Hi Heidi, I know you are real busy these days, but I have had this strange problem for some time, and its getting worse.

I don't want to eat.

Its not that I don't get hungry or have no appetite. I just don't want to eat.

So far it hasn't gotten so bad that I don't eat, but I'm down to childhood comfort food, and its getting worse. I guess if I go out to eat with friends its ok, but at home its all I can do to get myself to eat a little.

My diet almost consistenly: Breakfast - juice and coffee; Lunch - rice with yorgurt and sometimes some potato chips (usually with avoid oil). Dinner - cheese (allowed 'stinky' cheeses from Whole Foods - currently drunken goat cheese) and rice crackers or more rice and yoghurt or just a glass of milk. Sometimes I snack on string cheese and/or juice (both allowed ingredients) at points during the day.

I usually walk 20-30 minutes/day for exercise, and I have an 'aqua yoga' class on Wednesdays.

I meditate using tapes - currently a 40 min program 2x/day.

This eating is an odd concern because I want to lose weight (I'm about 40 lbs overweight) but I know that not eating enough reduces metabolism. It is starting to affect my mood and concentration also. Any thoughts? --Shima (Type B secretor) (June 2)

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My eating problem is getting worse. I really try, but I have missed meals now.

Although I am still getting to work, and meeting my responsibilities, exercising, meditating, my mood is really becoming affected now. I cry almost every night, even though I can still make to work more or less on time the next day, and meet friends from time to time and stuff.

And eating is still really hard.

I am starting to have some flatulence problems, even though I hardly eat anything.

I don't really know what's wrong with me and what to do. Maybe I just eat too much rice and coffee. Maybe I just need to snap out of it. Please help me. --Shima (June 11)

Hello, dear Shima! Flatulence can arise even if one is eating nearly nothing at all, so long as what little IS eaten is off-balance from the requirements of your blood type.

Ask yourself, then answer: "Why do I not deserve to eat?"

Last October, you had about 30 pounds to lose. It sounds as if you may have gained weight by sticking to starches, milk and cheese, and avoiding all beneficial vegetables and meats.

I recall that your mother is an ethical vegetarian.

Again ... ask yourself, then answer: "If I refuse to eat, will mother relent and let me eat what I want?"

Tomatoes come to mind because they are not allowed on the B secretor diet.

The cascading emotional effects you are experiencing are the result of the lack of adequate proteins and proper fats, as well as missing minerals -- particularly magnesium and sulphur from green vegetables. If you continue to turn away from food, you can create a controlled descent into physiological depression.

On the other hand, if you sit down and reason all this out, taking into account your physical needs for certain foods and the end result you face if you continue in your current actions, I believe you will come to a very clear truth for yourself.

I hope you don't mind my suggestion of questions -- they are what I would ask myself, were I in your situation.

You are in full control! Please let me know what you learn ... I think it will feel good to write it down and send it in. If you like, it need not be published - just let me know in that case. Warmest good wishes to you, dear! :-)

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Hello Heidi, I e mailed this reply to you last week but I may have done it incorrectly. I appreciate your advice immensely & have found your thorough knowledge on this site so very helpful. Apologies for seeming hazy, just confused.

In ERFYT Peter clearly explains the links between certain diseases & blood types but stated that there was ‘little blood type specific information available on skin disorders’ & I have been unable to find any written experiences on the internet of anyone making a link.

I realise my book is obviously a little dated now. Thank you very much for the herbal extract & vitamin recommendations.

After much consideration I’ve decided to give eating red meat a go as I feel so positive about the other life changes I have made so far on the BTD. The more I read on this website, the happier & more confident I feel about the changes I’m making.

I have had eczema since I was born. I omitted meat from my diet when I was 15 & stopped consuming dairy aged 18. In January this year I started seeing a Chinese doctor who introduced me to the blood type diet.

I have since been taking a mixture of Chinese herbs X3 daily. I also took wheat & sugar out of my diet. Caffeine has never really featured in my diet anyway apart from green tea.

I have always enjoyed exercise, particularly cardio. I go to the gym X4 a week & split my sessions into 30 mins each of cardio & weights (I have only recently added weights properly). I adore running, but as I have lost so much weight recently I’m being careful not to run too much.

My problem is also that I’ve lost weight from my backside & bust (sadly) & I’m not sure what weight training could help this situation ?

My Chinese doctor has diagnosed me as having a damp spleen & of being to cold inside & has advised me to eat foods & herbs that are physiologically warming, to avoid nuts completely, eat small amounts of brown rice & quinoa, eat warm soups & stews, eat small amounts of cooked fruit & of course to increase my protein intake.

I am actually really careful to make a hot flask of veg & fish soup every day & take it to work & find omitting sugar & wheat no problem.

My eczema is unfortunately irritated by garlic, onion, ginger, peppers, tomatoes & citric fruits (so I couldn’t use lemon unfortunately). My C. D. said that I have a problem digesting sulphur – which he says is why the aforementioned foods pose a problem.

I am confused about the liquid intake recommendations. Before I started the T.C.M. I used to drink at least a liter of water daily + jasmine & green teas. My C.D. advised me to minimize my liquid intake & sip liquids slowly, stating that too much water would aggravate my already damp spleen. I am also aware that to maximize digestion one should try to drink at least 30 mins before a meal & not within 2 hours after which I find difficult to maintain, as I’m trying to eat more to gain weight & drink the right amount of water, & take my X3 Chinese medicine daily!

I do lead a really busy lifestyle. I’m currently working in Japan as a teacher. My working day starts at 1pm and finishes at 9.30pm. I speak next to no Japanese and am spending a lot of time translating all the highly beneficial foods into Japanese. I am a little unsure what certain veges are in English e.g. collard greens, beet greens & Swiss chard?

There are however, many green veges & a wonderful supply of different fish that aren’t available in the West – but I’m not sure if they would be beneficial for me and so unsure whether or not to risk them?

Please excuse my lengthy reply. Thanks for your time, SarahR

Hello, Sarah!

Your TCM diagnosis sounds remarkably similar to mine, years ago. "Dampness" will disappear with time as you follow the protein recommendations - congratulations for making that decision! There is no special need for you to follow my water recommendations, as you have more specific rX from your doctor which will meet your needs.

As a runner myself, I sympathize with the bust & butt reduction! :-D Working steadily with weight training targeted upon the gluteus and pectoral muscles (all of them) will do you very nicely. Exercise cannot increase breast size, since the breasts are mostly fat & glands... but it can build the muscles under and around the breasts, as well as contributing to a taut and vibrant skin tone. I think you'll be happy with the results.

Instead of garlic, onion, peppers... use horseradish, salt and whatever spices you tolerate. Feel free to stay away from the foods proscribed by your TCM, as you may be a type O who does best on a more stringently 'paleo' diet -- eat plenty of greens, and be a little lavish with good oils & fats, along with your proteins.

For pictures and descriptions of collards, chards and greens of all kinds, visit the marvelous Green Veg page at Cook's Thesaurus. Beet greens are the red-stalked beet-top leaves. Collards are big, light green, flat, rather thick (but smooth) leaves - they can grow as large as a small umbrella! - not sure you've find them in Japan, though. Chard is also called 'silverbeet,' and is tenderer than kale or collards -- more like spinach in the cooking. Swiss chard, like white chard, has thick stems and veins, but they're red rather than white or green as in white chard. Just keep in mind that the greens you find in Japan may be quite different, and we have no translations at the moment, but greens in general are GREAT for you and the main natural food of the hunter-gatherer. :-)

The simplest approach to fish is to make a list of your avoids from the fish list -- there aren't all that many. Then, use the US FDA Seafood Search to familiarize yourself with some of the Asian and Latin names of your avoids, and the appearance of them if that site has a picture. Then go back to Cook's Thesaurus for any pix missing from the FDA list. You'll soon have a very solid idea of what you might steer away from, and what is very likely OK for you on the other hand.

What a marvelous career you have, living in Japan and teaching English! I have more than one friend doing the same, and it is a very fine position you have in this day and age for multiple reasons, in my opinion. :-) ENJOY it all, and VERY best wishes, dear! :-D

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