Hi all,

New to the site, and pretty new to the book. I actually bought the book about 2 years ago, just have not really made the time to invest in it much with a job transfer, divorce, and move. However, I'm in the middle of a 3 week long sinus infection again, and I'm doing some research on factors other than airborne pollen.

I have had asthma and allergies since I was a kid, I'm 42 right now, and take a number of medications of asthma and allergies, but still manage to get a few sinus infections a year. Usually when they set in, as now, my ears are plugged, one or the other nostril stuffed up, etc. Doctor gave me a steroid shot and antibiotics.

I've also had the last few years, a slightly positive ANA titer. 3 years ago it was 1:40, I just had a new physical done and it came back 1:80, and was referred to a rheumatologist, which ran a panel of tests, and that test came back as 1:160. The doctor actually told me, it was very likely to be a little higher because their labs tend to use a higher grade/newer scope equipment, whatever. Anyway, the Rheumy I saw a couple years ago at the 1:40 mark saw no problems, Lupus/RA, or all those other diseases associated with a positive ANA titer, thyroid, etc.

So, that got me thinking outloud, is it possible, I'm doing something myself that might be contributing to a low positive ANA, and also my sinus infections, and possibly a few other things that I just thought were part of living.

I've been reading this website for a couple weeks, registered and ordered my swami software, the secretor kit as well. I'm interested to know more, and being an O blood type, going to work on lowering drastically wheat and dairy. Those two items I think are playing a part in my problems, I'm sure at least for the sinuses they are. I learned a few years ago, the correalation between drinking milk (which I love) and the after effect of gummy mucous/phlegm, and some congestion. So I made the switch to Soy Milk, which helped drastically.

However, I eat everyday, cheese, on occassion ice cream, and 4 days a week I work out, so two big whey protein shakes a day. I made my own bread but wheat bread or regular flour, in which I eat daily, and several handfuls of nuts that I love. IE cashews, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias.

So even though I eat pretty well, mostly chicken, fish, salads, oatmeal in the morning, excercise, 5'8" at 155lbs, I think I might be throwing in junk in my system that I'm not allergic too, but my body might be just fed up with.

I hope to learn a lot, I don't expect to change the world or my world overnight, I highly doubt I'll unload my morning cup of coffee, or occasional white wine, but if I can eliminate cow dairy and wheat, I think that would be a huge step. After a couple stops at the helath food store, I had no idea how difficult eliminating wheat is, chips, bread, pasta, snacks, flours, and if you do find it without wheat/glutan, then it has corn, which is a nono.

Anyway, long but this is my intro so hope all is well with you all, and we'll  be posting more once my kit gets here.

Quoted from azsundevil

However, I eat everyday, cheese, on occassion ice cream, and 4 days a week I work out, so two big whey protein shakes a day. I made my own bread but wheat bread or regular flour, in which I eat daily, and several handfuls of nuts that I love. IE cashews, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamias.

I hope to learn a lot, I don't expect to change the world or my world overnight, I highly doubt I'll unload my morning cup of coffee, or occasional white wine, but if I can eliminate cow dairy and wheat, I think that would be a huge step. After a couple stops at the helath food store, I had no idea how difficult eliminating wheat is, chips, bread, pasta, snacks, flours, and if you do find it without wheat/glutan, then it has corn, which is a nono.

Just eliminating wheat, corn, peanuts and much of the dairy products will probably reduce the symptoms significantly...  This lifestyle helps reduce inflammation throughout the body.  

I left a lifetime of sinus issues behind by removing avoids for my type, so I know it can happen.

I second what ABJoe wrote.

Instead of whey protein powder, try the Type O powder, which is a combination of egg and rice protein, plus some other nutrients.  Hemp protein powder's not bad.  But be sure to chose unflavored / unsweetened products.  Many of the flavored ones contain avoids such as dextrose, maltodextrin.

As you reshape your eating habits, remember:

Beneficial foods are the ones that heal.  They are tonics to the body.

Neutral foods are just foods.  They neither hurt nor heal.  They should not fill up the daily diet so much that there is no room for Beneficials.

Avoids are toxins to the body.  They promote illness, whether quickly or slowly.

I wrote something that accidentally got wiped out, so I'll make it brief. Dairy is the enemy! It is evil for us Os. Stay away from it.
Enjoy all the red meat that the other types can't have as much of as we can!

Thanks for the replies all,

I do love dairy products but I agree that most products that are dairy are from the cow and that just wreaks havoc on my phlegm machine inside, leading to other problems.

Although, I think there are enough ways to work around the dairy issue with soys, rice, almond as readily available as they are. Matter of fact, my girlfriend has an ice cream maker and I'm going to see if she can make a batch with just soy or almond milk.

As to the whey, I just bought a big 5 pound jug of that stuff too, but yesterday, I bought a small can of Pea protein. Had a pea protein shake with almond milk and it wasn't bad, not quite as tastey as my whey chocolate shakes were but it worked. I saw in the health food store, bulk soy protein, and I picked up a pound of that to check out as well.

I just also got my swamixpress kit with genotype and secretor spittoon. Right now I'm sick and on antibiotics for a 3 week old sinus infection, not sure I want to try the saliva deal, yet, might come out tainted.

My goal is to try an eliminate much of the avoids that I can, entirely for the next few weeks and see how I feel, and by then I should have my secretor test back. At which point I would like to do some small experimenting with say, one item at a time for a little while and it's effects back in my system. See how bad it might make me feel and I know I can permanently ditch the offender. Just thinking out loud here...

Welcome!

I don't think I can add any practical advice because it sounds like you've already made a good start.

If you can get ahold of spelt flour, you can go on eating the homemade bread. If it turns out you can't tolerate spelt (based on secretor results and SWAMI) then you can experiment with 100% rye or gluten-free breads, but those bake up differently than wheat. Spelt can be used in place of wheat in any recipe, and is a fairly easy  change for you to make right now.

The saliva test won't be "tainted" unless you have any bleeding in your mouth. Antibiotics or bacteria won't affect the results. A bit of blood will react and make the result "secretor" even if there isn't any of the antigen in the saliva itself.

Quoted from ruthiegirl

Welcome!

I don't think I can add any practical advice because it sounds like you've already made a good start.

If you can get ahold of spelt flour, you can go on eating the homemade bread. If it turns out you can't tolerate spelt (based on secretor results and SWAMI) then you can experiment with 100% rye or gluten-free breads, but those bake up differently than wheat. Spelt can be used in place of wheat in any recipe, and is a fairly easy  change for you to make right now.

The saliva test won't be "tainted" unless you have any bleeding in your mouth. Antibiotics or bacteria won't affect the results. A bit of blood will react and make the result "secretor" even if there isn't any of the antigen in the saliva itself.

Thanks Ruthiegirl for the post, I had come across spelt in my readings the last few days but wasn't sure if it would be a fit for me, and I hope my secretor test will come back to support it because it is difficult finding things without wheat of some sort when it comes to bread products. I did buy a rice flour mix, and made a loaf of bread yesterday.

Well it tastes pretty decent, no where near what my other recipes use to be. It didn't rise real well, I think I would have to eliminate a touch of liquid and try again but none the less, about half the size of the loafs I'm use too, more dense, etc. I understand xanthium gum is part of the process if you don't use gluten, so I'm learning.

The Whey is not good for O's and depending on the results of your secretor test, the soy could be a problem too.

Secretor=ok

Non Secretor=bad

Works great on the sinuses.

http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/.....nus-problems?blog=27

Quoted from Andrea AWsec

Works great on the sinuses.

http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/.....nus-problems?blog=27

Yes, collinsonia is an excellent anti-inflammatory. With many past years of chronic sinusitis that resulted in surgery, I can tell you that reducing the inflammation is necessary to clear up the infection. If your doctor has you on anti-inflammatory nasal sprays such as nasal chrome or flonase, these are NOT long term solutions. I think they contributed to my headaches which used to get quite severe. Collinsonia is very safe to take, and you can adjust the dosage depending upon the degree of relief.

I also agree with all the above suggestions.

Good luck!

I second Tom Martens comment about the soy products.  I had used them and never felt great.  After following the blood type diet for 7 years, I finally did my secretor test.  I'm a non-secretor so soy is an Avoid for me.  Pretty sure that my hubby is a secretor, but I don't give him any soy either.

Great to hear that you're going to do your secretor test at the start of your journey into eating right for your blood type.

azsundevil,
I have had sinus problems my entire life. Before BTD I knew to eliminate cow dairy, sheep dairy is ok for me. After seeing 4 different ENT's and 3 major sinus surgeries I found out I was allergic to aspirin..never knew it. I had the aspirin desensitization done in an allergist's office and now take 485 mg of aspirin daily to keep nasal polyps and adult onset asthma away.
All this to tell you that over the years, even if spread out, taking antibiotics increases sinus problems! Taking steroids for sinus issues is temporary and risky!
Following my swami and wearing a soft dental mask in the wind or when gardening keeps me breathing through my nose clearly!
Good luck to you!