Hi Heidi, Sorry for the delay in my response.

I appreciate your comments and suggested self-questioning - I wrote to you because I wanted your opinion.

In fact, your suggestions helped me realize that at that time, and maybe for quite some time, I did feel not-in-control of my eating (at the very least). And, I guess I was looking for a quick-and dirty fix, rather than remembering that I am a self-empowered individual in control of my own life.

That being said, your questions weren't very helpful in themselves. It may surprise you but actually, for all my parents faults, they never forced us to be vegetarian - at a young age, it was a decision I made after eating meat and noticing how I felt about it. Furthermore, for all the ways my mother did try to control me, she never gave us any problems about food (no force-feeding of foods we didn't want, cleaning your plate rules, etc.) I think she conciously wanted to give us a healthy attitude toward something she considered a basic need, and maybe break from something her mother forced on her.

But, I want to empasize that your suggested self-questioning helped me remember that, and reminded me that I can make my own choices about what I do and don't eat at any given moment.

The result was that I started being able to have a little dialogue with my body about food - very new thing for me, as I am usually very disconnected from my body.

Then I came to the realization that this was less about food and more about something dealing with not wanting to take care of myself (I noticed problems in other areas of my life too.)

So, the first thing I allowed my self to do was not eat if I didn't want to. I started drinking water if I felt hungry, and then I found I was drinking a lot of water (a good thing I think.) Very soon after that decision, one night I fell asleep at around 5pm (unusual for me) and woke up in a couple hours stomach rumbling out of control so hungry that I wanted to eat. I got a take-out of an Indian spinich dish, a mixed veggie dish with rice (there probably was some tomato in there, but I decided to accept that for the time being. I'll work on the tomato problem later.)

My breakfasts and lunches had been kind of crummy - excess coffee and juice breakfast, sometimes candy then fruit for lunch. After that evening, I started making eggs for breakfast along with excess coffee and juice - no candy. Then, I notice I was getting nausea and gas. I finally realized the blatantly obvious - that I was drinking too much coffee and probably eating too much suger (even if its good sugar from fruit and juice) and not enough real food.

I also noticed the anxiety I had been feeling all along, and the physical symptoms of it. I started my regular vitamins: taking B-complex, MSM, Vitamin C, DHA and Black Currant Seed oil, and also added ginger and turmeric (I know those last two are foods, but this way I take them with little fuss.)

Now, I am eating two decent meals a day, about 85% compliant and don't feel any GI trouble. I'm going to add some thing from the Intestinal Health Protocol (Mg, OPC's) and cutting back on the coffee (in particular, I hope Magnesium to help with bowel movements, not to mention needed nutrition.)

For now, as far as food goes, I guess now I'm going for finding knowledge as a hypothesis, experimenting with it, and seeing what my body tells me about it, and then coming to conclusions. I know that it should be obvious that if I eat potato chips and coke for lunch and dinner, then My intestines I going to flip out the next day, but somehow its a different way of knowing when I actually experience it, and very motivating not to do it again.

Maybe this is a bit annoying to you, but I guess I'm just happy that I'm not flipping out about food anymore. --Shima

Hey there Shima! I'm not annoyed, I'm ecstatic!

This is a beautiful essay, and I thank you very sincerely for posting it here. I hope you don't mind my saying that it's ... very "B!" ;-) and very personal to you, which is the most important aspect of this kind of exploration. All you need to learn, you can teach yourself from what will arise from within yourself. This is your power. Bringing it out into the open and living it is a spectacular experience.

I think you've found your way, and I believe it will be a fulfilling one for you, in ways yet to be discovered! enjoy it... and write again when the spirit moves you! :-D

Recently Jim posted about the dangers of frying in olive oil. I do not recall reading about htis in ANY of Dr. D's books. Frankly, I saute in olive oil and for my kids, I fry potatos in olive oil. Does Dr. D consider this unwise??? Devora

Hi, Devora! Nice to hear from you!

I can't speak for Dr. D., but a good rule of thumb with oil is: it's fine so long as the oil does not change color (toward brown) or smoke. For high-heat cooking, grapeseed or rice bran oil is a good choice for all types. Best wishes, dear! :-D

Hi Heidi, Thanks again for many of your helpful posts.

I was reading through a feature about football players the other day, and found that many of them, eg: Ricky Williams and Tim Brown, go to a nutritionist called Sari Mellman in Miami to have their blood analysed and a diet worked out for them.

I then checked her website and found out that she basically writes out personalised BTDs for $3000 a time. Yet at no time does she ever mention the BTD specifically, or Peter D'Adamo.

Have you ever heard of her, and is there any advantage to having an individual's blood analysed? Thanks once again Paul

Hello, Paul! Never heard of Ms. Mellman, but I conjecture that a number of savvy practitioners in certain upscale markets are doing much the same. It's likely, because this system works... and while the alt-med smart folk will have explored it thoroughly over the past 9 years and most likely integrated it into their practices, most clients (unfortunately) wouldn't know the source of the system itself.

The price may not be so astronomical as it first appears, depending on the service she provides. She may be ordering Indican tests and full serotypes, along with thyroid/lipid/liver/mineral panels as well as hair analysis & saliva secretor tests. Then there would be a counselling module, with feedback and adjustments and new recommendations. There are certainly benefits to having this information. (All this supposes she's doing her job right. ;->)

Anyway, that fee is pocket change for pro football players, and even if they get nothing but a diet sheet, most of them will see their performance improve.

It's a bit of a sticky thing to judge as to whether it's professional banditry or the highest form of admiration -- time will tell! At least we'll have healthier football pros, and then their family and friends, and then... who knows? :-D