DietNet - Eat Right For Your blood Type

This eating plan is explained in Eat Right For Your Type by Peter D'adamo. The basic premise is that the four blood types (O, A, B, AB) evolved at different points in history and are thus best suited to the lifestyles prevalent at those times. The four blood types have varying nutritional & exercise needs, pre-dispositions to different types of illnesses and react differently to various foods.

Peter's father (James D'adamo) was a naturopath and clinically tested this plan for 35 years with excellent results. Peter has expanded on this work. The book includes detailed lists of which foods are good for each blood type and which should be avoided, as well as the scientific basis of the diet and an overview of each blood types nutritional and exercise needs.

However, it appears the science is not as sound as it first appears. This review from the Weston A Price foundation website, goes into it in some depth.

So much for the science - the real question is, does it work? There is no doubt at all that different people have different metabolic needs. Various experts recommend many different eating styles. Most of them have a lot of merit and work really well - for some people. Some of them have lots of elements in common, but some of them are quite contradictory. Differences in metabolic types allow for people's varied needs and explains anomalies such as :

But the blood type diet is not the best metabolic diet, as it only takes one genetic marker into account. True, for some people, especially O types, it works exceptionally well. But others, especially A types, often do extremely poorly on it. Maybe this is because O types are told to eat lots of meat and avoid commercial grains, and A types are told to eat soy. My personal opinion is that Bob McFerran's metabolic diets are the best.

If you do decide to try the blood type diets, remember this is a starting point, and individuals may be intolerant of something that otherwise would be beneficial for their blood type. It can be combined with other plans, eg. Food combining (for people with digestive problems) or the Zone (best suited to O types). One O-type ER4YT follower said "I use ER4YT to determine what to eat, and the Zone to determine when to eat it".

These are valuable resources, but it is important to read the book first (and of course, find out your blood type). Remember, with any new eating plan, it may take a few weeks before you start to see results, so don't be discouraged if a friend gets benefits almost immediately, but it takes you a bit longer. Also remember, if you don't get results at all, this may not be the plan for you. For those who find ER4YT unsuitable, the metabolic diets are the next step.

Blood Type : O		The Hunter : strong, self reliant, leader
STRENGTHS	WEAKNESSES	MEDICAL RISKS	DIET PROFILE	WEIGHT LOSS KEY	SUPPLEMENTS	EXERCISE REGIME
Hardy digestive tract Strong immune system Natural defenses against infections System designed for efficient metabolism and preservation of nutrients	Intolerant to new dietary, environment conditions Immune system can be overactive and attack itself	Blood clotting disorders Inflammatory diseases eg. arthritis Low thyroid production Ulcers Allergies	High protein : meat eaters meat, fish, vegetables, fruit Limited : grains, beans, legumes	Avoid : wheat, corn, navy beans, kidney beans, lentils, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, mustard greens Aids : kelp, seafood, salt, liver, red meat, spinach, kale, broccoli	Vitamin B Vitamin K Calcium Iodine, Licorice Kelp	Intense physical exercise, such as : aerobics martial arts contact sports
Blood Type : A		The Cultivator : settled, co-operative, orderly
STRENGTHS	WEAKNESSES	MEDICAL RISKS	DIET PROFILE	WEIGHT LOSS KEY	SUPPLEMENTS	EXERCISE REGIME
Adapts well to dietary and environmental changes Immune system preserves and metabolises nutrients more easily	Sensitive digestive tract Vulnerable immune system, open to microbial invasion	Heart disease Cancer Anemia Liver and gallbladder disorders Type I diabetes	Vegetarian Vegetables, tofu, seafood, grains, beans, legumes, fruit	Avoid : meat, dairy, kidney beans, lima beans, wheat Aids : vegetable oil, soy foods, vegetables, pineapple	Vitamin B12 Folic acid Vitamin C Vitamin E Hawthorn Echinancea Quercitin Milk Thistle	Calming, centering exercises eg. Yoga, tai chi
Blood Type : B		The Nomad : balanced, flexible, creative
STRENGTHS	WEAKNESSES	MEDICAL RISKS	DIET PROFILE	WEIGHT LOSS KEY	SUPPLEMENTS	EXERCISE REGIME
Strong immune system Versatile adaptation to dietary and environmental changes Balanced nervous system	No natural weaknesses, but imbalance causes tendency toward autoimmune breakdowns and rare viruses	Type I diabetes Chronic fatigue syndrome Autoimmune disorders - Lou Gehrig's disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis	Balanced omnivore : meat (no chicken) dairy, grains, beans, legumes, vegetables, fruit	Avoid : corn, lentils, peanuts, sesame seeds, buckwheat Aids : greens, eggs, venison, liver, licorice, tea	Magnesium Licorice Gingko Lecithin	Moderate physical, with mental balance, such as : hiking, cycling, tennis, swimming
Blood Type : AB		The Enigma : rare, charismatic, mysterious
STRENGTHS	WEAKNESSES	MEDICAL RISKS	DIET PROFILE	WEIGHT LOSS KEY	SUPPLEMENTS	EXERCISE REGIME
Designed for modern conditions Highly tolerant immune system Combines benfits of Type A and Type B	Sensitive digestive tract Tendency for over-tolerant immune system, allowing microbial invasion Reacts negatively to A-like and B-like conditions	Heart disease Cancer Anemia	Mixed diet in moderation : Meat, seafood, dairy, tofu, beans, legumes, grains, vegetables, fruit	Avoid : red meat, kidney beans, lima beans, seeds, corn, buckwheat Aids : tofu, seafood, dairy, greens, kelp, pineapple	Vitamin C, hawthorn, echinacea, valerian, quercitin, milk thistle	Calming, centering exercises eg. Yoga, tai chi Combined with : Moderate physical, with mental balance, such as : hiking, cycling, tennis, swimming