Your blood makes you unique. It protects you from some diseases while making you prone to other conditions. Eating appropriately for your individual blood type helps maximize your body's potential for health while minimizing its weaknesses. This is the basis for blood-type diets, like those created by Dr. Michael Lam and Dr. Peter D'Adamo.
Type O
According to Dr. D'Adamo, people with blood type O should eat to maximize thyroid function and minimize the effects of stress, which leads to the overproduction of the stomach acid known to cause peptic ulcers. Type Os should eat saltwater fish, lean meats, vegetables and fruits. To avoid stomach upset and other health issues, avoid dairy, wheat, alcohol and caffeine.
Type A
People with type A blood perform best with a vegetarian diet, eliminating as much meat as possible from the diet, according to Dr. D'Adamo. He also says that type As are naturally prone to the effects of stress due to high levels of cortisol in their blood. To counterbalance the effects of cortisol, type As should limit sugar, caffeine and alcohol.
Type B
Dr. D'Adamo says that people with blood type B are generally free to eat a diverse diet. Lean meats, like lamb, goats and venison are recommended. Though chicken should be avoided due to its ability to raise cortisol levels in type Bs. A typical type B diet should also be rich in vegetables, though corn and grains should be limited or eliminated due to their impact on weight gain.
Type AB
Blood type AB is rare, and those with this blood type share both the problems and the advantages of those with type A and type B blood. Dr. D'Adamo notes that type ABs lack sufficient stomach acid to metabolize animal proteins, which get stored as fat. Grains and legumes often provoke an insulin reaction in those with type AB blood. For optimal health, an AB food list should include seafood like snapper, mahi-mahi and tuna. Type ABs should also include dairy, soy and green vegetables.
References
- Dr. Lam: Blood Type Diet
- Eat Right For Your Type: What Makes a 'Type A' an Individual?
- Eat Right For Your Type: What Makes a 'Type B' an Individual?
- Eat Right For Your Type: What Makes a 'Type O' an Individual?
- Eat Right For Your Type: What Makes a 'Type AB' an Individual?
- InnerSelf: Eat According to your Ancestry & Blood Type
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