The sprouted thing is a bit confusing, no? If the bread you've found is 100% sprouted, and the label confirms it, then it's fine. What the label, or the baker, says is the key to choosing breads in the market.

Essene bread can be baked at home at a low temperature for several hours. You needn't have a Mediterranean climate in order to enjoy Essene bread. "Nature's Path" here in the States are major commercial bakers of Essene bread, which they call "Manna" bread. You can find it online under that name.

That said, however, if I were an O with IBS, I would do my utmost to remove breads and pastries from my diet altogether. Revisit my paleolithic roots in a big way, so to speak. Gluten grains have been too deeply implicated with bowel complaints for me to recommend them to you at this juncture. When all symptoms have subsided, that's the time to very slowly and carefully re-introduce them.

In case you might be interested: my old friend Joachim (type A reported that he and many other people had success in resolving colitis through using the following protocol. Perhaps it will help you?

"Boil white rice in plenty of saltwater until the rice is very soft. As you probably won't be able to buy WILD Blueberries, soak dried wild blueberries in a little warm water (initially boil because you want to rule out any germs) and add the water + Blueberries to the drained rice. Eat this by carefully chewing and drink wild Blueberry tea (2 - 3 tablespoons, boiled in a cup of water, let rest for 10 Min.), also eat a few tablespoons of dried wild blueberries in-between meals, and again chew carefully. Forget the large cultured Blueberries; they are not half as effective as wild ones from colder northern climates like Maine. Alter that with soft white rice and soft-boiled Carrots or Fennel. Remember you are not interested in vitamins etc., just holding food down to absorb nutrients. Minerals should be your first concern, so boil rice and soak blueberries in a high mineral content still mineral water (unfortunately, most mineral waters have low minerals due to the low sodium craze here in the US. French Contrexville, German still Appolinaris or Fachinger would be ideal). Otherwise, introduce mineral substitutes slowly but make sure to follow Dr. D. on this one as well.



Might help, couldn't hurt... see what you think.

Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) is not listed in the Eat Right/Live Right books. It is common in Europe, but that species is not found here in the States. It's in the same polymorphic frying pan as halibut, dabs, and flounder: fine for type Os (there are few meats and fishes we cannot eat), although not recommended for all the other types. Like to read more? Here's a lovely page all about the flatfish: Alwyne Wheeler and the Pleuronectidae.

Soy for type O divides down secretor/nonsecretor lines. Neutral for secretors, no-no for nons. Since IBS is at issue, I'd avoid it for now. thank you so much for writing! :-D

As someone who grew up on a dairy farm, I feel your pain!! :-} To "dairy products and bread" I would add bacon, ham, POTATOES, pork loin, pork chops, cabbage, PEANUT BUTTER (I know... it's a Yank thing) -- not to mention the orange juice, strawberries, blackberries -- coconuts from Korea smuggled in by my brother -- and homemade pies, cakes and cookies every day. Skipping a decade: it was bagels and cream cheese. Let's pass on!

I guess you and I both know now that these food groups will make us sick and keep us there. How do other type Os do it? Cold turkey with no looking back, in some cases. S-L-O-W-L-Y, one toe into the swimming pool at a time, for others.

Making one's own bread from alternative flours, or finding a local or online source of 100% sprouted grain or quinoa or kamut or rice or rye breads and/or pastas is the easiest intermediate course to take. Many of us make ghee to use instead of butter... it tastes the same! The essential thing to discover, though, is that bread for type Os is at most a temporary sugar rush. To maintain your energy, base your meals around meat, and fill up on squashes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, onions, any sturdy root vegetables on the type O food list. Your body has some adjustments to make from metabolizing a heavy starch supply to comfortably maintaining its balance on a higher protein/vegetable, lower grain diet. Using L-glutamine as a supplement can help get you over the hump. Your energy will return in a week or so without wheat bread and dairy. The anemia should disappear with adequate red meat intake. I would expect the thrush to recede, as well -- it just adores grain and sugar.

Coffee... well, it is a singular substance, not easily replaced. I liked mine with heavy cream. Lovely, isn't it? I've quit coffee several times in my life, and the only good thing I can say about it is, at least I had no withdrawal symptoms. If you do decide to let it go, a good quality green tea has enough theine to ease any discomfort you may experience. Your local health food store may carry a number of coffee substitutes: try them out. No, they're not coffee, but some of them taste darned close to it. I'm not sure what is readily available in NZ, but Roma Kaffree, Teeccino and other roasted barley blends are common here in the States. There is also an herbal blend called Raja's Cup which tastes quite coffee-like to me, if a bit licoricy, and confers health benefits as well. It has high antioxidant activity.

Vicky, we all go through this. You are by no means alone! We look at avoid foods we love and think we'll never get through life without them. We think of gathering places, traditions, favorite outings, holidays, friends, family... so much of it comes down to shared food, and emotional attachments to the anxiety-alleviating habits we have formed. We all do the best we can!

I have great admiration for Registered Nurses, and your note reflected many of the fine qualities I have found in the best ones. You have discovered a health plan that will guide you toward accomplishing your goals. Don't give it up. It is worth tackling. Let us know how you do!

Hey there! I hope this column hits in time for your reunion! :-} Basically, there are only two cuisine-specific items to watch out for ~~ but they're in everything ~~ namely, coconut milk and peanuts.

There's little wheat in the joint, other than the clearly described egg noodles or green onion pancakes -- "saigon pancake," my local place calls them -- and some spots offer a few pork dishes, while some don't. Predominantly, the noodles, roll wraps and dumpling covers are made of rice (although, yeah, it always pays to ask).

Other than that: it's chicken, seafood, beef, raw salads, spicy thin soups and astonishing fresh flavors!I'd be inclined to choose lemongrass/chili sauces over the marvelous red curries (the coconut milk), but once won't kill ya! :-D Basil, peppers, fish sauce, ginger, chives all play their part in Thai delights. You can always have the beef satay (thin skewers of marinated meat) without the peanut sauce... the Pad Thai (lovely fresh-and-dried shrimp/noodle dish) without the peanuts... but hey, I'll look the other way. It's your reunion: Enjoy yourself!

The smallest Thai eatery serves everything from green papaya salad to steamed whole fish, and the menus are quite informative as to their ingredients.

I adore Thai cuisine... and pretty soon you will, too. :-D Have a great time!!