The Enigma

APPENDIX B

Results Matter

WHEN I FIRST set up my website community at dadamo.com, I launched a Blood Type Diet Results Database, allowing people to record their results on the diet in their own words. I’ve found that few things are as convincing as the experiences of real people telling their stories. Here is a selection from the database. You might recognize yourself in these stories!

Blood Type O

YOUNG MALE

Before I began, I was an overweight, fatigued vegetarian, and constantly coming down with various illnesses. After hearing and reading a bit about the diet, I began eating meats (particularly lean reds) and fish, and modified my other eating habits according to the plan. Over the past year and a half (when I began modifying my diet), I have had no significant illnesses, I’ve lost weight, I have constant energy, and I have a better sense of well-being. I have even felt a greater hormonal drive. My life has really taken a 180-degree turn since I began the diet.

YOUNG WOMAN

I had reached the point where it seemed to me that all food was poisonous to me. I was very ill at least twice a day, lived on Imodium to get through a day at work. I was also being treated for several health problems with traditional medicine. My gallbladder was removed, my high blood pressure was out of control and I had a minimally functioning thyroid. Within a week of changing to the Type O Diet, I noticed significant improvement. All intestinal pain/IBS was eliminated. I was still being treated for high blood pressure and low thyroid activity, but they were finally able to regulate both. I lost some weight, but the big change was in my general well-being and energy levels. People who had known me previously and had watched me day after day struggle to find something to eat that wouldn’t half kill me and were aware of my general weakness, fatigue, and extremely low energy levels were dumbfounded. I became like a teenager again.

MIDDLE-AGED FEMALE

I have tried vegetarianism for a while and, until now, never understood why my health failed to improve, nor why I failed to lose a significant amount of weight. I was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic about a year ago, and controlling my blood glucose level has been a struggle, to say the least. Having tried just about everything else, I decided to give Dr. D’Adamo’s dietary advice a chance. I’m excited to experience more energy and lower blood glucose levels after following the Type O diet for a mere few weeks. Also, I have eliminated indigestion, heartburn and flatulence by simply avoiding wheat and corn products.

YOUNG MALE

Before I started the diet, I suffered from acid reflux, edema and burning bowel elimination. I have eliminated or cut back on all the foods on the Type O avoid list, save for my coffee and an occasional mixed drink. I also engaged in aerobics and weight lifting 3–5 times per week. Since I started the food plan, I have lost over 30 pounds (from 235 to about 197), the acid reflux is gone (I was a cheese binger—I think that had something to do with it) and I no longer spend stupid amounts of money on anti-fungal preparations. This book has changed my life.

YOUNG FEMALE

I noticed immediate changes as my body adjusted. Within 2 months, my patterns of elimination stabilized from chronic daily bouts of alternate diarrhea and constipation to normal elimination without gas and discomfort. My condition was chronic and diagnosed as an “active colon” from the time I was 20. I have experienced virtually none of my past symptoms for almost a year since I have been on the diet.

MIDDLE-AGED MALE

I was a vegetarian for over ten years, which left me with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and very obese. I had food cravings, and an insatiable appetite. For example, I would crave apple pie à la mode, so I would eat a whole apple pie and a half gallon of vanilla ice cream at one sitting. I could eat a whole thick-crust family-size pizza all by myself at one sitting. Since reading your book, and committing to the diet, I have finally gained control of my appetite and eating habits. I have lost 70 lbs in just 7 months. I stick with beneficial meats, fish, and poultry. Very few carbohydrates. Maybe a small dinner salad, or 2 to 3 tablespoons of steamed rice with the evening meal. I intend to lose about 60 more pounds, as I believe 160 to 170 is about right for me.

YOUNG FEMALE

I had digestive problems for several years, which got progressively worse, and then a friend recommended your book. I was initially skeptical, but also very desperate. I visited my doctor who was not able to offer much help because I couldn’t be specific about which foods were making me sick. After eliminating breads and grains from my diet, I immediately lost weight and felt less bloated. I intend to write to my doctor and tell him to read your book cover to cover!

YOUNG FEMALE

I have lost 55 lbs and feel great. I don’t have the stomachaches any longer. I don’t have to take Pepto any longer and I’m sleeping at night. I have lost inches and have gone down 2 dress sizes. I have made ER4YT a way of life and co-workers and family are interested in the same lifestyle.

YOUNG FEMALE

This book has given me back my quality of life. I was getting terrible headaches that lasted two to five days. I had trouble with arthritis and was getting nowhere with my aerobics workouts as I would need to quit after ten to fifteen minutes. I was beginning to think I would need to give up most aspects of my favorite hobbies, which involve work with my dogs. I almost never get headaches any longer, and when I do, they are manageable. I can get up in the morning and move about without having to limber up. I can run with my dogs in agility for the first time—it is such a thrill for me! I just can’t remember the last time I felt this good in general. People ask me often what I have changed and I tell them what a difference the right diet has made for my life. Thanks for helping me help myself!

MIDDLE-AGED MALE

I was 212 pounds, waist size of 42, with high blood pressure, severe sleep apnea, numerous allergies, and an immune system not functioning well. Within one week my blood pressure returned to normal 120/80 (WITHOUT MEDICATION)! My allergies also disappeared this first week. It has now been almost 10 months and I now weigh 179, waist size is now 37, blood pressure is still at 120/80 and my severe SLEEP APNEA is GONE! I no longer need to use my CPAP (constant air pressure machine) to enable me to breathe while sleeping. I went through the entire winter without any flu, colds or any other sickness for the first time in years.

Blood Type A

MIDDLE-AGED FEMALE

I immediately noticed that my asthma was under control with less need for medication. I could take much deeper breaths without wheezing. It was noticed by my friends and family members as well. In general, I had more energy, no more elimination problems, and my mood swings disappeared, as pointed out by one of my daughters. I’ve also shed unwanted pounds without any effort, just following the A diet plan. I can’t thank you enough for this new lease on life.

YOUNG FEMALE

I have suffered with Rheumatoid Arthritis for a year and a half. I stopped taking all medication and began the Blood Type Diet only. After 2 months, I felt as good as I did on the anti-inflammatory and immune-suppressant medications. Swelling of joint tissue in elbow has disappeared. The medication did not reduce this swelling at all. Nothing else could contribute to this change. I am very careful about trying one thing at a time. I am very pleased and recommend this diet to everyone who has any type of health concern.

MIDDLE-AGED MALE

I am a practicing chiropractor in New York who uses the Blood Type Diet for my patients. I was initially introduced to the Blood Type Diet approximately 2 years ago while attempting to research a practical, baseline diet for personal use. After experiencing significant benefits from applying its suggestions, I began to recommend it to my patient base cautiously, in order to evaluate their response and achieve a wider opinion base regarding benefits, etc. The response was, and has been, overwhelmingly positive. I, thus far, have well over 300 patients on the diet, as their baseline nutritional program, and have seen all varieties of ailments resolve through the application of its principles. I am greatly appreciative, both personally and professionally, for the material contained in the book and would like to thank you for this truly significant body of information.

MIDDLE-AGED FEMALE

I have asthma and frequent respiratory infections. Since following the Type A diet, my nighttime wheezing is nearly gone and I wake up feeling more rested as a result. I have also lost 8 pounds with little effort—just eliminated all dairy products and have virtually stopped eating meat. I occasionally “sneak” a small bit of white meat turkey into a stir-fry, but ordinarily stick to the wide variety of soy products as a source of protein. In general, I think I am feeling better since trying the Type A diet. My cholesterol has also gone from 200 to 171 in the past two months, and my good cholesterol is now at 59.

YOUNG MALE

I found this diet to be very easy to follow and with a lot of results. I not only lost 35 pounds in 8 months, but my asthma and allergy symptoms are way under control with no need to take drugs. I’m really happy with this diet and would share my experience at any time.

YOUNG FEMALE

I suffered from terrible allergies; after a week on the diet they were completely gone. I have lost 25 pounds in two months. I feel great and my self-esteem is growing every day.

MIDDLE-AGED MALE

I feel like I am no longer being poisoned by my diet. My weight continues to drop steadily as the fat burns off. Virtually everything in my former diet was wrong for Type A.

GERIATRIC MALE

Pain from arthritis in joints of fingers, hips, entirely alleviated. Muscle tightness reduced substantially. General sense of well-being. Eliminated need for allopurinol for gout without any recurring incident.

Blood Type B

MIDDLE-AGED MALE

I became vegetarian over twenty years ago. I had occasional digestive problems before that time, but things only became worse over the past twenty years. Many well-intentioned people suggested that I try this food or that. Nothing worked. Out here in California, my lifetime home, foods containing corn, tomatoes and avocados are very popular. I dropped those ingredients and added Kefir. That was a bit over a year and a half ago. MY LIFE IS NOW TURNED AROUND! “Significant” does not adequately describe my feeling. I would tend more towards “miracle.”

MIDDLE-AGED FEMALE

I had seen a rheumatologist for extremely painful arthritis in my hips and knees. Also had difficulty in other joints—but these were worst. After about 30 days of avoiding the foods I should avoid and focusing on those recommended, I began to notice significant pain relief. Now, I have virtually no arthritis pain—additionally, I have lost a significant amount of weight. (I had lost weight before, however, and still had the arthritis. The exciting difference to me is the pain-free state I now enjoy!)

MIDDLE-AGED FEMALE

My husband and I are both Bs. My hypoglycemia disappeared almost overnight and my husband’s sinuses cleared and his snoring stopped. Our diet was full of wheat bran, grains, pastas and chicken (i.e., the Food Guide Pyramid). We’ve made our own pyramid, but it looks more like a rectangle! I’m a registered/licensed dietitian specializing in complementary care so I see lots of chronic pain and inflammatory conditions that allopathic medicine hasn’t helped. Without exception, my clients experience dramatic improvement in less than thirty days—most have decreased pain in 7–10 days! Their physicians ask them how they were able to decrease their pain meds or how did their cholesterol drop 150 points (!) and they are amazed at the results. So am I. I will continue to follow and recommend ER4YT to everyone. My dad, at 65, says he feels so good he feels guilty (but he gets over it!).

MIDDLE-AGED MALE

I have no more heartburn since I started this diet one year ago. That is just one of the many benefits I have experienced. I thank the lord for all your research to good health.

YOUNG FEMALE

My endometriosis has not given me any problem for over 9 months. I only have flare-ups when I go off the diet. I have also lost 40 pounds.

MIDDLE-AGED MALE

Weight since late December has gone from 304 to 285. Energy seems to be greater; I feel more “motivated” at times. Heartburn has gone away completely (those damn tomatoes were my favorite food, too). I no longer have the desire to eat between meals—and my meals are smaller, too. Odd . . . I am 90% on the diet; 10% off (simply for mental health . . . ice cream is a medicine, you know).

MIDDLE-AGED FEMALE

My physician told me about your book and gave me a printed summary of the do’s and don’ts. I have tried for 8 years to lose weight since I quit smoking. Now I understand that all of the Weight Watchers meals have chicken and/or pasta. No wonder I couldn’t succeed. I have lost 30 pounds since January 1 and best of all, I don’t feel deprived. My rings actually fell off my fingers, and I have joyfully needed to get a new wardrobe since all of my clothes are now too big. There are so many good things that I like on my beneficial list that it’s easy to stick to it. My sister and her husband bought the book last weekend and literally gave away all of their food and purchased according to their respective blood types. After 2 days, my brother-in-law says he feels noticeably better. There are 4 women in my office who are now on the program and we share experiences and all are losing weight and feeling good.

Blood Type AB

YOUNG FEMALE

I have been suffering from many health problems for the past 5+ years and have gotten increasingly worse over the past 2. The most prevalent are a digestive disorder that was moderate to severe, weight that I could not lose even with the most extreme of diets and exercise, and that I was severely exhausted. I spent many hours with my doctor having multiple tests performed and nothing would come of the weight problem—they just assumed that I was not trying as hard as I said I was. As for the digestive I was diagnosed as having IBS and microscopic colitis. I have been on the ER4YT diet for about 6 weeks and feel like an entirely new person. I have had no digestive problems (except for the few meals I had an item that is on my avoid list to eat). I have an energy level I did not know was possible for me and I have begun losing weight. The part I like about my weight loss is that I can feel it is a healthy loss that feels right. I am not tired or hungry and I feel healthy.

MIDDLE-AGED MALE

Weight loss was only the most dramatic change/improvement; I lost 20 lbs in 3–4 months following the diet closely without ever being hungry or without energy. Those around me are very impressed by this change. I am also impressed by the improvements in my psychological well-being, better elimination with less volume and never a bloated feeling, almost total non-use of antacid products that I was using regularly, and a sort of muting of hunger pangs between meals. My wife and I might consume half a loaf of bread during preparation of dinner and now don’t eat anything before. I also feel that the diet is a major element along with other lifestyle changes that have allowed me to “tune in” to my bodily processes and states that I was not aware of before.

YOUNG FEMALE

Benefits: Weight Loss. 15 pounds in the first month, elimination of chicken, reduction of corn. Lifelong Acne: Ended with elimination of chicken. Monthly ear infections: Ended in first month. Hay fever: reduced in first month, but not eliminated until diet followed perfectly in 9 months. I no longer have to take allergy pills for the first time in 10 years! Problem foods that had a direct impact in order of importance: Chicken, Corn, Butter, Coconut, Duck, Shrimp (I am from the Philippines). I now maintain my ideal weight (105 pounds) with no conscious effort on my part except to follow the diet, which is easy because when I deviate my sinuses go crazy immediately. I have sold at least 10 books for you. Thank you. In observing the people who have followed the diet, I see the strongest improvement in allergies (hay fever, asthma) rather than weight loss. I understand the economic reasons for promoting your program as a “diet” but its biggest impact seems to be on health.

MIDDLE-AGED FEMALE

I was 40+ pounds overweight and experiencing worsening asthmatic conditions over the last 2 years. I tried all manner of drugs: no help. I tried acupuncture and Chinese herbs, which helped some. Your diet + natural supplements to build my immune system have changed my life. I’ve lost 30 pounds so far. I’m not taking any drugs and have had no asthma symptoms in 4 months. Adjusting to the diet was difficult at first, but now I find it simple and I find I’m satisfied; i.e.: not always craving something to eat. Thank you for your work; it’s nothing short of amazing.

YOUNG FEMALE

The biggest change for me was the complete balancing of my blood sugar. Before the diet, I had trouble eating any fruit because it would just send my blood sugar for a roller coaster ride. Now as long as I follow the diet, my blood sugar is beautifully balanced and I have twice the energy. Another side benefit, my hands and nails have dramatically improved (strong nails, no problem with cuticles and hangnails).

APPENDIX C

Common Questions

It has been my experience that most people respond with great enthusiasm and curiosity when they learn about the Blood Type Diet. Yet it is far easier to embrace a provocative idea than it is to immerse oneself in the gritty details.

The Blood Type Diet is revolutionary and as such requires many fundamental adjustments. Some people find it easier than others, depending on how much they’re already living according to the needs of their blood type. Most of the questions people ask me have similar themes. I’ve included the most common ones here. They may help you get a clearer sense of what this diet will mean for you.

Where does my blood type come from?

Blood is universal, yet it is also unique. Like the color of your eyes or hair, your blood type is determined by two sets of genes—the inheritance you receive from your mother and father. It is from those genes commingling that your blood type is selected, at the moment of your conception.

Like most genes, some blood types are dominant over others. In the cellular creation of a new human being, Type A and Type B are dominant over Type O. If at conception the embryo is given an A allele (an alternate form of a gene) from the mother and an O allele from the father, the infant will be Type A, although it will continue to carry the father’s O allele unexpressed in its DNA. When the infant grows up and passes these alleles to its offspring, half of the alleles will be for Type A blood and half will be for Type O blood.

Because A and B alleles are equally strong, you are Type AB if you received an A allele from one parent and a B allele from the other. Finally, because the O allele is recessive to all the others, you are Type O only if you receive an O allele from each parent.

It is possible for two Type A parents to conceive a child who is Type O. This happens when the parents each have one A allele and one O allele and each passes the O allele on to the offspring. In the same way, two brown-eyed parents can conceive a blue-eyed offspring if each carries the recessive gene for blue eyes.

Blood type genetics can sometimes be used to help determine the paternity of a child. There is one catch, however. Blood type can prove only that a man is not the father of a child. It cannot be used to prove that a man is the child’s father (although newer DNA technology can do that). Consider this sample paternity case: An infant is Type A, the mother is Type O, and the man alleged to be the father is Type B. Because both A and B alleles are dominant to O, the child’s father could not be Type B. Think about it. The child’s A allele could not have come from the father, who, because he is Type B, would have either two B alleles or a B allele and an O allele. Nor could the A gene have come from the mother, because people with Type O blood always carry two O alleles. The A allele had to come from someone else. These were the exact circumstances surrounding the famous paternity suit against Charlie Chaplin in 1944. Unfortunately, Chaplin was subjected to a tumultuous trial, because the use of blood type to determine paternity was not yet acceptable in a California court of law. Even though blood type had clearly shown that Chaplin was not the father of the child, the jury still decided in favor of the mother, and he was forced to pay child support.

How do I find out my blood type?

To find out your blood type, you can donate blood or you can call your doctor to see if your blood type is in your medical file. If you’d like to test your own blood type, you can do so by ordering a finger-stick test. You can also order a saliva test to find out your secretor status. See Appendix F for details.

Do I have to make all of the changes at once for my Blood Type Diet to work?

No. On the contrary, I suggest you start slowly, gradually eliminating the foods that are not good for you and increasing those that are highly beneficial. Many diet programs urge you to plunge in headfirst and radically change your lifestyle immediately. I think it’s more realistic and ultimately more effective if you engage in a learning process. Don’t just take my word for it. You have to learn it in your body.

Before you begin your Blood Type Diet, you may know very little about which foods are good or bad for you. You’re used to making your choices according to your taste buds, family traditions, and fad diet books. Chances are you are eating some foods that are good for you, but the Blood Type Diet provides you with a powerful tool for making informed choices every time.

Once you know what your optimal eating plan is, you have the freedom to veer from your diet on occasion. Rigidity is the enemy of joy; I certainly am not a proponent of it. The Blood Type Diet is designed to make you feel great, not miserable and deprived. Obviously, there are going to be times when common sense tells you to relax the rules a bit—like when you’re eating at a relative’s house.

I’m Blood Type A and my husband is Blood Type O. How do we cook and eat together? I don’t want to prepare two separate meals.

My wife, Martha, and I have exactly the same situation. Martha is Type O and I am Type A. We find that we can usually share about two-thirds of a meal. The main difference is in the protein source. For example, if we make a stir-fry, Martha might separately prepare some chicken, while I’ll add cooked tofu. We have also found that many Type O and Type A foods are beneficial for both of us, so we emphasize those foods. For example, we might have a meal that includes salmon, rice, and broccoli. It has become relatively easy for us because we are quite familiar with the specifics of each other’s Blood Type Diet. It will help you to spend some time getting familiar with your spouse’s food lists. You can even make a separate list of foods that you can share. You might be surprised at how many there are.

People worry a lot about what they fear will be impossible limitations on the Blood Type Diet. But think about it. There are more than 200 foods listed for each diet—many of them compatible across the board. Considering that the average person eats only about 25 foods, the Blood Type Diets actually offer more, not fewer, options.

For extra tips, check out our companion cookbook, Cook Right 4 Your Type and the four Eat Right for Your Type personalized cookbooks. Also, check out the website 4yourtype.com.

My family is Italian, and you know the kinds of foods we like to eat. Being Type A, I don’t see how I can still enjoy my favorite Italian foods—especially, no tomato sauce!

We tend to associate ethnic foods with one or two of the most commonly available—like spaghetti with meatballs and tomato sauce. But the Italian diet, like most others, includes a wide variety of different foods. Many southern Italian dishes, usually prepared with olive oil instead of heavy sauces, are wonderful choices for both Type A and Type AB. Instead of a plate of pasta drenched in red sauce, try the more delicate flavors of olive oil and garlic, a complex pesto, or a light white wine sauce. Fresh fruits or flavorful but light Italian ices are preferable to rich pastries.

My seventy-year-old husband has a history of heart problems and has had bypass surgery. He still has a hard time staying away from the wrong foods. He’s Type B and I think the Type B Diet would be perfect for him. But he’s very resistant to diets. Is there a good way to introduce the diet without a lot of fuss?

It isn’t easy to radically change your diet at age seventy, which is probably why your husband has had so much trouble eating healthily, even after surgery. Rather than nagging, which is usually counterproductive, begin to gradually incorporate the beneficial Type B foods into his diet, while slowly eliminating those that aren’t good for Type B. It’s likely that your husband will develop preferences for the good foods as his digestive tract adjusts to their positive qualities.

Why do you list different portion recommendations according to ancestry?

The portion listings according to ancestry are merely refinements to the diet that you may find helpful. In the same way that men, women, and children have different portion standards, so too do people according to their body size and weight, geography, and cultural food preferences. These suggestions will help you until you are comfortable enough with the diet to naturally eat the appropriate portions.

The portion recommendations also take into account specific problems that people of different ancestries tend to have with food. African Americans, for example, are often lactose intolerant, and most Asians are unaccustomed to eating dairy foods, so they may have to introduce these foods slowly to avoid negative reactions.

I’m allergic to peanuts, but you say they’re a highly beneficial food for my blood type. Are you saying I should eat them? I’m Type A.

No. Type A has plenty of great protein sources without peanuts. These allergic reactions are generated by the immune system, which creates antibodies that resist the food and are not related to your blood type. Again, you don’t need to include peanuts in your diet, especially if you are highly allergic to them and eating them would endanger your health. However, you may find that you tolerate them quite well once you’ve adjusted to the Type A Diet.

I’m Type B and my meat choices are very strange to me. It seems like all I can eat are lamb, mutton, venison, and rabbit—which I never eat. Why no chicken?

The elimination of chicken is the toughest adjustment for most people I’ve treated who are Type B. Not only is chicken a protein staple of many ethnic groups, but most of us have been conditioned to think that chicken is healthier than beef and other meats. Once again, however, there is no single rule that works for everyone. Chicken contains a lectin in its muscle meat that is very detrimental to Type B. On the brighter side, you can eat turkey and a wide variety of seafood.

What does neutral mean? Are these foods good for me?

The three categories are designed to help you focus on the foods that are most and least beneficial to you, according to your blood type reactions to certain lectins. The highly beneficial foods act as medicine; the foods to avoid act as poison. The neutral foods simply act as foods. While the neutral foods may not have the special health benefits of some other foods, they’re certainly good for you in the sense that they contain many nutrients that your body needs.

Must I eat all of the foods marked “highly beneficial”?

It would be impossible to eat everything on your diet! Think of your Blood Type Diet as a painter’s palette from which you may choose colors in different shades and combinations. However, do try to reach the weekly amount of the various food groups if possible. Frequency is probably more important than the individual portion sizes, so if you are Type O and have a very small build, try to have animal protein five to seven times a week but cut back on the portions, perhaps eating 2 to 3 ounces instead of 4 to 5 ounces. This ensures that the most valuable nutrients will continue to be delivered into the bloodstream at a constant rate.

Is food combining helpful on the Blood Type Diet?

Some diet plans recommend food combining, which involves eating certain food groups in combination for better digestion. Many of these plans are full of bunk and hokum, with a lot of unnecessary rules and regulations. Perhaps the only real food-combining rule is to avoid eating animal proteins, such as meats, with large amounts of starches, such as breads and potatoes. This is important because animal products are digested in the stomach in a high-acid environment, while starches are digested in the intestines in a high-alkaline environment. When these foods are combined, the body alternately nibbles at the protein, then the starch, then back to the protein, then back to the starch; not a very efficient method. By keeping these food groups separated, the stomach can concentrate its full functions on the job at hand. Substitute low-starch, high-fiber vegetable side dishes, such as greens. Protein-starch avoidance doesn’t apply to tofu and other vegetable proteins, which are essentially predigested.

What should I do if a “food to avoid” is used in small amounts in a recipe?

That depends on the severity of your condition or the degree of your compliance. If you have food allergies or colitis, you may want to practice complete avoidance. Many high-compliance patients avoid these foods altogether, although I think this might be too extreme. Unless they suffer from a specific allergic condition, it won’t hurt most people to occasionally eat a food that is not on their diet.

Will I lose weight on the Blood Type Diet?

I have included specific recommendations for weight loss, which have been developed for each blood type. Your personalized Blood Type Diet is tailor-made to eliminate any imbalances that lead to weight gain. If you follow your Blood Type Diet, your metabolism will adjust to its normal level, and you’ll burn calories more efficiently; your digestive system will process nutrients properly and reduce water retention. You’ll lose weight immediately.

In my practice, I’ve found that most of my patients who have weight problems also have a history of chronic dieting. One would think that constant dieting would lead to weight loss, but that’s not true if the structure of the diet and the foods it includes go against everything that makes sense for your specific body.

In our culture, we tend to promote one-size-fits-all weight loss programs, and then we wonder why they don’t work. The answer is obvious! Different blood types respond to food in different ways. In conjunction with the recommended exercise program, you should see results very quickly.

Do calories matter on the Blood Type Diet?

As with most general diet issues, concerns about calories are automatically taken care of by following your specific Blood Type Diet. Most new patients who follow the guidelines concerning diet and exercise lose some weight. Some people even complain that they are losing too much weight. There is an adjustment period on this diet, and over time you’ll be able to find the food amounts that suit your needs. However, the charts in each food category give you a place to start.

It’s important to be aware of portion sizes. No matter what you eat, if you eat too much of it you’ll gain weight. This probably seems so obvious that it doesn’t even bear mentioning, but overeating has become one of America’s most difficult and dangerous health problems. Millions of Americans are bloated and dyspeptic because of the amounts of food they eat. When you eat excessively, the walls of your stomach stretch like an inflated balloon. Although stomach muscles are elastic and were created to contract and expand, when they are grossly enlarged, the cells of the abdominal walls undergo a tremendous strain. If you are eating until you feel full, and you normally feel sluggish after a meal, try to reduce your portion sizes. Learn to listen to what your body is telling you.

I have heart problems and I’ve been told to totally avoid any fat and cholesterol. I’m Type O. How can I eat meat?

First, realize that it is grains, not meats, which are the cardiovascular culprits for Type O. This is especially interesting because almost everybody who has attempted or is attempting to prevent heart disease is advised to go on a diet based largely on complex carbohydrates!

For Type O, a high intake of certain carbohydrates, usually wheat breads, increases the triglyceride and insulin levels. In response, your body stores more fat in the tissues, and fat levels are elevated in the blood. For Type O, high triglycerides are double the risk factor for heart disease compared to high cholesterol.

Also bear in mind that your blood cholesterol level is only moderately controlled by the dietary intake of foods that are high in cholesterol content. Approximately 90 percent is actually controlled by the manufacture and metabolism of cholesterol in your liver.

I’m Type O and don’t want to eat much fat in my diet. What do you suggest?

A high-protein diet does not automatically mean one that is high in fat, especially if you avoid heavily marbleized meats. Although more expensive, try to find free-range meats that have been raised without the excessive use of antibiotics and other chemicals. Our ancestors consumed rather lean game or domestic animals that grazed on alfalfa and other grasses; today’s high-fat meats are produced by using high amounts of corn feed.

If you can’t afford or can’t find free-range meats, choose the leanest cuts available and remove all excess fat before cooking. Type O also has many other good protein choices that are naturally lower in fat—such as chicken and seafood. The fat in the oil-rich fish is composed of omega-3 fatty acids, which seem to promote lower cholesterol and healthier hearts.

How can I be sure to buy the most natural and the freshest foods?

Fortunately, in the last decade, natural and fresh foods, which were once available only in health food stores, have become increasingly available in supermarkets. Natural food markets and farmers’ markets have sprung up in many communities. Fresh food home delivery stores bring the best ingredients right to your door. Health food stores themselves have been transformed, providing a wide variety of products and delicious prepared foods. You can even shop for whole foods online.

Are organic foods more healthy than nonorganic foods?

A good rule of thumb is to use organic vegetables if they are not exorbitantly priced. They do taste better and are more healthy. However, if you are on a fixed income and cannot find competitively priced organic produce, high-quality, properly cleaned, fresh nonorganic produce will do just fine.

More and more supermarkets seem to be stocking organic produce, mostly from California, a state with specific laws concerning the use of the term organic. It is interesting that in one supermarket in my neighborhood, organic vegetables and fruits are displayed next to the nonorganic versions and are priced identically! I suspect that market pressures will continue to push more and more vegetable and fruit growers toward the organic way, if for no other reason than the cost of commercial fertilizers, made from petrochemicals, will eventually make them more expensive to produce than naturally grown products.

Will eating canned food hurt my diet?

Commercially canned foods, subject to high heat and pressure, lose most of their vitamin content, especially the antioxidants, such as vitamin C. They do retain the vitamins that are not heat sensitive, such as vitamin A. Canned foods are typically lower in fiber than their fresh counterparts and higher in salt, usually added to offset the loss of flavors in production. Canned foods are often soggy, with little of the “life” we find in fresh fruits and vegetables, and contain few natural enzymes (which are destroyed by the canning process); thus they should be used sparingly, if at all. You pay much more per weight for canned food and don’t get back much in return.

Other than fresh, frozen foods are your best second bet. Freezing does not change the nutritional content of the food very much (its preparation before freezing may), although the taste and texture are often blunted.

Why is stir-frying so beneficial?

The quick frying of Asian-style cooking is healthier than deep frying. Less oil is used, and the oil itself, typically sesame oil, is more resistant to high temperatures than are safflower or canola oil. The idea behind stir-frying is to quickly braise the food on its outside, which has the added effect of sealing in flavors.

Most types of meals can be prepared in this manner using a wok. The deep, cone-shaped design of the wok concentrates the heat at a small area at its base, which allows food to be cooked there and then moved to the cooler edges of the pan. Wok cooking usually mixes vegetables and seafoods or meats. Cook the meats and vegetables that require longer heating first, then move them to the outside of the pan, adding the vegetables that require less cooking to the center.

Steaming vegetables is also a quick and effective method of cooking and helps keep the nutrients in the food. Use a simple steamer basket, purchased at any hardware or department store, fitted inside a large pot filled with water to the level of the basket bottom. Add vegetables, cover and heat. Don’t cook until soggy! Crisp means better taste, better texture, and better nutrition.

Should I take a multivitamin every day on the Blood Type Diet?

If you are in good health and are following your Blood Type Diet, you shouldn’t really need a supplement, although there are many possible exceptions. Pregnant women should supplement their diet with iron, calcium, and folic acid. Most women also need extra calcium—especially if their diet doesn’t include many dairy foods.

Those engaged in heavy physical activity, people in stressful occupations, the elderly, those who are ill, heavy smokers—all should be on a supplementation program. More specific details are available in your individual Blood Type Diet.

How important are herbs and herbal teas?

The importance of herbs and herbal teas depends on your blood type. Type O responds well to soothing herbs, Type A to the more stimulating ones, and Type B does quite nicely without most of them. Type AB should follow the herbal protocols given for Type A, with the added proviso that Type AB shuns those herbs that both Type A and Type B are asked to avoid.

Why are vegetable oils so limited on the Blood Type Diet? I thought all vegetable oils were good for you.

What you’ve probably heard is advertisers hawking the news that vegetable oils have no cholesterol. Well, that’s not news to anyone with even a modicum of knowledge about nutrition. Plants and vegetables do not manufacture cholesterol, which is found only in products derived from animals. Your cholesterol-free oil may have little else to recommend it.

Oils are very blood type specific, and you’ll need to consult the recommendations for your type. I prefer to use olive oil as much as possible in cooking. I believe that olive oil has proven to be the most tolerated and beneficial of fats. As a monounsaturated oil it seems to have positive effects on the heart and arteries. There are many different blends of olive oil available. The finest quality is the extra-virgin grade. It is slightly greenish in color and almost odorless—although when gently heated, the perfume of the olives is sensational. Olive oil is usually cold-pressed rather than extracted using heat or chemicals. The less processed an oil is, the better its quality.

Tofu seems like a very unappealing food. Must I eat it if I’m Type A?

Many Type A and Type AB people are initially resistant to the idea that they make tofu a staple of their diets. Well, tofu is not a glamour food. I admit it. When I was an impoverished Type A college student, I ate tofu with vegetables and brown rice almost every day for years. It was cheap, but I actually liked it.

I think the real problem with tofu is the way it is usually displayed in the markets. Tofu—in soft or hard cakes—sits with its other tofu friends in a large plastic tub, immersed in cold water. Thankfully, tofu has grown more common as an ingredient in foods, and many restaurants regularly serve up delicious dishes whose main protein is tofu.

If you are going to use tofu, it is best cooked and combined with vegetables and strong flavors that you enjoy, such as garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Tofu is a nutritionally complete food that is filling and extremely inexpensive. Type A take note: The path to your good health is paved with bean curd!

I’ve never heard of many of the grains you mention. Where do I find out more?

If you’re looking for alternative grains, health food stores are a bonanza. In recent years, many ancient grains, largely forgotten, have been rediscovered and are now being produced. Examples of these are amaranth, a grain from Mexico, and spelt, a variation of wheat that seems to be free of the problems found with whole wheat. Try them! They’re not bad. Spelt flour makes a hearty, chewy bread that is quite flavorful, while several interesting breakfast cereals are now being made with amaranth. Another alternative is to use sprouted-wheat breads, sometimes referred to as Manna or Essene bread, as the gluten lectins found principally in the seed coat are destroyed by the sprouting process. These breads spoil rapidly and are usually found in the refrigerator cases of health food stores. They are a live food, with many beneficial enzymes still intact. Beware of commercially produced sprouted wheat breads, as they usually have a minority of sprouted wheat and a majority of whole wheat in their formulas. Sprouted bread is somewhat sweet tasting, as the sprouting process also releases sugars, and it is moist and chewy. This bread makes wonderful toast.