Heidi, I keep trying to find a source of vitamin C in the health food store that says rose hips but they're looking at me rather strangely there. What ARE rose hips, where do I find them in a vitamin C form and what IF a person is allergic to roses? Maddy

Hello, Maddy! If one is allergic to roses, then seek out an acerola-cherry based C. I went to www.alltheweb.com, chose "all the words," and typed in "acerola cherry vitamin C." I came up with 3,386 pages, and picking the first likely one, I found an inexpensive 100% acerola cherry powder. That was only the first site I came upon, there are thousands, it's a common item. You could try that as a search term, as well.

If they look at you funny when you suggest acerola cherry, you might return to your HFS and suggest some brands you've found on the Net. If their prices cannot compete, or they're unwilling to do orders, just buy it from one of the online sellers. Hope this helps, dear! :-D

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Dear Heidi, 4 times I've made a drink out of rice milk, maca powder and ARA6 Larch powder. 3 times I woke up and vomited. The one time I didn't puke was when I had it in the morning. Here are the contributing factors: I work long hours, so I don't get to eat till about 8pm. I generally eat too much, but I don't really stuff myself. Last night I ate ground beef with tomato sauce, kale with olive oil, sundried tomatos and garlic, glass of red wine. For dessert around 9:30 I drank the rice milk/maca/larch mix. I went to sleep around 10:30. I woke up with my stomach aching and had to puke twice during the night. This is the 3rd time this has happened. Now I have candida problems again after many years of suffering from it. Do you have any ideas why i would have this reaction? It tastes good and I want the benefits. Any suggestions how to take it the right way? Emme, O-non



Hi, Emme. Yes, that is really late to eat a big meal. Topping it all off with a rice milk "shake" must have made quite a stew. I'm not surprised your stomach totally rebelled. Big meals early in the day, only snacks two hours before sleeping, and nothing within the last two hours except water, are what your body is asking for. See if you can readjust your eating to weigh heavier in the morning and lighter later on. The vomiting is upsetting your entire system, so your intestinal balance has gone off -- hence some yeast trouble.

It would be far better to have your maca/ARA6 drink in the afternoon -- take it in a thermos or a carry bottle and leave it in the fridge until you can drink it. If your workload is severe and you're constantly under pressure, that itself will interfere mightily with digestion. A stress-relief practice like 20 minutes of meditation or yoga on arising will help quite a bit! And consider what impact your lifestyle may be having on your health -- these are difficult issues, but they're best faced and dealt with as early as possible. Do take care of YOU, dear? :-D

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Hi Heidi I just had to post this question! Yesterday you suggested to someone in the column that she freeze het fruit for winter when it is no longer available fresh. Brilliant idea and would be of great help if I could freeze beneficial fruit as to have a supply for the whole year. Question - how do you freeze fresh fruit? Done some research on internet - no luck so far. Thanks Eurika



Hello, Eurika! I went to www.alltheweb.com, chose "the exact phrase," and entered "how to freeze fruit." The first hit of 5 is from Diabetic-Lifestyle.com and gives detailed directions. Other means of preserving fruit (plums, apples, pears for instance) are by splitting and/or slicing them, and drying them using a dehydrator. They can then be bagged and frozen. Or, a vacuum-bag system which I've seen advertised -- much of the imported meat and fish I see at the butcher's is vacuum-packed. Just a few ideas for you! Get ready, the season's coming (in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway)! :-D

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Hi Heidi, Thanks for all of the wonderful tidbits. I am constantly cutting and pasting from your column and sending off to friends and family. I am an A2, Rh neg, non-secretor, MN. Until about 1 year ago, I was following the LR4YT A vegetarian diet until I found out I was a non-secretor and just recently found out about A2 and MN. Then I started adding a bit more meat and more fish. Now that I am a tired though much healthier A2, I am wondering what I can do to boost my energy. I am eating eggs for breakfast (from our chickens), turkey with veggies for lunch, and fish and veggies for dinner. Cutting back on grains and starches too. I am going to start sticking to the beneficial lists to help with energy. I feel like an A in the body of an O. I do miss my all veggie meals but my body doesn't. Any suggestions for supplements? Or other ideas? Thanks ever so much and keep up the good work. Nina PS Also you have listed salt and pepper a couple of times in your recipe ideas. Black and white pepper are avoids for everyone, yes? I see them listed a lot on the recibase too. Would you mind making sure people know what kind of pepper you mean, it is red pepper flakes for example? I react hideously to black/white pepper. Thank you. Nina

Hi, Nina! Do you do yoga, or other calming exercises? Meditation? Reducing cortisol through this means (and the Cortiguard product sold here can help as well) should give you better energy through the day.

I'd suggest an experiment: for a week, eat oatmeal in the morning instead of the eggs. You could add a hard-boiled egg to your salad in the evening, or have it as a snack in the afternoon, instead.

And try using a tablespoon of maca root powder mixed with the oatmeal or added to a smoothie or to a carrot/celery juice. A juicer is a marvelous way to get a whole bunch of veg in an 8-oz. glass, and we ALL need abundant veggies!

The status of ground black (or white) pepper, the commercial product, is avoid for everyone, but the status of "Pepper (Peppercorn/Red Flakes)" varies by type -- avoid for all As & ABs, and neutral for all Bs & Os. So, Os and Bs can have fresh-ground pepper from a pepper grinder, as well as the red chili flakes as seasoning. Hope that clears it up, dear, and write again with your progress! ;-D

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Heidi, Its me again, the type A with IBS. Help! I am very anxious to start treating this problem but am not able to locate the items you suggest. First, what is seacure and where can I find it?!! Second, what did you mean with the fiber? I have no idea what specifically affects me aversely, as I get the same symptoms no matter what I eat, or if I eat. The doctor recom. fibercon and citrucel. Do I take it or not, and how much? About the beans, how much and which kind? Like I said, my body is not able to tell me what's good for it at this point. Also, I'm aware that probiotics are found in yogurt. But isn't yogurt dairy and an avoid? Would this help while I await the arival of my supplements you recommended (online order)? I am just so frustrated at every turn! Rachel

Hi, Rachel: "small servings of well-cooked beans," meaning beneficial beans from your list, small servings meaning whatever is a half or third-portion for you.

I went to www.alltheweb.com and entered the search term "seacure." I came up with 2,186 hits. Pick one of the online sellers, or see if one of the stores listed is near you, or ask your local HFS to order it for you.

About the fiber products -- did your doctor advise you at all as to how much to take? I suggested going easy on them (i.e., focusing on the beans instead and taking a half or quarter dose of the fiber). If your doctor did not specify how much and when to take the fiber supp, I'd ask him or her. He or she may want you to follow the package directions.

I didn't suggest yogurt for you, but I did mention yoga. Take a read through that column, linked here again, slowly, and see if it makes more sense the second time round. Write again if you still have Qs, OK? :-D

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Dear Heidi, Thank you for your suggestions to my previous email, RE: legs swelling, I have stopped taking the flax seeds, my next step is to stop eating grains and walnuts...I will keep you posted. I also appreciate others writing in with their suggestions, thanks to all! Some have asked for the Kamut cookies, unfortunately I do not have that recipe, I buy them at a local health food store, they make them fresh, but I do have 2 recipes to share, I hope you all enjoy them! Kamut Cookies 2 1/2 cups kamut flakes 3/4 cup kamut flour 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1/2 tsp. non alum baking powder 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit Preheat oven, 350 degree. Mix flakes, flour, sea salt and baking powder together in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop by teaspoon on oiled cookie sheet and bake in oven for 10-12 minutes or until done. ENJOY! Blackstrap molasses Cookies 1 1/2 cups ghee or butter 1 3/4 cups blackstrap molasses or 1 cup vegetable glycerine 2 tsp. almond extract 4 eggs 3 cups amaranth flour 2 cups rice flour or oat flour 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp baking soda 2 tblsp hot water 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 2 9oz. packages Sunspire organic dark chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 degree. If using butter, beat it in a large bowl until soft. Add molasses gradually to the butter or ghee, beating in. Add almond extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to the moist mixture. In another bowl, blend the flours and salt together. Gradually add flour mixture to moist mixture, beating until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips (add nuts if desired) Use a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie, and place on nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let cool before removing. They freeze beautifully, it takes just a few minutes for them to defrost. Makes 6 dozens. ENJOY! Let me know how you all enjoyed the cookies. Rose

Hey! that's my chocolate chip cookie recipe! Hoorah!!

Rose, thanks for typing in those recipes, and I do hope everyone loves them! and I'm looking forward to your report, dear!! :-D

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For Type B, I don't understand why milk is beneficial but ice cream isn't allowed. Also, would Frozen yogurt or ice milk be okay? Thanks. KVM

Ah, well, most ice creams are full of corn syrup and gums, for one thing (two things? ;-)). There are, however, some brands of ice cream and yogurt that aren't. If all the ingredients on a product are OK according to your food list, the product's OK. :-D thanks for writing, KVM! :-D

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Heidi, The following question and answer ran in our newspaper last week. My husband and I are AB's and have had much success with BTD for 6 years. We recently started using red yeast rice and now, after reading this article would like to know your opinion. Thanks, Sandy

"Dear Dr. Gott: As director of a cardio-vascular center, I must disagree with your conclusion that red yeast rice is harmless. Actually, the product contains lovastatin (Mevacor), which can cause the same side effects -- primarily liver inflammation and muscle damage -- as any of the "statin" drugs available by prescription used to treat high cholesterol levels. Moreover, the amount of lovastatin is entirely unregulated, so patients taking red yeast rice are at higher risk of complications. Please publish a clarification column.

Dear Reader: Red yeast rice is made by fermenting a type of yeast over rice. The final preparation contains at least 11 naturally occurring substances similar to prescription drugs in the statin family. While no serious adverse reactions have been reported, the potential for such side effects is very real. Thank you for writing and asking me to clarify the issue."

-- Sandy

Hi, Sandy! The fact that Dr. Gott could not find a single serious adverse effect from the Red Yeast Rice product in the literature should tell you something very significant, right away. Consider that even aspirin has documented side-effects, and you'll know what I mean. The second thing to notice is that director of the cardiovascular center making the point that Red Yeast Rice "contains lovastatin." This is absolutely incorrect -- in fact, that is what the makers of Mevacor WANT you to believe: that the natural product "contains" a pharmaceutical drug. What's really rubbing them is that they isolated certain fractions of the substance and MADE a drug of it, and the drug DOES have side-effects, whereas Red Yeast Rice does not, and they even went so far as getting the FDA to take RYR off the market -- just so they'd not have to deal with the competition. This is the world we live in.

Go to http://www.redyeastrice-china.com/public_html/index.htm and READ all the links on the right. Some are not the finest English translations, but the meanings are very clear. That is a highest-quality product which comes with a government assay on each individual batch sold, showing in black & white exactly what is (and what is not) in the RYR in your package.

I do hope this puts your mind at ease somewhat. All recommendations and counter-indications for RYR can be found either on the page above or through a websearch of sites which are not funded by drug companies. Thanks for bringing this up, dear! :-D

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Hello, My question is probably a bit different from those frequently asked by followers of the blood diet. I wanted to know if you could suggest any ways for me to actually gain weight while following the dietary suggestions provided in the Dr. D'Adamo books and on the website.

I will explain. I am a 25 year old male with A+ blood type. I was born and raised in Russia, moved to US when I was 13. I am six foot tall and currently weigh about 170 pounds. I consider myself an athlete and have played sports in highschool, college, and continue to do so now. I work about three times a week, play soccer and do yoga once in a while. I found out about the blood type diet about two or so months ago and decided to try it. I practically stopped eating red meat (I thought I was a big steak eater, but I do not miss it to tell you the truth) and never actually consumed much dairy since I think I am lactose intolerant.

I try to buy food at the health food stores and I also limit certain foods as described in the books. I will say that I do feel different a bit. My stomach is not "rowdy" after a meal and so forth. So, I would like to incease my muscle mass and "bulk up" another ten pounds or so. I do not want to reserve to the protein shakes as they not really worked when I did try them in college.

What I am trying to do is find out about certain foods or combinations of foods that help promote "healthy" weight gain since the books focus on weight loss. I eat about four medium sized meals a day with fruits and veggies as snacks in between. I usually start my day with a bowl of oatmeal with soy milk and rice cakes with peanut butter. Then have a snack like carrots before lunch and at lunch have some left overs from dinner. I work out during late afternoon and eat a tuna or PBJ sandwich afterwards. I have dinner around 9 o'clock. I try to eat brown rice and fresh made pasta and have went away from eating potatoes although I was brought up on them

My parents are in their sixties and are both very thin and all of us have very fast metabolisms I guess. I am hoping that you can provide some suggests as to how I can gain a bit of weight. It is not crucial for me to do so as I am not going to reserve to any "over-the-counter" aids. I thank you in advance and look forward to your response. Thank you, Vladimir



Greetings, Vladimir!

It sounds like you're doing beautifully on your new diet. In truth, these plans are not specifically designed for weight loss. Instead, they are health-enhancing, with the welcome "side-effect" of weight loss (OR weight gain) for those who need it. Since you are in the U.S. now, do pick up a copy of Live Right 4 Your Type, which contains more recent research and detailed information on the foods and a wealth of other BTD-related subjects of interest.

What you want to do is gain muscle mass, not fat. I can point you in a direction or two, but your helpful note about your slender parents tells me you are genetically inclined to be lanky (many would envy you! :-) ), so it may take a few months to gain those ten pounds, and they will stay only so long as you maintain them. ;-)

See the exercise notes from "chris" & me in the column I put up yesterday, here. They can be used by any blood type -- in your case, just follow the frequency guidelines for type A in Live Right.

Adequate protein, including plant and animal sources, will help you reach your desired mass. As long as your digestion is operating smoothly, you may choose to add a bit more animal protein (chicken, turkey, fish, eggs) than you would normally need. Get your daily ration of "good oils" and plenty of water. And use the excellent calcium-rich foods list in Peter's Calcium from Almonds page in the Ask Dr. D'Adamo column.

By the way, I think you have a wonderful attitude about your health! especially when I hear "no over-the-counter aids." They cost us in money and toxicity, whereas the same goals can be reached through food and exercise without the additional money outlay and potential dangers.

Thanks for writing, Vladimir, and I hope other type A athletes will benefit as well! ~:-D

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I have been on the diet for 3 days. I am blood type A. Today, I dicovered that I had eaten some small bits of cabbage in a Romaine salad mix. I was pissed to discover that my steps to health have been undermined. What is the best course of action to counter the intake of avoids? Sincerely, Anthony



Heeheehee! :-) Anthony, you sound like me years back, when I bought an $18.00 jar of organic almond butter, got home, and ate some while reading the label ~ which in fine print said, "May contain peanuts." ARGGGHH! I tossed it straight in the trash. :-) Don't worry ~ that tiny bit of cabbage will do no lasting harm (and I really should have kept that almond butter). However, having some Deflect-A around the house is a good idea, just in case sneaky lectin-laced avoids creep into one's store-bought foods. Take good care, dear, and thanks for your note! I think you'll do well!! :-D

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Hi, Thank you for a very helpful program. I started on the BTD diet and feel very good. I have already lost a bit of weight and hope to lose a lot more. I just want to know, I love fruit and am wondering how bad it is for me to eat more fruit than suggested for my type. I am blood type A+. I cant find anyone in my area (in South Africa) who can do a secretor test for me. Is it OK if I just follow the diet as in ER4YT? Thank you very much. Isabel



Hello, Isabel! Glad you like your new diet! :-) The type A fruit frequencies suggested in Live Right 4 Your Type are actually per day, rather than per week (as noted in this site's Updates Page), and come to approximately 2-4 servings daily. Do make room for the other beneficial foods, OK? the diets are designed to provide what you need in balanced proportions. Beyond that "warning," enjoy the fruit to your heart's content! :-)

Eurika posted a while back that the "Western Cape Blood Transfusion Service" does the saliva secretor test, as well as the Lewis (blood) test. Give them a call at (021) 507 6300 and ask for the Serology Department. Good luck, and thank you for writing!!

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My husband and I (both A's) have been on the ERFYT diet since Aug. and he has lost almost 30 pounds and feels great. I on the other hand have not noticed a great difference, but enjoy eating more healthy anyway and was back to my pre-pregnancy weight within two months. My question is regarding our 16 week-old son. I am starting to seriously think about weaning him (he is currently completely breast-fed); however, most of the weaning schedules I have looked at include potatoes or sweet potatoes as the second starch. What else could I use? Has a ERFYT weaning schedule ever been developed? Is it okay to use soymilk when he gets to the age when most schedules say to start to introduce cow's milk? Thanks, Michelle



Hello, Michelle ~ congratulations on your new little guy! I'm SO pleased you and your husband are going strong on the A diet, and that you stopped by to ask about weaning foods! ;-) As I've mentioned now and again, I have NO experience with babes of my own, but plenty of other folks around here do! See This Link. Scroll down near the bottom of the page, or do a "control-F" search for "Verna." Suzanna offered insights from weaning her four babies, a schedule, and references to a book and to the premiere resource for breastfeeding, LaLeche League. This page is the column to which Suzanna referred, in which I offered my completely motherhood-inexperienced ideas on 'what' foods to wean a tiny type O on. Is your baby type A (I ask because he could be an O)? You could use the suggestions in that column. If he is type A, substitute turkey or chicken for the "meat" mentioned, and using thoroughly-cooked soft whole grains (like rice, buckwheat, all those Great Grains for As) as a milk-like meal with a tiny bit of good oil added. Soy is fine as well, but keep the beans balanced against the other foods in his diet. Just think "Consistency: Baby Food; Source: Beneficial." ;-)

I do envy your little guy's magnificent start in life, and I thank you sincerely for being such wonderful parents! take care, the three of you!! :-D

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Hi! I am a 26-year-old Type A+ secretor and full-time nursing mom to a 6-month-old boy (also A+, as is his older brother). I am mostly enjoying the challenge of settling into the blood type lifestyle, except when I haven't eaten enough protein and my blood sugar crashes!

I have a few questions about specifics of the diet and supplement protocols:

1.) I love beans, and I see that I should eat about 1 serving of beans per day, but they have been causing me a lot of gas. Is there any connection between intestinal candida and gassiness after eating beans? About how long should it take my body to adapt to eating beans? If you recommend starting with small portions, what should I substitute for beans? I am already eating man-sized portions of protein-rich foods the maximum number of times per week to avoid hypoglycemia while nursing. Is this a good strategy?

2.) I have had "geographic tongue" for my entire life, and I suspect that it is really oral thrush (creamy, furry patches on my tongue that cycle through a predictable series of patterns) even though no doctor or dentist has ever seemed concerned when I asked about it. Can I treat thrush while nursing? I know my nursling has intestinal thrush, too, because he almost always has a slight yeasty diaper rash. Can I do anything for him? And what about my toddler, who probably also has a chronic yeast problem (we shared nipple/oral thrush when he was a baby)?

3.) I need to phase-shift my circadian rhythm to be less nocturnal. Can I safely take methylcobalamin in the doses recommended by the protocol, or is there something else I can try?

4.) Is Cortiguard safe to take while nursing? I am just starting an A-friendly exercise routine, but I would like to use any tool available to help lower my cortisol level so I can be an emotionally resilient mother instead of a constantly stressed one. (In the way of supplements, I am currently taking PolyFlora A, ARA6, vitamin C powder from pure acerola cherry, and 1 heaping tablespoon of ground flaxseed daily.) I appreciate your taking the time to read this (long!) letter. I always look forward to reading your invariably encouraging column. Thank you! -- Sarah

Greetings, Sarah! :-)

First, yes: candida will mean extra gassiness if grains, sugar, fruit or beans are eaten, but you need those beans and other proteins. I don't like to add to your supp load, but 25 mg of zinc, 10,000IU of vitamin A and 1000-2000mg of Astragalus membranaceus daily, along with the yeast/fungus resistance protocols in the Encyclopedia, will start working at that candida problem. Heal yourself first, then we'll look at how your baby and toddler are doing. And I'm going to surprise you by suggesting you have a full scoop (four tablespoons) of nutritional yeast every day. It's the B vitamins, dear. you need them and the zinc to help lower your cortisol levels, and nutritional yeast (my recommended brand is KAL) will not feed the candida. Cortiguard would be great for you, and can be taken whenever you feel a stressful situation coming on. Whatever comes through the breast milk will be good for your tiny tyke, too. :-)

As you want to move to a diurnal schedule, take a couple Cortiguards around four or five in the evening. The active B12 will work *if* you take it first thing in the morning and walk right out to get some natural light direct in your eyes. Methylcobalamin is most recommended for As, in any case, due to the usually-lower levels of intrinsic factor produced by folks of your type.

OK, that's a lot of supps, but I offer them for your consideration. Do whatever you are happy and comfortable doing! that's the most important thing right now!!

I want to emphasize that all these things are related ~ the candida, the thrush, the schedule and the stresses. Your immune system has been mightily challenged with all you are doing, affecting your intestinal flora & fauna, hence bringing digestive problems to the fore. The single best piece of support I can give you is what you plan to do already: yoga, meditation, and a shift to a dawn-to-dusk schedule. These are the VERY best things you can do.

I'll tell you a little story: when I was a college student, I was diagnosed with mononucleosis and ordered to stay out of classes, rest, and take antibiotics for four weeks. Since I'd already paid for a TM retreat, I asked the organisers if it was OK for me to arrive with mono! and they said, Sure, come along! so I skipped the antibiotics and headed straight for South Fallsburg with the intention of keeping away from others as much as possible to avoid infecting them! In a TM retreat, you basically meditate, walk out-of-doors, eat and sleep. I came back after four days and went to my doctor, who was shocked to find all my counts normal, the mono gone. Mind you, there was no strenuous exercise involved! and the diet offered was precisely the opposite of what a good O nonsecretor should eat, including NO animal-derived foods, plenty of whole wheat, and daily ice cream, LOL! but I came back feeling absolutely wonderful.

So I have huge faith in your body's ability to heal itself completely through a daily practice of meditation and yoga, along with the fabulous benefits of the A diet. Same goes for your little'uns! they'll recover fast from the yeasty stuff, once you're well and balanced. You are a wonderful Mom, Sarah! and with a little adjustment here and there, you'll get to enjoy it more, too.

Write again if there's anything you think I might be able to help with... and I envy you your fresh discovery of all the joys of yoga and meditation! ~~:-D

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I'm a type A and I absolutely love the brank Silk for soy milk products. I've grown up on soy milk and am very used to the taste, but Silk just blows the competitors out of the water! I love the stuff! The problem is, with this brand and most others that taste decent, carageenan is always listed near the bottom in the ingredients list, which is an avoid for A's. So, does this make these soy milks a nuetral or an avoid? Does the soy milk lose its beneficial status because it contains an avoid? Or is it still OK to consume because it is near the bottom of the list? I've been able to find one brand without carageenan, Vitasoy, but I have to drive 45 minutes out of my way to get it and it really doesn't taste that good. How is this Silk soy milk to be categorized and how often can I consume it (if at all)? Julie Anne



Hi, Julie Anne ~ It is not a terrible thing if you use the soy milk you like best, even with the carrageenan. However, carrageenan does not impart flavor -- its function is as an emulsifier, so the difference you're tasting is coming from other ingredients.

After over half an hour of searching, I managed to find White Wave's website and get some info on what's in it.

First, here are the ingredients:





First, I never suggest that anyone, especially a type A, take calcium carbonate (chalk), and certainly not as part of a food eaten daily. It can strain the kidneys, and is the least assimilable form of calcium we've got. What are they putting chalk in their soy milk for? They suggest that calcium carbonate is "highly bioavailable." There is ample research to suggest the opposite.

Second, the vitamins are synthetic additives. Their extensive FAQ pages do not address that concern.

And for those of us who have learned bitter lessons on what hides behind "Natural Flavors/Flavorings:"



Of course, we still don't know what they are.

Again, it is up to each person to make these choices, but if you are drinking soy milk for your health, I am fully supportive of choosing a brand with only organic soybeans, water and sea salt. There are several on the market, and all can be purchased online if one's local store does not stock them. I do sympathize with the 'taste quotient,' but these things do change with time & patience ~ and the difference in health benefits appears pretty substantial.

I hope this gives an idea of, at least, how I look at soy products, Julie Anne. I'm happy for you to make your own decisions, and I offer this information only so you'll know what I'm thinking. :-) best regards to you, dear! ~:-)

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Hi Heidi! I love your column and like other readers often go back into the archives... I don't recall this question posted and hopefully you will shed some light. I am an A+/Secretor... I am not much for cooked fish, but absolutely love sushi. Up until recently it was my "treat" once or twice a week. But lately Dr. Mercola and several others have been warning against the high mercury levels in fish, which has me greatly concerned since it is very recommended for my type. I was on the BTD strictly for about 1 year, then off [due to life situations] for about 6 months and I am just coming back on and starting to once again see why I stuck to it to begin with . Since I have CFS/Fibromyalgia, serious allergies [which is why this diet was so perfect to stumble across!!!]and IBS, I am concerned about the mercury... Can you offer anything further?? Also, do you know of a corn syrup free Tonic Water that is available in the US?? Thanks!! Trish



Hey there, Trish! The concern over mercury in fish long pre-dates the good doctor's website. If you follow the top link to the Environmental Working Group's site and search for "mercury," you'll find a page with a number of links on the right to various reports. They are as yet incomplete, and I still find the FDA's high-mercury fish list useful -- but do read the numbers themselves on the FDA chart, and you'll see tuna has tested higher than the top fish on their Top Four list.

Here is a link to the FDA's general advice, which is directed to women of childbearing age and especially pregnant women, but should be observed by everyone (in my opinion):

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg.html

Follow the Methylmercury Levels in Commercial Seafood Species December 2000 link at the bottom of that page to the chart:

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html

Folks, we are steadily polluting this planet and there is much to be done to turn that trend around. Refusing to eat fish will remove a valuable element from your diet, as well as hurt the people who harvest it for us, but actively involving yourself in getting the pollution stopped will benefit everyone.

{climbing down from my soapbox, or fish crate in this case} ~:-)

Do follow the protocols in the Encyclopedia for your conditions! Have you looked into "Seacure?" Peter has mentioned that it helped his IBS/colitis patients.

About corn-free tonic water: I haven't found a single brand, and no one has written in with one. I wonder if it exists?? {sigh!} I'll keep looking.

You keep healing, and with the caveats to (1) check with your sushi chef on what he puts in the sushi rice and (2) choose the fish wisely, I say EAT THAT SUSHI, Trish! and keep me posted on how you're doing! :-D

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I am an A+ & have been on the diet for eight months with excellent results. My question is very specific: since glucosamine sulfate is derived(or consists primarily of, according to my understanding)from shellfish shells and A's are not compatible with shellfish, is it possible to have an allergic reaction to taking this supplement? This seems like such an obvious question/concern, that I am surprised it has not been addressed. Any insight, thoughts, or referrals to a website for more detailed information on this?? Thanks, Naima

Sure, Naima! Actually, it has been addressed, in Ask Peter D'Adamo. I found it by going to his page and using the search term "sulfate." Deflect for Arthritis is the name of that particular column. Pop over there & have a good read! :-)

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I am a non-secretor O, and when i read the question from september 3rd, my antennae shot up! the laboratory diagnosis, "blastocystis hominis" could be very important for this woman to heed. i was diagnosed with this parasite in june, 2002 --- and i was sicker than i have ever been in my life, for over two months. i was spiraling downward for many months before that. my doctor was not much help, as she had only encountered it once before. my boss, who is a practicing internist, had never heard of this parasite. my longtime friend in washington, d.c., who is a family practitioner, had heard of it but never encountered it in her medical practice.

the data on blastocystis hominis is contradictory, controversial, and scant. i had to move forward with it on the energy of my family practitioner friend, who said, "if the data is sparse or contradictory, why side with the naysayers? treat it!" so i did, with the standard treatment -- high doses of flagyl. since the woman who wrote you can not take antibiotics, she would need a naturopath to prescribe for her a different treatment for this parasite, but she should treat it! she may have had this parasite in her weakened gut for 6 years or longer. (she wrote that the laboratory diagnosis of it came 6 years ago.)

i was much better after starting the antibiotics, and continued getting better within the course of the 10-day treatment. but i was still very sick and recovered very slowly, i presume because of the parasite's damaging my intestinal tissue. food choices that worked for me: homemade chicken broth for weeks. no solid foods. water and diluted pineapple juice. later food choices that worked: plain, well-cooked meats. i was especially drawn to plain chicken. also some banana (first cooked puree, then frozen, then regular). continued with water and diluted pineapple juice.

i did try rice and blueberry juice. while i tolerated both, they did not seem to help me, and in fact the rice seemed to just sit in my stomach for a bit. on the other hand, the homemade chicken broth instantly felt like elixir (and i believe kept me alive), and i actually began to get energy from the meats, when i added them in later. i craved the plain, cooked chicken! my theory on this is that the tissue damage required animal protein to get it on the mend. and as a non-secretor O, rice is ok but did not feel truly helpful.

i wish this woman the best. blastocystis hominis has the ability to make one very, very sick. it is possible that in addition to seeing a naturopath, she could also benefit from speaking with an infectious disease specialist who has treated it successfully. hope this helps someone. melissa

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Melissa!! Thank you so much for offering your experience and advice on this condition ~~ I deeply appreciate it, and I am sure there are others out there who will benefit from your generosity!

Dear Readers: If you see a topic here on which you have information to relay, please be encouraged to do so! My gratitude goes out to all of you, the seekers and the guides on the BTD path!!

Greetings to everyone!

I am entirely tied up today, and haven't had a chance to write answers, so I'll put up a longer list tomorrow.



Just wanted to post another quick note here on how this column works.

I rarely answer a question the day after it is asked, so for those of you who are concerned that your question of the 19th wasn't answered on the 20th, be aware that the wait-time is closer to a week or two than a day. Between ten and a dozen questions come in daily, not to mention the fact that recent personal events in my life have been very consuming of time and focus -- so while we're not at all backlogged to the extent of months, as was the case until March (those Os! ;-)), we're not on a 24-hour reply schedule.

The longer and more complex your question (some run to three pages), especially if there are multiple and years-long symptoms described, the longer it may take me to answer it. A few of these get shelved because the issues aren't appropriate to this venue. In rare cases, some of them are answered privately. A small percentage of queries are incomprehensible, impossible to answer, or both.

Then again, sometimes a question gets put aside for a special purpose, and then sits there unattended-to. Carol, you wrote about your missing question, and that's where it was! So if it's been a few weeks and you don't see an answer, DO let me know, and I'll see if your question has crept away into a file that hasn't yet been published here.

My goal is to post & reply to as many questions on as many different topics as arise, while covering some repeat issues as often as it seems that reviewing that information is productive. So, please bear with me for a few more days while I get back up to speed here? thanks so much! :-)

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More Mac news: Dear Heidi - here are some more Mac news. I am using an iMac as well, and I have no problems at all with your page, the d'Adamo site and the different functions. Just tried it out again. I am using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.2 for MacIntosh (from April 2002). This is a German version, but I am sure that updated English versions are even more advanced. The "Sahara" internet explorer from Apple works very good for me as well. It is available through the Apple web page as an (English) beta-Version for free. I hope this helps - I am also one of those readers who appreciate your column every morning, and it would be most disappointing if some valuable communications would not be readable! With best greetings to you and the BTD community, Eva

Thanks, Eva ~~ With all the great technical advice we're getting, I'm sure everyone will sort their view-the-column difficulties in short order! :-D

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I just wanted to start the live right 4 your type diet, but am really confused about the secretor and non-secretor issue. When I had my blood test at the doctor's I was told I was blood type A (no problem there) but also rhesus negative does this mean that I am a non secretor or is this part something else? If it is something else this means I will need to do the secretor test which I can't do as I live in the UK and can't get the test here. Can you please advise me which diet will be better for me and how I should go about following the Live Right 4 Your type or the Eat right 4 your type (I have both books) and is there anything else I should bear in mind. Thank you Teresa

Hello, Teresa -- and WELCOME! ~:-D Great to hear from another newbie!

Your Rhesus type (negative) is actually a separate "blood type" from your ABO type. Secretor status is separate again from either of those. Live Right 4 Your Type explains it all, just give it a good read from cover to cover. Loads of wonderful information and resources there. ;-)

To get a secretor status test in the UK, just go to the UK site, Nature-Cure Online.

The only advice I have for now is to start in on the A plan, and keep it going! Use the Updates Page to see our Food List Change Log ~~ and check the TYPEbase3 database if you need a value for an individual food item. And of course, write back if questions occur to you ~~ thanks for your note, dear! once gain, nice to see you here! :-D

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Hi Heidi, You are doing a great job, just to save you some time here is a note for Sarah and other Mac users of your page: The 'List All Topics' page currently works properly in Mac Netscape 4, and not in Mac Netscape 6 or Mac Internet Explorer 5 (but the front page www.dadamo.com is slow to load on Netscape 4...) Best wishes ~ Tom Greenfield (nature-cure.co.uk)

Well, folks, the Renaissance Man has popped in once again, just to help in yet another way! I sometimes wonder if there's anything he can't do!

Sarah & any other Mac users out there, please take note of Tom's advice ~~ wish I could be of more help in guiding you to a browser upgrade or some such, but unfortunately I am 100% clueless in the Mac environment. IE5 for PC has far fewer security issues than the upgrades, but I'm not sure if that problem applies in Mac World. Is there a Netscape 5 for MacIntosh, and is it a total pain to go there? well, that's the entire "expert consultation" I have to offer today! ;-}

Thank you so much for this and ALL you do, Tom ~~ best wishes to you, too, dear!! :-D

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I am an O secretor. Most, or many, muchrooms are on the avoid list for type Os. It seems to be mainly because of the molds that tend to grow on them. If they are cooked, does this change the status of eating them? It would seem that the mold would be destroyed once they get cooked. Or am I missing something? Thank you for your column, it is a big help. Lou

Hi there, Lou! Surprisingly, various species of mushrooms contain lectins which are helpful to some types, and ineffective or actively harmful for other types. While mushrooms may be loosely described as "100% fungus," edible mushrooms should always be as FRESH as possible -- if you detect any mold by sight or smell, do not buy them. Moldy mushrooms are avoids for everybody. ;-) so the lectin factors rather than any mold content are the determiners of ABO reactivity, hence the rating in the food lists. Thanks for your note, Lou ~~ glad the column helps! my pleasure!! :-D

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Hi, Heidi, just an update on my (Type A) sneezing habits. Naturally, after having endured the constant sneezing for months, almost as soon as I wrote to you, it has all but ceased. Now I sneeze on exposure to bright light (which is fairly common, I know) and environmental allergens - pollen, cat fur, newsprint, etc., but not in response to food. An interesting side note - last week I had a hamburger for the first time in 18 months. Within seconds my throat had clogged up, my nasal passages were jammed and I was really miserable (but no sneezing, though a lot of nose blowing!). I'm so tuned into noticing the mucus response to foods now that I wasn't surprised to see how beef affected me, but it was instant and dramatic. Good reinforcement for the plan. Thanks for your continued good work. Kim

Aha! It appears that writing to me is what stopped the chronic sneezing. Whoo! I feel quite magical! ;-D Kim, did you ever take quercetin for a period of weeks? It has even more powerful effect upon environmental allergies than I can claim. ;-) Try 1000 grams per day, taken whenever you like, and keep it up for a month ~~ it won't help with the burgers, but at least newsprint & kitties may be rendered quite harmless. Marvelous report, and thanks SO much for updating me, Kim! :-D

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hi heidi, i have been using veg glycerin for about four weeks with good results as about nine members of my family are diabetic ie sisters brothers,this is the question? is there any calories in glycerin and how much can i use on a daily basis i really do love your website i've got all dr dadamo's books i feel a lot better than i have felt for a long time thank-you for all your good work. Mary

Hi there, Mary! You can use as much as you like. It does contain "calories," but the calories do not have the same sort of impact on your sugar metabolism as table sugar does. In fact, they have the opposite effect, in that veg gly has a beneficial effect upon serum sugar levels and reduces appetite and reduces cravings. So, use it in anything you'd normally sweeten with something else.

I'm truly pleased you're having happy results with the diet, Mary! You make my work worthwhile! Now, you get to work on those nine brothers & sisters, OK? I want to see them healthy & thriving! and... keep writing, dear!! :-D

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John (O) asked for ways to eat canned salmon & sardines. As an A I use these a lot, often in salads mixed into the dressing (I just mash up the salmon backbone rather than remove it) but here is a very easy recipe for a sauce with an Italian flavour. Gently sweat down a large sliced onion (or two smaller ones) - it needs a lot of onion - & two-three cloves of garlic in olive oil. Add a large portion of spinach or other tender greens, put the lid on & wilt thoroughly. Mash in a small can of salmon or sardines (about 3 sardines if you have a big can) & warm through. Eat, possibly with rice pasta or rice, or just on its own. Its taste is improved by a sprinkling of pecorino romano. As an O John might experiment with adding tomato in which case he wouln't need quite as much onion, and would add the spinach after the tomato had rendered down. If John eats grain, canned salmon is also good in a risotto, added near the end, and sardines are good mashed with a little mustard powder & some herbs, or just as they are, on a slice of rye toast, and warmed under the grill (?broiler in US). The kind in olive oil is best for taste & texture. Sarah

Oh, Sarah, you're a jewel among women. MANY thanks for those fish recipes! (I'll be passing them on to my own type A 'cook,' of course! YUM.) :-D

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Heidi, You answered my question some while back about "cycling" and suggested I use maca root, gotu kola and l-tyrosine. Well it worked & how!! I've been using it for about six weeks and have just finished my cycle with no food cravings at all. After all these years of two weeks good then two weeks of manic eating you cannot believe what a relief this is. I have a rather large appetite anyway & it's regulated this as well so I can stick to normal portions. As I am 45 I will probably stick to this protocol as I would like to be in the best of health as I approach menopause. Thank you so so much. Best wishes Helen

Hallelujah! ~~:-D What a grand report! I'm just pleased down to the ground about this, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the freedom from cravings that you worked so hard to achieve for yourself. Well done, dear! and my most sincere thanks for sharing it with us here. Best of health to you, Helen! which I am SURE you'll have! :-D

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Hi there, just thought I would send a little observation for your attention regarding certain link buttons that are disabled just in case this goes unnoticed. If it is deliberate, just ignore this message! As from yesterday, the 22nd March, I noticed that the direct link to your 'On The Diet' column (from the home page, under 'Today'!) was disabled, it is still disabled today. This means one has to go to the article posted before being able to get to the 'On The Diet' via the home page. Today, the 23rd. March, I noticed a couple of ther buttons are also disable: namely: from the 'As I See It' column/page, both the @list All Topics' button and the 'List The Last Month's Topics' re-page to just two topics. Hope this helps, if it is not deliberate! Diane



Hey, Diane -- thanks for the note on this. I'm a little confused, though, as to exactly what did change. If I want to read this column page, I always do click the link that takes me to the article. What did you do before?



Also, when viewing any column, you should see links on the left side of the page to all the other columns. Do those links work for you?



For the As I See It column, there are only two articles which have appeared -- it's not a daily or weekly feature, but changes only occasionally, when a new article is posted (so far, only two). So the "Read Previous Commentaries" button (which Peter put up instead of the more extensive search fields) is sufficient for that particular column. Hope this helps, dear, and do write back if I've made a muddle of it! :-D

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Heidi: I am still ahving problems with parts of your columns not appearing. You have dealt wit hthis before for someone else but the advice you gave does not seem to apply to me. I have an iMac with Internet Explorer 5 Macintosh Edition as the browser, and Outlook Express 5 for Macs as the e-mail. Yet stil it often happens that the end of your column diappears and is replaced by a lot of white space, followed by the list previous subjects button. This is frustrating as I hate to miss any of your advice. PS the tumours seem to be shrinking. Sarah



Hello, Sarah! Hey, I'm THRILLED that the tumours are disappearing! Nice Work!! Listen, just email me with the titles of the columns you can't view in their entirety. Or tell me the URLs, or the dates, whatever's easiest for you. I'll just return-mail them to you in text format.



Anyone else having this problem, just use my email (contained in the "About Heidi Merritt" link just above the title for this page). Bear in mind that anyone using Netscape on a Mac may have to view this page with IE instead -- but if you're already using IE, and can't see the whole column page, gimme a holler and I'll do what I can. thanks!! :-D

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Hello! I`m bloodtype B, and I`ve followed the diet a couple of weeks now. I have lost some weight, but I want to GAIN weight! I`m 1.84 tall and weigh 66-67 kilograms. My goal is to be 75 kg. Any suggestions on how to gain weight while following the diet? Thanks! Morten



Greetings, Morten! Welcome to the type B world!! The weight you're losing is fat, toxins, old fecal matter and water. The weight you want to gain is muscle tissue (active tissue mass). To do so, follow the portion/frequency tables for each food group in Live Right 4 Your Type as well as the recommended exercise program.



If you are waking up HUNGRY in the morning (I don't mean ready for a cup of tea and a biscuit, but RAVENOUS), you may not have eaten sufficiently the day before -- it will help to add a very light meal or a fruit smoothie a couple of hours before you go to sleep, or snacks between meals, or a larger supper (well before bedtime). Never skimp on your protein foods, but include plenty of the vegetables and fruit on your list, as well as dairy and a serving of grain. And make time once or twice per week for an intense weight-training session, along with a couple of other B activities such as martial arts. Search this column (in the search engine, at the bottom of this page) for the term "superslow" and read through the hits that come up. Healthy weight gain means steady muscle gain. If you're naturally of a slender build, the gains will come slowly, but surely, if you work at it.



Pleased to hear from you! Don't worry much about the scales right now -- just keep at your plan, and drop me a note now & again on how it's coming along! :-D

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Hello Heidi. You have mentioned canned wild salmon a few times. My question is: What do put on your plate along with the salmon as an O? John



:-D Hi, John! Canned salmon or sardines (with bones in) are great because the bone calcium is right there in a softened form, and with a blender one can make a dip or paté of it all. Or, once mashed thoroughly, they go nicely made into a "fish loaf," something like meatloaf but with a bit of grated onion, carrot, garlic, handful of walnuts and a bit of green veg (parsley works well) and lemon juice mixed in. Handle loosely, and don't pat it down too heavily in the baking dish. Cook till it's browned and smells good. ;-D



Canned salmon is also great added to a salad. You might want to remove the larger bones for that purpose, and just flake it up. Squeeze of lemon and dash of oil, salt & freshly-ground pepper, and perhaps some walnuts, and you have a wonderful basic salad.



To tell you the truth, I've been known to eat canned fish right from the can. Crunch it up, YUM!! (sorry folks! ;-} but true!! I just get rather involved in my work now and again, and if it weren't for Bryan the Chef in the house, I might be squatting on my computer chair eating watercress, raw meat and nuts, but he's really good at reminding me it's time to eat and dragging me off to the table to do so. :-D ) Now, if you're going to have a proper meal on a plate and all, you might warm the fish, mix up a bit of homemade herbed mayonnaise for it (or just drizzle some really good olive, walnut or almond oil over it) and place some roasted sweet potato or turnip, and broccoli or cooked greens, alongside.



... of course, there's always salmon moussse...... ;-> If none of these suggestions strike your fancy, write in again and we'll give it another shot! :-D thanks for writing, John! :-D

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I have been on Dr. D'Adamo's diet for about a year and am a Type O. My question is to do with the distilled water. Is it true that distilled water is acidic and also depletes the right minerals out of your body and causes a lot of other health problems in the body? I have been drinking distilled water for about 5 years now and am wondering why my bone density test was so low being eventhough I have been taking Phytocal for some time now. Awaiting your reply, Thanks for your attention in this matter. Tonie



Hi, Tonie! If your bone density is low, DO stop drinking the distilled water (an item not found in nature), and start using at least one liter of good mineral water every day, along with spring or filtered water (with a pinch of grey sea salt added to each quart). www.mineralwaters.org has a great database of mineral waters from around the world. An excellent brand is Gerolsteiner, for its level of solids and calcium content -- read about it there, and compare other brands as well. Acidity is not the issue for distilled water. It simply skews your electrolyte balance, hence the rinsing-away-of-minerals effect.



Eat an abundance of high-calcium foods (see Peter's Ask Dr. D'Adamo column, and search for "calcium" -- you'll find one called Calcium from Almonds, there's a list of foods there for your reference), and make sure your protein intake is commensurate with the portion/frequency table in Live Right 4 Your Type. Protein foods stimulate the production of intestinal alkaline phosphatase, which facilitates the assimilation of the calcium present in the foods you eat. And take the Phytocal at the "therapeutic" level noted on the bottle.



Your exercise routine is truly essential to your bone growth, including weight-bearing exercise. It's all part of the full plan! Make these changes, and in as little as a few months, your bone scans may already show the difference.



Let me know how this goes for you, Tonie -- keep me posted, OK? :-}

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Hi Heidi, Thanks for answering my recent questions about gelatin for type A's and supplements. And also for the encouragement to ask more if needed! It seems like there is so much to understand in the beginning stages of this diet! I'm still a little confused about supplements. Here are my questions/confusions: 1)Is there an "avoid" list for supplements anywhere in either the books or on the website? I've looked but so far can't find. I think I partly got confused by looking at www.er4yt.com. Now I think I understand that those are not totally correct lists? That is where there are alot of supplements listed as "avoid". But I see nothing like that on this website. 2)I'm specifically wondering about pregenenolone, DHEA, and L-Glutamine. These don't come up in a search in the database. Again, they are listed on the other website. All three of these are things my doctor feels I need, for adrenal insufficiency and/or to strengthen the bowel. So I would like to get this straightened out.3) Also, Vitamin A is the only supplement I've specifically seen mentioned as an "avoid" for Type A's, but I see there is Vitamin A in the supplement sold for A's on the website. Help! 4)The FAQ's say that if we don't know our secretor status, we should use the "Food, Beverage and Supplement lists". Are those the ones in Eat Right For Your Type? So, thank you again Heidi for your seemingly never-endingpatience with all these questions you get every day! Joan



Aw, you're a sweetie, Joan! I'm very pleased to answer questions, so don't hesitate to fling 'em in here!



The er4yt.com lists represented an earlier compliation of values, collected from BTD and Peter's occasional message-board notes & Ask Dr. D. columns of years ago. The quantity & quality of the detailed information on this plan was great in the beginning, but it has grown tremendously over time, not only through Peter's observation of his own patients' results, but also as others' research and advances in testing have developed. The definitive text on supplements right now is the ER4YT Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia, and for each condition are recommendations by blood type as well as a supplement reference by type/condition in the back of the book.



If you have a doctor savvy enough to talk about pregnenolone, DHEA and L-glutamine, I think you're in excellent hands -- and please let me know his or her name!! None of those supps are harmful for you, and will most likely do a world of good. NOTE ADDED: make an exception for L-glutamine: it should be avoided by types A and B because it raises cortisol levels. Vitamin A is indeed used for type A, depending on the condition, and it's also included in some BTD-specific supplements.



Oh, and the Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists are little pocket-sized books with secretor-nonspecific food lists. Each is for one blood type only -- they were published in 2002. Yours is blue & white, and entitled Blood Type A Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists.



Let me know if I can help further, any time, Joan! :-D

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Heidi, I thought I would share some information with you that I recently read about Coleus. According to the book “The Cortisol Connection” by Shawn Talbott, PH.D. the roots of the Coleus plant are a natural source of forskolin, a compound that can increase cellular levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), an effect that is theorized to influence many areas of metabolism. The typical dosage recommendations for coleus extracts are in the range of 100-300 mg per day (10-20 % forsholin). The downside is that the typical dosage amount appears to be more than enough to induce a significant rise in blood levels of cortisol. For that reason he does not recommend it. You can read most of the same information at http://www.supplementwatch.com. Dr. Talbott was one of the original founders of SupplementWatch.com. However, on the other hand I have also read in “The Anti-Aging Zone” by Barry Sears a recommendation for taking it. I noticed that Dr. D’Adamo recommends it in his Fatigue-Fighting Protocol for Type Os. This seems to balance the other 2 recommendations, since type Os are supposed to typically have the lowest cortisol levels. Regards, Don



Good observation, Don! Peter originally suggested Coleus as a cAMP modulator for Os who do not eat adequate quantities of flesh proteins, and while it would be absolutely NOT ok for a type A, the cortisol boost (early in the day) is a useful balancing effect for many Os as well. I truly appreciate your continuing research! A Lion in the forests of knowledge! thanks, dear!! :-D

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Heidi, Christina, Type O Secretor back again! hee! I was so happy to learn that I could have the Goat Milk Protein Powder as I know Goat Milk is an Avoid for Type O's. I figured since I could not have Goat Milk, that the protein powder was a no no as well. As to your concern of me obtaining good quality goat milk protein powder, I get Goatein Powder. You can read about it at http://www.gardenoflifeusa.com. I buy it at Whole Foods here in San Diego and it's a bit pricey, but we really like the taste of it. Also i have a question coming in from Woody.... you informed him to take his 'Polyflora' supps on between meals or before bedtime.. well in reading about how to take the Polyflora on the NAP website (question and answer area), it says that it really doesn't matter if one takes between meals or with meals... So... in the beginning, I myself was taking them inbetween which is sort of a hassle since i eat 6 small meals a day, but after reading that info., i just started taking them with all my other supps. Is this really ok from Dr. Dadamo's standpoint? We really want to obtain the full benefit of the Polyflora so we are looking forward to hearing the best way. Ok.. signing off for now... Christina



YOO-HOO! Christina, the goat milk answer was MY ERROR! I'm going off to correct it in the column database. Goat CHEESE (no whey) is neutral for O secretors, but goat MILK (includes whey) is an avoid. Weird how I scan the food list in my head and make these awful bloopers now and again. My apologies! No, the goat milk protein powder is a definite no-no for ya. It's fine for A secretors, though -- avoid for A nonsecretors.



For the absolute most benefit from PolyFlora, take it first thing in the morning, last thing in the evening, with plenty of water, but away from food. Lets the little guys travel unimpeded to their new home! :-D thanks for that, dear, and keep smiling! :-D

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Hello I have just started the BTD diet and I have two questions : First of all I can't sleep longer than 6 hours since I started the diet.The strange thing is that I am not tired , on the contrary ,I feel very fit.But my concern is that I'll have a backlash sooner or later.What do you think? Normally I am used to sleeping my eight hours. My second question is : Is it ok to seperate carbonhydrates from proteins? And I also only eat fruit on a empty stomach.I have been doing so for the last eleven months with very positive results. Is it ok to continue like this with the ER4YT-diet ? Howard



Greetings, Howard! :-) You're experiencing one of the unexpected happy side-effects of this diet: often people require less sleep when their foods and activities are suited to their physiology. Read more about it in the column called Live Right 4 Your Get Up & Go. ;-D I wouldn't expect a backlash, but rather a settling-in of a good, steady sleep/wake routine that is perfect for you.



Sure, feel free to use food separation if it suits you. Enjoy! and thanks for your note -- & welcome to the very best health system in the world!! :-D

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I have read both the Eat right for your type and the Live right for your type. I am a AB+ blood group and what I find confusing is that in Eat right for your type you list hake as beneficial. And in the live right for your type as avoid. The same applies for coffee. I am allergic to seafood so when ever I eat it my body swells up and I need a adrenaline injection. This limits me to the amount of fish I can at. I only like the taste of hake or tuna and am to scared to try the others as I might have a reaction. Please help me as I have been eating a lot of hake and I do not know if this is correct or not. The same applies with coffee can I or cant I drink it. Colleen



Hello, Colleen! The Live Right book is years further on into blood type research, so there were changes from the original Eat Right book. Tuna is Beneficial for you, but Hake is an avoid, as is coffee. The Updates Page also located on the homepage (www.dadamo.com) explains the reasons for food value changes. If it's any consolation, we expect any changes to be very few and far between from here on in, other than perhaps additions to the lists. You certainly have a seafood allergy -- does it apply only to shellfish and cephalopods (like squid & cuttlefish), or does it extend to salmon, cod, other fish on your OK list? You may be able to get from your doctor an allergy test (blood or scratch test) for other fish, to see if it's just the "seafood" category or if it's much broader. That way, you can have the knowledge to go forward without fear. Please write again, and thank you for stopping by! :-D

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Hi Heidi! I had to write in with a happy report for people who worry that they aren't getting better fast enough. I have stayed with this diet for 3 years now, and I didn't have a sudden energy burst at the start, not at all! I just stayed with it because I knew it felt right anyway. I couldn't make myself exercise either, was too tired...had a theory that when my body healed I would WANT to exercise. It's been a gradual improvement, so slow it was easy to question whether I was improving at all. Had major nutritional deficiencies & took basic supplements also. But my theory is playing out! I have energy now! Thanks for your earlier answers! I am working on some things still. But I feel great! Take care, Maia, O blood type



thanks, Maia ~~ a lovely reminder!! :-D

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My wife Bianca and I are both blood type A and are on the diet. Are we able to use yeast? Ryan

Hello, Ryan! Yes, both live yeast (for baking) and brewers / debittered/ nutritional yeast (for supplementation). If you go to the TYPEbase 3 database, you can enter a single-word search term such as yeast and bring up the ratings for all types (by using the "search" button, not your keyboard's "enter" key). Enjoy! :-)

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I have two questions about supplements. I am new to the diet and have Type A blood. I see that gelatin is an "avoid" for A's. So my first question is : 1) what do A's do about supplements that have gelatin capsules (almost all of them)? The second question is: 2)as far as I can tell, the info on this website leads me to believe that in general, supplements should be considered as "avoids" unless perhaps specifically needed for a health condition. But the food lists on the website include numerous specific supplements as avoids (and perhaps as beneficial too, I don't remember). These lists also have Dr. D'Adamo's name on them. Any help you can give to clarifiy these issues would be greatly appreciated! Thank you. Joan

Hello, Joan! Commercial gelatin, found in plain packets and in products such as Jello, is the stuff that is to be avoided (usually pork-sourced, although other animals' carcases get involved as well), not only for the source but also for the quantity in which that gelatin is usually eaten. Many supps offer Kosher gelatin, or (better still) veggie caps. Choose those over the regular gelatin supps when possible, but do not worry about the tiny amounts in just one or two supps you take. Supplementation in general is up to the individual -- we do acknowledge that commercially-produced fruit and vegetables shipped long distances before they reach your table are far lower in many essential elements than fresh, home-garden organics, hence those folks who have a hard time getting really fresh food like to supplement to counteract this effect, as well as to support the body in times of stress (which is every day, for a great many people these days). Your health comes first, so take what you need in the way of extras, depending on your health situation and the quality of your food and water supply. I hope this helps, dear! Write again if you have more Qs! :-D

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Hello Heidi, I am type B+ NS, MM. I know that gelatin is avoid for me. However, I wanted to find out if I am allowed to have gelatin derived from fish bones that contains no seaweed polysaccharides. I found it on the website www.digestivewellness.com under baking ingriedients. I am following the "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" by Elaine Gottschall along with BTD, to take care of my Ulcerative Colitis. Thanks a lot and Thanks for you column, I realy love reading it everyday. Magda

Hi, Magda ~ you are very kind!! :-} Certainly, fish bone gelatin is fine for you. Don't forget "SEACURE" for the colitis -- and see the answer to Joan's gelatin question, above, for more details. Thanks again, dear! :-D

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I wanted to make a comment on pH and the O diet. Yes, meat is an acid type food but not for this O. I take my pH for a month straight twice a year to see how I am doing . I have discovered a very interesting fact. If I eat wheat and most grains, my pH takes a dive really fast(dairy also but not a severe). It can go as low as 5 within an hour. If I eat meat alone it stays pretty close to normal but if I eat meat and veges together it will go up to perfect, between 6.5 and 7.0 and stay there for hours. So in the morning around 10:00 if I eat a beef pattie with a raw carrot my pH will stay perfect until around 3:00. Then if I eat a dinner(7:30) of meat and salad for dinner my pH will stay perfect until I wake the next morning.The best feeling is to wake with a good pH.I have tried this many times and the meat vege combo is like a magic pill for my system. Fruit and veges alone or meat alone don't give me near the amazing results though still good. I too was worried about meat being an acid food but for this O if combined with vegetables it is very alkalizing. Also I have found exercise very alkalizing. It really is amazing to discover this acid food making my system alkaline. Just wanted to put her fears to rest. Heidi, thought you could forward this to the person with the concern. Thanks,Kathy

Hello, Kath! I'll do better than that, I'll post it here. This has certainly been my experience as well. Thank you and a Big Hug for sharing your knowledge! :-D

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I don't want to come across to you as being stupid, but I'm very serious about getting a basic understanding of how to start into this Eating for my Blood Type. My stumbling block is this. According to my blood tests, I'm type A- (A negative), is my blood type according to your book in the "A" group? It would stand to reason that I'm in the "A" group. However, I know there are four groups listed in your books: A, AB, B & O but I can't seem to find an absolute statement in any of the books that indicates that A- is actually in the "A" catagory officially. I'm sure the answer is simple to you, but to me, it's not. Please give me the answer so I can get on with starting the eating program. Thanks, Mark

Hey there, Mark ~~ That's an excellent question! What you are dealing with is two different blood "types." The ABO type (A, B, AB and O) and the Rhesus type (positive or negative). These two typing systems are completely unrelated to each other. So all Rhesus positive and Rhesus negative individuals each belong to only one ABO group -- in your case, group (or type) A. thanks for writing, and welcome to the best diet on the planet! write again, ok? :-)

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A simple question: In BTD, my only resource, I can't find a listing for pecans. I'm Type A. Are these good, neutral, or bad? Thanks! L. Kemp

Yep, they were missing from that list. Just go to the TYPEbase 3 database if you have questions about the values of specific foods. For this one, I'll make it easier for ya -- pecans are neutral for Everybody! enjoy!! :-D

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I am a type O. I just wanted to confirm that I can eat any type of esekiel bread. There are a variety of them at my health food store (not in the freezer but more of a refridgerator display) and they are delicious. I think that this bread is ok for my blood type because of the way it is processed I just wanted to double check. I also wanted to know about Kashi cereals. In "Eat Right for your Type" it says that type O's can eat kasha cereal. Is that the same as Kashi? The ingredients listed on the box contain: whole oat flour, oat bran, corm meal and Kashi seven whole grains & sesame flour. I wanted to make sure that I am allowed to eat this product...if like the esekiel bread it is ok because of the way it is processed... Also, Mozzarella cheese is listed as neutral for my blood type. I assume this is cow's milk mozzarella and I can continue to eat my favorite caprese salad which is very exciting...if it's true. It's been a new experience to eliminate wheat from my diet. Eliminating dairy wasn't bad at all and I actually found some great soy products but wheat is everywhere and it makes it difficult to eat out but I am trying! Thank you Becca

Welcome, Becca! Nice to have you "on board!" In "Kashi," the corn makes it an avoid, and I think you'll also find wheat among the "seven whole grains." 'Kasha' is a form of buckwheat, and is OK for O (secretors). Always check each ingredient on commercial products -- sometimes there are really nasty things hiding in there that you'd never expect to find, seeing the lovely wrapper! ;-) Same goes for the Ezekiel breads: check each ingredient list, and make sure they didn't sneak some whole wheat or other avoid stuff in there.

Mozzarella can be either the waterbuffalo ("mozzarella di bufala") or the cows' milk kind, both are fine for you. I'm so pleased you're enjoying the challenge -- it truly gets much easier the longer you keep with it, until it becomes second nature! thanks for writing, Becca, and drop me a note anytime if you have any questions or just want to gab! :-D

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Hi Heidi, thanks for the response on grain portions!! I am sorry for my focus on numbers and size of portions..... I work in a laboratory so you could say this is an occupational hazard for me! (I always want to solve an equation exactly..... )Well, thanks to you and the experiences of others shared here, I do think I have my own personal formula derived!! Maybe this pattern will help someone else. Its funny that you mentioned that A's might do better with smaller more frequent meals; I have on my own gravitated to doing this. I find I fill up too quickly, and actually had a hard time eating enough over the course of the day, until I started doing that. I have actually lost weight over this winter, but do not need to lose more! After I adopted this pattern things seemed to have plateaued and balanced out well over the past few weeks and I feel very energetic. I have five small meals/snacks a day. As far as grains go, I am eating them more than once a day, but in smaller portions. Say a half cup (cooked) at a time for oatmeal and brown rice, and about the same or a little less for amaranth (which I find very satisfying and filling!) I might very well have oatmeal in the am, rice midday, amaranth in the evening, along with whatever fruits, veggies, beans, or fish I'm eating. It seems to be working for me; and if I take the time to count it up, over the week I am eating the right amount, counting one cup cooked as a full portion. It doesn't feel like too much; sometimes I sort of crave those grains! Having them more often in smaller amounts, rather than one larger serving once a day, satisfies that yen but doesn't fill me up too much, so that I can eat lots of other good stuff too! Thanks for the cooking suggestion for the amaranth; it worked very well. It seems to mix in nicely with some of my favorites! Cathy

Hey now! That sounds like a lovely success story, and cooking right along! I TRULY appreciate hearing everyone's way of working this plan -- it cheers me up no end to read all the happy campers around here! thanks, Cathy!!!

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Great column, Heidi. I read your column every day and save most of them. I'm tempted to try Heallix as you've recommended to your readers on occasion;however, in a recent article by Peter on the treatment of Lyme's disease, he warned of potential silver toxicity from the accumulation of silver in the tissues, and, since Heallix contains silver, I wonder if silver toxicity could be a potential side effect from occasional Heallix ingestion. Thanks for your response. Todd

Ah! Yes, the silver toxicity issue is a common confusion. It applies to colloidal silver, used as a supplement, causing argyria if taken in excess over long periods of time. However, Heallix contains no colloidal silver. It's all ionized silver, and will not build up in the tissues at all. Great product! Do read through the www.heallix.com website, Leo explains that aspect in his own words there. Thanks for bringing that up, Todd, I'll bet it had crossed a number of minds! take care, dear! :-D

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Dear HEIDI, I've missed about a month with you, which I regret. Just read your answer to my 'red pepper and paprika' question, thank you. News: I took up karate in mid January and it feels great. Did yoga before that, which was good for my back (Scoliosis) but obviously did not give me enough exercise. Before I started BTD (December 1999) I was seriously ill (nervous background), lost a lot of weight together with my muscles. Now I am still skinny, 47 kilos for my 160 cm height, but feel great with BTD and lifestyle and working on regaining mucle weigth. Thank you for all your effort to keep our souls and bodies together!!! Love, Rose in Hungary

HOO-rah! Rose, you just made my day! Lord, I'm happy to hear it! Keep those notes coming, dear -- don't worry if you need to take a break from reading the dailies! ;-D I'll still be here for you to catch up with when you return!! :-D

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Hi Heidi, Please add my thanks and kudos to all the others for your wonderful column. I wrote almost a year ago about migraines (type O+, secretor), and am happy to report that although I've been extremely slow in upping my compliance, every time I do, the results are noticeable and well worth it! Migraines are rare now, occuring only when I don't eat properly : } Allergies have disappeared, and energy is much better. I saw a post on 3/20 about cooking kale (or other tough, assertively flavored greens), and wanted to make a suggestion. It's one of my goals to eat kale regularly, and removing the bitter taste was critical to my doing so. I've found that "shallow blanching" works very well (I have to credit "Cook's Illustrated" Magazine for this): Rinse a bunch of kale, and remove the tough stems, then roughly chop the kale. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan or stockpot. Add a teaspoon of salt. Add the kale, stir until it wilts, then cover the pot and allow it to cook for 7 minutes. Drain the kale in a colander, and rinse the pot and refill it with cold water and add the kale back in to "shock" it. This prevents overcooking. Drain again, and the bitterness is gone! It's actually pretty good straight from the cold water, but it's very good if you then saute onions and garlic in olive oil, then add the kale and saute until hot. Add a little cider vinegar if you like, toasted walnuts, or other seasonings.I also have a question for you -- what is it about coleus forskolii that makes such a difference in overall energy levels? I really notice when I take it that getting up in the morning is much easier, and my energy level throughout the day is more stable (I take 100 mg in the am and pm).On another note, I'm sorry to hear of the death of your mother. My thoughts and prayers go to you and your family. Thanks again, Jane

Jane, you're a sweetie.... thanks! everyone has been unbelievably loving and kind. what a bunch. ;-}

The blanch & shock is what I used to do until I got lazy and tried a shortcut. :-D I was very pleased to see some respected cooks using my "hammer it" approach, since it lent it a little caché and emboldened me to publish the faster technique. However, each way has its uses, and to retain the shape and texture (for a warm salad, for example), your method's certainly best.

Coleus potentiates energy across the cell membranes, and I'll be darned if I know how it works, either. Glad it does you well, though! that's the most important part! thanks again for the report and the cooking technique, Jane -- and for all your kindness! :-D

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I would like to give evidence having read Rachel's questions: I am O, I was overweight all my life and I did not succeed in stabilizing, all the time tired, in lethargy, urge for sugar, in depression, no vitality, asthma, allergies, acne, pains, problems of digestion.... Since I am on the O regime, I revived ! Loss of weight and then stabilization of my ideal weight, good energy, since I totally stopped the wheat. No more digestive problems, goodbye acne and articular pains since the stop of the dairy. And my allergies faded bit by bit. Here is a beautiful demonstration of the health which one can obtain without ever seeing a doctor. As soon as I begin again the dairy, I am a patient (pharyngitis or digestive problems). As soon as I begin wheat, I get fat and tired. QED! Thank you in all for your work. AF from Belgium

AF, what a marvelous report -- a joy to read! It's an amazing thing, isn't it, how one's life is so profoundly changed simply by eating what the body is designed to use most efficiently? I hope you don't miss your doctors too much, eh? :-D MANY thanks for writing, dear, and do stop by whenever you can! ~:-D

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