Blood Type Diet

For many of us losing weight seems practically impossible. We are surviving on what we feel is next to nothing; following a regimented diet of supposedly healthy foods that are purported to help us shed that unwanted weight. And meanwhile we have a friend that scarfs down donuts and hamburgers daily and never seems to gain a pound. But why is this? Often we brush this off as a fast metabolism or a friend that eats a lot in front of us, but perhaps nothing else the rest of the day. Really, what other conclusion is there for their tiny figure and not so savory eating habits?

Well as it turns out there could be something more to their enviously slim physique, and this is their blood type: imagine!

Many recent medical and nutritional studies place blood type as an important factor in food tolerance and nutrient absorption in the digestion tract. Perhaps the most famous of these studies is Dr. Peter D’Adamo’s research that he first published about 10 years ago, in his New York Times best-seller “Eat Right for Your Type”. According to Dr. D’Adamo’s research, for optimal nutritional health and weight control we need to approach our eating from a biochemical perspective.

There is an age-old saying that ‘you are what you eat’ and the blood type diet is based just on this idea. D’Adamo says “Everything you put into your body today—and how your body interacts with it—become the raw materials determining your biochemical future. Every day, how your body interacts with what you eat influences your energy levels, healthy weight, mental clarity and ability to handle stress.”

In fact many individuals suffer from upset stomachs, constipation, flatulence, bloating, and other uncomfortable gastrointestinal problems that are all shrugged off as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or some other misdiagnosed illness when really the individual is consuming food that is incompatible to their unique biological makeup.

According to the blood type diet method each blood type is unique in its ability to interact with protein molecules (lectins) found in more than 1000 types of food. Depending on your blood type, your body could react positively, or negatively, to certain foods containing these proteins.

Diet and Exercise for Your Blood Type

There are 4 different blood types: Type A, Type B, Type O, and Type AB. All human beings belong to one of these 4 blood groups and, according to D’Adamo, are susceptible to different diseases. This means that they should eat different foods and even exercise in a different manner for optimal health.
Below is a list of the different blood types for you to understand what foods are compatible with your body and what exercise will reap the best results.

Type A-

This blood type was evolved when the hunter/gatherer lifestyle could no longer be sustained as game dwindled. Thus individuals began to create stable communities dependant on the cultivation of mainly plants and grains. “Over time the adaptations were based on the need to fully utilize nutrients from carbohydrate sources.”

In today’s world that means that Type A individuals are lacking the ability to adequately digest and metabolize animal protein and fat.

Type A Diet: Type A individuals excel in vegetarian style diets, though this is not always easy to maintain. Eating mainly pure, fresh and organic fruits, vegetables and grains will see these bodies functioning optimally.

Type A Exercise: These people respond best to calming exercise such as Yoga, Tai Chi and Meditation.

Type B

This blood type evolved in the herding communities of Asia that were reliant on a diet of meat and cultured dairy products. Type B people perhaps have the best of both worlds with their bodies adapting to animal and plant food sources quite easily.

Type B Diet: Type Bs should avoid chicken, corn, peanuts and sesame seeds that are said to affect the efficiency of their metabolisms.

Type B Exercise: These people need a balance of intense physical exercise with relaxing activities as well.

Type O

This is the most common blood type found in North America and evolved from the carnivore, aggressive predator.

Type O Diet: These people fare best with animal protein and less dairy and grains.

Type O Exercise: Type Os benefit from regular intense exercise that challenges the cardiovascular and muscular systems.

Type AB

Type AB is the newest blood type resultant of the intermingling communities. According to Dr D’Adamo, “Type AB has Type A’s low stomach acid, however, they also have Type B’s adaptation to meats.” This means that the meat you eat tends to get stored as fat instead of being metabolized.

Type AB Diet: Fish is the best source of protein for this group as it can be more easily metabolized. It is also suggested that these individuals avoid eating starches and proteins in the same meal for better digestion.

Type AB Exercise: these individuals benefit from a balance of intense physical exercise and calming exercise at least 3 days a week for optimal health.

For more information on the blood type diet see Dr. D’Adamo’s homepage at www.dadamo.com