Hi Heidi ~



Me again, but I am writing this time to answer Amanda and other South Africans having trouble getting their secretor status tested. I would like them to know that the test is done in South Africa.



In the Western Cape Province they can contact the "Western Cape Blood Transfusion Service at (021) 507 6300 and ask for the Cyrology Department. THEY DO THE SALIVA TEST AND THE LEWIS TEST. The lady I spoke to knew immediately what I was referring to when I mentioned that I want to know what my secretor status is. The normal labs did not however know what I was talking about. Hope you can pass this info on to them fellow SA's that would like to have these tests done Thanks for your column. It is always a good read!!!!!!!!



Eurika



MANY thanks, Eurika! This is great info, VERY good to know!!! and I'm sure your compatriots will be writing in to thank you, too! Thanks again, dear!

:-D







Hello Heidi. I concur with Mary about your talent and dedication in sharing your wealth of information and research. Do you have a photographic memory? Amazing.



Anyway...I intended to wait until I had been off of flaxseed (Barleans) for a week or two before writing you, but after only six days I am entirely discomfort and misery free after three months of itching, and the rash on my legs and arms has almost entirely disappeared. It is amazing how quickly the body can heal when you remove the offending substance. This has been a particularly amazing experience for me since I have never been allergic to any food or anything in the environment except poison oak. I want to thank you again and also the woman you mentioned who made the effort and learned about her own particular allergy to flaxseed. Now you know two people who cannot tolerate it. I will wait awhile longer and then will try flax oil to see if, like her, I can use that instead. I may prefer to stick with fish oil. Please keep up your incredible work. Nancy



I don't have a photographic memory, actually, and Lordy could I use one! Got one at a reasonable price? ;-)



It's my good friend Kathy to whom you owe your thanks, and she is most happy to have shared her experience to have helped you. anyway, THANKS AGAIN, KATH!! and I'm tremendously pleased you're feeling better, Nancy! :-)







dear heidi, 'URGENT' i know you're very busy but i di have an urgent query as i'm due to go into hospital on 26/2/03.i am an o nonny about to have major surgery & woud like to know what to take to recuperate fast,fight any infection i'm likely to meet in hospital,etc your speedy reply would be appreciated,thankyou, debbie(from england)



Hi, Debbie ~ Hey, you have Live Right and the Encyclopedia, right? Just follow the O guidelines in LR and the Surgery Recovery Protocols in the Encyc ~ they're actually pre- and post-op protocols. Best wishes to you, Debbie ~ my prayers go with you! I'm sure you'll come through just fine!! Drop me a note when you're back home & comfy! :-D









reminder:

Since I've read the book "Eat Right 4 Your Type" I'm very concerned about this issue: I'm blood goup O and I'm vegetarian. I want to follow the correct diet according my blood type but I don't want to eat meat, fish or animal protein. How I can to do it? The are any problem if I'm vegetarian and my blood type is O? There are some cases about vegetarian people following the Type O's diet? Thanks in advance. Eva



Hello, Eva! and welcome! :-)



Here are three links to get you started:

O-Veg I

O-Veg II

O-Veg III



Read through them, and write back if more questions arise! thanks, dear!!

:-)

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I've been on the O diet for a couple of months and because I was getting such good results I could pretty easily handle changing from a vegetarian diet to meat eating, substituting spelt for wheat, stevia for sugars and only having certain cheeses but now I've discovered I'm a nonsecretor and feel completely adrift!! I'm looking at a huge lifestyle change and I don't even know what to eat at any meal anymore! I would love a meal plan for non-secretors or some sort of support system online but I don't know where to turn. Do you have any ideas? Thanks so much, Laura OH! Also, not eating any sweets is really getting to me, nothing to sweeten my tea, etc. It's pretty difficult. Any ideas? Laura



Hi, Laura! ;-> I remember that jaw-dropping experience pretty vividly ~ don't worry, you'll soon be in the "new" swing of things, and the shock of the discovery will fade... although you'll never quite forget it! :-D I wrote a column on the O nonsecretor pyramid: Here. You can pretty quickly put together your own meal plan that way ~ we did! :-) And for sweetening that tea, try the All About Vegetable Glycerine column ~ and there are many more to be found by going to the bottom of this page and using the search term "glycerine."



Right now, the changes look a little daunting to you, but they're actually not as drastic as they seem. What we lose is primarily in the grains, dairy and sweetener departments, which means that we who got used to using spelt and various cheeses as substitutes for what we previously ate are left with few or no subs at all, and the removal of all but molasses is a new challenge in that category as well (veg gly fills the bill beautifully). Thus, it's now impossible to use the basic structure of our pre-ER diet and simply plug in acceptable foods for the unacceptable ones.



I think it was wonderfully kind of Peter to let us all get stable with the Classic O diet in BTD before springing the rest of it on us, don't you agree? LOL! Anyway, grains and dairy and sweetstuff were clearly presented as the poor cousins in our diet, right from the beginning, so we should have seen the writing on the wall there. It makes sense that the O nonnies -- on the far end of the spectrum from the A secretors -- would end up with what might be characterized as a "paleolithic" diet framework bearing no relation whatsoever to the S.A.D. so beloved in our childhoods. On the other hand, I really think of it as the diet of a caveman with advanced degrees in biochemistry ~ we're not "going backward" to find the nonsecretor plan, but using our physiological history in concert with current research to go forward.



In a way, because our diet is weighted more heavily toward just a few food groups (veg, fruit, meat/fish/poultry, eggs, nuts/seeds), it becomes a simpler path to follow once you're on it ~ it just looks complicated when you're wondering how to get there! :-)

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I'm not sure if I'm eating the right balance and right frequenciesof foods. I'm an O non-secretor. You're an 0 nonsecretor, right? and you often refer to your own diet in your replies, so I was wondering if you would be willing track what you eat and post it so I can follow it as a model? Alternatively, could I track my eating plan for a week or more and send it to you for a critique on what I could do better? Michelle



Hi, Michelle! First, take a look at my answer for Laura, above. If you'd like to give me a rundown of your week's eating plan, sure! I'll be happy to help! :-)

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Heidi my daughter in law's mom who is type O has dangerously high cholesterol, about 300, she said. And she's in her early 70s. Gets lots of exercise and otherwise is healthy. She's been on meds but wants to find a way to lower it naturally. She eats healthfully, but there must be something she can add or omit to lower the total number. Any suggestions would be sincerely appreciated. Maddy



Hello there, Maddy ~ Not knowing her diet, I'll make some general suggestions:



First, Phil's Oatmeal Therapy! ~ and search for "phil" in the search form at the bottom of this page ~ there's more to read!



For intractable high cholesterol, see these notes on red yeast rice, and also see an earlier RYR column, Here!



Let me know how she does, dear! :-)

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First of all, I'd like to say that of all the nutrition research and science that I've read, this one seems to make the most sense-common sense. Next, and the reason I'm writing, is that I live in Canada and the Secretor Status kit is unavailable here. Also, I can't seem to get the ABO-friendly Physician Registry page to load, so I don't know who else to turn to. I am an insulin-dependent, type O diabetic and I want to follow the correct diet based on secretor type, but I don't know what I need to do to have my secretor status determined. Can you offer any suggestions as to how a canadian can go about having their secretor status determined? I believe that the human body is always trying to return to normal functioning and I am motivated to help my body do exactly that. Please help me help myself. I appreciate any response that you may have to give. Very sincerely, Glen



Hi, Glen! This column has the information you need to get the saliva secretor test in Canada, or to obtain your Lewis (blood) type which closely correlates to secretor status. On the Practitioner Registry page, first put "canada" (without the "s) in the "search for" box. Then click the arrow next to the "search by" menu, and scroll down to "country." Then (gotta do this, doesn't work without it), Hit the Search Button. I see several practitioners listed! Thanks for writing, Glen, and I must say you have a very life-enhancing belief which will serve you well in ALL areas!! good luck, and keep me posted! :-D

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Hello Heidi! Both me (type O) and my husband (type have lots of ancestors who was farmers and fishermen in the archipelago on the Swedish east cost (in the Baltic sea). They have certainly been eating lots of fish, especially perch, pike, cod, herring, eel and flounder. I believe that those kinds of fish, which was a staple for our grandparents, should be very healthy food for me and my husband. (Maybe the eel isn't so good, though.) Perch (Perca fluviatilis) is my favourite fish. It is very common in the Baltic sea and in lakes here in Sweden. As a little girl I sometimes was fishing for perch together with my dad who also likes that fish. To get good fishing-luck, we used to shout: "Pork - ugh! Perch is best!" Dad told me they used to shuot like that when he was a little boy fishing together with his dad... Among my and my husbands relatives, all four bloodtypes are represented. As there are several kinds of fish which are OK for all types, fish could be suitable to eat on a family gathering. But I have a few questions: 1) In BTD, LR4YT and in the typebase i've found ABO-ratings for white, yellow and silver perch. Which one of them is "Perca fluviatilis"? 2) Do you know anything about the ratings for a fish called tench (Tinca tinca)? The only thing I know about it is that it's fun to catch and delicious to eat. 3) How about pike-perch (Stizostedion lucioperca)? Same ratings as for pike or perch? Thank you so much for your column! //Ylva.



~:-D ~:-D ~:-D ~:-D

Ylva, thank you for sharing your wonderful family report and fishing techniques! :-D OK: here I go with your fishies:



Perca fluviatilis ~ European or Eurasian Perch (the Latin fluviatilis makes me wonder... ~ "river perch"?)

Stizostedion lucioperca ~ Zander, or Pikeperch

Tinca tinca ~ Tench, or Green Tench



The perch bunch are tough to parse for purposes of this diet. Take a look at this link and you'll see what we're up against. :-} Since our "yellow perch" is Perca flavescens, I thought we might be able to associate your "unknown" percas with our listed ones... HOWEVER: our "ocean perches" are all Sebastes spp., the "silver perch" is Bairdiella chrysoura and the white is Morone americana ~ no help there, except to describe perfectly how I feel right about now. ;-)



The zander is a member of one of the pike families... but not the U.S. kind (Northern pike, or Esox lucius), otherwise I'd be quite comfortable saying "use the Pike rating 4YT" (Beneficial, in your case! :-)). Alas!



As to your tench, we haven't rated him either cuz he's an exclusively European resident. I must say he's certainly a handsome fishie, and wish I could offer a food value on that basis alone ~ but Alas Again!



So: in sum, while I can't give a definitive view on these guys, I will leave you with the usual "considered neutral for all folks with no health difficulties" advice! so enjoy them, and keep those fish stories coming my way! :-D

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1 - I am a type O and was wondering about glucose and agar. 2 - Romano cheese should be a no no for type O's but I see it used in some of the recipes. Why? Thanks, By the way: This diet is wonderful. I am losing just a bit of weight but I eat to my heart's content and I feel great with increased energy and less pain in my joints (especially the knees.) Sheldon



Hello, Sheldon ~ glad you're prospering! The recipes are a bit loose with ingredients used in very small amounts. Feel free to adapt them to your own level of compliance/strictness. Agar can be found in the TYPEbase3 search. Not sure what your Q is regarding glucose ... could you clarify whether you're wondering about an additive? a sweetener? or something in a whole food? thanks, dear! I'm really pleased you're enjoying this diet! :-)

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Dear Heidi, I love the program and have had great results. I sent in a question awhile back concerning CONJUGATED Linoleic Acid.(CLA) I want to know if it is ok for all blood types. My son is A and I am an O. I started it about 6 weeks ago and don't want to continue taking it if it is going to mess up the good results that I have had so far. I know you probably get lots of questions, but I would really like to know if you got my message. Thanks for all the good work. Connie in Ohio.



Hello, Connie! CLA is present most notably in GRASS-FED cattle, both the meat and the dairy. I have no data on its use as a supplement, although I suspect it would do you no harm in small quantities.



The following is an excerpt from the Journal of Chemical Education site (http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/Journal/Issues/1996/Dec/absA302.html):











So: whether you continue with the supplementation, I'd also suggest free-range clean turkey for your son, and grass-fed beef, buffalo, lamb, etc. for you. The levels of CLA in those foods are far higher than in grain-forced animals. Do take a look at the website, www.eatwild.com ~ well worth reading and supporting with your food dollars!! Hope this is of interest! and thanks for writing!! :-)

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Hi Heidi, Can you tell me.. Will Dr. D'Adamo be coming out with an herbal compendium of sorts any time soon? I know he has some more common culinary herbs listed in the diet and some more in the Encyclopedia. It would really be a big help to us herbal preparation users. ie. such ones as black cohosh, cleavers,yarrow, valerian, etc. My husband and I are so impressed with the results that we've seen on the diet that we buy the lr4yt book to give those who have a genuine interest in trying it.Without fail, everyone who tries it can't believe the changes in their general health. I check your column daily because I pick up so many tips that I can pass on to others even if they're not applicable to our type. (both O's - 1 secretor & 1 non-secretor) Thanks, Jan



Hello, Jan! Thanks so much for your kind words and great support!! I am very, very pleased to be of assistance! :-) An herbal compendium is a great idea... think I'll whisper that one to Peter as soon as he comes up from under all the other work he has going right now! great suggestion! :-)

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Hi. I have two questions. One: Are type O's (nonsecretor)more prone to prostate problems, either cancerous or benign? I couldn't find it anywhere. And two: I must be doing something wrong because when I do a search for topic at the bottom of your page it gives me nothing but the same page and has "(ignored)" typed next to the question. Any clue? Thank you... Kristy



:-) The search page accepts only one word at a time. Numbers, extra spaces or "a, and" etc. may give you the "ignored" message. Just try one word, I'm sure it will work for you! Os have no predisposition toward prostate trouble ~ but if someone you know is concerned about the issue, do use the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia as a reference for explanations and protocols. thanks for your note, Kristy!

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Hello Heidi. I enjoy this web site, especially your column. I am O+, secretor status unknown. I've been dealing with heartburn most of my life. I feel good when eating by the blood type diet. However, about an hour after eating a meal, I often experience heartburn. It's not immediate, but like "clockwork", it begins later. I carry weight around my middle (only), a distented belly, and I am a "high strung" person who tends to overeat. I was tested for H.Pylori (blood test) and found negative for the antibody. I accepted that my excess weight in the belly area was the cause of this after meals hearburn. But recently I discovered something interesting. While wanting to lose weight by trying the induction phase of the Atkins diet, I was surprised to discover that my heartburn disappeared. When I deviate from a high protein diet and introduce fruits, my symptoms come back. Seems like I'm sensitive to surgar, even from acceptable fruits for my blood type. Is this enough information to determine if there is something wrong other than my being overweight? How does one know if they have Candida? Could you suggest a typical meal plan for a type O (combinations and amounts). I appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thank you. Greg



Hello, Greg! What you discovered is that (1) you need to eat smaller meals, more frequently, to try to wean yourself from overstuffing (very uncomfortable, and a known cause of reflux/heartburn!); (2) exercise for stress-relief would do you a world of good in the digestive department; (3) food combining/separation (eating fruit separately, not mixing grain and meat in one meal) will let your tummy focus on one task at a time and relieve the after-meal pain. The high-protein diet appeared to work, because you ate no grains or fruit. Separate those foods and use smaller meals, use some of the LR4YT stress-reduction suggestions, and let me know your results! :-)

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Hello Heidi, greetings from South Africa. Your column is absolutely great! I am learning so much. The diet has done wonders for myself and my family and we're sticking to it as rigidly as possible. My hubby and I are both type O, but he's doing better than me as he seems OK with oats, rice, rye, etc. I however seem to be intolerant of all grains and my chest and sinuses always feel congested when I eat them (it starts with sneezing and then difficulty to breathe). I realise that in my case it is imperative to know my secretor status, but would you believe, in a country that transplanted the first heart, no lab is able to help me with this test, and I've made extensive enquiries. I would also be prepared to order from and courier to the UK if this is the closest source. Could you please supply me with any info on how to get this test done? God bless and keep well. Thanks, Amanda.



Hello, Amanda! Here are some general tips on how to obtain your secretor status. If you're of an experimenting turn of mind, then try two weeks on the nonsecretor diet. The following two weeks, use the secretor diet. Compare your results. It's surprising how many people find a sharp difference between them ~ and if getting your secretor type turns out to be a major hassle, then this technique may give the answer you're looking for! good luck dear, and thanks for writing!!

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Antibiotics and Coricidin D with Type O positive Secretor Blood: Everytime I take ANY pills and then recover for cold or infections I get SEVERE cramps and bloating for about 3 weeks to restore my digestive health.I take Acidophilus Pills 9 a day to try to get healed and olive oil..Pure extra Virgin..Could I have Candidas provoked by the lining of my stomach being stripped?I have been laying here miserable for 4 days now. It feels like my whole stomach is a HUGE toothache. This result has predictably happened for the last 15 years of my life and after a few weeks of acidophilus I can digest food again.My three week sinus cold is gone. HELP!!!! I need your advice so bad on this. I was scoped and tested and everything is just fine. I believe the doctors create a treadmill of antibiotics that cause ulcer type symptoms so they can keep the money machine going. MONEY MONEY MONEY. Betty



Hi, Betty! I can't argue with what you've discovered about your body, or about the pharmaceutical business.



How about (1) preventing the colds/infections in the first place, and (2) using healing strategies that don't involve antibiotics?



(1) Follow the O secretor diet, take your PolyFlora-O and Pro-Berry3 daily, and use Heallix if you feel anything "coming on." You will never even come close to needing those antibiotics again, so



(2) swear off them completely. Just say NO! They have enormous health-destructive capability, and are overused to the point that our water supply is poisoned with them and new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are springing up every day! Once upon a time, doctors prescribed liquids and bed rest for colds/flu ~ but no, we can't be persuaded to stop our frenetic activity for even an hour these days, hence the antibiotic mill keeps churning. Take your dollars away from pharmaceuticals and put them in food and simple, healing compounds. HooRah! this is one of THE most powerful things we "little folks" can do for ourselves and this precious planet. :-)

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Hi Heidi. I am a first time patient of Dr.D'Adamo and Dr. Bron. I have immune complex glomerilnephritis and am a A+ non sector blood type. I have started to follow the diet as per the drs. One question I have is about the grains and bread.. I need to stay away from the wheat and refined flour. I have purchased the sprouted wheat ezekiel? bread..Its is very good..But do I need to read the ingredigents on crackers and so forth to see if these ingredients are listed? Do I need to read the ingredients on all products to see if this is listed. Also what about pretzels? Can you give me some ideas as far as fun food to eat and stay within the low protein diet and also on the blood type diet. I love bread and need to know if there is a bread out there that is low in protein and also neutral for me to eat. Pleas advise me what to do. Thanking you in advance. Susan



Hello, Susan! Well, you're in the best hands, that's for certain. ;-)



I gather you're on a special diet for your condition, since you mentioned the blood type diet and a low protein diet. Were you given a "low protein diet" sheet to follow, which outlines certain changes to make? I wouldn't want to recommend anything to you that would contradict your specific diet from the doctors. I can say that breads will all be lower in protein than, for instance, eggs and flesh foods like fish, chicken, etc.



For a type A nonsecretor, the only beneficial grain is amaranth, and the kind of wheat in pretzels, etc. is an avoid for you. If you go to the TYPEbase 3 database on the front page (www.dadamo.com) and use "wheat" as a search term, you'll see the values for all the kinds of wheat listed there. But use your diet sheet along with the list in Live Right 4 Your Type for all the other grain listings. And do read the ingredients on everything! and compare them to your lists. Please write back and tell me more, and maybe I can come up with some fun food for you! thanks for writing, Susan, and I'm sure you're on the mend now! :-D

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My french GP advised me to follow youd diet for a rhumatism complaint . Up to now ,I am very pleased with it . Iam group A .there are a few things that are not very clear for me in the book ( both french or english versions) ;1) the names of the different types of beans as there doesn't seem to be so many varieties in france ex '. butter beans' in france are a kind of green bean (french beans in England) but they are yellow ,,,not at all what you call butter beans ...so it's a little confusing. and there are other varieties of beans (Navy, Lima etc) which I don't know at all . .. and what 'flageolets' in the USA ? cecile



Greetings, cecile! Yes, bean names are quite different all over the world. Almost every day, I receive requests from people in one country or another who really are left clueless by the bean list because this book was written in the States, using American vernacular vegetable names which translate ambiguously to other languages. Since we couldn't include pictures of each food in the blood type diet books, my very best advice in this is to use the link, www.foodlexicon.com, and search for the English or French name of the item you are looking for -- then use the list of names in other languages to make the connection.



This page contains a list of names for "flageolet" beans (with a photograph), and down the left side of the page are the English name references. Those photographs are REALLY useful in the world of beans! :-) I think this site will be a great reference for clearing up the bean confusion! Thanks for writing, cecile! :-) (and thanks to Cocky for bringing that site to my attention! ;-))

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Hi Heidi, Just wondered if you might be able to help. For the first two weeks of my menstrual cycle I have a normal appetite ie I have a meal & then don't need to eat for say another four hours or so & the amounts I eat are normal. For the last two weeks of my menstrual cycle I turn into a raging eating monster. I have a meal then ten minutes later I am absolutely starving, as if I hadn't eaten for days. I have increased the protein intake for these weeks but haven't noticed any real lessening in hunger pangs. I can jump 14lbs in these weeks. I am an A+ secretor & have been on your diet for over a year now, strictly compliant & have lost 42lbs & have had a myriad of other little problems solved whilst on the diet. Before I went on the diet my appetite was just enormous & I was forever hungry but soy products particularly tofu seem to have done the trick.... except for the last two weeks of my cycle. Any advice would be enormously appreciated. Thanks for the great job it's very comforting to know that advice is only an email away. Best wishes Helen



Hi, Helen ~ :-) This phenomenon is discussed in metabolic circles as cycling, and the theory is that about half of all women experience it to some degree. You've got a big degree going there! :-) Since you have tried increasing protein intake during those weeks without success, I suggest using two tablespoons maca powder, about 200mg of gotu kola (Centella asiatica), and 500 mg of L-tyrosine per day, along with at least one cup of chamomile tea and one of green tea. *However,* if you are pregnant or even might be, use 500 mg of "triphala" (an Ayurvedic combination of three herbs --amla, beleric myrobalan and chebulic myrobalan), instead of the gotu kola. I'd do this mini-protocol beginning with the first day of your cycle, and see if that second two weeks shows an improvement. Bear in mind that the liver plays an important role in clearing hormones through your system ~ so be sure to follow your diet as closely as possible, and get the recommended yoga sessions every week. They both help clear burdens from the liver, hence easing hormonal imbalances.



I'm pleased your weightloss results have been positive for you! and glad I can offer some comfort here, although sorry there was a bit of a wait in getting it to you! :-} please write back and tell me how you're doing, Helen!

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I am type A. I was wondering why peanuts and peanut butter are highly beneficial, but peanut oil is not. Thank you for clarifying this for me. Lynn



Hello, Lynn! Here is a column I wrote, just for you! enjoy! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I'm an A+ (secretor staus unknown). I've been on the diet for almost 9 months now and I've lost about 5kgs. I'm 1.5m and currently weigh between 49 - 50ks. I probably need to go down a few more kilos, which is the hardest part as the weight hasn't gone down for a few months now. I try to avoid the avoids but it is hard as my mum still cooks for the family (and there are many varieties of food available here in Singapore that have not been tested!) I exercise about 3 times a week but they are usually cardio classes. I have tried sticking to yoga but I find without the usual dose of cardio, I feel awful.. and unsatisfied. I find although the weight has gone down, my body fat content is not as low as it should be -- currently 24% when it should be about 20%. Any suggestions with weight loss or help with reduction of body fat besides sticking to only beneficials for foods? Also, are there any herbs/supplements to help reduce bloatedness caused by PMS? I find that it is also during this time my eating habits go stray!! Recently, I find myself succumbing to sweets!! L-glutamine doesn't seem to help much, perhaps its the proportion I take it (1 teaspoon for every 225ml of water) especially before I go for my workouts? Is that the right amount? Or should I drink a small glass with a pinch of L-glutamine everytime the sugar monster strikes? Thank you for your time. I thoroughly enjoy your column everyday! Mavis



Hey there, Mavis ~ Don't you worry, those last few kilos can seem to take forever to come off, but come off they will! The cardio workouts are fine, but you will see better results by adding the yoga (better still, yoga and meditation), doing a session every day if possible. Yoga's effects on PMS, body fat levels, and mental clarity are rather amazing for so little effort.



NOTE ADDED: I originally suggested that L-glutamine would be OK for you -- however, L-glutamine should be avoided by types A and B because it raises cortisol levels. Try to get hold of some vegetable glycerine, which I've gone on & on about in this column. ;-D It actively stabilizes sugar metabolism, and can be used in anything you'd normally put sugar or honey in. Take a little slurp of it if you feel the cravings coming on! You're doing wonderfully, Mavis ~ just stick to it, and your results will be well worth your efforts!! thanks for your note! :-)

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I need to start a diet because of my total cholesterol= 5.96. The HDL= 0.78 The LDL= 4.65 Tg = 1.16 My blood type is A+. I look at your book Eat right 4 your Type and it is interesting. Is there specific choice I should do to start. Presently my doctor prescribe Lipitor 20mg. It is good to take those drugs. Tell me what I should do please. Monique



Allo, Monique! Yes! Please start the diet right away, in whatever way you are most comfortable doing so -- whether by slow change or all at once.



Most people find their cholesterol/triglyceride levels normalize fairly quickly with the diet alone. If your levels remain high, consider taking a half teaspoon of red yeast rice twice each day. It is marvelous for lowering cholesterol -- your doctor will be astonished! :-) Soon, you will no longer need the Lipitor at all.



And do follow the recommendations for type A activities/exercise ~ yoga is a great balancer of all the body's systems.



thanks for writing, Monique, and let me know how it works for you! :-)

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Hallo Heidi I read the question (yesterday) that Maureen from South Africa sent. She was able to find out her secretor status. I would like to know how she went about that in SA. Is there any way that I could find out from her? In the meanwhile, I still follow the BTD and did not buy the new LR4YT book. I did however consult the new info on the food in the supplied database. Can I continue following the ER4YT and not worry about secretor status etc?... Thanks for your brilliant column!



Eurika, you're very sweet! Here is what I wrote to Nandie on 12/09 ~ "Ask your doctor or clinic for the saliva secretor test, OR the Lewis test. I know that labs in ZA do the Lewis test, although many doctors are not familiar with it. If you have their name at hand, call direct to the diagnostic laboratory your doctor uses. They can confirm it, which you then can bring to your doctor's attention."



You're doing great on the "classic" diet, and because 80%+ of the population are secretors, the numbers are on your side. Just check the Updates Page for any foods that have moved to avoid for As since BTD was published, and keep up the great work! :-D

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I have been on the B diet since Feb. 2001, and the results are wonderful and continuing daily, especially with allergy symptoms. I thought I was becoming allergic to everything and would close myself up in the house with the airconditioner on from June till the frost came in the fall--here in NY that is the best time of the year to enjoy the outdoors, and I never enjoyed it at all. Now I have spent the last 2 summers outside, gardening, enjoying the sun, swimming, playing with my dogs ( I was "allergic " to them too) The weather reports keep saying high ragweed, high moldspores and so far I haven't felt a thing!! It's just amazing!!



But anyway, the problem I am having is with my muscles and neck pain. I have seen a cervical orthogonist and have had my atlas corrected 4 weeks ago and my muscles are having a hard time adjusting the new corrected position. I am achy and irritable as the day wears on and it seem my head is too heavy for my shoulders to carry it. The Dr. says this will correct over time, but I was wondering if there is anything else I could do to speed up the recovery here--I have a life to live!! and it's kind of a drag dealing with this. I know I need to get more supplements, but in the past with my allergies I have become a little leary of taking anything. I have had rashes, stomach difficulties from taking supplements, so have given up on most. I only take a B complex, folic acid, and magnesium supplements. I tried MSM in the past (before I started BTD) but I developed an itchy rash that ceased when I stopped the MSM. I was told no one could be allergic to MSM, is this true?? I was afraid to try it again, but perhaps being on the diet I won't have a problem again.



I also would like to try the Btype vitamins sold here on this site, but am concerned about having a bad reaction to any of the herbs and things in them . Have they been formulated to be hypoallergenic??(is that possible?) Also, I have read that glucosamine is made from shellfish, can B types take this supplement or is it not recommended?? I have seen a glucosamine made from chicken breast cartilege, but there's the chicken thing--so I have stayed away from glucosamine. Sorry, this has become a long email, but if you have any suggestions for healing and strengthening muscle, I would greatly appreciate it. Incidently, I do exercise regularly, walking about 10 miles perweek, and resistence and weight training , but I havehad to put the upper body on hold during this recooperating period. Thanks so much for your time, and tell Dr. D'Adamo that I thank God for him and pray for him in his continued work. Suzanna



Thank you for your prayers, Suzanna! I thank God for him, too. :-)



For your muscle tension, I suggest a stretching routine based upon martial arts (see www.flowinghands.com for a marvelous video), or a Hatha yoga session ~ daily. Resistance training is great, but stretching goes hand in hand with it, and it is a wonderful way of releasing toxins in the body. A nice soak in a near-hot bath with Epsom salts is a remarkably effective muscle relaxer.



I also suggest you set aside ten minutes each day for a visualization session. Just sit in a comfortable position in a quiet place, and imagine your muscles loosening. Take one body area at a time, or envision your entire body melting ... or becoming cloud-like ... or whatever best suits you! If you use a form of meditation, this, too, will help release the discomfort you are feeling.



About supplements: n-acetyl glucosamine is absolutely fine for you -- it is chondroitin sulphate which is to be avoided by Bs and Os. It is unlikely you reacted to the MSM ~ much more likely that you reacted to fillers in the MSM you purchased. A great, lowest-cost source of high-quality MSM is www.msm-msm.com ~ and among the supps available in the Store on this site, some are labelled hypoallergenic, but not all, so for now, stick with what you've found works! I hope you're feeling better soon, and do keep that magnesium supplementation UP! take care! :-)

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Hi, Could you tell me if it is going to be possible to be a healthy vegetarian 'O' and 'B' type? Thanks, Neehar



Hi, Neehar ~ I have heard from (admittedly, VERY few) type Os and Bs who say vegetarianism works fine for them. So, I will say it is possible, but as we look at vegetarian Os and Bs over time, the older one is, the less success we see. It is a difficult thing for either type to accomplish, due to type Os' higher requirement of flesh foods in an optimal diet, and type Bs' many avoids among the bean, nut and seed categories traditionally used as "meat substitutes." I always suggest to these folks to consider adding fish to the diet ~ which, of course, is out of the question for vegans and true vegetarians ~ but those who take that suggestion are astonished at the improvement in their wellbeing. They find themselves in far better trim down the line.



I will say frankly that most of the ethical vegetarians who write to me asking about supplements to make up for the missing flesh foods are not aware that the necessary supplements (taurine, L-carnitine, among many examples) are made commercially from the meats they refuse to eat. So this is all to say, I strongly encourage you to ask yourself: would you ask an animal to do without the kind of food it needs to be well? If you would not, why would you do yourself such a cruel disservice? Is your vibrant life less important than that of the other creatures you seek to preserve? Support Conscious Farming and Ranching! in the best ways you can, and support the physiology that was given to you, as well!



*whew,* nothing worse than an ex-juicitarian, eh? LOL! thanks for writing, Neehar! :-D

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I have recently discovered that I can not tolerate neither sugar nor friuts that are very sweet. According to your diet for Blood Type B, I should be able to eat these foods. I have experimented with eating more of the fruits that are on the list for my blood type, but it did not work. I am presently using Stevia. My questions are, 1. will my body develop the ability to tolerate sweeter fruits is I each foods exclusively form the Highly beneficial category? 2. Can I eat green tomatoes? Are do they have lectin in the also, even though they are not red? And, Am I wrong to think that color has anything to do with whether lectin is present or not in a food item? Thank you for the feedback! Dovie



Hey there, Dovie! Unripe (green) tomatoes do contain the harmful lectin, so I'd give them a pass. The lectins do not at all affect the color of an item ~ so those variously colored tomatoes, along with many other foods, have one rating no matter the color. On the fruit front: it looks like you'll benefit from that "tincture of Time" treatment for a while. Yes, it has been the experience of most people that allergic reactions and digestive tolerance do change with time on the diet. We do not all come to these plans in the same condition, and our healing proceeds at our own body's pace. Keep with it, and give it time to work ~ you'll soon find yourself forgetting what it was like when fruit gave trouble! And instead of sugar, investigate vegetable glycerine. It is not a whole food, but certainly fills the sweet bill, and actively helps normalize blood sugar levels. Good health to you, dear, and keep in touch! :-)

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What is Membrane Fluidizer Cocktail for Type B and where can I obtain it? Kaye



Hi, Kaye! You make it at home: 6-8 ounces of fruit juice, one tablespoon lecithin granules, one tablespoon flax oil. shakeyshake it up. It's marvelous, and we other blood types secretly use it as well! :-D

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Hello there I have just read your questions for today and have a query about Type B and the membrane fluidizer cocktail. My husband, a Type B, used to enjoy this but according to recent Live Right books lecithin is an avoid for Type B. Who is right? We have been on the diet for four years now, I am a Type A, and feel much better for it. Many thanks. Cynthia



Ah, Cynthia, that error was MY contribution to Live Right!! Please ask your husband to accept my apologies, and if we ever meet, the MFCs are on me, OK? :-} I'm very pleased the diets are doing good things for you, and thank you for your forbearance in this lecithin matter ~ it is neutral for All types! best wishes to you both, dear! :-)

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Hi Heidi, I enjoy your column and the many subjects you get to touch on. I'm a B+, and had started drinking the membrane fluidizer cocktail when I learned about the bloodtype diet back in June. I have allergies and this year has felt particularly bad, which is what prompted me to try the diet. However, an issue of Men's Health earlier this year (April I think), as well as some internet searches, have raised concerns about prostate cancer and flaxseed oil (the linoleic acid I believe it was). I know it's not an absolute proven connection, but I was wondering if you had thoughts about this. I stopped using the MFC and asked Dr. Bron but haven't seen a reply addressing this. Since I had to stop tomato juice for the lycopene I replaced it with red grapefruit, but didn't want to take any unnecessary chances since my dad's side has some history of prostate cancer. Thanks! Herb



Hello, Herb ~ From my reading, and in my humble non-medical opinion, the flaxseed/cancer connection is a boondoggle. If you were made to eat only one thing for months on end, problems would arise, I'll guarantee that. One thing for months on end is the diet design for lab animals used to generate these kinds of research. Bear in mind that too little of something will give trouble, and too much of it will give as much, or more trouble, in most cases. Get a balance of fats from the allowed meat, fish, fowl, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and you'll have no worries in this regard. I do suggest taking saw palmetto ~ it has protective effects on the prostate, and has produced some pleasant surprises in the men's hair department! :-) thanks so much for writing, Herb!! start back up with the MFC, you'll continue to benefit from it!

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We have a Essene Bread Recipy from the internet with "Eat Right 4 Your Tipe" book cover next to it. This recipy states that this is for all types, but one of the ingredients is buck wheat flour. (3 cups of sprouted wheat and 1 cup buck wheat flour). I am type B. Can I eat this bread. Please let me know ~ Piet



:-} Nope! Sorry! That one is actually for type As and Os... You can use it, just replace that flour with barley, oat, rice, spelt or other allowable flour. Also, go to the bottom of this page and enter the search term "essene" ~ you'll bring up a column entitled, "Seeking Recipes for Essene & Ezekiel Breads" ~ there's an original recipe there using 100% sprouted grain. Thanks for your note, Piet! :-D

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Hello! Thanks for your wonderful information. I cannot find the grading of wheatgrass juice, though might guess that it would be like sprouted wheat. However, I do not want to jump to conclusions, so hope to hear from you. It is a growing alternative vitamin and mineral source in Australia, even being sold over the counter for city folk in $3.00 "shots." Best wishes, Jenny

Wheat grass juice is fine for all types! Here's Peter's column on Wheat Grass! enjoy!_

What about turnip greens? Turnips are listed but not turnip greens. What can you tell me about turnip greens? Don

Hi, Don! Can't tell you much; we have no rating for them, but my suspicion is that they are secretly Beneficial for all types. ;-) Like kale, they taste sweeter if picked just after first frost. Here's a lovely leafy page all about greens, for your reading pleasure!

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We have just used the home blood test kits and have found that each of us have different blood types - not suprising for my husband (B positive)and myself (a positive), but also our children. My 13-year old daughter is O positive and my 10-year old son is AB negative. I know that my mother is 0 positive. Is it possible that our blood tests are inaccurate or could you let us know where to get more information about this? Thank you. Valerie

Hi, Valerie! It is absolutely possible that your kids would make up the other two types of your 4-type family!! Here's how it happened. In the following table, Mom's two genes are shown down the left-hand edge, in green. Dad's two genes are shown in purple across the top. The possible blood types of offspring are in the middle, in bold:

 

r />

	AB	AO
	BO	OO

 

You & your husband, as you see, both have a recessive O gene. You two could have kids of any blood type! Sorry you "drew" the other two types rather than A or B, but it certainly makes things interesting, eh? Also, since your Mom was an O, we know your Dad was

either an A or an AB, since you had to get that A gene from him. Your mother had only O genes to contribute, hence you're an AO. I hope this saves you money you might have spent on re-testing... and that it comforts everyone about the mysterious ABO's of those kids! :-D

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Hi, I need to know if Taro which is a vegetable can be eaten by O's. I don't find it anywhere on any of the lists. It is kind of like a potato or a sweet potato or a root type vegetable. Thank you Robin

Hi, Robin ~ Use TYPEbase 3® our in-house searchable database of ABO-food compatibility, if you have questions about food status. I'm afraid that particular item is an avoid for Os and AB nonsecretors. For everyone else, it's a neutral.

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I am blood type A and I realize I cannot have any dairy products. I am confused because yogurt is neutral. Is there a specific kind of yogurt I can have, or am I able to have yogurt with dairy products in it. genevieve

The yogurt in the type A food lists is cow milk yogurt. The neutral status applies to any yogurt made with any animal's milk. Hope this helps!

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Please could you tell me if live yogourt is good for me as I eat a lot of it. My blood type is O but I don't know which secretor I am yet. I cannot find the information anywhere although I have been trying for ages. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR REPLY/ANSWER GREATLY. Many thanks. Linda

Hello, Linda! I'm sorry to say that yogurt is an avoid for all type Os, whether secretors or nonsecretors. Try other cultured foods, such as cultured vegetables, and take a good probiotic (PolyFlora-O is available on our site). The benefits Os seek through eating yogurt for can easily be duplicated with neutral or beneficial cultured foods, and the detriments of dairy can then be avoided.

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Hi! What about these popular green superfood drinks with alfalfa grass, spirulina, chlorella and barley grass, etc. (among other ingredients)? Seems like a good thing, but is it? Thanks, Julie

:-) Yes, at first glance they seem like good things. :-) You didn't mention your blood type, so I can't discuss ingredients or other concerns. Instead, I'll just say that every commercial green drink formulation I've seen contains avoids for at least one type, usually all types. The Harmonia Deluxe product specifically designed for ALL types is the only one I've ever seen that's fine for everyone. It's available in the Store at this site. Another thing in its favor... it tastes wonderful! :-D

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That's it for another round of potpourri... keep those lovely messages coming in! thank you, everyone!

Heidi, I am a type O with hypothyroidism. I am doing my best to follow the diet, but with a type AB husband it gets tough, and I admit that I am not as vigilant as I could be. One problem I face is timing my medications and supplements. First thing in the morning, I take my thyroid medication on an empty stomach, and wait at least an hour to eat. I also take a multivitamin, calcium, iron, fucus, l-tyrosine, and for allergies, claritin. I want to get the most out of each of these, butI know that some are better on an empty stomach and some with food, and perhaps even best taken during different parts of the day. Therefore, I am having the darndest time trying to schedule my supplementation. I was hoping you might be more familiar with this, and give me some guidelines. I appreciate any help you can give me. Devoted Reader, Lois



Hey there, Lois ~ On all the supplements, the best thing I can offer is to follow the instructions on the bottles. Formulations of multis vary, so the label should let you know whether that particular one should be taken away from food or with food -- and whether the dosage is such that you'll take several caps per day or only one. Calcium is usually best taken with a meal, but check the label of your product. Tyrosine can be taken with food, but depending on the reason you're taking it, another time of day could be better... write back and tell me more? The others should have specific directions, so I'd figure out the number of each I need to take, whether I'd take them before, during, or after eating, or between meals, and make up a chart to stick on the fridge. Wish I could do more for you there, dear, but with a magnifying glass for the tiny print on some of those labels (>:-E), I'm sure you'll succeed in setting up a doable supp schedule. Let me know how you work this out! :-D

HEY! THIS JUST IN: Jane, who has experience in these matters, wrote: "Her endocrinologist or pharmacist should have told her to be careful when she takes calcium if she's taking thyroid meds. Ideally you shouldn't take calcium for 4 hours after taking the thyroid meds. It interferes with the update of the thyroid drugs. I take my thyroid pill first thing in the morning, an hour before eating." Thanks so much for writing in to help us along on this subject, Jane! Much appreciated! :-D

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Heidi, How much soy milk would be equivalent to a serving portion of beans and legumes? Don



Hmmm... tricky question! It's not a direct proportion. Plain mature cooked soy beans contain roughly 8 times as much protein as plain, unfortified soy milk ~ but 50 times as much calcium. The dilution necessary to make a milk-like consistency plays a role here, but the water solubility of the various elements in the bean is what makes it impossible to multiply the soy milk quantity by a number to get the bean's nutritional equivalent. Single aminos, fats, each has its own particular solubility to factor in. And if we begin comparing soy milk to other beans, we will have different proportions altogether. So... soy milk's nutrition-to-portion concentration is not nearly as high as the whole, cooked beans ~ somewhere between 1/6th and 1/10th the potency. Still, it's a great cows' milk replacement for you O secretors. ;-)

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Heidi, For O type, all but apple cider vinegar is an avoid, but what about a tablespoon of balsamic or red wine vinegar used in a marinate for meats? Is the amount small enough, and does most of it burn off in cooking? Thanks! Amber



Hi, Amber! A tablespoon in a cup of marinade probably won't trouble you much, as long as you don't end up eating the cooked marinade as a sauce. The acid does remain, but it should be well diluted by the time your steak hits the plate. :-D

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Dear Heidi, Which is the safest oil for cooking with? At the moment I use ghee but many of the recipes in CR4YT include olive oil. And other people say you mustn't heat olive oil and it's better to use rapeseed oil. Take care, Olympia.



Hello, Olympia! Many highly-intelligent Italian chefs cook almost exclusively in extra-virgin olive oil, including deep-frying, without burning the oil. That said, a little water or broth added to a stir-fry or sear using olive oil will keep the temperature a bit lower. If the oil is fresh and not smoking in the pan, it hasn't reached its breakdown stage. Personally, I never use rapeseed (canola) oil -- for high-heat applications such as curing my iron pans, I use grapeseed or rice bran oil, both of which have very high smoke points. The caveat with these two is the near-impossibility of finding organic versions. All told, I'd say you're best off doing your daily cooking with organic extra-virgin olive oil! :-D

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I recently bought the Blood Type Encyclopedia as I wanted to improve my health and was very puzzled to read the section on Lectins, specifically Page 348 (Group O-specific lectins). As a group O I am now supposed to avoid, among other foods, WALNUTS. I thought these were beneficial and have made an effort to eat them. Are these harmful for me? The same thing for BLUEBERRIES and BANANAS and PAPAYAS. The first two are supposed to be beneficial so why are they avoids for Type O RH-positives. This is the opposite of what is listed elsewhere. We pick blueberries in the wild and I eat a lot of them. Should I now avoid them? As an O non-secretor my list of favourite foods is getting shortened even more. Help! Sharon



I am striving to stay on the type O diet but have run into a contradiction in BTD. On pages 521-522--black walnuts and english walnuts are listed as highly beneficial. However, on page 348 it says type O's should avoid walnuts. then on page 545 it says walnut oil is neutral for type O's. I love the results I have received form following the type O diet and I don't want to eat something I should avoid. Thanks, Janet



Hi there, ladies! The answer is right here! :-)

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Hi, I am a female type O and 40 years old. However, I have sufferred from Adult acne for many years..... a small amount, but enough to be irritating. I have only just ordered my secretor test kit so I am unable to tell you my category in this regard. I am following the diet recommendations contained in your BTD, but would like to know if there are any specific No-Nos that I should pay particular regard to in order to reduce the skin problems I have and/or should I take any supplements to my diet. Many thanks, Audre



Hello, Audre! Right now, the best thing you can do is follow your plan to a T. The worst no-nos would be corn in all its forms, bad oils (including fried foods, as well as oils in processed foods), milk & cheese, and any amount of wheat in any form. However, be sure to get a tablespoon of fresh extra virgin olive or (better) flax oil every day, as it is essential for healing your skin and balancing your entire system. Supplements? Aside from PolyFlora-O (the probiotic) to get your digestion in order, I'd say the best supplement is strenuous exercise, at least every other day. Really work up a sweat! It directly cleanses your skin, but what you can't see is what it does to work the liver (thereby processing hormones and fats more effectively) and clear the bowels (eliminating sluggishness and its ensuing toxicity), which is where acne most often originates. Try to find the absolutely freshest fruits and vegetables you can get ~ you need their elemental sulphur component.



I expect you'll see improvements within a week or two! Please keep me posted, OK? :-D

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Hi Heidi, I recently purchased the book "eat right 4 your type" as it is so highly reccommended here in South Africa. I am 35 and type O positive. I suffer from Gout, and get bad attacks about 3 times a year and light attacks (very mild) about once every two months. I am not over weight, I do not drink, and I eat mostly white meat like fish, chicken, pork, and red meat about twice to three times a week. Now I read that I need to eat more red meat for my type, and fruit I was told to stay away from.... I am confused, and hopping you can help! My daily eating habbits are as follows: Breakfast: kellogs rice crispies/ cornflaks with milk 10h00: toasted bacon and egg or ham and cheese sandwich. Lunch: Chicken mayonaise roll Dinner: Fish or chicken or beef with brown rice cooked carotts, peas, beatroot (always with vegies not always the same) 21h00: snack Kellogs rice crispies with milk. Please help me to eat correctly according to the book for my type O and the gout issue. Ps My gout is apparently hereditary. Daniel



Hi, Daniel! Pork is an avoid, but most meat, fowl and fish items are fine for type Os. No need to stay away from fruit. In fact, a couple of tablespoons of black cherry juice taken every day is a wonderful therapy for gout! The troublesome things I see in your diet right now are: the rice crispies and cornflakes, the milk, the bread, the cheese, the bacon and the ham. Gout, like so many other health conditions, is often seen as hereditary merely because it follows along the "traditional diet lines" from one generation to the next. People tend to eat the foods they learned to eat in their families -- thus, they tend to develop the health problems their parents had from eating an unhealthy diet.

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Hello Heidi, I'm an o-non. I'm having difficulty finding some of the recommended foods, even though I'm in the NJ/ NY area. I want to enjoy as many of the recommended food as possible! Walnuts. I can only seem to find black walnuts, not english walnuts. Where can I get organic green tea in bulk? The only stuff I've found is $44 dollars a pound! is this a fair price? Where can I buy some of the fish? I would love to try some of them, but they're never in the stores. Sturgeon, yellowtail, pike, fresh herring, I never see these available. And squab, partridge, sweetbreads? Can you recommend an online source, vendors or stores in the NY area? Is dried fruit ok? or is it too high in sugars. I've found nice organic mangos, pineapple, etc . but I'm not sure how much of it to have... many thanks! I love this diet. emme



Hey, Emme! Shopping troubles, eh? I live in Manhattan, so it's the old story that you can get anything here, for a (high enough) price. I'd say $44 for a pound of organic green tea is pretty reasonable. A pound is a LOT of tea! I haven't bought it in bulk around here recently, but Mr. Itaru's green tea & brown rice combo comes in 200 gram packages - about 7 ounces in weight - and it takes me weeks to get through one of those. It would cost far more than $44 the pound. Have you tried Angelica's? in the East Village? I'd give them a call, just to check.



English walnuts are the commonest kind -- pale, with pale, smooth, rigid shells -- and they're everywhere ~ black walnuts come in deep black, nearly impenetrable shells. Are you sure you've found black walnuts in plenty? if so, please let me know where you found them -- shelled, of course! ;-) They're both beneficial, but the black ones are REALLY tasty!



For the fish: it's a toughie. Do you have a local fishmonger (who speaks English)? (No cultural slams intended here folks, believe me! where emme & I live, it is the norm that business owners may have only a rudimentary grasp of English, and not because they speak Italian, French, German, Spanish, Irish Gaelic or Indonesian (all of which I could muddle through on) -- rather, it's usually one of the many Asian languages AND I HAVE NO MAINLAND ASIAN LANGUAGES, dang it!!) *phew*! thanks for listening!! I mean, you should have heard me trying to describe the difference between wild salmon and farm-raised to MY nearby fishmonger. Pretty funny, now that I look back on it. Oh lordy. I still don't even know where they're from, they won't tell me. Probably illegal, OH, never mind. Even my Bangladeshi is better than my North Korean, OK? It's a problem. *sigh.* My problem, I suppose. ;-}



Back to the point: SEARCH your nabe for a good fishmonger with whom it is possible to converse. Tell him or her your needs. See if they will bring in some fresh herring for you. Pike might be more difficult, but read on. For my rarer-than-salmon needs, I high-tail it to Grand Street & Elizabeth and choose between the many spectacular Asian fish markets in that neighborhood. Not much conversation needed -- they know the price and the English name of the fish (which is good, since the signs are all in Chinese or Korean) and that's all you need. And boy, have they got the goods, at rock-bottom prices. Huge selection. Check 'em out. They've got everything! along with things you've never heard of. OR, go straight to the Fishmarket, where all the retailers buy on a daily basis. It's a bit overwhelming, it requires being there at around 4 in the morning, and it's in the Bronx at the moment, but with persistence (and a car) you can make the trip often enough to forge relationships with the fishermen of your choice.



Next thing you need is a great local butcher, which is a commoner item in the neighborhoods than a dependable fishmonger. If your butcher has contacts with organic producers (which is almost the norm these days), it's a snap to get acceptable sweetbreads. Thymus, pancreas, either one will do. Seasonal game birds in our area are available frozen much of the year, through the wild game provisioner D'Artagnan. Alternately, call Ottomanelli's in the Village, on Bleecker Street. Ask them what fresh birds they have coming in. Get 'em in season. Yes, there's also Balducci's and Dean & DeLuca, and the Chelsea food markets, but Ottomanelli's is a small shop with a full crew of smart family members who have about 200 years of butchering experience between them. Their prices are not cheap, but neither do they approach the lofty heights of Balducci's ~ besides, they pay attention to you and what you want & need. And they're really sweet guys! ;-)



Dried fruit is absolutely fine, but scrutinize the ingredients and check out the producer. Make SURE it's organic, it's unsulphured, and it's unsweetened. If the label is unforthcoming and the produce manager goes blank about it, don't risk it.



OK! I've blabbered a bit over the time limit, even for me! but I hope it's of use to folks in the NY/NJ area ~ there are certainly a lot of us! take care, emme, and good hunting!! :-D

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I am a blood type O and have found that Indian Food causes me extreme fatigue. My Indian meal choice is always exactly the same: Saag Paneer (Spinach with Goat Cheese), Shrimp Curry and Rice. I indulge myself in this--my favorite meal--at least twice a month, and each time it takes me at least 3 days to get back to my normal level of energy. Any idea what could be causing this extreme fatigue? Dee



What's causing it? those Indian meals! ;-> guess you've found that out already. ;-D If you're asking if I can pin down the exact ingredients doing the harm, well ~ highly unlikely, as I've learned through long trials! but I'll take a stab at it. In Saag Paneer, could be the oil they use, or the spices, but I plump for the oil. Same with the curry. Ask if they use ghee, or oil -- and if so, what kind? Hey! It could be the goat cheese... you might not do well with cheeses. Do you know your secretor status?



When you have your meal, do you eat the papadam, the dal, the raita, the chutneys... maybe some Indian beer... see where I'm going with this? Just as an exercise, let's take the chickpeas in the papadam, the beans (other than lentils) in the dal, the cucumber & yogurt in the raita, and the sugar in the chutney... if you're a nonsecretor, this combination would fair hammer you. If it's lentil in the dal, even a secretor might take a beating.



I was a huge fan of Indian food, but I've had to phase it out of my diet for the most part. To isolate the exact culprits in my beloved dishes, from aloo paratha to shrimp saag to anything-vindaloo, (other than wheat & potatoes -- that's a given) was a full-time job, so if the option arises now, I stick to tandoori. I still dream of one restaurant's lemon chutney and pickled mangoes. But without the poori or chapati or nan and rice and papadam and raita... and that magnificent smoky Golden Eagle beer... the thrill is kinda gone. ;-} Dee, I've little comfort to offer in this area, for which I apologize! but it seems you're body is telling you more than anything specific I could explain for you. Follow that advice, you won't regret it... much! ;-D

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With sheep milk readily available I make my own cottage cheese from it. The process leaves me with whey when I separate the curds. I take it that this whey product which is not a powder is OK for O's as it is for A's? There are some wonderful soup recipes using this pure whey. Regards - Kasia



Greetings, Kasia! The whey is the part that is Not OK for Os ~ it's an avoid. The whey powders are worse, as they are concentrated whey. But fresh whey is the thing that cheeses don't have, which makes some cheeses OK for you. Hope this helps, dear! :-D

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Hello and thanks so much for all the wonderful information you provide. I am a rebellious O+ (took 2 years to "really" give up the wheat)but for the most part I really love the foods that are particularly for me. In the last 2 years, I believe being on the diet has eliminated many alergeric reactions I used to suffer. Aches and pains, yucky sinus problems, breathing difficulties and edema. BUT, one of the things that I have been eating is goat cheese and goat milk on a fairly regular basis, I am Danish and no cheese or cream at all was "too severe" , that rebel again. A few days ago in reading my Live Right book I noticed that goat cheese is neutral while goat milk is an avoid. Help, why would these 2 items fall in different categories. Thanks again for your column. I look forward to hearing from you, Dianne



Hey there, Dianne! Even we rebels come round when it's worth it, eh? :-) The difference between cheese and milk is, in a word, "whey." Milk's got it, cheese hasn't. Thus, goat cheese is neutral and the milk is to be avoided.



You're doing a marvelous job of steering your exuberant nature toward a healthy plan ~ enjoy it, and write again! :-D

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I read 'Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type' a few years ago but receintly ran into a woman who said there is more to that than meets the eye. She told me about secreters and nonsecreters. Where can I get this info. I don't remember it being in the book. Please let me know so I can order the data. Thank you. Jill (RN)

Hi, Jill! Yes, the book is called Live Right 4 Your Type, and it contains detailed food lists and an abundance of great information on stress relief and specific health care. For a quick study on secretors vs. nonsecretors, see our Knowledge Base Secretor/Nonsecretor page. Thanks for asking! :-)

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I have been reading information about grapefruit juice that says it's not the best because of the medication reactions. Can you let me know what you think. I have been also reading about soy, and there are mixed options about it's long term benefits. Please let me know what you know. Thank you, Darin

Ask your doctor about which medications react with grapefruit juice. It's not all of them. About soy, I think Peter answered hundreds of questions on the old message boards regarding the anti-soy cabal, but you might want to start with this one from Ask Dr. D'Adamo: Will Soy Rot Your Brain? Great title, eh? Enjoy your reading, and feel free to ask more specific questions if they arise!

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I can't find hemp oil or hemp flour in the list of foods. Have they been tested yet for blood type compatibility? I'd like to try baking with the flour I see for sale in the stores now, and I read the oil has good EFA ratios. Thanks! monet

Hello, monet ~ Here is the Ask Dr. D'Adamo page on HEMP. The flour may have fewer of the deleterious effects noted for the oil, but I suspect they will both fall into the same categories once Peter has had the chance to test them specifically. In the meantime they are technically "neutral" (as all unlisted foods are), but do note the caveats in that Ask Dr. D. page!

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Where can I obtain a kit to determine my secretor status in Canada? Thanks for your column.Lorraine

Lorraine, I don't yet know if secretor tests can be shipped to Canada or New York State. Drop a note to North American Pharmacal at NAP-Service@worldnet.att.net and ask if the situation has changed. If not, write me again and I'll see what I can do. :-)

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In Dr. D'Adamo's book Cook Right 4 Your Type he states that hydrogenated oils may be potentially toxic or carcinogenic. This left me feeling ambiguous as to whether hydrogenated oils are cancerous or not. Why did he use the word "potentially" versus just saying, "these oils are toxic or carcinogenic". Thank you. Aaron

Well, I suppose it is a wording choice based on the fact that they do not precipitate cancer or measurable toxicity on one use, but repeated use will create toxicity in virtually everyone, although only some people will get cancer traceable to the use of hydrogenated oils. There are actually two conditional terms ("may be" and "potentially"), which can be stated as one: hydrogenated oils may increase your bowel toxicity, and they may encourage the growth of cancer in you. Rather a roundabout way of stating the fact that they're not useful or necessary for anyone, and they have a history of doing harm. :-D

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Hello, I'm going to graduate with an undergraduate university degree this year. Next year I wish to go to a Naturopathic/complementary health school. I was wondering which ones would be BTD friendly and how did Dr. Dadamo get his education? I live in Canada, so Canadian schools would be preferred. Is there anything especially around Toronto, Quebec or in British Columbia?(I speakk French so language is no problem) However, I would welcome any advice and suggestions you could offer. Thanks, Your column is great, thanks for all the encouragement. Michelle

:-) I'm always so happy to hear from young people pursuing complementary medicine careers!! Peter was graduated from Bastyr University... not far south of the border from BC, so perhaps it would be a possibility for you? Here is their website. Keep in touch! ~;-D

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thanks, everyone!!

I am quite desperate! I have been following the diet (I'm a B group) for about two years now, with great results. Problem is, I'm pregnant. Not a PROBLEM as such, but with the diet, definitely! I was hoping I'd be able to get hold of the Eat Right for your Baby book,, but it seems it will only be available in May in South Africa, where I live. Are there any short and summarized tips you can give me so long?? I am picking up weight much too fast, and I'm eating bread and all the stuff O'm not supposed to on the B-type diet. I would really appreciate just a few basic tips. Looking forward to the book! Theresa



Greetings, Theresa ~ and congratulations on your pregnancy! :-D Ah, another BTD-baby coming up! I'm pretty thrilled about it. ~:-D

Well, cravings are the norm in your position. However, if you bump up your protein intake a bit, and fill up on the plant life with each meal, the grain temptations should fall away pretty quickly.

Here are a couple of tips which you can use if you see fit. Please be advised that these are provisional for now, and that when the "Baby Book" is released on the market, these recommendations may have been revised. So, changing the following values will be protective for you and your baby, but there is MUCH more advice in the book, and the ratings for certain foods may shift.

So: first, no more flaxseed or flax oil. Second, eggs are now Beneficial for you, especially fresh eggs from hens free-ranged on clean land. Eat 'Em Up Yum.

The fish list changes somewhat. Avoid the following fish: Bass, Bluefish,

Carp, Catfish, Flounder, Halibut, Mahi Mahi, Shark, Swordfish, Tilapia, Tuna and Whitefish. All the rest of the seafood entries retain the values listed in Live Right.

You may want to plan out your meals & snacks so that you're getting the meat, fish and dairy, as well as the beneficial veg & fruit, that are ESSENTIAL for your well-being and the health of the growing babe.

But -- No Fennel, and No Parsley, OK? (two more avoids for expectant mothers only.) None of the fruit values change (to my knowledge at this time), so you might reach for a serving of beneficial-fruit salad instead of the bready stuff next time the urge strikes. Since type Bs are the acknowledged rulers of the world of fruit (hear the gnashing of teeth from here? SO JEALOUS!! ;-D) you've abundant choices in that department.

Now: remove from your diet the following: Cayenne pepper, Chocolate, Ginger, Licorice, Marjoram, Nutmeg, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme. Again, just to be extra special safe. ;-) Chamomile is now beneficial ~ details in the book. And no caffeine or alcohol for you ~ again, this is the optimal route, and the safest.

Don't do anything special to directly address any weight gain you may have at this time. While you're pregnant is not the time to focus on weight loss. Just stick to your diet and B-ideal activities as closely as possible, and let the rest happen as it will. And it will sort itself beautifully by the time you deliver, never you worry! :-D

Here's a little note I received about kids and the BTD ~ lovely advice, I think, and your little one will be ready for it in no time at all! so I thought I'd share it with you:



enjoy your pregnancy, Theresa ~ keep me posted, OK? I'm so happy for you! ~:-D

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I have 2 questions: For some reason I've gained 20 lbs in the last year that I can't lose! I got off the diet for one, which Ive gotten back on for the last 3 months. Also I started taking depro provera which can cause insulin resistance. I've been off that for 8 months. I'm exercising(running and spot training) with no results. I had my insulin level checked for insulin resistance and it was 4, which as you know is normal. I'd been taking 400mg of chromium just in case( My weight is 140 lbs and I'm 5' 4".) I have eliminated wheat from time to time, no difference in my weight though.What is going on??? When I was on the diet before I dropped to 120 lbs! Also where can I get watermelon seed in 500mg doses? All I can find in the health food store is tea--no dosage. Rachel

Hello, Rachel! The watermelon seed is a diuretic. Do you feel you're retaining water? If so, try using some dandelion greens - either cooked, or fresh in your salad -- and try drinking at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water every day, with a tiny pinch of sea salt added (say, 1/4 teaspoon over the entire day). For instance: 140 pounds divided by 2 = 70. 70 ounces of (pure!) water each day. You could divide it into five 12-ounce glasses, taken away from meals. A hydrated body is a non-edema body. ;-D Do this for two weeks, and I promise you'll see a difference.

You've quit the chromium, right? More than 200 mg per day is not recommended, so at least scale it down if you are still taking it.

Going on & off diets will tend to maintain your bodyweight's "set-point" rather higher than you want it. Focus on getting into a stable groove with your diet. It will greatly speed your attainment of optimal weight. And a tai-chi or martial arts practice can be of great help in weight loss and general "balanced mind." The benefits can be spectacular. If you commit yourself to full implementation of the type B plan, with the determination to check your progress and re-assess in two months, I'm sure you'll be happy with the results! Write again and let me know how you're doing! :-D

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I am a Type B who was recently encouraged to begin the Blood Type Diet by a Type O friend, who raved about the increased energy he felt after switching to it. Both he and I are smokers and coffee drinkers, though I would say I smoke more than he does, and I definately drink twice the amount of coffee. If I am unwilling to give up these addictions, do you still suggest there is a value to switching to the Blood Type Diet? I have not really felt any difference at all, after following the "B" food list say 90% for 5 weeks now(including the membrane fluidizer cocktail, and supplements Ginko, Siberian Ginsing and Magnesium). I realize the caffiene and cigarettes are both completely unhealthy, I just wonder why my friend was still able to gain several benefits from changing his eating without giving up these addictions, and me not. Both he and another friend I have who started (also a type O smoker) felt results, particularly increased energy, in less than 2 weeks, as I find many of the people reporting to your website claim as well. I also am wondering if you ever tested marajuana as it is processed by the four ABO's. Thank you for your time and reply, Lizza



Hi, Lizza ~ I'd say that if you intend to smoke both tobacco & marijuana and drink a bunch of coffee every day, not only is there a value to the BTD, there's an absolute need of it. :-} By the way ~ no, we have no rating for cannabis. ;-> The energy the diet (AND exercise plan) will provide may be getting short-circuited by the nervous & adrenal effects of caffeine and the hypoglycemic-mimicking effects of tobacco plus weed.

Did you add any foods to your usual diet, or did you primarily avoid the avoids? Tell me a little more about the food part of your 5-week trial, and I'll do my best to help you get some results. Take good care, dear! :-D

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I am a B+ nonsecretor who has followed the diet for a few years. I do occasionally crave carbs and have "carb fests" but otherwise follow very closely. Recently had my cholestoral checked and was surprised that it was 269 and that my very bad cholestoral was 189! My doctor has recommended that I go on a low fat diet, eliminating carbs, cheese, butter, milk and egg yolks. I am now afraid to eat my 5-6 eggs per week cooked in ghee, my mozzarella cheese, goat milk, yoghurt, and grain at all! Also would it help to eat oatmeal daily ( my grain allowance is only 3x per week) or eliminate grains altogether. I gain weight even on small amounts of rice. Help! I thought that I was doing very well until I got my lab results. Also I have found out that flaxseed OIL causes an immediate negative reaction-the skin on my knuckles start to tingle, turn red, crack and bleed so have quit my MFC. I believe in my B diet but am very confused at this time. I love your column and read it every morning. Thank you for all of the time, support and encouragement that you give to our BTD community. jean

Hey there, Jean! I'm sorry you're having a rough time!!

Go ahead and use the MFC ~ just put olive oil instead of flax into it. If even a little grain signals your body to store fat, then eliminate it altogether for now. Nonsecretor Bs can prosper quite will without it, and this may be the key to your cholesterol levels. I don't agree with your doctor in the least, but bear in mind I am NOT a doctor. Eating beneficial and neutral dairy does not produce a high serum cholesterol level in type B; most of it is produced in the liver, so getting rid of all grains, sugars and alcohol for the moment is the first way to approach the problem.

Second, get a big daily portion of the dark green leafy veg, and focus on the meat, dairy, veg & fruit part of this plan for a month -- then check your cholesterol again.

The Encyclopedia has a full set of protocols for Bs with high cholesterol, as well as some reassuring advice for you ~ Bs are rarely at health risk from moderately high levels. 269 is not extreme ~ so pick up the book to check the protocols, make sure to practice those B-type activities recommended in Live Right to enhance your entire body's functioning, and give it a little time. You'll be fine!! please drop me a line on how it's going, OK? thanks, dear!! :-D

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I noticed you commented about a type B craving dairy, I thought we were allowed to have dairy. Was she a lactose intolerant B? My main dilema is this, I am a B who loves pasta. Where can I find toppings for pasta that are appropriate for my type besides alfredo? Alicia

Hi, Alicia ~ Jennie had a number of sensitivities, and a "diagnosis" of milk allergy, so we worked from there. Her question is included in the Type B Roundup #8, if you'd like to read it.

Toppings for pasta are incredibly numerous, and range from a little warm butter for tortellini ~ to oil, garlic & pepper flakes ~ to pesto made from nuts, herbs, oil & garlic ~ to mint-and-vegetable blends ~ to fish and peppers ~ to anything you'd like it to be, chosen from your beneficial and neutral foods.

A great place to get ideas on the possibilities for dressing pastas is Mario Battali's page on the foodtv network site. There are literally thousands of traditional pasta sauces used all over the world ~ pick a cuisine, and study up! and just as a tiny reminder, the frequency recommended in Live Right 4 Your Type for grains is 5-9 servings per week for type B Caucasians ~ so you'll promise to keep the cereals, pastry, muffins, cookies, breads & pasta to only that many, OK? ;-) thanks for your note, Alicia! :-D

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Is white splet and whole splet the same thing? I have been to 2 health food stores and all they seem to be aware of and/or have is whole splet. Thanks for your time, Debbie

Hello, Debbie ~ White spelt and whole spelt are two different things. White spelt has the germ and bran removed, so it is a whitish color ~ whole spelt is tan-colored, as it contains the entire spelt berry, ground into flour. Ask the health food stores if they will order white spelt for you. Purity Foods is one well-known maker of white spelt, and you can order online or give the info to your health food store's grain manager. thanks for writing, dear! :-D

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I have been searching for Yellow Onions here in Toronto, but I only find cooking, red, white, sweet, and spanish onions. Are the cooking onions the yellow onions? They are the most readily available, I am in search of the onion type high in Quercetin for my diabetic daughter. Any direct please? Dave

Sure, Dave! Yellow onions have a warm, reddish-tan papery skin on the outside. They're the most common ones in most North American supermarkets. If you're seeking quercetin, it is also available cheaply at most supplement shops. The BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia has specific protocols for diabetes, but her basic blood type diet will help enormously on its own. Please write back if there's any other help I can offer ~ and please accept my best wishes to you both!! :-)

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Hello Heidi, Thank you for answering my question from a month or so back. You're doing a wonderful job and a great service to us all! I had the good fortune to attend Dr. D'Adamo's conference this past weekend in Tempe, AZ. It was excellent! Although much of it was geared to health professionals and therefore over my head, I still obtained a lot of good information and met some absolutely wonderful people. Truly warm hearted and caring people, and it deepened my faith in this health care plan, and I've been a believer since I started 7 months ago. I highly recommend to all of your readers to attend one of these seminars if possible. The talk was of another one in Feb, 2005, in Tempe. If there's another one before that, attend if you can! Thanks again! Jerry



:-D :-D :-D Hey there, Jerry! Yes, it was a resounding success as I hear from all quarters, and I truly look forward to attending the next one! Thanks for the report (and the kind words)!! I'm greatly pleased you enjoyed it!

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What is the scientific basis for deciding which foods are beneficial or to be avoided for each blood type? What is the process by which you make these decisions? joan





Hello, joan! Well, that's a pretty huge topic of discussion. The short answer is, many factors affect the status given each food ~ and if you'd like to read about them in depth, follow This Link! enjoy! and thanks for writing!!

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I have been on the type O diet for a while and think it has helped a lot. I was wondering what the difference between mozzarella cheese and string cheese. The string cheese we have in the fridge, under the ingredientslist says it is mozzarella cheese, which is nuetral for me. String cheese however is listed as an avoid item. Are they the same? Greg





Hi, Greg ~ Here is your answer! :-)

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I just need some suggestions on how to make this diet work for a family who has all 4 blood types. I'm new at this and feel very overwhelmed with WHAT to make for meals that would fed the whole family. angela



Wow, you've got a daunting task there! Take a peek at the All Four Blood Types in My Family column ~ see if it helps! take good care, dear!! :-D

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Hi, My question is in regards to young children. We have O and A blood type and I am not having trouble so much as in what to feed them, but in amounts. My children have always been on a fairly healthy diet, organic, lots of veggies, fresh juice, whole grains, fish, etc. I am wondering if it is okay for them to have spelt or other grains often. It is really hard to get them to fill up on meat and veggies. I usually serve sandwiches at lunch time. In the morning they usually have fruit smoothies or oatmeal. I guess that I am just concerned about them getting enough of what they need when as children can be picky at times. I have been trying to make brown rice for dinner to go with the protein but not everyone likes it. So, I will make sweet potatoes and yams, not everyone likes that. I have always told them, you eat what is on the table or you can do without, however, this seems really hard now. They all really like their carbs and fill up on those the most. Is this something that I can work on weaning them from or is it not a concern as long as they still eat plenty of fresh veggies and fruit? Any advice would be helpful. Thank you so much - MaryChris





Hello, MaryChris! For your little type A, some oatmeal in the morning and a sandwich or rice (maybe with a tasty vegetable sauce? ;->) later on would be fine ~ just as long as the grain truly doesn't push the veg & fruit out of the day. (that IS the hard part, usually). For the O... well... maybe a tasty sauce or gravy for the sweet potatoes? :-D I was a real sweets craver as a kid, and loved breads and potatoes and pastry and any kind of candy as long as it was chocolate. An O kid will often fight to get those carbs ~ mostly because once upon a time in prehistory, we HAD to fight to get that rare honeybee nest. Grains and sugars are truly our downfall, so just do your best to minimize them ~ we run into trouble if we grow up stuffing ourselves with them. Your tiny O is best off with a maximum of one grain serving per day on average, and extra helpings of the tasty meat dish ~ and maybe vegetables spiced up a bit and cooked in butter or oil. This is a tough one, and while I don't know how old the kiddles are, making dinner a no-grain meal could take the pressure off you a bit. It also precludes any hint of hyperactivity at night, so if the O is bouncing off walls after his or her dinner, grains might be the key. I hope any of our readers who have faced this situation will write in with tips & tricks! You're doing a fabulous job of it already, and I salute you for it!! so rest assured you're doing really well right now, and if you can nudge that O a bit further toward a low-grain diet, you'll be doing spectacularly. thanks for writing, dear!! :-D

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Heidi: Picked up a Chirimoya Fruit at Whole Foods here in San Dieog, CA tonight. I'm Type O, boyfriend Type A... I cannot find this fruit in the books. Can we eat it?! Thanks so much. Christina



Hi, Christina ~ Cheremoya hasn't yet been tested, so technically it's an "Unknown." This means you can consider it neutral if you are at an ideal weight and have no health complaints. By the way, I did receive your other questions and Woody's, and will get to them just as quickly as I can! I realize he's on a schedule, so HOPEFULLY tomorrow I'll have something up for him. Thanks for writing, and take GOOD care, the both of you! :-D

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I'm an A secretor and I am have been following the diet for over a year. Great things have happened: no more allergies, and best of all, no more asthma attacks! I do still have itchy ears, though, and sometimes they are so bad that they swell up inside and ooze. Somewhere I found the information that using olive oil, garlic, and mullein in the ear would help, but I can't find the info again. Is this true? Thanks for any help on the matter! Drea





Hmmmm.... This sounds like an ear infection to me, and I'm wondering if you've tried eliminating all dairy altogether for a week. See what happens. A little warm olive oil may help, I do recall that, but the cause itself could easily be dairy food. Give it a try and write again! thanks, Drea! :-)

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Heidi, Your advice to Gail on the Catalina dressing needs one more change: Condensed tomato soup contains wheat flour as a thickener from my experience of going gluten free (GF) and reading lots of labels. She may want to substitute Tomato sauce instead. I have also been diagnosed as IBS and two children with celiac. We try to maintain a GF house. When we are out and about I try to watch what We eat, but don't stress if we get the occasional gluten ingestion. We try to remain diligent at home. I keep the gluten (spelt, kamut, etc) to about three times a week if that for me. Hope this helps. Angel





AHA! Thank you, Angel! I didn't say check all the labels, but I really should have gone ahead and said that. Much appreciated, thanks again! :-)

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Hi Heidi! Jennie the B who craved dairy reminded me, craving dairy (as well as craving sugar/chocolate) can be a sign of protein deficiency. Crave the milk protein. She might do better if she found other ways to get protein. For an adult 50 protein grams/day is the RDA, enough to get by (but who'd want to just get by? I'm for thriving!) Guyton's "Textbook of Medical Physiology" says 75 grams/day to be safe. I need much more at 5'6" & 135lb, I need at least a 100g/day, but I'm an O with a fast metabolism. Hope helps! Great column! Thanks for all your work! ~ Maia





Maia, many thanks for the timely reminder! Jennie (and all ya Bs out there), do your best to keep that protein intake up ~~ listen to Maia!! thanks again, dear!! :-D

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My family has been on the blood type diet now for over 1 year. We are all blood type O and the one thing that we miss having is milk. Is raw milk that hasn't been pasteurized or homogenized compatible with blood type O? Also,in some of the books and information that we have, there is a discrepency in having oats. Can blood type O have oats? Thanks for your help. Terri Parks



Hello, Terri! Raw milk is still an avoid for Os. However, oats are neutral for O secretors, and avoid for nonsecretors. Consult the book Live Right 4 Your Type, take a look at the Updates Page, and if you have a question about a single food, you can do a quick online check of the TYPEbase 3 database. If it's ok for both secretors & nonsecretors, it is certainly fine for you! :-D

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I am an A+ & have been on the diet for eight months with excellent results. My question is very specific: since glucosamine sulfate is derived(or consists primarily of, according to my understanding)from shellfish shells and A's are not compatible with shellfish, is it possible to have an allergic reaction to taking this supplement? This seems like such an obvious question/concern, that I am surprised it has not been addressed. Any insight, thoughts, or referrals to a website for more detailed information on this?? Thanks, Naima





Hi there, Naima ~ An allergy is a different thing from the antigenetic reaction to an avoid. True food allergies need not be blood-type related ~ for instance, there are type As with severe peanut allergies, and type Os allergic to berries of all kinds. The purified glucosamine should not contain any lectins which might trouble type As. Just for further reading, though: in the BTD Blood Type Encyclopedia, glucosamine sulfate is suggested as an anti-inflammatory agent for type Os, while N-acetyl glucosamine is recommended for types A and B with arthritis. Thanks for your note, Naima! :-D

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Dear Heidi, can you enlighten me about the way secretor status is handed down genetically to children - is 'secretor' dominant? - my husband is group O secretor, I am group A non-secretor. So far tested my two group O children are secretors. Haven't had results for the two group A children yet - I beleive the secretor status is not linked to ABO,so hoping they are secretors for their health! Christine





You're absolutely right, Christine ~ the secretor gene is dominant. The other two kids could be either one, though. ;-) Because you're a nonsecretor, we know you have two nonsecretor genes. However, your husband is the wildcard. Lurking behind his 'secretordom' may be one recessive nonsecretor gene. If that's the case, one of those genes could have sneaked out and paired up with one of your nons, and there you have it! a Nonnie-kid. IF your man has two secretor genes, all the kids will be secretors with a recessive non gene (the one you gave them. ;-D) ~ so... with two blood types and six folks in the family there, I'm crossing my fingers that no more complications arise! :-D Good luck, and let me know the outcome! :-D

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I am a 59 yr old female, type O , I have lost 32 pounds since may. I feel great. My questions is; I have two daughters age 39 and 42 . One is O - and the other O+, they have both been on the diet almost a month now and have gained weight. What is wrong? they are both rh factor, does that have anything to do with the weight gain. Please help, they have out grouwn there clothes and both are crying like babies. will wait to hear from you. thank you kindly, Rainey



Hi there, Rainey! What a great name you have!



Hmmm... One is O neg, the other O pos -- so only the O pos girl was an rh-factor baby, I believe. That has no impact on the results of the diet though, so set your mind at ease on that point.



Type Os on the O diet may put on fat IF:

1. we eat too much of the beneficial or neutral grains, and too little of the vegetables, fruits, meats and fish;

2. we get little or no strenuous exercise, and/OR

3. our usual daily diet is mostly meat and bread, or meat and rice or some other cooked grain, always eaten together.



What I suggest for your girls is to look at 1, 2 and 3 there and see if one or more of them fit the bill. I strongly suggest picking up the little book, Type O Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists. It contains the proper updated portion/frequency tables for each food group, which will help get a handle on that part of it. I'll give you a little preview:



the O+ daughter should aim for 6 to 9 servings from the meat/poultry group per week, while the O- should have one or two more than her sister. Additionally, don't forget the fish group: three to five for O+, and five to seven for O- !!



grains (including crackers, cereal, rice, oats, breads, etc.)? The range is 1-6 per week for O+ and 0-5 per week for O-. For weight loss, cling to the bottom of that range ~ one serving (or less :-)) every two or three days.



vegetables? Unlimited beneficials, and 2 to 5 neutrals per day! To speed the process along, I suggest that one meal per day be mostly vegetables, and that only this meal should contain their occasional grain servings. Grains are much easier to digest when eaten with veg rather than meat, poultry or fish.



The O diet will work for them, never fear. Tell 'em I said so, and give them these suggestions! thanks for writing, Rainey!! :-D

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I am type O, Rh neg & secretor status. I have been on the BT diet on and off for a few years (I always feel better when I stick to it!). But I am also an endurance cyclist & want to drop a few pounds (fat) before the season starts up...what is recommended as to the percentages of fat, protein & carbohydrate for a type O? My LBM is around 103 lbs. Can a type O eat more than 30% fat in their diet? Cynthia



Hi, Cynthia! First thing to remember: eating fat won't make you fat. Eating more than the small amount of grain allowed on the type O diet will tend to mess with your insulin production and slow your metabolism -- resulting in fat storage. :-) Around here, we've found it's more effective to think in terms of food group portions/frequencies rather than get involved in counting grams of protein/carb/fat. I know it might require a little mental shift, but it's based on the knowledge that all carbs, for example, are NOT equal for your purposes. For instance, four ounces of rice does not do the same thing in your body that four ounces of artichoke hearts or sweet potato would do.



If I look at the pie chart of a day-in-the-life for a female O athlete, I see about 28 ounces of veg & fruit, 10 ounces of meat/poultry/fish, a handful of nuts, an egg, a half-cup of beans and a tablespoon of beneficial oil. I'm sure you're the best judge of what you need when doing hard training ~ but something along these lines will burn the fat without jeopardizing your strength. See how it works for you, and let me know! thanks for your message, dear! :-)

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Vitamin E In Dr. D'Adamo's first book he said that Type Os should get their vitamin E through foods NOT through supplements. I find no such reference in his later books and don't know if there is a distinction between secretor/non-secretor sub types nor if E is problematic for any of the other blood types. It is such a major anti-oxidant and is included in so many supplement formulations, that I wonder what that implies for getting sufficient anti-oxidants. Also, is it ok to use skin creams/lotions that inclue E? Thanks, Victor



Hello, Victor! Using E topically is fine ~ generally, that is true of all topically-applied avoids. Peter explained that he does not recommend blood thinners (of which E is one) for type Os internally, as ours is statistically the thinnest of all the types and we are prone to free-bleeding disorders (including haemophilia). Sufficient antioxidants? The diet itself is stuffed full of them. Look at the sheer quantity of veg & fruit in every type's plan. Green tea pops to mind as well. If you prefer a supplement, try quercetin ~ it's a wonderworker. thanks for writing, and take care! :-)

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Having heard all the wonderful benefits of soy...can these benefits be applied to 'O's as they are a neutral food? Does being an "O" wipe out the mentioned benefits of a food if it is a neutral to the body type (not an avoid)? Thanks Heidi. I am trying to follow the diet more closely. Pennie



Hey there, Pennie ~ The foods that do wonderful things for us are designed into our beneficial listings. Neutrals aren't going to pack the same punch, although the one-size-fits-all marketers want EVERYONE TO EAT SOY ALL THE TIME and BUY their many soy-based supplements. A food being rated neutral doesn't mean a benefit is wiped out, in so many words ~ rather, it means that food doesn't confer special benefits for our particular chemistry to begin with. If it does, you'll see it among the Beneficials. hope this helps, dear! :-D

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This is my first post(and question)this year, so Happy new Year to you and the readers! I would like to know why red and cayenne peppers are benficial for Type O's while green and yellow ones are only neutral. Does it have to do with the colour? If so, is powdered red paprika (probably the most common spice in Hungary) sort of beneficial? and please tell me a little more about turmeric. LR says it is a very effective chemoprotective, especially for non-secretors, but at the ratings you will find it is beneficial for Type O secretors and only neutral for non-secretors. Also, turmeric is the basic element of all curries and it goes together with a lot of other spices, not all of which are beneficial, still curry is beneficial for (Type O)non-secretors. What's the explanation, please. Thank you in advance, Thank you for your effort, Rose in Hungary



Hi, Rose! A very Happy New Year to you, as well! Howzit goin'? The pepper ratings do have something to do with the color in the fresh vegetable ~ the proanthocyanadins, which abound in red, blue and purple beneficial fruits & veg. "Curry" is a catch-all term in the U.S. which usually means a turmeric and/or hot-spice based compound. For the most part, Americans don't bother making their own curries ~ they depend on the commercial spice brands, and would rarely if ever use turmeric on its own. Hence its Beneficial rating. Paprika isn't beneficial, but it's certainly tasty and a common spice in many Hungarian dishes ~ so enjoy it anyway, and no worries about it being only neutral! :-D

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I am reading the book Live Right 4 Your Type. Thus, I entered the dadamo.com site I am Type O+ I thought I saw where you can register and get tracked? I have been diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (no meds at this time - reduced stress level I guess (2.5 yrs now) Age 49 male white I have also been diagnosed and under moderate treatment for Bi-Polar and I am taking Depakote 1000 mg daily. I plan to start the diet plan. Any suggestions on the effects of your plan in terms of colitis and Bi-Polar? By the way, I have a mild case of Bi-polar, and have not experienced manic tendencies for 2-3 years and only have one period of mania which led to this diagnosis. Thank you - Bill





Hi there, Bill! Welcome to our world!! ;-D Listen, this type O diet is the best thing you could possibly do for both conditions you're already resolving. The only suggestions I'd like to offer right now are to take a tablespoon of flax oil daily in addition to the oil portion/frequency listed in LR4YT, and to limit all grains as much as possible. Maybe just a little whole rice, once a week as a treat -- or a piece of Essene (manna) bread, toasted. Remember to eat your full complement of protein foods! Finally, get hold of a can of KAL-brand nutritional yeast, and use one scoop every day ~ in a smoothie or in tuna salad, or in homemade broth with some spices added as you wish. And take PolyFlora-O to rebuild your intestinal health. You'll be amazed what it does for the way you feel.



For tracking your results, the links are under "Interactive," on the lower left of the homepage at www.dadamo.com. I wish you all the best, Bill, and I'm sure you'll be writing in with a glowing report soon! :-D

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I have suffered from migraine for over 50 years, and in the last few get them as often as every 3 days. I have tried the ER4YD previously (I am A+ type) and it didn't stop the migraines. I am trying it again as I also get cramps, and aches and pains at night, and have had some good results, but quite a few of the foods I am supposed to be able to have, give me migraine. What do you suggest? Shirley

Hello, Shirley! As a general note, it's perfectly fine to set aside any foods you know give you trouble. With time on the diet, most of these sensitivities tend to resolve themselves. In terms of migraines specifically, most of the authoritative recommendations I've seen involve avoiding a variety of foods, including red wine, chocolate, coffee, cheeses, nuts - as well as certain lighting conditions, etc. I have several friends who get migraines, and none of them have succeeded in ridding themselves of the malady through these means.

However, I'm very enthusiastic about the caffeine and migraine reference website. I believe this man has thoroughly explored the issue and may actually have come up with the cure based upon a verifiable cause. I love it when that happens, don't you? ;-) Take a good read through it, and implement his findings as described. You may find that the trigger foods you have in mind are not, after all, the cause of your migraines. Let me know how it goes! and thanks for writing! :-)

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A while ago I bought the Cook Right 4 Your Type on holiday, and then bought Eat Right 4 Your Type on my return. The good thing is that as a Type A, I have actually not eaten any red meat for over 20 years!!! Both books are brilliant and I am now a convert to eating for my Type. In the meantime, my husband went to find out what his Blood Type is and at the same time found out that he has Type II diabetes. Unfortunately, diabetic dieticians advocate the same foods for every Blood Type and he is being told to eat things like Wheetabix and pasta etc. I would be grateful if you could advise if there is any Blood Type support for diabetics. Kind regards, Katrina

Hello, Katrina! I'm so pleased you like your type A plan ~ welcome to the BTD world, the two of you!! ;-)

For your husband ~ yes, it's common for dieticians to recommend that kind of wheat-enhanced food list, and it's one of the worst things he could do to himself. Because he has a diabetes diagnosis, I feel he would benefit from a targeted approach ~ so, are you up for buying two more books? He should make excellent progress by using his individualized diet as set out in Live Right 4 Your Type, along with the protocols in the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia. These will provide all the specific support he needs ~ have a look at them, and write again if I can assist further! :-)

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Dear Heidi, I recently purchased and read the Food, Beverage and Supplement List for Blood Type A, however, I haven't started the diet yet. I need to lose about 45 lbs.-my metabolism came to a crashing halt after the birth of my son, 4 years ago, and within the last year, I have developed Reactive Airway Disorder/Athsma and hypoglycemia- I am only 29. Due to the hypoglycemia, should I eat 5 small meals consisting of the recommended foods, in order to keep my blood sugar stable? What do you suggest? Also, I should mention that I crave sugar and I do have sweets throughout the day. How can I overcome this, as this is what's keeping the weight on? Also, I was looking over all of the supplements that are available to Type A's, on Dr D'Adamo's website. I am on a modest budget, but what would you recommend as being essential to my health and wellness, based on the conditions I have cited. Thank you for your help. Charlene

Hey there, Charlene ~ Five small meals may help you feel better, for now. But let's see if we can get at the root of the trouble.

A high-sugar diet in itself will put weight on, set up insulin resistance (and difficulty getting the weight off), thereby keeping you hypoglycemic, and is also at the root of the breathing difficulties you have. It's a major cause of everything you described, in fact. If we can just nudge that sugar out of your 'personal environment,' you will feel MUCH better in a week or two, and your troubles will be on their way out. ;->

First, start on the diet according to the little blue book. Do your best to follow the portion/frequency tables found at the beginning of the food group sections -- those guidelines really determine the "food pyramid" for you. If you prefer to go "cold turkey," that's fine -- it's also perfectly acceptable to gradually add beneficial & neutral foods while slowly eliminating the avoids, at your own pace. We want to offer relief, not stress you out! And the < href="http://www.dadamo.com/welcome1.htm">Getting Started Page

has wonderful tips & tricks for newbies!

Second, go to the bottom of this page and search for the term glycerine. Read through the columns that come up. Vegetable glycerine can be used in place of sugar for virtually everything, from sweetening your tea to cooking and baking, and it tastes great. It actually works to stabilize your blood sugar ~ quite opposite from the effects of sucrose (table sugar).

Third, rather than spending money on supplements at this juncture, a daily meditation or yoga practice is KEY to lowering your cortisol levels (for weight loss and asthma relief) and reducing stress in a focused and powerful manner. The best part is, they make you feel good all day! Two suggestions: the fantastic book Meditation as Medicine by Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa and Cameron Stauth; and Marianne Cirone's marvelous Yoga 4 Health & Fitness site. Both have it all, from inspirational reading to instructions on techniques you can use to feel better RIGHT NOW. :-D Let me know what you think, OK? and thank you for your Qs. :-)

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Help! I am Type A and have been on the BTD program, with moderate compliance, for about 6 months. Just found out my son's Type B. Any recommendations for family cooking without going crazy? Susan

A & B, eh? You may go a bit crazy at first. ;->

Fortunately, all of the various blood types have many overlapping OK items. The fruits & vegetable groups, in great part, will offer plenty of common ground for the A+B combo. Getting that info into a form you can use for planning, shopping and cooking is the key to a calm transition, though. You'll want to include some A beneficials that are B avoids (such as many of the grains, beans, nuts & seeds) as well as B beneficials that are A avoids (in the dairy, meat and fish groups, for example).

The best way to set about this task is to make up a list of foods and their values for A and B, for ready reference. This can be done on a word processing program, a spreadsheet, or with pen & paper. List all the foods down the left side, then the values for A in the column next to it, then the values for B in the next column. Then, highlight the rows containing foods which are OK for both of you. Second, use a different highlight to mark items which will make it into the shopping list for one of you but not the other. Then, you can "write off" or delete the foods that are either (1) avoids for both, or (2) avoid for one person and OK for, but nonessential or disliked by, the other. It may take a few hours to set it up, but once done you've got a personalized handy-dandy shopping reference guide! :-)

To get you started, Cook Right 4 Your Type contains a multitude of recipes designed for more than one type. New research means some of the food values have changed since it was written, so check all ingredients against your A+B list ~ as I hope you do with all recipes & commercial products. ;-) In a while, this will all be second nature to you. As in many worthwhile endeavors, the start-up period is the most difficult (but also the briefest! :-D) I hope these tips make your multiple-type cooking a bit easier, and please feel free to pop in with any Qs, anytime! thanks, Susan!

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I started the 4 your type program two years ago. I had good results in the beginning. I am 5'9", type A, and active physically. My purpose first was to reduce cholestoral - I was over 300. I am using 10 mg of mevacor then. After 6 months, my weight was down to 170 from 188. My cholestoral dropped from 220 to 179. My doctor said my weight and cholestoral would find their own level and supported a low fat diet. However, the following 18 months has seen a reversal. My weight is back up to 190, my cholestoral bounced up and down and is now at 200 with 5 mg of lipitor. My doctor said I should be around 170. I don't feel that great due to my weight. I am still physically active and I like exercise. What's going wrong? Bob

Hi, Bob!

I have some questions for you, which may answer your questions, depending how you answer them. Didja follow that? ;-D not sure I did!

1: are you following the portion/frequency tables for each food group included in Live Right 4 Your Type or the Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists? Those guidelines define the "shape" of one's daily and weekly intake, by putting the proper foods in the proper proportions by food group. If a comparison of your average weekly diet with those charts shows you're way low on one or more groups and way high on others, do the adjustments and give it a couple weeks before assessing the results.

2: are you doing some yoga, tai chi, and/or meditation on a regular basis? Maybe even just a few minutes of "alternate-nostril breathing" (pranayama) every day? One of Peter's earliest bits of advice to type As was that these practices can lower your cortisol dramatically. We love that, because lower cortisol = lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, weight loss that stays off, better digestion, and a keener & more peaceable frame of mind as well.

3: more a suggestion than a question: numerous folks, some of them personally known to me, have experienced swift and steep cholesterol reduction through using Chinese Red Yeast Rice. That site has (in my opinion) the best RYR product on the market. They sell it in 2.2 pound bulk packages, but the price is far lower (and the quality higher) that way than buying what's available in most supp shops -- and it keeps for at least a year in the fridge. A half teaspoon twice per day is the usual dosage. This is Not a Drug and Contains No Drugs, just in case you're wondering. Each package comes with its own government assay certificate of purity and active-ingredient content. If the diet and cortisol reduction practices don't move your cholesterol back down to the 180 range, I truly, highly recommend using this safe supp instead of mevacor, lipitor, any-cor of any variety. Bob, thanks for writing to me, and please update me when you can! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I've just started the diet (I'm an A) and I have lots of questions. My main question is this: Is it OK to eat more bread and not eat cereals? I'm from the Netherlands and like everyone here I eat bread for breakfast and lunch. In the BTD-book it says that I can have breakfast cereals almost everyday, but only a few servings of bread per week and hardly any crackers. I'm eating rye crackers for breakfast and spelt bread for lunch but I'm not sure if I'm right doing in doing. Am I eating too much grains? I hope you can give me some advice! Thanks, Marieke

Well, a big WARM WELCOME to you, Marieke!! The form of the grain food doesn't much matter (as long as it's "whole grain"), so cereals vs bread vs crackers vs steamed brown rice are all pretty much equal. In terms of portions and frequencies, 7 to 9 servings per week is the maximum allowed for type A caucasian secretors. If you're having crackers for breakfast daily, then have the bread at lunch two days per week and have soup or a vegetable instead of the bread for the other days' lunches. A rough and ready measure of your personal "1 portion" is the amount you could hold easily within your hands with palms facing each other and fingertips, thumbs and wrists touching.

Hope this is of help! and feel free to pop in with any questions that arise!

:-)

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*** I am Type A! I need to lose 15 or 20 pounds (lost 50 on the Lindora diet two years ago--struggling to keep it off. I would do almost anything to not gain my weight back--besides starving!!). SOY AND PEANUTS I have food sensitivies to soy and peanuts (as well as other things). Can I get enough vegetable protein without these items, and not have to eat chicken, turkey or cornish hens on a daily basis? I do plan to add these things back to my diet as I get healthier (unless you think I should not). PASTAS AND GRAINS Can I use these in combination as protein substitutes without gaining weight? BLOOD TYPE Can two "A" blood types produce Blood Type O in their children, as well as Blood Type A? My husband, youngest daughter and myself are Type A, and my oldest daughter is Type O. I don't know what my son's blood type is. Does this make sense, or does the parent's blod type matter? My husband and youngest daughter used your blood typing kit to determine their blood type. Thank you for your help! Sheila

Greetings, Sheila! One of the essential keys to getting weight off & keeping it off for type As is the calming exercise part of the plan. Your (daily?) confrontation with the bathroom scales may be adding to a pervading feeling that you're always engaged in an uphill battle --> which will keep your cortisol levels elevated --> which often culminates in one or more food sensitivities, allergies, weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, burdened heart function, and other potential bad stuff. You best know your situation, of course, but I mention this because it is so often the missing element for healthy weight maintenance in type A folks -- not to mention offering a host of other benefits.

While you're getting settled into a yoga, tai chi or meditation practice (see notes I gave to Charlene, above), it's fine to avoid any foods that cause you perceptible trouble. Those sensitivities are very likely to fade out completely over time, but for now just focus on the foods you can eat without incident. Fish two or three times per week (loads of choices in the fish list), turkey or chicken once per week (by the way, squab, ostrich, guinea hen and grouse can offer some variety there) and a daily serving each of beans, nuts, and whole grain should happily fill your protein needs. The largest section of your "food pie-chart" by far is occupied by the vegetable and fruit groups. Three or four fruit servings daily -- and the vegetables? "Unlimited!" :-) Fill 'er up, OK?

Your family's blood type report is perfectly normal. :-) Having a type O daughter means that both you and your husband carry a recessive O gene. You're just as "type A" as someone who has two A genes instead of one A and one O ~ but in the case of two type A (or type parents with a recessive O gene, the kids' bloodtypes can be a little surprising. ;-)

thanks for your Qs, Sheila! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I thought I read in one of these columns that soy was an avoid for A Non-secretors. Can you clear this up for me? I have been unable to locate it since then. Thank you. Corinne

Hi, Corinne! The rating for most soy foods drops down a notch for A nonsecretors, to neutral (the exception being miso, "beneficial) but none of them fell to "avoid."

If you're wondering about the status of a food in future, just check the TYPEbase 3 database. All the updated values are there. Thanks, dear! :-D

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Dear Heidi, Since going on the A type diet some four months ago all is going well except for an occasional cracked corner of the mouth.After a few shaky starts at dealing with this, I have successfully settled on the suggestion on page 192 of Live Right, using betaine hydrochloride from the health food shop with each meal. However, remembering the dramatic effect of splashed hydrochloric acid on my stockings when I was a chemistry student, I take half the recommended daily dose! I am wondering if I had an A type beneficial natural acid at any meal (eg lemon, grapefruit, pineapple) could I eliminate the supplementary dose of betaine on that occasion and get the same results? I'll try it anyway and tell you. Thanks, Jenny

Dear Heidi, About a week ago I sent you an enthusiastic letter about the value of betaine for cracked lips, as per page 192 LRFYT However,I now think that I was jumping the gun, and want to amend my discovery by saying that the cracked corners of the mouth came back with a vengenance and I had to do some more reading; I then found that whilst following the diet (A) assiduously especially with an attempt at weight loss, I had not kept up to the required level of Vit.B 2, and the day I had a real splurge of fish,avocado, greens and whole brown rice I was fine again.I also added a brewers yeast tablet with every meal. Cheers, Jenny

Hey, Jenny ~ thanks for posting an update on that issue! Very useful, and much appreciated! :-D

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I have a question concerning secretor status In your book Live right for your type ( in danish - lev efter din blodtype ) you dont mention as many types of food as you do in your book Eat right for your type ( in danish - spis efter din blodtype ). Example: Shrimps. Mentioned in Eat right for your type - iam an A-type, so i should not eat shrimps.But shrimps not mentioned in Live right for your type, so i need to know what to do when food not mentioned in Live right for your type. Look forward to be hearing from you soonest. best regards - Susanne

Greetings, Susanne! Shrimp is a Tier One "Avoid." Sorry it is missing from the Danish book!! If you know the English word of any food, you can check its status in the TYPEbase 3 database on this site. Remember to hit the "search" button after entering the food name, as the enter key does not work on that page. Thanks for writing!! :-D

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I have Klinefelters syndrome. how does this affect blood type? Does this change any factors relating to blood type diet? GOD BLESS YOU & Happy February brian

Hi, Brian ~ This condition doesn't change the blood type or the diet ~ although mentioning it has won you my standard encouraging speech about an abundant food-based calcium & other mineral intake! but then, I encourage everyone to do so! ;-) As long as your endocrinologist has arranged with you to monitor testosterone levels and prescribe replacement therapy if necessary, and you're having the twice-yearly bone density scans, it'll be business as usual & no worries! thanks for writing, pal! :-)

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I have read your books BTD and CR4YT. I have Type A blood and I have been heavily training for cycling and I have been losing to much weight. I have been trying to follow the recipes and increasing them, but I am hungry all the time. Do you have any suggestions for atheletes. Do you know of any supplements that might help Type A's to sustain and build muscle mass and strength. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Brian

Hi there, Brian! I'd say talk with a trainer about putting together a weight-training program to balance out the heavy aerobic activity (resulting in the breakdown of muscle tissue you're experiencing) Also, the addition of half an hour of yoga or meditation to your day will significantly lower your cortisol levels. The constant heavy training will raise your levels of cortisol, putting you in catabolic rather than anabolic mode. This is a type A thing, and it doesn't mean you can't cycle ~ but your training schedule should adopt a suitable rhythm in order for your body to gain maximum benefit from the time spent. Include one or two days of weight training (www.superslow.com is a website well worth reading), plan to spend non-training time quietly, get plenty of sleep (and water ~ aim for a gallon/day! thirst can masquerade as hunger), and a daily meditation, tai chi, or yoga practice as part of your regimen. You'll notice the difference in your performance!

The only supplement I'd recommend is the Cortiguard product sold in the Store here. Assess your daily intake of proteins (especially fish, beans, nuts/seeds), whole grains, B vitamins and minerals; you need them for endurance and building muscle strength. Use the starchier vegetables such as carrots, onions, parsnips, pumpkin and turnips to fill out your meals -- and get a serving of greens in there for the minerals and iron. A scoop of brewer's yeast in broth, tuna salad, or in a smoothie with organic rice (or soy) protein powder/fruit/nutbutter, is amazingly tasty and adds more B vitamins, amino acids and trace elements. I'm just shooting out ideas here, as I can't see your average daily diet in front of me, but just pick and choose based on your judgment of what you might benefit from.

Best of luck to you in your races, Brian! Let us know how you do!! :-D

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I started the diet again about 1 month ago. I definitely feel better and I don't know why I stopped the diet 4 years ago. I am a type A and do not know secretor status yet. I just got the test kit. My only problem thus far is gas and bloating. I was taking enzymes with meals as I always have and they don't seem to be doing the job. Any suggestions as to what I should be doing? I bought Bromalein yesterday and started taking them, but still have the gas and bloating. Please help. Deborah

Hi, Deborah! Welcome back into the fold! :-D

What kind of enzymes are you taking, and with what kind of food? Bromelain can help with protein digestion, but gentian and (:-))"beano" are great for vegetable proteins. If you give me an idea of what your non-btd daily diet consisted of, and the portions & frequencies of food groups you're eating now, I'll have more specific advice for you.

Are you drinking along with your meals? Might be best to have no more than a few sips of water in the period from half an hour before the meal to an hour after. The liquid can dilute the digestive juices -- and type As naturally produce lower levels of gastrin and pepsin, and it can take up to 45 minutes after you begin eating for them to kick in, so let 'em do their job unimpeded.

You might also consider separating flesh foods from grain foods, (use vegetables with either), and eating fruit as a meal or snack by itself.

The fact that you are feeling better tells me you're doing the right thing! It may be just a matter of a little more time, as your system gets accustomed to producing the proper enzymes for full digestion on its own.

Take care, dear ~ and please write again! :-D

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confused-I am 41 dwm 6'6" tall 300#'s i eat alot of dairy,meat fish,crave sugar-blood type A+ plus a Fast Oxidiser-had a metabolic study on me-question-i tried the Atkins diet and i lost weight but made me hurt-i know i need to cut the carbs and eliminate dairy,meats sugars-but being i am so tall/big i never fill upon veges-in college i was on a macrobiotic diet-lots of rice/wheat-have had IBS since 20-not sure which way will best fit me-i crave mayonaise,sugars-hungry all the time-please advise-thanks-bought your books and want to proceed,but unsure - breck

Welcome, breck!! The key to breaking the hunger cycle is (1) to eat the type A foods in type A proportions and (2) follow the type A exercise suggestions.

You may be thinking there's no way you're going to start doing yoga, but there are some surprises in store! One yoga exercise in particular is something you can do while you're sitting and reading this column -- just a simple breathing technique. Yoga practices are incredibly varied, from the well-known Hatha Yoga to strenuous, fast-moving styles. Read all about it at this page on that breath exercise and this fabulous yoga site.

Yoga has a very particular effect that's especially beneficial for As - it lowers your cortisol. This effect is essential for resolving your IBS, getting rid of the cravings, and losing the weight. Believe me, IT WORKS. :-D

Don't worry! This plan WILL solve the troubles you've been struggling with! Just start in, however you want to do so (see our < href="http://www.dadamo.com/welcome1.htm">Getting Started Page for tips on how to do it), and enjoy the improvements in your health. And keep me posted on how you're doing, OK? :-)

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I am writing for my husband, a type A secretor, age 54, ideal weight, generally excellent health. We (I'm an O sec) have been following the BTD for about 4 years, and having generally good results. Hubby has been eating oatmeal, soymilk, peanuts & peanut butter, occasional red wine, spinach, beans, and my homemade chicken soup -- and 6 months ago he developed gout. Has had several painful flareups since. He does not at all fit the gout "profile" of an overweight, sedentary lover of rich food, meat & alcohol. The really upsetting part is that the 'avoid' foodlist the gout doctor gave us includes all of those type-A foods I mentioned above. I see no mention of this fairly common disease in Dr. D's books, including the Encyclopedia. What protocol is recommended for a type A with gout? My man has even been a longtime meditator and does yoga faithfully. This has really thrown us for a loop. Thanks for anything you can suggest. Jen

Hi, Jen! Sheesh, I'm sorry to hear about the gout! Lordy!!

OK. Here is a quick recommendation: Go ahead and eliminate the foods according to the doctor's list. Every day, have him take two tablespoons of organic black cherry juice (or three or four mashed black cherries). More is OK, too, but that's about the minimum. Also, Deflect-A in the dosage on the bottle, and quercetin 500 mg: three in the morning, three in the evening.

If he goes one month with no flareup, and if he is willing to experiment in order to get one or more of those foods back, then return one of the foods on that list to his diet, and go another month. He can continue in this fashion with the entire list if he wants to do so -- only one food added back per month. If he has a flareup during any one of those months, put a big black mark next to the food he added that month AND the one (if any) added the month before. Remove those guys & go to the next item. This can weed out single culprits in his gout attacks, as well as show whether it is the cumulative effect of many of those foods. But keep up with the juice, deflect & quercetin throughout.

Jen, please keep in touch with reports on his progress. And -- any reader who's had their own run-in with gout ~ do write in with your experiences! We'll all put our heads together and get this sorted (and learn new things in the process)!! Best wishes to you & your husband, Jen! :-)

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I am just beginning the BTD diet today. (I did it for about 18 mos a few years ago - don't know why I stopped). I have had fibromyalgia for 23 years, and am beginning an FM pain drug research study today with a local clinic. I decided this was a good time to start the diet again. I know the food list says to avoid diet soda, but I couldn't find anything in the book about aspartame, or other artificial sweeteners. I do have 20-30 pounds to lose, and I'm 55. Sometimes it looks hopeless to me. I already have a head-start in that I eat oatmeal every morning with peanuts and cranberries, and I love green tea and drink it all day. But in order to lose the weight, I was wondering about the sweeteners. Thanks for your help. By the way, I just found the website this morning! Jeanne in Idaho



Hallo, Jeanne ~ Wow, another new BTD-enthusiast! Welcome, dear!!

In Live Right 4 Your Type and in the online TYPEbase 3 database, aspartame is listed as an avoid for you. But vegetable glycerine is actually a GOOD sweetener, as it can help you eliminate cravings and stabilize your blood sugar levels. It tastes pretty much like sugar, you can use it for most things you'd use sugar in. And of course, none of the dangers of artificial sweeteners. Scroll to the bottom of this page and type in glycerine, you'll come up with a number of columns about it. :-)

Don't EVER give up hope, dear ~ just convert it to action, and let the actions work for you! :-D

Now: the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia has specific protocols under "Autoimmune - Fibromyalgia," if you'd like to speed your progress along. The diet alone will produce steady improvements, so follow it closely and be reassured that you've found the last "diet" you'll ever need. Take care, and keep writing!! :-D

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Heidi: I've just started using the Type A supplements from NAP and I have a question about Deflect-A and [another supplement] I have taken for some time to improve flexibility in my arthritic knees. Reading the label on Deflect-A I note that it contains "N-Acetyl D-Glucosamine" and "Chondroitin Sulfate". The other contains "High Purity FCHG45 Glucosamine HCl 99%" and "Low Molecular Weight TRH122 Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate 95% (min)". Are these ...glucosamine... and ...chondroitin... compounds similar / redundant? Would Deflect-A replace the [other one] for me? Thanks for listening!

(BTW, I started working with the Type A diet two years ago when I had minor digestive problems -reflux, upset stomach - that seemed major until an illness and its corresponding antibiotic regimen aggravated it big time -- diahrea (I increased my yogurt consumption to deal with this): I ran across BTD at my favorite bookstore, read it, and decided to start by eliminating non-cultured dairy products, ie whole milk and avoid-cheeses, from my diet, and see what happened. I was surprised to find that while my diarhea issues only slowly (but consistently) got better (over two years), my chronic sore ears /ear infection issues stopped almost immediately. I substituted soy milk for milk in cafe lattes when possible, and once when I was served regular milk instead of soy milk in my latte, back came my sore ears just a few minutes after drinking it.

But that wasn't the only thing: I noticed that I quit biting my fingernails and tearing my toenails -- had been trying to quit that habit for years; I lost 15 lbs; I haven't the allergic reaction to flea bites I used to have; and I noticed a few months ago that my (long) hair doesn't have split ends anymore. Not sure all of this is due to dropping uncultured milk products from my diet, or adding more soy, or eating some Highly Beneficial foods that weren't in my diet, but changes are evident. Even though I can't say I follow the rest of the diet perfectly, I work on it every day). Dorothy

Hey there, Dorothy! It sounds like your way of following the diet is doing great things for you!! Congratulations, dear! Those big & small unexpected side-effects are kind of nice, aren't they?

About your supps, you probably can't get too much of those compounds right now until your knees are back to normal. But for a more researched answer, you might shoot a question to the folks at NAP ~ they're the experts on those matters. If I were in your position, I'd test the perceived effectiveness on comfort & flexibility between the two, and make my choice accordingly.

Thanks for writing, and it's a real pleasure to hear how well you're doing!

:-D

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Dear Heidi, Just to let you know, I truly enjoy reading your articles and answers to various peoples letters. As previously mentioned on this website, I have lost 12 lbs. since starting the Blood Type "A" diet 6 weeks ago. My blood type/Rh factor is "A" Positive, A1/A2 type is A/1, MN type is MN, and secretor status is "DOUBLE LEWIS NEGATIVE" (LeA-,LeB-). This website gets more and more interesting as time goes by. Marshal

Marshal, you are a DOLL. I am SO happy to hear your great progress, and I also want to note that I think the suggestions you send from time to time are great ones, too. We here all work to promote a healthier world, starting with ourselves and setting examples for others to follow as they choose. I believe the public projects you envision are worthy ones, and with time & persistence we'll see them come to fruition. I, too, would love to see this diet completely obscure the old food pyramid for institutions, and junk food fall totally out of favor. A little at a time, and the goal always in mind, friend.

Thanks again, and bless you, Marshal! ~:-D

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Hi, and thanks for any assistance you can provide. I am type O male, european origin age 60. I have had 2 hip replacements from arthitis and I am a bit overweight - not obese. I have an acid stomach with some ulceration of the oaesofagus - not too serious. I also get asthma and hay fever and have bad skin (adult acne). I have read the books and I must say it all fits - the blood diet appeals to me a great deal. I have been on the diet for 2 weeks. The main changes for me are giving away wheat (change to Essene Bread) and dairy skim milk (replaced by soy). My question is that the new diet, fairly stricly adhered to, seems to have made my gastric problems a bit worse at least initially - I have a lot of burping and trapped wind and discomfort in the stomach which were not there when I was on a mixed meat and carbohydrate balaced mixture of foods. I can see no reference to side effects in the books. Are there any which account for my issue? Thanks again, Tony

Hi, Tony! I'm pleased you "saw yourself" in the books' type O description.

:-) It may be that the soy milk does not agree with you right now. Try using some almond or rice milk instead (check the ingredients for avoid oils and carrageenan - there are brands with no avoids!), and see if your gastric discomfort goes away. It may also help to use a simple form of food separation: keep breads and grains out of any meal containing eggs, nuts, or meats. Have the grain with vegetable meals. Vegetables may be eaten with either meats or grain. If you need more assistance, please write again, and WELCOME!! :-D

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Heidi, what is your opinion on high cholesterol? I have read that ACIDOSIS OF YOUR SYSTEM (LACK OF CALCIUM) causes holes in the tissue of our arteries and that cholesterol comes and saves the day by filling in the holes, without which we would die. Cholesterol does not gunk up our veins because tissue is not present in our veins. (This was written by a noble prize winning physician, forget his name)I ask because my cholesteral was tested after 6 months of eating more protein (TRYING TO STAY ON THE LEAN SIDE TOO) and it went UP to 295 from 254. I just started taking Dr. D's calcium (6 per day - do you know the absorbsion rate of the calcium?), but wanted your input on the validity of this acidosis theory. I also read where you suggested red yeast rice. I will order some of that if you think lowering my cholesterol is necessary. How do we know lower than 200 is better? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND INFORMATION YOU SO GENEROUSLY SHARE WITH US ERFYT'S!! :0) Pennie

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You're very welcome, Pennie! I can't speak to the acidosis theory, I'm sorry to say. Perhaps if you find the reference, you can send it to me so I can read the article. However, about your cholesterol level: whether the meat were lean or fat would not impact the rise. How much grain & sucrose you eat is the culprit -- that's what raises type O cholesterol levels. Many of us find we need to limit our grain intake to near-paleolithic levels in order to have reasonable serum cholesterol (maximum? a range of 200-220 for Os). And... EXERCISE IS KEY FOR RAISING HDL (GOOD) CHOLESTEROL AND LOWERING LDL & VLDL (NASTY) CHOLESTEROL. :-D I doubt you're in need of the RYR ~ just tweak your grain intake, and pump up that exercise. ;-)

The mean average absorption on Phytocal-O is the same as the calcium content listed on the bottle. It is highly bioavailable. Hope this helps with your concerns! take care, dear ~ :-D

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I have too questions for the blood type diet. I am a blood type 'O' and i was wondering how somoking would affect my body while on the diet? Also how would being on the contraceptive pill would effect the diet? Thank you very much i hope to hear from you soon. Louella

Hi, Louella! We try to discourage type O women from using the contraceptive pill, because it exacerbates our natural "free-bleeding" tendencies. In some women, the Pill can be dangerous for that reason. Smoking's effect on your body will be a negative effect, no matter what your diet. It's one of those overriding influences that stands alone, so to speak. If you are eating a lot more vegetables and fruits now than before, the diet itself will be somewhat protective against the effects of smoking. For instance, the high beta-carotenes in carrots significantly reduce the incidence of lung cancer -- and exercise which involves bouncing up and down (jogging, aerobics, etc.) helps ward off emphysema. However, the only way to truly avoid the effects of smoking is not to be around cigarette smoke. ;-) you knew I'd say that, right? :-> You will still experience great benefits from following the diet ~ and I'd say, the more one is exposed to harmful substances, the more important it is to adhere strictly to the food/exercise/stress relief plan! If you're wondering about weight loss, the diet will work anyway ~ but the Pill may slow your progress in that regard. I hope you prosper, Louella ~ write back if you have more questions! :-D

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Hello. I love your column; I read it everyday. I've been following the BTD for about 5 years; started back when there was an old, old message board! At the time I had started the diet, I had an overactive thyroid (I'm an O weak secretor). Within 18 months, my thyroid problem had been resolved. I've used the diet with my three children who are now teenagers. My one daughter had gallstones, and now that she is following the A diet, she is symptom free. Her twin sister, an O, had painful periods (episodes of crying and intense cramps would last for half a day). Again, after following the O diet, no more pain during her periods. I know this diet works. Now for my question. My mother who is an O has stage 3a lung cancer (smoked for 40 years, gave it up 10 years ago). I've made an appointment for her to see Dr. Kruzel in Arizona (we live in CA). Could the BTD help? She will be starting chemo soon, and frankly she is only going to AZ because I'm pushing for her to do so. She just recently had 1/4 of her lung removed that had a massive tumor along with a lymph node. She also has heart problems as well as borderline diabetes. Heidi, I don't want to cause more problems for my mother; I want to help her. Any thoughts? Thank you for listening. Teri

Oh boy, Teri. :-} Well, the O diet will certainly help your Mom. As you know from your own experience, it promotes robust immunity and vibrant healing, and eliminates disease-causing elements in the diet. I strongly suggest you get hold of the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia, as it contains specific protocols for all her troubles.

Have a careful read through the Minnesota Wellness Cancer Pages. There are excellent suggestions there as well, which you can screen by accordance to the O diet, and by what your mother is willing to do. Additionally, I feel that the compound Heallix (www.heallix.com), taken at twice the dosage listed on the bottle, is capable of doing extraordinary things. Read up on that, too, and talk to Leo at the site about it. He's very knowledgeable and a great help.

Thanks for your compliments, Teri ~ and my warmest regards to your Mom. You're a wonderful daughter, and I know you'll take good care of her ~ and of YOU. best wishes to you both!! :-D

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I started the diet on Monday 6 January 2003. I am bllod type O. How long will I suffer from the headaches that I am experiencing? I notice in the diet that I can have Soya Milk and Cheese but not soya beans, can you explain why? Kind regards, Moyra

Hello, Moyra ! Did you eliminate all caffeine from your diet? You may be experiencing caffeine withdrawal. Just stick with it, the headaches will pass! Additionally, there are changes occurring in the balance of flora and fauna of your digestive system due to your new food plan, and those adjustments can mean headaches for a few days. The ratings for soy foods are partially affected by the processing of that food vis-a-vis the ABO type. Take a look at the TYPEbase 3 database on our home page (www.dadamo.com), and use the 'secretor' column for reference. Just enter the search term 'soy' and remember to hit the "search" button -- one's keyboard "enter" key will not engage the search. Thank you for your note, Moyra ~ I'm sure you'll soon be feeling on top of the world!! ;-D

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Aloha Heidi, My wife(O,Se) and Myself(A,Se) bought some canned Adzuki beans and Black eye beans. There was "Kombu Seaweed" as an ingredients in the canned beans. This is definitly an avoid for both of us, because we both got really tied and bloated after we ate it. I can say it is nice to be able to pin a food down like this just by knowing the diet and what you have said about an unlisted food. If you feel bad symtoms after a food, and I couldn't find this on the Typebase, then it's most likely an avoid. Have you heard of this food item before? Thank you so much for your help. Carl

Hi, Carl! Hey, I'm surprised you both had a bad reaction to kombu. It's a seaweed that's traditionally put on the bottom of a pan in which beans are cooked. Supposed to reduce gassiness (and keep the beans from sticking to the pan). Well, if there was nothing but kombu, water and beans in the cans you folks bought, then try picking up a bag of the dried beans and cooking them at home (no kombu ;-)) and see if you have the same reaction. It's possible you're reacting to something else in the meal you ate (a combination of meat, grains and beans for example), or that the enzymes necessary to digest the beans haven't "kicked in" quite enough yet - if you're unaccustomed to eating beans. Do a little experimentation, and let me know what you find out! Thanks for writing ~~ it's nice to hear from Hawaii!! take good care, Carl! :-D

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Hi, I have been on the BTD for about 3 years and I believe it has changed my quality of life. I am an O + sec. and am in remission from ulcerative colitis. I have all of Dr. D's books except the recipt book. My problem is that I have a gluten intollerence and cannot use some of the foods that other O's can, and gluten free recipts contain avoids on the BTD. I am looking for a pizza dough recipt. I have only been successful using rice and soy flour. I have also been trying to make Catilina salad dressing and can't get the proportions correct. Can you help me? Gail



Hello, Gail! To make a true pizza crust requires a little gluten, in my experience. I have had excellent results using kamut pastry flour and amaranth flour, but kamut contains a bit of delicate gluten. Would it be wiser for you to heal completely before adding grains back in? They're not essential for type Os, and I think your progress would be swifter if you dropped them for the moment ~ just until your system truly normalizes. The colitis information in the Encyclopedia may be of help? And of course a daily stress-relief practice such as meditation will go a long way to ensure your colitis does not return. About Catalina dressing ~ it feels weird to say this, but I've never had it, so I can't judge what the best recipe would be. I found one on the Net on this recipezaar page ~ you could substitute three tablespoons of vegetable glycerine for the sugar, light olive oil for the vegetable oil, and lemon juice for the vinegar. Readers, got any recipes for Gail? ;-) thanks for writing, dear, and I hope to hear from you again soon! :-D

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am type A, and i recently switched from a high protein diet which included mostly meat. IS this normal to gain weight at the begining? Also, i tested A-, and my parents are O+ and A+, is it possible for 2 +'s to have a -? Could the home test i purchased from the website have an error? THank you, Kris

Hello, Kris ~ Depending on the portion size and frequency of various foods you are now eating, you may gain a little weight at the beginning. Review the information in Live Right 4 Your Type to tweak your food group balance, if necessary. Vegetables and fruits make up by far the largest part of your daily A-diet. There are loads of OTD columns on type A and weight loss, but just to start you out: here is one with fairly specific tips on how to move the weight loss along!

Rhesus factor, like ABO, is determined by a pair of genes. One may be recessive to the other ~ just as you have a recessive O gene from one of your parents and yet you are type A, so they both are Rhesus positive yet both of them could have a recessive Rhesus negative gene which they passed to you. If you'd like confirmation, it might set your mind at ease to do another home test, but yes, it is quite possible to be Rhesus negative while both of your parents are Rhesus positive. :-D

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Hi, I'm A+ and not sure whether this question is 'educational' enough but I'm excited about the book "eat right 4 your type" as I recognized a lot of how I experience for instance my digestion in the A-type description and unfortunately also some of the symptoms mentioned a.o. cardiovascular symptoms, high blood pressure, inner stress.... A few weeks ago I started out experimenting with the diet. I'm also suffering from varicose veins and as someone advised me to take 'activated quercetin' and another [edited name]product, I'm wondering whether or to what extent these products and the ingredients they contain are compatible with the Type A- diet ? eva

Hello, eva! Well, I am at a loss as to why your friend told you that either of the products you mentioned are specific to resolve varicose veins. In terms of blood type compatibility, quercetin is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound, and fine for all types. The other product has numerous ingredients ~ it also comes in two different versions, each with a different ingredient list. Some of those ingredients we have no rating for, but most of the rest can be found in the TYPEbase 3 database under herbs and spices. In case you're interested, I did post advice for relief from varicose veins ~ in a column on January 5 entitled Potpourri: O, A, B & AB! Perhaps it will be of help to you! and thank you for writing!! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I have a query about portion frequencies. You advise that type A's and probably other blood types as well limit themselves to one serving of beneficial oil a day, at least if they're trying to lose weight (I'm not but you never know). But how are type A's going to enjoy eating all those veggies if they're dry and horrible? Kind regards, Olympia.

~;-D Well, I just took a stroll through the salad dressing recipes in Cook Right 4 Your Type. Looking only for A-neutral or beneficial dressings that had no oil added, I counted eight of them in the first few pages. :-) Don't take my word for it! Browse through Cook Right, you'll see what I mean! No need for dry OR horrible veggies! thanks for your note, dear! :-D

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Dear Heidi: Help! Which snail is which? Dr. D'Adamo's columns say that Helix pomatia is escargot. The Store says no -- it's the burgundy snail. I would rather eat Helix pomatia than take it as a pill. Please advise!! And thanks so much for doing the column -- I love it! Susan

Just wait till you see this: Here is what the U.S. Department of Agriculture has put together, just for you & me, Susan!! I love this page ~ it's ALL about snails, and describes in exact detail the appearance, culturing, naming, and other pertinent information on 14 species of edible snails from around the world. Their paragraph specific to Helix pomatia states:



Just go to their Snail Reference Page and scroll down to "Contents." Click the Edible Snails link, it will take you direct to the section I quoted.

Pretty exciting, eh? Now, all you As: pop down to your market, pick up a few tins, and Eat Your Snails!! ~:-D

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I have been reading several of Dr D'Adamo's books and would like to start on the diet for A types. My concern is that I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease 7 years ago and had radioactive iodine treatment. I take Levoxyl to supplement my loss. Since most people with thyroid function problems are O types and the feasibility of soy for thyroid function is up for grabs, should I not do the diet, or do a modified diet? Please let me know at your convenience. I would like to start the Blood Type Diet fairly soon, since the benefits seem so beneficial. Karen

Hello, Karen! Actually, I'd say start out on the full type A plan without delay. To answer your misgivings about soy and thyroid, take a look at page 194 of Live Right 4 Your Type ~ specifically the box entitled "The Phony Soy Controversy." Also, have a good read through the Ask Dr. D'Adamo columns ~ especially Type A, Thyroid and Soy. Then, just scroll to the bottom of the page and enter the search term soy. There is an abundance of solid research and educated commentary about soy and ABO, which you won't find gathered together anywhere else.

I hope this BTD life plan does everything you want it to do, and much more! And may I offer my warmest welcome to you, dear! Enjoy it, Karen!! :-D

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Hi there Heidi, I've been following the diet for a year now with great health results (if I come off it I feel worse, so it must be working!). However, I have a problem with getting fresh fish. I can get wild atlantic salmon (at vast expense) that is supposed to be better for you because it supposedly is less subject to Mercury pollution than Pacific salmon. However, I have to buy a whole salmon! Obviously I have to freeze it. But freezing fish is supposed to be a no-no. The same happens with trout, I can buy organic trout by mail order but need to order six at a time. So, do I buy the unpolluted organic fish and freeze it, or do I buy fresh from Tesco, which will be farmed and potentially polluted - which is the lesser of the two evils? Hope you can advise. Cheers Maggie

Hey there, Maggie! It is 'flash freezing' of fish that produces the higher level of polyamines -- putting fresh fish in your regular freezer will not present this problem. Between the polluted fishies and the home-frozen fresh good stuff, those large orders of clean fish are by FAR the best choice. It will be much better for you! thanks for your note, dear! :-D

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Thank you, thank you, I can't thank Dr. D'Adamo ENOUGH, for the wonderfully improved health which I experienced..within even ONE week of being on my (type A) diet! My last 'allergy' shot? 9-13-02 All of my fibromyalgia pain? Gone, w/ no need for any more sleep-aid Rx's or anti-depressants! My energy level? Higher than it had been for more than 5 yrs! My recent challenge? To figure out why my liver is still unhappy, making more cholesterol than desired; also, to decrease (even) further, some residual 'daytime fog.' Other than this, I am SO happy to feed my blood type.. and: to be ALIVE!! I'm telling EVERYone I know about Dr. D'Adamo's books!!! Marge



WHOO-HOO! Nice going, Marge!! WHAT a great report!! :-) Hey, maybe I can help with the cholesterol level: just go to the bottom of this page, and search for 'cholesterol.' A great number of columns will come up, just scan over them for the Type A-related ones and the ones on red yeast rice. Since your brain fog is going away, I'll bet it will continue to fade over time.

I am SO exhilarated by your spectacular progress! and it's just the beginning.... thank you so much for writing! ~~;-D

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i've been reading the 4 books available on the blood diet from dr. d'adamo and my husband and i began the diet monday.....through our reading and then looking at information on his website it sounds like my type a blood and the recommended diet is resistant to losing weight. this is one of the major reasons i wanted to try the diet. am i missing something? or is this really the way it is for my blood type.....is there anything to do to help increase my weight loss...or am i to just to get used to carrying all my extra pounds.... sincerely, brenda

Hi, Brenda! It is definitely the diet for you, the best one for health and the weight loss that is a beneficial side effect of a diet that works on many levels. Some As do have a longer wait for the fat loss to occur, but that goes for some people of any blood type. You may or may not see weight loss right away, depending on your general health right now, but it WILL HAPPEN, and you will never have to “diet” again. The A plan is health-enhancing in so many ways, weight loss being only one of them. Take a look at Peter's Getting Started page... Remember that yoga is an integral part of re-tuning your metabolism ~ and keep me posted on your progress! Thanks for writing! :-)

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I am a type A, 15 years old and I used struggled with migraines.Although they have cleared up Ihave been getting cramp in my legs,I am losing weight which is great but I have no idea what recipes I can cook!! I HATE tofu and I love quorn(meat substitute),am I allowed to ear Quorn? it is made of mushrooms. I think I have a deficiency in calcium, zinc and vitamin C what supplemments do you suggest? I gave up drinking milk(for the calcium) 5 years ago because my sinuses were always blocked up,I live on soya milk and pineapple juice.I do excercise every day usually belly dancing for one hour followed by one hour fast dancing,what could I do to speed up my weight loss? so far I have lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks. many thanks Hanna

Hanna, five pounds in two weeks is great! HEY! Congratulations!! Just keep at it! And the disappearance of the migraines is wonderful news. I hope that was just a turn of phrase when you said you’re living on two food items… but if that’s really the case, I’m not surprised you have some mineral deficiencies. There are about 200 foods available to you to choose from. Take another look at your food list, especially the greens part of the vegetable category. Almonds are a good calcium source, as is your soy milk -- and why not try tempeh instead of tofu? Simple recipes can be made up from just a few ingredients – for instance, a stir fry with tempeh chunks, onions, garlic, and diced squash. What about fish? Chicken? Turkey? There are lots of foods on the A diet you didn’t mention, and they can make great quick meals. Take a look at the main page here and investigate the RECIbase link. Vitamin C is abundant in fruits and vegetables! Zinc is plentiful in pumpkin seeds! If there is one supplement I’d recommend, it would be the Phytocal-A calcium supp sold here ~~ Two hours of exercise a day may be raising your cortisol levels rather than lowering them – would you consider doing an hour of yoga instead of the fast dancing? Helps with weight loss more than the frenetic activity, for As! :-) About quorn… please see below, and let me know how your progress goes, dear!

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Dear Peter d'Adamo, A friend of mine who's name is Ann H. is an 'applied kinesiologist'. Through your recommendations about a diet adapted to one person's blood-group she already helped a lot of people . Often spectacular results were attained in many cases, for all different kinds of blood-groups and she wants to express her gratitude to you by means of this mail. To clarify some uncertainties she has a number of questions on which you have probably a proper answer: 1) do you mean by 'yellow, red and green peppers' the big variaty (more or less round shaped about 5 to 10cm diameter) which do not taste spicy and are eaten as vegetables? 2) there is also a small variaty, I think you call it 'chilli-peppers' (finger shaped about 1cm diameter), which are added to other food as a spice and which are quite spicy. The question is can these be consumed by a blood-group A, and if not which spicy spices are allowed? 3) for vegetarians there is a certain food called 'quorn' that is supposed to replace meat. It is rather tasteless and has a pale colour. It is derived from a plant which belongs to the species of mushrooms. Is this suitable for the blood-group A? 4) is lime juice suited for the blood-group A diet? We would appreciate if find some time to answer these questions and many thanks for sharing your knowledge by means of your book. Kind regards, Ann H. and Eddy M.

Hi, Eddy ~ All peppers of whatever size, color or spiciness are avoids for type A secretors (with the exception of the elusive “pimiento,”) and neutrals for A nonsecretors. Lime juice? Neutral, like limes! Any other questions about food status can be answered by visiting the TYPEbase 3 database~ any item not found there is unlisted, therefore “neutral” for people in good health. Hottish-tasting spices for As include mustard, cumin, hot paprika, and horseradish of all kinds... including the tear-inducing japanese wasabe. It's a different cuisine without the nightshades, I know ~ but it is a very satisfying one, once the transition is accomplished and new habits formed. :-}

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. :->

Many thanks for your kind commendations, and I’m very happy Peter’s work has benefited Ann’s clients! Happy New Year to you, my friends!!

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Eight years ago I was blood type A then I underwent a bone marrow transplant and now I am blood type O I am a vegetarian and rely on echinacea throughout the winter to combat colds and chest infections that I am prone to. Which diet type should I follow? Many thanks Deb

Greetings, Deb! You should follow the diet for your original blood type -- in this case, type A. The blood type alteration occurring as a result of bone marrow transplant is a "pseudo" change, and does not affect your choice of diet 4 your type. :-) ... and... may I suggest a combination of quercetin, PolyFlora-A and ARA6 to boost your immune system? ProBerry3, in liquid (tasty!) or capsules, is also a potent winter illness buster. :-D

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I have been on the diet 9 months now and am doing really well. I am an A and the diet has cured my digestive and conspitation problems like nothing else ever did in the past. I really love the vegeterian foods. My son is smoking his own salmon using his own wood which is from gum trees. Would this be okay for me to eat as nothing else is added to it. Rosemary



:-D I'm happy you're happy, Rosemary! :-D I usually recommend that As and ABs avoid smoked food, but a once- or twice-a-month serving of home-smoked fish shouldn't do you any harm. Enjoy! and thanks for your report! :-D

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Hello, I have several questions re information in the book Eat Right for Your Blood Type. My husband & I both are type A --we live in France. Is there another name for aduki beans? Cannot find it in the dicitonary nor in the health food stores. Black-eyed beans: is it the same as black-eyed peas? Broad beans appear in both neutral (beans...) and avoid (vegetables...). Please explain. Durum wheat bread appears in both avoid (breads...) and neutral (grains...). Please explain. Gluten-free appears in neutral (breads...) & gluten appears in neutral (grains...) very confusing. Please clarify. Cabbage appears in avoid (vegetables...) & cabbage juice appears in neutral (juices...) Please clarify. Also: Why is coconut in avoid (fruit...)? I've been eating fresh (only) coconut, is this adverse to Type A's in the long run? I'm quite impressed with Dr D'Adamo's research--my husband & I started following this diet 2 days ago. If it works for us, we will complete the form at the end of the book. Thank you very much. Thandiwe & Joël

Hmmm... aduki beans in France. Well, other names are adzuki and azuki, sometimes spelled aduke, adzuke or azuke. Here is a site with descriptions & pictures. They're really little beans, as small as .5 cm across. Eden brand has carried aduki beans, both dry and canned, for years. Can you find that brand in France? Black-eyed peas & black-eyed beans are the same thing. The broad bean problem was resolved in Live Right 4 Your Type -- use TYPEbase3 to check the updated status of individual foods -- and remember to use the "search" button there rather than your keyboard "enter" key. Breads and flours have been much expanded and simplified in the later works, as well. Cabbage juice has rather different properties from the whole vegetable, hence that rating. Coconut is an avoid for As because of its lectin activity -- you'll see that note in TYPEbase3 as well. I hope the diets do all you are seeking, and more! Thanks for writing!! :-D

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I have been following the A diet for about a year with certain definite results such as much less mucus. Two questions: In our family we also a type O. I want to prepare Pinto beans but I am confused because "Cook Right" says Pinto beans highly beneficial for type O (page 82) but "Live Right" says avoid (page 145) I have been eating Cape Whiting fish but got a shock when I found out it is also known as hake (Merluccius Capensis). Can I eat this fish? Oscar

Hi, Oscar! Live Right has the correct rating, and the Updates Page has more information on food status changes. I'm sorry for the eternal fish confusion... While I would wish that we had the resources to specify exact food names for every nationality on earth, it would be an impossible task given the local and regional differences and the changing market names ... particularly among those fishies!!

Now for the good news: your Cape Whiting is what we would call Whiting (a market name, in other words -- one of the local names is "cape hake"). :-) Our "hake" is Urophycis tenuis, a totally different fish. So eat your Cape Whiting in confidence and good health! ~:-D

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Dear Heidi,

Your column has inspired me to value organic foods more than ever. On February 13, 2003, a bill was passed that undermines our National Organic Standards. Perhaps some of your other USA readers would like to know we have a brief opportunity -- until February 24 -- to ask our senators and representatives to protect our National Organic Standards. Get the scoop from Whole Foods -- HERE IS THE LINK.

The Whole Foods page even provides links to phone numbers for members of Congress. It took only a few minutes to phone my 2 senators and 1 representative. Sorry this gives such short notice! But I found I could leave my voice messages even during off hours! [ For my senators, this required calling local offices rather than DC. Found local numbers in old-fashioned phone-book--“Government Listings” section-- “United States Government”—“Congress.” Or, of course, can find on internet by clicking around a little ] Good luck everyone who is interested! Last but not least, thank you Heidi! Eva

Hey, thank YOU for the announcement, Eva! I hope many of our U.S. readers will take a few minutes to read the Whole Foods page and express their opinions to their representatives ~ costs nothing, means a lot!! I've emailed my reps, and will follow up with phone calls. This is truly an outrageous back-room move to undermine TRUE organic farmers and ranchers. Everyone ~ please lend a hand to protect them -- our access to clean foods depends on them! we're all in this together!! :-)

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Bonne Annee from France! I have been putting off writing this, as it has taken me awhile to get used to my new "status." I had the NAP Secretor test done while I was visiting my Dad back in the USA, and got the results 3 weeks ago.... I'm now officially an O non-secretor, like you. Boy, was I ever bummed out!!! No more wonderful French goat and sheep cheeses, or Italian buffalo mozzerella! No more stevia, soy milk, cinnamon, vanilla, etc. Only good news was that the 1/2 bottle of red wine that I drink each night is beneficial! (Yeah, maybe I should cut that down. but I AM in France!)

Now that I'm used to the idea, I wanted to write to encourage everyone on the diet to check their secretor status. Here I was thinking I was only "cheating" occassionally, when I was doing so daily. I had finally quit coffee (for the 2nd time) Oct. 1st, but drank my green tea with soy milk and stevia. I ate "neutral" cheeses 3 to 5 times a week with a salad for lunch. Since moving to France a little over 2 years ago and enjoying "neutral" cheeses that I never ate in Los Angeles, I had put on 5 pounds (all on my thighs and rear end...) which I had attributed to becoming menopausal. (I'm now 5'6'' at 127 pounds, and thin on the top half...)

So, now that I'm off the cheese, etc., I'm hoping the excess pounds on my hips will eventually melt away. Do you think the cheeses (and very, very seldom a little fabulous French bread) could have caused these pounds? I never had obvious symptoms from eating the foods that I now find out are "avoids," so I was sure that I must be a secretor! I can only imagine that there are others like moi who might be consuming a great number of avoids unintentionally...

Now (enfin) to some questions:

1. Do you know anything about maltitol as a sweetener? I have found it in chocolates in Europe. I did a search on it and it is some sort of a alcohol sugar (like glycerine?). If it is to be considered neutral, I suppose I could eat it now and then - just not often??

2. Any knowledge of "agave syrop" as a sweetener? It comes from a cactus, not unlike prickly pear (which is beneficial), but it is not in the same family. Also a neutral, so not often??

3. Another unknown sweetener in France is chicory extract. It is taken from the root of chicory plants, which are beneficial. Any thoughts?

4. Is chondroitin still an avoid as a non-secretor?? I have 2 large bottles of a very expensive glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. Would it be damaging to take 1 capsule (containing 400mg chondroitin) daily untill I run out of them? I also have a bottle of 1000mg glucosamine only, which I would take as well. I have a rather badly arthritic neck (cervical disc disease from a severe whiplash 22 years ago), and do my best to avoid anti-inflammatory drugs. Have not had luck with quercitin and bromelain... I did manage to find vegetable glycerine, so am using that in my tea, but would like any imput on the other sweeteners mentioned above. Thanks you Heidi, for your wonderful column, and again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! Abby in France

And a joyous New Year to you, too, Abby! Speeding by already, ain't it? :-}

Congratulations on plunging into your nonsecretor diet! It does sound like cheese was the key to the extra poundage, since it's the only thing that you didn't eat regularly in LA but had quite a bit of in France. The other part of the equation is exercise, which will speed the fat-off/tone-up process. ;-) and just think: partridge, pheasant, squab, all beneficial for us! And those beautiful little quail eggs are Neutral! :-D

On to your Qs:

1. Have a look at this page on maltitol and see if it's something you'd like to put into yer body. This abstract from the University of Vigo in Ourense, Spain describes maltitol as one of the polyalcohols obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of monosaccharides. Its only warning on the product is that excessive intake may have a laxative effect. We have no ABO rating for it... proceed with caution. :-)

2. Agave syrup ~ I found lots of fascinating reading on the agave plant. It is actually not a cactus, but a succulent, one of the many members of the grand lily (Liliaciae) family. Blue agave (Agave tequilana weber azul) is the species of agave from which the agave syrup for tequila is made. This is the source of the sweeteners I've seen on the market -- the syrup is distributed to tequila manufacturers and for bottling as a sweetener (its sweetness comes from its high concentration of fructose). The only member of the Liliaciae family in the food lists is aloe vera, an avoid for everyone except type As (partly due to the action of anthraquinones on us'ns, namely an extreme laxative effect (when taken internally)). Again, we have no rating for it, but from here it doesn't seem likely that agave syrup will make it to the O-non "neutral" list. :-}

3. Chicory extract should be fine for you, depending on how it is extracted (water or chemicals) and whether it retains any residues if chemical extraction is used. Inulooligosaccharides are the sweety-parts of chicory, and would present no problem to O-nons as far as I can figger it. I believe LeRoux in France is the main producer -- their sales contact number is +33 (0) 3 64 48 00 ~ you might give them a call and ask about the chem residue issue. Might also find out if it's organic/"biologique"... :-)

4. Chondroitin ~ that one's an avoid for Os, since as Peter wrote in his column, chondroitin is made up of long chains of n-acetyl galactosamine (the blood group A antigen). As he so eloquently put it: "Thus by consuming large amounts of chondroitin, type O's are inadvertently provoking their immune system with constant doses of what amounts to an incorrect blood transfusion!" Unsurprisingly, the Encyclopedia lists chondroitin as useful for As and ABs only. Sadly, I think it would certainly be best to chuck the chondroitin rather than use it up -- and stick to the glucosamine-only supp! :-}

thanks for your qs, dear! and enjoy that wine! :-D

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I am a type 0 secretor and follow this diet and the living/raw foods diet in the Ann Wigmore tradition, meaning lots of fermented and sprouted raw foods (I eat my meat raw following the primal diet by Aajonus Vonderplanitz). Eating raw made a dramatic change in my health and energy. The BTD had helped with my sinus and allergy problems, but eating raw gives me a turbo charge. One thing I really enjoy is taking young green coconuts, and turning both the meat and the water into kefir. First, does culturing avoids such as coconut make them beneficial or neutral, or do they remain an avoid, and if so, how bad is that for me? Second, many of the raw food recipes contain avocado for its consistency, flavor, and fat content. Can you think of a decent substitute for this mainstay of the raw diet and type 0 avoid? (I read you every day. Thanks!) Hope

Greetings, Hope! It would be best to culture only the foods on the beneficial and neutral list for you. There are hundreds to choose from. Coconut is particularly troublesome for type Os, and I have no information on whether culturing would have any affect on the lectin-enhancing and digestive-system hazards of fresh coconut. If avocado is a mainstay of the raw diet... you might experiment with oyster mushroom blended with a raw, mild nutbutter of some kind (walnut, perhaps) for the consistency and fat content, but I can't think of any single raw food which would exactly replace the consistency, let alone the *flavor* of avocado. :-)

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I am looking for a good, up-to-date cookbook on meat. I am an O and have been looking for a good cookbook that will teach me how to cook meat. As a vegetarian or mostly vegetarian for years, I never really learned - and as the organic meat is so expensive - I do not want to waste it! It seems that meat is such a politically incorrect topic these days, no one wants to write about it. Thanks -- melinda

Don't worry, melinda ~ it's getting a little politically correcter every day. ;-) In many parts of the world, and certainly most of the great restaurants, the issue has never arisen, so for most folks it's more business as usual than a switch to vegetarianism and back again. :-) That's true of the best cookbooks as well.

You might look at The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. It's a big one, and deals with cooking game and fish as well as beef and hundreds of other foods. The nice thing about it is the detailed information ~ they assume every reader might be a novice in the kitchen, and give instructions accordingly. Another possibility are the Two Fat Ladies cookbook collection. ;-) Inspect it before purchasing, as this is more of an advanced-cookery book. The main hazards you'll run into are the copious use of pork products and potatoes... but "Beef with Chestnuts, Pears, and Almonds" sounds great, doesn't it? There is always Joy of Cooking, and I'm sure lots of readers have their basic 5-pound cookbook which has instructed and delighted over the years. If they write in with suggestions, I'll pass them on! Good luck, melinda, and don't worry! It's not rocket science, thank Heaven -- learning the whole vegetarian deal is far more complex! -- and you'll soon have the knack of an expert! :-D

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I am "O-" and have been using the diet for about three months now, and after getting over the hell of the 1st two weeks of it and doing fine on it, have twice as much stamina as before, losing excess fat, etc.. I'm searching diligently for replacements for foods that I can no longer eat, and have a question about SOY BASED CHEESE. Most of them seem to contain MILK PROTEIN (casein in one form or another). My vegetarian freinds (who know about these things) tell me that there are such "non-dairy" cheese substitutes out there that do NOT contain this milk protein, but they're low-quality products. While milk products are OUT, is this "milk protein" OK or not? I really like cheese sometimes but don't want to "cheat". Duncan

Hey there, Duncan! You have a number of choices on the "neutral" cheese list, so there's no need to seek out the soy stuff. Soy "replacement food products" are highly processed, and as long as you stick with the allowed cheeses within the portion/frequency guidelines in Live Right, I think you'll be better off. (Casein additives are not recommended for Os, last I checked.) Farmer cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese and mozzarella are all OK. The first and last refer to cows'-milk products, although the traditional mozzarella di bufala is fine as well. There you are! :-D

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Please, please can you help me with problems I've been having over the last few months. I'm an 'O' secretor, female aged 57 and the problems are: overweight (by 28 lbs), osteoporosis, lichen planus and alopecia ariata. There is also an upset in gallbladder and pancreas which is being medically investigated at the moment. After being on the BTD for 6 weeks, I felt much better and more stable but over Christmas I went a bit astray...so back to square one. Any suggestions would be really appreciated. Best wishes for 2003 Margo

Hi, Margo ~ hey, I'm sorry you slipped off the BTDwagon over the holidays! That's OK, the best thing is to hop right back on. You already know it does you so much good! and it did it in only 6 weeks!! Three sources to boost your healing powers right now: there are protocols in the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia for osteoporosis, pancreas disorders and general immune system health. Second, the Lichen Planus Treatment Site offers homeopathic treatment specific to this condition. Their site is worth a good read, and they do have a U.S. contact for further information. Third, Julia Chang's marvelous health site has saved thousands of people from gallbladder surgery. I'm quite familiar with her techniques, and they have worked for me and many others I know. She lists her own email address and telephone number for personalized counseling.

I hope these suggestions are of help in getting you back on track toward vibrant health, Margo ~ keep in touch and let me know how it goes! :-)

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I will begin my Type O diet now but would like to order proper supplements from your store. Problem is, I have had numerous problems with most drugs and vitamins - obviously I appear to have a chemical sensitivity. Anything you can recommend? bobbi

Hello, bobbi! Look at the info page for each supp you're interested in. They all list the ingredients, so you can check them against any of the components in other vitamins you've found you're sensitive to. And of course, there are no drugs in these supps. :-) thanks for writing, dear! :-D<

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Heidi, I love your column and read it daily. I asked a question some months ago that perhaps got lost in the shuffle. I am an O non secretor. You know that territory! My question is on what grains, vegies and so on are "made ok" for us by sprouting, and which are not. I know that wheatgrass juice is ok, and I see barley grass in the NAP green drink, so that seems to be made friendly by sprouting as well. But, as far as I know, sunflower sprouts still remain an avoid. Soy also? Is there a rule, or is it individual, case by case? I suppose it depends on why the item is an avoid, and whether sprouting takes care of that. Alfalfa sprouts don't work for us, and who ever eats alfalfa in any other form? Can you clarify this? I also want to give a resource to everyone: the Grain and Salt Society (www.celticseasalt.com) has lots of the unusual grains, like amaranth and kamut and, well, you name it! They also have unsweetened organic cocoa powder, so we who can't use most sweeteners can use our own glycerine or molasses and still have chocolate! Each type can use its ideal sweetener. They offer stevia and quite a few other sweeteners, plus lots of other stuff. Their salt is the best kind, the French high end stuff. Thanks again for your wonderful spirit. Cyndi

Hi, Cyndi! thanks for you kindness!! I've talked a bit about the foods made OK by sprouting, and as far as I know they are few. Wheat... barley... perhaps some legumes and not others, but we have nothing definite on those quite yet. Wish I could offer more! :-} I love the Grain and Salt society, and I'm happy you are, too! thanks for mentioning them, and for your lovely note!! :-D

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Hi Heidi, Greetings from Dublin Ireland. Thanks for all the great information you and your fellow columnists give us. The best of luck and health to you all in the New Year and future. I'm an O neg secretor male 34 yrs, on the diet for the past 15 months and have found it great. I have all the books Eat, Live, Cook and the Encyclopaedia. As a hobby I run competitively and try to train from 50 to 70+ miles a week. A brief history of my health problems. About 5 to 6 years ago I started to feel very fatigued, bloated and easily breaking down in training with colds/flu's and viruses. At different times and seeing different doctors, I was put on antibiotics, steroids, had blood tests and chest x-rays but all to no avail really. Then about 3.5 yrs ago I went for an allergy test, which showed that my body was full of toxins and a virus that was not letting go due to the weakness of my immune system and I had candida. From this allergy test I was to stay off dairy and yeast. I also got herbal drops for the candida and I started to feel a good bit better. Then with a bit of luck (or faith) I was introduced to the eat right for your type book at a Bed and Breakfast my wife and I stayed in one night. I found it so interesting I went ahead the next day and bought our own copy.

Having been off dairy (taking calcium enriched soy milk instead) and yeast as it was I started following the blood type diet and was amazed how much better I felt leaving out the wheat, corn and then the 'spuds'. The diet I feel has helped me to train harder, recover quicker and in 2002 just gone I got personal bests over 4 miles (19min 52sec) and 10k (31min 48sec). This is the first time in about nearly 10 yrs I got pb's and it wasn't for the want of trying!! I stick rigidly to the diet but with all the training I must admit I don't watch the portions of beneficials or neutrals I eat. I also feel that my candida has reduced, as I seem to be able to eat more dried fruit now even though I still try to avoid most yeasts. I have a couple of questions that you may be able to help me out on if you get the time please.

1. I feel I need to take an iron supplement (Quest chelated iron) to keep my blood count up with all the running I do. Is this a good thing or would you suggest any other iron supplement? Note: I have tried to take the POLYVITE 'O' PROFESSIONAL MULTIVITAMIN but found that after a week or so on them I started to feel tired. Instead I reverted back to taking the Quest multivitamin or Solgar multivitamin tablets. I also tried taking the POLYFLORA 'O' PROFESSIONAL PROBIOTIC but found that I was waking up every morning very tired. I don’t take any probiotic at present.

2. What supplements would you suggest with the activity I do? 3. Over Nov and early Dec just gone I noticed that some of the joints on my fingers swelled up a little and were sore to touch. Could this be a sign of something lacking or too much of in my diet? Since then they have returned back to normal. Thanks again for all the great information, Kind Regards, James.

Hi, James ~ lovely to hear from Ireland!! Well, you're doing a great job just as you are. If you're using the full spectrum of protein foods in Live Right 4 Your Type, including meats, dark leafy greens and nuts & seeds, blackstrap molasses if you can get it, you may find your need for an iron supp will fall by the wayside. The swelling and disappearance of same -- did they occur within a month or two after you began the diet? or during a period of eating a bit of certain avoids? It sounds like a common detox reaction in the joints, as the tatie lectins rose up and cleared away. I had a similar reaction, but in my toes ~ and it never came back.

Nutritional yeast is a food that no athlete should be without. It actively supports intestinal balance, and will not aggravate any candidiasis you may have experienced in the past. The ingredients are important, so I encourage you to find an outlet for the KAL brand, which is grown on beets. It's a potent source of protein, B vitamins, selenium, zinc, and a nice 4% of daily iron needs per scoop. That's the only thing I'd hope you'll add. The food will do the rest!! That's how these diet plans were designed. ;-)

I congratulate you most heartily on your personal best! and look forward to hearing more in future! thanks so much for writing, James!! :-D

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Hi, there! With reference to your column of January 3, can you tell me (all of us!): * One or more brand names for rice and egg protein powder * A basic smoothie recipe (for Os) that uses walnut, almond, or pecan butter and nutritional yeast * Is nutritional yeast okay for Os? (I guess, because of recurring candida, I have a fear of yeast.) What is its value? Thanks for all your effort! (Do you get to have a life beyond your column???) Shay

Hi, Shay! ;-) OK: here is one organic rice protein powder; lots of them on the market. I personally would use two or three organic hard-boiled eggs in a smoothie instead of the powders. There are plenty of egg protein powders around, but most contain a slew of chemical "vitamins," additives, bee pollen and the lot, and none are organic that I've found.

A simple smoothie recipe is five ounces of blueberries or black cherries, (fresh or frozen) or a combination; two tablespoons of nutbutter; two tablespoons of nutritional yeast (I use 4); a couple of handfuls of ice, and fill up with five to eight ounces of mineral water (or plain water, or juice). Whiz it up. (That's pretty much what I do, and you'll notice I don't use the powders.) My old blender requires this be done in 1/4 batches, but it eventually gets the job done. :-D Add and adjust ingredients to your liking! It's a great hiding-place for supps. ;->

Ah ~ Nutritional yeast is MARVELOUS for Os! Technically, it is neutral for all secretors and beneficial for all nonsecretors (of which your humble correspondent is one). It's in TYPEbase 3 just that way. And it will not feed candida at all... it's actually great for re-establishing a healthy intestinal balance. As to my life balance, well... yes, I do have one aside from the fun work here but it's more online than off these days! WHOO, am I looking forward to SPRING! ~:-D take care, my dear! :-D

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Hello Heidi! I've been enjoying your column very much. Can you tell me whether vegetable glycerine needs to be refrigerated? Thanks, and take care! jane

Hi, Jane! Nope ~ it does fine in a room-temperature cupboard in my house. I'd keep it out of direct light, but that's just me. Glad you like your new sweetener! :-D

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I just recently started on the blood type program. I am type O and an avid exerciser and weightlifter. Whey protein has been a staple of my diet for years now and I am struggling to find a replacement. As you well know, high protein intake is very important in building muscle and sometimes it's not that easy to get a hold of animal protien. Almost all of the products on the market now contain whey, or milk protein. I would like to supplement my diet with some type of protein in order to take in the proper daily amount. However, it must be something other than the whey which I just learned to avoid. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you. Kenneth

Sure! I talked a little on this issue in the Type O Roundup #9 ~ "For all you folks, the best supplement to lose weight and gain muscle mass is the Type O Diet/Exercise Guidelines. Requires no drugs, no surgery ~ in fact, can be accomplished with one book, a pair of sneakers and a plan. :-) The full story can be found in Live Right 4 Your Type, and if you'd like to fix a protein shake, here are some suggestions for the protein part of it: a hard-boiled egg or two, a scoop of nutritional yeast, rice protein, egg protein, soy protein (for secretors), walnut or almond butter, or some combination of the above -- some of our intrepid hunter-gatherers find that a few chunks of meat whiz up well in the blender, too!

So ... WHEY is the Only No-No ~ there are so many other choices!

First rule of protein powders: read the label and check for avoids. Second rule of protein powders: see first rule.

Live strong, last long! ~~:-D "

thanks for writing, Kenneth, and all the best to your weightlifting goals!!

~~;-D

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I'm type A with a weight problem. I can't seem to lose weight following the Blood Type system. Atkins is the only program I can use effectively for weight loss. Any thoughts or suggestions? Helen

Welcome, Helen! In order to give you useful suggestions, I'd like to hear more about how much time you spent on the type A plan (including portions/frequencies and appropriate exercise), how much weight you wish to lose, and how long you've been trying to lose it. If you could give me a general idea of your age, that would be relevant as well. Also: are you interested in long-term health? or is weight loss your only concern? Do you attain your desired weight, gain the extra back then go on Atkins to take it off again, repeatedly?

There is extensive information for type As contained in Live Right 4 Your Type, including the effects of high-protein/fat diets, insulin resistance and what it means for weight loss, yoga and cortisol levels, and the importance of a vegetable- and fruit-based diet for A secretors above all. It would be a very lengthy dissertation if I were to attempt to describe all these aspects in a general manner. Take a look through it again, and please feel free to write to me again if you have specific info and questions for me. Thanks so much, Helen! :-)

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I am from Bulgaria and have bought the bulgarian edition of the book "Eat right for your type". But I have some doubts concerning the accuracy of the translation - some names of foods speak to me nothing and there are contradictions in the list. For my type A peanut butter is listed as beneficial and also to avoid. Would you please send me the list of foods - I am interested especially in the latin names of fruits and vegetables in order to check them in the encyclopedia. best regards, Diana

Welcome, Diana! :-) Peanuts and peanut butter is beneficial for you. Peanut oil is an avoid ~ that may be where the confusion lies. While we do not send out food lists, we do maintain a searchable database of foods ~ the TYPEbase 3 database. If you do not know your secretor status, the pocket-sized book Blood Type A Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists is the best reference -- but if that is unavailable in Bulgaria, it is OK to use the secretor column of TYPEbase 3 as your basis. A great site for English food names and their Latin genus/species equivalents is www.foodlexicon.net ~ it gives the common names in seven languages. thanks for writing, Diana! :-)

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I'm A+ and try to maintain the diet. I train in Kickboxing and No Holds Barred Events. I take a Prenatal Vitamin since I use try to eat close to what the diet recommends. Being a man taking prenatal vitamins, I'm curious if it will harm me. My Dr. believes that since I train hard that it would help. Also, going by the meat intake on the chart I'm woundering your suggestion as to how much i should ingest since I work my muscles constantly. I train a low impact wrestling moves and stretching in the morning for est.45 min.; then at night I work high impact cardio workout for 45 min. I do this 5 days a week. What would you suggest as a good "A" diet based on this information? Thank you for your time, Sam



Hello, Sam ~ Prenatal vitamins won't harm you, but you may be getting the incorrect balance and composition of nutrients for your particular needs -- thereby wasting some of your vitamin investment. Your musculature will benefit from using the proportions of protein foods (poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts/seeds) advised in Live Right 4 Your Type. You will also discover that for type As, it's better for muscle growth and nervous/immune system health to do daily meditation or yoga practice -- especially since you spend a great portion of your exercise time in strenuous and highly competitive sports. Good health to you, dear! :-)

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I'm starting to read the Cook 4 your type book and would like to know if taking whey protein is 4 type A? Or other bodybuilding supplement, ie creatine, thermogenic formula? Kevin

Hey there, Kevin! Dr. D'Adamo has not recommended creatine for any type. I wrote a bit on bodybuilding powders in a column last month ~ let me copy that portion here:

"There is a subsidiary issue here which is usually forgotten when we discuss supplements and "food products:" the fact is, each person is able to eat only so much in a given day. Our hope is that one's "only so much" be spent upon the best whole foods by blood type. We all are tempted by convenience foods, sometimes to the point where they almost entirely take over the space that whole foods were meant to fill. Know how many times I've overheard someone at the gym say, "Oh, I'm fine cuz I got 300% of my total nutritional needs in my XYZ-brand diet-powder smoothie this morning" ?! In my opinion, there are relatively very few people for whom protein powders truly have a place in the diet. For performance athletes and others daily pushing their physical ability-envelopes, and for whom the time simply isn't there to prepare and eat enough food to keep them going, I first recommend smoothies with plenty of nutbutter, and/or hard-boiled egg, and/or strong meat broth, with the addition of organic nutritional yeast -- second, I OK egg (all types) or soy (A/AB/O secretors, A nons) or whey protein (A nons (marginal)/B/A powders, depending upon blood type and secretor status."

I hope this gives a clearer idea of the BTD perspective ~ and thanks for your note! :-)

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IM A TYPE A MALE AND AM CONCERNED ABOUT TAKING SOY. IVE READ ABOUT THE MANY HEALTH DANGERS THAT ARE ATTRIBUTTED TO TAKING SOY PRODUCTS WHICH HAVE APPEARED EVERYWHERE. WHAT SHOULD I DO? JERRY

Hi, Jerry ~ Just follow this link, enter the term SOY and see what Peter has written about all the soy-scares! Lots of links and great reading ~ I'm sure you'll enjoy it! :-)

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HI I'M A TYPE A THAT WAS LIVING IN VALLARTA MEXICO I STARTED TO DO THE DIET WITH WONDERFUL RESULTS BUT I HAD TO MOVE TO MEXICO CITY FOR A FEW MONTHS TO WORK AND I'M HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS HERE I THINK BECAUSE OF THE POLLUTION IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN HAVE TO STOP THIS ALLERGY CAUSE MY EYES ITCH MY NOSE ITCHES AND I'M HAVING A HARD TIME AND I WOULDN'T LIKE TO HAVE ANY VACCINES AGAIN I'M WILLING TO TRY AN ABO TYPE APROCH TO HELP MY ALLERGY TO THE POLLUTION THANKS MICHELLE



Hello, Michelle ~ Most of what we recommend here is aimed at removing the cause of illness. In your case, living in a highly polluted area is the cause of the trouble, and the best advice I can offer is: stay strictly on your diet (to reduce the irritant load), drink plenty of pure water (bottled), and get a good quercetin supplement and take it every few hours. In a week or two, the symptoms will diminish ~ but my preference of course is that you will soon find a way to move elsewhere! :-> take care, dear!! :-D

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Goodmorning! I'm an A from the Netherlands and I'm a bit confused about Quorn. A Dutch doctor, Dr. Hoffman, has written some books on BTD. According to him Quorn is a neutral. But on this site you tell us to avoid Quorn. Who should I believe? Anne-Marie

Good question, Anne-Marie! The answer lies in how one makes decisions. Some people will make this one on the basis of who has the better credentials. On that basis, Dr. Hoffman wins hands down! ;-> Others will make it on the basis of the actual information given by each source, and will explore all the facts surrounding that information to come to their own conclusion. By this method, all information is judged carefully on its own merits ~ and that is the method I use. Feel free to write again & let me know how you've worked this out! and thanks for your message!! :-D

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Hi Heidi, My blood type is "A" positive, Secretor Status is "DOUBLE LEWIS NEGATIVE"(LeA-,LeB-), A1/A2 Status is A/1, and M,N type is M,N. My father(deceased) was "O" Positive, and mother is "A" Positive. I am a white male, age 46, 5'10" tall and lost 12 lbs.(190lbs.-178lbs.). I am trying to lose another 10-15 lbs.. I have also enrolled in the local Y.M.C.A. to do some cardiovascular work (mostly treadmill) and resistance training (mostly with small free weights) to build up some muscle tone as well as bone density, and health resistance as well. I myself am healthy, as shown on my last physical, there is a family history of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; on both sides. For the last 6 weeks, I have been trying to follow the Blood Type "A" Diet to the best of my ability. These are the foods that I generally have been eating: Oatmeal cereal with soy milk,100% Shredded Wheat cereal with soy milk, crociferous vegetables as brocolli and cauliflower, other vegetables as carrots, celery, lettuce, raddishes, snow peas, onions, etc., NOT all of them in one sitting. The fruits that I have been eating are: golden delicious apples, red Texas grapefruits, lemons, oranges, and tangerines, bananas, NOT all in one sitting. I do try to eat the "minimum" servings of each; for instance, supermarkets will sell bags of vegetables with broccolli, caulliflower, and carrots in them. I may have one of them for lunch or dinner. When I go out to eat, I will order "GRILLED" chicken or fish, NOT THE FRIED FOODS. I also make it a point to load up on salads from the salad bar, MINUS the dressings and other "GOOEY" ingredients. For dessert, I have the fruit plate, which has a variety of FRESH fruits. I have also eliminated sodas, sweets(as cakes, Pastries, chocolates/candies, cookies, donuts, ice cream, etc.), "PROCESSED" grain foods as pizza, pastas(spaghetti, lasagna, ziti, vermicelli, manacotti, noodles, etc.),and the bags of chips. I do not smoke at all. This has been an excercise in both willpower and self discipline. There have been some occasions, (NOT A LOT), that I have backtracked. I have also started taking vitamin and mineral supplements: "B" Complex, C&E, omega-3 oils, Calcium, magnesium, Vitamin "D", Lecithin, CoQ10, Milk Thistle, Bilberry, and a multi-mineral supplement that contains these ingredients: Iodine, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, maganese, chromium, molyodenuium, Boron, Vanadium, Inland Sea Mineral Concentrate, Green Food Complex, along with these extra extracts (same supplement): black pepper, cayenne, ginger, rosemary, and tumeric. My question is this: What improvements do I still need to make? I do feel A LOT better than I did in the past. I really am trying to both get on and stay on the right track, as well as overcome heridity as much as possible. Please advise. Thank you. Marshal



Marshal, I think you're doing fabulously! Congratulations!! :-) The only thing I'd mention is to check every product, including supp compounds, against the food list ~ and make sure you are not getting more than 50 mg total daily zinc from the combination of foods and different supplements you use. Honestly, you're doing just a wonderful job and I believe the best thing now would be to settle comfortably into your plan and enjoy the improvements in your health. :-D

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Is there any way that you know of to increase the levels of alkaline phosphotase in those of us who have low levels?? Thanks, Lise

Hello, Lise~ Intestinal and serum alkaline phosphatase levels can be normalized through adequate protein intake 4 Your Type. :-D

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Hi, I am just starting to hear about your blood type diets. Can you please tell me if you can purchase bread anywhere other then a health food store? Thanks so much. I look forward to hearing from you. Jeri

Sure! You can order it online... or bake it at home... or purchase it at a specialty bakery... or buy it anywhere you find it, really. The KEY is to read those ingredients! It's usually far easier to find *organic* and wheat-free grain products at health food stores, but they are slowly making inroads to neighborhood grocers and supermarkets as well. :-)

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Hi On 'On the Diet' Nov 12 there is a letter from a Kevin that says he was told he had RA..... What is RA?.... that doesn't ring any bells to me right now but both my sister and I have a crippling effect when we eat wheat products of any type... thanks Trudy

Hello, Trudy ~ "RA" in this case is rheumatoid arthritis. :-}

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Hi Heidi! I read your column about Adukibeans just now! Want to advise a dutch website to you: giving translations in 7 languages including Latin! It is www.foodlexicon.net and the emailadress is: margjos@xs4all.nl Hope 2003 will be peaceful. Enjoy yourself and take care!! Cocky

AH! thanks so much, Cocky, I've bookmarked it!! :-D

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Is it possible to get your column via email? A simple text transmittal would be great. It coud include links back to the site when helpful (store, other columns, etc.). I find coming to the website time consuming and I forget as well. If I had your address I could forward you a copy of another newsletter I receive daily that I love (totally unrelated topic). Sharon

Hi, Sharon! We've no plans to set up an email list for this column ~ however, if you set this as your homepage, you'll see it right away when you log in. In Internet Explorer, under Tools > Options, enter this page's URL, or click the "Use Current" button if you're now viewing this page. Feel free to write back here with the URL of that newsletter's signup page ~ I'd love to see it. thanks for your interest!!

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Do you have any Practicioners and / or Retailors in Australia? Also, is vegemite (yeast extract popular in Australia), okay for O or B blood groups? Joanne

Hello there, Joanne! There are several listed in the Practitioner Registry on our main page. On the search page, choose to list by country, and enter the term australia. And right here's my column on vegemite! ;-) take good care, dear!

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that goes for the rest of you, as well! :-D

Hej I would like to know which bloodtype accept the macrobiotic product kuzu. I use it to make gelly in fruit-sauce and for binder in other dishes. Thank for your wonderful pages! Sina (from Denmark)

Hallo, Sina!! So far, we have no rating for kuzu, or "kudzu." If you are in good health and don't see any untoward reaction from eating it, then it may be considered "neutral." enjoy!

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

Hi, Marie ~~ Here is your answer! :-)

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I have recently been studying the Blood Type diet and the power of Wheat Grass Juice. I would really like to know which blood types wheat grass juice is highly beneficial, neutral, or toxic for. I have not found it in the Eat 4 Your Blood Type book. Thank You very much, Michelle

Hi, Michelle ~~ Here is your answer! :-) Note: if at any time you find that link does not work, just scroll to the bottom of the Ask Dr. D page, and enter the search term "wheatgrass." You'll find it! :-D

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Interested in breast cancer results for group tested in the Eat Right for Your Blood Type chapter on cancer. Was the test a success and what do you recommend for the problem? Thanks. Also thank you for your work effort and books. diane

Hey there, Diane ~ That research is now proceeding long-term, and if I hear of any new status on it, I'll put up a note here. Following one's blood type plan is the first line of defense against cancer, and there are multiple protocols in the Cancer section of the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia. Thank you for your interest! and I hope this is of help to you!! :-)

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Hallo what is the basic idea of the dadamo diet? why is one thing good and the other not? what about things that are not mentioned in the book? greetings, Ernst

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Hallo, We all learned that beside the bloodtype also the rhesusfactor was very important. Is there any implication for the diete? Paul

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Before being introduced to the Blood Type Diet, I started taking fruit & vegetable pills from Juice Plus. There are 2 fruits & 2 vegtables on my avoid list. I'm told by Juice Plus that their product is ok for me since those items do not produce lectins. Obviously you sell your own product, but I was hoping you would comment on this to help me better understand the distinctions. thank you. Emily

Welcome, Ernst, Paul & Emily! Lectins and their effects are only one aspect of these plans. Polyamine stimulation, digestive secretion, neurochemical production, disease resistance patterns and numerous other factors were taken into account when this diet/exercise/stress reduction system was designed. For instance, Emily, if orange is in your supplement, that is a polyamine issue. If blackberry, a lectin issue. Many fruits and vegetables contain lectins, and if Juice Plus told you it's fine to take their product, I'd first go direct to LECster® to check those foods (look under "Lectins" in the SCIENCE section of our homepage) -- and second, I would never take a non-BTD manufacturer's word that I should ingest avoids, anyway. :-) The Rhesus factor has a minor impact on the grain and flesh-protein parts of the diet. Please see Live Right 4 Your Type for full details, and for a comprehensive explication of BTD science! :-D

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thanks again, everyone!! :-D

Dear Heidi, I'm still adjusting to being an O+ Non Secretor (just found out the secretor status a month ago), and now I'm really confused. You showed the O NS maximum frequency food pyramid in your column a few days ago, and it listed 1 cheese and 2 milk/yogurt. After finding my NS status, I checked every food I had been eating on this web site, and found that all cheeses/milk/yogurts are avoids for O NS people. So, why are they on the pyramid??? Also, I eat manna wheat or rye bread with almond or hazelnut butter, along with a couple of dried figs or prunes for breakfast every morning. It would appear that the nut butter and fruits are okay, but how bad of a thing is it to have the manna bread daily? I love it and it keeps me satisfied for hours. Since I eat my weekly eggs at lunch meals with veggies or salad, I don't want them for breakfast. Also, I do not eat any beans, as I do not like them. As to 5 oils.....I use olive oil daily lunch and dinner (on salads, steamed vegetables, and when I cook chicken or veal). I'm a few pounds over my favorite weight, but hardly overweight (I'm considered very Vata...). If I followed the O NS pyramid, I would probably be underweight. Can you please advise me as to the dairy on the pyramid, and as to the importance of adhering to the pyramid? Like I said, I'm really confused! Thanks, and as before, I really enjoy and appreciate your column. Abby

Hi, Abby ~ the confusion is partly because the frequency table in the dairy section is divided by item group rather than by secretor status, so it applies to both secretors & nonsecretors. The other food groups have separate frequencies by secretor status. So, after getting your note, I re-worked that column just a bit. Butter and ghee are the only dairy products allowed for O-NSs, so the three dairy servings for us would be butter ~ I simply add ghee to the oils section, since technically it contains none of the milk proteins or sugars that make "dairy" dairy. :-) I hope that helps. If you are indeed a few pounds over the weight you feel is ideal, it may be due simply to having that manna bread 7 days instead of 3. An additional bit of exercise may tip the scales in the right direction. I wouldn't sweat the oils unless you have gallbladder concerns, and the beans are not a requisite part of your diet. And the importance of adhering to the pyramid? Well, that's just my interpolation of the frequencies outlined in Live Right, which are guidelines ~ not immutable laws. :-) I hope this gives a better view of things, Abby, and thanks for your post!!



P.P.S. to "BTD Moms:"

Hi Heidi, First, a political correctness issue ;-) It is not just BTD moms that are dealing with BTD issues for their children. In some cases, it is BTD dads that are trying to nourish and educate their children how to shop, cook, and eat. I know I try! I only take care of my children every other week, but I believe that I have had some success in changing their viewpoint about food, or at least making them aware of the issues. For instance, when we sit down to eat my 10 year old son will frequently review with me which foods are beneficial versus neutral ;-) Or if I buy something new like a processed food product he may ask if it has any avoids in it.

Yes, like just about any parent I do struggle with getting my children to eat all of their vegetables ;-(. I try to serve the veggies they like a little more often, but I still serve and make them eat some of the veggies they don’t like. I hope that over time their taste buds will adjust to accept or maybe even enjoy them.

It also bothers me that I cannot monitor or adjust what they eat when they are not with me, such as when they are at school or at their mother’s house. And yes, I cringe every time they have pizza, and all its wheat, at every social function that comes along. However, I accept that I can’t do anything about it so I just try to do a good job educating them when they are with me so that hopefully they will make the best choices they can about what they eat when they aren’t with me.

I will say that I did inform their mother about the BTD and have encouraged her as much as I can to follow the BTD for the children. She has made some changes to their diet so it was worth the effort. Now if the food industry would take note of the BTD the children and the rest of us would have a much easier time being successful! Take care, Don

Heehee, I thought the "moms" titles would get a response from you, Don! I'd almost given up hope when I finallly saw your response this morning. *whew!* What took you so long? No, being a bit laid up with a cold is no excuse. ~:-D thank you for those excellent observations, and I salute your daily mission of promoting the BTD with those kids! awesome, actually. ;-D

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“I will persist until I succeed. Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another. In truth, one small step at a time is not too difficult… I know that small steps, repeated, will complete any undertaking.” - Og Mandino

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Hello Heidi- Love your stuff!!! I read your column all the time and find tons of info here. I go back to the index often to re-read as well, so I hope that I am not wasting you time asking a question that you have answered before. I am type A+, non-secretor and I am pregnant! My family and I have been on the btd for almost a year now. In addition to being on the diet I have cut out all chemicals, perservatives, additives, flavorings (unless I know exactly what they are), colorings, and even sugar in any form (organic, cane juice, milled). I don't eat anything that is genetically modified either. This also includes the products that we use on our bodies. AND if it isn't organic it isn't going in or on our bodies!!!



It's taken some time to get where we are today, it certainly wasn't overnight. Lots of patience! So to all of you out there struggling a bit or a lot ~~~ keep trying, and don't give up.



Anyway--here is my dilemma-- I am craving everything, all over the board. From steak and potatoes with butter and sour cream (eeekk!) to cheesecake, steak and eggs with salsa to chocolate donuts, and, if not the worst, CHOCOLATE~~~DARK, LOVELY, LUCIOUS, CHOCOLATE! I even want to eat at the Red Lobster! I want sea-food, clam chowder, shrimp sauce, but only from the Red Lobster....AND I don't eat at those places! I want cookies, and cake. I want oranges,(yummmmm, one sound really good right now!), corn chips and salsa, tacos with beef! And so, so, so much more!!!!!!!



How bad would it be to slide off the btd for the next 7 months. How difficult will this be for my body to recover from? I have given in to most of my cravings (forgive me, I am pregnant with no will power)going as far as to make an organic cheesecake (and it was great!) Even with all of these weird cravings I will not compromise my organic standards! Before my pregnancy I never had these cravings. I was very strict in following the btd and enjoyed the feeling of health and wholeness that had become a part of my life. Now, I am feeling a little guilty about my lack of will-power, probably because I am worried about the damage I am doing after being "clean" for so long..... I do hope you can help. And please--don't tell me what I want to hear, tell me what I need to hear. Brutal honesty Heidi, that's what I need! Also, can you recommend some herbal teas that are really great and highly remcommended for expecting moms. And any extra info/insight you might be able to offer that can help me along my way to a very healthy pregnancy would be greatly appreciated!! Keep up your wonderful and caring work. I know so many of us really do appreciate this efforts you put into this. Warmly- Erin*



LOL!! Ah, well, OK, here's brutal honesty: Erin, you're just fine. ;-D And the cravings won't last seven months ~ in fact, they're probably tapering off right about now. (Yep, that was it for me being brutal. :->)



While the cause of cravings during pregnancy is still a mystery, the best strategy is to keep a variety of food in the house. Try to grab something similar to what you're craving, and fill up on it. Then do a little exercise, go for a walk, write in your journal, make plans, talk to a friend... engage your mind and body in some way to disconnect from the appetite. I know the urge to eat can be overwhelming. Just make that attempt to short-circuit the trip to the ice cream shop! :-)



Carob is not chocolate, but if you keep some carob chips or pudding around, by the time you've had some, the chocolate craving will lose its edge. Most important thing? Getting plenty of those beneficial foods, and keeping up with your exercise. Raspberry, dandelion, rose hip, chamomile, and slippery elm teas are wonderful, as are linden, elderberry, and spearmint or peppermint. I think you'll have a great pregnancy and a joyous birth, Erin! Keep us posted, OK? Love to hear from you! :-D

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I am type A. The book says Salmon, cod, and certain other fish are highly beneficial. Is the ultimate goal to have a diet that allows these fish because they are highly beneficial or to have an all vegetarian diet? I am confused about this point. Terry



Hello, Terry! We do encourage type As to eat fish -- three or four times per week, if possible. Many type As do prosper as vegetarians, but not all. Protein needs vary between individuals. So experiment on yourself, to see if your energy level, skin, and mental processes are improved by eating fish. If you find you're well off without it (including a full variety of beans, nuts, seeds and oils), then you have your answer! The ultimate goal of all the diets is to support vibrant health! and there are many possible paths within each. Discover your own, and my best to you! :-D

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I am blood type 'A' and am currently doing the right 4 your type diet. The book states that I should be a vegetarian, which is fine as I actually really like the food, but! I have bought pinto, aduki and blackeyed beans and also alot of fish. Now i have gone to all my recipe books and they all include tomato, what should i do as i am struggling to find recipes to cook. I hope you can be of help. yours in anticipation. Joanne



Hey there, Joanne ~ Cook Right 4 Your Type has a number of great tomato-free recipes for all kinds of food. You can order it here, from Amazon, or find it in most large bookstores and in health food shops that carry books. I found that in many standard recipes, I could just eliminate the tomato. With others, I used a little pureed sweet potato and beets, with lemon juice & salt. Look for bean casseroles, poached or baked or steam-prepared fish, and check out Asian cookbooks ~ a multitude of recipes right there! Most vegetarian cookbooks have plenty of recipes which would suit you. It's a struggle at first, but once your "new staples" are in place, it's a breeze. Thanks for your Q, and keep up the good work! :-)

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Heidi, a quick question about your chicken soup recipe. Just what I was looking for. However, what about the chicken fat? With the skin and fat at the bottom of the roaster, that adds up to a lot of fat. Thanks, Blaine



Ah, but that's the GOOD part!! ;-) Seriously, if desired, it's easy to remove the fat once the containers of broth are cool. After a night in the fridge, the fat on the broth rises to the top in a firm, white layer, and can be lifted out like wax floating on water. The skin can also be removed from the chicken before eating the meat, if you wish. Remember that this kind of fat, from a clean-fed and ranged animal, is indeed good for you, but I understand if it might be a little much for some tastes! and too much of even such a good thing is still too much! So experiment and find the right balance for you & your family. thanks for writing, dear!! :-D

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"Calling all moms!" My comment to everyone who is trying to provide the healthiest diet possible for their kids: I found that the most important point of all is to be relaxed and have fun. Every mom I know who got very serious and punitive over eating correct foods (no matter what dietary system was being used) and who was very restrictive when the child was out at parties or visiting other families, had kids who rebelled either at once or later. One such kid, a type O, now eats almost nothing but wheat bread and sugar. Oh yes, and cofee and alcohol whenever possible. Another earnest mom's two kids grew up to smoke and eat mostly donuts.



I've been there, doing it wrong and recovering. So I admire the moms who are taking the trouble to ensure the best health for their kids, but I must urge above all that we use a light touch! Make it fun and and take it slow if need be, and don't make the kid feel weird at restaurants and parties. If the kid eats the wrong stuff and feels sick, don't rub it in! He or she will live, and learn, without our making a big point of it! In the long run, our children will be much healthier if we are as serene as possible about their health and diet--while still doing the best we know how to get them the right stuff! Good luck to everyone, and may you all avoid the errors I made! Cyndi



Great points, Cyndi, and thanks for sharing your experiences. It's a pleasure to publish views from BTD moms ~ and it's thrilling to see so many more of them all the time! Whoo! what a change from 1997, when it seemed there were so few -- online, at least! Seeing the numbers shoot up is, to me, a truly heartening thing. thanks again, dear!!

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My boyfriend (Type O) and I (Type A) have recently started on your program and have a couple questions that we have not been able to find answers for: 1. Is there any guidelines for total carb, calorie, fiber or fat intake for the Type A and Type O to loose weight? 2. After reviewing the books and different websites, we are wondering if there are more up-to-date food lists available? And what happens when seemingly common foods are not on the lists? Thanks for your assistance, Steph



Hello, Steph ~ The proportions and frequency/serving size are built in to the plans. Both the A and O diets are based upon vegetables and fruit, and from there they part ways, but each is designed to deliver the correct protein/carb/fat/fiber in the right balance to enhance health and move you toward your ideal weight. The most up-to-date food reference is TYPEbase 3, and an unlisted food (with very few exceptions) is to be treated as "neutral" unless you are ill or overweight. Thanks for writing!! :-)

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Im living in Denmark and fucus vesiculosus is not availible cause the healht care is not sure how if its good for you because of the high amount of iodine. But i found one shop who sold it to me anyway. But i dont know how much i can take and put in my meal? its the real stuf,dry.. Nobody in denmark tell me.. please help me, i know its so good for me and my bloodtype. (im o positive) im hoping you can help me. lullu



Greetings and welcome, lullu! Well, you've got the real stuff, I'm sure, but I'd advise you put it in a strong-flavored dish because it tastes awful! :-) Or make a tea of it and add some highly-flavored herbal tea to it. If you can get half a teaspoon into you each day, that will be great. Good for you in finding it!! :-)

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I was interested to read your comments on the diets of women in todays western world. I have lived on a diet of primarily carbos avioding protien and fat where possible. I now find myself obese (+ 42 kg)with insulin issues and trying desperately to stick to a high protein diet that also follows the restrictions by my blood group (o). I must say after 6 days I am etremely tried and struggling to hold on to the program. Any tips or motivation would be greatly appreciated. Sally



Hi, Sally ~ I'm not sure what high-protein diet you are following, but if very few vegetables are allowed, it is going to be difficult for you until you adjust to ketosis -- which usually takes from seven to ten days. This is an extreme measure for you, and I would be much happier if you would follow the type O diet as written, and for the time being eat no grain, dairy or beans. I think you'll find your weight loss will proceed at a good pace, without sapping your energy or endangering your health. Do remember to drink plenty of water, and get adequate healthy fats in your daily diet. I'm sure you will succeed! Let me know how your progress goes! :-D

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Dear "on the diet", Impressed as I am with "Eat Right 4 Your Type Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia", I would like to know how to find out about foods not listed. Particularly, I'd like to find out about sucralose (brand name "Splenda"), an artificial sweetener. I'd be willing to cheat a bit, if it were just an "avoid", but I would really like to know whether it's another metabolic inhibitor. I'm very well behaved about not having those. That's a lot of metabolic inhibitions for a type O. Thank you, Lynn Marie



Hello, Lynn Marie! Here is your answer on Splenda! Have a bright and beautiful day!! ~:-)

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Dear Heidi My husband is A+ and secretor. I am O+ and secretor. My son is O negative and non secretor. In On the Diet Topic for 6 January 2003 you wrote: Le a-b+ is the secretor type; Le a+b- is the non secretor type; Le a-b- is "double negative," We all had a saliva test at NAP from DK. My question is: How can two secretors (a+b-) get a non secretor child (a+b-)? Thanks for all your answers. It is a pleasure to read them. We eat according to our bloodtype with good results. But the blood type diet is not that easy to adapt as we thought when we started in September 2001. Especially our son has a lot of problems and we are inspired of your advice to try new ways. Kind regards from Kirsten



I'm so pleased you're finding help here, Kirsten! You are doing the very best for your son, and I admire all parents who follow this plan with their children. In regard to the Lewis testing -- Lewis is an entirely different "blood type," one of many we possess, which happens to correspond with certain secretor status results depending on the Lewis type. So, what I described was not the actual "secretor gene" at work, but another "blood type" involving the presence or absence of Lewis factors which can then be used to indicate secretor status. Does that make sense?? Drop me a note if this was clear as mud!! :-D

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Help! I have 3 girls who are mostly all darn picky eaters! 2 are type Os like me, and one is type B like my husband. Ae there any other mothers in the same situation that can give me some great recipes or meal tips?? My huge problems are: the milk issue and bread issues!! I almost wish I didn't know about this whole ERFYT diet! Thanks for your attention, Maria



OK, folks, you're on. Maria needs some tips from BTD moms ~ the lines are open!! thanks, everyone!! ~~;-D

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"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."

-- Alan Cohen

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My family is type O and we are transitioning to follow your diet. I am confused about the Breads recommended, Essene and Ezekiel. The ones I find have sprouted wheat included; however, I understand this is a wheat free diet. I appreciate your advise and direction in advance. Kay



Lucky you, with one blood type in the house! :-) The Essene and Ezekiel breads we recommend are made from 100% sprouted grains, which is an entirely different thing from whole grain. Sprouting destroys the lectin in wheat that is such a major avoid for type O. Enjoy!!



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Hello! I have been on the blood type diet for some time and have a question about artichoke pasta. Is it ok if it has #1 semolina and artichoke flour? If not, do you know of any companies that make a "pure" artichoke pasta suited for me? I am an O. I still love my occasional pasta and would love to know. Thanks so much! Cathryn



Hi, Cathryn ~ Nope, semolina doesn't make the grade on our food list. There once was a 100% artichoke pasta, but the taste didn't inspire sales and it was a commercial failure. The best pasta, in many wheat-free folks' opinion, is DeBoles Organic line of rice pastas, and Pastariso's organic rice pastas. Try those, they're quite wonderful! :-)



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I just got the book by Dr. D'Adamo "Blood Type O" (food, beverage and suplement list). Which I think is great and makes a lots of sence to me. And Iam planning to fallow the deit. The only problem I have is that portions to eat are all based only on African, Caucasian, and Asian. But Iam Mexican. How would I know about portions and how often to eat in a weekly bases. I would appraciate your help very much. Thank you. Sincerely Maximiliano.



Greetings, Maximiliano! Unless you have African or Asian parents or grandparents, you are definitely Caucasian! That's the one to use. Let me know how you do on the diet! :-D



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Hye there, I've been on your blood type diet for a few months now and so far so good but its a little tough adjusting. Im an underweight type O and Im having a tough time gaining weight on the type O diet. Iam 19 years of age, 5"09 I weigh 130 lbs and I want to get to 160. Are there any type O foods that promote weight/muscle gain? Any advice will be greatly appreciated, thank you for your time. Max



Hey, don't worry! You've probably just recently finished your upward growth! Gaining healthy weight means building muscle. The O diet on its own will do this for you if your routine includes progressive weight lifting two or three times per week, working the upper body in one session and the lower body in the next. However, my personal favorite is superslow exercise, which gives maximum development for minimal time in the gym -- once a week, in fact. It requires serious concentration and determination, but you will love the results. Here's a link to the articles page on the superslow website. Give it a good read, and let me know how it goes for you! :-D



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I'am on ABO diet for 6 weeks, I am O+, I lost 20pounds, feel great , no more snoring, no more heartburns, etc... I still have tendon ache at both elbows and arthritis atleft ankle that annoys me when jogging. Any solution or comments? Thanx for having given me a better life, I am your promotor in France!. Philippe in MARSEILLE



Merci, Philippe! Your progress has been lightning-fast! The arthritis will resolve in time, and I suggest a bit of rest for those elbows. Include some seaweeds (dulse, kelp, hijiki, any others you have access to) in your diet, and see if you can get hold of a supplement called N-acetyl glucosamine. These will help the old lectin damage to be swept away. Remember your olive oil, and strong homemade broth (beef or fish is best) with a little fat left in. I am so happy to hear this plan is doing great things for you! and thank you for your championship of the BTD! :-D



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I have suffered from eczema for most of my life. Recently a friend has suggested that starting to eat red meat again and cutting out wheat(I have been a vegetarian for the last 4 years and am healthy in all other respects) would help clear the eczema as I am blood type O. I have started to eat red meat again but find it sits heavily in my digestive system - can you explain how the red meat helps and also is there something else I could eat because I still have profound misgivings about an animal needing to be killed just so I can eat. There must be something that nature provides naturally that would help. I would be extremely grateful for any advice you are able to give. Regards, Andrew.



Hi, Andrew ~ Listen, I understand where you're coming from. I came from "there," too. ;-} For type Os, meat is actually the healing "thing that nature provides naturally," although this represents a difficult mental adjustment for many ethical vegetarians to make. Believe me that there is order in all this, and a rightness you will discover from within yourself! On the digestive side, it is not surprising that the meat feels a bit heavy to you. It is a concentrated food, and if you've been used to filling up on vegetables, beans and grain, you're probably unused to feeling "full" with a smaller portion of food. I do suggest taking pancreatic enzymes before meat meals, for a few weeks. After that point, your body should be producing its own. The other vital element in healing the eczema is a good supply of EFAs (essential fatty acids), from fish, flaxseed, organic eggs, and olive & walnut oils. Your healing will be the proof of what is right for you ~ and you may discover many other unexpected benefits as well. Keep in touch!



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I've been reading mainstream literature (Earl Mindell, James Balch, etc.) about the absorbability of different types of calcium. There's a consistent thread that people who eat a lot of meat are less able to absorb calcium. Is this an accurate observation within the context of the BTD? (I'm an O, so I fall into the category of eating a lot of meat.) Lisa



Well... we're advised to eat a sufficient quantity of meat, although the recommended vegetable and fruit portions kind of blow away the quantities of meat and fish on this diet (see below!) I'm bemused that mainstream health authors still opine that meat eating reduces calcium absorption. The reality is quite the opposite. In fact, meat stimulates the production of intestinal alkaline phosphatase, which increases calcium absorption. Hope this helps, Lisa! and thanks for your note!!



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I'm wondering why NS O's can only have 0-3 portions of manna bread per week even though it is a beneficial food. If we can have that little bit and be okay can't we have more and still be okay? Thanks. Amber



Hey there, Amber! Proportion is important. Manna bread is beneficial among the grain products ~ but it is not an ideal centerpiece for the O diet. The portion and frequency guidelines for grains keep them in right relationship to the entire diet. Just as an example, let's use the maximum frequencies for each food group to figure out the O-Non Pyramid:

3 grains

3 beans

3 dairy (butter)

5 oils (add ghee)

5 seafood

6 eggs

7 nut/seed

12 meat/poultry

15 fruits

21 neutral veg

*Unlimited beneficial veg*



Of course, if one is Rh negative, fish jumps to 7 and meat/poultry to 14 servings ~ and grain drops to 2. ;-)



At any rate: once you've stuffed down those massive quantities of vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry, some nutbutter, the eggs, fish and oils... even if you're using the minimums rather than the maxxes like I did here... heck, I don't know how anyone finds room for the pointy part of the pyramid!! But that's as it should be. The 0-3 grain frequency leaves it lagging along as a now & again kind of thing, along with beans and dairy products. That's the beauty of the design, and it works spectacularly. This is probably a lot more than you bargained for with your question, but I hope it helps explain why the beneficial beans & grains have such a quiet presence in our diet. Thanks for asking, dear!!

;-D



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Hi, enjoying reading your articles. Feeling is like sunshine in summer. Here in Hong Kong I came across a teabag last night. It is called Gymnema Plus,. made in Singapore, for Diabetes (II) and overweight person. Contains Gymnema Sylvestre and Green Tea. Their leaflet mentioned that "Gymnema Sylvestre is a famous Ayurvedic herb that has been safely used in India for more than 2000 years and has been widely use in America and Japan." If Dr. Dadamo is testing new products, is it possible to include this one as well? As he is not accepting new question now, I send it for your consideration. Thank you very much. You have been doing a marvellous job.. I am addicted to the Website. Lily A+ Overweight (weak kidney meridian according to Chinese doctor.)



Good morning, Lily! Gymnema Silvestis, or Sylvestre, is a very interesting plant, indeed. It's been used for many years in complementary medicine and plant-based supplements. We have no rating for it, but the studies I've read reported no side effects for anyone ~ a good sign! Its most significant actions are to rejuvenate the pancreas and liver, and I know of no reason why you shouldn't use it! That said, it would work best if you avoid refined sugar of all kinds. You are very kind, dear, and I hope your healing proceeds smoothly and swiftly! :-)

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I have rcently been diagnosed with CLL type leukemia. Is there any of your diet related information for my blood type A that I can begin to follow to stop the progression of the over formation of the white blood cells? I am not anemic, and have no other symptoms of the leukemia other than a high whilte blood cell count. I ate too much red meat until I was diagnosed and am trying to follow your diet. Susan



Susan, the best approach I can recommend is to use the lifestyle guidelines in Live Right 4 Your Type and the supplement protocols in the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia. I am certain you will see good progress if you adhere to the diet, exercise and protocol regimen. Also, look into finding out your secretor status, either through the saliva secretor test available here, or by getting your Lewis type through your diagnostic laboratory. For quick reference, Le a-b+ is the secretor type; Le a+b- is the nonsecretor type; Le a-b- is "double negative," in which case the nonsecretor diet should be used. Let me know if I can be of further help, and please accept my heartfelt good wishes to you in your healing!

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My blood type is A. I am allergic to all fish but can eat shell fish. All the shell fish were on the avoid list. Between Lobster, crabs and shrimp which is a better choice? Since I cannot eat fish, not being able to eat any seafood greatly limits my choices. Mariannette



Whooo... bummer, eh? If I were you, I'd get my secretor status ASAP ~~ mussels and scallops are neutral for A-nons. :-) And keep the faith: after a few months on the diet, you may find that your fish allergy diminishes. This kind of development is common among long-term BTD'ers. Between lobster, crab and shrimp, which is best? *sigh.* SNAILS. Talk to your fishmonger about getting a discount on a weekly supply. I'm not worried about your protein intake, since the world of beans and many kinds of fowl are available to you. Make beneficial oils your priority as well, and have some of that ground flaxseed in water concoction I'm always recommending. Keep me posted, OK? I'd like to hear how this turns out for you!

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Hi Heidi! Commenting on the letter about people who are conditioned to eat too much, i.e. protein. Not at all to disagree because I see some of that too, but to add an additional observation...I've noticed people who have trained themselves to get by on just barely enough protein to survive. I see it especially in women; I think it may be something cultural. For example, the women who diet by eating just salads mostly -- and the women at my office who would eat a bagel & carrot for breakfast and popcorn for lunch. It is a pattern of conditioned deprivation, and it seems common in women who've dieted a lot, and also among the women I know who don't make enough money to live in abundance. Happy new year! In my old herb garden, I also had wormwood & moonflowers, but no blue roses. (o:Maia



Excellent point, Maia ~ I, too have seen this practice among a great many women. It is also supported by that lingering popular distrust of protein and fat, and of course the breads, microwave popcorn and common vegetables are cheaper and handier than more hearty fare. One of my office mates was a woman who would get through the day on a coffee & a one-dollar piece of pizza (even when pregnant), yet she spent thousands in a year on wedding/shower/birthday (etc.) gifts as part of her "social obligations." I'm sure culture plays a part ~ in ways usually incomprehensible to me....



Not only blue roses (china petals, and a faint "raspberry" rose scent), but green ones (ruffled, unscented) and black ones (velvet) as well! Ah, to be a teenager again! :-D A very happy New Year to you as well, my dear! :-)

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Hi, I asked a question and realized later that I may have offered insufficient background for you to answer the question. My question is about the use of carbohydrates for Os during long periods of exercise. The conventional wisdom, of course, is to eat a grain-intensive diet, and bring along similar food stuffs (in the form of power bars, fructose based goos etc.) during long periods of exertion such as long runs, bike rides or multi-sport events. Given that Os and, indeed, other blood types often do poorly on carbohydrates, I was wondering if an exception should be made for periods of exertion. That is, does the liver require extra glycogen for efforts over 60 minutes or should a meat and vegetable diet provide a sufficient carbohydrate source for muscles? Thanks in advance for this clarification. nadine

Hi, Nadine! For performance athletes in long-distance events especially, our general guidelines must be customized by the individual. Even so, going back toward a grain-intensive diet and/or regular use of processed sugar drinks will not get you to the top of your form. Test a few things to determine your best training regimen. How about a hydrating drink made of prune, pineapple, blueberry or black cherry juice and mineral water? Or carrot/celery/spinach/beet juice? A biking enthusiast friend of mine pops walnut butter balls dipped in ground flaxseed and chocolate, then frozen. You can do a mini-carb loading routine with the starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, butternut or acorn squash, and/or parsnips. Have a full serving of steamed whole grain from the neutral list three times per week IF you find you do better with it than without it.

In many ways, your situation has unexpected commonalities with that of people with health problems, in that you are living in a "state of challenge." Your sports require that extra boost of protein in the healing phase after exertion, so an added serving or two per week of beneficial flesh foods is worth consideration. And, a deep-stress-relief practice such as meditation has shown significant results in improving athletic performance due to its many healing and energy-enhancing properties.

Enjoy your wonderful sporting life, Nadine, and whiz by here again when you get the chance! :-D

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I love the new question and answer columns. I was spending WAY too much time reading all those messages on the old but beloved message board. I even have time to do my type O exercise program now. My question concerns type O's and hormone replacement therapy. I had been taking Prempro for 8 years. With the latest reports being so negative, I went to my doctor and he agreed with me it was time to get off of it. I am 59 years old, I have been on the BTD for nearly 4 years now. He wants me to take them every other day for 2 weeks and then quit comletely; I have one more week to go. When I first started taking HRT my complaints were, dry skin, vaginal dryness, mild depression, hot flashes, and insomnia. Just tapering off of the prempro I am already beginning to experience some of these again. I am wanting to handle this strictly with diet and natural supplements. What do you suggest? Ruth

~:-D Hi, Ruth! Hey, how come you have more time now, but I have less? What's up with that?? ;-D That is great news that you're phasing out the prempro, and I'll reel off a few things that come to mind that should help you with the readjustment. Flaxseed, two tablespoons ground and soaked for 20 minutes in enough water to cover, twice per day. MACA, the ground root: a tablespoon, twice per day. I get mine from the Penn Herb company, along with wild yam in capsules -- two caps, two to three times per day. Several women swear by Rhodiola rosea, at around 400-600 mg per day, and you might become one of them. The Encyclopedia Menopause Support protocol suggests six weeks of the following: chaste berry standardized at 400 mg, horsetail 500 mg, vervain tea, all twice per day, and 10 mg of manganese daily. There are other protocols relating to menopause, including Female Balancing and Metabolic Support, so take a browse through the book.

Now that I've said all that, here's a story: through experimentation, a 64-year-old woman I know has discovered that the only thing that does the trick for her symptoms (identical to the ones you noted) was Cortiguard. Go figure! She really went the rounds of all kinds of pharmaceutical, homeopathic and naturopathic treatments. She's been on the BTD for years. Cortiguard was her savior.

So, try these suggestions singly and give each a couple of weeks to show its mettle. If you're in a hurry for relief (and I wouldn't blame you! ;-}), you can use the entire arsenal for three weeks -- then slowly eliminate one item after another until you find out which one (if it is only one) is actually doing the job. Dear Ruth, I do hope this is helpful to you! Please let me know how it goes!!

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I am a 52 year old 'A', reasonably compliant on the BTD but I suffer from the ugliest varicose veins ever! I have had two operations in the past but not successful. Is there 'something' in the BTD that I'm lacking that results in varicose veins or is there 'something' that I need to add to my eating regime? Yes, I stand a lot during the daytime at work.....can't avoid that! Thanks for your help Angie

:-} Angie, I'm so sorry you're suffering with those veins. It is caused by insufficient vein wall strength, and standing a great deal of the time does make it worse. This is a difficult condition to resolve, but I have some suggestions for you.

1. Can you get some walking at work, and find any time to raise your legs a bit?

2. Support hose may be the last thing you want to deal with, but the real kind with toes left free and progressive pressure (highest at the ankle) can relieve the discomfort and help ease some of the blood pressure on the veins.

3. A combination of horsetail, gotu kola, butcher's broom and collinsonia liquid extracts, ten drops of each taken twice daily, are very helpful for venous flexibility and strength.

4. "Wall sitting." Start by lying on the floor and resting your legs on your bed for a few minutes. Work up to ten minutes over a month or so. At that point, lie on the bed and stretch your legs straight up against the wall, as if you're sitting on the wall with your back on the bed. Again, start with just a minute or two and slowly increase the time until you have them up for 10-15 minutes.

Try these for two months, and I'm sure you'll see an improvement! Let me know, OK? :-)

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I'm type A with polycystic ovaries and the odd symptom of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I'm confused because the Female Balancing Protocol which is recommended for POS suggests using Black Cohosh, which I understand to be highly oestrogenic. Oestrogen dominance is usually a problem for women with polycystic ovaries and so surely adding Black Cohosh will only make things worse. Also, are you meant to follow the whole protocol or is it ok to take only some of the recommended substances? Thankyou, Olympia, UK.

Hello, Olympia! These are protocols Peter uses in his practice with great success. The combinations are designed to work together, but you can certainly use the Female Balancing suggestions without the black cohosh if desired! Thanks for your note!!

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Hi I am B positive. For 7 weeks I have done well on the eating program. My pep is up as is my attitude. However, the weight has not shifted very much - just at the beginning of adding the lecithin/oil in the am and then when i added Magnesium. I am 5'4" 250 - ish. I was using cranberry /whitegrape juice for the elixor and have shifted to cranberry only. Also, I tried 3 different magnesiums to find one that did not have additives that created side effects. Now, I am using the mag caltrate and do have the diarrhea type response so take a day off every 5 or so...any brand suggestions? (1 of the trials had potato starch and mag only but i definitely cannot intake whatever form of potato starch that was!!) Also, I am doing a mild yoga every am and walking about 1 1/2 miles. I am using the B probiotics and herbs, eating lamb as my only meat 1 x/day and a lot of green veggies steamed. I have shifted to low fat dairy. FYI I have definitely have candida - should I be cutting out dairy? Any suggestions about magnesium? And should I be expecting faster results? And are veggies the only acceptable snack? Thankl you!!! Jacie

:-) The diarrhea response means you're getting plenty of magnesium between your supplement and those wonderful green veg. You might want to step down the mag dosage just a bit. I have a feeling, and I might be wrong, that you may not be eating enough. Surprised? :-) We want to send your body the message that there is AMPLE perfect food coming your way, and that it is SAFE to let go of the weight. :-) It sounds wacky, but it works that way with many people. So, check to see if you are eating small meals or snacks whenever you are hungry -- never too much at one meal, and not within three hours before you go to bed.

Would it be possible to add a couple of things? Fish, for one thing, a small serving four times per week. Flaxseed, two tablespoons ground and soaked in some water for 20 minutes, daily. Make your own ghee by heating and clarifying your butter ~ The oils in these foods are fabulous for fat loss, and ghee is an intestinal healer. If you do have a candida overgrowth, the grain part of the diet can be cut down, but there's no need to eliminate dairy! A bit of cheese with fruit is a great snack, by the way. If possible, switch your meat choices around a bit (with turkey, rabbit, venison, beef) to keep your system perky. And you might look into the Harmonia drink mix sold here ~ it's an abundant chlorophyll source, which will speed your candida resolution. I'm sure your weight will normalize on a time frame suited to enhancing your health and keeping the weight off, so no worries about how fast it's going for now. Enjoy the process... you'll never go through it again! ;-D

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I am a B non-secretor. In the new LR4YBT book the section on oils has a typo that makes the subject of oils confusing. It says, "Walnut oil and black currant seed oil are highly beneficial for Type B non-secretors, who have a bit of an edge in breaking down oil over non-secretors." Those two oils are listed as beneficial for non-secretors but the amount of oils recommended weekly for us is less than for secretors, so I'm assuming secretors break down oil better. Clarification would be appreciated. Thankyou, Carol

Hi there, Carol ~ Yes, the text has an error there. Secretors have a higher frequency of oil servings allowed because they do have the edge in breaking it down. Thanks for your reminder! :-)

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In the book Blood Type B it lists Barley as a neutral and an avoid. see pages 26 & 27. It also lists Mozzarella cheese as highly beneefical but lists string cheese as an avoid. String cheese is made from Mozzarella. See pages 16 & 17. I need to know about these two foods,as I like to eat them. Thank You Susie

Here is the July column on string cheese ~ and barley is neutral for everyone except type Os. Sorry for the error, and have a wonderful day, Susie!

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Dear Heidi I am a great fan of Blood group diet, and following it for one year now. (I am a female A. For some stomach pain, after getting rid of H. pylori, I went to a very serious Naturopathic, she tested my blood to get so called: finger print of my Metabolism system, now there is some conflict with my BTD. for example, chiken and black tae are good for me now. My swiss Naturopathic does not deny the BTD. I am very confused now, could you please help me. mahnaz

Hallo, Mahnaz ~ Well, first I would ask her the basis for the changes she wants to make in your diet. I'd want to know what the blood test showed her and how she correlated that result to food reactions. If she suggested that you should not eat certain neutral or beneficial foods for a period of time, I would have no problem with that; often people begin this diet with individual allergies or intolerances that are best dealt with slowly. However, I am never comfortable when a practitioner tells someone they can eat a major avoid, so I'd want significant further information on that, and even then I could not recommend following those instructions! Chicken lectin will do what it is going to do, unless your blood type is actually O or A! so please get back to me, OK? :-)

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hi, i've read some of your stuff, but still don't understand, i'll tell you a little about myself, i'm 39 always been small, for the last couple of years i've gain a lot..been on zoloft for anxiety, i'm exercising a lot..but still can't lose weight, i'm type AB- , PLEASE help and tell me what type of food i should eat and type of food to avoid - ty Claudette

Hi, Claudette ~ Did your weight gain begin after you started the zoloft? Here is a quote from one of approximately 40,000 web pages which discuss weight gain due to zoloft and other SSRIs:

"Weight gain from SSRI usage is more common then you might think. You are not alone with this side effect. If you have gained 20 or more pounds, within a short amount of time, it is being caused by a change in your metabolism. All SSRI's inhibit or slow down your metabolism. They inhibit specific enzymes in your liver that allow your metabolism to function correctly."

If there are foods in your diet which are overstimulating your immune system, they are one cause of your anxiety. Eliminating them can help in that case.

The book Live Right 4 Your Type contains all the information you need to begin an appropriate diet, and explains the kinds of exercise which will help reduce your stress chemical levels. Meditation is a powerful practice which has medical potency in alleviating the conditions you're now taking zoloft for. Please get hold of the book! In the meantime, you can check the foods you customarily eat against the information in the TYPEbase 3 list which is also linked from our main page at www.dadamo.com. I truly hope this helps, and I encourage you to start on this JOYFUL health track ASAP! Take good care, dear!

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I am confused between books. Live Right and Cook Right. Cook right gives sample menus including coffee but my Live right is death on it. Which is correct? Also can AB's have apples. I see cider and juice is neutral but not a mention of apples I also bought the food, beverage and supplement list book and again apples don't seem to be mentioned. I am struggling wiht recipes that will help me make soup and again the cook right book is confusing. Can you give me a link to some recipes for soup for AB's thanks, Patricia

Hey there, Patricia ~ Apples/apple cider/ apple juice are all the same item for purposes of the food values. All neutral for you! Coffee's status changed based on further research, so yes, it is an avoid now. I posted a basic soup recipe for type As in this column -- just substitute turkey for chicken. Once the stock is made, you can add any AB-OK ingredients of your choice! I'm not sure what you found confusing about the Cook Right recipes in general? All recipes, no matter where you find them, should be checked for OK ingredients and adapted as necessary to your blood type list. It's a bother, but well worth it! and we all go through this in process of putting together a stable of recipes that work for our households. I hope this helps, and have a lovely day!! :-)

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I am a blood type B. I know that most soy products are a "no-no," with the exception of soy flour. What about soy protein isolate? I gave all of my soy products away with the exception of several cans of this powdered soy protein, and I'd like to know if I am harming my body by continuing to use it! I am a big fan of soy, so it has taken me a while to adjust to my new diet. I do not eat any meat except for fish. Is this a concern as long as I stick to the fish that is highly beneficial or neutral? Thank you for your help! Lisa



Greetings, Lisa ~ You'll do fine on that fish, although it would make me happier if you had an occasional serving of rabbit, lamb or goat ~ just now and again? a tiny taste? These are animals raised for food and treated well by conscientious producers ~ no need for hormones, antibiotics, etc. ~ and if your personal convictions will allow you to have just a bit on the odd occasion, it would be a valuable and healthful addition. But again, fish is absolutely sufficient, and you should have no trouble at all on a pescatarian diet! :-)



Protein powder... hmmm.... I was going to say, go ahead and use it up, but... several cans? that gallon-sized tub size they usually come in?? ... Well, I wouldn't buy any more of it, and if you can foist upon your friends all but the open can, say, then I'd use it no more than once per week until it's gone. Instead, use a rice or egg protein powder if desired. Yogurt or one of the mild, soft cheeses works great in smoothies, and you darned Bs really benefit from that stuff!! A GOAT CHEESE AND DATE SMOOTHIE, AyAyAhhAAYYY!! {{sigh} - scuse the wailing ~ O-nonsecretor feeling a bit sorry for herself here, LOL!} Walnut, almond, or pecan butter, and soaked ground flaxseed, are great for making smoothies thick and tasty, and nutritional yeast is the perfect finishing touch.



Lisa, I think you're on the right track altogether and you'll keep seeing new benefits as time goes on. Thanks so much for writing!!

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Hi, I'm type B and have been going to a NP doctor who is treating me for colon, liver and reproductive health. He has also placed on a vegetarian diet (no meats or fish, Chicken is definitely out). After reading E4YT I am now wondering if the herbs & supplements he prescribed can counteract with my blood type (appearantly he does not believe in the E4YT method). The supplements are: don quai, black walnut, zinc, astralagus, paba and bio protect. Would you be able to assist me? Thanks -- Gritell



Welcome, Gritell! Well, you've discovered that not all naturopaths use blood-type diet principles. Sad, but true! Personally, I have a difficult time imagining that a type B with your conditions should be advised not to use fish. You certainly need the good fats in fish, along with the recommended oils, nuts and seeds, and an optimal protein intake would speed your healing -- especially of the liver. I would try to get at least three servings of goat, rabbit, venison, or lamb per week; and several servings of beneficial fish. Also, black currant seed oil, a few capsules per day.



You'll have to decide how to proceed in regard to your doctor, of course, but I do suggest that you try to get hold of the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia and follow the specific protocols and food lists therein. Live Right 4 Your Type might be available where you are before the Encyclopedia is, so look for that one, too. For the moment: I have no listing for paba, and bio protect is a product I'm not familiar with (check the ingredients); but the rest of the supplements are good for you.



Good luck, dear! Please let me know how you're doing!!

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I am an A+ just beginning this diet, and it will be tough since I LOVE meat, cheese and pasta! I don't like seafood except shrimp and scallops, which are avoids, and tofu is the most disgusting food item I can imagine... can you recommend a source for comparison of tofu quality & texture, and one or more good sources for tofu recipes I can try that will make it palatable to me? Secondly, I have run across several contradictions in just the first few days that I wonder if you can explain: 1) Why is mayonnaise an avoid when its primary ingredients of eggs & canola oil are not? 2) Why are yogurt, sour cream and mozzarella cheese allowed but cow's milk is not? How does that possibly make sense? 3) Why is some wheat restricted to "consume rarely" and other wheat to "avoid", but Ezekiel bread is allowed and even considered "highly beneficial" when wheat is the first ingredient listed? Thanks! C.



Hi, C. ~ First thing that struck me was the "consume rarely" rating. We only use Beneficial, Neutral and Avoid. Could you drop a note to tell me where you obtained the food list you're using? It's possible yours was compiled by someone other than Peter, so I can't vouch for it. Do take a look at the TYPEbase 3 food values database and review the ratings for the foods you generally eat. Type A secretors need avoid only bran and germ among the wheat parts, so only whole wheat, wheat bran, wheat germ, and any foods containing one or more of them, should be avoided. All other forms/versions of wheat are fine for you, but the best approach is to mix it up a bit: buckwheat one day, oatmeal the next, rye, etc. ~ for a total of one serving per day of grains, maybe two on a couple of days in the week. Ezekiel 4:9 bread made of 100% sprouted ingredients is beneficial due to the sprouting.



I sympathize with your reaction to the new diet, which for you involves some major eating changes. :-} Might be easier to find beneficial and neutral foods you really like, and add them gradually over a month or two until they push the other items to the side. Do take heart in the fact that most of us came straight from the Wrong 4 Our Type camp! yet found a home here through the health-enhancing effects of the diet and our changing tastes. What is good for you will indeed come to appeal far more strongly than your previous choice of foods. Be gentle with yourself as you make the transition, and let time ease you along into it. I say most sincerely that it is the purely finest place to be!!



Next time you're eating out, ask for grilled salmon, red snapper, trout or perch. They are sweeter and less strong-tasting than many fish varieties, and this may help you find a taste for a couple of them. Arctic char is a marvel of delicacy. And don't forget those snails! :-) Instead of tofu, try tempeh ~ perfect chopped into stir-fries, and great sliced thin and sizzled up as a "sandwich meat."



Mayonnaise made from factory-farmed eggs is pretty rough on the digestion. Some varieties contain vinegar, and some contain corn sweetener ~ one major brand puts dextrose only into the half-gallon size. Odd? :-D You can make your own, or get an organic brand. If all the ingredients are OK, there's no reason why you shouldn't use it occasionally. Soured (cultured) milk products give As far less trouble than whole milk ~ and the process whereby mozzarella is made is also key to its digestibility. The A diet is not based on a single idea; it is the result of many years of research, patient use, testing and re-testing, and a number of factors including lectins, digestive sufficiency, polyamine production, cancer prevention, etc., etc. Let me know how you're doing, once you've settled in a bit! :-)

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Hallo I am from South Africa (type A pos). I've written previously regarding the diet and since then been on it for about 1.5 months AND lost 7 kg since which is all the proof I need that it works. I also feel much better. I have a few questions if you don't mind taking the tinme to answer them. 1. Why is smoked salmon, mackerel, chicken not allowed? In the case of salmon, the smoked kind is more freely available. I do avoid it and buy the only other regularly available kind (tinned in water). 2. I saw on your site that there is a new book out - LR4YBT. I understand that it goes into things like the secretor/non secretor status and that some of the food lists differ. Do I need to buy this book and do I need to find out what my secretor status are??? (Let's hope it is available in SA.) 3. Regarding the main meal of the day - I eat soy mince (the dried plain variety) at least once a week, sometimes twice. Is this food allowed? Otherwise I eat salmon (tinned), mackerel (tinned and fresh), chicken twice a week together with the beneficial and some neutral veggies and salads etc. I also eat beans at least once a week which I make into a curry (curry powder is a neutral according to my book). I loose weight and as you can see do not include tofu in my food because it is not so easy to find. What is your comments on these main meal ingredients? I try my best with what I can find easily in the shops. 4. I eat some fat free yoghurt (200 ml) about twice a week - is this within limits (the book mentions that type A's can tolerate some fermented dairy products. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. This diet is wonderful. It's a pity some of my family members is against the diet although my losing weight without starving myself should have convinced them. Eurika



Greetings, Eurika ~ I am so pleased you're losing weight and feeling better!!



1. Smoked foods are discouraged on this diet due to the carcinogenic properties of the smoking materials & process. Once or twice per month is OK, but try to limit them as much as possible, OK?



2. Keep an eye out for LR4YT, I'm sure it will arrive in SA in the not-too-distant future ~ but it seems you're doing just fine on your plan as it is! so getting your secretor status is not essential right now. Check the foods you eat most frequently against the TYPEbase 3 database, and take a look at the Updates Page for further information.



3. Your diet sounds great to me, you are doing fine!! Tofu is not a necessity, either. If you find tempeh, or soybeans (either fresh or canned), or soy flour bread, just feel free to use them ~ but fish, chicken and vegetables are perfectly good for you!



4. Yes, twice per week is a good frequency for yogurt ~ eggs three times per week, and cheese once or twice. :-)



Don't mind what others do or say ~ you're succeeding, and they will see the results along with you! Take care, dear, and prosper in the New Year!! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I enjoy your column and hope you've got an answer to my questions: I'm AB and should avoid black olives, geen ones are neutral. That rule means coloured olives, doesn't ist? And not the ones which blacken on the trees. Is there any chance to get my secretor status checked in Germany? Thanks for you answer and best regards Uschi



Hallo, Uschi! Yes, that's the rule for olives ~ fresh green ones are fine, but the black canned or fermented variety are avoids. You certainly can get a secretor test there in Germany ~ just go to www.stacktheme.com and choose which area's email request address you'd like to use. They will help in a jiffy! Thank you for writing!! :-D

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I'm AB+ type, just starting on the my blood type diet, have lost about 2 kg - approx 3.5lbs in 3 wks. I have been under medication for high blood pressure for about 15 yrs, since 21 yrs old. Is there specific food types that will help in controlling my blood pressure? Thanks Chong



Dear Chong: First, I hope I chose the correct name among the two as your "first name." :-} If not, please forgive me! There is indeed a food that may help you: OATMEAL. Apparently, it is quite effective in lowering blood pressure. See this column and this one for "Phil's Oatmeal Therapy." It is one serving of oatmeal daily ~ after two weeks, you should see a significant drop in blood pressue. Thank you for your note, and let me know how the oatmeal works for you! Best wishes!!

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Heidi, I am an O positive secretor and am researching alternative treatments for menopause other than the traditional HRT. I have been using an estrogen (estradiol) patch for 10 years and would like to get off of it. I have read that flaxseed and soy are both good phytoestrogens. My question--as an O person, we are limited to 3 servings of soy per week. Would it be best to use the flaxseed primarily? Thanks for your input. Sue



Hey there, Sue! There are numerous recommendations under Female Balancing and Menopausal Support protocols in the Encyclopedia. I would go ahead with the flax, but also investigate the herbal/supp suggestions in the protocols. They are a bit too long to type out here, and I hesitate to do so since I'm not sure what if any symptoms you experience. I can suggest getting a good magnesium supplement; coriander extract tincture (7-10 drops, twice daily) and a cup or two of hibiscus tea each day. Do take a peek at the Encyclopedia, if you find you need more than flax to do the trick for you. Keep me posted! :-)

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So I've been following the O diet for quite some time now and have had GREAT success with it. I've had a history of allergies and it turned out that everything I was allergic to, I was also to avoid on the blood type diet. Coincidience? I think not! I've recently had my allergies eliminated with the NAET procedure (www.naet.com) and my quality of life improved 10 fold. However, I was recently diagnosed with haveing a low pH level (5.0) this actually kinda makes sense due to the fact that I was eating meat well over 7 times a week (whereas the book says O's should eat it only 4-6 times/week for Caucasians). Another issue was my mineral deficiency. Again, heavy workouts without enough mineral intake is probably the problem. It turned out I was even allergic to copper! My allergy specialist performs NAET and so I had my allergy to copper eliminated and I am now taking a mineral enzyme mix. She also did the urine sample that showed my low pH level and she recommended this site (www.alkalizeforhealth.net) which has many good tips on restoring alkaline levels. One thing that shocked me was that they mentioned that soy milk inhibited certain minerals such as calcium and potassium from being properly absorbed. This is freaky because I drink soy milk almost every day in the form of a smoothie. The eat right for your type book on the other hand says soy is a good alternative and can be consumed without problems. SO...there is a conflict of intrest here! Any idea as to which way I should go? Do I stop my soy intake or simply bring it down a notch? Also, as for restoring my alkaline levels, I've decided to drop meat consumption to 4x week and up my greens intake to double what they used to be (which is quite a bit!) Your thoughts would be VERY well appreciated. thanks Fred



Hi, Fred ~ If you're an O secretor, one to three times per week is the total frequency for the bean category -- of which soy is part. If you're a nonsecretor, it's zero to three... and soy is an avoid. For any O, and especially someone who does heavy workouts, I wouldn't drop lower than 6 servings weekly from the meat category (which includes poultry!); but don't forget that those fishies want in, too, to the tune of 3-5 times per week. More fish, two servings of poultry, and six servings of red meat would work beautifully with your resolution to stuff in the greens! :-> Use some rice or almond milk in that smoothie (watch for avoids, natch, or make it at home). I think you're in beautiful shape, dear, so keep that warrior spirit and send a carrier pigeon along with the latest news when you get the chance! ~:-D

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i've been reading the 4 books available on the blood diet from dr. d'adamo and my husband and i began the diet monday.....through our reading and then looking at information on his website it sounds like my type a blood and the recommended diet is resistant to losing weight. this is one of the major reasons i wanted to try the diet. am i missing something? or is this really the way it is for my blood type.....is there anything to do to help increase my weight loss...or am i to just to get used to carrying all my extra pounds.... sincerely, brenda

Hi, Brenda! It is definitely the diet for you, the best one for health and the weight loss that is a beneficial side effect of a diet that works on many levels. Some As do have a longer wait for the fat loss to occur, but that goes for some people of any blood type. You may or may not see weight loss right away, depending on your general health right now, but it WILL HAPPEN, and you will never have to “diet” again. The A plan is health-enhancing in so many ways, weight loss being only one of them. Take a look at Peter's Getting Started page... Remember that yoga is an integral part of re-tuning your metabolism ~ and keep me posted on your progress! Thanks for writing! :-)

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I am a type A, 15 years old and I used struggled with migraines.Although they have cleared up Ihave been getting cramp in my legs,I am losing weight which is great but I have no idea what recipes I can cook!! I HATE tofu and I love quorn(meat substitute),am I allowed to ear Quorn? it is made of mushrooms. I think I have a deficiency in calcium, zinc and vitamin C what supplemments do you suggest? I gave up drinking milk(for the calcium) 5 years ago because my sinuses were always blocked up,I live on soya milk and pineapple juice.I do excercise every day usually belly dancing for one hour followed by one hour fast dancing,what could I do to speed up my weight loss? so far I have lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks. many thanks Hanna

Hanna, five pounds in two weeks is great! HEY! Congratulations!! Just keep at it! And the disappearance of the migraines is wonderful news. I hope that was just a turn of phrase when you said you’re living on two food items… but if that’s really the case, I’m not surprised you have some mineral deficiencies. There are about 200 foods available to you to choose from. Take another look at your food list, especially the greens part of the vegetable category. Almonds are a good calcium source, as is your soy milk -- and why not try tempeh instead of tofu? Simple recipes can be made up from just a few ingredients – for instance, a stir fry with tempeh chunks, onions, garlic, and diced squash. What about fish? Chicken? Turkey? There are lots of foods on the A diet you didn’t mention, and they can make great quick meals. Take a look at the main page here and investigate the RECIbase link. Vitamin C is abundant in fruits and vegetables! Zinc is plentiful in pumpkin seeds! If there is one supplement I’d recommend, it would be the Phytocal-A calcium supp sold here ~~ Two hours of exercise a day may be raising your cortisol levels rather than lowering them – would you consider doing an hour of yoga instead of the fast dancing? Helps with weight loss more than the frenetic activity, for As! :-) About quorn… please see below, and let me know how your progress goes, dear!

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Dear Peter d'Adamo, A friend of mine who's name is Ann H. is an 'applied kinesiologist'. Through your recommendations about a diet adapted to one person's blood-group she already helped a lot of people . Often spectacular results were attained in many cases, for all different kinds of blood-groups and she wants to express her gratitude to you by means of this mail. To clarify some uncertainties she has a number of questions on which you have probably a proper answer: 1) do you mean by 'yellow, red and green peppers' the big variaty (more or less round shaped about 5 to 10cm diameter) which do not taste spicy and are eaten as vegetables? 2) there is also a small variaty, I think you call it 'chilli-peppers' (finger shaped about 1cm diameter), which are added to other food as a spice and which are quite spicy. The question is can these be consumed by a blood-group A, and if not which spicy spices are allowed? 3) for vegetarians there is a certain food called 'quorn' that is supposed to replace meat. It is rather tasteless and has a pale colour. It is derived from a plant which belongs to the species of mushrooms. Is this suitable for the blood-group A? 4) is lime juice suited for the blood-group A diet? We would appreciate if find some time to answer these questions and many thanks for sharing your knowledge by means of your book. Kind regards, Ann H. and Eddy M.

Hi, Eddy ~ All peppers of whatever size, color or spiciness are avoids for type A secretors (with the exception of the elusive “pimiento,”) and neutrals for A nonsecretors. Lime juice? Neutral, like limes! Any other questions about food status can be answered by visiting the TYPEbase 3 database~ any item not found there is unlisted, therefore “neutral” for people in good health. Hottish-tasting spices for As include mustard, cumin, hot paprika, and horseradish of all kinds... including the tear-inducing japanese wasabe. It's a different cuisine without the nightshades, I know ~ but it is a very satisfying one, once the transition is accomplished and new habits formed. :-}

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. :->

Many thanks for your kind commendations, and I’m very happy Peter’s work has benefited Ann’s clients! Happy New Year to you, my friends!!

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Eight years ago I was blood type A then I underwent a bone marrow transplant and now I am blood type O I am a vegetarian and rely on echinacea throughout the winter to combat colds and chest infections that I am prone to. Which diet type should I follow? Many thanks Deb

Greetings, Deb! You should follow the diet for your original blood type -- in this case, type A. The blood type alteration occurring as a result of bone marrow transplant is a "pseudo" change, and does not affect your choice of diet 4 your type. :-) ... and... may I suggest a combination of quercetin, PolyFlora-A and ARA6 to boost your immune system? ProBerry3, in liquid (tasty!) or capsules, is also a potent winter illness buster. :-D

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I have been on the diet 9 months now and am doing really well. I am an A and the diet has cured my digestive and conspitation problems like nothing else ever did in the past. I really love the vegeterian foods. My son is smoking his own salmon using his own wood which is from gum trees. Would this be okay for me to eat as nothing else is added to it. Rosemary



:-D I'm happy you're happy, Rosemary! :-D I usually recommend that As and ABs avoid smoked food, but a once- or twice-a-month serving of home-smoked fish shouldn't do you any harm. Enjoy! and thanks for your report! :-D

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Hello, I have several questions re information in the book Eat Right for Your Blood Type. My husband & I both are type A --we live in France. Is there another name for aduki beans? Cannot find it in the dicitonary nor in the health food stores. Black-eyed beans: is it the same as black-eyed peas? Broad beans appear in both neutral (beans...) and avoid (vegetables...). Please explain. Durum wheat bread appears in both avoid (breads...) and neutral (grains...). Please explain. Gluten-free appears in neutral (breads...) & gluten appears in neutral (grains...) very confusing. Please clarify. Cabbage appears in avoid (vegetables...) & cabbage juice appears in neutral (juices...) Please clarify. Also: Why is coconut in avoid (fruit...)? I've been eating fresh (only) coconut, is this adverse to Type A's in the long run? I'm quite impressed with Dr D'Adamo's research--my husband & I started following this diet 2 days ago. If it works for us, we will complete the form at the end of the book. Thank you very much. Thandiwe & Joël

Hmmm... aduki beans in France. Well, other names are adzuki and azuki, sometimes spelled aduke, adzuke or azuke. Here is a site with descriptions & pictures. They're really little beans, as small as .5 cm across. Eden brand has carried aduki beans, both dry and canned, for years. Can you find that brand in France? Black-eyed peas & black-eyed beans are the same thing. The broad bean problem was resolved in Live Right 4 Your Type -- use TYPEbase3 to check the updated status of individual foods -- and remember to use the "search" button there rather than your keyboard "enter" key. Breads and flours have been much expanded and simplified in the later works, as well. Cabbage juice has rather different properties from the whole vegetable, hence that rating. Coconut is an avoid for As because of its lectin activity -- you'll see that note in TYPEbase3 as well. I hope the diets do all you are seeking, and more! Thanks for writing!! :-D

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I have been following the A diet for about a year with certain definite results such as much less mucus. Two questions: In our family we also a type O. I want to prepare Pinto beans but I am confused because "Cook Right" says Pinto beans highly beneficial for type O (page 82) but "Live Right" says avoid (page 145) I have been eating Cape Whiting fish but got a shock when I found out it is also known as hake (Merluccius Capensis). Can I eat this fish? Oscar

Hi, Oscar! Live Right has the correct rating, and the Updates Page has more information on food status changes. I'm sorry for the eternal fish confusion... While I would wish that we had the resources to specify exact food names for every nationality on earth, it would be an impossible task given the local and regional differences and the changing market names ... particularly among those fishies!!

Now for the good news: your Cape Whiting is what we would call Whiting (a market name, in other words -- one of the local names is "cape hake"). :-) Our "hake" is Urophycis tenuis, a totally different fish. So eat your Cape Whiting in confidence and good health! ~:-D

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