Eat Right 4 Blood Type O

This book was of particular interest to me because it prescribes a special diet for people like me with blood type O. That it offers me a very valid excuse for eating red meat and seafood, is an added bonus. No wonder I like this book so much!

Eisha Sarkar
Posted On Times Wellness on Friday, May 15, 2009

Author: Dr Peter J D'Adamo with Catherine Whitney
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 89
Price: Rs 292.50

Bizarre at it may seem naturopath Dr Peter J D'Adamo's book Eat Right 4 Your Type, actually forces you to rethink your diet strategy. While you wouldn't think of a link, between what you eat and the antigens expressed on the red blood cells, Dr D'Adamo strives hard to prove there's a deeper connection - something that goes back to the era of the prehistoric man.

The evolution theory

According to Dr D'Adamo's theory, people who have blood group O are direct descendants of the ancient Cro Magnon Man. The Cro Magnons were essentially hunter-gatherers. "The Type O gene enabled your ancestors to survive and thrive on a high-protein meat-based diet. Amazingly, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, your immune and digestive systems still maintain a predisposition for the type of foods your Type O ancestors made," he writes. No prizes for guessing what's his prescription for Type O people.

Dietary recommendations for the O blood type

As much as vegetarians would squirm at his suggestions, Dr D'Adamo pushes for the need to include meats and seafood in Type O diets. He tables all foods into Highly Beneficial, Neutral (that you may feel free to enjoy) and Avoid categories. So while you can eat lean beef, lamb, turkey, chicken or fish as often as you wish, you should severely restrict the use of dairy products and limit your consumption of eggs. Breads too, are not highly beneficial, but can be eaten in moderation.

He advocates seafood two to five times a week for fish oils are high in vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting and iodine, which regulates thyroid functions. Type Os typically show an inability to clot and unstable thyroid problems, Dr D'Adamo notes.

And don't forget the veggies...

While the emphasis is on a meat-based diet, the author suggests a good helping of veggies too to build up the vitamin quotient in the body. Sweet potatoes, broccoli, okra, onions, peppers, spinach, pumpkin and luttuce fall into the 'highly beneficial' group while beet, cabbage, eggplant, carrot, chillies, garlic, mushroom, sprouts all fall into the 'neutral' group. But he strictly asks you to avoid corn (as the lectins present in it can affect the production of insulin, often leading to diabetes and obesity), potatoes, shitake mushrooms, cauliflower and cucumber.

It's not all theory

The book starts with experiences of people who have actually tried the diet and found it extremely beneficial. One Steve writes about how he took to being vegetarian after his father died of a heart attack at a young age. However, omitting meat didn't prevent Steve from developing an autoimmune disease. He claims it was after reading one of D'Adamo's books he discovered that food that can be healthy for one person, can be detrimental to another. He started eating meat reluctantly and gradually managed to wean away from medicines.

Verdict

At the end of the book are the answers to frequently-asked-questions, that domolish certain myths associated with having meats. D'Adamo presents a lot of facts to illustrate his point of view. Sure, the diet he prescribes is based on a single theory of ancestry but thankfully, it encompasses all nutrients and foods in the major food groups.

Whether you want to follow the diet or not, the book definitely provides you a different perspective on why you should eat what you should eat. It's for you to decide now.