METABOLIC TYPING DIET THE HYPE THE NONSENSE

Posted by Keith Scott-Mumby

Even Joe Mercola has fallen for it. There is one fatal fundamental flaw in the hype surrounding William Wolcott’s “metabolic typing diet”. It does NOT work for everyone and makes many people ill. It’s just that those who are devoted to it are not telling you the downside.

I’ve been writing since the late 70s that everyone’s perfect diet is unique. Wolcott supposedly acknowledges the fact that we are all different and then naively claims we can all fit into one of only 3 categories – the ones he invented, not the ones Nature invented.

The truth is, I can tell you after dealing with over 10,000 patients first hand, is that there is an almost infinite variety of “metabolic types”. These words are almost meaningless and merely denote the fact that, due to countless biological variable differences, each of us is almost unique in constitution and what we need and what we tolerate. It sounds like science but it isn’t.

Wolcott’s 3 types:

Protein types — Protein types are fast oxidizers of parasympathetic dominant. They tend to be frequently hungry, crave fatty, salty foods, fail with low-calorie diets, and tend towards fatigue, anxiety, and nervousness. They are often lethargic or feel “wired”, “on edge”, with superficial energy while being tired underneath.

Carbo types — Carbo types are slow oxidizers or sympathetic dominant. They generally have relatively weak appetites, a high tolerance for sweets, problems with weight management, “type A” personalities, and are often dependent on caffeine.

Mixed types — Mixed types are neither fast or slow oxidizers, and are neither parasympathetic or sympathetic dominant. They generally have average appetites, cravings for sweets and starchy foods, relatively little trouble with weight control, and tend towards fatigue, anxiety, and nervousness.

What should you eat?

According to the metabolic typing diet, the three metabolic types should eat the following foods:

• Protein types should eat diets that are rich in protein, fats and oils, and high-purine proteins such as organ meats, pate, beef liver, chicken liver, and beef. Carbohydrate intake should be low.
• Carbo types should eat diets that are high in carbohydratesand low in protein, fats, and oils. They should eat light, low-purine proteins.
• Mixed types should eat a mixture of high-fat, high-purine proteinsand low-fat, low-purine proteins such as cheese, eggs, yogurt,tofu, nuts. This type requires relatively equal ratios of proteins,fats, and carbohydrates.

What Walcott seems to be entirely ignorant of is the fact that over half the population can’t tolerate wheat or dairy. Any food you can name (and even certain spring waters) has been an allergy for someone somewhere. eating “carbo” effectively means eating grains (wheat, corn, rice, barley etc) and the grains family are among the worst tolerated of all foods. Grains do not belong in the human diet; we are hunter gatherers and have only eaten foods like grains, dairy, eggs etc since we became farmer around 10,000 years ago.

Do not suppose that food allergy and intolerance is rare. In fact I am on record with the BBC as saying everyone has a food allergy: it may not be important if you are not ill but it is very common if you know the right questions to ask.

Nightshades (tomato, potato, chili, tobacco, eggplant, peppers) cause arthritis problems for many people. Pulses (beans) are so toxic that most have to be heated before they can safely be consumed.