Maia wrote the following for Rula, whose question appeared in the OTD column from November 30, 2002:

Hi Heidi, I'm glad you like getting reader feedback! (Oh no, not Maia again!) I was concerned about the woman who had read that she needed to consume less than 40grams of protein daily, in order to avoid osteoporosis. This is contrary to everything I've read, and contrary to what I know from my chiropractor. My chiro says adults of any blood type need at least 50 grams protein daily to avoid deficiency. This is backed up by the U.S. RDA, which says you need 50 grams...and the RDA tends to be the bare minimum you need to survive, not thrive. It is also supported by a standard medical textbook, Guyton's "Textbook of Medical Physiology," which says you need at least 50 grams, 75 grams to be safe.

As a 5'6" relatively active O blood type, at 135 lbs, I personally need about 100 grams protein a day, or I notice protein deficiency signs. (Such as fatigue, inability to be hungry without shakes related to blood sugar swings, and craving for sweets especially milk chocolate. Protein sufficiency is necessary to maintain stable blood sugar -- according to Guyton, protein deficiency mimics diabetes symptoms, which it sure did for me.)

According to my chiro, you can actually bring about osteoporosis through protein deficiency -- because bones are made of a matrix of collagen fibers (protein) and minerals. He treats osteoporosis with a good mineral supplement, and by ensuring protein sufficiency (also in some cases female hormones need balancing, for which he usually focuses first on making sure a person is not fatty acid deficient for omega 3's and omega 6's. Good resource on fatty acids, see udoerasmus.com website. Some women need to do more to balance hormones, but that would be too long an e-mail.)

Note that mineral deficiencies can also lead to chocolate craving. My chiro believes osteoporosis is reversible in most cases, because it's not that bones are permanently damaged, since bone structure/minerals/cells are always being renewed. Osteoporosis happens when you have a problem regulating the ongoing bone replacement process, which can be corrected, then the bones heal. I am an excellent example of healing -- had the beginnings of osteoporosis at age 35, to the point where about two of my teeth would crack each year. My teeth don't crack anymore since I started ER and worked on minerals, proteins & fats -- it's been 3 years -- and other signs of osteoporosis receded, though they return if I don't eat enough protein. (I always have enough minerals.) Anyway, hope this helps someone, take care Heidi! maia from the BB

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*LOL!* Oh, Hooray! It's Maia again!! I always love hearing from you, dear, and there are many others out there who are thanking you for sharing your wisdom ~~ just as I am! Great message ~ do PLEASE keep them coming! :-D

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Hi Heidi, I just thought I would pass along my Thanksgiving Day experience. Since my sons went out of town, a friend invited me to spend Thanksgiving Day with them. At meal time I stayed away from my major obvious avoids, such as the ham, rolls, and I just had a little bit of the cornbread dressing. I couldn't avoid everything and still be polite so I am sure some of the casseroles I ate had avoid ingredients in them. I did try to eat more of the OK things such as the turkey, fruit, and cranberry salad that I brought. I also took some Deflect capsules just prior to the meal.

Anyway, later that afternoon and evening I experienced some digestive system distress. The day after I was back to normal. The experience has once again confirmed to me the value of the BTD. It amazes me how I went through so many years of my life not knowing how to eat to protect and maximize my health even though I thought I was fairly knowledgeable about basic health and nutrition information.

I wish a lot more other people understood this so maybe it would be easier to find acceptable foods and to eat an acceptable meal out. I also would not be totally honest if I didn't say that at times, for a variety of reasons, I wish I didn't know about the BTD. What is the saying? "Ignorance is bliss" Of course that would be ignoring all of the benefits of the BTD. At this point I believe that the BTD will be a permanent part of my life and I just have to continue to figure out how to make it work for me and my life. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Regards, Don

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See, folks? It can be done, even on major holidays. ;-) The accounts people send in of how they live the BTD are guideposts to beginners and old hands alike. So send in your success stories, too!

and thanks so much, Don ~~ I had a great Thanksgiving, and a lot to give thanks for!! :-D

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I started with BTD 2 months ago. I am a Non-secretor(recently confirmed with blood test) type 'A' height 5ft2". With no results I was advised to get LR4YT. Having read both books I am totaly confused. Generally I am a healthy female 38 yrs old and fairly active. I play golf Twice a week and do gym/weights 2-3 times a week. I have always had a weight problem and retain water. In my view I am about 10-15kg's overweight. My weight is evenly spread. One thing I have learnt is that I have always eaten the wrong foods. Foods that I avoided are the things I should be eating. Even though I have not lost weight I havn't gained. I was following the secretor diet. Now having find out that I am a Non-secretor.

Durum wheat was a food type in BTD but now it is not even listed in LR4YT, I know it is stated in the "errata on the publication" that foods not listed are to be considered neutral. Additional to this I have had a problem finding out the properties of certain foods. eg Durum Wheat semolina pasta is this made from Durum Wheat? I have been told that semolia is a process that the wheat goes thru. Please advise.

The two tier diet. I want to loose weight initially then concentrate on maintaing that weight. My weight has always fluctuated with the 10kg's I need to loose now (Queen of diets). I am realy sick of trying to control my weight. Can you please help me formulate a diet for weight loss. Am I suposed to eat only Tier 2 foods or can I eat Tier 1 as well. Should I only eat beneficials or can I include neutrals. Your assistance in this regard would be greatly appreciated. Maureen

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Hello, Maureen! Nice to hear from South Africa!

Having found your secretor status, you're now on the road to success! Don't be discouraged if your weight loss is slow; everyone's metabolism is different, and since your weight has fluctuated over that 10 kg range (22 pounds), your body may be resistant to letting go of the weight due to those ups and downs over the years. A gradual, steady fat loss is what you want to aim for ~ it is far more likely to stay off that way.

We in the U.S. denote six classes, or types, of wheat: "durum," "hard red winter," "hard red spring," "soft red winter," "hard white," and "soft white." The hard wheats contain a higher gluten content than the soft varieties, and are used in foods like breads and pasta (yeasted and/or kneaded products); the soft wheats make their appearance in cakes, pastries, biscuits, and other "no-knead," baking-soda- or egg-rising, delicate products. Semolina is made from durum wheat berries by a grinding process. The germ and bran are separated out from the endosperm (the "white part" or "meat" of the berry), and some of the endosperm is taken aside along with the germ and bran to make "durum flour," either "white" (no bran) or "whole wheat" (germ and bran). Semolina is the fine-ground endosperm only ~ no germ or bran. Couscous is identical to "semolina," but is used as-is after grinding -- it is not further ground into semolina flour.

Now, hold on to your chair and please don't hate me! For type A nonsecretors all wheat of every kind (except sprouted wheat) is an 'avoid.' Semolina, durum wheat, wheat germ, wheat bran, white flour ~ you name it, it's on your no-no list. :-}

Second possible shocker: ;-) The Tiers system is designed for secretors ~ you can see this principle at work by looking at the first (secretor) column of the food lists. ALL Beneficial and Avoid foods for secretors are in Tiers I & II, and ALL neutral foods for secretors are in the Neutral Tier. Nonsecretors should continue to be guided by the food values as listed, no matter which Tier the food item appears under.

To get started on losing that weight and keeping it off, here are my suggestions:

(1) Eat only Beneficial foods for at least one month straight ~ no avoids; limit the neutrals as close to 0% as possible. This has helped MANY type As in jump-starting and facilitating weight loss. Once you've formed the habit of a primarily Beneficials diet, insulin resistance and any other conditions which may be impeding your weight loss can resolve far more quickly ~ and your water retention problems will just fade away!

(2) Pay careful attention to the portion/frequency tables, and note that fruits and vegetable frequencies should read "per day," rather than "per week." (That point is in the Updates Page, but worth a reminder!)

(3) Re-read the Type A Prescription in LR4YT, especially the exercise recommendations on page 182. Do you walk the golf course, or ride in a cart? guess which one I'd prefer? :-D

(4) Drink plenty of pure water between meals ~~ it will help your body excrete the toxins released as it lets go of the fat, and make the process easier & faster for you.

Give it one solid month, and drop me a note on your progress. You'll succeed, Maureen ~ I know you will! Do keep in touch!! :-)



Hi Heidi! First, let me say that I find your column a great source of information on the BTD and that I look forward to it every day. I’m a Type O+ Secretor (31 years old) and have recently found out that I have the MM blood type. In LR4YT, Dr. D’Adamo suggests that these people adopt an aggressive cancer-prevention lifestyle if they have a family history of cancer. This is true in my case. I was wondering if you could say a bit more about what he means by an aggressive cancer-prevention lifestyle. I guess drinking lots of green tea and not smoking (which I don’t do anyway) would be part of such a lifestyle. For over a decade, I have suffered from various health issues (IBS, adult acne, hypothyroidism, knee pain) which fortunately have nearly all disappeared since I started following the BTD two years ago, but I’m afraid that this has made me rather prone to having cancer later in life. I was also wondering why in his book LR4YT, Dr. D’Adamo suggests that MM typed Os should try to use mostly Tier One Beneficials in the vegetables and fruits sections. I thought that one should adhere to the Tier Two Diet when suffering from health-related issues. Many thanks! Thomas

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Hello, Thomas! First I want to reassure you that just being on the O diet is a superb cancer-prevention strategy all by itself. You'll undoubtedly be the beginning of a NEW family history! Using the lifestyle recommendations for Os and the specific MM-modified O secretor food list, along with food-based vitamin C, basic supplements and ARA6 for antioxidant support, puts you far ahead of the pack in the cancer-prevention league!

The quote from LR4YT you mentioned is addressed to type A (secretor)/MM individuals. Because many cancers are "A-like," the type A immune system is not as effective on its own in eliminating them -- hence the higher risk noted in conjunction with the MM type.

My understanding of the MM modifications for Os is: no dairy at all, and get plenty of the Beneficials in the fruits & veg categories... mostly Tier I, but Tier II can be added. In the case of fruits, there's only 1 good guy in Tier II. Under veggies, there are several Tier II Beneficials ~ use them to replace neutrals you'd otherwise choose. That is the key to understanding Tier II: the beneficials noted there are not "special" medicinal foods, but a class of items to be used in place of neutrals when one wishes to get the full benefit of the diet. The avoids listed there are less troublesome for healthy people than the Tier I avoids; and the beneficials are less vital for healthy people than the Tier I beneficials. :-)

Take care, and take heart! You're doing splendidly, and you'll be building your health and immunity with every month you spend on this plan!!



Dear Heidi! I just recieved the encyclopedia. For my Lupus there are several protocols adivised. A few for autoimmunediseases in general and various for the lupus itself. Should I follwow all of them at the same time, or go through them one after the other? The tier system is not mentioned in the food list. As it is a compendium for certain diseases I assume that it is just fine to follow what is stated in the enyclopedia list instead of following meticulously the tier system in the book Live right fyt... Thank you in advance! Karin

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Hi, Karin ~ The protocols work best if you do only one or two at a time, but I see in the protocols for Lupus that the Detox regimen is one week only, and the Immune System protocol is four weeks. I'd choose them first, then continue with the Chronic Disease list. As I recall, you are a Type B secretor, so, YES, use the Tier system for your food choices. The Encyclopedia is primarily intended as a reference work for the disease protocols, and included the food lists only as an appendix to the main work. That's why the Tiers are not given room there.

Thanks for your kind messages, Karin, and keep us posted on your reactions and progress! take care!! :-)



Hello, Heidi! I really enjoy your section of the website and log on each night to see what I can learn. I am an A Non-secretor. I have followed the plan since late May and have lost 25 lbs. I have noticed many other benefits including getting rid of that yucky stuff that seems to come up each morning from eating wheat, corn and dairy. People are always asking me about the diet, and I am always ready to share with them about how great it is. I do have one question about the two-tier system in LR4YT which I am trying to follow as closely as possible. When focusing on Tier Two, what do I do with Tier One? Do I include both, or just use Tier Two by itself? I have read the info on the website, but I am still confused. I'm sure it should be very simple, so I know you will clear it up for me. Thanks for all you do to keep us informed. The potpourri pages are great! Phyllis

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Hey there, Phyllis! Glad you like the ol' OTD, and I'm thrilled with your marvelous achievements!

Well, hope you took a peek at my little (*LOL*) note to Maureen right up above there. We nonnies ain't got no Tiers, 'ceptin' our Nonsecretor Tier, which is implicit rather than explicit in Live Right. Pleeze say you're not going shopping for a gun to shoot me? Rather than thinking about all the effort you've spent trying to get those Tiers working, umm.... think about how much simpler it is now. HOORAH! Right? Lemme hear it... a little "hoorah," maybe? a tiny "yay?" :-}

The Updates Page has a paragraph which covers this point, but not as clearly as I thought when I wrote it. Live & learn, eh? Here's that text:

"Tier Two values should be used as written if you are seeking to resolve an illness, heal from injury, lose weight, bear up under added stress, or to alleviate chronic fatigue or other health issues -- or if you are following the diet according to your status as one of the variants nonsecretor, MM or A2. Minimize your use of Neutral foods."

If you follow this advice to its logical conclusion, you'll see that nonsecretors using Tier II values "as written" are back in the Beneficial/Neutral/Avoid ballpark, with additional playing rules to "minimize... use of Neutral foods." The nonsecretor food lists are designed to work on their own, with no modification save any additions/reductions vis-á-vis the Rhesus factor ~ for type As, this tweak shows up only in the Dairy section. The benefits for secretors of following the MM modifications are built into the nonsecretor diet, so nonnies don't use those changes.

Great to hear from you, Phyllis ~ have a lovely!



OK everyone, now we're all experts on the Tiers! That was easy, eh? Thanks for all your wonderful comments, kvetches, Qs, stories and generous advice. Keep shining!! *:-D

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Hi, Helen ~

Legumes are a food that seem to lose little through industrial cooking and canning methods. The canned ones are fine for you! Just watch those labels (as usual). :-}

Eden and Healthy Valley, among many brands, offer organic canned beans and soups of many varieties. Eden even carries black soybeans, for instance.

You won't be missing any of the the nutritional value of the beans, and the convenience will help you stay compliant, especially while you're recovering from your illness.

Best wishes, dear!