The Story

Studies suggest foods including spinach, nuts ward off prostate, bladder cases

The vitamin E in an extra handful of nuts or serving of spinach each day

may help cut the risk of bladder and prostate cancers, according to two

separate studies presented yesterday in Orlando.

For the prostate, Finnish men who got more of the vitamin in their diets

slashed their risk by as much as 53 percent. For the bladder, people in a

Texas-based study had about a 40 percent reduction in risk whether they

took vitamin E supplements or ate more foods that are rich in the nutrient.

Though the results are intriguing, scientists said additional research is

needed to see if the vitamin truly protects against cancer. But they said

it certainly wouldn't hurt to grab some snacks that are loaded with vitamin E.

"People need not be afraid to incorporate nuts and seeds into their diets,"

said John Radcliffe, a nutrition researcher from Texas Women's University

in Houston, which was involved in the bladder cancer research. "For a long

time, dietitians would not recommend them because they are high in fat. But

half an ounce to an ounce of nuts and seeds daily" is fine.

The studies were released at the annual meeting of the American Association

for Cancer Research, which is being held this week at the Orange County

Convention Center. The conference, which runs through Wednesday, is

expected to draw about 12,000 researchers and medical professionals.

For many years, scientists have looked at vitamin E as a way to boost the

body's defenses against cancer, possibly by reducing DNA damage that leads

to the disease. But other studies haven't shown much of a benefit.

Scientists said yesterday that it is best to increase vitamin E intake

naturally, through foods such as nuts, seeds, whole-grain breads, beans,

peas and canola oil. These foods are rich in a particular form of vitamin E

- called alpha-tocopherol - that is considered most helpful.

Thank you for your suggestion to incorporate Rosemary into my diet as a cancer prevention. Can you tell me if the Rosemary and Tarragon must be raw? Do they lose their power if I heat them up in cooking? I am intending to follow the sinus protocol. Do you have any suggestions on which Neti Pot is the best? RuthD

Hello, Ruth! The most concentrated forms of the herbs would be their extracts. Both can be used raw, but I'd dip the fresh rosemary briefly into some boiling water to refresh it, and either chop it fine or blend it thoroughly in a bit of broth to add to a soup or other strong-flavored liquid if you'd like to use a lot of it ~ it's a very pungent evergreen shrub. Tarragon has a fairly overwhelming flavor as well, although it's much softer and grasslike in texture. Raw tarragon rather than dried would be best for your purposes.

I don't have a favorite neti pot ~ just because I'll use just about anything to hand to accomplish the task, even a Dixie cup. ;-) I suggest going to a store with several on display, and doing 'dry runs.' I've seen people testing various models, and while onlookers who didn't know what was happening would find this a rather strange sight, the proprietors of such shops understand completely and don't mind at all. The easiest one for a beginner might be the longer-spouted ones. And the best place to practice, once you've made your purchase, is in the shower! ~:-D Very best wishes, Ruth!

Heidi, did you receive my last question, probably one to two months ago concerning the use of Stonyfield yogurt, ingesting a tsp to a tbsp once a day instead of a serving a couple of times a week. Thx. CB.

I found it:

Hello Heidi. As an A+ Nonsecretor, I am thinking of doing my limited amount of yoghurt as a daily intake of a tablespoon, rather than one 6-8 ounce once per week. My hope is that since I am unable to do some of the friendly bacteria foods such as FOS, I'll do what they did in older days, a tablespoon as part of a meal say 5 or 6 times a week. I'm still doing less that 6-8 ounces. What are your thoughts? Thanks. CB.

I think that would be just fine, CB! Other cultured foods, such as miso, and items containing stuff that the bacteria like ~ okra, winter squashes, seaweeds ~ would help as well. Blessings, dear! :-)

Hi Heidi, Regarding Acesulfame K: In previous responses you have said, basically, that you would not recommend it. However I'm curious to know WHAT is it? And WHY would you not recommend it? You said the effects are not known. Generally unknowns are to be considered Neutral, I thought..........? Thanks, Bonnie G. A+ Non Secretor

Hi, Bonnie! Acesulfame-K or Acesulfame-potassium or Ace-K (Sunette or Sweet-One) is described in the CSPInet article below.





http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm

I don't have access to the British Medical Journal for verification, but the following quotation from that publication in 1996 appears on several Internet pages: ""The studies on acesulfame-K used very poor-quality testing, and there are suggestions that it can cause cancer. The product needs to be retested by an independent third party. Until then, I suggest to trying to avoid it," says Jacobson."

I make a distinction between artificial additives and whole foods when applying the category "unknown = neutral for healthy average-weight folks." By reminding ourselves that weight loss is a side-effect of improved health, we make the issue of artificial sweeteners and other chemical additives a simpler one to sort out. Does additive XYZ improve my health? Does it pose any potential risk to my health?

Very often in the hot-markets area of chemical additions, we find that the potential profits on alternate fat and sweetener products have speeded these substances into your food long before (or constructively without) adequate testing.

So, I can't give this substance even a 'yellow light' unless solidly objective and disinterested research comes to light - which may be some time. Thanks for your note, Bonnie! :-)

I am a Blood type B and need to know if the following food ingredients are safe to digest as well as are they beneficial for my type : Palm oil Shea butter spirulina jojoba (buttler / oil) neem (oil) xanthan gum ylang ylang The reason for asking this is that ALL cosmetic/beauty products available over the counter do not cater for my "type". Therefore, I am looking at alternative herbal varieties where unfortunately a majority of them possess one or more of the above ingredients. Oksana

Greetings, Oksana ~ All topical preparations may be evaluated solely on the basis of how they work for you. The food listings apply to ingested substances only, not to topical products. Therefore, avoids or unknowns in skin and hair products are OK for you as long as you have no adverse reaction to them.

There are other, non-BTD issues such as the presence of SLS (sodium laurel/laureth sulphate, a sudsing agent in toothpastes, soaps, shampoos and other items) which you may want to investigate, since several such chemicals have a surprisingly unfriendly history in the human bathroom & boudoir.

Best wishes, and do write again! :-)

When 'Lycopene' is listed in a multi-vitamin, does that mean that tomato lectins are also in the vitamin? Is there a way to tell on a vitamin label if the lycopene is taken from tomatoes or another food source? Thank you. Cam

Hi, Cam ~ Lycopene is not the same substance as the tomato lectin - they're two different things. Lycopene is present in many foods, such as guava, watermelon, and red grapefruit. If the manufacturer of your vitamin lists 'lycopene,' it's just lycopene! hope this helps! :-D

Hi Heidi, hope you are well during your hiatus! I am writing to discuss about my thyroid. It does not work at all! I am at a TSH is at 100+. I took Synthroid and felt better but when I tried to stop taking it, I fell right back down again. If my case is this severe, will I need to take the drugs all my life? They told me that I would.

When I was in high school, my thyroid gland was attacked by a virus and they did not give me Synthroid because they felt I was too young, but ever since then, my gland has never worked properly and that is what caused my long-term depression. And with the Synthroid I feel so much better especially if I follow the diet on top of that. But since it went back down so low, I ended up with tons of fat around my liver and other organs and on the outside of my trunk area. Instead of distributing evenly. How long will it take for everything to stabilize?

My stomach hurts all of the time and my bowels hurt as well, and excercising now is much harder than before, my abdominal muscles hurt so much and I think I am retaining water weight, I always feel bloated and my stomach is like a pregnant woman's. Is this all because of the thyroid gland? I hope the hurt will go away. For now, I cannot function without the drugs, which is a shame because I hate taking drugs. But I tried everything naturally and it did not work.

When the gland is back will my body be able to produce the hormones itself or is that the side effect of the drug, that you must continue forever, or else it gets worst? Thank-you, Emily!

Hello, Emily! I think these are questions only a good naturopathic doctor can answer for you, and I think you will get very good help by calling the D'Adamo clinic and arranging for a visit or at least a telephone appointment.

Thyroid conditions are as individual as snowflakes. You may be able to change drugs, and/or resolve your trouble completely with time on the plan.

Many people who used Synthroid found they did very well switching first to Armour Thyroid, but this is a change I believe you should make only under expert medical care -- a really knowledgeable person, and it seems that doesn't describe your doctor too well. So make that phone call, OK? I'll be thinking of you, dear!! take good care!! :-D

Hi Heidi! Jim again. It's finally warming up here in MN. I can actually go outside with just a light jacket on.

I know I have been writing often and asking too many Q's, but this time I am genuinely concerned... I got my blood serotype panel back from Rockwood Natural Medecine Clinic ($99, ph#480-951-0111). It reads as follows: ABO= A, A1/A2= A1, Rh(D)= positive, M,N Group= M,N, Lewis A/B Group= LeA+, LeB-, Secretor Status= negative. My brother had the same results besides being M,M. What do I do!? What do I beleive!? I ordered the saliva secretor test kit from NAP some time ago and tested as a secretor!! I have spent $150 now and am flat broke.

The Doc I talked to on the phone at Rockwood said that he did a lot of testing and surveys for the good Doc(D'adamo), and that they were pretty close. They also sent a "diet" to follow. It's pretty similar save for a few things. Blueberries are avoids?!?! There is a TON of other conflicting stuff here as well! I have NO IDEA what to do... I have been (or thought I was) following the A secretor diet 100%! I'm totally lost and quite upset!

Also, have been juicing 1X-2X a day and am getting many comments this last week on a yellow/bruised looking face... jaundice lookin', someone else said high billurubin (sp?).

Still cannot have bowel movements on my own really. Have been doing coffee enema every morning since my last flush (cleared out only about 3 VERY small green stones, pretty surprised) to clear myself out... I think that my lower right abdomen is kinda swollen... has been for quite a while... When I stand up and look down, it seems to jut out more than the left. Severe intestinal gas and indigestion all the time now... All my doctor ever wants to do is send me home or put me on antibiotics... You know how that goes... I haven't seen him in a year. On top of the confusion, I'm pretty scared, having anxiety at bedtime... Probably from all this! Sorry about the length of this... What would you do were you in my shoes? Quite desperate--Jim

Jim! It's going to be OK ~~ this is the dark before the dawn! -- Just read through the following, let it all percolate around (coffee joke ;->) and let me have your responses.

(1) Howz the holosync going? If it works in a similar fashion to TM, you may find that calmer periods alternate with healing mini-crises (in terms of stressful feelings and physical manifestations) for some time until much of the 'backlog' is cleared out. However, it is all good in its way ~ it's all part of the process, and now you want to hurl a snowball at me but HA HA, I'm too far away. ;->

(2) I can offer my personal take on how I'd make use of the serotype panel and food lists you received. First, you're MN which is nice to know! Second, it's disturbing when you get two different results from different labs, and I'm sorry you've been one of the few who've run into this trouble. All things being equal, I'd rely on the saliva test, since it is the gold standard of secretor status testing -- and because it works directly on a digestive secretion. It's possible you're a VERY weak secretor, which may explain the discrepancy entirely. Third, I'd stick to the Live Right lists (informed by the updates) for diet planning.

(3) The folks who've mentioned jaundice and bilirubin are making a common mistake. Another is that beta-carotene from veg is changing your skin color. You can now smile and explain that yellow is the color of health for you right now. It is most likely that due to the juicing and better diet, you are clearing toxins through the skin which the liver cannot handle on its own at this rate.

There are ways & means to ease the elimination at this stage. I know you aren't in funds right now, but there are low-cost as well as more thorough means available which you can consider at your leisure.

In this connection, I'd like to suggest you read the following article/website created by our old friend, J Peter Owen, if you've not yet seen it.

Two caveats I would ask you to keep in mind as you read: JPO is a type A who, as you'll note, devoted himself to frequent and heavy martial arts workouts on a regular schedule. He did follow a form of the type A diet, but was opposed to the cortisol-lowering activities recommended for y'all. He believed that hard workouts were the way to go, and I argued that that decision contributed to the difficulties he encountered and their persistence. I mention this to reassure you that the time you'd need is, I think, far less than the time period over which his treatment was recorded -- and you didn't start out with a lot of pain in the liver area, as he did.

Second, he believes (or did in 2000-2001 when this article was written) that gallbladder flushes merely produce 'olive oil soap,' and that expelled gallstones are a figment of the imagination -- an opinion I've seen voiced elsewhere only by gallbladder surgeons.

So, that's my two cents, and here is the site: Colonics & JPO.

(4) Have you tried Epsom salts and/or cod liver oil to relieve the constipation?

Write again and let me know what you think of these suggestions. And don't worry about pouring the questions in, as I will answer as many as I can given my circumstances! They're always welcome. You WILL succeed in resolving your digestive issues, and I'll help all I can. Hey, you even ventured out in Minnesoota without bearskins on, so you KNOW there's spring around the corner, eh? Hang in there and keep writing! :-D

I'm an O+ (secreter status unknown) and would like to request that Dr. D. take another look at the research done on UNREFINED natural coconut oil. He seems to rely heavily on the Ancel Keys study and research which used HYDROGENATED coconut oil. Adrienne

Hello, Adrienne! Thank you for your note, and I hope you don't mind that I edited it somewhat.

I, too, would like to see more research on several items, and coconut oil & hemp oil are foremost among them in the oils category. I learned recently from a reader that the THC content of hemp oil which prompted a warning in the Ask Dr. D'Adamo column of that name is no longer a concern in current products due to more stringent processing standards.

So, I do hope both these oils receive some special attention in the rating department soon! Thank you very much for writing! :-)

Hi Heidi, I've had a perplexing question that has spanned the last 10-15 years. For starters I'm a Type O secretor. Whenever I have given up coffee I begin chomping down chocolate and more then what is good for me. If I have a soy latte in the morning, guess what, I don't eat chocolate. Neither seems to be accompanied by an overwhelming desire so I don't understand.

I'm beginning to think there is a common chemical reaction in my brain and that it gets served completly with only a latte whereas with chocolate it takes a great many more. If it's some kind of low level addiction how long would you suggest I go without either for it to run its course. Any then, WHY. Perhaps there's a data base or someone else who has experienced this. Thank you as always for your column and for ERFYT. Ruth H.

Hey there, Ruth! Chocolate and coffee have several chemicals in common.

If it's the caffeine-like substance that's calling to you, you'd need to eat 10-15 ounces of chocolate to get the amount present in a cup of coffee. That may be the key to how much chocolate you find yourself eating on coffee-free days. Chocolate does contain high amounts of theobromine, though.

The easy test for that one is to drink two or three cups of good green tea (theophylline there, smaller amounts but with a stronger effect), and see if chocolate still beckons.

Another thing chocolate has going for it is two substances which slow the breakdown of 'anandamide,' a chemical made in the brain that binds to certain feel-good receptors (cannabinoid, or THC receptors). It appears that the fat and sugar in chocolate also induce the brain to produce more of the neurochemicals that opiate receptors like. However, coffee doesn't contain these substances as far as I know.

It may be the combination of fat and caffeine/theobromine whose siren song you hear. Anything here ring a bell? :-) let me know! :-D

Dear Heidi, Just a note of appreciation for all you have done with "On the Diet" and a note of concern. I hope that each hiatus is nothing more than a wild fling of some sort some where, but recognizing in you an obsessive O (look, we have to catch 'em before we can eat 'em, so we hang on like grim death to any project, turning aside for nothing, not even our own well being), I must confess to a little worry--or a little envy at your development of good sense and detachment, supporting first things first (after all, we CAN go to the supermarket, preferably organic). In short, your work and presence means a lot to me, as to countless others, who I'm sure join me in wishing you well. --Elizabeth

Elizabeth, thank you so much for your kindness. I wish I could report regular wild flings on my various hiati, but I confess that time is spent working on a range of demanding projects -- as you suspected.

If I could have a day in which I was free not to touch a computer, at this moment I'm imagining the complete luxury of totally rearranging my bookshelves (in which, when searching for Dr. Weil's book Chocolate to Morphine today, I found a copy of J. Peterman's last catalogue wedged in between Gems and Gemology and my Breton-English Dictionary. That's just utterly unacceptable! I mean, none of them even belong to the same Dewey section, for heaven's sake! :-}

I hear and feel the good wishes from you, and from many other readers. They mean a very great deal to me. My wish is that my time were not so divided and hectic, so that I could return the love in the form of more and better information here. Thanks again, Elizabeth! :-)

Hi Heidi: See you are on hiatus so hope you are relaxing and all is well. Just wanted to quickly update you - it has been over a month and have been checking in almost daily but have been busy.

The last time I wrote, I think I had told you that after a pelvic sonogram, they found a couple of cysts, and that one was a double cyst, which required that I wait to go back for another sonogram after two cycles. Of course, this was cause for some worry on my part although I felt that possibly it was a misdiagnosis or that it was something that would go away on its own. Just to be sure, I spent those 60 days reading up on natural ways to prevent/eliminate ovarian cysts.

To make a long story short, went back for the second sonogram and it was completely clear! I was overjoyed to say the least. In a nutshell, I just basically followed the BTD diet as closely as possible, virtually eliminated refined sugar, wheat, etc., drank lots of purified water, changed to eating about 85-90% organic produce, dairy and meats, and did a tub soak about 2 -3 three times a week using bath salts or aromatic oils - also tried to do the dry brushing - all of this to detoxify the skin and the tub baths to stimulate the circulation in the ovary region.

I do feel that all of these things probably did the trick in making the cysts go away, so wanted to pass this along in case others were dealing with this situation.

I am also limited the use of plastic, particularly not heating or cooking any foods in plastic containers and washing produce throughly because I also read these things has estrogen mimmicking properties that possibly can cause all type of female hormone type problems. One other thing to note is that if anyone has started the diet or has been on it and finds that one of their goals is weight loss, try to stop eating refined wheat, sugar, white rice, etc. It is amazing how this will speed up your weight loss! I had not thought that wheat was much of a problem until I did this and it has helped dramatically.

Finally, what do you think of the work of Dr. Andrew Weil? Saw him on a PBS show today and some of his work seems very sensible, but he does push women eating lots of soy and I was not sure about this in relation to what the blood type diet promotes - I am a type B (not sure of secreator status) so was curious if soy would be something worthwhile to add to my diet. Thanks Joyce

Wow, Joyce ~ congratulations on healing yourself! This is a great example of what diet and a few simple procedures can accomplish. Congratulations!

You asked for my opinion on Dr. Weil ~ I think he's written some worthwhile material, but I would never start eating an avoid based on one-size-fits-all research. Soy is great for type A secretors, and is useful as a neutral food for others, but it won't do the same good things for type B. The chemistry is just not the same between blood groups! :-)

Again, a big pat on the back for your wonderful accomplishment in getting rid of those cysts - and discovering how whole foods are the best choices among the BTD selections! They are powerful indeed. I'm really happy for you, Joyce! :-D

Heidi – I am in a quandary but first a little history.

In 1999 I decided that I had to loose weight (57, 5’5” & 180). Since then I have tried every diet and yo-yoed all over the top of the scale. I never once got myself out of the overweight status. I did play havoc with my body by November 2003 I had high cholesterol, .by blood presser was 159/75, my liver was sick and there was a large stone in my gallbladder. My doctor wanted to put me on drugs and he was talking about surgery. (Note: I am hypothyroid and have been on synthroid for about 10 or 15 years.)

In January of 2004 I said that this was the year. (57, 5’5”, 187) My goal was to get the overweight label off of me. I needed to average 0.75 pounds per week to make it to 150 by the holidays. I started BTD and exercising on 1 January 2004.

I have lost 16 pounds, my blood presser is 120/72, my cholesterol is moving down (I do not have the exact numbers), and my liver got a clean bill of health (based on blood work) but I still have a large stone in my gallbladder.

Now for my quandary – my gallbladder. My doctor said that I could have it out, but there are risks with surgery or I could leave it in until there is a problem and there will be a problem.

My feeling was to leave it in because it was still doing its job. My doctor said that my logic was wrong that the gallbladder was not functioning or I would not have a stone.

Now I am from the age where people removed the tonsils because they did not do anything. I wonder if the gallbladder is just replacing the tonsils.

I have been searching your page and finding a lot about the gallbladder flush but I can not find where it is described. I also do not know if it is right for me. My doctor thinks that I am making a mount out of a molehill. One side of me says have it out when it is convenient and have it over with. (I travel with work, and I camp in back country for pleasure). The other side of me says once it is out you can not put it back. Joan

I just love to hear someone say, THIS IS THE YEAR! :-) It looks like you'll achieve your goal well ahead of December, Joan ~ congratulations! It gets better and better, even when the weight is lost and you feel as if you just couldn't feel any better. ;-> That's when the surprises kick in. enjoy!

On your quandary, guess who I agree with? YOU! You're right: once it's out, you cannot put it back in. Of COURSE it's doing its job -- forming stones is one of the things it does when necessary, and it is still controlling bile release to your intestinal tract. What your doctor hasn't told you is how difficult digestion becomes when that gallbladder isn't there. Surgery is for trauma and is a last-ditch option for just about everything it's customarily pushed for. Healing from it is no walk in the park, either.

There is a description of the gallbladder flush in this column, in two posts: the first one you can find by going to the bottom of this page and searching for 'twoeagle.' The second is two days after that one, so just change the date in the address window from 20040104 to 20040106, hit enter, and it will come up.

However, with a large stone I strongly suggest you make it easy on yourself to get rid of it without surgery.

Go to www.sensiblehealth.com. Read the whole site thoroughly, then read it again. Julia Chang is an expert on this subject, and she can help you have a lot of fun when you see your doctor next year and the stone is gone. :-D

You're doing a fabulous job with your diet. Julia will answer any questions you have about the flush preparation, and she is the only one who has the necessary herbal formulas to make this process a very healthy and safe one for you. If you have questions about the flush, just use the telephone number she provides, and you can discuss the procedures with her.

I am just so excited for you, and wish I could be a fly on the wall when the doc gets a look at your new ultrasound. :-D Keep me posted, and let me know what your blood group is. Best wishes, Joan! :-D

Hi Heidi, I'm still here - still haven't done the flush - still planning it.

This is in regards to devils claw and arthritis pain mentioned in a couple of posts recently. I was going to e-mail anyway about a wonderful product that I have just started using (about 2 weeks ago). I have been having pain in my elbows (of all places) and the Glucosomine I was taking was doing anything for it. I found this amazing stuff at our health food store (closest one - 2 hours away) it is called Nutriflex and it is from Naka Herbs - a Canadian company. Here is the website addresss www.nakaherbs.com.

You will see a writeup on it on their site. It has glucosomine and devils claw and a few other things in it, which I believe are all ok for O's - well I am hoping they are because this stuff WORKS. I had only taken it for two days and the pain in my elbows was GONE and I no longer have that achy feeling in my joints when I get up in the morning!!

One tablespoon in water about 90 minutes after dinner at night is all I have to take - WONDERFUL. I hope that you can get it in the U.S. (what a switch - I didn't have to order it from the U.S.) -- it costs about $23 Canadian here. and lasts a month. Good luck to anyone who gives it a try, it really worked for me. love sue, o-neg

Hi, Sue! Hey, I'm glad you found something to relieve the achies.

I looked at that product, and copied off the ingredients:

Each tablespoon (15ml) provides:





Beyond wondering what the heck 'hydrolyzed gelatin' is, the main ingredients look perfectly fine for type O -- the 'fruit juice complex' probably contains orange, though, and I wouldn't want to take acesulfame-K and potassium sorbate on a daily basis (if at all).

I'd be tempted to obtain the primary ingredients separately (less the gelatin -- I get gelatin from my homemade broth) and toss it all in a little one-half cup fruit smoothie & drink 'er down. but you know how I am! ;-)

I'm really pleased your joint discomfort is gone, so this is just a Thank You for sharing your relief, and referring us to that product! ... and a tiny suggestion to see what you can put together from what you've learned! Blessings, dear!! :-D

Hi Heidi, greetings from sunny Turkey. Well, I have seen days without sun here but not without your column on my computer since you started

I am writing you in regard to Ruth's question on Dewil's Claw (I am also type O like her). I have been sufffering from back pain for a while and when I read on Doc. Bron's column recently that Dewil's Claw could be effective in fighting arthiritis and back pain, I decided to give it a try.

Well I have been using it for nearly a week now and it actually relieves the pain, more effective in this respect than Bromelain. So far I have not noticed anything wrong, maybe Dewil's Claw is OK for O's. (well, you can count on my experience as I am on the fifth year of this diet and if I eat anything wrong, my body reacts in one way or the other

Hope this helps to Ruth. Keep up the good work Heidi, much appreciated, Yaman.

Yaman, thank you so much! I am very grateful to hear your experience with Devil's Claw, and I'm sure Ruth will be as well. And your message bearing the sun's warmth is most appreciated. ;-) Thank you for reading, and for writing! :-D

Hi Heidi and thanks a lot for your prompt response.

The almond paste I found in the "BTD Food Value". I now gather it is almond nut butter with added water. Correct ?

Luckily for mer there is a newly opened organic food store where I live that sells almond paste and hazelnut paste (nuts, water and sea salt). That is as good as nut butter do you think ? I am 0 +, secretor.

While I am at it, another question. If you want to increase your mineral intake (magnesium espcially) + are planning for pregnancy when that has cleared up is 1. Polyvite 0 + Phytocal 0 or 2. 0 Prenatal the best way to go ? Or should I combine them some other way ? Your view would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot in advance and have a nice weekend ! / Carina

Hello, Carina! Here in the States, our nutbutters do not contain water, but the ones you found would have the same nutritional value. Those products sound fine for you.

Magnesium is abundant in dark green leaf vegetables such as kale, collards, beet greens, turnip greens, parsley, and in the grasses (suggested for use in a juicing machine) like wheat grass (yes, the grass is OK for everyone!), barley grass, and also in chlorophyll supplements. The Prenatal plus Phytocal would be a good choice for preparing for pregnancy.

Most of your minerals can come from foods, including almonds, tofu, mineral water, homemade broth, vegetables such as broccoli, dark cabbages, brussels sprouts, as well as seeds (sesame and pumpkin especially) and seaweeds, and the greens & grasses mentioned above.

I hope this is helpful to you, and I send my warmest wishes for a very happy pregnancy and birth! :-)

You talk about a gallbladder flush recipe. I have search but can't find it.

-- Christine

Hi, Christine! It was posted on 4 January of this year, 2004. Also, there is a column two days later, on 6 January, which has additional tips.

You can find the first one easily by going to the bottom of this page and using 'twoeagles' in the search field. Then, you can move to the 6 Jan column by going to the address bar in your browser, and replacing 0104 with 0106.

Thank you for writing, and I hope this procedure works well for you! :-)

"Well, that's all very nice, but... I still need to ..." :-D Hi Heidi! Here I am again after a while, trying to cope with my problems, as everyone.

I recently had a bad cystitis (Escherichia Coli) after quite a long period healed from my previous vicious circle cystitis-antibiotic-cystitis (terrible!) I couldn't go immediately to see my doctor, because I was too taken with my job that week, so I left some days passing and when I eventually went to see him the pain had increased and somehow climbed towards my right kidney (always the right one, the whole right side of my body is weaker than my left one!). I already had this problem in the past. He gave me antibiotics (Augmentin), of course. I don't think there is another choice left at that step. I regularly took them for 6 days and they succeded in fighting the infection, but I felt weak, tired and I almost always had nausea.

I still feel like this and had to go back to my doctor because I still have some little pain, especially when I first go to the toilet at morning AND I have a pain in my right foot, in the inner part on the plant and side. I feel like something pulling and little burning. When I was a child I had "flat feet" especially the right one. My dance teacher (bellydance!) says that that area on the foot is strictly related to the kidney and that I should take some plantar reflexology massage. My doctor denies any relation between the two things.

I also experience sensitive bowel and feel sleepy and dazed aftemeal, especially when I eat out in restaurant and snack bars. What the do they put in procesed food?!?!?

I went to a herborist who gave me Red Bilberry (Vaccinium Vitis Idaea) and told me to eat yogurt (an Avoid!) and take probiotics for at least one month.

Now I am doing so, trying to drink more mineral water and I would like to avoid some food. I read that acid foods are probiotics enemy and tend to destroy good germen in the gut and contrast the probiotic effect. These food are mainly proteic ones, especially read meat and cod + wheat products, while alcaline foods should be eaten instead, among these milk!

I am a O-type and I would like to know if it could be fine for me to avoid meat, according to this theory (after all, I have been vegetarian for 6 years and never missed the taste) and cod (I love it!) and eating dairy food like yogurt. I know this could sound naif to you, but I am a young (3...y-o) woman and I'm trying to do myself what doctors don't do for me, that is going deep into causes for my health problems! Thank you soooooooo much! You're great! The O-type diet, especially avoding wheat-products and refined white flour had done a lot for me! ps. Sorry about my English, my Italian is much better ;-) Helly

Oh, Helly, your English is SO much better than my Italian! More than that, I can understand you perfectly, so please praise yourself for your good English. :-)

Let me try to sort this so that you will feel confident in approaching your choice of foods. There are many, many schools of thought on proper diet -- and 99% of those ways of eating assume that one-size-fits-all is OK. It surely isn't, and this we know. But you will encounter practitioners who insist on vegetarianism, or any number of other fixed ideas.

So, when your herbalist says eat yogurt, and the acid/alkaline system of thought says don't eat meat, remember that your beneficials and avoids as a type O nonsecretor (only 8% of the population!) take precedence over any other plan someone may recommend to you. So, take the antibiotics, but not the yogurt. Emphasize the alkaline foods if you wish, but do not fail to eat the meat you require for optimum health. I can say that I never missed the taste of meat either. I would gladly have gone on not eating it, but my health was going downhill and I was very lucky that my acupuncturist knew what was wrong, and told me about BTD.

Most commercially-prepared food is awful -- it is often of poor quality to begin with (although in Italy it must be much better than here?) and then it is handled and cooked to provide maximum 'taste' at minimum cost, so do not be surprised if it gives you troubles.

Go to the Antibacterial and Urinary Health protocols pages on this site (available under the pull-down menus at the top of this page), and use as many of those suggestions as you can. Elderberry and cranberry juices taken regularly should be very helpful to you. Try to drink at least 1 liter of water per every 30 kilo of bodyweight, daily, with a squeeze of lemon and a little pinch of sea salt in each liter. This will help you re-hydrate, a very important thing in cystitis.

I agree from experience that reflexology massage can be very helpful to you! Your doctor does not know about such things, so just go to those who are expert in reflexology practice.

Also, use the search just below, and enter "cystitis" (without the quotation marks) - see what you find!

Very best wishes for your healing, Helly!

Dear Heidi, In regards to Belinda's hyperthyroid question, I found the iThyroid.com site very helpful for my hyperthyroid condition. I didn't have the nodules, so I had a different problem.

The site recommends supplements for hyper- and hypo-thyroid conditions and hair analysis to understand if you have a mineral imbalance. The basic premise is that the thyroid is affected by mineral imbalances.

Hyperthyroid also causes mineral imbalances by causing the body to use up certain minerals and vitamins and interfering with absorbtion. I used the anti-thyroid drug, methimazole, and supplemented with the recommended supplements for hyperthyroid. After a while, this over-corrected and I gradually came off the drug, then the supplements. I recommend avoiding the radioactive therapy, if possible. -- Pam

THANK you, Pam ~ I'm very interested in hearing experiences with hyperthyroid where the condition was resolved without destruction or excision of the gland. I felt that this imbalance must have developed as a result of an inner environmental 'something,' and therefore it was likely it could be reversed without invasive treatments -- but I hadn't seen any success stories to confirm my hopeful intution. ;->

Your note is much appreciated, and I hope Belinda will see it and take it into consideration, as well! :-D

Heidi and others, Thanx so much for your prompt and thorough response on my question re: optimal exercise. I appreciated it! However, I was actually asking in order to learn more about Heidi's experience as a nonsecretor O. Here is the bottom line: The superslow weight training method recommends doing their method once a week and no cardio (see website and books on superslow). But (nonsecretor) Os need LOTS of vigorous exercise.

So I wondered if Heidi's experience had shown her that it was fine (or even necessary) to add in several cardio sessions to the weekly superslow weight session. Heidi, what is your experience? Thanx, Melissa

Hello, Melissa ~ Their training method is designed for optimum muscle gain, so the advice given discourages engaging in 'catabolic' exercise like running. Also, the program claims to provide more efficient aerobic exercise than light, repetitive long-distance activities such as rowing, aerobic dance, etc. do.

Personally, I'm more in favor of adding two cardio sessions to that schedule, and a thorough stretch routine twice weekly, with one day (or two, if you do a single superslow weekly) set aside for complete rest. Superslow can be one full-body session, or two if you split upper & lower body workouts. If you use a split workout, I'd do a short cardio session on the days before the superslow workouts. For one superslow weekly, it's best to take rest on the days before and after it.

That's just me ~ I'm very much attached to running, especially when it involves little tour through the woods and by the water. Inline skating or biking are other options. It just feels good to be out there speeding along. So, that's my prejudice. But I do believe that the cardio workouts, if done properly, are a vital part of your regular schedule. :-D

Hi, I was wondering about nutbutters. What is that exactly and how do you make it ? I am also not sure of the difference beteen nutbutters and so called paste, for instance almond paste, that is noted especially in the database of foods. Please enlighten me. Thanks ! Carina

Hello, Carina ~ Here in the States, we are very fond of nutbutter. It is simply nuts ground to a smooth, thick, oily consistency (sometimes with a bit of added oil). Some salt is often added as well. It can be made in a food processor quite easily.

I'm not sure which book you are using? What is generally referred to as almond "paste" is a sweet product, used in pastries and candies.

Hope that clears it up, dear! :-D

Nutrasweet Causes Weight Gain? In reference to the statement that "phenyalinine was almost 100 percent effective in inhibiting alkaline phosphatase" and in light of the research listed below; would Aspartame, which contains phenyalinine, cause unregulated fat absorbtion and thus weight gain? "Effect of fat feeding on intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity in tissue and serum" G. P. Young, S. Friedman, S. T. Yedlin and D. H. Allers "Accelerated Fat Absorption in Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase Knockout Mice," Sonoko Narisawa, Lei Huang, Arata Iwasaki, Hideaki Hasegawa, David H. Alpers, and José Luis Millán -- Gary

Well, it certainly does other nasty things, but if the cited research is borne out... pretty ironic that a "diet" sweetener would do the opposite of what it's advertised to do. Orwellian, in fact. yikes. thanks, Gary! :-)

Dear Heidi, Is chicken soup OK for type AB? Is the lectin which is found in the muscle tissue (BTD p.148),also found in the soup? Thank you in advance, Menachem P.S. I have seen incredible results in my son(type using collinsonia 2 months for swollen tonsils avoiding their removal surgically. (Unfortunately, it did not help for the adenoids).

Hi, Menachem! I'm glad to hear your son did not need a tonsillectomy -- maybe he just needs more time and careful watch on his diet to clear up the adenoids, too!

Sorry to say, chicken broth isn't safe for type B or AB. The lectin ("galectin," actually) does travel into the broth. Turkey soup is wonderful, though! Thanks for writing, and best wishes to you! :-D

-ezekiel bread is said to be highly beneficial in yr eatright4yrtype book, yet the encyclopedia says neutral... which is true?

-why is vanilla not for type os?

-what bloodtype are animals?

-is there a correlation between personality type a and any of the bloodtypes?

-is there anything written on other drugs besides coffee in any of d'adamo's books or any others?

-why can type os not eat avocado?

Greetings, rusty & michael!

1. Ezekiel Bread is Neutral ~ It's a new listing. Use the search at the bottom of this page to look at my previous columns on Ezekiel Bread. 'S all explained there.

2. Vanilla was originally designated Avoid for all Os because it was observed to cause stomach irritation in some of us. That rating has been refined ~ ~ Now, it is Neutral for O secretors (that's the majority) and Avoid for nonsecretor Os.

3. Animal bloodtypes vary, just as ours do. The difference is that humans' ABO genes influence digestive, hormonal and immune functions (because of the location of those genes), but it doesn't work that way in animals. Their ABO genes are in different locations, and that makes all the difference. Instead, being type O might mean black hair rather than white in some species! and it doesn't dictate what foods the animal should eat. A cat or dog of any ABO type is still primarily a carnivore. A horse is an herbivore. Feed them accordingly. :-)

4. The "Type A Personality" isn't solidly associated with any one blood type. It may be more prevalent among Os, and to a lesser extent As, than the other blood types, but it is a habitual behavior developed in childhood and adolescence -- with parental example and response playing a big part in its formation and expression -- and not a pure ABO issue.

5. References to drugs? The BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia covers many of the therapies currently used in naturopathic medicine. That's a good place to look.

6. Avocado contains a lectin which is trouble for type O secretors. This is a case in which O nonsecretors benefit from their lower sensitivity to many lectins. In fact, avocado is Beneficial for O nons: it reduces tooth pellicle, thereby discouraging bacteria from latching onto the teeth. Interesting, eh?

Best of health to you and your little boy!

Dear Heidi, I suffered a sprain to my shoulder and am following the arthritis protocol as recommended for type O's. The protocol calls for boswellic acid 500 mg , one or two caps, with meals. Does this mean 500 mg, one or two caps, PER DAY WITH MEALS or PER MEAL. Thanks. ALso the Boswellic acid that I am using includes something called "Devils Claw". I find no reference for it in any of my searches around this site or in the books. Is it an OK for type O's. Ruth D

Hi, Ruth! 500mg is the size of one dose, assumed to be one capsule. You can take one or two of those 500mg capsules daily. :-)

From the "Advanced Alternative" Herbal Supplement Definitions and Applications page:



Not only am I not an herbalist (:-}), we have no ABO rating for it, sorry to say. So, see how it works for you (you won't be taking it forever, I gather).

I hope your sprain heals easily and quickly, dear! You iced it for the first 72 hours (on & off), then are using mild heat to begin loosening the muscles for stretching out again? Be sure to get lots of vitamin- & mineral-rich food, and consider taking manganese (perhaps 200mg daily) as well. Best wishes, and let me know how you're doing! :-D

Heidi, the GenBank Accession Characterization Link from Allerbank gives the following error statement. I selected wheat, then the first allerlink. It says the link is 4 years out of date. Thought you would like to know. PS. I love the updated BTD web site! It is much easier to navigate than the old one. Thanks for the help you give to us all. Luana

"New URL Format for Links to Entrez This link is obsolete and has been taken out of service. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?db=2&form=1&term=U08287 Please use the current link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Nucleotide&cmd=Search&term=U08287&doptcmdl=DocSum

Thank you, Luana! :-)

Heidi, Oh I'm so glad Debs is seeking further information on the diagnosis of Phimosis! Here is an excellent and important article to read on this topic! http://www.mothering.com/10-0-0/html/10-1-0/10-1-protectuncircson103.shtml All parents of uncircumscised boys should print this article and keep it near to them, especially during doctor visits! There is no reason for the foreskin to retract at such a young age (5 years old). It is common for the foreskin not to retract until puberty or later. If her son does have any symptoms besides the diagnosis? Hope this helps! Lynne & her intact son

Thanks so much, Lynne! ;-> Debs, here's that link in clickable form:

Protect Your Uncircumcised Son: Expert Medical Advice for Parents. Debs, please do get back to us on this, OK? I look forward to hearing from you, dear!! :-)

John & Thomas wrote in with more on exercise ~~ thanks, guys! :-D



Thank you,Heidi for the reminder that not just one exercise program is correct for everyone.We are not avoiding or fighting preditors anymore,so we have the luxery of various programs,including super slow exercises.Much like the blood type diet,exercise is in a constant state of flux due to evolutionary influences,and adjustments are a constant.Everyday activities cannot be compared to hitting a 90 mph.fastball,but who goes up against "The Rocket"(Roger Clements)every day?.I will always be a proponent of primal movements,and although they are old,I believe they are good,like any other primitive would...John



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In response to John/slow training. All variations have their benefits. However the key to remember with slow/slow movement is that the weight you lift is 1/10 of what you can normally lift. Lets say I can curl 50lbs (50lbsx2)for 8 "normal" reps. The slow training would be performed with 5 - 8 lbs dumbells. 10 seconds up 10 seconds down for 8 to 12 reps. With such low weight a faster contraction would not be anabolic. 2 things that happened to me when doing super slow reps: the best pump ever, and more strenght once switched to normal speed than with any other routine. Regards, Thomas