Blood Type A Dietary Needs

courtesy stock.xchg, 1876

One of the hallmarks of Holistic Health Counseling is the emphasis on the concept of Bio-Individuality when it comes to dietary choices.  This means that no one diet is right for everyone and that, because of human beings’ various backgrounds, ancestries and genetics, food and lifestyle history, and current state of health, diet should be tailored specifically for the individual.  In other words, each person is unique and so should be their diet.  Therefore, general recommendations like “eat high carb, low fat, and high fiber”, such as what the government food pyramid suggests really aren’t helpful for the majority of people; these ideas simply don’t account for how diverse human beings really are.

Many people are drawn to the idea of a Blood Type diet which goes that there are certain foods you should eat and avoid according to which type of blood you have.  Blood types also have various illness associated with them, respectively, as well as hints to a person’s personality and character, and explanations as to how certain groups of people came into being.  In Japan, blood type is used as an exclusive determiner of temperament and it is common for people to ask about each other’s blood type much the way we ask about astrological signs in America.  Type A’s, specifically, are considered good natured, good listeners, and creative.

Physically speaking, A blood types generally are considered the most susceptible to illness:  cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and hormonal problems.  A’s are also the most predisposed to be stressed.  At one time, stress was a natural and helpful response for the type A, but as they moved away from hunting and towards community agriculture, stress was no longer helpful as the food supply was now constant.

This blood type fares best with a mostly-vegetarian diet, though not completely vegan.  They process carbohydrates very well and therefore are able to tolerate grains (due to their agrarian roots).  However, animal proteins and fats are difficult to digest due to their low stomach acid.  They need to eat unprocessed, unrefined, organic foods in their natural state.  Additionally, they are very sensitive to wheat and dairy.  Overall, maintaining a fresh diet and a calm lifestyle is going to be necessary for this sensitive type to thrive and ward off illness.

For more information, see Dr. D’Adamo’s work and research: www.dadamo.com

Liz

Liz Schau is a Holistic Health Counselor who healed her autoimmune thyroid disease using nutrition and natural methods. She now works with others with thyroid conditions, autoimmunity, food allergies, and candida overgrowth, empowering them to live happy, healthy lives and get to the root of their illness. She is always seeking new motivated and intelligent clients. You can find her at www.lizschau.com, connect with Liz on Twitter, @lizschau and Facebook.