Heidi, I'll be very interested to learn your answer to today's question about fingernails. I have the exact same problem. I'm an O Secretor who supplements with calcium, magnesium, and silica, eat no avoids, lots of red meat, poultry, fish, veggies, and fruit. Yet my nails continue to have vertical ridges in them. I worry for the same reason as your writer that it's an indication of a deficiency in my diet. They have been this way as long as I've been on the diet, a year and a half. Lisa

Hey, Lisa ~~ read on!

Hi Heidi, There are a few problems with Becky's routine. The vertical ridges often come from a flu or infection. Does she use any kind of anti-microbial ... like Polyflora; or elderberry; or heallix? She also might give lecithin a try ... to promote oil secretion. In his book on taking omega-3's like flax oil, Rudin in 'The Omega-3 Phenomenon' warns over and over that too many omega-3's (not balanced properly with omega-6's as in flax oil taken too long) will show a repeat of the original symptoms. [Start only slowly: the minimal is best!] Finally her low minerals show a problem with energy production ... in her case it might mean sluggish healing. The manganese and cobalt are members of the antioxidant dismutases that form in all mitochondria. Besides supplementing these minerals directly (only under supervision), seaweeds are probably her best bet. One of the better helps would probably be an alpha lipoic acid supplement. {It should help to share some of the detoxing that antioxidants do in the mitochondria.} John

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Hi Heidi! Well since you asked, I'm sending in fingernail info. This is a long answer, because I'm lonesome for the old message board! For me, hangnails (stiff little separated ridges on the outside edge of nails) were from B vitamin deficiency. They start to heal when I take 2-4 tablespoons brewer's yeast a day (mixed in my soymilk or smoothies). Personally I need to take 4 tablespoons daily to see a difference (note that you're adding a lot of protein with this much). B vitamin deficiencies have lots of bad effects -- the only ones I know of right off-hand are fatigue, lowered immunities, premature graying of hair, and (I think?) anemia. Vertical ridges on fingernails -- I understand this can happen from zinc deficiency among other things. Most people are zinc deficient. Common signs include feet/shoes that smell (feet shouldn't smell different than rest of body), dry dull & brittle hair, skin immunity weakness (prone to things like athlete's foot, warts, etc.), and trouble digesting meat for an O or other meat-eating blood-type person (zinc is critical to having enough stomach acid for any blood type). Oddly, zinc deficiency can also lead to feelings of having too much stomach acid/heartburn, because the stomach can sort of mis-fire and you get acid when you shouldn't -- the stomach is not supposed to get acidic when there isn't food in it. (Note that omega 3 & 6 fatty acids in the oils also are critical to healthy hair & skin immunities & probably the other things too!) At any rate, if you're zinc deficient you need to take lozenges that dissolve in the mouth, not pills. Zinc pills don't digest well unless you have enough stomach acid, so they don't work if zinc deficient. Also, the body uses more zinc when stressed. However, a person should never take more than 100 mg zinc a day. Above that level, it can temporarily do weird things to your immune system. (All those people popping zinc lozenges for colds ought to be careful!) I think fingernail ridges can also be related to liver toxicity/weakness. I detoxed mine with 1-2 oz parsley juice a day, (tastes better mixed with carrot juice) -- also cilantro, onions, garlic, blueberries, radishes, eggs, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, and the herb milk thistle are good food detoxers. Fingernail ridges & hangnails can no doubt be from other things too, but I don't know them, and zinc & B vit deficiencies are so very common. OK Heidi, thanks for the chance to talk too long! Keep up the great column! (o: Maia

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Re: Becky's problem with fingernails, despite good diet. She may have low stomach acid. An O, I had severe gastroenteritis almost 8 years ago, and my HCl mechanism (while better) is still not normal. At one stage, my fingernails "rippled" so much at the ends they looked pleated! During the worst of this, I didn't absorb calcium supplements well either. All this before going on the diet, but I was drifting that way, since wheat made my poor digestion much worse. Seems unfair, as an O, not to have all that great stomach acid! I still supplement HCl some, but am much better. Elizabeth

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Hi Heidi, A few days ago Becky's question regarding nail health was posted and when I read it my first thought was... Zinc! Elson Haas mentions in his book, "Staying Healthy With Nutrition", Zinc is important in normal growth and development, the maintenance of body tissues, sexual function, the immune system and detoxification of chemicals and metabolic irritants. He also states, "Zinc may also be helpful to general nail health". I'm not saying that Zinc is the answer but it may help. Amber

And here’s one for you, Amber!

Hi Heidi, I find your column very helpful. The other day (20 Nov) I was very intrigued by a question by somebody called Amber. I’m Type O just like her and suffering from exactly the same problems, i.e. I have yellowish skin and tend to get pimples in the face when I eat oils (even beneficial ones like organic extra virgin olive oil or ghee). Blood tests came back normal. I would like to get in contact with her to see if she had any success with the liver/gallbladder flush she wanted to do. I guess you can probably not give me her email address, but it would be great if you could forward my email to her asking her to get in touch with me. Thanks a lot! Thomas

Let me know, dear, and I'll send your addy on to Thomas. Done that flush yet? keep me posted! :-)

And now: the cheese... and hair!

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I read and thoroughly enjoy your column daily! I've noticed a couple of times that people ask about sheep's milk. "Feta" cheese is made with sheep's milk, I believe, if it's the genuine article - and Feta is listed in Typebase as Neutral for A's and O secretors, beneficial for A's and AB's, and avoid for O non-secretors. Hope this helps! Dawn

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On grated cheese for O's: Romano cheese (original Italian) is Romano pecorino, a sheep's milk cheese, while Parmesano is a cow's milk cheese. As an O, I find sheep and goat dairy pretty much o.k.--at least, nothing at all like eating a lot of cow dairy. (Regular U.S. Romano may be made of cow's milk, so check.)

Elizabeth

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Re: Romano Cheese. The authentic variety is ok for O's because, like good feta, it is made from sheep milk. Also, in response to a recent query about hair loss in women: older women DO, I am sorry to say, suffer hair loss for a variety of reasons, primarily genetic, and also as a reaction to hormones, meds, and stress. (I know about this last one, because I was once so tense that my neck and scalp tightened so nuch that no blood was getting to the hair follicles, and my hair fell out. Really.) The good news is that unless the loss is genetic, the hair will regrow, especially with the improved diet and stress-relieving exercise preached on this great website. Fyi and all that, Blessings of a beautiful autumn day, AMN

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~~:-D It is most heartening to see the depth of knowledge and experience so many are willing to share with their BTD fellow-travellers. I've learned a bunch today, and hope you've benefited as well ~~ Becky, write again if you need help sorting any of this out!

~~ Blessings to all, and godspeed on the journey that you are ~~