How Positive Or Negative Are You? What Your Blood Type Says About Your Health

Although you can change the food you eat and the environment you live –  if you dare to leave Oregon, there’s one thing you can’t change: your blood type. This is given to you by your parents and designed to not carry oxygen throughout the body, but to fight off disorders like retinal disease and edema that can prohibit the body from fully functioning. Most people know the purpose blood serves, but what most people don’t know is what exactly a blood type is.

For starters, your blood type is something you need to know in case you or a loved one requires a blood transfusion. The only problem, however, is that not everyone knows how their blood type could affect their health in the long run. Your blood determines a lot about you. There are four types of blood: A, B, AB, and O, the most common blood type. This group is commonly known as the ABO group and are believed to have come from one gene with three separate variations (A, B, and, O).

It’s true, you can’t change your blood type. But you can increase your knowledge by learning about the added risks associated with your ABO group. That said, here are some ways your blood type could affect your health and what can you do about it.

Cancer: Unfortunately, if you have type AB type blood, you’re much more susceptible to stomach cancer, which means you’re 26 percent more likely to contract cancer than those who have type B or O. On the other hand, individuals who have type A blood also has a higher risk (by 20 percent) than those with type B or O. What’s the cause of this increased percentage? Well, it stems from a bacteria called H. pylori, bacteria that enters the body and settles in the stomach. Though common, it’s estimated that about two-thirds of the world’s population have some form of H. pylori in their system, but individuals with AB or A blood type are more likely to have a negative reaction to the bacteria. This is what increases their risk of cancer.

Heart Disease: In 2012, a study from Harvard University concluded that people with non-O blood type also has an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Of the two, individuals with type AB blood were the most at risk, which meant that these individuals are at a greater chance of suffering from heart disease than type O subjects. Fortunately, wellness checkups can help individuals catch any premature signs of heart disease before it escalates. The heart truly is the most important muscle in the body, so why not take care of it by giving it the proper vitamins and minerals?

Short-Term Memory: According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health having blood type AB may increase your risk of cognitive impairment, especially amongst older AB’s, since they’re more likely to struggle with learning deficiencies or short-term memory. But what could be the root of this problem? The answer is all in the blood type. In other words, AB blood type has been known to form blood clots and protein in the blood. This could explain why individuals with AB blood type are more likely to develop certain thinking problems later on in life. Still, the exact reason for this strange phenomenon remains unclear to researchers.

Ulcers: When it comes to scary sores, ulcers are at the top of the list. To begin with, ulcers are open sores that develop and mature on the inside of your stomach. They can also develop on the upper portion of your small intestines as well. The scary thing is though, the same bacteria that could possibly lead to stomach cancer for individuals with blood type A and AB, could also lead to ulcers for individuals with O blood type. In this case, however, the bacteria act as a modifier and alters the body’s immunological response to it.

Now What?

Don’t panic! Although it might seem like your blood plays a significant role in your disease risk, the truth of the matter is it’s not clear how big or small it impacts you. The best advice is to live a healthy lifestyle and take care of your body. That doesn’t just mean eating the proper nutrients, it also means exercising regularly, and seeing a doctor for a wellness checkup from time to time. That’s because these checkups are designed to keep tabs on your overall health and monitor the things your eyes can’t see, like cancer, cholesterol, and other health problems. Also, if you’re concerned about any specific health conditions listed above, then seeing a doctor should be at the top of your priority list. With that in mind, proper screening and establishing a good relationship with your doctor can help.