Question for August 15th 1998 :

TYPE O AND ARTHRITIS

Q: I am a 43 year old 'O' who has noticed a great improvement of my arthritis (sacroillitis) in one week following your diet. For the past few months, I have been trying homeopathic medicine for the arthritis: glucosamine sulfate and GDU (protolytic enzymes). The glucosamine sulfate alone did not help at all. The two together helped a little for a short time but the effectiveness ended when I aggravated my back doing yard work a month ago. Your diet is the first thing that has really made a difference. Do you think it is necessary to continue with the homeopathic medicine? Could my improvement be due to a combination of the medicine and your diet?

A: Although research documenting the positive effects of GLUCOSAMINE sulphate in treating arthritis are now beginning to appear with regularity, it is still far from a perfect therapy. In my own practice, I've found that about 60% of the arthritic patients get some form of symptomatic relief, though in most instances I have not seen much actual improvement in the joints themselves.

One aspect of glucosamine's recognized actions goes largely unnoticed, but is important with regard to the blood type diet theory. There is strong evidence, that glucosamine binds many food lectins, including WGA or wheat germ agglutinin. One of several well-designed studies documenting this also showed definite systemic uptake of wheat lectin, where it deposited on the walls of the blood vessels and lymph nodes. I find this interesting, especially in light of written criticisms of ER4YT's lectin hypothesis by Alan Gaby and Michael Klaper, both of whom have stated that there is "no proof that food lectins reach the systemic circulation."

Hello?

So the question remains: Should type O's spend $60-$70 dollars a month on glucosamine, or just avoid wheat?

Interestingly, the percentage goes DOWN in individuals who take CHONDROITIN sulphate in addition to glucosamine, as part of a regimen advocated in the bestseller "The Arthritis Cure." How could this be? One simple explanation is that chondroitin sulphate is actually comprised of long linked chains of the sugar acetylated galactosamine. You might remember that galactosamine is also the blood type A antigen. Thus, upon hydrolysis (acid breakdown) in the stomach, chondroitin becomes free A-antigen. This would not be to much of a problem in type A or AB, who recognize A antigen as "self," but could be a major problem in types O and B, who recognize A antigen as "non-self." In essence, taking chondroitin sulphate if you are either O or B is the chemical equivalent of giving yourself a bad blood transfusion.

One of the ancient Ayurvedic herbals which I have found very successful in treating the inflammation of osteoarthritis is the herb BOSWELLIA. In one study of 42 patients using a combination of Boswellia and Curcumin, a very significant number (p=.001) had improvements of severity of pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index, joint score, disability score and grip strength. This appears to be accomplished by the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and by a reduction in glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis. These actions may account for Boswellia's effects in ulcerative colitis, where it has been favorably compared to the standard treatment, sulpha drugs. This herb is stocked in many health food stores and is very safe, with little or no side effects reported.

Question for August 14th 1998:

TYPE A AND WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAU

Q: Two of my friends and I are type As. We all started the ER4YT Diet at the same time, and after six weeks we had all lost around 8 pounds. Since that time, a little over a month ago, none of us has lost any more weight. We are all concentrating on avoiding the foods that cause weight gain and including as much of the foods that help weight loss as possible. What are we doing wrong? Also, thought you might be interested in the fact that I, a type A, have hypothyroidism, and my husband, a type O, is hyperthyroid.

A: It is not uncommon for those just starting the diet to experience rapid and dramatic weight loss, followed by a "quiescent" period where the weight loss slows down or stops completely. This is due to the fact that each individual can have several "setpoints" where the metabolic machinery (either for genetic or metabolic reasons) remains locked at a particular ratio of weight to body fat. Much of this is the result of the capacity of the body's insulin metabolism. As I wrote in ER4YT, food lectins have been shown to compete with insulin on the body's fat cells.

Insulin inactivates the enzyme triglyceride lipase, which is normally used to convert stored fat triglycerides into both glycerol and fatty acids; these are then released, converted to carbohydrate and burnt off. Normally, there is a balance between the effects of insulin (which stores fat) and the enzyme adenylate cyclase (which activates the fat cell to burn fat). When the system is properly balanced, everything works fine; principally because insulin has a "half-life" and is under "feedback control." In other words, after insulin has accomplished its job, a feedback message is sent to the brain which tells the pancreas to cut off insulin production. With no new insulin being produced, the circulating insulin gradually dwindles and the cycle starts again.

Food lectins, including those lectins from wheat and corn, have been shown to bind to the fat cell's insulin receptor and inactivate triglyceride lipase. Unlike insulin, however, these lectins do not have any feedback control, and can bind irreversibly to the insulin receptor. In this situation the fat cell is permanently paralyzed, capable of only storing fat, but not releasing it. This explains why some people gain weight on a high carbohydrate diet: It is not the calories in the food, or the percentages of fat, protein and carbohydrate that are causing the weight gain (after all, most carbohydrates are low-calorie) but rather the lectins in the food itself acting to mimic the effects of naturally occurring hormones.

OK, so what can you do about all this:

·         Bide your time. Remember, lectins bind to insulin receptors almost irreversibly. However, if you avoid them diligently, the body gradually replaces them with new ones.

·         Eat early in the day. Studies indicate that subject consuming the same number of calories, but differing at the time of their main meal had weight loss in the group eating their main meal early in the day, while the group eating their main meal late in the day gained weight.

·         Drink 3-4 cups of green tea daily. The methyl xanthines in green tea block the effects of adenosine, which acts to inactivate adenyl cyclase. Adenyl cyclase activates triglyceride lipase, and so stimulates fat-burning.

·         Lastly, try these supplements: The amino sugar, n-acetyl glucosamine (NOT glucosamine sulphate) can help bind insulin mimicking lectins. It is available at many health food stores. Take 1-2 capsule with meals. The active principal in pineapples, the enzyme bromelain, can also inactivate several food lectins.

Most people do well simply by following options 1 and 2.

Question for August 13th 1998:

ARA6 (LARCH ARABINOGALACTAN)

Q: In your book, you mention a product called "ARA6" and recomend it as a fiber source and gentle immune system enhancer. My health food store has never heard of this product. I am a type B 46 year female with diverticulosus, so I am looking for a good source of fiber. I also get a lot of cold sores. Would this product be of any help? Thank your for writing such a wonderful book!

A: ARA6 is a product derived from the Western Larch tree (Larix occidentalis). The primary component of ARA6 is the polysaccharide (a long chain of linked sugars) called ARABINOGALACTAN, but usually nicknamed "AG." The sole manufacturer of larch AG is Larex Incorporated located in Minnesota. ARA6 is available through this website or directly from North American Pharmacal, (203) 866-7664.

Polysaccharides are very often a component of medicinal herbs with a reputation for "immune enhancement," including Echinacea, Astragalus, Baptisia and Angelica. Some of the actions of larch AG that have been studied in the medical literature include:

·         Activation of the body's white blood cells: In a very well-designed study, larch AG induced an increased release of interferon gamma (IFN gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and interleukin-6. Much of this was the result activating two powerful cells of the immune system: macrophages and Killer Cells . A similar response has been noted for arabinogalactans isolated from Echinacea purpurea, though in head-to-head comparision in human volunteers, the AG from larch had a much more pronounced effect than the AG from Echinacea. Larch AG also has antiviral effects, decreasing DNA levels of woodchuck hepatitis virus (considered a good model of human hepatitis) levels for up to 42 days after cessation of dosing. In my own practice I've found it to be quite effective for treating chronic ear infections in children.

·         Anti-metatastic effects: Cancer commonly spreads to the liver, in preference to other organ sites. This has been theorized to be the result of a reaction between the galactose sugars on the metastatic cells and a hepatic-specific lectin (e.g., the D-galactose-specific hepatic binding protein) found in liver tissue. Several studies have compellingly shown that arabinogalactan inhibits this reaction, thus acting as a "reverse lectin." In animal studies, combinations of larch AG and acid modified citrus pectin inhibited the spread of prostate cancer cells to the liver.

·         Dietary fiber: Larch AG is also an excellent source of dietary fiber, and has been shown to increase the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), principally butyrate. Butyrate has a particularly important role in the colon. It is the preferred substrate for energy generation by colonic epithelial cells and it has also been shown that butyrate protects these cells against agents that lead to neoplasia. Larch AG also lowers fecal ammonia so effectly that its use has been proposed for the treatment of uremia resulting from kidney failure. Larch AG is a preferable form of fiber therapy, as the major commercial source, methyl cellulose (Citrucel) does not do this to any significant degree. Larch AG is a highly soluable fiber, which makes its use in inflamatory bowel conditions (such as diverticulosus) ideal.

·         Lectin blocking effects: Larch AG was shown to have dramatic effects on bacterial adherence, principally by blocking their ability to attach to tissue via their own lectins. There is some evidence that AG blocks the effects of some food lectins, principally those with a partial specificity for galactose or arabinose.

·         Lack of blood group specificity: Larch AG has no blood group specificity. This is very important, as many polysaccharides can mimic blood group antigens, thereby provoking reactions in individuals of opposing blood groups. Thus, unlike many other polysaccharides, larch AG is "ABO friendly."

·         Use as an to the delivery of other agents: Because of its effects on vascularity and rate of hepatic uptake, the administration of larch AG with other therapeutic agents is rational. This is especially applicable to hepatoprotective drugs, such as milk thistle and antiviral herbs, such as elderberry.

·         Safety: Larch AG is extremely safe. In studies on animals, a lethal dose was not achieved in animals even after dosing them up to 60% of their body weight daily for over 6 months. Unlike Echinacea, larch AG does not stimulate the enzyme hyalurondidase, which can cause inflamation in some people who take Echinacea.

Question for August 12th 1998:

ALFALFA AND TYPE O

Q: I am a Type O 51-year-old woman, 35-40 pounds overweight. Have just devoured your book (where is that on the food lists!) I know wheat is a problem for me and have decided to eliminate. I drink a smoothie 3 or 4 mornings a week that has a green formula as its basis--lots of good sea foods in there: spirulina, dulse, kelp that are good for me. But also has powders from organically grown alfalfa. Are the harmful glutens and lectins in this form of alfalfa?

I have just begun the program and I am already feeling better after one week. My mother has also begun the program, and since she doesn't have a computer I am asking a question for her. She has been taking Alfalfa pills for regularity, and she is Type O. You list alfalfa tea as something to avoid. Should these tablets be avoided also? Thank you.

A: Long appreciated for its value as a food for livestock, Medicago sativa (alfalfa) has also come to be widely considered as a "health food" and may be found in a variety of forms, including: seeds, sprouts, tablets and a variety of extractions. In spite of its use as a heathful food in animals, the evidence as to its value in primates is rather more mixed.

This is principally due to one of alfalfa's constituents, the amino acid canavallin. This compound is a non-essential amino acid which competes with arginine and has been found to induce a reversible lupus-like condition in some individuals. This syndrome is characterized by anemia, antibodies to DNA, and deposition of immunoglobulins and complement in the skin. The suspected mechanism is a loss of T suppressor activity. T suppressor cells modulate the immune response by "suppressing" the T killer cells. Thus, by "suppressing the suppressors" canavallin increases immune activity. However it is non-specific and often directed against the body's own tissues. As I wrote in ER4YT, type O's have higher rates of auto-immune disease over the other ABO types. (Mourant, 1985) Alfalfa contains an additional compound with thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) activity. This TRH analog is biologically active, probably via the hypothalmus rather than the pituitary, and has the additional effect of inhibiting prolactin release. Since type O has a rather unstable thyroid metabolism to begin with, this adds yet another contra-indication against using the herb in this type.

There is considerable evidence that canavallin inhibits the actions of nitric oxide, an important control element in both the cardiovascular and immune systems. It does this principally through inhibiting the enzymes nitric oxide synthase and argininosuccinate synthetase, both of which are arginine dependant. The latter is associated genetically with ABO (both the genes literally sit on top of each other!) This might actually be helpful for type B as a very recent study shows that this blood type has difficulty breaking down inhaled nitric oxide when given as a treatment for respiratory distress syndrome.

However, in ER4YT alfalfa is listed as beneficial. The reasoning is two-fold: Alfalfa contains three major phytoestrogens coumestrol, genistein and formonetin and two less important ones, diadzein and biochanin A. Most phytoestrogens are isoflavones, while coumestrol is a coumarin derivative. The relative weakness of their estrogenic action means that these compounds will have an "alterative" or "balancing" effect. Thus, phytoestrogens may be used therapeutically in both hypoestrogenism and hyperestrogenism states.

Of additional value to type A is alfalfa's ability to lower total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoproteins, (LDL) and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) while not significantly lowering the desirable HDL subfractions. It is precisely this quality that makes them so useful therapeutically, in type A in whom alfalfa is beneficial. Alfalfa extracts can be very useful for this purpose as there is a substantial amount of literature which supports their use in cholesterol reduction.

With regard to the blood types, alfalfa goes a long way in demonstrating the maxin that "One Mans Food Is Another Main's Poison."

Question for August 11th 1998:

AB WITH STRESSFUL JOB AND HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Thank you for answering my question, I have a very stressful job (I am a flight controler) and suffer from high cholesterol (281 last reading one month ago). My blood type is AB+. Cholesterol lowering drugs have so far been ineffectual, and because of my job, taking medication to help relieve stress is a no-no. I've just started the AB and have seen some improvement (better elimination, less bloating and a bit more energy. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

A: With all the air traffic swirling around the skys nowadays, we better make sure you stay healthy and stress-free!

I'd recommend you look into the supplement PANTETHINE, which is the active form of vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid. However, pantothenic acid is not the equivalent of pantethine. You'll need to find out if your health food store or pharmacy stocks pantethine. It is made by several reputable companies, and shouldn't be too difficult to locate.

Much of the phramacology of pantethine is actually the action of another chemical, cysteamine, into which pantethine is selectively converted by the body. Numerous studies attest to the ability of pantethine to lower cholesterol anywhere from 18-24%. Pantethine also lowers concentrations of the lipoprotein particles which are responsible for the plaque which develops into "hardening of the arteries." Panthetine in 600mg/day doses for 6-9 months, was shown to lower triglycerides 37.7% in diabetic subjects, (who are at more risk for atheroschlerosis) greater than acipimox and bezafibrate, the other drugs tested.

Perimenopausal women are at a much greater risk of heart disease. One Italian study showed that after 16 weeks of treatment, pantethine produced significant reductions of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. Other studies have concluded that is is a "cardiac protector," by virtue of its ability to decrease lactate, increase in ATP content and prevent of conjugated dienes accumulating in the heart muscle. This is probably due to pantethine's ability to block lipid peroxidation in the heart muscle. In another study on diabetics, pantethine was shown to lower beta-thromboglobulin, apolipids and lipids. This prompted the authors to conclude that : "Administration of pantethine may be beneficial in the prevention of diabetic angiopathy."

One of the more profound effects of pantethine appears to be its marked ability to influence stress, though its effects on the pituitary and hypothalamus glands. These glands control the body's "adrenergic" or "fight or flight" response, through the effects of the catecholamines adrenaline and noradrenaline. Panthetine has been shown to lower catecholamines, while pantothenic acid did not. Interestingly, this study and others showed that pantethine also raised dopamine levels, prompting investigators to suggest its possible use in alcoholism and Parkinson's disease. This action may be especially beneficial in type O individuals, who because of a link between the ABO gene and the dopamine beta hydroxylase gene, tend to have a harder time regulating dopamine, a chemical intimately connected to the activity of the "satiety" or "pleasure" centers of the brain. This imbalance is a possible explanation of the recognized link between type O, dopamine beta hydroxylase and manic depressive illness.

Panthetine is safe (huge doses have been given to animals with no ill effects), well tolerated by all four ABO groups, though its actions seem to be different in types A and AB, where its effects are predominantly cardiovascular, and in types O and B, where its effects seem to be more of an anti-stress agent.

Question for August 10th 1998:

OTHER SYSTEMS OF "METABOLIC TYPING"

Q: What do you think of the other systems of metabolic typing? I've read on other websites that blood type is not enough, that I need to find out my "metabolic type," and that you think everything is dependent on blood type. Admittedly, some of it sounds flimsy, with more than a little professional envy. Do you guys every talk? I'm type A by the way, and would be willing to refine the A diet further if it would help me.

A: There are many, many other systems of "metabolic typing" including ones based on a predominance of one gland over another (Bieler) or the relative level of ones "oxidizer status" (Watson and Wiley). None to my knowledge have ever been subjected to scientific scrutiny, nor do they have at their basis any fundamental understanding of biomechanics, such as a recognized location on a chromosome. There is not one single study in the scientific literature on any of these systems; hence, we are left to take the word of the authors at face value. I would think that any polymorphic system capable of such an important nutritional effect upon the body would have its location in the human genome determined by this time. Through the Human Genome Project we now have intimate knowledge of body systems far more obscure -why hasn't anyone located these systems on a gene anywhere? This is a serious flaw, because all polymorphisms must have a genetic basis, otherwise there would be nothing consistent to pass along to offspring. ABO blood type has its genetic location well elaborated -in humans it's on chromosome 9, band 34. We also know that the gene for ABO codes for the activity of a number of well studied additional enzymes and is associated with a number of diseases, principally digestive, but also including several diseases seemingly unrelated to the physical manifestation of ABO blood group at all, including affective illness, obsessive compulsive illness and phobic neurosis. So, the first failure of these other systems:

·        They have no known location on the human chromosomes.

Another problem I have with these systems is that there is no scientifically recognized way of determining if you are one "metabolic type" or another. To determine ABO type is no big thing. The test is simple and reproducible. If you are type A and we retype you, you will still be type A. Because these "metabolic typing" systems have no objective method of determination, they tend to rely on subjective criteria, usually questionaires. Questionaires are notoriously fickle. Is the reason that a type A who feels better on red meat is yet another metabolic type, or are they just a type A with severe hypoglycemia? If it is the latter, shouldn't they just fix the underlying problem, then get on the A diet so they can reap the benefits of lowering their rate of cardiovascular disease? So, the second failure of these other systems:

·        They have as their basis no reproducible method of testing.

If we scan the medical literature on disease succeptibility and ABO blood type, we find hundreds of articles. In essence we can take ABO and plug it into the western database, knowing that whatever we find will be reliable science. If a scientific study shows that a food lectin reacts with a particular blood type this is going to happen in anyone of that type. In essence, the information contained in your ABO blood type is exportable to the recognized medical information systems. So, the third failure of these other systems:

·        They don't export into the conventional sciences.

I've never written that ABO blood type can answer every medical question, or that it is the solution to all of life's problems. That is an extremism. In ER4YT, I made this point quite clear when I spoke about lung cancer and its increased incidence of type A. If you remember, I said that an association like this is not going to matter much if you smoke three packs of cigarettes a day. The cigarettes are probably going to give you lung cancer regardless of your blood type.

It's human nature to want to improve upon things, and indeed other polymorphisms are probably out there waiting for us to discover their uses, but what passes for "metabolic typing" nowadays just doesn't fit the bill. Results compiled from the thousands of outcomes recorded on this website are of any indication, 93% of the respondents get what they want from the diet. Just take a look at the Guestbook entries.

We need to simplify what we've already discovered -not make it needlessly more complicated.

Question for August 9th 1998:

TYPE A WITH OCCULAR ROSACEA

Q: I have a common dry eye problem. It is called Occular Rosacea.. The oil glands in my eyes are clogged, thereby producing tears without lipids that easily evaporate. Although, many people suffer from this, there is no known cure nor is there any understanding of what causes it by the medical community. I have a sneaking suspicion that diet is somehow a culprit. I am an A+ type. Can you shed any light on my problem or offer some guidance. Thanks.

A: Checking through patient records, there appears to be about a 2:1 rate of rosacea in type A over the other blood groups. Perhaps this represents some element of "tolerance" on the part of type A over the other types with regard for the micro-organisms which tend to be the cause of the problem. In the eye, probably the most common manifestation of rosacea is the presence of chalazia, styes in the eyelids. And when these occur in multiple recurrent forms, very often there is an underlying rosacea. Styes are caused by blocked oil glands in the eyelids. Other symptoms of occular rosacea include oily and crusty eyelids, red rimmed eyes, conjunctivitis as well as burning and tearing.

One association seems to be that rosacea sufferers tend to have low levels of lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein found in tears and other body secretions which has a supressive effect on bacteria and their ability to penetrate the body's barrier defenses; which in your case would be the tears themselves. Lactoferrin is associated estrogen: high levels enhance its activity, low levels suppress it. This explains perhaps why many post menopausal women suffer from dry eye syndrome. There are commercial supplements of lactoferrin, though they are nothing but encapsulated forms of the milk constituents whey and colostrum, both of which can be obtained from a variety of sources. Although dairy can be problematic for type A, these fractions are usually well-tolerated. If you find they are aggravating a mucous condition, you can try taking them with a rennett tablet (remember "Junkett"?) Following the type A diet should be a major help as there are studies indicating that vegetarian diets and fasting seem to have a positive effect on increasing lactoferrin.

Probably the most effective treatment is using hot compresses. The heat has an anti-inflammatory effect, and probably helps to dissolve hardened wax (tears possess a waxy substance) clogging the ducts. These should be applied several times during the day and this helps to drain the glands and clean up the lid. Another excellent remedy is to apply raw tomato slices to the eyes daily for 3-5 minutes. Tomatoes have a lectin in them which aggltuinates Staph and Strep organisms. Surprisingly, the tomato is quite soothing!

Other options include the B vitamin biotin (2000-4000 mcg daily) whch can suppress yeast reproduction. Some symptoms of biotin deficiency are depression, lethargy, eczema, dermatitis, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, inflammation of the tongue, and muscle pain. Infants with seborrheic dermatitis, evidenced by dry and scaly face and scalp, may also be suffering from a biotin deficiency. and an essential fatty acid supplement, such as black current seed oil capsules or 1-2 tblsp of flaxseed oil, which can help elevate prostaglandins in the tears.

Question for August 8th 1998:

REALITY CHECK

Q: My Father-in-law just bought your book. He is now throwing out all the other books from all the other experts. I have just e-mailed him information critical of your diet. They make some good points: are you going to expand your diet to include red cell antigens, HLA types, hemoglobin electrophoresis profiles? After my father-in-law read your book, he believes he has the same knowledge of blood / histology of a physican. Why is it that you are the only person to discover this diet? I am really sincere and worried with all the books coming out from so call experts, who do we believe??? Thank you for any consideration.

A: Those criticisms sound more substantiative than in reality they really are. The reason the diet is based on ABO blood type is that the ABO system of antigens is the only one present in any appreciable amount in the digestive tract; their disappearance or reappearance is often a sign of disease, usually cancer. ABO antigens are a major point of recognition for most of the food lectins found in the diet. In addition, the genetics of ABO code for variations in the amount of digestive secretions. As a matter of fact, ABO antigens are even related to the growth and differentiation of fetal tissue into fully developed organs. Other red cell antigens (including the other blood typing systems), HLA and hemoglobin electrophoresis have little to no significance in the digestive tract. The fact that this particular critic thinks they are as significant as ABO blood type is typical of the rather low level of knowledge most health professionals have of the non-transfusion significance of ABO. If these other systems had significant effects on digestion- sure I'd study them.

But they don't.

Although your father-in-law probably would not learn enough hematology from my book to practice medicine, he certainly knows more about this little known aspect of ABO than 95% of the physicians of the world.

Truthfully, I don't know why I am the only person to research this startling dietary connection.

Just lucky I guess.

TRUTH PASSES THROUGH THREE STAGES.

First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it  is violently opposed.
Third it is  accepted as being self-evident. 

-Schopenhauer

Question for August 7th 1998:

SUBGROUPS OF TYPE A

Please explain the differences between the A blood types (A1, A2..). I am A2 positive.....am I closer to O? Like where in geographical history did A2 appear and why? And is our diet exactly the same as the other A's. Thanks.

A: There are indeed more "subtypes" of group A than any of the other blood types, excepting of course AB, who can have variations of A (A1B, A2B) as well. There are probably over 20 recognized variants of type A. Interestingly, most are found in Africa and probably represent admixtures of the Semitic type A gene pool reacting to local parasites. These include A1, A2, Ax and A-Bantu, though about 95% of all type As are A1, which is the variant I wrote about in ER4YT as "agriculturalists".

Of the minor forms of type A, only A2 is of any practical importance. From population studies it appears to have been an early mutation, or perhaps even the original type A. We know that A2 is found in an inordinately high percentage among the so-called "brown-eyed Laplanders." These are a fairly ancient people, who appear to have headed north to Scandinavia from the area around present-day Armenia, the point at which the A mutation had first originally developed in large numbers .

Type A2 has most of the attributes of A1, but according to some paleoserologists (in particular the anthropologist Kelso and the physician-epidemiologist Mourant) may have represented an offshoot retaining some of the tolerance for fat largely lost by the more common A1. Perhaps this represented an adaptation to fish or game, since the area is not suitable for agriculture, though there is no reported differences between A1 and A2 in either intestinal enzyme or stomach acid secretion. There is however a distinct increase in the occurence of type A2 in certain forms of leukemia. There appear to be some differences with between the A1 and A2 subtypes with regard to succeptibility to certain fungal lectins.

A2 is distinguished clinically by the use of a lectin from the plant Dolichos biflora which agglutinates type A1 but not type A2 cells. Practically, since A1 is transfusable into A2 and vice versa, they can for all practical purposes be considered equivalent, but you might see if you feel any benefit from increasing the amount of seafood in your diet, though I would still advise restricting foods which are listed as avoids for type A.

Question for August 6th 1998:

USING GUMS FOR FIBER AND EFFECTS ON LECTINS

Q: Peter, I am a RH O-. Question: I take a teaspoon of Guar Gum every morning for extra fiber, is that OK for a O person? I really would appreciate your answer.

A: Lectins are proteins or protein-sugars found in a wide variety of plants and animals. The definition of the term lectin has evolved over time as more information has been gathered about this class of biologically active compounds. Originally considered as carbohydrate-binding proteins capable of agglutinating cells, lectins are now simply defined as "carbohydrate-binding proteins other than an enzyme or an antibody." (Barondes 1988) The reason for the revision of the definition is the recognition that lectins are capable of far more than simply agglutinating cells. Many, indeed most, lectins are specific to one ABO type or another.

Did you know that the gums used as food additives in many common foods can actually increase the activity of lectins?

Believe it or not, as damaging as the activity of lectins can be on their own, there are actually other components of our diet which can further enhance the negative impact of lectins on our system. Gums for example, such as guar gum or acacia (arabic) gum, can actually increase lectin agglutination activity. Since gums are common food additives used in a variety of prepared foods to blend mixtures together, retard sugar crystallization, or as thickening agents, it would be usual to encounter these substances at the same time as dietary lectins. Examples of foods containing gums include candies, jellies, soft drinks, beer, and salad dressings. So, if you are eating any foods containing gums, it is especially important to minimize any potentially damaging lectins at the same meal.

Question for August 5th 1998:

BROCCOLI AND IRRITABLE BOWEL

Q: I have found reading your book 'Eat Right Diet' quite fascinating and I am in the process of trying the diet you recommend, I also managed to recommend your diet/regime to several colleagues and friends (14 in total), and without exception every one has had positive results.

The following two queries have arisen on more than one occasion in the past month or two, and we would be grateful if we could receive your pearls of wisdom (answers) to the following:

(1) In your Eat Right Diet book, blood group is B - diet, I can not see the vegetable Broccoli mentioned in Page 163 or 164. Can you please, clarify which category this food falls under i.e. beneficial, neutral or Avoid?

(2) A friend and I suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is there a specific diet / therapy that we should follow, or can you recommend any organisation /person that I should contact in the USA or UK. (NB my Blood group is B). Thank you so much!

A: Broccoli is HB (highly beneficial) for type B. By the way, the UK version of the book is a bit "buggy" (amongst other things they completely left out the references!). But subsequent editions should set things right. There are several sites on the Internet which carry lists of the diet (sometimes authorized, sometimes not). Steve Shapiro's Lists are quite reliable and up-to-date.

An excellent way to help IBS sufferers who are type B or AB is to use ghee (clarified butter) in the cooking. Although it sounds deadly to the arteries, ghee actually has a rather positive effect on the cholesterol and HDL's (good cholesterol). In the intestine, ghee is converted to butyrate, a short chain fatty acid which both regulates the intestinal flora and promotes the health of the colon tissue. Try using a tablespoon daily in your cooking. Ghee can be made at home, or bought in health food shops or Indian gourmet stores. Following the Blood Type Diet for 8-12 weeks usually works wonders as many of the food lectins can irritate the colon lining.

Question for August 4th 1998:

BULLETIN BOARDS

Q: What happened to the bulletin boards?

A: I've decided to no longer support bulletin boards on my website. While they often led to interesting social experimentation and discourse, increasingly the boards began to take on a "bread and circus" atmosphere, which required constant supervision -and time. Unfortunately, that is just the way the Internet is.

Frankly, the expectations on my level of continued participation were pegged a little too high. With five boards going nonstop, the website would routinely clock in 150+ posts daily, and despite the best efforts of myself and some very selfless individuals, it just got too big to police. It was also becoming self-evident that resources could be more efficiently employed by using the website as an educational tool rather than as a forum. To that degree, you can look foward to more factual/ helpful material being uploaded.

On a programming note, the bulletin board format is somewhat ponderous and tends to waste lots of server space; this type of communication can better be implemented by USENET or mailing lists.

I do want to thank the hundreds of wonderful people who made the ER4YT cyber community what it is -in particular, the kind individuals who helped me over the last year in managing the boards. In the weeks to come I will be experimenting with new ways to make the website increasingly timely and informative.

The old boards are accessable (readable, not writable) from the Archive link on the front page.

Question for August 3rd 1998:

MAJOR LIVER PROBLEMS

Q: I have been following your diet for a month. I am ABO group A. My liver results are off the wall. Ferritin is 875.9; WBC 6.0, RBC 4.59, HGB 15.5, HCT 46.1, MCV 100.4, MCH 33.8, MCHC 33.6, RDW 13.6, PLT CT 165., MPV 9.2. My Hepatitis Panel was positive with both Hep B then Hep A 3 yrs ago.

Do you have any suggestions to help this disease. I have been taking milk thistle but was told I need interferon. Please Help!

A: Although your ferritin is quite high, many of the other hematological parameters are only slightly elevated above normal. As I have written in ER4YT, group A does seem to have a weakness with regard to diseases of the liver and indeed milk thistle (Silymarin) is a wise choice. Several companies are now marketing a lipid soluable form (usually Silymarin bonded to a liposome) which can greatly enhance absorption, as it is to a degree specific to liver tissue.

Obviously following the A diet will be of good service. The low protein aspects of the A plan are in step with conventional management of liver disease, and the avoidance of harmful lectins will ease much of the burden on the organ's bile ducts, which are very sensitive to them.

One herbal which is well indicated for liver illness requiring Interferon therapy (many interferons are in of themselves lectins) is licorice (Glycyrhizza glabra or Glycyrhizza uralensis). Japanese studies have shown the the concurrent administration of licorice with interferon therapy is about 60% effective in inducing remission and improving liver parameters. While this might not appear so impressive, interferon therapy by itself is only about 20% effective. Licorice can be somewhat toxic (it can elevate blood pressure or cause fluid retention) so you should consult with a physician skilled in its use. The

There are several other herbals which have been used effectively in liver disfunction, and which are generally tolerable by type A's. Catechu (Gambir), Phylanthus amara and Eclipta alba are used in Ayurvedic or Traditional Chinese Medicine and each has shown some benefit. I have used both Catechu and Eclipta in my practice with good results.

With the increase in your ferritin levels, I would also advise against taking supplemental vitamin C. The American Association Of Naturopathic Physicians may be able to help you locate a naturopathic physician in your area.

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