Day 13:  Thursday 30th May, 2013

Thirteen days and still no sight of land .......

Another good day, feeling good and generally healthier, more active, less tired, more interest in things generally.  Feelings of depression from last few months definitely lifting.

Lunch today was a stir fry of chicken, celery, lentil sprouts, onions, radish, peas and some cooked rice noodles.  Dressed with soy sauce.  This was a very good meal and quick and easy to prepare and cook.

For my evening meal I had a piece of Alaskan wild salmon, cooked in foil in the oven, with lemon juice and a dash of olive oil.  I served this with some purple sprouting broccoli and carrots. Again a satisfying meal.  I would never eat farmed salmon, the flesh of the ones I have tried has been oily and wobbly. Probably because the fish don't get enough natural exercise through swimming and jumping up waterfalls, etc.  The wild Alaskan salmon probably have to fight off grizzly bears before they succumb to the hook.  They are a completely different fish. Firm textured, flaky and not oily at all.

I can't believe just how quickly the time on this eating plan has passed.  It will be two weeks tomorrow.  Two more weeks to go.  Exciting times (for me).  I am writing this online diary of my month on the 'A' Group Diet Plan so I have a record of how I am feeling from day to day, what changes are occurring in my mind and body, and also so I can see what kind of balance there is in the foods I am cooking and preparing.  It is helping me a great deal.  I am hoping this will be the way forward towards a better and healthy life,

Day 12:  Wednesday, 29th May, 2012

Had another good night.  Woke feeling refreshed.  I had an early prosthetics appointment this morning and am happy to say that the diagnostic socket fitted perfectly and all is going well.  I can't wait to get my new leg and be back on my feet (and my exercise bike) again.  I am feeling increasingly frustrated at being confined to a wheelchair for so long.  Looking forward to having a life again now.

Lunch today was the leftover Bean Casserole from yesterday served with a green salad with celery and apple chopped into it.  Very refreshing.

Evening meal was a bit of takeaway Chinese Chow Mien, I am afraid.  Himself and friend came home from their TT excursion with it.  They wanted a very quick meal before heading off to watch the practice runs.  I only had a small portion of a few bits of chicken, some vegetables and a handful of noodles.  I did enjoy it but felt guilty about the noodles.  Later in the evening I had a small 50g bowl of Swedish Dairy Free Ice Cream.  It is really very nice, even if it is rather rich and sweet for my tastes.  Went to bed with a swollen ankle and fingers.  Serves me right, I suppose.

Day 11:  Tuesday, 28th May, 2013

It has been a couple of days since I posted my diary and I have had to think very hard to remember the foods I have eaten over the past two days.  How easy it is to forget when I don't write things down.

I am still feeling well and energised.  My leg is healing well too. I am sleeping better and for longer.  This is amazing as I have never been a very good sleeper and have always envied people who hit the pillow and they are gone.

Lunch was a salad of sprouted lentils, mixed green leaves, a radish from the garden, a stick of celery and a small portion of grilled halloumi cheese.  I dressed this with lemon juice and a dash of olive oil.  I followed this with a kiwi fruit, after an hour.

I made a Bean & Butternut Squash Bake for my evening meal.  This comprised of:

1 tin of Tesco Black-eyed Beans in water

1 carrot

1 medium onion

1 stick of celery

200g Butternut Squash

1in chunk of ginger

1 vegetable stock cube

A sprig of fresh thyme from the garden

I sweated the veg in a little olive oil, together with the ginger and thyme, added the drained and rinsed beans and the stock cube (mixed with 3/4 pint of water).  When it was boiling, I transferred the mixture to a casserole dish and finished it off in a low oven (150 deg C) for about an hour and a half.  I was using the oven to cook an Irish Stew for himself anyway.

It turned out well, was flavoursome and I enjoyed it.  I am really missing black pepper.  I have always used it before this diet, and until now I had not realised just how much.  I served the casserole with a slice of the Spelt Bread I had made the other day. Perfect accompaniment.

Day 10:  Monday, 27th May, 2013.

Not a bad day, apart from feeling chilly nearly all day.  Weather has changed from sunny to cold and rainy overnight.

Lunch today was another salad, this time made of avocado, watercress, lentil sprouts and a diced Comice pear.  Dressed with lemon juice and a dash of olive oil.  I am trying to eat raw fruit and vegetables every day but maybe a soup would have been a better choice today - or maybe a soup as well as the salad.

Evening meal was fish with roasted carrots and squash and sweetcorn.  Not very exciting at all, but adequate.  I am feeling the need for something sweet.  Enjoyed a cup of Tesco light cocoa, made with a spoonful of cocoa powder topped up with boiling water and finished off with a glug of soya milk and a couple of sweeteners.  Chemicals, I know, but I don't like sugar in drinks at all.  Very nice and it cheered me up.

Day 9:  Sunday, 26th May, 2013

Slept well, I needed it.  I have noticed that I am not getting up in the night to go to the loo any more, and I am not waking in the middle of the night/very early morning.  It is quite a novelty.  I am still feeling well, healthy and energised.  My leg continues to heal rapidly.  It is good.

I start each day with an organic rice cake spread with a little local honey.  This gives me an energy boost and helps protect me from hayfever allergies.

Lunch today was a simple salad of gluten-free rice pasta (30g) tossed in a teaspoonful of pesto sauce and mixed with 25g of soft goat' cheese.  I accompanied this with a green salad of mixed leaves, watercress and a couple of spoonfuls of sprouted green lentils, which I have been growing in a glass jar.  The sprouts added a lovely sweet, crunchy texture to the meal which was very enjoyable.

My evening meal was a little lean roast chicken served with green cabbage, carrots, braised celery and steamed parsnips.  Of course, everyone else had stuffing, roast potatoes and roast parsnips with theirs.  As an 'A' Blood Group, anything from the Nightshade family is to be avoided. So no potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, chillies etc. for me.

ROMAN SPELT BREAD

Ingredients:  500g Dove's Farm Spelt Flour
                   1 tbs each of olive oil and honey
                    400ml warm water (the mixture was a bit wet so less could be used)

Mix together, knead well.  Put into two oiled tins and allow to ride until double in size.
Bake at 180 deg. for about 30/35 minutes.  Delicious.  Sweet and nutty and not heavy.  The texture is quite 'crumpety' as it says on the flour bag.  Calories are about 224kcal per 100g.

Day 8: First Week on the Plan Completed

Week One of the plan is completed. Bad dreams again last night.  Got back to sleep again afterwards though, and slept until 7.00am.  Woke to a bright, sunny day.  Still feeling good.  Leg is comfortable.  

I made some Roman Spelt Bread this morning.  It looks OK but I have not tried it out yet.  Had leftovers for lunch today with my usual green salad and an apple.

I decided to make a Tofu Stir Fry for my evening meal tonight. I have been eating, probably, a bit too much turkey, so I thought a vegetarian meal was the best option for tonight.  It was super-simple to make and was flavoursome and filling.  Again the quantities are the weights of the vegetables I used, so may appear odd in the recipe.

Tofu Stir Fry

80g  Marinated Tofu pieces

55g  Carrot

56g  Celery

58g  Onion

30g  Frozen peas

100g Cooked, mixed grains: quinoa, bulgar, wild rice and long grain rice

1 tsp. Marigold bouillon powder

2 tsp. Dark soy sauce

1tsp.  Rapeseed oil

I sweated the vegetables in the oil on a low heat until they began to soften, added the tofu, bouillon powder and soy sauce.  Added the pre-cooked mixed grains at the end.  Heated it all through for a few minutes and served.

Total calorie count for entire dish was 429kcal.  

Day 7:  Nightmares, a Little Moan & a Recipe

So much for the good night's sleep theory.  Was awakened by a horrible nightmare at 4.30am.  Managed to get back to sleep though, after having a drink of water and convincing myself it was all a dream.  I had not eaten any cheese either! Grin.

I had an appointment with my surgeon this morning to see how the wound from my abscess operation was healing and to get the results of my last swab.  Hurray!  All clear again - no bugs.  Bad news - can't wear my prosthetic leg for another three weeks at least.  I am very tired of being in a wheelchair on and off for the past six months and also not being able to use my exercise bike.  I am missing the Spring and Summer. Life is passing me by.  Sorry, moan ended.  I am being fitted for a new leg next week, so that should be ready in three weeks time too.

I am still feeling very well and energised.  It is a shame I can't weigh myself, not being able to stand on the scales without support, and therefore, defeating the object.  I do feel slimmer, less bloated, better. As I mentioned before this is not a slimming diet but more a life plan.  Losing weight would be a nice bonus though.

At lunchtime I had a green leaf and pineapple salad together with a small tin of sardines (in brine, tomatoes are not allowable).  I am afraid I had to de-skin, fillet and remove the bones, because I don't like to eat crunchy fish giblets.  Sprinkled some lemon juice over and a tiny drizzle of olive oil.  Finished off with a kiwi fruit. Very enjoyable.

Found a recipe online for a Turkey, Chestnut Mushroom & Butternut Squash Bake.  Perfect after a few necessary adaptations.  Thanks for the inspiration Nigel Slater.  The weights of the ingredients might look a little strange, but I weighed what I had in the fridge and used that.

Recipe:  

434g  Butternut squash, peeled and de-seeded, then cubed.  Steam until very tender.

Pie filling:  I cooked mine in a wok because it is bigger than a frying pan..

150g  Chopped onion

1tbs.  Extra virgin olive oil

256g  Mushrooms

Sweat onions gently in the oil, add the chestnut mushrooms and cook over a low heat. Put in a bowl for later.

1 tsp. Rapeseed oil

500g  Minced fresh turkey

Sprigs of thyme and lemon thyme, stripped and chopped

1 Vegetable stock cube

2 tsp. Spelt flour

Fry these together until turkey is starting to brown.  Add herbs, twizzle round to mix and then add 15fl.oz of vegetable stock.  Simmer until turkey is cooked and tender.  Then add onion and mushroom mixture to the pan and mix together.  When liquid is reduced, add the spelt flour to thicken a little.  Cook for another couple of minutes and then transfer to a square dish.  I use a square dish because it is easier to measure portion sizes.  Spread the chopped or butternut squash, mixed with a little grated lemon zest, over the top. Drizzle with a little olive oil and brown in a hot oven at 180deg for about half an hour.

Just for interest, calories per portion per 4 portions pie would be 282kcal per portion, for a six portion pie 187kcal per portion.  So not too heavy and it does taste divine.  Served it with some fresh green cabbage leaves from the garden.

Day 6:  Thursday, 23rd May, 2013

Awoke at 6.30ish after another good night's sleep.  I can't believe that I am sleeping so well.  I am not having broken nights, sleeplessness, bad dreams or nightmares.  Another plus.

I am feeling well and am already noticing and increase in vitality and energy.  The swelling from hospital has nearly gone. 

At lunchtime, I made a colourful salad from mixed salad leaves, pineapple & avocado dressed with a little oil and lemon juice.  I ate this with two small boiled eggs, which were gifted to me by a friend who's eggs are 'so free range, that the chickens roost in trees'.  Beautiful.  I am really missing pepper on my food though, especially on eggs.

Evening meal was wild, Alaskan salmon, baked in the oven with lemon juice, served with purple sprouting broccoli and some sliced green beans (all home-grown) from the freezer.  I also cooked some mixed grains: wild rice, long-grain rice, quinoa and bulgar.  I shall use the remainder of this for another salad tomorrow, I expect.  A small bowl of salted popcorn was a treat this evening.  Still under 1,000 calories for day.  I could not have eaten any more without feeling too full.  

Day 5:  Wednesday 22nd May, 2013.

Slept well.  Amazing.  I hardly ever sleep through the night and this morning I didn't wake up until 5.30am.  Feeling good and swelling diminishing daily.

On today's menu was a Mixed Bean Salad, made from tinned mixed beans, together with snipped chives, mint and an oil and lemon dressing.  Served it with a mixed green salad.  It was OK and tasty enough, but I felt cold afterwards and a bit shivery.  I think next time I will warm it a little before eating.

Pineapple is an essential  fruit according to the 'A' blood group plan. It helps with the digestive processes and is highly beneficial.  I like pineapple very much, but fresh pineapple is too strong for me and tends to cause blistering of my gums, so I decided to use tinned pineapple in juice instead and make a Pineapple & Turkey Spicy Casserole for my evening meal.  Here is the recipe:

200g  Cubed turkey breast

50g    Sliced carrot

100g  Chopped onion

120g  Tinned pineapple (in juice), cut into pieces.

2 tsps.Turmeric

1 tsp.  Ground Cumin

1 tsp.  Ground Coriander

A piece of fresh ginger root, finely grated.

Fry spices and onions in a little olive oil, then add diced turkey and fry until coloured.  Add a pint of vegetable stock and simmer until the turkey is tender.  Add the pineapple and stir in.  At this point I transferred the mixture to a casserole dish and put it into a preheated 180C oven for half an hour.  I was very pleased wit the results.  The casserole was filling and tasty. I couldn't eat it all. I served it with some steamed asparagus and purple sprouting broccoli, but not on the same plate.

I also enjoyed a bowl of sweet and salty popcorn later this evening, which is very moreish indeed.  I am still finding the eating plan easy to work with and enjoying the experience.

Incidentally, I have calorie counted all the foods I have consumed throughout this excursion, via an online diary, and every day has finished on 1,000 calories, or thereabouts.  I have mentioned before that this is a healthy eating plan rather than a slimming diet, but it looks like there could be weight loss benefits too.  Here's hoping.  I am certainly not starving myself and not at all hungry.  Fingers crossed that this continues.

Days 2 & 3:  Sunday and Monday 19/20th May, 2013

On Sunday I took some of the leftover grain mixture from yesterday and added some chopped fresh mint, lemon juice, three chopped, dried apricots and 25g of raisins.  Mixed it all up and left it to marinate. Delicious as a cold salad with some mixed leaves for lunch.  I find the taste of savoury foods and fruit very appealing.  Sunday's evening meal was a little free-range chicken with lots of home grown fresh vegetables.

I felt satisfied and optimistic.

On Monday, I used the last of the mixed grains.  This time I added a piece of finely grated ginger, together with the lemon juice, apricots and raisins.  My evening meal was a small piece of fish with couscous and lots of fresh vegetables.  Again I enjoyed my meals for the day.  A rice cake with local organic honey was heavenly as a sweet treat in the evening.

Day 4: Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Today I took the leftover couscous and made a salad with the addition of lemon juice, chopped fresh mint, snipped chives and then usual apricots and raisins.  I also added a scant spoonful of organic bouillon powder.  Again a very enjoyable salad eaten with a bowlful of mixed greens, served with a little olive oil and lemon dressing.  My evening meal was a small portion of whitefish and lots of fresh, steamed vegetables.

I am already feeling much better.  The swelling and bloating from the hospital stay and high-wheat diet has reduced considerably.  I am much more alert and feeling optimistic.

Well, that is the catch-up done.  I hope to continue from today with more recipes and photographs of the meals I make.  I am not finding the eating plan difficult at all (as yet).  I thought I would crave for cheese and other savoury nibbles, but no.

Day 1.   Saturday, 25th May, 2013

Started the day feeling optimistic and happy that I can still drink coffee (and wine too!).  I think that coffee would be the most difficult thing to exclude from my diet.  I now need to use much less coffee in my cup as the diet is dairy free, and I don't care for soya milk in drinks.  Previously, I took 2 teaspoons of coffee per drink and now it is down to 3/4 of a teaspoon.

The diet is largely vegetarian but can include some fish, chicken and turkey, but no other meats, so I had a portion of tinned salmon with a green salad for lunch.  For the evening meal I cooked up an Adzuki Bean & Mixed Grain recipe.  Ingredients below:

100g  Basmati Rice
100g  Bulgar
100g  Quinoa
I Kallo organic yeast-free stock cube   (Simmered all these up together until done)

1 tin of Adzuki beans, drained and rinsed.

Meanwhile I sauteed half an onion in a small amount of olive oil, together with 2 tsps. of turmeric, 1 of cumin and 1 of coriander.  Black pepper and chillis are not allowable so I substituted a teaspoon of English mustard to give a bit of heat.  Then added the Adzuki beans to heat through.

When the grains were tender, I drained them and mixed the whole lot together and seasoned with a little salt.
I ate mine with the remainder of the salmon from lunch and my other half had some grilled pork with his. It  was a really filling, tasty and enjoyable meal.

Of course, I had made far too much so I put the leftovers in a covered bowl in the fridge to use up the next day.

New Beginnings

The Blood Group Diet (Eat Right for Your Type) was conceived by Peter J. D'Adamo (1998) and is based on a particular eating plan for the four blood groups, O, A, AB & B.  It is not a 'slimming' diet but rather a method of eating for better health and quality of life.  Information is available widely on the Internet.

I have been through a six month period of ill-health due to tissue infection in my leg, an operation, another infection (abscess) and another operation to clean that up.  I am now having daily treatment from the District Nurses for wound management.  I came home from hospital free from pain but I was very swollen and bloated due to being confined to bed and a wheelchair (I am a below-knee amputee) and a diet of very high carbohydrate (wheat-based) food and the effects of intravenous antibiotics.  I looked and felt dreadful and decided that something had to change, and quickly.

I already had the two Peter J. D'Adamo books - 'Eat Right for Your Type' and 'Cook Right for Your Type' and decided I really needed to give this my best efforts in an attempt to become a much healthier and happier person.

The following is taken from the Peter D'Adamo website at http://www.dadamo.com/bloodtype_A.htm

Type A History 

The Type A emerges into the 21st century with many more complex challenges than their ancestors could have imagined. The key factor in the development of Type A can be traced to the struggle for survival long ago, when there was a rapidly dwindling supply of hunting game stock. Having exhausted the great game herds of Africa, humans pushed farther out from their ancestral home into Europe and Asia. The cultivation of grains and livestock changed everything. For the first time, people were able to forego the hand to mouth lifestyle of the hunter/gatherer and establish stable communities. Over time the adaptations that produced Blood Type A were based on the need to fully utilise nutrients from carbohydrate sources. These biological adaptations can still be observed today in Type A's digestive structure. Low levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and high intestinal disaccharide digestive enzyme levels permit the more efficient digestion of carbohydrates. According to Dr. D'Adamo, these are also the very factors, along with low levels of intestinal alkaline phosphatase, that make it difficult for Type As to digest and metabolise animal protein and fat. 

What Makes Type A Unique 

Many neurochemical factors in the Type A genetic disposition favour a structured, rhythmic, harmonious life, surrounded by a positive, supportive community. The harried pace and increased sense of isolation experienced by so many in today's society often make these needs difficult to achieve. Type A best exemplifies the powerful interconnections between mind and body. This was vital to the shift away from hunting and procurement to building and growing. However, Type A's more internalised relationship to stress, which served your ancestors well, can be a challenge for the modern Type A. The Blood Type Diet's proactive mix of lifestyle strategies, hormonal equalisers, gentle exercise and specialised dietary guidelines will maximise your overall health; decrease your natural risk factors for cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The result: high performance, mental clarity, greater vitality and increased longevity. 

Type A Diet 

"When we discuss 'diet,' we are not talking necessarily about a weight loss plan, that's a side benefit to following this plan. We are actually discussing diet in the more traditional sense, meaning a way to eat," explains, Dr. D'Adamo. Type As flourish on a vegetarian diet - if you are accustomed to eating meat, you will lose weight and have more energy once you eliminate the toxic foods from your diet. Many people find it difficult to move away from the typical meat and potato fare to soy proteins, grains and vegetables. But it is particularly important for sensitive Type As to eat their foods in as natural a state as possible: pure, fresh and organic. "I can't emphasise enough how this critical dietary adjustment can be to the sensitive immune system of Type A. With this diet you can supercharge your immune system and potentially short circuit the development of life threatening diseases." 

Handling Stress 

In this busy, ever changing world, it's almost impossible to avoid every day stress. Type As have a naturally high level of the stress hormone cortisol and produce more in response to stressful situations. Cortisol is released in 24-hour patterns, typically in the early morning between six and eight A.M. with a gradual decrease during the day. It helps to cue the body's other cyclical rhythms. Due to the naturally elevated cortisol in type As, additional stress often manifests in several ways; disrupted sleep patterns, daytime brain fog, increased blood viscosity (thickening), and promotes muscle loss and fat gain. In extreme cases in Type As, stress can manifest in more serious ways, causing obsessive-compulsive disorder, insulin resistance and hypothyroidism. To help balance cortisol levels, Dr. D'Adamo recommends that you limit sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Don't skip meals, especially breakfast; eating smaller, more frequent meals will also help to stabilise blood sugar levels. He also points out that the following factors are known to increase cortisol levels and increase mental exhaustion for Type As - be aware and limit your exposure when possible:

• Crowds of people
• Loud noise
• Negative emotions
• Smoking
• Strong smells or perfumes
• Too much sugar and starch
• Overwork
• Violent TV and movies
• Lack of sleep
• Extreme weather conditions (hot or cold)

The Personality Connection 

Blood Type is a marker of individuality - and perhaps of personality as well. In Japan, it has long been believed that Blood Type is an indicator of personality - in fact, you are likely to be asked your blood type in a job interview or while out on a date with a potential mate! In a study conducted by Dr. D'Adamo in 1999, he found some interesting connections between blood type and personality. Type As most often described themselves in ways related to the following characteristics: sensitive to the needs of others, good listeners, detail oriented, analytical, creative and inventive. 

Live Right! 

In addition to exercise, stress management and eating the right foods, here are some key lifestyle strategies for Type A individuals.

• Cultivate creativity and expression in your life
• Establish a consistent daily schedule
• Go to bed no later than 11:00 PM and sleep for eight hours or more. Don't linger in bed, as soon as you get up, get going!
• Take at least two breaks of twenty minutes each during the work day. Stretch, take a walk, do deep breathing exercises or meditate.
• Don't skip meals
• Eat more protein at the start of the day, less at the end
• Don't eat when you are anxious
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
• Engage in thirty to forty five minutes of calming exercise at least three times a week.
• Plan regular screening for heart disease and cancer prevention.
• Always chew food thoroughly to enhance digestion. Low stomach acid makes digestion more difficult.

So that's the scientific part over.  Now to begin ...