Chapter One

EARLY IN MY PRACTICE AS A NATUROPATH, I discovered, almost by coincidence, that when my female patients followed the correct diet for their blood type, fertility increased dramatically. Even women with long-standing fertility problems, including repeated miscarriages, were able to conceive and carry their babies to term.

It wasn't immediately apparent why this was so. Just a couple of decades ago, our overall understanding of genetics was still fairly limited. Like so many discoveries, observation predated the explanation. Today, we have the knowledge to explain what once appeared to be simply a happy phenomenon. I am now able to predict with some degree of accuracy which of my patients will have problems conceiving, and am able to offer blood type-specific guidelines that effectively overcome those problems. It has been one of the more gratifying aspects of my work.

A Question of Compatibility

Rachel and Eric were typical of many couples who come to my clinic. I first met with them in July 1993, after they had tried for almost ten years to have a child. During that time, Rachel had become pregnant twelve times. But each hopeful beginning had ended in a devastating miscarriage within the first two months. For the last couple of years, Rachel and Eric had been treated by a physician who specialized in reproductive health, and Rachel had become pregnant twice more. But again, both pregnancies had ended in miscarriage. At thirty-seven, Rachel was running out of time-and hope.

Rachel initially heard