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Hi, Yvonne! I assume your physician ordered hemoglobin diaphoresis in order to make sure that you do not have the disease, but only carry the trait. For those who don't know this, the "sickledex" test does not distinguish between sickle cell anemia and sickle cell trait. Similar to the type O genotype with its two O genes, one must have two Hgb-S genes in order to have sickle cell anemia. An individual who possesses only one is a genetic carrier but asymptomatic for the disease.

Yes: anyone who knows that he or she carries a genetic marker for any disease would be well advised to follow the appropriate blood type plan pretty strictly -- making sure to incorporate the diet, exercise, and stress relief protocols for that type. Even such a mainstream organization as the National Institutes for Health has recognized that stress plays a key role in symptomatic sickle cell anemia. It's a good idea for all of us to establish effective stress-reduction practices.

In addition, it would be prudent to get additional screening, primarily for ABO subgroup, secretor status and MN type, in order to take advantage of the refinements in Live Right 4 Your Type. The saliva secretor test can be obtained from North American Pharmacal.

A full serotype panel from SouthWest Medical Center provides ABO group, ABO subgroup (A1, A2, etc.), as well as MN, Lewis and Rhesus types. It costs about $90, in addition to whatever your nurse or clinic may charge for the blood draw for the test. The SWMC collection kit can be obtained by calling 1-480-970-0000. If you use the saliva secretor test, which is recommended, and since you know your ABO and Rhesus types already, having this panel done would add only your MN type -- which has a minor impact on the O diet. Instead, I'd opt to use the "Tier II" plan (explained in Live Right) which emphasizes the beneficial elements of the food lists.

You probably already know how important it is that you maintain hydration. I'd try for three to four quarts of water (NOT distilled) per day, with one of those being a high quality mineral water such as Gerolsteiner -- that's my favorite, anyway, for mineral balance and taste. To two of those quarts of plain well or spring water, I'd add a teaspoonful of good sea salt. We want your tissues to absorb the water, rather than just running it through your kidneys and out again.

The type O exercise plan is great for boosting your blood oxygenation. I suggest getting a standard blood panel through your doctor, at least twice per year, to monitor red and white cell counts and ensure your liver enzymes aren't on the rise. And if he doesn't suggest it, I'd have him check your spleen at those times, as well, just as an added precaution. That way, you can monitor your progress with the plan, as well as avoiding strenuous exercise if any spleen enlargement is present.

Yvonne, thank you for writing and let us know how you're doing!

Hello Heidi, I am working hard to support my low thyroid through diet/exercise and supplements and to that end, I am of course on my A+ diet for the past two years, I exercise with walking, pilates, yoga and some tennis and I take several NAP supplements as well as a recommended supplement called B.M.R.(Tyler)for thyroid support. This product has among other things, some freeze dried bovine BMR concentrate. I am also taking NAP's Deflect A.

My concern is that I may be cancelling each of these out by the other, losing out on any progress stimulating my low thyroid, and my money in the process. Please help with this question as it has clouded my sights and caused me to be very uneasy with the continuation of using Deflect although I have had positive results in all other areas. Thank you very much for your insights. -- Pamela

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Interesting question!

Deflect is designed to (1) keep lectins from attaching to body tissues, and (2) slowly remove old lectin-damaged cells. It works by providing a more attractive substance with which to lure them away from you. Kind of like using a chunk of meat to distract a puppy who's headed for your favorite pair of shoes.

Since the source of the supplement, B.M.R., is bovine, and beef contains no lectins, Deflect isn't going to limit the effectiveness of the supp. Even if B.M.R. did contain galectins ("animal lectins"), as chicken does, only the lectins themselves would be rounded up by the Deflect -- not the hormones, which are the active element of compounds like B.M.R.

The standard high-carbohydrate diet is rife with (plant) lectins, both in number and in quantity consumed. Deflect has been formulated primarily to defeat the attachment of lectins such as those found in wheat, corn, beans, etc., which do the lion's share of damage through stimulating fat gain and triggering illness. Wheat lectin alone is associated with a sizeable list of serious ailments.

Although type A secretors tend to have a higher tolerance for the modern high-protein version of wheat than other folks, and are well-suited to a plant-based diet, Deflect-A has been formulated to target a variety of lectins which ARE harmful to As, and to support the growth of healthy tissue where old damage resides. I'd suggest continuing with it, especially since your results so far have been positive.

Congratulations on your commitment to getting healthier, and I wish you success!

Hi there heidi, I've been on the diet for eight months and seeing real benefits. It has in fact sparked off a fascination with nutrition. As part of my reading round, I have recently come across a book "Food, Your Miracle Medicine" by Jean Carper that reports on varioustheories and research. There is a huge chunk on how beneficial wheat bran has proved to be in prevention of bowel cancer and in the shrinking of premalignant polyps. Also, it is pretty definate that it is wheat bran that is the most eficacious, not oat bran or rice bran. As an A type I found this interesting. However, Dr D'Adamo's advice is to cut down on wheat and certainly Bran is an avoid for me. Does Dr D'Adamo know of this research? I would be really interested in his evaluation of the credability of the studies. If the results really are as they have been reported in the book, would this be a case for the benefits of the bran outweighing the disadvantages as far as the blood type diet goes. I am in a quandry as to whether to include bran or not in my diet. Thanks Maggie

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Hello, Maggie! It's nice to hear from you ~~ thank you for writing!

I have not read Jean Carper's book, and cannot comment on it specifically. Peter hasn't written about it, either, so ~ begging your indulgence, I'll give your question the old College try. I think it may not be as esoteric a matter as it first appears.

Bowel cancer usually arises from a long history of heavy stresses and poor diet which lead to a variety of serious illnesses -- diverticulitis, IBS, colitis, and cancer. For type A, a heavy meat, nightshade, hot spice, white flour and fat diet is murder on the colon. For a type O, a steady intake of grain, dairy, transfats, sugar, sodas, pork, and lots of processed foods providing little or no FIBER will get her to the same place.

Could this be the key to this treatment's efficacy? Did the individuals in Carper's reports eat little or no fiber of any kind before beginning the bran therapy? A person in terrible colonic shape who is given ANY kind of fiber may experience healing results if that is what they needed in the first place. Perhaps it was the vitamin E in the wheat bran PLUS the broom effect which helped these people far more than other kinds of bran. Or, simply the robust "clean sweep" may have done the trick for them. This is entirely a different mechanism from the lectin interactions which make wheat bran an avoid food for most of us; rather, it is a therapeutic method designed to get one job done in a hurry.

The caveat here, of course, is that many forms of intestinal disease will get worse rather than better if rough fiber like wheat bran or psyllium husks is introduced. In any case, a cancer prevention strategy must address more than one element in the diet.

The blood type plans by default are preventive and therapeutic. They recommend plenty of fiber from approved sources, live enzymes, food for our beneficial gut bacteria, and polyamine-reducing compounds. They eliminate foods which can cause major health difficulties -- including bowel cancer -- by supporting immune system strength (remember the vast immune functions performed by those healthy critters in a healthy colon!). And, unlike a universal quick-fix-in-a-jam, they are based upon the specific biochemistries of the people who use them, and confer unlooked-for benefits in their use.

Colon health is part of total health, approached through diet, stress reduction and exercise. High energy, sound elimination, and a peaceful mind are its hallmarks. With these tools in hand, I feel more than confident in avoiding wheat germ in favor of raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, and ground flaxseed, as part of the BTD whole. I hope you still do, as well!

Would you please tell me if cremini mushrooms are ok to eat for type O and type B? Crimini mushrooms look just like the white button mushrooms but are light tan to medium brown in color. Should they be considered to have the same blood reaction as the domestic white button? or the portobello? Carol

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Good news!

Cremini (or "cremini" or "Italian Brown") mushrooms are baby portobellos. Like the full-grown version, they are neutral for all types. :-)

This is for those who wanted info. on spelt. I (B+,secr.unkn.) use white spelt measure for measure in ALL my baking, and I like whole spelt especially in bisquits. For those who can eat oatmea, I have found that oat flour works wonderful in cookies and bars. My mother(O+,sec. unkn.) used spelt in her bread machine, but I know she had to adjust the measurements a littl, trial and error. I don't have a machine, so I won't speculate. Thanks, Heidi, for all your efforts!! I hope this helps a little. Ginger

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In response to the requests in today's column for bread and muffin recipes, I recommend the book "The Complete Guide to Wheat-Free Cooking" by Phyllis Potts (ISBN 1-885223-77-3). No pineapple spelt muffin recipes but plenty of others that could be used and just mix in a bit of pineapple. She has a special section with bread machine recipes including two 100% spelt bread recipes and one 100% kamut recipe. One spelt recipe specifically says it makes a 1-1/2 pound loaf; the other one doesn't say but has less flour in it so I'm guessing it makes a 1 pound loaf. Perhaps someone familiar with using bread machines could adapt the recipes for the larger machine. The author notes that to make wheat-free breads in the Zojirushi-type bread machines(where the liquid ingredients are added first) it is important to mix the ingredients in a bowl first, and then spoon the dough into the machine. Here is the recipe that makes a 1-1/2 pound loaf: 1-1/2 T. honey, 1-1/2 T. canola oil, 1 cup plus 2 T. water, 1 T. yeast, 3 cups spelt flour, 1 tsp. salt. Combine honey, oil, and water. Add yeast, flour, and salt to the honey mixture. Put into the bread canister. (Be sure kneader is in canister.) Set machine to basic bread setting and push the start button. Hope this helps those bakers out there. Thanks again, Heidi, for your wonderful column. Deborah

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Hi Heidi, Did someone call for recipes? My favorite subject. This is for Lou - pineapple muffins and for Shay - spelt and rye bread.

The pineapple-pecan muffins comes from one of my favorite coookbooks - THE ALLERGY SELF-HELP COOKBOOK. Lots of NO wheat, corn, milk and sugar recipes. This recipe uses amaranth which is beneficial for AB but you can substitute spelt. I often substitute spelt one for one for wheatarians. Makes 12.

1 3/4 cups sifted amaranth flour (instead of sifting, I just pour into measuring cup without packing down ]

1/4 cup sifted arrowroot

2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup ground pecans

8 oz. unsweetened crushed pineapple, packed in juice

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup honey (being a nonnie all that pineapple and juice is more than enough for me but if you want I would use molasses which is beneficial for AB - gives the muffins a nice color too)

1 egg (optional)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (Frontier Brand has one with no corn syrup or alcohol)

Sift flour, arrowroot, and baking soda into a large bowl. Stir in the chopped and ground pecans. Place the pineapple in a strainer set over a bowl. Press lightly wiht the back of a spoon to extract excess juice. Ste the pineapple aside. Measure the juice; add enough water to equal 2/3 cup. Whisk the pineapple juice, oil, honey, egg and vanilla together in a small bowl. Pour into the flour bowl. Mix with a few swift strokes. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the pineapple. Divide batter among 12 muffin cups. Bake at 375 for 18-20 mintues, or until center of muffin feels firm.

The spelt bread recipe for bread machines actually comes off of the Arrowhead Mills bag of spelt flour. I have not made it since being an A2 Rh neg nonnie puts me at 3-5 servings per week of grains/starches so my bread machine is gathering dust.

SPELT BREAD FOR BREAD MACHINES

Makes 1 loaf.

1 Package Active Dry Yeast

1 Cup warm water

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. oil

1 tsp. sea salt

3 1/2 cups spelt flour

Add ingredients to machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Bake on shortest cycle possible (NOT quick bread cycle). If loaf falls and craters during baking cycle, decrease water slightly next time.

From vegweb.com here is a rye bread for bread machine recipe but is not 100% rye. I would just go with all rye flour and see what happens. I find many recipes will add wheat flour to perfectly good grains because most are not used to the taste of anything that is not wheat.

Valerie's Very Own Rye Bread Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups Water

2 cups Unbleached White Flour (use rye flour here too)

1 1/2 cups Rye flour

1 T Cocoa (optional; for coloring)

1 1/2 T Caraway Seed (yes, table spoons)

1/3 cup Molasses

2 t Active Dry Yeast

1 1/2 t salt

Directions: Use Basic Medium mode. Timer not recommended.

Thanks Heidi. I thoroughly enjoyed doing that. Interested to hear how they make out. Also, sending out to all nonnies an invite to join the Nonnie Email List to network with other nonnies to get support and great recipes. Looking forward to hearing from Suzanna (B nonnie newbie). Best to all, Nina

Thank you all!! And Nina, I gather we still don't have a working email for Suzanna? If you're out there, Suzanna, please write in with a proper email addy if you still want to be added to the mailing list. :-D

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Re Mosquitos: the letter you posted is word for word quoted in the Urban Legends website at http://www.snopes.com/spoons/oldwives/skeeters.htm By coincidence, I had read it yesterday and recognized it today. For what it's worth... S.

:+> Oh, well! Several people wrote in with comments -- Which letter was it? :-)

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Heerye Heidi! My ears are burning. I am the rarest of the rare, the AB + non-secretor. I am a cornucopia of medical problems that are now finally being addressed by knowing my rare bloodtype and even rarer secretor status. A big thanks to Dr. D, who I met last month on his book tour, for providing this discovery. (Tell him I was the guy with the big smile wearing the bandana at Book Passage in Marin County, CA.):-)

My problems while not life threatening are just bothersome and do interfere with my enjoyment of living. I've found that I need to be extremely diligent in the foods that I eat, supplements that I take and stress that I take on. At age 13, I lost my hair, which is when all the problems began...a series of doctors, nutritionists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, chiropractors, faith healers, psychologists all tried to help...but no one uncovered a cause or a remedy and called it Alopecia. If that were the only symptom, that would be bearable, but as you know an autoimmune illness usually brings with it other problems and disorders. After 26 years searching to find relief from the myriad of pains, problems, mild depression, swollen glands, fatigue, poor circulation, cold, headaches, infections and many other symptoms, I happily (?) found out last week I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis and I am now being treated and hopefully on the road to recovery. I write not for help (but of course welcome any suggestions you might have), but to communicate through this column in hopes of reaching others suffering to let them know that there IS hope and answers out there. The only thing that has made my life better has been the BTD, with special attention now paid to non-secretor status...and a little bit of thyroid hormone every day John

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Dear Heidi, I just wanted to give you a quick update. I am the O non secretor with the rosacea and arthritis. I have cut all grains and sugars out for the last 4 weeks and now have no joint pain at all! My skin has totally cleared as well - I keep to a very low carb diet. If I eat any sugar at all - even fruit sugar - my skin breaks out into flushing and pimples. The problem is that I keep getting sick - colds and sinus infections - maybe my vitamin c levels are really low, because I am not eating fruit. I take polyflora O, Quercetin, brewer's yeast and Ester C. Is there a better Vitamin C to take? I found Dr. D's O multivitamin did not really agree with me. Can you recommend another one? I have not really started my exercise routine either - as finally my joints are out of pain. Do you think that this will help ward off infections? It is so embarressing that I keep getting ill at work - especially since I am a proponent of this blood type diet. It sort of undermines my credibility! I would appreciate any suggestions Thank you as ever for all your help. suzanna

Hello, friends ~~ I am so pleased things are progressing satisfactorily for both of you!

John, the only tip I'd offer right now is that with time on the diet, you may very well find your hormone supp need will decrease -- so do monitor it closely. The BTD has a great record on resolving Hashimoto's. Bless you, rara avis! Your ears SHOULD be burning -- keep in touch, now, ya heah?!! ;-D

Suzanna, I'd start using organic rose hips, soaked overnight, then blended up and added to a smoothie. Daily. Make sure you are getting adequate zinc (the full complement of nuts & seeds should do it -- or else try a low-dosage zinc supp for a week or two, but do skip a week and re-evaluate your condition before repeating the dosage for the next two weeks. And of course, the protein portions/frequencies in Live Right. If you're eating a wide variety of fresh vegetables, and some organ meats, your vitamin C intake should be fine unless there is more here than meets the eye... Try the above and keep me posted, OK? :-)

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Regarding organic whole egg protein powder, your readers might be interested to know that the powdering process has been shown to oxidize the cholesterol in the egg yolk. The result is an extremely unhealthy processed food product(same with powdered milk), since oxidized cholesterol is believed to be a major factor in heart disease. For references, see http://www.nlfd.gov.tw/jfda/content/74/01.pdf http://www.nlfd.gov.tw/jfda/content/81/01.pdf This is another example of where we should not mess with mother nature. Roy

Good to know, Roy, and thanks for posting this for all of us! :-)

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Hi, suzanna ~ Palm oil isn't an easy subject to come to grips with, but I gave it a try here a while back. Read through, see what you think. Personally, I'm going to pass on palm oil until we learn more. ~~ and thank you so much for your kind words!

I am a Type A and would like to know what to eat to gain weight. I have always relied on dairy products (ice cream, cheese etc.) to maintain my weight (I have always been underweight - 5'5" 105-110#). What would be good to eat between meals? Laura

Just following your A diet should normalize your weight. Eat your full quota of acceptable grains and fish/fowl. A couple of tips: eat in a relaxed frame of mind, chew thoroughly, and relax a bit with some soothing music after your meal. Yoga is great for harmonizing your endocrine system, calming your digestion, and encouraging development of active body mass. The Pilates system is a fine method to build muscle on those delicate bones of yours!

In the book "Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia" on p. 582 there is listed Wild Yam (Dioscora) being beneficial for Type O, but it does not say anything about the other blood types. I am an A non-secretor and I would like to know if the wild yam is a neutral or an avoid. I would also like to know the answer for the other blood types for this supplement. Thank you so much for your time and effort. Marilee

I don't have an authoritative value for wild yams as such, Marilee. All I can offer is that "true yams" are an avoid for all type As ~ beneficial for Bs and ABs ~ and neutral for Os. Wild yams and and the yams in our food lists are both Dioscorea villosa. Therefore, the values for both must be identical. :-}

I am a B+ nonsecretor diagnosed with invasive breast cancer 11 yrs. ago. Strong family history on both sides. Soy and peanuts have anticancer properties but i do not eat them because they are avoids for me. Should I eat them anyway as being cancerfree is more important than my weight! Also I quit eating flaxseed oil in my MFC because of its high linoleic acid content which I understand to be a cancer promotor.. Again not what I want to do. Confused as many doctors advocate flax. Please help me to understand what is best for ME. Thank you for your time. Jean

Unfortunately, the benefits soy and peanuts confer on type As don't extend to Bs and Os -- quite the opposite. Soy has been shown to impair Bs' immune defenses by reducing B antigen levels. Instead of peanuts, use Peter's Aromastat supplement to block aromatase levels and inhibit early cancer growth. Also, please consider adding flax oil back into your diet. Here's a link to Peter's Ask Dr. D. on flax. I hope you have purchased the Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia, as it is full of detailed information and protocols concerning cancer. Best of health to you, Jean!

I am an AB blood type. Can I use flax seed meal? Alexandra

Sure! Best way to get flax meal is to buy the seeds and use a coffee or spice grinder to prepare small amounts of meal when you plan to eat it. The oil in the seeds goes rancid quickly, so this method is better than purchasing the meal pre-ground. Keeping your flax seeds, meal or oil in the fridge greatly extends their "fresh-life."

I belong to the B blood group and would like to lose some weight on the blood group diet. I don't understand why Tofu is to be avoided under blood group B and yet soya flour is acceptable. Would eating Tofu deter weight lose? Btw, Tofu is one of my favourite food - I eat Tofu 3 - 4 times a week. Must I totally avoid Tofu in order to lose weight? Edith

For weight loss, try to eat 100% beneficial foods and engage in B-type exercise and stress-relief practices. Tofu will only retard your progress and lead to discouraging results down the line.

If it will ease your pain a bit, remember that virtually all of us have bade fare-thee-well to at least one favorite food. I commiserate with you in the tofu and tempeh regard (love 'em both). I've lost chickpeas (hummus with sweet peppers! *sigh!*) buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup! oatmeal on cold mornings! fresh roasted sweet corn, corn bread with pancetta and hot peppers, gourmet purple popping corn! OH, don't get me started on the vasty wealth of brilliant cheeses from France and Ireland... and curried cabbage... brussels sprouts in quiche, potatoes in every form imaginable... chestnuts in December, sunflower seeds in July, fried plaintains with Haitian goat stew. Honeydew, just as it is. Apples cool in the breeze, blackberries warm from the bush. STRAWBERRIES. Other than that, I have no complaints. ~~;-D When you see the weight dropping and little surprise healthy "side-effects" showing up, your longing for tofu will fade as well. Hang in there, dear!

I live in Turkey-Istanbul. I am Blood A Rh+ and 33 years old female. I have still skin problem too much (acne)and I have gastrit problem and helico bacter. My doctor couldn't do anything about my problems. I would like to learn which supplement that I have to add my diet. Thank you very much for your helps and best regards, Ipek

Ipek, try to cut down on grains. See if you can find fish to replace any meat or fowl you eat. Fill up on as many green vegetables as you can get locally. Follow the A diet in Eat Right 4 Your Type and include yoga or meditation every day. For your skin, use Witch Hazel on it. Can you obtain the following: burdock tea, Holy Basil in capsules, Pantethine (not pantothenic acid), and vitamin A? Five or ten drops of Gentian tincture in warm water before meals will help with your stomach distress, and Linden tea and Asian (Panax) Ginseng can be added to get rid of the H. pylori infection. Two weeks should see a great improvement. Write back if you have any trouble recognizing these names.

I'm a French reader of your 3 books. My husband (A+) and I (O-) enjoy your blood diet method. Now, we want to be sure about our secretor status. How could I buy your test ? Do you have an european web site with price in euros or can I find it in a store, here, in France ? You know that french like food so we find a lot of good receip for our two blood type, how can I give you them ? Thank you for your answer, best regards. Valérie

Hallo, Valérie! You can order the secretor test from our friend Cocky who represents Stacktheme in Europe. Just email her at StackEurope ~ she'll take care of your needs. And if you would be so magnanimous as to send your recipes to me at helpinghand, I will be your friend for life. :-) My man (German) and I (Irish) have a little love affair with food, too. I'll post them into the Recipe Exchange so we all can enjoy them! Thank you!!

Anne, the rye bread mix sounds fine. Technically, type O nonsecretors should avoid soy, but if you're in good health and don't plan to learn your secretor status, just keep watch that it doesn't constipate you or cause pain or gas. The range of frequency for two slices of bread is between two and six times per week. The two Organ products are based on cornstarch ("maize starch"), so aren't recommended for us. Thanks for writing, and best of luck with your baking!





I have been following the diet very closely for about 6 weeks, including integrating cardio and strength training into my schedule. I am type O, 22 years old, 5'6" and weighed 123 pounds when I started and 127 pounds now. I don't care so much about losing weight, but I want to lose some flab and convert some fat into muscle. So far, I feel great and I look better, but I have gained 4 pounds and want to see less flab and more muscle! I'm wondering if I am eating too few calories and perhaps my metabolism is suffering for this. Dr. Dadamo's calorie calculator says I should get at least 2000 calories a day (for light exercise, 2300 for moderate exercise), but frankly I find this a very high number. I have lately been calculating my caloric intake and find it to be at most 1500 per day. I eat very healthy and I am not hungry, so I can't imagine what I could do to bump this up, but I don't want to slow down my metabolism! Can you explain the relationship between calories, weight, and metabolism? I'm sure this could help some others as well! Thanks! Kay



Hi, Kay ~ Instead of the calorie calculator, try the Body Mass Index calculator. The weight you gained may well be muscle. If your BMI is improving, then you are losing fat and building active tissue mass ~ your report that you feel great and look better means you're doing the right things. Instead of the scale, take measurements of your waist, hips and thighs. Compare them weekly with the old ones. Rather than adding calories, just follow the portion/frequency charts in Live Right, don't eat to the point of discomfort, and note your energy levels after your workouts. If you're dizzy or weak, add a berry & nutbutter shake or other protein snack. As you build muscle, you may begin to require more food. For now, give it time, you'll do fine! NOTE FROM CONTRIBUTOR ADDED: "If one gains weight, whether fat or muscle, the BMI will also go up. This is why the BMI is an inaccurate measurement of health status in professional bodybuilders and other muscular folk. The best way to determine whether or not you are losing fat is to monitor you body fat percentage using calipers and/or bioelectric impedence testing. Cheers, Ryan" Thanks, Ryan! I realized my error only this morning as I was checking the column (*;-}), and I appreciate your note about it!



Currently reading BTD, Century Books 2001 edition. Am O positive (with hypothyroidism), my husband O negative and OK, but am about to care for A2-type Mum post knee replacement surgery so was checking to see how we could cater for all of us. Herbal teas for A (p. 125) says that cornsilk and red clover should be avoided as they have the opposite effect to that required and suit type O, but in the list for type O on p. 80, they are among the teas to be avoided. Obviously there is something wrong with these lists. Now I am wondering if other lists are also wrong. I take 150µg thyroxine daily and was told to avoid iodine, so assume that this includes the bladderwrack etc. advocated. Rosalind



Your book's lists are correct: cornsilk and red clover should be avoided by both type O and A. Ask your doctor whether the iodine in seaweeds will interfere with your medication. There are multiple Outcome Reports referring to alleviation or normalization of thyroid function after following the type O diet for a period of time. Go to the page I just linked ~ in the Search For field, put "thyroid" and in the Search By pulldown menu, choose "Comments." You might copy, paste and print them for your discussion with your doctor. Good luck, and good health to you!