Diet and Blood Types

My blood type is Type A. As I read Dr. D' Adamo's book, I had opportunity to reflect upon and review health issues in my own life and that of my dad who had Type O blood, and my husband who has Type B. In recalling experiences of my past eating habits and accompanying health issues and that of my dad's and husband's, the comparisons to the information contained in this book are uncanny.

I am becoming a believing student of diet and blood types. After reading my page, please take a minute to "sound off" about the topic in the poll below.

What foods we absorb well and how our bodies handle stress differ with each blood type. See my story below.

I am so happy to have discovered this information.

As far back as I can remember, I have been plagued with sinus and ear infections. I used to catch colds quite often (5 or more a year). These colds seemed to linger on a long time, but in actuality, they turned into secondary infections. I remember, as a child going on camping trips with my family and having to put up with the stuffy nose and painful ears. It was just one of those things I just couldn't avoid.

Ear infections are said to be a "childhood" affliction, but as an adult, when I was teaching school, an ear infection came upon me suddenly on a Friday afternoon. It got worse Saturday and because it was a weekend, I waited until Monday to get medical attention. I suffered all day Saturday and Sunday with excruciating pain and when I was examined by the doctor on Monday, he told me that my eardrum had ruptured.

I wanted so much to avoid these frequent occurrences so I started reading health books and studying uses of herbs in strengthening my immune system. A friend told me about the book Eat Right 4 Your Type and I purchased a copy. As I read and applied the principles to my diet, I discovered positive changes coming about in my feeling of wellness and energy. Over the next few years, I made a conscious effort to eat according to the principles in the book and periodically went off the diet (usually due to weaknesses of my will power to not eat something that I shouldn't eat) and could literally see immediate results of my bad choices in my eating habits. [My body punishes me when I make poor food choices--I guess it's a blessing because I immediately know what I did wrong and can make the needed changes quickly]

By Dr. Peter D'Adamo

I am pleased to share my thoughts about this book. First of all, let me introduce the author. Dr. Peter D'Adamo is a noted naturopathic physician, researcher and lecturer. He is the founder and editor emeritus of The Journal of Naturopathic Medicine. He has written many articles for medical journals. His extensive research and clinical testing of the blood type connection to health and disease has led to ground breaking work with several illnesses.

Dr. D'Adamo's whole premise of this book is that your blood type reflects your internal chemistry. It is the key that unlocks the mysteries of disease, longevity, fitness, and emotional strength. It determines your susceptibility to illness, the foods you should eat, and ways to avoid the most troubling health problems.

The first chapter helps the reader understand the physiological background of the human race from the stand point of early man adapting to changing conditions in new habitats and conditions of their environment. Dr. D'Adamo suggests the history behind of the development of the 4 blood types. "Each blood type contains the genetic message of our ancestors' diets and behaviors, and though we're a long way away from early history, many of their traits still affect us."

I have differing beliefs with some of his theories of the origin of man and the time frame Dr. D'Adamo describes for the human story but his explanation of the reasons behind nature's development of the different blood types is fascinating and rings true to me. Regardless of whether Dr. D'Adamo's theories are true, each of us is different and our bodies respond differently to various stimuli, be it food, stress, and physical activity.

I love the book and refer to it often. I have post-it notes sticking out of many of the pages. In my own experience, since I started a diet following the principles in this book, there are too many occasions where the principles for my Type A blood body hits the bull's eye to be a mere coincidence.

I share general points of each blood type as given on the back of the jacket of the book. For more details, read the book:

If your blood type is O:

• Eat meat (high protein, low carbohydrate).
• Cut out wheat and most other grains.
• Engage in vigorous aerobic exercise.
• Your risk factors for ulcers and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis increase if you eat incorrectly for your type.

If your blood type is A:

• You should be a vegetarian (high carbohydrate, low fat).
• Engage in gentle exercise such as yoga or golf.
• Meditate to deal with stress.
• Your risk factors for cancer and heart disease increase if you eat incorrectly for your type.

If your blood type is B:

• You should have the most varied diet of all the blood types, one including meat; yours is the only blood type that does well with dairy products.
• Engage in exercise such as moderate swimming or walking.
• Your risk for slow-growing viruses that attack the nervous system increases if you eat incorrectly for your type.

If your blood type is AB:

1. You have most of the benefits and intolerances of types A and B.
2. Engage in calming exercises and relaxation techniques.
3. You have the friendliest immune system of all the blood types. [My note--friendly: meaning allows foreign invaders]

I have seen my own results by experiencing the blood type diet and that of my husband. I have also observed the health experience of my father who never did experience the blood type diet.

** I feel more energy and a higher sense of well-being when I eat foods in their most natural form: fresh, pure and organic which matches my Type A diet.

** I have reduced the number of sinus problems since I learned what foods to eliminate in my diet.

** My Dad suffered with two of the leading distresses or diseases and several other ailments associated with diet and his Type O blood.

** My husband (type B blood) can drink what used to be my favorite beverage, milk--highly beneficial to Type B blood. He doesn't seem to get the drastic immediate results from eating wrong as I do (which is typical for his blood type). He is trying to stay pretty strict to the Type B diet to avoid the slow-growing conditions that could possibly show up later in his life.

How do you feel about all of this?

Do you feel there is some truth to Dr. D'Adamo's theory?