By: Odis Johns

Odis Johns — Thu, 24 Nov 2005 16:24:44 +0000

Here is Dr. D’Adamo’s take on your questions:
MEAT OVERWORKING THE COLON?
QUESTION: There are no naturopathic doctors in my area that I know of,
so I would appreciate your input. I am female, 40 years old, blood type
0+. I have had IBS or a spastic colon for the majority of my adult life
although it has recently gotten much worse (almost debilitating - always
diarrhea, never constipated). I am currently having hydrotherapy and
learned about your book there. My concern is that I am currently on the
O diet without the meats to avoid overworking my colon (so I’m told)
while it heals, but am curious if that is the right approach. I intend
to address this with the therapist (who is a big proponent of your
book), but am interested in whether or not this is the method you would
use.
ANSWER: First of all, I assume that you have had all the necessary
diagnostic work-ups, including a colonoscopy to rule out problems more

life-threatening than IBS, including Chrohns and other forms of
Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Although many in Alternative Medicine are of the opinion that meat
overworks the colon, in reality if there is any relationship between the
two it is due to improper combinations between proteins and starches.
Protein itself accounts for only as little as .5% of the total content
of feces, so efficient is our assimilation.
Since the type O diet is essentially low in most forms of carbohydrate,
the combination of high quality, low-fat, hormone and chemical-free fish
and meats with appropriatly prepared vegetables is actually easier on
the system than lectin containing grains and legumes.
You might want to use small portions of protein, or fish in lieu of red
meat, in addition to steaming or cooking vegetables until the intestinal
tract has enough time to adjust and begin to repair.
WILL TYPE O’S EATING PROTEIN LOSE BONE?
STUDY: Isoenzymes of alkaline phosphatase - reference values in young
people and effects of protein diet
JOURNAL: Experientia 1976;32(7):832-834
AUTHORS: Stepan J, Graubaum HJ, Meurer W, Wagenknecht C
ABSTRACT: In 260 normal students, 20-25 years old, the variation in the
activities of serum alkaline phosphatase and its isoenzymes with sex,
ABO blood groups, and protein intake were studied. The values are on the
whole higher in males than in females. The activity of the intestinal
isoenzyme was higher in subjects taking protein-rich diet than in those
taking protein poor diet.
COMMENTARY: Many vegan-vegetarian critics of the blood group diet theory
point to studies that indicate that a high protein diet (the type O diet
profile, but a simplification) can cause increased loss of calcium.
This may be somewhat true for blood group A non-secretors (which have
the lowest levels of intestinal alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme made by
the intestine to split dietary fat and to help assimilate calcium) but
it is not valid for blood groups O and B, who are known to have higher
levels of this enzyme. In addition, the above study throws the ‘across
the board’ notion that protein increases bone loss into a cocked hat,
since the results of this study indicate that protein actually enhances
the levels of alkaline phosphatase.
Once again we have proof that simplified notions of what is
right-or-wrong for one person being applicable to all just doesn’t work
and is not supported by the scientific literature; proving that ‘one
man’s food is someone else’s poison.’
Type O individuals can look forward to healthier bones with the adoption
of a higher protein diet.
RED MEAT AND CANCER
QUESTION: You advocate red meat for certain blood types. I am a type O
with early stage prostate cancer who has followed the O diet for 7
months now with spectacular results. Thank you. However, I am concerned
about the amount of evidence linking red meat consumption with increased
risk of cancer. Are they valid?
ANSWER: First of all, I do not condone the use of non-organic, non-free
range meat sources. They are just too ‘iffy’ with regard to hormone and
pesticides. To this can be added the barbarisms inherrent in this type
of factory farming.
With regard to the epidemiological evidence suggestive of a link between
meat and cancer, let’s juts say that the data is just as ‘iffy’:
1. Although red meat is often linked with increased risk for certain
cancers, a review of the epidemiological literature reveals that the
associations are not universal between types of cancer and not
consistently observed in all studies.The consistency of the
“inconsistency” suggests that any true effect of meat is likely to be
small, or perhaps even a result of an unbalanced consumption of food
groups among the higher meat consumers.
2. None of the studies looked at independent factors such as blood type.
Obviously, high red meat consumption may in part help explain why type A
shows consistently higher rates of certain cancers, included most
thought to be linked to high meat consumption.
3. None of the studies looked at the importance of dietary variety,
balance and moderation should be stressed along with the importance of
protective factors (including consumption of adequate fruits and
vegetables) in the total diet, combined with a physically active
lifestyle. One study, done in Australia, with over 225 references,
concludes that the associations of meat consumption and cancer risk are
not consistent.(4) We can conclude from the current studies that any
true effect of meat is likely to be small, or even an artifact of a
decreased consumption of fruit, vegetables and cereals by high meat
consumers.
4. Many studies conflict with each other. In one study, although an
increased risk was suggested with meat intake, the risk was greatly
reduced, for red meat, when legumes were added to the diet (1). The idea
of glycemic index and insulin sensitivity as a risk factor for
colorectal cancer has been put forth (1,2,3). In a case-control study
(2), red meat was among several factors not associated with colorectal
cancer risk, whereas intake of bread, pasta, and refined sugar was
associated with increased risk.
In summary, stick with clean sources of meat and you should be fine.
1.) Singh, P.N. et al. Dietary risk factors for colon cancer in a
low-risk population. Am.J.Epidemiol. 148:761-774; 1998.
2.) Franceschi, S. et al. Food groups and risk of colorectal cancer in
Italy. Int. J. Cancer 72:56-61; 1997.
3.) Will, J.C. et al. Colorectal cancer: Another complication of
diabetes mellitus? Am.J.Epidemiol. 147:816-825; 1998.
4.)Baghurst, Syrette, J. Does red meat cause cancer? Aust.J.Nutr.Diet.
54(4):S1-S44; 1997.
URIC ACID IN COLON FROM MEAT DIET
QUESTION: I have been reading some information by a group that advocates
an all or mostly all raw vegetarian diet. In telling of the ills of meat
they mention the build up of uric acid in the colon which will
eventually lead to disease. I am a type O. Will a type O have this
problem with uric acid?
ANSWER: You can read nutritional information of virtually any opinion on
essentially any subject. Remember, that is the power of our polymorphism
paradigm: It allows us to filter out the excessive rant of ‘cure all’s’
and further reductionist statements.
A quick check of MEDLINE showed no studies indicating that a high
protein diet in appropriate circumstances (i.e farm raised, chemical
free meat) led to any rise in uric acid levels in the intestines. On the
contrary, there is actually more speculation that low uric acid levels
may be associated with higher risks for cancer (1) although even this
has been disputed (2).
I suppose if you ate a diet of exclusively of meat you could
theoretically raise your intestinal level of uric acid, but that diet is
impossible to consume, and the vegetables and fruits abundantly found in
the type O diet themselves modulate levels of urates and uric acids (3).
1. Mazza A, Casiglia E, Scarpa R, Tikhonoff V, Pizziol A, Sica E,
Pessina AC. Predictors of cancer mortality in elderly subjects. Eur J
Epidemiol. 1999 May;15(5):421-7.
2. Hiatt RA, Fireman BH. Serum uric acid unrelated to cancer incidence
in humans. Cancer Res. 1988 May 15;48(10):2916-8.
3. Jenkins DJ, Popovich DG, Kendall CW, Rao AV, Wolever TM, Tariq N,
Thompson LU, Cunnane SC. Metabolic effects of non-absorbable
carbohydrates. Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl. 1997;222:10-3.
I hope this clears things up.
Cheers,
Ryan

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By: Odis Johns