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Diet for all people
Yesterday I got an e-mail from a missionary friend that says one third of Thailand is flooded. One third! I try to bring this into some personal frame of reference, but I can’t. One third of the US under water. One third of Texas under water. Even one third of Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio under water. It is inconceivable to me.
My missionary friend writes that even in the face of losing their own homes and jobs, Thai Christians are out in boats trying to help their neighbors.
The first thing that struck me when I read this was that a disaster of this magnitude has barely been reported in the US media. The news here is focused on stirring up class warfare and destroying people’s characters.
The second thing that crossed my mind was a question. What are those newly homeless people eating? My husband and I regularly send money to agencies like the Salvation Army and the International Mission Board World Hunger Fund to assist in disasters like this.
Obviously in a disaster Blood Type Diet considerations must be set aside. After a flood, or earthquake, getting safe food is the primary consideration. In famine stricken countries just getting enough calories to maintain life is of primary importance. A Type O in Somalia is not going to ask if there is wheat in the slice of bread they are given at a shelter.
But beyond disasters, I am sometimes concerned that the BTD could easily become a diet for the rich and elite. When beef is not good enough for a Type O, it must be grass fed beef. Or when rice is not acceptable, it must be non-GMO brown rice. Or when fresh fruits and vegetables are snubbed in favor of certified organic fruits and vegetables. I think this is wrong.
Unemployment has been high in the US for an extended period of time. I am seriously sympathetic because I am underemployed myself. If families cannot make the BTD work at an ordinary grocery store, then frankly it isn’t going to help very many people.
I will continue, in my blog, to apply BTD principles to people on a budget. And I will continue to give to organizations who deliver both food and the good news of Christ to those in need.
3 comments
It's certainly possible for families to implement BTD guidelines, even if they can't afford organic produce or grass-fed meat. You can even use the lists of "beneficial" and "avoid" foods without fully following frequency guidelines.
For example, when feeding Os and/or Bs, you can make sure you have animal protien daily, but keep the portions small and supplement with more vegetable protein (from the OK lists) to stretch the meat. Frozen veggies can be very cheap, as are in-season produce. Yes, potatoes are cheap, but sweet potatoes and winter squashes aren't that much more expensive.
Wheat flour is cheap and spelt is expensive, but brown and white rices are nearly as cheap as wheat flour, and rice can be found in ANY grocery store in the USA. I sometimes find it for at little as 50 cents a pound when the store brand is on sale.
I would think it's fairly easy to follow the A diet on a budget, as it relies heavily on inexpensive legumes rather than more expensive meats.
I think you and I are saying the same thing. You are feeding your family according to BTD principles on a budget, and primarily shopping at the grocery store.
I probably do 75% of my shopping at the grocery store, 15% at a local health food store, and 10% at online health food stores.
If I interpret him correctly, Dr. D takes the same position in his radio interviews and public appearances.
But I often read on the Forum and on other websites that deal with health and BTD issues some extreme positions. The worst was a Type O woman who was unemployed. She decided it was better to buy organic wheat crackers from Whole Foods than to eat ground beef and vegetables from a regular grocery store.
I want to reassure people who are struggling economically that they can see major improvements in their health by taking BTD knowledge to a discount store.
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