Seafood
In the animal realm your best choice of foods comes from the sea. As you will read in the section on health issues for type As, you have a higher risk (along with type AB) of cardiovascular disease than Os and Bs. Fish offers protection from this. You can choose from a large selection of suitable fish but should avoid all shellfish. Make sure you regularly eat fatty fish such as mackerel, sardines, trout, salmon, herring etc. When you eat fish limit the quantity because your digestive makeup doesn’t enable you to digest large amounts. However, you should be able to judge this for yourself once you learn to listen to your body’s needs.
Meat and Poultry
Your best choices of protein are determined by the fact that your stomach acid levels tend to be low. In order to properly digest animal protein we need ample amounts of hydrochloric acid. You are therefore better off eating only small amounts of chicken, turkey, guinea fowl and deriving most of your protein from soya products and fish. You may also include eggs in your diet. I have noticed that many of my blood type A patients adopted these choices before knowing about the blood type diet. These are usually patients who are already on the way to better health and have discovered by themselves what foods their body prefers. Eating meat will only clog up your system, make you feel sluggish and heavy, and add weight. Lucy (co-writer of this book) is an A, and knows all about this feeling.
Legumes, Lentils and Soya Products
Pulses and lentils are another excellent source of protein for this blood group. They provide a good source of complex carbohydrates and fibre. All of the health benefits attributed to legumes apply to you more than to any other blood type. Legumes contain phytosterols and fibre that have cholesterol-lowering and cancer-protective effects (type As have a higher risk of cancer than some other blood types – this is discussed in greater detail on page 23). In addition, legumes encourage good bowel function, which protects against colon cancer and haemorrhoids. Fibre regulates both blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, thereby offering protection against diabetes.
Soya beans and other legumes have approximately the same qualities. However, soya beans, and hence soya products, have a higher fat content with plenty of essential fatty acids and also a higher protein content with an excellent amino acid profile. Soya is a good source of lecithin, which has been shown to lower cholesterol levels (As are at higher risk of elevated cholesterol) and help the liver and gall bladder function effectively.
Soya also contains phytoestrogens that exert both a mild estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effect. In other words these compounds have a balancing effect on the hormonal system.
Robert
Blood Type A
Age 56
It is often under the recommendation of his wife that a man goes to see a nutritionist. Over the years I have increasingly suffered from digestive difficulties and painful joints. My professional life is intense and stressful but also enjoyable.
As a type A my food plan excluded meat and dairy. This was not easy but I was able to compensate with fish, which I like. After one month, with the help of some supplements, I regained digestive well-being and experienced a notable reduction in the pain in my joints.
As for the stress issue, I decided to do an adrenal stress test which revealed that my stress hormones, cortisol and DHEA, were high. I was told that since my DHEA was high, this would protect me for a time against the effects of high cortisol. However, I should avoid remaining in this state for too long as this could lead to tired adrenal glands in the end. To reduce my physiological stress response I take herbs and specific nutrients recommended by the nutritionist.
Grains
In general type As can eat grains. However, you should limit your consumption of wheat and avoid wheat bran and wheat germ. Avoid wheat altogether if you have inflammatory problems such as arthritis and easy build-up of mucus in the respiratory tract. Wheat and corn can make some type As gain weight; in this case it is better to avoid these two grains.
Of all the blood groups you can enjoy grains most, but eat them in moderation. In our society we tend to eat too many grains and cereals – too much bread, pasta, cakes and cookies. They are a convenient and quick way of getting food in our systems: bread is quickly cut, pizza is easily stuck in the oven and pasta is cooked in no time. Many people eat these foods several times a week – if not every day – when they should be eating vegetables and healthy protein. So beware! Change your habits now for the sake of your health.
All this being said, grains do have health benefits. They complement legumes and the two provide all the amino acids needed to make up a complete protein. Legumes are low in the amino acids, methionine and cysteine; grains are low in lysine. Grains are a good source of fibre (although we tend to forget that vegetables are too), minerals and B vitamins.
You may eat sprouted grains, as sprouting destroys the lectins that normally should be avoided. Sprouted grain Essene bread is a particularly good source and is beneficial for all blood groups (for more information on Essene bread see page 10).
Nuts and Seeds
These are another protein source that have the added benefit of fibre and minerals. Walnuts have a detoxifying effect in the intestines and are a good source of linolenic acid (omega-3 oil), a fatty acid lacking in our diet. Flaxseeds (linseeds) contain the highest amount of linolenic acid of all the seeds and are rich in lignans that, once converted in the intestines, have anti-cancer properties. The omega-3 oils are effective in lowering cholesterol levels and treating inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and eczema. Flaxseeds have been shown to improve women’s hormonal cycles, increasing the progesterone/estrogen ratio and encouraging ovulation and healthy ovaries. Try grinding flaxseeds in an electric coffee grinder (cleaned of all traces of coffee). They can then be sprinkled on your food or you can also add them to a glass of water or juice. Keep them in the refrigerator for no longer than five days. Flaxseeds, ground or unground, are an excellent remedy for constipation. Peanuts, which are actually a legume, contain a lectin that may have anti-cancer properties. Include peanuts in your food choices. They are a good source of protein.
Madeleine
Blood Type A
Age 88
At 85 I decided it was still not too late to seriously follow Dr D’Adamo’s method of eating according to one’s blood type. During most of my life I’ve suffered from allergy problems: runny nose, itchy eyes and, most often, a lack of energy. I had wondered at one time if wheat may have been the source of the problem, but convinced myself that it was unlikely.
I read and reread Dr D’Adamo’s book Eat Right 4 Your Type. At first I was convinced that my blood group was type O since I felt I shared many of the characteristics that went with that blood type. I started cutting out wheat and most cereals and I felt better. Eventually I had a blood test which revealed to my surprise that I was type A. The difference in food choices between group O and group A made all the difference to my total feeling of well-being. I started cutting down on meat and adding more soya products to my meals. Along with my multi-vitamin, my health practitioner advised me to take an extra vitamin C and a vitamin B complex, and added vitamin B12 plus some Gingko Biloba. From then on my stress response calmed down and I started sleeping soundly – this was new to me as I had not been sleeping well for years. I exercise daily outside (weather permitting), practise Qi Gong breathing and relaxation movements, garden, cord my wood, knit, read and get the best out of cable