If you have heard of the blood type diet, you know that it is the surgical approach to dieting. When it comes to starting a diet, most people tend to go with the most popular fad of that year.

But in reality, that general approach does not work for most people. If you want better results, you need to choose a specific benefit such as boosting your immune system. Over the past five years, I tried to find a diet that would do just that, boost my immune system.

Catching a cold and the flu every season was getting exhausting. I had to do something, so I experimented with becoming a vegetarian, a vegan, and even a pescatarian. Each time I would go back to eating meat & dairy products before going back to being a vegan again. The back and forth was to test if I noticed any differences when these foods were excluded from my diet.

Each year it seemed as though my immune system was deteriorating along with my energy levels. My doctor nor I could pinpoint exactly where these body changes were coming from. Well, not until I discovered the blood type diet.

What is the Blood Type Diet?

The blood type diet is based on the findings of a naturopathic physician, Dr. Peter D’Adamo. In 1996 he wrote a best-selling book about it called “Eat Right for Your Type”. The book claims it improves the immune system and decreases the risk of chronic diseases. Eating according to one’s ABO blood group is the basis behind the blood type diet.

Here is the break down of the ABO blood groups based on the ‘Blood-Type’ diet theory:

• Group A should thrive on a vegetarian diet. Since this blood group evolved when humans settled down into agrarian societies.
• Group B should benefit from the consumption of dairy products. Because this group originated in nomadic tribes according to the theory.
• Group O is considered the ancestral blood group in humans. So their optimal diet should resemble the high animal protein diets. That was typical of the hunter-gatherer era.
• Group AB is the rarest and newest since it evolved after the fall of ancient civilizations. This group is encouraged to eat tofu, green vegetables, and fish, but avoid caffeine.

There has been some debate in the medical field about the scientific evidence of the blood type diet. Two different studies have concluded that the diet had favorable results. But, they did not find conclusive evidence linking one’s blood type with the benefits.

Look, a scientist I am not, but I am a subject matter expert on my own health. After 5 years of experimenting and doctor visits, I now have my own conclusive evidence. The blood type diet works!

It is always advised to contact your doctor before beginning any new diet or fitness program. Then follow these 10 steps to successfully implement the blood type diet and boost your immune system.

How to Boost your Immune System in 10 Steps

Step 1: Know your Blood Type

Step 2: Visit a Specialist or Research Blood Type Specific Diets

• For example; Beef is considered beneficial to people who have O blood type. It is neutral if you have B blood type, but it is harmful if you have an A or AB blood type. The list breaks down foods and ingredients to incorporate into your diet. I started noticing the difference in my immune system when I would eat foods listed as harmful to my blood type.

• Another example; Cashews seem healthy but since my blood type is B+ it is actually harmful. Since cutting them out, I can actually feel my immune system breaking down if I eat too many cashews.

Step 3: 21 Day Blood Type Diet Challenge (keep a food journal)

Now you have done your research, you can start to experiment with some diet options. Finding out my blood type was B+ was now my weapon against sickness. I decided to experiment and see if eating according to my blood would boost my immune system. Make sure you keep a journal of these experiments.

Some of the other different diet fads, like the vegan diet, made me feel like I was not getting the proper nutrients. My energy levels were low, it seemed like my immune system was getting weaker and weaker with that diet. Usually, I’m energized after a good workout. But not when I was a vegan. Instead most days I felt very fatigued which was odd.

So I took action and downloaded Dr. D’Adamo’s app on my iPhone called “Eat Right For Your Blood type”. It has all the information you need to know about your blood type. This app helped me tremendously during my 21-day challenge.

I kept a food journal on my day-to-day diet. 70% of the time I ate foods that were beneficial to my blood type and 30% of the time I ate foods that were neutral to my blood. The neutral foods are not harmful, but it is important to eat what is beneficial more than what is neutral. I stayed away from the foods the chart says to avoid.

Within the first week, I was already noticing a difference. And by the 21st day, my immune system felt stronger and I even noticed a boost to my energy levels.

Step 4: Experiment – Try Foods both Good & Bad for your Blood Type

After the 21-day challenge, if you are up to it you can gradually try to eat some bad foods. See if you notice any immediate negative effects but do so in moderation. I say this because all of our immune systems work differently. Especially since conditions like allergies can be variable. Make sure you keep a journal of these experiments.

Does your body feel good when you have the good blood type diet foods? Do you notice a difference when you add the bad foods for your blood type?

• For example, my old diet would consist of eating anything made with these items: cashews, peanuts, grits, certain beans, avocado, coconut milk, coconut oil, canola oil, soy, tofu, corn, certain kinds of wheat, gluten, tomatoes, olives, and black pepper.

It turns out all the items I named are harmful to my blood type. This explains why I would feel fatigued after my workouts. To add salt to injury I would also make a banana smoothie made with peanut butter, cashews, and coconut milk. This also explains why there were so many days that I had low energy and a weak immune system.

If you look at most of the vegan ingredients they’re made with the food items and ingredients I just named. It is very difficult for a B blood type to eat a vegan diet. Studies have shown that a vegan diet fits the A blood type and their immune system better.

But I will clarify that this is a case by case situation as some may not have the same effects as I did when I ate vegan. I tried to go back and eat some of these items and I noticed it was affecting my immune system.

• Another example is Shellfish, the food chart states shellfish is harmful to B blood type. My experiments eating shrimp had the left side of my throat flaring up but when I eat squid there were no flare-ups. I also noticed that rice flour has a better effect on me than regular flour. You will need to experiment for yourself if you can handle it.

Step 5: Change to Blood Type Diet Workouts

Exercising is just as important as eating right. You need to keep your blood system flowing (circulation) to have a strong immune system. There are specific types of workouts and brain exercises for each blood type. This can also be one of those case-by-case situations.

Technically, B blood types should focus on medium-level workouts; tennis, swimming, and meditation. O blood type should focus on more intense workouts. And yoga is recommended for blood types A and AB.

But I have known some that can perform very intense workouts. Seems like the athletes and ex-athletes are the exceptions to this rule in my experience. As for me, the B blood type exercises actually work well. It keeps my immune system up and my energy levels as well.

Step 6: Give up Foods that Harm your Blood Type Permanently

Now that you have experimented with foods both good and bad for your blood type, you need to make a firm decision. What foods will you give up completely or at least try?

For instance, I have learned that regular bread is harmful to my blood type. But I love, I mean love regular bread, so I choose to eat it only twice a month. But other foods like chicken, avocado, and cashews are harmful as well, so I choose to give them up completely. Immediately after eating them, I felt a negative impact on my health, so I gave them up permanently.

Distilled liquor is another very harmful item. So, it is no longer a part of my diet. The effect it had on my body was terrible and just not worth it. Luckily, I love wine much more than distilled liquor. Wine is listed as neutral and doesn’t harm the B blood type. You will need to go through your blood type chart and compare what is impacting how you feel most.

Step 7: Get Creative in the Kitchen

When you look at your blood type chart, it may seem like there are a lot of items you can’t eat at first. Maybe you are concerned that food won’t taste as good anymore because you have to change the ingredients. I was a bit concerned about that as well.

But during my 21-day challenge, I discovered something awesome. There are so many things I can cook at home that caters to my blood type and my immune system. I actually started to save money cooking at home. Most restaurants do not serve food that caters to the blood type diet, so home it was. This was achieved by taking the ingredients that are good for my blood type. Then actually making some of the same meals I ate with the bad ingredients.

• For example; Red Tomato Sauce, giving it up was a struggle even though it is harmful to my blood type. But after some experiments with substitutions such as beets in a sauce, I found that they taste just as good. I have managed to find pastas that are gluten-free and wheat-free that also taste just as good. I even found a way to make pancakes with ingredients that are good or neutral to my blood type.

Simply replace the harmful ingredients and you still have your favorite dish. If the items you eat on a regular basis are on your blood type avoid list, at least try to replace the ingredients. Find foods you can eat that won’t harm your blood type.

Yes, it can be difficult to make these adjustments in your life, but trust me, its worth it. If you continue eating food that makes you feel weak and tired, your immune system will pay the price. On the upside, I found experimenting with ingredients I’ve never tried very fun and so can you!

Step 8: Read more Books that Elevate you

When you have a healthy blood system and a strong immune system you will have more energy and optimism. This allows you to be more productive. Before starting this diet, I didn’t want to read anything elevating or productive. My favorite activity was sleeping and I did it well.

But once I changed to the B blood type diet I noticed a significant boost to my concentration. My memory has become keener, I feel more ambitious, and overall healthier. This is the time to take advantage of this boost in mental energy.

Now you can actually start and finish books that would have been overwhelming before. So find a book that will elevate you mentally, physically, and spiritually. Keep your brain stimulated with new knowledge and will be on your way to a better life.

Step 9: Get Physical Check-Up with your Doctor Annually

Even though the blood type diet has boosted my immune system I still get my physical check-ups yearly. Fortunately, I am healthy per the plan. But even if you feel healthy inside and out due to your new diet lifestyle, you should always get a physical. Do it every year to keep track of your health.

Measurement is super important when it comes to getting good results. So if you want to actually achieve your goals, you must test for confirmation. Studies have shown that the majority of diseases come from people with high levels of stress. So even a healthy diet won’t protect you if you stay stressed out.

This is why it is important to take time out of your busy schedule to exercise, blog, meditate, relax, and go to the doctor!

Step 10: Do what works for you!

At the end of the day, there is no 100% guarantee that a blood type diet is for you. It is always wise to experiment with what diet works for your body. Some doctors say the diet can increase your energy levels and fight against diseases.

But some of you may have allergies and aren’t able to eat some items on the list. Some of you may be vegan and your blood type suggests meat, fish, and dairy products. Obviously this diet will not work for you in those cases.

Should you try the blood type diet if you have not been experiencing any major health issues and feel great? The answer is no, if you feel fine then stick with the diet regimen that is working for you. But in my late 30s, I have learned that my immune system is changing. Everything seems to impact my health much more than when I was in my 20s.

When I changed my diet, the objective was to get more energy, a stronger immune system, and be more productive. The blood type diet did just that for me. But no matter what diet you choose, I always recommend doing these 3:

• consume more fruits and vegetables daily
• take your vitamins every day
• drink lots of water

Conclusion

I never thought a specific blood type diet could make such a big difference in my immune system but it really has. Now it is time for you to find a diet regimen that works for you. Why not start with knowing your blood type and go from there?

Want to also learn how to be more productive? Read this post on the Morning Routines of Successful People.

A successful and productive day starts from the very moment you open your eyes in the morning. The most successful people in life admit to using a morning routine to give them a better start for the day ahead.

If you are looking to improve yourself and how you manage your day, the following morning routines are guaranteed to show you how to be more productive.

Morning Routines Successful People Use

Tip 1 – Make a to-do list

One of the first things you should do in the morning is to make a to-do list. Successful people use this practice to guarantee the most productive day possible. When you don’t know what you are doing for the day it’s easy to wander around aimlessly and before you know it, the day is gone. A to-do list gives you a plan.

An idiot with a plan can beat a genius without a plan

Warren Buffett

However, you need to make sure that you include actionable steps in your plan. For example, do not just plan to work on your side hustle. Instead, make a plan to come up with the name of your next article by 7 am i.e. “How to be More Productive”. Also plan to finish writing your introduction paragraph by 8 pm (not by the end of the day).

2 – Find ways to get more Energy

Unfortunately, it is common to feel super tired in the morning. However, the last thing you want to happen is for this to affect your entire day. You need to find ways to get more energy in the morning. These morning energy tactics must be specific to you since everyone’s body is different. What works for one person, may not work for another. So you will have to test which methods and products are a better fit for you.

Here are a few common routines that you can test to get more energy and be more productive. Adding these to your morning routine can significantly boost your energy in the morning.

• Morning Workout Routine – working out in the morning is healthy for both the body and mind. Many successful people start their day with a workout to get their blood flowing. Movement during workouts leads to the creation of energy within your body.
• Cold Shower – not everyone can handle this, but cold water has a way of really waking up your body. The shock of the cold water increases blood flow. This movement creates energy and even some health benefits such as improving circulation. Many successful people take a cold shower as part of their morning routines. World renown life coach Tony Robbins swears by them.
• Coffee or Caffeinated Drink – For years people have used coffee to give them a morning boost. Even though your body gets used to it, many people include it as part of their morning routines. Starbucks makes over $26 billion annually selling coffee and other products to consumers. Some people don’t like the taste of coffee or don’t believe it is a healthy option. Some healthy alternatives are green tea or energy supplements. Less healthy options like soda or energy drinks are also used as ways to get more energy.
• Sleep Better – The most effective way to get more energy is to get better sleep at night. If you go to sleep earlier and get 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, you will wake up feeling refreshed. Use tools to measure how much sleep you get each night like this sleep tracker. Listen to the podcast below on the TOP 10 WAYS TO SLEEP SMARTER and gain a deeper understanding of how to use sleep to get more energy so you can have more productive days.

3 – Schedule your day

Scheduling your day goes hand in hand with making a to-do list and this is what most successful people do. As part of their morning routine, they schedule every task for the day into a certain time slot. This makes you much less likely to procrastinate and therefore much more productive.

One way of doing this is to create a routine that you do every single day at the exact same time. For instance, wake up at 5 am, drink a glass of water right away, do 30 crunches as soon as I get out of bed, take a 15-minute shower at 5:15 am, read or listen to a book for 30 minutes on the science behind habits at 5:30 am, spend 30 minutes writing on my blog at 6 am, then review my task list for the day and wake up the kids at 6:30 am.

4 – Wake up early

The majority of people are more productive in the morning. Even if you don’t feel like you are a morning person, you can definitely train yourself to become one. Think about how much more a person that wakes up at 5 am can get done in a day over someone who wakes up at 6 am. That’s an entire scheduled and productive hour to knock tasks off your list.

Keep in mind, that you don’t want to be losing out on sleep as this is really important for the brain and your energy levels. Keeping this in mind, be disciplined about going to bed at a reasonable time. There are many benefits to waking up early that make it worth it. So get accustomed to it and it will be one of the best things you ever did.

5 – Morning Affirmations and Visualization

The power of the mind is pretty amazing. Make the most of your fantastic mind by doing morning affirmations and visualization. Affirmations are a way of telling yourself things that motivate you and push you towards your goal. You can do these in your head, out loud, or even in a journal of some sort. These could be things like “I am going to be successful”, “I am going to make extra $3000 per month by the end of the year.”

Affirmations fill your brain with positive thoughts and you can take this a step further by visualizing where you want to be. Actually envision where you want to be and think like you are there right now. Visualize yourself in the new home that the extra $3000 per month helped you to afford. Can you see the open floorplan? Look at the breakfast nook in the kitchen as you sit on your grey sofa. Don’t forget to rub your toes through the white sheepskin rug.

Including this into your morning routine will put your dreams out into the universe. And doing so makes it much more likely that it will happen. When you start to visualize the things you want, you will force yourself to be more disciplined. That disciple leads to being more productive thus making your goals attainable.

6 – Be Grateful

When you wake up the morning, think of all the things in life that you are grateful for. You can write these down or just think of them. You could be grateful that you have a roof over your head. For a nice coffee to drink in the morning or even that you are healthy and alive. Being grateful is an amazing thing because it makes you more positive throughout the day. Which leads to less stress and the ability to focus on the tasks that matter.

7 – Bond with someone first thing

If you are lucky enough to have someone special in your life, show them how much they mean to you in the morning. This could be your spouse or romantic partner. You should show affection, either with cuddling or something else entirely. If you don’t have a romantic interest then make sure to bond with your kids or even pets. Give them hugs and let them know how much you care.

Doing it every morning strengthens your relationship and will make you feel happier. Being happy and making the people closest to us happy is what makes life great. This feeling will aid in the mindset you need to take over the world, or at least be more productive.

8 – Keep your workspace Clear

An organized space equals an organized mind. So clean up your desk and your general surroundings from the day before as part of your morning routine. Cleaning is much easier in the morning than it is later at night. With a clear mind, remove the clutter and set up your space to get things done and start being more productive.

9 – Stay Silent

For the first hour after you wake up, it is very beneficial to live in silence, particularly if you are an introvert. This gives you time to charge yourself up and generally get mentally prepared for the day ahead. This goes together nicely with waking up early. The house and general environment are more likely to be quiet if you wake up early.

10 – Avoid negative and irrelevant topics

Perhaps you need to stay aware of current events, particularly if it is regarding your job or business. If so, try to do it the night before versus filling your mind with information first thing in the morning. Seeing relevant good things that are going on in the world can make your day more productive. But try and stay away from negative topics as much as possible.

You also don’t want to be absorbing stuff that is irrelevant or is not important to you or your goals whatsoever. Successful people’s morning routines keep them on track to get the results they want. Avoiding distracting, including who won the lottery, will give you a better start to your day.

Conclusion

Use these tips in your morning routines to build amazing habits. You have all the knowledge need on how to be more productive. Start using these habits in your everyday routine right away. You are going to notice huge improvements in your productivity and will be so happy that you did it.

Want more life-changing tips from successful people including how to break bad habits? If so, many of the concepts in this article are from a book, get it today to skyrocket your results!