Heidi, would there be any more information on the purpose of a cell membrane fluidizer as is described in the books. I have read on the internet that people have used it for AIDS and for severe immune problems Beyond providing lycopene to types A and B who don't eat tomatoes, just why would anyone be using a fluidizer? Is this safe to use daily? Maddy





Hey, Maddy! Well, the membrane fluidizer cocktail recipe is a synergy particularly beneficial to Bs. Its action is due to the balance of phospholipids -- choline, serine and ethanolamine -- with the EFAs in the oil blended with the fruit juice. The recipe's particular effect is to boost immunity, nervous system health and metabolic function in Bs -- other types do not benefit to the same extent. However, flax oil is either beneficial or neutral for everyone, lecithin is neutral for all, and the fruit juice is chosen from the neutral or beneficial items by the individual. Many non-B folks like the taste and use it as a vehicle for their oil and fruit intake, which may include a high-lycopene fruit like red grapefruit, guava, watermelon or papaya (all far higher in lycopene than raw tomatoes, by weight). I, too, have read many testimonials of extraordinary results elsewhere on the Net, and my opinion is that "the more severe the deficiency, the more spectacular the results" -- for any effective compound, including this one. thanks for your note, Maddy, good question! :-)

Hello Heidi, Recently you supplied a "food pyramid" diagram (I believe it was drawn up specifically for an O-Type Non-Secretor) as an answer to one of the questions that appeared here in your ON THE DIET column. I was greatly impressed with how well it portrayed the dietary recommendations from LIVE RIGHT 4 YOUR TYPE in a clear image that was immediately recognizable and, easy to keep in mind. Would you consider building pyramids for the other bloodtypes as well? I realize that such a project would require 8 separate diagrams for the 4 different ABO types, factored by Secretor Status, but I believe all of your many fans who read this page faithfully would very much appreciate this service! Perhaps to make the task less formidable you could offer these diagrams one-at-a-time over a period of about a week...? As always, thanks for your enlightening replies. Best regards, Mark





Glad to be of service, Mark! I'm not a graphics whiz, so my "pyramids" look a little lame! but at least they serve as a reference point. ;->



Type A should really have four distinct pyramids, as the frequencies differ by A1/A2 subtype, MM type, secretor status, and Rhesus. I'll put together a Pyramid Page here sometime soon. :-) Thanks for the suggestion, dear! By the way, how's that "tongue" situation? :-)

I am a 52 year old A bloodtype and am not sure whether or not I am a secretor or a non-secretor. I have rheumatoid arthritis. Since starting on the ER4YBT diet during August of 2002 I have experienced a major decrease in joint pain. BUT, I still suffer from swelling, especially in my face, hands, and feet. I eat very little salt, so I don't understand why the swelling hasn't ceased along with the pain. To what do you attribute this to? Thank you. Diane.





Without knowing more, it sounds like you need more salt in your diet, Diane. You may be experiencing edema, which is not solved through reduced salt intake. Are you on a low-salt diet? Try this experiment for one week: get some grey sea salt (from your health food store or http://celtic-seasalt.com/saltoflife) and lightly season your food with it. Have a cup of broth every day with a heaping tablespoon of shredded or powdered dulse (again, from your HFS, or http://celtic-seasalt.com/saltoflife/maincoasseav.html or www.seaveg.com). These foods provide salt in a balance with the other minerals which accompany it in nature. I also suggest regular use of dandelion greens and kale, collards or chard as a side dish. And a good mineral water with a high calcium rating -- my favorite is Gerolsteiner, and you can browse through all the different varieties at www.mineralwaters.org. Don't be afraid to buy a "fizzy" kind if the still version is not available -- just crack it open, close it again, shake it and let it stand a bit open. The fizz will dissipate. Also, do a little yoga and stretching, as much as you can, each day. Deflect-A can truly help with getting rid of the last of your pain. Try these things for a week, and write back, please? :-D

Hi Heidi. The fish question again. Could you please try to let me know if the fish at the following website can be eaten by type A's. (And other bloodtypes also for that matter). This is a fish commonly available in SA - ugly but very tasty. http://ibs.uel.ac.uk/fish-bin/fishgen.pl?speccode=482 Thanks eurika





Hi there, Eurika! Try as I might, I cannot get that site to load. Is it still available? If there is another site with that info, or if you have the common & Latin names of the fish, please forward on to me ~ thanks!

Hi, I am a type A from Australia and I note that all peppers (green, red, yellow & jalepeno) are listed as an avoid. I understand that capsicums are also referred to as peppers. Capsicum is not listed at all. Do the references to peppers mean capsicum? Thank you, Glenn.





Hello, Glenn! All peppers of every kind, color, size and shape are avoid for type A secretors, except for the pimiento pepper (a difficult item to track down -- much easier to just get used to avoiding all peppers! :-}). Here's a great site for your pepper reference needs: http://www.chili-pepper-plants.com/ It explains the "capsicum" family and its members in colorful detail. enjoy! :-)

Aronia berry juice has been avalable in california since 1998. is this berry good for type (A)? brian



Hi there, Brian ~ Yes, in fact a company called Wildland was selling Aronia melanocarpa juice in 1997. This is a fast-growing, acid-soil-loving plant which bears abundant fruit and is quite unfussy to grow as long as it has a modicum of direct sunlight. It's amusing to note that marketers have opted to go with the Latin genus name of the berry. I think I would, too, as the common name is Black Chokeberry! :-D It does have a distinct weedy, astringent flavor. For that reason, the "aronia" juice sold in bottles requires a deft hand to sweeten and make it palatable for the commercial food market through dilution and blending with other juices. The Wildland site describes it as a super-powered cranberry. We do not have a rating for this berry, so proceed with care as usual: unknowns are "neutral" for those in good health and at their ideal weight. Here's a website with more information: http://www.efn.org/~bsharvy/edible2.html Thanks for writing, brian! :->

Dear Ms. Merritt, Re:Secretor Status for Double Lewis Negative results (LeA-,Le Back in July 2001 I submitted 2 tubes of blood for the D'Adamo Serotype Panel-1 Test (DSP-1). These are the results that came back: % of Population ABO GROUP : A ABO Group : 42% A1/A2 : A1 A1/A2 : 80% Rh(D) : positive Rh(D) : 85% M,N,Group : M,N M,N,Group : 50% Lewis A/B Group: LeA-,LeB- Lewis A/B Group: 6% Secretor Status: negative Question: When going through the food selections of Live Right 4 Your Type, Do I use the Non-Secretor Section, or, do I Use the foods that are beneficial/neutral for BOTH the secretor and non-secretor. Please advise. Thank you for your co-operation. Marshal





Hallo, Marshal! Ah, one of the rare birds! Peter generally finds that the Nonsecretor values in Live Right work best for his Lewis double negative patients, so that's what I'd advise. Stick to that nonsecretor column, follow the text advice for nonsecretors, and enjoy the plan! Do keep in touch if there's anything we can help with ~~ and thank you for writing!! :-)

and a Happy President's Day to our U.S. readers! :-)