Dear Heidi, This is for the 13 year old blood type O. It has been my experience, and that of other blood type O's I know, that in addition to wheat and dairy ANY amount of sugar can trigger depression. In fact, one good friend of mine has a " designated sugar day" twice a year when she indulges in desserts. The next few days she knows that she'll feel depressed so she plans that day carefully. Regards, Karen O (O negative secretor)

YES! Thanks for that addendum, Karen!! Refined sugar is a major and well-established culprit in these kinds of disorders. I was remiss not to mention it in my reply to K. Most appreciated, dear -- thanks again! :-D

Hey Heidi! Greetings, dear fellow O-nonnie, from Craig (28 yrs old, Rh-, MM), tea addict and serial sunbather here in a sunny but quite mild England (please send us some of your snow in time for Christmas!).

I must say I do like the new updated website frontpage (you still don't look a day over 4 years old though!). It loads so much quicker than the old one with the lines - my notebook computer always loaded them very slowly. Now it comes at lightning speed :-)

Thought I would drop a quick line to ask you a couple of questions now I am really getting into the nonnie thing, helped along fabulously by Nina and all on the nonnie group.

I wonder if you know what has happened to the rating for the plant Chickweed? It was originally rated as Highly Beneficial for all type Os in BTD. However, it did not make it into the next book, and now the only reference I can find in the encyclopedia is for ABs. I have searched your column, and Typebase too, but drawn a blank! So, are we Os to assume is still is a good food to enjoy? I find it grows all over the place here in UK, even this time of year, so I tend to have it often. It provides a pleasant and fresh accompaniment to many of my meat and fish preparations.

Also, there is a fruit called Cherimoya, or Custard Apple, which has become very common in the shops over here. Imported from Spain, and about the size of an apple [sorry to mention your beloved but now forbidden fruit :-( ] it has green/brown flesh, large black seeds inside, and a custardy sweet taste. Never seem to suffer any adverse effects from eating even large quantities of them, so I guess we can assume it to be neutral til proven otherwise unless we have any specific concerns?

Well I hope that you enjoy the holidays, whatever you are doing and wherever you may be, and just would like to wish you and all readers a Happy, Restful and Healthy Christmastime :-) Warm wishes, Craig



Craig! Hello, dear! So pleased you're humming right along in Nonnies Nonymous. And yes, Peter's new site design is pretty spiffy, ain't it? :-D

Chickweed's status may be inferred as you did: it's rated in BTD, and no updates to that status have been posted. Live Right did not include a medicinal herbs section, and the Encyclopedia's herb index pertains only to those items' use in its protocols.

These principles apply to any herb listed in BTD for which no new rating is announced. Unless overturned, those rulings stand. Kinda like Supreme Court cases. ;-D

The cherimoya (or "cheremoya")is indeed "neutral until proven otherwise." It's not been tested yet, although we've had plenty of requests dating back to the second month of this column's existence, and some on the old bulletin boards as well. If an item doesn't appear in TYPEbase and it's an herb not found in BTD or the Encyclopedia, then proceed under the "Rule of Unknowns:" it's neutral for healthy, slender folks who don't have adverse reactions upon ingesting it. Of course, I do try to steer people here & there on unknowns which are for one reason or other a very good, or very bad, bet, based upon my ancillary research... and penchant for yakking on.

Your request for a white Christmas is noted! I would be most happy to fulfill it; unfortunately, at this time I regret to report we'd have to work through third parties somewhere in the frozen north-central region of this continent, as, ALAS, of snow we got nada here in port-city NYC. Two weeks ago was a different story! (Isn't timing EVERYTHING, just as they say???) Now {sigh}, it looks like sunny and 50 F for Xmas a-coming. Just about what you're expecting, I imagine.

At any rate and whatever the weater, Warmest Holiday Wishes to you, too!

Oh, almost forgot: about my photo... I was fully 1 year, 11 months old when it was taken. I mean, that's not so long ago! and how often SHOULD i change it, do you think? Everyone else seems to recognize me perfectly well! No complaints so far!

Sheesh! Some people are so demanding. Hmph. Well, I do honestly try to keep everyone happy to the extent possible, so... Ok. Well, I'll put up a more recent one in a bit. After all, it IS Christmas! lol! ~;-D

thanks for your note, Craig.... best wishes!! :-D

Bonjour Heidi!

Not a question, but comments. In regards to Marie H. and her child with autism. Perhaps she should get the boy tested for mercury/heavy metal toxicity. I've seen a BBC documentary claiming that mercury - thimersol(sp?) preservative, actually - in vaccines has been the main cause of an epidemic of autism. The documentary also explained how mercury also causes the gut problems often associated with autistic children. Since I'm being treated for mercury toxicity myself, I've also read alot about it on the internet. (Now, I must say that the "mercury" people seem to think it causes every problem in the cosmos, so one has to read up on it with a grain of salt...).

This preservative is used in vaccines and alot of other stuff, and possibly Marie H.'s boy got a big whammy of it in his hospital stay. Anyway, if the child tests positive for mercury, he would likely benefit from detox/chelation treatments. I have not myself had the proper test as it does not exist here in France (duh...), but I believe that she should check out testing through Doctors Data Labs with a urine test. A bientot, Abby

Abby! Allo, dear! I feel you've brought up a very salient point for any parents of autistic children, or kids with any sort of neurological difficulty. As you noted, mercury is not the sole cause of every ailment as some would have us believe, but it is far too present STILL in medicines and the environment in general, considering how obvious it must be at this time, to experts and laymen alike, that its effects are profoundly toxic.

Thank you for the message, it's a good one!! Bless you, dear ~~ and keep shining! :-D