In a message dated 5/26/02 4:00:24 PM,  Todd Moody <[log in to unmask]>
writes:

<< On Sun, 26 May 2002, Tom Bridgeland wrote:

> I saw my farm dogs when I was a kid eating the pigs that had died in
> my Dad's pig house. They really seemed to like the ones that had sat
> in the summer sun a few weeks, bloated and stinking. Supposedly we
> are very similar to dogs in digestive design....considering so many
> cultures love for rotted foods like saurkraut, kimchi, cheese, maybe
> this is our natural food. ;--)

A key digestive difference between humans and dogs is stomach
acid levels, with dogs producing much more.  At least one
function of stomach acid is thought to be the destruction of
bacteria and parasites.  Also, in at least this particular the
"blood type" diet theory is correct: people with type A blood
have lower levels of stomach acid than those with type O blood.
This would make them less able to tolerate carrion, I think.  I'm
less sure whether it has any implications for aged or fermented
foods.

Todd Moody
[log in to unmask] >>

Scientifically we know a sample size of one is totally meaningless, but not
to the one person in the sample! So, speaking for myself, I know that I am
blood type A positive. I am supposed to do well on mostly vegetarian
foods/grains and little or no meat. And for myself, that is total bunk. I was
a mostly vegetarian for 25 years, and got progressively sicker and fatter the
whole time, until I got into a low carb and then Paleo eating style 5 years
ago. About a year ago I was scheduled for an endoscopy and intestinal biopsy
to check for Celiac Disease, and it was about the same time that I began
suffering from pretty bad stomach pain, indigestion and some heartburn. The
endoscopy showed extremely severe esophageal inflammation from acid reflux
disease- this despite the fact that type "A"s are supposed to have less
stomach acid.

The biopsy was negative for intestinal evidence of Celiac Disease. Also, only
one of the five blood tests for Celiac was positive, so a definite diagnosis
is not possible. BUT, as I have written about extensively before on this
list, the total elimination of gluten containing grains has completely cured
my 15 history of severe and poorly controlled bipolar disorder. I do cheat
now and then on such non-Paleo treats as ice cream, cheese, chocolate, etc.,
but will never, ever, to my knowledge, put a speck of any gluten in my mouth
again. I am simply fanatic about that.

Personally, I believe the success of the Blood Type diet comes from the
exclusion of garbage foods of all sorts that is required of all the different
plans. If you take a person of any blood type eating the SAD and cut out the
junk, he is bound to improve to some extent just from that small change,
regardless of the specifics. It is a principle similar to the statement that
any diet at all works (for weight loss) as long as one sticks to it! I would
wager a guess that nearly all the people embarking on any eating plan
generally lose some weight, at least in the beginning, and just weight loss
itself (if not caused by terminal illness) produces beneficial across the
board changes, according the theories of the caloric restriction adherents.

Maddy Mason
Hudson Valley, NY