That’s “Bloody” Interesting!

There are certain things that define who I am.  My faith, my family, my country, my zest for life, and of course my DNA.  Did you know that your blood type defines certain things about you just as much as your DNA?

I recently read a very interesting book, Eat Right 4 Your Type by Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo.  The subtitle explains the premise of the book: “Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight.” Dr. D’Adamo states that people should eat foods based on his/her blood type because “your blood is a genetic blueprint for who you are.”  In contrast, eating foods that have a poor reaction to your blood will affect your metabolism, immune system, etc.  Eating foods that positively respond to the chemistry of your blood allows your body to benefit from the nutrients of the foods.  Dr. D’Adamo states, “a chemical reaction occurs between your blood and the foods you eat.”  Once you know your blood type, you can go to the chapter that explains the most beneficial diet plan for your system.

Basically some foods are toxic for certain blood types, even if they are in the fruits and vegetable food group.  Each chapter devoted to a blood type has lists of foods that encourage weight gain, foods that encourage weight loss, meal planning, recipes, supplements, a stress profile, and exercise guidelines.  The author also takes each food category and lists food that are highly beneficial, foods that are neutral, and foods to avoid for each blood type.  The numerous categories include: meats & poultry, seafood, eggs & dairy, oils & fats, nuts & seeds, beans & legumes, cereals, breads & muffins, grains & pasta, vegetables, fruits, juices & fluids, spices, condiments, herbal teas, and misc. beverages/alcohols.

After I read this book, I didn’t wonder, “Now what do I fix for a meal?!” like I feel after I read most books about nutrition.  The book has long lists of foods that are highly beneficial or neutral for each blood type making it easy to plan a meal. For instance, Type A should not eat kidney or garbanzo beans (yes, that means hummus), but you can eat black, green, and pinto beans (plus 7 other highly beneficial beans and 10 neutral beans).

I encourage you to read this book for further explanation. If you don’t know your blood type, there are over-the-counter kits at your local pharmacy stores.  In the coming days I’ll post some interesting characteristics and eating suggestions for each type of blood type.  I was blown away at how accurately it described me (Type O) and my wife (Type A)…complete opposites by the way! LOL!

During my transformation, I followed the P90X Fat Shredder plan with both P90X and INSANITY: THE ASYLUM.  During that time, I unknowingly cut out most of the foods that Type O should avoid, and loaded up on foods that were recommended for Type O’s.  More on that in forthcoming blog posts!  Stay tuned and make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed so you don’t miss out!  Have a great weekend!

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