Did you know that Type O Blood happens to be the oldest blood group in the entire world? Sadly, that doesn’t make the group and the people who have it less susceptible to medical ailments and conditions.
Individuals with Type O blood generally contract illnesses, infections, disorders and diseases pertaining to their specific blood group. This would to a large extent be attributed to their individual characteristics which usually change with the blood type.
Unique traits of Type O individuals
Individuals with Type O blood are known to house the strongest digestive systems capable of digesting anything and everything with the exception of a few foods and nutrients (like gluten and carbohydrates). The digestive system of a Type O individual usually contains more stomach acids than necessary, which can be both a boon and bane for digestive system related disorders.
An individual with Type O blood would have low thyroid levels and would have a slow metabolism that needs to be charged up frequently with the help of regular exercises. This may probably explain why a person with Type O blood happens to be most active after a rigorous workout session.
Nutritional considerations for Type O individuals
Proteins:
An individual with Type O blood would generally have a strong digestive system and would rely on animal proteins to remain healthy and fit. The presence of excess stomach acids (mainly hydrochloric acids) in the digestive tract aids in the quick digestion and assimilation of these proteins.
Therefore, individuals with Type O blood would be meat eaters (most of them) and would derive their strength from animal proteins in addition to relaying on fruits and vegetables for their nutritional needs.
However, excess levels of stomach acid can also mean that an individual with Type O blood refrain from eating foods that can stimulate the production of more acids in the digestive tract. For instance, drinking coffee can lead to the increased production of stomach acids, which would then lead to conditions like stomach and peptic ulcers.
Iodine:
An individual with Type O blood would have low thyroid levels, which would lead to a sluggish metabolism. Increasing the levels of iodine in the body can stimulate the thyroid glands to function properly. And this can be done by consuming foods rich in the iodine.
An individual with Type O blood would therefore need to eat foods rich in iodine on a regular basis. Excellent natural sources of iodine include seafood and sea kelp, which can be included into an existing, diet for desirable results.
Carbohydrates:
A sluggish body metabolism would mean an individual with Type O blood would find it difficult to digest nutrients like carbohydrates. They should refrain from eating foods that contain gluten (like wheat products) or limit their intake to a minimum in order to stay safe from digestive system related disorders.
The ideal diet for a Type O individual
Taking all these points into consideration, an ideal diet for a Type O individual would therefore be one that contains high amounts of animal protein and iodine, and low levels of carbohydrates.
Exercise considerations for Type O individuals
Individuals with Type O blood would need to exercise on a regular basis in order to remain active, both physically and emotionally. In addition to boosting body metabolism and strengthening the cardiovascular and skeletal systems, regular exercises would keep Type O individuals calm by stimulating the release of neurotransmitters in the brain. This in turn would take care of issues like stress, anxiety, depression and other psychological disorders in addition to improving overall brain function.
Type O individuals benefit more from morning exercises and need to focus on high intensity workouts that kick up their metabolism and pump up their adrenaline levels. They could opt for running, hiking, bicycling, swimming, dancing, zumba and aerobics, etc. to achieve the same.