Let’s face it. We’re never completely satisfied with our bodies. Deep down, we know the skinny minnies we see in magazines are Photoshopped to the extreme; yet we try to shrink ourselves with diet and exercise. There are so many diets to choose from: Atkins, Weight Watchers, Slim-Fast, South Beach, Jenny Craig, vegetarian/vegan, and the list goes on from there. The blood type diet, however, has yet to be exploited. Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight by Dr. Peter J.D’Adamo and Catherine Whitney is the blood type dieting bible. This book contains individualized diets for all four blood types: A, B, AB, and O. Whether your type is negative or positive is insignificant. Lists of foods that are highly beneficial, neutral, and ones you should avoid for each type organize the guidelines. Also, there are meal plans, recipes, supplement advisories, exercise recommendations, and even a personality breakdown. Type A’s should follow a vegetarian diet, while type B is the only type that can digest dairy effectively. Type AB combines the two and has the most tolerant immune system. I donated blood for the first time around Halloween on campus. My type is O positive, and I have been following the book’s guidelines for a little over a month.
Type O, nicknamed “The Hunter,” which originated from Africa in about 50,000 BC, making it the oldest blood type. With this idea, the foods that type O should avoid include dairy products and grains. It is as though this old type is less evolved than the others. Type O’s have high stomach-acid content, which is why they are the only ones that can strive off of animal protein. Red meat is listed as highly beneficial for only this type. Corn has the same effect as wheat in these digestive tracts. Type O’s can gain weight due to issues with thyroid regulation which occurs from a lack of iodine. Seafood is recommended in the diet to assist this natural malfunction. Other supplements that benefit type O’s include vitamin B, vitamin K, calcium (since the diet lacks dairy products), and even manganese. Vitamin B boosts the type O’s metabolism while vitamin K helps the blood clot more effectively. Type O’s tend to have thinner blood due to a lack of blood-clotting factors. Manganese is found in whole grains and legumes, which are prohibited in the diet. However, the book mentions that this supplement should be taken under a physician’s supervision. Of course, I have to get stuck with the blood type that recommends the most intense cardiovascular activity. Type O’s tend to have a slower metabolism.
My life without dairy, wheat, and corn is even more difficult than being on a low-carb diet, which has been effective for me in the past. Meat has always helped me lose weight, but the strict diet does not end here. I am informed to avoid vinegar, too. There are parts of this book that contradict itself. For instance, mustard and Worcestershire sauce are condiments that fall under the neutral list. The main ingredient for these products is vinegar! Mayonnaise, butter, and mozzarella cheese are also listed as neutral even though they derive from milk. There are foods listed to avoid that don’t really make sense such as cabbage, strawberries, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, coconuts, peanuts, and cauliflower. These foods hold a great deal of nutritional value and some have virtually no calories. The supplements that are listed to avoid include vitamin A and vitamin E. Though reasons are given due to blood thinning, it bothers me that vitamins, which seem so vital in day-to-day intake should be avoided. The food pyramid suggests 6-11 servings of grains per day, putting the category at the bottom or the most important. The type O diet seems overall unhealthy to follow. I read enough to stick with it and so far I have not seen dramatic results.
Most of the foods I have been consuming fall under the neutral category as opposed to highly beneficial. I will admit that I have not been to gym in about a year. My attempts with this diet have been mediocre and my efforts to execute intense cardiovascular activity do not exist.
On the other hand, I have been avoiding corn, gluten, and dairy products completely. Portion sizes are mentioned in the book, which is another rule I do not really follow. When I can’t have the foods I love, I am definitely going to eat until I’m full (and then some more if the mood strikes). I hardly weigh myself when I am dieting because the results I want will show up in the mirror. So far, I do not look like I have lost a lot of weight, but I do look (and feel) a lot less bloated. I am almost certain that anyone who eliminates gluten from their diet will appear less bloated though. I am confident to say that if I start going to the gym, watch my portions, and consume more foods that are highly beneficial instead of just neutral, then I would be seeing fast results. I am going to continue my blood type diet. The only times I intend to cheat this diet will be during the holidays and vacations. This Mardi Gras I am going on a gluten and dairy rampage.
If you don’t know your blood type, this is a great opportunity to become a blood donor. Even if you don’t wish to try the diet, you’ll be saving lives. To attain more knowledge about blood type dieting, you should purchase this 392 page book, but remember: at the end of the day, it’s all about calorie intake versus calorie outtake.
Sources
Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weightby Dr. Peter J.D’Adamo and Catherine Whitney