A diet adjustment

Some of you may remember when I first blogged about Dr. Peter D’Adamo’s first book, Eat Right for Your Type, which was published in 1996.

Well, unknown to me until today, he had written another diet book in 2007 redefining the type diet. The GenoType Diet goes into much greater detail about diet based on more genetic factors than just blood type.

The book walks you through each step to determine your geno type based on key physical characteristics. It was fun and something I’d never really thought about before but since your genes determine how you look, it makes sense that certain types would have the same characteristics.

For instance, one measurement is the length of your index finger compared to your ring finger. On my left hand, my index finger is longer but on my right hand, my ring finger is longer. That was cool to find out. That trait is also characteristic of the geno type that Dr. D’Adamo calls The Teacher.

As I was reading through the food list, I was so happy to see some foods that I could start eating again that I had missed very much on the Blood Type A diet. The GenoType diet is more in line with the good foods I crave. There are still a couple of my favorites on the bad food list that I love but I think I can live without fatty bacon and soda.

This was also a nice break from school books. My one on campus class is over for the quarter and I should be able to get the 3 online classes wrapped up either over the weekend or by Wednesday next week, at the latest. I cannot believe graduation is next Saturday. I’ll be so glad to get that degree, even if it is just an Associates right now.

I have talked to Wright State and I only have 14 or so classes to finish the Bachelors, depending on what classes will transfer in as electives in the Management program. I will transfer into the middle of my Junior year. It was so exciting and rewarding to know that I’ve done that much work at Sinclair.

Take care, friends and be the change you want to see!

The Balance Journey (Day 11)

Almost half way through my first 30 days of making conscious choices. I feel like I am doing better but I still have some areas where I know I need a little more work.

I still need to find a way to nurture my spiritual side. I think that’s where I’m still the weakest. Usually, getting outside or even just opening the windows in the apartment will revitalize me but this week it isn’t working. I’ve taken enough Psych to know there’s probably something else going on but I’m not sure what.

Physically, I need to schedule exercise better. I have my one yoga day but I also need to do cardio one day and weights one day. I’ve stopped drinking milk, not because I’m allergic but because as a Blood Type A I’m not supposed to drink cow milk. I’m supposed to drink goat milk, soy milk, almond milk or rice milk. I know I’m not getting enough calcium this way because my bones ache a lot, especially my hips and pelvis. I have to get that fixed.

Mentally is where I’m strongest. I’m constantly learning new things. I have realized that I need to figure out what I’m going to do to keep my brain sharp after I graduate with my Associates on June 16. (YAY!!!) I have continuing education that I need to complete to renew my insurance license next year but I also have to decide if I’m going to go to a 4-year school for my Bachelors or not.

Emotionally, I am doing much better about controlling my emotions and not letting them control me. I have stopped myself numerous times over the past 11 days and logically thought about what was going on instead of reacting illogically and emotionally. It’s been revealing to see how wrong my thought patterns have been. The hardest part so far is unlearning all the bad emotional habits.

 P.S. This is my 35th post. Just thought that was a fun little random fact.

My Fountain of Youth

At least I hope I’ve found my personal fountain of youth.

My mom has struggled all my life with her weight. Probably most of her life but, for obvious reasons, I don’t know exactly how long.  I can remember all the diets and fads she tried. Grapefruit, Weight Watchers, High Carb, Low Carb, No Sugar. You name it and my mom probably tried it. So when she told me she found a book at the library and was going to try a new diet, I was originally thinking “Now what?”

She recommended I read the book as well, because she thought some of my problems might also be the result of my diet. I went to my local library (my home away from home) and picked up a copy of Eat Right for Your Type as well as another one by the same doctor called Live Right for Your Type. Oh my word! Right from the get go, things started making more sense than they ever had before.

All people are one of 4 blood types. I am A+ which boils down to just being A type, because the pluses and minuses don’t mean that much when food is in the picture. Dr. D’Adamo lays out which foods each blood type should eat based on body chemistry and how the food interacts with your blood. Some foods are actual poisons to my body. I shouldn’t eat red meat (that one was VERY hard to read), dairy (again, knife to the gut), and I should switch from whole wheat to rice, oats or corn. I’ll give you a minute to come the same conclusion I came too……yes, I need to become a vegetarian.

At first, I was in classic denial. There was NO WAY I was giving up meat and cheese. These were two staples in my diet. And whole wheat was bad? Why was whole wheat bad? I won’t go into the medical reasons here but suffice it to say, I eventually came to grips with the fact that I would rather be alive eating healthy foods then dying early from a stroke or cancer or some other terrible disease from eating unhealthy foods for my body.

It’s only been a couple of days but I can already tell a difference. I’m nowhere near vegetarian yet. Chicken and turkey are two white meats I can still eat but not every day like I was and I need to eat a lot more vegetables, fruits and nuts than I am but it’s a start and I feel better already. Fortunately, I already discovered I love soy beans and have been eating them on and off for the past 5 or 6 months but I need to add more soy and tofu to my diet.

Live Right for Your Type is, in my opinion, the better of the two because it is newer and the food lists are better arranged but both books have a lot of the same information. I found out I have a higher likelihood of developing the various cancers, which helped explain why I’m always terrified of anything that can cause cancer. Just ask my boyfriend. I’m always telling him everything is going to give him cancer. Type A’s are also more high-strung than the other types because we naturally produce more cortisol. Not a good thing, because too much cortisol causes all kinds of problems, but I know now better ways to control it through relaxing exercises and diet.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend any of Dr. D’Adamo’s books to everyone who reads this. When you give your body the right kind of fuel it works better but it’s important to know exactly what is good and bad. Just like you can’t put diesel fuel in a car or unleaded gas in a semi, you can’t put toxic food in your body. It just doesn’t work.