Interesting article on the power of lectins. Datura is familiar to readers of Carlos Castaneda's 'novels' as one of Don Juan's "helper plants." Our friend Ryan Darius Partovi sent this to me, and suggested the word "lectin" be substituted for the word "protein" throughout. Fascinating reading.... thanks, Ryan!



Enjoy!



Health - Reuters

Smelly Plant Could Offer Brain Cancer Treatment

Tue Oct 1, 1:51 PM ET



LONDON (Reuters Health) - A protein from a highly poisonous, foul-smelling plant known as jimson weed could one day be used to help fight a type of brain cancer called glioma, Japanese researchers reported on Tuesday.

The protein, Datura stramonium agglutinin, or DSA, caused glioma cells with cancerous characteristics to begin developing normally, or differentiating, in lab studies, they report in the British Journal of Cancer for October.

The differentiation DSA induced was irreversible, being sustained once the protein was removed, the researchers report.

"DSA controls glioma cells as a result of glial differentiation rather than actually killing cells," said lead researcher Dr. Tasuku Sasaki, from the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology. "Any drug based on this concept would help patients suffering with tumors that are difficult to remove such as gliomas."

Glioma cells were also inhibited from growing and dividing out of control, or proliferating, by the presence of DSA, Sasaki's team reports.

"Taken together, these observations suggest that Datura stramonium agglutinin may be useful as a new therapy for treating glioma without side effects," they write.

Professor John Double, head of the Cancer Research UK Unit at Bradford University, said the discovery was exciting, but extremely preliminary.

"More needs to be done before we have enough evidence to commit to trials. Potential treatment, based on DSA, for this form of brain cancer is still a long way off."

Cancer Research UK's chief executive, Sir Paul Nurse, agreed, noting "there is much work to be done on the journey from the laboratory bench to the patient's bedside."

SOURCE: British Journal of Cancer 2002;87:918-923.

Dear madam, I am a 28 year old woman from India (south india),my blood group is o+ and recently i got a copy of Dr.Dadamo's book Eat right 4 your type and i have started following the diet since last 4 days. Normally south indian dishes use a lot of coconut,for my blood type should i completely avoid coconut or can i use it sparingly. For breakfast normally we have rice preparations made from rice flour, i normally have 'Idli',i don't know if you've heared of it, it's made from soaking rice,urad dal (a sort of lentil )&a bit of fenugreek seeds,and make into a somewhat loose batter and steam the batter into small round shape idli's,can i have this for breakfast? Also my height is 5 feet 3 and weight -55 kilo , i don't want to lose weight. Since last 4-5 years my hair has started greying and it falls a lot, it started greying after i was hospitalised for a week (my toe got cut by a new foot wear and i went out in the rain and my leg got infected the next day,it was all swollen up and i got fever as well, in the hospital i took antibiotic injections and tablets and also i went through a lot of stress in my personal life some time back). Also i'm allergic to dust and in between i used to get cold, but now i don't get cold that is after changing our residence and avoiding all the clutter, but i have problem of spelgm when i wake up in the morning. I never used to eat beef or mutton,but just chicken & fish,now i'll include those in my diet. Awaiting eagerly for a reply from your side. sunita

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Hello, sunita ~ and welcome!

I hope you are feeling recovered from your infection and allergies! It sounds as if you would benefit greatly from red meat and more green vegetables in your diet, to help fight infection and stimulate healthy hair growth.

Lentils and coconut are generally not recommended for Os. Nonsecretor Os can have lentils and coconut oil, but coconut is an avoid for nearly everyone. I feel rather shy discussing these things, since they are such common elements in your traditional cuisine. Dal is eaten with every main meal, no? And coconuts are a staple, for both their meat and milk. If it is possible to substitute other beans for the lentils in some dishes, and use less coconut & coconut milk, I think you will have less phlegm upon awakening. Exercise and adequate protein and fat (ghee) will help control your weight by developing muscle and supporting healthy connective tissue.

If you can tell me more about what kinds of food and herbs are available to you there, I'll try to give more specifics for you.

Again, I hope you are doing well ~ please write again! Thank you!

Heidi, Greatly enjoy your column. I'm an American living in France, and have been following the O type diet (though not strictly) for several years. I have the BTD book, but next time in the USA, I'll buy one of the newer ones with updates. If I only get one, which is the best to get to have current info on foods and supplements? I'm not really interested in theory, as I have no qualms accepting it. And can I buy it at a book store, or only order it from NAP? Until I get it, I have a small potpourri of questions that I hope you can help me with. First, is MSM okay for type O? How about GSE, and does it contribute to an ongoing problem with acidity? Is Colloidal Silver really an effective anti-biotic, and is it safe to take it instead of a Doctor prescribed anti-biotic? And, if so, is it okay for O's?? Second, I take Armour Thyroid, which is made from pig's thyroid glands, I think. Being from a pig, is it a problem for O types? Third, sheep and goat yogurt are common in France. ER4YT says to avoid all yogurt varieties for type O, but don't know if it really refers to yogurts from animals other than cows. What about this? Lastly, I always steam my vegetables in the microwave, but recently read on a website that microwaves destroy vitamins in all foods. Is this true? I hope not, as it is a life saver, but guess I should know if I am ruining all my great "beneficial" veggies! Thanks for your advice, and keep it up! ~Abby~



Hello, Abby! The books are all available in major bookstore chains, as well as many smaller shops, health food stores... I've even seen them in pharmacies. I'd say it's a choice between the Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia and Live Right 4 Your Type. The Encyclopedia has far more supplement information, is primarily prescriptive, and contains a current food list. Live Right has a wealth of health-building strategies, along with detailed food lists. See the updates page for changes made since publication.

Over the years we've seen that MSM is unlikely to be of harm to anyone. :-) May I suggest the Bulk MSM website: ~lowest prices for highest purity!

Grapefruit seed extract can be very helpful in anti-candida protocols, and shouldn't give you any acidic symptoms.

Instead of colloidal silver, I've found a less hazardous and far more effective product: Heallix, composed of ionized silver and fulvic acid. Read all about it on Leo's site. He and his product are very fine indeed. I and friends use Heallix occasionally for everything from a cut or scrape to impending cold or more serious health concerns. It appears to work for everyone with nary a side effect, and rather miraculously in our experience. See what you think!

Armour Thyroid is unlikely to contain any of the galectin we seek to avoid by eschewing pig meat. Besides, it is used only in therapeutic situations. The alternative (Synthroid) is no better, and probably worse. If you still have your thyroid, I hope the diet (including plenty of seaweeds, and some supplements if necessary) may reduce your need for the Armour ~ but in the meantime, don't worry about the "pork" aspect! :-)

Ha! I was waiting for a dairy question. After all, you live in FRANCE! I expected "cheese," but yogurt fills the bill. (I can tell you that if I lived in France, the question would be ALL about cheeses!! ) I have no authoritative data on sheep vs cow yogurt OR cheese, but you can test it on yourself and will probably get a quick answer right there at home. Try some regular cow yogurt, and see if you experience some sniffling, sneezing or coughing. I predict you will clear your throat a fair bit, or have a runny nose, within half an hour. If you can pinpoint clear symptoms, that's great! Round two is, next day, try some sheep yogurt. Next day, the goat yogurt. And post me a full report! :-D

Well, just recently I read somewhere on the Minnesota Wellness Directory pages that microwaving garlic for as little as one minute destroys its cholesterol-lowering properties. Whoo! I've no way of testing this assertion, but I've taken to warming things in the toaster/broiler instead these days. Peter has said it's best not to cook things in the MW, but warming-up isn't going to turn us into Venusians or anything. See if you can adapt your steaming technique to a stovetop pot or oven routine. And don't let yourself be alarmed by all the health scares and Powerful Advice on the Internet (including from me!!) to the point you give up on your veg and start eating Bigue Macques or anything. ~~;-D

With all the gorgeous fresh, organic and wild food available in the bounty of France, I'm sure your regimen will accomplish your health goals in record time. Enjoy the abundance, and eat a little fresh herbed chèvre for me, OK?

Thanks for writing, dear!

Yes, the lycopene factor outweighs the agglutination concern in that case. Tomato paste contains far more lycopene than raw tomatoes do, and other foods contain even greater percentages. Follow this link to a list of more high-lycopene foods. :-)

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Shea, I’m sorry but I can’t find your other questions... There was a column on questions from a type O woman with your name -- you can find it by using the search term “wedding,” but my questions list doesn't have anything else from a "Shea." Could you send your queries again? Also, if you have both type A and type B genes, you are type AB. If I’m misunderstanding you, please explain a little more about what the doctor or lab told you about your blood type. As far as I know, you'd follow the AB diet. L-glutamine can help for the sugar cravings; generally, they go away over time as your eating habits move away from refined sugars and as your body has a chance to adapt to protein-metabolism. It's tough at first, but gets easier pretty quickly!!

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Thanks, Blaine ~ you're very kind! Boron is a bone-builder, one of the trace elements that helps the calcium do its job of mineralizing new bone growth. Other helpers in this regard are selenium, molybdenum, and vanadium... you'll find them all in your Phytocal-A. :-)

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Yes, ground ginger is the dried, powdered ginger root. Same thing as to the diet, slightly different properties in cooking. Please let us know when your cookbook is ready for viewing! and thanks for writing!!

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At my local farmers’ market last Wednesday was a greens & peppers grower who had about 30 different kinds of peppers for sale. About half looked familiar, and the other half... well.... One variety resembled a tiny, translucent, pale yellow pea ~ its neighbor was a wrinkly blackish-purple thing not an inch long, something like a berry-picker’s thumbprint. Peppers come in every color of the rainbow except blue, and cover the taste range from bite-into-it-like-an-apple to CALL 911! Happily, the BTD rule here is simple: all types of peppers, whether sweet or hot, of whatever color, shape or size, are avoids for type A secretors and neutral for A nonsecretors. ;->



I hope you're all enjoying the Fall weather (or Spring to our buddies Down Under). Thanks to all of you who keep writing and keep me learning here. ;-D

Q: I am really seeing a lot of the manipulation in our everyday lives. I took my cat to the vet to get a sore on its neck fixed, and they kept me there for two hours. They wanted to give it shots, weight it and a dozen other things, and charge me for all of it.

A: In every area of our lives, the same policies are unfolding. You have little scams, like the people at the top of the pyramid control the food supply, in which they put chemicals and other things that make you sick over the long and short term, and the same people control the pharmaceutical companies that sell us drugs to overcome what the food has done to us. We need to stop getting so impressed with people in positions of power. The higher you go up the pyramid of the medical profession and the educational system, the more indoctrinated you are becoming and the more robotic you become... not more enlightened. The idea that people in professional positions know what they’re doing is an engrained thoughtform, not an actual reality. Most of them don’t.

Now, I feel that the human entity has power beyond our wildest imagination, and that we can overcome all this stuff. We have not come here, incarnated here, just to walk away from this stuff like little sheep. We came here because we knew we could and would make a difference, and any problem thrown at us is solvable. For most problems, the answer is to take away the cause of the problem. But, we are only going to overcome these things if we get into multi-dimensional mode.

We are multi-dimensional spirits. This is why I say that people don’t need to seek enlightenment. You just need to remove the barriers of ignorance. There are people all over the world that are being tricked into think that you have to run around looking for enlightenment. You are it. You are enlightenment.

-- David Icke

excerpted from

"Genetics, Perception, Dimensionality and Individual Action"

Excerpts from the David Icke Lecture

Yelm, Washington March 1997

Transcript © April 1997 Leading Edge Research Group

Did Dr. D change his formulas for vitamins and probiotics? I just checked out the Store and the ingredients are different from the Type O products that I purchased quite some time ago. The Polyflora for type AB and B lists Lactobacillus Sporogenes as an ingredient. Lacto Sporo is not an ingredient for Polyflora O. I am type O. I recently purchased a Thorne Lactobacillus Sporogenes probiotic. It seems to help my digestive tract, but it causes severe pain. Is that die off or what? Exactly what is the function of Lacto Sporo and is it ok for type O to take it? The old type O Probiotic seemed to be very good for me except for the kelp which causes weight loss and a skin reaction when I take it. I am thinking about trying the Polyflora O but I don't tolerate Brewer's Yeast very well...the same old skin reaction; my body doesn't like that dry powdery stuff! Carolyn

Hi, Carolyn ~ Yes, these are the new probiotics. The various intestinal flora & fauna have affinities for different blood groups. Lacto sporo is not one that particularly thrives in type Os, hence it is not included in our "PolyFlora" supp. I wouldn't take it, especially since it causes severe pain for you. Is it possible to get a few O probiotic caps from a friend, or split a bottle, and try it that way? If you get a reaction to the encapsulated brewer's yeast, you might consider focusing on feeding your healthy critters rather than trying to repopulate them. ARA6 and okra come to mind, as well as black-eyed peas and adzuki beans. The diet itself should do the rest if you are in good health generally.

Hi ^heidi^ -- nice to come back to this website after a being away for awhile and see your contributions again! Awesome!! I have come off of an SSRI antidepressant and am interested in following the protocols for unipolar depression to keep from having to go back on medication. The BTD encyclopedia recommends the active B12 first thing in the morning (under general considerations) but it also recommends, under the nerve health protocol, to take it in the evening. Should I do both? One or the other? Thanks for your help! Elizabeth

Thanks, Elizabeth... it's a pleasure! YES, go ahead and take both. And may I suggest taking two tablespoons of nutritional yeast per day (away from the b12)? Also, please get at least a tablespoon per day of fresh-ground flaxseed and some fish oil. You can dump all three in a smoothie, or use them to dress canned tuna in a salad. For some reason, yeast tastes GREAT with fish. Best of health to you ~~ and keep me posted on your situation!

I am a type "O" and had to relearn what is actually good for me! I do feel energetic eating for my blood type...but can't help but wonder about the intake of so much protein, especially red meats, and it's result regarding bone health. I have heard that in menapausal women, calcium is leached from bone mass with a high protein diet. I have high cholesterol, although am in excellent health otherwise, exercise aerobically and use weights....in Nov. I will have my cholesterol re-checked and am curious about the red meat in my diet and what it will do to the test....My LDL's are particularly high (there is literally NO heart disease in both side of my family)..Could the wheat I was eating be the culprit? Marilyn

Don't worry, Marilyn... that cholesterol will likely normalize as you continue to follow your O plan (including exercise!). The wheat is most certainly the culprit in most type Os' high cholesterol readings.

I wouldn't be concerned about the meat/calcium scare. Meat actually stimulates our intestinal alkaline phosphatase, which in turn helps us assimilate calcium. That's something that I predict will take years to make it into your doctor's advice. In these stressful times, however, a good calcium supp like Phytocal-O will take up the slack. By the way, according to an article Doc Bron recently posted, snacking on almonds can whittle away the LDL!

Some folks have a genetic pre-disposition to high cholesterol and high LDL. Using flax oil or flax meal regularly can help, but if you find your levels don't budge, go to the bottom of this page and enter the search term "MVA" ~ you'll find my links to my favorite Red Yeast Rice supplier.

Good luck, and thank you so much for writing!!

Hi, Heidi! I'm an O. There seems to be conflicting info. in the list book regarding goldenseal. It's listed as an Avoid under herbs and supplements, but listed as an appropriate remedy to try for flu. And... What about dulse? I eat lots of it. Is it the same as kelp? Thanks. And thanks for helping our mutual friend, Ted. -- Cheryl

Whoa! What a surprise... Hi, Cheryl! He's doing GREAT, isn't he? What a champ. ;-) Goldenseal is an avoid for Os as a supplement... but fine as a gargle. You'll ingest a tiny bit that way, but not enough to be harmful. Dulse is one of the many kelp varieties (a favorite of mine for snacking), and great stuff for everyone. The kelp that gets special mention is Fucus vesiculosis (not one of the tastier ones... eccchhh) because of its abundance of the fucus sugar (that's our very own O blood group "stumpy quasi-antigen").

I wonder if the Indian (auyervedic) and Chinese medicinal principals of food combining (e.g., tumeric with potatoes) might counteract or otherwise alter problematic lectins? Stephanie

Wish they could. Some lectins resist destruction even under autoclave ~ an extremely high heat-and-pressure industrial process. We can minimize some kinds of lectins (notably beans) by long soaking, rinsing, cooking, rinsing, etc., but we don't get rid of them altogether. The early inhabitants of the Americans had a long, involved recipe for the corn they ate, among other things. It was soaked in lime (the mineral, not the fruit), roasted or baked, pounded, dried, pounded again, and cooked as porridge (recipe isn't exact here! ;-)). We think this routine did counteract much of the corn lectin. Most plants concentrate their protective lectins in the seeds and/or husk (like wheat and tomatoes) so removing them can help, but the flesh or pith of avoid foods will still retain enough of the little buggers to make trouble.

I am Blood type A and am refering to whether I should have Mushroom - Shiitake as both books are contradicting. I have both the books "eat right 4 your type" (-on page 118 it is in a list of neutral vegetables) & "eat right 4 your type encyclopedia" (-on page 532, it is in column A as a food to avoid) As I do take this in a capsule combined with astragalas and garlic I am now a bit confused as to whether I should be taking it or not. Could you please confirm Thank you. Mark

Hi, Mark ~~ The later books have the most recent updates in their food lists. When in doubt, check the TYPEbase 3® database, on our home page. Shiitake is indeed now an avoid for A secretors, based upon the research done since Eat Right 4 Your Type was published.

The "list previous topics" and "search" mechanisms on your column are not working. They do work on Dr. B's section. I had been trying to check to see if I missed an answer to a question I had posed. (Have had company lately and had not had time to check the website daily). Thanks for checking this out - don't think it is my computer. I greatly enjoy your writings! Abby

Hi, Abby ~ I have your questions, but am running a bit behind (as usual!). The search & list previous topics buttons work fine here, and no other notes received on them. Try again in a few days! :-}

Hello, I am a blood type O and haven`t consummed red meat for over 25 years. I am 50 and I have always enjoy a great health and vitality. Apart from consuming meat, I was amazed to find out that my diet was very similar to the suggestions outlined in the blood type diet. In one of the books I read, (I don`t remember the title or the page because I am traveling at the moment and do not have the reference with me) Dr D`Adamo suggest a chinese supplement for Type O vegetarians. Could you tell me what it is and where I can find it. I am from British Columbia where I looked for it without succes a few years ago and now I am in Montreal. Please, help me to find it. Mireille

Sure! I believe Coleus forskohlii is the one you're seeking. Glad to hear you're prospering on your modified type O diet, and hope this helps! :-D

Don, gosh darn it! Rhodiola my rump, you've been shopping for those high-falutin' body-builder supps again, haven't you? HAVEN'T YOU??? *grin!* Ok, I haven't much in my bag of arcane knowledge on these, but I'll dump it and let you be the judge of its contents.

Cordyceps sinensis is one of the Chinese herbs (a fungus, actually - a mushroom) which Peter recommends for nitric-oxide regulation in folks who possess a B antigen (Bs & ABs). For them, it also performs yeoman duty on the immune-enhancement, antibacterial and antimicrobial fronts. Its generally-advertised qualities include increased athletic endurance and protection against lung and kidney damage from environmental pollutants. From our POV, the lack of ABO-specific research somewhat limits the strength of our recommendations for Os and As. Try it and see if it makes you feel a little odd. That sounds crazy, but it's worked for me. "A little odd" means maybe this is not the mushroom for us. :->

Cystoseira canariensis is a salt-water algae found in Canary Islands waters, whose fractionated extract has the peculiar property of neutralizing the body's natural "stop building muscle" signal. Now you know this is bound to make me nervous, OK? I'm all about getting folks in harmony with their body's unique makeup, not circumventing it! You're type O, hey, we RULE on muscularity! right? Aint'cha got enough?? golly. Don, repeat after me: LONGEVITY OVER MASS.... LONGEVITY OVER MASS....

Rhaponticum carthomoides: here we have another myostatin (muscle-mass regulator)-inhibitor and "fat-burner" -- an herb which originated, like Rhodiola, in Russia and now has only proprietary supp-related info available on the Net. Don, I don't know a dang thing about this stuff. My herbals don't list it, and everything else I've found is either anecdotal or promotional. Buddy, will you just promise to watch your six if you decide to use it? and keep me posted? stay in touch, OK?

Everybody, I have no quarrel with all of you out there who experience great enjoyment and other significant personal benefits from body-building. I don't want you to think I'm sitting here in my little computer chair and denigrating people who possess an intense competitive athletic bent, whatever it may be. I applaud them! But in my knowledge and experience, extreme effort and extreme achievement most frequently come with a serious price tag, and I see my mission as bolstering their success while lowering the toll on body and mind that can come through narrow-purposed use of supplements. Maybe it's blind prejudice (or simple selfishness), but I'd like to see the premiere athletes of today and tomorrow stick around in vibrant health, long enough to become old folks ~ and teachers, and personal up-close inspirations to others.

By the way, readers ~ Don's been a regular contributor and a constant source of fascinating information (and delightful quirky humor) since this column began. He very courageously offered me his story recently. I was heart-struck and inspired to read it. Keep an eye out for it in the next week.