All Blood Tests

What is blood sugar?

Before listing out the tips on how to lower Blood Sugar, one must be acquainted with what actually High Blood Sugar means. It is precisely defined as an elevated level of the sugar glucose in blood otherwise phrased as ‘the spillage of glucose into the urine (glucosuria) converting the urine sugary.

Your blood sugar is regulated by your body but it cannot do the job without some help from you. The types of foods you eat play a big part in the level of your blood sugar. Some foods help to lower the levels. Others enter the bloodstream faster, thus raising sugar levels. The pancreas produces insulin and high-gylcemic foods make it have to work harder to produce the insulin your body needs.

The following tips should help you to maintain a normal sugar level and cut down on the threat of developing diabetes.

1) The number one way you can lower your blood sugar is by eating the right foods. The types that are digested slower help to maintain good sugar levels such as fruits – apples, oranges, pears – vegetables such as – peas, zucchini – and grains such as – oatmeal, barley, granola.

Even if you already have diabetes, these foods can help you to keep it under control. Because diabetes, when uncontrolled can cause circulation problems as well as other problems, there should be an ongoing regimen to stay as healthy as possible.

2) Exercise is another way you can control blood sugar levels. If you exercise in the morning before eating this can lower your glucose just about as well as medication. The alternative to medicines to regulate blood sugar can be exercise is it is maintained on a regular basis. Not only is it beneficial in this way but losing weight and keeping a healthy weight can reduce the incidence of diabetes.

3) Eating four to five small meals a day rather than three large meals will also help to lower your blood sugar.

4) Avoid drinking a lot of soft drinks because they are high in sugar and carbohydrates. Many people drink six and eight soft drinks a day. One 12 ounce soft drink contains 11 teaspoons of sugar. This is eventually going to cause a problem.

5) Before taking over the counter drugs always read the ingredients and what effects they may have on you. Many times these types of drugs can cause an increase in blood sugar levels.

6) Find out why your blood sugar levels are high. This can differ from individual to individual and you need to know the specific reasons for your high levels. This can help you to know what to do to lower them. Stress is one situation that can cause higher levels. If your blood sugar level is high due to stress you need to make some changes in your lifestyle.

As well as eating healthy, there are certain foods that you should not eat. Foods such as potatoes, pasta , and foods that are high in carbohydrates should be avoided. Because the body turns carbohydrates to sugar this will add more sugar to your diet. Lowering the intake of carbohydrates will help you to lower your blood sugar. This is not to say you cannot have carbohydrates at all. But you should eat foods that are low in carbohydrates such as chicken, seafood, and turkey. Certain vegetables are also low such as broccoli, asparagus, and greens. Salad ingredients are also another way of getting the vitamins you need while still eating a low carbohydrate diet.

Blood has several components like-red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma -and the cells of the blood are produced at the bone marrow. When the cells of the blood grow abnormally, it is called blood cancer or leukaemia. The whole system of production of blood cells is a controlled activity and when cancer occurs in the bone marrow, it affects the process of regulation of cell production. The abnormal growth of the blood cells weakens the body’s defence mechanism. There are two types of blood cancer-acute leukaemia and chronic leukaemia.

Acute leukemia:

Acute leukemia is a type of blood cancer in which the cells develop rapidly. The immature white blood cells gather in and consequently enter the other different parts of the body. Depending on the affection of white blood cell type, in clinical terms acute leukaemia is called either acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). The symptoms of acute leukaemia are

Generalized weakness and fatigue (this may be due to anaemia)
Fever
Weight loss
Frequent infections
Excessive bruising
Bleeding (of the gums or nose)
Blood in the urine or stools
Pain in the bones and joints
Breathlessness (can be due to anaemia)
Enlarged lymph glands, liver and/or spleen.

Chronic leukemia:

In chronic leukemia, the white blood cells of cancer develop slowly than acute leukaemia and they gradually could not do their function well. An increased number of lymphocytes, which make up one of the main sub-groups of white cells in the blood, are seen in chronic leukaemia. This blood cancer has a slow process of development of cancer cells. Depending on the affection of white blood cells, chronic leukaemia is called either chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) or chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). The peak age for CLL is 65 and it is rare in people under the age of 45.
The following signs may oocur due to chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL):

Abdominal discomfort (this could be the result of an enlarged spleen)
Infections caused by not having enough healthy white blood cells
Fever
Night sweats
Swollen lymph glands
Bone pain
Weight loss
Headaches and vision problems
Tiredness
Anaemia

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‘Picky Eater’ is a label coined to describe the phenomenon that someone has discerning taste preferences different from their parents or others. These discerning taste preferences are dictated by their blood and body type. It is important for parents to accept and model the ‘real’ purpose of food. Quite simply, food serves two purposes-growth/repair of worn tissue and fuel for the body to run on. The number of calories needed per day is based on body structure, height and level of activity.

If a child is fed on demand from birth and then offered solid foods on demand consistent for their blood and body type, the child will in time eat all the foods that are nutritionally healthy, if they are offered food consistent with their types and in a ‘take-it or leave-it’ style.

The ‘picky eater’ struggle comes to the fore because children begin to assert their independence simultaneously with the onset of solid food consumption. If the parent uses bribery, enticement, cajoling, and begging, the child quickly learns, NOT eating is a way to maintain control of their life-albeit-a tiny slice. But at 6 months old, what seems like a tiny slice to an adult is huge to a child. As you will notice babies seldom are bribed, enticed, cajoled or begged to drink milk-it is ‘offered’ to them. Yet, when the child is introduced to solid food, parents seem compelled to cajole or beg the child to eat ‘at least one bite.’ Given the time to learn the new tastes and textures, children will eat the food their blood and body type requires or prefers, if it is offered in a ‘take-it or leave-it’ style.

The ‘at least one bite’ rule sets up a power struggle between parent/caretaker and child. More often then not, the ‘at least one bite’ includes a bribe. “You can have dessert (something sweet) if you eat one bite.” The number of tries, threats, bribery, and begging all set up a power struggle between parent and child. In the long-term, both parent and child, lose. The parent loses because the child learns they are in control and can extract a price or leverage something by eating. The child loses because they learn manipulative behavior and controlling vs the parent(s) being in charge of managing a healthy food plan and healthy interactions. In the long-term the child also loses because it sets up a life-long internal battle with food.

Disguising food also sets up a power struggle in a different way–the child usually suspects the deception at the out-set and will more often than not refuse to eat it. When the child asks, “Is this ___?,” the parent is faced with a dilemma. “Do I tell the truth or lie for a greater good?”-enticing my child to eat what I think they need to eat. A child will sooner than later discover what has been done. This form of dishonesty with the child is a betrayal of trust and the parent(s) loses integrity with their child. The question is: Is disguising the food in a foolhardy attempt to cajole your child to eat what they don’t want to eat worth compromising your integrity and betraying their trust?

Humans are born with the most important effective food management tool-a hypothalamus, which helps to regulate the amount of food required for maintaining optimum health and weight. The main function of the hypothalamus is homeostasis, or maintaining the body’s status quo. Factors such as blood pressure, body temperature, fluid and electrolyte balance, and body weight are held to a precise value called the set-point. Although this set-point can migrate over time, from day to day it is remarkably fixed.

You know it is difficult to make children eat when they are not hungry-and it is almost impossible to deal with them when they are hungry. Toddlers in perpetual motion sometimes eat only small amounts of food, but they eat frequently enough to meet their needs, because at this juncture their natural food management tool has not been overridden or indoctrinated with poor nutrition habits and poor eating practices. You have probably noticed that during periods of rapid growth, particularly the teen years, children may be hungry all the time. When their caloric requirements decrease, they lose interest in food-thus they avoid eating more than their body needs.

Each blood type is better fueled by certain foods. And each body type has a unique like or dislike to certain textures and tastes. Deepak Chopra, MD author of “Perfect Health: Complete Mind/Body Guide” identifies three body types: The thin, restless Vata; enterprising, efficient Pitta; tranquil, steady Kapha; or any combination of these three. These body types become the basis for a specific Ayurvedic food plan for optimum health, stress reduction, neuromuscular integration, exercise and daily routines. The result is a total plan, tailor-made for each individual, to reestablish the body’s essential balance with nature; to strengthen the mind body connection; and to use the power of quantum healing to transcend the ordinary limitations of disease and aging-in short, for achieving Perfect health.

For example Vata body types prefer: Warm food (not hot), moderately heavy textures, added butter or fat, Salt, sour, and sweet tastes; soothing and satisfying foods. All soothing foods are good for settling disturbed Vata. Use foods such as: Warm drinks, cream, butter, warm soups, stews, hot cereals, fresh baked bread. Since vata is a cold dry dosha, warm, nourishing foods such as these are good for stabilizing vata types. On the other hand cold foods such as cold salads, iced drinks, raw vegetables and greens are not very good for persons with vata imbalance. Use hot cereals such as: Cream of wheat or rice-provided there is no sensitivity to wheat or rice. Type B blood types need to avoid Wheat and Corn.

Coupled with “Eat Right for Your Type” by Peter D’Adamo there is a clear, simple food plan for each blood type that anyone can follow. For example there is a direct connection between stress, autoimmune disorders and red meat in the Type B system. I can attest to this research. Long before “Eat Right for Your Type” was published, I discovered red meat caused me to feel stressful due to pain in my stomach and nerve endings. It felt like my stomach lining and nerve endings had been scraped until they were raw. I discovered this pain was prevalent after eating red meat, thus, I stopped eating red meat and the pain in my stomach and nerve endings ceased. Many years later without knowing my blood type, I read “Eat Right for Your Type” and wondered if my blood type was B. After checking my blood type, I was not surprised to discover my blood type is B positive.

Encouraging a child to eat different food for the sake of eating different foods is counterproductive. Providing the food consistent with their blood and body type their nutritional requirements will be met. It is a common phenomenon for children to want to eat the same thing at every meal for varying periods of time. Avoid the temptation to talk them into eating something different. It will merely set up a power struggle. Offer your child a choice of two things which supports their food requirements for blood and body type. If they consistently chose the same food what harm is being done?

There is a psychology to eating. Food manufacturers have teams of psychologists and researchers to create food that is esthetically enticing. For example: The red juice from beef is not the natural blood of cattle. The majority of blood is drained from the meat during processing and is replaced with red dyed water. Why? Because the actual color of beef is considered an unappealing blue/gray color. Look at the veins in the back of your hand or pulse point. It appears to be blue, which is the same effect with beef. Red dye is toxic, however, meat processors are compelled to use the red dye to satisfy consumers’ preference to have beef appear ‘blood red.’ Red dye in meat is seldom used in other countries.

McDonald’s spent considerable time and money researching the content of their French fry ‘mixture’-they are not whole cut potatoes. McDonald’s French fries are made from mashed potatoes extruded through a press. By using the pre-cooked potatoes many additives are used to create the flavor the majority of people’s taste buds like. Research on body types indicates Sweet Crunchy foods are appealing to more people than Crunchy Pungent foods. And if you check the majority of processed food, crunchy or otherwise you will note there is a plethora of sweetners in the majority of products-Corn syrup, Glucose, Glucose syrup, Sucrose, Dextrose, Maltose are the most frequently used, as well as artificial sweetners-aspartame, saccharine, acesulfame k and sorbitol.

A preference for food presentation only becomes an issue when the child discovers they can use it to control. Notice a child doesn’t turn up his/her nose at McDonald’s hamburgers loaded with unhealthy additives and wrapped in paper. McDonald’s marketing strategy of a ‘toy’ with every meal and making meal time fun for the kids and easy for the parents is the key to enticing both parents and children to eat their low-quality high cholesterol product.

Frequent Questions:

-Is peer pressure a factor in your child’s food preference? Peers can influence a child’s curiosity about food, but not their long-term preferences. If a child has an allergy to a food most parents are surprised how easily a child will accept the food restriction even though their friends eat it. With only a few reminders that ‘wheat’ causes your tummy to hurt, so you can’t eat hamburger buns, the child readily tell their friends, “I can’t eat hamburger buns, they make my tummy hurt.”

-Does food color and texture play a part in food preference? Based on body type research certain body types prefer one texture over another. See “Perfect Health: Complete Mind/Body Guide” By Deepak Chopra. Color has been thoroughly researched regarding what color evokes what response-red and orange for example attracts attention, but also repels after a short period of time. As you will note: Fast food restaurants predominantly use red, orange and a bright yellow-thus, the color draws people in, but also it repels within a short period-as we become over stimulated by the colors. Thus, the fast food restaurant’s needs are met. They draw us in, but repel us in a short period. Food colors have long ago been integrated into the human psyche as the color of food and children quickly learn that the color of food is simply the color of food.

-”How do I convince my child to eat healthy food?” Isn’t it ironic parents wonder how they can convince children to eat health foods? When all parents need to do is buy only those foods which are healthy and be a role model. After all, children don’t do the grocery shopping. So, the issue of children eating healthy is easily solved-don’t have unhealthy foods in the house.

[When I sent my first born off to college, I held my breath, fearing she would become a junk food junky like the majority of college students. I breathed a sigh of relief when she casually commented that the cupboards in her apartment looked like the cupboards at home. The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.]

-”If I offer my children dinner, and they refuse to eat it, will they get sick from lack of nutrition?” Generally, children will eat when their body-the hypothalamus-tells them to eat. If you discover your child has lost weight, recognize this as their body’s signal that something needs to be addressed. Unless your child has been ill, weight loss is due to emotional distress and if your child has been ill it is due to emotional distress. All physical illness is directly related to mental causes. What has your child experienced recently that might have created their inability to listen to their body’s signals to consume adequate nutrition? Has there been a death in the family? Is someone close to your child sick or injured? Is there discord in the family? Is there a new baby in the family? Is there any significant change in your child’s routine–such as a new caretaker, starting pre-school, kindergarten, or a new grade? Has your child started a new sport? Is your child showing signs of emotional distress in other ways besides losing weight? If your child’s body weight is within range for their height and has lost two pounds or more, it is time to seek a professional to help you discern what has created your child to stop taking in adequate nutrition.

-”Is it a mistake to make a separate meal for the ‘picky eater’ if you know they won’t like what everyone else likes?” Based on eating right for your blood and body type, it is imperative to make a separate meal for your child. A separate meal may mean only your child’s main course is unique.

-”Does diet affect behavior? Will too much sugar make them too hyper? Will something specific calm them down, etc?” Yes, diet impacts behavior. “Perfect Health: Complete Mind/Body Guide” by Deepak Chopra regarding body types, you can discern what foods will support your child’s emotional needs most effectively.

“What do you think about school lunches?” For the most part school lunches have improved–however, they are too many junk food items-Potato chips, Corn Chips, French fries, processed foods, etc-and too few choices of healthy foods. The only recourse is to explain fully and thoroughly why eating the ‘junk food items’ are unhealthy. Naturally, children will sometimes eat some, not only at school, but their friends’ homes. However, remember their consumption is minimal since you only offer healthy foods at home.

-”Will kids just grow out of being a ‘picky eater’?” Being labeled a ‘picky eater’ is simply a label, therefore, there is nothing for them to ‘grow out of.’

-”What resources can you recommend for parents/kids?” The books “Eat Right for Your Type” by Peter O’Adama and “Perfect Health: Complete Mind/Body Guide” by Deepak Chopra are the Bible for healthy eating.

Some Important Dos:

-Do become a relaxed and open parent.

-Do respect your child’s food preferences provided it is nutritionally healthy based on blood and body type.

-Do give your child a choice within the foods that meet their body and blood type needs and preferences while being mindful of any food allergies/sensitivities.

-Do allow your child to discern when and how much to eat.

-Do present healthy food for your child’s blood and body type in a ‘take it or leave it’ style.

-Do avoid junk foods.

-Do stock your refrigerator and cabinets with the foods which are healthy for your child’s blood and body type.

-Do have a ready supply of fresh fruits and vegetables for eating raw and cooking.

Writing about the strategies for a healthy food plan for life is more complicated than it is to practice it.

And last, but not least, a ray of hope: The next season’s Sesame Street program theme is advocating eating healthy. There’s even a new song – “A Cookie Is a Sometimes Food,” where Cookie Monster learns there are “anytime” foods and “sometimes” foods. Cookie Monster will be featured eating only one plate of cookies instead of two.

In summary:

• The parents’ primary responsibility is to provide good, nutritious food at mealtime. It is your child’s responsibility to eat it and when they are hungry they will, if it is on their list of acquired healthy favorites.

• Serve meals “buffet” style and let them choose what and how much they want. This eliminates the power struggle.

• Joke about what they don’t like within their healthy foods based on body and blood type. Children love parents to be silly! They can identify with you more readily and it creates a relaxed atmosphere.

• Put your children’s favorite foods on a shelf that they can reach in both the fridge and cupboard, in a space reserved just for them. When they want something to eat, they can get it themselves.

• Let your child help prepare the meals. They love to feel included! Forget the need to have everything perfectly arranged, chopped or prepared. Foster their self-confidence and feed their bodies while giving their soul emotional sustenance by fostering a stress free environment.

Just when you’d thought you’d heard everything, something new comes along. The Blood Type diet is one of the newest weight loss plans to hit the diet circuit. Many believe that this diet is merely a gimmick and not based on sound scientific evidence.

The Blood Type diet was developed by a man named Peter D’Adamo. His book, Eat Right 4 Your Type, says the key to weight loss lies in a human’s genetic makeup – specifically their blood type. He believes that by eating foods that are based on blood type, people have a better chance of losing weight.

According to research done on blood typing, there are several distinct racial populations that can be defined by their blood groupings. Using that theory, the Blood Type diet was developed. There is no direct evidence or clinical research that proves that this diet is valid however. D’Adamo believes that each blood type group has its own food classification.

Here is a breakdown of how those classifications work in relation to blood type.

O Blood Type

People with blood type O are called “hunters.” This blood grouping is believed to be the one that all others developed from, according to the diet’s creator. Historically, hunters were very physical because they would wrestle wild beasts in search of food for the family. This type of activity required lots of meat. According to D’Adamo, those with the O blood type need to consume high amounts of meat in order to lose weight.

A Blood Type

People with blood type A are known as “cultivators.” Cultivators tilled the soil and planted crops. These people got most of their food from plant sources such as fruits and vegetables. For those with blood type A, avoiding meat as much as possible and sticking with vegetables will give you the protein your body requires.

B Blood Type

Those with type B blood are “nomadic.” Nomads are people who wondered around never settled in any one place. The harshness of their travels helped to keep them strong. Since they had eaten a variety of foods depending on where they stayed, their digestive systems tolerated different foods well. Again, according to this diet plan, this particular blood type group can eat dairy products with no problems.

AB Blood Type

The last blood grouping is AB. This group is classified as the “enigma.” Because this group is mad up of A and B blood components, they can presumably get by with eating plant sources of protein and dairy products. Their digestive systems are good and they can therefore consume a variety of foods.

One question, among many, that has arisen regarding the Blood Type diet is: How does it explain a lactose intolerant person with a blood type of B? There are too many loopholes for this diet to be one that someone could follow to lose weight anytime they needed to. Eating one food group only and eliminating others is a recipe for disaster because all food groups have merit for weight loss. The key to most successful weight loss is managing portions of foods from each food group.

In recent years it appears there is a rising epidemic of people suffering from chronic digestive and autoimmune conditions. Food intolerance or sensitivities may lie at the root of the problem. Most people, including doctors, have little clue how foods they eat may be contributing to their chronic illness, fatigue and digestive symptoms.

There are, however, a lot of clues in the medical literature and the lay public’s experience about how foods are causing and/or contributing to the current epidemic of chronic illness and autoimmune disease. There are several diets being used by many people with varying success to improve their health despite a general lack of iron clad scientific proof for their effectiveness. One of the clues to the cause and relief of food induced illness may lie in proteins known as lectins that are present in all foods.

Animal and plant sources of food both contain complex proteins known as lectins. These proteins typically have the ability to attach to sugars or carbohydrates on the surface of human cells. Some of these proteins can cause clumping of human red blood cells, a process that is called agglutination. The process of agglutination occurs when someone receives the wrong blood type during a blood transfusion. In fact, red blood cell agglutination specific to each person or groups of people is the basis for testing for blood types. There is some data that blood types may influence how people respond to certain foods though a blood type specific diet appears to have been disproven. The attachment or binding of certain food lectins can initiate a variety of cell specific effects. These reactions may mimic hormones or cause changes in cells. This is termed molecular mimicry.

Most plants contain lectins, some of which are toxic, inflammatory, or both. Many of these plant and dairy lectin are resistant to cooking and digestive enzymes. Grain lectins, for example, are quite resistant to human digestion but well suited for ruminants like cattle who have multi-chambered stomachs. Therefore, lectins are present in our food and are often resistant to our digestion and some have been scientifically shown to have significant GI toxicity in humans. Others have been shown to be beneficial and maybe even cancer protecting. Either way plant and animal proteins are foreign proteins to the body and are dealt with by digestion and our immune system in a positive or negative manner.

The human digestive system was created to handle a variety of plant and animal proteins through the process of digestion and elimination. Some plant and animal proteins or lectins are severely toxic to humans and cannot be eaten without causing death like those in Castor beans and some mushrooms. Other foods must be prepared before they are safe to be eaten. Preparations may include pealing, prolonged soaking and cooking like kidney beans. Other foods may be poorly tolerated because of a genetic predisposition or underlying pre-existing food allergy or intolerance. Others are tolerated to some degree or quantity but not in large amounts or on a frequent basis. People who are intolerant to the milk sugar lactose, because of inherited or acquired deficiency in lactase enzyme, may tolerate small amounts but may have severe bloating, gas, abdominal pain and cramps with explosive diarrhea when a large amount of lactose containing foods are eaten. Foods can become intolerable to some people after their immune system changes or gut is injured from another cause.

Of the food lectins, grain/cereal lectins; dairy lectins; and legume lectins (especially peanut lectin and soybean lectin) are the most common ones associated with reports of aggravation of inflammatory and digestive diseases in the body and improvement of those diseases and/or symptoms when avoided. Recent research by Loren Cordain PhD., has suggested that these lectins may effectively serve as a “Trojan horse” allowing intact or nearly intact foreign proteins to invade our natural gut defenses and enter behind the lines to cause damage well beyond the gut, commonly in joints, brain, and skin of affected individuals. Once damage occurs to the gut and the defense system is breached the result is what some refer to as a “leaky gut”. Moreover, many people who develop a “leaky gut” not only have gut symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, and abdominal pain but also other symptoms beyond the gut, or extra-intestinal symptoms. Commonly affected areas are the brain or peripheral nerves, skin, joints, and various body glands. With continued exposure of the gut by these toxic food lectins a persistent stimulation of the body’s defense mechanism in a dysfunctional manner, occurs, i.e. autoimmune disease.

Wrong types or levels of good and bad bacteria in the gut, or intestinal dysbiosis, may contribute to this process of abnormal stimulation of the immune system. Research supports the strong possibility that such stimulation may be accentuated by interaction of the bacteria with food lectins. It is believed by some that this may further worsen gut injury and autoimmune disease. This latter concept is gaining acceptance and recognition by doctors in one form as the hygiene theory. It is speculated that our gut bacteria have become altered by increased hygiene and over use of antibiotics and that this phenomenon may be playing a significant role in the rising incidence of autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, and chronic intestinal diseases like Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

Lectins as a cause however are largely being ignored in the U.S. though the field of lectinology and lectins role in disease is more accepted internationally. Avoidance of certain food lectins may be helpful in achieving health and healing of chronic gut injury. Healing of a “leaky gut” and avoidance of ongoing abnormal stimulation of the immune system by toxic food lectins and bacteria in the gut is the basis for ongoing research and probable success of several popular diets such as the paleo diet, carbohydrate specific diet and gluten-free/casein-free diet. More research is needed in this exciting but often neglected area. The Food Doc, LLC features a website www.thefooddoc.com that will provide physician authored information on food intolerance, sensitivity and allergy such as lectin, gluten, casein, and lactose intolerance with dietary guidance that will feature in the near future an online symptom assessment and diet-diary.

I started studying blood type and diet with Dr. James D’Adamo’s 30 year practice compilation “One Man’s Food… Is another Man’s Poison” in 1995. The information was fascinating: specific foods could have a beneficial, neutral, or negative effect on human health and functioning!

In 1997, Dr. Peter D’Adamo, son of Dr. James D’Adamo published “Eat Right 4 Your Type”. A patient bought me a copy as a gift and handed it to me with a look on his face like, “Hey Dr. Saks, I guess you were serious about the connection between blood type and diet!”

So here we are, many years later with so much more science, research and data on the connection between blood type and diet. The concept is really quite simple. The protein on your blood cells can have a beneficial, neutral or negative reaction to the chemical composition (protein structure) in food; thus, our health can greatly improve if our diet leans greatly toward our beneficial foods and we lean heavily away from our avoid foods. Incidentally, I stopped giving patients the avoid list years ago – so I could avoid “aw-man, you mean I can’t have…” reaction!

As a Naturopath, Chiropractor, and Health and Wellness Coach, I recommend each person have their blood type tested (can be easily done at home) or more specifically, get your type and your secretor status checked with one salivary evaluation. Solutions to many of your health issues, even the difficult ones, may lie less in the intake of vitamins, minerals, and supplements than in the creation of a personalized “Bio-Logikal Diet”. Doctors all over the country have started talking about the need for diets customized for specific individuals. Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all health and wellness programs.

For a brief summary of the concept of Blood type and diet, see my article “Blood Type and Diet – Weight Loss and Optimal Health”.

I have found that blood typing alone can give me 80-85% accuracy with a clinical diet for a patient, WITHOUT having to use a food allergy test. Further, if we know the person’s blood type and secretor status, we can fine tune their diet to 90% or better as compared to food allergy testing. Food allergy testing can still be very useful, but it’s expensive and not absolute. This makes blood typing and secretor status testing a phenomenal clinic tool. In case you’re wondering, secretor status indicates whether a person secretes his/her blood type antigens into their mucous membranes (eyes, intestines, urine, etc.). About 80% of the U.S. population are “secretors”, while 20% are “non- secretors”. Secretor status can be very beneficial when recommending a therapeutic or wellness diet for my patients and clients.

I’ve heard from countless readers and clients that they suffer multiple food allergies and would appreciate any tips on dealing with them. This article goes beyond ingredient substitutions, offering ways to handle and potentially heal food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities. But first, some definitions:

A true food allergy involves a specific reaction in the immune system (that part of the body responsible for attacking invaders). An allergy occurs when the body mistakenly identifies a harmless substance (antigen) as a threat. The body then creates an antibody, damages cells, and causes a release of histamine. This process, rather than the antigen itself, causes harm. Symptoms of food allergy can include asthma, nasal congestion, digestive woes or, most seriously, anaphylactic shock. If you suffer a severe food allergy, lifelong avoidance might remain necessary.

More people suffer from food intolerances than true allergies. Intolerances can result in a wider variety of symptoms, including respiratory distress, depression, migraines, arthritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), among others. Unlike food allergies, which usually result in immediate symptoms, intolerances can reveal themselves “subtly” even several weeks after ingesting a particular food. As with food allergies, intensities can range from temporary, mild discomfort from too much of a certain food, to celiac disease?a severely damaging intestinal intolerance to any and all glutens (the proteins found in wheat and other grains like barley, spelt and rye).

Food sensitivities can arise from chemical compounds like MSG, caffeine, sugar, or food additives. These substances act like drugs, with some people having lower thresholds than others. The line between food sensitivities and intolerances often blurs, though, since many food intolerances arise from reactions to chemicals like sulfites, nitrates, salicylates, or amines. In Eat Right 4 Your Type, Dr. Peter D’Adamo discusses food sensitivities in relation to blood types. He theorizes that certain components of food, called lectins, react negatively with particular blood types. According to his research, lectins introduced into an incompatible blood type can result in symptoms like abnormal cell growth (cancer), insulin issues, digestive irritation, heart disease, compromised immune system and rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. D’Adamo does not consider his observations “the only factor” in maintaining health but believes blood type can play a key role in determining how food affects us. On a side note, Dr. D’Adamo recommends a strict vegetarian diet for Blood Type A, which comprises about 40% of the world’s population, compared to the estimated .2-4% of the world currently classified as “vegan.”

Many people use the terms “allergy,” “intolerance,” and “sensitivity” interchangeably, and indeed, treatments and testing often overlap. The most common method of identifying food issues involves an Elimination Diet in which the patient removes all common or suspected allergens from the diet for a set period of time. If symptoms improve, the patient then reintroduces foods and records effects. This technique works fine if one or two main, common food allergens cause the symptoms; however, in the case of multiple triggers or intolerances (which can take weeks to manifest) the Elimination Diet can prove cumbersome and less effective. But there is still hope.

The following suggestions helped me overcome my own allergies, and I’ve seen them help many clients and friends as well:

“Go Raw” or take digestive enzymes. Each raw food carries its own enzymes necessary for digestion. When heat destroys these enzymes through cooking, our pancreas works overtime, creating “digestive enzymes” to break down food. (Humans have the largest pancreas relative to body weight in the entire animal kingdom.) If the pancreas becomes fatigued, inadequately digested food particles arrive in the intestines. From there, undigested protein molecules sometimes enter the blood stream and cause an immune response. Low stomach acid can also result in incomplete digestion, and some people find raw blended greens a natural means of improving hydrochloric acid levels. (For more information on green smoothies, read Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko.) Some foods have enzyme inhibitors and need to be soaked in order to activate their enzymes. A few actually digest easier when cooked. If you don’t like raw foods or have minimal access to them, digestive enzyme supplements taken right before meals can also reduce your pancreatic load until you get back on track.

Control Candida. Commonly known as “yeast,” Candida albicans exists in the digestive tracts of all humans. Antibiotics, birth control pills, stress, and sugar can result in Candida Overgrowth, causing Leaky Gut Syndrome, food intolerances/allergies, thrush, “yeast infections” and a host of other symptoms. Though difficult to eradicate, Candida does hate oil of oregano, pau d’arco, sugar restriction, and probiotics like L-acidophilus and B-bifidus. For more information, you can read The Yeast Connection: A Medical Breakthrough by Dr. William G. Crook. From a Medical Intuitive perspective, I’ve also noticed Candida resonates with “victim.” As people empower themselves and curb feelings of victimization, Candida symptoms often dramatically improve.

Cleanse your Body. Even though vegan diets tend to be “cleaner” than the Standard American Diet, at times we can pass a threshold of toxic or allergenic overload. Maybe it’s hay fever season, we lived entirely on Tofutti last summer, have black mold in our home, or accidentally ate larvae on organic produce. Ewwww!!! Hey, sometimes it happens! A friend of mine always quotes Harry Potter’s Hagrid: “Better out than in!” Whether through a full parasite cleanse, a one-day-a-week fast, or gentle herbal support, food sensitivities implore us to lighten our load. Macrobiotic principles suggest people chew food well and detox with the seasons: Liver/Gall Bladder (Spring); Heart/Small intestines (Summer); Spleen-Pancreas/Stomach (Late Summer); Lungs/Large Intestine (Fall); Kidneys/Bladder (Winter). For more information on cleansing with the seasons, I recommend The Self-Healing Cookbook, by Kristina Turner.

Cleanse your Mind. Stress has been shown to lower the threshold for allergens, so take a few deep breaths and relax. Spend some quiet, reflective time each day. Ask yourself what stands in the way of your being able to eat the foods you like. What expectations, fears or judgments are limiting your naturally free and compassionate mind and heart? On the physical level, allergies and intolerances result from mistaken judgments-the body labels a neutral substance “bad” and launches an attack. The process, not the antigen, causes the problem. We accept the cliché, “You are what you eat” but rarely recognize that the inverse is true as well. We eat as we are. If we want to re-pattern our bodies to embrace the nourishment we offer them, then it helps to stop reacting in other areas of life. In my work, I’ve also found that people sometimes react to foods simply due to their association with an unpleasant event that no longer consciously registers. In such cases, food allergies offer an opportunity to heal the soul as well as the body.

Eat with Gratitude and Love. A little Mindfulness goes a long way in this fast-paced world of ours. Because gratitude and love are incompatible with fear, cultivating these states encourages our bodies to feel “friendlier” and less likely to overreact. Pausing before we eat also signals the body to transition to a more relaxed state, which optimizes digestion. In case words fail you, June Cotner’s Graces: Prayers and Poems for Everyday Meals and Special Occasions offers multi-cultural prayers, poems, songs, and invocations ranging from a Sanskrit sun salutation to Native American blessings, to inspirational words by Helen Keller and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Whether a formal reading or a quick lift of the heart, expressing gratitude and love for our food reminds us of the reasons many of choose a vegan lifestyle.

All of us go through the journey of life building up relationships along the way. We seek out people with similar interests and ideas. A healthy relationship is one where one person is able to adjust to another’s needs and desires. If we consider the state of pregnancy, the expectant mother has to ensure that her body systems are functioning in harmony always.

This is vital especially with regard to her circulatory system, which is the major link between her body and the growing fetus in her womb. It is the transporter of essential nutrients to the baby and so is the life support for her yet-to-be-born child. Hence, a concordant relationship is expected between her blood type and pregnancy diet.

What is meant by blood type? It indicates whether antigens are present or absent in the circulating blood.

Blood types can be classified into four types-type O, type AB, type A and type B.

What happens if blood type and pregnancy diet are in disharmony? The systems that get affected are the digestive system and the immune system. As a matter of fact, most pregnant women are constantly complaining about digestive issues during the different stages of pregnancy. A few of the problems that can occur are-

(a) Inability to digest any type of food, or rather indigestion.

(b) Frequent heartburn.

(c) Changes in metabolic function.

(d) Build up of acid levels.

(e) Increased levels of stress.

(f) Inflammation or swelling up of the joints.

(g) Clotting of blood.

(h) Deficiencies resulting in a weak immune system.

To go into a more scientific explanation, foodstuffs contain certain protein-like substances called Lectins. Body cells are made up of molecules. These Lectins can interact favorably or unfavorably with the molecules in these cells, depending on the antigen (blood type) present in the blood. Each antigen has a different reaction to the Lectins present in food.

Now only a doctor can provide information about how blood type and pregnancy diet should match. Physicians have come up with certain basic guidelines to link up blood type and pregnancy diet-

(a) Pregnant women with blood type A would be well advised to stick to a vegetarian diet. This means that whole grains, raw as well as steamed vegetables, lentils and berries can be consumed.

(b) A type B expectant mother can go in for oats, green vegetables, beef, seafood and lamb. She is lucky to have a varied diet!

(c) The AB group should stick to smaller meals consumed at regular intervals throughout the day. Cultured dairy products, turkey and lamb can form a part of the menu.

(d) Lastly, the universal type O goes with a diet consisting of vegetables and meat. It is advisable to consume more of collard greens or pinto beans where vegetables are concerned. As far as animal flesh goes, lean beef will do. The fat part of it (when consuming meat dishes) should not be overdone!

The mother-to-be can now get a fair idea about how crucial it is to ensure that her blood type and pregnancy diet are compatible if she wants her child to be healthy and develop properly. The circulatory system is also a carrier of immunity cells; hence, it is critical to maintain an active and fit immune system which can fight against undesirable Lectins in food. Otherwise, the expectant mother is inviting sickness for the entire duration of her pregnancy! And in case the expectant mother wishes to make any changes in her blood type and pregnancy diet plan, she should consult her primary care physician.

Researchers in England dug up the bodies of people who had died from the 1665 London plague, and made the startling discovery that most of the people who died had type B blood, and that far fewer people have type B blood now than before the plague. Scientist now must explain why people
with Type B blood were more likely to die from plague.

When a germ gets into your system, you make a protein
called an antibody that attaches to it and kills it. Your body
is never supposed to make antibodies against itself. Your
immunity recognizes a germ by the sugar surfaces on cell
membranes. Type B surface membrane on red cells is the
same as the surface membrane of certain bacteria, including
Yersinia pestis, the flea-borne bacteria that caused the plague.
If you are type B, you cannot make antibodies against type B
surface of cells, because you would destroy all your red blood
cells. If yersinia gets into your bloodstream, your immunity does
not kill it, so it causes blisters and swollen lymph nodes, and
you can go into shock and die.

People in blood group A are at higher risk for heart
attacks than those in other groups because their blood is far
more likely to clot. They have higher blood levels of factor VIII,
which helps blood clot, and clots are the terminal factor that
blocks arteries to cause a heart attack. There are more than
300 known variations in blood types, and scientists are still
learning about their effects.

I believed that no two people on the face of the earth were alike; no two people have the same fingerprints, lip prints, or voice prints. No two blades of grass or snowflakes are alike. Because I felt that all people were different from one another, I did not think it was logical that they should eat the same foods. It became clear to me that since each person was housed in a special body with different strengths, weaknesses, and nutritional requirements, the only way to maintain health or cure illness was to accommodate to that particular patient’s specific needs.

James D’Adamo

I completely agree with this statement, alternatively said: one man’s food is another man’s poison.”

Your blood type is the key that unlocks the door to the mysteries of health, disease, longevity, physical vitality, and emotional strength.

Peter D’Adamo

I disagree with this statement. In my experience of using blood type to determine an individual’s personalised eating plan I have found it to be useful on a number of occasions, particularly with recommendations on what foods to avoid. However I believe that anyone who says that there is one single KEY that unlocks the door to health is very misled.

The key to health and vitality lies in a synergy which I have written about many times and combining it with an individualised approach. To recap the elements include the following:

· Supportive nutrition which basically means eating a diet composed mainly of whole foods, emphasising quality proteins, fibrous carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, and good fats and oils and through awareness of your body’s reaction tailoring the amount of each to your own body – finding your metabolic type

· Need for muscle

· Cardio in moderation

· Plenty of water

· Adequate sleep

· Additionally and importantly the right mindset

So in the following article I will review the Blood Typing Diet.

Firstly to find out your blood type if you are not sure you could:

1. Consult your doctor
2. Give blood
3. Do a simple thumb prick test available at some chemists and health food stores or try the internet to pick up a test.

Science behind Blood typing
A single speck of blood contains the entire genetic code for a human being. This code was the product passed on through generations from our ancestors. The four blood types O, A, B and AB are named so because of their differing qualities in relation to the immune system.
Antigens are the chemical markers that determine your blood type. They form part of our chemical fingerprint by possessing a different antigen. Antigens are the body’s internal security system – so when your immune system finds a foreign intruder (e.g. a foreign antigen from bacteria) it checks with your blood type antigen to see if it is friend or foe.
Now in regards to the role that blood typing plays in diet: as I previously said it is more useful in knowing which foods to avoid rather than eat.
This is due to the presence of dietary lectins, which consist of protein and are found in around 30 percent of food. They can be inhibited through cooking and digestion to some degree however if they reach the blood stream they can appear like foreign antigens interfering with digestion and absorption. They can also result in nutrient deficiencies, food allergies, infertility, arthritis, diarrhoea, irritability, IBS, intestinal gas.

Positive aspects to the Blood type diet

The basis is biochemical individuality which has been extensively documented (I encourage you to read “Biochemical Individuality” by Roger J. Williams for a more comprehensive and scientific understanding). The science behind lectins is fascinating and has some truth in my opinion but it is still far from being an exact science.
Additionally, most of the diets (except AB) recommend reducing the amount of wheat. In my experience wheat is a problem to some degree for almost everyone. It has been overused especially in the form of processed carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and breakfast cereal abusing our digestive system. Leaving wheat out of the diet has in every case resulted in health improvements in my experience.
The recommendations consist of whole foods which is an improvement for people currently consuming a SAD (Standard American Diet), but which should be renamed to SWD (Standard World Diet) – as most of the world has come under the influence of excessive sugar, trans fatty acids (from fast food) and toxic food which are far from how nature intended them to be consumed.

Negative aspects to Blood type diet recommendation

However I disagree with many aspects regarding the blood typing diet including recommended foods, the fact that the diet remains set in stone and allows no shifts, and the advice for specific exercise regimes for specific blood types. These are outlined below:

1. Foods recommended I believe are not healthy

* Soy for one is heavily promoted especially for A types. I believe soy is not a health promoting food especially for males as it has been shown to affect sperm strength and number. Soy has also been linked to thyroid problems.
* Vegetable oils are another concern and have been linked to heart disease and many other conditions.

2. Set in stone

Blood types don’t change however certain medical conditions, environmental influences and stress result in a need to adjust the diet accordingly. For example colder climates/winter and stress result in an increased protein need for many. Many women who have a strong awareness on the body will experience differing needs for proteins/carbohydrates/fats throughout the month. On a bigger note pregnancy will also have a powerful shift on diet. Medical conditions like Candida and high blood sugar problems will recommend the absence of starchy carbohydrates from the diet (grains, below ground vegetables), which may be good for O types but they are not the only ones who suffer from these conditions.

3. Exercise

Regarding exercise I agree some people are more suited to some exercises than others. But I believe a balance is important e.g. in terms of Chinese medicine having a Ying and Yang approach – not just doing intense exercise or light exercise and combining strength, cardiovascular and flexibility into your training.

But I would like to give you an overview according to the Author of “Eat right for your type” Peter J. D’Adamo.

As I said previously I often outline with clients some foods they should avoid according to the blood type diet, which has often been very useful.
Additionally, in my experience the recommendations for O blood types have proven the most beneficial. When I come across O type clients and they eat in this manner then in every case to date they have reported fat-loss, increased energy, vitality and wellbeing. I have also experienced this diet in relation to eating a grain based diet (which I believe is not the answer for anyone) and a vegetarian diet for a short period, and I have no doubt I am a caveman. Obviously this diet has been a hit with many but the high protein diet is in my opinion and experience not the answer to everyone as Atkins and high protein diet proponents say.

Type 0

- Diet Profile: High Protein/ Low Carb: Meat eaters, Original cavemen/-women

- Beneficial foods: Meat, fish, vegetables, fruit

- Foot to avoid: Grains, esp. (wheat), corn, kidney beans, navy beans, lentils, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower

- Foods that help with weight loss: Kelp, seafood, salt, liver, red meat, kale, spinach, broccoli
- Risk factors: Ulcer, Inflammatory disease e.g. arthritis

- Recommended exercise: Vigorous & intense exercise, Martial Arts, Weights, Running

Type A

- Diet Profile: Agrarian’s polar opposite to O: High Carb, Low Fat

- Beneficial foods: Vegetables, tofu & soy, seafood (many varieties), grains, beans, legumes, fruit

- Food to avoid: Meat, dairy, kidney beans, lima beans, wheat

- Foods that help with weight loss: Vegetable oil, soy foods, vegetables, pineapple

- Risk factors: Cancer, Heart disease

- Recommended exercise: Gentle exercise, Yoga, Golf

Type B

- Diet Profile: Balanced, omnivore

- Beneficial foods: Meat (no chicken), dairy, grains, beans, legumes, vegetables, fruits

- Food to avoid: Corn, lentil, peanuts, sesame, seeds, buckwheat, wheat

- Foods that help with weight loss: Greens, eggs, venison, liver, licorice, tea, meat

- Risk factors: Viruses attacking nervous system

- Recommended exercise: Moderate exercise, Walking, Swimming

Type AB

- Diet Profile: Mixed diet in moderation

- Beneficial foods: Meat, seafood, dairy, tofu, beans, legumes, grains, vegetables, fruits

- Food to avoid: Red meat, kidney beans, lima beans, seeds, corn, buckwheat, chicken

- Foods that help with weight loss: Tofu, seafood, dairy, greens, kelp, pineapple

- Risk factors: A + B characteristics

- Recommended exercise: Calming exercise, relaxation techniques