Paleo = The Way of the Hunter-Gatherer – Type O Blood
The Paleo lifestyle is very popular right now – and like many other successful diets it is due in great part because such a large demographic of the world population can benefit from it. Let’s explore this in a little detail:
Percentage of world that is O blood type = 40-45% worldwide.*
The extraordinarily high percentage of blood group O in “ancient” or otherwise isolated populations also testifies to its great age. (6) Even though the early migrations dispersed the gene for group O blood throughout the world, there are some extraordinary examples of “old” populations existing in our world today. Because of their geographic locations, these societies have remained isolated from interaction with other populations. If A, B and O had developed simultaneously, the isolated population groups would have had all of them. But these “old societies” are group O because genes for the later blood groups never had the opportunity to enter into their populations. They have remained unchanged.*
Blood Type O may be predisposed to certain illnesses, such as ulcers and thyroid disorders. In the 1950’s it was discovered that Type O’s had about twice the instances of ulcers of all kinds than the other blood types. These findings have been replicated many times since then. Type O’s tend to have low levels of thyroid hormone and often exhibit insufficient levels of iodine, a chemical element whose sole purpose is thyroid hormone regulation.
Type O’s also have a higher level of stomach acid than the other blood types, which often results in stomach irritation and ulcers.**
*Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia by Peter D’Adamo
**Eat Right for Your Blood Type by Peter D’Adamo
