Peter D'Adamo's book "Eat Right for Your Type" popularized the idea of eating according to your blood type. In this book he outlines how each blood type is predisposed to react a certain way to foods. The blood type A diet is an almost entirely vegetarian diet. D'Adamo does not just promote certain foods but also certain activities, exercises and lifestyle choices specific to each blood type that will enhance their health most.
History of Type A
According to D'Adamo, people with blood type A developed as hunting and gathering was replaced by farming. When humans made the transition from nomadic hunting lifestyles to planting crops and relying mainly on carbohydrate and vegetable sources for nutrition, blood type A developed along with it. With this transition, blood type A's developed less hydrochloric acid in their stomachs and high intestinal disaccharide digestive enzymes to digest carbohydrates more effectively. D'Adamo claims that these factors cause type A's difficulty in digesting meat and animal fat.
Foods
Type A's should stick to carbohydrates and vegetables. D'Adamo stresses the importance of eating these foods in a fresh, pure and organic state. It is not necessary for type A's to cut out all meat sources, but D'Adamo does suggest that cutting out foods that are toxic to your blood type will cause greater and faster weight loss. Vegetables such as broccoli, garlic, onions, lentils and beans are recommended for type A's. Some animal protein sources are also permitted, such as turkey, eggs and tuna. Wine, coffee and green tea are also permitted. Foods to avoid include beef, game and most alcohols, such as beer and spirits.
Calming Exercises
Apart from food, the blood type diet promotes activities for each blood type. Type A's need to do exercises that calm the body, as they find it hard to recover from the high cortisol levels associated with stressful situations. Activities such as yoga, tai chi, meditation and deep breathing exercises are all recommended by D'Adamo. Type A's should be careful not to overtrain in heavy sports such as weightlifting or aerobics, as this can increase cortisol levels and cause stress levels to rise.
Living Right
D'Adamo recommends a few lifestyle choices for type A's that he claims are beneficial for their type. For optimal health, type A's should cultivate a creative environment; go to bed no later than 11 p.m.; take at least two 20-minute breaks throughout the day to meditate, stretch or relax; engage in 40 minutes of calming exercises three times per week; and avoid skipping meals.
