This is the first in a series of column re-runs ~ the ones 'now playing' for August are from two years ago to the day, with one exception... ;-> enjoy!









Would you be as kind as to correct or confirm our under-standing of the problem:



1.Germinated wheat a) wheat grass/juice of wheat grass; b) uncooked (raw) sprouted grains (without any processing); c) infused in hot water (e.g. in thermos)dry sprouted grains/ flour of dry sprouted grains; d) baked (e.g. in electric oven or on a frying-pan)sprouted grains/flour of sprouted grains. That is home-made bread/cookie from 100% sprouted grains. We consider a)-d) are all “beneficial” for A and 0.



2. Potatoes a) boiled new potatoes in their thin skin; b) baked in electric oven old potatoes in their thick jackets; c) fried old potatoes . We consider a)-c) must all be “avoid” for A and 0.



Also I shall be thankful to you for advice about usage of melon. We live in Ukraine – the geographical center of Europe. Here we have dozens of melon’s sorts. Unfortunately their names differ from that of adopted in the USA. So, it would be interesting to understand the main difference between sort "Bitter" (that we must avoid) and sorts "Canang," "Casaba," "Christmas," "Crenshaw,"

"Musk," "Persian," "Spanish," "Watermelon" (that are neutral for us). Has sort "Bitter" (and other like it) specific taste, form, color?



Sincerely yours, Sergey

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Greetings, Sergey!



Your understanding of the sprouted grain and potato values are exactly the same as my own. Nice job!



I've found it's easier to remember what the few avoid melons look like than to find good picture references for all the neutrals. Compare the photos here with the melons in your local market. Bear in mind that if the As in your family are secretors, cantaloupe is fine for them... if they are nonsecretors, perhaps the loss of cantaloupe can be soothed with some beneficial watermelon. :-)



Nice to hear that the Ukraine is still an agricultural center of your part of the world! Enjoy your wonderful food, and thank you so much for writing!!

Hello!



This is the "On The Diet" archive page.



* To read the last article in this series, please follow this link.



* To see a list of all articles, click the "List Previous Topics" button, below.



* To search all articles, type your one-word search term (minimum length: three characters) into the box below, and hit the "Search Topics For" button.





Over the next few weeks, some of the archived "hiatus" pages will be upgraded to FAQ entries for specific topics, such as "vegetable glycerine," "yams v. sweet potatoes," "topical avoids," and other items of general interest. Links to those pages will appear in the Ask-A-Q FAQ, now resident at the Contact Heidi Merrit link above.



So check in now & again ~ and thank you for stopping by! :-)

A rustle of corn leaves; a tinkle
Of bells on the hills; a twinkle
Of sheep in the lowlands; a bevy
Of bees where the clover is heavy;
A butterfly blundering by, --
And that is July!

James Newton Matthews, in the Old Farmer's Almanac for 1908

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~



In Ireland, the ancient Brehon laws held hospitality as the highest and most solemn duty. The traveler could be refused nothing he asked, unless it meant harm to the house -- or simply was not to be had. "Law" may have the ring of legal requirement to our ears today, yet hospitality as the Irish law held it was more a matter of encoded common sense. Naturally we are speaking of times when there were no airlines or railroads... nor truck stops, cell phones, or Holiday Inns casting brilliant beacons into the night sky... no lights at all in fact, save the moon and stars on a lucky clear night, and little more than old boots and a coat between you and the weather and the very lonely road.



So a duty was owed to the wayfarer ~ yet his arrival meant an opportunity as well, although for him to offer payment in return for his lodging would have been declined as an insult. It was in talk, that most precious exchange between strangers, that he often brought treasures to his hosts, and received them ~ so both parties might come away richer for the visit.



There are few places now where travel is so demanding and uncertain, or the act of hospitality is as freely, seriously and joyfully undertaken. In some ways, though, it bears strong resemblance to the situation of someone with an illness seeking help on the internet, and finding a safe haven in which to get basic sustenance, directions, and a bit of friendly conversation. :-)



This is the way I envisioned this little column, when I was given the remarkable privilege of playing front parlor host of the BTD home in May of 2002. It has enriched my life in uncountable ways, and many footsore wanderers have come and gone their way with new vitality, leaving a kiss and a promise to visit again.



If you've read this far, congratulations! I suppose all this is my way of getting around to saying that now, the host must pack up her bundle and put on her traveler's boots and coat. It's time for me to do a bit of wandering as well.



There are a great many things I've gained by virtue and necessity of my role here, all unexpected and quite unimaginable when I arrived as a traveler myself, seven years ago. The nature of what I do day-to-day in this and other areas I'm involved in, has meant increasingly limited time in which to explore other avenues & byways I'm strongly drawn toward -- or even to really know this place where I have been both welcoming party and welcome guest for so many years.



Today, Lughnassadh, is one of the Celtic 'quarter days,' the ancient festival of the fire god, Lugh ~ in practical terms, it is the time of first harvest. It has a rather merry aspect, particularly as it signifies the beginning of the brewing season ~ and a more introspective one, as this is also the season of sacrifice by fire ~ as a farmer might burn the dry field to ready the soil and clear the way for new growth. So, I felt it appropriate to make my own cleansing sacrifice on this day ~ to stand in my spirit before the fire's light, and let go of what I must relinquish ~~ gather myself up and put my foot to the road again.



Unavoidably, there are a fair number of people who have submitted questions to OTD, and not yet received answers. In the next month, I'll be in touch with those whose questions I feel I can answer, and I plan to do a wee bit of tweaking on the FAQ and Updates pages before I close the door behind me. Perhaps Peter will retain On the Diet as an archived resource somewhere here. I hope so! At any rate, there is a wealth of everything needful in all the many chambers of this most magnificent and welcoming hostelry.



Until we meet again,



Blessings be upon your journeying, and light your way home!



Heidi

Hi Heidi, It's Sandra, Type A-, secretor status unknown

Just wanted to check in and let you know I'm doing well with the diet. I'm at what I estimate to be 75% compliance and working on attaining 80% in the next couple of weeks. My main projects at the moment are decreasing my poultry intake (around 8x week now, used to be much higher) and my black tea intake (1 to 2 cups x day). I have just begun decreasing my black tea.

While I enjoy green tea, my favorite hot tea has always been Earl Grey, a black tea with bergamot oil. It's heavenly and I hate to give it up, but I'm working on it slowly. I actually only drank half a cup this morning - though I love the flavor, it's not as enjoyable because I looked at the cup and thought, "Why am I drinking something that is BAD for me?" Is there any chance you know of a company that makes a green tea with bergamot oil that would be similar my beloved Earl Grey? That would make things easier!

I'm also continuing to work to increase my veggie intake, especially high protein things like lentils and soybeans. My mother was amazed recently when she saw me eat lunch - fish, rice, and a ton a green veggies. I never ate green veggies as a child!

How I'm doing: I'm feeling great. I have more energy than ever, and I'm working hard to also focus on decreasing my stress levels (as guided by Live Right for Your Type). I have practiced yoga for year, though not always consistently. I've done it every morning but one this week, so I'm on the right track. (It's not easy to focus on decreasing stress when you work 65 hours a week... but I'm trying!)

My allergy and sinus problems have decreased dramatically. For ten years, I took allergy/sinus medicine nearly EVERY DAY (~5 of 7 days a week). Now that I've been on BTD for a few months, I have only had a couple of allergy problems, and those were either attributed to environmental factors (wild fires in Southern California) *or* to eating a milk or wheat product. It's amazing how you can connect reactions to foods when you pay attention to what you put into your body.

Final note: There's a women's fitness board (Complete Fitness for Women - http://www.completefitness4women.co.uk/) that a great lady named Sharne developed. That's actually where I heard about the diet, as one of the ladies (Adrienne) decided to try BTD and shared her experience (very positive!). From her success, I decided to try ER4YT as well. We've both posted information about our diets there, and have inspired a few other ladies on the board to give it a go now too. Feel free to stop by and say hello - it does require creating a user name, which is hoped to keep most SPAMMERs out. Thanks again for your great column! -Sandra

Hey, Sandra, great report!! and this only after a few months on the diet... you have all kinds of pleasant new developments to look forward to.

I very much understand your desire for an Earl Grey substitute, and wish I knew of one I could recommend. I think that the bergamot is ideal in conjunction with this black tea's flavor, but adding bergamot to a green tea (which has its own entirely unique taste) wouldn't fill the bill for you. Instead, I suggest trying some Japanese gen-mai-cha ~ in particular, the one made by Tea Suboichi which is available in Asian markets. It contains green tea and toasted brown rice, and a bit of some kind of flower which I can't quite place -- it comes in teapot-sized bags, and has the most marvelous floral aroma. I think you'd like something like this which is a bit out of the ordinary. Or... how about a white tea, with a touch of food-grade bergamot essential oil? try it and see!

Thank you very kindly for the link to the Complete Fitness for Women forum ~ sounds like a place I would indeed like to visit. Maybe in August... :-)

I'm just about to start a yoga class myself, tomorrow morning -- after how many years, I couldn't say! Enjoy your progress, and all your activities ~ do what you love. :-D

Dear Heidi, Help me please!! I will try to give you a short run-down of the last 2 years. First of all I am a Type B:-)

I started the pill two years ago, got married, very happy with my husband, was given the wrong dosage of pill, got three yeast infections, took medication to get rid of that. Decided to go off the pill in October 2003 (smart move on my part). Had a very bad job a year ago but have a great one now.

Started getting a few more pimples than I cared to so in March 2004 started taking ZenMed and my face exploded.

Up till about a month and a half ago, I really wasn't eating good at all, almost everything I shouldn't for my blood type. Anyway, went on this ZenMed, which is supposed to naturally get rid of acne by balancing hormones and cleaning out liver. I don't have a gallbladder anymore, who knows what that end up causing for me.

Moving on, my face got worse so I found this book about getting rid of ance forever naturally. It is pretty extreme. The author said I NEED to take a Total EFA product, zinc, coconut oil anytime I want, beta carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, fiber, probiotics....Here is what I have been doing in the last month and a half. My weight has dropped drastically!! I took 2-3 tbsp of Total EFA(Health From the Sun Brand), up to 3 tbsp of coconut oil, lots of Vitamins E, lots of beta carotene, a fiber supplement, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, and B6. My diet was basically, vegetables and vegetables and vegetables and a little turkey and a little fish...I went to an extreme.

I think I had a yeast infection still, my tongue was coated white and my stomache felt like it was eating itself so I took a fungal program for 14 days and it did seem to help.

I am so depressed with how my face looks. I feel so ugly and don't know the reason why I started having acne. Should I be taking a total EFA liquid, should I take coconut oil, should I take any of the stuff I mentioned above?

Why did I get acne so bad? I have never had it as bad as when I started taking ZenMed and eating cleansing foods. The book said that if I have acne then it is becuase I have leaky bowels and stones in my liver and my liver isnt' working. But I just had a blood test done at the doctors and he saw nothing in my results to show I had problems with my liver.

Am I taking too many oils for my blood type, could I have stones in my liver affecting me, should I stay away from dairy? I feel so helpless and confused. I just want to get rid of my acne. Can you offer any help?

Dr. D doesn't really talk about acne in his blood type book. He doesn't really address what happens if you don't have a gallbladder anymore. He doesn't seem to discuss if it is OK for you to do colonics, bowel cleanses, liver cleanses, what kinds how much. Please help me!!!! Thank you, Danyelle

Hey there, Danyelle! When you have an urgent situation, the vast amount of authoritative advice you can find on the Net can be overwhelming -- not least because so few of the firm viewpoints you read will agree with the next viewpoint or the one you read just a minute before. Then there is the choice to be made between the various expensive or difficult-to-procure products 'necessary' for the promised resolution.

Pretty horrible, isn't it? ;-}

Let me tell you what I would do. It is fairly simple and straightforward. All it requires is that you make the commitment to doing these things, then allow yourself a calm space of mind in which to heal.

First, I would absolutely avoid any and every drug that is prescribed for your condition. I've been sadly amused to see that our NYC subways now all carry advertisements for entire law firms who do nothing but sue for damages incurred from taking acne drugs. Believe me that they would not be paying for posters in thousands of subway cars if this were not a thriving business. There are horror stories aplenty on the side-effects of acne drugs, and between steroids and the gallbladder surgery, your liver has plenty of other things to deal with. All I want to say is, Please: save yourself from further damage, and just say NO to that stuff! :-) Being within 'normal range' on liver panels is not a reliable indicator in this regard.

Second, I'd follow the diet strictly (organic, free-range, grass-fed). This includes doing the exercises suggested in Live Right 4 Your Type, and drinking 1/2 ounce of water per pound of bodyweight daily, with a squeeze of lemon or lime in each quart.

These first two suggestions would do the job on their own, with time -- however, to energize this process, I'd (third) go straight to Julia Chang's gallbladder & liver health site and read back through the gallbladder flush posts on this column as well. Call Julia at the number there if you have urgent questions, only after you have thoroughly read and understood the process she advocates. The gallbladder flush is safe, quick, painless and cheap. It is especially recommended for those whose surgeons decided to remove the gallbladder, paradoxically enough. ;-) The bile from the liver is still there, and stones in the liver do develop once the gallbladder is no longer available to store and release the bile.

That's what I'd do, and I believe your skin & all the rest of you will benefit extraordinarily if you commit to doing it. So get going, girl! :-D I wish you all the best, Danyelle! :-)

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In reference to your answer today (July 26th 04) about candida. Can gluten free bread be eaten if one is working on taming candida with the ER4YBT? My mom has been struggling with candida for several years now. She is 74 and blood type O. Secretor status unknown. Thanks for the other suggentions though. Have VERY much enjoyed your articles. I read something from yours and the others everyday. I am learing tons. Thanks much. CDR in Colorado

Hi, CDR ~ thank you for the very kind words!

Your mom won't benefit from breads of any kind if she has candida. It isn't the gluten that candida feeds upon, it is their 'fast food' of grain and refined sugars. As a side-note, many of the breads labelled gluten-free contain corn or potato starch or flour -- biggie O avoids.

Do follow the other suggestions given, and encourage her to emphasize vegetables, meats, fish, fresh fruits, nuts and oils in her diet. The candida critters will throw up their typical roaring ruckus when their favored foods are removed, but I have the feeling that your mom is quite strong enough to soldier through a little die-off. ;-) Taking PolyFlora-O is so important in this situation, as is water, and exercise. Best wishes to you & your Mom, dear! :-D

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Dear Heidi, Thank you again for giving me the food ideas for my mother. I did so appreciate the prompt response from you. I have come to consider your column such a trustworthy resource.

Mom was quite receptive to drinking the fresh juiced veggies, but the problem was horribly worse than I imagined. A tumor is causing a blockage in the small intestine so now I can't feed her anything. Her health will not permit surgery, so the physician just recommended keeping her comfortable. It was good of Kathryn to offer her suggestions as well. I wish on many levels I had better news to report. Yours, Marianne

Marianne, I'm so sorry that your Mom's issues had developed into this physical manifestation. Literally, it seems (to my way of thinking) that her body has expressed her desire to be blocked from nourishment. I am very sad for her suffering, and for the pain you and your family are confronting now.

I see illness as an opportunity to embrace a glory in life which was not apparent before, or was ignored or set aside as an impossible dream somewhere along the line (usually in early childhood). In that light, I have two simple suggestions for you.

Meditation as Medicine by Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa & Cameron Stauth. Read the book and choose a kriya or two for her.

ABM (agaricus bisporum mushrooms, the specific variety used for cancer healing). This simple food, along with many other valuable remedies, may be sourced through the Minnesota Wellness Cancer Reference Pages -- with which I have some quibbles, but I offer it to you to scan and note which treatments you feel may be acceptable to your mom. If you have access to oleander, that is most certainly something I'd make use of. It is a liquid preparation, and if she can take water, she can take the liquid.

What any doctor might tell her is irrelevant to the fact that she need not die if she decides to Live.

The approach I would take, knowing what little I know of her, is that there are so many people who need her help -- and in order to serve them, she must take hold and heal herself. Bless you and your mother, Marianne, and please accept my very heartfelt hopes that she will embrace her own rebirth. :-)

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Hi again Heidi - I just read an article on genetically modified foods that I thought you and your readers might be interested in. It's located at: www.hsibaltimore.com/ea2003/ea_030604.shtml. Roger

Hello, Roger! Thank you for the link.

Folks, this is a neat little article on GM foods, and if you haven't yet seen it, please do pop over there and have a look. Blessings, all! :-)

Hello Heidi, I'm a newbe to Eat right 4 your type & i have a query. I'm an O type & can eat liver, but not pork, bacon or ham. Can i eat pigs liver ? Thanks, Wendy.

Hi, Wendy! "Liver" means calf's liver. If the animal is an avoid, the liver is an avoid also -- so I wouldn't go for the pork liver. ;-)

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Can an O with a fast metabolism who needs to put on weight rather than lose it eat more grains than specified in the O-type plan? I find I quickly get hungry without large portions of grain products a day (sweet potatoes (high in sugar) have to be restricted because of candida concerns).I am not aware of any health problems other than a skin complaint (psoriasis?). By trying to follow this diet I have lost too much weight, especially as I was skinny to start with! Liz



Hello, Liz! If you have candida overgrowth, it is the grains and the refined sugars which must be restricted. Vegetables like sweet potatoes are OK, due to the structure of the sugars they contain -- they also provide vitamins, minerals and fiber (and water) to help restore bowel health.

You will certainly feel "hungry" without those big portions of grains, because the candida is yelling at you to provide a certain kind of fast-metabolized sugar to support its population explosion. That sugar is provided by the grain (it digests fast) and by refined sugar of all kinds. Sweet potatoes and fresh berries & stone fruit do not supply enough fast sugar to feed the overgrowth.

Because you are underweight and have psoriasis, emphasize fresh nuts, fresh oils (particularly walnut, olive and flax), dark green vegetables, starchy tubers like turnips, sweet potatoes (particularly Japanese sweet potatoes - or "batata california"), meats, fish, and eggs in your diet. Take PolyFlora-O, the probiotic, at the therapeutic dosage daily, and add caprylic acid, 350 mg, taking two caps twice daily away from food.

The focus here should be upon relieving the toxic load of grains and sugars, and making proteins, vegetables, nuts and oils your mainstays. It will be a struggle, but after the first candida rage is passed, your progress will be much easier. Healing the gut is the first priority, which will allow you to gain healthy weight and eliminate cravings.

Also, if you have amalgam fillings, find a holistic dentist and get them replaced with biocompatible materials. Candidiasis is often a response to mercury overload -- they're the clean-up crew.

Finally... exercise! Twice weekly, with the first session devoted to the upper body and abs, and the second to the lower body and abs again. Work with heavier weights and lower reps - building muscle is what gaining healthy weight is all about. Write again and let me know how you do! :-D

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Hi Heidi, Thanks for such a quick response. I ended up not having to do anything...when I logged on today, everything was updated and your latest posts were accessible. So I don't know what happened but everything is working fine now.

I'm doing okay down here in TX. The years are passing and I remain strictly compliant with my type O non secretor list and my daily exercise. I don't have any health problems anymore - they seem to have ironed themselves all out. Thanks for all your help over the years. I continue to read your column daily... Bea



Dear Bea! I am so VERY PLEASED -- overjoyed, really -- you can't imagine how happy you made me with this message. You and I can look back together over more than a few years, and I know that all the many people who remember you well will share fondly in your wonderful accomplishment, spoken so simply here.

Pretty cool. Thanks ... Love to you and your family, and keep shining bright! :-}

I'm looking for a yeast bread recipe for A non-secretors. Is there such a thing?

Maureen Flynn

Sure, Maureen! Use spelt or kamut flour instead. Kamut has a more robust gluten than spelt, and produces baked goods which (to me) surpass the taste & texture of reg'lah old white/wheat flours -- and require very little in the tweaking department. Give it a go! :-D

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I'm the 41 year old female O+ who e-mailed earlier about white spots on skin and swollen breasts. Any idea what those white spots are? You said that the diet alone should help within a month -- are there any particular things I should avoid completely? For instance, Dr. D. allows some grains ie rice and dairy (feta, fresh) in small amounts for Os. Should I simply omit all grains and dairy during the first month? Also, I would like to take a non-alcohol dandelion liquid extract, but it contains glycerine -- is this still ok to take? I also started taking a drop of oil of oregano under my tongue at night -- is this ok? Rae

Hi, Rae ~ I'm not at all alarmed by the skin spots, and I do believe the first step for you is to commit to the diet for one month. That in itself will produce results.

If it is not too much of a wrench for you, go ahead and skip the grains and the dairy entirely. It won't do you any harm at all, and will speed your progress along.

Vegetable glycerine is perfectly fine in a supplement -- it's OK for all types.

Using essential oils internally is somewhat of a specialty, and beyond my competence. :-} Oregano is neutral for you, but it would be worth your while (and perhaps save you money & disappointment) to consult a skilled practitioner who uses essential oils therapeutically and internally. Best wishes! :-D

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where do i search for an erfybt doctor? thank you! sheshe

Hello, sheshe! Right on the front page of this site (www.dadamo.com). There is a section near the bottom entitled "Support & Solutions," and a link to DOCbase. Have a look, and see what you find! :-D

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I'm a 41 year old type O+ (secreter status unknown) female with about 20 pounds to lose. During the last few years, I've noticed 2 symptoms and am wondering if the O+ diet could help. First, my breasts get increasingly swollen from mid-cycle until after my period. Second issue is I have developed tiny white spots on my skin -- they look like "reverse" freckles. They are most visible when my skin is tanned. I am dark eyed and tan easily. Any thoughts on these issues and if there may be any O specific remedies? Rae

Greetings, Rae! Welcome!!

These are two areas where just following the diet should produce satisfactory results. Start 'er up, give it one month, and I believe you'll be very pleased! :-D

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Hi Heidi! I just wanted to reply to Sarah from PA's question regarding a good decaf green tea. If she's near a Trader Joe's, they carry a decaf green tea under Trader Joe's label. (There is also a lovely organic green tea, but it's not decaf.) Sandra

Thanks, Sandra! :-D

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Hi Heidi, Re: decaf green tea I like Yogi Teas Green Tea decaf with Kombucha and Chinese Herbs. They claim their decaffeinating process doesn't hurt the beneficial components. It has plum flavoring and a nice taste with only 5 mg. caffeine. Their regular green tea only has 29 mg. caffeine, which is lower than most regular teas. Sorry to hear we lose out on the synergistic effect of combining with caffeine. I was afraid that was the case, especially with regard to weight loss benefits. Still it's better than lying awake all night! Leisha

Thank you, too, Leisha!

Sarah, just scrutinize those labels, and pick one that is avoid-free and fresh. thanks again, ladies! ;-D

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Dear Heidi, Hi! A friend of mine is part of a "MESOTHERAPIST" team. They do medical spas. I have a residual fat pad above my umbilicus from when I was 50 pounds heavier before I started the BTD. He told me that he could inject lecithin from soy into those fat cells and it would cause the fat cell membranes to lysis and I would lose those fat cells. He said lipo suction is a thing of the past. It costs $180. per injection and I would need 3 injections and he would give me a 30% discount. He would numb the skin with Emla cream first. Soy is an avoid for an O nonsecretor. I'm sure I'm an O because I donate blood all the time and the Redcross couldn't be wrong that many times. Would injecting an avoid (lecithin from soy)into fat cells be detrimental? Thanks again for your help! RoseZ

Well... I am not at all familiar with this procedure, Rose, but I can offer one point. Soy lecithin is neutral for you, as is egg lecithin ~ so no objections on that count. Let me know what you discover in this process! :-D

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Update on www.teatech.com's Original Unsweetened Instant Green Tea Beverage Mix: Since I repeatedly saw only "This area of the store is under construction. Please try again later" when attempting to access the Nutrition/Ingredients link, I emailed the proprietress... who pointed me back to the webpage.



Gave up on re-re-tweaking IE6 and installed a different browser! ~;-D then everything loaded quite nicely.



Here is the ingredient list for the plain Original Unsweetened variety:







Looks like maltodextrin is not only included, but it's the first ingredient. I again emailed Shauna, this time to ask if they plan to release a product without md or ascorbic acid. She very kindly replied that the Sugar Free Original Instant Green Tea Beverage Mix version was created because so many people requested a product without maltodextrin.







So ~ the Original Unsweetened one (maltodextrin) would be ok for A secretors only... and the Sugar Free Original (pure fructose) could be safely used by A secretors/nonsecretors and B secretors.





This company seems like very nice folks, and keenly responsive to their customer's dietary concerns. Take a stroll through their site (www.teatech.com) and drop a note to Shauna if you feel moved to do so. She's a kind and courteous woman with a welcome sensitivity to health issues & product development. Refreshing! and I'll bet we'll see further developments from her. :-D

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Hello Heidi. I recently wrote in to tell you about my husband finding out he was an A instead of an O. Funny thing is he tested as a non-secretor for O but (as per your advice in doing it again) he turned out to be a secretor! I'm not surprised since we didn't have his blood type right. Anyway, we are all starightened out now and he is doing so much better!



I do have a question about weight though. He is 6ft or a tad under and he weighs only 155. He feels good and is pretty strong for being so thin. We thought this was a little low for his height. If he should put on more weight how do you do it? He is hypoglycemic and we have really seen the benefit from low carbing. (We did Atkins before converting to BTD) I appreciate your comments. Thank you. Nancy



Hi, Nancy! So pleased to hear things are smooth sailing there now! Yes, when the incorrect blood type is given on the secretor test form, the lab will be testing for the wrong type of free antigen (in this case, A) and of course won't find it. I'm sorry you had to do everything twice, but glad it's worked out well in the end! :-}



If your husband's meant to put on a bit of muscle, it will slowly manifest with his new diet -- and if he sticks to one or two servings of *whole* grain daily with a bit of olive oil or ghee, his system will adjust admirably to these higher grain-carb allowances. This new practice will help him gain healthy weight and improve his digestion as well.



See if he's willing to take up yoga, or at least some hill-climbing or swimming. Soothing exercises in peaceful surroundings are best, and t'ai chi or martial qi gong are fabulous (strenuous yet calming) for As.



My best to you both, and thank you for the report! ;-D

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Heidi: Just wanted to let you know that my German daughter-in-law that is 7 1/2 months pregnant does not have to get a tetanus diptheria shot to immigrate to America. (The disease is just not a problem there or here anyway.)



My son,showed the American consulat doctor the product insert which said,"Advise against giving to pregnant women as there has been no fetal research." And appealing to his mercy that he was the only one that could say yea or nay.



The doctor had never read the insert before (most doctors don't).



With that he said, "No problem, she can go without the shot." Just wanted to pass that on.



My son told me, "Now mom you can quit emailing me all the vaccination articles." And his whole family can get off to a healthy start. They're total BTD fans too. Suzanne



~;-D Spectacular news! Congratulations to your son for taking charge of the situation -- that story was just a pleasure to hear.



oh, and p.s.: good job on you, for being such a pesky article-emailing Mom. ;-D made my day, dear -- thanks!! :-D

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I am type A and have learned that one of the characteristics is low stomach acid. I have been drinking evaMor water from the heath food store due to its claim that it helps you loose weight.. because it is Alkaline and ph 9. The label states: "dietary acid robs calcium from bones and turns carbs into fat. evaMor neutralizes acid and delivers antioxidents and minerals that burn fat" Its contains Molybdenum, Chromium, Vanadium, and Germainium. Is that a good thing or a bad thing for a Type A? thank you. Carol



Hi, Carol ~ welcome!



Generally, the type A diet is tailored toward the normal digestive environment you have. Where stomach acid levels need a little boost on a short-term basis, we suggest supplementing with betaine HCL (hydrochloric acid) in small doses with meals.



So you see that rinsing out your already-low digestive acids with pH 9 beverages wouldn't be the ideal thing for your stomach health.



Plain water and still mineral water (the non-fizzy kind, or just let the bubbly variety go flat), green tea, or a little red wine, are much better choices than extremely alkaline beverages. Better for the bones, too... ;-) thanks for your note!

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Hi Heidi, No need to respond - I just wanted to notify you that I can't access any of your columns past July 16. It seems to be stuck on the July 16 column. Others must be having the same problem. Thanks! Bea



Well, I couldn't resist saying Hey There, Bea! :-) Hope you're prospering in the Lone Star Summer, dear!



If I open the On the Diet page, or click "Today's Column" from any other location (such as a search results page), I can see the posts loaded for today.



Is the page for the 16th stuck in your cache, perhaps? If you use Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options. Under the General tab, hit the "delete files" button, "OK" and the OK button. Then hold down the Ctrl key and hit the letter R. The page should reload from our site.



In Netscape/Mozilla, I believe it's Tools > Options > Privacy, and 'clear cache.'



Let me know if this helps, or doesn't! and it's really nice to hear from you! :-D

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I'm Type A and one of my favoite foods is olives. The food value chart shows that black olives should be avoided as well as avoiding Greek/Spanish olives but that green olives are neutral. What are the specific kinds of Greek and Spanish olives to be avoided?



I am assuming that by Greek Kalamata is understood and being a black olive should therefore be avoided but there are many different kinds of Spanish olives, some being green and others being black. For example, Manzanilla is a wonderful Spanish green olive. So I am cofused.



Are Type A's able to eat any kind of green olives or are there certain ones in particular that are acceptable/neutral? Thanks for any insight you can lend. Angela



Hi, Angela! I believe that a whole slew of olives are in the queue to be tested individually, so that the supermarket and gourmet types generally available in the States will have more specific ratings. The green/other olive values are somewhat ambiguous, we know. For now, stick with the mild green olives packed in olive oil or brine (no chemical additives). You'll be safe with those, whether they be Greek or Spanish or Italian. Thanks very much for asking this Q! :-)

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Hi, Heidi! Regarding "corn" bread for ABs, I find that millet (ground into meal at home in a coffee/spice grinder) produces a very similar texture to cornmeal in baked goods. It also has a pleasant, mild flavor that resembles a cross between rice and corn. I hope this helps!



Oh, I almost forgot! I have a question of my own. Do you know of any high-quality DECAFFEINATED green teas?



I love green tea, but even one cup per day of the regular variety (Eden brand was the one I tested) completely trashes my adrenal function. I couldn't believe the effect it had--I couldn't wake up in the morning, my blood sugar fell off a cliff and wouldn't rise no matter how much I ate, and trying to think was like swimming through molasses in January (which explains why it took nearly two weeks before I figured out that the TEA was the problem!). Once I stopped drinking the tea, I was almost back to normal (though a bit more tired than usual) within three days.



So if you know of a good decaffeinated variety of green tea, I would love to hear about it! (All is not lost for me in the caffeine department, however; I find that 1/2 an ounce of bittersweet chocolate every so often is acceptable to my body--and delicious as well!) Thanks for your input! --Sarah in PA



Hallo, Sarah! I don't have a good decaf green tea brand at my fingertips. Anything you find which is green tea only, with a fresh pale green color and that distinctive aroma, would fill the bill.



A note about decaffing green tea, though: as I understand it, the process involves extensive contact with water -- far exceeding the steam process which preserves green teas from fermentation. Many of the delicate antioxidants in green tea are heat-sensitive and water-soluble.... so you see where I'm going with that.



I also recall a note from Peter to the effect that the goodies (polyphenols) work synergystically with the caffeine/theine naturally present, so that the health effects are somewhat diluted by removing that part of the whole.



However, I'm opening the 'floor' to anyone with a favorite lo-caff green tea! write in!



And millet IS a great substitute for corn, as well as beneficial for All ABs! Thanks very kindly for the tip, dear! :-D

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I looked at the ingredients of the Instant Green Tea from www.teatech.com and all the flavors had ingredients that at least a type O should avoid, either fructose or maltodextrin and some had sucralose. Don (O-sec)



Hi, Don! I've emailed them for a list of ingredients, as their web pages devoted to that information have not yet been completed. I understood from their product description that the unsweetened 'original' variety does not contain fructose or the rest. However, I'll post an update when I receive their reply ~ thanks for your note! :-D

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Hi, This is for Marianne who posted regarding her mom who is run down and anorexic/bulimic.



My sister-in-law who is also a Type A has had the same problems and is also one of the kindest people who puts everyone else's needs before her own, and she is anorexic.



She drinks a lot of coffee which contributes to anxiety and which she consumes instead of eating food. Also, she'll drink a glass of milk instead of eating a meal. I don't know if milk is good for A types or not (I'm an O and don't remember about this for As). Counselling can be very helpful.



My sister in law has started taking anti-anxiety medications as well, and I think it's been very helpful. She eventually got a job outside her home and that has given her a focus outside her family, plus it's boosted her self-esteem to get a paycheck and meet new people. I hope these ramblings are of some help to Marianne in supporting her mother. Kathryn



Most appreciated, Kathryn! Thank you for sharing your experiences with your sister-in-law. I am looking forward to hearing from Marianne again sometime, when she has had the chance to implement her strategies. Best wishes to you both! :-D

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As a type O, I am wondering if green powders, such as barley grass or wheat grass are ok? I know barley and wheat themselves are not, but perhaps the grasses are ok? Thanks! Denise



Hi, Denise! Barley grass and wheat grass are very good for everyone. I suggest getting a grass juicer (or grass-juicing attachment for your veg juicer if necessary) in order to obtain their maximum benefits.



If you're shopping for green powders, we have a great one: Harmonia, available in the Store here. Look carefully at products you may find in retail stores, as the ingredients lists can be miles long and rather heavy on avoids or very-long-chemical-named sorts of things. Go for the grasses themselves, or the pure products. :-D

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Dear Heidi, Thank you for your lively, generous and informative column. I always find something useful and inspiring from reading your postings.



I am an A who has found real benefit from following the broad tenets of the diet, the most marked changes I've had to make being dramatically reducing my wheat and dairy intakes. Thanks to this, I no longer suffer the number or intensity of colds I once did, and nor do I have debilitating stomach cramps as I used to when under real stress. I generally feel fit and energetic and am an enthusiastic sharer of news about the ER way!



My question is about the A non-secretor diet. Several months ago I discovered my nonnie status, and am still trying to figure out how the A-nonnie diet differs from the A-secretor diet. I gather that A-nons can enjoy more meat than other As (notably, lamb) and have somewhat wider food choices in some respects, but what would you say are the other differences we should observe? It seems that we should eat less grain than A-secs - is this correct? (I am about 20 pounds overweight and would probably benefit from this anyway). Are tofu and soy products as benefical to us A-nonnies as for other As? I would be glad of your advice to help me refine my type A diet. Many thanks, Pippa



Hello, Pippa! The various A-nonsecretor modifications are contained in the Live Right 4 Your Type food lists, and you'll see subtle changes in terms of foods like soy (neutral rather than beneficial for nons) and in the recommended portions of protein foods & grain foods.



The easiest way to set it out for yourself is to make up a chart of each food category, showing how many times per week that food group should be included. Remember that the 'fruit' section in the book shows a Per-Day, not Per-Week frequency, so multiply by 7 for the week's total. Vegetables say "unlimited" and four to six servings per day isn't too much. ;-) Then choose a week's menu from your food item list, keeping the food group frequencies in mind. Works for me! :-)



A very warm welcome to you, and I hope knowing your secretor status will help you attain your goals! Drop another note my way if you have more questions!

:-D

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For people who like green tea and also those trying to give up coffee, I was turned on to Instant Green Tea by my accupuncturist. Comes in small tubes, dissolves instantly in hot or cold water.

"Drinking just one glass of our instant green tea mix has the nutritional benefits of up to eight cups of most brewed tea." Has 300mg of antioxidants(polyphenols) per serving. 50% less caffeine than most coffee - 45 mg per serving. Visit: www.teatech.com Sip and enjoy.

Great with lemon. Conrad

:-D Thanks, Conrad! Not quite a tea ceremony, but it does pack in the polyphenols... go green! :-D

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hi heidi- this is just a quick one... brocciflower and type o- where do we stand? much thanks!!! kim

Nope, wouldn't do it, kim! Go for the other brocc-similar stuff instead, like broccoli rabe. thanks for writing!! :-D

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Hi Heidi,thanks for answering my question,I've started following the B diet a couple of months ago but had to make only a few changes,mainly avoiding chiken and reducing whole wheat bread,by the way is it really so bad for Bs?,and my health is more or less the same,I asked about rhodiola because I'm taking 12.5 mg. daily of a beta-adrenergic blocking called Carvelidol for moderate HBP and was thinking about using a "natural" alternative,I also have mild constipation and wonder whether linseed could help,thanks again and keep up the good work! CarlN

Hi, Carl! Whoa, beta-adrenergics for a little high blood pressure? Kind of like using a plow to mow your lawn. It'll get the grass, sure enough, but the end product isn't exactly ideal.

Tell you what: have a serving of cooked oats in the morning (not the instant kind -- use coarse rolled oats), and both your HBP and constipation will fade away in a few weeks.

Yes, whole wheat is really bad for type B, as is chicken and all the rest of the avoids. If you incorporate all the recommendations, including adding beneficial vegetables, meats, fish and some fermented dairy, and take time every day or two for the exercise and stress-relief practices suggested, you'll see rather surprising good developments over time. Keep in touch! We'd love to hear how things go for you! :-D

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Hello anyone. I am looking for a corn muffin substitute for my Pastor who is an AB. She loves corn muffins and cornbread so is missing that texture and taste. Is there anything that is similiar to the corn bread texture and taste (both important aspects of corn bread and muffin)that an AB is able to have?

Marcia (A)

Hi, Marcia ~ welcome! Corn has a very distinctive taste, and I don't have a recipe off-hand for you. I believe a mixture of amaranth, quinoa and spelt (or red rice flour) would come close... but I'll post this here and ask all the experienced corn-substitute bakers to give us a holler! I'll dig around as well, and see what I can find. Very best wishes to you and your pastor, Marcia! :-D

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Hello Heidi, I've read everything in your column that came up with a search on the words anorexia and bulimia, but still need help. The wonderful, smart, caring, industrious woman who gave birth to me has gotten into a miserable situation. She will wear herself out taking care of everyone else but doesn't eat enough to have energy to do anything. Now, somehow her cough reflex is stuck in the ON position with exhaustion as the result.

I like to know if there was only a tablespoon or two of food that I could offer at a time to sustain a Blood Type A person who claims to have lost any sensation of hunger after her physician said that she was getting too heavy, what would be the best choices? I know I am no knight in shining amour but I can see showing up juicer in hand. Recommending counseling is beyond my ability to convince...who can tell a plumber to call a plumber? Thak you for sharing any ideas you may have on what direction to take, Marianne

Hi, Marianne! Well, the very best tablespoon-sized choices would be beans & brown rice; a combo of vegetable juices based on carrot/celery, plussome wheat grass, broccoli and a tiny tad of garlic or onion; a single cut of a sushi roll (tuna, cucumber & avocado would be an easy one); a bit of chicken broth with simmered onions, carrots, chopped kale and garlic (and a pinch of sea salt to entice the taste buds) soaked into cooked brown rice.

I know that you know the issue here is an over-accentuated control mechanism, which is now manifesting in the physical sustenance area.

You have quite a task before you, but it appears you have an attitude toward it that will foster success. ;-> bless you, dear! :-D

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Hi Heidi, Long time no chat!! I have still not done the flush, but now I am not working I shall be doing it soon (if I find the courage!)

My quick question today is about Bug Sprays. Where I live, we have these "black flies" - they are very small and you don't see them or feel them bite (apparently they inject something when they bite so that the bite doesn't hurt) - however, AFTERWARDS they sure hurt, itch, swell and look awful. I have several right now, even though I am careful to wear long pants and socks (and sweat do death!) We also have lots of "skeeters" and west nile virus has just hit our area.

I have been using "Deep Woods Off" to prevent these nasty things from eating me alive, but someone told me this morning that the chemicals leach into ones blood stream. I am doubting this, but thought I would ask if you know if this is true.

It seems I remember a post about the use of Aloe Vera cream and Dr. D said that "topicals" don't get into the blood stream. I am hoping that they don't as I shall just have to stay indoors for two months if I can't use the spray - aghhhhh!!

Anyway, everything else is well with me - I am feeling good, although I am cheating at the moment with one cup of coffee (with cream - aghhh) a day - it doesn't seem to be doing me any harm but I'm guessing there is something it is doing without me knowing. Still check in on your column daily and don't know what the BTD population would do withoug you!

Oh, one last thing - just found out that we have a ND in town and she follows the BTD - can't believe it - here in this little town, 6 hours north of Toronto - the word is spreading. love sue (O neg)

Hey there, sue! Great to hear from ya!

Instead of 'Off,' I use cosmetic-grade citronella oil. It wards off the bugs even from the tastiest targets (like my A nonnie guy, who more than once thought he'd need a bug bite insurance rider). It smells lovely, and will do you no harm.

There's a difference between putting avoid foods such as aloe on one's skin, and applying chemicals designed for penetration and volatility. Go with the citronella, and let me know how it does for you!

And it's wonderful to hear you've an ND there now who uses the BTD! Really happy news! thanks for writing, and keep in touch!! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I wanted to check back with you to ask a couple of questions. I was the one who had all the back problems and was put on nasty steroids for 2 months.

I discovered I have TMS through that wonderful doctor Dr. JOhn Sarno and have had very little pain since.

I am having a really tough time losing the weight put on by the steroids. I put on 10 pounds in 6 weeks and so immediately stepped up my compliance on the o nonny diet.

Also, I am now exercising which is wonderful. However after 6 weeks, I have barely budged a pound. The steroid I was on was dexamethasone - apparently it sits in your system for a long time.

I have cut out all grains and am only having the occasional sweet potato. I do have one vice left - the coffee and cream - it is SO HARD to give it up!! Do you think that the dairy and caffeine could be hindering my progress? I have always had a great metabolism and so this is very frustrating.

I am so happy that I no longer have the back pain but would love to drop the weight. Do you think I should try taking the fucus supplement? Thanks so much Suz

Hello, Suz! As to the coffee and cream, this is how I've found it works: the coffee jacks up your appetite, so that you will want to eat even though you may not need to. The cream is something which contributes to digestive slowdown, among other things. I do believe adding the fucus may help a bit, and I'd start taking Deflect at the therapeutic dosage as well.

Remember the "water thing!" to boost the detoxification, and try measuring yourself rather than weighing for the next month. Measure now, and compare in 30 days. Exercise may be adding some trim muscle, while 'maintaining' the weight... see what you think, and let me know how it goes! :-D

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I understand that the herb Rhodiola can drop the adrenaline level for Os,I'm a B and taking a medicine to slow down my adrenaline,do you think that Rhodiola could help me too? Thank you CarlN

Hi, Carl! Rhodiola is worth a try, although as a B you may have better results with Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), 250 mg daily.

If you can tell me more about your condition, and what medicine you are taking for it, I'd be better able to offer useful suggestions.

Also, how long you've been on the diet and if you're finding any challenges following it and the exercise/stress relief plan?

Write again! and thank you! :-D

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Hi Heidi, Hope all's well with you. The diet and my health have been going well.

My running and racing has also continued to improve since writing to you last. In Feb just gone I surprised all my competitors by winning my first Leinster senior 10km cross country title. That was followed by personal bests on the road in March over 10 mls and in April over 4 mile and 10km. The 10km road race was the all Ireland championship in which I finish 3rd, again my first national individual medal. So the diet is really helping me a lot and especially as I turned 36 early this year. I tell all my club mates and friends about the diet I am amused why they just don't try it for themselves!!

Anyway I have a question for you. Unfortunately at the end of May I picked up a gastrointestinal virus (which I thought initially was food poisoning). I feel this came along from additional work stress, which built up on top on my training.

I have done the antiviral and intestinal health protocol, which helped, and I feel I got over the virus. More recently I have been trying the metabolic enhancement protocol because I just haven't been feeling quite myself e.g. feeling tired on waking, fatigued and depressed because I can't run. I can do a bit of easy running but don't recover from it the way I should be able to.

I started to take my morning axillary basal temp and noticed it a bit on the low side, averages about 96.8 F. This is new to me so I'm not sure what my temp is when feeling well. I am wondering could this be an adrenal or thyroid problem and what would be the best protocol or supplements to tackle it.

I also notice that the lymph nodes under my chin are still slightly swollen. It seems I get it hard to recover fully from a bad sickness. I remember from last year that I got a bad respiratory sickness at the end of the winter and it took me about 8 to 10 weeks to get back feeling my real self.

It looks as if maybe I need a kick start after a bad dose. Searching through all your previous answers to folk is a great help and resource. You know us runners, we're not happy campers sitting idle! Thanks again Heidi for your insight and help and take care, Kind Regards, James (O- sec).

Greetings, James! Lovely summer you've had already, congratulations on your win & PBs!

From here it seems you've pinpointed it to the adrenals. That would explain the fatigue, slow healing, and swollen glands, as the stresses (some very pleasant) you've been under have demanded a great deal from the adrenals. They absolutely EAT vitamin C when stressed, so healing time from physical injury (microtears from racing and training) and from infections, will be greatly elongated.

I suggest the following: Organ meats in the diet, and two months of mixed glandulars (chemists and supp shops carry them -- you want something with a mix of glandular tissues and B vitamins). C, C, C (rose hips soaked over night, and mashed up & eaten, and/or 100% acerola-cherry C caps or another high-quality C), quercetin at 500 mg twice daily, and a multimineral such as Phytocal-O. No refined sugar of any kind (it's a terrible stress on the immune system -- as little as 1 tsp depresses it 50%). ... and SLEEP. ;->

When you do feel up to it, take an easy run -- meaning just a very short tour around, then do a bit of walking (cool down thoroughly, stretttch, but stay warm - don't get a chill), and nap after if you can. The light exercise will help your system work the infection out, and the sleep after the exercise will do enormous good.

Have some mineral water with a squeeze of lemon & pinch of sea salt before & after you exercise. Cool, but not cold, is best.

And how about a therapeutic massage or two? Explain you need lymph massage, and that your adrenals are weak. It is tremendously helpful when one has a cold, or flu, or is trying to relieve feelings of sluggishness. Very relaxing and nap-inducing, too. :-)

Congratulations on your wonderful achievements -- I knew you'd do it!! ;-D -- and thanks by the way for spreading the word! :-D

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Dear Heidi: Just from personal experience in my family and all the people I have interviewed (in the thousands) and blood tested for type (hundreds) ....I got totally excited about it as I'd never seen anything work like the BTD.

My O+ S husband got rid of his arthritis he'd had for years. My young son O- NS was no longer waking up every night crying from pain in his knee. Corn made my son nutty. For me, A+ S, no more headaches, bloating, etc. (those bananas, potatoes, cashews and pistachios were giving me migraines).

I think that A negatives need more protein, but also maybe at least once a week maybe even some red meat. I've found personality wise that an A negative is much more aggressive than an A+, which is usually laid back. A- are very similar to an O+ agressive person.

My A- NS daughter feels better when she includes meat in her diet. I'm sure you've noticed (as a general rule) the pointy O canine fang teeth and the flat A teeth, but the A-'s (as a general rule- have pointy canines- suggesting possibly a need for more meat).

My type O+ husband fits the mold of the agressive go get it personality, where my two O- sons are laid back and passive. In my interviews, I found that O- are laid back and very similar to an A+. I think RH factor affects who we are and personally makes way for little changes in the diet. Just my thoughts.

Suzanne (My husband called me Suzacula as people rarely made it out of the house without finding out their blood type and diet).

This is my fifth year on the BTD and there's nothing like it. It's the single largest key factor to good health that we have control of.



Hey there, Suzanne! You know, I'm not sure about the canines (mine (O+) are flat, as are my A- NS guy's), but A nonsecretors certainly do better on a bit of red meat (lamb is neutral for them). A2s also benefit from two or three extra servings weekly from the fish & fowl lists.

Although Rhesus is a true blood type, unlike ABO which is expressed in tissues and secretions of several kinds, there may indeed be a personality connection.. who knows? Keep up the research, dear, it's quite interesting! Good work on the education front, too! :-D best wishes!

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Hi Heidi! Don't know if you remember, but a while back I asked about weight loss before trying to conceive & age at the time (39)? You know, the doctor was pressuring me to hurry up & beat the ticking biological clock? And you said not to worry, if I was healthy, go ahead and lose the extra pounds? Well, I did lose them & managed to get pregnant on the first try (much to my doctor's surprise)!

So here I am at 19 weeks almost and doing okay, except for the occasional headache & heartburn. I have the baby book & am following it. Problem is, I've developed an aversion (almost) to meat, and I'm a B-, non-sec. (According to the book, I should be increasing my protein/meat intake.) I can eat dairy just fine, but feel nauseaous on meat. I feel like I'm eating too many carbohydrates as a result. No avoids, but many more carbs than proteins.

Before getting pregnant, I did quite well on lots of protein, veggies, and little grain carbs. Should I increase the protein shakes? Cheese? Also, I can take the Polyflora for B, right? I'm thinking it can only help the digestive situation. (I've been taking the Prenatal B throughout, as well as extra DHA.)

I haven't had any problems, however, and am a very healthy pregnant woman of "advanced maternal age" according to my doctor. And, by the way, I had no trouble getting pregnant...if you remember I'd asked you this way back in the past & your response was if I followed BTD, not to worry I've gained about 10 lbs. so far and had no morning sickness, etc. (yes, one of the lucky ones).

Is there a minimum amount of protein I should be eating? Thanks again! --M.K.

Don't know if it matters, but husband's a O+, sec. Many thanks for your help! -M.K.

Hallo, M.K.! You know I thought I had answered you, but I see I didn't ~ sorry!! I've edited together your reminder & your original post above.

Yes, you most certainly can take the probiotics. They will help get rid of the headaches, as will gentle B-type exercise, regularly!

For the heartburn, sip a cup of peppermint tea a half-hour after each meal (particularly the evening meal). A teaspoon of fresh-made ginger juice (from the root) taken before the first meal of the day is another thing which should settle your heartburn entirely.

As your protein needs increase, it's fine to boost the intake with a protein shake. I also think you might enjoy steamed fish with greens and seaweeds, something very light -- with a spicy broth. Use ground lamb, beef, buffalo or turkey to do a stir-fry with your favorite veggies. The use of herbs and spices can really make a difference in your appetite, and it's easier to eat foods like these than facing a slab of meat when you really aren't longing for it. ;-D

Cheese is another good addition - fresh mozzarella melted on toasted bread drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with a cut clove of garlic (and sprinkled with sea salt) will satisfy your carb hunger while slowing the absorption of the carbs themselves. Goat cheese on onion rice crackers (Edward & Sons) sounds tasty, too!

Bless you, dear -- I'm just ecstatic over your healthy pregnancy, and thank you so much for writing in & telling us all about it! Congratulations to you & your husband! :-D

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I was inspired to write you again after reading the O endometriosis question.

I am in my late 40's, blood type A, and I have been struggling with endometriosis since my early 20's. Been a faithful follower of the A blood type diet (secretor status ?), and although many things have improved dramatically, the endometriosis is still a problem and is affecting my energy levels trememdously. I can anticipate each month, for the week before my period, a profound change in my energy levels. I just want to sleep continuously, and frequently I'll stay home one of those days with a migraine and fatigue.

My cycles were only about 19 days apart. I have followed your prescription for pregnenolone, and have noticed some definate improvements already (approx 20 days of use at 10 mg(?)) Did not experience any pain mid-cycle, which has been the usual.

I am also using a small amount of progesterone cream, which has helped in the past, but seemed to aggravate a problem with candida. I have just started a small amount in the last couple of months because the symptoms of the endo were getting more severe. My cycle has increased to 22-23 days because of the progesterone.

The question is, should I be using both, or does the pregnenolone take the place of the progesterone cream? Most of the rest of the things that you suggested for the O was probably applicable to me, and I have taken some bromelain, but is there anything else you can suggest for an A in which the diet does not seem to be enough.

Sometimes I worry that there is more wrong than the endometriosis, but the only way to determine that is more surgery, and I'm tired of that route. Any help you could give I'd appreciate. Thanks. Chris

Hello, Chris! First thing I would suggest is to get the saliva secretor test, if at all possible.

Second thing, you can obtain a 5-hormone saliva test from a number of different sources online. www.altmednetwork.net is one reliable provider, but do a thorough search and compare service and prices. See if your estradiol, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone and DHEA levels are balanced and within normal ranges. In PCOS, the conventional advice does not include pregnenelone supplementation, yet in some women it is needed and a low dose does help. Since it appears to be doing good things for you, I would chance continuing it and even doubling it to 20 mg daily, keeping your usual notes on effects -- just my personal and entirely medically-unaccredited opinion.

If you find that estradiol is low, there are plant substances that do the job beautifully. Just get a test done, then write back with the results.

I believe that if I knew at the age of 17 what I know now, I would have set aside all my other very different goals and pursued a career in endocrinology. It is a subject I now find fascinating beyond all measure.

Let's talk again, dear, and I think you are on exactly the right track to resolve every difficulty. Worry not... and continue to courageously and very rightly avoid any surgery! :-D

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Heidi, I am a 30 year old 0+ secretor with severe endometriosis and uterine polyps (diagnosed with an ultrasound). I don't have health insurance, can't afford laparoscopic surgery, and am at a general loss as to how to treat this issue.

I didn't see any reference to the condition in the Blood Type Encyclopedia and wondered if you or your readers have any recommended protocols. Thanks.

Tina

Hi, Tina ~ welcome!

Surgery for this condition rarely eliminates the pain. When a hysterectomy is done, you have a huge slew of new problems and usually the pain persists anyway. So ~ thank yer stars you can't afford it!! :-D

Endometriosis responds well to this diet. You may be relieved to hear that it's much less about adding supplements and such, and more about eliminating things you do eat which have contributed to the trouble.

Just commit to following your diet and exercise plan. In particular, do strictly avoid wheat, dairy and coffee -- they are MAJOR culprits. This, plus adding the beneficial oils daily (and black currant seed oil is a helpful one you could take as a supp) along plenty of fresh vegetables, should remove the causes of the endometriosis and start the healing.

Fresh veg, some fruit, and lots of water -- and exercise, three times weekly -- will relieve any constipation you may have. Liver hypofunction made worse by slow bowel transit time contributes significantly to the nightmarish pain of endo.

Bromelain is something I'd take daily -- it has a solid reputation for aiding removal of excess endometrial tissues. It's just an enzyme found in pineapple, and it's not at all expensive. 100-200 mg daily, and call me in the morning!
;-D

The process will take some time, but far less than it took to develop the endo. The great thing is, you'll see improvements which will inspire you to keep going. Truly, the O plan is the most powerful strategy to turn things around right now, and the best insurance policy for the future.

Take good care, dear, and a very warm welcome to the BTD!

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Born on a small dairy farm, my first role models were Errol Flynn, Leslie Howard, Kwai Chang Caine, and Dad. To be alive in this world is to be enmeshed in ambiguity -- but while my early acceptance of that state made complex things easy, it also made simple things a struggle.

Little has changed since then, except that as a result of conversations with a man who knew Errol Flynn, I struck his model from the list. Early choices can be difficult to undo. All those years spent learning to fence and studying the fine points of protocol of a variety of then-antiquated societies! Well, how was I to know? This, combined with my reading material (Shakespeare, Milton, Homer, comparative religion and ceremonial magic) made for a very odd little farm girl. As I said, little has changed since then.

My distinctly non-scientific career has included stints as librarian, dreamworker, animal rights activist, free-lance theatrical editor, medical transcriptionist, commodities trader, phone sex receptionist, dog breeder, philology student, real estate developer, legal secretary, business software consultant, florist, not in that order, and a few things I've forgotten -- the entire mishmash a result of lifelong ambiguity toward an operatic career. It is certainly true that in life we end up doing the thing we are second-best at... not yet having ended up, I'm not sure what that might be. In regard to what I'm best at, however, the aphorism holds true.

The interesting part of the story is that in 1997, my traditional Chinese medicine practitioner suggested I read the blood-type diet book written by Peter J. D'Adamo, ND. This provocative discovery lit up my world. Ambiguity miraculously disappeared from those two essential simple things: food and exercise. My enormous gratitude for this gift of freedom expressed itself in a desire to foster education about the diets and encourage others to use and disseminate the theories. So began five years of daily involvement with Peter's website bulletin board.

The rest you know. (Pretty much.) If not... check the archives! ;-)

I have tried searching a topic or two on your postings, and I find onfo but often it is in reference form. For example I tried to search for "flush" to find out exactly what is this 'flush" and I get to a list of posting where people are talking about it and even you referring to it but not explaining what it involves. Also Heallix is mentioned but I am having trouble finding an original note on what is is. And fasting info. I scan over many references to a reccommended fast but I don't find the actual instructions. What am I doing wrong? Thanks Geraldine

Hi, Geraldine! Heallix may be found at www.heallix.com. Full explanations may be found there, much more easily than here.

You're not doing a thing wrong, dear! This page allows only one-word searches, so you may find many, many results when searching for "flush" or "fast."

The fasting you perhaps have read about is only a vegetable- or fruit-juice fast, and it is in conjunction with preparing for the gallbladder flush, so let me knock down two birds with one stone for you: visit Julia Chang's site, www.sensiblehealth.com.

Tell me more about your personal situation, your blood type & what you're trying to resolve, and I'll hunt up some specific references on this site for you. Best wishes, and let me know if I can be of assistance! :-D

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Hey Heidi, thanks for all your help. I have stocked up on the sweet potato and have been using them as a sweet treat- steamed with olive oil & basil. The web site was very helpful, ta. I previously hadn't been taking enough advantage of the various seaweeds that are available to me either- so I am now on the case. I also found Jenny's mail about hemp interesting. It really is a great community of people you bring together with your column. I'll update you with my progress in the future. Sarah

Great, Sarah! Keep me posted! :-D

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l have written before. l went to my holistic dentist and a year ago l had 2 cavitations and a root canal taken out, ever since the surgery l have had green mucous coming out of the left nostril. l tht at first it was good thing. and thats what the dentist said. but l think it's too long, l tried many things to no avail.l even tried an anodyme machine he has in the office to help healing can you give me any idea. l think because its green its an infection. l forgot to tell you, before surgery my left nostril leaked, it was clear. it was like a little drip it was very annoying.l found out by my own ivestigating it was soy milk. when l stopped the leakage it went away.by the way l am an o. l dont know if l a secretor or not. l follow the small book for o's. thank you elaine

Hi, Elaine! To have an infection draining for a year after dental work is not the norm. Was the root canal in the upper quadrant, and on the same side as the drip? You may have a deep pocket of sinus infection, which should be attended to. I would see a different dentist, explain what happened, and ask if he or she can examine those sites, and advise you on what may be going on.

Taking Heallix would help dispel the infection -- rinse with it, and use a tablespoon of it in the nasal irrigation.

That's a technique of rinsing the sinus areas with warm salted water (a neti pot makes it easier, but a flexible plastic cup used in the shower works fine, too!). Tip your head up and over to one side and slowly pour a few tablespoons (more, as you get used to it) of the salted warm water into one nostril. Tip your head to the other side, and let it rinse around in there. Let it out either by nose or mouth, just don't swallow it all. Do it every morning or evening -- you may be able to cleanse the area that way and rid yourself of most of the mucus.

I would still suspect that there is a dental correction which may need doing -- let me know, dear! take good care! :-)

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Hi Heidi! I'm transitioning from a weightlifting style diet (clean, lean meat/dairy protein based) over to BTD. Big change for me, as I am an A negative (secretor status unknown). I have a few questions I'm hoping you can help with.

I'm struggling with finding products that are convenient and getting enough protein in when I cut out all/most meat. I work 65 hours a week (two jobs), work out 5 days a week, and need at least a few items that I can basically just nuke and eat.

I'm new to the concept of eating tofu and need to adapt slowly... I have already switched to soy milk though.

I work at Trader Joe's and was hoping that I could benefit from our selection of vegetarian products. Unfortunately, the ground round we have has 'wheat protein' as an ingredient. Is this different from wheat gluten? I can't find 'wheat protein' in the TYPEbase, but see that wheat gluten is neutral.

Also, do you know of any soy cheese products that do NOT contain casein? What exactly is the point of making a soy cheese for people who want to avoid milk products... and then put milk in it! Sandra

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Hi Heidi, Well, I have a missing question - I sent it to you over a month ago but was trying to be patient in hopes you would eventually get to it. Maybe it's one you answered before, but I did do a search and came up with no answer. I think I actually had 2 or 3 questions in one message, but didn't save what I typed into this form unfortunately. I now have more questions though :-)

Anyway... I'm a type A Rh neg newbie, secretor status unknown, with a type O Rh pos boyfriend (secretor status also unknown). We thought at first he was an A, since both parents and his sister are, but upon testing with the typing kit, we were sad to learn he is an O.

We're making things work despite our different types - our agreement is he eats his red meat during the week when he's at his place, and fish or chicken on the weekends at my place :-) I'm about 70% compliant after beginning the diet changes two months ago. I'm taking fish oil supplements and just began bromelain according to Dr. D'adamo's anti-inflammatory protocol.

I've had bad "allergies" for years and my main goal for trying BTD is to decrease/eliminate my "snottiness" as I call it. So far, so good!

My new question is what are your supplement/dietary suggestions for recovering from whiplash? We were in an accident last Saturday, and thought the car was total, we only suffered bad whiplash. Painful, but at least we are alive and fairly well. Lots of muscle soreness, of course, and it's wreaking havoc on my delicate "stress profile" *grin*.

My original questions were about cheese. What is ok and what is not gets a bit confusing. (Note: I've only read BTD and used the online database.) I can't have cottage cheese, though it's made with a skim milk, but I can have ricotta, which is made with whole milk? My main concern with this is I haven't found an organic ricotta, and I do not want to eat any nonorganic dairy products. (I also tried goat ricotta... didn't like it.)

But I thought that mozzarella was ok if it is made with skim milk and *not* whole milk. Hence my confusion. Also regarding cheese: I found a soy cheddar that is great. But, it has casein in it, which is an avoid. Confusing, because soy cheese is a beneficial. So, does that mean that soy cheese without casein is good, or does it mean that soy cheese even with casein is OK? Because I can't find a soy cheese WITHOUT casein! Every one that Trader Joe's (in Southern California) carries has it, as well as every one our local health food store carries. And, if soy cheese with casein is a no-no, do you (or anyone else?) know of a soy cheese without casein, and where I might find it? Many thanks Heidi, I've enjoyed reading your column! -Sandra

Hello, Sandra - Sorry I've been so long in answering your questions.

I wish I could help you with compliant soy cheeses -- Perhaps one of the readers could lend a hand there. I have noticed that different organic food chains carry some identical national brands, along with some of their own, sometimes "cut and wrapped" versions made to order... I hope anyone with a non-casein brand -- preferably available in California -- will see this and write in! :-}

On the dairy cheeses: it's not skim milk vs. whole milk (fat content) in itself that determines which cheese makes the A-OK foodlist. It is also the proportional presence of milk proteins and sugars. Ricotta is a secondary product in the cheese-making process. In Italy, it is not even considered a cheese: it is simply "ri-cotta," meaning "re-cooked," made on a regular schedule from the whey left in mozzarella vats. Its proteins are much more delicate than those in first-product cheeses.

You mentioned having a problem with excess mucus, which is clearing up. The best thing would be to ease off the dairy products until that problem is resolved -- then add one at a time, slowly, and see if it is that kind of food itself which triggers the mucus.

As to the nukable BTD products, to tell you the truth I don't know of a single one. Microwavable pre-packaged items tend to be highly processed and nutrient poor. What most of us with busy lives do is set aside a few hours once per week to prepare and freeze main meals in individual portions. Then, the heating up can be done in a convection or standard oven, or on the stovetop.

About your whiplash -- aside from icing, resting, etc. (which your doctor or EM staff should have given instructions for), taking a daily manganese cap (50-100 mg) is helpful for strengthening the ligaments. And quercetin is wonderful for reducing inflammation.

I hope this is helpful, Sandra ~ I do wish you a swift healing from your injuries, and when I hear of any non-casein soy cheese tips, I will wend them your way! Thanks for writing! :-D

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Re Ruth's problem with chloresterol.

I am also O-sec, age 77. Just had chol.test. Cholesterol 168, hdl 61 ldl 91 & tryglecerides 81. It tickles me because for years Doc has been trying to get me to take statins which I reject. I am probably 90 % compliant but also take the red chinese yeast and CoQ-10.

Another suggestion to Ruth might be PANTETHINE,not, repeat, not pantethinic acid. Pantethine worked for me previously. Namaste, Conrad

THANK you, Conrad! Great reminder! Pantethine is recommended for Os with high cholesterol -- Ruth, do give it a try!

I love my readers! :-D

and Conrad, congratulations on your splendid lipid panels, dear! Very good news, and a nice education for your doctor. ;-> Thanks again! :-D

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Dear Heidi, This is for Charlotte's husband who has psoriasis. Heidi, thanks all of the suggestions that you made which are super and easy to follow.

One more thing to note is that as a blood type A he should not be eating milk products. But should he want to do so please note that there may be a connection between diseases in milk products (common here in the UK and probably eleswhere) and psoriasis. Since my blood type A secretor husband eliminated milk and cheese totally his psoriasis has improved. Kind regards, Karen O

Great suggestion, Karen ~ I don't know enough about him yet to say whether the small amount of dairy allowed on the A diet is a trigger for him. If he has leaky gut, which the psoriasis/arthritis combination does suggest, then even raw organic dairy products may post a problem for him.

For now, if he could eliminate all dairy except for ghee (a wonderful gut healer), his progress might be sped along.

Thanks so much for reading & writing, Karen! :-D

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Hiya Heidi, I am A- Blood type (originally thought i was an O Type, but was proved wrong when i did a blood test a few weeks ago).

I have been trying my hardest to stick to the A Type diet but find it really hard because a lot of my cooking involves tomatoes.

Can you please tell me if there is a substitute i can buy some where for tomatoes, if so can i purchase it in th UK. Thankyou for your help. Toni

Hello, Toni! Well, I am very glad you've obtained an authoritative conclusion on your blood type.

I don't know of any products on the market to suit your needs. However, there are recipes in RECIbase (in the Support menu at the top of this page) you might adapt to your liking.

For type A secretors, I make a winter squash/beet puree, season it with sea salt, oregano or marjoram, and lemon juice to taste, correct the consistency with a touch of red wine and water if needed, and freeze it in small batches. Instant homemade tomato sauce sub on tap! Start with eight parts squash to two parts beets, bake them until tender, and puree... then adjust as you like.

I think now that you're on the right diet, you'll see the extra 20 pounds you were trying to lose will disappear in short order. Keep in touch, dear! :-D

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Hi Heidi, You know, this O secretor has been follwoing BTD for what, 6 years maybe and two things still drive me nuts and I wish I knew the answer.

First, when in my 40's my cholesterol went up steadily from the 180s and seems to have settled in the 265-295. The ratio is pretty good. But I have just thrown my hands up because I don't have a clue anymore and assume that I just have a high set point. Any suggestions at all. Like does one do all the protocols or what? No, I am not taking any cholesterol lowering drugs and red yeast gave me the same GI tract discomfort as whatever statin my doctor wanted me on. Tried it for 2 days and threw them out.

The other is that I often read how weight seems to just drop off other O's that have changed their eating and by golly mine stays around 168 though for my height, 5'7", frame -- sturdy Viking = large, it's just outside the recommended weight and I'm only a size up from my days of youth.

I'm 65. I'm really active -- bicycle to work, walk, run in the winter, garden/yard work and when I get the time I walk my dogs. Thanks, Ruth H from wonderful Minnesota!

Hey there, Ruth! Let's put our heads together, and there may be something quite simple which will crown your 7th BTD year with ultimate success!

Cholesterol: Have you tried the oatmeal-for-breakfast, or the ground-soaked-flaxseed things? How about fats... getting plenty of olive oil, ghee, flax oil, anything like that? And do you eat dandelion & other wild salad greens on a weekly basis?

Weight: Did you do the water deal? One-half ounce per pound of bodyweight daily, with a pinch of sea salt and/or a squeeze of lemon in each liter?

Either one of these should be done for 30 days straight, in order to get an accurate idea of whether it's accomplishing anything for you.

And... I dunno, you might be at just the right weight for your body structure, but in squinting hard right toward Minnesota, I can't quite see clearly enough to tell. ;-> Do you carry fat noticeably anywhere -- like thighs, butt, tum, or chest and upper arms?

Did you begin having any tiny menopausal symptoms at around the time the cholesterol started its merry dance upward?

Finally, are the people in your family generally long-lived?

Here's something that may be a bother, but if you can do it, let me know. Get a body mass index done. You have to find one of those well-equipped naturopathic or alt-medical folk of some kind who have the machine that measures the body fat percentage exactly. If those 168 pound of Viking are all strong bone and muscle, I say throw the weight charts where you threw the supplements, and go your way rejoicing. ~;-> Let me know! :-D

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Dear Heidi, Oh dear, it's going to take a while to change that mind set--- we call him "Dad-amo" here in Melbourne.(loving dad!)

Sarah's question about hemp oil connects well with the book that I am reading which is Udo Erasmus's 'Fats that Heal Fats that Kill' in which he mentions hemp oil as the very best, even above flax.The copy that I am reading was published in 1993 which of course was prior to ERFYT but it would be interesting to know if he has made connections with the blood type diet since then. Cheers, Jenny (A2)

Hallo Jenny ~ Hemp oil is fine for all types according to the last note on it I saw, written by Doc Bron ~ Earlier we'd been warning that some of the psychoactive constituents of the plant were making it into the oil in quantities sufficient to trigger positives on drug tests... but the oil processing techniques have improved since that research was published, and it appears from all sides now that the drug-test concern may now be put to rest.

Thanks for your note, dear! and I think your version of The Name pronunciation is delightfully apt! :-D

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Hi Heidi, I'm an 0+sec, with history of liver & thyroid probs. I recently had blood tests at my internist to check things. Everything looked good except the usual slight elevations in liver enzymes, but the wierd thing was how low my cholesterol was, 130. I take levoxyl for a thyroid nodule also.

Do I need to eat things to increase the cholesterol? I eat red meat, but not as much as I'd like cause of the expense of getting grass fed. I do buy it when I can. I was trying to eat more fish for the omega 3's. Any insights? I know that people want low cholesterol, but I read too low isn't good either. Thanks so much! paula

Hey there, paula! Genetics and diet both have their say in any given cholesterol profile. One thing I'm unsure of is how any medication you are taking may be affecting your levels directly.

I know very healthy people with even lower total cholesterol, and the levels do vary over time. If your HDL is high and LDL & VLDL are low, I wouldn't be directly concerned with it.

At any rate, what you eat only accounts for perhaps 10% of where your cholesterol lies... the rest is produced in the liver. As your liver function normalizes, you may see the cholesterol fluctuate up a bit, too -- that's how I would expect it to work. So focus on detox and helping the liver heal, perhaps including a protocol or two? and the rest should follow right along.

Best wishes to you, dear, and let me know how things progress! :-D

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I bought the BTD book a couple of years ago but didn't tackle it until recently. I also bought the Encyclopedia (I love it!). I am working on adhering to it 100% (I'm Type O) and clearing up my sinus problems and adrenal burnout issues (and weight loss would be good, too).

Meanwhile, my question regards my husband who is a Type A. He has a rather severe case of psoriasis progressively getting worse. He does EVERYTHING wrong but is ready to change all that. Where do we begin with him?

I know the obvious - beneficials and some neutrals and eliminate ALL avoids. But, what protocols first? Immune, Anti-Inflammation, Detoxification, Intestinal, Skin Health? He also has psoriatic arthritis. Do we begin with basic supplements and one protocol or what? Would it be better to ease into this or jump in all at once? Help! Please just help us get started and I won't bother you again.

I love the web site and am learning a lot! I completely believe in this and just KNOW this is the answer. I have searched the site for specific info and just haven't been able to find it. Thank you so much for your time and committment. Charlotte

Hello, Charlotte! I'm very pleased to welcome you & your husband to our cyber-corner!

Since both of you are just starting out, focus on the foods first and add the basic supplements at the therapeutic levels while your bodies are catching up on what they need.

For your husband, who's making huge dietary changes, go ahead with the supps but let his system get used to all these new things for a month, then evaluate his situation at that time. You should see significant improvements just from choosing the proper foods. If you decide to use the protocols, I suggest the Immune Enhancement one first. In the meanwhile, give him a bit of flax or olive oil daily, and have him take two or three quercetin caps daily (300-500 mg per cap). The two of them do nice things for inflammation inside & out.

But do take things gently, step-by-step. You both will experience benefits rather quickly, and your routine will not be turned topsy-turvy overnight (and perhaps inspire frustration) if you proceed slowly and enjoy the progress as it occurs. Most of the plan here is designed around providing superb nutrition, exercise and stress relief, then 'relaxing.' ... meaning, getting out of the way of the body doing what it will do, in its own perfect time. ;-)

Now DO write again, or I'll feel hurt. ;-D As questions arise, shoot 'em my way, and I'll be most happy to help in whatever way I'm able.

Enjoy the new lifestyle! ... it's the best! "Good" side-effects popping up around every corner... I almost wish I could live "the beginning" all over again! Thanks for your note, Charlotte, and don't be a stranger! :-D

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Hello again Heidi, I firstly wanted to sincerely thank you for all your excellent advice in the reply you sent me a while ago in response to my concerns about my diet and eczema. I have wanted to reply for a while, but have had quite a stressful time of late and haven't been able to. I have become an addict of your column though, and learn so much daily from the website in general- I find it really uplifting!

I feel like I have taken up enough of your time already, but have more questions, If at some point in the future you have time to reply I would very much appreciate it, but I thoroughly understand if not. Please also excuse the detail of my e mail.

I started to eat red meat and my stomach improved tremendously, I have found I don't have that bubbly feeling I used to get in my tummy and I don't have to eat as much to feel full. Due to stresses I did start to eat dried fruits (sugar cravings)/nuts regularly and this certainly didn't agree with my tummy & I ceased a couple of weeks ago.

My skin, however, hasn't shown much improvement. I have 2 basic problems 1) it's very dry and scaly all over, requiring extensive moisturizing every day. 2) On my face (around my nose and chin) is a very sensitive area, when I have any stress or eat something that I have an intolerance to- milk/garlic/citric fruit, it goes very red and sore and the skin burns away, which is rather painful in the hot weather in Japan right now.

Although I've had eczema since I was born, this area only started 3 months after the death of my mum when I was 18 (7 years ago) and has since been a reoccurring problem.

As I mentioned, I currently live in Japan, with my partner. In February I ran out of the oral contraceptive pill and I planned to re start the pill after I obtained more, and after a subsequent period. Unfortunately, my last period was in February and I don't want to re start the pill at this stage, until I have a period. I suspect oral contraceptives aren't ideal for me; however, I'm afraid of relying on other methods. (Sorry to be so personal!) Every month my tummy bloats and I feel like I'm going to have a period but nothing materializes.

I'm also concerned that my diet changes may also be affecting my cycle as my body fat has gone down to 19% and I look very ‘veiny’ in my tummy/legs and arms (is this % ok?)

I am eating lots of beneficial vegetables and fish with good oils and red meats/loadsa greens (the website advice on greens and fish was soooo helpful, thank you).

The Chinese herbs I have been given are in part for my skin, to increase my hormones and encourage menstruation. I haven’t been able to see the Chinese doctor for a while as he is very expensive and I’ve been taking the herbs for 6 months now and I feel the real difference that I have made to my health has been through my diet, eating protein especially (My C.D. previously told me that ‘meat’ wasn’t necessary and that I’d do fine with fish).

I'm also getting a little paranoid that maybe I have a serious blood disorder that is just in my genes (My mum had lots of sensitivities to foods and sensitive skin when she was younger, but nothing as serious as mine).

Is it possible do you think for me to expect to reach a stage where I don't have to moisturize from head to toe twice a day? As a child/teenage years I had very irritable eczema and do unfortunately have many scars/ stretch marks on my legs from being over prescribed steroid creams as a child. Could the use of such steroid creams still be having a negative effect on my blood? ....For the past month the sensitive area on my face just will not settle.

I'm a little concerned that maybe it could be from eating beef (I read about a couple of cases of people who were allergic to beef) I buy the leanest meat but it's virtually impossible to buy organic produce here in Japan. Lamb isn't that popular but I have been stocking up when I locate it and enjoying it most days. I have been making lamb stews and freezing them due to time limitation, is this OK to do?

I've also found a lapse in energy this past couple of weeks. Although prior to this I had been thoroughly enjoying your recommendations for exercise. I surprised myself with the amount of weights I can lift!! I noticed that calcium was recommended somewhere on this site in a case where someone was overly tired, but I haven’t found a suitable calcium sup in Japan as yet (is there anything I should look out for on the ingredients label of inactive ingredients besides the obvious starch/wheat etc when buying?)

I also didn't mention in my last mail that I’ve had a long history of 'constipation problems' and was hospitalized as a child. I have found that eating meat helps a little but I still have problems daily. Until recently I was able to buy flaxseed from a health shop but they have unfortunately discontinued it and I’ve tried numerous other places but to no avail. I do have with me a supply of hemp oil in capsules – I have been breaking the capsules and putting the oil on my food. I have been unable to find a direct reference to the value of hemp on the site. Would you recommend hemp oil?

Last month I purchased L.R.F.Y.T. and my secretor test went into the post yesterday so I look forward to modifying my diet even further. I've also sent off my registration to a holistic dentist in the UK and I've started to save money to have my 7 amalgam fillings removed next year.

I appreciate your help and advice tremendously & have benefited so much from having access to all the information on this web site. You are a very kind and caring person with an abundance of positive energy that certainly rubs off on your readers. Thank you. Sarah :-)

Hello, Sarah! The skin, menstrual and constipation problems are certainly stress-related. First, I want you to know that your blood regenerates constantly. These are not symptoms of some genetic inheritance you cannot combat. The better the quality of your food and water, and the more opportunity you give yourself for exercise and relaxation, the more quickly all this will fade to a distant memory. :-D What you believe is important, and I am here to tell you that you have the tools at hand with which to heal yourself.

First, seek out some Japanese sweet potato. There are two varieties I know of offhand: Kotobuki, with reddish-brown skinn and nearly white flesh; and Okinawan, grayish-tan skin and deep bright purple flesh. They are ideal for you, since (1) they're the right kind of starchy foods to use to normalize your weight and bodyfat level, and (2) they contain significant amounts of hyaluronic acid, a truly wonderful thing for the skin and other connective tissues. Here's a neat market site ~ with descriptions! pictures! they even have recipes! :->

Include seaweeds in your diet at every opportunity. Do take a calcium/magnesium supplement ~ look for a food-based variety, or find microcrystalline hydroxyapatite (it's purified bone meal) and take a magnesium citrate supp as well. Ideal would be Phytocal-O -- look at its ingredients in the Store here, and purchase the closest thing to it that you can find near you.

Wild yam is another item to look deeply into. It is a phytoestrogen (a WEAK estriol-mimicking substance) to soothe and plump your skin, help normalize your menstrual cycles, and act as a rather surprisingly dependable birth control method. Get hold of the book, Birth Control Without Fear: Wild Yam by Willa Shaffer. It's more like a pamphlet -- quite inexpensive, and it's everywhere, even Amazon.com.

Use these suggestions, and I know you'll see improvements at a rapid pace! Very best wishes to you, and write again soon! :-D

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Heidi, today's column brings up a question I have had for a while but never asked for fear of looking silly: how do you pronounce "D'Adamo"? Jessica

Hi, Jessica! Never fear to ask a question. That's what I'm here for. No matter what it is, you are only one among loads of people who were wondering the same thing. :-)

Peter's family pronounces it "Dee-ah-DAH-mo."

Now there are loads of people who are glad you asked! Thanks, dear! :-D

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