I am quite desperate! I have been following the diet (I'm a B group) for about two years now, with great results. Problem is, I'm pregnant. Not a PROBLEM as such, but with the diet, definitely! I was hoping I'd be able to get hold of the Eat Right for your Baby book,, but it seems it will only be available in May in South Africa, where I live. Are there any short and summarized tips you can give me so long?? I am picking up weight much too fast, and I'm eating bread and all the stuff O'm not supposed to on the B-type diet. I would really appreciate just a few basic tips. Looking forward to the book! Theresa



Greetings, Theresa ~ and congratulations on your pregnancy! :-D Ah, another BTD-baby coming up! I'm pretty thrilled about it. ~:-D

Well, cravings are the norm in your position. However, if you bump up your protein intake a bit, and fill up on the plant life with each meal, the grain temptations should fall away pretty quickly.

Here are a couple of tips which you can use if you see fit. Please be advised that these are provisional for now, and that when the "Baby Book" is released on the market, these recommendations may have been revised. So, changing the following values will be protective for you and your baby, but there is MUCH more advice in the book, and the ratings for certain foods may shift.

So: first, no more flaxseed or flax oil. Second, eggs are now Beneficial for you, especially fresh eggs from hens free-ranged on clean land. Eat 'Em Up Yum.

The fish list changes somewhat. Avoid the following fish: Bass, Bluefish,

Carp, Catfish, Flounder, Halibut, Mahi Mahi, Shark, Swordfish, Tilapia, Tuna and Whitefish. All the rest of the seafood entries retain the values listed in Live Right.

You may want to plan out your meals & snacks so that you're getting the meat, fish and dairy, as well as the beneficial veg & fruit, that are ESSENTIAL for your well-being and the health of the growing babe.

But -- No Fennel, and No Parsley, OK? (two more avoids for expectant mothers only.) None of the fruit values change (to my knowledge at this time), so you might reach for a serving of beneficial-fruit salad instead of the bready stuff next time the urge strikes. Since type Bs are the acknowledged rulers of the world of fruit (hear the gnashing of teeth from here? SO JEALOUS!! ;-D) you've abundant choices in that department.

Now: remove from your diet the following: Cayenne pepper, Chocolate, Ginger, Licorice, Marjoram, Nutmeg, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme. Again, just to be extra special safe. ;-) Chamomile is now beneficial ~ details in the book. And no caffeine or alcohol for you ~ again, this is the optimal route, and the safest.

Don't do anything special to directly address any weight gain you may have at this time. While you're pregnant is not the time to focus on weight loss. Just stick to your diet and B-ideal activities as closely as possible, and let the rest happen as it will. And it will sort itself beautifully by the time you deliver, never you worry! :-D

Here's a little note I received about kids and the BTD ~ lovely advice, I think, and your little one will be ready for it in no time at all! so I thought I'd share it with you:



enjoy your pregnancy, Theresa ~ keep me posted, OK? I'm so happy for you! ~:-D

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I have 2 questions: For some reason I've gained 20 lbs in the last year that I can't lose! I got off the diet for one, which Ive gotten back on for the last 3 months. Also I started taking depro provera which can cause insulin resistance. I've been off that for 8 months. I'm exercising(running and spot training) with no results. I had my insulin level checked for insulin resistance and it was 4, which as you know is normal. I'd been taking 400mg of chromium just in case( My weight is 140 lbs and I'm 5' 4".) I have eliminated wheat from time to time, no difference in my weight though.What is going on??? When I was on the diet before I dropped to 120 lbs! Also where can I get watermelon seed in 500mg doses? All I can find in the health food store is tea--no dosage. Rachel

Hello, Rachel! The watermelon seed is a diuretic. Do you feel you're retaining water? If so, try using some dandelion greens - either cooked, or fresh in your salad -- and try drinking at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water every day, with a tiny pinch of sea salt added (say, 1/4 teaspoon over the entire day). For instance: 140 pounds divided by 2 = 70. 70 ounces of (pure!) water each day. You could divide it into five 12-ounce glasses, taken away from meals. A hydrated body is a non-edema body. ;-D Do this for two weeks, and I promise you'll see a difference.

You've quit the chromium, right? More than 200 mg per day is not recommended, so at least scale it down if you are still taking it.

Going on & off diets will tend to maintain your bodyweight's "set-point" rather higher than you want it. Focus on getting into a stable groove with your diet. It will greatly speed your attainment of optimal weight. And a tai-chi or martial arts practice can be of great help in weight loss and general "balanced mind." The benefits can be spectacular. If you commit yourself to full implementation of the type B plan, with the determination to check your progress and re-assess in two months, I'm sure you'll be happy with the results! Write again and let me know how you're doing! :-D

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I am a Type B who was recently encouraged to begin the Blood Type Diet by a Type O friend, who raved about the increased energy he felt after switching to it. Both he and I are smokers and coffee drinkers, though I would say I smoke more than he does, and I definately drink twice the amount of coffee. If I am unwilling to give up these addictions, do you still suggest there is a value to switching to the Blood Type Diet? I have not really felt any difference at all, after following the "B" food list say 90% for 5 weeks now(including the membrane fluidizer cocktail, and supplements Ginko, Siberian Ginsing and Magnesium). I realize the caffiene and cigarettes are both completely unhealthy, I just wonder why my friend was still able to gain several benefits from changing his eating without giving up these addictions, and me not. Both he and another friend I have who started (also a type O smoker) felt results, particularly increased energy, in less than 2 weeks, as I find many of the people reporting to your website claim as well. I also am wondering if you ever tested marajuana as it is processed by the four ABO's. Thank you for your time and reply, Lizza



Hi, Lizza ~ I'd say that if you intend to smoke both tobacco & marijuana and drink a bunch of coffee every day, not only is there a value to the BTD, there's an absolute need of it. :-} By the way ~ no, we have no rating for cannabis. ;-> The energy the diet (AND exercise plan) will provide may be getting short-circuited by the nervous & adrenal effects of caffeine and the hypoglycemic-mimicking effects of tobacco plus weed.

Did you add any foods to your usual diet, or did you primarily avoid the avoids? Tell me a little more about the food part of your 5-week trial, and I'll do my best to help you get some results. Take good care, dear! :-D

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I am a B+ nonsecretor who has followed the diet for a few years. I do occasionally crave carbs and have "carb fests" but otherwise follow very closely. Recently had my cholestoral checked and was surprised that it was 269 and that my very bad cholestoral was 189! My doctor has recommended that I go on a low fat diet, eliminating carbs, cheese, butter, milk and egg yolks. I am now afraid to eat my 5-6 eggs per week cooked in ghee, my mozzarella cheese, goat milk, yoghurt, and grain at all! Also would it help to eat oatmeal daily ( my grain allowance is only 3x per week) or eliminate grains altogether. I gain weight even on small amounts of rice. Help! I thought that I was doing very well until I got my lab results. Also I have found out that flaxseed OIL causes an immediate negative reaction-the skin on my knuckles start to tingle, turn red, crack and bleed so have quit my MFC. I believe in my B diet but am very confused at this time. I love your column and read it every morning. Thank you for all of the time, support and encouragement that you give to our BTD community. jean

Hey there, Jean! I'm sorry you're having a rough time!!

Go ahead and use the MFC ~ just put olive oil instead of flax into it. If even a little grain signals your body to store fat, then eliminate it altogether for now. Nonsecretor Bs can prosper quite will without it, and this may be the key to your cholesterol levels. I don't agree with your doctor in the least, but bear in mind I am NOT a doctor. Eating beneficial and neutral dairy does not produce a high serum cholesterol level in type B; most of it is produced in the liver, so getting rid of all grains, sugars and alcohol for the moment is the first way to approach the problem.

Second, get a big daily portion of the dark green leafy veg, and focus on the meat, dairy, veg & fruit part of this plan for a month -- then check your cholesterol again.

The Encyclopedia has a full set of protocols for Bs with high cholesterol, as well as some reassuring advice for you ~ Bs are rarely at health risk from moderately high levels. 269 is not extreme ~ so pick up the book to check the protocols, make sure to practice those B-type activities recommended in Live Right to enhance your entire body's functioning, and give it a little time. You'll be fine!! please drop me a line on how it's going, OK? thanks, dear!! :-D

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I noticed you commented about a type B craving dairy, I thought we were allowed to have dairy. Was she a lactose intolerant B? My main dilema is this, I am a B who loves pasta. Where can I find toppings for pasta that are appropriate for my type besides alfredo? Alicia

Hi, Alicia ~ Jennie had a number of sensitivities, and a "diagnosis" of milk allergy, so we worked from there. Her question is included in the Type B Roundup #8, if you'd like to read it.

Toppings for pasta are incredibly numerous, and range from a little warm butter for tortellini ~ to oil, garlic & pepper flakes ~ to pesto made from nuts, herbs, oil & garlic ~ to mint-and-vegetable blends ~ to fish and peppers ~ to anything you'd like it to be, chosen from your beneficial and neutral foods.

A great place to get ideas on the possibilities for dressing pastas is Mario Battali's page on the foodtv network site. There are literally thousands of traditional pasta sauces used all over the world ~ pick a cuisine, and study up! and just as a tiny reminder, the frequency recommended in Live Right 4 Your Type for grains is 5-9 servings per week for type B Caucasians ~ so you'll promise to keep the cereals, pastry, muffins, cookies, breads & pasta to only that many, OK? ;-) thanks for your note, Alicia! :-D

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Is white splet and whole splet the same thing? I have been to 2 health food stores and all they seem to be aware of and/or have is whole splet. Thanks for your time, Debbie

Hello, Debbie ~ White spelt and whole spelt are two different things. White spelt has the germ and bran removed, so it is a whitish color ~ whole spelt is tan-colored, as it contains the entire spelt berry, ground into flour. Ask the health food stores if they will order white spelt for you. Purity Foods is one well-known maker of white spelt, and you can order online or give the info to your health food store's grain manager. thanks for writing, dear! :-D

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I have been searching for Yellow Onions here in Toronto, but I only find cooking, red, white, sweet, and spanish onions. Are the cooking onions the yellow onions? They are the most readily available, I am in search of the onion type high in Quercetin for my diabetic daughter. Any direct please? Dave

Sure, Dave! Yellow onions have a warm, reddish-tan papery skin on the outside. They're the most common ones in most North American supermarkets. If you're seeking quercetin, it is also available cheaply at most supplement shops. The BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia has specific protocols for diabetes, but her basic blood type diet will help enormously on its own. Please write back if there's any other help I can offer ~ and please accept my best wishes to you both!! :-)

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Hello Heidi, Thank you for answering my question from a month or so back. You're doing a wonderful job and a great service to us all! I had the good fortune to attend Dr. D'Adamo's conference this past weekend in Tempe, AZ. It was excellent! Although much of it was geared to health professionals and therefore over my head, I still obtained a lot of good information and met some absolutely wonderful people. Truly warm hearted and caring people, and it deepened my faith in this health care plan, and I've been a believer since I started 7 months ago. I highly recommend to all of your readers to attend one of these seminars if possible. The talk was of another one in Feb, 2005, in Tempe. If there's another one before that, attend if you can! Thanks again! Jerry



:-D :-D :-D Hey there, Jerry! Yes, it was a resounding success as I hear from all quarters, and I truly look forward to attending the next one! Thanks for the report (and the kind words)!! I'm greatly pleased you enjoyed it!

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What is the scientific basis for deciding which foods are beneficial or to be avoided for each blood type? What is the process by which you make these decisions? joan





Hello, joan! Well, that's a pretty huge topic of discussion. The short answer is, many factors affect the status given each food ~ and if you'd like to read about them in depth, follow This Link! enjoy! and thanks for writing!!

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I have been on the type O diet for a while and think it has helped a lot. I was wondering what the difference between mozzarella cheese and string cheese. The string cheese we have in the fridge, under the ingredientslist says it is mozzarella cheese, which is nuetral for me. String cheese however is listed as an avoid item. Are they the same? Greg





Hi, Greg ~ Here is your answer! :-)

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I just need some suggestions on how to make this diet work for a family who has all 4 blood types. I'm new at this and feel very overwhelmed with WHAT to make for meals that would fed the whole family. angela



Wow, you've got a daunting task there! Take a peek at the All Four Blood Types in My Family column ~ see if it helps! take good care, dear!! :-D

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Hi, My question is in regards to young children. We have O and A blood type and I am not having trouble so much as in what to feed them, but in amounts. My children have always been on a fairly healthy diet, organic, lots of veggies, fresh juice, whole grains, fish, etc. I am wondering if it is okay for them to have spelt or other grains often. It is really hard to get them to fill up on meat and veggies. I usually serve sandwiches at lunch time. In the morning they usually have fruit smoothies or oatmeal. I guess that I am just concerned about them getting enough of what they need when as children can be picky at times. I have been trying to make brown rice for dinner to go with the protein but not everyone likes it. So, I will make sweet potatoes and yams, not everyone likes that. I have always told them, you eat what is on the table or you can do without, however, this seems really hard now. They all really like their carbs and fill up on those the most. Is this something that I can work on weaning them from or is it not a concern as long as they still eat plenty of fresh veggies and fruit? Any advice would be helpful. Thank you so much - MaryChris





Hello, MaryChris! For your little type A, some oatmeal in the morning and a sandwich or rice (maybe with a tasty vegetable sauce? ;->) later on would be fine ~ just as long as the grain truly doesn't push the veg & fruit out of the day. (that IS the hard part, usually). For the O... well... maybe a tasty sauce or gravy for the sweet potatoes? :-D I was a real sweets craver as a kid, and loved breads and potatoes and pastry and any kind of candy as long as it was chocolate. An O kid will often fight to get those carbs ~ mostly because once upon a time in prehistory, we HAD to fight to get that rare honeybee nest. Grains and sugars are truly our downfall, so just do your best to minimize them ~ we run into trouble if we grow up stuffing ourselves with them. Your tiny O is best off with a maximum of one grain serving per day on average, and extra helpings of the tasty meat dish ~ and maybe vegetables spiced up a bit and cooked in butter or oil. This is a tough one, and while I don't know how old the kiddles are, making dinner a no-grain meal could take the pressure off you a bit. It also precludes any hint of hyperactivity at night, so if the O is bouncing off walls after his or her dinner, grains might be the key. I hope any of our readers who have faced this situation will write in with tips & tricks! You're doing a fabulous job of it already, and I salute you for it!! so rest assured you're doing really well right now, and if you can nudge that O a bit further toward a low-grain diet, you'll be doing spectacularly. thanks for writing, dear!! :-D

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Heidi: Picked up a Chirimoya Fruit at Whole Foods here in San Dieog, CA tonight. I'm Type O, boyfriend Type A... I cannot find this fruit in the books. Can we eat it?! Thanks so much. Christina



Hi, Christina ~ Cheremoya hasn't yet been tested, so technically it's an "Unknown." This means you can consider it neutral if you are at an ideal weight and have no health complaints. By the way, I did receive your other questions and Woody's, and will get to them just as quickly as I can! I realize he's on a schedule, so HOPEFULLY tomorrow I'll have something up for him. Thanks for writing, and take GOOD care, the both of you! :-D

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I'm an A secretor and I am have been following the diet for over a year. Great things have happened: no more allergies, and best of all, no more asthma attacks! I do still have itchy ears, though, and sometimes they are so bad that they swell up inside and ooze. Somewhere I found the information that using olive oil, garlic, and mullein in the ear would help, but I can't find the info again. Is this true? Thanks for any help on the matter! Drea





Hmmmm.... This sounds like an ear infection to me, and I'm wondering if you've tried eliminating all dairy altogether for a week. See what happens. A little warm olive oil may help, I do recall that, but the cause itself could easily be dairy food. Give it a try and write again! thanks, Drea! :-)

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Heidi, Your advice to Gail on the Catalina dressing needs one more change: Condensed tomato soup contains wheat flour as a thickener from my experience of going gluten free (GF) and reading lots of labels. She may want to substitute Tomato sauce instead. I have also been diagnosed as IBS and two children with celiac. We try to maintain a GF house. When we are out and about I try to watch what We eat, but don't stress if we get the occasional gluten ingestion. We try to remain diligent at home. I keep the gluten (spelt, kamut, etc) to about three times a week if that for me. Hope this helps. Angel





AHA! Thank you, Angel! I didn't say check all the labels, but I really should have gone ahead and said that. Much appreciated, thanks again! :-)

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Hi Heidi! Jennie the B who craved dairy reminded me, craving dairy (as well as craving sugar/chocolate) can be a sign of protein deficiency. Crave the milk protein. She might do better if she found other ways to get protein. For an adult 50 protein grams/day is the RDA, enough to get by (but who'd want to just get by? I'm for thriving!) Guyton's "Textbook of Medical Physiology" says 75 grams/day to be safe. I need much more at 5'6" & 135lb, I need at least a 100g/day, but I'm an O with a fast metabolism. Hope helps! Great column! Thanks for all your work! ~ Maia





Maia, many thanks for the timely reminder! Jennie (and all ya Bs out there), do your best to keep that protein intake up ~~ listen to Maia!! thanks again, dear!! :-D

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My family has been on the blood type diet now for over 1 year. We are all blood type O and the one thing that we miss having is milk. Is raw milk that hasn't been pasteurized or homogenized compatible with blood type O? Also,in some of the books and information that we have, there is a discrepency in having oats. Can blood type O have oats? Thanks for your help. Terri Parks



Hello, Terri! Raw milk is still an avoid for Os. However, oats are neutral for O secretors, and avoid for nonsecretors. Consult the book Live Right 4 Your Type, take a look at the Updates Page, and if you have a question about a single food, you can do a quick online check of the TYPEbase 3 database. If it's ok for both secretors & nonsecretors, it is certainly fine for you! :-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





Hi there, Naima ~ An allergy is a different thing from the antigenetic reaction to an avoid. True food allergies need not be blood-type related ~ for instance, there are type As with severe peanut allergies, and type Os allergic to berries of all kinds. The purified glucosamine should not contain any lectins which might trouble type As. Just for further reading, though: in the BTD Blood Type Encyclopedia, glucosamine sulfate is suggested as an anti-inflammatory agent for type Os, while N-acetyl glucosamine is recommended for types A and B with arthritis. Thanks for your note, Naima! :-D

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Dear Heidi, can you enlighten me about the way secretor status is handed down genetically to children - is 'secretor' dominant? - my husband is group O secretor, I am group A non-secretor. So far tested my two group O children are secretors. Haven't had results for the two group A children yet - I beleive the secretor status is not linked to ABO,so hoping they are secretors for their health! Christine





You're absolutely right, Christine ~ the secretor gene is dominant. The other two kids could be either one, though. ;-) Because you're a nonsecretor, we know you have two nonsecretor genes. However, your husband is the wildcard. Lurking behind his 'secretordom' may be one recessive nonsecretor gene. If that's the case, one of those genes could have sneaked out and paired up with one of your nons, and there you have it! a Nonnie-kid. IF your man has two secretor genes, all the kids will be secretors with a recessive non gene (the one you gave them. ;-D) ~ so... with two blood types and six folks in the family there, I'm crossing my fingers that no more complications arise! :-D Good luck, and let me know the outcome! :-D

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I am a 59 yr old female, type O , I have lost 32 pounds since may. I feel great. My questions is; I have two daughters age 39 and 42 . One is O - and the other O+, they have both been on the diet almost a month now and have gained weight. What is wrong? they are both rh factor, does that have anything to do with the weight gain. Please help, they have out grouwn there clothes and both are crying like babies. will wait to hear from you. thank you kindly, Rainey



Hi there, Rainey! What a great name you have!



Hmmm... One is O neg, the other O pos -- so only the O pos girl was an rh-factor baby, I believe. That has no impact on the results of the diet though, so set your mind at ease on that point.



Type Os on the O diet may put on fat IF:

1. we eat too much of the beneficial or neutral grains, and too little of the vegetables, fruits, meats and fish;

2. we get little or no strenuous exercise, and/OR

3. our usual daily diet is mostly meat and bread, or meat and rice or some other cooked grain, always eaten together.



What I suggest for your girls is to look at 1, 2 and 3 there and see if one or more of them fit the bill. I strongly suggest picking up the little book, Type O Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists. It contains the proper updated portion/frequency tables for each food group, which will help get a handle on that part of it. I'll give you a little preview:



the O+ daughter should aim for 6 to 9 servings from the meat/poultry group per week, while the O- should have one or two more than her sister. Additionally, don't forget the fish group: three to five for O+, and five to seven for O- !!



grains (including crackers, cereal, rice, oats, breads, etc.)? The range is 1-6 per week for O+ and 0-5 per week for O-. For weight loss, cling to the bottom of that range ~ one serving (or less :-)) every two or three days.



vegetables? Unlimited beneficials, and 2 to 5 neutrals per day! To speed the process along, I suggest that one meal per day be mostly vegetables, and that only this meal should contain their occasional grain servings. Grains are much easier to digest when eaten with veg rather than meat, poultry or fish.



The O diet will work for them, never fear. Tell 'em I said so, and give them these suggestions! thanks for writing, Rainey!! :-D

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I am type O, Rh neg & secretor status. I have been on the BT diet on and off for a few years (I always feel better when I stick to it!). But I am also an endurance cyclist & want to drop a few pounds (fat) before the season starts up...what is recommended as to the percentages of fat, protein & carbohydrate for a type O? My LBM is around 103 lbs. Can a type O eat more than 30% fat in their diet? Cynthia



Hi, Cynthia! First thing to remember: eating fat won't make you fat. Eating more than the small amount of grain allowed on the type O diet will tend to mess with your insulin production and slow your metabolism -- resulting in fat storage. :-) Around here, we've found it's more effective to think in terms of food group portions/frequencies rather than get involved in counting grams of protein/carb/fat. I know it might require a little mental shift, but it's based on the knowledge that all carbs, for example, are NOT equal for your purposes. For instance, four ounces of rice does not do the same thing in your body that four ounces of artichoke hearts or sweet potato would do.



If I look at the pie chart of a day-in-the-life for a female O athlete, I see about 28 ounces of veg & fruit, 10 ounces of meat/poultry/fish, a handful of nuts, an egg, a half-cup of beans and a tablespoon of beneficial oil. I'm sure you're the best judge of what you need when doing hard training ~ but something along these lines will burn the fat without jeopardizing your strength. See how it works for you, and let me know! thanks for your message, dear! :-)

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Vitamin E In Dr. D'Adamo's first book he said that Type Os should get their vitamin E through foods NOT through supplements. I find no such reference in his later books and don't know if there is a distinction between secretor/non-secretor sub types nor if E is problematic for any of the other blood types. It is such a major anti-oxidant and is included in so many supplement formulations, that I wonder what that implies for getting sufficient anti-oxidants. Also, is it ok to use skin creams/lotions that inclue E? Thanks, Victor



Hello, Victor! Using E topically is fine ~ generally, that is true of all topically-applied avoids. Peter explained that he does not recommend blood thinners (of which E is one) for type Os internally, as ours is statistically the thinnest of all the types and we are prone to free-bleeding disorders (including haemophilia). Sufficient antioxidants? The diet itself is stuffed full of them. Look at the sheer quantity of veg & fruit in every type's plan. Green tea pops to mind as well. If you prefer a supplement, try quercetin ~ it's a wonderworker. thanks for writing, and take care! :-)

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Having heard all the wonderful benefits of soy...can these benefits be applied to 'O's as they are a neutral food? Does being an "O" wipe out the mentioned benefits of a food if it is a neutral to the body type (not an avoid)? Thanks Heidi. I am trying to follow the diet more closely. Pennie



Hey there, Pennie ~ The foods that do wonderful things for us are designed into our beneficial listings. Neutrals aren't going to pack the same punch, although the one-size-fits-all marketers want EVERYONE TO EAT SOY ALL THE TIME and BUY their many soy-based supplements. A food being rated neutral doesn't mean a benefit is wiped out, in so many words ~ rather, it means that food doesn't confer special benefits for our particular chemistry to begin with. If it does, you'll see it among the Beneficials. hope this helps, dear! :-D

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This is my first post(and question)this year, so Happy new Year to you and the readers! I would like to know why red and cayenne peppers are benficial for Type O's while green and yellow ones are only neutral. Does it have to do with the colour? If so, is powdered red paprika (probably the most common spice in Hungary) sort of beneficial? and please tell me a little more about turmeric. LR says it is a very effective chemoprotective, especially for non-secretors, but at the ratings you will find it is beneficial for Type O secretors and only neutral for non-secretors. Also, turmeric is the basic element of all curries and it goes together with a lot of other spices, not all of which are beneficial, still curry is beneficial for (Type O)non-secretors. What's the explanation, please. Thank you in advance, Thank you for your effort, Rose in Hungary



Hi, Rose! A very Happy New Year to you, as well! Howzit goin'? The pepper ratings do have something to do with the color in the fresh vegetable ~ the proanthocyanadins, which abound in red, blue and purple beneficial fruits & veg. "Curry" is a catch-all term in the U.S. which usually means a turmeric and/or hot-spice based compound. For the most part, Americans don't bother making their own curries ~ they depend on the commercial spice brands, and would rarely if ever use turmeric on its own. Hence its Beneficial rating. Paprika isn't beneficial, but it's certainly tasty and a common spice in many Hungarian dishes ~ so enjoy it anyway, and no worries about it being only neutral! :-D

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I am reading the book Live Right 4 Your Type. Thus, I entered the dadamo.com site I am Type O+ I thought I saw where you can register and get tracked? I have been diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (no meds at this time - reduced stress level I guess (2.5 yrs now) Age 49 male white I have also been diagnosed and under moderate treatment for Bi-Polar and I am taking Depakote 1000 mg daily. I plan to start the diet plan. Any suggestions on the effects of your plan in terms of colitis and Bi-Polar? By the way, I have a mild case of Bi-polar, and have not experienced manic tendencies for 2-3 years and only have one period of mania which led to this diagnosis. Thank you - Bill





Hi there, Bill! Welcome to our world!! ;-D Listen, this type O diet is the best thing you could possibly do for both conditions you're already resolving. The only suggestions I'd like to offer right now are to take a tablespoon of flax oil daily in addition to the oil portion/frequency listed in LR4YT, and to limit all grains as much as possible. Maybe just a little whole rice, once a week as a treat -- or a piece of Essene (manna) bread, toasted. Remember to eat your full complement of protein foods! Finally, get hold of a can of KAL-brand nutritional yeast, and use one scoop every day ~ in a smoothie or in tuna salad, or in homemade broth with some spices added as you wish. And take PolyFlora-O to rebuild your intestinal health. You'll be amazed what it does for the way you feel.



For tracking your results, the links are under "Interactive," on the lower left of the homepage at www.dadamo.com. I wish you all the best, Bill, and I'm sure you'll be writing in with a glowing report soon! :-D

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I have suffered from migraine for over 50 years, and in the last few get them as often as every 3 days. I have tried the ER4YD previously (I am A+ type) and it didn't stop the migraines. I am trying it again as I also get cramps, and aches and pains at night, and have had some good results, but quite a few of the foods I am supposed to be able to have, give me migraine. What do you suggest? Shirley

Hello, Shirley! As a general note, it's perfectly fine to set aside any foods you know give you trouble. With time on the diet, most of these sensitivities tend to resolve themselves. In terms of migraines specifically, most of the authoritative recommendations I've seen involve avoiding a variety of foods, including red wine, chocolate, coffee, cheeses, nuts - as well as certain lighting conditions, etc. I have several friends who get migraines, and none of them have succeeded in ridding themselves of the malady through these means.

However, I'm very enthusiastic about the caffeine and migraine reference website. I believe this man has thoroughly explored the issue and may actually have come up with the cure based upon a verifiable cause. I love it when that happens, don't you? ;-) Take a good read through it, and implement his findings as described. You may find that the trigger foods you have in mind are not, after all, the cause of your migraines. Let me know how it goes! and thanks for writing! :-)

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A while ago I bought the Cook Right 4 Your Type on holiday, and then bought Eat Right 4 Your Type on my return. The good thing is that as a Type A, I have actually not eaten any red meat for over 20 years!!! Both books are brilliant and I am now a convert to eating for my Type. In the meantime, my husband went to find out what his Blood Type is and at the same time found out that he has Type II diabetes. Unfortunately, diabetic dieticians advocate the same foods for every Blood Type and he is being told to eat things like Wheetabix and pasta etc. I would be grateful if you could advise if there is any Blood Type support for diabetics. Kind regards, Katrina

Hello, Katrina! I'm so pleased you like your type A plan ~ welcome to the BTD world, the two of you!! ;-)

For your husband ~ yes, it's common for dieticians to recommend that kind of wheat-enhanced food list, and it's one of the worst things he could do to himself. Because he has a diabetes diagnosis, I feel he would benefit from a targeted approach ~ so, are you up for buying two more books? He should make excellent progress by using his individualized diet as set out in Live Right 4 Your Type, along with the protocols in the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia. These will provide all the specific support he needs ~ have a look at them, and write again if I can assist further! :-)

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Dear Heidi, I recently purchased and read the Food, Beverage and Supplement List for Blood Type A, however, I haven't started the diet yet. I need to lose about 45 lbs.-my metabolism came to a crashing halt after the birth of my son, 4 years ago, and within the last year, I have developed Reactive Airway Disorder/Athsma and hypoglycemia- I am only 29. Due to the hypoglycemia, should I eat 5 small meals consisting of the recommended foods, in order to keep my blood sugar stable? What do you suggest? Also, I should mention that I crave sugar and I do have sweets throughout the day. How can I overcome this, as this is what's keeping the weight on? Also, I was looking over all of the supplements that are available to Type A's, on Dr D'Adamo's website. I am on a modest budget, but what would you recommend as being essential to my health and wellness, based on the conditions I have cited. Thank you for your help. Charlene

Hey there, Charlene ~ Five small meals may help you feel better, for now. But let's see if we can get at the root of the trouble.

A high-sugar diet in itself will put weight on, set up insulin resistance (and difficulty getting the weight off), thereby keeping you hypoglycemic, and is also at the root of the breathing difficulties you have. It's a major cause of everything you described, in fact. If we can just nudge that sugar out of your 'personal environment,' you will feel MUCH better in a week or two, and your troubles will be on their way out. ;->

First, start on the diet according to the little blue book. Do your best to follow the portion/frequency tables found at the beginning of the food group sections -- those guidelines really determine the "food pyramid" for you. If you prefer to go "cold turkey," that's fine -- it's also perfectly acceptable to gradually add beneficial & neutral foods while slowly eliminating the avoids, at your own pace. We want to offer relief, not stress you out! And the < href="http://www.dadamo.com/welcome1.htm">Getting Started Page

has wonderful tips & tricks for newbies!

Second, go to the bottom of this page and search for the term glycerine. Read through the columns that come up. Vegetable glycerine can be used in place of sugar for virtually everything, from sweetening your tea to cooking and baking, and it tastes great. It actually works to stabilize your blood sugar ~ quite opposite from the effects of sucrose (table sugar).

Third, rather than spending money on supplements at this juncture, a daily meditation or yoga practice is KEY to lowering your cortisol levels (for weight loss and asthma relief) and reducing stress in a focused and powerful manner. The best part is, they make you feel good all day! Two suggestions: the fantastic book Meditation as Medicine by Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa and Cameron Stauth; and Marianne Cirone's marvelous Yoga 4 Health & Fitness site. Both have it all, from inspirational reading to instructions on techniques you can use to feel better RIGHT NOW. :-D Let me know what you think, OK? and thank you for your Qs. :-)

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Help! I am Type A and have been on the BTD program, with moderate compliance, for about 6 months. Just found out my son's Type B. Any recommendations for family cooking without going crazy? Susan

A & B, eh? You may go a bit crazy at first. ;->

Fortunately, all of the various blood types have many overlapping OK items. The fruits & vegetable groups, in great part, will offer plenty of common ground for the A+B combo. Getting that info into a form you can use for planning, shopping and cooking is the key to a calm transition, though. You'll want to include some A beneficials that are B avoids (such as many of the grains, beans, nuts & seeds) as well as B beneficials that are A avoids (in the dairy, meat and fish groups, for example).

The best way to set about this task is to make up a list of foods and their values for A and B, for ready reference. This can be done on a word processing program, a spreadsheet, or with pen & paper. List all the foods down the left side, then the values for A in the column next to it, then the values for B in the next column. Then, highlight the rows containing foods which are OK for both of you. Second, use a different highlight to mark items which will make it into the shopping list for one of you but not the other. Then, you can "write off" or delete the foods that are either (1) avoids for both, or (2) avoid for one person and OK for, but nonessential or disliked by, the other. It may take a few hours to set it up, but once done you've got a personalized handy-dandy shopping reference guide! :-)

To get you started, Cook Right 4 Your Type contains a multitude of recipes designed for more than one type. New research means some of the food values have changed since it was written, so check all ingredients against your A+B list ~ as I hope you do with all recipes & commercial products. ;-) In a while, this will all be second nature to you. As in many worthwhile endeavors, the start-up period is the most difficult (but also the briefest! :-D) I hope these tips make your multiple-type cooking a bit easier, and please feel free to pop in with any Qs, anytime! thanks, Susan!

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I started the 4 your type program two years ago. I had good results in the beginning. I am 5'9", type A, and active physically. My purpose first was to reduce cholestoral - I was over 300. I am using 10 mg of mevacor then. After 6 months, my weight was down to 170 from 188. My cholestoral dropped from 220 to 179. My doctor said my weight and cholestoral would find their own level and supported a low fat diet. However, the following 18 months has seen a reversal. My weight is back up to 190, my cholestoral bounced up and down and is now at 200 with 5 mg of lipitor. My doctor said I should be around 170. I don't feel that great due to my weight. I am still physically active and I like exercise. What's going wrong? Bob

Hi, Bob!

I have some questions for you, which may answer your questions, depending how you answer them. Didja follow that? ;-D not sure I did!

1: are you following the portion/frequency tables for each food group included in Live Right 4 Your Type or the Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists? Those guidelines define the "shape" of one's daily and weekly intake, by putting the proper foods in the proper proportions by food group. If a comparison of your average weekly diet with those charts shows you're way low on one or more groups and way high on others, do the adjustments and give it a couple weeks before assessing the results.

2: are you doing some yoga, tai chi, and/or meditation on a regular basis? Maybe even just a few minutes of "alternate-nostril breathing" (pranayama) every day? One of Peter's earliest bits of advice to type As was that these practices can lower your cortisol dramatically. We love that, because lower cortisol = lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, weight loss that stays off, better digestion, and a keener & more peaceable frame of mind as well.

3: more a suggestion than a question: numerous folks, some of them personally known to me, have experienced swift and steep cholesterol reduction through using Chinese Red Yeast Rice. That site has (in my opinion) the best RYR product on the market. They sell it in 2.2 pound bulk packages, but the price is far lower (and the quality higher) that way than buying what's available in most supp shops -- and it keeps for at least a year in the fridge. A half teaspoon twice per day is the usual dosage. This is Not a Drug and Contains No Drugs, just in case you're wondering. Each package comes with its own government assay certificate of purity and active-ingredient content. If the diet and cortisol reduction practices don't move your cholesterol back down to the 180 range, I truly, highly recommend using this safe supp instead of mevacor, lipitor, any-cor of any variety. Bob, thanks for writing to me, and please update me when you can! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I've just started the diet (I'm an A) and I have lots of questions. My main question is this: Is it OK to eat more bread and not eat cereals? I'm from the Netherlands and like everyone here I eat bread for breakfast and lunch. In the BTD-book it says that I can have breakfast cereals almost everyday, but only a few servings of bread per week and hardly any crackers. I'm eating rye crackers for breakfast and spelt bread for lunch but I'm not sure if I'm right doing in doing. Am I eating too much grains? I hope you can give me some advice! Thanks, Marieke

Well, a big WARM WELCOME to you, Marieke!! The form of the grain food doesn't much matter (as long as it's "whole grain"), so cereals vs bread vs crackers vs steamed brown rice are all pretty much equal. In terms of portions and frequencies, 7 to 9 servings per week is the maximum allowed for type A caucasian secretors. If you're having crackers for breakfast daily, then have the bread at lunch two days per week and have soup or a vegetable instead of the bread for the other days' lunches. A rough and ready measure of your personal "1 portion" is the amount you could hold easily within your hands with palms facing each other and fingertips, thumbs and wrists touching.

Hope this is of help! and feel free to pop in with any questions that arise!

:-)

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*** I am Type A! I need to lose 15 or 20 pounds (lost 50 on the Lindora diet two years ago--struggling to keep it off. I would do almost anything to not gain my weight back--besides starving!!). SOY AND PEANUTS I have food sensitivies to soy and peanuts (as well as other things). Can I get enough vegetable protein without these items, and not have to eat chicken, turkey or cornish hens on a daily basis? I do plan to add these things back to my diet as I get healthier (unless you think I should not). PASTAS AND GRAINS Can I use these in combination as protein substitutes without gaining weight? BLOOD TYPE Can two "A" blood types produce Blood Type O in their children, as well as Blood Type A? My husband, youngest daughter and myself are Type A, and my oldest daughter is Type O. I don't know what my son's blood type is. Does this make sense, or does the parent's blod type matter? My husband and youngest daughter used your blood typing kit to determine their blood type. Thank you for your help! Sheila

Greetings, Sheila! One of the essential keys to getting weight off & keeping it off for type As is the calming exercise part of the plan. Your (daily?) confrontation with the bathroom scales may be adding to a pervading feeling that you're always engaged in an uphill battle --> which will keep your cortisol levels elevated --> which often culminates in one or more food sensitivities, allergies, weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, burdened heart function, and other potential bad stuff. You best know your situation, of course, but I mention this because it is so often the missing element for healthy weight maintenance in type A folks -- not to mention offering a host of other benefits.

While you're getting settled into a yoga, tai chi or meditation practice (see notes I gave to Charlene, above), it's fine to avoid any foods that cause you perceptible trouble. Those sensitivities are very likely to fade out completely over time, but for now just focus on the foods you can eat without incident. Fish two or three times per week (loads of choices in the fish list), turkey or chicken once per week (by the way, squab, ostrich, guinea hen and grouse can offer some variety there) and a daily serving each of beans, nuts, and whole grain should happily fill your protein needs. The largest section of your "food pie-chart" by far is occupied by the vegetable and fruit groups. Three or four fruit servings daily -- and the vegetables? "Unlimited!" :-) Fill 'er up, OK?

Your family's blood type report is perfectly normal. :-) Having a type O daughter means that both you and your husband carry a recessive O gene. You're just as "type A" as someone who has two A genes instead of one A and one O ~ but in the case of two type A (or type parents with a recessive O gene, the kids' bloodtypes can be a little surprising. ;-)

thanks for your Qs, Sheila! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I thought I read in one of these columns that soy was an avoid for A Non-secretors. Can you clear this up for me? I have been unable to locate it since then. Thank you. Corinne

Hi, Corinne! The rating for most soy foods drops down a notch for A nonsecretors, to neutral (the exception being miso, "beneficial) but none of them fell to "avoid."

If you're wondering about the status of a food in future, just check the TYPEbase 3 database. All the updated values are there. Thanks, dear! :-D

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Dear Heidi, Since going on the A type diet some four months ago all is going well except for an occasional cracked corner of the mouth.After a few shaky starts at dealing with this, I have successfully settled on the suggestion on page 192 of Live Right, using betaine hydrochloride from the health food shop with each meal. However, remembering the dramatic effect of splashed hydrochloric acid on my stockings when I was a chemistry student, I take half the recommended daily dose! I am wondering if I had an A type beneficial natural acid at any meal (eg lemon, grapefruit, pineapple) could I eliminate the supplementary dose of betaine on that occasion and get the same results? I'll try it anyway and tell you. Thanks, Jenny

Dear Heidi, About a week ago I sent you an enthusiastic letter about the value of betaine for cracked lips, as per page 192 LRFYT However,I now think that I was jumping the gun, and want to amend my discovery by saying that the cracked corners of the mouth came back with a vengenance and I had to do some more reading; I then found that whilst following the diet (A) assiduously especially with an attempt at weight loss, I had not kept up to the required level of Vit.B 2, and the day I had a real splurge of fish,avocado, greens and whole brown rice I was fine again.I also added a brewers yeast tablet with every meal. Cheers, Jenny

Hey, Jenny ~ thanks for posting an update on that issue! Very useful, and much appreciated! :-D

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I have a question concerning secretor status In your book Live right for your type ( in danish - lev efter din blodtype ) you dont mention as many types of food as you do in your book Eat right for your type ( in danish - spis efter din blodtype ). Example: Shrimps. Mentioned in Eat right for your type - iam an A-type, so i should not eat shrimps.But shrimps not mentioned in Live right for your type, so i need to know what to do when food not mentioned in Live right for your type. Look forward to be hearing from you soonest. best regards - Susanne

Greetings, Susanne! Shrimp is a Tier One "Avoid." Sorry it is missing from the Danish book!! If you know the English word of any food, you can check its status in the TYPEbase 3 database on this site. Remember to hit the "search" button after entering the food name, as the enter key does not work on that page. Thanks for writing!! :-D

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I have Klinefelters syndrome. how does this affect blood type? Does this change any factors relating to blood type diet? GOD BLESS YOU & Happy February brian

Hi, Brian ~ This condition doesn't change the blood type or the diet ~ although mentioning it has won you my standard encouraging speech about an abundant food-based calcium & other mineral intake! but then, I encourage everyone to do so! ;-) As long as your endocrinologist has arranged with you to monitor testosterone levels and prescribe replacement therapy if necessary, and you're having the twice-yearly bone density scans, it'll be business as usual & no worries! thanks for writing, pal! :-)

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I have read your books BTD and CR4YT. I have Type A blood and I have been heavily training for cycling and I have been losing to much weight. I have been trying to follow the recipes and increasing them, but I am hungry all the time. Do you have any suggestions for atheletes. Do you know of any supplements that might help Type A's to sustain and build muscle mass and strength. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Brian

Hi there, Brian! I'd say talk with a trainer about putting together a weight-training program to balance out the heavy aerobic activity (resulting in the breakdown of muscle tissue you're experiencing) Also, the addition of half an hour of yoga or meditation to your day will significantly lower your cortisol levels. The constant heavy training will raise your levels of cortisol, putting you in catabolic rather than anabolic mode. This is a type A thing, and it doesn't mean you can't cycle ~ but your training schedule should adopt a suitable rhythm in order for your body to gain maximum benefit from the time spent. Include one or two days of weight training (www.superslow.com is a website well worth reading), plan to spend non-training time quietly, get plenty of sleep (and water ~ aim for a gallon/day! thirst can masquerade as hunger), and a daily meditation, tai chi, or yoga practice as part of your regimen. You'll notice the difference in your performance!

The only supplement I'd recommend is the Cortiguard product sold in the Store here. Assess your daily intake of proteins (especially fish, beans, nuts/seeds), whole grains, B vitamins and minerals; you need them for endurance and building muscle strength. Use the starchier vegetables such as carrots, onions, parsnips, pumpkin and turnips to fill out your meals -- and get a serving of greens in there for the minerals and iron. A scoop of brewer's yeast in broth, tuna salad, or in a smoothie with organic rice (or soy) protein powder/fruit/nutbutter, is amazingly tasty and adds more B vitamins, amino acids and trace elements. I'm just shooting out ideas here, as I can't see your average daily diet in front of me, but just pick and choose based on your judgment of what you might benefit from.

Best of luck to you in your races, Brian! Let us know how you do!! :-D

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I started the diet again about 1 month ago. I definitely feel better and I don't know why I stopped the diet 4 years ago. I am a type A and do not know secretor status yet. I just got the test kit. My only problem thus far is gas and bloating. I was taking enzymes with meals as I always have and they don't seem to be doing the job. Any suggestions as to what I should be doing? I bought Bromalein yesterday and started taking them, but still have the gas and bloating. Please help. Deborah

Hi, Deborah! Welcome back into the fold! :-D

What kind of enzymes are you taking, and with what kind of food? Bromelain can help with protein digestion, but gentian and (:-))"beano" are great for vegetable proteins. If you give me an idea of what your non-btd daily diet consisted of, and the portions & frequencies of food groups you're eating now, I'll have more specific advice for you.

Are you drinking along with your meals? Might be best to have no more than a few sips of water in the period from half an hour before the meal to an hour after. The liquid can dilute the digestive juices -- and type As naturally produce lower levels of gastrin and pepsin, and it can take up to 45 minutes after you begin eating for them to kick in, so let 'em do their job unimpeded.

You might also consider separating flesh foods from grain foods, (use vegetables with either), and eating fruit as a meal or snack by itself.

The fact that you are feeling better tells me you're doing the right thing! It may be just a matter of a little more time, as your system gets accustomed to producing the proper enzymes for full digestion on its own.

Take care, dear ~ and please write again! :-D

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confused-I am 41 dwm 6'6" tall 300#'s i eat alot of dairy,meat fish,crave sugar-blood type A+ plus a Fast Oxidiser-had a metabolic study on me-question-i tried the Atkins diet and i lost weight but made me hurt-i know i need to cut the carbs and eliminate dairy,meats sugars-but being i am so tall/big i never fill upon veges-in college i was on a macrobiotic diet-lots of rice/wheat-have had IBS since 20-not sure which way will best fit me-i crave mayonaise,sugars-hungry all the time-please advise-thanks-bought your books and want to proceed,but unsure - breck

Welcome, breck!! The key to breaking the hunger cycle is (1) to eat the type A foods in type A proportions and (2) follow the type A exercise suggestions.

You may be thinking there's no way you're going to start doing yoga, but there are some surprises in store! One yoga exercise in particular is something you can do while you're sitting and reading this column -- just a simple breathing technique. Yoga practices are incredibly varied, from the well-known Hatha Yoga to strenuous, fast-moving styles. Read all about it at this page on that breath exercise and this fabulous yoga site.

Yoga has a very particular effect that's especially beneficial for As - it lowers your cortisol. This effect is essential for resolving your IBS, getting rid of the cravings, and losing the weight. Believe me, IT WORKS. :-D

Don't worry! This plan WILL solve the troubles you've been struggling with! Just start in, however you want to do so (see our < href="http://www.dadamo.com/welcome1.htm">Getting Started Page for tips on how to do it), and enjoy the improvements in your health. And keep me posted on how you're doing, OK? :-)

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I am writing for my husband, a type A secretor, age 54, ideal weight, generally excellent health. We (I'm an O sec) have been following the BTD for about 4 years, and having generally good results. Hubby has been eating oatmeal, soymilk, peanuts & peanut butter, occasional red wine, spinach, beans, and my homemade chicken soup -- and 6 months ago he developed gout. Has had several painful flareups since. He does not at all fit the gout "profile" of an overweight, sedentary lover of rich food, meat & alcohol. The really upsetting part is that the 'avoid' foodlist the gout doctor gave us includes all of those type-A foods I mentioned above. I see no mention of this fairly common disease in Dr. D's books, including the Encyclopedia. What protocol is recommended for a type A with gout? My man has even been a longtime meditator and does yoga faithfully. This has really thrown us for a loop. Thanks for anything you can suggest. Jen

Hi, Jen! Sheesh, I'm sorry to hear about the gout! Lordy!!

OK. Here is a quick recommendation: Go ahead and eliminate the foods according to the doctor's list. Every day, have him take two tablespoons of organic black cherry juice (or three or four mashed black cherries). More is OK, too, but that's about the minimum. Also, Deflect-A in the dosage on the bottle, and quercetin 500 mg: three in the morning, three in the evening.

If he goes one month with no flareup, and if he is willing to experiment in order to get one or more of those foods back, then return one of the foods on that list to his diet, and go another month. He can continue in this fashion with the entire list if he wants to do so -- only one food added back per month. If he has a flareup during any one of those months, put a big black mark next to the food he added that month AND the one (if any) added the month before. Remove those guys & go to the next item. This can weed out single culprits in his gout attacks, as well as show whether it is the cumulative effect of many of those foods. But keep up with the juice, deflect & quercetin throughout.

Jen, please keep in touch with reports on his progress. And -- any reader who's had their own run-in with gout ~ do write in with your experiences! We'll all put our heads together and get this sorted (and learn new things in the process)!! Best wishes to you & your husband, Jen! :-)

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I am just beginning the BTD diet today. (I did it for about 18 mos a few years ago - don't know why I stopped). I have had fibromyalgia for 23 years, and am beginning an FM pain drug research study today with a local clinic. I decided this was a good time to start the diet again. I know the food list says to avoid diet soda, but I couldn't find anything in the book about aspartame, or other artificial sweeteners. I do have 20-30 pounds to lose, and I'm 55. Sometimes it looks hopeless to me. I already have a head-start in that I eat oatmeal every morning with peanuts and cranberries, and I love green tea and drink it all day. But in order to lose the weight, I was wondering about the sweeteners. Thanks for your help. By the way, I just found the website this morning! Jeanne in Idaho



Hallo, Jeanne ~ Wow, another new BTD-enthusiast! Welcome, dear!!

In Live Right 4 Your Type and in the online TYPEbase 3 database, aspartame is listed as an avoid for you. But vegetable glycerine is actually a GOOD sweetener, as it can help you eliminate cravings and stabilize your blood sugar levels. It tastes pretty much like sugar, you can use it for most things you'd use sugar in. And of course, none of the dangers of artificial sweeteners. Scroll to the bottom of this page and type in glycerine, you'll come up with a number of columns about it. :-)

Don't EVER give up hope, dear ~ just convert it to action, and let the actions work for you! :-D

Now: the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia has specific protocols under "Autoimmune - Fibromyalgia," if you'd like to speed your progress along. The diet alone will produce steady improvements, so follow it closely and be reassured that you've found the last "diet" you'll ever need. Take care, and keep writing!! :-D

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Heidi: I've just started using the Type A supplements from NAP and I have a question about Deflect-A and [another supplement] I have taken for some time to improve flexibility in my arthritic knees. Reading the label on Deflect-A I note that it contains "N-Acetyl D-Glucosamine" and "Chondroitin Sulfate". The other contains "High Purity FCHG45 Glucosamine HCl 99%" and "Low Molecular Weight TRH122 Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate 95% (min)". Are these ...glucosamine... and ...chondroitin... compounds similar / redundant? Would Deflect-A replace the [other one] for me? Thanks for listening!

(BTW, I started working with the Type A diet two years ago when I had minor digestive problems -reflux, upset stomach - that seemed major until an illness and its corresponding antibiotic regimen aggravated it big time -- diahrea (I increased my yogurt consumption to deal with this): I ran across BTD at my favorite bookstore, read it, and decided to start by eliminating non-cultured dairy products, ie whole milk and avoid-cheeses, from my diet, and see what happened. I was surprised to find that while my diarhea issues only slowly (but consistently) got better (over two years), my chronic sore ears /ear infection issues stopped almost immediately. I substituted soy milk for milk in cafe lattes when possible, and once when I was served regular milk instead of soy milk in my latte, back came my sore ears just a few minutes after drinking it.

But that wasn't the only thing: I noticed that I quit biting my fingernails and tearing my toenails -- had been trying to quit that habit for years; I lost 15 lbs; I haven't the allergic reaction to flea bites I used to have; and I noticed a few months ago that my (long) hair doesn't have split ends anymore. Not sure all of this is due to dropping uncultured milk products from my diet, or adding more soy, or eating some Highly Beneficial foods that weren't in my diet, but changes are evident. Even though I can't say I follow the rest of the diet perfectly, I work on it every day). Dorothy

Hey there, Dorothy! It sounds like your way of following the diet is doing great things for you!! Congratulations, dear! Those big & small unexpected side-effects are kind of nice, aren't they?

About your supps, you probably can't get too much of those compounds right now until your knees are back to normal. But for a more researched answer, you might shoot a question to the folks at NAP ~ they're the experts on those matters. If I were in your position, I'd test the perceived effectiveness on comfort & flexibility between the two, and make my choice accordingly.

Thanks for writing, and it's a real pleasure to hear how well you're doing!

:-D

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Dear Heidi, Just to let you know, I truly enjoy reading your articles and answers to various peoples letters. As previously mentioned on this website, I have lost 12 lbs. since starting the Blood Type "A" diet 6 weeks ago. My blood type/Rh factor is "A" Positive, A1/A2 type is A/1, MN type is MN, and secretor status is "DOUBLE LEWIS NEGATIVE" (LeA-,LeB-). This website gets more and more interesting as time goes by. Marshal

Marshal, you are a DOLL. I am SO happy to hear your great progress, and I also want to note that I think the suggestions you send from time to time are great ones, too. We here all work to promote a healthier world, starting with ourselves and setting examples for others to follow as they choose. I believe the public projects you envision are worthy ones, and with time & persistence we'll see them come to fruition. I, too, would love to see this diet completely obscure the old food pyramid for institutions, and junk food fall totally out of favor. A little at a time, and the goal always in mind, friend.

Thanks again, and bless you, Marshal! ~:-D

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Hi, and thanks for any assistance you can provide. I am type O male, european origin age 60. I have had 2 hip replacements from arthitis and I am a bit overweight - not obese. I have an acid stomach with some ulceration of the oaesofagus - not too serious. I also get asthma and hay fever and have bad skin (adult acne). I have read the books and I must say it all fits - the blood diet appeals to me a great deal. I have been on the diet for 2 weeks. The main changes for me are giving away wheat (change to Essene Bread) and dairy skim milk (replaced by soy). My question is that the new diet, fairly stricly adhered to, seems to have made my gastric problems a bit worse at least initially - I have a lot of burping and trapped wind and discomfort in the stomach which were not there when I was on a mixed meat and carbohydrate balaced mixture of foods. I can see no reference to side effects in the books. Are there any which account for my issue? Thanks again, Tony

Hi, Tony! I'm pleased you "saw yourself" in the books' type O description.

:-) It may be that the soy milk does not agree with you right now. Try using some almond or rice milk instead (check the ingredients for avoid oils and carrageenan - there are brands with no avoids!), and see if your gastric discomfort goes away. It may also help to use a simple form of food separation: keep breads and grains out of any meal containing eggs, nuts, or meats. Have the grain with vegetable meals. Vegetables may be eaten with either meats or grain. If you need more assistance, please write again, and WELCOME!! :-D

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Heidi, what is your opinion on high cholesterol? I have read that ACIDOSIS OF YOUR SYSTEM (LACK OF CALCIUM) causes holes in the tissue of our arteries and that cholesterol comes and saves the day by filling in the holes, without which we would die. Cholesterol does not gunk up our veins because tissue is not present in our veins. (This was written by a noble prize winning physician, forget his name)I ask because my cholesteral was tested after 6 months of eating more protein (TRYING TO STAY ON THE LEAN SIDE TOO) and it went UP to 295 from 254. I just started taking Dr. D's calcium (6 per day - do you know the absorbsion rate of the calcium?), but wanted your input on the validity of this acidosis theory. I also read where you suggested red yeast rice. I will order some of that if you think lowering my cholesterol is necessary. How do we know lower than 200 is better? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND INFORMATION YOU SO GENEROUSLY SHARE WITH US ERFYT'S!! :0) Pennie

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You're very welcome, Pennie! I can't speak to the acidosis theory, I'm sorry to say. Perhaps if you find the reference, you can send it to me so I can read the article. However, about your cholesterol level: whether the meat were lean or fat would not impact the rise. How much grain & sucrose you eat is the culprit -- that's what raises type O cholesterol levels. Many of us find we need to limit our grain intake to near-paleolithic levels in order to have reasonable serum cholesterol (maximum? a range of 200-220 for Os). And... EXERCISE IS KEY FOR RAISING HDL (GOOD) CHOLESTEROL AND LOWERING LDL & VLDL (NASTY) CHOLESTEROL. :-D I doubt you're in need of the RYR ~ just tweak your grain intake, and pump up that exercise. ;-)

The mean average absorption on Phytocal-O is the same as the calcium content listed on the bottle. It is highly bioavailable. Hope this helps with your concerns! take care, dear ~ :-D

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I have too questions for the blood type diet. I am a blood type 'O' and i was wondering how somoking would affect my body while on the diet? Also how would being on the contraceptive pill would effect the diet? Thank you very much i hope to hear from you soon. Louella

Hi, Louella! We try to discourage type O women from using the contraceptive pill, because it exacerbates our natural "free-bleeding" tendencies. In some women, the Pill can be dangerous for that reason. Smoking's effect on your body will be a negative effect, no matter what your diet. It's one of those overriding influences that stands alone, so to speak. If you are eating a lot more vegetables and fruits now than before, the diet itself will be somewhat protective against the effects of smoking. For instance, the high beta-carotenes in carrots significantly reduce the incidence of lung cancer -- and exercise which involves bouncing up and down (jogging, aerobics, etc.) helps ward off emphysema. However, the only way to truly avoid the effects of smoking is not to be around cigarette smoke. ;-) you knew I'd say that, right? :-> You will still experience great benefits from following the diet ~ and I'd say, the more one is exposed to harmful substances, the more important it is to adhere strictly to the food/exercise/stress relief plan! If you're wondering about weight loss, the diet will work anyway ~ but the Pill may slow your progress in that regard. I hope you prosper, Louella ~ write back if you have more questions! :-D

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Hello. I love your column; I read it everyday. I've been following the BTD for about 5 years; started back when there was an old, old message board! At the time I had started the diet, I had an overactive thyroid (I'm an O weak secretor). Within 18 months, my thyroid problem had been resolved. I've used the diet with my three children who are now teenagers. My one daughter had gallstones, and now that she is following the A diet, she is symptom free. Her twin sister, an O, had painful periods (episodes of crying and intense cramps would last for half a day). Again, after following the O diet, no more pain during her periods. I know this diet works. Now for my question. My mother who is an O has stage 3a lung cancer (smoked for 40 years, gave it up 10 years ago). I've made an appointment for her to see Dr. Kruzel in Arizona (we live in CA). Could the BTD help? She will be starting chemo soon, and frankly she is only going to AZ because I'm pushing for her to do so. She just recently had 1/4 of her lung removed that had a massive tumor along with a lymph node. She also has heart problems as well as borderline diabetes. Heidi, I don't want to cause more problems for my mother; I want to help her. Any thoughts? Thank you for listening. Teri

Oh boy, Teri. :-} Well, the O diet will certainly help your Mom. As you know from your own experience, it promotes robust immunity and vibrant healing, and eliminates disease-causing elements in the diet. I strongly suggest you get hold of the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia, as it contains specific protocols for all her troubles.

Have a careful read through the Minnesota Wellness Cancer Pages. There are excellent suggestions there as well, which you can screen by accordance to the O diet, and by what your mother is willing to do. Additionally, I feel that the compound Heallix (www.heallix.com), taken at twice the dosage listed on the bottle, is capable of doing extraordinary things. Read up on that, too, and talk to Leo at the site about it. He's very knowledgeable and a great help.

Thanks for your compliments, Teri ~ and my warmest regards to your Mom. You're a wonderful daughter, and I know you'll take good care of her ~ and of YOU. best wishes to you both!! :-D

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I started the diet on Monday 6 January 2003. I am bllod type O. How long will I suffer from the headaches that I am experiencing? I notice in the diet that I can have Soya Milk and Cheese but not soya beans, can you explain why? Kind regards, Moyra

Hello, Moyra ! Did you eliminate all caffeine from your diet? You may be experiencing caffeine withdrawal. Just stick with it, the headaches will pass! Additionally, there are changes occurring in the balance of flora and fauna of your digestive system due to your new food plan, and those adjustments can mean headaches for a few days. The ratings for soy foods are partially affected by the processing of that food vis-a-vis the ABO type. Take a look at the TYPEbase 3 database on our home page (www.dadamo.com), and use the 'secretor' column for reference. Just enter the search term 'soy' and remember to hit the "search" button -- one's keyboard "enter" key will not engage the search. Thank you for your note, Moyra ~ I'm sure you'll soon be feeling on top of the world!! ;-D

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Aloha Heidi, My wife(O,Se) and Myself(A,Se) bought some canned Adzuki beans and Black eye beans. There was "Kombu Seaweed" as an ingredients in the canned beans. This is definitly an avoid for both of us, because we both got really tied and bloated after we ate it. I can say it is nice to be able to pin a food down like this just by knowing the diet and what you have said about an unlisted food. If you feel bad symtoms after a food, and I couldn't find this on the Typebase, then it's most likely an avoid. Have you heard of this food item before? Thank you so much for your help. Carl

Hi, Carl! Hey, I'm surprised you both had a bad reaction to kombu. It's a seaweed that's traditionally put on the bottom of a pan in which beans are cooked. Supposed to reduce gassiness (and keep the beans from sticking to the pan). Well, if there was nothing but kombu, water and beans in the cans you folks bought, then try picking up a bag of the dried beans and cooking them at home (no kombu ;-)) and see if you have the same reaction. It's possible you're reacting to something else in the meal you ate (a combination of meat, grains and beans for example), or that the enzymes necessary to digest the beans haven't "kicked in" quite enough yet - if you're unaccustomed to eating beans. Do a little experimentation, and let me know what you find out! Thanks for writing ~~ it's nice to hear from Hawaii!! take good care, Carl! :-D

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Hi, I have been on the BTD for about 3 years and I believe it has changed my quality of life. I am an O + sec. and am in remission from ulcerative colitis. I have all of Dr. D's books except the recipt book. My problem is that I have a gluten intollerence and cannot use some of the foods that other O's can, and gluten free recipts contain avoids on the BTD. I am looking for a pizza dough recipt. I have only been successful using rice and soy flour. I have also been trying to make Catilina salad dressing and can't get the proportions correct. Can you help me? Gail



Hello, Gail! To make a true pizza crust requires a little gluten, in my experience. I have had excellent results using kamut pastry flour and amaranth flour, but kamut contains a bit of delicate gluten. Would it be wiser for you to heal completely before adding grains back in? They're not essential for type Os, and I think your progress would be swifter if you dropped them for the moment ~ just until your system truly normalizes. The colitis information in the Encyclopedia may be of help? And of course a daily stress-relief practice such as meditation will go a long way to ensure your colitis does not return. About Catalina dressing ~ it feels weird to say this, but I've never had it, so I can't judge what the best recipe would be. I found one on the Net on this recipezaar page ~ you could substitute three tablespoons of vegetable glycerine for the sugar, light olive oil for the vegetable oil, and lemon juice for the vinegar. Readers, got any recipes for Gail? ;-) thanks for writing, dear, and I hope to hear from you again soon! :-D

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am type A, and i recently switched from a high protein diet which included mostly meat. IS this normal to gain weight at the begining? Also, i tested A-, and my parents are O+ and A+, is it possible for 2 +'s to have a -? Could the home test i purchased from the website have an error? THank you, Kris

Hello, Kris ~ Depending on the portion size and frequency of various foods you are now eating, you may gain a little weight at the beginning. Review the information in Live Right 4 Your Type to tweak your food group balance, if necessary. Vegetables and fruits make up by far the largest part of your daily A-diet. There are loads of OTD columns on type A and weight loss, but just to start you out: here is one with fairly specific tips on how to move the weight loss along!

Rhesus factor, like ABO, is determined by a pair of genes. One may be recessive to the other ~ just as you have a recessive O gene from one of your parents and yet you are type A, so they both are Rhesus positive yet both of them could have a recessive Rhesus negative gene which they passed to you. If you'd like confirmation, it might set your mind at ease to do another home test, but yes, it is quite possible to be Rhesus negative while both of your parents are Rhesus positive. :-D

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Hi, I'm A+ and not sure whether this question is 'educational' enough but I'm excited about the book "eat right 4 your type" as I recognized a lot of how I experience for instance my digestion in the A-type description and unfortunately also some of the symptoms mentioned a.o. cardiovascular symptoms, high blood pressure, inner stress.... A few weeks ago I started out experimenting with the diet. I'm also suffering from varicose veins and as someone advised me to take 'activated quercetin' and another [edited name]product, I'm wondering whether or to what extent these products and the ingredients they contain are compatible with the Type A- diet ? eva

Hello, eva! Well, I am at a loss as to why your friend told you that either of the products you mentioned are specific to resolve varicose veins. In terms of blood type compatibility, quercetin is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound, and fine for all types. The other product has numerous ingredients ~ it also comes in two different versions, each with a different ingredient list. Some of those ingredients we have no rating for, but most of the rest can be found in the TYPEbase 3 database under herbs and spices. In case you're interested, I did post advice for relief from varicose veins ~ in a column on January 5 entitled Potpourri: O, A, B & AB! Perhaps it will be of help to you! and thank you for writing!! :-D

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Dear Heidi, I have a query about portion frequencies. You advise that type A's and probably other blood types as well limit themselves to one serving of beneficial oil a day, at least if they're trying to lose weight (I'm not but you never know). But how are type A's going to enjoy eating all those veggies if they're dry and horrible? Kind regards, Olympia.

~;-D Well, I just took a stroll through the salad dressing recipes in Cook Right 4 Your Type. Looking only for A-neutral or beneficial dressings that had no oil added, I counted eight of them in the first few pages. :-) Don't take my word for it! Browse through Cook Right, you'll see what I mean! No need for dry OR horrible veggies! thanks for your note, dear! :-D

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Dear Heidi: Help! Which snail is which? Dr. D'Adamo's columns say that Helix pomatia is escargot. The Store says no -- it's the burgundy snail. I would rather eat Helix pomatia than take it as a pill. Please advise!! And thanks so much for doing the column -- I love it! Susan

Just wait till you see this: Here is what the U.S. Department of Agriculture has put together, just for you & me, Susan!! I love this page ~ it's ALL about snails, and describes in exact detail the appearance, culturing, naming, and other pertinent information on 14 species of edible snails from around the world. Their paragraph specific to Helix pomatia states:



Just go to their Snail Reference Page and scroll down to "Contents." Click the Edible Snails link, it will take you direct to the section I quoted.

Pretty exciting, eh? Now, all you As: pop down to your market, pick up a few tins, and Eat Your Snails!! ~:-D

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I have been reading several of Dr D'Adamo's books and would like to start on the diet for A types. My concern is that I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease 7 years ago and had radioactive iodine treatment. I take Levoxyl to supplement my loss. Since most people with thyroid function problems are O types and the feasibility of soy for thyroid function is up for grabs, should I not do the diet, or do a modified diet? Please let me know at your convenience. I would like to start the Blood Type Diet fairly soon, since the benefits seem so beneficial. Karen

Hello, Karen! Actually, I'd say start out on the full type A plan without delay. To answer your misgivings about soy and thyroid, take a look at page 194 of Live Right 4 Your Type ~ specifically the box entitled "The Phony Soy Controversy." Also, have a good read through the Ask Dr. D'Adamo columns ~ especially Type A, Thyroid and Soy. Then, just scroll to the bottom of the page and enter the search term soy. There is an abundance of solid research and educated commentary about soy and ABO, which you won't find gathered together anywhere else.

I hope this BTD life plan does everything you want it to do, and much more! And may I offer my warmest welcome to you, dear! Enjoy it, Karen!! :-D

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Hi there Heidi, I've been following the diet for a year now with great health results (if I come off it I feel worse, so it must be working!). However, I have a problem with getting fresh fish. I can get wild atlantic salmon (at vast expense) that is supposed to be better for you because it supposedly is less subject to Mercury pollution than Pacific salmon. However, I have to buy a whole salmon! Obviously I have to freeze it. But freezing fish is supposed to be a no-no. The same happens with trout, I can buy organic trout by mail order but need to order six at a time. So, do I buy the unpolluted organic fish and freeze it, or do I buy fresh from Tesco, which will be farmed and potentially polluted - which is the lesser of the two evils? Hope you can advise. Cheers Maggie

Hey there, Maggie! It is 'flash freezing' of fish that produces the higher level of polyamines -- putting fresh fish in your regular freezer will not present this problem. Between the polluted fishies and the home-frozen fresh good stuff, those large orders of clean fish are by FAR the best choice. It will be much better for you! thanks for your note, dear! :-D

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Thank you, thank you, I can't thank Dr. D'Adamo ENOUGH, for the wonderfully improved health which I experienced..within even ONE week of being on my (type A) diet! My last 'allergy' shot? 9-13-02 All of my fibromyalgia pain? Gone, w/ no need for any more sleep-aid Rx's or anti-depressants! My energy level? Higher than it had been for more than 5 yrs! My recent challenge? To figure out why my liver is still unhappy, making more cholesterol than desired; also, to decrease (even) further, some residual 'daytime fog.' Other than this, I am SO happy to feed my blood type.. and: to be ALIVE!! I'm telling EVERYone I know about Dr. D'Adamo's books!!! Marge



WHOO-HOO! Nice going, Marge!! WHAT a great report!! :-) Hey, maybe I can help with the cholesterol level: just go to the bottom of this page, and search for 'cholesterol.' A great number of columns will come up, just scan over them for the Type A-related ones and the ones on red yeast rice. Since your brain fog is going away, I'll bet it will continue to fade over time.

I am SO exhilarated by your spectacular progress! and it's just the beginning.... thank you so much for writing! ~~;-D

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i've been reading the 4 books available on the blood diet from dr. d'adamo and my husband and i began the diet monday.....through our reading and then looking at information on his website it sounds like my type a blood and the recommended diet is resistant to losing weight. this is one of the major reasons i wanted to try the diet. am i missing something? or is this really the way it is for my blood type.....is there anything to do to help increase my weight loss...or am i to just to get used to carrying all my extra pounds.... sincerely, brenda

Hi, Brenda! It is definitely the diet for you, the best one for health and the weight loss that is a beneficial side effect of a diet that works on many levels. Some As do have a longer wait for the fat loss to occur, but that goes for some people of any blood type. You may or may not see weight loss right away, depending on your general health right now, but it WILL HAPPEN, and you will never have to “diet” again. The A plan is health-enhancing in so many ways, weight loss being only one of them. Take a look at Peter's Getting Started page... Remember that yoga is an integral part of re-tuning your metabolism ~ and keep me posted on your progress! Thanks for writing! :-)

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I am a type A, 15 years old and I used struggled with migraines.Although they have cleared up Ihave been getting cramp in my legs,I am losing weight which is great but I have no idea what recipes I can cook!! I HATE tofu and I love quorn(meat substitute),am I allowed to ear Quorn? it is made of mushrooms. I think I have a deficiency in calcium, zinc and vitamin C what supplemments do you suggest? I gave up drinking milk(for the calcium) 5 years ago because my sinuses were always blocked up,I live on soya milk and pineapple juice.I do excercise every day usually belly dancing for one hour followed by one hour fast dancing,what could I do to speed up my weight loss? so far I have lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks. many thanks Hanna

Hanna, five pounds in two weeks is great! HEY! Congratulations!! Just keep at it! And the disappearance of the migraines is wonderful news. I hope that was just a turn of phrase when you said you’re living on two food items… but if that’s really the case, I’m not surprised you have some mineral deficiencies. There are about 200 foods available to you to choose from. Take another look at your food list, especially the greens part of the vegetable category. Almonds are a good calcium source, as is your soy milk -- and why not try tempeh instead of tofu? Simple recipes can be made up from just a few ingredients – for instance, a stir fry with tempeh chunks, onions, garlic, and diced squash. What about fish? Chicken? Turkey? There are lots of foods on the A diet you didn’t mention, and they can make great quick meals. Take a look at the main page here and investigate the RECIbase link. Vitamin C is abundant in fruits and vegetables! Zinc is plentiful in pumpkin seeds! If there is one supplement I’d recommend, it would be the Phytocal-A calcium supp sold here ~~ Two hours of exercise a day may be raising your cortisol levels rather than lowering them – would you consider doing an hour of yoga instead of the fast dancing? Helps with weight loss more than the frenetic activity, for As! :-) About quorn… please see below, and let me know how your progress goes, dear!

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Dear Peter d'Adamo, A friend of mine who's name is Ann H. is an 'applied kinesiologist'. Through your recommendations about a diet adapted to one person's blood-group she already helped a lot of people . Often spectacular results were attained in many cases, for all different kinds of blood-groups and she wants to express her gratitude to you by means of this mail. To clarify some uncertainties she has a number of questions on which you have probably a proper answer: 1) do you mean by 'yellow, red and green peppers' the big variaty (more or less round shaped about 5 to 10cm diameter) which do not taste spicy and are eaten as vegetables? 2) there is also a small variaty, I think you call it 'chilli-peppers' (finger shaped about 1cm diameter), which are added to other food as a spice and which are quite spicy. The question is can these be consumed by a blood-group A, and if not which spicy spices are allowed? 3) for vegetarians there is a certain food called 'quorn' that is supposed to replace meat. It is rather tasteless and has a pale colour. It is derived from a plant which belongs to the species of mushrooms. Is this suitable for the blood-group A? 4) is lime juice suited for the blood-group A diet? We would appreciate if find some time to answer these questions and many thanks for sharing your knowledge by means of your book. Kind regards, Ann H. and Eddy M.

Hi, Eddy ~ All peppers of whatever size, color or spiciness are avoids for type A secretors (with the exception of the elusive “pimiento,”) and neutrals for A nonsecretors. Lime juice? Neutral, like limes! Any other questions about food status can be answered by visiting the TYPEbase 3 database~ any item not found there is unlisted, therefore “neutral” for people in good health. Hottish-tasting spices for As include mustard, cumin, hot paprika, and horseradish of all kinds... including the tear-inducing japanese wasabe. It's a different cuisine without the nightshades, I know ~ but it is a very satisfying one, once the transition is accomplished and new habits formed. :-}

Quorn is a commercially manufactured substance, one which is entirely new to the human digestive system and which has a significant record of stimulating allergic response. It is not made from mushrooms, nor any other plant. Rather, it is created by propagating a fungus present in soil in a glucose medium, and forming the resultant goo into edible-looking products. Its manufacturers in Europe have received a government edict to stop advertising it as a mushroom derivative, and health warnings have been issued in several quarters. It has only recently been marketed in North America, and until its safety and some idea of its nutritional value, if any, have been established, I strongly suggest eating real food instead. :->

Many thanks for your kind commendations, and I’m very happy Peter’s work has benefited Ann’s clients! Happy New Year to you, my friends!!

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Eight years ago I was blood type A then I underwent a bone marrow transplant and now I am blood type O I am a vegetarian and rely on echinacea throughout the winter to combat colds and chest infections that I am prone to. Which diet type should I follow? Many thanks Deb

Greetings, Deb! You should follow the diet for your original blood type -- in this case, type A. The blood type alteration occurring as a result of bone marrow transplant is a "pseudo" change, and does not affect your choice of diet 4 your type. :-) ... and... may I suggest a combination of quercetin, PolyFlora-A and ARA6 to boost your immune system? ProBerry3, in liquid (tasty!) or capsules, is also a potent winter illness buster. :-D

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I have been on the diet 9 months now and am doing really well. I am an A and the diet has cured my digestive and conspitation problems like nothing else ever did in the past. I really love the vegeterian foods. My son is smoking his own salmon using his own wood which is from gum trees. Would this be okay for me to eat as nothing else is added to it. Rosemary



:-D I'm happy you're happy, Rosemary! :-D I usually recommend that As and ABs avoid smoked food, but a once- or twice-a-month serving of home-smoked fish shouldn't do you any harm. Enjoy! and thanks for your report! :-D

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Hello, I have several questions re information in the book Eat Right for Your Blood Type. My husband & I both are type A --we live in France. Is there another name for aduki beans? Cannot find it in the dicitonary nor in the health food stores. Black-eyed beans: is it the same as black-eyed peas? Broad beans appear in both neutral (beans...) and avoid (vegetables...). Please explain. Durum wheat bread appears in both avoid (breads...) and neutral (grains...). Please explain. Gluten-free appears in neutral (breads...) & gluten appears in neutral (grains...) very confusing. Please clarify. Cabbage appears in avoid (vegetables...) & cabbage juice appears in neutral (juices...) Please clarify. Also: Why is coconut in avoid (fruit...)? I've been eating fresh (only) coconut, is this adverse to Type A's in the long run? I'm quite impressed with Dr D'Adamo's research--my husband & I started following this diet 2 days ago. If it works for us, we will complete the form at the end of the book. Thank you very much. Thandiwe & Joël

Hmmm... aduki beans in France. Well, other names are adzuki and azuki, sometimes spelled aduke, adzuke or azuke. Here is a site with descriptions & pictures. They're really little beans, as small as .5 cm across. Eden brand has carried aduki beans, both dry and canned, for years. Can you find that brand in France? Black-eyed peas & black-eyed beans are the same thing. The broad bean problem was resolved in Live Right 4 Your Type -- use TYPEbase3 to check the updated status of individual foods -- and remember to use the "search" button there rather than your keyboard "enter" key. Breads and flours have been much expanded and simplified in the later works, as well. Cabbage juice has rather different properties from the whole vegetable, hence that rating. Coconut is an avoid for As because of its lectin activity -- you'll see that note in TYPEbase3 as well. I hope the diets do all you are seeking, and more! Thanks for writing!! :-D

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I have been following the A diet for about a year with certain definite results such as much less mucus. Two questions: In our family we also a type O. I want to prepare Pinto beans but I am confused because "Cook Right" says Pinto beans highly beneficial for type O (page 82) but "Live Right" says avoid (page 145) I have been eating Cape Whiting fish but got a shock when I found out it is also known as hake (Merluccius Capensis). Can I eat this fish? Oscar

Hi, Oscar! Live Right has the correct rating, and the Updates Page has more information on food status changes. I'm sorry for the eternal fish confusion... While I would wish that we had the resources to specify exact food names for every nationality on earth, it would be an impossible task given the local and regional differences and the changing market names ... particularly among those fishies!!

Now for the good news: your Cape Whiting is what we would call Whiting (a market name, in other words -- one of the local names is "cape hake"). :-) Our "hake" is Urophycis tenuis, a totally different fish. So eat your Cape Whiting in confidence and good health! ~:-D

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Dear Heidi,

Your column has inspired me to value organic foods more than ever. On February 13, 2003, a bill was passed that undermines our National Organic Standards. Perhaps some of your other USA readers would like to know we have a brief opportunity -- until February 24 -- to ask our senators and representatives to protect our National Organic Standards. Get the scoop from Whole Foods -- HERE IS THE LINK.

The Whole Foods page even provides links to phone numbers for members of Congress. It took only a few minutes to phone my 2 senators and 1 representative. Sorry this gives such short notice! But I found I could leave my voice messages even during off hours! [ For my senators, this required calling local offices rather than DC. Found local numbers in old-fashioned phone-book--“Government Listings” section-- “United States Government”—“Congress.” Or, of course, can find on internet by clicking around a little ] Good luck everyone who is interested! Last but not least, thank you Heidi! Eva

Hey, thank YOU for the announcement, Eva! I hope many of our U.S. readers will take a few minutes to read the Whole Foods page and express their opinions to their representatives ~ costs nothing, means a lot!! I've emailed my reps, and will follow up with phone calls. This is truly an outrageous back-room move to undermine TRUE organic farmers and ranchers. Everyone ~ please lend a hand to protect them -- our access to clean foods depends on them! we're all in this together!! :-)

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Bonne Annee from France! I have been putting off writing this, as it has taken me awhile to get used to my new "status." I had the NAP Secretor test done while I was visiting my Dad back in the USA, and got the results 3 weeks ago.... I'm now officially an O non-secretor, like you. Boy, was I ever bummed out!!! No more wonderful French goat and sheep cheeses, or Italian buffalo mozzerella! No more stevia, soy milk, cinnamon, vanilla, etc. Only good news was that the 1/2 bottle of red wine that I drink each night is beneficial! (Yeah, maybe I should cut that down. but I AM in France!)

Now that I'm used to the idea, I wanted to write to encourage everyone on the diet to check their secretor status. Here I was thinking I was only "cheating" occassionally, when I was doing so daily. I had finally quit coffee (for the 2nd time) Oct. 1st, but drank my green tea with soy milk and stevia. I ate "neutral" cheeses 3 to 5 times a week with a salad for lunch. Since moving to France a little over 2 years ago and enjoying "neutral" cheeses that I never ate in Los Angeles, I had put on 5 pounds (all on my thighs and rear end...) which I had attributed to becoming menopausal. (I'm now 5'6'' at 127 pounds, and thin on the top half...)

So, now that I'm off the cheese, etc., I'm hoping the excess pounds on my hips will eventually melt away. Do you think the cheeses (and very, very seldom a little fabulous French bread) could have caused these pounds? I never had obvious symptoms from eating the foods that I now find out are "avoids," so I was sure that I must be a secretor! I can only imagine that there are others like moi who might be consuming a great number of avoids unintentionally...

Now (enfin) to some questions:

1. Do you know anything about maltitol as a sweetener? I have found it in chocolates in Europe. I did a search on it and it is some sort of a alcohol sugar (like glycerine?). If it is to be considered neutral, I suppose I could eat it now and then - just not often??

2. Any knowledge of "agave syrop" as a sweetener? It comes from a cactus, not unlike prickly pear (which is beneficial), but it is not in the same family. Also a neutral, so not often??

3. Another unknown sweetener in France is chicory extract. It is taken from the root of chicory plants, which are beneficial. Any thoughts?

4. Is chondroitin still an avoid as a non-secretor?? I have 2 large bottles of a very expensive glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. Would it be damaging to take 1 capsule (containing 400mg chondroitin) daily untill I run out of them? I also have a bottle of 1000mg glucosamine only, which I would take as well. I have a rather badly arthritic neck (cervical disc disease from a severe whiplash 22 years ago), and do my best to avoid anti-inflammatory drugs. Have not had luck with quercitin and bromelain... I did manage to find vegetable glycerine, so am using that in my tea, but would like any imput on the other sweeteners mentioned above. Thanks you Heidi, for your wonderful column, and again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! Abby in France

And a joyous New Year to you, too, Abby! Speeding by already, ain't it? :-}

Congratulations on plunging into your nonsecretor diet! It does sound like cheese was the key to the extra poundage, since it's the only thing that you didn't eat regularly in LA but had quite a bit of in France. The other part of the equation is exercise, which will speed the fat-off/tone-up process. ;-) and just think: partridge, pheasant, squab, all beneficial for us! And those beautiful little quail eggs are Neutral! :-D

On to your Qs:

1. Have a look at this page on maltitol and see if it's something you'd like to put into yer body. This abstract from the University of Vigo in Ourense, Spain describes maltitol as one of the polyalcohols obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of monosaccharides. Its only warning on the product is that excessive intake may have a laxative effect. We have no ABO rating for it... proceed with caution. :-)

2. Agave syrup ~ I found lots of fascinating reading on the agave plant. It is actually not a cactus, but a succulent, one of the many members of the grand lily (Liliaciae) family. Blue agave (Agave tequilana weber azul) is the species of agave from which the agave syrup for tequila is made. This is the source of the sweeteners I've seen on the market -- the syrup is distributed to tequila manufacturers and for bottling as a sweetener (its sweetness comes from its high concentration of fructose). The only member of the Liliaciae family in the food lists is aloe vera, an avoid for everyone except type As (partly due to the action of anthraquinones on us'ns, namely an extreme laxative effect (when taken internally)). Again, we have no rating for it, but from here it doesn't seem likely that agave syrup will make it to the O-non "neutral" list. :-}

3. Chicory extract should be fine for you, depending on how it is extracted (water or chemicals) and whether it retains any residues if chemical extraction is used. Inulooligosaccharides are the sweety-parts of chicory, and would present no problem to O-nons as far as I can figger it. I believe LeRoux in France is the main producer -- their sales contact number is +33 (0) 3 64 48 00 ~ you might give them a call and ask about the chem residue issue. Might also find out if it's organic/"biologique"... :-)

4. Chondroitin ~ that one's an avoid for Os, since as Peter wrote in his column, chondroitin is made up of long chains of n-acetyl galactosamine (the blood group A antigen). As he so eloquently put it: "Thus by consuming large amounts of chondroitin, type O's are inadvertently provoking their immune system with constant doses of what amounts to an incorrect blood transfusion!" Unsurprisingly, the Encyclopedia lists chondroitin as useful for As and ABs only. Sadly, I think it would certainly be best to chuck the chondroitin rather than use it up -- and stick to the glucosamine-only supp! :-}

thanks for your qs, dear! and enjoy that wine! :-D

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I am a type 0 secretor and follow this diet and the living/raw foods diet in the Ann Wigmore tradition, meaning lots of fermented and sprouted raw foods (I eat my meat raw following the primal diet by Aajonus Vonderplanitz). Eating raw made a dramatic change in my health and energy. The BTD had helped with my sinus and allergy problems, but eating raw gives me a turbo charge. One thing I really enjoy is taking young green coconuts, and turning both the meat and the water into kefir. First, does culturing avoids such as coconut make them beneficial or neutral, or do they remain an avoid, and if so, how bad is that for me? Second, many of the raw food recipes contain avocado for its consistency, flavor, and fat content. Can you think of a decent substitute for this mainstay of the raw diet and type 0 avoid? (I read you every day. Thanks!) Hope

Greetings, Hope! It would be best to culture only the foods on the beneficial and neutral list for you. There are hundreds to choose from. Coconut is particularly troublesome for type Os, and I have no information on whether culturing would have any affect on the lectin-enhancing and digestive-system hazards of fresh coconut. If avocado is a mainstay of the raw diet... you might experiment with oyster mushroom blended with a raw, mild nutbutter of some kind (walnut, perhaps) for the consistency and fat content, but I can't think of any single raw food which would exactly replace the consistency, let alone the *flavor* of avocado. :-)

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I am looking for a good, up-to-date cookbook on meat. I am an O and have been looking for a good cookbook that will teach me how to cook meat. As a vegetarian or mostly vegetarian for years, I never really learned - and as the organic meat is so expensive - I do not want to waste it! It seems that meat is such a politically incorrect topic these days, no one wants to write about it. Thanks -- melinda

Don't worry, melinda ~ it's getting a little politically correcter every day. ;-) In many parts of the world, and certainly most of the great restaurants, the issue has never arisen, so for most folks it's more business as usual than a switch to vegetarianism and back again. :-) That's true of the best cookbooks as well.

You might look at The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. It's a big one, and deals with cooking game and fish as well as beef and hundreds of other foods. The nice thing about it is the detailed information ~ they assume every reader might be a novice in the kitchen, and give instructions accordingly. Another possibility are the Two Fat Ladies cookbook collection. ;-) Inspect it before purchasing, as this is more of an advanced-cookery book. The main hazards you'll run into are the copious use of pork products and potatoes... but "Beef with Chestnuts, Pears, and Almonds" sounds great, doesn't it? There is always Joy of Cooking, and I'm sure lots of readers have their basic 5-pound cookbook which has instructed and delighted over the years. If they write in with suggestions, I'll pass them on! Good luck, melinda, and don't worry! It's not rocket science, thank Heaven -- learning the whole vegetarian deal is far more complex! -- and you'll soon have the knack of an expert! :-D

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I am "O-" and have been using the diet for about three months now, and after getting over the hell of the 1st two weeks of it and doing fine on it, have twice as much stamina as before, losing excess fat, etc.. I'm searching diligently for replacements for foods that I can no longer eat, and have a question about SOY BASED CHEESE. Most of them seem to contain MILK PROTEIN (casein in one form or another). My vegetarian freinds (who know about these things) tell me that there are such "non-dairy" cheese substitutes out there that do NOT contain this milk protein, but they're low-quality products. While milk products are OUT, is this "milk protein" OK or not? I really like cheese sometimes but don't want to "cheat". Duncan

Hey there, Duncan! You have a number of choices on the "neutral" cheese list, so there's no need to seek out the soy stuff. Soy "replacement food products" are highly processed, and as long as you stick with the allowed cheeses within the portion/frequency guidelines in Live Right, I think you'll be better off. (Casein additives are not recommended for Os, last I checked.) Farmer cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese and mozzarella are all OK. The first and last refer to cows'-milk products, although the traditional mozzarella di bufala is fine as well. There you are! :-D

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Please, please can you help me with problems I've been having over the last few months. I'm an 'O' secretor, female aged 57 and the problems are: overweight (by 28 lbs), osteoporosis, lichen planus and alopecia ariata. There is also an upset in gallbladder and pancreas which is being medically investigated at the moment. After being on the BTD for 6 weeks, I felt much better and more stable but over Christmas I went a bit astray...so back to square one. Any suggestions would be really appreciated. Best wishes for 2003 Margo

Hi, Margo ~ hey, I'm sorry you slipped off the BTDwagon over the holidays! That's OK, the best thing is to hop right back on. You already know it does you so much good! and it did it in only 6 weeks!! Three sources to boost your healing powers right now: there are protocols in the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia for osteoporosis, pancreas disorders and general immune system health. Second, the Lichen Planus Treatment Site offers homeopathic treatment specific to this condition. Their site is worth a good read, and they do have a U.S. contact for further information. Third, Julia Chang's marvelous health site has saved thousands of people from gallbladder surgery. I'm quite familiar with her techniques, and they have worked for me and many others I know. She lists her own email address and telephone number for personalized counseling.

I hope these suggestions are of help in getting you back on track toward vibrant health, Margo ~ keep in touch and let me know how it goes! :-)

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I will begin my Type O diet now but would like to order proper supplements from your store. Problem is, I have had numerous problems with most drugs and vitamins - obviously I appear to have a chemical sensitivity. Anything you can recommend? bobbi

Hello, bobbi! Look at the info page for each supp you're interested in. They all list the ingredients, so you can check them against any of the components in other vitamins you've found you're sensitive to. And of course, there are no drugs in these supps. :-) thanks for writing, dear! :-D<

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Heidi, I love your column and read it daily. I asked a question some months ago that perhaps got lost in the shuffle. I am an O non secretor. You know that territory! My question is on what grains, vegies and so on are "made ok" for us by sprouting, and which are not. I know that wheatgrass juice is ok, and I see barley grass in the NAP green drink, so that seems to be made friendly by sprouting as well. But, as far as I know, sunflower sprouts still remain an avoid. Soy also? Is there a rule, or is it individual, case by case? I suppose it depends on why the item is an avoid, and whether sprouting takes care of that. Alfalfa sprouts don't work for us, and who ever eats alfalfa in any other form? Can you clarify this? I also want to give a resource to everyone: the Grain and Salt Society (www.celticseasalt.com) has lots of the unusual grains, like amaranth and kamut and, well, you name it! They also have unsweetened organic cocoa powder, so we who can't use most sweeteners can use our own glycerine or molasses and still have chocolate! Each type can use its ideal sweetener. They offer stevia and quite a few other sweeteners, plus lots of other stuff. Their salt is the best kind, the French high end stuff. Thanks again for your wonderful spirit. Cyndi

Hi, Cyndi! thanks for you kindness!! I've talked a bit about the foods made OK by sprouting, and as far as I know they are few. Wheat... barley... perhaps some legumes and not others, but we have nothing definite on those quite yet. Wish I could offer more! :-} I love the Grain and Salt society, and I'm happy you are, too! thanks for mentioning them, and for your lovely note!! :-D

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Hi Heidi, Greetings from Dublin Ireland. Thanks for all the great information you and your fellow columnists give us. The best of luck and health to you all in the New Year and future. I'm an O neg secretor male 34 yrs, on the diet for the past 15 months and have found it great. I have all the books Eat, Live, Cook and the Encyclopaedia. As a hobby I run competitively and try to train from 50 to 70+ miles a week. A brief history of my health problems. About 5 to 6 years ago I started to feel very fatigued, bloated and easily breaking down in training with colds/flu's and viruses. At different times and seeing different doctors, I was put on antibiotics, steroids, had blood tests and chest x-rays but all to no avail really. Then about 3.5 yrs ago I went for an allergy test, which showed that my body was full of toxins and a virus that was not letting go due to the weakness of my immune system and I had candida. From this allergy test I was to stay off dairy and yeast. I also got herbal drops for the candida and I started to feel a good bit better. Then with a bit of luck (or faith) I was introduced to the eat right for your type book at a Bed and Breakfast my wife and I stayed in one night. I found it so interesting I went ahead the next day and bought our own copy.

Having been off dairy (taking calcium enriched soy milk instead) and yeast as it was I started following the blood type diet and was amazed how much better I felt leaving out the wheat, corn and then the 'spuds'. The diet I feel has helped me to train harder, recover quicker and in 2002 just gone I got personal bests over 4 miles (19min 52sec) and 10k (31min 48sec). This is the first time in about nearly 10 yrs I got pb's and it wasn't for the want of trying!! I stick rigidly to the diet but with all the training I must admit I don't watch the portions of beneficials or neutrals I eat. I also feel that my candida has reduced, as I seem to be able to eat more dried fruit now even though I still try to avoid most yeasts. I have a couple of questions that you may be able to help me out on if you get the time please.

1. I feel I need to take an iron supplement (Quest chelated iron) to keep my blood count up with all the running I do. Is this a good thing or would you suggest any other iron supplement? Note: I have tried to take the POLYVITE 'O' PROFESSIONAL MULTIVITAMIN but found that after a week or so on them I started to feel tired. Instead I reverted back to taking the Quest multivitamin or Solgar multivitamin tablets. I also tried taking the POLYFLORA 'O' PROFESSIONAL PROBIOTIC but found that I was waking up every morning very tired. I don’t take any probiotic at present.

2. What supplements would you suggest with the activity I do? 3. Over Nov and early Dec just gone I noticed that some of the joints on my fingers swelled up a little and were sore to touch. Could this be a sign of something lacking or too much of in my diet? Since then they have returned back to normal. Thanks again for all the great information, Kind Regards, James.

Hi, James ~ lovely to hear from Ireland!! Well, you're doing a great job just as you are. If you're using the full spectrum of protein foods in Live Right 4 Your Type, including meats, dark leafy greens and nuts & seeds, blackstrap molasses if you can get it, you may find your need for an iron supp will fall by the wayside. The swelling and disappearance of same -- did they occur within a month or two after you began the diet? or during a period of eating a bit of certain avoids? It sounds like a common detox reaction in the joints, as the tatie lectins rose up and cleared away. I had a similar reaction, but in my toes ~ and it never came back.

Nutritional yeast is a food that no athlete should be without. It actively supports intestinal balance, and will not aggravate any candidiasis you may have experienced in the past. The ingredients are important, so I encourage you to find an outlet for the KAL brand, which is grown on beets. It's a potent source of protein, B vitamins, selenium, zinc, and a nice 4% of daily iron needs per scoop. That's the only thing I'd hope you'll add. The food will do the rest!! That's how these diet plans were designed. ;-)

I congratulate you most heartily on your personal best! and look forward to hearing more in future! thanks so much for writing, James!! :-D

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Hi, there! With reference to your column of January 3, can you tell me (all of us!): * One or more brand names for rice and egg protein powder * A basic smoothie recipe (for Os) that uses walnut, almond, or pecan butter and nutritional yeast * Is nutritional yeast okay for Os? (I guess, because of recurring candida, I have a fear of yeast.) What is its value? Thanks for all your effort! (Do you get to have a life beyond your column???) Shay

Hi, Shay! ;-) OK: here is one organic rice protein powder; lots of them on the market. I personally would use two or three organic hard-boiled eggs in a smoothie instead of the powders. There are plenty of egg protein powders around, but most contain a slew of chemical "vitamins," additives, bee pollen and the lot, and none are organic that I've found.

A simple smoothie recipe is five ounces of blueberries or black cherries, (fresh or frozen) or a combination; two tablespoons of nutbutter; two tablespoons of nutritional yeast (I use 4); a couple of handfuls of ice, and fill up with five to eight ounces of mineral water (or plain water, or juice). Whiz it up. (That's pretty much what I do, and you'll notice I don't use the powders.) My old blender requires this be done in 1/4 batches, but it eventually gets the job done. :-D Add and adjust ingredients to your liking! It's a great hiding-place for supps. ;->

Ah ~ Nutritional yeast is MARVELOUS for Os! Technically, it is neutral for all secretors and beneficial for all nonsecretors (of which your humble correspondent is one). It's in TYPEbase 3 just that way. And it will not feed candida at all... it's actually great for re-establishing a healthy intestinal balance. As to my life balance, well... yes, I do have one aside from the fun work here but it's more online than off these days! WHOO, am I looking forward to SPRING! ~:-D take care, my dear! :-D

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Hello Heidi! I've been enjoying your column very much. Can you tell me whether vegetable glycerine needs to be refrigerated? Thanks, and take care! jane

Hi, Jane! Nope ~ it does fine in a room-temperature cupboard in my house. I'd keep it out of direct light, but that's just me. Glad you like your new sweetener! :-D

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I just recently started on the blood type program. I am type O and an avid exerciser and weightlifter. Whey protein has been a staple of my diet for years now and I am struggling to find a replacement. As you well know, high protein intake is very important in building muscle and sometimes it's not that easy to get a hold of animal protien. Almost all of the products on the market now contain whey, or milk protein. I would like to supplement my diet with some type of protein in order to take in the proper daily amount. However, it must be something other than the whey which I just learned to avoid. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you. Kenneth

Sure! I talked a little on this issue in the Type O Roundup #9 ~ "For all you folks, the best supplement to lose weight and gain muscle mass is the Type O Diet/Exercise Guidelines. Requires no drugs, no surgery ~ in fact, can be accomplished with one book, a pair of sneakers and a plan. :-) The full story can be found in Live Right 4 Your Type, and if you'd like to fix a protein shake, here are some suggestions for the protein part of it: a hard-boiled egg or two, a scoop of nutritional yeast, rice protein, egg protein, soy protein (for secretors), walnut or almond butter, or some combination of the above -- some of our intrepid hunter-gatherers find that a few chunks of meat whiz up well in the blender, too!

So ... WHEY is the Only No-No ~ there are so many other choices!

First rule of protein powders: read the label and check for avoids. Second rule of protein powders: see first rule.

Live strong, last long! ~~:-D "

thanks for writing, Kenneth, and all the best to your weightlifting goals!!

~~;-D

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