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The Pros and Cons of the Blood Type Diet
Certainly no discussion of food would be complete without scrutinizing the well The idea should not seem far-fetched, considering the vast amount of scientific research which has associated blood type and susceptibility to various diseases. Heart disease for instance plagues especially blood type A, and cancer is more common in both A and AB. Also more than half of all viruses and bacteria have a preference for certain blood types. For those with a sense of curiosity the blood type plan offers an interesting and harmless experiment with the effects of food and lifestyle on health. Whereas many of the recommendations make sense, others do not. Let’s examine the strong and weak points of the blood type plan to better understand its relevance. In the end personal experience will decide its value as a long-term guideline. The author focuses especially on the effect of diverse protein structures, called food lectins, on the four different types of blood cells (A, B, AB and O), as well as specific organs of the body of the four blood types, such as the intestines and the brain. Lectins have agglutinating properties, which means that they bind to carbohydrates. When these food lectins reach the blood for example, they cause the blood cells of an incompatible blood type to clump together, as they lock into the surface of the cells. The immune system reacts to these agglutinated masses of cells as if to a foreign body and destroys them. They can also stick to the surface of organs, such as the wheat lectin which attaches to the intestinal wall of type 0 and causes inflammation. Through conscious food selection we can avoid such stress factors in the body. Many food lectins very much resemble certain blood-type antigens (chemical markers on the surface of the cells), making them unsuitable to other blood types. The books contain detailed lists of foods which are beneficial, neutral and harmful for each blood type. For example the pulses (beans and lentils) contain especially powerful lectins, which cause agglutination, when they encounter blood-type cells they can hook into. Azuki beans belong to the beneficial foods for Type A and 0, but to the avoid list of B and AB. Type A and AB can eat lentils, whereas Type B and 0 should avoid them. However, the soaking and cooking of beans greatly diminishes the harmful effects of the wrong lectins, and sprouting can break them down completely. The structure of cow’s milk protein is very similar to the antigen of Type B cells. When Type A or 0 consumes cow’s milk or dairy products, the body reacts by producing antibodies and lots of mucus, just as Type B blood is incompatible with A and 0. If chronic, this can result in inflammation, reduced organ function or reactions resembling food allergies, especially with the conventional pasteurization. So Type B can take dairy products daily, whereas Type A and O should avoid them. Since the vast majority of the population of North America, western Europe and Australia has Type A and O (85-86%), the blood-type plan provides a good reason to abstain from regular consumption of popular food items such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. My experience has shown that even Type B enjoys better health by avoiding them, because of other negative effects of cow’s milk. The author reveals a very limited understanding of calcium, when he recommends that Type A and O take supplements to replace the calcium in cow’s milk products. Scientific research has clearly shown that cow’s milk is not the reliable source of calcium it is cranked up to be by massive dairy advertising. Milk does in fact contain a lot of calcium, but its absorption depends on a combination of factors, including magnesium and vitamin D. Phosphorus on the other hand reduces calcium availability to the body. All this makes milk a poor choice for calcium. The countries with the highest consumption of milk and dairy products (the USA and northern Europe) also have the highest rates of osteoporosis. It remains a mystery why these irrefutable facts continue to be rejected by many "experts". Several studies have in fact confirmed milk as a major contributor to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, allergies, asthma, intestinal disorders and more. Dr. D’Adamo emphasizes the importance of organic quality food, especially animal products, which clearly adds to his credibility. The elevated levels of environmental toxins, as well as antibiotics and even hormones, in conventional animal-quality food pose a serious long-term threat to health. Many readers have first become aware of the importance of natural food and the benefit of several exotic food items such as kombu seaweed, quinoa and pumpkin seeds, after encountering the blood-type plan. Both the scientific explanation of lectin activity with his many references and the personal appeal of addressing the specific needs of the reader’s blood type have combined to catch the attention of millions of people and get them to actually try it. No other approach to nutrition has been so successful in motivating people to break old cherished food habits for something new. Many have indeed experienced an improvement in their health by following the recommendations. Predictably the blood-type plan has attracted a lot of criticism, as it challenges the opinions and established beliefs of nutritionists, vegetarians and others. Many critics express objections without really taking the time to understand it and they often miss some important points in their critical comments. With his sight fixed on blood-type factors, the author does indeed overlook several crucial elements of healthy nutrition, but these are seldom addressed. The guidelines consist of a mixture of scientific fact, as with lectin activity, and his own speculation based on general blood-type specific characteristics or other considerations. Aside from blood-type factors, the author lists some foods as avoids for everyone because of other factors, such as possible mold contamination (melons and black olives). He however allows and even recommends some generally harmful foods and drinks, apparently unaware of their well-documented detrimental effects, because they are neutral or even beneficial in the limited blood-type context. The toxic heavy metal mercury contamination of tuna makes it anything but "neutral" for Type A, O and B and especially not "beneficial" for Type AB, as recommended. The EU urges pregnant women to eat tuna no more than a couple of times per month. It seems glaringly inconsistent to be concerned about mold, but oblivious to mercury. It is wise to retain common sense and not accept everything without thinking. Beware of the nasty pitfalls, when embarking on the blood-type plan. The most blatant example of tunnel vision is perhaps sugar, which receives the status "neutral" for all four blood types and thus may be eaten daily. There exists a wealth of research which confirms that highly refined sugar among other things depletes minerals and B vitamins and promotes over-acidity. The excessive consumption of sugar (annually about 40-50 kg per capita) plays a major role in the development of degenerative disease far beyond dental caries. Scientific studies have implicated sugar in cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes, the leading causes of death. The author contradicts himself in the latter part of his first book, when he explains that sugar suppresses white blood cells and thus weakens the immune system. The book SWEET AND DANGEROUS by the renowned British health researcher, Dr. John Yudkin, documented already in the early 1970s some of the most compelling arguments against sugar. The recommendations for fats and oils are only partly correct, as olive and flax seed oil are in fact among the healthiest and are listed as beneficial or neutral for everyone. The unhealthy polyunsaturated oils, safflower, corn and especially cottonseed oil, should also be avoided by all four blood types. The author however makes absolute statements on some controversial fine points of this complex subject, which can mislead the readers. Almost everyone is supposed to avoid coconut and coconut oil, as these are "high in saturated fat and provide little nutritional benefit". Some of the most knowledgeable people in the field of fats and oils would strongly disagree. Contrary to popular belief there is no convincing evidence that naturally saturated fats raise cholesterol or contribute to cardiovascular disease. Leading lipid researcher Dr Mary Enig, author of KNOW YOUR FATS, makes a good case for coconut oil. Its main fatty acid is not widely available from our common foods and it enhances the utilization of essential fatty acids. Besides that, it is toxic to many harmful bacteria and viruses. My personal experience has confirmed that many people benefit from natural, non-hydrogenated coconut oil and I recommend it. On the other hand canola oil is supposed to be fine for Type A, AB and 0, even though it generally contains a relatively high amount of harmful transfatty acids. Everyone is well advised to avoid this hybridized rape-seed creation (canola = Canada oil). Another misleading recommendation deserves comment. Blood type A is supposed to drink "beneficial" coffee regularly to stimulate the production of stomach acid, which is generally lacking in them. There seems to be no concern that caffeine addiction has about 80% of the population in the industrialized countries in its grip. In reality everyone profits from avoiding caffeine in all forms, whether coffee, black tea, cola or chocolate. I have met several Type A people who were lured into daily coffee indulgence after kicking the caffeine habit earlier. Aside from being a nerve toxin, as little as 100 mg of caffeine (about 1 cup of coffee or 2 cups of black tea) can disrupt the absorption of calcium and contribute to osteoporosis and other health problems. Decaffeinated coffee contains the residue of the toxic solvents used to process it and has been shown to further the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Besides that, "decaffeinated" does not mean that ALL the caffeine has been removed. The last hope for coffee fans might seem to be the solvent-free decaf alternative, but in fact coffee contains several other unhealthy substances, including chlorogenic acid. Obviously it makes sense to approach this subject with a broad, holistic overview, rather than a myopic blood-type focus. This also applies to the listing of soy products as beneficial for Type A and generally neutral for AB and O. Whereas fermented soy products such as miso, tamari, shoyu and tempeh are easily digestible, scientific research indicates that unfermented soy products, including soy milk and tofu, contain substances which may well disrupt some bodily functions and should not be consumed regularly. The phyto-estrogens in unfermented soybeans can for example inhibit thyroid function. No only those with a weak thyroid should cautious, since many cases of low thyroid function go undetected. Fermentation greatly increases the digestibility of the rather indigestible soybean and several Type A people have commented that they experienced digestive problems when they made unfermented tofu, soy cheese and other soy foods their daily fare. While tofu and soy milk may be produced naturally, soy granules represent the worst of today’s extreme food processing. Sadly, this grossly denatured product is supposed to be beneficial for Type A and neutral for AB and most of Type 0. Dr. D’Adamo refuses to accept any objections to soy products and mentions some scientific research which supports his view. In light of the soy controversy, which brought about the resignation of two critical top scientists at the American FDA, it would seem reasonable in any case to limit the consumption of unfermented soy foods. The nightshade vegetables, which include potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, deserve mentioning also, as they contain panhemaglutanins, which can agglutinate the blood cells of all four blood types. Dr. D’Adamo differentiates between the four blood types’ ability to deal with the lectins. Type 0 should avoid especially potatoes and eggplant, because their lectins cause arthritic conditions as they deposit around the joints. Tomato lectins become neutralized and thus are allowed for Type 0. The reverse applies to Type B, who can eat potatoes, but should avoid tomatoes as they harm the digestive system of both Type B and A. Type AB can eat both, but Type A neither. With my own macrobiotic nutritional background I have for a long time avoided all nightshades. Over the years I have observed with great interest the strong attachment most people in Western countries have to potatoes and tomatoes. People resist the idea of replacing the nightshades with healthy alternatives more than any other change in food habits. They often express amazement or even disbelief and shock, when they learn about the dark side of nightshades. Most of those who dare to experiment with brown rice and vegetables as an alternative, discover that within a few days they no longer desire them. So what is wrong with the nightshades aside from blood-type considerations? The author unfortunately does not at all concern himself with the toxins in nightshades, which protect them from being eaten. Especially the potato defends itself against becoming someone’s meal, whether man or insect, with an impressive arsenal of protective substances, including saponines, phenols, enzyme inhibitors and alkaloids. Solanine is the best known alkaloid with its toxic effect on the digestive system, which can cause stomach ache, cramps and loose bowels. Combined with saponines however, it is also potentially toxic to the nervous system and cell membranes in general. High concentrations of not only solanine but also another alkaloid called chaconine have been found most significantly in the liver, but also the kidneys, lungs, heart and brain. Solanine has a toxicity similar to strychnine and several cases of food poisoning from solanine-laden green potatoes have been verified. Tomatoes retain a high solanine level until they become totally red. Since just 3 mg of solanine per kg of body weight could be lethal, even the minute quantities in normal potatoes and tomatoes represent a negative effect on everyone’s health, regardless of blood type. The emergence of the blood-type plan has prodded many to reconsider their assumptions about food and look more closely at their individual needs. It has also encouraged an increased interest in experimentation among those, who are by nature curious or not completely satisfied with their health. Some food regimens such as the standard macrobiotic way of eating, raw food and vegetarianism are based on the claim that there exists a framework of guidelines which applies to everyone. The great diversity in the human physical condition contradicts such thinking though and rather speaks for a more individualized approach to nutrition and health. |
Content received from: Steven Acuff, http://www.stevenacuff.com