Hi all, I've been hanging around here for a month or so and have posted a few times, but figured it was time to officially say hi and introduce myself.

I've been following the basic BTD for about 10 years now -- got Dr. D's book in 1996 and during the past 10 years have been being somewhat (but certainly not entirely) compliant based on my blood type A. However, in the past year I began experiencing some unpleasant health issues so recently realized I needed to pay closer attention.

Had "the test" done and lo and behold, learned I was Lewis A-/Lewis B-, which makes me not only a non-secretor, but a super-non-secretor (as my osteopath dubbed me). Hey -- do I get a free cape with that?

Since learning of my super-nonnie status, I've been being pretty religious about following the diet. Good news is, my health stuff is already improving. But, I must confess to feeling short bouts of self-pity at times about what feels like a very limited diet.    One of the reasons for this is that I'm a vegetarian, and although I would no doubt feel better physicially if I ate some animal protein, and it would certainly provide for more variety in my diet, that's not an option for me.

So I will continue to behave and not eat things I'm not supposed to, and continue to feel occasionally self-pitying. But of course it is worth it, because for the first time in a long time I am feeling pretty good physically.

Thanks for letting me whine a bit. It really is a big help to me to be able to come here and read about what other nonnies are doing and going through and eating and not eating.

Laurie

Laurie,
we ll all be more than happy to help you get through this stage.
congratulations!   knowledge is power, no matter what.....

Hi Laurie,

Coincidentally, I am a Laurie, too, and an A-nonnie.  How funny!  Anyway, I must say that I actually love our recommended diet and have found that my body truly loves turkey.  I have it several times a week, whether I buy the no nitrate turkey luncheon meat, no nitrate turkey bacon or turkey burgers (all Highly Beneficial!).  I also found some awesome snacks, such as spelt pretzels and rice/quinoa crackers with flax.  I was inspired to become compliant with the diet after suffering from joint pain and a locked jaw (first symptoms at age 22).  It's pretty easy for me to stay disciplined, too, now that I have found so many awesome substitute foods.  Glad you are feeling better with the diet.  It sure makes a world of difference.

 

la. welcome on the royal-side and may I ask you...what's on with your fishy-experiences? Perhaps those proteins  are better for you to digest

Hi all, thanks for your welcome! Tomatilla, I don't eat fish either -- my personal guideline is, if it has a face, I won't eat it.    No doubt you are right, fish protein would be easy on my system. It's an interesting issue. Are there other vegetarian A nonnies here who could share some info about what foods are working for them?

try the complete protein combos according to your type:

protein is made up of amino acids. There are eight amino acids generally regarded as essential for humans to obtain from food sources.  (There are other essential amino acids, but they are produced by the body.)  The body cannot assimilate these amino acids individually; they must be present in specific proportions for ANY of them to be used.  This specific proportion makes up a "complete protein".

Legumes + seeds
Legumes + nuts
Legumes + dairy
Grains + legumes
Grains + dairy

I've known plenty of self-pity, but the attitude I try to have is to focus on the beneficials, center-stage, they are gifts given to you, so celebrate giving them to every part of your body when you prepare and eat them.  Let the avoids just blur into the distant background.

Ummm! I have experienced loads of self pity and I am a secretor with no health issues or negative reactions (at least aparent) to avoids.

This self pity has taken me to an eating disorder (binge eating) which thank God I seem to be getting out of, and now, a few extra pounds

I understand you very well and so I would like to recommend you consider that self pity may be irrelevant to the restrictiveness of the diet. It is a state of mind developed as a consequence of looking only at what you can not have. Not very "medical" but works.

It is your choice you are doing this lifestyle and your choice you do not eat anything with a head so from this angle you seem quite blessed you have such alternatives.

Best wishes, and I know that as soon as you feel better you will feel more optimistic. It is such a wonderful lifestyle.

Take care,

Laurie -- Hello from another A nonnie!

I had been a vegetarian for 16 years when I started the BTD.  Even though I did re-introduce some meat into my diet after a few months on the diet, most of my meals are still vegetarian, so perhaps I can offer some suggestions.

I know that Dr. D recommends that As eat very little dairy, and A nonnies even less, but every time I stop eating yogurt (goat yogurt in my case, since I'm allergic to cow milk), I get to feeling yucky after a few weeks, even now that I'm eating salmon and turkey.  So I still have my yogurt every day.

For the first four months, I ate an ovo-lacto vegetarian adaptation of the A nonnie diet.  I noticed some definite improvements in my health, but not as many as I had hoped for, so that's when I added the meat.  That's been exactly another four months, and I don't know whether I'm happy or sad to report that I have not noticed any further improvements.  I may try adding some lamb, and if that doesn't make any noticeable difference either, I may go back to being a vegetarian.

Actually, I didn't find the A nonnie diet all that restrictive, even when I was still a vegetarian, and I'm even more restricted than the typical A nonnie, due to some food allergies.  Maybe if you'd tell us what you especially miss right now, we could offer some suggestions to fill the void.

I like being a nonnie. I get to eat banana's and mango's and tomatoes. All yummy! So no self-pity here at all!!  

laurieadrienne,
The wonderful thing is that you know you are a super non-secretor!  
Just think how you would be damaging your body and shortening your life if you didn't know.  

When I assumed that I was a secretor, I was quite careless about what I ate, because secretors seem to have a lot more lee-way with their dietary choices.  So, assuming I had that flexibility, I took it.  And I was not healthy.  With each year that passed, the more health problems I was developing.

So I'm SO grateful to know that I'm a non-secretor!  I know that I am operating under a handicap, and I have learned to use it to my health's advantage.  For me, this means that I no longer eat any avoids at all, in any form, in any amount.  Also, I have shifted the balance of my foods to beneficials and highly beneficials.  Oh, wow!  Did this ever make a difference!  Not only are all my health complaints disappearing, but my body seems to be getting younger.  

Most, if not all, the secretors I know, eat avoids from time to time.  I know that I can't do this, and so my life has gotten so simple.  I know what to do in order to balance the scales, and so I fully cooperate, and it's paying off big time!  

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies and for sharing info about yourselves. I'm sorry I haven't been back here to post sooner; have been traveling quite a bit this week and am off again this morning. But I do want to tell you that I appreciate your thoughts. I'll have time to check in later this week and post a longer reply.

Laurie

Quoted from laurieadrienne

Had "the test" done and lo and behold, learned I was Lewis A-/Lewis B-, which makes me not only a non-secretor, but a super-non-secretor (as my osteopath dubbed me). Hey -- do I get a free cape with that?

Hi L.A.,

This is a different test from the one NAP offers to establish secretor status? I had NAP's done and I don't recall getting results as specific as that---just the "non" nod.

(Anyone can post the answer to this question if you know it---not just Laurie.)

Laurie,
found this:
another 'double negative' friend, only he s an O
http://www.dadamo.com/forum/archived/config.pl?read=142388

LuHu, Correct, the NAP test just tells you if you are a secretor or not. It does not tell you your Lewis type, which might tell you your secretor status.

Thank you, MoDon.

Well, I don't seem to be experiencing too much self-pity any longer for not being able to eat certain things that I have always loved. For example, a wonderful dinner made with fresh homemade pasta and sourdough bread.... or a wonderful cheese enchilada (corn tortillas of course) smothered in spicy chile. Ahhhhh....

Although I have to say, I sure wish I could still scarf these things down!

It wasn't really hard for me to stop eating most of the things I've had to give up, but wheat pasta, wheat bread, and corn have been really, really tough for me.

Because I am fortunate enough to live in an area where there are a lot of alternative food options (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and a great local food co-op), it's been relatively easy finding substitutes. For example, I found a great handmade spelt tortilla at TJ's, and a good white spelt bread that kinda sorta tastes like sourdough.

So am doing well with eating the meals I like and have always prepared for myself, just substituting acceptable items.

Eating out sure is a challenge, though. I know everyone here deals with this too.

At least I still get to eat tomato sauce on my rice pasta!

Quoted Text

So that's when I added the meat.  That's been exactly another four months, and I don't know whether I'm happy or sad to report that I have not noticed any further improvements.  

Carol, I'm very interested in hearing about your experience with adding meat back to your diet after being a vegetarian for 16 years. If you do try adding lamb to your diet, I'd like to know if you experience any benefits.

Quoted Text

The wonderful thing is that you know you are a super non-secretor!

Victoria, you are so right about this. Although sometimes it feels like a curse of course it is a blessing to know about it because I know that I must be incredibly careful about what I put in to my body so I can feel good. I am super thankful that I have had the means to find out about my super nonnie status, and the means to learn what to do about it.

Quoted Text

I have shifted the balance of my foods to beneficials and highly beneficials.  Oh, wow!  Did this ever make a difference!

This is something I'm still working on. I'm being pretty religious about avoiding avoids, but still have a ways to go in terms of moving away from neutrals and focusing primarily (entirely) on bennies. Although for most of my life I have been a "healthy" eater (i.e., natural foods, etc.) I still have to learn a whole new way of cooking and eating.

Quoted Text

This is a different test from the one NAP offers to establish secretor status?

Hi LuHu, I know that MoDon already answered your question, but yes, I had blood work done to establish my specific secretor status.

Laurie

Are corn tortillas ok?   I thought all corn was an avoid?

Corn is an avoid for non's which is why she is no longer able to scarf them down.  

Look at the fish list for A secretors and A non-secretors.  We get so much more choice in fish.  There must be an important reason to include these healing foods in our diet.  

Turkey and avocado together makes an incredible food match.  

Quoted from laurieadrienne

Had "the test" done and lo and behold, learned I was Lewis A-/Lewis B-, which makes me not only a non-secretor, but a super-non-secretor (as my osteopath dubbed me). Hey -- do I get a free cape with that?

According to the way I read the knowledge base entry on this site:

http://www.dadamo.com/wiki/wiki.pl/Lewis_Blood_Group

A Lewis test that determines that a person is Lewis double negative
does not indicate whether a person is a nonsecretor or a secretor.

Lewis double negative individuals must do the saliva test
to determine secretor status.

All Lewis Double-Negatives are recommended to follow the non-secretor diet.

Speaking of corn, I'm totally jonesing without it.

I desperately miss eating corn tortillas, tortilla chips, fresh corn, tamales. It's turned out that this has been one of the hardest avoids for me to give up, though I am being very good.

Trade ya a tomato for a corn tortilla!

Laurie

Also, should mention that the bloodwork I had done that determined my Lewis A/B status also determined that I was a nonnie, which is why my osteopath called me a "super nonnie." (Which I love; makes me feel like a superhero in league with the likes of Wonder Woman and Storm.)

I know that Dr. D feels that the spit test is much more accurate than bloodwork in determining nonnie status, but since my Lewis A/B results dictated that I shoud follow the nonnie diet anyway, there didn't seem to be much point in confirming my nonnie status with a spit test. I'm just going to assume the bloodwork was accurate in my case.

Laurie

Sami's Bakery Millet/Flax Lavash makes a nice tortilla.  You could also make your own.  Millet is a good approximation of corn.

Hi Vicki, where does one buy the Sami's Bakery tortillas? I've never seen them at my local Whole Foods, TJ's, or HFS.

I buy spelt tortillas from WF and TJ's, and they're okay... but they're not as good as corn. I'm always interested in trying new things tho so if you can tell me where you find them, I'd appreciate it.

I have to add a caveat.  They use aluminum free baking powder which means there is some corn starch in there.  I use this as a treat and consider the tiny bit of corn starch no big deal.  It would be nice to see if they could switch to an alternate "baking powder" such as arrowroot, cream of tartar and baking soda.

I was thinking that someone contacted Sami's Backery and found out that the baking powder didn't have corn starch in it, but my memory may be wrong about this. Can anyone confirm that or maybe someone should contact them and ask (again) and suggest they fully describe the aluminum free baking powder on their website.

Don, will do!

The package also states that it is baked in a bakery that has wheat/gluten products.  Celiacs beware.  

Quoted from laurieadrienne

Hi Vicki, where does one buy the Sami's Bakery tortillas? I've never seen them at my local Whole Foods, TJ's, or HFS.

I buy them at Earth Fare or a local Health Food Store.

To me they do not taste like a regular tortilla
and are more brittle making them difficult to work with.

However, I can use them without suffering any
notable health consequences.

I still longed for a more conventional tortilla
and tried Food for life life sprouted corn tortilla.
This was a big mistake!!

This is what the sprouted corn totilla contain:
Organic Sprouted Whole Kernel Corn, Filtered Water, Sea salt, Lime.

I can eat the Ezekiel 4:9 Tortilla from Food for Life
(these should be available in the frozen food section of Whole foods).
They are cheaper than Sami's, so I usually use these.
This is the ingredients:
Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Unhulled Sesame Seeds, Organic Sprouted Whole Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Lentils, Organic Sprouted Whole Spelt, Sea Salt.

Food for life also makes brown rice tortilla that I have not eaten. These contain safflower oil, an avoid for all nonnies.

Frying the lavash in ghee makes it crisp up...I love it this way!

the chips sound good! Also the pizza crust mix (though it is leavend with baking soda....?) but stilllll!

The chips really do sound tasty. Has anyone tried them? I know it's subjective, but were they good?

I've tried several kinds of compliant chips but have been pretty disappointed with them all.

Laurie

I empathize and sympathize with you. I was a vegan/vegetarian for about 20 yrs until 2 weeks ago. After MUCH soul/spirit meditation I decided to give this diet a try - as a O nonnie I knew what that meant. I can honestly say I do feel much stronger and better than I have in a long time. I try to eat mindfully and with great gratitude. Now I shall whine too. NO soy, hummas, vinegar ye gads!! How do people find condiments without wheat soy or vinegar? Thank goodness for my fondness of veggies. I am having some trouble with recipes for O non - I think this might be more fun if I could cook up some different dishes. What are your favorite things to eat?  "new at this whole business" Pam

Pamela,

Welcome and congratulations!

Hummus is easy to make with compliant beans.  Have you seen the Recipebase?  Here's a link:  http://www.dadamo.com/recipebase/recipebase.cgi

Quoted from pamela

I empathize and sympathize with you. I was a vegan/vegetarian for about 20 yrs until 2 weeks ago. After MUCH soul/spirit meditation I decided to give this diet a try - as a O nonnie I knew what that meant. I can honestly say I do feel much stronger and better than I have in a long time.

I'm so glad you are feeling better.  I know what a difficult decision it is to go back to eating meat, but maybe it will help to look at nature and realize that many animals do eat other animals and were designed to do so, to a greater or lesser extent (depending on the animal).  You can't fight city hall (a.k.a., Mother Nature) forever, or your own health can and usually does start to really suffer for it.  Like you said, what we CAN do is try to be very grateful and mindful of the food we are eating and try to buy meat that was humanely raised and killed.  But I know how hard it is.  Still, you are going by how nature designed you, so I don't think that can be wrong.  And the fact that you are feeling so much better is a good barometer of that, too, as usually nature will steer us in the right direction.

Quoted Text

Now I shall whine too. NO soy, hummas, vinegar ye gads!! How do people find condiments without wheat soy or vinegar?

Well, instead of vinegar, you may have lemon juice, which I find is MUCH better in things like salad dressings anyway.  For hummus, you can make it with black-eyed peas or aduki beans and it comes out FANTASTIC!  As for soy, who needs it?  The heck with it, I say!

Pam, welcome and keep posting!

I had not been to the recipe link. Thanks so much. When I have more time I intend on really checking it out. The one thing that I have noticed that is surprising to me is how quickly the desire for sugar has dissipated. For years as a diabetic of course NO sugar, then when we all started counting carbs and a carb is a carb and so sugar within moderation could be added back in - I did. Mind you a plain cake donut and an occasional bite of this or that was all I was allowing myself. but that bite was oh so important. YOu know, the ole "if I exercise and hour I can have the donut" type of thing. Now its a fig or two. I am ordering the Live Right book today, decided to give others in town an opportunity to read it as I have been renewing the book continually over the last several weeks.  With the help of the recipes and this website I think I can move on forward. It will be interesting to see at the end of the month time frame how I am doing. Thanks all for the advise! P

Pamela,
keep us posted on your results!