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Spring is just around the corner and with that, the promise of warmer and longer days providing us with good opportunities to clean and organize our homes, re-evaluate our health, shake those unwanted winter blues (or pounds) and maybe even do a soft “spring detox.”

In its most simplified sense, stress is what you feel when the demands on your life exceed your ability to meet those demands. Your blood type is a critical component in the determination of your ability to meet the demands.

Are individuals of certain blood types more susceptible to different types of depression or anxiety? What causes this? One's blood type can certainly predispose an individual to different ways of responding to stress and balancing mood. This is because the gene that codes for ABO blood type also affects other genes in close proximity that control things like dopamine metabolism, cortisol levels, and other processes that will affect the entire nervous system's coordination.

For example, Type B needs additional nitrogen rich foods and supplements because their bodies lack the ability to produce a compound called nitric oxide to the extent that the other blood types do. Nitric oxide helps coordinate the nervous system, immune system and cardiovascular system. We know that when you are stressed all three of these systems are put under more strain. 

Another important factor is the stress hormone cortisol. Type O produces the least amount and Type A produces the most amount of cortisol. When cortisol is continually over-produced it can cause adrenal exhaustion and the corresponding symptoms of depression and fatigue. Type O’s reaction to stress can cause an overproduction of adrenaline which can make them more susceptible to anxiety when stressed. But again, long-term imbalances can create more depression from burn out of the nervous system as well. 

What role does everyday stress play in depression?

Certainly Type A, with their naturally higher levels of cortisol, are particularly prone to problems from "everyday" stress. As the adrenal glands pump out more and more cortisol they eventually tire out, causing the person to have a quicker response to minor stressors. Type O’s are more prone to problems that arise from an inability to clear stress hormones from their system quickly; it takes more to get a Type O stressed but it takes more to de-stress them as well. That's why they require more vigorous exercise, whereas Type A can do a lot with yoga and Tai Chi for cortisol balance. 

What suggestions do you have for individuals of each blood type to alleviate stress and/or depression?

So as I just mentioned Type A does better with activities that clear cortisol from their systems, like yoga and Tai Chi. Type O does better with more vigorous exercise that clears a class of stress hormones called catecholamines from their bodies. Type B can also benefit from more calming exercises especially if they are prone to depression in the family. AB’s benefit from routine and anything that keeps their immune system functioning properly like eating and going to bed at the same time, routine cleansing, and avoiding extremes in terms of lifestyle. 

Are there any foods that may have mood enhancing benefits? What about supplements? 

Foods that are rich in essential fatty acids have shown benefit in people struggling with depression -fatty fish would be a good source of DHA and EPA. Also, many nuts and seeds that are beneficials in your diet are rich in essential fatty acids. Things like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and almonds. Foods rich in Vitamin B12 and folic acid, in addition to supplementation, are also beneficial. Brewer's yeast, brown rice, oats and animal proteins that are good for your genotype would be recommended. Some studies have shown a benefit from regular dark chocolate consumption on mood. This is probably due to their flavonoid content. Green tea is also rich in beneficial flavonoids that have benefits for many reasons, but among them is mood as well. In addition, green tea is rich in a naturally occurring amino acid, L-Theanine, which has calming effects on the nervous system. So green tea is good for depression and anxiety, which often go hand in hand. 

By the time we reach adulthood, we’ve most likely experienced a panic attack or anxiety attack. Lots of things can trigger mild anxiety; public speaking, worries over a test or work project or concern over a friend or family member’s health or well-being. Just like our tolerance for certain foods, our tolerance for stress is different based on our blood type and yet, even among blood types, each individual responds very differently based upon our personal experience

My good friend, also a blood type A, experiences acute anxiety attacks and has been in the emergency room on more than one occasion, convinced that she was having a heart attack, while my response typically involves obsessive thinking about the subject of my anxiety – frequently at 3 o’clock in the morning. While there is almost no way to completely stop occasional mild anxiety, we are, after all, human, there are ways to reduce the severity of an attack and calm ourselves  

Breathing – Simple deep breaths can help you to center yourself and calm down. With your eyes closed, take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to fill your lungs and belly when you breathe in and empty them when you let your breath out. Repeat this at least 10 times. Another helpful technique involves breath counting. For this exercise, breathe as you normally would, the first time you exhale, count “one” to yourself, the second time, count “two” to yourself – continue counting until you get to ten and then repeat the process. Focusing on the breathing and counting will focus your mind and control anxiety provoking thoughts. 

Meditation - In the past, when I’ve suggested meditation, people have told me that they “don’t know how to meditate.” In my opinion there is no “right” or “wrong” way to meditate - I believe there are as many types of meditation as there are people! So don’t add to your anxiety by being concerned that you are not meditating correctly. The focus in meditation is to be in the present moment and concentrating on your breathing. If you can, lay down in a comfortable spot, for the first minute, focus solely on your breathing – in through your nose, out through your mouth. Beginning with your feet, focus on each part of your body, slowly moving up from your feet to the top of your head. As you do this, mentally visualize the body part and focus on intentionally relaxing that area of the body, “my feet are relaxed, my muscles are relaxed, I am relaxed. My ankles are relaxed, my muscles are relaxed, I am relaxed.” Do this all the way to the top of your head – be warned, you may fall asleep before you get to your knees! 

Guided Imagery – This is one of my favorites for preventing anxiety from taking over your thinking and calming your body. Guided imagery allows you to use your imagination to go to a safe place and let the anxiety pass. Sit in a quiet place, close your eyes and focus on a place that makes you feel happy and visualize it with all of your senses. Perhaps you love being on the beach – picture the ocean before you and the waves rolling in and out in sync with the rhythm of your long, deep breaths. Feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, see the sunlight dance and sparkle on the water, smell the salty air, imagine the rough, golden sand beneath you, hear the cry of the gulls as they soar above your head, carrying away all your troubles. Focus on the moment and enjoy being there – it’s almost as refreshing as a vacation! 

While these methods may not completely eliminate your anxiety, it may reduce both the frequency and intensity of the attacks. For those times when you need a little extra help,Cortiguard for blood type A and AB and Catechol for blood types O and B, contain herbs that have a calming effect. Tranquility Base is also a good tonic (take it before bed to relax). Low levels of Vitamin D have also been found in people suffering from mild and seasonal depression, so make sure that your levels are up to par by taking a supplement daily.

Unlike most folks who adopt a diet to lose weight or address a physical concern like heart disease or diabetes, I came to this way of life suffering from brain fog, lethargy, and overall feelings of despair. Once full of energy and vitality, I now spent my days hoping to discover why a physically fit person following an organic, whole foods diet packed with vegetable protein could be so mentally unwell. I had everything to live for and yet my emotional well being was in a continued downward spiral and my ability to think clearly was decreasing.

This delicious dinner is excerpted from Personalized Living Using the Blood Type Diet® e-cookbooks. Raw Kale Salad With Zesty Lime Dressing Ingredients: 1 bunch of kale 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 large white onion, sliced ½ cup raisins Dressing: ¼ cup chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon lime juice 2 heads of endive How to Make it: Wash kale and dry on kitchen towels. Strip kale off the woody stems by holding the stem with one hand and wrapping finger and thumb of the other hand around the stem and pulling quickly down. Discard stems and tear leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl and set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, add onions and sauté with 2 teaspoons olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add raisins and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with raw kale. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and salt. Drizzle over kale salad and toss to coat. Serve with leftover or chilled baked salmon, roasted chicken or beans for added protein.  Lemon Ginger Salmon Salad Ingredients: 1 lb wild salmon 2 teaspoons olive oil ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 lemon, zest and juice 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated 1 teaspoon honey How to Make it: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Rub 1 teaspoon olive oil on salmon and season with sea salt. In a small bowl, mix the zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon olive oil, ginger and honey until combined. Brush evenly over the top of your salmon. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

“I am fairly new to the entire concept of eating right for one's blood type, but I would be skeptical if anyone told me there existed a more perfect and applicable introduction for me and others like me. This book starts with basic concepts and education, takes us through how to start/ reset our palates and pantries, and then (as if all that weren't more than enough) throws in over a 100 delicious recipes on top of that! I've tried a bunch, and am looking forward to the rest. Really a thorough and extremely helpful book—one of a collection that I would recommend to anyone interested even in healthful eating in general.”

This is the most incredible, informative diet app I have ever seen! I love it! Thanks so much and please keep updating it! An app to help me better my life is priceless!

Much thanks,

Jonathan Leonard
Sent from my iPhone