Hello,

I noticed the peanut butter should be avoided by type O because it contains Lectin or other agglutinin.

I then noticed that pumpkin seed butter is beneficial to type O, but to be avoided By type AB because it contains the same thing as listed as harmful in Peanut butter for type O, i.e. Lectin or other agglutinin.

If Lectin or other agglutinin is bad for type O when found in peanut butter, then why is it that, Lectin or other agglutinin, is NOT bad for type O when found in pumpkin seed butter? Eric

Hello Eric!

When a food contains a lectin, it can be good for one type, several types, all types or no type. :-) That's because they are all different lectins. Each plant makes its own peculiar kind.

So, for instance, peanuts are beneficial for type A, but avoid for type O, due to that particular lectin's interaction with the different digestive environments. :-)

Hello dear Heidi - the slight discussion this morning regarding lingering cold/flu situations struck a bell.

I picked up a virus before Christmas. Being a B+ nonnie, that's probably not much of a surprise. It's particularly rampant here in Toronto, so far as I can tell.

It began with a sore throat, accompanied by a cough and some headaches. No fever, not much congeston. I immediately started taking a raft of remedies - Vitamin C, goldenseal, grapefruit seed extract, oil of oregano, elderberry tincture - you get the picture. To my surprise, the throat got just a little sorer each day in spite of repeated doses of all of the above. After a week, the soreness diminished in favour of laryngitis which also seemed to like staying exactly where it was.

12 days after coming down with the first symptoms (a week ago) I got an acupuncture treatment and paper bags full of Chinese herbs to boil and drink the liquid for the next 6 days. I found that the herbs were effective, but in between taking them (morning and night), it was useful and helpful to continue with my other remedies, which really helped with the coughing and congestion, both of which got much better each day.

I was also drinking a large amount of ginger/honey tea made by juicing the fresh root in my juicer and adding hot water and honey, sometimes a bit of fresh lemon juice.

What seemed to help a great deal was making what I call an "open-face garlic sandwich" - chopping a very large clove of garlic very finely and spreading it over a slice of spelt toast just before bedtime, followed by another large cup of ginger tea to clear my mouth of the garlic effect.

I'm still not 100%, but I have another treatment this morning, and I hope to be clear of all symptoms before another week goes by. I have never experienced such a virus before - one that really resists treatment in just about every form. I hope we all see the last of this type of virus in the very near future. Best to you, as always, Janet

Whoo, Janet ~ so sorry you were felled with the flu!

It's been a crazy season of persistent colds & viruses, and I hope everyone is doing their utmost to stay immune to this stuff. I've found that (1) SLEEP, early and often -- and (2) vast amounts of liquid made from ginger juice/lemon/cayenne combined in hot water (no sweetener for me) will knock out virtually anything, and make sleep more comfortable. These days most people try to keep working or travelling or whatever they're usually up to, right through the illness. Going straight to bed is a difficult thing to do. :-}

Getting regular chiropractic adjustments (every two weeks or at least once monthly) is also a remarkably effective way to maintain strong immunity.

Thank you for the tips on what you did to ease it on out. It's interesting to hear what seemed to work for you, and what didn't. Hope you're feeling much better now! :-D

Heidi - this is a question about Doc Bron's article on Oatmeal and blood pressure yesterday (1/4). As a nonsecretor, I am limited to 2-4 servings of grain per week. I would love to eat oatmeal every day, and I do have high blood pressure. My cholesterol is elevated too, and I understand that oatmeal is also effective in lowering those numbers. So, what's a nonny to do? Linda

Hi, Linda!

Could you tell me your BP and cholesterol readings (full lipid panel?) and whether you test your own BP at home? I suspect that with time, the diet and activity plan for type B should take care of these problems entirely.

If you'd like to try the oatmeal approach, what I suggest is to choose a higher fiber-content oatmeal than the cereal the MMS used. They needed 137 grams to make up 6 grams of soluble fiber. That sounds like the "quick cooking" (precooked) processed oatmeal. If you purchase the long-cooking kind, just split your 4 servings over a week. The only way you'll know whether it's worth it is to get your cholesterol and BP readings before you begin, then at the end of 6 weeks. See whether it's effective for you.

I wouldn't increase the total grain eaten, and I'd have absolutely NO GRAIN whatsoever other than the morning oatmeal during that period.

What I'd love to know is the mechanism of oatmeal's effect on blood pressure and cholesterol. I do suspect it is much more effective for A and AB types than for Bs and Os (nonsecretors particularly) -- but give 'er a whirl, and let me know how it goes for you! :-D