Oh so many cleanses, diets, and programs!
The first thing people do when I tell them I’m a nutrition consultant is say -
Oh, I’m Paleo,
Oh, I’m Keto,
Oh, I'm intermittent fast…
…which is great - it’s all good!
I’m not big on hard and fast dietary rules, because your body’s needs and environment are always changing. I find that strengthening the connection between your body and mind - so that you can ‘hear’ when and what it is telling you it needs- is vital.
In order to improve this connection, you need to start by reducing the background noise- called INFLAMMATION. So many things inflame us, especially in today’s world- from the air we breathe, to EMF’s that surround us, to the water we drink and bathe in, and the food that we eat.
Reducing inflammation in the body is crucial for your overall health, and like so many other things, it starts with your gut.
What can you eat to reduce inflammation?
Eat Right for Your Blood Type (ERBT), by Peter D’Adamo, is THE best.
I was turned onto this diet/lifestyle by my doctor when I told her that I was experiencing intense stomach bloating after any and everything that I ate. It was like I became an inflatable balloon. It was so uncomfortable and I couldn’t figure out what was going on.
She immediately told me, do ERBT for 3 months, then come back. I call it a regime because there is so much flexibility in it that it is more of a lifestyle than a diet.
ERBT links each blood type back to its origination and what the environmental conditions were at that time.
For example, Blood Type O- think Neanderthals- eat what you kill you have lots of stomach acid (recommended diet- lot’s of meat).
Then came Blood Type A, more sedentary- hunters and gatherers with low stomach acid, more suited to breaking down and utilizing nutrients from carbohydrates (recommended diet- vegetarian).
Each blood type groups foods into 3 sections:
Red foods – bad for the gut, only eat 1x/week
Yellow foods – do nothing for your gut- neutral
Green foods – healing for the gut, eat everyday all day.
Not only does ERBT address what to eat, but also what level of exercise is appropriate - high or low intensity, what personality traits are associated with each, as well as common ailments for each blood type. For example- blood type A has higher instances of stomach cancer, leading back to low stomach acid, as well as thyroid issues, leading back to having a higher baseline of cortisol production than other blood types.
I love this regime, because I know as a blood type A person that if I am eating a steak (RED), and I have red wine (GREEN) - my gut won’t hate me. Also it explains why I can’t sustain heavy intense workouts- my high cortisol levels mean that I’m built for some yoga, pilates, and tai chi…not crossfit (like blood type O).
Start here to learn your blood type. Then, the book is great, but if you want the cliff’s notes, I recommend the app. It’s much easier to search for particular foods while you’re looking at a menu.