It is important for a journalist like me to separate news facts from editorial opinion.

It is important in a Bible study to separate what scripture says from personal application. I once heard a speaker say to be careful about declaring, "I think" about the historical fact of a Bible verse, but to look for application of that verse in your life.

Today's blog is an "I think." It's just my personal application of interesting diet statistics.

When I read my first nutrition book 20+ years ago, researchers were fascinated by the fact that people in Eastern, oriental cultures have less heart disease, less high blood pressure, and less cancer than people in Western cultures. Statistically that is a fact, the question was "Why?"

One article I read on the subject said the difference was red meat. Western cultures eat red meat, Eastern cultures don't - that is the difference in health, said the writer. I didn't know a thing about the BTD, but I knew I liked red meat, so I felt guilty and worried about my future health. Another article that said the difference was soy. Oriental cultures eat lots of soy, Western cultures are suspicious of soy - that is the difference in health, said the writer. I tried to eat more soy products. Another article said the difference was fish.

The other day I was waiting in a long line at a store, and picked up a hot new nutrition book. The author was again citing Eastern vs. Western disease statistics, and he was fervently pro-soy.

I was thinking about the statistics from a Type O point of view, and I will tell you what "I think." Eastern cultures base their diets around rice. Western cultures base their diets around wheat. Rice is either neutral or beneficial for all blood types. Whole wheat is avoid for all types except AB (neutral). White wheat flour is not beneficial for any type and is avoid for many.

Could it be that Eastern cultures have less heart disease, blood pressure, and cancer because rice is their primary grain, and that when they begin to mingle with Western culture wheat foods like hamburger buns, baguettes, bagels, and sandwich bread that they begin to struggle with Western diseases?

Someday someone will do a study and write a book. In the meantime "I think" it's an interesting possibility.