Hi Heidi: Our family plans to take a vacation in June, and I would love to have a suggestion for a good (and safe) insect repellant. I am a type B as is our 13 yr old son and my husband and daughter are type O's. I think due to my blood type, I am a mosquito magnet and always have been! My husband for example can walk through the same mosquito infested area and get few or no "hits" but I am just the opposite! If there are some commercial brands out there that are effective and also don't have nasty harmful chemicals, I would love to know about it. Do you know what it is about our blood chemistry that makes one type more sought after than another? Thanks for your help! Joyce

Hey there, Joyce! It seems that ABO type doesn't much matter in terms of attractiveness to biters & stingers. We did an informal poll on the old bulletin board years ago, and found no correlation between bug-bothered and blood type.

Well, there's always the Skin-so-Soft product which has a good reputation as a repellant. I use pure Citronella oil, bought years ago from a friend who dealt in essential oils, and it really does the job ~ I like the lemony scent. One or the other should work nicely to keep those skeeters at bay! :-D

Dear Heidi, I can't remember if I have asked you this or not. I have just come off steroids and am desperate to lose weight. I have always had a fast metabolism but am now carrying some weird extra weight that won't budge. I am only 5 foot 3, but have always been 105 to 107 and am now 114/115. The weight is all around the middle - (I am the one who went to John Sarno)

I am doing the O - non diet as closely as I can with as many beneficials as possible. I am eating a big breakfast, lots of salad at lunch with a protein and a smaller dinner. I am having some blueberries or mango a day as a fruit snack and a handful of almonds in the afternoon. I also take the Polyflora O, non-acidic ester C, and 2 cups of green tea a day. I don't have any grains as they really don't agree with me.

I have also started exercising (now back is better) - around 5 to 6 days a week of at least 30 minutes aerobic and 3 days of light weight training. I have heard that steroid weight can take a very long time to move. I am considering trying the fucus supp to jumpstart my metabolism but I think my skin may break out from the high iodine content. Do you have any suggestions - I hate being this way. Thank you so much for your time Suz

Hi, Suz! The best approach is to set aside any worry (use Sarno's techniques for this, too), and continue on as you're doing. Just be sure not to go hungry during the day, and to drink lots of water.

It does often take a little time to detox the steroids, but you'll do just fine, and you'll find it goes faster if you focus your attention away from weight loss and enjoy the improvements in your back! Your body knows exactly what it needs to do, and you're supporting it to the max ~ so soldier right on. Congratulations on making those choices, and doing a great thing for yourself! :-D

Hi Heidi, Just wondering whether you could help us.

My boyfriend is a transgender person & has been transitioning from female to male over the past two years. He is O Sec & 34 years old. He went on the diet last Xmas & he is fully up & running with it & compliant. In the UK being a transgender person he's not had a lot of information about what nutrition guidelines/exercise, etc he should be following so has found the ABO diet extremely helpful.

He is having quite a growth spurt & was wondering whether the portions for the ABO diet are sufficient for this period of growth he is going through. He is a ballet dancer & not wanting to put weight on so he's not sure whether he should keep portions small or eat as much as his body wants for the time being. He is very hungry & tends to crave sweet things even while he is following the O diet. Any help would be appreciated on this.

Also, his weekly hormone injection is suspended in peanut oil. As peanut oil is an avoid, will this cause problems if it is injected into his system rather than taken orally. He's quite happy to search for an alternative if it is going to cause him problems.

Lastly, if he wanted to have a telephone consultation with Dr Dadamo or his team would they be OK with talking to a transgender person. He has had quite a few problems with medical people over here ie in the UK being quite dismissive of him & not that interested in helping him. Many thanks in advance. Kind regards Helen

Hello, Helen! He's certainly welcome here, and I'll do my best to help with your questions.

Ballet is a demanding athletic activity. He should indeed adjust portions and perhaps have extra snacks to support that activity. However, I'd encourage him to follow the diet very strictly in terms of (1) avoids and (2) comparative food group proportion -- lots of vegetables to balance more protein -- because the kind of hormone treatments he's taking are very stressful on the body. I'd also suggest eliminating sugar, grains and dairy entirely. It will make it far easier for him to avoid the sweets, and again, the hormones will tend to create cravings which are easier to control if grain, sugar and dairy are avoided entirely. He'll miss nothing in terms of nutrition. :-) In palce of sugar, a little vegetable glycerine now and again can stand in for a sweet that will not trigger cravings.

Yes, if there is a compound that contains no avoids and he's willing & able to use it instead, definitely get rid of the peanut oil.

I'm very sorry he's had bad experiences with doctors in the UK. Isn't there anyone his endocrinologist could recommend? I am sure that the D'Adamo clinic folks would treat him seriously and respectfully! I would be well and truly shocked if they did not, and I hope you or he will give them a call -- and please let me know how it goes for you both, and write again with any questions you may have. Best wishes! :-D

B rhes -, sec with stomach ulcer ! HELP

Hi Heidi My old stomach ulcers has knocked on my door again. Several years ago (before BTD) when I was a stressful single mom in University I had a really bad ulcer attack- got some terribly expensive medicin and it went away. The last years I have sometimes had a bit of acid regurgitation(do you call it that in english??)Woke up last week almost choking - knew I was in trouble - yep and this weekend has been a disarster! Everything was clossed (this is Scandinavia !!) so I couldn´t get some liquorice tea before today!- I am sure it will help - but any thought on food ? Anything from the B-diet I should go easy on at the moment?

Hope to hear from you soon - I really don´t wan´t to go back on medication ! I have been following the diet pretty well-and the exercise okayish(doing a lot of gardenwork -must be both good exercise and almost meditation-like!) have been very busy and maybe overdoing wheat a bit and I know BAD =had a bit of rhubarbtart!!!! it is only May once a year ! best wishes Henriette

Oh! Henriette, I wish you hadn't mentioned RHUBARB .... I used to make rhubarb pies and tarts with my mother when I had to sit up on a stool to reach the table. :-) It is that season, isn't it? I LOVE RHUBARB! I used to pick it out of the garden, sprinkle sugar on it and eat it raw! I ADORE RHUBARB... {{sigh! yummmm. }}

So... if I can't have any, NEITHER CAN YOU, ~:-D that's an ORDER! ;->

Seriously, now ~~ the wheat, sugar and any other little avoids which may have slyly crept into your diet when you weren't looking ~ they must go. You are always pushing yourself, and between stress and a sensitive tummy and a few avoids, you can get these big warnings from your body that it's time to stop.

Most certainly, medication will not fix the problem. Are you sure it is ulcer, or could it be gastric reflux as well? Have you tried making some fresh juice from ginger root and taking it before meals? Also, do you eat less at night, and wait two hours before sleeping? Tell me more, OK? We'll figure it out.

In the meantime, be very careful about avoiding the avoids -- and see if you can add a couple of sessions per week where you just walk in a pretty place, without trying to accomplish anything, and just take the time for YOU to relax. A calming walk before bed is a great idea. Write again, dear! :-D