And you asked how about blood group 'A'?

In general, type `A’ blood group of people may be classified as introverted individuals. They are the ones to go to when you need someone to listen to you and share your problems. They also tend to be more analytical and demanding when executing their tasks.

The Type A people tend to over-respond to even minor stress. This is due to their naturally high basal cortisol (a type of hormone that is active in metabolism) levels and tendency to overproduce cortisol during stress. They also don’t benefit as much as the other blood types when they practise stress-reducing exercises.

For Type As, they may benefit from the following diet & lifestyle strategies:

Lifestyle Strategies

• Cultivate creativity in your life

• Establish a consistent daily schedule

• Go to bed no later than 11pm and sleep for 8 hours or more. Don’t linger in bed. As soon as you wake up, get moving!

• Take at least two breaks of 20 minutes each during the work day. Treat them as mini vacations. Use this time for meditation or reflection.

• Engage in 30 to 45 minutes of calming exercise at least three times a week

• Plan regular screening for heart disease and cancer prevention

Dietary Strategies

• Don’t skip meals.

• Eat more protein at the start of the day, and less at the end.

• Don’t eat when you are nervous or because you are nervous. Your stomach initiates the digestive process with a combination of digestive secretions and muscular contractions that mix food with them. When you have low levels of digestive secretions, food tends to stay in the stomach longer.

• Schedule smaller, more frequent meals – six instead of three

• Always chew your food thoroughly to enhance digestion. Low stomach acid makes digestion more difficult.

Eat right for Strength and Balance

• Limit sugar, caffeine and alcohol. These are short-term “fixes” that ultimately increase stress and slow down your metabolism. One cup of coffee, or one cup every six hours, is usually acceptable for Type As.

• Don’t under-eat or skip meals. Avoid low-calorie diet.

• Eat a balanced breakfast, with more protein-containing food. It is the most important meal of the day for balancing your metabolic needs and your stress response.

• Smaller, more frequent meals will counteract digestive problems caused by low stomach acid.

Dietary Guidelines

Indigestion due to low stomach acid:

• Avoid dairy products, fried and processed foods, soybeans, peanuts and lentils. Increase intake of foods that are rich in fibre such as leafy vegetables and whole grains. Have a cup of diluted lemon juice every morning before breakfast.

Stress: Emotional Equalisers

For emotional health and avoidance of Type A-related mind-body imbalances, incorporate the following behaviours into your daily life.

• Speak up when you feel anxious or overwhelmed. Don’t repress or ignore your concerns. Sing!

• Before you add an activity or responsibility, give up one you already have.

• Use natural light therapy in your work space.

• Be decisive. Procrastination raises cortisol levels.

• When exercising, stop before you reach your limit

• Break your mental and physical work into segments

• Supplement your diet with stress-relieving adaptogens.

The following factors are known to increase cortisol levels and mental exhaustion for Type As. Be aware of them and limit your exposure.

• Crowds of people

• Unproductive meetings

• Financial concerns

• Long telephone calls

• Negative emotions

• Anxiety for others

• Cold or hot weather conditions

• Sunbathing

• Lack of sleep

• Coffee (more than 1 cup)

• Smoking

• Dieting (low calories)

• High-carbohydrate breakfast

• Too much sugar and starch

• Violent movies

• Strong chemicals

• Strong smells or perfumes

• Loud noise

• Overwork

• Too much exercise

• Arguments