The Blood Type Diet

So last week, I talked about a possible gluten-free diet. 

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2011/05/gluten-sensitivity-and-psoriasis.html

Friday night, I tried gluten-free pizza at Skipolini's.  It wasn't bad but it sure wasn't great.  My friend has been gluten-free for years and says that it's her favorite, so I assume after years of not eating bread, it probably does taste pretty good.  But when you had a delicious croissant for breakfast, there is no comparison. 

I think I would rather just eat less bread than replace it with gluten-free products.  Plus, my stomach was seriously upset after I ate the gluten-free crust.  Post-gastric bypass, my stomach has to think hard any time I eat new things -- even seven years later.  But, I had one piece Friday night and one piece Saturday.  And both times, my stomach was grumbling and very upset with me. 

I have heard for years about the Blood Type Diet.  It sounds interesting and some of what they say makes sense (and goes along with the whole gluten-free thing).  You can find lots of websites who say its all bullshit too.  I find with any diet, supplement, exercise, store, or whatever, you can usually find someone who loves and someone who hates it. 

My blood type is O positive.  So, according to this website:

Type O was the first blood type, the type O ancestral prototype was a canny, aggressive predator. Aspects of the Type O profile remain essential in every society even to this day – leadership, extroversion, energy and focus are among their best traits. Type O’s can be powerful and productive, however, when stressed Type O’s response can be one of anger, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. When Type O wiring gets crossed, as a result of a poor diet, lack of exercise, unhealthy behaviors or elevated stress levels, Type O’s are more vulnerable to negative metabolic effects, including insulin resistance, sluggish thyroid activity, and weight gain. When you customize your life to Type O’s strengths you can reap the benefits of your ancestry. Your genetic inheritance offers you the opportunity to be strong, lean, productive, long-lived and optimistic. 

The legacy of your Type O ancestry causes an immediate “fight or flight” response in people of this blood type. However, this finely tuned response to stress, so vital in early Type O’s, is not always so beneficial in modern times. The Type O response can cause bouts of excessive anger, temper tantrums, hyperactivity and even create a severe enough chemical imbalance to bring about a manic episode. Since there is a powerful, synergistic relationship between the release of dopamine and feelings of reward, Type O is more vulnerable to destructive behaviors when overly tired, depressed or bored. These can include gambling, sensation seeking, risk taking, substance abuse and impulsivity. To avoid becoming overstressed, Dr. D’Adamo recommends following the Type O diet, which focuses on lean, organic meats, vegetables and fruits and avoid wheat and dairy which can be triggers for digestive and health issues in Type O. Additionally, he suggests that Type O’s avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine can be particularly harmful because of its tendency to raise adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are already high for Type O’s.  

So, it pretty much tells me to avoid gluten too. 

Here's my problem with "diets."  They don't work.  I can think of this as a lifestyle change, of course.  But I already know what works best for me -- ANYTHING in moderation.  I just don't work well when I have to cut something out completely.  Maybe its better for my body, but my crazy brain inserts itself and tells me I need to eat MORE of something if I try to cut it out.  And I can fight it for awhile but I always give in eventually.  It's so  much easier than battling my own mind.

I've lost weight before.  And I've had clear skin before.  I just need to keep eating right and exercising.  The weight will come off and my skin will look better.  I just need to be patient.