seems to be a big deal and difficult to get around; it's in everything--I mean everything--that I like, and the basic component is either derived from potatoes or corn, so I'm desperately looking for an alternative. Can you help, especially in recommending a type-O-friendly, commercially-available baking powder? ALL2EASY

Well, tapioca is listed in TYPEbase3 ~ but xanthan and kudzu are not yet rated, so technically they're neutral... but I'd go with kudzu instead, since I don't trust unknown gums in the least! For baking powder, just use 2 parts cream of tartar to 1 part baking soda. If I were you, I'd get a good resource on sourdough bread baking, and I'd become an expert doing it with all the alternative flours (and give me the recipes, LOL!)You know, the LUUVVV of bread got me thinking. There seem to be phases people go through on each diet. Say, phase 0 is when you're reading about it but haven't made any changes. Phase 1 is the most difficult (and perhaps exciting) period, where you're trying it out and finding that it seems to be doing some good, but it's a hassle keeping one's food list around and it takes forever to read ALL those labels at the market, and avoiding avoids at parties & so forth. Phase 2 comes into play when we get a little more sophisticated about substitutes, and here's where I think you're at right now. It's when we still haven't fully grokked the differences in food group proportion between what we used to eat and what our diet is trying to move us toward, so we get very skilled at substituting one ingredient for another, while missing some of the "grand plan" of the O diet like that pyramid I posted a few days back. Don't get me wrong: I love bread, too, but if I set myself up as a home bread baker because I love it so much, I'm going to be eating significantly more than the one-to-six servings per week -- yep, per week -- allowed for secretors (and way more than the zero-to-three servings permitted for nonsecretors). That's TOTAL grain servings, by the way. What I'm trying to say is, the diet may not work real well for you as an O if your grain-love leads you off the portion-frequency path. ;-) and I hope you'll take those guidelines as means to move towards Phase 3 ~ where the food items and their frequencies and the proper exercise and stress-relief practices all come together into a lifestyle whole! :-D Well, I sure went on about that one. But you catch me drift, eh? thanks for your Qs, and I wish you all the best in your breadmaking endeavors! ;-)

Hi Heidi Love your column. I've been on the diet since 1997, as a Type O secretor. My failings on it are mainly in eating more brown rice and Ezechial bread than I should. I'm thin and don't want to melt away. Since I started the diet my homocysteine level has gone from OK (7) to of concern (11). I was mostly vegan before starting it. Someone told me to eat less meat. What suggestions do you have for a Type O who needs to lower their homocysteine level? Thanks Cindy

Hi, Cindy ~ It looks like your trouble has little to do with meat-eating ~ in fact, you could use more meat in your diet, specifically organ meats. Try chicken livers to start, then work your way up the food chain. I sound digusting, right? yes, don't deny it ~ as a post-vegetarian like yourself, I'm feeling that old quiver just talking about the food chain. ~~;-D A great means of lowering homocysteine levels is the methylcobalamin supp Peter designed -- Methyl12 Plus. It also contains folic acid, and they work really well together to lower hc levels. Do get plenty of the kale/collard/chard family, the best natural source of folates, and don't let your old friends tip you off the carnivorous carnival, OK? that meat is good for you, as much as you or I might wish it were otherwise. take good care, friend! and keep me posted on how it goes for you. :-)

I'm a type O who loves pumpkin pie. I want to bake individual small souffle cups with just the filling. I'm planning to use Stevia Plus for the sweetener, Omega-3 eggs, but don't know what to substitute for the evaporated milk. Do you know of an ingredient that will not greatly alter the taste and consistancy of the pumpkin filling? Thanks for any help that you can give. Tricia

Hrmmm... How about this one:1 can pumpkin, 3 organic eggs, 1 cup soy (or rice or almond) milk, 1 T blackstrap molasses, 2 T vegetable glycerine, allspice, ginger, cloves, a pinch of fine sea salt and a touch of almond extract. (Mix together and bake in a low oven till set.) I think most people like things sweeter than I do right now, so you might want to up the sweetener part of the recipe a bit. Test it and report back! :-)

How does seltzer water help people with type 0 blood? I thought we weren't supposed to have any carbonated drinks. What is the difference in Club Soda and Seltzer water? The diet is helping me very much and if I can drink the seltzer or club soda that would be a treat. (I added several drops of stevia in it!) I've tried both and the seltzer water really made me go to the bathroom (almost like irritable bowel syndrome with lots of gas). Could you please advise? Thank you, Anna

Hi there, Anna! The fizz is good for us as an appetite supressant before meals. If seltzer or club soda give you difficulty, use a good mineral water instead! My favorite is Geronsteiner, but there are many wonderful brands available, and I recommend the high-solids varieties ~ a great natural source of minerals for us! Try www.mineralwaters.org ~ it's a fabulous world of min waters out there! enjoy!! :-)

I am a type O and have been on the diet for several months. I've been using organic soymilk to replace milk. I recently purchased the Blood Type O Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists handbook at my Health food store and it's brought new information to my attention. It says that i should avoid carrageenan which is present in every soymilk, rice milk, almond milk brand there is. What options do I have? I admit it would be hard for me to give up that dairy alternative. Does there exist a brand without it? Amanda

Greetings, Amanda! WestSoy and... one other brand which has flown my mind right now... do make good-tasting organic soy milk with no additives. Hmmm... WestBrae Natural? might be the other one. By now, I'll bet Eden have a soy-and-water-only variety. Do a search for their websites ~ most of these commercial sites offer ingredient lists. Good luck, I know you'll find a good one!! :-)

Where does soy milk and soy cheese fit into a type O diet? In Dr. D'Adamo's book BTD they are listed in the dairy section as dairy substitutes. Does that mean they can be consumed more than once a day as opposed to other milk products which are marked as 0-1X a week (for Caucasians)? Sue

Hi, Sue ~ good catch! They're listed in dairy for easy reference as substitutes ~ but they fall into the bean category in their allowed portions/frequencies. :-)

Hi Heidi, My wife and I (both type O, probably secretors) have been on the diet for almost 2 months and feel great! More energy and no more early morning sugar crashes. We can't always afford to buy lean, organically fed meats. Is the 90% lean ground beef OK, especially if we drain off the excess fat? Also, the BTD book recommends up to 2 slices of bread per day. Does this include Ezekiel bread, or is more of that OK, since it is listed as a benificial? Some of the sprouted breads I see have sprouted corn as an ingredient. Is this assimilable to type O's? One more question, kind of an odd one. Since butter is a neutral, is cream also neutral? Thank you so much. I enjoy your column! Jerry

Hello, Jerry ~ Well, the Food for Life brand of zeke is fine, and it does contain other sprouted stuff. As for butter: have a peek at this column, it explains why butter's OK but cream ain't! You and your wife are doing a wonderful job of keeping to the diet, so on the organic front, just do your best. As I always say, that's what we all do! and you're seeing great results, so just keep on keepin' on! thanks for writing, Jerry!

Greetings; I have not found this question in the archives but I'm sure it's be pondered and answered innumerable times. I'm an O and enjoy the diet--however, I cannot afford organic animal protein. I'm a poor student. Am I doing more harm than good eating beef & chicken from the local Safeway vs. Wild Oats. I'm a runner and consume meat in plentiful &almost daily amounts. I also eat plenty of fruit & vegies. Anyway, what ya think Dr. D. says about those of us who don't have the income for $9 lb beef? I intend to keep on eatin anyway. thanks 4 ur reply. Ms. A

Hey there, Ms. A ~ gotta say I love your email addy ~ I'm Capricorn, so you can figure out why. Hon, you need your meat, and if you get the chance, please seek out the folks at www.eatwild.com. You may find a local producer who can get you your protein needs at less than one of those shapely arms or legs. As I just said to Jerry, we all do our best on this front. Those of us who can afford it are also pushing the commercial producers to clean up their acts, so there are plenty of folks out there who are voting with their dollars for more organic meats, and everyone will benefit. In the meantime, you eat what you need, girl, and when you're a wealthy professional, you'll have more choices ~ but you are doing far more GOOD than harm by consuming the kinds of food you need to maintain your health. :-D

I live 6 hours north of Toronto Canada in a lovely little town (retired last December). IT is impossible to buy organic meat and next to impossible to buy organic vegetables -- I did grow some in the summer but our growing season is very short so they are all finished now. My question is: is it better to keep away from meat if one cannot buy organic? I eat lamb and chicken often but I do feel good for eating beef. Heidi, only just found your response to my earlier question on GERD (not used to this new board format - LOL) I shall be trying the ginger juice as soon as I can buy some -- shall I use it along with the medication I am on, or drop the medication and try it alone - my Dr. told me at my last visit that if I wanted to I could drop the meds and see what happens. As for stresses/stressors, I don't really have any anymore (except for worrying about our food supply!) as I no longer have to work (YAHOO - it's WONDERFUL!)- maybe I am still working out the remainder of the work induced ones - LOL. Thanks in advance - Sue

LOL! Yep, just read the two responses above on organic vs the "other" meat. Lamb is least likely to be medicined-up, and rabbit is another great choice. Do eat the full range of beneficials, while seeking alternative modes of obtaining the organics. You can use that ginger juice while you're taking the meds, but if you're feeling adventurous I'd take your doctor's permission to heart and go with the juice and the other strategies alone. Congrats on your retired status, you LUCKY woman, and may your peace expand!! ~:-D