I believe that all of you want beautiful, glowing skin and there are hundreds, if not thousands of products on the market that promise to restore your skin to its youthful beauty.

A wise consumer knows that most of those products fail to deliver on their promises and contain ingredients that can disrupt hormone function or can be toxic.

To stay beautiful on the outside, start on the inside by following the diet that is right for your type – be sure to include healthy fats and oils, fruits and vegetables.

Drink six to eight glasses of water daily to flush toxins from your body. Make sure you’re getting enough exercise, which improves circulation and gives you a healthy glow. Here are a few more tips to get your skin in tip-top shape for summer:

Sun Protection – Staying out of the sun during peak hours and wearing protective clothing and a hat with a wide brim are the best all-natural “sunscreens.” When you can’t help being out in the sun, choose a broad spectrum sunscreen with fewer chemicals that can penetrate the skin. The Environmental Working Group’s website, www.ewg.org has a list of the top rated sun protection products with the fewest hazardous chemicals.

Stop Scrubbing – When washing your face, begin with warm, not hot water and use an all natural cleanser. Avoid cleansers that contain abrasive ingredients as they can cause tiny tears in the skin. Use your hands, not a washcloth, to gently wash your face in a circular motion without pulling or tugging at the skin. Rinse with cool water and pat skin dry. Don’t rub as this can irritate skin.

Trap Moisture – Applying moisturizer after a warm face wash or shower is one of the best remedies for skin. Using a good quality, all natural moisturizer helps to restore the oils that our skin has lost and helps to keep skin hydrated. Hydrated skin is plumper and has a more youthful appearance than dry, flaky skin.

Avoid Petrochemicals – Avoid products that contain petrolatum, mineral oil and paraffin. Toxic and environmentally unfriendly, these chemicals are created from petroleum and don’t belong on your skin!

Say No to Fragrance – Artificial fragrances, which frequently contain phthalates, may trigger allergic reactions, irritation, and other health problems are often found in cosmetics and skin care products. Be mindful of the hidden dangers that “fragrance” or “parfum” listed on the ingredient labels can pose and choose fragrance free products.

At first, I suggest you to examine what are the appropriate  foods according to your own blood type:

• The right foods for Type O’s health
• The right foods for Type A’s health
• The right foods for Type B’s health
• The right foods for Type AB’s health

8 Tips to drop those few extra pounds

1. Eat Slowly and Mindfully – Sit at a table, not on your couch, and never in front of the TV or in your car. Set your fork down between each bite while you savor your food and swallow. Enjoy some dinner conversation, and then have another bite. Practice a slower pace at meal time. So often we’re pressed into hurrying through meals by other responsibilities. Schedule meals so that you have time to relax and enjoy your food. Stop half way through your meal, drink some water, and ask yourself, “Am I full?” Just like changing any other habit, learning to slow down at meal times takes practice and hard work.

2. Portion Control – The larger the plate or bowl, the more likely you will be to fill it up. Trade in those large plates for small, six inch dishes. When serving yourself, remember that a standard three ounce portion of meat, poultry, or fish, should be the size of a deck of cards. A one cup serving of vegetables is about the size of a tennis ball. If you’re eating out at a restaurant, order an appetizer as your main course along with a simple salad.

3. Watch out for Triggers – Are you an emotional eater? Do you tend to crave foods when stressed? Most of us are overeating for a hundred different reasons. We are eating due to boredom, irritation and frustration. When you start to feel this way, step out into the open air and walk. The mini-blast of oxygen will vanquish tiredness and mental exhaustion. Leave your worries behind and be in the moment. Look at the birds. Be thankful. Let go, breathe deeply and relax.

4. Keep a Food Diary – It’s simple, write down everything you eat and drink in a notebook or on your PDA. You may be surprised at how the calories add up. A food diary creates a conscious awareness of food intake and eating patterns – do you binge on carbs at the end of the day or generally “need” something sweet after lunch? By writing everything down, you have a sense of accountability for everything that passes your lips.

5. Join a Support Group – A big key in long term weight control comes from receiving encouragement and support from others. The community message boards on www.dadamo.com are a great resource and networking tool. There are Eat Right for Your Type groups springing up around the world – many can be found through social networking sites like Facebook. If you live in Connecticut, the D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition Store holds a support group that meets monthly.

6. Exercise – In order for exercise to be helpful in weight loss, you should strive for a minimum of five 30 minute sessions of right for your type exercise per week. The good news is that recent research has shown that three 10 minute sessions in a day are as good as one 30 minute session. This helps many in combating the old “no time for exercise” excuse. Be certain to find something you enjoy. You’ll be more apt to stick with it. Try walking with a friend, joining an intramural sports league, or trying some classes at your local gym. Once you give exercise a chance, you will begin to enjoy its positive benefits on your psyche as well; you will literally become “hooked.”

7. Eat Breakfast – When you skip breakfast, your metabolic rate slows down and your blood sugar drops. As a result, you become hungry and have less energy. This sets you up to impulsively snack in the morning – often on high-fat sweets – or to eat extra servings or bigger portions at lunch or dinner. When you eat breakfast, your body feels nourished and satisfied, making you less likely to overeat the rest of the day.

8. Take Your Oils – Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) reduces fat and preserves muscle tissue. In studies CLA has been shown to decrease abdominal fat and lower insulin resistance (particularly good for Gatherers and Warriors).

Related posts:

1. Tips for Healthy Cardiovascular

Entire cultures have survived on diets of fish. Civilizations grew along the shores of the sea and the banks of rivers. The oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and streams often provided and incredible bounty. No wonder people thought there were gods in the water. What other explanation could there have been?

I have my own  experience with certain kind of  seafood. In my childhood until age of 40, I found my self having allergies after eating  seafood  such as shrimp, barracuda, crab, or oysters. And my allergy-specialist doctor concluded that I had to totally avoid  seafood. For fish, he advised me to consume only fresh water fish.

In 2007, I started learning the blood type diet (in my effort to overcome my kidney stones diorder) and eventually I’ve got the comprehensive knowledge, sufficient for me to get the answer for the  biggest question in my life that far:

• Why the doctor advised me to totally avoid all of seafood (to prevent me from  allergies)?

Now, it is obvious that the doctor was not correct at all.

I have B blood type and I started following the recommended food chart for type B health, and it works. Since then, I avoid only  shellfish family, anchovy, yellow tail,  barracuda, and octopus. But still there are so many other delicious deep ocean fish like cod, tuna, spanish mackerel, halibut, salmon, sardines, and also squids are waiting for me.

The blood type diet science is really very powerful and helpful for me and my family’s health. This time, I’d like to share with you the guidance in selecting the right seafood to help you achieve your optimum health.

Choose the Right Seafood for You

Type O

If your blood type is O, you should be very happy. Type O has a lengthy seafood menu from which to choose. Seafood is the second most concentrated animal protein. and is best suited to Type Os of Asian and Eurasian descent, though other Type Os can choose from a wide variety of richly oiled cold-water fish.

Fish oils are of particular importance to type Os because certain blood-clotting factors that evolved as humans adapted to environmental changes were missing from the blood of early Type Os. For this reason, Type Os often have ‘thin’ blood, resistant to clotting. Although fish oils tend to have a blood-thinning effect, this is  not an issue for Type Os.

Fish oils can also be very effective in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, such as colitis or Chron’s disease, to which Type Os are susceptible.

Seafood is also an excellent source of iodine, which regulates thyroid function. Type Os typically suffer from hypothyroidism, a condition in which an insufficient amount of thyroid  hormone is produced. Seafood should become a regular component of the healthy Type O diet.

I suggest you to examine the food chart for the health of Type O by reading the following article:

• Real Food for Type O Health

Type A

Type As can eat fish up to three or four times a week to complement vegetable protein. Avoid the delicate white fish, such as halibut, hake, sole, and flounder; they contain lectin that can irritate the Type A digestive tract.

Type A women with a family history of breast cancer should consider introducing the edible snail Helix pomatia (escargot) into their diets. It helps fight cancer in the following way: in a precancerous condition, the body’s cells manufacture a protein that allows the cancer to spread. The snail lectin attaches to those cells and essentially takes away their internal passport, blocking their ability to spread.

Fish oils are believed to be a factor in reducing heart disease, which makes them important for Type As.

I suggest you to examine the food chart for the health of Type A by reading the following article:

• Real Food for Type A Health

Type B

Type Bs thrive on fish. Deep ocean fish rich in oils, like cod, are excellent for Type Bs, as are white fish, such as halibut, flounder, and sole. Shellfish should be assiduously avoided by all Type Bs, as shellfish  contain lectins disruptive to the Type B system. This prohibition includes lobsters, shrimp, crabs, and clams.

Many of the original Type Bs were ancient Hebrew tribes whose laws forbade the consumption of shellfish. Perhaps this dietary law was an implicit acknowledgment of  the fact that shellfish was poorly   digested by Type Bs. In this respect, some  scientists have discovered that salmon roe – eggs – may also contain a lectin that agglutinates Type B cells. Until more information is available, I suggest that you, whose blood type is B, limit your intake of salmon.

I suggest you to examine the food chart for the health of Type B by reading the following article:

• Real Food for Type B Health

Type AB

Type ABs also have a vast variety of beneficial fish and seafood, but like Type As, they should avoid the white fish halibut, hake, sole, and flounder, and like Type Bs, all shellfish.

Type AB women who have a family history of  breast cancer should consider including the edible snail Helix pomatia in their diet. Type ABs also share with Type Bs caution about salmon.

I suggest you to examine the food chart for the health of Type AB by reading the following article:

• Real Food for Type AB Health

Reference:

• “Live Right for Your Type“, Peter J. D’Adamo and Catherine Whitney, 2001, Penguin Group, New York, NY.

Related posts:

1. Fat, Fish and Fowl
2. Tips for Healthy Cardiovascular

The secretor status is a part the science of  Blood Type Diet. I’d love to share with you below, a latest (per March 2010) rare but important information from Dr. Peter D’Adamo. As you know, the Blood Type Diet, as a  new kind of science, has been very useful and powerful  for me to understand the complexity on health matter and really works to help me in the natural healing process of my second kidney stone disorder in 2007.

It helps me in finding so many unanswered health questions that have been  lingered for more than 30 years.

Hopefully the valuable latest information below would benefits your healthy life.

Why Secretor Status is Important?

Are you a secretor or a non-secretor? Before starting the Blood Type or GenoType Diet, you most likely would not have known how to respond to that question or the far reaching influences that your secretor status has on your health. Your secretor status drastically alters the carbohydrates present in your body fluids and also controls important aspects of your metabolism and immune resistance.

Dr. D’Adamo defines a secretor as a person who secretes the blood type antigens into body fluids, like the saliva in your mouth or the mucous in your digestive tract. A non-secretor, is a person who puts little or none of their blood type antigen into these same fluids. Although we don’t precisely know why nature made most of us secretors (approximately 80% of the population are secretors), scientists believe that it was an evolutionary adaptation to provide humans with an additional layer of immune protection from environmental elements such as bacteria, pollutants and other irritants.

Knowing your secretor status and understanding how it influences your body’s ability to function is key to getting the most out of the Blood Type and GenoType Diets. Research suggests the following conditions may be linked to non-secretor status:

• Non-secretors are more prone to generalized inflammation than secretors
• Non-secretors are more prone to both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes than secretors
• Non-secretors with Type 1 diabetes have more consistent problems with Candida, especially in their mouths and upper GI tracts
• Non-secretors account for 80% of all fibromyalgia sufferers, irrespective of blood type
• Non-secretors have an increased prevalence of a variety of autoimmune diseases
• Non-secretors have an extra risk for recurrent urinary tract infections and 55-60% have been found to develop renal scarring even with the regular use of antibiotic treatment

You can see why it is so essential to be tested for your secretor status! If you are among the 20% of the population that comprises non-secretors, you will need to factor that in to your prescriptive diet. Making a few adjustments to an already good diet will provide the necessary support for overall good health and well-being.

The New Supporting Studies

Here are two studies which support individualized nutrition and the work and research that Dr. D’Adamo has been doing. We’ll be seeing more work like this as the validity of ABO as a significant biometric marker becomes more accepted in the scientific and medical communities.

Large-scale genomic studies reveal central role of ABO in sP-selecti and sICAM-1 levels. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20167578

Interindividual differences in response to plant-based diets: implications for cancer risk. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19297461

Related posts:

1. Secretor, Non-secretor, and Syndrome X
2. 10 Interesting Rare Health Facts
3. Probiotics, the Useful Bacteria

In his book, Cardiovascular Disease: Fight It with the Blood Type Diet, Dr. D’Adamo explains why people with different blood types experience different cardiovascular problems and provides targeted programs for each of the four blood types for preventing and treating heart conditions, high blood pressure, controlling cholesterol and vascular problems. Here are a few tips to keep your ticker in tip top shape!

Type O

• Minimize consumption of the insulin-mimicking lectins most abundant in grains, such as wheat and corn. These can contribute to metabolic syndrome, a precursor to heart disease.
• Adopt a vigorous exercise program – this will increase your circulatory efficiency, lower adrenaline and minimize arterial damage.
• Use supplements intelligently to block the effect of insulin-mimicking lectins, provide antioxidant support and control triglyceride levels.

Type A

• Eat a diet rich in soy protein, healthy seafood and green vegetables to decrease arterial and venous inflammation.
• Reduce cortisol levels by engaging in regular calming exercise such as yoga.
• Avoid red meats and high fat foods – they increase cholesterol, decrease your liver function and increase your risk for heart disease.

Type B

• Incorporate lean, organic lamb and mutton to your diet. They help build muscle and active tissue mass.
• If you are a coffee drinker, begin to wean yourself by cutting daily consumption in half, substituting green tea.
• Try some simple visualization techniques to help control high blood pressure. Do this two to four times daily for five to eight minutes.

Type AB

• Don’t overdo grains and avoid wheat.
• Garlic is super beneficial for type AB because of its ability to reduce excess blood clotting factors and because it’s a good source of the amino acid citrulline, a potential precursor to nitric oxide metabolism.
• Make breakfast your most important protein-rich meal of the day and vary your meal sizes, big breakfast, medium lunch, small dinner.

Incorporate these super beneficial greens into your diet for a dose of heart healthy veggies!

Blood Type O
Sauteed Kale

Blood Type A
Baked Swiss Chard

Blood Type B
Beet Leaf Salad

Blood Type AB
Broccoli Salad

For more information concerning proper healthy foods and food chart for each blood type, please click the links below:

Food chart for type O

Food chart for Type A

Food chart for Type B

Food chart for Type AB

I recommend you to find the the useful article regarding explanation of how blood type determines your health and other articles under  the category of  blood type diet of this site.

Enjoy your healthy life !

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Herbal teas provide most of the blood types with an enormous advantage. Concoctions of herbs have been used for aeons to treat a host of illnesses, real and imagined. Today, they are widely available commercially and have been rightly restored to a place of honor in most homes.

Type O

Herbal teas can be used by type Os to shore up their strength against natural weakness. The primary emphasis for Type Os is on soothing the digestive and immune systems. Liquorice can soothe the stomach irritations that are common to Type Os. A liquorice preparation called DGL can be found in health food stores. It is safe to use because it doesn’t  contain component in raw liquorice that can raise blood pressure. Herbs such as peppermint, parsley, rose hips, and sarsaparilla all have a soothing effect. Alfalfa, aloe, burdock, and corn silk cause non-specific immune stimulation of Type O, which can exacerbate immune diseases.

Type  A

While the Type O system needs to be soothed, the Type A system needs to be revved up. The most outstanding health risk factors for Type As are related to their sluggish immune system. Aloe, alfalfa, burdock, and echinacea are immune system boosters. Green tea has a powerful antioxidant effect on the digestive tract, providing protection against cancer. Hawthorn is a cardiovascular tonic. Slippery elm, gentian, and ginger increase stomach-acid secretion. Chamomile and valerian root are exelent relaxants for the Type A system.

Type B

There are number of herbal teas that are highly beneficial for Type Bs. Ginger warms and peppermint soothes. Ginseng has a positive effect on the nervous system. It has a stimulant effect, so be sure to drink it early in the day. Liquorice is excellent for Type Bs. It contains antiviral properties that work to reduce the Type B susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. Also, many Type Bs experience a drop in blood sugar levels after meals (hypoglycemia), and liquorice helps regulate blood-sugar levels. It is discovered that liquorice is a fairly powerful elixir for those suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. However, a caution applies: since it can raise blood pressure, never consume liquorice in supplements or liquorice root without consultating your doctor.

Type AB

Herbal teas should be employed by Type ABs to rev up the immune system and build protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Alfalfa, burdock, chamomile, and echinacea are immune-system boosters. Hawthorn and liquorice are recommended for cardiovascular health. Green tea has enormous cancer-inhibiting properties and a positive effect on the immune system. Dandelion, burdock root, and strawberry leaf teas aid the absorption of iron and prevent anemia in Type AB.

Reference:

• Cook Right for Your Type, Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo & Catherine Whitney, Century, Random House, London, 2001.

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1. 10 Interesting Rare Health Facts

I’ve got the latest great information in relation with Blood Type Diet in which I  love to share it with you. Please enjoy below the very rare 10 great facts you might not know that can positively effect your health and wellbeing.

1. Horseradish may do more than just spice up your favorite sandwich.  Scientists have shown that this spice/food has substantial activity against a range of bad bacteria.  Horseradish is a neutral or beneficial for all blood types.
2. Regularly rocking a child can promote brain growth, results in faster weight gain, earlier development of vision and hearing, and earlier development of distinct sleep patterns.
3. Take note blood type O’s: research suggests that combining cherry with ground beef slows down the oxidative deterioration of meat fats and substantially reduces these HAA compounds.
4. High tissue burdens of heavy or toxic metals have been suggested to be a common biological burden for most people.  Seaweeds contain alginates which can help bind heavy metals and allow them to transit more safely through the digestive tract.
5. While anyone can have an ear infection, studies show that type A children, or children of blood type A mothers, are much more routinely affected.
6. In all blood types, the average number of cavities is lower for secretors than for non-secretors.  This difference is most significant for smooth surface areas of the teeth. (you can find out  further helpful information about secretor and non-secretor status in the next post)
7. Green tea consumption might increase the amount of energy (or calories) you burn.  It appears to have a thermogenic property which promotes fat oxidation.  Green tea is beneficial for all blood types.
8. Ancient wheat was about 2% protein.  Modern hybrids can contain as much as 14% protein, largely due to genetic manipulation in the misguided belief that wheat is a convenient vehicle to rectify the world’s protein malnutrition.  Unfortunately most of the harmful fractions of wheat, such as the lectins, are found in the protein portion of the grain.
9. Research is clear that a bout of acute stress in virtually any form will cause a temporary lowering of your immune system, while chronic stress will result in continued less than optimum performance of various components of your immune system.
10. Exposure to morning sunshine at the time you should be waking is essential for the proper 24-hour release cycle of cortisol.

Enjoy your healthy lifestyle !

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Related posts:

1. Your Secretor Status is A Key to Your Health
2. Your Body Needs Herbal Teas
3. Secretor, Non-secretor, and Syndrome X
4. Tips for Healthy Cardiovascular
5. Blood Type Diet: The Genetic Fingerprint

There’s more to eating than the food you put into your body. The digestive process is truly holistic. You might be surprised about the elements that have a practical impact on the way your body utilizes foods. To make the most of your meal, heed the following:

1. Don’t Drink With Your Meal

It has been discovered many years ago that consuming liquids with food dilutes the digestive juice. You may include beverages with the  blood type menus. However, try to drink them separately from the meal itself. For example, have a glass of wine a half  hour before dinner and drink your tea or coffee a half hour after dinner.

2. Leave Your Tension at the Door

According to Roman proverb, the secret of healing is ‘Dr. Diet, Dr. Quiet, and Dr. Happy’. If you eat when you’re nervous or tense, your stress hormones produce too many digestive juices, which leads to heartburn and and acid stomach. The dinner hour is not the time to discuss your child’s school report failures.

3. Stop Talking

In addition to the obvious connection between talking and stress, there’s a very practical reason why meals should be silent. When you talk, you tend to swallow large amounts of air, and that causes gas. Talking also interferes with the chewing process, and food must be well chewed in order to be digested properly. The old parental reminder ‘Don’t talk with your mouth full’ is good rule to follow and not just for reasons of etiquette.

4. Chew Your Food

People who bolt their food down as if they’re in some kind of contest deprive themselves of one of  life’s  greatest pleasures – eating and enjoying the flavors, aromas, colors, and textures of food. The importance of mastication – using your teeth, lips, gum and mouth to thoroughly chew and break down  whatever it is that you’re eating – can’t be emphasized enough. Because the secretion of the gastric juices is initiated by the sense of taste, chewing thoroughly and keeping food in your mouth long enough to fully extract its full flavor helps prepare the stomach for proper digestion. This is also why foods should be eaten in their natural state. Digestive enzymes react only on the surface of food particles, not on their interior, so your rate of digestion depends upon the total surface area exposed to gastric and intestinal secretions. The more you chew food, the greater the surface area that is exposed and the more effective digestion is throughout the gastrointestinal tract. This, in turn, increases the ease with which food is passed from the stomach to the small intestines and other areas of the body, thereby placing less strain on the digestive system.

If your diet includes meats and seafood, you must take the time to thoroughly chew them, even up to 30 times per bite. Because starches such as bread, potatoes, and fruit begin the process of digestion in the mouth, they need  to be thoroughly chewed to facilitate the breakdown. In addition to expediting proper digestion, thorough chewing also ceases elimination because it warms the food, and this accelerates the catalyctic activities of the enzymes. Swallowing cold foods whole slows the digestive process by inhibiting the proper secretion of enzymes.

Vary your daily menus according to Blood Type Diet’s guidance that have been developed to reinforce the philosophy that eating well is a restorative, energizing, and almost mystical experience. Let’s all eat in happiness and good health.

Reference:

• Live Right for Your Type, Dr. Peter Dadamo & Catherine Whitney, G.P. Putnam & Sons, NY, 2001

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In attempt to heal my kidney stones  disease in natural way, I’ve been advised to carry out blood type diet according to my blood type and I had no choice, just followed the advice. I’ve been applying the diet so far and feel free to choose the various right foods according to Type B food chart. This style of diet really works for me and my family and friends as well.

Sometimes, I try to little bit break the rule and it doesn’t matter. I see some people follow the blood type diet and I see the diet is work for them; on the other hand, I see other people don’t carry out the diet and I know they get health problem. Keep in your mind that the goal of Blood Type Diet is to maximize your performance. This point is very important.

For me, the science of blood type diet has revealed already long time mystery about my health problems, such as food allergies, viral diseases, kidney stones, and myth hanging around coffee, teas, diary products, vegetarianism, and many other health  matters.

In the two  years since publication of the best seller Eat Right 4 Your Type in 1996, Dr. D’adamo, the author,  said that he have communicated with thousands of people during media appearance, on the Web, over the phone, by mail, at lectures, and in his office. Many of them have been curious, a few skeptic, and some true believers in the Blood Type Diet. In his Website, people share, with touching detail, their long efforts to find a key to a chronic illness or a battle with obesity (you can visit www.dadamo.com). He told that their stories have many common elements, but at the core they are unique and individual – just like the people themselves. He admitted that they have helped him appreciate more than ever before the countless variations among human beings.

Does the Blood Type Diet Work?

Dr.D’adamo said that he has learned from collecting thousands of certified medical results from readers and patients that the diet works  for nine out of ten people and that the more severe the problem, the faster it works. But the real question each person needs to ask is, ‘ Does it work for me?’ It is not as important to have a theory that works for everybody in a generic way as it to have a theory that takes into account individual variations.

It is not as important to have a theory that works for everybody in a generic way as it to have a theory that takes into account individual variations.

The Blood Type Diet is really about the expression of individuality. Properly understood, individuality becomes a powerful friend, allowing a deeper grasp of the whys and wherefores of a given medical or health condition. If individual variations are ignored or downplayed, they become roadblocks that devalue the very best science has to offer. So when you hear or read about a new scientific finding, always ask the question, ‘Are they talking about me?’

So when you hear or read about a new scientific finding, always ask the question, ‘Are they talking about me?’

How can you find out if the Blood Type Diet is right for you? First, you must be willing to change your mindset about food. We have all been conditioned to view food as one thing and medicine another. We are rarely asked to consider the multifaceted ways in which the food we eat affects every cell in our bodies. Because of this, it can be uncomfortable to grapple with new ideas like those presented in the Blood Type Diet. But when you consider that most of our current knowledge about human nutrition has been acquired in this century, you can see that we are only just beginning to understand the effect of foods on our body systems.

No Absolutes in Blood Type Diet

You should  have a point of view that no absolutes in the Blood Type Diet. This science has never been about rigid rules and regulations. Nor it is about superimposing an artificial set of values on the way you already live. Eating right for your blood type simply means following the ancient codes that are still imprinted in every cell of your body. Think of it as one of the ways you can celebrate the miracle of human individuality.

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You don’t have to be  a food scientist or carry a gram counter or calculator when you go to the market. Simply focus on selecting the freshest foods in their most natural state. And use your knowledge of basic nutritional principles. Here are a few tips.

Avoid heavily fatted meats. Free- range poultry and meats have been raised without the excessive use of antibiotics and other chemicals, and they’re recommended for the Blood Type Diet. Free-range means just that – that animals haven’t been penned in. Once you try free-range meat or poultry, you’ll see the difference. The flesh is leaner, the color and texture are richer, and there is very little fat. It’s possible to raise red meats that have fat and cholesterol level that are closer to those of the leaner poultry, but the meat may be less tender and flavorful by modern standards. The giant agribusinesses are still locked into the traditional notion that consumers want rich, high-fat meats. Our ancestors consumed rather lean game or domestic animals that graze on alfalfa and other grasses. Today’s meats are corn-fed, kept healthy with antibiotics, and prized for the tenderness of their meat and the marbling of their fat. Fortunately, some business are beginning to respond to the growing demand for lean, organic meat. If your market hasn’t caught on to the trend, be sure to let the manager know.

Fresh fish is fairly simple to identify. Look at the eyes. If they’re clear and reflective, the fish is probably fresh. Pull the gills out from the back of the head. They should be bright red or dark pink. If the skin is slimy to the touch, and the fish has any kind of off odor or fishy smell, it is not fresh.

Try to avoid the canned-foods aisles. Commercially canned foods are subjected to high heat and pressure, and they lose a great deal of their vitamin content, especially the antioxidants, such as vitamin C. They do retain the vitamins that are not heat sensitive, such as vitamin A. Canned foods are usually lower in fiber and higher in salt. The salt is added to boost the flavor lost during production. Few of the natural enzymes remain; for the most part, they’re destroyed by the canning process.

Other than fresh foods, frozen ones are your best bet, since freezing doesn’t alter the nutritional content of the food very much. The quality and variety of frozen foods have improved greatly in the just the last few years. New processing and freezing methods allow foods to be kept as close to fresh as possible.

T i p

If you buy non organic veggies, take care to remove chemicals from the skin. Wash the vegetables in a full sink of water with a solution of two teaspoons (10 ml) of bleach and one tablespoon (15 ml) of dish detergent. There are also ready-made solutions available from health food stores and mail-order catalogs

Whole lines of organic and vegetarian foods are now being offered commercially, making it easier than ever before to bring a wide variety of items to the consumer’s table that might be have been difficult to find before. Still, I’m an old-fashioned guy. My favorite foods are still fresh food.

Stay Smart About Safety

In March 1998, New York Times report that the U.S. federal government was being urged by health officials to undertake new and comprehensive efforts to detect cases of illness caused by contaminated foods and to protect future outbreaks. Such a case also take place in the other countries.

The National Center for Health Statistics in the U.S. reported that food-borne illness are among the leading reasons for emergency room visits each year. As an example, it was estimated that in a one-year period between 1996 and 1997, the state of Minnesota’s 4.4 million residents suffered 6.1 million diarrhoeal illness.

Although there are no firm numbers regarding the consumption of unsafe foods, botulism, staphylococcus and toxoplasmosis are among the more common examples of fish related contamination. Viral hepatitis, caused by faecal contamination, unsafe mercury levels, and high levels of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are potential hazards of eating foods from polluted water supplies. As with animal product, bacterial and parasitic contamination are always possible. Alarmingly, fish is not subject to the same level of federal inspection as meat and poultry. Rather, a voluntary program of inspection is maintained by wholesale distributors and prosessors. It wasn’t until 1991 that FDA created a unit to monitor the safety of seafood!

Although the U.S. has long been touted as having the world’s safest and least expensive food supply, it is becoming less so. A tremendous amount of the nation’s food supply pours in from countries without even the minimal safeguards the U.S. employs to ensure food safety. An increasing number of food-borne illnesses, in fact, closely resemble what was once considered classic traveller’s diarrhoea. In other words, Montezuma’s Revenge no longer requires luggage, merely a trip to the local supermarket.

Don’t assume that you can relax your guard when you shop in a health food store. Many health food stores, especially the smaller ones, do not have the rapid turnover of a busy greengrocer or supermarket. Check the ’sell by’ dates on every package.

T I P

If  You Don’t Have a Health Food Store and Can’t Find Organic Foods . . .

• Let your local supermarket manager know that you’re interested in buying organic foods. Many chains have started to stock organic produce, meat and poultry as a matter of course.
• Check out the frozen-food section of your supermarket. There are many new variations on vegetarians and gluten-free foods. They’re not just in health food store anymore.

Know Your Organics

Commercial markets are stocking organic produce on a regular basis – a fairly recent innovation. In case of U.S.,  most  organic produce and fruits are from California, a state with specific laws concerning the use of the word organic. In some markets, organic vegetables and fruits are displayed side by side with the nonorganic produce. In many instances, they are priced identically! We suspect that market demand will continue to push more and more vegetable and fruit growers back to the organic methods of cultivation. The cost of commercial fertilizers and pesticides will eventually make the nonorganic produce more expensive to grow. Despite the old pro and con aerguments about the use of pesticides, it simply comes down to this piece of common sense: no amount of pesticides, however small, has ever been discovered to be beneficial to the human body (see another great post: Are You Sure Your Foods are Safe?).  Conversely, it is best to remember that organic fruits and vegetables bruise easily and spoil rapidly. Many areas of the world couldn’t sustain sufficient levels of food production at this point without using pesticides. That is the paradox.

Pragmatically, a good rule of thumb is to purchase organic vegetables in preference to nonorganic vegetables if they’re not exorbitantly priced. They taste better, are muchly delicious and  healthier for you. Commercial fertilisers can increase agribusiness production. Fruits and vegetables can be produced according to the consumer’s desire. But, this trend produces higher water content, as well as muchly less delicious taste of fruit and vegetable. Thus, decrease the nutrition value as well.

Independent laboratories revealed that organic wheat contains 24% higher protein than the commercial one, and organic castor (oil) contains 43% higher vitamin C as well. The other data are:

• Organic tomato contains 23 mg. higher calcium, while the nonorganic one contains only 5 mg.
• Organic vegetable contain antioxidant 10% to 50 % higher than nonorganic one.
• Organic fruits and vegetables contain higher vitamin C and essential minerals, such as Calcium, Phosporus, Magnesium, Ferum (iron) and Chrome. Organic fruits and vegetables also contain Nitrate (carsinogenic contaminant) 25% lesser than nonorganic ones.

However, if you don’t have a lot of money to spend and can’t find reasonably priced organic produce, improvise. Fresh, high quality nonorganic produce will be fine. The important thing is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Organic or commercial (nonorganic), the valuable nutrients are there for the eating.
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Reference:

• “‘Cook Right 4 Your Type”, Peter J. D’adamo, Century, Random House, London, 2001

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