When I first started the BTD I had my secretor test done, by post from the UK, by the official site, blood type test originally done by GP (O negative), so have always assumed there can be no mistake (my test came back as a secretor) , and have followed the diet with great success  since 2001..(.couldn't believe it was that long on checking my records!) BUT have had some serious health issues since I got shingles in my eye over 2 years ago.  Seem to have become allergic to everything, including the many medications they want me to use in my eyes.

Since joining this board, things people have responded to me have made me wonder about my secretor status...specially since I read the "you might be a nonnie if...." thread - since so much of what was said applied to me re the hypersensitivity to noise, smells, bad teeth, general jumpiness etc.

I got the Genotype book earlier this year, and think I'm a Hunter - but I see from their food lists that many foods I've been consuming as an O sec. are no-nos.

I am now very confused about which diet I should be following - how they fit together if indeed they do or are they completely different things? - did the quick quiz on the site which told me to follow BTD -

Any advice or suggestions please?

thanks in grateful anticipation

Do the blood type O secretor diet.

Look into Coleus foskolin. Maybe that can help.

Quoted from Dr. D

Do the blood type O secretor diet.

Look into Coleus foskolin. Maybe that can help.

gosh, what luck...reply from the man himself
thanks a million, Dr D, and I'll look into the Coleus as you suggest.

Dr. D,
Don't you mean she should try the O Non Secretor Diet?  She's been following the O Secretor Diet since 2001 and she's having problems.  

(I think that's what he meant..sorry, I'm a secretary..it's my job)

No, I don't see those problems as a refutation of the diet that is right for her (in this case O-sec).

Oh..Ook. My bad.    

The forskolin helps support adrenal function by making energy within the cell more efficient. Adrenal function impairment is a Hunter hallmark and also suggested by some of the symptoms.

There's certainly no danger in removing problematic foods from your diet, even if they're on your "safe list" based on blood type. I see no harm in avoiding the foods that are "O nonnie avoids" even if you're an O secretor.

Alternatively, you could switch to the GTD and see how you feel on that. The online quiz for BTD vs GTD seems to be kind of simplistic. It told me that I should follow the GTD, but the "gatherer" food lists made no sense to me (including many foods I'm allergic to) while the Type O diet has always made intuitive sense to me. There was a thread about that a while ago, and IIRC the conclusions were that the online quiz tells you GTD if you need to lose weight and BTD if you don't need to lose weight.

oh crumbs...now I'm really confused

there are definitely some foods on the O nonnie avoid list which I don't seem to tolerate too well if I eat too much of them - yet on the whole seem to do well on the diet.

I wonder if it's worth getting the secretor status done again, maybe I somehow contaminated my sample when I first did it....

I would have to send it to the US for processing, though, right?

Quoted from ruthiegirl

There's certainly no danger in removing problematic foods from your diet, even if they're on your "safe list" based on blood type. I see no harm in avoiding the foods that are "O nonnie avoids" even if you're an O secretor.

Alternatively, you could switch to the GTD and see how you feel on that. The online quiz for BTD vs GTD seems to be kind of simplistic. It told me that I should follow the GTD, but the "gatherer" food lists made no sense to me (including many foods I'm allergic to) while the Type O diet has always made intuitive sense to me. There was a thread about that a while ago, and IIRC the conclusions were that the online quiz tells you GTD if you need to lose weight and BTD if you don't need to lose weight.

thanks for this suggestion, Ruthie, it had already occurred to me but I guess I was trying to avoid the issue because it would mean giving up quite a few things I like...

Quoted Text

Dr D
cAMP is depressed in low immune function states. For example, Herpes
Zoster (shingles) is often helped with injections of adenosine
monophosphate, vitamin C and the herb Coleus forskolin, all of which raise cAMP.

You can't beat the advice given by Dr. D.  You're a fortunate woman!