The premise of The GenoType Diet is that we can change the effect that our genetic make-up has on our health and weight. Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo divides people into six body types according to their genetic make-up. The GenoType Diet plans are then formulated based on a person’s genotype. Deciding which of three Genotype calculators you want to use will be determined by how exact you want the results to be. If you decide to follow anything but the basic plan, The GenoType Diet is not a book you can just scan in an evening when you have a couple of spare hours.
Basic GenoType Diet Calculator Questions and Tests
If you decide to use the “basic” GenoType Diet Calculator, you must measure your torso and leg length and decide if your torso is longer or if your legs are longer or equal to your torso. Then you need to measure your ring finger and index finger to see which is longer, if they are the same on both hands or if not, which is longer on one hand than the other. The author narrows the GenoTypes down for you using the results of these measurements. When you have completed all of the required questions and tests, you are ready to plug them into the actual basic GenoType Diet calculator. After you complete the basic calculator, you would skip to the “strength testing” part of the procedure.
The Intermediate GenoType Diet Calculator Questions and Tests
If you opt to use the Intermediate GenoType Diet Calculator, you will need to complete all of the steps above. Then, in addition, you will need to know (or test for) your ABO blood type. When you have completed all of the required questions and tests, you are ready to plug them into the actual Intermediate calculator. After you complete the Intermediate calculator, you would skip to the “strength testing” part of the procedure.
Advanced GenoType Diet Calculator Questions and Tests
If you decide to use the advanced GenoType Diet calculator, you would complete the procedures described above. Then you would go on to provide (or test for) your Rh factor and a test called your “secretor status”. According to the author, secretor status influences metabolism and immune function, environmental sensitivities, yeast and parasite issues, and arthritis and other inflammatory health issues. The secretor status test indicates whether a person secretes the ABO blood type antigen in their body secretions. It is a test that the author states is inexpensive compared to other genetic tests but takes about three weeks for the saliva test to be returned from the lab. When you have completed all of the required questions and tests, you are ready to plug them into the actual Advanced calculator. After you complete the Advanced calculator, you would then go to the “strength testing” part of the procedure.
Strength Testing Questions and Tests For All Three GenoType Diet Calculators
After you have competed your chosen GenoType Diet calculator, you can move on to the “strength testing” part of the procedure. This part of the procedure is supposed to make sure that you have chosen your correct Genotype. The first exercise of the strength testing is to measure your waist and hips. You also need a fingerprint kit and a Prop taster strips (which you can get from mailing off to the address in the back of the book). The taster strips are supposed to tell you if you are a taster, a non-taster, or a super-taster. Directions are given later so that you can analyze your fingerprint arches, sworls, loops and ridges. You are asked to answer questions about your personal and family health history, your teeth patterns, and your jaw and head shape. You will also pick from a diagram of three body shapes. Lab addresses for supplies and tests are provided.
When you have completed the strength testing exercises and are sure that you have your correct GenoType results, you can go on to chapter seven and finally you will be enlightened as to your particular genotype as well as the other interesting “facts” the author wants you to know. Below are the six GenoTypes with part of the author’s description. Dr. D’ Adamo includes slogans he feels fits the personality type of each and lists a few of the famous people he believes to be representative of the genotype.
Genotype 1
The Hunter is described as “tall, thin, and intense”; lots of adrenaline, nervous energy and tends to get over stressed. Their GenoType Diet goal is to “conserve energy for the long haul”. Michael Jordan is given as a representative of this genotype. The author states this genotype’s slogan is usually “Shoot first, ask questions later”.
Genotype 2
The Gatherer is described as “full-figured” but not necessarily over weight; tends to participate in crash diets. Of course, the GenoType Diet goal stated for this type is to stop the crash diets and become “a glowing example of health. Oprah Winfrey is the famous person the author believes to be a gatherer. I’m not sure Oprah would like the author’s slogan for her type. It is “Whoever dies with the most wins.”
Genotype 3
The Teacher is described as “strong, sinewy, and stable”. Their GenoType Diet goal is to be sure they have a “balanced diet and lifestyle” in order to maximize their “stamina’ and their propensity for “longevity. The author listed Abraham Lincoln and Bjork (an Icelandic Pop singer) as famous people with the teacher genotype and stated that an apt motto for this type would be “Why can’t we all just get along.
Genotype 4
The Explorer is described as “muscular and adventurous”. The GenoType Diet goal for this group is to have a “balanced diet and lifestyle to overcome their vulnerability to hormonal imbalance and chemical sensitivity. People who exhibit this genotype, in the author’s opinion are Charlie Chaplin and Charles Windsor (Prince of Wales). The slogan the author gives for this genotype is “I’ll do it my way”.
Genotype 5
The Warrior is described as “long, lean and healthy” when young. The author feels that they need to “optimize diet and lifestyle in mid-life so that they can “over-come the tendency of their body’s “quick aging metabolic genes”. Examples of this genotype are Julia Childs and Hillary Clinton. The slogan the author believes this type of person tends to live by is “Time flies when you’re having fun”. I’m not the expert, but this one just does not resonate with me for Hillary Clinton.
Genotype 6
The Nomad is described as having many “extremes” and being “sensitive to environmental conditions-changes in altitude and barometric pressure and vulnerable to neuromuscular and immune problems. The author states that they needs to work at controlling “caloric intake” so that they can “age gracefully. Two people that one would not on the surface consider to be alike are given as examples of this genotype. One is Winston Churchill and the other is Peppermint Patty of the Peanuts cartoon fame. The motto for these two, in the author’s opinion, is “A new career in a new town”.
The author of The GenoType Diet makes the statement that there are six basic GenoTypes but there are “7.5 billion variations”. He also assigns what he calls “basic world views” to each one of the six types. He lists personality types, psychological characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and health risks. There is an extensive section with diet plans for each type as well as foods that are good for the type and foods to avoid.
Conclusion
The GenoType Diet is not an easy diet to follow. If you want to seriously apply the GenoType Diet principles, the book has to be studied, not read. There is a lot of technical material that seems to be valid, but there is also a lot of material (for instance the slogans and basic world views), which I feel are very subjective. I picked up quite a few helpful tips and interesting information from the book and found some of it entertaining. However, unless you intend to go the distance and do all of the tests, I would not recommend that you spend money on The GenoType Diet book. Do what I did and visit your local library. That way, even if you are like me and don’t want to go through all the tests, you can still work through the basic GenoType Diet calculator information (skip the strength testing) and still get an idea about your genotype.
Source:
The GenoType Diet
By Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo
