Eating right and blood type

Excerpt from my NativeCelebsNews newsletter  (38 - 2000):

6) Blood type problems

I've been reading a book about a blood type diet this last week. Turns out almost 100% American Indians are type O (those who are full blood, of course. Who knows what blood type someone who got married into the clan had?). Incidentally, that's the same blood type I inherited from my Scandinavian stone age ancestors. So, you could say I have a vested interested in figuring this out.

You know how many Indians have a weight problem, and how that's been attributed to less food centuries or more ago? Well, could be more than that. Our ancestors (mine and the Indians) were living on a diet consisting of meat and herbs. For many Indians (for instance the Comanches) it's said to have consisted of roots and whatever they found. Nothing they grew themselves. What happened in Scandinavia to change that was that game got scarce, and agriculture became the answer to a problem of too little food. Probably something we learned from people in Africa? Same as the whites tried to force the plains Indians into. The whites killed off the bison, recreating a similar situation as had occured in other parts of the world a long time before. We had quite a few centuries to get used to it, and still many of our Scandinavian people are blood type O - stone age man. Blood type A is more suited to agricultural food, and so there are more of those in Scandinavia today than there used to be (about 50 %). They are also often leaner today than those with type O blood.

What is the upshot of this? Well, for starters, Indians need a lot of protein, and a lot of excercise. Wheat (such as in bread) contains gluten, which makes a type O person gain weight easily. Corn screws up their metabolism, making it slower.

I don't have the solution to this, I'm struggling enough with my diet as it is. I just thought I'd share my knowledge, since this is important stuff. It's possible Indians have more of a tolerance for corn than I do, sinced it's been part of the diet for many tribes for a very long time.

I started reading this book after I'd started taking a high protein supplement, and wondered why I feel so wonderful with that particular supplement. Now I know!

OK, after laying all this on you, I'll tell you some good news too. I think - aside from the obvious problems with getting suitable food in this screwed up world - that the type O persona is very interesting. Forceful people, not wishy washy. People who will go after their dreams, and have the power to endure and withstand pressure and stress.

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Annie: Why do I bother with this? I'm not even sure if the "science" in the book (Eat Right For Your Type by Peter D'Adamo) is correct. See the "con" links further down the page for some opinions on that.

Well, I'm blood type O myself, like most of you (American Indians) guys. I can sense different reactions in my body to different types of food. Pancakes is a favorite, but not something I can indulge in often. I also should stay away from McDonalds if I want to stay healthy. Don't know why, and not sure I'm willing to suffer to find out... After I read the ER4YT book I decided to try this out, and I'm trying to cut out gluten as a test case. Never liked potatoes much, so that's out for a while as well.

I also am going to stay with the protein/carb supplement, even though the ER4YT book says not to use that kind of supplement if you're type O. The test for me is how I feel after I eat it, and I feel fabulous! I had an immediate response, along with other women in my family (not everybody has an immediate response to this supplement. The immediate response I'm talking about can take the form of clearing out the garage, straightening up the house at weird hours - to burn off energy. It can also take the form of better quality sleep, and getting tired in the evening after a more active day - because of more daytime energy. One of my relatives had to slow down, she was wearing herself out. Well, I'm not so sure she actually did slow down, because she got her energy levels under control after getting hold of this supplement...). After a while on this, I still can't live without it.

Actually, I'm not sure if I would say definitely buy the book if you're American Indian. I guess I'm leaning more towards looking into this if you have health problems related to digestion. This book may give you some direction, but there are probably others who wouldn't be helped. If you're overweight and blood type O, try the sprouted Ezekiel Bread if you have a chance. I've tried Ezekiel bread. Looks like a bitch to bake, but will probably try. Taste is fine. Oh, this bread is fine for every blood type according to the book. According to the book you'll lose weight by cutting out gluten, but other nutritionists are saying you'll lose weight on the O-type diet recommended by the book because it's high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Have a look at those who swear by it (one of the links towards the bottom of the page) - they lost weight and got some other reasons for staying with it too. I guess my conclusion to all this after thinking about it for a few weeks - pay attention to what you're putting into your mouth, and you may find you'll be healthier and maybe even leaner. I'm willing to try a protein heavy diet, and it looks like it agrees with me when I try it. I'm not as hungry... 

Search for bread recipes

After 2 weeks on the altered diet:

I still don't know exactly why I'm losing diet. I'm reading stuff about high protein diets - and why they work. Seems they work because you lose fluid. It's a health risk because those diets are often too high in saturated fats - even though you'll lose weight short term. The experts are saying you'll gain the pounds again once you go back to a normal diet. It's also considered a health risk to be in the state called ketosis (when there aren't enough carbohydrates and your body uses proteins to fuel itself).

From Cnn's health pages: Protein Is the Darling of the Dieting Set -- For Now

So, am I getting nervous? Not yet. I'm eating less saturated fat than I usually do - the amount of meat hasn't been increased. I used the protein/carb supplement for a few months without losing weight. The only difference is less wheat in bread products. The Ezekiel bread has more protein, but I don't actually eat it every day. I eat more vegetables than I used to - I just cut out potatoes and added more of the other stuff. So far, I'm sticking with it. Will see what happens long term! I was told by a health food store owner that blood type O people sometimes gain weight eating wheat, so maybe that's it?

I read one statement by Mary Eades, that potato, wheat and corn starches are nothing but glucose molecules hooked in long chains. Maybe that's the key, that I've cut those out (more or less...)?

Teri said this after reading my newsletter (38 - 2000):

"Read with interest #6- about blood type O. You mentioned corn. Seems that through the hybrid process, corn has come to contain more sugar than the corn that was originally grown by the native peoples. I just found this out after reading another book on weight and blood types. This contributes to the diabetes problem.....because who would ever consider corn as a sugar?! Just thought you might be interested to know this."

In the ER4YT book D'Adamo also says that corn is bad. He of course ties it in with his lectin theory. Another book examines the relationship between carbohydrates and insulin. Corn Flakes and instant potatoes (powdered) are considered very bad - give you a fast sugar rush that's bad for you, especially if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes.

Because Native Americans started eating our bad modern food such a short time ago, they are more at risk for diabetes and other digestive disorders. I wouldn't be surprised if they found that to be the cause of the high occurrence of intestinal cancer as well! 

From what little I know about Native American food, I've gathered that corn is important. What to do if that's what's making you sick? Well, there was this one story in the ER4YT book about an old rabbi. He was eating the traditional food that he loved every day, although it was supposed to be eaten on the sabbath. The doctor told his wife to give him something else that was kosher during the week, and save the rabbi's favorite food for the sabbath. Maybe that's a solution? To eat the good but dangerous stuff more seldom?

Annie: When I feel like I need a very fast sugar rush, I found out that corn flakes with milk and jam would provide it. Really fast! On the other hand, a few years ago I ate lots of canned corn and orange juice, and felt really bad! Don't know what gave me pain in my side, but probably one of the two!

Con:

The “blood type diet” – fact or fiction? | Longer version of this article

Excerpt from the longer version: "And why would so many of the native Indians of North America, classic Type O hunters, go to the trouble of cultivating high-lectin corn (maize)?"

American Whole Health answers
Low calorie?
Trash science?

Pro:

Bryce and Lisa's story

The book:

It's possible you'll find it in your local health food store, hopefully along with blood type tests, but if I'm wrong, there's always Amazon.com...

Eat Right For Your Type by Peter D'Adamo