Fooled Me At First---Now I Know Better!
Written: May 02 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: This "diet" book contributes to making people mindful of what they put in their mouths
Cons: This book = the epitome of pseudo-science
The Bottom Line: Don't fall for this "diet." The author simply exploits people's insecurities about food for monetary gain.
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| pooj719's Full Review: Eat Right 4 Your Type Diet |
This book seems appealing at first. The author has a way of making your feel "special." The author also has a way of making your afraid that you've been eating the wrong food for your blood type, and THAT's the cause of ALL of your health related issues/problems. There is no valid science behind this theory, and yet the author seems to operate on that basis (of course, without supporting his claims or siting scientific studies). Nevertheless, the book is a way for people to become more conscience of what they put in their mouths. And in America, where we love to eat mindlessly (and consequently, pile on the pounds), that's not such a bad thing.
I used to work at a Public Library. One day, while I was on shelving duty, I was putting several diet books on the shelves. I wasn't looking at the titles- just the dewy decimal number. There was one book, a 613.55, that refused to fit on the shelf, so I pushed it in really hard. It still wouldn't squeeze in. I contemplated placing that book in any old place. But then I looked at the book. This "diet" book was called "Eat Right 4 Your Type." I immediately forgot my task of shelving books back, and began reading it. I wondered, "What's MY type?" So I found a corner of the library where nobody could see me reading (I WAS supposed to be working!), and tackled this book.
While I am a thin girl, obesity runs in my family. So my goal in reading this book was for preventative measures. I also figured that it might be good to know my "type" in case I was (god forbid) eating the "wrong" foods without knowing it. Yes, I AM a sucker. I was so enamored after my initial glance at this book, that I checked it out and took it home with me after my shift.
My own blood type is the rarest one, AB positive. I had to find this out (after a lot of work) on my own through medical records, because when I asked my mom, she said,
"Oh, of course I know your bloodtype.
"what is it?" I asked.
"OK, it's either A, B, AB, or O," she said. "Does that help?"
It took my a very long time to find my blood type. I even tried to donate blood at one point, in order to find out my blood type so that I could take part in this diet.
I looked up the section for AB blood types in the book, and it basically said that AB's must follow a Vegan Diet. Apparently, we (AB's) lack an "enzyme" (the author uses the word "enzyme" a lot to justify his claims. As a biomedical sciences major, I can assure you that it is doubtful that he actually understands what an enzyme really is. This lack of enzyme means that I can't digest meat and dairy. Now, I am already a vegetarian (thanks to growing up a good Hindu girl), but I love my dairy too much. I can't imaging life without milk&cereal, ice cream, yogurt, chocolate, cheese, etc... When I stop to think about it, ALL I really eat is dairy. If my stomach hurts, all I have to do is eat some yogurt, and the ache goes away. Dairy and I are best friends, forever locked in a blissful symbiosis.
However, since I had already gone through so much trouble procuring my blood type, I decided to try following the recommended diet. I cut the dairy out of my diet. My life suddenly started sucking. I was grumpy all the time, and craving chocolate like never before. I need dairy to meet by calcium and protein requirements.
I basically realized that the science behind this book was baloney after trying the diet for a few days. I not only didn't lose any weight (although I never really intended to), but I think I gained a pound or two while on this "diet". It through me off balance, and zapped my energy so that my metabolism dipped down a bit.
Despite how alluring the concept is of having a "Special" eating regimen made "Just for your type," don't fall for the author's pseudo-scientific claims. I could write my own book on why the author's initial premise is false. He is right in saying that blood type "O" evolved first, then "A", then "B", and then "AB" was last to evolve. However, his claim that just because "O" first evolved while humans were hunter-gatherers, "O" people should only eat what hunter-gatherers ate, is CRAP for so many reasons. People do not "stop" evolving just because they inherit an ancient blood type. Type O people evolved just like everybody else (except Africans and some East Asians) to digest lactose. Many type O people that I personally know are successful vegetarians (something the author believes to be impossible). He also sticks the word "enzyme" in everywhere he can. Don't fall for the hype.
Recommended:
No
Approximate Monthly Cost (US$) 15
Food Variety Restrictions A somewhat varied menu
Restrictiveness of Portions Gorge all you like
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Epinions.com ID:
pooj719
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Member: Pooja
Location: Michigan
Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 0 members
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