Naturopath Roderick Lane and journalist Sarah Stacey published "The Adam and Eve Diet" in 2002. The diet promotes a personalized approach to weight loss that Lane bases on five body types. According to Lane, once you determine your body type and its dominant body gland, you will be able to identify the stressors in your environment that push you to overeat. Lane proposes that the information and nutritional advice associated with the diet will help you achieve permanent weight loss and better health.
Body Types
Lane describes five body types into which he categories all humans. The Pathfinder biotype's dominant gland is the pituitary gland. The thyroid is the dominant gland for the Hunter-Gatherer biotype. Pioneers' dominant gland is the adrenal gland; the gonads are dominant in Farmers. The gonads and the pituitary gland influence the Dancer biotype. Lane's book provides a questionnaire to help you determine your biotype along with the physical and personality characteristics for each biotype.
Biotypes and the Diet
With this diet, you set up a personalized nutrition program that Lane claims will strengthen the dominant gland for your biotype. The diets for each biotype have their foundation in earlier work by Henry Bieler, a nutritionist. The human biotype theory Bieler developed in the 1960s included only three biotypes.
Foods
The foods that correspond to your body type include those you should avoid and those you should consume. Lane's Pathfinder diet calls for followers to eat proteins from natural sources while avoiding gluten and dairy foods. The Hunter-Gatherer eats proteins, along with raw fruits and vegetables, but avoids refined foods and fats. The Farmer consumes a vegetarian diet and needs to avoid spices and red meat. The Pioneer diet features whole grains and seasonal produce but no alcohol or red meat. Food that fits the Dancer's biotype comes from both the Pathfinder and Farmer lists but places major emphasis on the size of meals. From breakfast to dinner, each meal increases in size.
Considerations
Diets based on Ayurveda body types, somatotyping, metabolic typing and even blood types all have a common feature -- food restrictions. The purpose of foods you eat is to provide energy for your activities and provide the vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients your body needs for optimum health and performance. To accomplish this, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends you eat a balanced diet that includes all food groups unless you have health conditions that require food restrictions.
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