Do you know that there are 20 times more bacteria than cells in your body, or that you have more bacteria in your body at this very moment than the total number of people who have ever lived on the planet? This may sound alarming, but these tiny organisms are crucial to good health.

What is Probiotic

A probiotic is an organism which contributes to the health and balance of the intestinal tract.These “friendly” or “beneficial” bacteria live in your small and large intestines, support your immune system, and contribute to healthy digestion.

A number of companies have recognized the importance of these friendly bacteria and are supplementing their yogurt products with probiotics. Turn on the TV during the traditional mid-morning and afternoon programming hours aimed at women, and you’ll be invited to take the “challenge” that one company is offering—your money back if you don’t see improvement in digestion after one month. While it’s great that people are becoming more aware of how these good bacteria contribute to digestion, they don’t mention that specific strains of bacteria are beneficial or harmful in the gut of people with different blood types.

What does blood type have to do with friendly bacteria? According to Dr. D’Adamo, there are three things:

• Your blood type antigens are prominent in your digestive tract and in about 80% of individuals (secretors), are also prominent in the mucus that lines your digestive tract. Because of this, many of the bacteria in your digestive tract actually use your blood type as a preferred food supply. In fact, blood group specificity is common among intestinal bacteria with almost 1/2 of strains tested showing some blood type A, B, or O specificity. To give you an idea of the magnitude of the blood type influence on intestinal microflora, it has been estimated that someone with blood type B will have up to 50,000 times more of some strains of friendly bacteria than either blood type A or O individuals.
• Some strains of beneficial bacteria can have lectin-like hemagglutinin activity directed against your blood type, so avoiding those is a good idea.
• Polyflora Blood Type Specific Probiotics also blend prebiotics (foods which provide special growth factors for probiotic bacteria) that are right for each blood type.

In a recent blog, Dr. D’Adamo referenced two recent studies that link type II diabetes, obesity, and the lack of intestinal flora. He says, “Increasingly, studies are showing that changes in the microflora content of the digestive tract can be linked to metabolic illnesses, including type II (adult onset) diabetes and obesity. Blood group and secretor status play an important role in conditioning the overall characteristics of the digestive tract, including influencing the appearance and frequency of many strains of bacteria.”

Routinely taking probiotics that are Right for Your Type improves digestion, enhances bioavailability, promotes detoxification and better absorption of nutrients, and enhances immunity. There is also evidence that routine use of probiotics lowers LDL (bad cholesterol), inhibits Candida (yeast), and may even prevent nitrates from being converted into cancer causing nitrosamines.

As a point of interest, the word probiotic means, “in favor of life.” I’m in favor of that!

Source:

• Dr. D’Adamo Newsletter of June 2010

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 !

Do you know your blood type?

There are several ways to find out your blood type:

1. Donate blood. Also note that blood banks will often perform a blood type test for a fee, even if you don’t wish to give blood.
2. Ask your doctor; but don’t be surprised if he or she doesn’t know. When blood is drawn for routine cholesterol screening or other factors, blood typing is not normally done unless it has been requested.
3. There are at-home blood type testing kits available in health stores or drugstores.

In addition, it is necessary for you to know your secretor or non-secretor status. New to this matter? Below some useful information regarding the importance of knowing your secretor status.

For those suffering from a specific condition it is recommended that you get assistance from a healthcare provider. Some practitioners familiar with the significance of blood groups are listed on the internet in the Eat Right 4 Your Type practitioner registry.

The Lewis Blood Group  Test

Lewis Blood Group and Secretor Status: [Gene location: 19q13.3] The molecule that defines your blood group is called an antigen. People of each blood group have that specific antigen on their red blood cells: A has the A antigen, B has the B antigen AB has both A and B antigens and O has the H antigen. The term “ABH secretor” refers to secretion of ABO blood group antigens in fluids such as saliva, sweat, tears, semen, and breast milk. If you are an “ABH secretor”, you will secrete antigens according to your blood group. For example, group O people will secrete H antigen, group A will secrete A and H antigens, etc. Approximately 80% of people are ABH secretors.

There are several differences between ABH secretors and non-secretors, especially relating to function of the immune system. There are altered dietary requirements, which are outlined in Live Right gor Your Type and The Complete Blood Group Encyclopedia. Lewis blood group is a minor blood group that relates to salivary secretor status. Salivary ABH secretor determination is based on testing for your blood group antibodies in your saliva. Finding your Lewis blood group (Lea and Leb) will tell your ABH secretor status in most cases, irrespective of your blood group. Most ABH secretors have a Lewis group of: Lea- Leb+. Most ABH non-secretors have a Lewis group of: Lea+ Leb-. A small minority (about 5% of the population) will be Lewis Double Negative (LDN): Lea- Leb-. For LDN people Lewis blood group cannot be used to determine ABH secretor status. ABH Saliva testing is available for this purpose. LDN people share most of the same metabolic consequences as ABH non-secretors, and in a few instances they have the most severe manifestations. According to Dr. D’Adamo “It may be helpful to think of LDN individuals as a special category of non-secretor”. Although ABH salivary secretor status is often thought of as an ‘all or none’ situation, this is not always the case. Some people known as ‘partial’ or ‘weak secretors’ have a greatly reduced quantity of active A or B blood group substance in their saliva, predisposing them to similar functional problems as non-secretors. In the same way, Lewis antigens can also give a ‘weak’ result. Where relevant, weak Lewis results will be reported, as will Lea+ Leb+ (a rare temporary situation, brought about by circumstances such as pregnancy).

Secretor and Non-secretor

An overview and preview of the new saliva-based secretor test in the book Eat Right 4 Your Type, Dr. D’Adamo introduced readers to the concept of Secretors/Non-secretors. By now you are familiar with the concept that your ABO blood type is controlled by your genetics. The gene coding for your blood type lies on chromosome 9q34. However, a separate gene actually interacts with your blood type gene, determining your ability to secrete your blood type antigens into body fluids and secretions. In the genetics of the secretor system two options exist. A person can be either a Secretor (Se) or a Non-secretor (se). This is completely independent of whether you are a blood type A, B, AB, or O. This means that someone can be an A Secretor or an A Non-secretor, a B Secretor, or a B Non-secretor etc. In a simplified sense, a Secretor is defined as a person who secretes their blood type antigens into body fluids and secretions like the saliva in your mouth, the mucus in your digestive tract and respiratory cavities, etc. Basically what this means is that a secretor puts their blood type into these body fluids. A Non-secretor on the other hand puts little to none of their blood type into these same fluids. As a general rule, in the U.S. about 20% of the population are Non-secretors (with the remaining 80% being Secretors). The Secretor Edge With respect to the ABO blood types, it is very difficult to state that one type is more advantageous than another. Each blood type has its own strengths and characteristic weaknesses. However, this does not appear to be the case with the Secretor gene. As a generality, being a Non-secretor (based on all of the available information) does actually appear to be a potential health disadvantage. At a very basic level, being able to secrete blood type into your saliva, mucus, etc. allows for an added degree of protection against the environment, particularly with respect to microorganisms and lectins.

An additional advantage of being a Secretor might be a generalized tendency to promote a stabilized, blood-type friendly intestinal bacterial ecosystem. Many of the friendly (probiotic) bacteria in your digestive system actually use your blood type as one of their preferential foods. Since Secretors have a steady supply of blood type in the mucus that lines the digestive tract, their bacteria have a much more constant food supply. Metabolic Differences Between Secretors and Non-Secretors Similar to the ABO blood types, it appears additional genetic information must be linked to the Secretor gene, because predictable trends in non-blood type aspects of physiology have a close association with Secretor/Non-secretor status. Aspects of physiology such as the relative activity of an enzyme called intestinal alkaline phosphatase; propensities toward clotting, reliability of some tumor markers, and generalized performance of your immune system have predictable trends depending upon your Secretor status. The activity of intestinal and serum alkaline phosphatase is strongly correlated with secretor phenotypes. Basically, Non-secretors, independent of their ABO blood groups, have lower alkaline phosphatase activity (as you might remember type O’s have the highest alkaline phosphatase activity and type A’s the least). It has been estimated that the serum alkaline phosphatase activity of Non-secretors is only about 20% of the active in the secretor groups.

As was mentioned in Eat Right 4 Your Type, blood type impacts the clotting ability to a significant degree. In fact, it has been estimated that a significant fraction (30%) of the genetically determined variance in plasma concentration of the von Willebrand factor antigen (vWf) is directly related to ABO blood type. As a rule, it is blood group O individuals who have the lowest amount of this clotting factor and the tendency for the lowest degree of clotting/platelet aggregation. In the Secretor/Non-secretor world, Secretors have the slowest clotting while Non-secretors have shorter bleeding times and a tendency towards higher factor VIII and vWf. ABO and Secretor genetics actually further interact to influence blood viscosity. In essence what this means is that an A Non-secretor will be at the far end of the spectrum with the slowest bleeding times, thickest blood viscosity, and the most probability to have high platelet aggregation. On the other end on the continuum will be O Secretors, who will have the longest bleeding time, thinnest blood, and least tendency for platelet aggregation. Because of this, Non-secretors (especially the type A’s) tend to be at the highest risk for future atherothromboti and heart disease. Disease Susceptibility among Secretors and Non-secretors: Digestive System As a general rule, a higher intensity of oral disease is found among Non-secretors. This includes dysplasia (precancerous changes to the tissue) and an increase in cavities. Statistically speaking, blood type A Secretors have the lowest number of cavities. Non-secretors also tend to have more digestive problems. Several studies have indicated that Non-secretors have a significantly higher rate of duodenal and peptic ulcers. Non-secretors are also less resistant to infection by Helicobacter pylori (a microbe associated with ulcers). It appears that this organism can colonize more readily and generate more inflammation in individual’s incapable of secreting their blood type into the digestive tract. Non-secretors are at an increased risk for development of celiac disease (up to 48% of patients with celiac disease have been reported to be Non-secretors). Respiratory System With regards to aspects of lung function, being a Non-secretor takes its usual place as a health disadvantage. Several researchers have suggested that being a Non-secretor might predispose an individual to damaging effects, while being a secretor might add a degree of protection against harmful environmental assaults to our lungs. Among coal miners, asthma was significantly related to Non-secretor phenotype. Secretors also appear to receive a degree of protection against some of the deleterious effects of cigarette smoking. Evidence suggests that the ability to secrete ABO blood type antigens might decrease the risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Being a Non-secretor also offers a slight increase risk for having a problem with habitual snoring.

Autoimmune Disease

Non-secretors appear to have an increase in the prevalence of a variety of autoimmune diseases including ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthropathy, Sjogren’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and Grave’s disease. Diabetes, Heart Disease, & Metabolic Syndrome X Non-secretors are at a greater risk of developing diabetes (especially adult onset diabetes); and they might be at a greater risk of developing complications from diabetes. Data allows the conclusion that Non-secretors are a risk factor for myocardial infarction and heart disease (note: this is particularly true for men). Several different researchers have noted a connection between a metabolic syndrome called “Syndrome X” and Non-secretor blood types. Syndrome X is a clustering of metabolic problems comprised of insulin resistance (your cells do not respond effectively to the insulin that you create), elevated plasma glucose (high blood sugar), lipid regulation problems (elevated triglycerides, increased small low-density lipoproteins, and decreased high-density lipoproteins), high blood pressure, a prothrombic state (tendency to clotting), and obesity (especially central obesity or a predisposition to gaining weight in the abdomen). This cluster of metabolic disorders seem to interact to promote the development of diabetes (adult onset type II), atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease. And while insulin resistance might lie at the heart of the problem, all of these metabolic disorders appear to contribute to health problems.

Alcoholism

Alcoholism has been associated with the Non-secretor blood type. On the positive side, alcohol consumption appears to exert a protective effect on lung function and to lower the risk of heart disease more in Non-secretors than in Secretors. The key principle with the use of alcohol is for Non-secretors (and everybody actually) is moderation.

Bacteria Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)

Non-secretors are at a greater risk for recurrent UTI’s, have a greater tendency to increased inflammation, and are much more likely to develop renal scars. Being a blood type Secretor on the other hand offers a degree of protection; cutting your risk of recurrent UTI’s by greater than 50% and dramatically decreasing the likelihood you will have renal scars develop.

Candida and bacteria infection

Based upon this tendency of Non-secretor saliva to not only fail to prevent attachment of Candida, but maybe actually promote the binding of Candida to your tissue, we would expect that research would show higher tendency to Candida problems among Non-secretors. This is what we find to be true. Non-secretors are much more likely to be carriers of Candida and to have problems with persistent infections. Blood type O Non-secretors might be the most affected of the Non-secretor blood types, since Candida also appears to have an easier time colonizing (attaching to) the blood type O antigen.

Antibody levels Secretors are known to have higher levels of IgG and IgA antibodies. The lack of IgA antibodies perhaps explains the link between non-secretor status and an increased frequency of heart valve problems secondary to bacteria infection. Because IgA functions much like the way a rampart or palisade wall protects a town from invasion, most if not all non-secretors have problems with gut permiability (“leakygut“).

Reference:

• Eat Right for Your Type, DR. Peter J. D’Adamo & C. Whitney, Century Books, London, 2001
• Live Right for Your Type, DR. Peter J. D’Adamo & C. Whitney, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, NY, 2001

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 !

Bookmark this on Delicious

The Science of Blood Type has been evolving ever since the beginning of  known human history. It is the science of individuality – an acknowledgment that each of us has a genetic fingerprint located in the cells of our bodies.

First of all, you need to understand the reason why your blood type can make such a crucial difference in how you live and what you eat. Blood type is not a neutral factor. Rather, it behaves as the control valve of your immune and digestive systems, a biological watchdog that enhances your body’s ability to survive and thrive.

In his great first book, Eat Right 4 Your Type,  Dr.Peter D’adamo fully explains the mechanism by which your blood type responds to the food you eat – either for good or for ill. It details the scientific and anthropological reasons for the four distinct blood type. The following is a brief summary of that information.

The Key to Survival

Almost everyone, including doctors, considers the importance of blood type only in relation to transfusions. The gross limitations imposed by such a narrow view become readily apparent when you consider the central role blood type has played in the survival of  the human race. Consider this: were it not for the unique adaptations that have taken place within the blood, the human race would not have been able to survive.

Each of the blood types evolved in response to both the physiological development of the species and changing climate conditions over the aeons since humankind first trod the Earth. This is the vital clue to the importance of blood type. The adaptations that occurred in the course of evolution not only strengthened our immune systems against new bacterial, viral and environmental assailants, but at the same time permitted our vurnerable digestive systems to adapt to a wide range of unfamiliar foods.

The Blood Type – Diet Connection

How does the composition of the sugars that make up the blood types relate to what you eat? A chemical reaction occurs between your blood and the food you consume. We know this because of a factor called lectins. Lectins are abundant and diverse proteins found in food. They are agglutinating – gluing or sticking – properties that affect your blood. When you eat a food containing protein lectins that are incompatible with your blood type antigen, the lectins target an organ and begin to agglutinate blood cells in that area. In effect, lectins gum up the works, interfering with digestion, insulin production, food metabolism, and hormonal balance.

Lectins

Many people never heard about lectins before and some were sceptical. In fact, hundreds of papers have been written about the effect of lectins. The fact that they haven’t had wider public exposure relegates lectins to the province of a well-kept secret. Apparently, Eat Right 4 Your Type was the first time that the results of the extensive scientific research had ever appeared in a mainstream publication.

Knowing about the potential danger of lectins does not mean that you should suddenly become fearful of every food you eat! After all, lectins are widely abundant and hard to avoid. The key is to avoid the lectins that agglutinate your blood type. For example, gluten, the most common lectin found in wheat, has a shape different from the lectin found in soya, and it attaches to a different combination of sugars. Gluten binds to the lining of the small intestine and cause substansial inflammation and painful irritation in some blood types, particularly Type O. Chicken, on the other hand, which is fine for Type Os  and Type As, contains a lectin in its muscle tissue that agglutinates Type B and Type AB blood cells.

What This Means for You?

Here’s the bottom line:  we are predisposed to certain strength and weaknesses according to our blood types. We can maximize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses by knowing what our bodies need and by feeding ourselves and our families accordingly.

The crux of Blood Type Diet is the fact that certain foods complement certain blood types. Other foods antagonize and debilitate particular blood types. By stressing complementary foods and eliminating clearly antagonistic foods, you can promote the best possible balance for your immune and digestive systems. Most of your compatible foods correspond to your  blood type’s evolutionary development. In other words, the foods that fit your blood type are often the very foods that were predominant at the time in history when your blood type first appeared. For example:

If you are Type O, you respond best to a high- protein diet, including meat, poultry, fish and variety of fruits  and vegetables. Many grains, legumes, and dairy products are incompatible with your blood type.

If you are Type A, you thrive on primarily vegetarian diet, including soya products, beans and legumes, grains, vegetables, and fruits, with small portions of fish.

If you are Type B, your optimal diet includes game meat like rabbit and venison as well as herd meats, such as lamb and mutton. However, Type B should avoid chicken. Unlike Type O and Type A, Type B benefits from a variety of dairy products. Some grains, beans and legumes cause problems for type B, but there is a wide selection of vegetables and fruits available. In almost every respect, the Type B Diet is the most varied.

If you are Type AB, your diet is more complex – a combination of Type A and Type B. Type AB can eat most of the foods that are good for these blood types, but must avoid or limit most of the foods that agglutinate them. The best diet for Type AB consists primarily of vegetarian fare, with modest supplements of meat and dairy.

To help you eat right for your blood type, refer to detailed food charts and information for Type O, Type A, Type B, and Type AB in www.blogofhealth.co.cc. That means emphasizing the foods you find on the Highly Beneficial lists, restricting the foods you should Avoid, and incorporating the wide range of Neutral foods in a balanced and healthy way. As I and  many people around the world  have discovered, eating right for your blood type can produce extraordinary and almost immediate results in combating allergies or other chronic conditions. Following your Blood Type Diet can also result in immediate changes such as:

• Weight lost
• Restoration of normal insulin production
• Cessation of troublesome digestive problem
• An increase in energy and stamina

The long-term benefits are even meaningful. The Blood Type Diet can help you:

• Combat serious illness, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease
• Avoid common viruses and infections
• Eliminate the toxins and fats that contribute to obesity, and
• Slow the process of cell deterioration that accompanies ageing
• Pass out kidney stones of your body in  natural way (as in my case)

And the best news of all is that you can achieve all these benefits while enjoying a healthy, satisfying, and varied diet. Good living  and good health are yours to enjoy.

References:

1. “Cook Right 4 Your Type”, Dr. Peter J. D’adamo & C. Whitney, Century, 2001
2. www.4yourtype.com
3. www.dadamo.com
4. www.wikipedia.org