Hi Heidi, I'm still fearing the wheat and not the meat with good results. Hope you are well. My old computer was zapped by a power surge and I lost many files including some good short synopsis of the type O diet. Can you direct me to a link that sort of sums up the type O diet and the rationale behind it? I have a friend who is short on time and is not likely to read any of the books. Thanks for your time, and if you can't dig something up, that's OK. Best, Bob L.

Hi, leanbean ~ nice to hear you're doing well!

I'm not sure what reason your friend has for looking into the diet, so I'm going to wing it and assume it's a personal interest. While we don't have exactly what you're looking for here on the site. it wouldn't be too difficult to put it together if you have an hour or so and your copy of Eat Right. Page 52 of that book gives a brief gloss on the rationale -- you might take the first paragraph, then the last sentence of the third, then the fourth paragraph.

I'd then suggest that the major components are (1) meat, fish and fowl, and (2) green vegetables -- in a ratio of 1 to 2. Red meat and fish should be favored over fowl. Avoid pork, squid, octopus and white-fleshed potatoes, and emphasize dark green leaf veg and root veg, onions and garlic. Depending on his preferred foods and ones he's unlikely to eat, I'd create a quick list of veg avoids.

After that, I'd roughly sum up the weekly recommended portions of fruits, beans, and nuts/seeds, noting avoids in each category. Grain up to thrice weekly, but no wheat or corn. Same for dairy, a small serving of feta, fresh goat cheese or mozzarella -- butter is fine, but all other dairy products (milk and cheese) are no-go. ;-)

That's how I'd go about it. If he'd rather read it on the site, just send what you put together and I'll post it.

It's a pleasure to hear from you, Bob ~ carry on! :->

---

I'm 48 years old, B. I'm having a fibroid problem.

First, the background: I started the diet a couple of years ago, first by eliminating the bad foods I was eating every day or nearly (in my case, corn, tomatoes, chicken and pinto beans). Then I switched the rest of my foods to a very high level of compliance. It was only the end of last year before I figured out I had to give up soy because it had switched categories, but I did.

I did some experimenting to find something else to prevent hot-flashes. In January of this year, I did two things: I gave up wheat altogether (I had been eating some non- or low-gluten wheat semi-regularly), and I started using a chart to try and get my servings into proportion. That meant more fish, more vegetables, and more beans (which had dropped when I gave up pintos and blackbeans).

I have lost two pounds per month all year, going from 174 in January, to 150 today. Slow, steady and amazing. At first I had to substitute millet, rice, potatoes, and other starchy snacks for cravings for wheat, but after two months, I noticed I didn't want them or sweets anymore.

In July I noticed a lump which turned out to be some kind of uterine tumor the size of a tennis ball. It seemed to grow quickly. It was probably there for a while, but I noticed the growth-spurt. The doc wanted to do a hysterectomy. It's too big for the less invasive surgical approaches. The part that could be biopsied was not cancerous.

I started the protocol in the Encyclopedia and found a BTD naturepath on your website who is helping me with other herbals.

Here's my question: has anyone ever heard of weight loss stimulating the growth of a fibroid? My sister pointed out that estrogen is stored (or manufactured?) in fat. Her theory is that if (as has been suggested by the naturepath) excess estrogen is not being metabolized by the liver well enough, maybe the fat loss is the source of some of the estrogen. (Other sources include car exhaust.) I'm quite happy to keep losing 2 pounds a month until my body decides to stop it. (My high school weight was 124, so I can keep going another six months or a year at this rate.)

But I wonder if there is a fat-loss connection to the growth of the fibroid. I guess I could start eating bread again... Note that I am eating more food while losing, feel perfectly healthy, haven't caught any colds or flu yet this season, and don't believe the fibroid is causing the weight loss. I also increased my yoga from 1 hour a week to three, in March. ~ Sandra

Hi, Sandra! There is some release of stored substances as fat is lost/metabolized. It's a good idea to support the elimination of excesses by taking that 1/2 ounce of water per pound of body weight, with a pinch of sea salt and/or a squeeze of lemon in each quart.

Also, I looked around in Ask Dr. D'Adamo, and found two notes he gave to a type A and a type AB which might be very helpful for you as well. Certainly, discuss them with your naturopath if you have any questions about them. They are two herbal remedies traditionally used for treating uterine fibroids: Capsella spp. ("Shepherd's Purse") tincture, 15 drops in hot water 2-3 times daily as needed; and a liquid chlorophyll supp with the fat-soluble components intact (1-3 tsp. daily in a glass of water). Absolutely chow down on those leafy green veg, too!

Here are some details about the two, from Peter's column on menorrhagia:





If you're not eating much lamb, try to get it in any way you can. It has particular protein and fat properties especially beneficial for you. Write again and let me know how these things work for you, OK? Best wishes! :-D

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Welcome back to cyberspace. I wrote recently that I was able to get my secretor status tested in Canada. The good news is that I am a secretor (O), but the bad news is that my body seems to think it is a non-secretor.

Case in point, I can't digest soy, need protein at absolutely every meal, and respond poorly to cabbage and other marginal secretor neutral foods. I am an endurance athlete who trains an average of 8 hours a week. Has this regime tricked my body into acting like a non-secretor.

Also, can you recommend any foods/supplements for enhancing ability to adapt to hard training? Thanks in advance. Nadine

Hey there, Nadine! Congratulations on getting your secretor status nailed down -- taking that step makes everything else much easier!

A couple of thoughts for you: first, don't sweat the neutrals. Soy doesn't do for type Os what it does for type As, and its role can be played adroitly by other foods -- whether rice or nutmilks, or egg or rice protein powders. In the vegetable category, those beneficials are there for a reason, and not just for weight loss. They provide an abundance of plant sugars & fats, minerals, and vitamins of all kinds which you need to achieve your training goals.

Second, although you didn't mention which sport you're pursuing, I infer that you are training VERY hard for those 8 hours in the week. I wouldn't say your body's been tricked, but rather that it's honestly requiring extra nutrition to perform as you're asking it to do. ;-> For your situation, adjust Live Right's portion/frequency guidelines upward to include the extra protein, balanced with more vegetable foods, all of which you need to support your schedule.

Foods and supps which can help: (a) high-quality meat (meaning grass-fed red meat) for the protein AND the very important CLA not present in grain-fed beef; (b) fresh oily fish as often as possible; (c) adequate plant fats from olive oil, fresh-ground flax, and the beneficial nuts/nutbutters; (d) minerals found in seaweeds, nuts, green veg, mineral water, homemade meat/veg broth, and sea salt; (e) loads of pure water; (f) nutritional yeast for B vitamins and other trace elements; (g) Phytocal-O for recovery and "mental maintenance;" and (h) you might look into a product called Omegasentials, which I've never been able to get my hands on, but which boasts plenty of testimonials on its astonishing effects upon lactic acid formation and recovery from hard exercise.

Of course, I'd also take a stroll through the NAP Store catalog here, since you may find several items you'd like to keep on hand -- the Polyvite multi as well as the Protein Powder come immediately to mind. :-)

Let me know how these suggestions work for you, Nadine! and thanks for writing!! :-)

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GLUTEN FREE WHEAT BREAD - I have an extract from a cookbook called "Nourishing Traditions' by Sally Fallon who explains that our ancestors would always soak their grains before use. During the soaking and fermenting, lactobacilli break down gluten and other difficult to digest proteins.I have just made a batch of traditional sourdough bread using mostly whole wheat flour, so I think this is gluten free. I can't find any other reference or recipe to support my thinking. Can you help? Thanks, Peter

Hi there, Peter! To tell you the truth, I wouldn't depend on that procedure to remove the wheat lectin. I do not even know that it takes care of all the gluten, so I suggest doing more research on it before entrusting your health to whole wheat bread made in that fashion. If sourdough were gluten-free, the dough would not hold the gasses released by the leavening, and you'd have a rather flat, dense loaf. Gluten is what makes that dough "stretchy" and able to rise & hold those bubbles.

At any rate, please see if you can't research it a little further, and let me know what you learn! thanks, Peter! :-D

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Dear Heidi, Missed you while you were gone . I read your column daily. Good to have you back. I have read that sweet tasting things can cause your body to release insulin on an associative basis the same way ringing a bell caused Pavlov's dogs to salivate. I'm an O nonnie and use vegetable glycerine. I also read in your column that vegetable glycerine "regulates" blood sugar. Could you please address these two topics? Thank you. jonny

Hello, Jonny! :-) Vegetable glycerine is not metabolized as sugar ~ it bypasses that route, since it is a sugar alcohol ("glycol") rather than a sugar molecule. For that reason, even though it tastes sweet it does not stimulate insulin production. I hope that's what you were asking? best wishes, dear!

:-)

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Hi Heidi: Glad you and the board are back! I had a quick question. About a month ago, I pulled some muscles in my back and abs. (My husband talked me into moving too heavy furniture!) I am feeling a little better each week but did have a question. Outside of following the diet, what is a good plan for healing and maintaining good back health. I don't have big back problems, but being 50, I do seem to get aches and pains more easily. When I did this last back strain, my sciatic nerve in my right hip also hurt on and off.

I realize that lifting beyond what someone can is not a good idea, and I am walking each day which seems to be helping the healing process, but what do you and the others suggest for a good, safe exercise? I bought a treadmill late last summer but hear that this can cause sciatica to flare up. Any ideas and suggestions would be much appreciated! Joyce

Hello, Joyce! The first and most important thing to do is to stretch your hamstrings -- the muscles in the back of your thighs running from the hip to the knee. An easy way to begin is to lie flat on your back, and raise one leg straight up until you can grasp the knee and pull gently toward you. Switch legs & repeat, 5 times each side.

The second most important activity is anything which strengthens your abdominal muscles. Simply lying flat with hands at your sides, and raising your head until you can see the heels of your feet is a starting point. Three times to begin, and increase as you're able.

If you do both these exercises morning and night, your back will thank you!

Walking is great exercise -- I'd also suggest manganese, 50-100 mg daily, and quercetin, as much as you like daily (to sooth inflammation). Be sure to get that 1/2 ounce of salted or lemoned water per pound of bodyweight daily, too. It's wonderful for healing strains.

Best wishes, and I hope you're fit as a fiddle in record time, Joyce ~ keep me posted! :-D

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Hi Heidi I am B+ (optimism is in my blood) and have been doing well on the diet for almost 2 years now. I am scheduled for a Colonoscopy next week and in preparation for the procedure my bowel is viciously purged of all contents. :-p Do you have any recommendations for a first meal(s) after the procedure to rebuild my gut flora and fauna? ;-) I was thinking of yogurt and maybe a probiotic supplement, but was wondering if you had any other ideas. Thanks Tom C.

Hi, Tom -- I think I'm late in answering your question! The first meals should be cooked vegetables and fresh broth, fresh-juiced vegetables, and certainly do a full-scale assault with PolyFlora-B for at least a month after your colonoscopy.

VERY warmest wishes to you, and please let me know how you're doing! :-)

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Hi Heidi, I have a few questions to ask, regarding a Type O+, who is a secretor, based on my test-free testing :

1. If a type O has no stomach problems, and is not overweight, can they still enjoy beer?

2. I was researching this protein powder called Goatein, which is made from goat's milk. It is free from most of the allergenic products found in regular milk. Here is the link, http://www.gardenoflifeusa.com/products/goatein.html about the product. Would this be an OK protein source for type O's. Thanks Heidi, Raymond

Tsk, tsk! now Raymond,... ;-) test-free testing is notoriously unreliable... and I'm an authority on THAT if nothing else. :->

Beer's an avoid for all type Os, perhaps because of barley's avoid status (although the sweetener known as malted barley is sec-OK), or for some other reason... whatever it is, beer plays havoc with the digestion. Have a nice pint of your choice, and attend closely to how your stomach feels. A little ... stiff and dry, you might say? Your sensations may be different from mine (yeah, I'm a *tested* nonnie, lol, but I've been canvassing for 'secretor sensations,' too), but ... beer's really an avoid. Bummer, but there you have it. :-}

Goat's milk is an avoid, as it contains whey. I read the link you posted, but couldn't see whether "goatein" contains whey. If it does, it's still an avoid. Go ahead and find out from the manufacturer what the exact ingredient list is, and kindly post back for me.

If you'd like a great protein powder that IS good for type O, howzabout Peter's formulation that just arrived in the Store! just a suggestion!

thanks for your message, Raymond! I look forward to hearing from you! :-)

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Does GEROLSTEINER need the pinch of salt or sqeeze of lemon?? Are there any other products like glycerine which are also "switch-hitters?" Or, is glycerine unique? Is your column & Dr. D's printer friendly? Thanks, Conrad

Hello, Conrad! Gerolsteiner benefits from a squeeze of lemon, but it's not necessary in that case.

Glycerine is the only product of its kind I'm aware of, although there are other sugar alcohol products which haven't received comment by Peter.

We don't have a full-screen link for the columns, but you can always copy & paste to the word processor of your choice if you'd like a text version for saving.

Best wishes, and happy holidays to you! :-D

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I have just had a nasty shock!

Today we tested my husband's blood group. He thought he was 'O'. I thought he must be too, considering his choice of diet, his far better state of health compared with mine - doesn't seem to have anything chronic nor does he catch much in the way of viral infections. I have been a fan of BTD for ages, though not a 100% adherent... I am type A secretor.

Husband is also type A..... How can he be so apparently healthy eating so much meat and so little, almost no fruit????? while I am really bad with arthritis? I do wonder how reliable is the blood test as I am having real trouble believing it in his case? Even his smoking habit fits in with the description in the O section of LR4YT. Joyce/UK

Hi, Joyce! I just added "/UK" to your "handle," to distinguish you from another Joyce who writes regularly. hope that's OK!

I can hear that you're bowled over by the type results. Don't fret, you're not the only one to receive a shock like that. :-) believe me, it happens frequently.

The whole matter gets easier to comprehend when considering that everyone's different in how much abuse their bodies can sustain before illness shows. Some of us have been very sick starting in teenage years, due to just a few diet elements missing or incorrect -- others continue in apparent good health into their forties or fifties while seeming to thrive on avoids. I know 40-year-old nonsecretors with not a single cavity in their teeth, and 20-ish secretors with major dental problems.

While we can discuss the statistical likelihood of a blood group's susceptibility to certain conditions, we can't go backwards and guess blood type from diet-plus-apparent health. ;-) But -- if you're truly suspicious of the outcome of your husband's ABO test, and you've used the right (tiny) amount of water and checked it carefully against the chart of results, then it's worth either having him donate blood and request typing at that time and/or getting one more home test kit for him. It's important that you both feel confident that your results are iron-clad correct.

Best wishes, Joyce -- and let me know if I can help with the arthritis issue at all, OK? :-)

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Hello again heidi! I sure hope you remember me, you saved my life and I wrote you a thank-you letter. Well, I am here to give you an update. I had gone down to 85 pounds remember? And then you told me to begin working out twice a week and the rest of the time, do some stretching, Well, I began with that for two weeks and trippled my portions and managed to stretch out my stomach and introduce foods that are on my neutral lists. And I gained weight soo fast. I am now at 105 and it has only been one month since I began eating more, and I haven't even eaten any grains yet, just a lot of fats and protein and vegetbles and all are mostly highly beneficial, I am afraid to add grains as I will gain weight way too quickly.

I now feel extremely weird, my metabolism has slowed down so much and I don't feel as good as I used to energy wise, I feel so heavy and I have slowed down a lot. But I still have bowel movements at least once a day, but it takes so much more food in order for me to feel full, and I cannot tell when I am hungry anymore, my routine has been tossed and turned lately and i think my sytem is confused, I feel like everybody else now, slower and I actually get tired at night, which is new to me and I don't walk as fast as I used to and Ii fall asleep anywhere.

I feell very bloated all the time and cannot fart anymore, when I workout, I feel dizzy all the time, afterwards and the next day, because of my slower metabolism. But I guess it is something I have to get used to since I have to gain weight right? How can I stabalize myself and feel good and gain weight slowly I am afraid to become obese, because in the book it says that people that become obese are the ones who have a history of following low calory diets.

And I am afraid that my body will never stop and I will always have to watch out for the number of calories I eat in a day. I feel like my hormones have been unbalanced and everything in my life is off now, and I have more hair on my body and i have caught a cold and I feel so big and heavy and I find it harder to concentrate and I want to know if I am going too fast, and some days I get really hungry and others not so much. I am off completely and feel bloated all the time. I only eat highly beneficial foods, but so much more!!! And I used to eat no fat for two years, I had not eaten fats and grains.

What do you suggest I do without taking any supplements or medicine, because i just want to live a normal life and not have to think about my system all the time and eat when I am hungry and enjoy my foods and my life. i want to be able to eat with everybody, normal sized meals, but I am afraid to gain weight so fast since I have been undernourished for 3 years. I smy body ever going to stabalize itself? I feel dissproportioned, my legs and chest have expanded but not my arms yet or my shoulder bones.

I am so afraid of weight although I know that a BMI of 20 is optimal. I have a BMI of 18 and have not have my period in over two years. What do Ii do from here. I workout four times a week now and do 35 minutes of cardio every time. But usually get pains in my shins. I feel huge and am having trouble dealing with the weight gain ing so quickly, imagine if I ate grains, what would happen, will I ever be able to eat grains again? Please help me if you can, you have been great help in the past and I thank you for it! Emily

Hello, Emily!

OK: Here is how you decide how much to eat now: just follow the portion/frequency tables in the book Live Right 4 Your Type. As a quick measure of how much to eat at each meal, let the total quantity of solid food at one meal be about the size of your fist. If you're having salad greens, naturally that will appear to be bigger because it's fluffed up leaves. ;-)

At the beginning, you were trying to overeat a little, in order to get a lot of good foods into your body to address deficiencies, and to get yourself used to not depriving yourself or going hungry. You've already accomplished that, so you're ready to begin eating normally now. Handful of vegetables, handful of proteins, and snacks in-between if you're hungry. Your body will take care of itself that way. just trust that process!

There's no need to add grains if you don't want to do so now. For the future, I think you'll be happy with the results if you limit grain to three times weekly at the most.

If your shins are hurting, use a rowing machine or bicycle for cardio instead of a high-impact activity. Get plenty of rest, and schedule some time for walking in a pleasant place, just to look around and enjoy being alive. :-)

Let me know how you do, OK? take good care, dear! :-)

---

Hi Heidi! Have a couple of questions for you, just waiting for you to come back! In my BTD book p. 287, Dr D'Adamo says "I have found that the herb collinsonia (stone root), which is used to treat swelling problems, such as varicose veins, also helps sinusitis..." It makes me wonder, is that implying that varicose veins, and maybe spider veins too, can be an inflammatory/histamine issue?

I read your back columns where you talked about strengthening vein walls with collinsonia, only I've always assumed the weak veins had to do mostly with lack of exercise/circulation, maybe liver congestion. But if weak veins might be associated with inflammation, it would make so much sense because my histamines are too high -- I have the rosacea, allergies, sinus swelling & spider veins.

And also, I'm wondering if the collinsonia might then be good for the swelling/inflammation of rosacea? Mine's better but still could improve. Somewhere you or the Dr. said collinsonia helps swelling of "some" tissues, but didn't specify which. I'm going to try the collinsonia and see about the rosacea, but I wondered if you knew. I also need to exercise, which will make the rosacea worse, unfortunately, but maybe that will help eventually too. Thanks Heidi!!!:oD! Maia

Hello, Maia! Well, spider veins and rosacea -- and sinus swelling -- are definitely inflammatory issues. Collinsonia canadensis (stoneroot) is helpful where there is swelling of sinus tissues -- such as hemorrhoids or recurrent nasal sinus problems -- if taken over a period of time (results are noticed in two to six weeks). However, I'm not sure that it works exclusively (or primarily) through addressing inflammation -- whatever its action, it seems to direct intercellular fluids away from those tissues, much to the relief of the sufferer.

For spider veins and rosacea, I don't think stoneroot is the answer. Of course, the cause of the inflammation is what I'd focus upon and try to remove. Second, I'd eat quercetin like candy. :-> Third, the good ol' water with salt &/or lemon, daily and lots of it. I would also certainly do a course of Heallix to make sure no bacterial or viral agent is involved.

Can you tell me more about what you've tried, and what you think's going on with it all? You always have such a great grasp of the details in these matters, so loose 'em in my direction and we'll put our heads together about it. Thanks, dear Maia! :-D

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Hello Heidi, and thank you very much for answering my question last week, about my 7-year old son (A neg.) with Asperger Syndrome and a weak stomach. Since then, I’ve bought the Encyclopedia and am reading it cover to cover.

I just made a connection: when my son was 5 months old, he was hospitalized for a vesicouretheral reflux and was put on antibiotics for over 7 months. Could the effects of those antibiotics still be felt today, almost 6 years later? Before my son’s hospitalization, he showed no symptoms of autism, by the way. They started immediately after – both my husband and I noticed a marked difference – our son lost his sweet temper overnight, it seems – but at the time, we attributed this to the trauma of being poked and prodded for days on end.

I will be ordering the PolyFlora-A, PolyVite and Phytocal as you recommended, and will keep you posted. Thanks again! Signing myself Marie-H., as there are other Maries writing to you.

Marie-H, I think you're brilliant. YES, the long-term antibiotics could certainly have been involved in your son's mental changes. Go to your favorite websearch engine and use the terms "gut brain" and "ganglia." Have a good read. You'll see how spot-on your theory is.

When his gut environment was compromised, he probably got the triple whammy of leaky gut, poor digestion (not only physical discomfort, but lack of proper nutrients reaching his tissues since little or no beneficial bacteria would be present), and neurological challenges due to the "gut brain's" exposure to the wrong or inadequate foods at that time. In addition, I know how much I abhor the idea of being kept in hospital and being poked & prodded, so I can imagine he was pretty fed up with it, too. ;-)

The reason the effects you see now could have been triggered by the antibiotic therapy is the timing of that therapy -- his very young age and the development of his intestinal tract at that time. Now that you're aware of what happened and what's needed, you can start supplying powerfully healing foods and supps to him.

Thank you so much for writing, Marie-H ~ please keep in touch!! :-)

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Glad you are back up to speed. Always enjoy your wisdom insight and humor. Possibly this next question is one that Dr. D should consider answering because of the scientific nature of any research and references in this regard.

I have donated a fair amount of blood over the years, nearly 10 gals. Although the blood banks do not worry about the quality (All they want is the donation) does being on the BTD enhance the value of the blood I/we give? Is it apt to be more beneficial to the recepient and more conducive to regaining good health?? My own gut feel is that the answer would be in the affirmative for I spiritually feel that when I am feeling good that those energies flow with the donated blood. I highly value your opinions Heidi but would like a response that I can show my medical friends with appropriate back-up.

Further, what about the flip side of blood transfusion. Is it possible that blood with the wrong lectins, etc could slow down healing or cause side effects, etc. This may be a subject Dr. D and you may not want to respond to and if so I will understand especially in view of our disputatious environment. Thanks for the consideration, Conrad

Hi, Conrad! I understand that donor blood is screened for certain viruses and other established health hazards, but I am quite sure it is not tested for the presence of agglutination, or for other less-than-ideal byproducts of the donor's food choice and digestive efficiency. Whatever fat/mineral/protein imbalances may be present at the time of donation would be present when the blood is transfused -- and I can imagine this process might have some effect upon the health of the recipient. I conjecture that a stellar batch such as the gallons you've donated would have some effect upon the ultimate recipient's health as well.

However, you're really asking for one of the doctors to respond, so I hope that one of them might see this question and consider writing a reply. Do submit it to Ask Doc Bron as well, OK? quite a thoughtful theory you have there, Conrad -- thanks for sharing it with me! :-)

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I have just had a nasty shock!

Today we tested my husband's blood group. He thought he was 'O'. I thought he must be too, considering his choice of diet, his far better state of health compared with mine - doesn't seem to have anything chronic nor does he catch much in the way of viral infections. I have been a fan of BTD for ages, though not a 100% adherent... I am type A secretor.

Husband is also type A..... How can he be so apparently healthy eating so much meat and so little, almost no fruit????? while I am really bad with arthritis? I do wonder how reliable is the blood test as I am having real trouble believing it in his case? Even his smoking habit fits in with the description in the O section of LR4YT. Joyce/UK

Hi, Joyce! I just added "/UK" to your "handle," to distinguish you from another Joyce who writes regularly. hope that's OK!

I can hear that you're bowled over by the type results. Don't fret, you're not the only one to receive a shock like that. :-) believe me, it happens frequently.

The whole matter gets easier to comprehend when considering that everyone's different in how much abuse their bodies can sustain before illness shows. Some of us have been very sick starting in teenage years, due to just a few diet elements missing or incorrect -- others continue in apparent good health into their forties or fifties while seeming to thrive on avoids. I know 40-year-old nonsecretors with not a single cavity in their teeth, and 20-ish secretors with major dental problems.

While we can discuss the statistical likelihood of a blood group's susceptibility to certain conditions, we can't go backwards and guess blood type from diet-plus-apparent health. ;-) But -- if you're truly suspicious of the outcome of your husband's ABO test, and you've used the right (tiny) amount of water and checked it carefully against the chart of results, then it's worth either having him donate blood and request typing at that time and/or getting one more home test kit for him. It's important that you both feel confident that your results are iron-clad correct.

Best wishes, Joyce -- and let me know if I can help with the arthritis issue at all, OK? :-)

---

Hello again heidi! I sure hope you remember me, you saved my life and I wrote you a thank-you letter. Well, I am here to give you an update. I had gone down to 85 pounds remember? And then you told me to begin working out twice a week and the rest of the time, do some stretching, Well, I began with that for two weeks and trippled my portions and managed to stretch out my stomach and introduce foods that are on my neutral lists. And I gained weight soo fast. I am now at 105 and it has only been one month since I began eating more, and I haven't even eaten any grains yet, just a lot of fats and protein and vegetbles and all are mostly highly beneficial, I am afraid to add grains as I will gain weight way too quickly.

I now feel extremely weird, my metabolism has slowed down so much and I don't feel as good as I used to energy wise, I feel so heavy and I have slowed down a lot. But I still have bowel movements at least once a day, but it takes so much more food in order for me to feel full, and I cannot tell when I am hungry anymore, my routine has been tossed and turned lately and i think my sytem is confused, I feel like everybody else now, slower and I actually get tired at night, which is new to me and I don't walk as fast as I used to and Ii fall asleep anywhere.

I feell very bloated all the time and cannot fart anymore, when I workout, I feel dizzy all the time, afterwards and the next day, because of my slower metabolism. But I guess it is something I have to get used to since I have to gain weight right? How can I stabalize myself and feel good and gain weight slowly I am afraid to become obese, because in the book it says that people that become obese are the ones who have a history of following low calory diets.

And I am afraid that my body will never stop and I will always have to watch out for the number of calories I eat in a day. I feel like my hormones have been unbalanced and everything in my life is off now, and I have more hair on my body and i have caught a cold and I feel so big and heavy and I find it harder to concentrate and I want to know if I am going too fast, and some days I get really hungry and others not so much. I am off completely and feel bloated all the time. I only eat highly beneficial foods, but so much more!!! And I used to eat no fat for two years, I had not eaten fats and grains.

What do you suggest I do without taking any supplements or medicine, because i just want to live a normal life and not have to think about my system all the time and eat when I am hungry and enjoy my foods and my life. i want to be able to eat with everybody, normal sized meals, but I am afraid to gain weight so fast since I have been undernourished for 3 years. I smy body ever going to stabalize itself? I feel dissproportioned, my legs and chest have expanded but not my arms yet or my shoulder bones.

I am so afraid of weight although I know that a BMI of 20 is optimal. I have a BMI of 18 and have not have my period in over two years. What do Ii do from here. I workout four times a week now and do 35 minutes of cardio every time. But usually get pains in my shins. I feel huge and am having trouble dealing with the weight gain ing so quickly, imagine if I ate grains, what would happen, will I ever be able to eat grains again? Please help me if you can, you have been great help in the past and I thank you for it! Emily

Hello, Emily!

OK: Here is how you decide how much to eat now: just follow the portion/frequency tables in the book Live Right 4 Your Type. As a quick measure of how much to eat at each meal, let the total quantity of solid food at one meal be about the size of your fist. If you're having salad greens, naturally that will appear to be bigger because it's fluffed up leaves. ;-)

At the beginning, you were trying to overeat a little, in order to get a lot of good foods into your body to address deficiencies, and to get yourself used to not depriving yourself or going hungry. You've already accomplished that, so you're ready to begin eating normally now. Handful of vegetables, handful of proteins, and snacks in-between if you're hungry. Your body will take care of itself that way. just trust that process!

There's no need to add grains if you don't want to do so now. For the future, I think you'll be happy with the results if you limit grain to three times weekly at the most.

If your shins are hurting, use a rowing machine or bicycle for cardio instead of a high-impact activity. Get plenty of rest, and schedule some time for walking in a pleasant place, just to look around and enjoy being alive. :-)

Let me know how you do, OK? take good care, dear! :-)

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Hi Heidi! Have a couple of questions for you, just waiting for you to come back! In my BTD book p. 287, Dr D'Adamo says "I have found that the herb collinsonia (stone root), which is used to treat swelling problems, such as varicose veins, also helps sinusitis..." It makes me wonder, is that implying that varicose veins, and maybe spider veins too, can be an inflammatory/histamine issue?

I read your back columns where you talked about strengthening vein walls with collinsonia, only I've always assumed the weak veins had to do mostly with lack of exercise/circulation, maybe liver congestion. But if weak veins might be associated with inflammation, it would make so much sense because my histamines are too high -- I have the rosacea, allergies, sinus swelling & spider veins.

And also, I'm wondering if the collinsonia might then be good for the swelling/inflammation of rosacea? Mine's better but still could improve. Somewhere you or the Dr. said collinsonia helps swelling of "some" tissues, but didn't specify which. I'm going to try the collinsonia and see about the rosacea, but I wondered if you knew. I also need to exercise, which will make the rosacea worse, unfortunately, but maybe that will help eventually too. Thanks Heidi!!!:oD! Maia

Hello, Maia! Well, spider veins and rosacea -- and sinus swelling -- are definitely inflammatory issues. Collinsonia canadensis (stoneroot) is helpful where there is swelling of sinus tissues -- such as hemorrhoids or recurrent nasal sinus problems -- if taken over a period of time (results are noticed in two to six weeks). However, I'm not sure that it works exclusively (or primarily) through addressing inflammation -- whatever its action, it seems to direct intercellular fluids away from those tissues, much to the relief of the sufferer.

For spider veins and rosacea, I don't think stoneroot is the answer. Of course, the cause of the inflammation is what I'd focus upon and try to remove. Second, I'd eat quercetin like candy. :-> Third, the good ol' water with salt &/or lemon, daily and lots of it. I would also certainly do a course of Heallix to make sure no bacterial or viral agent is involved.

Can you tell me more about what you've tried, and what you think's going on with it all? You always have such a great grasp of the details in these matters, so loose 'em in my direction and we'll put our heads together about it. Thanks, dear Maia! :-D

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Hello Heidi, and thank you very much for answering my question last week, about my 7-year old son (A neg.) with Asperger Syndrome and a weak stomach. Since then, I’ve bought the Encyclopedia and am reading it cover to cover.

I just made a connection: when my son was 5 months old, he was hospitalized for a vesicouretheral reflux and was put on antibiotics for over 7 months. Could the effects of those antibiotics still be felt today, almost 6 years later? Before my son’s hospitalization, he showed no symptoms of autism, by the way. They started immediately after – both my husband and I noticed a marked difference – our son lost his sweet temper overnight, it seems – but at the time, we attributed this to the trauma of being poked and prodded for days on end.

I will be ordering the PolyFlora-A, PolyVite and Phytocal as you recommended, and will keep you posted. Thanks again! Signing myself Marie-H., as there are other Maries writing to you.

Marie-H, I think you're brilliant. YES, the long-term antibiotics could certainly have been involved in your son's mental changes. Go to your favorite websearch engine and use the terms "gut brain" and "ganglia." Have a good read. You'll see how spot-on your theory is.

When his gut environment was compromised, he probably got the triple whammy of leaky gut, poor digestion (not only physical discomfort, but lack of proper nutrients reaching his tissues since little or no beneficial bacteria would be present), and neurological challenges due to the "gut brain's" exposure to the wrong or inadequate foods at that time. In addition, I know how much I abhor the idea of being kept in hospital and being poked & prodded, so I can imagine he was pretty fed up with it, too. ;-)

The reason the effects you see now could have been triggered by the antibiotic therapy is the timing of that therapy -- his very young age and the development of his intestinal tract at that time. Now that you're aware of what happened and what's needed, you can start supplying powerfully healing foods and supps to him.

Thank you so much for writing, Marie-H ~ please keep in touch!! :-)

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Glad you are back up to speed. Always enjoy your wisdom insight and humor. Possibly this next question is one that Dr. D should consider answering because of the scientific nature of any research and references in this regard.

I have donated a fair amount of blood over the years, nearly 10 gals. Although the blood banks do not worry about the quality (All they want is the donation) does being on the BTD enhance the value of the blood I/we give? Is it apt to be more beneficial to the recepient and more conducive to regaining good health?? My own gut feel is that the answer would be in the affirmative for I spiritually feel that when I am feeling good that those energies flow with the donated blood. I highly value your opinions Heidi but would like a response that I can show my medical friends with appropriate back-up.

Further, what about the flip side of blood transfusion. Is it possible that blood with the wrong lectins, etc could slow down healing or cause side effects, etc. This may be a subject Dr. D and you may not want to respond to and if so I will understand especially in view of our disputatious environment. Thanks for the consideration, Conrad

Hi, Conrad! I understand that donor blood is screened for certain viruses and other established health hazards, but I am quite sure it is not tested for the presence of agglutination, or for other less-than-ideal byproducts of the donor's food choice and digestive efficiency. Whatever fat/mineral/protein imbalances may be present at the time of donation would be present when the blood is transfused -- and I can imagine this process might have some effect upon the health of the recipient. I conjecture that a stellar batch such as the gallons you've donated would have some effect upon the ultimate recipient's health as well.

However, you're really asking for one of the doctors to respond, so I hope that one of them might see this question and consider writing a reply. Do submit it to Ask Doc Bron as well, OK? quite a thoughtful theory you have there, Conrad -- thanks for sharing it with me! :-)

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9 Dec hi heidi i'm a dozy so & so.i just read my message & apart from the spelling mistakes i realised i left out part of my question that would have made more sense although ironically you helped me anyway. i meant to also ask i can't find distilled water source.they sell machines to make your own(which i don't want to do.)i'd just like to find a supplier in the uk with reasonable quantities and prices is that too much to ask? so i haven't used my heallix yet. tea tree seems to be helping i go back to hospital tomorrow so will let you know.you're not wrong about resting i've been finding it hard to stay awake in daytime !i'll let you know how i get on. love debs xxx

10 Dec i'm getting a bit scared as its looking a bit infected i've been bathing it with tea tree which is wonderfully soothing.plus today i've put teatree in bath with a lot of salt.i put fresh dressings on and go to hospital today but i'm dreading if they mention the 'A' word.i got the gluthiane you said and started taking it yesterday the something/ cysteine the hfs is ordering that for me too should i just follow dosage instructions on bottles or do you recommend anything in this particular instance?thanks for your care love debs x

10 Dec URGENT HHEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPP!!! I just got back from the hospital and they've prescribed me 'antibiotics'

i am very upset as i had tried very hard from sunday to take good care of myself but appparently i still need them.i suppose i should be grateful that i didn't come out from the hospital and been given them automatically but even so just when i thought i was starting to get a control of those blooming candida critters 'here i go again!'

if hospital aftercare was better though i bet we could reduce antibiotic use even further though!!!!!

i gather i take bioacidophilus after food but i was wondering when was the best time to take antibiotics? whether they're better after food or on an empty tum but obviously not together?aaaaggghhh! is there anything else i could be taking as well?

i've yet to start taking the heallix as i can't find a supplier of a small quantity of distilled water?if i kept boiling the kettle would that be distilled?failing that can heallix be drunk neat or put in urticaria drops(stinging nettle) or even vegetable glycerine?

i feel so frustrated. mind you i kept telling them there how wonderful teatree was and the consultant said he couldn't recommend anything that wasn't scientifically proven so i said they ought to test it then if it hasn't been done because it's really good but he made no further comment! if you could help me again i would truly appreciate it as i always do. oh well itchy bits here we come! thanks debs x

10 Dec sorry forgot to mention he said i was very inflamed and looked as if i'd had a reaction to the stitches.i asked which sort they were so i'd know for future reference but he said it wasn't an allergy. is that possible?i'd have thought if you had a reaction to something it mean you had an allergy unless he was trying to cover himself in case he thought i was going to sue him or something! any thoughts? if you could help me again i would truly appreciate it as i always do. oh well itchy bits here we come! thanks debs x



My Dearest Debs! Instant help: say NO to the antibiotics and PFUI to the hospital's attitude toward your concerns. If you don't take the antibios, you won't suffer their consequences. Instead, take the Heallix internally and put it full strength on your skin where the surgery was done. Use a pipette (eyedropper) and drip some right on the wound, and let the bandage have some, too. And find out from a nurse or someone else WHAT KIND OF STITCHES THEY USED - and ask WHAT KIND OF STITCHES THEY USED INSIDE. Usually different kinds. Find out. :-)

Now, about the distilled water: in the UK you've PURIFIED water, I understand. Karen wrote in early September that your local chemist should carry it. Get out the directory and ring round to find who has it at the lowest price. It does comes in five-litre containers, but that is just a bit more than how it's sold here in the States (we find it in gallons, and five litres is about 1-1/4 gallons). It keeps fresh quite a while without refrigeration, so you can have it on hand for a long time before you'd need to buy more. That way you can use your heallix as it's meant to be done.

Don't give up. Just because the hospital prescribes antibiotics does not mean you are constrained to take them. You'll have to make the final decision on this, of course, but they're working in a different mindset of health than we are. They are permitted only to use drugs and surgery and whatever constitutes "standard of care," else they're vulnerable to legal trouble... don't fault them, just accept that you can do more for your healing than they can do.

Now, about your earlier messages above, yes- you can take the glutathione and n-acetyl cysteine according to the package directions to clear out your chest congestion. OH! and you are most certainly not a dozy so&so. You are a bright woman who's just been exposed to hospital! so naturally now you need to be home, with your proper foods and reassuring atmosphere (and no mediciney pills), and having a good rest after it all to recover. ;-) love, heidi. :-D

p.s.: if you decide to go ahead with the dreaded anti-bios, let me know and we can work with it. I'd just rather save you the hassle, dear! :-)

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Heidi, if a person is gluten intolerant, does that include being sensitive to the sprouted grains? Just wondering if the gluten stays or goes with the sprouting. -- Maddy

Hello, Maddy! Well, this is an issue that health-conscious alternative grain bakers have faced before me -- here's what I've learned:

Let's put at one end of the spectrum a whole grain berry like durum wheat -- chocked up full with gluten. At the other end, we have grass grown from that very berry, which contains no gluten at all. The question is, at what point in between the two is the sprout gluten-free? It is lectin-free at 1/4 inch of sprout (after two or three days of sprouting), but traces of gluten can remain even during that period, and baking flour makers tend to want to sprout for the least possible amount of time (just until a sprout clearly shows) since their job is made more difficult the longer the sprout proceeds toward grass-dom... because gluten makes bread bakers and pasta makers happy, and lack of gluten makes them unhappy. ;-) Try making a nice crusty loaf from wheatgrass, you'll see what I mean. :-D

So, the gluten does stay, and eventually it goes, through sprouting -- along the spectrum I described.

Now: if you call Food For Life and say, "Hi! I'm a celiac. Is Ezekiel or rye Manna bread safe for me?" they'll say, "Oh no ~ it is not!" They have to say that, as the responsible manufacturer they are, because celiacs are so sensitive to gluten it would take only a few marginally sprouted berries in a batch of bread to throw them for loop -- and FFL is such a big outfit that they can't possibly monitor every single little one of their sprouting berrys' gluten levels. Most of their breads are 99.9% gluten-free, but 100% gluten-free they're not.

The safest way for a gluten-intolerant individual to consume wheat or rye is as juiced grass. The safest wheat or rye bread for them would be made at home from fully sprouted berries, dehydrated then ground to flour. There is also a spectrum of gluten intolerance, as with all things human, so sensitivities do vary. I do hope this helps -- thanks for your note, Maddy! :-D

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Hey, Heidi!!! Thanks for your warm reply!!! who needs sugar when we have you?? You are very sweet!!! I know that last time a made a bunch of question out of no where at once...sorry!! and you answered!!hehehehe!!

Well, now I will try to be focused and make sense in my question. After all this time following BTD it is very clear that I feel much better when I eat protein (speacially Salmon, fish, meat, turkey and chiken)and salad only. When I eat fruit in the same meal my digestion is not good. It is interesting that it doesn't matter the amount of salmon (exemplo)I eat even in my dinner. If it is only salmon (or other kind of protein) with salad I have a really good night of sleep and the next morning I feel good.

However I am afraid to start eating too much of protein and salad and missing someting important to my health. I heard about diseases that one can have when your diet focus in too much protein. I am afraid to have problems in my tendons, joints, or burcities. My father in law was diagnosed with bursitis many years ago. The doctor told him that the cause was too much protein and he should not eat cheese (he loves cheese).

How dangerous a 90% protein diet can be for a person (type O+) in the future? I love fruits (specially figs, guava, apples, papaya...) but I have not being eating, and when I do, it is in my breakfast and it is only one type of fruit, maybe two (I try not to combine with protein). Should I do one or two days every week with salad, vegetables and fruit only? Thank you in advance.

I forgot to tell you that back in november I bought the pancreatic enzime that you told me to. I could not find the brand that you suggested so I bought this one: TWINLAB - Pancreatin: 1 capsule has 500mg. Other ingredients: Gelatin, cellulose, purified water, MCT, magnesium Stearate. How long should I take it? can my body learn to work only with this and do not work well after I stop taking it? Once again, thank you very much!! Bcha

:-D Bcha, thank you! :-D

The pancreatin is to be taken with protein meals, for two to three weeks. It is designed both to help your digestion in the short term, and to trigger your body's natural ability to digest the protein in the long term. In the second week, take it with only one meal in the day. In the third week, take it with one meal, every other day. After that, you can discontinue it. It sounds like you are digesting your meals very well! Your practice of separating fruit from other foods works well for many, many people, and I'm glad it is working well for you.

I had bursitis once upon a time ... it's surprisingly painful! At that time I had been eating quite a lot of grain and cheese, Hmmm. Knowing what I know now, it's no surprise I had bursitis. It is an inflammatory condition. Type Os are particularly prone to develop inflammatory conditions -- but it is NOT from meat (that doctor was wrong), but from eating wheat, cheese, and pork (among other avoid-things). So, do not worry at all that you will develop it. You'll never be bothered with such conditions on your lovely diet!

The key to a balanced approach for Os is to include meats, fish, oils, seeds, nuts, seaweeds, sea salt, and all kinds of vegetables - both raw and cooked. Dark leafy veg (cooked) contains elements not found in artichokes and onions and broccoli, which contain elements not found in root veg like turnips and carrots, which contain elements not found in salad greens... and so on! Many of those elements are MINERALS, along with vitamins and trace elements, and they're available plentifully from plain old plants! tasty, too! :-D

Just keep the Live Right portion/frequency table loosely in mind, and enjoy life, eh? You have everything well in hand. best wishes, dear! :-D

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Dear Heidi, Thank you so much for all your advice. Your knowledge and expertise is invaluable. I am a 39 year old O secretor, and have been on the diet for 2½ years. It’s amazing to me how wonderful I feel!

I am still battling one problem, though. For the past eight to nine years, I have had 14-21 day periods every 26-28 days. I can tell when I am about to start the mid-cycle bleeding because my mood changes. It all began a month or two after a second ectopic pregnancy where they removed the tube (I still have the other).

I have been to four doctors and have tried both natural and synthetic progesterone. All the blood tests have come back normal. The last doctor finally talked me into having a laparoscopic procedure to check if there was any endometriosis. He found very little, and one small cyst. The two months after the laparoscopic procedure I had normal cycles. Then the mid-cycle bleeding started again, but this time it is lasting only 14 days. I still have 26-28 day cycles.

I had our son 7½ year ago. The pregnancy actually slowed the bleeding - I had spotting during the first four months of my pregnancy – but it began after starting my periods again. (I had had fertility problems, so I did get pregnant after taking Clomid for two months and using a Progesterone suppository during the first four months of pregnancy).

Then about four years ago I went on the contraceptive pill for six months which stopped the mid-cycle bleeding completely, but it started up again after I discontinued taking the Pill. I am currently taking B vitamins, calcium, iron when needed, and dandelion. It is very tempting to go back on the Pill, but I feel so good that I don’t want to mess with any avoids. Do you have any suggestions? Kim C.

Greetings, Kim! Welcome!

Your problem began when someone reached in there and performed surgery. The scarring from that surgery resulted in a little endometriosis starting up, which has been trying to clear itself ever since. That, I believe, is why you're seeing spotting and feeling significant mood changes. Endometriosis and cysts are ways in which the body localizes and encapsulates inflammatory processes. So: let's start by completely eliminating anything in your diet that can at all contribute to inflammation.

First, (and I want to assure you, this is not a permanent change!) for the next two months, remove all dairy products and all grains from your diet.

Second, do the water procedure I'm always on about: 1/2 ounce per pound of body weight daily, with a little squeeze of lemon and a pinch of good gray sea salt in each quart.

Third: Heallix. It is remarkable in its healing abilities, and in both promoting growth where it's needed and discouraging it where it's not.

Fourth, I suggest pregnenolone. It is the precursor to the other hormones made in the body. It's an over the counter product, available just about everywhere for cheap, and found in many different dosages. I think that if the Pill alleviates your symptoms, we can accomplish the same thing with the right natural hormone support. This, as well, will not be forever. ;-)

If you would, please do write and tell me specifically what your diet is like on a weekly basis -- and the brands & contents of the supps you're taking. I can see you're using Live Right, which is wonderful! but I'd like to know more, if you have the chance.

Also, if you notice any particular development, either positive or negative, please write again right away, OK? I'd like to be kept abreast of what's going on. I'll bet we can solve this problem with a little diligence and patience, so keep in touch! VERY best wishes, Kim, and thank you for writing!! :-D

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A belated greeting to you all today ;-D ~ no, I'm not one of the busy people referred to in the title, just someone who needed to extricate herself from a psychopathic internet service provider, LOL! Note to self: never again sign up with an ISP that gets bought out by a crew of vicious incompetents running services out of their NJ garage. ~;-D



With apologies for the delay, and gratitude for your patience, heeeeeere's the column! :-D

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Hello, Heidi, Thank you for your advice with our (Premie) 6 year old, she is actually starting to fill out, and she looks great for the first time! Lamb is really good for my little AB.



Today I have some questions for you regarding gluten flour products. I had a menu written for the nine of us, and I was able to basically meet all of our blood type needs. I just found out that I am a Nonnie!! (Type A). I read thru Live Right, and I went back to the menu to adjust for my higher need for meat, but in all of my reading, I'm still a bit uncertain about grains.



It says that I should avoid gluten flour products. I am thinking that it would be a good thing for my B husband, and even the A and AB kids to do without wheat. Someone said that I would have to give up Ezekiel bread, spelt bread, oatmeal and oatbran as well. Is that right? I understand that gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, oats and rye, but I'm unclear as to what it is that I need to be avoiding.



Another question I have is in regard to Ezekiel bread. When I read the ingredient list, there are avoids in it, yet the books say that every blood type can have it. For instance, it has sprouted lentils in it, an avoid for my B. Does sprouting change the value?



My last question is about the amount of grains per week. Eat Right has three categories, each with their own suggested amounts; cereals, breads and grains/pasta. Live Right, and the Encyclopedia have these combined into one grain category. In the process of writing my menu, I was not sure how many servings of grains per week we should be getting. As a Nonnie, I've given myself one grain a day. For my B, I've given him one a day as well. What should I do for the A and AB kids? Have I understood the book?



I appreciate your help with this, as I want to do the best I can to try and meet nine people's needs with my limited strength and time! I have decided that I would test all nine of us for secretor status. I was so shocked that I'm a Nonnie, and the one daughter I've tested so far was a secretor. I could have swore SHE was the Nonnie, as she has suffered from cold / upper respitory things all her young life, 7 years, and the AB diet has not brought any relief to her. In my dismay that tofu and tempeh are not the powerful healers for me that I once thought they were, I even begged her to swap secretor statuses with me! She just smiled and said, "Sorry, Mommy, that's just the way God wanted you to be!"



I've enjoyed reading thru all the info on Nonnies I could find in your column!!! Thank you for all your help! Patricia

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Hi, Patricia! Hey, that's great news about your AB little! :-D Congratulations on finding out your secretor status, as well as your big family's! .. wow. ;->



Let me make things easier for you: the items in the food list which include the word "gluten" should be ignored. Those terms were added at a time when we were attempting to make the lists all-inclusive -- trying to rate as many commercial items as possible, largely to make folks aware of their options of products on the health-food market. We've recently concluded that these product references are too vague to be reliable, since (1) manufacturers can and do reformulate their products at any time, as well as expand their product line to include similarly-named items which we'd rate differently if we had the chance; (2) new manufacturers can put out a product with the same general label, yet with different ingredients; (3) original manufacturers can and do eliminate a product line, leaving BTD'ers to wonder how the heck to get hold of something in the food list which just plain ain't around no more. ;->



So, unless you or someone in your family has celiac disease, or has found they truly cannot tolerate gluten grains (which include most of the items in the "grains" list), you can choose from any of the neutral and beneficial grains when planning your meals. Eliminating wheat for your family will do them no harm at all. Wheat is not a beneficial for anyone.



Look for the the 100% sprouted Ezekiel bread products -- Food for Life, for instance, makes some with whole wheat flour and some which are 100% sprouted, so we have to check the ingredients each time. Generally, they use an orange-tinted wrapper for the 100% sprouted types, and announce that fact on the top of the product logo. Even though some do contain sprouted lentils, I wouldn't let that stop you -- it's a very small amount, and sprouted lentils are technically "unknown" at this time. An even better choice would be one of the Manna breads, which are 100% sprouted and offer a wide selection of grains and flavors/added vegetables.



For portions & frequencies -- keep using Live Right's tables as you are, dividing the weekly frequencies by 7 for the dailies, and remember that the fruit and veg categories' numbers are daily numbers. Sounds like you have it all under control -- and my hat's off to you once again for the spectacular job you're doing for your nine-member multi-type family. It's inspirational!!! thanks so much for writing! :-D

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Hello Heidi, Thanks for the reply regarding my email on eating plans. It was not until tonight that I actually came across your response to my question below from August 2003.



The vega testing that I had done indicated that I was sensitive to all grains except quinoa, teff, and rice products. I am also sensitive to the following: all beans, all nuts and seeds, bananas, tomatoes, all moulds, cheeses, goats milk products were fine (however on a QXCI test last week it showed that I do not do well on any type of cheese), soy products were OK in moderation, beef was not good, turkey was out, eggs, chocolate, msg, sugar and yeast. It indicated that potatoes, lentils, fructose, were OK - however, I know that these foods are avoids for type O's and I avoid them.



Elisa/ACT testing showed that I am sensitive to blackberries, parsnips, raisins, red grapes, ethylacetoacetate.



I am really at a loss to know what to eat. I am constantly hungry and have tremendous chocolate cravings which I don't know what to do about. I have tested positive for leaky gut syndrome but am uncertain about what to do to help heal this according to the blood type guidelines. I have the blood type encyclopedia but there is nothing written on leaky gut or intestinal dysbiosis.



I need energy to keep up with my training and busy schedule throughout the day and would love to have some input into the types of foods I should be eating and some sort of eating plan/schedule to follow. Also, if you could offer some suggestions in terms of diet and supplements to help heal this leaky gut syndrome I would greatly appreciate it. I have been told that if I don't heal this, my body will not be able to absorb any of the nutrients that it needs for optimal health.



Do you think that I should be eliminating the food which the vega and QXCI tests say are no good? The QXCI indicated that I was also sensitive to flax products, gelatin, sheep's milk products, dates, apple seeds, malic acid. HELP...it seems as though I am sensitive to everything. Any information you can pass on to me would be wonderful.



I was told to start taking probiotics, a green drink - I have tried the harmonia but the ginseng causes anxiety type symptoms, evening primrose oil, omega 3 oil, emulsified vitamin A, magnesium citrate, phosphatidyl serine, 5-HTP, psyllium. I do not want to be taking things that are not good for my blood type. Any suggestions? I really enjoy your column and read it every opportunity I can get. Thanks in advance. Sara

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Hello, Sara!! I'm glad you recently had a chance to check back here, and I'm not at all surprised it took a while to fit it into your schedule. ;-)



To refresh our memories, Sara first wrote some months ago. She's a type O secretor, a competing triathlete training 2-3 hours per day, mother of three, still nursing the youngest... yep, no matter what you and I thought about our fast-paced and stressful existences, we can now see what easy lives we actually lead. :-D



Sara, it's perfectly OK to avoid the items that provoke sensitivities. However, as you've seen, those test results can vary significantly from one session to the next. They also design the world of food accordingto a "deprivation model"-- a focus upon what SHOULDN'T be eaten rather than emphasis upon what you CAN eat. Deprivation-style advice has the effect of promoting a tense patient who's constantly scanning food for items on that no-go list (which may have already changed, Oops, time to get tested again... yikes ... and what about the lingering unease over the old test's items). Food becomes a fearful and stressful part of life, exactly opposite to what your body needs for easy digestion. The tests you're relying on for healing can drive you nuts. ;->



The kicker is that leaky gut is solidly associated with unrelieved tension and stored stresses.



I'm in favor of starting over.



The first and most important element of healing LGS is a deep-stress-relief program. Given your chock-full schedule, I won't urge you to take up T'ai Chi or TM.® Instead, I'd suggest the Holosync system made by Centerpointe. I've seen great reports on this product for years, so I don't mind recommending it although I haven't tried it myself. I realize you asked only about your diet & supps, but I can't overemphasize how important it is to start a proven stress-relief program if you have LGS. It's essential.



The second element is to simplify the diet side of things. Make a list of your avoid foods by category, and add in "blue" or another color those foods you showed sensitivities to, if desired.



First, make absolutely sure you are getting enough protein from red meat, fish and fowl. Lamb and buffalo are very high quality sources of the protein you require, as well as CLA which you desperately need, and they're easily-digestible meats least likely to trigger problems. Make friends with that butcher and fishmonger, and get fresh stuff.



Start the day with a dish of meat and vegetables - as small or large as your appetite dictates. The easiest way to do so is to get freshly-ground meat and make up a casserole or stir-fry that you'll use as breakfast and quick snacks for a few days at a time. Just meat, spices (some combo, whether herby or curried or hot-spiced), oil, broccoli, kale, onions and garlic, sea salt. I make up a batch using three pounds of meat, twice weekly, using grassfed beef, lamb or buffalo.



Meatloaf can be prepared using finely shredded vegetables (carrot or sweet potato or turnip, onion, a leafy green, brocc, garlic, spices and oil). Or, how about a stew of chunked meat and veg as above? You can make a soup instead, adding whole rice. I also roast whole fowl and make broth from the carcase with fresh veg. I store it in pint containers in the freezer for ready use. It makes a hot mineral-rich drink, whether plain or with a few spices, a tablespoon of nutritional yeast, and a clump of dried seaweed, or it can be the quick basis of any other soup. The point of all this is to ensure that you Always, Always have a meat/veg/fat dish on hand whenever you're hungry. Your carb and chocolate cravings should drop away after a few days of constant feeding with these high-protein, high-mineral foods.



The other constant is fresh greens and veg for salad, whatever you can tolerate.



In your situation, I'd be eating fish daily, very simply prepared. Fish cooks fast. You can put a couple of mullet or any one-or-two-serving fish of some kind in a glass baking dish with a drizzle of oil, sprinkle of sea salt, and a few sprigs of fresh herbs and slices of lemon under, on top and stuffed in the cavity. 10-15 minutes in the oven on high heat, it's done. Use the whole fish -- not just for flavor, but for the minerals cooked from the bones and the fat cooked from the skin. Have some of that with a salad with oil & lemon & sea salt. You can heat up leftover fish (gently) next day only, and do the same again. For one or two days in the week, you can also make a quick meal of canned fish with toasted sesame oil, lemon, nutritional yeast, chopped celery, chives if you like, garlic powder, and fresh-ground pepper.



Finally, I strongly suggest drinking 1/2 ounce of water (at least) per pound of bodyweight, with a little squeeze of lemon and pinch of sea salt in each quart, Daily.



By the way, when I say 'sea salt,' I mean good gray unrefined salt with its native mineral components. And nutritional yeast (with KAL my obvious brand-favorite) is your ticket to (particularly) B vitamin nourishment, a serious need for Os with heavy physical/mental/emotional demands upon them.



I noticed one thing on your supp list that I'd drop right away: psyllium. Instead, you'll find that the organic veg and fats with your protein meals will support normal elimination -- without irritating your intestinal tract.



Actually, I wouldn't bother with supplements at all, with two exceptions: esterified C (start with one gram daily and work up to bowel tolerance, then back off a bit); and Phytocal-O. Those substances will directly support your body's efforts to resist stress-related disorders like LGS.



With this kind of eating program, you're missing nothing by eliminating grains, beans and dairy. It simplifies your shopping & cooking and fills all your needs. Give it a go -- (1) stress-relief, (2) diet, and (3) water. I look forward to hearing from you again, whenever time permits. ;-> take good care! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I'm a type A and have been on the diet for two years with great results. A recent hair test showed elevated levels of chromium (0.59) and vanadium (0.0685), outside the normal range by a small amount. I had been taking the Phytocal 'A' formula that contains vanadium. Should I replace it with another calcium supplement free of this mineral? Regards, Felix



Hey there, Felix! Welcome!!



It would help me to know what the lab's normal ranges on your test were, and by what percentage your results varied from those norms. I have some doubts about the reliability of hair analysis, but I will be happy to work with you on the basis of those tests if you like. Please help me by posting the relevant numbers, so I can get them into "americanese" and be able to compare their norms by number. thanks, dear! I'll look forward to your next note! :-)

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Hi Heidi, Concerning the TSH test results and thyroid concern that Suzanna (B non) has I might suggest that she look into the possibility that she could have adrenal fatigue/adrenal insufficiency/hypoadrenalism (whichever you want to call it). The symptoms that Suzanna has mentioned that she has or had in the past, allergies, heart palpitations, hypoglycemia, arthritis, neck pains, panic attacks, and the fact she lost weight while having high TSH numbers can all be related to adrenal fatigue.



She could look at Dr. D’Adamo’s Encyclopedia, which alludes to the linkage between hypothyroidism and adrenal problems in the hypothyroidism section. There are also a lot of reference sites on the Internet about this topic. Here are a couple of sites she could start with: http://www.adrenalfatigue.org this site was created by Dr. Wilson the author of the book Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Centery Stress Syndrome; This site http://askwaltstollmd.com/archives/cliffs/34028.html mentions using the blood type diet to help recovery; I like this site too http://www.drlam.com/A3R_brief_in_doc_format/adrenal_fatigue.cfm.



I am convinced that I have adrenal fatigue and I have high TSH and low-normal Free T3 and Free T4 numbers. Adrenal fatigue can cause the thyroid to down regulate, since the adrenal glands can no longer support the normal metabolism level. When I try to boost my thyroid with Armour Thyroid I get some worse symptoms, which is a clear indication that the adrenal glands are part of the problem and that they will have to be supported before the thyroid level can return to normal. This is not to say that she might not still be low on iodine.



She obviously needs to look at all related issues to improve her health. I wish her luck. I know I am having a tough time solving my adrenal fatigue problem. DSJ (O- Sec)

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Heidi, Let me tell you that I am very thankful for your recommendation, advice, and support concerning doing a liver flush.



I have now done 4 liver flushes, doing them about 2 weeks apart. I am still getting stones out each time with the largest about grape size.



When doing it the first time I was amazed to discover that had all those stones inside me plugging up the works!



I was pleased to find that for a few days after each flush my sinuses were WIDE open, no congestion whatsoever. I am hopeful that once I get my liver totally flushed out of stones that that my remaining sinus congestion problems may go away completely as well as seeing other health benefits. When I get there I will let you know what my final result are.



Thanks again. Sincerely, DSJ (O- Sec)



HOO-rah!! Don, the pleasure's all mine! Well... OK, maybe the pleasure's yours, too. ;-> I am truly pleased that the flush is producing such clear benefits for you -- and I do look forward to further reports! :-)



As to Suzanna's thyroid issues in re adrenals, I am in agreement with you. I am thinking, however, that the iodine levels should be established as normal before proceeding. Second, my next recommendation would be to address some regular stress-relief practices, as the HPA axis responds so beautifully to them in type Bs. Good results there would obviate the need for #3.... Third, I'd embark upon a direct approach to the adrenals if progress didn't show from the first two ideas.



Don, thank you for providing those URLs, and for your observations on your own situation as very similar to hers. Great stuff, and much appreciated, I assure you! Warmest wishes, dear!!! :-D

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dear heidi welcome back hope you had a good time off.you were sorely missed i still logged in every and enjoyed the few times you did write in.it was like i'd found treasure when you did write.



i am out of hospital now and not on antibiotics but think i have an infection on my chest.due to see doc wednesday but didn't wasnt to leave it that long.i bathed in tea tree solution yesterday and hope to do that daily i have got some heallix but can't find a supplier in uk.apparently boots the chemist stopped doing it now and online they only seem to sell machines to make your own!any ideas anyone for here in uk?



i also checked your list of previous messages and am now goggle eyed but i vcan;'t find how to do iodine patch test and where to buy it from any ideas? take care lov debs x



Hello, debs!! I'm glad you got out of hospital in one piece, and it is GOOD to hear from you!



Heallix is available at www.heallix.com, and if you contact Leo there perhaps he can help you to find another distributor in the UK. This is not plain old ionized or colloidal silver, it's not something you'll want to make at home.



For the iodine test: go to this column link and then hold down the Ctrl key whilst pressing the letter F -- a search form will come up. Type in the word drugstore, and hit enter. That is the part of the column where the iodine test is described.



To fight the infection in your chest, use lots of quercetin, vitamin C, wear an orange shirt, nightdress or blanket ;->, take glutathione and n-acetyl cysteine if you can get hold of them. Drink loads of lemon/salt water, rest more than you think you need to, and your body will do the job for you. It's probable you picked up something in hospital when you were there in a worried and immune-compromised state -- don't worry, you'll spring back now that you're home!



Try doing some mild stretching and moving about. It's very helpful for aiding the lymph system to do its job.



Best wishes, dear!! Keep warding off those antibiotics, OK? :-D

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Heywaitaminit!! What's this about naturally fermented sauerkraut being OK for Os???? Even O nonnies? I mean, I can get naturally fermented saurkraut, or make it...! Is this some kind of exception? Is this a vain grasp at a straw? Will I next try to make it apply to naturally fermented strawberries or kiwis? Apricots? OK, just give me the scoop on the cabbage! Cyndi



LOL @ Cyndi!! :-D "Is this a vain grasp at a straw?" Yeh, kinda, if you or I did it. John doesn't know his secretor type, and cabbage is OK for O-secs. John is going to lead us into new areas, mark my words. :-) "Will [Cyndi] next try to make it apply to ... strawberries or kiwis?" Jeeze, Cyndi, I dunno, but... I hope not! ~:-D

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Hello, Heidi!! It's good to have you back!!! How was your time off?

Thank you for veg gly and prunes poweder informations. I would like to give a sample of my veg gly (NOW) to some lab.check it out. How could I do that? Any idea? Must be expensive, right?

Well, This last month I started taking Live Cell and Deflect (plus Polyflora)for type O. Deflect is gone today. Should I take more? I remember when you told me to wait one year to get pregnant in oredr to clean my body. Could you tell me aa little more about it?

Should I go back to Chine Bitter? I have barley malt at home and on ingredients it says: ORGANIC SPROUTED BARLEY. I know that Barley is not good for Os, right? But what about this one? It looks like any SPROUTED GRAIN is ok for any type of blood, is that right?

WELCOME BACK!!!! I hope you had a wonderful time!!!! Bcha!!



Hello, Bcha! thanks so much for the warm welcome back!

Regarding the veg gly, ask the manufacturer to give you a copy of their certified "assay" or lab report of the tests they performed to ensure purity. That company must already have that information. Let me know what they say.

Yes, I would continue to take Deflect on a maintenance dosage, to help your body continue to detox as you prepare for pregnancy. I do suggest at least one year of focus upon healing and detoxifying before conceiving, in order to set the best possible terrain for your child to grow in, and to ensure your robust health right through delivery, breastfeeding, and chasing after a wee kiddle. ;-)

Depending on your previous results with the Chinese Bitters, discuss with Julia whether it is worthwhile to continue taking them for now. And -- Barley malt is neutral for type O secretors, and avoid for O nonsecretors.

take good care, dear, and keep in touch! :-D

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Hi Heidi, I'm so glad you're back, and I hope you had a good and productive time off.

I had my TSH rechecked and it was up to 7.0!! The Dr. again suggested that I take Synthroid, but since my symptoms are so slight he is allowing me to wait and just recheck it again in 8 weeks. He is surprised that my only symptoms are that I do feel cold and said that women with TSH that high would have many symptoms that would be intolerable. My T3 and T4 are normal and my thyroid scan is normal. He said that if it was insufficient iodine that I would have an anlarged thyroid or a nodule or something, but the scan was totally normal. So he thinks that eating more iodine is not going to bring my TSH down.

Before going on the BTD I did have many symptoms that could have been hypothyroid, but I never thought of that being the cause of it. I was gaining weight, tired, hair falling out, heart palpitations, anxiety/panic attacks, and then of course my neck pains. I also had strange feelings in my neck / throat which I thought was from the anxiety and heart palpitations. All of these things are gone since I started the diet over 3 years ago.

I also had a bout of night sweats, painful periods and then a miscarriage 4 years ago which I thought was somehow related to menopausal changes.( I'm 42 now) But now I have none of these symptoms and in fact since starting the nonnie diet last May I have pain-free periods that are regular.

I've told you in the past that I live an active life and over all I feel I'm in the best health I have been in for years and this elevated TSH is a real pain, but I don't think I should totally ignore it because it does signify that something is out of balance. I just don't know if I should go ahead and take the medication or just keep waiting and watching for something else to happen. I am reading whatever I can find on the subject, but nothing addresses an elevated TSH with no symptoms. ( isn't it just like a nonnie to be unusual??) Suzanna (B non)

:-) Hi, Suzanna! So, the TSH fell to 5.5 while you were adding iodine via the skin test, then went back up to 7.0. Were you doing iodine supplementation all during that time? I'm also wondering about the question in my October 5 column regarding the iodized salt -- are you sure it contains no corn products? Good gray sea salt and seaweeds are the way to go, in preference to commercial iodized salt. I think you might also continue with the paint-on-iodine test, since you were so low in that mineral last time.

Any doctor who says, as yours has, that "food remedies are anecdotal" does not inspire my confidence in him as a well-informed source of health information. Getting your iodine deficiency addressed may entirely do the job for your TSH level, so do keep with the suggestions above, stay on the test schedule with your doctor, and do not let yourself be alarmed into taking Synthroid. Give it another month or two, and make use of visualization and some martial arts practice to allow your body to rebalance itself. The body heals; we merely try our best to get out of its way. :-)

Stick with it and keep me posted on your progress, OK? best wishes, Suzanna!!

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Hi Mom, I'm back! I'm likely a N-S (because that's the diet I feel best on). Rarely a food item changes status ... avoid to beneficial depending on the procssing it has undergone ... eg. 'sauerkraut' is a no-no for O's, except if the fermentation is 'natural'. [By the way, blended cabbage in distilled water makes an even better 'rejuvelaxc' than wheat berries.] I'm hoping that the advice to avoid mussels for O-NS does not apply to green-lipped mussels of New Zealand (specifically) because it has several fractions that make it great for combatting arthritis. One of it's lipid portions has an omega-3 fat called ETA - a cancer fighter. [It comes from the more-famous EPA!] A page to look-up is: http://www.flushitsolutions.com/green_mussel.htm Much luck ... your comments about 'seasonality' was(is) superb! Take care, John 0+

Well, where the dancin' jeezus you bin, anyway? I've missed you... but that's what I get for taking months or years to reply to emails, eh? ... mea culpa, and please forgive me! Welcome back! ;-)

If you want to make Mom happy, woncha pleeze get hold of a saliva test (perhaps through Françoise? let me know if we can assist there) and find out your secretor status? I thought FOR SURE I was a secretor -- and as we all know, that turned out to be one of my less inspired predictions. I would feel so much better (and maybe you as well) if that particular puzzle piece were firmly set in place. ;-}

What I don't know is which mussels were tested, and whether a variety or only one type was used. Yep, I heard years ago of the gorgeous Kiwi mussel's reputation for alleviating arthritic conditions -- but I wouldn't suggest them for O- or A-nons, nor for type B. You know how these things get marketed: they work well in dogs and in "a lot of people," and whoosh we go to selling it to everyone. I rather doubt the NZ mussel was tested -- the home-grown shiny black item is the likely test subject -- but without knowing for sure, and not knowing whether the avoid elements are shared among the many mussel varieties, well, heck, it's too risky to have you chow down on them. just my caring opinion.

P.S.: I did read your note about my column of this past Saturday, and (a) I agree completely, yet (b) I think the target of my message was not the subject of yours. ? I'm just thinking aloud there. love, Mom. ;-D

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** Note for Mac users: Can't read to the bottom of my lengthy columns? Page getting truncated? This is a Mac/browser issue. Please get hold of either Netscape 7.1 or the Safari browser ~ both can be downloaded from their respective websites, and both work perfectly for viewing this page. Sorry for the inconvenience, and Mercy Buckets! :-D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



By the way, for anyone who didn't yet notice it,

PROTEIN POWDERS ARE HERE! Whoo-HOO!! ~:-D

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Hi Heidi: I thought that you and the readers would really enjoy an article in the latest (January 04) issue of Consumer Reports. The article is called Cut the Fat and actually does an excellent job of informing people how much hidden refined things are in our everyday foods.

It includes a list of the names of all sugars and explains that some people don't know that dextrose means corn sugar for example. There is a line chart that shows that American sugar consumption has risen fron 120 lbs per person per year (still that sounds like a huge amount) in 1970 to 150+ percent in 2000 and blames it all on hidden additives.

It also gives a good explaination of how the government subsidizes tax money for wheat, fats and corn production but not for fresh fruits and vegetables. Just reading about how extensively funded corn is and how much refined junk comes from that is very informative.

Thanks to the BTD I learned long ago to be a label reader and watch for that ever-present corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and other additives. It is no wonder that even though we have abundent food sources here in the US so many are fat and suffer from food related illnesses. I think this is a good article to clip and save and pass along for years to come.

Consumer Reports said that they will be dedicating upcoming issues to more information related to this subject and it will be interesting to see more reports. With any luck, this may make the public speak out loud and clear on this subject.

One thing that makes me cringe is the huge popularity of Starbucks. Their products are loaded with sugar, fat and caffeine. I heard on the radio the other day that Starbucks choses coffees that are higher in caffeine that others. A new one opened not far from us and you would be amazed at all the junior high and high school kids that flock there. I am not a coffee drinker, so I just pass the Starbucks by but it is probably not long before these kids have some real negative effects of all of this.

Finally, I do want to say that I had fallen off the wagon a bit in following the diet and now have a lot of weight to lose. I had been following it pretty closely but as soon as I was eating things that were not right for me, I am now paying the price! Overall my health is good and I have been walking everyday but do have a pile of weight so it is back to the diet for me.

I just went for my physical and my doctor (a new doctor to me and a woman to boot) is very supportive. She did suggest Weight Watchers but I am not sure if that will be the direction I go. I have gotten back on the diet and am following the PCOS type theory to cleanse your body for four days eating fruits, vegetables and no red meat. Will see how that goes. It is all beneficials or neutrals from my list (type so that should be OK. Thanks, Joyce

Hey, Joyce -- I appreciate that heads-up about the Consumer Reports article, and I sure do agree that the fast food industry is a major reason why we see so much illness in younger & younger people each year. :-( I'm so glad you're keeping in touch here! Let me know how you feel after your four-day no-meat fast. Taking a break now & again from meat protein won't hurt, but it doesn't always help... so keep me posted, OK? All the best, dear! :-D

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Heidi, this is a reply on a message board I belong to that was discussing the BTD-Please pass it on to Peter and Doc Bron. The website is www.fit-pro.com go to the discussiion board. Please ignore my bad grammar. Angel F

"I did not start thid diet to lose weight at all. I was because I was having abdominal pains that were unbearable and could not control my bowl movements. I was initially told it was because it was my pregnancy, but 6 months later I still had the problem. I have been off an on th diet for a feew years. I don't regret finding it.

"What I regret is believing the food pyramid was the way to go- These are some questions to think about--Why do we have a higher incidence of childhood obesity? why is america getting fatter overall? Why are they changing the food pyramid in 2005? Why do dietitians tell clients they do not have to exercise at all to lose weight? Why do they say to a pregnant woman I want you to eat as much fat as possible to gain weight? ( I normally gained just under 20 pounds with each of my 5 (yes-five) children? Why don't dietitians and exercise professionals work together to a healthy lifestyle?

"I think you are missing the point with the BTD. It is not a restrictive in any way. You can pick and choose what you want to incorporate into your diet and lifestyle keeping in mind all of the varibles out there. If you go off for one minute he does not brow beat you it is ok. You can also do some kickboxing if you are an A.

"I understand Celiac disease I have three kids with it. The BTD has been a godsend to us. It follows the guidelines for eating with celiac for the most part with my sensitivities I can not have milk.

"Has anyone else tried to review the bibliography off of the website? You how people preach tolerance I think many people need to learn to do the same with this issue as well as the other diets are being pushed. Why give Atkins and the Zone and others prime press time and research money and not this one. The reseach on this diet has been going longer than any other out there. It started with peter's Father. Think on that."

Hello, Angel! You are very brave to take on the dietary message board world, and I am sure others will benefit from what you've said there. People often fall into a 'system' that doesn't help them -- but they've invested so much time, energy and hope into it that switching to a different one presents major emotional obstacles. It takes energetic, courageous people like you to be willing to offer your findings in that environment. I'll bet many are quietly grateful that you did so... including me! Thanks, and bless ya! :-D

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My husband and I have noticed some things odd about our food lists. For instance. Both of us are to avoid oatmeal (he's A, I'm O) but there is a recipe for walnut granola containing rolled oats. I looked up rolled oats and it says oatmeal and has a picture of oatmeal.

Another thing we find odd is O type is neutral on apples but should avoid apples juice? Thank you. Amy

Hi, Amy -- Welcome!! :-)

The answer on oats is that it is neutral for type O secretors, and avoid for O nonsecretors. This is clarified in the book Live Right 4 Your Type, which contains new research on the blood type diets and foods/supplements. If you prefer not to find out your secretor status, then you can use the general rule for oats: if you have no inflammatory conditions, and are not overweight, you can include it occasionally as a neutral food.

Apples are another item which O secretors can have and which O nonsecretors should avoid. The apple juice referred to in the book is commercial processed apple juice and cider, which are mostly sugar and very little "apple-y-ness." ;-) thanks for your note, Amy, and I hope you and your husband will feel free to pop back in here with any other Qs that arise! :-)

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Hi Heidi, i also start my day with reading your column! I have been on the btd for a few years now, and became really succesfull after finding out i was a A2 and a non-secretor, i lost weight, cleared my sinuses (after 20 years of problems) became more energized and less sick with flues etc. I lost even more weight when i found a book about carbohydrateaddiction from the Hellers. When i combined the btd with their guidelines on eating carbs i lost 50 lbs in a year. I am a happy person (have still more weigth to lose, but i will just carry on and it will happen) greetings from Holland -- Peggy

Hey, that's great to hear that your secretor/A2 diet is working well for you! Many people find that they progress more quickly by limiting grains and sugars more strictly than Live Right suggests. I'm really happy to hear of your great success so far, Peggy! enjoy!! ~:-D

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