I'd like to offer Nina W. help since I'm also a A+ Secretor. I found that since I'm older (47) I seem to be waking up more but I haven't been exercising as I should with my arthritis flaring up.

I found that if I did aerobics (light, like Walk Away the Pounds)even tae boe beginner which isn't very strenuous.. 3 or 4 times a week, I slept better and deeper. Maybe Nina isn't doing enough to make her body tired but she's mentally tired from stress. I don't understand one part in her post. It seems like she gave up the probiotic. I was wondering if she was still taking it? Yes, we A's are chemical sensitive, can be annoying, really. At least she can give up dairy. I haven't found a good substitute for the calcium. I can't take supplements because they trigger a migraine for some reason. I haven't tried the NAP brand yet. I'm thinking about it. Well good luck Nina I hear ya!

-- Diana

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Hello Heidi, This is in response to the 6/15 post from Nina W. who has trouble sleeping and has been taking Cortigard. I am an A nonnie, age 65, and have tried to take Cortigard, but I find it affects me in the same way--light-headedness, nearly to the point of passing out, weak knees, and cognitive disfunction.

As for sleep problems, I refer back to the mention of a book that I read about circadian rhythms (based on research to help people with jet lag and other body/time adjustments) which states that the optimum time for the body to have coffee is between 4 and 6 p.m. It seems that it is less likely to keep you awake if you drink it then than if you drink it in the morning. (Oh, the wisdom of our bodies!) I switched my one-cup-a-day to late afternoon and it helped my sleeping tremendously. Also, that cup is a treat that I look forward to every day.

Being a morning person, I find my energy flagging a bit in the late afternoon, and it perks me up without disturbing my sleep at all. Friends of mine have had the same experience. When I am particularly stressed and start the monkeymind wakefulness in the middle of the night (a pretty rare occasion for me), I take a capsule of Kava Kava. I consider it neutral, since I haven't seen that it's been tested, and it calms my mind enough to sleep peacefully with no side effects. I know it's gotten some bad press lately in Europe, but more and more research is being done on its only problem (large, continuous doses of Kava are hard on the liver) and more and more doctors are supporting it for occasional or short term use (several times a day for no more than 2 months).

I also endorse chamomile tea; it is calming and promotes easy rest. You're doing such a great job! Thank you for your efforts on behalf of us all! Sarah C.

Many thanks for sharing your experiences here, ladies! Most appreciated, and I hope Nina W. finds an effective strategy betwixt & between them! :-D

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In the "O" diet, it states that you should avoid wheat in the diet. However, in the pasta section it says that you should avoid the semolina pasta and that pastas made from buckwheat, rice and Jerusalem artichoke are better tolerated. Every store that carries the Jerusalem artichoke pasta has semolina listed as its first ingredient, with Jerusalem artichoke powder farther down the ingredient list. Is that standard, or have I just not found the right place to purchase it? I have found spelt flour pasta, which I enjoy. I would like to try the artichoke pasta, but I have been reluctant to buy the ones I have found, due to the semolina flour content. Advise???? Thanks, TMLF

Hello, Terry ~~ Your answer is here! ;-) Just scroll down to the artichoke pasta question. Rice or wild rice pastas fill the bill admirably ~~ enjoy, dear! :-D

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Heidi, Your comments about gallbladder flush were timely for me. I have been taking Chinese Bitters for about 10 days now as part of the preparation for the liver and gallbladder flush. I was beginning to have doubts about doing it. I wasn’t sure if it was worth doing as a type O. It was good to see your words of encouragement knowing you, a type O, have done it several times. I am curious about what to expect from the process and what results I might see. How will I know it was successful, useful, and needs to be repeated in the future? One more issue I have wondered about for a while. I am confused about yucca. Yucca as a vegetable is an avoid for Os, but in the supplement section of the Blood Type Encyclopedia yucca is shown to be used in the anti-inflammation protocol, where yucca apparently comes from Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) concentrated yucca saponins. I can find a variety of different yuccas available from different herb websites, Yucca schidigera, Yucca glauca, Yucca filimentosa, etc. Are these different things? Do you know which yucca is OK to use? Thanks, Don

Hey there, Don! Good to see you're prepping for the gallbladder flush. I believe it's worth it for (1) anyone with difficulty digesting the GOOD fats in the diets, including those with diagnosed gallstones who are facing surgery (2) most nonsecretors now & again, due to our comparatively lower efficiency with fats, and (3) as a once- or twice-yearly clean-out for anyone who'd like to do it. I suggest that folks doing it for the first time should complete three or four of them over the course of a month or two, just to do a thorough job. It's difficult to say what to expect in terms of the experience, but the usual benefits are better digestion, clearer skin, and more energy.

On the yucca question: the concentrated saponins are apparently fine, whereas the whole plant is not, so I couldn't recommend one cultivar or another as being OK for Os.

Please keep me posted on how the flush goes for you, OK? I'm looking forward to your report.... best wishes!! :-D

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Just a quick note about the international editions of Eat right for your type as Dr. D'adamo had a link to this page today. It says that the rights for the swedish edition was sold on the Frankfurt book exhibition. Actually the book is printed and available in the stores now (since a while). It is called "At ratt for din blodgrupp" and the publisher is "Andersson Forlag". Their homepage where you also can order the book is www.anderssonforlag.se. Thanks/Marie

Much appreciated, Marie! We'll edit the page to show the book's availability in Swedish. Thanks so much! :-)

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Hi Heidi, Thanks for all the advice you've given me, I'm sure you help alot of people. Just wanted to say that I have specifically taken your advice and have cut down to three grains per week. Today is my fifth day without any grains and I'm really craving them - but I think I'm doing well considering I don't think I've ever had a grain free day before now. My energy levels have yet to improve and I still have that brain fog, today I also woke up with a headache - is all this normal? I have also done a bit of excercising every day. Another question - approximately two months after I started the diet I started to get a little bit shaky if I was hungry for a while, but its barely noticeable - is this a slight case of hypoglycemia and is there a reason for this or is it just coincidence. Thanks in advance. P.S hope you enjoyed your break!!!! Chantelle

:-) I enjoyed it very much, thank you kindly! :-)

You think you're doing well? I think you're doing fabulously! ;-) Your cravings, energy levels, brain fog, slight hypoglycemia feelings and morning headache are all quite normal, and to be expected. It's the perceptible part of the body's withdrawal from dependence on grains and sugars. Hang in there, kid ~~ IT'S WORKING!! Keep drinking plenty of water, and grab protein & veg whenever you're hungry -- doesn't have to be more than a bite or two, but never go hungry. Congratulations, Chantelle! You've already muscled through the worst of it, and the payoff is right around the corner! :-D

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