Someone's Get Rich Quick Scheme That Worked
Written: Jan 10 '03
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Pros: It beats stimulant diets.
Cons: No scientific basis, restrictive, expensive
The Bottom Line: Don't waste your time and money on this scam! See your doctor for a weight management plan.
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| A.E.B.'s Full Review: Eat Right 4 Your Type Diet |
Welcome to the next fad diet that people are all going to laugh at in a few years. Your blood - what could be more important? It flows through your entire body, carries nutrients, oxygen, water - so why not make everyone believe that blood type is the new easy path to health rather than the scientifically proven regimen of proper calorie intake and an active lifestyle. For anyone considering this diet, here's something you should know about your blood type.
Your "type" actually refers to the presence or absence of two surface proteins on your red blood cells. This is determined by three possible alleles (genes). It's that simple. So there is A, B and O. You get one of these from each parent, leaving you with two altogether. These are co-dominant, which means that each gene is expressed. So if you have an A from mom (which codes for the A protein) and an O from dad (which codes for no protein), you have "A" blood, or blood that has the "A" protein on it. If you have an A from mom and an A from dad, you also wind up with A, however these are distinct genotypes.
But brothers and sisters can have different blood types. Say mom has an A and an O and dad has a B and an O - 25% of the children would have A, 25% of the children would have B, 25% of the children would have AB and 25% of the children would have O. Remember that when someone tries to tell you that one blood type came from hunter-gatherers and the other came from agrarian. There may be the alleles for each blood type in any given family, and the only way to determine the potential blood types of your children is a gene test. And also bear in mind that proteins A and B are simply different surface proteins, B is no more "balanced" than A as the author claims, it is merely a different marking on the surface of a cell that makes up PART of your blood.
However, if genetic evidence that this is a bogus diet is not enough for you, there is also anthropological evidence that this diet is yet another sick money-making scheme. If you ever studied the development of human civilization, try to think back to Sumeria. A group of people in Mesopotamia that once were nomadic that settled in between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in small farming communities. This diet program would have you believe that the A blood type "appeared" on the earth between 15000 and 10000BC at the advent of farming. Unfortunately, farming began closer to 5000BC and Sumer was one of the first places. Perhaps the author merely overlooked the 5000-10000 year error. My personal impression is that they simply didn't care because they didn't anticipate the average person looking it up.
For those who still cling to the hope that this is indeed a quickie way to lose weight, I'll connect the genetics to the anthropology. Obviously there is no way to go back and get a blood sample from a caveman. This alone leaves the author with little support for these claims. Among the most ridiculous suppositions the author makes is the idea of "appearing" blood types. So the Sumerians settled into their small communities, and all of the sudden they started mutating? Into vegetarians?
Evolution is a process that involves survival of a certain trait because it is more adaptative. As farmers, these people planted crops and raised livestock. An inability to eat the meats would have been a liability - especially in years of drought. It would be considered a genetic disorder like Phenylketonuria (inability to break down phenylalanine). And then to suggest that yet another variation was spawned from nowhere and this is called B and it is balanced. If only genetics were that easy!
I wondered how such a hoax could go on, and I began searching for Dr. D'adamo's credentials. He does not have an MD, a PhD, or even a nursing degree. He has an ND, a Doctor of Naturopathy, a degree that can be easily acquired online. Right now, only 11 states even have licensing for these people, and if you don't believe me you can read directly from the AMA website and read about alternative treatments and Naturopathy. They wrote a report urging people to be careful about these things and to always consult their physician. At the time of their report, there were only 3 schools that would offer this program, and they warned people that because of the lack of restrictions in most states, these people could get away with a lot.
This diet has gotten some recent press on MSN as #3 on a list of the top seven fad diets to avoid, noting that this looks like a money-making scam, however there is nothing that can actually stop this madness because it is perfectly legal to publish anything. I checked into the official website and Dr. D'Adamo does indeed conveniently sell all of the unusual items that he says are best for people with various blood types. A few highlights are "Harmonia ABO Friendly Green Drink" at $29.95 for a 19 serving container, ARA6 (larch) at $34.95 for a 100g bottle (you need 1-2 tsp per day), and the "Basic Type O Pack" at $99.95 (a 13% savings over buying each of the four items individually at $113.80). This basic pack essentially includes a multivitamin, a calcium pill, something to promote bacteria, and an "anti-adhesive" for "lectin sensitivity." There may be no scientific basis for these supplements, but Dr. D'Adamo has no problem cashing in on people's gullability.
In fact, I would point out here that while he does not feel the need to support his claims or make his credentials (or lack thereof) apparent at any point on his website, he has no problem trying to get you to spend hundreds of dollars a month on his snake oil. My suggestion to you - if you really need to lose the weight, see your doctor for a diet and exercise program that is safe and affordable. If you are morbidly obese, speak to your doctor about new medications and other treatments for obesity. Don't allow this con to waste your time and your money.
Recommended:
No
Food Variety Restrictions A short list of allowed foods
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Epinions.com ID:
A.E.B.
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Member: Anne
Location: Baltimore, MD
Reviews written: 49
Trusted by: 3 members
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