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Blood Type Diet
Peter J. D’Adamo, a naturopathic physician, created the Blood Type Diet in
1996. His theory about ideal foods for each blood type tries to explain why
some people succeeded at one type of diet while others failed. To support
his claims, he has created a website (www.dadamo.com) with 1,500 references
on blood type research. He has also established a Blood Type Outcome
Registry of approximately 4,000 people who have benefited from the diet
plan.
In Eat Right For Your Blood Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to
Staying Healthy, Living Longer and Achieving Your Ideal Weight, he
writes that our blood types originated in prehistoric times. Type O came
from people who were hunter/gatherers and had acidic stomachs for digesting
meat. Type A originated between 25,000 and 15,000 B.C. in farmers who had a
lower stomach acid level for digesting grains and legumes. Type B originated
between 10,000 and 15,000 B.C in nomads who ate the meat and dairy of
cattle, goats, and sheep. Type AB was an amalgam of A and B.
D’Adamo suggested that modern people benefit greatly from eating the foods
according to their blood types. For example, dairy is healthful for Type B’s
but not Type A or O. Red meat should be eaten by Type O’s but not by Type
A’s. With regard to beverages, coffee is good for Type A’s and AB’s, but not
for Type O’s. This diet plan has met with some resistance from Type O
vegetarians and Type A meat eaters in particular. D’Adamo tells them that
some foods outside their blood type might prove to be beneficial in
improving their strength and cholesterol levels. The ideal diet, D'Adamo
notes, includes herbs and regular exercise, based on blood type. While types
A and AB do better with yoga, brisk walking or swimming, Types O and B
benefit from vigorous exercise. He concludes that yoga is useful for all
four types, but types O and B should combine it with more high-intensity
exercise such as aerobics, martial arts, cycling or jogging.
Critics argue that there is no scientific evidence that supports D’Adamo’s
claims. They note that there has never been a controlled study on blood type
diets. D’Adamo’s theory is based solely on his institution and anecdotal
stories. It has its roots in the study of lectins, proteins found on the
surface of certain foods that can cause various molecules and some types of
cells to stick together. He suggested that lectin proteins are similar
enough to one type of blood antigen to cause the antigens of another blood
type to produce antibodies to attack and agglutinate (glue together),
clumping the blood. D’Adamo claims that this contributes to irritable bowel
syndrome, cirrhosis of the liver, and kidney failure depending on the food
protein and the blood type. Most people do not eat according to their blood
type and, according to D’Adamo, .are eating the wrong foods. If his theory
was correct, however, practically everyone would experience a build up of
agglutinated red cells after meals and quickly get clogging in the heart,
lungs, kidneys, brain, eyes, and other essential organs. These organs would
be damaged beyond repair, resulting in death in millions of people.
Pathologists and other medical scientists have never reported this happening
in humans.
References
Carroll, Robert Todd. (2007). Blood Type Diet. The Skeptic’s Dictionary.
URL:
http://skepdic.com/bloodtypediet.html
Condor, Bob. (no date). Blood Type Diet offers another approach to achieving
an ideal weight. The Chicago Tribune. URL:
http://www.dadamo.com/clinic/chicago.htm
Cronin, Mary Elizabeth. (no date). Eating by blood type. The Seattle Times.
URL:
http://www.dadamo.com/clinic/seattle.htm
Williams, Deirdre B. and McMahon, John J. (no date). The Blood Type Diet:
Latest Diet Scam. About.com. URL:
http://weightloss.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegsource.com%2Farticles%2Fblood_hype.htm
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