The blood type nutrition is still a controversy for people in the medical field and according to experts it hasn’t proven medical research.  The theory is that blood type affects how your body breaks down and deals with the various foods.  By following blood type nutrition it is claimed that you'll feel healthier, lower your risk of certain diseases and lose weight.  Until this day, you’ll be surprised that some people don’t even know there own blood type or the possible relationship it may have to nutrition, exercise, our personality, and vulnerability to diseases.  There is still skepticism among the medical field of experts stating that there is no correlation between blood type and nutrition or how it can prevent illnesses such as heart disease.  My purpose of this article is to bring awareness and information to the readers.  Observe and see what type of changes or affects it may benefit you if you plan to try it out.

In 1950, William C. Boyd published a book called “Genetics and the races of man: An introduction to modern physical anthropology”.  His background is an immunochemist and blood type anthropologist. He explained how the genetic analysis of blood groups and divided the population into 13 geographically distinct races.  Peter D'Adamo who is a naturopathic doctor in Stanford, CT. grouped those thirteen races together by blood group.  Peter continued the work from his father James D'Adamo, who began the scientific research on this.  People became more interested after the release of Peter D’Adamo’s "Eat Right 4 Your Type" years ago in which it was a best seller.

Over the millennium our blood types have evolved swaying in many directions with the various diets out there and our nutrition should be adjusted more carefully.  We can virtually learn a lot from our ancestors or animals.  Instinctively they knew what was good for them and survived in the demographics they lived.  For example, felines such as lions, tigers, cheetahs, and leopards are meat eaters and you wouldn’t see them feeding on carbohydrates.  Other animals are vegetarian and instinctively they will not eat meat.  I agree with this and this is no coincidence.  Animals have a sixth sense or protective mechanism, as well humans have this ability if we were to listen to our senses.  We have evolved and become domesticated that we’ve lost touch with our instincts towards our eating habits.  We can learn a lot from animals and they instinctively eat what is good for them.  Most animals of any particular species live around the same age because they know what foods they should eat instinctively that is good for their nutrition maximizing their life span.  Animals also have a very low risk of heart disease and they don’t die by their predators but from natural causes such as old age.

The blood type nutrition asserts that lectins, from the foods we eat, can cause disruptions in our blood stream and be the source of diseases. A few experts have suggested if we eat foods which are "good" for our blood type, we can avoid ill health.  So what are lectins and what does it do?  A lectin is a protein substance found in the foods binding glycoproteins and glycolipds forming agglutination.  This means tiny molecules found in foods that cause blood and other body tissues to stick to one another.  So if eating a food that has protein lectins and it isn’t compatible with your blood type antigen will result in a counter attack on your organ and system.  It will then begin to agglutinate cells in those areas.  When food is not compatible, the cells in that targeted area will clump and be destroyed.  But there is protection from lectins, and our immune system will fight off 95% of the lectins in our food.  However, the remaining 5% may cause problems if the blood type is reactive.  Next, let me give a brief introduction of the various blood types out there and the foods suitable for that particular blood type.

TYPE O

The Type O is the oldest blood type in which people hunted for their food to survive focusing a predominant meat diet.  Type O’s are encouraged to eat lean red meats and poultry but limited in dairy products, grains (wheat is high on the list to avoid) and legumes.  Although this nutrition is high in animal protein, the type O requires intense physical exercise to help burn off the meat.  Type Os are prone to digestive disorders, more susceptible to arthritis, and thyroid disease due to an overactive immune system. Foods such as wheat and dairy also promote inflammation for this blood type that can trigger an imbalance in immunity.

TYPE A

The type A is a more of a vegetarian diet.  It is the second blood type to evolve as populations settled into agrarian lifestyles.  People living in those areas have adapted and evolved due to the demographics.  Type A's are advised to consume legumes, beans, cereals, fruits, vegetables, and small amounts of dairy products but eliminating all meats.  The type A individual hardly produces much hydrochloric acid and does poorly on meat and dairy as a result.  So, Type A’s are recommended to not eat red meat, he/she should also refrain from intense exercising and focus more on yoga, meditation and stretch classes. The reason is that type As consume fewer calories in general when they are not eating meat.  There is gene for alcoholism found in Type A’s.  They are also generally more vulnerable to cancer, diabetes and heart disease if they do monitor their health more carefully.

TYPE B

Next came the type B who were nomads having a wider selection of foods.  The type B encourages meat (but not chicken), dairy products, all fruits, most vegetables, and some beans.  They are to avoid nuts, seeds and wheat.  Type Bs also function better on a moderate exercise program.  They suffer from the highest incidence of bladder and urinary tract infections.  Type B’s are also prone to viral diseases when their immune system is compromised. Viral diseases such as pneumonia, Multiple Sclerosis, and Lou Gehrig's disease are a few examples.  I’ve personally had similar experiences with the few I’ve mentioned since I fall into this blood type category.  However, with the continued persistence of having a healthy mind, body, and spirit has helped me persevere through.

TYPE AB

The final blood type is the AB and referred as enigmas because it combines a Type A and Type B diet requiring meat but in fewer portions.  This is the rarest and newest blood type to evolve and it is best adapted to a moderate diet. Type AB people benefit from a combination of A and B type nutrition.  They are allowed to eat some meat and dairy products.  Type AB’s can have a limited portion of wheat products, most fruits and vegetables.  Meat is not as well digested compared to fresh fish, dairy, soy and wheat-free grains.  Exercising for the type AB is predominately qi gong, yoga, meditation and mentally quieting exercises calming and invigorate the body. Aerobic type exercise is fine as long as it is not done to the extreme.  AB types are prone to either diseases encountered by the type A or the type B individuals.

About 2 years after the release of “Eat Right 4 Your Type” I spoke to a few friends who were dieticians about the blood type diet and they were suspicious in the beginning.  But after following the blood type nutrition for a few months of experimenting it was quite positive for a few of them. What I noticed was that most people I’ve spoke to about the blood type nutrition sounded a lot like the criticisms towards an Atkins diet.  Experts stated that theories weren't backed up by scientific research. Until this day, there are more research done and it has been fine tuned on previous findings.  This is ongoing research, something you just don't see in everyday "fad" diets.  I have a few close friends who have high blood pressure, diabetic, chrons disease, lupus, and most of them have improved their personal health by following the blood type nutrition.  I made a note to myself that there was a possibility that some of these people that had medical problems charted almost exactly with the risk factors for blood type.   There are studies on the correlation between blood type and diseases reviewed in medical journals for a long time even though it hasn’t been mentioned.  We are all different from one another and our blood isn’t the only factor that determines our diet or disease.  But it plays a main factor and people who are concerned with maximizing their quality of life or should be aware of the effects of blood type.  Losing weight on a diet that is correct for a person’s blood type is easier than if the diet is more appropriate for another blood type. They still have to eat the right number of calories and exercise, but the correct diet will provide more nutrition and more energy to support the exercise.

I constantly use myself as a ginny pig and I personally have tried the diet after the book came out from Peter D’Adamo for about a month.  At that time, I did lose about 12 pounds and my digestive problems were much improved since I began having ongoing issues with that.  I also felt more energetic.  It does take at least 7-10 days for things to take affect and especially if one has intestinal issues.  From a personal basis the results were positive and profound.  I am not a blood type anthropologist, medical expert, or scientist.  There is constant research on this topic along with updates on any new findings on food compatibility. In my opinion I think this diet could definitely be used in conjunction with others appropriate blood type. Whether that person is using partial recommendations or full advice on foods you can eat or avoid for your blood type.  This type of diet isn’t likely to harm anyone at all.  This is a great resource and it’s interesting to really getting to know your body which this blood type nutrition teaches you on your own self journey.  Experiment and get to know your body on certain foods that may give you a different reaction good or bad.   For example, type O’s are meat-eaters but there are also many type O people who are vegetarians.  A type O person who chooses to avoid meat must work and be creative, than a type A to get their nutrition from plants by combining rice and beans for instance. A type O should avoid dairy, but they may find that life without ice cream isn’t worth living so they might experiment with how much ice cream can they tolerate and still feel good afterwards. A person can sense whether a certain food is good for them if they eat just that one food while their stomach is empty. It takes a little experimentation to determine which foods energize them and which make them react differently or ill.   Keep a log book and re-learn and monitor what foods your body reacts positively or negatively.  I’m sure readers who are more skeptical like to see detailed scientific justification before jumping into a health plan will find this very interesting nonetheless.  Although experts don’t have many positive things to say about the blood type nutrition, it will get you thinking about what you are currently eating.  Eventually the result you may start to make changes to your diet.  A blood type nutrition does consist of fresh, natural foods and it can help de-junk your diet by cutting out processed foods, booze, chocolate and loads of coffee.  I hope what I've explained has opened the mind of some people or motivated some readers of the ideas I've addressed.  For more information, discuss this topic with a health practitioner or a dietician that is experienced for a deeper insight on this topic.  Decide for yourself if you would like to integrate a few or a majority of the blood type nutrition into your lifestyle.  It certainly doesn’t hurt to try as a few people I know have been successful with their own health after experimenting with the blood type nutrition.