Hi, I was wondering if Stone Root would interfere with my thyroid medicine. I'm type O. I'd like to take it dor my sinuses. Thanks!

Collinsonia, commonly called "stone root," works by reducing the swelling in certain kinds of tissues. It's as effective for hemmorrhoids as it is for sinus headaches! Part of its action is astringent, part diuretic, while it strengthens mucous membranes and venous walls.

It absolutely will not interfere with your medication. Happily, there is no known toxicity level ~~ so trying a higher dosage is safe, and might alleviate those headaches to a greater degree.

Be especially careful to avoid even small amounts of wheat and dairy, both well-known causes of sinus trouble in type O. If you tend to wake up feeling phlegmy, try some hot water with the juice from half a lemon in the morning. And add some light, spicy sauces to your summer meals -- hot peppers are good for Os and can stimulate the mucus to get on out of there. Staying away completely from wheat and corn can help normalize your thyroid function over time, as well. If possible, order the Deflect-O supplement from the store on this site. It does a great cleaning job on old, lectin-occupied hormone receptors, and supports joint and colon health.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

I am a type A positive. I've been on the diet two months. I have a five year history of chronic headache that waxes and wanes during the month.

I am a court reporter. I know my stress level is high. I still have the chronic headache, however in five years it is lower in intensity than it has ever been, due to the diet I can only believe. I've tried so many other ways to stop the pain none of which work very well.

I also struggle non stop with constipation. It's very hard to control. I can't. No matter what I do.

I take a lot of vitamins as part of a headache group with my physician. Magnesium, 500 to 600mg. a day; B2, 200mg a day; B6 50mg a day; COQ10 50mg per day; multi-vitamin; Omega 3 1000 mg. a day; I also take a lot of fiber and all I drink is water, for the most part. No soda, no coffee.

I have ringing in my ears that is constant. It started November 2003. Nothing stops it.

Really, how do I get better control of the constipation and the ringing in my ears and completely stop the headaches? Is this possible. I know the diet has helped my energy level to be higher and I feel better overall. I also see a shiatsu therapist, a chiropractor and an acupuncturist -- all because of headaches. Thank you for any help you can give me. Shelly

Hello, Shelly! Welcome to the BTD, and glad you found us!

From what you've told me, it appears that the constipation is causing the headaches. It is very, very common to experience recurring headaches when digestion is poor. There are "brain areas" along our intestinal tracts, which somewhat explains why what we eat so affects how we feel and think.

Hey, court reporting! That is indeed a high-pressure job, and it isn't as if you can jump up & take a potty break anytime you like. The physical strictures under which you work may also be an element in your tinnitus. You sit pretty much immobile, typing, while intensely focused on what you hear. Then you have to interrupt the proceedings when you can't hear clearly... this inhibition of physical movement combined with the pressure to perform and the stressful environment around you is what your body is reacting to.

So, you are looking at stress-related symptoms here -- but don't despair, there are a number of things you can do in this regard.

It's possible there are elements in your diet which are perceptibly slowing your digestion. Are you using the updated food tables and portion/frequency guidelines in Live Right 4 Your Type?

For now, eliminate wheat and dairy entirely from your diet. Do get at least 6 servings of vegetables and fruit, raw and cooked, daily. Try starting the day with oatmeal and fresh-ground flaxseed, have a good lunch of some protein and a big salad, and eat a light dinner - then a snack at least two hours before bedtime. You can eat more frequent, smaller meals if it better suits your schedule. The idea is never to go hungry or thirsty.

An excellent way to relieve constipation is to drink 1/2 ounce of water per pound you weigh, daily, with a squeeze of lemon and/or a pinch of good gray sea salt in each quart. It's remarkably inexpensive, and is great to get the bowels moving. For example, a 128-pound person would drink 64 ounces - or two quarts - every day. It's easier than you think: a big glass upon arising, one 12-ounce glass mid-morning, one mid-afternoon, one after work and one before bed -- and it's eminently portable. You can just prepare two one-liter water bottles in the evening, and you're set for the next day.

A yoga practice is the other main strategy for re-balancing your entire physique, releasing stored stresses, and energizing your digestion. If shiatsu, chiropractic and acupuncture have all failed to resolve your headaches, then we know there are recurring causes in your daily life -- and that means, Good News! You can do what's necessary to get rid of your physical complaints entirely.

Find a good yoga class, with an instructor you trust. It's an excellent activity for you which will directly address the stress component of your difficulties. Your instructor can also show you specific postures to relieve constipation and free the head and ears from the reactions to stress.

If you would prefer working from a tape, website or book, there are wonderful resources online and in your local bookstore. My favorite yoga website is Marianne Woods Cirone's Yoga for Health and Fitness. And in this regard, the book Meditation as Medicine by Dr. Dharma Singh Khalso and Cameron Stauth contains powerful practices which take as little as three minutes a day, and are designed to target particular areas of the body and specific health problems.

Doing just these few things, in conjunction with following your diet, will produce life-changing results for you. Wallet-enhancing, too! as I expect your visits to alt practitioners will become unnecessary except for the yearly tune-up. :-) Stay in touch, Shelly -- let me know how you do! :-D

Hello Heidi: I am B+, sec status unknown but suspect secretor (green eyes, dark hair). Anyhow, I've been following the diet for approx. 1 year. I've had a wonderful winter. Caught one little cold that lasted for only 2 days! Unbelievable for someone who gets 3-4 colds a season, bronchitis, and coughs that last for weeks. As of February, I have been practicing the diet at about 95 - 98% compliancy.

As a result I have lost 20 lbs. I have approx. 60 lbs. to go to get to my idea of healthy (I am 5' and would like to weight 110-115 lbs). My husband has lost 60 in the same time period (type O, those lucky ##$@>'s).

My question has to do with skin. I've been a bit worried seeing things on TV about the people who undergo bypass surgery and are left with pounds of hanging flesh. Since I've got 80 lbs. and have some stretch marks (inner thighs for about 30 years now and some on the stomach for 8 years, when I got pregnant) I was wondering if you know of something I can do to keep my skin toned so I don't end up with flabby, hanging skin. Sometimes I think it would be worth it to weigh a little bit more.

Anything you can provide would be much appreciated. I currently exercise (walking and working out with weights) and drink the water (lemon added), though probably not as much as I should (50 oz. maybe). Thank you very much. I love your column and appreciate all you do to help and guide us ERFYT people! Carole O.

Greetings, Carole! What a great "report!!" You and your husband must be mighty pleased with your progress ~ congratulations on your accomplishments!

So... I'm a lucky ##$@>, am I? Hey, just line up your fruit list against mine (O nonsecretor) ... and while yer at it, cast a sorrowful gaze upon my sweetener choices. Don't forget my cream/sour cream/cheese allowance (if you can find it. I'll help you. It's ZERO, lol). Then we'll talk about who's lucky, OK? ~~;-D Sorry, it's just that strawberries are in season and... oh, well. That vent was bound to come out soon, and you just happened to be handy. :-D

Now: skin. Yep, I've seen those clips of people who lost 200-300 pounds and decided to pose for the camera right off. Don't let them alarm you. The skin is a living organ, and will adapt in time if the person attends to her/his health.

First, the speed of loss is important -- the slower it comes off, the better the skin can keep up with it. Folks who use crash diets, and those who get a bypass, lose weight in a way I can only describe as a shock to the system. The great thing about the Blood Type Diets is that everything comes along together at the speed your body needs, rather than throwing caution (and skin tone) to the winds in order to slim down in a vast hurry.

Second, the skin will regain its cling in time, and a good strategy to pursue is: exercise, electrolytes, antioxidants, fats and proteins. Give your body what it needs in adequate quantities, perhaps a bit more while you're transforming yourself, and it will take care of the rest. Stretch marks, too, tend to fade to the point that they're no longer visible. When I weighed 190, I had cellulite, and stretch marks ~ and as far as I can tell now, they're both entirely gone.

So, just keep doing what you're doing, and I think you'll be exceptionally happy with the outcome. You can then stop by here at On the Diet, with your mouse at one hand and your chocolate-covered strawberries with a dollop of cream at the other, and I hope you'll at least shed a tear for me. ~;-D Thanks for writing, Shelly!! :-D

Dear Heidi,Thanks so much for your swift reply. Great news about the cocoa powder. How I’ve missed chocolate.

I don’t know at which stage of the menopause I’m at. I am still having periods about 6 weeks apart (not really unusual for me) and am getting occasional hot flushes the symptoms of irritability and depression etc that I had been getting quite badly mid cycle are under control thanks to the FEM balance herbs, diet and acupuncture treatment (administered by my partner partly, I suspect, for his own benefit as well as mine).

I will do the temperature test and get the iodine. Is it OK to continue with the seaweed meanwhile?) I have been using Clearspring Atlantic Sea salad (ie dried dulse sea lettuce and nori) and Seagreens Whistle Wrack granuels as well as the 4 your type bladder wrack.

Hopefully I will be able to get the mixed glandulars but what are they? I have not heard of these before, do you think they are available in the UK and are they known by another name? Bristol is pretty good for most things. Thanks again chrissie

Hi, Chrissie ~ It's fine to continue with the seaweed. If you're getting plenty of iodine, then the little "test circle" should remain there for a full day. If not, just continue! :-)

Here is a link to a basic thyroid support supplement made by Vitamin Shoppe -- their Thyroid Complex. It's inexpensive, and has only 35 mg 'multi-gland complex,' but I have used it and I will testify that its surprising effectiveness is all out of proportion to its relatively low strength. I post it for you only as a good example of what to look for. You can use the search engine on that page, enter 'thyroid,' and follow to a number of different products they make. I suggest printing out the page I linked, and/or whatever other product pages strike your fancy, and taking it to your chemist or supp shop. Then, they can show you what they have on hand. Very best wishes, and do keep in touch! :-D

the domestic white mushroom or "silverdollar mushroom" is listed in every book as an "avoid" for type O. however, in the latest Cancer Book it is listed as "super beneficial". which is correct? i realize throughout his many books that food values have been changed or updated but the Diabetes Book also lists the domestic mushroom as an avoid and that book came out around the same time as the Cancer Book. thanks, and i enjoy your websight!! denise

Hello, Denise! Yes, those ratings are all correct. The Cancer and Diabetes books contain very specific food lists for the conditions they target, so you will see that the values do vary. Thank you for writing, and for your enthusiasm & very kind compliments! :-)

Heidi, I just have to compliment you on the recipe for kamut crust! I made a triple ginger pear pie with Type O non-secretor modifications and the kamut crust. It turned out fantastic even though I am not an experienced pie maker.

Here is the pie recipe: http://foodgeeks.com/recipes/recipe.phtml?recipe_id=1161 Modifications: used barbados/mild/light molasses for the sugar, used kamut flour, left the preserved ginger out, used more fresh ginger, made with your kamut crust recipe here: http://www.dadamo.com/columns/begin/ask2.pl?20021223.txt

One tip on the crust recipe - measure out 6 tablespoons of room temperature ghee and then put it in the refrigerator to harden - then break into pieces as you add to the food processor. Thanks so much! Lynne

Hey! You're most welcome! Your ginger-pear pie sounds lovely.

Another little note on the crust recipe -- over the Holidays, I decided to remove the dough from the food processor before adding the water. I just dumped it into a big bowl and sprinkled the water in while tossing with a fork, and the final product is more delicate and flakier. So pleased you enjoyed it, dear! :-D

Heidi - Would you share your recipe for pudding with veg gly and rice protein powder I looked on the web page and did not see it. Thank you, Joan

Oh! Well, I don't really have a recipe. I was suddenly struck with the idea that the BTD Protein Powder for O could be the base of an ice cream mix, so I went flying into the kitchen. (I get into moods like this. ;->)

I put about four scoops in a blender with six ice cubes, three tablespoons of almond butter, 1/4 cup of organic cocoa powder, two tablespoons of maca powder, and about .... hmmm... maybe two tablespoons of vegetable glycerine, and whizzed 'er up. I added a bit of water to make a thick-cream consistency.

This is pretty funny to recount, as I don't have an ice-cream maker. ;-> I just wanted to see if I could make the base, and it turned out REALLY tasty. So, I stuck it in the fridge. Next morning: PUDDING. Really good pudding.

So go fearlessly into the kitchen and see what you come up with. I'm thinking a nice blueberry ice cream with toasted hazelnut bits would go a treat .... as soon as I get an ice-cream maker, :-D enjoy!! :-D

dylan writes:

Regarding blood type pedigrees ... my husband is a type O non-secretor. He is also allergic to eggs (and mildly to chicken). Talk about a O-type 'breakfast' quagmire! We thought soy was the perfect solution after ER4YBT & CR4YBT. Then came LR4YBT and secretor status. OY! Good thing he is a good sport about food. I'm a type A secretor. ER4YBT settled a lot of food 'arguments' between us! Would that qualify for a new Saint Peter? In my book, definitely.

So I'm trying to lose weight (of course) and the dandelion suggestion was wonderful. The lectin situation is frustrating ... irreversible? Let's hope not. And I'm still struggling with understanding the carbohydrate suggestions (how much is too much). We are both relatively healthy mid-50 year olds. We work out regularly (weight training). I appreciate Dr. D'Adamo's clarification on why yoga is good for A's as most yoga 'intructors' create more cortisol for me than reduce it. Giaim's tapes are wonderful. We've both went through a tremendous traumatic experience several years ago but have healed emotionally.

My question is simple. How important is it to know the other two bits of typography for both of us -- MN and A1 or A2? Thanks for all your great work!

Hi, dylan ~~ It's always such a pleasure to hear from people who are making the BTDs work, to build better health for themselves and their loved ones! and thank you for your kind compliments!

MN type can be one of the following three:

MN: the default, and the majority (no diet changes indicated);

MM: less common, associated with increased cancer risk (several suggested diet changes); and

NN: statistically uncommon (less than 10%), primarily affecting fat metabolism. While Live Right 4 Your Type did not offer dietary adjustments based upon NN status, we now know that NN folks benefit by strictly reducing fats, especially cholesterol-containing foods, in their diets. They appear to have less ability to digest and assimilate fats.

So: Since you are a type A secretor, I would recommend getting your full serotype panel. I would say the same to an AB secretor. Why? First, because As and ABs statistically are at higher risk for cancer. DO bear in mind that these statistics are useful to us BECAUSE they compare cancer percentages (occurrence as well as outcome) among ALL types, AND they are based upon people who were NOT following the blood type diet/exercise plans!! I really want to emphasize that point. As Peter said (and I'm paraphrasing), being type A does NOT mean you should head right out and purchase your burial plot!! His books show the *way back* to where type As should be: self-possessed, healthy, and happily engaged with the world.

*whew,* OK, my passion overtook me there. Second, A secretors generally have a lower tolerance for fats, and the NN status can refine that recommendation further. ALSO, I meant to remind folks of an important aspect of following the diets: for secretors, A subtype (A2 for example) and MN type (MM, NN) will have an impact on your food choices as written in the lists. For nonsecretors, your nonsecretor status "Rules." To give an example: type A nonsecretors' lists show tomatoes listed as Neutral. For type A nonsecretor *MMs* (like my man Bryan) that status Does Not change to Beneficial. Nonsecretor status means carefully follow the nonsecretor instructions in Live Right... with one possible exception.

Only if your husband's lipid tests show high, uncontrollable cholesterol levels would I suggest you obtain his serotype panel as well. Why? He is a nonsecretor, meaning his Live Right recommendations already include everything he needs, unless he finds out he carries the NN type -- in which case I would modify his diet away from items which are high in fat, and certainly focus upon the leanest meats, poultry, fish and nuts/seeds/oils. If he finds out he is MM, no dietary changes need be made -- but I'd make sure he is well away from the customary cancer risks, such as cigarette smoke, high radon levels, high EMF radiation, etc., and pile on those dark greens, vegetables and fruits! Good clean red meats are equally important to maintaining his strong immunity.

Yes indeed, dear. Listen to the new Saint Peter! (You know he's reading this and squirming in his chair! LOL! That's OK. Sometimes our need to express praise goes a little beyond "social conventions," and it's just as well. Let 'em just get over it! :-D)

You say your husband is allergic to eggs, and mildly to chicken. That is interesting to me. I've used both with a neutral reaction, but I note that chicken does never satisfy my desire for meat protein. Could you tell me: how did he find out these allergies, and for how long has he been allergic to them? I'm wondering if extreme stresses have contributed to his inability to use these foods... also, was it only ORGANIC chickens and eggs to which he reacted?

The lectin situation... yes, it can be frustrating when we long for a thorough cleaning-out -- but certainly it is NOT irreversible! Our bodies CONSTANTLY replace every cell. At the age of 10, you possess not a single cell which you were born with. At the age of 50, you haven't a single cell of your 40-year-old body. Never think anything from the past is set in stone! It AIN'T.

About the BTD carbohydrate suggestions: I assume these are the grain and sweetener listings. How much is too much? Let's instead think about the minimum we can get away with. That's the best amount, by far. AND it changes with the seasons. In spring and summer, we can tolerate and assimilate more. In fall and winter, concentrate upon your protein and seasonal vegetables, as our ancestors would have done.

Godspeed to you, dylan, and please write again as the mood strikes!