I'm a type O+ and have been taking 1-2 packets of plain Knox gelatin in water for my knee pain (which it has greatly improved.) To my horror, I have discovered pig skin is used in the making of this product. Wouldn't this make gelatin an avoid for me? Adrienne

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If gelatin is helping your joints, avoid the commercial pig-sourced powder and make your own organic joint-healing broth. It contains plenty of gelatin, and you'll know it's a clean food.

All you need is the leftover bones from roasted meat, fowl or fish. Bring them to a boil in a stock pot with some carrots, onions, celery, parsley if you like it, sea salt. It should stay on a high simmer for at least 3 hours (overnight would be great). Skim off the brownish spotty fuzz that comes up in the first hour or two.

Let it cool somewhat, then pour the broth into a colander set into a large bowl. From there, you can transfer it to small containers. Keep some in the fridge and freeze the rest. It is a chef's delight ~ you can use it as soup stock, in sauces, to make rice, anything that strikes your fancy. And since you are benefiting from the addition of gelatin to your diet, a plain cup of it per day should fill your bill.

enjoy!

I am an O+ secretor. This question may seem a bit granular, but I don't want to sabatoge my good diet efforts by doing something unknowingly. My question is about foot cream. I just purchased a foot cream which is 60% aloe. It really is a great cream but, my understanding is, aloe is an avoid for O. In thinking about it, I started to be concerned if the aloe from the cream would be absorbed into my body enough to cause problems (in light of hormone and stop smoking dermal patches using the skin as a delivery system.) Any thoughts? P.S. Kudos for your column. It's the first thing I check every morning and has been so very helpful. ~ debra

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Thanks for the compliment, debra!

Peter wrote an Ask Dr. D'Adamo answer on this subject. His view is that we needn't be concerned about using a topical product which contains avoids. For instance, aloe earned its O avoid label by its effects after ingestion -- the aloe-based cream you apply to your feet won't find its way into your digestive tract, and what little may pass the skin barrier shouldn't give you trouble.

I'm discussing this in general terms, but everyone has a different level of sensitivity to avoids in hair and skin products ~ so it's wise to stop using any product if it causes an adverse reaction in you.

:-)

Hi ^heidi^, Girly Question: Losing weight always seem to bring with it losing titties (breasts, teats, bra-sizes, whatever). Is it more a symptom of unhealthy weightloss (will the BTD help against this) or is it just plain losing fat means losing fat wherever we have it, and first and foremost our breasts? Love, Katrina

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Hello, Kat!

Yes, I'm afraid that human breasts have such a high percentage of fat tissue (varies by individual, of course) that gaining muscle and losing fat will naturally affect the size and appearance of the breasts.

{What's that weeping sound? :->}

The good thing about it is that your whole body is getting smaller. So, everything will remain in proportion. Hey, that's what counts! A slow and steady approach to fat loss gives the elastic tissues a chance to shrink in pace with the volume change, so you don't have to deal with a bunch of suddenly empty skin hanging around. The key here is to maintain vibrant connective tissue. Appropriate exercise and diet (including "good fats") really do accomplish that job.

Years ago, when I had lost about 65 pounds after switching from a classic vegetarian (yeah, starchitarian) diet to one based on fruit and vegetable juices, I noticed that the subcutaneous fat on my stomach had gathered into pouchy little patterns resembling crushed Wonder Bread. My connective tissue was kaput (small wonder! no protein, of course. Surprise! Little did I know...) A few months after I started the type O plan, I got my first welcome side-effect: my stomach area looked different. Yes, I had developed some muscle under the skin, but it was the skin itself that had changed: it was smooth again. No weird little bunches, crepe-iness, folds or wrinkles. It had regained its proper thickness and elasticity.

Breasts change with the menstrual cycle as well, but that skin and its underlying connective structure will respond to favorable treatment just as the rest of the body's does.

Now, mind if I share? :-> In my constant nosing around, it's come to my attention that there is a type A (and maybe "skin advantage." You people seem to have more smoothly-pigmented skin... thicker skin? and a little something extra in the elasticity department, compared to Os. Whether this is due to your higher blood viscosity, less robust circulation, more clotting factors than Os, or God just loves you more, I don't know ~ but I've noticed it. I grew up with 14 aunts and uncles, numerous cousins, and three siblings on display ~ we're ALL O, and I can clearly recall the delicate-looking light skin everyone was "blessed with," with visible veins and slow-healing scars. OK, some of this was undoubtedly dietary, but I wonder if it's a blood type thing?? More research is necessary! :-) We're not a wrinkly folk, but we can turn a large room pink with one blush. Never found a type A who did that. (Oh, I'm going to get a lot of mail on this one.)

This is all a long way of saying: do the plan, lose the weight, and count your polymorphic blessings!! ;-)

Niggling thoughts about attractiveness? Truly delightful (and meticulously researched) girly stuff, here. Just scroll down to "Breasts and the Human Figure." Or start from the top and work your way down. :-D