While she was working toward her certification as a massage therapist, Dori B. (Blood Type A) was taking in as much wellness information as she could. When someone told her about The Blood Type Diet, she became intrigued, not just as a wellness student, but as someone for whom staying healthy had always been a challenge.

Why did you decide to try The Blood Type Diet?

I had always had health issues like poor digestion and frequent abdominal pain or discomfort. Fatigue was another concern, and I seemed to have a compromised immune system given my frequent colds and susceptibility to viruses during winter season. I would go straight from being sick in the fall and winter seasons to having allergies in the spring. My quality of life and proactivity was often challenged.

So I purchased and read and reread the original Blood Type Diet book, Eat Right 4 Your Type, by Dr. D’Adamo. I appreciated reading about the scientific research that he and his dad studied for decades! The info on how blood types evolved over centuries was interesting, and the way lectins in foods interact with various blood types is priceless, validating the theory.

How did you implement The Blood Type Diet? What changes did you notice?

By immediately cutting out detrimental Avoid foods and incorporating more Beneficial foods daily, I noticed immediate improvement.

For instance, as I began to cut out red meats, pork and veggies like corn that do not coincide with my Blood Type A, digestion improved along with gut motility—and sluggishness and fatigue diminished.

What else did you take away from reading Eat Right 4 Your Type?

Not only is nutrition addressed in the diet but also the best exercises and naturopathic supplements for your blood type and other aspects of lifestyle.

Low impact exercise is recommended for my blood type because high impact movements bring on fatigue. That explained why I felt worse, for example, after a rigorous spin class, rather than after doing low impact dance and stretching and similar exercises. Now I stick to what my body responds to positively without overtaxing my system.

In addition, certain supplements and vitamins are recommended per blood type. For example, hawthorne is cited for heart health for Blood Type As. Once I began taking the suggested hawthorn and also omega-3 fish oil, I had no more noticeable heart “pressure” or flutters or the feeling that something’s just not right. If I stop the supplements, the negative symptoms return.

Anything input for those considering trying The Blood Type Diet?

There are specific lifestyles changes you can make immediately to feel better sooner than later. I’ve shared this diet with anyone who would listen. I also appreciate the food categories of Beneficial, Neutral and Avoid, and the recipes the doctor provided in the book! My husband and I do not share the same blood type, and there are recipes provided that we can both share.