Ask. Dr. D'Adamo

I am a Type O university professor recently diagnosed with DVT. A subsequent test showed that I was born with a gene mutation that gives me a lifetime propensity for blood clots. My hematologist told me that I would have to take coumadin the rest of my life. I'm not thrilled about this, but so far have been unable to locate any healthier alternatives to the main ingredient in rat poison! Do I need to modify the Type O lifestyle while taking coumadin? Thanks for your help.

One of my teachers, John Bastyr, used to say that the juice of 5 lemons equaled a pharmacologic dose of anti-coagulants.

New research into deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the so-called 'economy class syndrome', has found that lemon juice significantly reduces the likelihood of clots forming during long haul flights.

Japanese researchers who were examining the blood thinning properties of lemons discovered that blood circulates nearly 20% faster at altitude after the juice of a large lemon has been consumed.

The researchers, from Tokai Gakuen University in Nagoya, revealed their findings at a meeting of the Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology. They gave volunteers on long haul flights a drink containing lemon juice. The blood in the volunteers' veins moved 19% faster than that of others on the same flight, thereby reducing the likelihood of potentially fatal clots forming in their systems.

The scientists believe that the effect is due to two ingredients contained in lemon juice - citric acid and lemon polyphenol. They are now recommending that passengers on long haul flights have a lemon drink every five hours to obtain the juice's protective effect.

Grape juice may also be effective, although orange and grapefruit juice apparently are not.

QUESTION: I was listening to a health guru-type guest on a radio talk show recently and when a listener called in and asked her opinion on the blood-type diet she scoffed. She claimed that horses, for instance, have at least 12 blood types but they all consume the same foods. I know people aren't horses but humans are animals, ultimately. I don't have the research background to respond to her criticism. Can you help?

ANSWER: Your critic doesn't have the correct number of blood groups in the horse correct and I would expect under these circumstances that the basis of blood group effects in human (gene linkage) might be as lost to her as well.

There are eight recognized blood groups in the horse: A, C, D, K, P, Q, T, and U. (These are similar to A, B, AB, and O groups found in humans). However, unlike our blood types, each of the horses' blood groups can exist in one of several forms. For example, to say that a horse has type A blood is not enough because type A may mean type aA1, type aA', type aH, type aA'H, or type a. And, in addition to having a blood type from the A family, a horse may also have a type from each of the other seven groups.

Almost all species (including even primitive life forms such as bacteria and parasites) have some blood group expression; however they vary greatly in the degree of genes linked to ABO that convey any physical variations.

This is where the effects of blood group in humans places them in a special category: ABO genetics influence stomach acid and intestinal enzyme production probably because their levels are linked to the ABO gene locus, but this is probably a specific linkage found only in humans.

Since the gene for blood group is found on entirely different chromosomes in various animal species, one could only expect that differences in physiology linked to blood group would be different as well. A black colored hair coat is found in many pigs who are group O blood; obviously this is not a phenomena shared with humans.