Happy New Year's Eve, everyone!



Thought I'd take this time on the eve of the New Year to review some of the most frequent topics raised in the eight months since this column's inception.



First:



Let's start with that ever-popular subject, BOWEL MOVEMENTS. ~:-D When I said out with the old, I meant it. Here's the relevant portion of a recent note:



Hi Heidi, I was reading in the Jan. 2003 issue of Alive (Canadian magazine of natural Health, alivepublishing.com)an article about digestion. It quotes Brenda watson, certified colon therapist and author of Renew Your Life: Improved Digestion and Detoxification (Renew Life Press, 2002). "At minimum,should have one good bowel movement per day, but two to three are ideal. A "good" bowel movement is one that is walnut brown in colour, with a consistency similar to toothpaste, about the length of a banana. the stool should be free of odour, leave the body easily, settle in the toilet water and gently submerge. The transit time for food, meaning the elpsed time it takes for a meal to enter the mouth and then exit the rectum, should be less than 24 hours." there! gross everybody out! Hope this helps, Jayne



LOL! Takes a lot to gross this crowd out by now! :-D Nice to have an expert's view on this topic, and thanks so much for... passing it on! :-D



Continuing...



Wheat for As?



Simple Explanation: The only wheat elements to be avoided by group A secretors are the bran and the germ. Thus: whole wheat flour, wheat bran, and wheat germ are to be avoided -- along with any products whose ingredients include one or more of these items. For nonsecretors it gets a little more complicated, so when in doubt, check that TYPEbase3!! :-)



Protein for B's on a vegetarian diet?

That one's here!



B's wondering about string cheese...

Right Here!



Type O vegetarians ~

Here!

and Here!



Meal Planning Made Simpler

Phew!



Which Book Should I Use?

Some Here!

More Here!



Basic Exercise Routine for All!

HOO-RAH!



Those Tumultuous Tiers:

Whoo!

Hoo!



Encyclopedia Questions? Book Discrepancies?

Here!

There!

And Everywhere!



Avoids in soap, shampoo, etc.?

Stylin'!



Genetics: If my wife & I are type x & q, what's Junior?

Voila!



Oh, I've just got to sneak a couple of AB questions in here, and one on kids' secretor status:



Hi, Through Blood Tests I am B+ But after reading the Questions and Answers section of "Eat Right for your Type", I am not sure if I should follow the B diet or the AB diet. In the book it says that if one parent is A and the other B, it will mean the offspring is AB. My Mother is A and my Father B. Please tell me which diet to follow, as I am eager to start. Thanks, Tamara



Hey, Tamara ~ Actually, the book indicates that one parent must have a B gene and the other must have an A gene in order to product type AB offspring. Remember, though, that each of us carries two blood type genes. In type O we know both genes are O because O is recessive to A and B. Similarly, type ABs obviously have one A and one B gene. But for type Bs and As, it's a different story! Now, I'll tell you a secret: your mom has a recessive O gene. How do I know? Your Dad gave you his B gene, and you typed out as a B. Therefore, you got a recessive O from Mom and a B from Dad. However, if both of your parents were homozygous -- meaning, Aa and Bb rather than heterozygous, namely Ao and Bo -- then you would have popped out as an AB. :-)



Hi Heidi, Its nice to email you again! My question has to do with the recessive genes of my mom and dad. My dad currently deceased was Ab- and my mom is B+. I am AB+ and my sister is B-. My sister married an O+ and her son is O-. What is throwing me off is shouldnt my sister be a Bb- and have no O blood in her? She must be a Bo- to produce her son. Am i figuring this out right? I cannot recheck my dad since he is deceased, but your anwer will help me see if he really was Ab- or if he was mistaken and was Ao-. I hope this doesnt sound too confusing, but this question has me really wondering. Also the new board is very nice! Thanks, Arlene AB+



Well ARLENE! How the heck are you? Happy New Year, girl!!! The answer to your question is, like Tamara's, that your mom has a recessive O gene. Your sister grabbed the B gene from Dad and the O gene from Mom. (We also know your mom carries the recessive Rhesus negative gene, hidden behind the +. So her "Rhesus genotype" is +-. That's how your sister is Rhesus negative: she has the recessive neg from Mom and one of your Dad's two negs. :-)) Then sis married an O, so all her children will be either Bo or Oo (type B or type O) -- and either Rhesus negative or positive, since her son is a neg -- which shows us her husband has a recessive neg, just like your Mom, available to his kids. Hope this helps, and keep in touch, eh?? :-)



Regarding kids secretor status: Hello, Heidi! Thank you for doing so many of the potpourri columns. It makes for a lot of interesting reading. Also, thanks for answering my last question about the tier systems a while back. You really cleared things up! This time I have a question about secretor status. I am an A non-secretor, my husband is O non-secretor. We have four kids: 2 A's and 2 O's. What are the chances that they are also non-secretors? Is secretor status hereditary? I feel they are too young to give them the saliva secretor test. Until we know for sure what their status is, is it best to follow the secretor or non-secretor program for them? Best wishes from Texas! Phyllis



AND Phyllis, too? It's old-timers week! Hooray!! :-D Hey, did you have a fried turkey for Thanksgiving? LOL, just kidding! :-D Secretor status is based on two genes, just like ABO type and Rhesus type. It also works the same way as Rhesus, with the "positive" being dominant and the "negative" being recessive. In this case, the secretor (or "Se") gene is the "positive" and the nonsecretor (or "se") gene is the "negative." You're a nonsecretor: that means you have two nonsecretor genes. If you had just one secretor gene, you'd be a secretor... but ch'ain't. Same for yer hubbie. Kids had only one option there ~ they're all nonnies. A most joyous New Year to you & your family, Phyllis! Keep smiling!! :-D



*



I want to express my sincerest gratitude to ALL the readers & writers who participate with us in enlarging our knowledge and experience with this "polymorphic paradigm!" It has made my 2002 a challenging and productive time, and I hope you all have benefited as well from sharing these trials & triumphs with other kindred souls. What a fabulous group of people you are! Prosper in your New Year, and keep that great energy flowing!!



*



[and... something quite entirely different, by a budding author, and offered with a smile by our friend David:]



Written by a six year old girl in Atlanta named Anna, this story is sure to be famous someday! "Once upon a time there was a witch. But that witch was very nice. And there was a wolf. But the wolf was a friend of the witch. And there was a girl. And the witch lived with the girl. And that girl was a friend of the witch, too.And there was a frog. and the witch always made pumpkin pie for the frog. And the frog really liked it! And the witch's friends one time went to the park. They went there all by theirself. And they got lost. But the girl didn't go with them. And the girl was gonna go find them. And they all helped each other cook eggs. And they took a bath and went to bed." The End



Sleep well, Anna ~ you're a very lucky duck, indeed. ;-)

LOL!



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I have loved changing to a Type A programme and the foods taste as if they were made for me they suit me so well. I use soy milk daily and eat freshly made tofu very regularly(I live in Hong Kong). Now my sister has directed me to www.soyonlineservice.co.nz, it's a terrible site that says soy is a killer food! I'm really upset about this. Can you advise me please. Thank you -- Diana

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Hi Heidi I am type A and have been following the Blood Type diet as carefully as possible. I think it has helped, for example, I don't produce mucos anymore whereas I used to have a mini cold almost every morning before. I have concentrated particularly on eating soy based food such as soy beans, tofu and miso, and soy based non-meat sausages. I still eat some of the avoid stuff but as little as possible. However an article that I read on the internet recently has confused me because it raises all kinds of red flags about soy based foods, for example that thyroid problems have been discovered in adults using soy based foods. I wonder if you have any comment on this article. thanks in anticipation Oscar Durban South Africa -- Oscar



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Hi, I am blood type A and also have Hypothyroid. Soy is not recommended for people with thyroid disease. What would be a good replacement for Soy? Regina





Diana, Oscar & Regina ~ Over the years, Peter has fielded hundreds of questions from As in regard to various internet scares about soy. Rather than paraphrase all of it, let me offer the following links.



First, a column I wrote in which I linked several basic "what's the science" columns of Peter's -- here;



and a few addressing each of your particular concerns:



Type A, Thyroid and Soy



Soy, Phytate and Types A and AB



Soy - Enzyme Inhibitor?



Soy Causing Colon Polyps?



Soy Causes Cancer?



Will Soy Rot Your Brain? LOL! Love the title on that one!



Diana & Oscar ~ It appears clear from your report that the A diet is doing great things for you ~ and to all three, I hope reading these in-depth explanations will ease your minds on the soy question! and thank you so much for writing!! :-)



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Hi, We have been on the diet for a little over a week. We are type A's and went from a high meat diet to vegeatarian. My husband has been experiencing alot of burning in his stomach especially after he eats lentils. What is causing the severe burning, he never had that before on the atkins diet? Also we don't really need to lose weight, we've been eating whenever we feel hungry off of the beneficial list. Is it important to watch what you eat or can you eat feely the foods off the benefical list without gaining weight? Linda



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Hello! My husband (type 0)and me (type A) have been on 'the diet' for a week now and with amazing results!! (Specifically for his acid reflux and asthma) But I have a problem... On day six I've noticed what seems to be a stomach irritation. Right at my stomach area and the middle of my chest it feels like liquid is constantly moving around. I've had some diarrhea and lots of burping (gross I know...) Could this be a result of cutting wheat products and meat consumption? I also have taken three doses (approx. 15 drops) of Milk Thistle, perhaps this is causing the symptoms? I'm 33 in great health, non-smoker...any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks so much for such a well researched diet plan - we love it!! Heather



Hello, Ladies ~ Linda, if you're at your ideal weight and generally healthy, then the neutrals can certainly be used freely -- just keep an eye on the portion/frequency guidelines to maintain your balance. :-)



Now, about the burning thing: Linda's husband may benefit from some gentian tincture taken 20 minutes before meals -- or some "beano," which will help digest the beans. If he is unused to bean dishes, he may not immediately produce the enzymes to digest them properly, but in time this will pass. Eating them alone and in small quantities will help the process along. Heather, your symptoms sound similar, but to be safe I would examine all the new foods against the foods in your previous diet and introduce them slowly. Try to identify which items are eaten before the onset of the gurgling & diarrhea. The milk thistle compound is easy enough to drop for a while. Be a little careful to separate chicken or other flesh foods from grains, and don't eat later than two hours before sleeping. Hope this helps! Let me know how you get along! :-D



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Red yeast rice - what does it look like? In an Asian food market I bought a packet (220g)of deep red dried yeast that lookslike rice grains. I'm blood type A. How do I use it and in what quantities? BTW the diet works very well for Agnes and myself. -- Tommy



The Chinese Red Yeast Rice used as a supplement to dramatically lower cholesterol levels is a dark pink-red powder. Here's a link to read all about it! The usual dosage is 1200 mg (about half a teaspoon) twice per day. Great stuff!



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I am a type A non-secretor. My diet has included blue-green spirulena and cracked-cell chlorella. I had not found any reference to either of these foods in any of the books by Dr. D'Adamo until I looked at the Blood Type A Food, Beverage and Supplement Lists pamphlet, and found "Algae (blue-green)" as an "avoid" in the "Spices" section. What data can you give me about this? Is this equally true for secretors and non-secretors? Ty



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I would like to know if you have a product like chlorophyll which does not contain alfalfa as my blood type says I should not take alfalfa. An answer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Regards, Denise



Hello, Ty & Denise! Ty, yes, that would be true for both secretors and nons. This column from a few days back contains an answer to both your questions... enjoy the read!



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You say in the book that blood type A can have mustard, and canola mayo. But they both have vinagar in them and you say not to eat vinegar. Could you please explain? Colleen



Hi, Colleen! Dry mustard is the item in the old food list; and mayonnaise contains small enough amounts of vinegar that it wasn't considered reason enough to avoid it. The best mustard and mayonnaise are made at home from fresh, organic ingredients... mustard powder, lemon juice, salt & water to taste for prepared mustard, or egg, oil & lemon juice with a touch of mustard and sea salt for mayonnaise. For mayo, the egg, lemon juice, salt & mustard should be mixed briefly in a blender, and the oil added very, very slowly with the blender on. Try a batch, it's easy once you have the hang of it! :-)



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thanks again, everyone!! ~:-D

I am about to begin the Type O diet. i am a very obese diabetic (Type2) male in my early 40's. Apart from sticking to the diet can you give any advice to supplements I should take with the diet. I currently use multivitamins with Iron once a day. Mark

A warm welcome to the BTD, Mark! I'd recommend only the PolyFlora and ARA6 at this time -- for better digestion and strengthened immunity. It's best to keep things simple when you're starting out, especially since the diet will work swiftly to start resolving the diabetes and get the weight loss going, all on its own. I hope you enjoy this plan! Don't go around hungry! Eat as much as you want at the beginning ~ it will make it easier for you to adapt to the new foods. As time goes on, you'll find you need less food. Do drink plenty of pure water between meals. And ride herd on your sugar levels, because your need for insulin may start falling away pretty quickly. Let me know how you're doing!! :-)

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I'm a O Blood Type and I would like to know if Salami is alright to eat?

Angelien

Hi, I am from group O and I want to know if I can eat turkey ham. thanks in advance, Stephanie



Prepared foods like salami, turkey ham, etc. are OK if all the ingredients are neutral or beneficial -- and look for "organically fed, free-range," etc. Keep in mind, though, that most commercial brands of sausage, salami, faux bacon, and so on are made from lower-quality meats and other iffy stuff. Most salamis and sausages contain at least some pork. If the turkey ham label has a five-by-five inch list of unpronounceable chemicals, I'd steer clear of it. On the other hand.... Holidays sure put on the pressure, don't they? :-D If it's a once-a-year indulgence, aw, heck: go ahead! :-)

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I have been on the diet for about 5 weeks now. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis, and had to change my eating habits drastically. I have never felt better in my 47 years of life!! I am an O Type individual, and cannot have dairy products. My question is, where do I get the calcium from instead? One more comment. After I finish a meal (taken from BTD book), I am never content. I always feel that I want something else, and I go looking for more food. I don't have that satisfied feeling that I used to get. Please help.... Therese

:-) Great news! SO pleased you're feeling good! I love hearing these success stories ~ folks, diverticulitis is just one item in the long list of illnesses that respond best to Food as Our Medicine!!

About the hunger after meals: it takes some weeks or months for your metabolism to be weaned away finally from the need for wheat/corn/dairy. The further away your previous diet was from the protein/carb/fat proportions in the O diet, the more cravings and odd hungry spells you'll have. How to shorten the process? Snack on meat, eggs, fish (all best with some fat & vegetables), nuts, seeds, and make sure each meal has adequate fat and salt. Still hungry? Wait half an hour, then eat a little more.

It is also possible that your BTD diet is too high in grains for your particular system and may be triggering that 'need something else' feeling. Take a look at Live Right 4 Your Type and note the new portions/frequencies for each food category. For the veg & fruit lists, these should read "per day." Live Right is a great update to the entire BTD paradigm, and has a wealth of new information.

Calcium? Here's a tidbit from an October 6 column, in response to an O woman with similar concerns:

"O's don't benefit much, if at all, from the calcium in dairy, anyway. Our systems resist it immunologically, and the assimilation levels are typically extremely low compared to our type B and AB sisters. The Phytocal-O available on our site is an excellent supplement, with proven high absorption. Also, there is a list of foods high in calcium in Peter's Calcium From Almonds page. Greens, tahini, almonds, blackstrap molasses, etc.... lots of great food sources for you!"

I would add that broth made from the roasted bones of meat, fowl and/or fish is a perfect mineral pick-me-up for Os. I always keep at least six quarts in my freezer, and replenish it with new batches a couple of times per month. It's the ideal soup base ~ and delightful as a winter beverage with some cayenne, garlic, and nutritional yeast added after heating it up. Keep your protein intake optimal ~ it stimulates intestinal alkaline phosphatase, which helps assimilate every bit of calcium you get. Hope this helps! :-D

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Hello Heidi. Your column is fascinating, entertaining, and helpful. My husband and I are both Type O. He has recently been diagnosed with elevated blood sugar. Diabetes runs in his family. I am trying to encourage him to avoid sweets and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, but what about fruits? He loves fruit and we eat lots of bananas, mangoes, prunes, cherries...all beneficial for Type O. But they are also high in sugar, and I'm being told he should eat only those fruits lower on the glycemic index, such as melon, berries, apples, plums, etc. What do you recommend? Thank you. Nancy

Hey there, Nancy ~ I'm deeply pleased you enjoy the column, and you're a sweetie with those compliments! :-) The sugars in whole fruits are a very different metabolic story from refined sugars and flours. They are digested far more slowly, not to mention that fruits/berries have an abundance of proanthocyanadins and other beneficial elements which promote a healthy body. If he sticks to the O diet, including the allowed fruits, he is not going to progress into diabetes! It seems clear that his family genetics are telling us loud & clear that they are far better suited to a low/no grain or refined sugar diet. I assume your husband closely monitors his blood sugar; I suggest he test these foods himself. If he finds that the lower-glycemic fruits serve him better at this time, there is no harm in skipping the others until his metabolism has normalized (which it WILL! :-)). Another idea: get his secretor status with the saliva test sold here in the Store, and fine-tune his program with Live Right 4 Your Type's modifications and the protocols in the Encyclopedia. I have a suspicion he's a nonsecretor... write back & let me know how he's doing! :-)

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I'm also responding to your comments about bowel elimination. The most I have ever been able to accomplish eating for my O blood type (as if this is some kind of contest!) is one comfortable and consistent movement of my bowels each morning. (And it doesn't float!) I include two tablespoons of ground flax seed in my morning smoothie of raw fruits and soy or rice protein, Ezekiel bread, lots of fresh and dried fruits and vegetables, salads, nuts, seeds, brown rice, beans, and LOTS of water, along with daily meat, fish or chicken. I also take the prescribed supplements and Type O probiotic, and get regular exercise. My health and weight are both excellent. I don't know what else I could/should do short of taking some kind of intestinal cleanser. You may not want to publish this letter, but I hope others will respond and there will be more information provided on this subject. Thank you! Nancy

LOL! what a contest, eh? :-D Nancy, I hereby bestow my seal of approval on your stools! ;-) Your health and weight being excellent, and your energy obviously high, I'd say you're doing everything right, so don't let my "bowel thesis" worry you. It's a good guideline, but taking into account people's natural metabolism, size, amount of food eaten, etc., one's mileage will certainly vary. The BTD is a great intestinal cleanser, and is evidently doing its job just as it should for you. :-D Thanks for your note, and for the smiles! :-D

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I'm trying to follow the BTD diet here in South Africa, and I have to say that I'm having a fair amount of trouble obtaining a lot of foodstuffs and ingredients. I'm a type O, and I really have 2 questions - firstly, I have read that tapioca starch can be used to bind certain gluten-free flours for baking, and yet I can't find any reference to it in the "cook right" book, or on the website. Is it acceptable for type O's? Secondly, what's the verdict on passion fruit (passiflora edulis)? I have a vine in my garden, so I eat them all the time, but I'd like to know if I'm doing myself any good or not. (seems a pity to waste them though!!) Thank you for your time -- Lisa

Hallo, Lisa ~ Tapioca is on TYPEbase 3®! Just go to our homepage at www.dadamo.com and look down the center column... click on it, and enter your search term. However, there's a little trick to getting it to work: remember to hit the 'search' button -- the "enter" key does not work on that page. You'll find it!

Wow, you've brought back memories with your question about passion fruit... I use to grow them as well, both edulis and alba ~ never got more than a one-inch fruit from my edulis vine ~ too far north, I think! :-) ~ but I ate them anyway! And such gorgeous, unique flowers.... I loved all the oddball florals, like green hollyhocks and blue roses. Wormwood in the herb patch, because of a poet who once said he took a tea of it each morning so that the rest of the day would taste sweet ... Even grew a 'moon vine' ~ pure white flowers that opened in the moonlight ... *sigh!* Anyway, we have no listing for passion fruit, so it can be considered a neutral for everyone! Hoorah! ~~:-D Enjoy them, dear, and think of me! ;-}

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thank you, all...

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Hi, Myriam! I'm doing OK ~ beautiful winter snowstorm for Christmas Day, and it's just gorgeous out there in the sunlight today. How's the summer going for you? :-) Pimiento pepper is a mild, dark red, heart-shaped pepper -- but it's difficult if not impossible to be sure you're getting pimiento unless you grow them yourself from seeds you ascertain as "pimiento." I know how much you As can miss your peppers! :-}

I am so sorry to hear about your type O friend's cancer. Let me clear up what I think has confused you: that passage in the Encyclopedia says: "Risk factors for colon cancer include a high meat diet and corresponding low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables." None of the ABO diets are high-meat diets and all of them are very high in fruits and vegetables -- look at type O: MEAT/POULTRY: maximum 6 ounces, 9 times per week for male secretors; VEGETABLES: unlimited beneficial veg per day, 2-5 servings per day of neutrals; FRUITS: 3-5 servings of fruit per day! He should certainly follow his type O diet, and use the protocols in the Encyclopedia. Feeling confident in the approach taken is an important element of healthy immune functioning, so let him read this and make up a regimen he feels comfortable with. If it would ease his mind, he can safely substitute beneficial fish for most or all of his flesh protein foods.

About evening primrose oil: the description lists it as a blood thinner and blood vessel dilator. That is the basis for the original "avoid for Os" status. If your girls have no heavy bleeding or broken capillary problems, then I'd say EPO is fine for them as part of their "female balancing" protocol -- but let them be aware of those potential effects of EPO on Os.

If vitamin C gives your husband headaches, get a good acerola cherry or rosehip based ("food-derived") supplement. Those tend to be the best for Os in particular. Green tea and dark red & purple fruits (especially berries) are wonderful antioxidants, as well! Thank you for writing, dear, and please keep me up to date on how everyone's faring! :-D

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Cristine, you wrote some time ago ~ at that time, I wanted to wait to see if the O diet (including all the vegetables, fish, and fruits) would alleviate this problem for you. You had some big changes to make, from veg to O! Congratulations for taking the leap!! :-) Physicians often recommend giving blood for haemochromatosis patients, so from your message it appeared you were already on the right track. Could you drop me a quick note on how you're doing now? Thanks, and I look forward to hearing your report! :-D

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Hi, Anna ~ We have no listings for camellia or perilla. They have not been tested for ABO reactivity, so I can't say yea or nay to them. Please be careful when using concentrated "unknowns," OK? Monitor your reactions. Make sure the product is accomplishing what it claims without unwanted side-effects. Coix (Job's Tears) we do have a rating for: it's listed only for type Bs -- hmmm! -- so take a close look at all the other ingredients and compare them with the supplement list in the Encyclopedia ~ just to be on the safe side! :-)

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Cassie, type Os are strongly advised against the birth control pill because we, more than other types, are susceptible to heavy bleeding (much lower clotting factors!) and bleeding disorders of various kinds. The pill worsens this condition.

According to Willa Shaffer's book, "Birth Control Without Fear: Wild Yam," wild yam has proven extraordinarily effective for women of all types as a birth control agent. The book -- really more of a pamphlet -- is available on Amazon for about $4.00 and describes Ms. Shaffer's experience with this herb over many years' practice as a midwife. Worth a look, if only for a backup method.

You are right that the liver and every other organ will function better when you're following your ABO plan, but that is a GOOD thing in every sense. The alternative is to court illness!! You are much better off to continue on the O diet, no matter which birth control method you decide upon -- and you may find that you need far less of any drug to achieve the desired effect.

If your heart is set on using the Pill, have your gynecologist test you carefully for the appropriate estrogen/progesterone dosage and recheck it from time to time. Thanks for writing, Cassie -- and I hope you're well back on track for the New Year!

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Dear Pierre ~ Chlorella is great for type As. I'm not familiar with Green Germ -- is it a wheat (blé) germ and greens combination? Wheat germ is an avoid for As... if the Green Germ product contains wheat germ, I would not use it. I'm certainly glad to hear that your Doctor Renkin is providing these supplements in Belgium! Great news! Thank you for writing, and I hope you're feeling better now!

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Hi, Gary! Spirulina and blue-green algae, I can't in good conscience recommend for any type. Chlorella is perfectly fine for all types. Since you are already purchasing these substances in supplement form, may I suggest the Harmonia product available in this site's store? Two teaspoons pack a wallop of greens, fruit powders, herbs, seaweeds, flax... and it tastes good even on its own. I used to be a big consumer of Sun Chlorella, and I have switched over to Harmonia with better results. My type A guy is benefiting from it, as well. Give it a good look and see how it shapes up against what you're using now. :-)

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Hey there, rosie! I do want to suggest yoga for you, because of ALL the benefits -- including cortisol reduction, which greatly aids weight loss for As. Second, I'd like to encourage you to eat at least a small meal three or four times per day. That way, your metabolism will be supported throughout the day, and your body won't assume a starvation mode and hold on to that fat. Try a snack in the morning, your main meal as a late lunch, and a snack later on, if that's easier for you. Let me know how that works for you!

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Annie, I can't think of anything you're missing by avoiding whey supplements. They're just one of thousands of supps promoted very convincingly by people who sell them. If you look around your local supp shop, you'll see that all those products are marketed to everybody. That's true of 99% of the diet/health books as well. And that's what sets Peter's work apart from the others. I'm not familiar with the ingredients of "Greens+," so please read the label carefully and compare it with your type A food/supp list -- then you'll have solid information on whether to take it. For the most part, I urge people to make their own supplements by juicing/blending whole foods, but if you're more comfortable purchasing a greens supp, please consider Harmonia. It's a great product, and I can recommend it knowing it will do you no harm! thanks, dear!! :-)

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Hello, Laurie! Good question!! Generally, a deficiency will show itself as such when & if you add to your diet what you were missing. An allergy or intolerance will start bugging you when you add new foods that you're as yet unable to digest or to which your immune system has already been sensitized.

You've figured out you had a vitamin B deficiency, which is a big step. The patch on your face may improve with more water (mineral water as well) and beneficial oil in your diet. Also: monitor it for change an hour after each meal. If it shows a flare-up of redness, itchiness or size after a given meal, try eliminating all items in that meal from your diet for a period of one week. Then add one item at a time and see if you can nail down which item caused the trouble.

The dry patch could be the result of a hormone fluctuation, inadequate hydration, even a reaction to your shampoo, toothpaste or moisturizer. Do you use the Membrane Fluidizer Cocktail described in Eat Right? I'd try it, and see if that dry patch goes away in a few days.

Weight loss doesn't always happen in the same time frame on each try. The body tends toward homeostasis, and with successive attempts to lose weight, the results may be slower to appear. Don't be discouraged! Get plenty of dark greens and beneficial proteins & fruit in your diet, and consider pepping up your exercise routine. Let me suggest a little something that may appeal to you -- take a look at the Five Tibetan Rites ~~ it's a remarkable body-balancer, and confers benefits far out of proportion to

the few minutes it takes to perform. Keep at it, and let me know how you're doing!

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Greetings, Sarah ~ Go to the TYPEbase3 database and enter wheat as your search term. Remember to hit the search button - the "enter" key doesn't work on that page. You'll see the food status of all the wheat items there. Great wheatless recipes can be found in their thousands all over the Net. I'm not sure which dishes you're trying to make, so I suggest using the search engine www.alltheweb.com/advanced with the search terms "wheat-free" "wheatless" "celiac" and/or the food you want a recipe for, like "bread" or "cake" or "bagel." Bookmark the sites you like! You'll also find cookbooks listed from bookstores. Enjoy your research!! :-)

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Karin, you can write any time, and I will listen with all my heart! I'll also try to help you with your challenges. First, focus on the beneficial foods on your B diet, and do it as strictly as you can. Alone, it should provide some relief soon. Stick to the fresh and dried fish for now, rather than the smoked fishes. Chocolate is a neutral, as is cocoa powder, but watch out for corn sweeteners in your chocolate. Sugar-sweetened is better, and homemade hot chocolate from organic (biologic) bitter chocolate with vegetable glycerine or molasses added is better still! :-)

This diet certainly will help you get the upper hand with lupus -- and you wrote a while ago that you have the Encyclopedia as well, so you have the best tools right in your hands. How is it going with the protocols?

Did the German naturopathic doctor offer to refer you to a colleague? If not, call his office again and ask for a referral. How are your symptoms now?

From my reading http://www.healthanswers.com.au/drugdata/appco/00070432.asp on chloroquin (or "chlorquin" or "chloroquine"), I conclude that your doctor chose this drug as an anti-inflammatory. It has side effects -- please read that link to learn more about it. Most webpages on this drug are in German, so I assume it is more commonly given there than here in the U.S., and if you do a search for "chloroquin" and "lupus," you'll find a great number of German-language sites to read, too. There are many other powerful anti-inflammatory substances such as quercetin (available cheaply as a supplement) bromelain (from pineapple - often sold in combination with quercetin), which are safe to take at high dosages -- as well as the protocol supps which you're using now.

I wrote a column for a type A woman with lupus: it may be of help to you! Substitute turkey, goat, lamb or venison (on the bone) for the chicken in the recipe, and use it and the broth as mentioned in that column -- it's here, and don't forget the Membrane Fluidizer Cocktail: a tablespoon of flax oil, a tablespoon of lecithin granules, and eight ounces of the fruit juice of your choice (I suggest pineapple, black cherry, one or both, mixed with cranberry), shaken or blended.

QUESTION FOR READERS: Anyone have a good lupus support group to recommend to Karin, either in English or German? Please write in and let us know!! Karin, I'll pass on to you any suggestions received! Take good care, dear -- I'm thinking of you!

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Yes, if your previous diet was fairly avoid-laden, you may have an adjustment period in which you feel a bit sluggish and need more sleep. It will certainly pass ~ your entire physiology is cleaning out the old toxins and doing much-needed repair work throughout. Drinking a good quantity of pure water every day, and attending to your B-type exercises, will hasten the entire process and set you up for a spectacular New Year! As I noted to Laurie, above, the Five Tibetan Rites might appeal to you. The Encyclopedia also contains specific metabolic-enhancing protocols to speed the process. Marian, give it a little "tincture of time," and see how you progress over a month or two. You will see an upswing in energy soon, I'm sure! Keep in touch!! :-)

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Hi, Ed ~ Here's a column I wrote in which I discussed the coffee change for ABs ~ take a look, and write back if you still have questions! Thanks! :-D

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Hey there, Mike ~ There is a phenomenon people often experience when they attain a goal they have sought and hoped for over a long time. I don't know if this is the case with you, but after so many months or years of focusing on weight loss, once the problem is solved, it can leave an odd kind of emptiness in its wake. Like, OK, I did it! It's done! ... uh... now what?

That said, are you getting at least 100 grams of protein in a day's meals? I'd call that a minimum to maintain healthy neurotransmitter function (among many other things). Also, the servings you quoted apply to the whole meat/poultry list, not only to red meat. These are from Eat Right, correct? Ooooh, I think I've got some enlivening news for you: in Live Right 4 Your Type, the portion/frequency for this category in the AB diet has increased. And I note many items that are neutral or beneficial there for you: lamb... rabbit... turkey... ostrich... pheasant... for nonsecretors, quail and venison are neutral... That's only a smidgeon of the vast new information contained in it. Worth a look! Write back with your personal review! and I hope this helps perk up your mood! :-) By the way, CONGRATULATIONS on your great achievement!!! It may be a little old hat to you, but it's thrilling for me! EnJoy it!! :-D

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Yes! That column can be easily adapted to type AB, with great results. First, turkey instead of chicken; then go through it and adjust the fruits and herbs toward the beneficial for her. Walnut & olive instead of sesame oil. And be sure to tell her about my favorite exercise site, in the first paragraph of that column: the Royal Canadian Air Force's 5BX pages. I can't tell you how great it is for anyone, at any fitness level, as a mild and brief daily routine which will take you from wherever you are to where you never thought you'd get to. You gotta try it to appreciate it!!

What a good friend you are, Kirsten. :-} Let me know how she does. And take good care of YOU, too! :-D

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Wondering what it is?

(UK, Ozzie, Canuck & Kiwi folks may want to skip this part! ;-D)

December 26 is Boxing Day (St. Stephen's Day), a bank holiday for Great Britain (with the exception of Scotland), Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. If the day falls on a weekend, the holiday is observed on the following Monday.

When I first heard of Boxing Day, I envisioned a Dickensian England in which the day after Christmas was set aside for pugilist sporting events ~ sort of a get-together-with-the-family on the 25th then work-off-all-that-anxiety-and-aggression-with-a-punch-fest on the 26th sort of thing. ~:-D Wrong! Not that kind of "box." ;->

The traditional celebration was a charitable one ~ gifts were customarily proffered to charities, the poor, and service people like lamplighters and mailmen. The holiday is quite old, probably beginning in the early Middle Ages, and its origin seems to lie in the custom of the church to distribute the contents of alms boxes to the poor on the day after Christmas, and in the English nobility's 'gift boxes' to servants on that day.

In whatever way it is celebrated around the world today, I think it's a very sensible and highly civilized practice to have the day after Christmas as a holiday ~ wish the U.S. did the same! ;-)

So, in memory of happy times in London, I'm taking a tiny holiday of my own on this Boxing Day ~~ to greet some old acquaintances who have stopped in to say hello ~ and to drop a note or two on how to "stay in touch" with this column & each other!

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Good to hear you are back, Heidi. Boy, you sure had a strange farm! Different than any dairy farm I ever worked on. Just kidding around, glad to hear about the new column. Take no diet prisoners. Blaine

LOL! Strange when I describe it, eh? 'Zat what yer trying to tell me? ;-> s'alright... I'll bet the farm was quite normal, until I arrived. What a life it is, eh? Do you miss it? Incredibly hard work, but daily rewards straight from the earth and sky. It's like a dream of magic for me, a mythical time imagined in childhood ~ a haunting reminiscence throughout my life.

Oh, and thank you for yesterday's Christmas & New Year wishes! Please give my love to your family and I dearly hope you all are prospering! [p.s.: you've got a Q in the queue which I have not forgotten. Coming soon! ;-D]

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Hello Heidi: Your column is great. You and I have corresponded on the message board over the years - I am AN, the Armchair Nutritionist - also aka Content Police (way, way back). Anyhow, I have just come across a fascinating study published several years ago in Scientific American regarding "Corn Caused Disease Among Native Americans". An abstract of the article is available at the Dr. Mercola web site at http://www.mercola.com/2000/june/3/corn.htm. This may be old news, but I wanted to pass it on to you and Peter. Regards. Roy

Roy, great to hear from you! Thanks for the link to that article... quite an eye-opener. I'm posting it link here for anyone who hasn't read it -- well worth it, folks!

Lord, your message takes me back to the glory days of the old boards... Hey, what about "Spelling Police," "Grammar Police," et al.? We ran SUCH a clean shop, lol! Remember when sean did that perfect parody of my posts, and signed it Captain Kangaroo? I can still feel the bruise where I fell off my chair laughing. What a bunch. Everything from mages to mice ~ sheesh, we could have transfered the whole crowd direct to a medieval castle without missing a beat.

Wonder where the thaumaturges all flew off to? Write back with a map... :-D

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Hi Heidi, I sent you a Xmas email but it bounced back - I guess you are no longer using SouthLodge@operamail.com If you feel like emailling, it would be great to hear from you. Merry Xmas and all the best, Deb

:-) Hi, Deb! FYI, I'm at helpinghand@emsmail.net ~ Email on its way, and a very joyous holiday to you!!

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So good to hear from you again. Seems like a much more efficient use of your time. I guessed that you are a Renaissance Woman, but your bio confirmed it. You have always been so kind and helpful to me. I look forward to the new addition to the website. I have been trying to start my own website on breast cancer coping-- breastcancercoping.org, but don't know how to do it, tried myself with programs and couldn't do it, and the friends that were to help didn't come through. Getting to the point that I'll just have to pay someone to do it. All I wanted it for is to post some of my writings, some of the research from the listserve Amazon on alterntive treatments and breast cancer and links--Dr. D being a big one! Looking forward to hearing from you--Keep up the good work. Fondly Marilyn

Hi, Sweetie! Hang in there, I'm sure there's a way to do this. Hey, can anyone here help Marilyn with her website? She is a breast cancer survivor, devout warrior in the holistic cause, and a purely wonderful person ~ any web-savvy folks out there who could help get her coping pages up & running on the Net? Drop us a line, I'll pass it along!

Marilyn, take care and keep the light shining ~ love you!

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Would it be possible to organise Dr D'Adamo's, your & Dr Bron's column in date order or be able to search by date. I log in to your site everyday at work but don't work weekends & it takes a while to locate the missing days. Just a thought!! Helen

Well, it's secretly organized that way already. There's a trick to it and here's the trick: When you log in on a Monday, go to the column page and choose "list all topics." The first two at the top will be Saturday's and Sunday's. You can check this by hovering your mouse pointer over each link -- look at the bottom left corner of your browser. There you'll see the name of the link -- and the last four digits are the month & day of that column entry. Ta-Da! :-D Hope this helps keep you caught up, Helen! Thanks for the note!!

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Hello Heidi! When will the message board archives be available for searching again? I finally got around to making fresh ginger juice last night and wanted to find all the posts about how much to take and when. Thanks! Dianne

:-} I haven't yet come up with a message board solution that doesn't cost hugely in bandwidth. Still trying... we'll revisit this problem in the new year and make a concerted effort to solve it. :-} Maybe I'm a bit late for that batch of ginger juice, but start with 1/2 teaspoon in the morning before breakfast. At first it seems fiery hot, but the "burn" won't hurt you. Work your way up slowly to a tablespoon if desired. Some folks fell so in love with GJ that they slurp a bit of it before each meal. Let me know how you do, and thanks for the MB reminder!! :-D

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Hi Heidi, Early on after the demise of the message board, I went to the website: http://www.er4yt.homestead.com/index.html In regard to the chat room there, I don't understand it. What are you supposed to do? Is there really a chat room there? Phil

We do still have a chat room there, but you'd want to schedule a chat with others in order to get together at the same time. See below for an option at the BTD-UK board! thanks, Phil!!

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Dear Heidi, Peter and Martha are so blessed to have you helping them out with your Q & A column, and so are we. Thank you so very much for all you do to encourage and help all who visit the site. God bless you! Mary

Oh, Mary, I'm the one blessed by doing it, in too many ways to tell. It is so wonderful to hear from you!! Don't be a stranger ~ A brilliant New Year to you, my friend! *:-D

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^Heidi^! Guess I have been gone from the program for too long. What happened to the message board? My husband and I fell off the diet and decided last night that we get back on track full force today! Needed some inspiration from everyone darn it. Janet

Whoops! Hey there, Janet ~~ I highly, highly recommend Tom Greenfield's BTD-UK board ~ it's for everyone including us Yanks, and I hope you find a new home there in a community of kind, talkative and brilliant people ~ HERE it is! Pop it into your Favorites, and here's the link to copy & paste if desired: http://groups.msn.com/er4ytUK/_homepage.msnw?pgmarket=en-gb

Enjoy, dear ~ and keep in touch!!

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that goes for everyone, by the way! and... Happy Boxing Day!! :-D

What is the "most common" blood type? -- Darlene



The most common ABO type worldwide would be O, followed closely by A, then B, and AB. Taking several blood-type systems into account, it is most likely that type O+ secretor MN males are the most numerous group ~ and type A2B- nonsecretor NN females the least numerous. :-)



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Dear Heidi, For soaking beans is it ok to use unfiltered tap water or is it better to soak them in mineral water if you're serious about minimising toxins? Or do you think it's worth buying a good water filter for this purpose? I don't know whether water filters can filter out all the hormones and chemicals in tap water. Very confused. Olympia.

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Hello, and thanks for a great column. Do you have any info on home water filtration systems? We are considering the purchase of a catalytic/magnetic system to prevent calcium scale buildup, and a system using KDF material. Have heard that RO systems may not be safe, although they are ? the only ones that will remove fluouride. Andrew Weil uses a distilled system, but we once put distilled water in our fish tank, and we had to do CPR with tap water to revive the fish! Like your upbeat approach. Ann



Hi, Ladies ~ I'm no expert on water filtration systems. I'd think the first step would be to get your tap water tested by your local authority. You may find your water is quite good, and needs only a perfunctory filter. I would at least use a charcoal filter for water used in preparing food and a run-of-the-mill filter for shower or bath water, and consider more expensive means of purification if an assay proved it necessary. Distilled water would be fine for soaking beans, but not for one's regular drinking water. (Wow, Ann! Close brush with death for those fish!) Generally speaking: the livelier your water, the livelier you will be. Clean spring, well or mineral water are the best for drinking. Beyond that, I can offer only my best wishes to everyone in organizing your various home filtration needs!



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Hello Heidi, Can you please tell us the proper way to make ghee? Dr D gave a recipe in May of 2000, and he never said anything about having to strain it. Since then I have seen on ER sites that straining is necessary, so I wonder if I am doing it wrong. Please advise, and thank you. theresa



Well, I don't strain mine. The brown bits stick to the bottom of the pan almost without exception ~ if you wish to use cheesecloth to strain it, you can, but you sacrifice a bit of ghee to the cloth that way. There is no requirement that you strain it ~ just that it cook until the water is gone (use the paper strip method: dip the strip into the ghee and light it over the sink. If it sputters, keep cooking the ghee and test again until it does not). I skim the foam from the top while cooking. Other than that, it's a matter of trial and error. Don't be concerned about doing it wrong ~ just keep an eye on it so that it does not burn, and remove from the heat once it passes the strip test. :-)



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And a very merry Christmas Eve to all! :-)



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Hello Heidi! I don't know if you remember me from the message board, but I was the one who often commented on the home environment, and like you, I'm an O non secretor. First I want to tell you what a fabulous job you're doing with the column. I can't imagine how TIME consuming this must be for you, but it's obvious you put your heart and soul into it. We are all so fortunate to have your help and talents so easily accessible (and fun to read, too!). You're an amazing researcher. Here's my question: Like many O's, learning to cook meat has been a real experience. After years of learning how to cook and present gorgeous, tasty grain based meals, I still feel like I'm still in the middle of a huge learning curve with preparing meat. I'm not very good at it, and could use some help. I only buy grass fed organic beef (as an O non secretor trying to eat beneficials, I mostly eat beef, and once in awhile lamb or venison). Besides choosing grass-fed organic, what's the HEALTHIEST, EASIEST way to cook beef? I almost always resort to stove top pan grilling a rib eye steak in some ghee, but I've heard that it's healthier to cook meat slowly, in water. Do you agree? If so, how can one achieve medium or rare by cooking slowly? Got any really handy tips for the meat-cooking-impaired? I don't ever use non stick by the way, as it's plastic and does break down. Thanks for your suggestions. Best, Mary

Of course I remember you, Mary! it's most kind of you to pile such compliments on me, but really I'm still just the receptionist/librarian around here, as always! ;-)

There are a multitude of healthy ways to cook meat, but only a few unhealthy ways, so I'll start by talking about how not to do it: don't char it. "No" to blackened, burned bits on the outside of the meat and attached fat (if any). Light brown marks from grilling are fine, but deep brown/black burn marks aren't. This applies as well to pan-frying as it does to grilling: lower the heat and cook a bit longer if you'd like the meat cooked through.

Second, don't cook meat in oil or butter/ghee that is smoking and browning.

Some of the recommendations we've offered over the years are: eliminate surface bacteria by setting the steak into a pot of just enough boiling water to cover, turning off the heat and leaving it there for 10 minutes before proceeding to cook it in whatever way you'd like. For ground meat, mix in a tablespoon or two of black cherry juice per pound of meat as an "instant antioxidant." These are excellent safety measures. That said, I don't generally use them because I get my meat from a highly reputable and very fastidious butcher who cuts and/or grinds it right before my eyes.... and maybe I like to live dangerously! ;-)

Now, Mary, no matter what you say, I know you're not "cooking impaired." :-) But, I'll mention the basic parameters on a couple of easy, healthy ways to do it: quickly sear chunks or slices of meat in a bit of oil or ghee, spice as you wish, then add broth, some red wine, and fill up with chopped vegetables and herbs to make a stew. Slow cook all day (a crock pot helps!). For ground meat, saute the onions with any other hard veg (like broccoli, kale, etc.), add the meat and some liquid - broth or tomato sauce or wine - and simmer till it's at the consistency you like.

That's about it for my cooking tips, since (*blush*) Bryan has taken over virtually all the cooking in the house! He LOVES to cook, and I am MOST pleased to have him do it! Gee, maybe I should have him write a column on cooking for an O and A nonsecretor household? :-)

Anyway, as space allows, I hope this is helpful, Mary ~ stay strong, dear, and keep smiling!! :-D

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Congratulations on your informative and caring column! I am an O non secretor. My question is on foods that are usually avoids, but which could possibly be OK if sprouted. For example, I know wheat sprouts and wheatgrass work for Os. But what about soy sprouts? Barley sprouts? Sunflower sprouts? I know some sprouts are definitely avoids, because of alfalfa. I'd like to know as much as possible about what avoids become OK when sprouted, and which (BOO!) stay avoids. Is there a general principle, or does it vary from one food to another? genie

Hello, genie, and thanks! I am TOTALLY in tune with your love of sprouts, and I wish I had more ratings to give you. Basically, I can say that any sprouted grain is going to be fine and possibly beneficial for all types. Sprouted corn is an "unknown," but I suspect it may be OK for most people (probably not us O-nons, sorry to say). Almonds and other OK nuts can be sprouted a bit, of course, although they don't yield much in the way of greens! but beans are really a mixed bag, as you've observed, and seeds appear to share that ambiguity. You know what? I wonder if we'd be safe eating ONLY the sprout part of the sprouted "avoid" bean or seed, after removing all the bean/seed bits -- *sigh.* Probably not. :-} Fact is, we're probably a lot better off without them. :-( I'm detecting in you what I still have a touch of: that A-itis ~ you know, those cravings for living on grass, nuts, seeds & twigs? :-) Seriously, sprouting is a great pursuit and produces wonderful food, but until a specific bean/seed sprout is tested, I'll have to say, "pass" on those. I do hope this fills in some blanks for you, genie ~ thanks for the Q! :-)

(more tomorrow! :-))

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Hi, We live in the Southwest and love mexican food. Hubby is A and I am O. Was looking for tomatillos on the Typebase and couldn't find them. Can you tell me if they are legal for us to eat? Thanks much. Lori



Hi, Lori! Here's what I wrote on October 8 to a question from a type A woman: "We have no rating for tomatillos. It is a member of the nightshade family, like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant... so I suspect tomatillos would be fine for types O and AB, but avoid for type A and B secretors (and neutral for A and B nonsecretors). That's my best recommendation based on the patterns of food types in the lists." For a type O, again based on the reasoning above (specifically its similarity to tomatoes), I would not hesitate to use it as a neutral food if you have no autoimmune conditions, joint problems, or skin disorders ~ unless you have a specific sensitivity to tomatoes and/or peppers. :-}

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Hi! In Dr. Adamo's Blood type AB Food, Beverage and supplement lists (Berkley, Jan.2002) paperback ed. page 32 lists loganberry as highly beneficial, whereas pg. 33 has it among that which should be avoided. Pg.43 says aloe is an immune system booster, but pg.45 lists it to be avoided. Pg.60 cayenne to be used for nausea, yet pepper (all type* is to be avoided (Pg. 37), because it is acidic. Can you please address. THANKS Gloria



Hello, Gloria! Here are the correct listings from TYPEbase 3 for AB: aloe - avoid; loganberry - beneficial; cayenne - avoid. That said, a little cayenne in tea is indeed effective against nausea ~ but not to be used regularly as a spice, nor during pregnancy as a daily nausea remedy. :-)



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There are some food stuffs in the book which appear to be contradictory and which puzzle me such as:-



1. Cabbage - under Vegetables etc - avoid. under Juices - neutral.

2. Broad beans - under Vegetabkles etc. - avoid. - under Beans and Pulses - neutral.

3. Durum Wheat Bread - under Breads etc - avoid Durum Wheat Flour - under grains etc - neutral.



I would much appreciate your explanations. Ralph



Hi, Ralph! Well, I skimmed through several, but I can't be sure which book you're referring to. It could be any one of the eight... could you pop me a note back and direct me to the book you found these items in -- and which blood type's food list? Thanks so much!



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I'm confused about potatoes for type Os. In LR4YT potatoes are listed as one of the worst red flag avoid foods. However, in the vegetable food list potatoes are listed as a tier two avoid. I don't understand how an item can be both a red flag avoid and a tier two avoid. Please explain. I searched the LR4YT errata page and didn't find any clarification on this issue. Thanks! Don



Hey there, Don! The potato lectin is a red flag ~ for all Os except secretors who have no inflammatory problems, no joint trouble, no extra weight, no other health difficulties at all related to diet. For those healthy folks, we say "it may be considered neutral" because that is the most practical way in which to communicate this seeming anomaly to the small percentage of Os who digest it without trouble ~ always secretors, and never those with the conditions listed above. This is a case in which the subtypes fully come into play in regard to reactivity -- further, even a good percentage of secretors cannot eat this food, and it is difficult to pin down the exact differences between them that makes this so. Potato lectin has a profoundly different effect for Os who do not fall into that group, thus its continuing "red flag" status. :-)



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In some of your receipes you call for spelt flour, but there are different types of spelt flours? In one of your receipes you call for using goats cheese for part of the icing, but what kind? Sandra



Ah! Well, I'd use whole spelt for recipes in which whole wheat would make an acceptable texture. For all else, I'd go with white spelt flour. The best goat cheese for the icing would be a soft, very mild variety with no herbs or other additions. :-D



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Your mention of organic eggs made me think of another question I have had on my mind for some time now. What is the difference between free roaming and organically produced eggs? Are free roaming produced eggs better for your health then regular eggs? If so, are the free roaming produced eggs adequate for good health or are organically produced eggs an important additional quality? Thanks! Don



Free roaming hens pick & choose what they eat from their environment. Bugs, seeds, dirt, etc. ~ including whatever feed is scattered for them, organically-produced or full of pesticides and potentially GMO. They are unlikely to need antibiotics, since they are not kept crowded together in disease-breeding pens. Organically-fed hens are not exposed to pesticides through their food or water, but lots of questions as to their living conditions are unanswered by the term "organically-fed." So, it's important to the quality of the eggs that both of these conditions be met in order to ensure a healthy & happy chicken ~ and that no hormones or antibiotics are used to raise her. Finally, the fresher the egg, the better; if you can obtain yours from a local farmer, you both will reap the rewards.



On a personal note, I can report that my digestive system discriminates loudly between the happy chicken's egg and the alternative, so it is not at all an esoteric matter for me! An enteric matter instead, you might say... as well as a philosophic one, as I abominate factory farming, fully support local farm commerce, and care tremendously about the quality of life provided to food animals. As more of us adopt a similar attitude, the benefits will multiply in ways seen and unseen. Don, thanks for writing! :-D



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I wonder if you can tell me if the South American herb stevia is okay for any or all blood types? I tend to use this in place of sugar, to cut down on my sugar intake naturally, and would like to know if it's okay. Carol



Greetings, Carol! To check the status of a food, just go to http://www.dadamo.com/typebase/typebase.cgi ~~ and remember to hit the “search” button. . . the keyboard “enter” key does not work on this particular form. Also, consider the use of vegetable glycerine. There are a number of columns in which it is discussed, so scroll down to the bottom of this page, enter "glycerine" and have a good read! :-D



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Hi, I am a little confused as I find some discrepancies between the book eat4your type and the food, beverage and supplement lists that "supposedly" comes from the book, e.g. fruits highly beneficial book mentions figs, plums and prunes, the list mentions banana, guava and mango among the others, herbal teas book mentions highly beneficial 13 teas, lists mentions in this same section green tea as highly beneficial but not in the book, so which one should I follow the book or the list, please do clarify me this doubt. thanks, paola



Buon giorno, paola! Here’s a paragraph from the “On the Diet” column on August 12, 2002:



FOUND CONTRADICTIONS between the various books' food lists? The latest ones (in Live Right 4 Your Type, the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia and the Food, Beverage & Supplement Lists (these "Little Books" are secretor non-specific)) should be used. ALSO check the official change log at www.dadamo.com/lr4yter.html for the most recent updates -- at a later date, an update area for all the recent books will be created.



You can read that column at

http://www.dadamo.com/columns/begin/ask2.pl?20020812.txt ~



The TYPEbase 3 database at http://www.dadamo.com/typebase/typebase.cgi contains ALL latest updated food values for secretors & nonsecretors.



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again, a warm thank-you to all!!