Okay, Heidi. Throw me a lifeline! I'm drowning in a sea of confusion about this issue of water, water everywhere....and what to drink? Here's my thinking: Tap water is a no-no because of chemicals/additives, bad plumbing, etc. Bottled spring water is a good choice for everyday drinking. Mineral water, because of it's high mineral content, is preferred if doing saunas, strenuous physical acitivity, etc. that rapidly depletes minerals from the body. Where do the "purified" waters, ie. home filtration systems and "fill your own gallon jugs at the local grocery store" fit in? If cost is a factor, these are a lot less expensive than bottled spring water for drinking and cooking, but are they the next best thing to spring water or are they closer to distilled water? DO THEY NEED THE ADDITION OF GREY SEA SALT? If so, is 1/2 tsp./gal about right? As always, your input is greatly appreciated. Joyce

Hi, Joyce! Mineral water is a good thing to have, even daily, whether you are engaging in rapid-mineral-depletion activities or not. Both filtered waters and regular spring water (which contains only trace minerals, but is an excellent natural water source if it's certified as uncontaminated) can be helped with a pinch of mineral-rich gray sea salt 1/2 teaspoon per gallon is fine! hope this helps clear it all up, dear!! :-D

Heidi, I'm going to take Dorothy's suggestion and use Floradix to try and raise my very low ferrritin levels, although I've been doing what you suggested with the fish, beans, vitamin C and molasses. Won't be tested again for awhile. Also now I have another problem. Although I eat no eggs, cheese, meat or saturated fats, my HDL is 90 but my LDL is 177. My overall ratio is good, but my total cholesterol is way too high. I've been a semi vegetarian eating fish, fruits, veggies, beans, seeds, nuts, soy, chicken, turkey and hardly any grains. What on earth is left to do? I've read about red rice yeast. Is that a safe supplement to take for lowering the LDL? (type A2+) Any other suggestions? (My doctor just did a genetic test on me to see if my high cholesterol is inherited..but even it if is, I have to lower it) Also, what is wrong with drinking distilled water? We have very imbalanced well water that needs a lot of softening or else it leaves a thick, white hard ring of minerals around the plumbing... We bypassed our drinking water so it's coming straight from the well and not going through the softener, but it's ultra hard in minerals. Is that a good thing? I thought the sea minerals were better and felt it might be healthier to drink distilled water and supplement with minerals like Phytocal. I'm confused. Maddy

Hey there, Maddy ~~ Red yeast rice is superb for lowering cholesterol. Again, I heartily recommend the product available at this site!. Flax oil and/or flax seed is well known for modulating HDL/LDL levels -- are you OK with it, and are you taking it? In addition, if I were you I'd include gingko and hawthorn on a daily basis, as heart protectives while you're bringing your lipid levels to their optimal state. How are the triglycerides, by the way?

About your water, I'd get an assay from your local authority on the mineral content and contaminant levels. This is usually done by some permutation of the county water department -- you'll be able to find the right division by thumbing through the government section of your phone book. Then compare those levels with a high-solids, well-balanced mineral water like Gerolsteiner (you can find that info on www.mineralwaters.org). Who knows, you might have the equivalent of free Gerolsteiner coming out of your tap! Whoo!! ;-)

Heidi, Good Morning from the high desert! This is not a question just a couple of pssible helps. I noticed a comment about 'beans and gas' some time back. You may already be aware of this but thought I would Mention KOMBU a sea veg. from Eden foods when added to beans while cooking them (RAW)can cut down on the gas and the amount of time they take to cook. Also a great way to get extra nutrients.

About the question of distilled water; I ran across a web sight with that topic the other day. It is throgh GOOGLE and the topic DISTILLED WATER. There are several interesting research papers on the health hazards of drinking disitlled water.

One last comment; I too am an O+ and use to "Preach" vegetarianism, infact I thought it was the ONLY way all humans should approach their meals. I read Peter's 1st book and decided it was NOT for me back in 1997. Since then I have made some great changes in my approach to 'diet' and education of the puplic; as I am a Certified Nutrtionist and former health food store owner. I even attened the first conference in Tempe. So to the point a couple of quotes that I found may help in what I say to others about my NEW education level and Lifestyle plan "What I learned after I knew it all~is the most important." and "The beliefs which have lead you to where you are today, are not the same as those which will lead you to where you wish to go." Gee, at one time we thought Earth was flat! Thanks for your time and I appreciate the way you present and communicate to all in your column. Blessings, Beverly

Hello, Beverly ~~ Wish I could see what you see from your window right now! :-) Good reminder on kombu. In my macrobiotic days, I bought it in bulk. A piece went in the bottom of every pan in which beans were to be cooked.

I LOVE YOUR QUOTE!!



That's a gem for all you folks out there who feel frustrated when people who are ill think they MUST already be "eating healthy" because they're doing what the FDA and the magazine "dieticians" have been telling them to do for years. MANY THANKS for your note, Beverly, and warmest congratulations on being someone who's committed to open-hearted learning and providing the absolute best possible care for your clients. Bless you, dear! :-D

hi heidi, re the flouride issue, just a couple of weeks ago, here in oz, one of the big news reports was that kids are getting rotten teeth more frequently and more serverly now, and the reason?...... not more junk food or snacks, oh no, its because they are drinking too much bottled water!!!!! they reckon that the bottled water doesnt contain the necessary fluoride so their teeth are rotting!!!! a bit unbelievable eh? just thought id pass it on!!! ros

!!!!!!! Maddening, aren't they? If the market for fluoride "softens" in one direction (sales of fluoridated toothpaste are down), they just work it harder in another direction ("authoritative reports" (scare jobs)). SIGH!! Thanks, ros!! :-D

Hi Heidi, I'm Type O and I want to know if fish sauce (used in Asian dishes) is ok. I would also like to know, what is the difference between the peppers - chilli pepper, pepper(yellow, green, jalapeno) and pepper(red,cayenne). Thanks for your time. Chantelle

australian

MMMMMmmm, I love fish sauce! "Nuoc mam" is what I think the Vietnamese call it, and the Thai version is "nam pla."

Read the label carefully -- you may need a translator on some of them! ;-) and go on a product-by-product basis. Remember that not everything you find on the market, specifically in tiny mom & pop shops in Asian market areas, will fully disclose or describe all the ingredients. Some cheaper fish sauces contain caramel and water, so if you're a nonsecretor, that's off limits.

Now for the really bad news (for me, anyway): Technically, fish sauce is OK only for A nonsecretors and O secretors.... unfortunately!! That's because it's traditionally (and currently -- ALWAYS, in fact, to my knowledge) made from anchovies. SIGH!!! You see, they pack anchovies (sometimes other fish as well) & salt into big barrels and leave them to ferment for months. They occasionally drain off some of the liquid from a spigot at the bottom, which they add to the top. After about six months, it's "done" and the liquid is collected and bottled -- and you've got nuoc mam!

There are three grades of fish sauce -- the first draining (the "best," very clear -- designated "nhi") the second, and the third. The highest quality is said to be made 100% from anchovies, and is labeled "ca com." Are you now experiencing information overload? :-)

I do hold out some vague and probably slim hope that fermentation of anchovy by this method renders its galectin harmless to me. But I ain't counting on it. :-(

"Chili pepper" refers generally to the chiles (hot peppers), which vary stupendously in size, color, and taste but are generally far smaller than the sweet peppers. They are the very, very hotties.

"Pepper (yellow, green)" and "pepper (red)" refer to bell peppers (or "sweet peppers"). We should also say, "(orange, purple, etc.)," since although the red bell pepper is the ripe version of the green, there have been many hybrids developed which when ripe are yellow or orange or pink or purple or nearly black ... you get the idea. They're all the baseball-to-softball-sized peppers with thick green stems and three to six "sections" which you can see on the outside by the clefts running from the stem-end to the bottom.

Jalapenos are a moderately-to-viciously hot pepper, varying between individual plants and at least two several varieties. The two I've seen are either oval, dark green with thick smooth flesh, between one & three inches long -- or thin-fleshed, pale green, long & tubular with a pointy end and bends, wrinkles & turns, and between two and five inches long.

"Cayenne pepper" refers to the dried, powdered tiny hot pepper of the same name, which preparation we find here in every supermarket spice rack.

For your further reading pleasure, here's a site with good photos of several common varieties. Under "Hot Capsicum," the dark green one cut in half is one of the jalapenos I mentioned. They don't get into much detail on which pic is what, so if you'd like more in-depth info, here's a site for that. Enjoy!!

In the book you write that group O people should take coleus forskohli if they don't eat meat. Please give me some adress where can I buy coleus forskohli> Thank you - ph

Hi there! Doing a search with your favorite web search engine (alltheweb.com, google.com, or another) for "Coleus forskohlii" specifying French sites only should give you several places where you can purchase it. Here is one I found on a quick search: Alban Muller botanicals. If you still have difficulty finding it, let me know and I'll try to help! thanks for writing!! :-D

Hi Again Heidi Thanks for all your time and attention. You must have a huge following! I'm really glad you mentioned Coffee as something that can cause inflammation because although I'd given it up, I still had an occasional cup of decaf. Sometimes one per afternoon. After four days of no coffee, my morning tissue use reduced about 90%! And a week later when I tried a cup, I got all stuffed up that night. Are there any other things I can eliminate that will help reduce my kleenex addiction? I'm an O secretor and am generally about 80% compliant. I don't sweat the small stuff. For example, at home I only use Tamari but if I eat sushi at a restaurant, I don't worry about the Tbsp. or so of soy sauce I consume. That's the only wheat I ever eat. Same for salad dressing. At home I never get any with corn syrup/vinegar/etc, but when I eat out, I enjoy just enough dressing to make the salad edible. I'm already taking the Nettle and Quercetin. I tried the Collinsonia but I seemed to feel worse when I took that. (But might have been fighting that long flu that went around last winter?) Any other tips you might have would be very much appreciated. Diane p.s. the vegetable glycerine seems to really help! My rice and sugar consumption is way down and I haven't had chocolate since Easter! Hooray for "On the Diet" -- Diane

~~:-D Hooray for Diane! ~~:-D

Collinsonia canadensis is good for chronic swelling of sinus tissues, including hemorrhoids, but unless you're having sinus headaches and so forth, it probably won't do much for you.

What I'm curious about is whether there's a food substance that's triggering a little extra immune response (in the form of mucus) or if it may be environmental, or if this is just part of processing the old released toxins through your system. Are you getting solid regular exercise? If not, I'd go in that direction first. It's truly wonderful for working the organs and speeding up toxic release. Otherwise, I'd start taking Deflect at the low dose on the bottle. If neither has any effect on the mucus, please let me know, OK? You're a sweetie, Diane -- hope these tips help! :-)

Hi Heidi, I can't seem to find this answer anywhere. It's a general diet question. I'm an O and am following the program pretty strictly with mostly beneficial foods and a some neutrals. I feel great. There are a couple of foods on the avoid list that I tend to keep in. I stay away from the major no-nos like wheat and dairy. But it's been hard to give up black tea and when dining out I have the occasional baked potato. Am I counteracting the positive by having a few negatives? Thanks Christina

Hey there, Christina. An avoid doesn't cancel out a beneficial. It just does what it does, while the beneficial does what IT does. ;-) They're separate issues for the most part. I think you're doing a marvelous job!! As time goes on, you may find you're happier choosing alternatives to the occasional black tea and potato, but I think it's important to give yourself time and space to decide that on your own. How you feel right now is the single most important proof that you're doing the right things for yourself! Do enjoy it, and just go along in comfort! Thanks for your message!! :-D

Hi Heidi- I'm puzzled by how I feel, and I am hoping you can help me try to figure things out I am a 38 year old O-, (waiting for the results on the secretor test, but I am guessing I am a non-secretor). I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis which I've had since I was 12 or so, but officially diagnosed and treated at age 26 after years of suffering. I take Synthroid 137, (Synthroid was the only option that was presented to me, although I know now that I have other options) and I also fortify myself with supplements: NAP's Pre-Natals & Probiotic, Co-Enzyme B-Complex, Chromium, Wobenzyme & Vitamin C. I exercise everyday, stretching, yoga, treadmill, walking and I am very conscientious about the food I eat since my body seems to be highly sensitive (sensitive to touch, smells, reacts strongly to bad foods, etc).

I make sure I eat HB proteins and foods, eat veggies and stay away from all grains, with brown rice as the only one I can digest and do OK with. I've been on this path for almost four years, getting gradually more stringent with each food reaction. With all that effort I still can't seem to find a healthy balanced feeling. I often have headaches, sometimes escalating into a migraine. I feel achy in my neck, hands, feet, wrists, ankles and in other points throughout my body. I have stuffiness in my head and nose, dry eyes and a general drained feeling. This feeling is most pronounced in the morning, sometimes clearing later in the day and sometimes not. Sometimes it even comes on later in the day. My body seems to gets blocked and it manifest itself with aches and pains finding some relief when I massage my feet, hands, neck and other points, resulting in, oddly enough, air burps and improvement. My temperature in the morning runs from 97.5 to 98.3 and in the evening can drop to 96.7 or so. My husband an AB+ (also a Hashimotos sufferer) and I have been trying to get pregnant without much luck. We did have a pregnancy that ended up not being successful and even though all our tests are fine and the plumbing is working we haven't been able to conceive again. So, I am perplexed. I've recently been to an acupuncturist and had a wonderful relaxed feeling after the first session, but no relief after the second session. I've ordered the NAP deflect thinking that it might assist my body in getting rid of whatever is going on. What else can I do and what could possibly be going on with me? Susan



Hi there, Susan! Has your doctor done a recent full thyroid profile on you? I'm thinking that either you're experiencing side-effects from this drug, you need the dosage adjusted, or it was the wrong drug for you to begin with. I've been told that once on Synthroid, going to a natural glandular "isn't possible," but I think this is anecdotal, and finding a replacement that works is certainly worthy of investigation on your part. You shouldn't be having these problems.

The second thing that concerns me is that your doctor has not already offered you some other product instead of Synthroid, which has had so many complaints that the FDA was to withdraw its approval unless the makers made changes to the drug and made a new request for approval. They didn't even bother to do so! If I were you, I would make the health of you and your husband the priority, and wait on starting a family until you have accomplished those goals. Pregnancy and baby-rearing are incredibly intense demands to place upon a mom who isn't well.

Bear in mind that as an O-, you can make antibodies to your husband's A, B and Rh Positive genetic material. In addition, if it turns out you're a secretor, your reproductive tract is lined with O antigens which may not feel awfully happy about those "alien invaders." ;-) This is NOT to say you can't have children together!! :-) It's just that you may have a more difficult time conceiving, and if you do become pregnant, you should definitely have the rhesus immunoglobulin shot at 26 weeks at the latest, to prevent formation of anti-RH+ antibodies which could harm the babe. Do discuss that with your doctor and make sure they follow up at the appropriate time.

Susan, please let me know what your doc says about Synthroid, and if he gives you a FULL thyroid panel, what the levels and lab reference ranges are. I wouldn't suggest you change your diet at all, nor do I think taking more supps will help. Please do keep me posted, OK? Very best to you and your husband, dear!! :-D

Hi Heidi, I apologize for the rather rude sounding calcium email. Yes I have been giving my blood type. I'll give it again though. It's A+ Secretor. Thank you Nina for the input. I haven't been eating any nightshade vegetables and it hasn't made any difference in my pain. My arthritis is brought on by a congenital hip displacement deformity. I probably always was lacking the cartiladge...

In case you're wondering, Heidi, where it says about calcium for arthritis, you neglected to check the "Blood Type A Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists" Page 66. I knew I had read it and I went home to look it up and I was racking my brains trying to remember which book it's in. I have all of them. I finally as my last resort, checked the small booklet and it was in there.

I mentioned that it doesn't matter what kind of calcium supplement I take. I've tried them all. Phosphate isn't too bad though.It's in Ovaltine and I drink some of that every day and I get no headache.

I have not tried Dr. D'Adamo's calcium yet. I'm leery. Usually, carbonate is the worst like he mentions in his book. I took Lactate in pill form and it lasted the longest before it triggered the headache. My question is: He mentions that A blood type's best absorbed calcium is "Lactate". He offers the kelp-calcium formulation in the A store though. Does he recommend that for A blood types as well? Do you ever actually ask him the answer if a question "stumps" you? Not trying to be rude again, I was just wondering. I'm not disappointed in his approach to health as a whole. I think you misunderstood. I found no other health professional explained my intolerances and tolerances and even my emotional state and ability to take on projects, stress levels, etc. so incredibly accurate! I have been trying to adhere to the A blood type diet plan. I was only disappointed in his prescribing calcium for arthritis. Have a Great Day, Diana

Hello, Diana! Oh, I didn't think you were rude. It did sound as if you were rather angry and quite unhappy, though. Yes, I have your blood type in mind -- I didn't think I asked for it again, but thank you kindly just the same!

Yes, I checked the four major books and the website, but not the Type A "little book." Thank you for the note -- I see it on page 66. While there are degenerative processes involved in some cases of arthritis which do involve the bone and will benefit from calcium supplementation -- as I mentioned in my previous answer -- I'll still pass this note on to Peter for his review.

I'm glad to hear it was not Phytocal-A that you had a reaction to -- I think this is the "kelp-calcium formulation" you are asking about? Calcium lactate is suggested to As as the most assimilable of the forms one can usually find in one's regular old neighborhood supp shop. Phytocal is a specialty product (which we didn't have when Eat Right was published) and far superior in that respect. There are four versions of Phytocal, one for each ABO type, so yes -- Phytocal-A would be the one he'd suggest if you wish to take a calcium supplement.

Forgive me if this is more information than you requested, but I noticed you're having Ovaltine every day? Just for your reference, all the sales sites I found had the following ingredients listed: Barley Malt Extract, Skim Milk, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Whey, Glucose Syrup, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Eggs, Salt, Vanillin, Vitamins and Minerals. The milk, whey, sugars, hydrogenated oils, commercial eggs, artificial flavors & vitamins & minerals may not be doing you good service in your quest for better health.

I also noticed on the Pure Food.Org newsletter that Ovaltine was DNA tested and found to contain genetically-modified ingredients, even though the manufacturer doesn't list that fact on their label.

So I hope this is helpful, dear -- take good care of YOU! :-)

Hi, Heide!!! It,s me Bcha (Brazilian O+).You are probably tired of hearing how wonderful you are!! Well, I'm sorry but I must say: YOU ARE THE BEST!! You make people feel secure and keep going on their target!! Thank you VERY MUCH! I bought the Veg Gly but there is no sign about how much calories per tsp. I am over my weight and I need to go back and run as I used to. However I love eat...Oh! God...hehehehe!! I used to loose weight very fast but it's kind of hard now... I saw a fat diet pills on a health Store and I wonder if I could use a supplement with the ingredients: Garcinia Fruit(cambogia), Green Tea leaf, Coleus Root, Tumeric rhizome, Elder berry, Yohimbe bark,Bitter orange peel, Gymnema leaf, Bladderwarck fronds, Ginger rhizome Supercritical CO2 Extr.(zingiber off). Thanks for your attention! Bcha.

hey there, Bcha! you are very, very kind! ;-}

You know what I'm going to say though... Rather than spend money on weight-loss supplements (which usually do little or nothing except raise your blood pressure & resting heart rate), first please just start out with a little exercise every day and work gradually to increase it. If you do this for a month and still the fat isn't budging, write again and I'll suggest other things to do, OK? ;-)

For everything I know about vegetable glycerine, just go to the bottom of this page and type in "glycerine" and hit the search button. The "All about veg gly" column is a good place to start in that list. I don't think much of calorie-counting -- it's a reductionist thing that says a calorie from one kind of food is equivalent to a calorie from any other kind of food -- and we know that's way off the mark when looking at weight loss strategies for different blood groups. How does a steak of 800 calories help me lose weight, but the equivalent number from wheat would do the opposite? SO, my best advice is to not count on calorie-counting. ;-) Write again, dear, and thanks again for your friendly encouragement! :-D

Hi Heidi! It's your "seedy" B again, this time with a question about food intolerances and the definition of a "varied diet." One source suggested that no food should be eaten two days in a row. My question is what your view is -- i am trying to get that kind of variation, but, for many foods, the best i can strive for is a weekly alternation (of eliminations or additions). I understand the premise of the claim (though am not totally convinced). If you know of any resources about [this kind of food] intolerance/sensitivity, those would also be greatly appreciated, as most sources i have found concentrate on allergies and the specific lactose/gluten/etc. intolerances. Thank you so much for your feedback! matt, seed boy.

greetings, seed boy ~~ ;-D

A varied diet is great. Bs have a fabulous variety in foods, and I encourage you to explore them all in a creative and enjoyable way.

We've found that just being "pretty much" on the BTD has worked marvels for people who had tried everything else without success. That's one of the beautiful things about this plan: it's powerful while it's flexible while it's simple -- we're not weighed down with calorie counting or old-style food rotation or other restrictions that other plans use on everyone.

Like you, I'm not convinced that micromanaging one's food item frequency is the way to go, and I totally agree that the resources you'll find are very restrictive therapeutic protocols designed "one size fits all" to handle stubborn illnesses. I don't have a definition of a varied diet, per se ~~ but if you stick to your beneficials & neutrals and keep the portion/frequency tables as rough guidelines in the back of your mind, and just have fun with trying new foods now and again, I think you'll find EVERYTHING will fall into place for you.

You seem like a funny, intelligent person with a lot on the ball, who's trying to do the absolute best for himself. I applaud ALL that!! If I were you (yeah, I know, I'm not -- I can't even have strawberries, for Heaven's sake! LOL!) I would turn my energies to adapting exotic recipes for my use, and visiting some ethnic market every week with my new recipes in hand, finding cool ingredients to use in them. That's my gut feeling here: out with the alt-elimination-diet sites and in with the COOKBOOKS! cookbooks are fun. When someone's as well-grounded in the BTD as you are, having fun is what it's all about. A mind having fun is sending happy messages to all the body's 72 trillion cells, who respond back with their own tiny, joyous grins. Hoo-Rah!! :-D

And if this was all totally opaque and useless to your purposes, write again and I'll straighten up! :-D

Dear Heidi, I have a question about my boyfriend, David, a type o+ (not sure about secretor). Well, he is always complaining about his weight and how tired he is...he is kind of heavy around the middle, and feels better when he exercises, but doesn't always have the energy to do so. He is very interested in following the diet but if someone puts food in front of him, even if it is bad for type o, he will eat it, because he just loves to eat.

So I try to keep good things in the house for him...at home his diet mainly consists of:soy milk, he has rye crackers(no wheat), ezekeil bread, makes lots of rice/rice pasta, tons of sardines, salmon, apples, romaine lettuce and spinach, lots of tomatoes, onions, garlic, broccoli and olive oil. He really loves all these foods, especially fish. I can no longer buy cheese or milk without hiding it because he will consume all of it before I can even taste any.

Today we ate at an Indian restaurant (I'm type B so it's better for me I guess). As soon as we got home he said he felt like he was drugged and had to sleep for about 3 hours. I was fine. He believes salt was the culprit, but I think wheat, dairy, and lentils. These energy slumps happen to him all the time--except when he really sticks to the diet.

It is amazing to see how terrible his mood can be when he strays from the diet! He does not pay attention enough to notice the difference but I do. When he is on track, there are bad days, but he is usually more happy optimistic, and AWAKE! Do you have any suggestions for something he could be eating or taking every day (despite occasional cheating when he eats out) that will help his weight and energy level to even out? Or is it really just a matter of being 100% compliant? We are trying to eat at home more to avoid temptations. Is what he is eating at home a good diet or should he add more variety? (he stays away from red meat, but perhaps he should have it) Also, are type o's particularly salt-sensitive? One more thing, would rice milk be better than soy milk for him? (incase he's a non-sec) Thank you so much for your time! Jennie and David

Aw loosen up, Jennie -- Maybe it *was* just the salt! LOL!!

*sigh.* He sounds like me! If I still went to Indian restaurants, I'd probably be eating all my favorites and making lame excuses like that too, upon falling asleep an hour later. ;-D And cheese is a MIGHTY temptation! I could just sit and eat a pound of it, with a spoon. :-} To answer your question -- Heck no, we're the least salt-sensitive of all the types! :-D

The good news is the bad news... or at least that's how I expect he'll see it ... and here's what I mean. He responds beautifully to the diet, which means that's all he needs to do in terms of food. Fish is great, yes, but it's time to tippy-toe into that red meat jungle as well. Make him a little meat loaf with shredded vegetables as filler, and a little tomato sauce over it -- or a stir-fry with broccoli, onions, garlic & beef. Nice way to start. And if he forces himself to go out and exercise a couple of times per week, just "at his level," nothing over the top, his energy will soar and he will definitely start becoming aware of the difference.

The only supp I'd suggest is Deflect-O (in the Store here). It will help loads with those little slips like garlic nan, chapatis, aloo paratha, poori, daal, lassi, papadam, samosa, pakora.... need I go on? :-D Thanks so much for stopping in here, Jennie! I wish you two all the best ~~ I think he's very fortunate that you love him!! :-D