Dear Heidi, Thank you for your response, I greatly appreciate it! I will follow your suggestions and let you know how I do within the next couple of weeks. You suggested Vitamin A (10,000 units) ER4RT lists Vitamin A as an avoid, do I still take it? you also suggested Vitamin C from acerola cherry or rose hips (250 mg twice daily) I cannot seem to find a Vitamin C from acerola cherry or rose hips, I was only able to find it with acerola cherry or rose hips, is that ok to take, or is it ok to take Calcium ascorbate? Would it be wise for me to do the liver cleanse from Julia Chang? Please advise. Once again, thank you for your time and help! Rose

Hi, Rose ~~ The Encyclopedia's advice on supplementation may at first glance appear to conflict with some of BTD's ABO-avoids. That is because a short-term therapy for a specific condition is a different thing from general advice for an entire ABO group. You'll see (even in ER4YT) that certain herbs, supps, vitamins, and foods are useful in the case of illness, whereas they are avoids outside of those specified situations. Lima beans for As with cancer, for example. Or regular vitamin A supplementation for elderly As.

About the vitamin C, a food-based supplement is best -- By doing a simple search on www.alltheweb.com for "acerola cherry powder," I found several brands of that product. Do that search and see if your HFS carries or will order any of those brands. Or, you can order it online.

As to the liver cleanse -- just read Julia Chang's site thoroughly. Other than what I've posted about my and others' experiences with her suggestions, all the information on the various cleanse protocols is there on her site, and I'm sure after "digesting" it all, you'll be able to make a wise decision!

Best to you, Rose ~~ keep me updated on your progress! :-D

Heidi ~ I really appreciate all the time and energy you put into this column! I've learned so much from reading your work. I've got a few questions that I can't seem to find in the archives. As a bit of background: I'm fairly new to the diet, about a month, I am blood type O -- not sure of my secretor status yet, and am gradually becoming more compliant (my frugal upbringing does not allow me to do a clean sweep of the pantry and refrigertor - so I am using up "avoids" and replacing with beneficials). I do exercise regularly at a gym, lifting weights and doing various kinds of cardio. Now, for the questions: 1) Which fish are cold-water, richly-oiled fish? I found this type to be a recommendation, but I'm not certain exactly which ones that description would refer to. 2) Is there a "best" brand of green tea, both beneficially and also taste-wise? At my HFS, I find quite a number of options, and don't know which to choose, so I just picked one, but I don't love it yet. As a former coffee drinker, I switching to green tea -- is it okey to put a little honey and a bit of milk in the tea to make it more palatable? I LOVED my coffee! 3) In your alternative ranch dressing a few days ago, you recommended a mayonnaise made with raw eggs. Is it okey to eat raw eggs now, as I remember it used to be a health concern? 4) Besides the ranch dressing recipe, do you have any other ideas for alternatives for vegetable dips? I love crudite, but I think mostly because of the dips! I'm looking for other things to dip my raw veggies into, as the dips I've found all start with sour cream. 5) Red wine is a neutral or beneficial, white wine is an avoid for me -- what about rose wine? I can't find anything about it on the previous topics under your column or the good doctors' columns,and rose is my wine of choice. I think that's enough questions for now! Thank you very much for your time! You are a God-send! Fondly, ~Ruth

Hi, Ruth! Glad you stopped by ~~ welcome to our healthy little corner of the Netiverse!

Many of the fish referred to are listed as Beneficial in the fish section of the food lists. Mackerel, monkfish, salmon, sardines ~ rather than the delicate ones such as sole, trout, or snapper for instance, which require more moisture in the cooking process.

My vote for the best brand of green tea is Mr. Itaru's, sold in the Store on this site. It's a blend of green tea and toasted brown rice, and it's magnificent -- like night & day compared to the kind that comes in teabags and has a bit of a brownish color. I've never put anything else in it at all, I wouldn't dream of obscuring the flavor in any way. ;-)

For dips? I just hunt up a regular recipe on the Net or cookbook, then create my own and taste-test it 'till it's what I want it to be. You can do this with hummus, for example -- with black beans instead of chickpeas, then I add the lemon juice, olive oil, tahini and fresh garlic, and adjust the olive oil (and/or add some water) until I have the desired consistency ~~ a thick spread, or a thin dip. In fact, there is a recipe in RECIbase® (also linked in the middle of the home page) for hummus, which you can adapt with any bean you like. :-)

Opinions abound on whether we should ever eat raw eggs. I've been making homemade mayonnaise with raw eggs from clean, free-ranged, organically-fed chickens for a long time, and have never encountered a problem. Check the eggs thoroughly for any crack or disfiguration, and wash them with an antibacterial soap, rinse & dry thoroughly before proceeding. That's icing on the cake, really, if the source of the eggs is high-quality, but it's worth mentioning as a precaution. And remember that for a very long time, and every day! chefs the world over have been making make mayonnaise, classic Caesar salad, and a variety of other foods, using raw eggs (and rarely of the quality that I use). So! I think the risk is minimal, but of course, feel free to decide based on what makes most sense to you.

Rosé wine is most likely a low-grade avoid, depending on the quality of the individual product. Some tend to be quite sweet, and share with white wine an overabundance of added sulfites to produce that sweetness. If you don't mind a suggestion, you might try to move your tastes toward red wine by starting with a light, fruity one. Ask your wine merchant to direct you to some varietals of that kind ~~ tell him we sent you there for your health! ;-D

Once again, glad to see you, Ruth ~~ let me know if any more questions crop up! :-D

Hi! I have recently made incrimental changes to my diet after reading "Live Right for Your Type". I am a healthy type A 30 year old active female. I do not yet know my secretor status. I have 2 questions: The lists in the mentioned book say to avoid Garbanzo beans. But I am addicted to hummus, a middle eastern/mediterranean dip made with garbanzo beans. I also drink chai (black spicy tea), which I know is an avoid for 1 of the secretor status's. Am I doing damage to my health by eating these, say...5-7 times per week? Also, I am taking the supplement chromium picolinate daily after meals. Is there any known harm in this for type A's? Any insight you could offer would be beneficial. Vesteen

Hello, Vesteen! Conveniently, Ruth & I (just above) were discussing dips, and I offered my my alternative hummus approach there. See what you think! It takes about 15 minutes to make if you use canned beans, like Eden or Westbrae organics. My "recipe" is the basic one, and if, like I used to be, you're a fan of some particular variety of that Old Avoid Hummus (for me it was roasted red pepper & garlic), just add that ingredient yourself if it's on your list... or substitute another similar item. Believe me, if you eat hummus daily, it is WELL worth your while to make it fresh at home once or twice per week. Dosing yourself with chickpeas most days of the week will significantly slow your progress -- and may be stimulating the cravings you're trying to control with the chromium. Another excellent reason to make your own is: it tastes better! Very fresh, and the flavors just leap out at ya! ;-) so, read the ingredients on your favorite hummus, pick up what you need at the organic grocer, and get cooking!

The stimulating and stomach-irritating effects of the black tea will play havoc with you if you're a secretor. Like the chickpeas, they're not what you need if you're trying to lose weight. But I'll cut a deal with you: ;-) if you promise to avoid the chickpeas absolutely, AND if you're going to get your secretor status without delay, then one Chai per day (soy milk, no dairy) is OK for now. If you discover you're a secretor, that will be the time to wean off it -- and if you're a nonsecretor, then the black tea is neutral. Thanks for writing, and do keep in touch! :-D

Hi Heidi, Well this question is not about me this time. But thanks for your tips for me (tired A2 neg non-secretor MN), which I am following and will relay more details later. This one is about my sister Brooke who does not have a computer. She is 28 and an O+ non-secretor NN. She has had recurring UTIs and cannot completely empty her bladder any longer. She also has a salivary cyst that has grown but seems to shrink when she stays on the diet. The doctor wants to surgically remove. She reacts strongly when she goes off the blood type diet, which she tends to do socially. She also thinks she has celiacs disease but I think it is related to her non-secretor status. This is my question. She just learned about the non-secretor status and NN subgroup. How does a Blood Type O non-secretor reduce fat and cholesterol containing foods due to NN subgroup? How should she best proceed? Also she is trying to get pregnant and does not want to take any supplements that may affect that. Thank you for all of your support and guidance. It is much appreciated. Nina

Hey there, Nina ~~

I'll be happy to answer your questions... I have some observations, as well, which of course you're free to ignore if I've poked my neb in too far! ;-) Your sister seems to have found out that being on the diet (1) shrinks her cyst, and could save her from surgery; and (2) alleviates celiac-like symptoms. With her health history and nonsecretor status, the best way to proceed is to eliminate all gluten grains from her diet and follow her food list very strictly. Once a couple of weeks goes by, this will become far easier and soon will be automatic for her. It's just the starting-in that's difficult ~ but we only have to do that once! :-)

Regarding her NN status: the nonsecretor diet is designed to encompass that concern, including the lower frequency recommended for fats & oils. First, she should have her fasting cholesterol levels tested, then get the non-fasting levels after a normal meal including red meat, vegetables and some olive or coconut oil. That result will tell her if she needs to reduce fat and/or cholesterol from the quantities she customarily consumes.

The new Eat Right 4 Your Baby book just out has advice on foods & supps to avoid during various stages of pregnancy. But I want to counsel her that every wise person I know or have read would say, "Be in optimal health before attempting to conceive, not only for the baby but for yourself." Pregnancy is a major event in the body and the mind, and places enormous demands upon the every physical system and emotional resource. In reading your post, I was imagining how her bladder condition alone would worsen with the added pressure of pregnancy ... and what her bowel problems would be like, once the hormonal changes began to challenge her digestive system.

So, just as a footnote: she's a *young* woman with some fairly serious conditions right now. Isn't it worth a strong, happy pregnancy and a healthy baby, to spend the time to resolve those problems before getting pregnant? That's me poking my neb in. I'd feel irresponsible if I didn't, so I hope you don't mind. :-}

A note just for you, Nina ~~ I'm sure you love your sister, and want to give her all the best things in life. Ultimately, the choices are hers, of course. I do hope all goes well with her ~~ and with you! thanks for writing, dear!

:->

My daughter is 14 months old and is currently being diagnosed as having psoriasis. Her blood type is O and I would like to start her on the Type O diet (although almost all doctors say the disease is nothing to do with diet). Anyway, being a Type O person, one should first avoid both dairy products and grains. However as a baby, her major diet is millk formula, rice and noodles, what should I do then? Of course, she does eat a lot of vegetables, fruits and meat (chicken and fish only). Yet, if I were to avoid all food in the "avoid" lists, will that deprive her from getting the necessary nutrients? Is the diet that you recommend suitable for babies? I am actually planning to change her milk-based formula to soy-based one, will that help? Please advise. Diana

Hi, Diana! Yes, she should have no avoids at all. VERY important in the first months of life! As you can see, psoriasis has developed due to the wheat and dairy she has been eating -- these are major causes for skin and digestive problems in type O. There is not a single element in any grain that is necessary for her. She belongs to the long line of hunter-gatherer physiologies, among whom grain was almost never eaten at all, and for whom our modern diseases like psoriasis were entirely unknown. Trust it!

Since she eats so well, and since commercial (as distinct from homemade) formulas contain so much junk in the way of synthetic vitamins and sweeteners, you could save money now and through her life (not only on formula, but on medical bills, too!) by

(1) purchasing a juicer and giving her some carrot/celery juice instead of the formula. You can add a teaspoon of olive or flax oil to each bottle, and shake it well. She must have those oils for her skin's healing.

(2) letting her have some blended blueberry/cherry (any beneficial fruit) with a teaspoonful of good nutritional yeast, such as "KAL" brand (no dairy, etc.). Daily. Just thin the blended mixture with water, at least 1/2 and 1/2.

(3) eliminating milk and wheat (and corn, including corn starch, corn syrup, dextrose, any sweetener or thickener made from corn) and sugar from her diet entirely.

(3) adding a little red meat, like beef or lamb, once per day.

And keep up with the fish (especially oily fish), since it provides such great protein AND beneficial oils for her healing and continued mental & physical development!! as well as the vegetables, of course -- and some well-cooked beneficial Swiss chard or other dark leafy veg is definitely recommended, as she needs her folic acid!

Diana, please be reassured that the formulas, the dairy, the wheat, corn and sugar give her nothing that she will ever need or miss for a healthy life. I know parents who have started their babies' diets from day one on breastfeeding and then the blood type diet, and they've been amazed how all the expected childhood health difficulties just didn't happen. ;-) So, do get started right away, and I would be so pleased if you'd let me know how she (and YOU!) are doing, dear! Drop me a note when you can, OK? :-D

Heidi, First thanks for all the detailed responses you've provided on this site! I've spent the past couple of weeks reading everyone of the questions and your answers. Have also read BTD and Live R4YT. My two daughters (ages 7 and 12 years old) are Os, as are my husband and myself, but secretor status is unknown. Each year, from about November to March, my children are ill with one thing after another, mostly respiratory. This year they also had strep 3 times. My oldest daughter was tested for food allergies several years ago, and interestingly, she tested positive for allergies to all the things Dr. D'Adamo says are bad for Os. The problem is, I can't get her or my husband to follow the diet, and my youngest wants to eat what they're having. It's frustrating as the mom to have to see my children getting sick so often (and having to care for sick children!) and to feel so powerless to change things. Any suggestions? Dairy isn't a problem because their allergies are so strong, but wheat & corn (which are in everything in one form or another), potatoes and bacon are all very hard to keep them away from (kids all seem to eat sandwiches, toast, chips, sodas). I've tried alternative brown rice pasta which works great, but the alternative flour breads don't appeal. Also, do you think that they're getting sick so much because of their diets? I've wracked my brain trying to figure out how to improve their resistance! Again, thanks for your help. I understand that you can't answer every question. --- Kay

Hi there, Kay ~~ Well, I sure do think they're getting sick on a regular basis because of their diets. Mind you, I was a healthy kid, but even as an adult *I* got sick on an "organic, whole-grain" version of the diet they're eating!

I'm smiling because it sounds like you have a feisty type O family on your hands. Dad poo-poohs the diet, your daughter follows suit because she perceives Dad will support her, and the youngest grabs their coattails & rides along, and no one but you has the wisdom to see that it's causing all the illnesses. Kay, you're not powerless -- you're the smart one! You're just out there on the front lines every day, with no support at all in the house for what you're trying to do. In this, you are NOT alone, believe me! It's a common situation among people who want to change their family's diets. Resistance is reported far more frequently than compliance, especially among husbands & 12-year olds. ;-D

OK. There are ways to do this, so I'll suggest a few, and perhaps one of them will fit your bill.

I'd start with your husband.

The success of this plan depends on creating an approach suitable for the personalities in your family. For instance: if your husband isn't particularly impressed with the medical profession (as it seems, since the allergy tests didn't convince him his daughter should modify her diet), then he might respond to facts about money.

Put together a summary of how much was spent on antibiotics, shots, doctor's visits, lab reports, medication, noting lost school time, lost work time perhaps, etc. etc. in the past twelve months. Add in the amounts the kids spend on junk food -- or what it costs to keep it in the house.

Then put together a summary of costs over same period of time if you eliminated the junk (including potatoes, bacon, dairy and wheat) and fed them according to their proper diet. The key here is to note that you might have a cold or flu here & there in the first few months (which you can treat with fluids, vitamin C and quercetin -- NO antibiotics ever, please! ;-)), but after that, the kids' immune systems will be MUCH stronger, and the illnesses will become a thing of the past.

I'd sit your husband down privately, show him the summaries, and very quietly explain that the illnesses are costly, and a shame, and you would like his support JUST for a month in giving the kids their correct foods in order to decide once & for all if it means the family won't have to suffer through the sicknesses. To help you, he can either forego his usual taters & bacon, or he can at least promise to support you and not fall in with the kids if they beg for the poisons.

If he refuses, then it's time to have a chat with your daughters without Dad present. Did either of the girls have some event that they really wanted to attend, but missed it because they were sick? Did they have to attend school later or go to extra classes -- were they inconvenienced by being ill? Did they miss a grade or get a failing mark because of the time spent home? Point these things out, and tell them that while Dad is an adult and has the right to eat however he chooses, you're responsible for them, their health and making their lives as happy as you can make them, but you need their help. Ask them if they will follow the diet for a week, on a promise. See if you can get their willing cooperation, just for that time. If you can -- great! Talk to them at the end of the week and see how they feel about continuing.

Maybe they'd respond to a more creative approach? like reading them the story of their blood type, and how they're so much like whatever female heroine (of your choice) who they like? and what they have to do to stay strong? Plenty of models and actors follow this plan, and that may give you some leverage.

If all of this fails, it's time to let them go their own way. Never mention the blood type diet again, and avoid the subject altogether. Just follow it as best you can, and smile at questions or comments. I would, however, mention to the kid who next gets sick that this could have been avoided -- then smile, and say no more. You deserve some peace in your own house. ;-)

I do have a tiny panacea for you, in regard to the illnesses -- but only if they're willing to take it. In the Store here is a product called ProBerry 3 syrup, which is a really tasty fruit concentrate. Two teaspoonsful daily will do amazing things for their resistance. It's an antiviral compound, believe it or not, all made of fruit.

Right now, go straight to www.heallix.com and order a bottle of Heallix. A capful in a glass of distilled water, given once or twice at the first sign of illness, can easily ward it off. This is an antimicrobial, to be used on an as-needed basis, and it is absolutely safe for children.

OK! My dear, I wish you the best of luck!! And please know we're all thinking of you ~~ and I do hope you'll write back and let me know what's happening with you & your family! :-D