On Fri, 23 Jun 2000, John McKenzie wrote: > A while ago (around a yuear and a half I think) on the lowcarb-l list, > it was > discovered that a signicant number of the most frequent posters had the > same > blood type. After the subject was allowed to run its course and lurkers > etc submitted > data, the percentage of listers of each blood type did not vary much > with what would be normal numbers on a global basis. (I bring this up > because it was a discussion of D'Adamos' work which sparked the thread > over there (another list where I mostly lurk) Part of the problem is that D'Adamo's program is based on several hypotheses. There is the alleged connection between ABO types and lectins, but there are also his theories about stomach acid and alkaline phosphate levels and diet. Type As do indeed secrete less stomach acid and less intestinal alkaline phosphatase than type Os do. D'Adamo thinks this makes them less capable of digesting animal protein and fats, but it's far from clear that this is so. At least, I have searched in vain for information that would clarify this link. > It could be argued that unless one has problems with a certain food, one > wont be pressed to look for answers, so a great many people who > "shouldn't" be able to eat a certain food, infact can and do, and so > those who are "saved" by the information and rave about it do not havwe > a counter argument from other people to whom the advice is unnecessary. That's correct, and the usual response is that the supposed ill effects are subtle and long-term. > Interestingly, the same could be applied to Neanderthin Or any other plan. Those who get striking results of whatever sort will tend to trumpet that fact. Those who don't may assume for a while that they are doing it wrong, and will probably eventually abandon it (quietly) and try something else. Some people on this list, for example, have without fanfare stopped Neanderthin and taken up the Enig/Fallon _Nourishing Traditions_ way of eating, for the simple reason that they found it worked as well as or better than Neanderthin for them. For many (perhaps not all) "forbidden" foods there will seemingly be some people who feel better when they eat them. Todd Moody [log in to unmask]