Hi there Heidi, last night I too did my first flush. It took me a while in deliberation and preparation living here in china - Epsom salts are not available. Anyway Im looking for some support here as I went through a terrible ordeal last night and would like to know if anyone else has experienced the same thing and what I should do about it if I do another flush.

I followed the recipe just as said, and also drank apple juice for a couple of days before hand and mixed fresh grapefriut jiuce with the Epsom salts. About an hour after drinking the first dose of ES my belly started to swell and I started to get stomach cramps. These got increasingly worse and hit their peak about a couple of hours after my my second dose of olive oil. I looked pregnant i was so bloated and I was cramping for about 20 seconds every 10 seconds. The pain, almost unbearable.

The interesting thing is I was prone to this in the past since childhood until I started on the O diet a few years ago. I had been Vege for 15 years previously, living on Carbs and dairy and all the veg that are avoid for Os! Since being on the O diet I have had no more problems like that at all....I felt as if Id taken a massive step backwords.

Anyway I survived the night and in the morning decided to forget the Epsom salts. The nausea in the morning was pretty severe but to my great delight i passed a number of stones even without the extra dose of ES. So what does this all mean? Is sensitivety to ES something that should be paid attention too? And if I wanted to do a flush again, would I be able to do it without the ES?

I wouldnt discount the fact that the fruit juices may have had a hand there too, Im not very good with fruit and never drink apple jiuce or grapefruit jiuce normally these days. However i feel that it is more likely that the epsom salts where to blame, the reaction being so extreme after taking the first dose. Hearing from anyone else that may have experienced the same thing would be very helpful. Thanks for all your helpful info and support Colin Beijing, China

Hey there, Colin! I am truly sorry you had pain and bloating -- that's a terrible experience for you, and one I've never heard of before. I think I know why it happened... but read this & let me know if I've made some mistake in reading your post.

The first thing that leapt out at me was the ES mix you used.

Epsom salts are to be taken in water, not in grapefruit juice. The grapefruit juice goes with the olive oil. Have I understood you to say you took the ES in grapefruit juice?

So, it should have been 3 tablespoons of Epsom salts in 3 cups of water. 3/4 cup of the mixture is taken a total of 4 times over the 2 days -- timed as described in my earlier flush instructions post.

If you took 1 1/2 cups of grapefruit juice WITH the salts, I'm not surprised you had a severe gas reaction. It would 'fizz up,' kind of like pouring champagne into fruit puree. The ES/water is taken at 6 & 8 pm in my example, and the olive oil/grapefruit is taken 1 1/2 and two hours later, in two divided doses.

Colin, I can understand your reluctance to use ES again -- and it *is* optional -- and although you had a real trial using grapefruit instead of water with the ES, you did have a successful result in the flush by passing some stones! For the future, you have the choice of using ES in water, or not using it, it's really up to you. It does good service by relaxing the bile duct, and clearing out the bile-dump from the colon after the oil/grapefruit mix has done its work -- but the ES is optional.

You might try this experiment, if you're feeling well recovered: 1 teaspoon only of ES in one full cup of water. Mix WELL, mix it until no crystals remain at the bottom. Then take one gulp, and put it aside in the fridge. If you have any bloating at all, then it's certainly best not to use the ES. If you have no gas, you will have some evidence that the only problem was the use of fruit juice instead of water with the ES the first time.

Please do get back to me, dear -- and again, I'm sorry you had such a rough time! but congratulations on the results!! :-D

Happy New Year to you.

Things have been hectic since Christmas and I have missed your column for a couple of weeks. Also a bout of lethargy thanks to all that Christmas cheer, such a simple thing as turning on the computer seems to take such a big effort. Getting back on track now.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know how successful taking the pregnonolone in the morning is, 50mg. I have energy I haven't felt for years. I love it. The Maca Root has not kicked in though. I was on tablets then you said about powder so I bought that and was even taking 2 x 15ml spoons per day but I am back to 1 spoon now as it didn't make any difference. I have had a few sleepless nights as you said, but I think it was the full moon!

Have you any other suggestions? Glad to read about good results on the flush today, but I haven't tried it yet as I felt bowel movements are probably not right yet. Reading these good results though has given me some encouragement to focus more on it. Thanks Janet

Hello, Janet! That's wonderful news about your renewed energy -- give that pregnenolone time to work, you may see unexpected benefits there! Happy New Year to you as well, dear!

Well, the flush itself may resolve the constipation and a great deal more... hint, hint. Clearing the liver's way a bit with the flush will give it an easier time in its hormone-balancing act. ;-)

You've been doing well for some time, aside from the Holiday hiatus which most of us take in one form or another! so, I suggest going ahead with a flush, using the Epsom salts as described in my full description post to get things moving along and clear it all out. In preparation, you might take a small dose (a teaspoon in a cup of water) daily for the prior week. If it does well for you, then magnesium is what you've been needing more of generally (the greens & so forth as you & I spoke of before).

Let fly with questions as you go along, and I'll get you all the info you need to feel confident about it before starting the flush.

Bless you, and give the sea a wave for me! :-D

Hi again! Quickie on Vits! why is methylcobalamin (vit b12) chosen over just cobalamin concentrate? Can I use either? and will I receive the same benefits? Thanks for all of your help and insightful responses. Blessings, Lauren

Hi, Lauren! Methylcobalamin is the 'active' form of B12. Cyanocobalamin is the form commonly found in the supp shop, and is not nearly as well assimilated as the methyl form -- so the 'active' methylcobalamin is generally more effective (especially for type A, who statistically have the lowest levels of 'intrinsic factor' among the ABO groups). :-D

I am an A who desires to reset her internal clock. I have a history of adverse reactions to mutivitamins. I am able to take one type multi a day with success, but the ylcobalamine amount in one tablet has not seemed to help adjust my sleep pattern. I would like to find ylcobalamin alone. Is it possible to find and purchase? karen

Hi, Karen! I think you're asking for methylcobalamin as a single supp? It's right here! :-D

I am a type O young woman who is trying to follow the blood type diet but I am having a hard time finding most of the breads that are deemed neutral for type O's. I have looked in regular grocery stores as well as organic health food stores. Can you tell me where I might be able to find the breads that Dr. D'Adamo lists in his book? Tara

Welcome, Tara! Thanks for stopping by!

Nature's Path and Food for Life are the heavy hitters in the organic alt-grain-breads department. Here's Nature's Path breads lineup (including 'manna' bread), and Food for Life's site where their Ezekiel 4:9 products are described -- go to their "product information" page to see their offerings. Both sites link to retailer pages where you can find shops carrying those products in the U.S. & Canada. If you don't see one near you, march down to your 'local' and let 'em know how you feel about that!

:-)

Bear in mind that there are thousands of small bakers across the country who are producing wonderful breads using non-wheat (and non-potato, etc.) recipes. For example, there's a company called Everything Spelt out in Suffern (Long Island), NY. If you've been longing for something as light as Wonderbread but compliant (for O secretors, anyway), their white spelt sandwich loaf is a dream come true. They make airy whole spelt bread, rolls, and other bakery goodies as well. No website -- but if you'd like to give your organic grocer a nudge in their direction, their phone number is 1-845-368-8666. ;-)

On the left coast, Pacific Bakery in Oceanside, CA makes the sturdy 100% kamut flour "Kamut organic bread," in whole and 'white' varieties. Their thing is "yeast-free," all grains are organically grown, and most of their labels read pretty much like this: " [x] grain, filtered water, sea salt." The product list includes a unique item called Ancient Grains Bread, made from organic spelt, kamut, quinoa, amaranth, and the aforedescribed water & salt. They have 100% rye bread, too, and a brunchful of bagels, and ... more! ;-)

So, look around, explore those sites and use search engines, and talk to your health food store manager about the fact that EVERYONE has these products EXCEPT THEM! ;-D Enjoy it, Tara ~ it's fun, and well worth the effort. Retailers *want* to know what their customers are looking for. They'd much rather you bought your food there than lose your business to some Internet site (which are legion, and more popping up all the time). So, give 'em the chance! :-D

Do you have any resources for how and where to find wild salmon? I've heard that if it says Alaskan Salmon, it's wild, but that's all I know about it. Where I live, I'm pretty much limited to frozen fish, and I've heard that Schwann's carries Alaskan Salmon, but I haven't found it anywhere else. Thanks for the information on it! It does taste soooo much better. Melissa

Hello, Melissa!

Northwest Seafood has a big selection of the various 'daily catches.' They carry other fish & game & gift selections by season.

And Coal Point Seafood Co. in Homer, Alaska is another personal favorite. Our Yukon Territory correspondent, Bill deCreeft, has given his word as a man and a pilot that their seafod & service are sine qua non. ;-D

And don't forget that "Icy Point" out of Seattle (www.oceanbeauty.com, although I can't seem to get that site to load at the moment), and other brands, pack canned Alaskan wild salmon at relatively low prices. Look for those in reg'lah old grocery stores and HFSs alike.

I do want to encourage folks to choose WILD over farmed salmon every time -- but with the knowledge that it's vital to vary your sea-delights menu. We don't want to overfish one species, or we'll end up with a black market in salmon like they're facing with sturgeon in the Caspian -- we'll have done more harm than good, and be paying Sevruga prices for fish that were once so thick in the Northwest you could walk across a river on their backs. ;-) so let's not go there.

Eat Wild.... Responsibly! :-D and thanks for that note, Melissa! :-D

Wow Heidi! I took my first liver flush last night and was amazed at the number of stones that came out - I wasn't sure a gallbladder could hold that many stones, although having looked online at some photos (www.curezone.com/gallstones) I now know that it is possible.

Anyway, thanks for your timely information. The taste of the oil/grapegruit juice was fine compared to the aweful taste of the epsom salts, but it was all worth it. I felt nauseous this morning, but passed 3 stones the size of marbles, and about 100 the size (and color) of peas. I guess I'll need to do another one in a couple of months since it seems that I needed it so much. Ann

Hey, Ann! Great news! and nice results indeed! :-)

I sure can relate on the taste issue. Doing my first flush, I was bowled over by how repellant the taste of Epsom salts was (I expected a "salty" flavor. Whoops -- so wrong!) and that the grapefruit/olive oil mix was so delicious. I expected the exact opposite. The fruit/oil mix inspired me to make a fruit-juice-based salad dressing, in fact. The Epsom salts inspired me to drink them very, very quickly. :-p`` and while I still suggest the addition of pear juice to reduce the *GACK!* factor, I think the improvement is minor. No one will be marketing a yummy Epsom salts drink in our lifetimes, LOL!

Anyway, I'm really pleased with your results, and I'm sure you are as well. The flush is another one of my favorite things: a diagnostic tool that contains its own auto-treatment protocol. If it's something you need, you find that out AND get better at the same time. If you don't need it, nothing much happens beyond a few extra potty breaks -- and, of course, experiencing the unforgettable taste of Epsom salts! ;-D

Thanks a bunch for your feedback, Ann ~ I look forward to more! :-D

News Flash: Eat Wild, Not Captive!

Anybody remember Joachim from the old message boards? He brought to our attention (and reminded us early and often) that farm-raised salmon is a far inferior choice to wild-caught salmon, due to the despicable conditions of their cultivation -- notably the processed junk that commercial fish farmers feed the poor enslaved critters.

I remember an episode of "A Cook's Tour" on the FoodTV network in which Tony Bourdain is the guest of a Scots noblewoman. Because salmon is on the menu, a conversation arises on the virtues of farmed v. wild fishies, in which his hostess remarks: (paraphrase "They're wild beasties, aren't they? Can't imagine them living in cages." Tony notes that farming salmon is not only a repugnant idea, but one whose product is tasteless compared to the wild guys.

Well, here's the first study I've seen showing that not only is the practice one against nature, and not only is farmed salmon of lesser gustatory value, but the one reason people always give for choosing farmed fish -- a lower level of contaminants -- PCBs, etc.) doesn't hold water, to coin a phrase. Turns out they've been feeding them fish meal made from other fish loaded with the very toxins one buys farm-fed to avoid! Read on !

FARM-RAISED SALMON LINKED TO POLLUTANTS

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Salmon-Pollution.html?hp

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Farm-raised salmon contain significantly more dioxins

and other potentially cancer-causing pollutants than do salmon caught in

the wild, says a major study that tested contaminants in fish bought around

the world.

Salmon farmed in Northern Europe had the most contaminants, followed by

North America and Chile, according to the study released Thursday. It

blames the feed used on fish farms for concentrating the ocean pollutants.

Eating more than a meal of farm-raised salmon per month, depending on its

country of origin, could slightly increase the risk of getting cancer later

in life, researchers conclude. They urge consumers to buy wild salmon and

recommend that farmers change fish feed.

But the Food and Drug Administration said the levels of pollutants found in

salmon are too low for serious concern. The agency urged Americans not to

let the new research, reported Thursday in the journal Science, frighten

them into a diet change.

The debate is sure to confuse consumers, who long have been told to eat

fish at least twice a week because it helps prevent heart disease. Indeed,

salmon is usually listed as a top choice because it is particularly high in

heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and low in a completely different seafood

contaminant, mercury.

Moreover, most farm-raised salmon sold in the United States comes from

Chile -- and the pollutant level in it was not too much higher than that

found in some wild-caught salmon.

The study ``will likely over-alarm people in this country,'' said Eric Rimm

of the Harvard School of Public Health, a specialist on nutrition and

chronic disease. ``To alarm people away from fish because of some

potential, at this point undocumented, risk of long-term cancer -- that

does worry me.''

The study tested salmon raw, with the skin on. Removing the skin and

grilling it removes a significant amount of PCBs, dioxins and other

pollutants stored in fish fat, the FDA noted.

The average dioxin level in farmed-raised salmon was as 11 times higher

than that in wild salmon -- 1.88 parts per billion compared with 0.17 ppb.

For PCBs, the average was 36.6 ppb in farm-raised salmon and 4.75 in wild

salmon.

The government does not have one set level of dioxins and PCBs that is

considered safe in foods.

``We are certainly not telling people not to eat fish. ... We're telling

them to eat less farmed salmon,'' said David Carpenter of the University at

Albany, N.Y., who tested 700 salmon from around the world.

In setting his consumption advice, Carpenter cited Environmental Protection

Agency guidelines that are far stricter than the FDA's legal limits.

Farmed salmon eat lots of fish oil and meal made from just a few species of

ocean fish, which concentrates the contaminants they are exposed to, while

wild salmon eat a greater variety, Carpenter explained.

The salmon farming industry points out that all the pollutant levels are

well within the FDA's legal limits and says other foods eaten far more

often, such as beef, are greater sources of exposure.

Raising salmon in floating pens is an industry that began just two decades

ago but has helped the fish's popularity to soar, turning it from a

seasonal to a year-round commodity. More than half the world's salmon now

is farmed. Farm-raised salmon sells for about $4 or $5 a pound compared

with $15 for wild salmon, said Alex Trent of the trade group Salmon of the

Americas.

``These fish don't have to be contaminated,'' said Jane Houlihan of the

Environmental Working Group, which wants salmon farms to switch the feed

they use.

Trent said many farmers in the United States, Canada and Chile are slowly

replacing some of the fish oil in salmon feed with soybean and canola oil

to address the pollutants.

``PCB levels are coming down 10 to 20 percent a year. Every year we take

more steps,'' he said.

Farm-raised salmon contained significantly higher concentrations of 13

pollutants, including dioxins, released when industrial waste is burned,

and PCBs, once widely used as insulating material, according to the study.

Animals absorb those pollutants through the environment, storing them in

fat that people then eat. High levels are believed to increase the risk of

certain cancers and, in pregnant or breast-feeding women, harm the

developing brains of fetuses and infants.

One in two Americans will die of cardiovascular disease, a far bigger risk

than the cancer concern, said nutritionist Alice Lichtenstein of the

Agriculture Department's Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University.

Still, ``this was a beautiful study'' that does raise a concern that needs

more attention, she said. ``The bottom-line message is to continue to eat

fish but consume a variety of different types.''

As for the geographic difference in contaminant levels, ocean pollution

follows a similar pattern. Europe was industrialized before North and then

South America, and presumably each region uses salmon feed made of local

ocean fish.

The study was funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Remember what sixty years of government-subsidized agribusiness have given us? Pesticides in milk, growth hormones in meat, scorpion genes in who-knows-what, antibiotic-resistant microbes everywhere, nutrient-depleted vegetables the norm, the inchoate suffering of the creatures of this Earth for whom WE are responsible, and mass bankruptcy & suicide among traditional farmers. Please work against these pernicious influences in the fishing industry. Our lives and our children's lives hang in the balance.

My "bottom line" remains my personal boycott of "farmed" fish, and my commitment to seek out and reward with my business the conscientious fishmongers who provide clean, fresh, wild fish. They're out there, folks. And they depend absolutely on YOU and where your seafood dollars go. Like the small farmers of the 50's, 60's and 70's, they are vulnerable to the power of 'big business' -- those well-connected cartels and monopolies which depend upon government intervention, favors, subsidies, and other misuses of power for THEIR existence.

You choose. Only your choice can turn back this tide. Please use creativity and choose freedom, for your own health -- and for the vibrant life of the "wild beasties" everywhere. Don't we all, on this Earth, deserve at least that chance to live as our Creator designed us to do?

Just finished todays column on Flushing. Thank you for the lightness that you bring to such an important subject.

Having been responsible for the engineering and construction of many large chemical, plants I know how important it is to keep the drains and plumbing clear and in good working order. If we were as careful about our bodies and what we put into them as we are about our cars etc., we would all be a lot better off.

At age 76, I tried my first flush with no obvious results; will give it another try in a couple of months. The diet has done remarkable things for me. Chloresterol and lipids all normal, energy at a high level and enjoying fruit and veggie shakes now that we have a Vita-Mix; wonderful machine.

Also, still touting the bennies of the diet to those who will listen. My best testimony is my own personal life filled with strenuous activities like racquetball and good health.

I don't write much but am a conscientious reader and appreciate the support you give others. Their support and sharing combined with your cheer, knowledge and humor, is a blessing to me. Mega thanks, Conrad

Hey there, Conrad! A timely reminder on keeping the physiological machinery running clean -- thanks, dear! ;-)

I won't be surprised if you, an outrageously healthy type O, find that the second gallbladder flush produces little or nothing. It sounds as if the diet and exercise plan may have been more than sufficient to support your liver and gallbladder in excellent working order ~ and the open & energetic approach you take to living is in itself a powerful invigorating influence upon organ function.

Wishing you more of the same, dear! It's always a pleasure to hear from you! :-D

Hello Heidi,

Like Jim, I am an A+ secretor who follows the bloodtype diet quite conscientiously, yet I experienced long-term troubles with flatulence.

In my case, I found that the food category seeming to produce my worst problems with gas was one that I LEAST expected as the cause: grains. Once I eliminated all the grains which are derived from the grass family of plants I noticed a considerable improvement in my digestion. The two BENEFICIAL grains for Type-A, amaranth and buckwheat, don't give me trouble, but it should be noted that both of these foods are not "true" grains. Interestingly enough, (BENEFICIAL) legumes that are usually blamed for producing gas won't cause me the classic symptoms, as long as I still refrain from grains, and the soluble fiber in lentils and beans really help to keep me regular.

I've also learned that judicious amounts of extra virgin olive oil included with my meals not only accentuates the flavors but also aids digestion as well.

I realize this next suggestion is contrary to the prevailing wisdom on good eating habits, but I've discovered that in my particular case I do better taking foods in only two or three substantial meals separated by about six hours (and finishing my last meal some six hours before bedtime) RATHER than dining on several smaller portions at shorter intervals throughout the day. My Type-A digestion just seems to have its own long-cycle process that doesn't appreciate interruptions by any sort of snacking between meals and, when I ignore this principle I almost always pay the price in flatulence.

Finally, I've noticed that even when I am on my best dietary behavior my digestive well-being can be completely sabotaged by my Type-A susceptibility to emotional stress! Consequently I try to stay as calm as possible... Hope these ideas might help my fellow "A". ~ Mark

P.S. Another few thoughts for Jim, A+ Secretor: If he hasn't already done so, he may wish to avail himself of the Type-A specific probiotic formula, offered by North American Pharmacal on this website. It's my hunch that A-Types, because of our "over-tolerant" immune systems, tend to have more difficulty establishing and maintaining the proper bacterial balance in our intestinal tracts, even after we've begun to "Eat Right for Our Type". It's the bacteria, after all, that produce the gas, and the wrong varieties in our gut cause the most trouble.

I commend Jim for following the liver/gall bladder cleansing flushes and he's probably brimming with health in that respect!

One additional remedy he might consider pursuing is an herbal formula to eliminate parasites, such as the program outlined in Hulda Clark's book "The Cure for all Diseases", or the pre-packaged combinations found in natural food stores.

I'm not hinting that there are big nasty beasties wiggling around in our insides (such is rarely the case) but I imagine it could be fairly easy to pick up unwelcome microbial guests along the way and, I've found that these formulas can be a gentle though effective method for good internal housekeeping. Best regards...

Greetings, Mark ~ lovely to hear from you!

Your notes on probiotics and eliminating certain grains are well worth looking into.

I was especially struck by your experience with meal timing. It makes excellent sense to me, and perhaps Jim will experiment with fewer & more substantial meals to see if his situation improves. Certainly, allowing time for a meal's complete digestion before having another would mitigate against both flatulence and constipation.

Meal restructuring, grain tinkering, and Polyflora-A seem like great starting points from what Jim's reported so far... read on! and thank you so much for your insights! :-D

Heidi, Please tell Jim Garland about taking vitamin C to tolerance to relieve his constipation problems, at least until he figures out what is going on. It works! Theresa

Theresa's got a good one there, Jim ~ The technique generally is to start with one or two grams of Vitamin C (I prefer esterified C with bioflavanoids, or 100% acerola cherry C) and add one gram daily until the stools get runny. Back off on the dosage just enough to restore shape to the stools ~ and sort of 'ride herd' on the daily dose to maintain regular elimination. It's a stopgap procedure for you while you're working on the cause of the problem (which is unlikely to be vitamin C deficiency. ;-)).

Thanks for that one, Theresa! :-D

Hi Heidi! How exciting to see my post on your wonderful collumn!

To answer your questions I am 6'2, 182lbs. I have been following the diet for about 6 months. Before that My diet was typical fast food garbage for about 11 months. Before that I blood type dieted for about 6 months. This time I'm on the train for good. The reason I hopped off last time was because I moved and was BROKE. Doing well now though.

I used to be a lot stricter with the calories... I don't weigh food or anything just kind of a general guideline.

During the off the blood type diet time I was almost constantly taking antibiotics and drinking in excess a lot(just turned 21) wich I expect destroyed my intestinal flora. I use a variety of probiotics now but none of them have the biffida strain the good doc reccomends.

A 2 day sample diet would be as follows:

8 am-1/8 cup peanuts, 1/8 cup walnuts, 2 cups coffee w/1 Tbsp black strap mollasses mixed in, small piece of ginger root, 1/2 cup oatmeal, and a grapefruit.

10am- 10 ounces lemon water.

11 am- Half a package whitewave tofu w/benneficial seasonings. 10 carrot sticks. Handful of spinach leaves. An apple.

1pm 10 ounces lemon water.

2 pm- Other half of tofu block seasoned- 10 carrot sticks, handful of spinach, 2 dried apricots, 2 dried prunes.

4pm- 10 oz lemon water

5 pm- 1 cup yogurt wixed w/1 cup blueberries, 2 slices ezekiel bread

7pm 10 oz lemon water

8pm salmon fillet w/olive oil and seasonings, broccoli, med sized onion sauteed, glass of red wine.

10pm bowl of amaranth or buckwheat flakes with soy milk and cinnamon more blueberries

11:30 pm a glass or two of wine.

next day probably close to the same thing... swap the tofu with tempeh, the salmon with pollack, the bluberries w/ cranberries, the prunes w/dried figs, the ezekiel braed w/mana bread... you get the idea. I don't drink wine everyday but just about. 1-4 good sized glasses.

I also only eat fish about 3 times a week and yogurt about once or twice. the other days I just won't have any animal products. I take supplements throughout the day including milk thistle, ecchinachea, ginseng w/royal jelly blend, green tea extract, multi vitamin, chondroitin w/glucosamine, MSM, and a probiotic or two. I take the reccomended doses, usually with meals. Sorry this was so long... any other q's let me know...and... THANX!!!!!!!!

On a different note. I heard Dr. Bron mention Holosync in one of his collumns. I then saw you post their address on yours. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I was VERY skeptical... I ordered it after listening to the demo many times, e-mailing them, and learning all I could... I broke down and took a chance... (I was experiencing some anxiety at the time...)

I have been using it for approx. 6 weeks now... every day... I have never been so peaceful and happy with myself and who I am. Of course the BTD is a major contributor there. But in response to people wondering if it's right for them I'd say A's and AB's would benefit a lot. O's and B's only if you have some issues... Anyway... Thank you for a truly inspirational and enlightening collumn!! Much love! Jim ---

Hey there, Jim! Great rundown on your diet, well done!

I have several suggestions:

First, it would help to boost the high-magnesium vegetables (chards, kale, collards, other dark leafy greens -- you'll find them in the beneficials). Since you're eating tofu daily, your magnesium needs may rise in proportion to that high-calcium food.

I'd also switch off between tofu and tempeh, along with other *whole* beans -- other As who've done so found their digestive efficiency much improved.

The second thing that occurred to me is that in the three hours before bedtime, the high-protein (like salmon) food is often included, along with a sizable portion of grain, soy milk and fruit, with a nightcap of wine. The timing and food combinations of these late meals may well be a factor in that pesky gas & constipation. I'd switch the salmon to lunch (11am or 2pm meal) and have an all-vegetable meal in the evening (at least three hours before sleep). That last meal would be a great place to stuff in the leafy greens, broccoli... perhaps a big stir-fry on top of a green salad, but in any case I'd use only vegetables -- no fruit/grain combinations -- and moving the most protein-heavy meal to the middle of the day will boost energy and take digestive advantage of that physically active time.

Finally, take a peek at Mark's and Theresa's notes above. It looks like you've already gone with amaranth and buckwheat, along with some oatmeal ~ but do consider the blood type probiotic, Polyflora-A, and comb through the other excellent suggestions to see if any bells start ringing.

I'm really pleased that the Holosync system has proven so valuable for you! It is always wonderful to hear the reports people write about stress-relief techniques -- they're life-changing indeed. Enjoy it!

You're doing a tremendous job following the A secretor plan, and I can just tell that with a little tweak here & there, you'll be a very happy camper! However, I order you to Keep in Touch with anything you'd like to yak about! and of course, we wanna hear that the main problem's solved !! :-D

Hi Heidi Thank you so much for your reply. I looked up the links you recommended and unfortunately there is no licensing board for naturopaths in the province of Quebec although there are some .

I take the following supplements: Life extension mix : 70% of the standard dose. 2 grms of Vitamin C. Calcium (300 mg) and magnesium (150 mg) with vitamin D CoQ10: 100 mg Super Saw Palemetto-Nettle root extract from Life Extension: 2 caps Bilberry extract 100 mgs Ginko Bilboa: 20 mgs Aromastat from N.A. Pharmacal: 2 caps Melatonie. 1 mg Occasionally 2 caps of Trimethylglycine Hmmm, it is a lot, is’n it.

At breakfast, I have two cups of black coffe (real good coffe made with an expresso machine) and one coffe in the afternoon. I am compliant about 80% with the ABO diet. I always have at least 4 portions of fruit a day if not more. I suppose this accounts for some liquid.

I think my biggest problem is stress. Being type A, everything we do is done with intensity. Now I understand what stress is after reading those wonderful books from P. D’Adamo, especially LR4YT. I must have read the chapter on stress a hundred times.

As a result I considerably reduced my physical activities, which however I always loved. Up to two years ago, after having vorked physically a good part of the day (we are now retired in the country) I would have gone swimming as an example. In the evening I would have done other type of work, for ecological groups for instance. Now I know this was stupid and I have cut down a lot on physical activities and other involvements. In a way, it is sad but it is mandatory.

At that time I started having the same type of problems with my GI tract (that is eliminating all the time). I guess as we grow older, we don’t have the same resistance. So my doctor had me pass sevral exams and they all came out very good.

So I turned to meditation and using prophylactic A. My problem disappeared rigth away.

6 months ago I bought the book Meditation as Medecine ( recommended by you) as a mean to further reduce my stress and gain a better control of myself (control is not the best word but anyway). This is another extraordinary book. I have been practising this type of meditation since and again I have made progress eventhough I still have some way to go.. But somehow I wonder if as a result of practising some of these exercises, the kidneys and probably other organs became more efficient.

Let me apoligize for this too long message and taking too much of your time. I hope people will realize that taking control of its life might be for some of us the most important thing to do, after all. Again, thanks so much for your time and patience. Best regards Paul

Paul, it's so good to hear from you! I think you are doing wonderful work on establishing great health and a calm and prosperous lifestyle.

Looking over what you wrote, I am still uncertain on how frequent your urination is, whether it's accompanied by a sudden feeling of urgency, and whether you have any discomfort with it - and if it wakes you at night. If I understand what you have described so far, it would not be caused by having four servings of fruit, nor by drinking a few more glasses of water daily. The bladder becomes accustomed to the extra liquid in a couple of weeks, at which point you wouldn't be running to the bathroom. I'd say try cutting back to one cup of coffee -- just as an experiment. If this problem is being caused by irritation, coffee can do that. Just try that for a week.

The Life Extension mix appears to contain about a hundred ingredients -- some of which are described with proprietary names -- so I can't evaluate this product very effectively. It seems, though, that you are taking about 4 grams (4000mg) of supplemental vitamin C daily, much of it in ascorbic acid form. You might discontinue the extra 2 grams of C for a week, just to test the result. The type A diet, as well as several of your supps, are very prostate-protective. I think you have that issue covered nicely.

I'd like to reassure you that activities which you enjoy -- like swimming and your community involvement -- are things you need not exclude from your schedule. They are both lively and beneficial, if they're things you look forward to doing. Since you need no longer work so hard during the day, these activities can be a pure pleasure and taken at whatever level you find appealing. We hope that your great new education in the impact of stress will not lead you to sharply curtail your activities, and feel regret thereby ~ but rather will expand your sense of being alive, of your physical exuberance, and your connection to like-minded people! ;-) These are all health-enhancing influences. :-)

And I applaud you for using Dr. Khalsa's Meditation as Medicine -- I agree it is an extraordinary book! It's possible that you could experience some organ-clearing effects when you first begin those kriyas, perhaps you'd have some slight effect right after performing them even after you'd practiced them for months. I doubt they would contribute to steadily-increasing frequency of urination, however.

OK- so, do fill me in a little more on the foods you eat regularly, and on the questions I have about the condition itself. Thanks so much! Be well, dear! :-D

OH! and anyone with a great practitioner for Paul in QUEBEC, please give a holler! Drop me a line, and I'll make sure Paul gets the info. MANY thanks, folks!! :-)

I saw that there was a calorie calculator. Is it recommended to count calories while doing BTD? Also, I am having a hard time getting motivated, any suggestions? Thank you, Heather

Hi, Heather!

Naw, we don't count calories on this diet. Some people prefer to do so out of habit or the desire to feel in control on that level, but the success of the diet does not lie in how many calories one ingests, but rather what KIND of calories one ingests. ;->

Everyone's different in what motivates them. Some enjoy support groups -- some want to see the science -- some get excited just by reading what others have done. Some are keenly motivated because they are very ill -- and plenty of people join us because they've tried everything else and this is their last-ditch effort. And many of us came to January 1, 2004 and said THIS IS IT! ENOUGH'S ENOUGH AND TODAY'S THE DAY! :-D

Here's a starting place for you: just hit the "list previous topics" button, wait for it to load, and start at the first (bottom) link & start reading! You can also use the search box to look for single-word search terms, or use the 'Search the site' option under the Support link at the top of this page for more complex searches.

A very warm welcome to you, Heather ~ take a tour around this site, and read through the columns -- there are stories and support everywhere. Stop back if you have questions! enjoy!! :-D

I am a bnegsec who has found that on the diet I have developed reflux. I am worried it's because since giving up whole grains and increasing dairy and red meat that I'm now too acidic. What should I do? Kathryn

Hello there, Kathryn! Reflux is not caused by high acidity, but by insufficient digestive secretions (of which HCL is one).

Give me an average daily menu, from waking to sleeping. Reflux is a very easy thing to solve, and I'm sure we can put our heads together and sort it in record time. ;-) I'll wait to hear from you -- thanks for writing!! :-D

Hello! – I am a Reflexologist and therefore I am very aware of the food/ drink aspects of a person’s lifestyle on health and so when I learned, quite recently, of your work and that of your father, I found it extremely interesting.. I have worked in plant research for 25 years and have a “scientific mind” which is very engaged by what I am reading in your books and on the web site.

I am writing for help with a couple of difficulties in understanding.

I am confused by the different information about lecithin in the blood group B diet and would be grateful for clarification. In BTD lecithin as soy granules, (not soy itself) is recommended for the daily membrane fluidizer cocktail to stimulate the immune-system ( pages 167 &181). However in the Encyclopadia on page 518 in the list Beans/Legumes under Soy granules (Lecithin) it appears as an AVOID food as it contains lectin or other agglutin/ metabolic inhibitor. It appears again in the Encyclopaedia in the Blood Group Supplements Base chapter on page 574, this time having a specific beneficial effect ie. chronic illness recovery. May be there is some rational for these seemingly disparate statements – please help!

I have a sensitive immune system and would like the right diet to balance/strengthen it. Three years ago when I embarked on my Reflexology training, I first heard about Nutritional Kinesiology. I was very curious about the technique of asking my body cells (immune system presumably) the foodswhich my body tolerated or did not tolerate, and so I was tested (K1). Some of the foods which my body did not tolerate well, were in the AVOID list for my blood group B, (excellent agreement) BUT some foods ie. cow’s milk and yoghurt, were in the HIGHLY BENEFICIAL or NUETRAL lists. In addition some foods which I was K1 tolerant of, were in the AVOID blood group list ie. pork, chicken, trout, mussels, lobster, crab, prawns, avocado, tomato, pumpkin, lentils, gin, vodka.

These anomalies prompted me to be retested (K2), by a different Kinesiologist, and this time (unlike the K1) there was improved agreement with the B blood group lists compared with K1. However there are still some outstanding anomalies as follows : red and white potatoes (intolerant), green olives stuffed with anchovies (tolerant), cashews (tolerant), rice cakes with ground black pepper (tolerant), regular tea (intolerant) and Brasil nut (intolerant). I would very much like to know what you think about anomalies. Obviously, as shown by the 2 kinesiology tests, one’s body changes its sensitivity to the same food (why??), but as both blood group agglutination tests and kinesiology testing are both “talking” directly to the cell level of the body, they are I believe, in effect the same test.

Thus anomalies make it somewhat unclear as to whether I should follow the AVOIDs from the blood group B list or the intolerants of the K2 test. I would be most grateful to hear from you or your team when you can spare the time for a reply. Very best wishes for your research in 2004 Best regards, PaulineC

Welcome, Pauline! Thank you for the kind words about Peter and his father. I'm just Heidi here, but I appreciate your compliments, and I'm sure they will as well.

First, about lecithin: both LR4YT and the Encyclopedia list lecithin as an avoid -- that is a proofreading error (mine, in fact). Lecithin is NEUTRAL for all blood groups, whether secretor or nonsecretor, and whether it be soy- or egg-based lecithin.

Second, regarding your applied kinesiology results: I invite you to have these tests done three times in a day by a single practitioner. I expect that you will see differences between test results even then. Others have done this experiment, and found that the variability among results rendered that system impracticable and unreliable in their view for the purpose of designing a diet. Since the ABO plans are based upon physiological data which is persistent and will yield identical results under repeated testing, I can assure you that agglutination tests (and this is only one of the criteria used for food value determination) and nutritional kinesiology are quite dissimilar.

What I always suggest to people who feel safer testing their foods via ELISA, nutritional kinesiology, or any other testing modality, is to remove from their diets any BTD-Neutral or -Beneficial item to which they show significant sensitivity -- but not to add any BTD-Avoid that the test determines is harmless. This column from last June, in the second question & answer section, contains a typical response from me on how to apply these alternative testing results to their implementation of the BTD.

We do work with those who have, for example, systemic candidiasis, celiac disease, advanced diabetes, and cancer, to help modify the secretor status-specific diet as necessary to meet their individual and immediate needs. Generally speaking, however, the overall balance and power of the diet and exercise plans themselves accomplish successful resolutions for approximately 85% of those who try them.

I hope this discussion helps you in your quest for health, for both you and your clients! Please don't hesitate to write again if I can be of assistance in any way. Best wishes! :-D

Dear Heidi, This is a comment for Micha and all those who wish to get Heallix in Europe. There is a distributor in the Netherlands or just ask Leo at Heallix to send from the states. He is astute about sending and getting it through customs. He does it for me on a regular basis. I supply my friends and acupuncturist. Karen in London, UK

Well, howdy, Karen! Hey! Don't leave me here on pins & needles -- tell us how to contact the distributor in the Netherlands as well! tx in advance! :-)

Leo's probably well versed in international shipments by this time. It's a popular product in several countries now -- good to know he's providing great service for you & friends.

Happy New Year, my friend! :-D

Hi, Heidi! Thanks so much for responding! My most recent "attack" of upset stomach came after I ate sweet potato. I've also noticed it with a combination of sauteed yellow onions and garlic. Happy O eating over the holidays! Lisa

Hi, Lisa! I hope your holidays were lovely!

To review for the readers, the earlier question you had was whether mold in the veg might be the cause of these stomach upsets, since you notice them during the cold season but not at other times. I then had asked if you noticed the problem with any particular food items. Let's look at the issue of mold with the foods you mentioned.

If a sweet potato is moldy (I believe this mold is the fusarium organism), it should show softened spots and slightly furred skin on those spots. Purchase firm, unwrinkled sweet potatoes with no soft spots, and the cooking process will destroy any wandering spores which may be present on the skin (which is removed before eating anyway).

Mold on onions is clearly visible to the naked eye, as a blackish powdery substance on the skin and flesh of the onion. If the onion is hard from root end to top with no swollen areas, if it has a very mild oniony smell, and the skin fits snugly and shows no cuts, bubbling or water staining, it's a good, mold-free onion.

I've never seen moldy garlic, perhaps because of its antioxidant compounds -- or perhaps because I store garlic in its skin in a wire basket in the kitchen. I buy only what I would use in a week or two, and my two-week-old garlic is indistinguishable from its new replacements. I can't vouch for the quality of garlic left in the refrigerator, nor of commercially-available jars of peeled or 'pre-minced' garlic.

These descriptions should help you determine whether the food that gave you a stomach upset could have been moldy. If they could not have been moldy, then you'd want to expand your investigation to include what was eaten with those foods, and/or the fats used in their preparation.

:-)

An A-type friend has a bone spur? What should he do? Happy Holidays Everyone! carolyn(o+sec)

Hi, Carolyn! Tell me more about your friend. Is he overweight? If so, getting down to a healthy weight would be instrumental in slowing bone spur growth and making sure that more do not form in the future.

Whether the spur is in the heel or the spine, he should consult a chiropractor or orthopoedist for spinal adjustments and for help choosing proper shoes and orthotics if needed.

Second, he should be following the A diet closely, including appropriate calcium and magnesium supplementation. If he is taking antacids of any kind, I'd encourage him to stop doing so. The use of quercetin, bromelain, and essential fatty acids are all part of his healing.

He really should see a BTD practitioner skilled in supplementing certain acidifying compounds and monitoring diet and other factors, in order to get this (sometimes long) healing process underway. There are many protocols used in this field which must be tailored to the individual, so it's not possible for me to offer a comprehensive plan for him.

Best wishes to him and to you, Carolyn ~ thanks for being such a help to your friend! :-)

Hi Heidi! My name is Jim Garland I'm a 22 year old A+ secretor.

I have been following the diet for some time now... very strictly. I eat almost all teir 1 benneficials a few nuetrals, and very rarely eat any avoids. I have completed 3 liver/gallbladder flushes now.

Two questions. Passion fruit... benneficial, nuetral, or avoid??

And more pressing... I follow the diet so strictly. Except for the once a month avoid or the portions... Yet... I have TERRIBLY flatulance ALL the time. The smell is truly awful... I also am having extremely irregular bowel movements... few and far between maybe one unsatisfying one every couple of days... I feel terribly constipated most of the time lately...

I drink lemoned water, I usually only consume beverages 2 hours after and a half hour before I eat... I eat ginger root a bitter... I eat about 300-350 calories every 3 hours or so... Lots of raw vegetables... I suspect one of these may be the cause... any ideas??

The only way I can clear myself out is to do a coffee enema... I feel fine for a day after that but it's back to constipated again right away...and I have to do another one... Please list my e-mail addy and any advice would be appreciated! I read your column all the time but have never written in. Thank you so MUCH!! Jim

Hello, Jim! Welcome!

Passion fruit hasn't yet been rated. If you search for "passion" using the form at the bottom of this page, you'll see some other columns in which we've discussed the marvelous passion fruit. :-)

Neither the lemon water nor condiment quantities of ginger root would produce the flatulence, to my knowledge.

Some questions arose in my mind from the facts you posted. First, could you tell me your height & weight? And are you counting calories by weighing the foods you're eating? We don't use calories in this plan, as that approach tends to increase the stress associated with following a diet (thus increasing cortisol, making weight loss and other health goals more difficult to achieve)-- and is unnecessary for success with this plan.

Also, could you describe your menu in detail for, say, a two-day period? That would give me some data on which I might be able to determine what's causing the constant gas. If you could, it would be useful to know how long you've followed the BTD, and what your diet was like before. And finally, do you practice yoga or meditation?

Thanks for offering your email addy, but the reason I don't post information like that is largely because of the automated email addy-harvesting programs which roam the Net looking for addys to rain spam on. However, the readers are free to ask me for your contact info. Since you've given permission, I'll pass your addy to anyone who requests it.

Best wishes, Jim, and please do write back! :-)

Hi there. About 20 years ago, after the birth of my first son, I couldn't get out of a depressed state, or lose 30 pounds I had gained while pregnant. I saw a doctor who prescribed I go on the Caveman Diet, which, as I understand now, is VERY similar to the diet for Os, which I am. I was advised to stay away from high-carbohydrate veggies and fruits, eat NO dairy, NO refined grains and no sugar. The 30 pounds just melted off, without restricting the amounts of foods I ate, as long as I followed the instructions.

Now, I find myself, at age 49, putting the pounds on very easily, especially around my belly. I have pulled my copy of Eat Right for Your Type off the shelf, and am looking at it again with renewed interest since I don't want to be middle aged and obese.

I find it difficult to keep up with the amount of exercise it seems to take to keep me at a decent weight - where I am comfortable in my clothes. I am almost 5'10" tall, and feel really good at 160 pounds, on a medium-large frame. Right now I'm at 182 pounds.

I want to lose the weight, and keep it off, but I seem to struggle mostly with sticking to the "diet", ie, not eating sugar or breads/pastas AND keeping up the amount of exercise needed to take it off and keep it off. I walk briskly every morning for 1/2 hour, and have begun exercising to a DVD every day doing a combination of lo aerobics, weight training and yoga......should I be doing something differently?

Why does it seem so hard to KEEP the weight off, and stick with eating properly AND exercising? Is there some way to jump start myself to see some really great results quickly? And what's with this belly thing? Thanks so much for your help! Diane

Hi, Diane!

I have a feeling that the reason you have trouble with keeping weight off and sticking to the diet in Eat Right 4 Your Type is that you are a nonsecretor.

There are clues to be found in the success you had with the "caveman diet." You ate NO dairy, NO refined grains and NO sugar. The one further adjustment to make there is to eliminate grain entirely for the time being -- that's your jump start. O's don't need grains to be healthy, and they benefit in many ways from not eating it -- particularly in the excess bodyfat reduction department. Eat meat, fowl, fish, a variety of fats (from nuts, seeds, and cold-pressed olive & flax oils) with plenty (4 to 5 times the meat intake) of beneficial vegetables (especially dark leafy greens), and include some unsweetened beneficial fruit daily.

It's a simple diet. Don't go hungry - EAT. Have enough to satisfy you. Drink 1/2 ounce of pure water per pound you weigh, daily, and put a little lemon juice and/or a pinch of gray sea salt in each quart. Drink it at least one hour away from meals. Use the bones of meat, fowl & fish to make broth. Get bone-in steaks, or lamb shanks, and have your butcher cut them so that when roasted, the cooked marrow in the center can be eaten. Use a high-mineral water. These are ancient ways of obtaining essential dietary minerals in their naturally-occurring synergistic combinations.

You're doing plenty of exercise. If you'd like more benefit for less time spent, incorporate two intense weight-training sessions per week (one for the upper body, one for the lower), and reduce the daily DVD sessions to thrice weekly (primarily for stretching and light cardio). Why? Because building active tissue is more quickly achieved that way -- and more active tissue mass (muscle) means more fat-burning. Work out more infrequently, get better results. Pretty cool, eh? ;-)

Health gurus will tell you that disproportionate belly fat developing in a 49-year-old woman is a premenopause issue. I will tell you that, yes, it may well be. Where we depart from the conventional advice is based upon what the ABO plans do TO the hormone balance. When you've been on the proper diet for a while, your body is doing its job unimpeded. I should say, its "jobs," including the endocrine system's return to an unburdened mode of function. That's why the diet and exercise come first -- and I believe when you've found your secretor status and are following the diet best suited to you, much (if not all) of the work conventionally approached with hormone replacement treatments will have been accomplished already.

so ~ give it a go and write back with results & comments! I appreciate hearing from you! thanks, Diane! :-)

Dear Heidi, First I want to thank you for all the help that you give all of us.

Just a quick question. I have tried searching for the answer but no luck. Ryan had an article that I read about Heallix and amalgam fillings. My son uses heallix faithfully but I did not realize that he had some amalgam fillings. Now I can not find this article and he wants to know what it said because he brushes his teeth with the heallix and uses it every day as a preventative and then for problems if needed. Could you please make me a link to that article. Thanks again, Connie from Ohio

Hello, Connie!

The discussion was in a post by Francoise Ouellet, and includes research she did while preparing for her amalgam filling removal. Here it is! and thanks for your patience, dear! :-}

Happy Holidays Heidi! It is so nice to have you back.

1) I found Chinese Garlic Extract at the Rx Wellness Center. You have to order it online at www.rxwellnesscenter.com.

2) Which protocol would you recommend using to address Adrenal Fatigue?

3) Also, I did the liver/gall bladder flush. The first day of fasting wasn't too bad but I struggled the second day. I also felt nauseous all through the night after taking the oil/lemon. I did take apple juice every two hours even though I am a O nonnie. I just couldn't imagine going two days on H2O. Any suggestions for me for my next flush? Any tips? Should I do the apple juice again even though I am a nonnie? The thought of taking a pill of any kind with H20 and no food for two days makes me nauseous.

4)My last question. I felt a cold coming on and immediately started on Healix. It seemed to help somewhat but I thought it would knock it out immediately. I still have some congestion a week later. Is this normal? Am I expecting miracles? Also being a nonnie who travels on airplanes alot what else should I do to avoid getting sick this year? Heidi, thanks again. It is so good to have you back. Your new website looks terrific. Sincerely, Lynn

Hello, Lynn! :-)

Thanks for the URL to the Chinese Garlic Extract product -- but all I got was a blank page. Can't seem to get it to work. Any tips?

As a basic protocol against adrenal fatigue, see the article by Dr. Greg Kelly on Cortiguard: The influence of blood type on stress, part I. I would not approach adrenal fatigue without using Cortiguard. The Encyclopedia Fatigue-Fighting protocol for type O would certainly help you, adding CoQ10 as noted, since you're a nonsecretor. Pregnenolone has also proven highly effective in this condition.

For nausea during the flush, have some room-temperature seltzer with a good dash of black cherry concentrate on your bedside table -- sip it until the nausea abates. So, did you produce any nice stones you'd like to tell me about? :-) I'd suggest using diluted cherry or blueberry juice next time, and take a malic acid supp as well. You need not fast entirely on the juice, but the idea is to remove all fat and flesh protein from the diet during those two days.

There seems to be an O-nonnie-specific 'sickie-thing' flying around among us! The same thing happened with me, except I didn't take anything for it particularly, and the congestion hung on. Perhaps we just need a big clear-out every few years, who knows? ;-( You might try Heallix on a regular basis during high-stress times. Small amount daily, perhaps. It works quite well in fending things off before they start -- unless the problem has nothing to do with microbes, and if you're facing adrenal fatigue, Don is someone you'd want to correspond with. He discovered (after 2 bottles of Heallix) that his cold was not a cold -- it was blasted adrenals. Let me know if you'd like me to send him your email addy.

The best way to protect oneself during air travel is to bring plenty of bottled water and enough snacks to keep you away from the execrable garbage they serve on flights. I had to do quite a bit of travelling myself recently, and I used ProBerry3 in the morning and lemoned water through the day. Worked splendidly.

Travel safe, and write back at your convenience! :-D

Hi Heidi- It's me again. My skin is so dry and ichy. I have tried everything from cremes to oils in baths, etc. I did a liver/gall bladder flush a month ago and ever since then I have noticed even dryer skin than before. I blamed the colder weather but now I think my body needs something. Any suggestions? Thanks as always, Lynn

Hi, Lynn! It's me again. (lol, :-D) Tell me the results of the flush. Did you pass a number of stones? How is your digestion since you did the flush? It's quite possible you need another, believe it or not. Wait 6 weeks and do another -- it will most definitely make a big difference in the suppleness of your skin, as the point is to give the gallbladder a thorough clearing-out (which improves fat digestion, among other benefits). Tell me more, including how much fat is in your diet daily. thanks, dear!! :-D

Bonjour Heidi, Just read your column about how you do the liver/gallbladder flush. Gotta question one item before I forget. You say "3 T Epsom Salts". Do you REALLY mean 3 Tablespoons???

I got some Epsom Salts here in France (I think anyway... it is sold in little sachets of 30 grams each and is called magnesium sulfate something...). I took half a sachet which could not possibly be one tablespoon and I started vaporising within a few hours. I had TONS of liquid poops for the rest of the day and even one or two times during the night. Think I lost at least 2 pounds...

Now, I did not do this for a liver flush - just was a bit constipated while doing the mercury detox thing. Soooooooo, did I read it correctly??? Three Tablespoons?????

I'm not planning on doing the liver/gallbladder flush myself at the current time, as I believe I read it was a no-no while doing mercury detox. But, later on, when it is over and I'm back in the good old USA and have access to fresh, organic juices, I do want to give it a go (so to speak!).

Another question for this future event, how do you know when you pass stones? Can you actually feel them, or are you supposed to, uh, somehow examine your stools??? a bientot, my dear Heidi! Abby

Yeah, gal! it's 3 tablespoons in 3 cups of water... works REAL good, I can tell ya! :-D And as a reminder here, the Epsom salts mix is noted as optional. Its function in this little procedure is (1) to relax and open the bile ducts, to ease the passage of any biggies, and (2) to move everything RIGHT ALONG before & after the oil/juice flush itself. We don't want that old yuckaroo detritus loitering around in the bowel. We want to march it straight out. There's a bit of a Sherman's Retreat effect, which is why we start back slowly to the diet, and bang down those probiotics for a couple of weeks afterward.

How do you tell you've passed stones? I'm so pleased you asked! You will be in no doubt whatever that you've passed stones (if you've passed any, that is). It's not that they hurt -- they're just very easy to spot, especially since you've already cleared out the bowel through the light diet & juicing. Particularly (;-)) on the second elimination, all you'll see are stones & a bit of liquid bile.

I'm happy you broached this subject, because I neglected to mention in my 'here's Heidi's flush recipe' post a rather nifty technique I read about on a message board populated by enthusiastic gbflushers: the positioning of a 99-cent plastic sieve on the porcelain receptacle, with the seat set down over the sieve. This allows one to closely examine one's measure of success, and to easily rinse and retain positive evidentiary items if desired. I hear they make lovely jewelry. (OK, I AM kidding about the jewelry. lol.)

Aren't you glad you asked, too? LOL! Nice to hear from the sunny Mediterranean, Abby! Get up off that vista'd terrace and say hello more often, OK? best wishes, dear! :-D

Hello Heidi, Re: Sue (O neg) who posted regarding the gallbladder/liver flush, I finally worked up the courage to do the flush after contemplating it for a good 6-8 months.

I too was a bit concerned about if I would have to miss work and what exactly would happen during the flush. I am happy to report a successful flush.!

Just as you said for yourself, I decided I was generally healthy and it was just grapefruit juice and olive oil so I shouldn't be hurt by it and I should just go for it. I used the flush from Julia's sight and did not purchase the supplements that she recommends although I did consider it. I also substituted pineapple juice for the grapefruit juice as I just don't care for grapefruit.

It really wasn't as bad drinking the olive oil/pineapple mixture as I thought it might be. I drank the mixture thursday night and saw results friday. The hardest part for me was eating only soft vegetables and drinking the broth. I wanted real food, BEEF!

Anyway, the flush released multiple stones of a dark green color and varying sizes from slightly smaller than the size of a pea to one that was a bit larger than a large marble and as a side note, a chronic pain that I have had under my right shoulder blade for at least the last 5 years (no kidding) has disappeared! The pain was only felt at night if I lay on my right side for a period of time, or if I touched the site, now the pain is gone.

My doctor couldn't find an explanation for the pain so it was just something I lived with. Maybe it was the large stone causing the pain? Bottom line is, I'm glad I did the flush.

If you want to share this with Sue/the column feel free. Thanks for your time Heidi. Anita

Hallelujah and bless ya to bits, Anita! Your timing is impeccable (viz. Abby's questions just above)! I am not at all surprised you had a very successful flush, and I'm very happy that one of the classic symptoms of gallbladder congestion (that under-shoulderblade pain) has been resolved for you. Good on ya!

Since your first flush produced a nice bunch of stones, do consider waiting two months and repeating the process. As long as you're getting stones out, it's worth repeating the flush every two months. There will come a time (and perhaps sooner than later) when you get little more than a bit of bile & some fine sandy stuff. A six-month or yearly schedule is then appropriate. Sort of like an annual doctor's visit, except that it costs less than $5 and is both diagnosis and treatment in its dusty old-fashioned naturopathic way. ;-> I'm darned fond of it, I have to say.

Congratulations, Anita, and my thanks to you for sharing your success with us! Keep shining, dear!! :-D

Heidi: I am asking why a root vegetable such as parsnip is 'beneficial' while beets, celeriac (celery root), carrots, etc. are just 'neutral'. Is it better to show preference to parsnips when availability is equal or is it better to use approximately equal amounts of all the root vegetables during the winter? Thank you. Daniel TwoEagles



Hi, Daniel! TYPEbase notes that the parsnip contains one of those lectins which act favorably for the blood groups in which it is valued Beneficial. Many plants contain these compounds, and while some are universally to be avoided, others are actively good for ya. Yet others confer benefits upon one ABO group or subgroup, but are inadvisable for the rest of us.



What a relief that this work is all done FOR us, eh? ;-) thank you for writing, Daniel! :-D

Hello Heidi! Hope you had a wonderful holiday in NYC!



Is it just me, or are others having a HECK of a time with the new web site? I do have DSL, but getting on to the new site takes more time than when I was dialing up. It's so bad that I often just don't have the time to wait, espeically for the home page to finish downloading, but even going back and forth between columns and the home page is excrutiatingly (sp?) slow.



I tried to find a contact email for the general site, but couldn't find one, so you're it! Sorry to complain, but if others are having the same problem, perhaps the web master needs to do some clean up. Thanks so much, Heidi, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Love, Mary



Happy New Year, Mary! I'm hearing from several folks that they're having trouble with the new format. It's difficult to pin down exactly where the problem or insufficiency resides -- whether with some particular aspect of the site design or somewhere in users' software or hardware. {sigh!} but rest assured that our beloved webmeister (Peter) is aware of the situation. Thank you for sending a note on it, Mary! stay well, dear!! :-D

This is a great website, but I am unable to access most of the information.



Whatever I search, I get a long list of articles, most of which are completely unrelated to the word I am searching. If I try to narrow my search with additional words, it only makes the list longer. Use of Boolean "and" "or" does not work.



The fact that you must have a three letter word means that you can't search for your blood type. (I tried "B"and "type B", and both searches ignored the .



Are there some tricks to using your Search? I have no such problems on any other website I have used; couldn't you change and improve your Search? Please help me to use your site. Thank you. Elainel



Hi, Elaine! Have you tried the search from the front page, www.dadamo.com? There is a menu entitled "Support" there under the main title. Click it and choose the "Search this site" link -- it permits multi-word searches. See what you think, and let me know! :-D

Is there a way that I can print out all the questions & answers of your column instead of clicking on every one. It would be much easier to read them offline and even bind them in a book! On the blood diet book, by Heidi Merritt.What do you think... valdemir



Ummmm..... We don't currently have a text-digest of the columns, so they're readable only in the present format. And about the book... NO COMMENT!!! yikes!! love, Heidi. !!;-D

Heidi, Thank you for your response to my last question.



However, your response generated another question for me. I had assumed that the beneficial part of kohlrabi was the leaves, since greens are so important for Os and my parents used to grow and eat them, but your response made it clear that the roots were being discussed. Is the entry in the food list only for kohlrabi roots or have the leaves been evaluated too? Remember a long time ago I asked you a similar question about turnip leaves ;-)



And just to let you know I do enjoy and have fun discovering new foods, particularly if they are beneficial! Thank you for everything you do. You are truly wonderful. Don (DSJ)



:-D AW GOSH what a SWEETIE!



Yep, them thar Kohlrabis (Scots miners? Patriarchs with eye makeup? Bunnies with a chill?) are beneficial from root dip to leaf tip. Whole plant. Both the pale green and the deep purple varieties, too.



AH, for a GARDEN! ... ;-} always lovely to hear from you, Don! :-)

Dear Heidi, Thanks for your great collection of New Year resolutions.I have edited them onto a Word document, maybe to make a small wall poster.



I noticed that the current edition of The Australian Women's Weekly (which is actually monthly) has a couple of pages on the Blood Type Diet. On balance,it would be enough to get some people to have a go, though it was critical of the scientific basis of BTD and mocking of the problems involved in a multi-blood type family.However,its a beginning! Cheerio, Jenny (Oz)



Hey, that's good news about the magazine article, Jenny! I'd naturally prefer it be entirely glowingly positive ;-> but at least it is introducing the concept to people. You'd be surprised how many are actively attracted to a more complex plan, simply because they feel it would better serve complex needs. Did you send the magazine a link to the site, specifically the Science section? that would be a GREAT idea! It's really amusing that so many people who deride the science have no background in it whatsoever, and almost none of them ever think to follow up on the articles and research in the book AND on the site. sheesh! :-D



I am so pleased you like my resolutions! Not having written them, I nonetheless feel I CHOSE well. and so did you! A merry year to you, Jenny!! :-D

HELP I AM A NEWBIE "A-" poss-sectretor!!



I just have one silly question and I can't find an answer when I search...I am inquiring about the restriction of black tea/reg&decaf and "a" secretors...I love tea (coffee makes me a bit jumpy and too aggressive...I am an "a"...peace and harmony!)...can I have tea with soy milk? Or am I purely restricted to green teas and herbals?



Don't get me wrong...I love them...but I do have a lot of regular tea in my house, too...can you set me straight? Regards, Lauren



Hello, Lauren ~ welcome to our crowd! I haven't seen a silly question yet, dear!



Black tea has an unwelcome effect upon the type A digestive abilities. That's why it's an avoid for type A *secretors.* However, it sounds like you may have a perfect impetus to get your secretor status, since this item becomes Neutral for A nonsecretors. Hint! :-)



Green tea is truly beneficial, and while you're awaiting the results of your secretor test HINT! HINT! ~;-D ... have a stroll through TYPEbase to read about black tea (just enter the search term *tea* and it will come up in the list) and any other items you might be wondering about.



A VERY warm welcome to you, Lauren, and please write again! :-D

Hi Heidi, Happy New Year to you and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!



Mine was a little off this year as my recurring depression decided to hit me - silly me for trying to get off the medication AGAIN! Anyway, that is not the reason for my post.



I am considering a liver/gallbladder flush and have spent a lot of time today reading Julia's website and searching On the Diet for gallbladder flush posts. Many of the posts refer to your way of doing the flush, but I was not able to locate a post where you described in detail how you do the flush.



At Julia's website I noticed the pricing of the herbs and bitters and it seems like it would cost quite a bit, but in one of the posts I found you mentioned that one needn't use the herbs and such. I would very much appreciate you giving me detailed instructions for the flush as I think that maybe it would help my insomnia and depression.



I find it strange that no Dr. has ever mentioned that depression can result from clogged liver/gallbladder, but then they usually only prescribe medication after medication in my experience.



On thing that does concern me. I noticed that it takes 1-4 days to complete the flush. Does one need to stay home during this time? I really don't want to have to take time off work, in your experience, is this necessary? Thanks as always for your help. love sue (o-neg)





A MOST happy New Year to you, Sue! And by the way, I think you are NOT silly, but rather very courageous and *determined,* in trying to get off those drugs. I truly admire and concur in your attitude, and I am certain you will succeed!!!



OK: the flush. I never used the preparatory herbs Julia suggests for softening the stones and clearing the liver. At the time of my first flush, I considered myself in fine physical health, and ready & willing to take the leap directly. This approach is not for everyone, and each of us must decide how to approach the flush. However, my experience bore out how simple, harmless and useful this procedure is, and I was glad to find that the flush itself is remarkably effective on its own.



You need not take off work to do it -- you could juice-fast on the Thursday & Friday (even with light snacks if needed - veg & fruit only, no fats), do the flush Friday night, and then you've two days at home for the 'clear out' and to ease back into your usual menu.



PolyFlora is a must in the follow-up -- take it twice daily on the day after the flush and for two weeks afterward, to help things return to normal. ;-)



I time the schedule below backwards from the time I'll go to bed. If you normally sleep at a different time, just adjust accordingly.



So, here's what I do:

























































That's it! Malic acid is available in supplement form for type O nonsecretors who wish to have the benefits of the apple juice without the pesky lectin. Since I now do this, at most, twice yearly, I have so far gone ahead with the organic fresh-juiced apples. I don't recommend it, but it's what I've done. Since I seem to be passing no stones at all anymore (just a bit of sand), I'm thinking of ditching the apple juice for the next one. stay tuned! ;-)



Since you're just beginning, it may take several flushes, say one every two months over half a year, to do the job for you -- but you'll feel the difference yourself, and be able to plan from there! It's certainly a great self-help tool, and may be what you've been looking for.



Blessings! and let me know how you do!

Hi Heidi - first many, many thanks for your wonderful column. It's the first thing I read every morning.

I have a couple of questions... I am a type A nonsecretor with arthritis and am also hypothyroid (currenlty on Synthroid).

My concern is that I was thinking of taking Quercitin for the arthritis to help with the inflammation but, I was reading Dr. Dadamo's columns (regarding thyroid and soy) and he mentions that quercitin is a stronger inhibitor of the thyroid. "Furthermor, soy isoflavones are not the only dietary flavonoids that can inhibit thyroid peroxidase. A variety of other flavonoids have also been shown to be even more potent in inhibiting the activity of this enzyme, including kaempferol, naringenin, and quercetin (Divi and Doerge, 1996)" I have copied and pasted his quote here. Can you please advise.

Also, if you can summarize how I can tend to the arthritis and what I should do for the hypothyroidism instead of taking Synthroid (I notice I feel much better when I take it but, I am afraid of the long term side effects). Thanks ever so much. Susan.

Hi there, Susan!

To understand the statement in that quote, it's important to see it in context. Look at the next sentence:

"Such flavonoids are widely distributed in plant-derived foods and would be consumed daily at relatively high levels (possibly up to 1 gram or more per day) by vegetarians or semi-vegetarians, yet such individuals do not have a significant increased incidence of goiter."

Now you can see that quercetin was being used as a comparison for soy in regard to inhibiting thyroid peroxidase. Point One: Soy eaten as part of a balanced diet (including enough iodine to remain above deficiency levels) does not impair thyroid health. Supporting Point: EVEN quercetin, with its more potent action, does not impair thyroid health at one gram or more per day. Does this make more sense in terms of quercetin now?

One question: is this rheumatoid or osteoarthritis? Some notes based on the information I have from you: the first step is to eliminate avoid foods and maximize beneficial foods (particularly fish -- and flaxseed although "neutral"), the second is to supplement with Deflect-A and quercetin to clean up old lectin deposits and soothe inflammation, the third would be to do that 1/2 ounce of water per pound of bodyweight - with a tiny pinch of sea salt and/or a little squeeze of lemon per quart - daily 'thing,' and the fourth is to engage in yoga for stress relief and gentle bodywork -- and gentle exercise like walking, light swimming, in a calming environment. Let your body heal. Release whatever is holding it back from healing. That's the idea!

If you are interested in getting off Synthroid, the first step might be to switch to Armour Thyroid. This page will give you suggestions on dosages and other details. Depending on whether you had surgery on your thyroid, and how hypo you are, this may be a process toward not taking any thyroid meds at all. Caution: never just drop a med, though. I'm sure you wouldn't, but in all responsibility I want to mention that, anyway! ;-) See if that page can help, and consult the BTD Complete Blood Type Encylopedia for further assistance with thyroid and arthritis protocols (too long to elaborate upon here).

Very best wishes to you! and thank you for your note!! :-)

Hello again Heidi! The UK extra bit is fine by me!!

Thankyou for responding to my shock horror re blood test... I see someone else has similar feelings in your column today, Dec 18th. I suppose it was something of an ego shock to me aswell, because I have correctly guessed the blood type of a few folks, even minutes after meeting them for the first time. My sister also 'knew' her type before confirming it with the test, by the foods which her IBS could tolerate. She couldn't have worked it out by family knowledge because she is the only 'O' among a group of us 'A's.

Anyway.... if you have any particular advice for my OA of hips and spine, most likely begun as trauma years ago, I would be grateful for any help. Many thanks, JoyceUK

Hello, Joyce! that's a neat story about your sister, and your ability to guess blood types! ;-)

Well, when you wrote last, you described yourself as a fan of the diet, but "not a 100% adherent." Now's the time to give it the full effort!

I would approach osteoarthritis with the A secretor diet (comply with the tier II values as well) in combination with the arthritis protocols in the Encyclopedia. Chondroitin sulfate is the supp to choose for rebuilding cartilage in type A. Other recommendations for all blood groups include a teaspoon of fresh ginger juice, two to three times daily; and avoid all nightshade plants (tomato, potato, peppers, chiles, tomatillo, chayote, eggplant).

Yoga is a great healer for As. Non weight-bearing exercise such as swimming can improve your range of motion with minimum discomfort. Because you mentioned trauma in relation to your OA, you might greatly benefit from bodywork such as Hellerwork to balance your body's structure and allow easier movement. ;-)

I hope these tips get you well started on a healing strategy! Please let me know how it goes along for you, OK? thanks for writing!! :-D

Hello Heidi, I am type O, sec.status unknown. I have been on the diet for over a year now with great success. It is a wonderfully fine-tuned healthy lifestyle!

I would like to know your recommendations on taking Bromelain and/or other supps. to help with wisdom tooth (all 4) removal. This may possibly take place in Jan. 2004. They are all erupted ( fully thru the gum line like the other molars)and not impacted (pushing on other teeth)or infected. I have severe nerve pain beginning.

I was considering beginning the Bromelain 1 week ahead of the surgery to help prepare my system for the swelling and healing to take place. Please let me know you thoughts on this.

Thank you for your column! I enjoy learning and gaining the wisdom to lead my life as healthy as I can is a great comfort and strength. I wish the best of everything for you, Wendy

Hello, Wendy! I'd start taking Heallix at the therapeutic dosage, and continuing through until your surgical sites are healed. There are surgical protocols in the Encyclopedia to follow as well. Quercetin will help reduce the inflammation, thereby possibly reducing the nerve pain as well.

I wish you success in the dental procedure! Get plenty of exercise and be especially vigilant on the diet in the weeks beforehand. It makes a big difference in surgery & recovery! Be well, and report back! :-D

Dear Heidi, Love your column!



I am 47 and an "O" secretor. When I was 19 I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease and had a little over half of the thyroid removed. Have never taken meds for this as tests show I don't need them. Last Oct had a complete hysterectomy also taking ovaries.(I had fibroids). In Dec last year found out I had breast cancer and had major surgery in Jan. Cancer was very early stages so no further meds,treatments or hormones.



Now I am once again getting a lump on my remaining thyroid and am somewhat blue,out of energy and unable to sleep. The Dr. has started me on Lexapro for depression, Klonopin (for restless legs) and Adavin to sleep. None of which works very well!



I have spent a lot of time reading Live Right, have the Encyclopedia and am perhaps 50% compliant. We have 3 teenage boys so our food bill is very high! We believe that all of us are O and one B which is good. We plan to buy a grass fed beef from a friend but please advise - what can give me a jump start to sleeping and energy? Thank you for your help! Kathy



Hi, Kathy! The difference between 50% compliance and, say, 80% makes an enormous huge difference in anyone's health. Going from 80% to 100% is what many BTDers say gave them the edge over a serious disease when nothing else seemed at all effective. Since you've been through multiple occurrences of severe conditions, the absolutely #1 thing to do is use the O secretor diet at a high level of compliance.



Second, your doctor is doing drug medicine on you. None of your conditions are drug-deficiency diseases. None of the drugs he is giving you will resolve the causes of your troubles. The fact that none of them do the job is LUCKY for you -- unlike many people who just resign themselves to taking endless drugs because they seem to work, your own body is telling you this is not the way.

;-)



Your situation is a complex one which I feel is beyond my ability to assist with. If there is no BTD-skilled practitioner in your locale, I urge you to arrange a telephone consultation with Doc Bron at the D'Adamo Clinic. Click on the link to his column, and look at the bottom of the page where the phone number is given. I want to hear that you've come through this with a renewed vigor and greater health! This is the way to go.



Please do keep in touch -- I want to know how you're doing! :-)

Type A+ nonnie. Hi Heidi - thanks soo much for the quick response.



You recommended eating oatmeal for breakfast but, I've noticed I cannot tolerate any carbs during the day - if I have a carb breakfast (such as oatmeal) I am literally starving all day - cannot stop eating and basically want to eat everything in sight. So, I've discovered that the only thing I can handle is some egg or fruit.



Then for lunch I have a salad. Hmmm... interesting thing about chicken I've discovere is that I cannot have too much of it - maybe once a week (can you tell I've expremented quite a bit on my own!)... if I eat it I break out with the herpes cold sores which completely wears my body down. Other thing I've discovered I cannot have any spelt, sprouted wheat or any other grain other than rice. With fish (although I love it) I am conspitated terribly - even on the highly beneficial kind such as salmon.



Again I want to thank you for you wonderful insight. This diet has given me a new life and improved the lives of everyone else I have recommended it to as well. Thanks so much for your wonderful insight. Oh, and I'll start with the lemon water in the morning. Ritoo



Hi again, Ritoo! Well, thanks for the update -- did you try adding the fat to the morning oatmeal? or having just a bit at the end of the day? Often, type As will try to self-medicate for hypoglycemia by avoiding all beneficial grains (although fruit in the morning works for you, another interesting item) and if they truly give it a go, their symptoms will normalize within three weeks on the A nonnie diet.



Just one thing struck me, that perhaps you are an AB with a weak B reaction? If you obtained your full serotype panel, or ABO-tested via the home kit more than once, AND if the chicken you eat is always healthy, organically-fed and unmedicated, then your chicken reaction indicates impaired viral immunity. Do you use echinacea or any of the other immune system boosters recommended in the Encyclopedia?



If you have tried small amounts of fish with lots of veg & fat ONLY (no grain) and any kind of fish eaten in this fashion, no matter how it is cooked, still constipates you, I am completely amazed. Fish is used very successfully in alleviating constipation in all types; fish oils have been prescribed for bowel health in the past two centuries; and whitefish peptides are an eminently effective therapeutic treatment for IBS.



Go through the suggestions I gave the last time, and let me know whether you tried them out *as written* before your latest message, above. And let me know how the lemon water is working! Best wishes to you, Ritoo ~ we'll get to the bottom of all this, if we both keep working on it! :-)

Hi Heidi, Would you mind elaborating, or “yakking on” as you described it, on a couple of statements you made recently? ;-)



In a response to K you wrote about conjugated linoleic acid ("CLA") in grass fed red meats and how you thought it “should be labeled ESSENTIAL TO TYPE O HEALTH”. I have found some sources for naturally raised meats and buy those frequently, but I doubt they are from entirely grass fed sources. Therefore, I have been concerned about what I am not getting from my meats, such as CLA, Omega 3, and other things that I may not even be aware of. If I can’t find a source of grass fed meats, that I can afford, should I consider supplementing with CLA and/or anything else, maybe even just for a test period?



In the same response to K you also mentioned lamb as a fine choice, which reminded me of a question I have had for a quite some time. And that is the issue of food variety in my diet. You also touched on this topic in your fairly recent response to Bcha when you said “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!” I try to incorporate as much variety as I can primarily focusing on the beneficial choices, but I wonder about the foods that I have not yet included in my diet or that I don’t use very often. As you said different foods contain different elements. Therefore, even though I use most, but not all, of the beneficial foods at least every few months should I really strive to include all beneficial foods on a more regular basis?



To be more specific do you think it is more important to get as wide as possible a variety of vegetables then the foods in the other categories such as meats, fish, or fruits for a type O, or maybe any type.



Case in point, I have not yet included liver in my diet because I am concerned about the source of the liver in the store. Knowing that liver is a great source of B vitamins and that they are important to type Os am I missing an important element in my diet? I supplement with a B vitamin complex tablet and use nutritional yeast on my daily salad, but even so would I be advised to go ahead and use the store bought liver that is available?



For example on the vegetable side, I use a selection of cooked and salad greens on a regular basis, but there are a few beneficial greens which I have not included in my diet. Am I missing important elements in my diet because I am not consuming the other beneficial greens, such as beet greens, chicory, escarole, kohlrabi, or swiss chard? It’s not that I don’t want to eat them. It is mainly because I haven’t found them in the stores when I have looked for them.



Without Dr. D’Adamo’s knowledge of why the different foods are listed as beneficial for my type it is difficult to know if my diet may be missing some of the important foods for my particular health situation. I appreciate your thoughts on these questions. Don (DSJ)



Hello, hon! ;-) Happy New Year!



My perennial urging to include as much variety as possible is made to counterbalance the common tendency to want to get the food planning upheaval settled back into a mechanistic framework. People have too many other important things to do! Embarking upon the BTD has already meant committing so much more time & energy to comestibles, that the impulse to model the new diet upon the "old reliables" model is very strong: breakfast is always *this,* dinner is always *this,* and so on. After all, it took one heck of a lot of work just to determine, then FIND those foods that would work in a given meal. We may feel we're reinventing the wheel and spinning it off into the unknown weekly if we pursue variety on top of the achievement of finally getting a handle on the diet itself.



Approach the variety issue with a sense of play. I hope no one will break the bank or spend every waking moment sourcing new veggies. Long-term success is far more likely if we start from where we are and confidently enjoy the lookout for new treats!



Now to your questions: Including most of the bennies, as you do, in a three-month period is great -- more than adequate. The seasons naturally present different foods at different times, so for that reason alone I wouldn't expect anyone to hit all the items in a week or a month.



About CLA: I've been hesitant to suggest CLA supps, generally. Even the less expensive protein sources like ranged turkey and highest-quality eggs have significant amounts of CLA. However, in your situation I think I would supplement it occasionally if grassfed red meat isn't on the menu at least three times weekly. I believe it will make a noticeable difference for you. Try it for a week at least, and let me know what your findings are.



Certainly, eat the liver. Organ meats undergo very strict quality testing, and are the best bet for both nutrition and price among the regular old meat counter's offerings.



On the the vegetables: Nutritionally, chicory and escarole are basically identical, as are beet greens and chards; kohlrabi is much like turnips. You're already getting lots of different kinds of veg, so if you can expand it a bit here in the winter season that's fine; otherwise, await the spring and summer to seek out more options... with a light heart!



I hope this makes sense and helps put things in a balanced perspective! Write again if I can do more! Warm wishes in this chilliest season, dear ~~ :-D

I love the New Year. I am so enamored of endings & beginnings that I celebrate two New Year's days in every 365 ~ I observe the traditional Celtic calendar as well. To me, November 1 represents the renewed 'inner motion,' and January 1, fresh 'outer action' ~~ stepping physically into the light, you might say. Since my birthday is in January as well, the associations suit me well. ;-D

Anyhoo, I'm also very fond of the tradition of evaluating the past and formulating one's approach for the future ~ in other words, New Year's Resolutions. ;-> So, rather than a column of Q&A, today I offer my perennial favorites among resolutions. (When you really get hold of good ones, they can serve you splendidly year after year! :-D)















(... my paraphrase)













Happy New Year to all, and may you find and cleave to those principles which may bless and protect you in all the days of your life. :-)

Hi, I am rather new to this so please bear with me. From reading your collumn you seem to recommend something called heallix for anything and everything and a lot of people seem to be benefitting from it. 2 questions - what is this stuff and where does one get hold of it in the UK? I have tried a search on the stacktheme homepage who supply a lot of the NAP stuff without success.....Many thanks. Micha

Hello, Micha! Heallix isn't a cure-all, but it's very effective in a number of different conditions. To learn more about it, and how to obtain it in the UK, just click on the following link to the Heallix website. Best wishes, dear! :-)

Hi Heidi! This isn't a question for your column, but you have an e-mail address and Peter doesn't! I tried to take the BTD test as described and linked in his column on (I think) 12/27. I tried it using IE and Netscape. I tried it from two different computers. I tried it with cookies (set at "medium" security) and without any cookie control at all. No luck. I then tried to submit a description of my unsuccessful attempts, as requested on the site, and I couldn't do that either! Crashed my machine.

Anyway, perhaps you could pass this along, as maybe others are having some of the same trouble. If none of those "submissions" are getting through, maybe no one knows about it. Or maybe it's just me. Anyway, thanks! Kathy K (in MT)

Hi, Kathy! I'm going ahead and posting this message, since I'm not sure what the problem might be -- and one of the readers (or our Webmeister) may be able to clear it up for you. Thanks for the web-note! :-}

Hi Heidi, For our readers, I am A+ secretor 47 years old. My mother is A+ also with a brain tumor that has been operated on in November and she's 78 years old. So far she's doing very well. I'm trying to get her to try hellix but she's doesn't want to take it..(sigh) I'm going to order it anyway and see if I can convince her to take it.

My question is: Even though I have no cancer at this time of my life, should I take hellix as a preventive measure for the rest of my life or is that like killing a fly with a sledge hammer? Thanks much. Diana

Hello, Diana! There are an enormous number of cancer-preventive foods and basic herbs/supps available on the type A plan. The practice of yoga is also highly recommended in that regard. It's all about immunity!

That said, taking a small dose of Heallix daily is another tool at your disposal. It's not an extraordinary step to take. But of course, it's up to you. Don't discount the power of peace of mind -- if using a bit of overkill offers worry-free living, then by all means get out that sledge hammer. ;-> A calm frame of mind is potent in matters of health.

For your Mom, did you review the sections on Poly-MVA and Artemisin on the Minnesota Wellness Directory cancer treatments site? Once the page loads, do a "control-F" search for "brain" and read through the paragraphs you come to. You may find some highly effective and relatively inexpensive protocols there.

I'm sending BIG light to both of you, and hope to hear from you again soon!

:-D

Heidi, I hope you have a wonderful New Year, and thanks for all you did last year!

I have a question about my 19 year old A+ secretor daughter who has dreadful cramps and heavy bleeding with each period. Her ob-gyn prescribed birth control pills, but they haven't seemed to help. I have provided her with uva ursi and fem balance, but no real help there, either. I wonder if pregnenolone might work?

Christina is aware of the BTD diet (she can't help that - I preach it to everyone, and have made many converts - probably should be getting commissions on the books I have sold for Peter!) but she is a college student addicted to pizza and all the other oh-so-good avoids. Do you think pregnenolone would help or do you have other suggestions? Thanks again, Kim. P.S. My college wrestler son, Andrew, is having a good year, and we appreciate all the protein-building suggestions you made.

Hi there, Kim! Very nice to hear from you again! and glad your wrestler is having a fine old season! :-)

Since your daughter's only 19, I don't think pregnenolone would help at all. At that age, she's making plenty of her own.

It sounds like she's aware of the relationship between the debilitating periods and her diet. If she finds it impossible to avoid a diet of 'classic college food,' there's not a lot I can offer that would help her other than suggesting Deflect-A and PolyFlora-A, taken religiously. If she sees a difference after a solid month of doing so daily, she's only learned what she knew already: heavy use of avoids is setting her up for a very bad monthly experience. The A diet is the basic building block of health for her. Trying to mimic its daily effects through pills is an ultimately fruitless task, I'm afraid. ... even though the above two supps may take the edge off a bit.

It's funny ~ I started out back in 1997 thinking that once most of the world became aware of this extremely effective modality, everyone would want to take advantage of it. However, others will make their choices on very personal bases not always comprehensible (or even accessible) to me -- loved ones included. Hey, that's what makes horse racing, eh! ;-> And I wish I could offer some insight to your daughter that would allow her to have a regular old normal day of pizza and ice cream and not feel the effects later! in fact, if I had something like that, everyone WOULD want it. ;-}

All I can say is, I had debilitating periods through most of my school life, and I intimately feel for her in that situation. Luckily, college isn't forever, although it is certainly a unique time in one's life. I can only hope she'll see her way to making her diet a priority -- whether now or when she's out on her own in a couple of years. It truly makes all the difference!

So, my best wishes go to you both -- what a great Mom you are, by the way! and I do hope she finds a way to commit to healing herself through this plan. Only she can do it, and the rewards are tremendous. Bless you, and thank you for writing!

Aloha Heidi, It's realy nice to have you back and it sounds like you had a great christmas as we did here in Hawaii enjoying nice 75-80 degree weather to boot.

Just wanted to add to that going out to eat list. Julie and I go out alot and we only go to resturants that cater to us. Like changing there menu items to what we want. I order the pesto sauce instead of marinara, and we always swap things out or change things on our menu picks. Of course being careful and asking lots of questions is always our way and getting to know the people that work at these places is really helpful. Usually it's the local small restuarants that work the best. But we have found a couple of the big chains that work for us, Julie being a "O" secretor and me being an "A" secretor we kind of order opposite and swap with each other. Like, I will eat her rice and she gets my vegies. We have fun with it all the time.

My question/observation is, we just got Peter's book on diabete's and it's a great read. In the "A" food section the snap/string beans are listed as super benie in the bean catagory and just benefical in the vegetable catagory. Not that it's really that important in the whole scheme of things, but I did notice and I'm sure others will too. Have a happy new year and as we say here "Hauoli Maukaheke Ho" Carl

I'm glad you CAN say that, Carl ~ I just checked, and I can't. ;-D

Nice job you & Julie do with managing those restaurant decisions. And thanks for the Diabetes Book note... I'm very pleased you're enjoying it... however, GACK! First report, and there's a typo! {{weep!!}} Carl, I'm very sorry about the bean mixup. That's my fault. I'm very grateful that you pointed out the error. Haven't yet seen the published book (you sure were quick off the mark!), and I'm really looking forward to it. I had the idea that the galleys would be available for a final look-see before the book went to press, but I think the publishing schedule didn't permit it. Well, here's my first official Fighting Diabetes with the Blood Type Diet correction: Bean (green/snap/string) should be in the Super Beneficial column under both "Vegetables" and "Beans/Legumes." ;-}

We certainly did have a balmy Christmas, and clear warm days continue on as if they've no idea it's New Year's Eve. Seems more like the end of winter than the beginning... at the moment. As we say here in NYC, "ya like this weathah? wait 5 minutes." Keep smiling, and write again soon! :-D

Dear Heidi, Thank you for your quick response. Your knowledge is amazing!

Not a problem with the grains and dairy. I just started slightly increasing my grains a couple of months ago. My intake before then was 1-2 slices of Ezekiel bread each week. Dairy won’t be a problem for me either. I only eat Mozzerella 1-2 times per week, and butter about one time per week. I’ve immediately started adding lemon in EVERY glass of water I drink. I will have to head to the store to get the gray sea salt.

Thank you so much for suggesting the gray sea salt. I have been using sea salt for years, but didn’t know if it was gray. So I checked the ingredients and was shocked to find dextrose listed. I’ve wondered why I have edema after using the salt. Now I know!

Anyway, I weigh 150 lbs (can I brag??....down from 202 lbs. just 2½ years ago), and I drink nine to ten 8-oz. glasses of water daily. I will keep it up. Thank you for the suggestions of Heallix and the pregnenolone. I will be purchasing them the next time I head to the store. I will be sure to let you know of any changes.

You had asked me to specificy what my diet is on a weekly basis. All foods are organic. Mornings, until a couple of months ago, consisted of eggs, veggies, feta (sheep) cheese, flax seeds, brewers yeast, etc. The past couple of months, I’ve begun having oatmeal for breakfast with flaxseed and a bit of cane sugar. Snacks are usually beneficial fresh or dried fruit, pineapple juice and/or jerky. When lunch is not my main meal it usually consists of salad or veggies and may include salmon. (I notice I feel better when I have lunch as my main meal, but my schedule doesn’t always allow me to). My main meal consists of red meat three times per week, and the remaining is filled in with chicken or turkey and includes a couple of different kinds of veggies. I focus mainly on beneficial veggies, but I do include neutrals as well.

The only time I am unable to eat organic is when I eat out. I am 100 percent complient unless I eat out and am not sure of all the ingredients in a dish. I can always tell the next day if I’ve eaten an avoid!

The supplements I take each morning are as follows: Solaray Organic Dandelion (other ingredients include the vegetable cellulose capsule). I take two to three capsules (1.04g per two capsules). Solaray Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D (other ingredients include the gelatin capsule, magnesium stearate, watercress (leaf), dandelion (root) and parsley (leaf). I take three capsules (1000 mg calcium and 400 IU vitamin D per four capsules). Rainbow Light Food-Based B-Complete (other ingredients are vegetable gum, modified cellulose, cellulose, silica, stearic acid, magnesium stearate). I take one capsule daily.

Occasionally, I will have a particularly heavy period. Those months, I find I need to take an iron tablet for a few days. I exercise by playing racquetball 1-3 times each week, and swim on the weekends. I also play chase with my seven year old around the house at times ?. Thank you, again, so much for the encouragement that we should be able to solve this problem without taking the pill. I look forward to hearing from you. Kim C.

Hi, Kim! This is an earlier post you sent, and I responded to the later post (in this column in which you noted the success you were having with the pregnenolone.

I did just want to note here, though, that I believe you'd benefit from adding several meat servings weekly, and reducing grain servings to no more than three per week - and using a little fruit instead of sugar in the morning oatmeal. 6-9 portions of meat/poultry PLUS 3-5 servings of fish is the target weekly. Try to get the ground flaxseed soaked in warm water in there as well, and include ghee and/or olive oil daily. Then FILL UP on veg, most particularly those mineral- & vitamin-rich dark leaf greens.

and.... YEP! Ain't it nice they think to add some corn in our salt? I say 'always check ingredients,' and surprises sure lurk in the funniest places, don't they? ;->

Keep in touch, dear! :-)

My son and I have benefited from the blood type regimens for the past 2 years, so I want to provide info to my neighbor, whose son has been suffering from ulcerative colitis. He was hospitalized recently and has been prescribed more and more medications to treat it. He is ~ 18 years old and very bright. Do you have any case studies available that I can send him to help persuade him to give this a try? Thanks! RoseC

Hello, Rose ~~ I have no case histories to provide. We don't have patient records on this site, although we do have self-submitted results data and a great number of research and commentary posts which you can find through the search function on the main page (www.dadamo.com).

Peter has repeatedly suggested the product Seacure, available widely on the Internet, as a great healer of UC and IBS. The first and most important thing to do is to get his secretor status and remove all the avoids from his diet -- WHEAT AND CORN above all, and dairy as well if he's an O or A. The diet is KEY, and the Encyclopedia makes specific statement that even severe cases of colitis respond quite well just by the patient following the diet. It also points out that long-term use of the drugs used by conventional medicine (since they HAVE NO TOOLS to CURE IT) are usually repeated when the expected relapse occurs, and can prove toxic as well as being of no real use.

The route he is travelling will not be productive for him. Do explain that stress and inappropriate diet are the core causes of this illness, and that he will experience a huge difference by simply choosing ABO-compatible foods and taking a few supps.

I wish him all the best, Rose, and thank you for being such a great friend! :-)

Hello Heidi, I am considering a progesterone cream product, but find it has propylene glycol in it. When I questioned the supplier this is what they answered:

Here's the scoop:

According to the "Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients," from the American Pharmaceutical Association, propylene glycol is generally regarded as nontoxic material. It is considered to be a very benign substance, especially in its topical form. There are some accounts of adverse effects with the oral form, but even those incidences are very rare, and require ingestion of much, much higher levels than you would find in our cream. Also, The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, an organization recognized by the U.S. FDA, has conducted extensive studies on the safety of propylene glycol in cosmetic products. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated more than 200 toxological studies on all known potential health effects on propylene glycol, and concluded that it is "safe for use in cosmetic products in concentrations up to 50% content" (the amount contained in our progesterone cream isn't even close to that % amount). Since that review additional studies have supported those conclusions. We do not include anything in our products that is not absolutely necessary, and are very concerned with safety for our members. It is also possible that the product you are currently using does in fact contain PG, but because the amount included is less than 1% they have not listed it on the label. We choose to list all ingredients contained in our product, no matter how small the amount. I hope this sets your mind at ease, and invite you to please let me know if you have any further questions.

Now my question to YOU is, will the PG be harmful to put on the skin? Thanks for any enlightenment on this. Theresa, A- secretor MN, A-B+ (Love your column)

Hi, Theresa! The avoids we list are "ingest-avoids" only - so while we caution everyone to keep an eye out for skin interactions, we also say that there's no reason to avoid topical products containing avoids.

This column really is focused on the diet side of things -- and while I'd like to help, I don't have further information about specific topical substances, but I'm posting your query in case a reader may be of help. Stay tuned! :-)

Hello Heidi, I noticed that you are recommending Centrepointe Holosync, and also that Dr Bron has mentioned it earlier.

I have had bad experiences with some guru systems, and know that another form of synchronicity is promoted by a school of yoga that I have serious doubts about, and hope that this one that you support is a genuine one, not an exploitative money making exercise as so many of the others seems to be.

I have received their promotion material which looks interesting, but again, it is expensive. Very best wishes, and thanks for your generous gift of support to all your readers. Jenny

Hi, Jenny! Well, I've heard great reports about the holosync system for years, and none of these people were selling it. Some individuals do not respond to it (which is to be expected) whilst others thrive with it.

The very best thing to do, to find out what kind of people Centrepointe are, is to get right in touch with them and ask your questions. Get absolutely as much information as you can think to ask for. See if you are comfortable with their pricing and return policies. I am all for money-making, and I am all against commercial fraud/deception of any kind. As I mentioned before, I have never used this system and do not plan to. TM is ideal for me in that regard, and as a musician I'd probably not respond to holosync as well as others would, anyway. But I strongly encourage you to investigate it fully! for your own interest, at least, and perhaps to report back with your findings! I'd love to hear them.

Blessings, dear, and best wishes!! :-)

I am BG 'A', and been on the BGT for 3 months. Mostly good news, but I have experienced itching on my arms, particularly during the night. Seems to come from the inside. Liver over-active, or cleansing perhaps? This keeps me awake for several hours. Any suggestions please? I have tried searching for a practitioner near home, but can't sort by Malvern/Worcester, UK - can you please help? Many thanks............Jutta Gorf

Greetings, Jutta! Welcome to the BTD!

To pinpoint the cause of that inner itching feeling, have you tested foods you've added, by eliminating them and adding them back to see if there is a reaction? And are you getting enough fish, oils and calcium (perhaps as a calcium lactate supp, or Phytocal-A?) on your new diet?

Feel free to write again, and let me know more in detail what you've added and what you have eliminated on the avoid list. I'll try to help you discover if there is a food culprit, or a deficiency cropping up. ;-)

On the Practitioner Registry, you can bring up all the entries for England, Scotland and Wales by entering the term UK in the box, then choosing "country" from the left-side pulldown menu. You should see 18 entries. I saw one near Gloucester, but nothing nearer you -- take another look and see what you can find!

Thanks for writing, dear, and I'm very pleased you found us! :-D

Today, December 27, Pat & Elizabeth wrote about A complaint food, noting that as MM's they could eat tomatoes. What is an MM? Your column is part of my daily life. Thank you. Judy

Hello, Judy! An MM is someone who has two M genes rather than one M and one N, or two Ns. This is their MN type, a blood type distinct from ABO group. A full serotype panel is necessary to determine it.

The usual configuration is MN -- in which case no modifications to the diet are indicated. MM type does change the diet somewhat, and NNs are advised to watch their cholesterol levels due to their tendency toward less-than-optimal lipid metabolism.

And where did I learn this? In Live Right 4 Your Type! :-) It's a great book -- get hold of it and see what you think! :-D

I live in Belgium and am a long-time vegetarian and A blood type. There is a product here called "Quorn" which is a mushroom-based meat substitute and which figures into my diet frequently. I have seen no mention of this in the book and wonder if it is not available in America. How can I find out the value of this food in my diet? Thank you - Pamela

Hello, Pamela! We do not have a specific rating for quorn, and with our current trend toward maintaining values only for food ingredients, rather than for generic product appellations, I doubt quorn will be included in any future lists.

However, Peter wrote an Ask Dr. D'Adamo column on quorn. Here's a quote:



There's more to read in that column: Quorn for Blood Group A. Thanks for writing! :-)

Hi Heidi, It is great to have you back!

I am B nonnie and I have learned over time that I do not handle grains very well so I have eliminated them. Basically I eat fish, eggs, some turkey, very little dairy, some fruit, nuts, and veggies but I do not eat red meat.

But the problem is I am constantly dealing with an acid/alkaline imbalance in my body and I am not sure if I am so acidic because I do not eat any grains or what it is.

The bigger problem is that I keep getting candida because I am so acidic. I feel so confused because I am still trying to learn what foods are best for my body and I thought I had it figured out, but now I think something is wrong.

Do you have any suggestions on how to reduce the acidity in my body, and how to help the candida so it does not reoccur? Do I need to eat grains or is that not a factor? Thanks a million! Nicole

Hi, Nicole! Grains are the last thing a candida sufferer needs. You are wise to avoid them, as well as sugar in any processed form. Secondly, are you supplementing with Polyflora-B, zinc, ARA6 and using ghee and olive oil regularly? I would immediately start following the Yeast/Fungus Resistance protocol for B in the Encyclopedia, and add the Immune Enhancement and Intestinal Health protocols if needed. Another (in my opinion) very useful supp is grapefruit seed extract (GSE).

Are you using pH strips to test urine? saliva? or both? I immediately think of increasing vegetable intake -- four to six servings daily, with two being hardy greens like kale or collards.

Please return a note on the questions I mentioned, and let me know what you think of the suggestions, OK? Best wishes, Nicole! :-)

I am type A+. In the Food, Beverage & Supplement list peanuts and peanut butter are highly beneficial; yet, peanut oil is to be avoided. How can this be? Also, rice bran is both, highly beneficial AND neutral. Why would it be both? Alan

Hello, Alan! The Rice Bran rating is a blooper, for which I apologize! It should be in the Beneficial category only.

The peanuts-vs-peanut-oil question is a classic one around here! have a look at this Ask Dr. D column, Peanut Oil vs Peanuts. Your answer is there! Thanks for writing!! :-D

Hi Heidi, I have been faithfully drinking the hot lemon water with a pinch of sea salt since August of 2003. I have never been a person who thought they had mucus but I follow your advice and trust your judgment so i decided to make this part of my health regime.

About 6 weeks into the practice of drinking my morning drink, I started to wake up with mucus in my nose and throat. This has never happened before. After I take my morning shower, i have to blow my nose, since the mucus is flowing. As soon as i drink the hot lemon water its gone, only to return again the next morning. My question to you is, did I have the mucus all along and the lemon drink is encouraging it to expel?

Also a side point, I have green eyes and the Naturopathic Dr Iridioligist I had a consult with told me that there are only 2 eye colors, blue or brown and that green eyes are either brown or blue eyes that are filled with mucus. I really disagreed with her at that time and told her I never had symptoms of mucus and she must be wrong. I must have spoken too soon, since now the mucus is in my nose and throat every morning. So I am grateful you told all of us about the hot lemon drink, since I didnt even realize I had a problem.

Does the lemon drink effect us all differently? I know you mentioned that it balances the electrolytes but what are the other benefits that you know of? Your grateful reader, Arlene AB+

Hi, Arlene!

I think the drink does affect people somewhat differently. It was originally suggested by Peter to type As, to have a warm drink of lemon water in the morning to get that mucus cleared out.

My suggestion was a separate one -- that most of us could benefit by drinking 1/2 ounce of water per pound of bodyweight daily, with just a bit of sea salt and/or lemon juice in each quart -- with the idea that the water would be cool-to-room-temperature (rather than warm-to-hot like the plain lemon morning drink).

If you'd never noticed any mucus before, it's likely that something in your diet or environment has begun stimulating the mucus. Try your morning drink without the sea salt, and see if that does the trick. It may be that the sea salt contains something you're reacting to -- although it is odd that the mucus does not appear until 20 hours or so after you've ingested it. More research needed! :-)

Yes, I've heard that statement about brown and blue eyes, but I've never given it any credence. You could help me there. As you've been clearing mucus, have your eyes changed color at all?

Write again when you can ~ and thanks for your kindness, as always! :-)

Hi Heid, Oh dear, it's me again with another cold. Now, it is actually 3 months since the last one (time does fly) but I am beginning to wonder WHAT is going on with my immune system. THis is about the 6th cold this year, and this one is quite bad. It has, however, not gone to my chest thank goodness. I did have the bottle of HEallix so, at the VERY FIRST sign I started taking it. Alas, the whole bottle is just about gone and I can't say it has helped at all.

Is there anything you can suggest I take to boost my immune system - surely that is what is wrong. I am working at a Daycare and the people I work with tell me that the first year is like that for a lot of people, one cold after another. Being away on vacation for two weeks probably didn't help as I couldn't avoid "avoids" at times, but surely eating a few avoids doesn't cause a cold. What is most annoying is that my "O" type husband, although he eats basically the same as me, drinks beer, eats bread whenever he can, eats potatoes, takes no supplements, etc., etc., and he hasn't had one of these colds I have had - and believe me he does nothing to avoid being around me when I have a cold.

Anyway, I won't go on any longer as I know you have a lot of questions to answer and they are a lot more deserving of an answer than my little old cold, but it is SO depressing for me, as when I have a cold I can't always exercise and if I don't exercise I get depressed (catch 22). Yes, I am drinking the water with sea salt and lemon juice. I think my immune system has packed it in - lol!! love sue (O neg)

Poor Sue! Sorry you've been fighting serial colds! I actually had a nice fat cold myself, and YES it was due to eating poor food... not even avoids, just the best choices I could find at a restaurant, at only one meal. Life ain't fair. I promptly came down with a fever (just a few hours), then the classic old chest-hold mucus-fest, which (I'm on week 6 now) should abate in the next week or so. I got stubborn about the whole thing, and didn't really take anything for it except some quercetin (not nearly enough, but I had no inflammation at all after day 1). It was pretty funny when I was on the phone with Peter, who started gently reminding me of some of the ingredients in Respiratone (of course, sitting in my cupboard). LOL.

Well, you don't have that excuse :-) but I think the Heallix did keep the thing from migrating to your bronchii. And I also think your husband just has a firmer mental attitude than you & I do! {grin} ProBerry3, a good teaspoon daily first thing in the morning, does true wonders for shoring up one's immunity for exposure to kiddles. I will definitely do that for a full week before exposing myself to any more public gatherings where I can't avoid eating what's on offer, lol! You may also have to wash your hands frequently after contact with the germy little critters, too. :-D And try to do mild exercise after the first flush of illness is past -- it helps clear out the gunk, and keeps the spirits from dipping.

Maybe we should start drinking beer and eating bread & potatoes. Or not. ~;-D take good care, Sue, and I'm sure you'll be right as rain in no time!! :-)

hey heidi, i haven´t written in a while so i should remind you about myself. my name´s olympia, and i´m an A pos secretor.



i´m writing because i saw an acupuncturist recently, a very good one, because of agonising period pains, and she told me í had a gennetic tendency to run high blood sugar and have a tired pancreas. this ties in with some dissatisfaction i´ve had with the a secretor diet, oscillating weight, hormone problems, sugar cravings. i have since switched to eating more A friendly protein and also avoiding grains, dried fruit and sugar and have lost weight and got rid of sugar cravings.



i was wondering about people who are double lewis neg. i know this is rare and probably doesn´t explain the problems i´ve had with the A secretor diet but i wanted to know why such people follow the nonsecretor diet when they secrete blood type cells through out their body. shouldn´t they be sensitive to the same lectins as ordinary secretors? kind regards from Olympia in Spain.



Hi, Olympia! I'm glad your acupuncturist was able to help you pinpoint the specific organ weakness you had, so you could tailor your diet accordingly. Good news!! I hope you're also doing four to six vegetable servings daily, and getting at least some seed-based "grains" like amaranth and quinoa -- they're wonderful for the problems you're experiencing.



The decision to choose a nonsecretor diet for LDNs (Lewis double-negatives) is based on clinical experience with the difficulties that this small but diverse group tends to share. I can't speak to the issue of lectin interactions where the LDN is saliva-typed as a secretor -- that may be a good one to ask Doc Bron.



Once again, congratulations on your excellent results, dear -- very good to hear! :-D

Dear doctor i'm french. I'm begining your diet, I have got a GASTRIC REFLOW with oesophagite.You said that my blood type A has got a low acid rate and you propose a diet to increase it. But I'm thinking that acid reflow asking to get down acid rate. Could you explain to me the reasons why because I 'm lost. In the book "4 diet" you advise to eat melon and in the book "4 way of life" you say not to eat the same fruit? Otherwise you say that pasta is good for my blood type A but wheat is not good ? I'm waiting for your answer. Thanks a lot Doctor Madame Chaussabel Marie France



Greetings, Mme Chaussabel ~



Gastric reflux in type A is commonly misunderstood. The terms "acid stomach" or "acid reflux" are a little confusing, as they lead the patient to believe they have high, rather than low, acid levels. The lack of stomach acid, in combination with inappropriate foods and combinations of foods for that blood group, defeats proper digestion and triggers the backwash of liquids from the stomach which is so painful -- and harmful for the esophagus.



Certain melons (like watermelon) are fine for group A, while others (such as cantaloupe) are not. Wheat is the least useful grain for nearly everyone, so while the basic diet allows it (after all, it is in nearly every bread and pastry and pasta), we ask that you limit its use wherever possible. Using spelt pasta and bread, and rice pasta, is an excellent way to reduce the presence of the wheat lectin in your diet.



All grain foods you eat, in total, should make up no more than one serving daily. Four to six servings of vegetables, three of fruit, some beans, nuts, seeds, fish (or poultry) make up the balance of the usual daily menu. I hope this is helpful to you, and thank you so much for writing! :-)

Hello, Heidi! I was surfing in the site looking for information in portuguese when I found out in the LIBRARY section that some books are related to Portugal (Country) but the address is wrong. The address at Rio de Janeiro is in Brazil when people do speak portuguese, also. I didn't know who to address this information to, so I decided to write to you. have a great weekend!! PEACE! Bcha.



Thanks, Bcha ~ I'll look into that. I believe that the Portuguese language edition is published in Brazil, which is why you are seeing an address in Rio de Janeiro. Be well, dear, and thanks for your note! :-)

Hi Heidi We are all so glad to see you back. I hope the time off was profitable for you.



I need your advice on a problem. I am 69, 2A non-secretor and I follow ERTD. My kidneys have always been overactive and I eliminate lots of liquid. That worries me at times and lately it seems to be getting worse.



I talked to my doctor about that and she gave me a drug called Flomax that acts on the prostate. I read the possible side effects and they are scaring, never will I take such a drug. The doctor gave me that drug even before exemining me and I don't think that my problem of eliminating too much liquid has anything to do with the prostate. I am ashamed of my doctor and also very disapointed.



I am looking for some natural way of controlling the activity of the kidneys and I never found anything anywhere. A few weeks ago, I started to drink more water with a pinch of salt, as you recommended, at least to replace the liquid that I loose. Merci beaucoup and we are lucky to have you there Regards Paul (canada)



Hello, Paul! Well, I am proud of you for being responsible for your health. A doctor who prescribes a drug without even examining you is not a responsible and involved physician.



There is a wide variation in healthy urination frequency, but if you're experiencing a disturbing upward trend there, it may be a matter that diet (including that great water protocol, which may produce surprising results for you!) and some supps can help with. In addition, I would seek out a private naturopath or other experienced alternative medical practitioner to get an expert diagnosis and hands-on help. As I understand it, NDs practice under license in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan. Here is a resource page with many excellent suggestions and information on what to expect and how to evaluate a naturopathic physician, including average costs, etc. It was written in 1996 by Pauline Alwes, NMD, and it discusses the U.S. situation primarily, but most of it can still be quite useful to you.



Could you tell me more about your diet and any supplements you take / lab tests you've had done, if any / and specifically, do you regularly drink coffee or tea at this time?



It's possible you have benign prostate enlargement, or some irritant in your diet combined with stress is triggering frequent urination. We can put our heads together and work on the diet and supplement side of things, while you have a look around for an ND to do a diagnosis for you. A good search tool is the www.naturopathic.org Find an ND page.



Very best wishes, Paul, and please get back to me! :-)

I recently purchased "Complete Type Encyclopedia" and the "Cook Right for your Type", and I am new to this philosophy of diet and health. As one who is naturally curious concerning evolutionary psychology, I can enthusiastically identify with the "Eat Right 4 Your Type" approach. I am keen on adopting this new diet!



However, I have a question regarding coffee and my blood type - AB. In the "Cook ..." coffee is presented as a “benefit” for my blood type. In the Encyclopedia and the web-site it is listed as "avoid". Can I assume the research is recent and updated on the web-site? If so, is the menu presented in the “Cook ...” (published 1999) valid? I look forward to your response at your earliest convenience. SteveR



Welcome, Steve! Coffee was a real line-straddler in the initial research. When food values were reviewed with newer and more sensitive testing tools before the publication of Live Right 4 Your Type in 2001, the coffee status for ABs was downgraded.



Don't fret! Live Right and the Encyclopedia are the books to follow, along with the updates and explanations offered in the Updates Page -- and we'll never see changes in the lists on the order of the adjustments made between the Eat Right & Cook Right era and the present state of those lists.



The complexity of following these diets is sometimes spoken of as their weakness -- Ifeel that, on the contrary, it is their strength. Anyone who simply does the basic diet and pays attention to the results will benefit. Anyone who chooses to make use of the advanced tools, such as secretor status and subtype, gains not only a significant boost in health but a rather remarkable education which will prove valuable lifelong. This paradigm empowers the individual with detailed, specific guidelines and a solid basis upon which to build extraordinary good health.



Then there's me, here to answer pesky questions! :-D There's also Dr. Bronner who does telephone consultations for those who can't arrange a clinic visit.



I don't know why I shot off on that particular tangent, but I guess it's all in aid of letting you know the resources available at this time for those seeking assistance.



Thank you for writing, Steve, and again ~ a very warm welcome to you! :-D

Heidi, today's post from Sheshe brought back memories for me.

I am a B+, not O, but for a great many years, I was a very strict vegetarian, even avoiding cheeses with rennet, or crackers made with lard, etc. When I finally started to eat flesh foods, my body was not equipped to process this item any longer.

I was a vegetarian for more than 20 years, and it was probably after 15 or so years that I began to eat a little salmon. I mean, a LITTLE! Roughly the quantity of a tablespoonful of Pacific salmon, once a week. Initially, and for a long time afterwards, I discovered that the effect of eating salmon was similar to having a brick in my stomach. It felt really heavy and very uncomfortable. It took a fair length of time before my stomach started to produce enzymes to help to accommodate my insistence on eating a little salmon weekly, and then I could eat more with pleasure, probably at least a couple of months. I can't remember exactly any more, that was a long time ago.

Sheshe may find she needs to slow down on her meat ingestion for the next short while until her body adjusts to the need to create digestive enzymes to help with the assimilation of this food that she so badly needs to eat. In the meantime, I would suggest she accompany every meal with a slice or two of pineapple or some bromelain capsules to aid in the digestive process. I also suspect that for now, a small amount of flesh foods would be more beneficial than a lot. This will ease up in a short time. Her body will let her know when more can be accommodated.

I suspect having a lot of little meals instead of three big ones could be helpful for her right now, too. Try making soup with beef bones, with a little flesh on the bones as a way of breaking into the world of eating meat. I'm sure it will be a lot easier on the system, and Sheshe may find that her problems will quickly dissipate until these times are simply a vanishing memory. Best to all, Janet

Great tips, and thanks for sharing your own experience, Janet! Much appreciated, as always!! :-D

Hi Heidi! Thanks for your good work for us all. I look for ward to reading your column first thing every morning.

Just a note on vaginitis- I used to get a minor itch (before going on the BTD)when I ate too many sweets.

I found that using a clove of garlic as a vaginal suppository got rid of any itching and bad smell (I do love the smell of garlic!). The itching stopped almost immediately. Garlic is antibacterial and antifungal, and worked like a charm. I left a clove in for 12 hours or so, then took it out and put in another one. Two or three days is all I ever needed.

Again, I'm not suggesting this as the only treatment in severe cases, but it works wonders for mild discomfort. Hope this helps someone, or at least gives them a good laugh! Lois O neg

Hello, Lois! I'll bet it would give them a good laugh WHILE it's helping! ~;-D which boosts health on two fronts (!) at once. :-D

You just reminded me of the ancient medical practice of using boluses. Boli? Anyway, a bolus is a mix of ground medicaments held together with some non-irritating fat like cocoa butter or suet -- something workable at warm temperatures, but which can be formed and frozen for later use. It's basically a homemade suppository, to deliver a steady dosage (as the bolus melts - (not a soap opera title)) in the rectum or vaginal canal.

I've never used or made one, so my knowledge pretty much ends there. If anyone's interested, just do a websearch for "bolus, herb," or some such, and you'll find a variety of instructions and 'recipes.'

thanks for the note, and the smile, Lois! :-D

Hi Heidi, Wow! Where does Nina live? Restaurants and accepting friends & relatives, I'm green with envy.

All kidding aside, as far as restaurants go I do live in the Chicago area and I have had some success. We're A, Sec., MM's so our food choices are of course specific to our blood group and won't be of much help to Vanessa but there might be some A's out there that will benefit. What I have found is that wherever you go you have to be VERY selective when ordering.

The Blind Faith Cafe in Evanston, Illinois is very nice, but not for O's since it's a vegetarian restaurant. You do have to watch the wheat there but what's nice about them is that they graciously will tell you in detail everything that's in their dishes and for the most part the ingredients are listed. So we have more choices than normal there but still have to be very careful.

Also there is a Vegan restaurant, Amitabul, 6207 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. They are also very good but again we have to be selective as to the type of veggies, their much too spicy dishes and all those darn red beans.

The other choice is most any Japanese restaurant, acceptable fish, steamed veggies and miso soup works there.

We love our BTD and the rewards far out weigh the challenge to stay compliant. As a matter of fact we enjoy the challenge of finding new foods and converting recipes. We made fabulously delicious tofu spinach lasagna, garlic bread and pumpkin pie (not only complient but beneficial) for Christmas dinner. Being MM's we can have tomatoes so that made a big difference with the lasagna.

I must say we have not had the same good experiences that Nina has had with accepting friends and relatives. But that's a whole other subject.

By the way Heidi did you see Elizabeth and me on Dr. D'Adamo's Naturopathic Center page? Go to community, then people and there we are. We are both very proud to be there, when people question our life style we just send them there, it's a lot easier that way.

Thanks for all you give to the BTD community and have a Happy, Healthy & Prosperious New Year. With Love Pat & Elizabeth

Thanks so much for the restaurant tips, Pat & Elizabeth! And yes, I saw your cool pictures there, very spiffy! :-D

Warmest wishes right back atcha both! And my sincerest hopes for warmer "friend-and-family BTD response!" for us all!! ~:-D

Heidi, I've been reading your column for quite a while, but never have written - thanks for your compassion and valuable info!

This is in response to sheshe's request for former vegetarian type O's comments.

I was a "health-food" vegetarian for 25 years, and somewhat arrogant about it for some portion of that time. My health wasn't too good, but not too bad either, until my mid-40's, when things started falling apart - gum disease, prostate problems, skin problems, achy pains, etc.

I read about the BTD, and recognized my type O profile. I went cold-turkey from being a vegetarian to eating red meat, and I knew immediately from the way my digestive system responded that it was the right thing to do, even though, psychologically, I was a little grossed out.

After 5 years (after 2 years, I did the test and found I was a non-secretor) I can say I am incredibly healthier, and a more tolerant, humble, and compassionate person. Thanks again, Heidi! BillT

Humble, eh? Why ya come in here braggin about it then? ~;-D

A big warm WELCOME to you, Bill! Glad you put fingers to keyboard and joined us! It's great to hear your experience.

I definitely empathized with "a bit grossed out." Like you, I plunged right in with the eating, but during the first meat meal especially, I sat there with weird thoughts running through my mind. Let's face it, it's different and the body and mind both sort of quiver with the difference. I'm happy to join you in reporting that it's a GOOD difference. very good! ;-D

now don't be a stranger. write more. be well! :-)

Hi, I am an O-,secretor, 41 years old.

I have been on the O nutrition plan since Jan 2000. Originally started it to optimize my body. The results are excellent. I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in Sep '94 (I'm a victim of the food pyramid). I have always controlled my blood sugar through diet, exercise, and a few suppplements.

I am extremely active and physically fit. I usually play competitive tennis 8-10 hours per week, lift weights, run, and hike. My family always referred to me as the "missing link" or friends called me "animal man".

The question: what can one do about weakend blood vessels, particularly in the fingers? I am an easy bleeder despite eating greens and taking Phytocal O. I have researched that Silicon can help in strengthing blood vessels. Naturally this problem has made it difficult to play tennis and be "animal man" on the court since my right forefinger will start bruising and swelling. Thanks for all the work that you do on the website! PeterW

Greetings, Peter! Welcome! Glad to hear from another revived Food Pyramid Victim turned Roarin' Animal Man!! ;-)

Because you're so active, you know you need extra protein, water, minerals -- and antioxidants to help clear the physical waste products of robust exercise. A couple of grams of esterified C daily, maybe in a protein shake with some extra Phytocal added, and a plop of ProBerry3 and black cherries/blueberries.

PhytoPharmica used to make a very effective supp for strengthening the veins and capillaries, called Cellu-Var. They've since put out much the same thing under a new name "Varicosin," in tablet instead of capsule form. It's a combination of gotu kola, butcher's broom, and horse chestnut bark extract, and it works.

My very best wishes to you, and please let me know how it all works for you!

:-D

peace & blessings, thank you for the information regarding proteins & grams and asking how the diet is coming. it is coming slowly, but coming. i was a type o veg. so eatting the red meat is still a hugh challenge for my person.

i did add fish, and the type o protein mix and elimated wheat,corn and other avoids. i have gained about 7 pounds, which in and of itself is not encouraging.

however, i have just concluded a soltis fast and will try the red meat. my friends have stated that they will be there to help clean up the mess (throwing up after eating the meat).

this is truly not a task i look forward to doing (for many reasons) but one i am committed to try! thank you. if there are any other veggie o's turned meat eater i sure would like to hear from you. support (and how things are working for you)is a necessity of life. peace sheshe



Hello, sheshe! You've done really well to add the fish and to stay away from some of the avoids. Could you give me an idea of your daily menu, generally? People who gain weight on the O diet are usually over-eating grains and beans, or combining dense protein foods with grains. Proteins plus veggies plus fats do not put weight on us at all. If I had an idea of your usual food choices and the proportions of veg and fish to the other items, I might be able to offer some useful tips.

For now, please use caution when coming off a fast. The first foods should be veg juices, then steamed vegetables and veg broth. Fasting changes your digestive secretions and flora/fauna population, and should be followed with probiotics like PolyFlora-O and a very unchallenging diet. Once you've resumed your usual diet in a week or two, pancreatic enzymes could be taken with any meat meal for the first few weeks to aid digestion. After that stage, your body should do fine on its own.

Vomiting after eating meat is a sign of either (1) rotten meat or (2) adamant psychological resistance to eating it. Please consider thoroughly exploring these two issues before inviting your friends for a clean-up-the-vomit party. ;-> Also, try starting with a little ground meat (lamb, beef or buffalo for examples) mixed in a vegetable stir-fry. That's how I started, and while my mind took a good long time in catching up, my body thanked me beginning right on that day.

Blessings and peace be with you, sheshe! do write again! :-D

Heidi, Thanks for your response and also to the person who also provided some additional insight. I probably could stand to go back to the Dove soap without the fragrance. I used it for years and had fewer problems.

FYI, I always went to the doctor for treatment when this problem arose in the past so there is no PID issue. I have been tested regularly and had a hypersalpingogram as part of my fertility workup and everything was fine. The only thing out of kilter was my estradiol level that was high/normal. This time I went to the doctor and they did test for BV they said it negative so the irritation was probably candida. They recommended OTC treatment and it has worked for now.

This is the second time I have had to treat for candida since August. I started the BTD immediately after the first treatment. It seems like the slightest thing seems to trigger this problem. In the meantime, I purchased a secretor test for my husband and filled out the form with his information. He never took the test so maybe I will use it myself. Thanks again for all of your help.

Hello Dawn! thanks for the FYI, as I was worried over the infertility issue in tandem with bacterial vaginosis.

Candida is a tough thing to get under control for once and all, but now that you could get your secretor status, you'd have the specialized information available in Live Right 4 Your Type and the Encyclopedia to help you do the job. Antibiotics are often prescribed, which make the difficulties seem to go away for a while, but exacerbate them long-term. One gets into a treatment cycle, whereas solving the trouble takes you out of that cycle. Polyflora-O is essential to turn the tide, and Heallix is a great choice in place of interal medications and external creams and douches.

Do look over the suggestions on truly mild body soaps we offered last time. They're all effective, yet far better for your needs (not to mention the environment) than the mainstream brands.

Be well, and keep me updated on how you do! :-D

Happy Holidays Heidi!

This is in response to Vanessa's quandry about what to eat when out. I have a couple of thoughts. One, I have done a bit of research where I live and have found BTD friendly restaurants. One place, if I call before noon, will make up whatever I want and have it ready for me that evening, for example, grilled salmon in olive oil, a melange of their fresh veggies of the day cooked in olive oil, and a baked apple for dessert topped with crushed walnuts.

But for me, the BTD has opened up a world of better friendships - ones of compassion, patience, curiousity and genuine interest. And my family has all come around to the diet, even if they don't follow it at a high compliance themselves, with great respect for my choices. So I don't miss brie, vinegar, wheat or beef and I certainly don't miss the horrific sinus infections, the bloating, the gas, and the "can't go another step" tiredness.

I think Vanessa may be pleasantly surprised when she sticks to the BTD whether at a restaurant or when eating over at friends' homes. I know from our nonnie group that many a convert has been made by watching our curious eating habits and then sampling this healthy fare. Wouldn't she rather have friends that supported her health and well-being and may even improve theirs along the way then for her to suffer in silence [well not so silent with the wind ;-)]?

So take a chance and give your friends the opportunity to step up to the plate. And as a side note, you may want to get your secretor status tested to know for sure about what really suits you best.

All the best to you Vanessa as you ponder the road less traveled, and for me, it has made all the difference. And Heidi, wishing that you receive many times back what you give to all of us through the year! XXXOO Nina (A2 nonnie)

:-D thanks, Nina! I'm sure your response to Vanessa will be far more useful to her than mine was (although I still think mine would be MORE FUN.... for the first 20 minutes, that is! :-D). Thanks for your heartfelt truths, and your warm wishes! Shine away, dear! :-D