Live to eat or eat to live?

Most of us will one way or another be confronted by this question. I want to carry the question posed by Terence further, is it enough to ask ourselves what make us feel good or look good. When I look in the mirror, at the receding hairline and the paunch on me; I deny that I am looking at myself. This just cannot be me like when I was about 20 years ago; I was sporting more hairs and lot of muscle mass then.

Just some years ago I invested in a toupee which cost me $1000, it certainly makes me feel good and look good. It was weaved on my head at four corners and each week I need to go back for maintenance which cost $15 for each visit. One day I look for my toupee and found it missing, someone may have stolen it! Well, vanity comes at a cost!

I love to jog and swim when I was younger. With some friends we frequently jog at Mac Ritchie Reservoir and I can swim ten laps free-style effortlessly. Those were the day; I have put off doing exercise and neglecting to eat healthily. At what price? Now I am contending with diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

About twenty years ago I bought a book entitled ‘Eat right for your blood types’ by an author called, I think it sound like ‘Alamo’. It was recommended by a client of mine; I did try to read the book but was too lazy to read it through.

There will be lot of skeptics around denying the usefulness of sticking to the teaching. I belong to blood group A and realized that if I want to stay healthy and live longer I have to adhere to a certain diet. To my horror Type A blood type must stick to a vegetarian diet as we are prone to heart disease, cancer and diabetes. We must stay on foods in their natural state: fresh, pure and organic and we will naturally not put on weight.

I was disheartened to know that I must not consume beef, pork, lamb, veal, venison, duck and goose but luckily chicken, Cornish hens and turkey are okay. Seafood like carp, cod, grouper, mackerel, salmon and snail are most beneficial. Catfish, caviar, clam, crab, eel, frog, lobster, mussels, octopus, scallop, shrimp, squid and turtle are no no! Dairy products of all kind not good at all for Type A. Yogurt, goat cheese and goat milk are okay but all other cheeses and milk not allowed.

I have thought of becoming a vegetarian but the idea of denying me a juicy sirloin steak made me gave up the idea. The spirit certainly is willing but the flesh is tremendously weak! Will I be strong enough to stay on this diet knowing that the reward is overwhelming, to look good and feel good? I am looking for like-minded folks willing to share my dream of eating healthily and living life with zest and vibrancy.

Those who are curious to know their blood types and diets, there are:

Type A is people who should be vegetarian and avoid meat and dairy products.

Type B should eat red meat and fish. Type O should eat lots of animal protein and little carbohydrates and Type AB should eat a combination of Types A and B.

Type A+ :

  1. Dan
  2. Caroline
  3. Patrick Lee
  4. Angela
  5. Mary Chan

Type AB+ :

  1. Tian Soo

Type O :

  1. Amy Soon
  2. Catherine Ho

Type O + :

  1. Nor

Type XO ?

36 thoughts on “Live to eat or eat to live?”

  1. Danz

    I just checked my I/C, it says blood type AB+. I am so happy, I think it means I can have added portions of what Type A and Type B people can eat.

  2. Oh no I have A+ blood type.

    Like you Dan, Its suppose to be good if I go vegetarian but I love my beef rendang and chicken curry. Apa macam?

    If you still have the book, may I borrow it?

    Hahaha Tian Soo, you are so funny and greedy.

    Good thing I am free from cholesterol, diabetes and BP problems.

    Take care everyone

    Cheers
    Caroline Gee

  3. Hi Prof Dan,

    Type A can eat veggies, no meat and dairies.
    Type B, only red meat and fish
    Type AB, =veggies and fish only?

    I must be a walking dead then as I consume little vegs and fish.

    I would rather take my chances and eat everything I fancy in moderation and exercise moderately too. Even that is difficult.

    But why are you saying this before your ‘voluptuous’ dinner in Sept?

    But if you don’t mind my saying so, I know some ladies see you as quite ‘distinguished’.Almost professorial-like.
    Agreed, Joy?

    Cheers

  4. Haha,Dan,
    I belong to the O Type and am very much a vegan. Now I know why I am what I am. Perhaps I ought to go for a complete change of blood (to suit my diet).

  5. Hi Tian Soo,

    I think we have to look in detail what actuslly constitute as good or bad for Type AB. Try to google for information to help you. I hope it not too late for us to stick to this food regime.

    Caroline, how did you manage to keep yourselves fit and trim with no malady? For me cheesecake, icecream, bananas, coconuts,mangoes, melon and honey-dew must avoid!

    The book someone has borrowed, will pass to you once I got it back.

    Charles Chua, it never too late to stick to the correct diet. Perhaps it good to get those who want to improve their health to come together. I know of a restaurant in Golden Shoe Carpark Building that cater to the different blood types.

    Thanks for the compliment but that for Joy to comment!

    Dan

  6. Thanks Dan. Will wait for the return of the book from your borrower.

    But I like my bananas and tender coconuts, oh no!!! Have them almost everyday.

    I am not exactly trim but I am happy with what I am.
    Wake up at 5.30am for half an hour workout (not enough time to do longer).

    Walk form Siglap to Bedok Interchange if I need to do some grocery shopping and walk home if not much shopping. Otherwise catch the bus. Use the stairs instead of lifts. Engage in enjoyable and energy sapping :) physical activities.

    “Poison foods” are eaten in moderation or rarely, eg belly pork braised in dark soy sauce with the dark sticky gravy – yummm

    Cook with less oil and less salt. I dont eat the cakes and bread I bake. No fizzy drinks, no alcohol etc etc and the list of sacrifices goes on heee!

    Cheers to good health
    Caroline Gee

  7. Hi Dan

    Interesting post before the soo kee dinner. Eat to live not
    live to eat. I moderate myself in my intake. Beef, mutton are a no. 80% vegan. Fish is a a favour.Never drink coffee or tea. Only milo. Like chinese tea too especially ‘long jin cha’. No high blood pressure ( it rises only a la Dolly Parton appears, hahaha!). Not diabetic but slight on the high side on cholesterol. BMI within range.

    Meditation and retreats help my discipline in food consumption. When on retreat no dinner is serve and foods are strictly vegetarian. Very at home to such. Hv attended
    a couple of oversea retreats. Very refreshing.

    Go to Gym twice a week, a must. Swim sometimes once a week.
    Stay happy and your general disposition will enhance. Moderation is the word.

    Caroline #2. We have the same blood group of A+, mai. Aha !

    Lee patrick (Song Juan)

  8. Hi Caroline!

    Wow! R U sure U can eat tender coconuts everyday & not afraid of getting high cholestrol? Don’t tell me it’s alrite to take tender coconuts?

    Secondly, the belly pork braised with dark soy sauce is another culprit.

    Nowadays, I can’t help growing sideways because of the Vit B complex that the dr gave me. I’ve very gd appetite which
    I don’t really appreciate le!
    If only we’ve Health Education lessons during our younger days!

    25yrs too late! Ha! Ha!
    Cat Ho

  9. Hi Dan

    The writer’s name is Peter D’Adamo. It is true that it is good for us to eat right for our Blood Type Group but as my lecturer used to say, “If you are Type A and you MUST eat beef, then eat it once a week!”

    Caroline #2

    I am also Type A+, so I eat more fish than beef or chicken. Instead of waiting for the “Eat Right for your blood type” book from Dan, you can pick up the small red booklet, which is free of charge, from the shop in Golden Shoe Car Park. They will also be conducting a “Cook Right for your Blood Type” class organised by PA for 3 Saturday afternoons from 22 August to 5 September.

    Cheers!
    Angela.

  10. Hi

    For all of you who eat to live. Here is a book you should read. It is the latest hype in health food. You will also read about the many fallacies of common health remedies and medicines.

    ‘The Enzyme Factor’ by Hiromi Shinya, MD

  11. Lee Patrick #7 and Angela #9,

    Welcome to the A+ blood type club.

    Thanks Angela for the info. Will go and grab a copy if I pass that way. Will have to go buy more fish.

    So one day must organise the A+ blood type makan session.

    Catherine Ho #8

    But its too late baby now its too late…..

    Never too late my dear. Just do a bit more exercise if you want to take your vit B and enjoy your food.

    I have been taking young coconut and the juice for some time already. Love the ones with slightly hard flesh. Btw, do you know that young coconut juice taste diff if taken in the morn and afternoon. Best drunk in the morning when it is sweet. Tried and tested.

    Dau Iu Bak very sedap right. Then we see it appear on our body too hahaha – ie if we eat too much lah. Like Angela say, once a week ok lah.

    Went for my blood test last month. Everything ok except my thyroid. Must be the stress – what stress?????

    Take care everyone

    Caroline Gee

  12. hi Dan,

    Interesting post. This sentence fits me well “Type A blood type must stick to a vegetarian diet as we are prone to heart disease, cancer and diabetes. We must stay on foods in their natural state: fresh, pure and organic and we will naturally not put on weight”.

    I’m Type A, eat to live, love to eat food in its natural state, little red meat, lots of veg & fruits, exercise is a MUST else i feel sick, pink of health and naturally dont put on weight.

  13. Hi Caroline,

    No doubt we will have to give up on those fruits we fancy, the good news is that there are other equally tantalising fruits we can partake. Like apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, figs, grapefruit, lemons, pineapples, plums, prunes and raisins!

    Patrick Lee, at our age we have to be more careful of our selection of foods, you do keep yourselves fit with exercise and meditation, we envy you!

    Catherine Ho, no more pig’s trotter and ‘kong bak’ for me too. So what blood type are you? Never to late to change diet, we still have another half a lifetime to look forward to, right?

    Thanks Angela, glad to know that you subscribe to this diet too. How do we get more information on the course by PA?

    Thanks Tian Soon for the recommendation on the book ‘Enzyme Factor’, where can I buy it?

    Lilian, so we have an advocate on this blood type diet. Do you follow closely to the foods you consume daily?

    Charles Chua, since you ask why the wine and dine at Mariner’s Corner, I will put it this way. Let’s binge on this night and tell ourselves we are putting an end to this unheathy way of eating and from henceforth we will stick to the blood type diet because our life and sanity depends on it! How dat?

    Dan

  14. Dear folks

    Not sure and dont know how the Blood Type diet works for people. If anyone of you come across a book titled “FIT FOR LIFE” by the Diamonds. Very some dietary combination and you can eat all you want in a day’s meal.

    Rule No. 1 Just Eat plenty of fruits and juices until lunch time.

    Rule No. 2 For any meal; stick to a diet with NO COMBINATION OF PROTEIN AND CARBO. That means you strictly either eat rice with vegetables or protein with vegetables. This is a balance meal with carbo, protein and vegetables in a day.

    Rule No. 3 Exercise, exercise, exercise. It is better to exercise at your leisure now than to do a COMPULSORY exercise at any point in your life.

    My passionate marketing brand is morning jog, evening walk -AYAM Brand (household). The more vigorous one will be badminton which I had my first session with SHC folks last Sunday.

    Regards
    Helen

  15. #14 Last sentence should read : Very effective and some good dietary combination and you can eat all you want in a day’s meal.

    Regards
    Helen

  16. I am blood type O+…so what do i eat?..

    Ya lah Dan..when we younger, exercise is like everyday thing..now so lazy, only do ‘passive’ exercise.
    Tired of workouts..cos how much i do…still not slim leh..ish!..Help!

    Ooopps!..now must run for Monthly Gathering..continue tonite..

  17. Hi Dan,

    The “Cooking Right for your blood type” class organised by Teck Ghee CC (supposed to be held at the “Blood Type Diet” restaurant at Golden Shoe Car Park Building has been put on hold due to some “technical issues”.

    I will let you know when the dates are confirmed again.

    Cheers!
    Angela.

  18. Hi Dan!

    My blood type is ‘O’ but we’re brought up the Asian way.
    More rice than protein and if we eat out at food court, the food is more carbo than protein!
    Take for eg: “Hokkien prawn mee or dried noodles.”
    Western food are also full of high cholestrol!

    Hi Angela Straaten!

    Looking to meet U one day but don’t know when?

    OLGC is having high tea on 30th Aug at school at 3p.m.
    Can U make it?

  19. Hi Angela Straaten!

    Sori I meant “Looking forward to meet U.”

    I rememebered asking U to e-mail to me but U didn’t.

    Too busy? Heard U were fr OLGC!

  21. Dan,
    I’m an A positive.
    I love all the things that you mentioned were not good for type A+. I also love all the other things that are supposed to be good for type B+ and AB. In fact, I love everything mentioned! So how?

    I tend to agree with Charles Chua. Eat everything in moderation and exercise in moderation.

    Above all, DRINK MORE WATER.

  22. Hi Helen,

    Your blood type is the key to how foods affect your body and as a consequence it provides a guide that can improve your heaith, physical vitality and eotional strength.

    Nor,Catherine Ho, O blood type individual tend to be healthier when consuming red meats and animal proteins. Os must avoid most grains and dairy foods. You can get by information by doing search on Google.

    Angela, thanks for the feedback.

    Mary, I agree with you that it hard to forsake foods that we enjoy eating throughout our life. It may be worthwhile to try to stick to the correct diet and judge any improvement in our life.

    Just like we have a jokes corner for member to laugh it out, we may consider starting blood type groups to meet and share topic on keeping ourselves healthy. Feeling good and looking good are a result of what we feed to our bodies, they are co-related!

    Dan

  23. Hi Catherine,

    I’m very sorry for not emailing you earlier. Can you please give me your email address again? I was from OLGC and was told about the High Tea on 30 August but didn’t intend to go. Will you be going?

    Cheers!
    Angela.

  25. Hi Dan

    Wow!! Caroline, Patrick, Angela & Mary we belong to the same blood group.
    I eat mostly vegetables, lots of fruits and less rice. I love beef but avoid mutton. Take beef only once in every six months or so. My lunch or dinner at home is only vegetables soup with cod/salmon fish and a potato. If eating out can’t help it have to eat fish beehoon soup/yong tau foo or wanton mee.
    Once in a while we go off track for other food, that is the time when the food tastes so good.

    We try as to keep within our border but sometimes it is difficult. As the saying goes – variety is the spice of life.
    Try but enjoy life at the same time.
    Gwen

  26. Hi GwynethL

    Yes! Variety is the spice of life. My take is: moderation is the dharma to healthy living, especially in-take of food.
    Myself dinner is light for me at 6pm. A light stomach to bed, the morning will be light and mindful. Your disciplne is good with food as you posted.

    Modern world food has too much artificial ingredients that
    is detrimental to healthy living. Fibrous foods and vegetables are great. As I said earlier, I am 80% vegetarian to stay healthy. No beef, no mutton, lots of fish. Sounds very fishy!!

    How come I am the only one among You, Caroline,Angela and Mary that have A+ blood group. Another sweet lady I know with A+ is Sue Chan. Wow! five against one. where are the A+ guys?

    We can form a exclusive A+ group, to meet twice monthly for healthy lunch or dinner together. How about that? The ‘Rose’ among the ‘Thorns’ ooohs! and just talk blood, hahaha !

  27. Hi All,
    Re: blood groups

    Dan, Gwyneth, Caroline, Angela and Patrick Lee
    Haha, we are all A+
    The Japanese believe that certain blood types have certain personality traits.
    Below is an excerp from a Japanese Culture Site.

    “Type O:
    Type O’s are outgoing, and very social. They are initiators, although they don’t always finish what they start. Creative and popular, they love to be the center of attention and appear very self confident.

    Type A:
    While outwardly calm, they have such high standards (perfectionists) that they tend to be balls of nerves on the inside. Type A’s are the most artistic of the blood groups. They can be shy, are conscientious, trustworthy, and sensitive.

    Type B:
    Goal oriented and strong minded, type B’s will start a task and continue it until completed, and completed well. Type B’s are the individualists of the blood group categories and find their own way in life.

    Type AB:
    Type AB’s are the split personalities of the blood groups. They can be both outgoing and shy, confident and timid. While responsible, too much responsibility will cause a problem. They are trustworthy and like to help others…”

    I admit the description of A+ seems to fit me to some extent.

    Anyone care to comment about that article?

  28. Hi Patrick ( 1 rose among the thorns )

    No beef, no mutton, lots of fish. Sounds very fishy!!

    You smell very “FISHY” too for blinding her true love for you as she faithfully wears the zircon as the real diamond after 34 years. :(

    Patrick, apa macham ?

    Surely you can easily afford 1 carat diamond to your beloved after all these 34 yrs.

    Replace it with a genuine diamond as a BIG wedding Anniversary gift surprise for her NOT a zircon.

    OOOhh!oohh! What’s this Hum Sup Lau Ah Pek up to ?
    ha! ha! :)

  30. Caroline Gee

    Hee, Caroline. That’s 2 of us. I didn’t know you were a perfectionist. I’m working on that. Must be more ‘chin chye’ and not get too stressed out trying to do everything to perfection.

    Enjoy your week!

  31. Mary Chan

    Hahaha used to be especially in my cooking and baking.

    Nowadays, its selective. Most things, I am quite ‘chin chye’ – gosh! I wonder if its because of growing older and mellowing – HELP!!!!

  32. Hi Caroline n Mary

    #37 #29

    True true i agree. Was much so when younger, but now try to
    to be more relax on being too carried away to be such in
    certain aspect.
    Certain situations in life still have to be ‘perfect’ otherwise we will feel very uneasy about it.
    Some character trait hard to change.
    If you agree, try as you might sometimes cannot change means cannot change, he he!!.

    Hi Patrick of the same blood group, you agree or not ?

  33. Gwyneth mai

    As a guy, (in the company of such sweet ‘bloody’ A+ ladies)
    my thoughts and action may differ. I never forget the values
    my mother imparted to when I was a young boy. “Son, stay true to yourself, your blood will be healthy as your heart.”

    My mum is 92 now, healthy and much alive and with such devotion and love brought us (total 9 siblings) up, with a simple smile and motherly love beyond recall.

    Character traits move along with the changing fortune of time. Environmental influence plays another part in the moulding of our personality.

    As for different blood group will associate itself with different personality of character, are soothsayer’s fantasy. No amount of blood type can change a snobbish and
    narrow-minded person if he/she chooses to be one.

    We believe we may be, we adapt, we become…..less bloody, O, A, B, AB, A+, A-, ETC.

  34. Hi Caroline!#31

    “Most things, I am quite ‘chin chye’ – gosh! I wonder if its because of growing older and mellowing – HELP!!!!”

    Of cz, we could help! Simple jux by eating whatever U cook!

    I know U r such a great cook. Jux getting a bit lazy eh?
    Nmind, U cook & we’ll eat. I’ve tried yr fd b4! They’re
    delicious & I heard of yr carrot cake but haven’t tried it.
    I don’t mind trying this Hari Raya le!

    How dare U mentioned the word ‘old’ in front of me, eh?
    In SHC,we’re all matured but not old to be left in the museum.

    Ha:)Ha:)

  35. Catherine #34

    Hahaha you are so cute leh.

    No problem. Can arrange for makan session – but I must be in the mood for?? cooking lah – what were you thinking? Otherwise the food will not be good. Carrot cake also can.

    Sorry neh! OK no more “O..” word. Just mature only. But sometimes, slip of the mind, may mention it again. If that happens, minta maaf ok?

    TC and have a nice day

    Caroline

  36. Gwyneth #32

    You are right. Certain things in us its difficult to change, no matter what. Like a leopard cannot change its spots.

    But with time and if we try hard enough, sometimes we can close one eye and live with it.

    Cheers
    Caroline

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