and more for ron

[Guest guest]

The 'Blood Type Diet:'

Fact or Fiction?

The " blood type diet " theory has gained widespread attention from the public

since the release of " Eat Right For Your Type " by Peter J. D'Adamo, N. D. (G. P.

Putnam's Sons, New York, 1996). The book's basic premise - that Type O's are the

dominant, hunter-caveman type that require meat in the diet, that Type A's are

docile vegetarians, while Type B's are dairy-eating omnivores - has become a

manifesto for many people to rationalize including regular portions of meat and

other animal products in their diet. ( " After all, my ancestors did it. " )

However, the " blood type diet " theory, and the book that promotes it, presents

many problems that prevent me from seriously basing any of my dietary choices

upon them.

 

One of the book's most disturbing characteristics is the frightening images that

the author calls forth without providing scientific documentation. For example,

D'Adamo hangs much of his theory on the action of lectins, proteins found on the

surface of certain foods that can cause various molecules and some types of

cells to stick together. He blames lectins for serious disruptions throughout

the body, from agglutination of the blood cells to cirrhosis and kidney failure

(page 24). He even scares the reader about these lectin " boogie men " with the

tale of ex-KGB agent Georgie Markov who was murdered with an injection of the

ultra-potent lectin, ricin. Then, on Page 53, D'Adamo states that, " ...certain

beans and legumes, especially lentils and kidney beans, contain lectins that

deposit in your muscle tissues, making them more alkaline and less charged for

physical activity. " This is quite a serious scientific charge, and an alarming

thought if you are blood Type O - namely, that after eating a bowl of bean chili

or lentil stew, lectin proteins are depositing in your muscles and altering

their function, changing their acidity, and diminishing your capability for

physical action.

 

If one is going to make a statement like that - and publish it in a book

destined for the New York Times bestseller list and intended to change the

eating habits of a nation - I believe the author is obligated to present solid

scientific evidence of supporting their assertions, which D'Adamo repeatedly

fails to do. (An example of an author who presents credible proof is Dean

Ornish, M.D., who published in his book the " before and after " photographs of

X-rays demonstrating increased blood flow through arteries which had opened more

widely after patients had participated in his diet and lifestyle program.) If an

author is going to frighten millions of Type O readers about eating kidney

beans, lentils, and wheat, I think they are obligated to provide verifyable

evidence. To begin to convince me of the existence of his " lectin gremlins, " he

would have to publish photographs, taken through a microscope, of muscle tissue

biopsied from people with Type O, Type A, Type B, and Type AB blood after they

have eaten kidney beans and/or lentils. The photographs should clearly show the

lectin deposits in the muscles of people with Type O blood - and not in the

tissue samples from the muscles of people with Type A blood. If an author cannot

produce proof like this, or clearly cite the scientific references in the text

where other people have demonstrated such proof, his credibility, to me, is

severely diminished. D'Adamo presents neither photos nor corroborating studies

to support his speculations.

 

As for the rest of his statement regarding lectins changing the muscles, " making

them more alkaline and less charged for physical activity, " to substantiate that

assertion the author would need to publish or cite studies wherein

microelectrodes that measure acidity inside the cells were inserted into the

muscles of people of various blood types. After they all ate a meal of lentils

and kidney beans, if D'Adamo is to be believed, a significantly greater shift

towards alkalinity should be seen in the muscles of the Type O subjects. Yet, no

such studies are presented. If an author doesn't have this kind of proof, is it

responsible for him to make statements that may frighten millions of people from

eating high-protein, high-fibre legumes and other potentially valuable foods? It

may indeed be best for a particular person not to eat a particular legume - but

they should do so for solid nutritional/medical reasons (allergies, colitis,

etc.) independent of their blood type.

 

What finally pushes the " blood type " theory beyond the limits of believability

for me is the primary mechanism of physiologic damage that D'Adamo postulates -

namely, lectin proteins on some foods causing blood agglutination in certain

people of blood types who are " not genetically/evolutionarily suited " to eat

those foods. This is a very serious - and potentially life-threatening -

phenomenon that he proposes. Agglutination means that the red cells in your

bloodstream are irreversibly sticking together and forming clumps. Once they

begin to clump together, they don't come apart. (Note that this is very

different than blood sludging, or so-called rouleoux formation - a phenomenon

seen when the surface of the red cells become coated with fat or other

substances to make them sticky enough to temporarily and reversibly adhere to

each other's surfaces - but not to become permanently bonded through

irreversible intertwining of surface proteins, which is what happens in

agglutination.) Having your blood agglutinate as it circulates through your body

is not conducive to good health - or to long term (or short term) survival...

 

What is so bad about little clumps of red blood cells sailing through the

bloodstream? Red blood cells deliver oxygen to the cells of vital tissues like

the brain, heart and kidneys. To accomplish this delivery, they must flow

through the tiniest of blood vessels - capillaries so narrow that the red blood

cells must line up single file to get through. If the red cells are being

agglutinated by lectins or anything else, clumps of red cells will clog up the

capillaries and block the blood flow. Thus, the blood stream will be prevented

from delivering its life-sustaining cargo of oxygen to the tissues served by

those capillaries. Cells deprived of oxygen become damaged, and eventually die

(cell death is called " infarction " of tissue.)

 

Since most people are unaware of their blood types, let alone what foods are

" evolutionarily inappropriate " for them to eat, it is reasonable to assume that

on most days most people eat the " wrong foods " for their blood type (e.g., Type

O eating wheat, Type A eating meat, etc.). Thus, according to D'Adamo's theory,

most everyone experiences repeated showers of agglutinated red cells throughout

their bloodstream after most every meal - day after day, month after month, year

after year. If the capillary beds in your heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, eyes,

and other essential organs are subjected to barrage after barrage of

agglutinated red cells, they will eventually begin to clog up. These micro-areas

of diminished blood flow would at first cause scattered, then more concentrated

areas of tissue damage - with eventually many micro-infarctions scattered

throughout these vital structures. The brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and adrenals

would soon be irreparably damaged by these processes, resulting in potentially

fatal outcomes in millions of people.

 

Such a syndrome of organ failures due to lectin-induced micro-infarctions of the

brain, heart, kidneys, retinas, and adrenals would be well known to pathologists

and other medical scientists. It would not be a subtle disease. In the pathology

texts, there would be clear descriptions - complete with photographs taken

through high-power, optical microscopes as well as electron microscopes - of

damage from lectin deposits and blood agglutination in most major organ systems.

The existence and intricacies of such a widespread disease would be as common

knowledge among physicians and cell scientists as atherosclerosis is today. Yet,

I am aware of no such descriptions in the pathologic literature. No pathologist

I know has ever mentioned tissue infarction from lectin-induced red cell

agglutination as a cause of any disease in humans.

 

So when I read a " one size fits all " statement like on page 63, " Type O's do not

tolerate whole wheat products at all, " I have to ask, " What does he mean, 'at

all'? " Do Type O's eat a whole wheat cracker and fall on the ground holding

their abdomen and vomiting - or worse yet, suffer immediate brain damage due to

their blood cells agglutinating throughout their brain? How much wheat can a

Type O eat before their blood agglutinates? One hamburger bun? One noodle?

 

I'm not denying that many people do experience problems when they eat wheat.

They do, but they do so because they have a true wheat allergy, gluten

intolerance, or some other verifyable mechanism - not because of some sugar and

protein molecules sticking up from the surface of their red blood cells. Like

D'Adamo, I grant that wheat can be a problematic food for people with colitis,

and I often recommend eliminating it from the diet. Lectins may even play a role

in the inflammatory process for some people. However, before one tells millions

of individuals with Type O blood to never eat whole wheat - many of whom

apparently have no difficulty with whole wheat and who rely on breads as a major

source of energy and protein - isn't some convincing scientific proof required?

I feel that author D'Adamo at least owes his readers a text citation with

supporting evidence that wheat-induced colon dysfunction is a condition peculiar

to Type O's. Yet, his text is devoid of scientific endnote citations.

 

To convince me, he would need to show me photographs of intestinal tissue from

Type O people who have recently eaten wheat and who clearly have evidence of

lectin agglutination clogging up the function of their intestinal cells. I would

also need to see pictures of tissue biopsies from Types A, B, and AB whose

intestinal walls are seen to be undamaged and far less burdened with lectin

deposits than those with Type O blood. As far as I know, inflammation of the

intestine, like colitis, Crohn's disease, and gluten sensitivities, occurs in

people of all blood groups, not just Type O - and D'Adamo cites no convincing

proof to the contrary.

 

Author D'Adamo also makes three hard-to-believe statements concerning dairy

products - two which made me doubt his understanding of basic science and one

that raises concerns about the safety of his nutritional advice:

 

1.) D'Adamo states on Page 23 that, " If a person with Type A blood drinks it

(milk), his system will immediately start the agglutination process in order to

reject it. " If he wants me to believe a statement like that, he had best show me

pictures of Type A blood cells under the microscope agglutinating after the

person drinks milk, wherein Type O and Type B blood cells are shown not to

agglutinate. He again shows no such photos or other believable evidence of the

phenomenon. D'Adamo would also have to explain why Type A people who drink milk

(sometimes-massive quantities of it) do not suffer strokes and emboli as their

blood agglutinates throughout their vascular system. He presents neither proof

nor even plausible explanations for the above - very troubling in a book

presented as " based on science. "

 

2.) On page 151, D'Adamo states that, " ...the primary sugar in the Type B

antigen is D-galactosamine, the very same sugar present in milk. " Actually, the

primary sugar present in milk is not D-galactosamine, but rather, lactose.

Lactose is a very different molecule than D-galactosamine, with very different

chemical properties. Even if there were significant amounts of D-galactosamine

in cow's milk, the antibodies in a Type A person's blood that agglutinate with a

Type B person's blood cells do so by reacting not with D-galactosamine alone,

but with a molecule of D-galactosamine combined with a molecule of the sugar,

fucose, projecting from the surface of the red blood cell. Just because Type A

antibodies will agglutinate with D-galactosamine+fucose on the surface of a Type

B red cell, does not mean Type A blood will agglutinate with the lactose (or

even free D-galactosamine) in cow's milk. (It is recognized that people of any

blood type may react badly to cow's milk and other dairy products - for a

variety of reasons, but likely not because lectins in the milk are agglutinating

their " wrong " type blood cells.)

 

3.) A statement that causes me great concern regarding the safety of D'Adamo's

dietary advice appears on page 37, where, despite widespread knowledge that many

non-Caucasians are intolerant of dairy products due to the normal disappearance

of lactase enzymes in their intestinal cells, D'Adamo recommends that " Type B's

of Asian descent may need to incorporate them (dairy products) more slowly into

their diets as they adjust their systems to them. " This seems like strange

counsel from an author trying to improve the intestinal health of his public. I

fear that the consequences for many of his unsuspecting, lactase-deficient

readers who follow such advice will be severe bouts of abdominal cramps and

diarrhea.

 

Another assertion in this book that make me not want to recommend it to my

patients is on page 53, where D'Adamo writes that:

 

" This condition, called hypothyroidism, occurs because Type O's tend not to

produce enough iodine. " The reality is that the body does not " produce " iodine

at all, any more than it produces calcium, magnesium, sodium, or any other earth

mineral. Iodine is a halogen element, related to chlorine and bromine, which is

taken up by plants from the soil and in the sea - which are then consumed in the

diet. To worry tens of millions of Type O readers that they " may not be

producing enough iodine " (which no one does) and are thus at risk for

hypothyroidism, is unfounded and, I feel, unnecessarily worrying. The causes of

clinical hypothyroidism are complex issues, probably involving autoimmune and

other mechanisms of injury to the thyroid tissue. To imply that eating red meat

and avoiding wheat (a " Type O diet " ) will help the Type O person " produce

iodine " is unsubstantiated and may not only raise false hopes in the reader, but

may also increase the risk of meat-associated diseases.

 

Beyond the usual association with heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, colon

cancers and other degenerative diseases, animal-based diets foster the growth of

pathogenic organisms in the intestine, which can injure the intestinal wall and

lead to the " leaky gut syndrome " - a condition of increased intestinal

permeability which allows injurious fragments of antigenic food proteins and

bacterial breakdown products to leak into the bloodstream (1). These foreign,

inflammation-inciting substances can, in turn, exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis,

lupus, and other autoimmune diseases in tissues throughout the body (2). The

bacteria in the colons of people who consume vegan diets are far less likely to

cause these kinds of diseases (3).

 

Repeatedly packing the colon full of meat residue from a high protein diet has

been shown to be highly correlated with cancer of the colon - among the leading

killers of industrial nations (4). In fact, animal protein seems to be " high

octane fuel " for the growth of many kinds of cancers (5). I fear that the

apparent improvement experienced by many people who use the " zone " rationale to

become big-time carnivores will ultimately be at the cost of damaged vital

organs and more lethal and degenerative diseases.

 

Beyond his views on biology, I was disappointed in D'Adamo's psychological

portrayal of people of vegetarian persuasion. In the book, he tells flesh-eating

Type O's that they have a " genetic memory of strength, endurance, self-reliance,

daring, intuition, and innate optimism... " , " the epitome of focus, drive... " ,

" hardy and strong, fueled by a high protein diet " (is he describing a Type O

" master race " ?), while he paints the " more vegetarian " Type A as submissive tofu

eaters, " biologically predisposed to heart disease, cancer and diabetes " (p.

97). He labels Type A's with personalities " ...poorly suited for the intense,

high-pressured leadership positions at which Type O's excel, " (p.142), stating

that, in pressure situations, people with Type A blood " tend to unravel " and

" become anxious and paranoid, taking everything personally. " Finally, on page

143, he saddles the group with the dark image of Adolph Hitler, " ...a mutated

Type A personality. " D'Adamo's system seems to create a " blood type astrology "

( " What's your type? O Positive? knew it! So am I! " ) that imposes strange,

limiting stereotypes on very complex human beings.

 

Remember, there is nothing sacrosanct about the ABO blood typing system devised

by Dr. Landsteiner in the 1920's. It is only one system classifying more than

thirty proteins on the surface of cells that determine other blood groups, with

names like Auberger, Diego, Duffy, Kell, Kidd, Lewis, Lutheran, MNSs, P, Rh,

Sutter, and Xg. This means that food selections that may be " right " for the ABO

blood group system might be " dead wrong " for someone's Kell or idd antigens. Why

are we deifying the D- galactosamine-fucose molecules on the red cell surfaces

that determine ABO Type?

 

In my opinion, D'Adamo has spun an evolutionary fairy tale that leaves many

unanswered questions. What exactly is he proposing happened to Type O

hunter-gatherers when the Type people began growing wheat, barley and other

grains? Do Type O people eat a mouthful of barley and fall down in the dust,

unable to work and reproduce? Do they then become warlike and club the agrarian

people to death because lectins are clogging their intestines? Do the genetic

changes to Type A blood type magically appear just before a society grows new

grains (allowing them to eat the new grains in the first place), or did Type A

blood types emerge after the grains are grown, as the people with Type O blood

died out from their blood agglutinating in their brains? And why would so many

of the native Indians of North America, classic Type O hunters, go to the

trouble of cultivating high-lectin corn (maize)? Someone talk some science to

me, please...

 

Is the blood type the ultimate determinant of successful adaptation to a

particular dietary style? How do we explain the experience of people who say, " I

tried to be a vegetarian and it didn't work for me - so I added some meat back

into my diet and I feel better. I guess I'm a Type O caveman, " or " A

practitioner of 'live cell' analysis stuck my finger and I saw my blood

agglutinate! He said I must have eaten foods wrong for my blood type! " I hear

variations of these two statements several times per year. Do either of these

phenomena validate D'Adamo's blood type theory?

 

First, the red cell clumping on the TV screen... I have walked through many

medical meetings and health expos and seen this demonstration set up and

performed many times. A subject's finger is punctured and a drop of their blood

is placed under the microscope slide with the image projected on a large screen

or television monitor. The results can appear quite dramatic as a person often

sees on the TV screen their red blood cells, platelets, and other cellular

elements apparently misshapen and clumped together. It can then be an opportune

time to convince the startled person that their blood is laden with toxins or

deficient in vital minerals or some other nutrient - and then sell them the

" necessary " supplements that the " live cell analyst " happens to be purveying.

 

Though the images may be graphically convincing, the unsuspecting subject is

probably unaware that they may have just witnessed a biological parlor trick.

The " live cell analyst " has probably failed to inform them that the

" agglutinating " effect seen on the screen can be produced by a number of

factors, most having nothing to do with lectins, blood type, or any other forces

beyond the physics and chemistry of a drop of blood on a slide. Remember, that a

drop of blood on the microscope slide is very different than a drop of blood

flowing through your bloodstream.

 

While flowing naturally through the bloodstream within the arteries and veins,

the blood is shielded from light, is held at a constant temperature of 98.6 F.,

is under much higher pressure than room air, and is physically moving very

rapidly through the " piping " system of blood vessels. These are all factors

which profoundly affect the surface characteristics of the red blood cells,

making them less likely to stick together. The red cells' rapid motion through

the bloodstream also prevents antibody fixation, blood clotting factor

activation, and other pro-agglutinating forces from exerting much effect. When

the drop of blood is squeezed out onto the microscope slide, all these factors

are changed or eliminated. At that point, physical forces - cooler temperatures,

lower pressure, exposure to light, physical stagnation, activation of enzyme

systems, etc. - begin to affect the blood on the slide in ways that may make it

much more likely that the cells may begin to clump together - independent of

blood type or presence of lectins.

 

In addition to the above purely physical influences, other chemical factors may

be at work on the slide to create the appearance of clumping - independent of

the person's blood group. These chemical agents include:

 

1. The person's last meal. In particular, the fats from the egg yolk at

breakfast or the olive oil in the salad dressing at lunch may be invisibly

coating the red blood cells, making them stickier and more likely to adhere

together. Fats will make red blood cells of all blood types sticky and more

likely to clump together. In my experience, " live cell analysts " seldom ask the

subject about their last meal nor analyze it for the fat content.

 

2. Antibodies (immune proteins that can bind to cells) left over from a recent

viral infection or allergic reaction - but not associated with food lectins -

can coat red blood cells and make them prone to clump together.

 

3. Molecules with unknown chemical properties, introduced into our blood from

living in the " civilized world " - such as food colorings, food preservatives

like BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), hydrogenated oils eaten in fast foods,

snacks, and restaurant meals, as well as birth control pills, aspirin, cold

medications, and over-the-counter remedies, etc. - may affect the tendency of

blood cells to clump, independent of lectins or blood type.

 

4. The acidity (pH) of the blood, the levels of calcium, sodium, and other

circulating minerals - even the concentration of salt in the " saline solution "

that the " live cell analyst " mixes with the drop of blood - can all dramatically

affect its behavior and appearance on the slide. Add to this the effects of

exercise, medications, even a prolonged time since the last drink of water -

it's no wonder the blood on the slide might look strange. There are hundreds of

unseen forces acting upon the red blood cells, platelets, and suspended plasma

proteins.

 

Under some conditions, the blood cells of some individuals might even tend to

clump together when viewed on the television screen. However, this does not mean

that individual is ill, suffering from a nutritional deficiency, or is being

agglutinated internally from the lectins in their diet. Unfortunately, this is

often not the message they receive from the " live cell analyst " about to make a

recommendation as to which one of their proprietary supplements to buy in order

to remedy the " condition. "

 

(This is not to imply that all people performing " live cell analysis " are

unscrupulous, but only that the technology creates a powerful imagery and it is

easy to abuse. There seems to be quite a number of people demonstrating the

televised technique for the public who are unaware of the subtleties of the

blood stream and the body - and thus not qualified to make clinical diagnoses

based upon what they are seeing on the TV monitor. Yet, it is very easy for " a

live cell analyst " - for reasons altruistic, capitalistic, or otherwise - to

issue an ominous-sounding term or diagnosis to an unsuspecting member of the

public. I have had several people consult me, worried that their blood was

agglutinating inside their arteries, or that their " immune system was shot, "

based upon comments made at a health expo by a " live cell analyst " - who had

received little more than a weekend training course. The public should be made

aware of the limitations of the " live cell analysis " technique, so they are not

unduly frightened by what they may see on the screen or hear from the analyst.)

 

What of the people who say they feel better when they resumed flesh eating after

intervals of consuming vegetarian or vegan diets? Unquestionably, their

experiences have some important messages for us. But what are they? Here are

some possibilities...

 

It is known that, in some people, merely adjusting the proportions of proteins,

fats and sugars in any manner significantly new to their body can produce

noticeable improvements in the way they feel. Changing the proportion of raw vs.

cooked foods can similarly have beneficial effects. Some people who feel that

their health has improved after adopting a " zone " or " blood type " diet may

actually be benefiting from just eating less carbohydrates, more protein, etc.

We plan to investigate whether some of the individuals who re-introduced animal

products into their diet could have achieved similar effects by altering their

selection and quantities of plant-based foods.

 

We recognize that there are significant metabolic differences between people. It

may well be that some of these differences may propel certain individuals

towards flesh consumption. It may be, however, that the cause is not so much

genetic, as acquired after birth. Remember, virtually every person who reports

adding meat back into a previously vegetarian diet is an individual who was

raised on a meat-based diet.

 

Why is this important? The kind of foods one eats in their early years may set

biochemical patterns that last for a lifetime. For example, the human body can

synthesize from simpler molecules some essential substances like carnitine

(required for energy production) and some long-chain fatty acids (EPA, DHA,

etc., needed for hormone function, membrane synthesis, etc.). People who eat

meat ingest these substances, pre-formed, in the muscles and other animal

tissues they consume. It may be that the body of a person raised as a life-long

omnivore becomes functionally dependent upon a diet that contains these

pre-formed nutrients. As adults, if they suddenly change to a completely

plant-based style of eating, where the foods are essentially devoid of

pre-formed carnitine, EPA, DHA, etc., they may find themselves in a body with

enzyme systems unable to synthesize all the energy-generating compounds, fatty

acids, and other molecules they may require.

 

After months or years on a flesh-free diet, these individuals might experience

deterioration of their health or energy - only to feel better upon resumption of

meat ingestion. To the person, this may seem like confirmation that they are

" natural meat eaters. " Rather, it may be evidence of an acquired dependency on

flesh-borne nutrients formed through early eating patterns. If this is the case,

it may be possible to prevent, repair, or at least compensate for these

imbalances through provision of additional nutrients, removal of inhibiting

substances in the diet, varying combinations of food, etc., utilizing foods of

plant-based origin. There is much to learn about the subject and much research

needs to be done.

 

In my experience, these problems are not encountered in people raised on

vegetarian diets from infancy. This effect might be especially pronounced in

long-term omnivores who make an abrupt change to a vegan diet, as opposed to

those who taper flesh foods out of their diet more gradually. It may be that

some " omnivore-from-birth " people who desire to sustain themselves on a vegan

diet may have to make a more graded transition to completely plant-based foods,

sometimes over several weeks or months, to give the body time to " gear up " its

metabolic machinery. In other words, what appears to be a " natural need for

meat " may really be the need for an attenuated weaning process from animal

products in order to overcome metabolic patterns begun early in life, created

largely by cultural practices.

 

Through the Institute of Education and Research, we plan to study these

phenomena in detail and will attempt to identify any nutrients that may be

required in larger amounts when consuming vegetarian diets. A goal of our

research is to develop science-based guidelines to aid anyone who chooses to

nourish their body on exclusively plant-based foods to do so with optimal

benefits to their health and well being.

 

An additional thought: Less than optimal function on a plant-based diet (or any

diet) may not stem from a " lack of meat " or a nutrient deficiency at all, but

rather from an individual's other health conditions, like digestive dysfunction,

malabsorption by the intestine, parasite problems, adverse immune reactions,

etc. To me, these are far more likely mechanisms that could explain the

" failure-to-thrive " syndrome occasionally seen in vegetarians and vegans -

rather than a genetic mandate to consume flesh determined by their blood type.

Much more research is needed to obtain the answers to so many questions in this

essential but subtle science.

 

Beyond the " blood type issue, " perhaps a deeper question about any book which

advocates a meat-based diet for the majority of the population is, " In today's

world, is eating meat, in any form, safe? " It appears that to base one's diet

around animal foods is becoming a high-risk activity, similar to unsafe sex or

driving without wearing a seat belt. Consider the smorgasbord of health hazards

available at today's meat counters. It's a safe bet that virtually every cut of

" fresh " meat produced commercially in North America today contains:

 

Residues of hydrocarbon pesticides and herbicides, linked to cancers nd birth

defects,

 

Residues of antibiotics and growth-augmenting sex hormones fed to the animals

and stored in their tissues,

 

Fecal microbes, like the potentially lethal E. coli 0:157 and Salmonella

bacteria. (Hamburger roulette, anyone?)

 

The nightmare specter of the brain-destroying prion protein, the cause of

spongioform encephalopathies - " mad cow disease " in bovines - Creutzfeldt-Jacob

disease, or CJD in humans. (I feel sadly certain that what occurred in England

with mad cow disease will probably occur here in North America and other parts

of the world within in the next two years. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.)

 

Given these ever-increasing risks connected to meat consumption, I fear that the

theories and books that attempt to justify and promote the eating of flesh - for

whatever reason - could be opening the floodgates of ghastly epidemics five or

ten years from now. These plagues likely will have a magnitude that will dwarf

everybody's concerns about " being in the zone " or eating " right for your type. "

 

Finally, no matter what advocates of animal-based diets might say about the

merits of being in the " zone " or " eating right for your blood type, " from an

ecological standpoint, a meat-based diet for the world's population is

non-achievable and, for even a sizeable minority, is non-sustainable. The

world's soils, waters, and forests are being decimated to produce meat-based

diets. We are destroying the life support systems of our planet - of our

children's planet - for a mouthful of flesh. To me, the promotion of diets

centered around meat increases the chances of ecological catastrophes and thus

jeopardizes each of our futures.

 

I wish for everyone optimal health, happiness, and longevity. We owe it to

ourselves, to our children, and to all who come after them, to see how optimal

function and life span can be achieved on diets that are truly sustainable - for

individuals, for societies, and for the planet. It is, after all, the food of

all our futures.

 

-Michael Klaper, M.D.

 

 

 

References

(1) a) Galland, L. Intestinal Dysbiosis and the Causes of Disease. Journal of

Advancement in Medicine - Vol.6, No.2, Summer, 1993.

 

b) Inman, R. Antigens, the Gastrointestinal Tract, and Arthritis. Rheumatic

Disease Clinics of North America - Vol. 17, No. 2, May 1991.

 

c) Katz, K. Intestinal mucosal permeability and rheumatological diseases.

Bailliere's Clinical Rheumatology - Vol. 3, No. 2, August, 1989.

 

(2) a) Kjeldsen-Kragh, J. Controlled trial of fasting and one-year vegetarian

diet in rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet, 1991; 338:899-902.

 

b) Mielants, et al. Intestinal Mucosal Permeability in Inflammatory Rheumatic

Diseases. II. Role of Disease. (J. Rheumatol. 1991; 18:394-100)

 

(3) a) Peltonen, R., et al. Changes of Faecal Flora in Rheumatoid Arthritis

During Fasting and One-Year Vegetarian Diet. British Journal of Rheumatology

1994; 33:638-643.

 

b) Ling, W. Shifting from a Conventional Diet to an Uncooked Vegan Diet

Reversibly Alters Fecal Hydrolytic Activities in Humans. Journal of Nutrition,

122: 924- 930,1992.

 

(4) a) Bidoli, E. et al (1992), Food consumption and cancer of the colon and

rectum in North-Eastern Italy, International Jnl of Cancer v.50 p.223-229.

 

b) Rao, A V. & Janezic, S A. (1992), The role of dietary phyosterols in colon

carcinogenesis, Nutrition & Cancer v.18 (1) p.43-52.

 

c) Willett, W C. et al (1990), Relation of meat, fat and fibre intake to the

risk of colon cancer in a prospective study among women, New England Jnl of

Medicine v.323 (24) p.1664-1672.

 

(5) a) Mills, P. K. (1988), Animal product consumption and subsequent fatal

breast cancer risk among Seventh-Day Adventists, American Jnl of Epidemiology

v.127 (3) p.440-453.

 

b) Fraser, G. E. et al (1991), Diet and lung cancer in California Seventh-Day

Adventists, American Jnl of Epidemiology v.133 (7) p.683-693.

 

 

I never thought about the universe, it made me feel small

Never thought about the problems of this planet at all

Global warming, radio-active sites

Imperialistic wrongs and animal rights! No!

Why think of all the bad things when life is so good?

Why help with an 'am' when there's always a 'could'?

Let the whales worry about the poisons in the sea

Outside of California, it's foreign policy

I don't want changes, I have no reactions

Your dilemmas are my distractions

I never looked around, never second-guessed

Then I read some Howard Zinn now I'm always depressed

And now I can't sleep from years of apathy

All because I read a little Noam Chomsky

I'm eating vegetation, 'cause of Fast Food Nation

I'm wearing uncomfortable shoes 'cause of globalization

I'm watching Michael Moore expose the awful truth

I'm listening to Public Enemy and Reagan Youth

I see no world peace 'cause of zealous armed forces

I eat no breath-mints 'cause they're from de-hoofed horses

[Guest guest]

ok I' had to print that one (16 pages) and will read later, thank you

very much too...

 

, fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote:

>

> The 'Blood Type Diet:'

> Fact or Fiction?

> The " blood type diet " theory has gained widespread attention from

the public since the release of " Eat Right For Your Type " by Peter J.

D'Adamo, N. D. (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1996). The book's

basic premise - that Type O's are the dominant, hunter-caveman type

that require meat in the diet, that Type A's are docile vegetarians,

while Type B's are dairy-eating omnivores - has become a manifesto

for many people to rationalize including regular portions of meat and

other animal products in their diet. ( " After all, my ancestors did

it. " ) However, the " blood type diet " theory, and the book that

promotes it, presents many problems that prevent me from seriously

basing any of my dietary choices upon them.

>

> One of the book's most disturbing characteristics is the

frightening images that the author calls forth without providing

scientific documentation. For example, D'Adamo hangs much of his

theory on the action of lectins, proteins found on the surface of

certain foods that can cause various molecules and some types of

cells to stick together. He blames lectins for serious disruptions

throughout the body, from agglutination of the blood cells to

cirrhosis and kidney failure (page 24). He even scares the reader

about these lectin " boogie men " with the tale of ex-KGB agent Georgie

Markov who was murdered with an injection of the ultra-potent lectin,

ricin. Then, on Page 53, D'Adamo states that, " ...certain beans and

legumes, especially lentils and kidney beans, contain lectins that

deposit in your muscle tissues, making them more alkaline and less

charged for physical activity. " This is quite a serious scientific

charge, and an alarming thought if you are blood Type O - namely,

that after eating a bowl of bean chili or lentil stew, lectin

proteins are depositing in your muscles and altering their function,

changing their acidity, and diminishing your capability for physical

action.

>

> If one is going to make a statement like that - and publish it in a

book destined for the New York Times bestseller list and intended to

change the eating habits of a nation - I believe the author is

obligated to present solid scientific evidence of supporting their

assertions, which D'Adamo repeatedly fails to do. (An example of an

author who presents credible proof is Dean Ornish, M.D., who

published in his book the " before and after " photographs of X-rays

demonstrating increased blood flow through arteries which had opened

more widely after patients had participated in his diet and lifestyle

program.) If an author is going to frighten millions of Type O

readers about eating kidney beans, lentils, and wheat, I think they

are obligated to provide verifyable evidence. To begin to convince me

of the existence of his " lectin gremlins, " he would have to publish

photographs, taken through a microscope, of muscle tissue biopsied

from people with Type O, Type A, Type B, and Type AB blood after they

have eaten kidney beans and/or lentils. The photographs should

clearly show the lectin deposits in the muscles of people with Type O

blood - and not in the tissue samples from the muscles of people with

Type A blood. If an author cannot produce proof like this, or clearly

cite the scientific references in the text where other people have

demonstrated such proof, his credibility, to me, is severely

diminished. D'Adamo presents neither photos nor corroborating studies

to support his speculations.

>

> As for the rest of his statement regarding lectins changing the

muscles, " making them more alkaline and less charged for physical

activity, " to substantiate that assertion the author would need to

publish or cite studies wherein microelectrodes that measure acidity

inside the cells were inserted into the muscles of people of various

blood types. After they all ate a meal of lentils and kidney beans,

if D'Adamo is to be believed, a significantly greater shift towards

alkalinity should be seen in the muscles of the Type O subjects. Yet,

no such studies are presented. If an author doesn't have this kind of

proof, is it responsible for him to make statements that may frighten

millions of people from eating high-protein, high-fibre legumes and

other potentially valuable foods? It may indeed be best for a

particular person not to eat a particular legume - but they should do

so for solid nutritional/medical reasons (allergies, colitis, etc.)

independent of their blood type.

>

> What finally pushes the " blood type " theory beyond the limits of

believability for me is the primary mechanism of physiologic damage

that D'Adamo postulates - namely, lectin proteins on some foods

causing blood agglutination in certain people of blood types who

are " not genetically/evolutionarily suited " to eat those foods. This

is a very serious - and potentially life-threatening - phenomenon

that he proposes. Agglutination means that the red cells in your

bloodstream are irreversibly sticking together and forming clumps.

Once they begin to clump together, they don't come apart. (Note that

this is very different than blood sludging, or so-called rouleoux

formation - a phenomenon seen when the surface of the red cells

become coated with fat or other substances to make them sticky enough

to temporarily and reversibly adhere to each other's surfaces - but

not to become permanently bonded through irreversible intertwining of

surface proteins, which is what happens in agglutination.) Having

your blood agglutinate as it circulates through your body is not

conducive to good health - or to long term (or short term) survival...

>

> What is so bad about little clumps of red blood cells sailing

through the bloodstream? Red blood cells deliver oxygen to the cells

of vital tissues like the brain, heart and kidneys. To accomplish

this delivery, they must flow through the tiniest of blood vessels -

capillaries so narrow that the red blood cells must line up single

file to get through. If the red cells are being agglutinated by

lectins or anything else, clumps of red cells will clog up the

capillaries and block the blood flow. Thus, the blood stream will be

prevented from delivering its life-sustaining cargo of oxygen to the

tissues served by those capillaries. Cells deprived of oxygen become

damaged, and eventually die (cell death is called " infarction " of

tissue.)

>

> Since most people are unaware of their blood types, let alone what

foods are " evolutionarily inappropriate " for them to eat, it is

reasonable to assume that on most days most people eat the " wrong

foods " for their blood type (e.g., Type O eating wheat, Type A eating

meat, etc.). Thus, according to D'Adamo's theory, most everyone

experiences repeated showers of agglutinated red cells throughout

their bloodstream after most every meal - day after day, month after

month, year after year. If the capillary beds in your heart, lungs,

kidneys, brain, eyes, and other essential organs are subjected to

barrage after barrage of agglutinated red cells, they will eventually

begin to clog up. These micro-areas of diminished blood flow would at

first cause scattered, then more concentrated areas of tissue damage -

with eventually many micro-infarctions scattered throughout these

vital structures. The brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and adrenals would

soon be irreparably damaged by these processes, resulting in

potentially fatal outcomes in millions of people.

>

> Such a syndrome of organ failures due to lectin-induced micro-

infarctions of the brain, heart, kidneys, retinas, and adrenals would

be well known to pathologists and other medical scientists. It would

not be a subtle disease. In the pathology texts, there would be clear

descriptions - complete with photographs taken through high-power,

optical microscopes as well as electron microscopes - of damage from

lectin deposits and blood agglutination in most major organ systems.

The existence and intricacies of such a widespread disease would be

as common knowledge among physicians and cell scientists as

atherosclerosis is today. Yet, I am aware of no such descriptions in

the pathologic literature. No pathologist I know has ever mentioned

tissue infarction from lectin-induced red cell agglutination as a

cause of any disease in humans.

>

> So when I read a " one size fits all " statement like on page

63, " Type O's do not tolerate whole wheat products at all, " I have to

ask, " What does he mean, 'at all'? " Do Type O's eat a whole wheat

cracker and fall on the ground holding their abdomen and vomiting -

or worse yet, suffer immediate brain damage due to their blood cells

agglutinating throughout their brain? How much wheat can a Type O eat

before their blood agglutinates? One hamburger bun? One noodle?

>

> I'm not denying that many people do experience problems when they

eat wheat. They do, but they do so because they have a true wheat

allergy, gluten intolerance, or some other verifyable mechanism - not

because of some sugar and protein molecules sticking up from the

surface of their red blood cells. Like D'Adamo, I grant that wheat

can be a problematic food for people with colitis, and I often

recommend eliminating it from the diet. Lectins may even play a role

in the inflammatory process for some people. However, before one

tells millions of individuals with Type O blood to never eat whole

wheat - many of whom apparently have no difficulty with whole wheat

and who rely on breads as a major source of energy and protein -

isn't some convincing scientific proof required? I feel that author

D'Adamo at least owes his readers a text citation with supporting

evidence that wheat-induced colon dysfunction is a condition peculiar

to Type O's. Yet, his text is devoid of scientific endnote citations.

>

> To convince me, he would need to show me photographs of intestinal

tissue from Type O people who have recently eaten wheat and who

clearly have evidence of lectin agglutination clogging up the

function of their intestinal cells. I would also need to see pictures

of tissue biopsies from Types A, B, and AB whose intestinal walls are

seen to be undamaged and far less burdened with lectin deposits than

those with Type O blood. As far as I know, inflammation of the

intestine, like colitis, Crohn's disease, and gluten sensitivities,

occurs in people of all blood groups, not just Type O - and D'Adamo

cites no convincing proof to the contrary.

>

> Author D'Adamo also makes three hard-to-believe statements

concerning dairy products - two which made me doubt his understanding

of basic science and one that raises concerns about the safety of his

nutritional advice:

>

> 1.) D'Adamo states on Page 23 that, " If a person with Type A blood

drinks it (milk), his system will immediately start the agglutination

process in order to reject it. " If he wants me to believe a statement

like that, he had best show me pictures of Type A blood cells under

the microscope agglutinating after the person drinks milk, wherein

Type O and Type B blood cells are shown not to agglutinate. He again

shows no such photos or other believable evidence of the phenomenon.

D'Adamo would also have to explain why Type A people who drink milk

(sometimes-massive quantities of it) do not suffer strokes and emboli

as their blood agglutinates throughout their vascular system. He

presents neither proof nor even plausible explanations for the above -

very troubling in a book presented as " based on science. "

>

> 2.) On page 151, D'Adamo states that, " ...the primary sugar in the

Type B antigen is D-galactosamine, the very same sugar present in

milk. " Actually, the primary sugar present in milk is not D-

galactosamine, but rather, lactose. Lactose is a very different

molecule than D-galactosamine, with very different chemical

properties. Even if there were significant amounts of D-galactosamine

in cow's milk, the antibodies in a Type A person's blood that

agglutinate with a Type B person's blood cells do so by reacting not

with D-galactosamine alone, but with a molecule of D-galactosamine

combined with a molecule of the sugar, fucose, projecting from the

surface of the red blood cell. Just because Type A antibodies will

agglutinate with D-galactosamine+fucose on the surface of a Type B

red cell, does not mean Type A blood will agglutinate with the

lactose (or even free D-galactosamine) in cow's milk. (It is

recognized that people of any blood type may react badly to cow's

milk and other dairy products - for a variety of reasons, but likely

not because lectins in the milk are agglutinating their " wrong " type

blood cells.)

>

> 3.) A statement that causes me great concern regarding the safety

of D'Adamo's dietary advice appears on page 37, where, despite

widespread knowledge that many non-Caucasians are intolerant of dairy

products due to the normal disappearance of lactase enzymes in their

intestinal cells, D'Adamo recommends that " Type B's of Asian descent

may need to incorporate them (dairy products) more slowly into their

diets as they adjust their systems to them. " This seems like strange

counsel from an author trying to improve the intestinal health of his

public. I fear that the consequences for many of his unsuspecting,

lactase-deficient readers who follow such advice will be severe bouts

of abdominal cramps and diarrhea.

>

> Another assertion in this book that make me not want to recommend

it to my patients is on page 53, where D'Adamo writes that:

>

> " This condition, called hypothyroidism, occurs because Type O's

tend not to produce enough iodine. " The reality is that the body does

not " produce " iodine at all, any more than it produces calcium,

magnesium, sodium, or any other earth mineral. Iodine is a halogen

element, related to chlorine and bromine, which is taken up by plants

from the soil and in the sea - which are then consumed in the diet.

To worry tens of millions of Type O readers that they " may not be

producing enough iodine " (which no one does) and are thus at risk for

hypothyroidism, is unfounded and, I feel, unnecessarily worrying. The

causes of clinical hypothyroidism are complex issues, probably

involving autoimmune and other mechanisms of injury to the thyroid

tissue. To imply that eating red meat and avoiding wheat (a " Type O

diet " ) will help the Type O person " produce iodine " is

unsubstantiated and may not only raise false hopes in the reader, but

may also increase the risk of meat-associated diseases.

>

> Beyond the usual association with heart attack, stroke,

osteoporosis, colon cancers and other degenerative diseases, animal-

based diets foster the growth of pathogenic organisms in the

intestine, which can injure the intestinal wall and lead to

the " leaky gut syndrome " - a condition of increased intestinal

permeability which allows injurious fragments of antigenic food

proteins and bacterial breakdown products to leak into the

bloodstream (1). These foreign, inflammation-inciting substances can,

in turn, exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other autoimmune

diseases in tissues throughout the body (2). The bacteria in the

colons of people who consume vegan diets are far less likely to cause

these kinds of diseases (3).

>

> Repeatedly packing the colon full of meat residue from a high

protein diet has been shown to be highly correlated with cancer of

the colon - among the leading killers of industrial nations (4). In

fact, animal protein seems to be " high octane fuel " for the growth of

many kinds of cancers (5). I fear that the apparent improvement

experienced by many people who use the " zone " rationale to become big-

time carnivores will ultimately be at the cost of damaged vital

organs and more lethal and degenerative diseases.

>

> Beyond his views on biology, I was disappointed in D'Adamo's

psychological portrayal of people of vegetarian persuasion. In the

book, he tells flesh-eating Type O's that they have a " genetic memory

of strength, endurance, self-reliance, daring, intuition, and innate

optimism... " , " the epitome of focus, drive... " , " hardy and strong,

fueled by a high protein diet " (is he describing a Type O " master

race " ?), while he paints the " more vegetarian " Type A as submissive

tofu eaters, " biologically predisposed to heart disease, cancer and

diabetes " (p. 97). He labels Type A's with personalities " ...poorly

suited for the intense, high-pressured leadership positions at which

Type O's excel, " (p.142), stating that, in pressure situations,

people with Type A blood " tend to unravel " and " become anxious and

paranoid, taking everything personally. " Finally, on page 143, he

saddles the group with the dark image of Adolph Hitler, " ...a mutated

Type A personality. " D'Adamo's system seems to create a " blood type

astrology " ( " What's your type? O Positive? knew it! So am I! " ) that

imposes strange, limiting stereotypes on very complex human beings.

>

> Remember, there is nothing sacrosanct about the ABO blood typing

system devised by Dr. Landsteiner in the 1920's. It is only one

system classifying more than thirty proteins on the surface of cells

that determine other blood groups, with names like Auberger, Diego,

Duffy, Kell, Kidd, Lewis, Lutheran, MNSs, P, Rh, Sutter, and Xg. This

means that food selections that may be " right " for the ABO blood

group system might be " dead wrong " for someone's Kell or idd

antigens. Why are we deifying the D- galactosamine-fucose molecules

on the red cell surfaces that determine ABO Type?

>

> In my opinion, D'Adamo has spun an evolutionary fairy tale that

leaves many unanswered questions. What exactly is he proposing

happened to Type O hunter-gatherers when the Type people began

growing wheat, barley and other grains? Do Type O people eat a

mouthful of barley and fall down in the dust, unable to work and

reproduce? Do they then become warlike and club the agrarian people

to death because lectins are clogging their intestines? Do the

genetic changes to Type A blood type magically appear just before a

society grows new grains (allowing them to eat the new grains in the

first place), or did Type A blood types emerge after the grains are

grown, as the people with Type O blood died out from their blood

agglutinating in their brains? And why would so many of the native

Indians of North America, classic Type O hunters, go to the trouble

of cultivating high-lectin corn (maize)? Someone talk some science to

me, please...

>

> Is the blood type the ultimate determinant of successful adaptation

to a particular dietary style? How do we explain the experience of

people who say, " I tried to be a vegetarian and it didn't work for

me - so I added some meat back into my diet and I feel better. I

guess I'm a Type O caveman, " or " A practitioner of 'live cell'

analysis stuck my finger and I saw my blood agglutinate! He said I

must have eaten foods wrong for my blood type! " I hear variations of

these two statements several times per year. Do either of these

phenomena validate D'Adamo's blood type theory?

>

> First, the red cell clumping on the TV screen... I have walked

through many medical meetings and health expos and seen this

demonstration set up and performed many times. A subject's finger is

punctured and a drop of their blood is placed under the microscope

slide with the image projected on a large screen or television

monitor. The results can appear quite dramatic as a person often sees

on the TV screen their red blood cells, platelets, and other cellular

elements apparently misshapen and clumped together. It can then be an

opportune time to convince the startled person that their blood is

laden with toxins or deficient in vital minerals or some other

nutrient - and then sell them the " necessary " supplements that

the " live cell analyst " happens to be purveying.

>

> Though the images may be graphically convincing, the unsuspecting

subject is probably unaware that they may have just witnessed a

biological parlor trick. The " live cell analyst " has probably failed

to inform them that the " agglutinating " effect seen on the screen can

be produced by a number of factors, most having nothing to do with

lectins, blood type, or any other forces beyond the physics and

chemistry of a drop of blood on a slide. Remember, that a drop of

blood on the microscope slide is very different than a drop of blood

flowing through your bloodstream.

>

> While flowing naturally through the bloodstream within the arteries

and veins, the blood is shielded from light, is held at a constant

temperature of 98.6 F., is under much higher pressure than room air,

and is physically moving very rapidly through the " piping " system of

blood vessels. These are all factors which profoundly affect the

surface characteristics of the red blood cells, making them less

likely to stick together. The red cells' rapid motion through the

bloodstream also prevents antibody fixation, blood clotting factor

activation, and other pro-agglutinating forces from exerting much

effect. When the drop of blood is squeezed out onto the microscope

slide, all these factors are changed or eliminated. At that point,

physical forces - cooler temperatures, lower pressure, exposure to

light, physical stagnation, activation of enzyme systems, etc. -

begin to affect the blood on the slide in ways that may make it much

more likely that the cells may begin to clump together - independent

of blood type or presence of lectins.

>

> In addition to the above purely physical influences, other chemical

factors may be at work on the slide to create the appearance of

clumping - independent of the person's blood group. These chemical

agents include:

>

> 1. The person's last meal. In particular, the fats from the egg

yolk at breakfast or the olive oil in the salad dressing at lunch may

be invisibly coating the red blood cells, making them stickier and

more likely to adhere together. Fats will make red blood cells of all

blood types sticky and more likely to clump together. In my

experience, " live cell analysts " seldom ask the subject about their

last meal nor analyze it for the fat content.

>

> 2. Antibodies (immune proteins that can bind to cells) left over

from a recent viral infection or allergic reaction - but not

associated with food lectins - can coat red blood cells and make them

prone to clump together.

>

> 3. Molecules with unknown chemical properties, introduced into our

blood from living in the " civilized world " - such as food colorings,

food preservatives like BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), hydrogenated

oils eaten in fast foods, snacks, and restaurant meals, as well as

birth control pills, aspirin, cold medications, and over-the-counter

remedies, etc. - may affect the tendency of blood cells to clump,

independent of lectins or blood type.

>

> 4. The acidity (pH) of the blood, the levels of calcium, sodium,

and other circulating minerals - even the concentration of salt in

the " saline solution " that the " live cell analyst " mixes with the

drop of blood - can all dramatically affect its behavior and

appearance on the slide. Add to this the effects of exercise,

medications, even a prolonged time since the last drink of water -

it's no wonder the blood on the slide might look strange. There are

hundreds of unseen forces acting upon the red blood cells, platelets,

and suspended plasma proteins.

>

> Under some conditions, the blood cells of some individuals might

even tend to clump together when viewed on the television screen.

However, this does not mean that individual is ill, suffering from a

nutritional deficiency, or is being agglutinated internally from the

lectins in their diet. Unfortunately, this is often not the message

they receive from the " live cell analyst " about to make a

recommendation as to which one of their proprietary supplements to

buy in order to remedy the " condition. "

>

> (This is not to imply that all people performing " live cell

analysis " are unscrupulous, but only that the technology creates a

powerful imagery and it is easy to abuse. There seems to be quite a

number of people demonstrating the televised technique for the public

who are unaware of the subtleties of the blood stream and the body -

and thus not qualified to make clinical diagnoses based upon what

they are seeing on the TV monitor. Yet, it is very easy for " a live

cell analyst " - for reasons altruistic, capitalistic, or otherwise -

to issue an ominous-sounding term or diagnosis to an unsuspecting

member of the public. I have had several people consult me, worried

that their blood was agglutinating inside their arteries, or that

their " immune system was shot, " based upon comments made at a health

expo by a " live cell analyst " - who had received little more than a

weekend training course. The public should be made aware of the

limitations of the " live cell analysis " technique, so they are not

unduly frightened by what they may see on the screen or hear from the

analyst.)

>

> What of the people who say they feel better when they resumed flesh

eating after intervals of consuming vegetarian or vegan diets?

Unquestionably, their experiences have some important messages for

us. But what are they? Here are some possibilities...

>

> It is known that, in some people, merely adjusting the proportions

of proteins, fats and sugars in any manner significantly new to their

body can produce noticeable improvements in the way they feel.

Changing the proportion of raw vs. cooked foods can similarly have

beneficial effects. Some people who feel that their health has

improved after adopting a " zone " or " blood type " diet may actually be

benefiting from just eating less carbohydrates, more protein, etc. We

plan to investigate whether some of the individuals who re-introduced

animal products into their diet could have achieved similar effects

by altering their selection and quantities of plant-based foods.

>

> We recognize that there are significant metabolic differences

between people. It may well be that some of these differences may

propel certain individuals towards flesh consumption. It may be,

however, that the cause is not so much genetic, as acquired after

birth. Remember, virtually every person who reports adding meat back

into a previously vegetarian diet is an individual who was raised on

a meat-based diet.

>

> Why is this important? The kind of foods one eats in their early

years may set biochemical patterns that last for a lifetime. For

example, the human body can synthesize from simpler molecules some

essential substances like carnitine (required for energy production)

and some long-chain fatty acids (EPA, DHA, etc., needed for hormone

function, membrane synthesis, etc.). People who eat meat ingest these

substances, pre-formed, in the muscles and other animal tissues they

consume. It may be that the body of a person raised as a life-long

omnivore becomes functionally dependent upon a diet that contains

these pre-formed nutrients. As adults, if they suddenly change to a

completely plant-based style of eating, where the foods are

essentially devoid of pre-formed carnitine, EPA, DHA, etc., they may

find themselves in a body with enzyme systems unable to synthesize

all the energy-generating compounds, fatty acids, and other molecules

they may require.

>

> After months or years on a flesh-free diet, these individuals might

experience deterioration of their health or energy - only to feel

better upon resumption of meat ingestion. To the person, this may

seem like confirmation that they are " natural meat eaters. " Rather,

it may be evidence of an acquired dependency on flesh-borne nutrients

formed through early eating patterns. If this is the case, it may be

possible to prevent, repair, or at least compensate for these

imbalances through provision of additional nutrients, removal of

inhibiting substances in the diet, varying combinations of food,

etc., utilizing foods of plant-based origin. There is much to learn

about the subject and much research needs to be done.

>

> In my experience, these problems are not encountered in people

raised on vegetarian diets from infancy. This effect might be

especially pronounced in long-term omnivores who make an abrupt

change to a vegan diet, as opposed to those who taper flesh foods out

of their diet more gradually. It may be that some " omnivore-from-

birth " people who desire to sustain themselves on a vegan diet may

have to make a more graded transition to completely plant-based

foods, sometimes over several weeks or months, to give the body time

to " gear up " its metabolic machinery. In other words, what appears to

be a " natural need for meat " may really be the need for an attenuated

weaning process from animal products in order to overcome metabolic

patterns begun early in life, created largely by cultural practices.

>

> Through the Institute of Education and Research, we plan to study

these phenomena in detail and will attempt to identify any nutrients

that may be required in larger amounts when consuming vegetarian

diets. A goal of our research is to develop science-based guidelines

to aid anyone who chooses to nourish their body on exclusively plant-

based foods to do so with optimal benefits to their health and well

being.

>

> An additional thought: Less than optimal function on a plant-based

diet (or any diet) may not stem from a " lack of meat " or a nutrient

deficiency at all, but rather from an individual's other health

conditions, like digestive dysfunction, malabsorption by the

intestine, parasite problems, adverse immune reactions, etc. To me,

these are far more likely mechanisms that could explain the " failure-

to-thrive " syndrome occasionally seen in vegetarians and vegans -

rather than a genetic mandate to consume flesh determined by their

blood type. Much more research is needed to obtain the answers to so

many questions in this essential but subtle science.

>

> Beyond the " blood type issue, " perhaps a deeper question about any

book which advocates a meat-based diet for the majority of the

population is, " In today's world, is eating meat, in any form, safe? "

It appears that to base one's diet around animal foods is becoming a

high-risk activity, similar to unsafe sex or driving without wearing

a seat belt. Consider the smorgasbord of health hazards available at

today's meat counters. It's a safe bet that virtually every cut

of " fresh " meat produced commercially in North America today

contains:

>

> Residues of hydrocarbon pesticides and herbicides, linked to

cancers nd birth defects,

>

> Residues of antibiotics and growth-augmenting sex hormones fed to

the animals and stored in their tissues,

>

> Fecal microbes, like the potentially lethal E. coli 0:157 and

Salmonella bacteria. (Hamburger roulette, anyone?)

>

> The nightmare specter of the brain-destroying prion protein, the

cause of spongioform encephalopathies - " mad cow disease " in bovines -

Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, or CJD in humans. (I feel sadly certain

that what occurred in England with mad cow disease will probably

occur here in North America and other parts of the world within in

the next two years. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.)

>

> Given these ever-increasing risks connected to meat consumption, I

fear that the theories and books that attempt to justify and promote

the eating of flesh - for whatever reason - could be opening the

floodgates of ghastly epidemics five or ten years from now. These

plagues likely will have a magnitude that will dwarf everybody's

concerns about " being in the zone " or eating " right for your type. "

>

> Finally, no matter what advocates of animal-based diets might say

about the merits of being in the " zone " or " eating right for your

blood type, " from an ecological standpoint, a meat-based diet for the

world's population is non-achievable and, for even a sizeable

minority, is non-sustainable. The world's soils, waters, and forests

are being decimated to produce meat-based diets. We are destroying

the life support systems of our planet - of our children's planet -

for a mouthful of flesh. To me, the promotion of diets centered

around meat increases the chances of ecological catastrophes and thus

jeopardizes each of our futures.

>

> I wish for everyone optimal health, happiness, and longevity. We

owe it to ourselves, to our children, and to all who come after them,

to see how optimal function and life span can be achieved on diets

that are truly sustainable - for individuals, for societies, and for

the planet. It is, after all, the food of all our futures.

>

> -Michael Klaper, M.D.

>

>

>

> References

> (1) a) Galland, L. Intestinal Dysbiosis and the Causes of Disease.

Journal of Advancement in Medicine - Vol.6, No.2, Summer, 1993.

>

> b) Inman, R. Antigens, the Gastrointestinal Tract, and Arthritis.

Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America - Vol. 17, No. 2, May 1991.

>

> c) Katz, K. Intestinal mucosal permeability and rheumatological

diseases. Bailliere's Clinical Rheumatology - Vol. 3, No. 2, August,

1989.

>

> (2) a) Kjeldsen-Kragh, J. Controlled trial of fasting and one-year

vegetarian diet in rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet, 1991; 338:899-902.

>

> b) Mielants, et al. Intestinal Mucosal Permeability in Inflammatory

Rheumatic Diseases. II. Role of Disease. (J. Rheumatol. 1991; 18:394-

100)

>

> (3) a) Peltonen, R., et al. Changes of Faecal Flora in Rheumatoid

Arthritis During Fasting and One-Year Vegetarian Diet. British

Journal of Rheumatology 1994; 33:638-643.

>

> b) Ling, W. Shifting from a Conventional Diet to an Uncooked Vegan

Diet Reversibly Alters Fecal Hydrolytic Activities in Humans. Journal

of Nutrition, 122: 924- 930,1992.

>

> (4) a) Bidoli, E. et al (1992), Food consumption and cancer of the

colon and rectum in North-Eastern Italy, International Jnl of Cancer

v.50 p.223-229.

>

> b) Rao, A V. & Janezic, S A. (1992), The role of dietary

phyosterols in colon carcinogenesis, Nutrition & Cancer v.18 (1) p.43-

52.

>

> c) Willett, W C. et al (1990), Relation of meat, fat and fibre

intake to the risk of colon cancer in a prospective study among

women, New England Jnl of Medicine v.323 (24) p.1664-1672.

>

> (5) a) Mills, P. K. (1988), Animal product consumption and

subsequent fatal breast cancer risk among Seventh-Day Adventists,

American Jnl of Epidemiology v.127 (3) p.440-453.

>

> b) Fraser, G. E. et al (1991), Diet and lung cancer in California

Seventh-Day Adventists, American Jnl of Epidemiology v.133 (7) p.683-

693.

>

>

> I never thought about the universe, it made me feel small

> Never thought about the problems of this planet at all

> Global warming, radio-active sites

> Imperialistic wrongs and animal rights! No!

> Why think of all the bad things when life is so good?

> Why help with an 'am' when there's always a 'could'?

> Let the whales worry about the poisons in the sea

> Outside of California, it's foreign policy

> I don't want changes, I have no reactions

> Your dilemmas are my distractions

> I never looked around, never second-guessed

> Then I read some Howard Zinn now I'm always depressed

> And now I can't sleep from years of apathy

> All because I read a little Noam Chomsky

> I'm eating vegetation, 'cause of Fast Food Nation

> I'm wearing uncomfortable shoes 'cause of globalization

> I'm watching Michael Moore expose the awful truth

> I'm listening to Public Enemy and Reagan Youth

> I see no world peace 'cause of zealous armed forces

> I eat no breath-mints 'cause they're from de-hoofed horses

>

[Guest guest]

take your time

check the facts for yourself

read up on it

etc and so forth...

cheers

fraggle

Ron Sep 12, 2007 12:07 PM Re: and more for ron

 

 

 

ok I' had to print that one (16 pages) and will read later, thank you very much too... , fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote:>> The 'Blood Type Diet:'> Fact or Fiction? > The "blood type diet" theory has gained widespread attention from the public since the release of "Eat Right For Your Type" by Peter J. D'Adamo, N. D. (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1996). The book's basic premise - that Type O's are the dominant, hunter-caveman type that require meat in the diet, that Type A's are docile vegetarians, while Type B's are dairy-eating omnivores - has become a manifesto for many people to rationalize including regular portions of meat and other animal products in their diet. ("After all, my ancestors did it.") However, the "blood type diet" theory, and the book that promotes it, presents many problems that prevent me from seriously basing any of my dietary choices upon them.> > One of the book's most disturbing characteristics is the frightening images that the author calls forth without providing scientific documentation. For example, D'Adamo hangs much of his theory on the action of lectins, proteins found on the surface of certain foods that can cause various molecules and some types of cells to stick together. He blames lectins for serious disruptions throughout the body, from agglutination of the blood cells to cirrhosis and kidney failure (page 24). He even scares the reader about these lectin "boogie men" with the tale of ex-KGB agent Georgie Markov who was murdered with an injection of the ultra-potent lectin, ricin. Then, on Page 53, D'Adamo states that, "...certain beans and legumes, especially lentils and kidney beans, contain lectins that deposit in your muscle tissues, making them more alkaline and less charged for physical activity." This is quite a serious scientific charge, and an alarming thought if you are blood Type O - namely, that after eating a bowl of bean chili or lentil stew, lectin proteins are depositing in your muscles and altering their function, changing their acidity, and diminishing your capability for physical action.> > If one is going to make a statement like that - and publish it in a book destined for the New York Times bestseller list and intended to change the eating habits of a nation - I believe the author is obligated to present solid scientific evidence of supporting their assertions, which D'Adamo repeatedly fails to do. (An example of an author who presents credible proof is Dean Ornish, M.D., who published in his book the "before and after" photographs of X-rays demonstrating increased blood flow through arteries which had opened more widely after patients had participated in his diet and lifestyle program.) If an author is going to frighten millions of Type O readers about eating kidney beans, lentils, and wheat, I think they are obligated to provide verifyable evidence. To begin to convince me of the existence of his "lectin gremlins," he would have to publish photographs, taken through a microscope, of muscle tissue biopsied from people with Type O, Type A, Type B, and Type AB blood after they have eaten kidney beans and/or lentils. The photographs should clearly show the lectin deposits in the muscles of people with Type O blood - and not in the tissue samples from the muscles of people with Type A blood. If an author cannot produce proof like this, or clearly cite the scientific references in the text where other people have demonstrated such proof, his credibility, to me, is severely diminished. D'Adamo presents neither photos nor corroborating studies to support his speculations.> > As for the rest of his statement regarding lectins changing the muscles, "making them more alkaline and less charged for physical activity," to substantiate that assertion the author would need to publish or cite studies wherein microelectrodes that measure acidity inside the cells were inserted into the muscles of people of various blood types. After they all ate a meal of lentils and kidney beans, if D'Adamo is to be believed, a significantly greater shift towards alkalinity should be seen in the muscles of the Type O subjects. Yet, no such studies are presented. If an author doesn't have this kind of proof, is it responsible for him to make statements that may frighten millions of people from eating high-protein, high-fibre legumes and other potentially valuable foods? It may indeed be best for a particular person not to eat a particular legume - but they should do so for solid nutritional/medical reasons (allergies, colitis, etc.) independent of their blood type.> > What finally pushes the "blood type" theory beyond the limits of believability for me is the primary mechanism of physiologic damage that D'Adamo postulates - namely, lectin proteins on some foods causing blood agglutination in certain people of blood types who are "not genetically/evolutionarily suited" to eat those foods. This is a very serious - and potentially life-threatening - phenomenon that he proposes. Agglutination means that the red cells in your bloodstream are irreversibly sticking together and forming clumps. Once they begin to clump together, they don't come apart. (Note that this is very different than blood sludging, or so-called rouleoux formation - a phenomenon seen when the surface of the red cells become coated with fat or other substances to make them sticky enough to temporarily and reversibly adhere to each other's surfaces - but not to become permanently bonded through irreversible intertwining of surface proteins, which is what happens in agglutination.) Having your blood agglutinate as it circulates through your body is not conducive to good health - or to long term (or short term) survival...> > What is so bad about little clumps of red blood cells sailing through the bloodstream? Red blood cells deliver oxygen to the cells of vital tissues like the brain, heart and kidneys. To accomplish this delivery, they must flow through the tiniest of blood vessels - capillaries so narrow that the red blood cells must line up single file to get through. If the red cells are being agglutinated by lectins or anything else, clumps of red cells will clog up the capillaries and block the blood flow. Thus, the blood stream will be prevented from delivering its life-sustaining cargo of oxygen to the tissues served by those capillaries. Cells deprived of oxygen become damaged, and eventually die (cell death is called "infarction" of tissue.)> > Since most people are unaware of their blood types, let alone what foods are "evolutionarily inappropriate" for them to eat, it is reasonable to assume that on most days most people eat the "wrong foods" for their blood type (e.g., Type O eating wheat, Type A eating meat, etc.). Thus, according to D'Adamo's theory, most everyone experiences repeated showers of agglutinated red cells throughout their bloodstream after most every meal - day after day, month after month, year after year. If the capillary beds in your heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, eyes, and other essential organs are subjected to barrage after barrage of agglutinated red cells, they will eventually begin to clog up. These micro-areas of diminished blood flow would at first cause scattered, then more concentrated areas of tissue damage -with eventually many micro-infarctions scattered throughout these vital structures. The brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and adrenals would soon be irreparably damaged by these processes, resulting in potentially fatal outcomes in millions of people.> > Such a syndrome of organ failures due to lectin-induced micro-infarctions of the brain, heart, kidneys, retinas, and adrenals would be well known to pathologists and other medical scientists. It would not be a subtle disease. In the pathology texts, there would be clear descriptions - complete with photographs taken through high-power, optical microscopes as well as electron microscopes - of damage from lectin deposits and blood agglutination in most major organ systems. The existence and intricacies of such a widespread disease would be as common knowledge among physicians and cell scientists as atherosclerosis is today. Yet, I am aware of no such descriptions in the pathologic literature. No pathologist I know has ever mentioned tissue infarction from lectin-induced red cell agglutination as a cause of any disease in humans.> > So when I read a "one size fits all" statement like on page 63, "Type O's do not tolerate whole wheat products at all," I have to ask, "What does he mean, 'at all'?" Do Type O's eat a whole wheat cracker and fall on the ground holding their abdomen and vomiting - or worse yet, suffer immediate brain damage due to their blood cells agglutinating throughout their brain? How much wheat can a Type O eat before their blood agglutinates? One hamburger bun? One noodle?> > I'm not denying that many people do experience problems when they eat wheat. They do, but they do so because they have a true wheat allergy, gluten intolerance, or some other verifyable mechanism - not because of some sugar and protein molecules sticking up from the surface of their red blood cells. Like D'Adamo, I grant that wheat can be a problematic food for people with colitis, and I often recommend eliminating it from the diet. Lectins may even play a role in the inflammatory process for some people. However, before one tells millions of individuals with Type O blood to never eat whole wheat - many of whom apparently have no difficulty with whole wheat and who rely on breads as a major source of energy and protein - isn't some convincing scientific proof required? I feel that author D'Adamo at least owes his readers a text citation with supporting evidence that wheat-induced colon dysfunction is a condition peculiar to Type O's. Yet, his text is devoid of scientific endnote citations.> > To convince me, he would need to show me photographs of intestinal tissue from Type O people who have recently eaten wheat and who clearly have evidence of lectin agglutination clogging up the function of their intestinal cells. I would also need to see pictures of tissue biopsies from Types A, B, and AB whose intestinal walls are seen to be undamaged and far less burdened with lectin deposits than those with Type O blood. As far as I know, inflammation of the intestine, like colitis, Crohn's disease, and gluten sensitivities, occurs in people of all blood groups, not just Type O - and D'Adamo cites no convincing proof to the contrary.> > Author D'Adamo also makes three hard-to-believe statements concerning dairy products - two which made me doubt his understanding of basic science and one that raises concerns about the safety of his nutritional advice:> > 1.) D'Adamo states on Page 23 that, "If a person with Type A blood drinks it (milk), his system will immediately start the agglutination process in order to reject it." If he wants me to believe a statement like that, he had best show me pictures of Type A blood cells under the microscope agglutinating after the person drinks milk, wherein Type O and Type B blood cells are shown not to agglutinate. He again shows no such photos or other believable evidence of the phenomenon. D'Adamo would also have to explain why Type A people who drink milk (sometimes-massive quantities of it) do not suffer strokes and emboli as their blood agglutinates throughout their vascular system. He presents neither proof nor even plausible explanations for the above -very troubling in a book presented as "based on science."> > 2.) On page 151, D'Adamo states that, "...the primary sugar in the Type B antigen is D-galactosamine, the very same sugar present in milk." Actually, the primary sugar present in milk is not D-galactosamine, but rather, lactose. Lactose is a very different molecule than D-galactosamine, with very different chemical properties. Even if there were significant amounts of D-galactosamine in cow's milk, the antibodies in a Type A person's blood that agglutinate with a Type B person's blood cells do so by reacting not with D-galactosamine alone, but with a molecule of D-galactosamine combined with a molecule of the sugar, fucose, projecting from the surface of the red blood cell. Just because Type A antibodies will agglutinate with D-galactosamine+fucose on the surface of a Type B red cell, does not mean Type A blood will agglutinate with the lactose (or even free D-galactosamine) in cow's milk. (It is recognized that people of any blood type may react badly to cow's milk and other dairy products - for a variety of reasons, but likely not because lectins in the milk are agglutinating their "wrong" type blood cells.) > > 3.) A statement that causes me great concern regarding the safety of D'Adamo's dietary advice appears on page 37, where, despite widespread knowledge that many non-Caucasians are intolerant of dairy products due to the normal disappearance of lactase enzymes in their intestinal cells, D'Adamo recommends that "Type B's of Asian descent may need to incorporate them (dairy products) more slowly into their diets as they adjust their systems to them." This seems like strange counsel from an author trying to improve the intestinal health of his public. I fear that the consequences for many of his unsuspecting, lactase-deficient readers who follow such advice will be severe bouts of abdominal cramps and diarrhea. > > Another assertion in this book that make me not want to recommend it to my patients is on page 53, where D'Adamo writes that:> > "This condition, called hypothyroidism, occurs because Type O's tend not to produce enough iodine." The reality is that the body does not "produce" iodine at all, any more than it produces calcium, magnesium, sodium, or any other earth mineral. Iodine is a halogen element, related to chlorine and bromine, which is taken up by plants from the soil and in the sea - which are then consumed in the diet. To worry tens of millions of Type O readers that they "may not be producing enough iodine" (which no one does) and are thus at risk for hypothyroidism, is unfounded and, I feel, unnecessarily worrying. The causes of clinical hypothyroidism are complex issues, probably involving autoimmune and other mechanisms of injury to the thyroid tissue. To imply that eating red meat and avoiding wheat (a "Type O diet") will help the Type O person "produce iodine" is unsubstantiated and may not only raise false hopes in the reader, but may also increase the risk of meat-associated diseases.> > Beyond the usual association with heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, colon cancers and other degenerative diseases, animal-based diets foster the growth of pathogenic organisms in the intestine, which can injure the intestinal wall and lead to the "leaky gut syndrome" - a condition of increased intestinal permeability which allows injurious fragments of antigenic food proteins and bacterial breakdown products to leak into the bloodstream (1). These foreign, inflammation-inciting substances can, in turn, exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other autoimmune diseases in tissues throughout the body (2). The bacteria in the colons of people who consume vegan diets are far less likely to cause these kinds of diseases (3).> > Repeatedly packing the colon full of meat residue from a high protein diet has been shown to be highly correlated with cancer of the colon - among the leading killers of industrial nations (4). In fact, animal protein seems to be "high octane fuel" for the growth of many kinds of cancers (5). I fear that the apparent improvement experienced by many people who use the "zone" rationale to become big-time carnivores will ultimately be at the cost of damaged vital organs and more lethal and degenerative diseases.> > Beyond his views on biology, I was disappointed in D'Adamo's psychological portrayal of people of vegetarian persuasion. In the book, he tells flesh-eating Type O's that they have a "genetic memory of strength, endurance, self-reliance, daring, intuition, and innate optimism...", "the epitome of focus, drive...", "hardy and strong, fueled by a high protein diet" (is he describing a Type O "master race"?), while he paints the "more vegetarian" Type A as submissive tofu eaters, "biologically predisposed to heart disease, cancer and diabetes" (p. 97). He labels Type A's with personalities "...poorly suited for the intense, high-pressured leadership positions at which Type O's excel," (p.142), stating that, in pressure situations, people with Type A blood "tend to unravel" and "become anxious and paranoid, taking everything personally." Finally, on page 143, he saddles the group with the dark image of Adolph Hitler, "...a mutated Type A personality." D'Adamo's system seems to create a "blood type astrology" ("What's your type? O Positive? knew it! So am I!") that imposes strange, limiting stereotypes on very complex human beings.> > Remember, there is nothing sacrosanct about the ABO blood typing system devised by Dr. Landsteiner in the 1920's. It is only one system classifying more than thirty proteins on the surface of cells that determine other blood groups, with names like Auberger, Diego, Duffy, Kell, Kidd, Lewis, Lutheran, MNSs, P, Rh, Sutter, and Xg. This means that food selections that may be "right" for the ABO blood group system might be "dead wrong" for someone's Kell or idd antigens. Why are we deifying the D- galactosamine-fucose molecules on the red cell surfaces that determine ABO Type? > > In my opinion, D'Adamo has spun an evolutionary fairy tale that leaves many unanswered questions. What exactly is he proposing happened to Type O hunter-gatherers when the Type people began growing wheat, barley and other grains? Do Type O people eat a mouthful of barley and fall down in the dust, unable to work and reproduce? Do they then become warlike and club the agrarian people to death because lectins are clogging their intestines? Do the genetic changes to Type A blood type magically appear just before a society grows new grains (allowing them to eat the new grains in the first place), or did Type A blood types emerge after the grains are grown, as the people with Type O blood died out from their blood agglutinating in their brains? And why would so many of the native Indians of North America, classic Type O hunters, go to the trouble of cultivating high-lectin corn (maize)? Someone talk some science to me, please...> > Is the blood type the ultimate determinant of successful adaptation to a particular dietary style? How do we explain the experience of people who say, "I tried to be a vegetarian and it didn't work for me - so I added some meat back into my diet and I feel better. I guess I'm a Type O caveman," or "A practitioner of 'live cell' analysis stuck my finger and I saw my blood agglutinate! He said I must have eaten foods wrong for my blood type!" I hear variations of these two statements several times per year. Do either of these phenomena validate D'Adamo's blood type theory?> > First, the red cell clumping on the TV screen... I have walked through many medical meetings and health expos and seen this demonstration set up and performed many times. A subject's finger is punctured and a drop of their blood is placed under the microscope slide with the image projected on a large screen or television monitor. The results can appear quite dramatic as a person often sees on the TV screen their red blood cells, platelets, and other cellular elements apparently misshapen and clumped together. It can then be an opportune time to convince the startled person that their blood is laden with toxins or deficient in vital minerals or some other nutrient - and then sell them the "necessary" supplements that the "live cell analyst" happens to be purveying.> > Though the images may be graphically convincing, the unsuspecting subject is probably unaware that they may have just witnessed a biological parlor trick. The "live cell analyst" has probably failed to inform them that the "agglutinating" effect seen on the screen can be produced by a number of factors, most having nothing to do with lectins, blood type, or any other forces beyond the physics and chemistry of a drop of blood on a slide. Remember, that a drop of blood on the microscope slide is very different than a drop of blood flowing through your bloodstream.> > While flowing naturally through the bloodstream within the arteries and veins, the blood is shielded from light, is held at a constant temperature of 98.6 F., is under much higher pressure than room air, and is physically moving very rapidly through the "piping" system of blood vessels. These are all factors which profoundly affect the surface characteristics of the red blood cells, making them less likely to stick together. The red cells' rapid motion through the bloodstream also prevents antibody fixation, blood clotting factor activation, and other pro-agglutinating forces from exerting much effect. When the drop of blood is squeezed out onto the microscope slide, all these factors are changed or eliminated. At that point, physical forces - cooler temperatures, lower pressure, exposure to light, physical stagnation, activation of enzyme systems, etc. - begin to affect the blood on the slide in ways that may make it much more likely that the cells may begin to clump together - independent of blood type or presence of lectins.> > In addition to the above purely physical influences, other chemical factors may be at work on the slide to create the appearance of clumping - independent of the person's blood group. These chemical agents include:> > 1. The person's last meal. In particular, the fats from the egg yolk at breakfast or the olive oil in the salad dressing at lunch may be invisibly coating the red blood cells, making them stickier and more likely to adhere together. Fats will make red blood cells of all blood types sticky and more likely to clump together. In my experience, "live cell analysts" seldom ask the subject about their last meal nor analyze it for the fat content.> > 2. Antibodies (immune proteins that can bind to cells) left over from a recent viral infection or allergic reaction - but not associated with food lectins - can coat red blood cells and make them prone to clump together.> > 3. Molecules with unknown chemical properties, introduced into our blood from living in the "civilized world" - such as food colorings, food preservatives like BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), hydrogenated oils eaten in fast foods, snacks, and restaurant meals, as well as birth control pills, aspirin, cold medications, and over-the-counter remedies, etc. - may affect the tendency of blood cells to clump, independent of lectins or blood type.> > 4. The acidity (pH) of the blood, the levels of calcium, sodium, and other circulating minerals - even the concentration of salt in the "saline solution" that the "live cell analyst" mixes with the drop of blood - can all dramatically affect its behavior and appearance on the slide. Add to this the effects of exercise, medications, even a prolonged time since the last drink of water - it's no wonder the blood on the slide might look strange. There are hundreds of unseen forces acting upon the red blood cells, platelets, and suspended plasma proteins.> > Under some conditions, the blood cells of some individuals might even tend to clump together when viewed on the television screen. However, this does not mean that individual is ill, suffering from a nutritional deficiency, or is being agglutinated internally from the lectins in their diet. Unfortunately, this is often not the message they receive from the "live cell analyst" about to make a recommendation as to which one of their proprietary supplements to buy in order to remedy the "condition."> > (This is not to imply that all people performing "live cell analysis" are unscrupulous, but only that the technology creates a powerful imagery and it is easy to abuse. There seems to be quite a number of people demonstrating the televised technique for the public who are unaware of the subtleties of the blood stream and the body - and thus not qualified to make clinical diagnoses based upon what they are seeing on the TV monitor. Yet, it is very easy for "a live cell analyst " - for reasons altruistic, capitalistic, or otherwise - to issue an ominous-sounding term or diagnosis to an unsuspecting member of the public. I have had several people consult me, worried that their blood was agglutinating inside their arteries, or that their "immune system was shot," based upon comments made at a health expo by a "live cell analyst" - who had received little more than a weekend training course. The public should be made aware of the limitations of the "live cell analysis" technique, so they are not unduly frightened by what they may see on the screen or hear from the analyst.)> > What of the people who say they feel better when they resumed flesh eating after intervals of consuming vegetarian or vegan diets? Unquestionably, their experiences have some important messages for us. But what are they? Here are some possibilities...> > It is known that, in some people, merely adjusting the proportions of proteins, fats and sugars in any manner significantly new to their body can produce noticeable improvements in the way they feel. Changing the proportion of raw vs. cooked foods can similarly have beneficial effects. Some people who feel that their health has improved after adopting a "zone" or "blood type" diet may actually be benefiting from just eating less carbohydrates, more protein, etc. We plan to investigate whether some of the individuals who re-introduced animal products into their diet could have achieved similar effects by altering their selection and quantities of plant-based foods.> > We recognize that there are significant metabolic differences between people. It may well be that some of these differences may propel certain individuals towards flesh consumption. It may be, however, that the cause is not so much genetic, as acquired after birth. Remember, virtually every person who reports adding meat back into a previously vegetarian diet is an individual who was raised on a meat-based diet.> > Why is this important? The kind of foods one eats in their early years may set biochemical patterns that last for a lifetime. For example, the human body can synthesize from simpler molecules some essential substances like carnitine (required for energy production) and some long-chain fatty acids (EPA, DHA, etc., needed for hormone function, membrane synthesis, etc.). People who eat meat ingest these substances, pre-formed, in the muscles and other animal tissues they consume. It may be that the body of a person raised as a life-long omnivore becomes functionally dependent upon a diet that contains these pre-formed nutrients. As adults, if they suddenly change to a completely plant-based style of eating, where the foods are essentially devoid of pre-formed carnitine, EPA, DHA, etc., they may find themselves in a body with enzyme systems unable to synthesize all the energy-generating compounds, fatty acids, and other molecules they may require. > > After months or years on a flesh-free diet, these individuals might experience deterioration of their health or energy - only to feel better upon resumption of meat ingestion. To the person, this may seem like confirmation that they are "natural meat eaters." Rather, it may be evidence of an acquired dependency on flesh-borne nutrients formed through early eating patterns. If this is the case, it may be possible to prevent, repair, or at least compensate for these imbalances through provision of additional nutrients, removal of inhibiting substances in the diet, varying combinations of food, etc., utilizing foods of plant-based origin. There is much to learn about the subject and much research needs to be done.> > In my experience, these problems are not encountered in people raised on vegetarian diets from infancy. This effect might be especially pronounced in long-term omnivores who make an abrupt change to a vegan diet, as opposed to those who taper flesh foods out of their diet more gradually. It may be that some "omnivore-from-birth" people who desire to sustain themselves on a vegan diet may have to make a more graded transition to completely plant-based foods, sometimes over several weeks or months, to give the body time to "gear up" its metabolic machinery. In other words, what appears to be a "natural need for meat" may really be the need for an attenuated weaning process from animal products in order to overcome metabolic patterns begun early in life, created largely by cultural practices.> > Through the Institute of Education and Research, we plan to study these phenomena in detail and will attempt to identify any nutrients that may be required in larger amounts when consuming vegetarian diets. A goal of our research is to develop science-based guidelines to aid anyone who chooses to nourish their body on exclusively plant-based foods to do so with optimal benefits to their health and well being.> > An additional thought: Less than optimal function on a plant-based diet (or any diet) may not stem from a "lack of meat" or a nutrient deficiency at all, but rather from an individual's other health conditions, like digestive dysfunction, malabsorption by the intestine, parasite problems, adverse immune reactions, etc. To me, these are far more likely mechanisms that could explain the "failure-to-thrive" syndrome occasionally seen in vegetarians and vegans - rather than a genetic mandate to consume flesh determined by their blood type. Much more research is needed to obtain the answers to so many questions in this essential but subtle science.> > Beyond the "blood type issue," perhaps a deeper question about any book which advocates a meat-based diet for the majority of the population is, "In today's world, is eating meat, in any form, safe?" It appears that to base one's diet around animal foods is becoming a high-risk activity, similar to unsafe sex or driving without wearing a seat belt. Consider the smorgasbord of health hazards available at today's meat counters. It's a safe bet that virtually every cut of "fresh" meat produced commercially in North America today contains: > > Residues of hydrocarbon pesticides and herbicides, linked to cancers nd birth defects, > > Residues of antibiotics and growth-augmenting sex hormones fed to the animals and stored in their tissues,> > Fecal microbes, like the potentially lethal E. coli 0:157 and Salmonella bacteria. (Hamburger roulette, anyone?)> > The nightmare specter of the brain-destroying prion protein, the cause of spongioform encephalopathies - "mad cow disease" in bovines -Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, or CJD in humans. (I feel sadly certain that what occurred in England with mad cow disease will probably occur here in North America and other parts of the world within in the next two years. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.)> > Given these ever-increasing risks connected to meat consumption, I fear that the theories and books that attempt to justify and promote the eating of flesh - for whatever reason - could be opening the floodgates of ghastly epidemics five or ten years from now. These plagues likely will have a magnitude that will dwarf everybody's concerns about "being in the zone" or eating "right for your type."> > Finally, no matter what advocates of animal-based diets might say about the merits of being in the "zone" or "eating right for your blood type," from an ecological standpoint, a meat-based diet for the world's population is non-achievable and, for even a sizeable minority, is non-sustainable. The world's soils, waters, and forests are being decimated to produce meat-based diets. We are destroying the life support systems of our planet - of our children's planet - for a mouthful of flesh. To me, the promotion of diets centered around meat increases the chances of ecological catastrophes and thus jeopardizes each of our futures.> > I wish for everyone optimal health, happiness, and longevity. We owe it to ourselves, to our children, and to all who come after them, to see how optimal function and life span can be achieved on diets that are truly sustainable - for individuals, for societies, and for the planet. It is, after all, the food of all our futures.> > -Michael Klaper, M.D. > > > > References > (1) a) Galland, L. Intestinal Dysbiosis and the Causes of Disease. Journal of Advancement in Medicine - Vol.6, No.2, Summer, 1993.> > b) Inman, R. Antigens, the Gastrointestinal Tract, and Arthritis. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America - Vol. 17, No. 2, May 1991.> > c) Katz, K. Intestinal mucosal permeability and rheumatological diseases. Bailliere's Clinical Rheumatology - Vol. 3, No. 2, August, 1989.> > (2) a) Kjeldsen-Kragh, J. Controlled trial of fasting and one-year vegetarian diet in rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet, 1991; 338:899-902.> > b) Mielants, et al. Intestinal Mucosal Permeability in Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases. II. Role of Disease. (J. Rheumatol. 1991; 18:394-100)> > (3) a) Peltonen, R., et al. Changes of Faecal Flora in Rheumatoid Arthritis During Fasting and One-Year Vegetarian Diet. British Journal of Rheumatology 1994; 33:638-643.> > b) Ling, W. Shifting from a Conventional Diet to an Uncooked Vegan Diet Reversibly Alters Fecal Hydrolytic Activities in Humans. Journal of Nutrition, 122: 924- 930,1992.> > (4) a) Bidoli, E. et al (1992), Food consumption and cancer of the colon and rectum in North-Eastern Italy, International Jnl of Cancer v.50 p.223-229.> > b) Rao, A V. & Janezic, S A. (1992), The role of dietary phyosterols in colon carcinogenesis, Nutrition & Cancer v.18 (1) p.43-52.> > c) Willett, W C. et al (1990), Relation of meat, fat and fibre intake to the risk of colon cancer in a prospective study among women, New England Jnl of Medicine v.323 (24) p.1664-1672.> > (5) a) Mills, P. K. (1988), Animal product consumption and subsequent fatal breast cancer risk among Seventh-Day Adventists, American Jnl of Epidemiology v.127 (3) p.440-453.> > b) Fraser, G. E. et al (1991), Diet and lung cancer in California Seventh-Day Adventists, American Jnl of Epidemiology v.133 (7) p.683-693.> > > I never thought about the universe, it made me feel small> Never thought about the problems of this planet at all> Global warming, radio-active sites> Imperialistic wrongs and animal rights! No!> Why think of all the bad things when life is so good?> Why help with an 'am' when there's always a 'could'?> Let the whales worry about the poisons in the sea> Outside of California, it's foreign policy> I don't want changes, I have no reactions> Your dilemmas are my distractions> I never looked around, never second-guessed> Then I read some Howard Zinn now I'm always depressed> And now I can't sleep from years of apathy> All because I read a little Noam Chomsky> I'm eating vegetation, 'cause of Fast Food Nation> I'm wearing uncomfortable shoes 'cause of globalization> I'm watching Michael Moore expose the awful truth> I'm listening to Public Enemy and Reagan Youth> I see no world peace 'cause of zealous armed forces> I eat no breath-mints 'cause they're from de-hoofed horses>

 

 

 

I never thought about the universe, it made me feel small

Never thought about the problems of this planet at all

Global warming, radio-active sites

Imperialistic wrongs and animal rights! No!

Why think of all the bad things when life is so good?

Why help with an 'am' when there's always a 'could'?

Let the whales worry about the poisons in the sea

Outside of California, it's foreign policy

I don't want changes, I have no reactions

Your dilemmas are my distractions

I never looked around, never second-guessed

Then I read some Howard Zinn now I'm always depressed

And now I can't sleep from years of apathy

All because I read a little Noam Chomsky

I'm eating vegetation, 'cause of Fast Food Nation

I'm wearing uncomfortable shoes 'cause of globalization

I'm watching Michael Moore expose the awful truth

I'm listening to Public Enemy and Reagan Youth

I see no world peace 'cause of zealous armed forces

I eat no breath-mints 'cause they're from de-hoofed horses

[Guest guest]

read that article.. and that is more of a convincing argument for

veganism, interesting theory as how one should slowly move into vegan

if they ate meat/dairy all there lives.

Vegan as much as possible makes since to me also..... it's so

strange how " we " and our bodies seem to be two seperate " things " . Be

great if our bodies could talk... I guess that's part of life, trying

to understand what the heck we are.

Anyone ever read " Conversations with God " ? Interesting read.

 

, " Ron " <ron.zzxx wrote:

>

> ok I' had to print that one (16 pages) and will read later, thank

you

> very much too...

>

> , fraggle <EBbrewpunx@> wrote:

> >

> > The 'Blood Type Diet:'

> > Fact or Fiction?

> > The " blood type diet " theory has gained widespread attention from

> the public since the release of " Eat Right For Your Type " by Peter

J.

> D'Adamo, N. D. (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1996). The book's

> basic premise - that Type O's are the dominant, hunter-caveman type

> that require meat in the diet, that Type A's are docile

vegetarians,

> while Type B's are dairy-eating omnivores - has become a manifesto

> for many people to rationalize including regular portions of meat

and

> other animal products in their diet. ( " After all, my ancestors did

> it. " ) However, the " blood type diet " theory, and the book that

> promotes it, presents many problems that prevent me from seriously

> basing any of my dietary choices upon them.

> >

> > One of the book's most disturbing characteristics is the

> frightening images that the author calls forth without providing

> scientific documentation. For example, D'Adamo hangs much of his

> theory on the action of lectins, proteins found on the surface of

> certain foods that can cause various molecules and some types of

> cells to stick together. He blames lectins for serious disruptions

> throughout the body, from agglutination of the blood cells to

> cirrhosis and kidney failure (page 24). He even scares the reader

> about these lectin " boogie men " with the tale of ex-KGB agent

Georgie

> Markov who was murdered with an injection of the ultra-potent

lectin,

> ricin. Then, on Page 53, D'Adamo states that, " ...certain beans and

> legumes, especially lentils and kidney beans, contain lectins that

> deposit in your muscle tissues, making them more alkaline and less

> charged for physical activity. " This is quite a serious scientific

> charge, and an alarming thought if you are blood Type O - namely,

> that after eating a bowl of bean chili or lentil stew, lectin

> proteins are depositing in your muscles and altering their

function,

> changing their acidity, and diminishing your capability for

physical

> action.

> >

> > If one is going to make a statement like that - and publish it in

a

> book destined for the New York Times bestseller list and intended

to

> change the eating habits of a nation - I believe the author is

> obligated to present solid scientific evidence of supporting their

> assertions, which D'Adamo repeatedly fails to do. (An example of an

> author who presents credible proof is Dean Ornish, M.D., who

> published in his book the " before and after " photographs of X-rays

> demonstrating increased blood flow through arteries which had

opened

> more widely after patients had participated in his diet and

lifestyle

> program.) If an author is going to frighten millions of Type O

> readers about eating kidney beans, lentils, and wheat, I think they

> are obligated to provide verifyable evidence. To begin to convince

me

> of the existence of his " lectin gremlins, " he would have to publish

> photographs, taken through a microscope, of muscle tissue biopsied

> from people with Type O, Type A, Type B, and Type AB blood after

they

> have eaten kidney beans and/or lentils. The photographs should

> clearly show the lectin deposits in the muscles of people with Type

O

> blood - and not in the tissue samples from the muscles of people

with

> Type A blood. If an author cannot produce proof like this, or

clearly

> cite the scientific references in the text where other people have

> demonstrated such proof, his credibility, to me, is severely

> diminished. D'Adamo presents neither photos nor corroborating

studies

> to support his speculations.

> >

> > As for the rest of his statement regarding lectins changing the

> muscles, " making them more alkaline and less charged for physical

> activity, " to substantiate that assertion the author would need to

> publish or cite studies wherein microelectrodes that measure

acidity

> inside the cells were inserted into the muscles of people of

various

> blood types. After they all ate a meal of lentils and kidney beans,

> if D'Adamo is to be believed, a significantly greater shift towards

> alkalinity should be seen in the muscles of the Type O subjects.

Yet,

> no such studies are presented. If an author doesn't have this kind

of

> proof, is it responsible for him to make statements that may

frighten

> millions of people from eating high-protein, high-fibre legumes and

> other potentially valuable foods? It may indeed be best for a

> particular person not to eat a particular legume - but they should

do

> so for solid nutritional/medical reasons (allergies, colitis, etc.)

> independent of their blood type.

> >

> > What finally pushes the " blood type " theory beyond the limits of

> believability for me is the primary mechanism of physiologic damage

> that D'Adamo postulates - namely, lectin proteins on some foods

> causing blood agglutination in certain people of blood types who

> are " not genetically/evolutionarily suited " to eat those foods.

This

> is a very serious - and potentially life-threatening - phenomenon

> that he proposes. Agglutination means that the red cells in your

> bloodstream are irreversibly sticking together and forming clumps.

> Once they begin to clump together, they don't come apart. (Note

that

> this is very different than blood sludging, or so-called rouleoux

> formation - a phenomenon seen when the surface of the red cells

> become coated with fat or other substances to make them sticky

enough

> to temporarily and reversibly adhere to each other's surfaces - but

> not to become permanently bonded through irreversible intertwining

of

> surface proteins, which is what happens in agglutination.) Having

> your blood agglutinate as it circulates through your body is not

> conducive to good health - or to long term (or short term)

survival...

> >

> > What is so bad about little clumps of red blood cells sailing

> through the bloodstream? Red blood cells deliver oxygen to the

cells

> of vital tissues like the brain, heart and kidneys. To accomplish

> this delivery, they must flow through the tiniest of blood vessels -

 

> capillaries so narrow that the red blood cells must line up single

> file to get through. If the red cells are being agglutinated by

> lectins or anything else, clumps of red cells will clog up the

> capillaries and block the blood flow. Thus, the blood stream will

be

> prevented from delivering its life-sustaining cargo of oxygen to

the

> tissues served by those capillaries. Cells deprived of oxygen

become

> damaged, and eventually die (cell death is called " infarction " of

> tissue.)

> >

> > Since most people are unaware of their blood types, let alone

what

> foods are " evolutionarily inappropriate " for them to eat, it is

> reasonable to assume that on most days most people eat the " wrong

> foods " for their blood type (e.g., Type O eating wheat, Type A

eating

> meat, etc.). Thus, according to D'Adamo's theory, most everyone

> experiences repeated showers of agglutinated red cells throughout

> their bloodstream after most every meal - day after day, month

after

> month, year after year. If the capillary beds in your heart, lungs,

> kidneys, brain, eyes, and other essential organs are subjected to

> barrage after barrage of agglutinated red cells, they will

eventually

> begin to clog up. These micro-areas of diminished blood flow would

at

> first cause scattered, then more concentrated areas of tissue

damage -

> with eventually many micro-infarctions scattered throughout these

> vital structures. The brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and adrenals

would

> soon be irreparably damaged by these processes, resulting in

> potentially fatal outcomes in millions of people.

> >

> > Such a syndrome of organ failures due to lectin-induced micro-

> infarctions of the brain, heart, kidneys, retinas, and adrenals

would

> be well known to pathologists and other medical scientists. It

would

> not be a subtle disease. In the pathology texts, there would be

clear

> descriptions - complete with photographs taken through high-power,

> optical microscopes as well as electron microscopes - of damage

from

> lectin deposits and blood agglutination in most major organ

systems.

> The existence and intricacies of such a widespread disease would be

> as common knowledge among physicians and cell scientists as

> atherosclerosis is today. Yet, I am aware of no such descriptions

in

> the pathologic literature. No pathologist I know has ever mentioned

> tissue infarction from lectin-induced red cell agglutination as a

> cause of any disease in humans.

> >

> > So when I read a " one size fits all " statement like on page

> 63, " Type O's do not tolerate whole wheat products at all, " I have

to

> ask, " What does he mean, 'at all'? " Do Type O's eat a whole wheat

> cracker and fall on the ground holding their abdomen and vomiting -

> or worse yet, suffer immediate brain damage due to their blood

cells

> agglutinating throughout their brain? How much wheat can a Type O

eat

> before their blood agglutinates? One hamburger bun? One noodle?

> >

> > I'm not denying that many people do experience problems when they

> eat wheat. They do, but they do so because they have a true wheat

> allergy, gluten intolerance, or some other verifyable mechanism -

not

> because of some sugar and protein molecules sticking up from the

> surface of their red blood cells. Like D'Adamo, I grant that wheat

> can be a problematic food for people with colitis, and I often

> recommend eliminating it from the diet. Lectins may even play a

role

> in the inflammatory process for some people. However, before one

> tells millions of individuals with Type O blood to never eat whole

> wheat - many of whom apparently have no difficulty with whole wheat

> and who rely on breads as a major source of energy and protein -

> isn't some convincing scientific proof required? I feel that author

> D'Adamo at least owes his readers a text citation with supporting

> evidence that wheat-induced colon dysfunction is a condition

peculiar

> to Type O's. Yet, his text is devoid of scientific endnote

citations.

> >

> > To convince me, he would need to show me photographs of

intestinal

> tissue from Type O people who have recently eaten wheat and who

> clearly have evidence of lectin agglutination clogging up the

> function of their intestinal cells. I would also need to see

pictures

> of tissue biopsies from Types A, B, and AB whose intestinal walls

are

> seen to be undamaged and far less burdened with lectin deposits

than

> those with Type O blood. As far as I know, inflammation of the

> intestine, like colitis, Crohn's disease, and gluten sensitivities,

> occurs in people of all blood groups, not just Type O - and D'Adamo

> cites no convincing proof to the contrary.

> >

> > Author D'Adamo also makes three hard-to-believe statements

> concerning dairy products - two which made me doubt his

understanding

> of basic science and one that raises concerns about the safety of

his

> nutritional advice:

> >

> > 1.) D'Adamo states on Page 23 that, " If a person with Type A

blood

> drinks it (milk), his system will immediately start the

agglutination

> process in order to reject it. " If he wants me to believe a

statement

> like that, he had best show me pictures of Type A blood cells under

> the microscope agglutinating after the person drinks milk, wherein

> Type O and Type B blood cells are shown not to agglutinate. He

again

> shows no such photos or other believable evidence of the

phenomenon.

> D'Adamo would also have to explain why Type A people who drink milk

> (sometimes-massive quantities of it) do not suffer strokes and

emboli

> as their blood agglutinates throughout their vascular system. He

> presents neither proof nor even plausible explanations for the

above -

> very troubling in a book presented as " based on science. "

> >

> > 2.) On page 151, D'Adamo states that, " ...the primary sugar in

the

> Type B antigen is D-galactosamine, the very same sugar present in

> milk. " Actually, the primary sugar present in milk is not D-

> galactosamine, but rather, lactose. Lactose is a very different

> molecule than D-galactosamine, with very different chemical

> properties. Even if there were significant amounts of D-

galactosamine

> in cow's milk, the antibodies in a Type A person's blood that

> agglutinate with a Type B person's blood cells do so by reacting

not

> with D-galactosamine alone, but with a molecule of D-galactosamine

> combined with a molecule of the sugar, fucose, projecting from the

> surface of the red blood cell. Just because Type A antibodies will

> agglutinate with D-galactosamine+fucose on the surface of a Type B

> red cell, does not mean Type A blood will agglutinate with the

> lactose (or even free D-galactosamine) in cow's milk. (It is

> recognized that people of any blood type may react badly to cow's

> milk and other dairy products - for a variety of reasons, but

likely

> not because lectins in the milk are agglutinating their " wrong "

type

> blood cells.)

> >

> > 3.) A statement that causes me great concern regarding the safety

> of D'Adamo's dietary advice appears on page 37, where, despite

> widespread knowledge that many non-Caucasians are intolerant of

dairy

> products due to the normal disappearance of lactase enzymes in

their

> intestinal cells, D'Adamo recommends that " Type B's of Asian

descent

> may need to incorporate them (dairy products) more slowly into

their

> diets as they adjust their systems to them. " This seems like

strange

> counsel from an author trying to improve the intestinal health of

his

> public. I fear that the consequences for many of his unsuspecting,

> lactase-deficient readers who follow such advice will be severe

bouts

> of abdominal cramps and diarrhea.

> >

> > Another assertion in this book that make me not want to recommend

> it to my patients is on page 53, where D'Adamo writes that:

> >

> > " This condition, called hypothyroidism, occurs because Type O's

> tend not to produce enough iodine. " The reality is that the body

does

> not " produce " iodine at all, any more than it produces calcium,

> magnesium, sodium, or any other earth mineral. Iodine is a halogen

> element, related to chlorine and bromine, which is taken up by

plants

> from the soil and in the sea - which are then consumed in the diet.

> To worry tens of millions of Type O readers that they " may not be

> producing enough iodine " (which no one does) and are thus at risk

for

> hypothyroidism, is unfounded and, I feel, unnecessarily worrying.

The

> causes of clinical hypothyroidism are complex issues, probably

> involving autoimmune and other mechanisms of injury to the thyroid

> tissue. To imply that eating red meat and avoiding wheat (a " Type O

> diet " ) will help the Type O person " produce iodine " is

> unsubstantiated and may not only raise false hopes in the reader,

but

> may also increase the risk of meat-associated diseases.

> >

> > Beyond the usual association with heart attack, stroke,

> osteoporosis, colon cancers and other degenerative diseases, animal-

> based diets foster the growth of pathogenic organisms in the

> intestine, which can injure the intestinal wall and lead to

> the " leaky gut syndrome " - a condition of increased intestinal

> permeability which allows injurious fragments of antigenic food

> proteins and bacterial breakdown products to leak into the

> bloodstream (1). These foreign, inflammation-inciting substances

can,

> in turn, exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other

autoimmune

> diseases in tissues throughout the body (2). The bacteria in the

> colons of people who consume vegan diets are far less likely to

cause

> these kinds of diseases (3).

> >

> > Repeatedly packing the colon full of meat residue from a high

> protein diet has been shown to be highly correlated with cancer of

> the colon - among the leading killers of industrial nations (4). In

> fact, animal protein seems to be " high octane fuel " for the growth

of

> many kinds of cancers (5). I fear that the apparent improvement

> experienced by many people who use the " zone " rationale to become

big-

> time carnivores will ultimately be at the cost of damaged vital

> organs and more lethal and degenerative diseases.

> >

> > Beyond his views on biology, I was disappointed in D'Adamo's

> psychological portrayal of people of vegetarian persuasion. In the

> book, he tells flesh-eating Type O's that they have a " genetic

memory

> of strength, endurance, self-reliance, daring, intuition, and

innate

> optimism... " , " the epitome of focus, drive... " , " hardy and strong,

> fueled by a high protein diet " (is he describing a Type O " master

> race " ?), while he paints the " more vegetarian " Type A as submissive

> tofu eaters, " biologically predisposed to heart disease, cancer and

> diabetes " (p. 97). He labels Type A's with personalities " ...poorly

> suited for the intense, high-pressured leadership positions at

which

> Type O's excel, " (p.142), stating that, in pressure situations,

> people with Type A blood " tend to unravel " and " become anxious and

> paranoid, taking everything personally. " Finally, on page 143, he

> saddles the group with the dark image of Adolph Hitler, " ...a

mutated

> Type A personality. " D'Adamo's system seems to create a " blood type

> astrology " ( " What's your type? O Positive? knew it! So am I! " ) that

> imposes strange, limiting stereotypes on very complex human beings.

> >

> > Remember, there is nothing sacrosanct about the ABO blood typing

> system devised by Dr. Landsteiner in the 1920's. It is only one

> system classifying more than thirty proteins on the surface of

cells

> that determine other blood groups, with names like Auberger, Diego,

> Duffy, Kell, Kidd, Lewis, Lutheran, MNSs, P, Rh, Sutter, and Xg.

This

> means that food selections that may be " right " for the ABO blood

> group system might be " dead wrong " for someone's Kell or idd

> antigens. Why are we deifying the D- galactosamine-fucose molecules

> on the red cell surfaces that determine ABO Type?

> >

> > In my opinion, D'Adamo has spun an evolutionary fairy tale that

> leaves many unanswered questions. What exactly is he proposing

> happened to Type O hunter-gatherers when the Type people began

> growing wheat, barley and other grains? Do Type O people eat a

> mouthful of barley and fall down in the dust, unable to work and

> reproduce? Do they then become warlike and club the agrarian people

> to death because lectins are clogging their intestines? Do the

> genetic changes to Type A blood type magically appear just before a

> society grows new grains (allowing them to eat the new grains in

the

> first place), or did Type A blood types emerge after the grains are

> grown, as the people with Type O blood died out from their blood

> agglutinating in their brains? And why would so many of the native

> Indians of North America, classic Type O hunters, go to the trouble

> of cultivating high-lectin corn (maize)? Someone talk some science

to

> me, please...

> >

> > Is the blood type the ultimate determinant of successful

adaptation

> to a particular dietary style? How do we explain the experience of

> people who say, " I tried to be a vegetarian and it didn't work for

> me - so I added some meat back into my diet and I feel better. I

> guess I'm a Type O caveman, " or " A practitioner of 'live cell'

> analysis stuck my finger and I saw my blood agglutinate! He said I

> must have eaten foods wrong for my blood type! " I hear variations

of

> these two statements several times per year. Do either of these

> phenomena validate D'Adamo's blood type theory?

> >

> > First, the red cell clumping on the TV screen... I have walked

> through many medical meetings and health expos and seen this

> demonstration set up and performed many times. A subject's finger

is

> punctured and a drop of their blood is placed under the microscope

> slide with the image projected on a large screen or television

> monitor. The results can appear quite dramatic as a person often

sees

> on the TV screen their red blood cells, platelets, and other

cellular

> elements apparently misshapen and clumped together. It can then be

an

> opportune time to convince the startled person that their blood is

> laden with toxins or deficient in vital minerals or some other

> nutrient - and then sell them the " necessary " supplements that

> the " live cell analyst " happens to be purveying.

> >

> > Though the images may be graphically convincing, the unsuspecting

> subject is probably unaware that they may have just witnessed a

> biological parlor trick. The " live cell analyst " has probably

failed

> to inform them that the " agglutinating " effect seen on the screen

can

> be produced by a number of factors, most having nothing to do with

> lectins, blood type, or any other forces beyond the physics and

> chemistry of a drop of blood on a slide. Remember, that a drop of

> blood on the microscope slide is very different than a drop of

blood

> flowing through your bloodstream.

> >

> > While flowing naturally through the bloodstream within the

arteries

> and veins, the blood is shielded from light, is held at a constant

> temperature of 98.6 F., is under much higher pressure than room

air,

> and is physically moving very rapidly through the " piping " system

of

> blood vessels. These are all factors which profoundly affect the

> surface characteristics of the red blood cells, making them less

> likely to stick together. The red cells' rapid motion through the

> bloodstream also prevents antibody fixation, blood clotting factor

> activation, and other pro-agglutinating forces from exerting much

> effect. When the drop of blood is squeezed out onto the microscope

> slide, all these factors are changed or eliminated. At that point,

> physical forces - cooler temperatures, lower pressure, exposure to

> light, physical stagnation, activation of enzyme systems, etc. -

> begin to affect the blood on the slide in ways that may make it

much

> more likely that the cells may begin to clump together -

independent

> of blood type or presence of lectins.

> >

> > In addition to the above purely physical influences, other

chemical

> factors may be at work on the slide to create the appearance of

> clumping - independent of the person's blood group. These chemical

> agents include:

> >

> > 1. The person's last meal. In particular, the fats from the egg

> yolk at breakfast or the olive oil in the salad dressing at lunch

may

> be invisibly coating the red blood cells, making them stickier and

> more likely to adhere together. Fats will make red blood cells of

all

> blood types sticky and more likely to clump together. In my

> experience, " live cell analysts " seldom ask the subject about their

> last meal nor analyze it for the fat content.

> >

> > 2. Antibodies (immune proteins that can bind to cells) left over

> from a recent viral infection or allergic reaction - but not

> associated with food lectins - can coat red blood cells and make

them

> prone to clump together.

> >

> > 3. Molecules with unknown chemical properties, introduced into

our

> blood from living in the " civilized world " - such as food

colorings,

> food preservatives like BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene),

hydrogenated

> oils eaten in fast foods, snacks, and restaurant meals, as well as

> birth control pills, aspirin, cold medications, and over-the-

counter

> remedies, etc. - may affect the tendency of blood cells to clump,

> independent of lectins or blood type.

> >

> > 4. The acidity (pH) of the blood, the levels of calcium, sodium,

> and other circulating minerals - even the concentration of salt in

> the " saline solution " that the " live cell analyst " mixes with the

> drop of blood - can all dramatically affect its behavior and

> appearance on the slide. Add to this the effects of exercise,

> medications, even a prolonged time since the last drink of water -

> it's no wonder the blood on the slide might look strange. There are

> hundreds of unseen forces acting upon the red blood cells,

platelets,

> and suspended plasma proteins.

> >

> > Under some conditions, the blood cells of some individuals might

> even tend to clump together when viewed on the television screen.

> However, this does not mean that individual is ill, suffering from

a

> nutritional deficiency, or is being agglutinated internally from

the

> lectins in their diet. Unfortunately, this is often not the message

> they receive from the " live cell analyst " about to make a

> recommendation as to which one of their proprietary supplements to

> buy in order to remedy the " condition. "

> >

> > (This is not to imply that all people performing " live cell

> analysis " are unscrupulous, but only that the technology creates a

> powerful imagery and it is easy to abuse. There seems to be quite a

> number of people demonstrating the televised technique for the

public

> who are unaware of the subtleties of the blood stream and the body -

 

> and thus not qualified to make clinical diagnoses based upon what

> they are seeing on the TV monitor. Yet, it is very easy for " a live

> cell analyst " - for reasons altruistic, capitalistic, or

otherwise -

> to issue an ominous-sounding term or diagnosis to an unsuspecting

> member of the public. I have had several people consult me, worried

> that their blood was agglutinating inside their arteries, or that

> their " immune system was shot, " based upon comments made at a

health

> expo by a " live cell analyst " - who had received little more than a

> weekend training course. The public should be made aware of the

> limitations of the " live cell analysis " technique, so they are not

> unduly frightened by what they may see on the screen or hear from

the

> analyst.)

> >

> > What of the people who say they feel better when they resumed

flesh

> eating after intervals of consuming vegetarian or vegan diets?

> Unquestionably, their experiences have some important messages for

> us. But what are they? Here are some possibilities...

> >

> > It is known that, in some people, merely adjusting the

proportions

> of proteins, fats and sugars in any manner significantly new to

their

> body can produce noticeable improvements in the way they feel.

> Changing the proportion of raw vs. cooked foods can similarly have

> beneficial effects. Some people who feel that their health has

> improved after adopting a " zone " or " blood type " diet may actually

be

> benefiting from just eating less carbohydrates, more protein, etc.

We

> plan to investigate whether some of the individuals who re-

introduced

> animal products into their diet could have achieved similar effects

> by altering their selection and quantities of plant-based foods.

> >

> > We recognize that there are significant metabolic differences

> between people. It may well be that some of these differences may

> propel certain individuals towards flesh consumption. It may be,

> however, that the cause is not so much genetic, as acquired after

> birth. Remember, virtually every person who reports adding meat

back

> into a previously vegetarian diet is an individual who was raised

on

> a meat-based diet.

> >

> > Why is this important? The kind of foods one eats in their early

> years may set biochemical patterns that last for a lifetime. For

> example, the human body can synthesize from simpler molecules some

> essential substances like carnitine (required for energy

production)

> and some long-chain fatty acids (EPA, DHA, etc., needed for hormone

> function, membrane synthesis, etc.). People who eat meat ingest

these

> substances, pre-formed, in the muscles and other animal tissues

they

> consume. It may be that the body of a person raised as a life-long

> omnivore becomes functionally dependent upon a diet that contains

> these pre-formed nutrients. As adults, if they suddenly change to a

> completely plant-based style of eating, where the foods are

> essentially devoid of pre-formed carnitine, EPA, DHA, etc., they

may

> find themselves in a body with enzyme systems unable to synthesize

> all the energy-generating compounds, fatty acids, and other

molecules

> they may require.

> >

> > After months or years on a flesh-free diet, these individuals

might

> experience deterioration of their health or energy - only to feel

> better upon resumption of meat ingestion. To the person, this may

> seem like confirmation that they are " natural meat eaters. " Rather,

> it may be evidence of an acquired dependency on flesh-borne

nutrients

> formed through early eating patterns. If this is the case, it may

be

> possible to prevent, repair, or at least compensate for these

> imbalances through provision of additional nutrients, removal of

> inhibiting substances in the diet, varying combinations of food,

> etc., utilizing foods of plant-based origin. There is much to learn

> about the subject and much research needs to be done.

> >

> > In my experience, these problems are not encountered in people

> raised on vegetarian diets from infancy. This effect might be

> especially pronounced in long-term omnivores who make an abrupt

> change to a vegan diet, as opposed to those who taper flesh foods

out

> of their diet more gradually. It may be that some " omnivore-from-

> birth " people who desire to sustain themselves on a vegan diet may

> have to make a more graded transition to completely plant-based

> foods, sometimes over several weeks or months, to give the body

time

> to " gear up " its metabolic machinery. In other words, what appears

to

> be a " natural need for meat " may really be the need for an

attenuated

> weaning process from animal products in order to overcome metabolic

> patterns begun early in life, created largely by cultural practices.

> >

> > Through the Institute of Education and Research, we plan to study

> these phenomena in detail and will attempt to identify any

nutrients

> that may be required in larger amounts when consuming vegetarian

> diets. A goal of our research is to develop science-based

guidelines

> to aid anyone who chooses to nourish their body on exclusively

plant-

> based foods to do so with optimal benefits to their health and well

> being.

> >

> > An additional thought: Less than optimal function on a plant-

based

> diet (or any diet) may not stem from a " lack of meat " or a nutrient

> deficiency at all, but rather from an individual's other health

> conditions, like digestive dysfunction, malabsorption by the

> intestine, parasite problems, adverse immune reactions, etc. To me,

> these are far more likely mechanisms that could explain

the " failure-

> to-thrive " syndrome occasionally seen in vegetarians and vegans -

> rather than a genetic mandate to consume flesh determined by their

> blood type. Much more research is needed to obtain the answers to

so

> many questions in this essential but subtle science.

> >

> > Beyond the " blood type issue, " perhaps a deeper question about

any

> book which advocates a meat-based diet for the majority of the

> population is, " In today's world, is eating meat, in any form,

safe? "

> It appears that to base one's diet around animal foods is becoming

a

> high-risk activity, similar to unsafe sex or driving without

wearing

> a seat belt. Consider the smorgasbord of health hazards available

at

> today's meat counters. It's a safe bet that virtually every cut

> of " fresh " meat produced commercially in North America today

> contains:

> >

> > Residues of hydrocarbon pesticides and herbicides, linked to

> cancers nd birth defects,

> >

> > Residues of antibiotics and growth-augmenting sex hormones fed to

> the animals and stored in their tissues,

> >

> > Fecal microbes, like the potentially lethal E. coli 0:157 and

> Salmonella bacteria. (Hamburger roulette, anyone?)

> >

> > The nightmare specter of the brain-destroying prion protein, the

> cause of spongioform encephalopathies - " mad cow disease " in

bovines -

> Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, or CJD in humans. (I feel sadly certain

> that what occurred in England with mad cow disease will probably

> occur here in North America and other parts of the world within in

> the next two years. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.)

> >

> > Given these ever-increasing risks connected to meat consumption,

I

> fear that the theories and books that attempt to justify and

promote

> the eating of flesh - for whatever reason - could be opening the

> floodgates of ghastly epidemics five or ten years from now. These

> plagues likely will have a magnitude that will dwarf everybody's

> concerns about " being in the zone " or eating " right for your type. "

> >

> > Finally, no matter what advocates of animal-based diets might say

> about the merits of being in the " zone " or " eating right for your

> blood type, " from an ecological standpoint, a meat-based diet for

the

> world's population is non-achievable and, for even a sizeable

> minority, is non-sustainable. The world's soils, waters, and

forests

> are being decimated to produce meat-based diets. We are destroying

> the life support systems of our planet - of our children's planet -

> for a mouthful of flesh. To me, the promotion of diets centered

> around meat increases the chances of ecological catastrophes and

thus

> jeopardizes each of our futures.

> >

> > I wish for everyone optimal health, happiness, and longevity. We

> owe it to ourselves, to our children, and to all who come after

them,

> to see how optimal function and life span can be achieved on diets

> that are truly sustainable - for individuals, for societies, and

for

> the planet. It is, after all, the food of all our futures.

> >

> > -Michael Klaper, M.D.

> >

> >

> >

> > References

> > (1) a) Galland, L. Intestinal Dysbiosis and the Causes of

Disease.

> Journal of Advancement in Medicine - Vol.6, No.2, Summer, 1993.

> >

> > b) Inman, R. Antigens, the Gastrointestinal Tract, and Arthritis.

> Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America - Vol. 17, No. 2, May

1991.

> >

> > c) Katz, K. Intestinal mucosal permeability and rheumatological

> diseases. Bailliere's Clinical Rheumatology - Vol. 3, No. 2,

August,

> 1989.

> >

> > (2) a) Kjeldsen-Kragh, J. Controlled trial of fasting and one-

year

> vegetarian diet in rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet, 1991; 338:899-902.

> >

> > b) Mielants, et al. Intestinal Mucosal Permeability in

Inflammatory

> Rheumatic Diseases. II. Role of Disease. (J. Rheumatol. 1991;

18:394-

> 100)

> >

> > (3) a) Peltonen, R., et al. Changes of Faecal Flora in Rheumatoid

> Arthritis During Fasting and One-Year Vegetarian Diet. British

> Journal of Rheumatology 1994; 33:638-643.

> >

> > b) Ling, W. Shifting from a Conventional Diet to an Uncooked

Vegan

> Diet Reversibly Alters Fecal Hydrolytic Activities in Humans.

Journal

> of Nutrition, 122: 924- 930,1992.

> >

> > (4) a) Bidoli, E. et al (1992), Food consumption and cancer of

the

> colon and rectum in North-Eastern Italy, International Jnl of

Cancer

> v.50 p.223-229.

> >

> > b) Rao, A V. & Janezic, S A. (1992), The role of dietary

> phyosterols in colon carcinogenesis, Nutrition & Cancer v.18 (1)

p.43-

> 52.

> >

> > c) Willett, W C. et al (1990), Relation of meat, fat and fibre

> intake to the risk of colon cancer in a prospective study among

> women, New England Jnl of Medicine v.323 (24) p.1664-1672.

> >

> > (5) a) Mills, P. K. (1988), Animal product consumption and

> subsequent fatal breast cancer risk among Seventh-Day Adventists,

> American Jnl of Epidemiology v.127 (3) p.440-453.

> >

> > b) Fraser, G. E. et al (1991), Diet and lung cancer in California

> Seventh-Day Adventists, American Jnl of Epidemiology v.133 (7)

p.683-

> 693.

> >

> >

> > I never thought about the universe, it made me feel small

> > Never thought about the problems of this planet at all

> > Global warming, radio-active sites

> > Imperialistic wrongs and animal rights! No!

> > Why think of all the bad things when life is so good?

> > Why help with an 'am' when there's always a 'could'?

> > Let the whales worry about the poisons in the sea

> > Outside of California, it's foreign policy

> > I don't want changes, I have no reactions

> > Your dilemmas are my distractions

> > I never looked around, never second-guessed

> > Then I read some Howard Zinn now I'm always depressed

> > And now I can't sleep from years of apathy

> > All because I read a little Noam Chomsky

> > I'm eating vegetation, 'cause of Fast Food Nation

> > I'm wearing uncomfortable shoes 'cause of globalization

> > I'm watching Michael Moore expose the awful truth

> > I'm listening to Public Enemy and Reagan Youth

> > I see no world peace 'cause of zealous armed forces

> > I eat no breath-mints 'cause they're from de-hoofed horses

> >

>