Eating for your blood type involves more than the food you eat. Your blood type also defines your personal characteristics and your reactions to certain situations, odors and environmental factors. The foods you consume and how you consume them are only part of the equation. You must also combine these dietary changes with a concerted effort to change the way you live your life and the way that you handle situations that upset the natural harmony that you, as a positive A, can enjoy. Speak with your doctor before following a blood-type diet.
Step 1
Become a vegetarian. Those with an A-positive blood type have a sensitive immune system, explains Dr. Peter D'Adamo, a naturopathic physician. Becoming a vegetarian, and eating organic foods, soy proteins such as tofu and soybeans, whole grains and vegetables, flushes toxins from your system. You may benefit from berries and plums, along with lentils, pinto beans and black beans. These foods strengthen your immune system, reducing your risk of life-threatening diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, while increasing mental clarity and energy levels.
Step 2
Create a list of foods to avoid. Transitioning from your usual diet to your type-A diet may be difficult at first. Creating a list of the foods you cannot eat may help you stay on track. Body Electric Today recommends eliminating kidney and lima beans, cabbage, potatoes, bananas, eggplant and tomatoes. Limit, or avoid, dairy products, along with sugar, alcohol and caffeine. If you must drink coffee, use only organic varieties, and add soy creamer if necessary. These changes may help your cortisol levels, thus reducing complications from stress such as disrupted sleep, difficulty focusing during the day and insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes. Katherine Zeratsky, Mayo Clinic nutritionist, explains that while proponents of blood-type diets suggest that people with type-A blood focus on vegetarian diets, no scientific evidence exists to support their claims.
Step 3
Plan your meals ahead of time, which takes the guesswork out of your trip to the grocery store, along with the temptation to visit the meat aisle. Use the Internet to find vegetarian recipes. An example is fried tofu. Cut firm tofu into 1-inch cubes. Combine 5 tbsp. of sesame, 4 tbsp. of cornstarch, 4 tbsp. of flour, 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. of pepper in a bowl. Heat 1 tsp. of olive oil in a skillet, and roll the tofu in the mixture. When heated, place the tofu in the skillet, cooking it until the tofu cubes are light brown on each side.
Step 4
Make time for exercise. Those with type-A blood are more prone to stress hormones, and experience burnout faster. D'Adamo recommends yoga, tai chi, meditation and deep-breathing exercises to reduce the amount of cortisol -- the stress hormone -- in your body. These exercises complement your diet, enhancing its effects on your health and well-being.
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