I have noticed… time and again…. how we human beings have a tendency to identify in our ailments; those things that are “wrong” with us or that we would like to change. How many times have I heard someone say… "I am hypoglycemic"…. "I am gluten intolerant "…… even… "I am stubborn"! When one's self identity of "I am" is connected to something that they would like to change, I think it puts our psyches in a quandary. We can become so identified with what we would like to change that it makes change very threatening to our identity of self. So who will I be if I am not hypoglycemic, am not gluten intolerant??? Better to stick with something safe and known than to risk a change of that magnitude.

I thing deep and lasting change must begin with looking at how our imbalances have become interwoven with our self concept, realizing that they are things that challenge us, but do not own us. Separating our health challenges from who we are is a major step toward healing them. Some we have to learn how to live with, yes… very true… but they can become something that we cope with, not something that we are.

So I challenge you to look at your health challenges in a new way… and begin to separate them from the fabric of your self concept. Moving from “I am hypoglycemic” to “hypoglycemia is one of my current health challenges” may seem just like semantics to you. But it begins to create a distance, an objective viewpoint, from which to begin the true work of healing, of regaining balance, and not just alleviating symptoms.

The words we use to speak about ourselves are very powerful…. in both positive and negative ways. Which way will you choose?

The choice really is yours…..

I am Type B, 42 years old, and clocking in at over 6'1" tall, I am living
proof that Type B's are indeed the tallest of the blood types. I have been
married for 15 years to a wonderful man (Type A) and we have two sons; our
oldest is 15 years old (Type O), and our youngest is 10 (Type A). I moved to
Colorado 20 years ago to attend graduate school and for the first time in my
life I felt like I had come home. I haven't left since. I enjoy hiking in
this picturesque state, playing tennis with my husband, reading anything I
can get my hands on, and attending as many arts events that I can drag my
family to. I also sing, dance, and play music with my family. I would love
to form a music group for the purpose of singing and playing Finnish folk
music. Any takers?

My professional life has been varied and assorted in typical B
non-conformist fashion. My education and training is in dance/movement
therapy and I worked as a dance therapist for several years. Then I
transitioned to midwifery and attended homebirths with local lay midwives.
How I wish ER4Y Baby was around back then! Currently, I have entered the
lucrative field of arts non-profits and am the program director for a small
arts education organization that is operated out of my home. My husband is
self-employed and also works at home, well, in the garage, doing specialty
printing on antique letterpresses.

I first heard about ER4YT through a naturopath. I had, at the time, made
some dietary changes due to the results of allergy testing to resolve some
long standing sinus problems. She suggested I combine the results of the
allergy testing with the ER4YT prescription for Blood Type B. I thought,
"yeah, right" and went on my merry way. Six months later, not only had my
sinus problems still not resolved but a whole host of other health problems
ensued: extreme fatigue, blood sugar swings that I could not control,
eczema, insomnia, and the sinking feeling that something was terribly wrong.
And then one day, while shopping at our local health food store, I saw ER4YT
and somewhere deep inside myself I knew I needed the information in that
book. The first realization was the allergy testing results had me
emphasizing the major avoids for B's and avoiding most of the highly
beneficials. No wonder I felt so crappy! Then I saw how many ailments that
had plagued me since childhood are associated with Type B - and all those
years of eating stewed tomatoes and corn on the cob just made matters worse.
Needless to say, I started following the lifestyle recommendations for B's
and haven't looked back since. That was almost seven years ago and I can't
imagine living any other way. My family follows the blood type diet as well
which is challenging with three blood types under one roof! It is definitely
worth it; we enjoy greater health and vibrance each year.

But, alas, we are not perfect and over the years I have realized following
the blood type recommendations is really a process that has many
fluctuations of compliance and non-compliance. I used to stew about
"slipping up" on the LR4YT lifestyle but I don't so much anymore. Perhaps
that is just how life is.