3. Blood type and strep infection

Malaria, for example, is less harmful for people with type O blood.

“The malaria parasite makes a kind of glue that sticks to the type A antigen, causing cells to clump and leading to severe illness,” Robert said.

“Type O blood doesn’t form these clumps, so infected people don’t get so ill.”

Malaria isn’t the only infection that’s been linked to your blood type.

Recent research at the University of Wollongong School of Biological Sciences in Australia found that group A streptococcal infection, which can lead to everything from a mild sore throat to a serious blood infection, is more likely to attach to type O blood cells.

“The sugars found on O cells are put together in a different way to those found on A and B cells, and we think this makes it easier for the bacteria to hold onto the cells,” according to Dr Martina Sanderson-Smith, from the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, who worked on the trial.

What to eat for each blood type

The Blood Type Diet originally comes from the 1996 book Eat Right 4 Your Type, by naturopathic physician Dr. Peter D’Adamo, and has been kicking around various health forums for nearly three decades.