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Hello, Scott ~ Nice to hear from one of the rarer subtypes! although I'd prefer it be under happier circumstances. :-(

Well, I have a type A in my house, so I scanned his Polyvite A, Phytocal A and Polyflora A. White bottle, white label, blue & black on the front... I assume that's what you've got there. Although the Polyvite contains Thiamine HCl, or Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) and Pyroxidine HCl, or Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), there's none of what I think you're referring to, namely Betaine HCl -- that's the "stomach acid" supp. If one of your bottles says Betaine HCl, please drop me a note!

I've heard from a few people who get heartburn when taking gelatin-capped supplements, and who resolved it by pouring the contents into a drink instead of eating the caps. However, the veggiecaps used in the type A supps shouldn't have this effect on you.

Your stomach may react adversely if you wash the supps down with a lot of water right after a meal: it has the effect of diluting the digestive fluids and stopping everything in its tracks, and you might feel some hardness, dull pain or burning in yer tum. If that's not it, read on!

Here's what I'd do: skip these pills for two days. If you're still getting the burning sensation after eating your customary foods, it's not the pills. If the burning doesn't return, then on day 3, take the Polyvite in the middle of your meal, without water. Just swallow it with a bite of food. See how you do. The next day, do the same with the Phytocal.

If it turns out that one or both of these formulas is implicated, please get back to me and we'll work on it!

Thanks for writing, and good luck!!

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Erika, I’m glad to hear the O diet is working for you!

Starting around puberty, I had the same bitter confrontation with cellulite: everything was fine except for that little thigh-back area, which occupied about 3 square miles of my psyche. :-} It’s one of life’s meanest tricks, that around the time you’re old enough to care how your thighs look, something like this crops up!!

But don’t worry -- yes, the type O plan can get rid of cellulite. Briefly put, it changes the quality and appearance of the fat you have – and remember that we all need a little fat, not only for protection of internal organs and nerve health, but for attractive, "plump" skin as well. As you follow the diet and get plenty of exercise, (1) your skin becomes more elastic and better hydrated; (2) your hormonal balance is re-established; (3) your body relaxes and releases extraneous fat stores for energy; and (4) the old toxins stored "back there," as well as intercellular water (sogging around between, rather than within your cells where it belongs) are processed and excreted.

Result? Smooth thighs, among many other benefits. :-D

Couple of tips:

Go to your health food store and purchase a good body brush. Most of them have instructions for use included in the package. "Dry brushing" is a technique for detoxifying our largest organ (the skin) and stimulating lymph movement. It’s done once a day on dry skin (before you shower or bathe). Start with the soles of your feet, and use circular or sweeping motions, working up your legs toward the heart. Give a little special attention to the pesky thigh-backs. Then each arm, your neck, and back – working toward the center of your chest. Don’t brush your face. Five minutes should do it.

If you have a juicer, make a couple of glasses of carrot/celery/spinach/beet juice every day or as often as you can. Four carrots, one stalk of celery, a handful of spinach and half a beet will make a large glass of juice (watch the beet juice, it stains clothes something terrific!). Lest you write back to me in horror, I should also warn you in advance that beet juice will turn your poop dark red. Fear not, this is a good thing (at least while you’re drinking beet juice, that is! :-})

Finally, what I really want you to do is get that bikini on and go right out on that beach, today. :-> You have so many profound things to be proud of, and glad about: release from depression through your own efforts is one extraordinary accomplishment that comes to mind. You’re starting a fabulous new way of life and will never know the myriad health problems others take for granted. You’re blessed with brains, a sensitive nature, and a body that will just get better, among other fortunate qualities that I don’t know about. While sitting in the sun considering them, look around you at the other people sharing the sands. I’ll bet you look lots better than most of them. If you can observe them all -- the homely, the crippled, the awkward and the gorgeous -- with kindness in your heart, it will help you to be a little easier on yourself (and your thighs) as well. Cultivate the same generous and understanding attitude toward yourself that you show to others. ;-)

that ends today's sermon! ~~~:-D Seriously, Erika, I have no doubt you'll see great results -- keep up the diet and exercise, try those tips, and drop me a line on your progress!

Re: On the Diet Topic For 28 July 2002 Rye Bread, Butter and Pork -- Yum!

Hello Heidi, Your column is great, very informative and entertaining. I wanted to let you know about artisan bread in the UK - we make a great rye bread as well as other types of bread, and Margaret has obviously not tried it - freshly-milled Biodynamic rye grains, spring water, baking ferment, and not as sour as a sourdough. Our recipe contains no added yeast, sugar, wheat or other additives, and our bread is the first UK food product to contain blood-type compatibility. You can read about it on our web site http://www.artisanbread.ltd.uk - available nationwide via health food stores and by parcel delivery. Thanks for reading this, and keep up the good work. Tom

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I was so pleased to log in today to this timely reminder from our good friend Tom Greenfield, a Registered

Naturopath (ND), Osteopath and Cranial-Sacral Therapist in Canterbury, Kent, UK. By the way, he offers Blood Group Diet Consulting, and runs an email support group tailored to the needs of our BTD’er UK contingent. Have a look at his website for details of his practice and clinic: www.nature-cure.co.uk

In his spare time (LOL!) Tom acts as Nutritional Consultant for Artisan Breads in Kent. This is a wonderful company, committed to producing the finest quality health-enhancing goodies. Their website offers the pleasant shock of an ABO-specific chart showing beneficial/neutral/avoid ratings for each bread type/blood type – and articles about yeast vs. ferment in baking, an incisive news report on one woman’s experience dealing with Candidiasis... and if you were wondering about the mineral content of the local Kentish spring water they use, well, you'll find it there as well!

They also list more than 80 retail locations ("stockists," to you locals ;-)) in England, Scotland and Wales, and accept online orders. If you’d rather buy than bake, or just need a rest from that summer kitchen, it’s hard to imagine a better choice than Artisan. Supporting companies such as this one is a vote from your pocketbook for a healthier world. It makes a difference!

Thanks so much for your note, Tom, and take care!