FOOD COMBINING

Dikutip oleh Wied Harry Apriadji dari buku Edisi Khusus Majalah NIRMALA Makanan Tepat Awal Tubuh Sehat: Apa yang perlu diketahui, dipertimbangkan, dan dihindari. Dengan Food Combining (FC), Anda bisa makan enak sampai kenyang sambil menurunkan berat badan. Tubuh Anda menjadi seimbang dengan tinggi badan, bahkan semakin sehat dan bugar. Pola makan alami Pola makan alami yang menjadi dasar FC sebenarnya sudah lama dikenal manusia. Akarnya diambil dari pola makan orang-orang Esseni (bangsa yang hidup di Palestina sekitar 2000 tahun yang lalu). Namun orang pertama yang mempopulerkan pola makan ini adalah Dr. William Howard Hay, ahli bedah kenamaan pada tahun 1920an di AS. Makanya, pola makan ini juga dikenal sebagai Hay System Diet. Dr. Hay sendiri telah membuktikan bagaimana penyakit ginjal kronis, pembengkakan jantung, dan tekanan darah tinggi yang dideritanya selama bertahun-tahun sembuh hanya dalam tiga bulan setelah menjalani pola makan FC. Bahkan seperempat bobot tubuhnya yang hampir mencapai 100 kg juga lenyap bersama penyakitpenyakitnya. Itulah sebabnya ia berkesimpulan bahwa kesehatan dan vitalitas seseorang sangat bergantung pada pola makannya. Lalu apa bedanya FC dengan pola makan 4 Sehat 5 Sempurna yang mengutamakan keseimbangan gizi? Dasarnya sama. FC tetap mepertahankan pola makan 4 Sehat 5 Sempurna. Hanya saja, FC memperhitungkan siklus pencernaan tubuh manusia, yakni pencernaan-penyerapan-pembuangan, yang ternyata berlainan intensitasnya pada pagi, siang, dan malam. Selain itu, dalam FC juga diperhitungkan sifat asam-basa makanan, sehingga ada kombinasi-kombinasi makanan tertentu yang tidak dianjurkan, karena menghambat kelancaran kerja pencernaan tubuh. Siklus alami tubuh Berdasarkan penelitian ekstensif tentang siklus fisiologi, ditemukan bahwa setiap fungsi tubuh memiliki irama aktivitas biologi yang bekerja secara sistematis dalam siklus atau putaran 24 jam tanpa henti. Proses pencernaan sendiri terdiri dari tiga siklus yang didasarkan pada tiga fungsi tubuh, yaitu menyerap (sari-sari makanan), mencerna (zat-zat makanan), dan membuang (sampah-sampah makanan). Meskipun ketiga fungsi tersebut bekerja aktif secara simultan (terus-menerus), setiap delapan jam sehari masing-masing lebih intensif dibandingkan siklus-siklus lainnya. Pukul 12.00 20.00 : PENCERNAAN Pukul 20.00 04.00 : PENYERAPAN Pukul 04.00 12.00 : PEMBUANGAN Siklus pencernaan sangat intensif antara pukul 12.00 (tengah hari) dan pukul 20.00 (8 malam). Pada siklus ini energi tubuh lebih banyak dipusatkan ke fungsi pencernaan. Sepanjang siklus ini merupakan saat yang tepat untuk mengisi lambung dengan makanan padat. Kalau pada siang hari perut tak terisi, Anda akan merasa sangat lapar. Siklus penyerapan berlangsung sangat intensif antara pukul 20.00 (8 malam) dan pukul 04.00 (dini hari). Sepanjang siklus ini terjadi proses penyerapan sebagian besar zat-zat makanan yang sudah tercerna dan pembagian zat-zat makanan ke seluruh bagian tubuh. Karena itu, tidur terlambat atau makan larut malam dapat mengurangi pasokan energi yang diperlukan untuk proses penyerapan. Hambatan pada salah satu siklus dapat mengacaukan siklus-siklus berikutnya, sehingga Anda akan merasa grogi pada pagi harinya.

Siklus pembuangan sangat intensif terjadi antara pukul 04.00 (tengah hari) dan pukul 12.00 (tengah hari). Pada siklus ini, energi akan lebih banyak dipakai untuk membantu proses pembuangan. Sampah akan lebih banyak dikeluarkan dalam siklus ini. Banyak orang mengeluh tidak mempunyai nafsu makan pada pagi hari, tapi tidak menyadari bahwa ini adalah hal sangat alami. Karena tubuh tengah melalui siklus pembuangan. Tubuh tidak terlalu membutuhkan makanan padat (misalnya nasi dan daging) yang sulit dicerna dalam kurun waktu tersebut, malah bisa mengacaukan proses pembuangan karena kekurangan energi. FAKTA SEDERHANA Dari beberapa fakta alamiah berikut inilah disusun prinsip-prinsip dasar FC. 1. Tubuh mempunya siklus-siklus pencernaan, penyerapan, dan pembuangan yang berbeda intensitasnya.

2. Ada makanan yang boleh dikombinasikan dan dimakan bersama, ada pula yang tidak serasi untuk dikombinasikan. 3. Setiap makanan butuh waktu pencernaan berbeda.

Hanya dengan memanfaatkan prinsip-prinsip ini, kerja pencernaan tubuh sudah bisa dijaga agar tetap dalam kondisi maksimal. Sebetulnya faktanya begitu sederhana. Jika fungsi pencernaan bekerja maksimal, dengan sendirinya penyerapan zat gizi akan berjalan lancar, dan pembuangan racun tubuh pun tidak terhambat. Hasilnya, pastilah tidak bisa lain adalah tubuh yang sehat. Keseimbangan asam-basa Selain kandungan gizi, FC juga memperhatikan sifat asam-basa makanan. Dalam pelajaran kimia dasar di sekolah pun kita diajari bahwa larutan asam (acid) dinetralkan oleh larutan basa (alkali). Demikian pula dalam hal makanan. Ada makanan yang membentuk basa. Jika asam bertemu asam, keseimbangan asam-basa dalam tubuh akan kacau. Keadaan tubuh menjadi terlalu asam. Salah satu gejala yang dirasakan adalah perut kembung, dan diare. Padahal, keseimbangan asam-basa ini perlu dijaga agar fungsi pencernaan berjalan normal. Keseimbangan asam-basa tubuh inilah yang diabaikan selama ini. Banyak orang, bahkan para ahli gizi sekalipun, masih berasumsi bahwa kecukupan gizi setiap orang hanya bisa terpenuhi apabila mengkonsumsi makanan 4 Sehat dalam waktu bersamaan. Perhatikan bagaimana nasi dan daging selalu dijadikan primadona, sementara sayuran dan buah-buahan hanya dijadikan pengiring (yang bahkan sering tidak termakan karena sudah telanjur kekenyangan). Baik nasi dan daging termasuk makanan pembentuk asam. Bisa dibayangkan betapa kacaunya pencernaan tubuh jika dimakan bersamaan. Keadaan ideal yang diinginkan adalah apabila keseimbangan asam-basa jaringan tubuh dan darah manusia (kecuali lambung) berada pada pH 7,35 7,45 atau netral cenderung basa. Keseimbangan ini bisa dijaga dengan cara mengkonsumsi lebih banyak makanan buah, sebagian besar sayur-mayur, dan rempah-rempah, karena merupakan makanan pembentuk basa. Selain itu, secara alamiah tubuh mencerna setiap makanan dengan cara yang berbeda dan setiap makanan juga membutuhkan enzim pencernaan yang berbeda pula. Protein sendiri memerlukan proses pencernaan yang cukup lama, sekitar 4 jam, pati 3 jam, sayur-sayuran 2 jam, dan buah-buahan hanya antara 10 dan 45 menit. Sedangkan lemak atau makanan tinggi lemak butuh waktu cerna paling lama, sekitar 6-8 jam. Karena itu setelah makan makanan tertentu, sebaiknya tunggu dulu sebelum memasukkan makanan jenis lain. MAKANAN PEMBENTUK ASAM: Serealia/padi-padian ~ Umbi-umbian seperti singkong, ubi jalar, talas, kentang (kecuali kentang rebus yang dimakan bersama kulitnya) ~ Protein hewani ~ Lemak dan minyak ~ Susu (kecuali susu segar yang baru diperah) ~ Tomat yang dimasak ~ Kacang tanah ~ Makanan beragi ~ Cuka sintetis seperti cuka meja ~ Gula pasir ~ Polong-polongan seperti kacang hijau, kacang merah, kedelai ~ Alkohol

MAKANAN PEMBENTUK BASA: Buah matang (walaupun ada rasa asam) ~ Sayuran, termasuk taoge (kecuali tomat yang dimasak) serta sayuran umbi seperti wortel, bit, lobak, radis ~ Kentang rebus yang dimakan bersama kulitnya ~ Plain yoghurt ~ Kacang-kacangan kecuali kacang tanah (seperti kenari, almon, walnut, brazil nut, pecan, pistachio) ~ Madu alam Tip menjalankan pola makan Food Combining 1. Makan buah, satu macam maupun beberapa, tidak dicampur dengan makanan jenis lain. Berilah tenggang waktu 10 15 menit sebelum mengkonsumsi makanan lain. 2. Makanlah buah atau minum jus buah sedikit-sedikit agar tidak mengakibatkan lonjakan kadar gula darah secara mendadak. 3. Ganti camilan Anda dengan buah. Boleh saja mengudap buah sepanjang hari, asal sekitar setengah jam sebelum makan, stop makan buah. 4. Makanan tinggi protein dan tinggi pati sebaiknya tidak dimakan bersama-sama, tetapi masing-masing dikombinasikan dengan sayuran. Misalnya daging plus sayur, atau nasi plus sayur. Hindari daging plus nasi, apalagi dengan porsi sama banyak. 5. Jika siang hari sudah makan menu tinggi protein, misalnya kombinasi daging-sayur, malam hari mesti ganti dengan menu pati-sayur. Boleh saja bertukar waktu. Artinya, menu pati-sayur di siang hari, malam hari menu protein-sayur. 6. Sebaiknya tidak mengkonsumsi lebih dari satu macam protein hewani pada saat yang sama. Satu jenis protein hewani sehari sudah mencukupi kebutuhan asam-asam amino. Sedangkan protein nabati boleh lebih dari satu macam, karena kandungan asam amino makanan nabati umumnya kurang lengkap. Makanan pati beberapa macam boleh dimakan bersama-sama. Misalnya nasi plus perkedel jagung. 7. Masaklah makanan secukupnya, dengan menggunakan bahan makanan yang sesegar dan seutuh mungkin, bukan bahan olahan, instan, atau awetan. Makanan yang berkali-kali dipanaskan akan musnah khasiat gizinya. 8. Gunakan lemak dan minyak seperlunya saja.

9. Makanlah seberagam mungkin, baik jenis maupun cara pengolahannya. Selain menghindari bosan, juga agar tubuh tidak kelebihan dosis suatu zat gizi tertentu. 10. Ikuti FC secara bertahap, agar tubuh dapat menyesuaikan diri dengan nyaman. Anda juga tidak perlu terlalu kaku menerapkan FC. Misalkan Anda lalai (makan asal-asalan) di siang hari, bisa ditebus makan yang benar sesuai FC nanti malam. Yang penting, kebiasaan menyantap berbagai makanan secara bersamaan tidak menjadi rutinitas. CONTOH MENU FOOD COMBINING PAGI 1-2 gelas air masak hangat + sedikit air jeruk nipis pembentuk basa 1-2 gelas jus buah segar (jeruk, pepaya, nanas, melon, dll) pembentuk basa 1 porsi buah segar jika masih lapar (pepaya, mangga, apel, dll) pembentuk basa KUDAPAN PAGI 1-2 gelas jus buah segar (jeruk, pepaya, nanas, melon, dll) pembentuk basa

1 porsi buah segar jika masih lapar (pepaya, mangga, apel, dll) pembentuk basa MAKAN SIANG 1 porsi ayam panggang kecap asin (maks. ekor ayam kampung) pembentuk asam 1 porsi setup aneka sayuran (wortel & buncis) pembentuk basa 1 gelas jus sayuran mentah (wortel, mentimun, bit, seledri, dll) pembentuk basa KUDAPAN SORE 1 gelas jus buah segar atau 1 buah pisang atau 1 gelas susu kedelai pembentuk basa 1-2 potong kue kecil atau jajan pasar (asal tidak terlalu sering) pembentuk asam MAKAN MALAM 1 porsi nasi beras merah pembentuk asam 1 porsi balado terong pembentuk basa 1porsi perkedel tahu jamur panggang pembentuk basa 1 porsi urap aneka sayuran pembentuk basa 1 gelas jus sayuran mentah pembentuk basa SEBELUM TIDUR 1 gelas jus sayuran mentah -------------------MENU 1 FOOD COMBINING DARI MBA ANDANG GUNAWAN HANYA UNTUK MILIS IDA ARIMURTI Makan pagi : Lassi Mangga Kudapan pagi : Nanas-Pepaya Siram Markisa Makan siang : Burger Steak Kudapan sore : Gado-gado Pengantin Makan malam : Nasi Beras Merah + Sayur Bening Bayam + Oseng Tempe + Jus Kol-Wortel-Tomat LASSI MANGGA Untuk 2 porsi 100 g daging buah mangga arumanis 150 ml plain yoghurt 50 ml jus jeruk manis/keprok * Proses seluruh bahan dengan blender hingga lembut. Nikmati segera setelah dibuat. NANAS-PEPAYA SIRAM MARKISA Untuk 2 porsi 500 g nanas kupas, potong-potong

500 g pepaya kupas, potong-potong 2 buah markisa, keruk daging buahnya, hancurkan dengan garpu * Sajikan potongan nanas dan pepaya dengan siraman markisa. BURGER STEAK Untuk 2 porsi 200 g daging sapi cincang 2 sdm wortel serut (sebaiknya gunakan serutan keju) 2 sdm bawang bombai cincang halus 1 sdt kecap asin 1 putih telur sdt merica bubuk 1/8 sdt garam atau secukupnya SAUS: 1 sdm minyak goreng, untuk menumis 2 siung bawang putih, memarkan, cincang kasar 1 sdm tepung terigu (sebaiknya disangrai hingga kecokelatan) 150 ml kaldu daging/air 1 sdt saus tomat 1 sdt saus cabai sdm kecap manis sdt merica bubuk PELENGKAP: 100 g buncis mini/buncis muda, rebus 100 g wortel, kupas, potong 4 cm, belah 4, rebus 50 g kol, iris halus * Aduk seluruh bahan hingga rata. Bagi 4, bentuk bundar pipih. Panggang adonan burger di atas wajan panggangan (grill) yang telah diolesi minyak goreng hingga kedua sisinya masak. * Saus: Panaskan minyak goreng, tumis bawang putih hingga beraroma. Masukkan tepung, aduk hingga kecokelatan. * Tuangi kaldu, aduk hingga saus licin. Tambahkan saus tomat, saus cabai, kecap manis, merica bubuk. Didihkan, angkat. * Sajikan steak bersama sayuran, siram dengan saus. GADO-GADO PENGANTIN Untuk 2 porsi 150 g wortel, kupas, serut 100 g kol, buang tulang daunnya, iris halus 200 g daun selada, robek-robek 100 g mentimun, belah 2, iris cm 100 g tahu, goreng masak, potong dadu 1 cm SAUS: proses seluruh bahan dalam blender hingga lembut 250 g kacang mete/kenari/kecang tanah, sangrai hingga renyah dan kecokelatan 2-3 sdm air jeruk lemon 4 buah cabai merah, buang bijinya, potong 1 cm 100 g ebi, sangrai hingga kecokelatan dan beraroma 1 sdt gula merah iris sdt garam 200 ml air masak * Sajikan sayuran dan tahu/tempe goreng dengan siraman saus. SAYUR BENING BAYAM Untuk 2 porsi 200 g bayam yang telah disiangi

200 g labu kuning, potong dadu 1 cm 100 g taoge 5 pucuk kemangi 1.000 ml air 1 cm temu kunci, kupas, iris tips 6 butir bawang merah, iris tipis sdm gula pasir sdt garam * Rebus air bersama temu kunci, bawang merah, gula, dan garam hingga mendidih. * Masukkan labu kuning, masak hingga setengah matang. Tambahkan bayam, masak sebentar, angkat. * Masukkan taoge dan kemangi, aduk hingga tercampur. Diamkan hingga hangat dan bayam-taoge layu. OSENG TEMPE Untuk 2 porsi 100 g tempe, potong dadu 1 cm, goreng masak 2 buah cabai merah, potong cm 3 buah cabai hijau, potong cm 5 butir bawang merah, iris tipis 3 siung bawang putih, iris tipis 1 lembar daun salam 1 cm lengkuas, memarkan 2 sdm kecap manis 1/8 sdt garam 50 ml air 2 sdm minyak goreng, untuk menumis 2 sdm bawang goreng, untuk taburan * Panaskan minyak goreng, tumisa cabai merah-hijau, bawang merah-putih, daun salam, lengkuas hingga beraroma. * Masukkan tempe, tambahkan kecap manis, garam, dan air. Aduk hingga mendidih, angkat. Sajikan dengan taburan bawang goreng. JUS KOL-WORTEL-TOMAT Untuk 2 porsi 100 g kol merah/hijau 100 g wortel 100 g tomat merah 100 g mentimun * Proses semua bahan menggunakan juicer. Minum segera setelah dibuat. TIP : * Takaran garam tidak baku, karena kadar keasinan garam dari setiap merek berbeda (tidak standar). * Karena itu, selalu cicipi citarasa masakan ketika menambahkan garam. ------------------------Buku Baru ! Telah Beredar di Toko Buku GRAMEDIA Seluruh Indonesia ! FOOD COMBINING,MAKAN ENAK UNTUK LANGSING & SEHAT,105 Resep Sedap VEGETARIAN Oleh: Wied Harry Apriadji, konsultan gizi & masak sehat alami Kata Pengantar: Andang W. Gunawan, N.D., nutrition therapist Dengan Food Combining, kita bisa makan enak dan tetap sehat. Kelebihan berat badan berangsur-angsur berkurang, hingga tubuh menjadi langsing. Sebaliknya, tubuh kurus akan menjadi berisi. Bonusnya: kulit kencang dan kenyal, penampilan lebih segar, bahkan tampak lebih muda! Tanpa perlu membatasi porsi makan, sehingga kita tidak harus kelaparan.

Bagi penderita gangguan kesehatan dan penyakit, makan enak cara Food Combining bisa membantu mempercepat pemulihan kesehatan. Antara lain gangguan asam urat, kelebihan kadar lemak darah (hiperkolesterol maupun hipertrigliserida), hipertensi, diabetes, penyakit jantung, stroke, alergi kulit, asma, dll. Mengapa hal ini bisa terjadi? Karena pola makan sehat alami Food Combining memperbaiki sistem metabolisme tubuh dan mendukung seluruh organ tubuh (lambung, pankreas, liver, ginjal, dll.) dapat bekerja dengan baik. Dengan demikian, proses pembuangan zat racun dan radikal bebas dalam tubuh berlangsung secara optimal, yang diimbangi dengan pesatnya proses regenerasi sel sehat. Buku ini layak Anda miliki, sebagai panduan menyiapkan hidangan sehat alami di rumah. Berisi 105 resep sedap, terangkum dalam susunan menu 2 minggu. Penulisnya adalah seorang pakar gizi dan ahli masak sehat alami, sekaligus pelaku Food Combining sejak tahun 2000, yang telah memetik banyak manfaat sehat, termasuk penampilan lebih segar. Harga buku: Rp 50.000. Format buku: 104 halaman full color, 23x23 cm Penerbit: Gramedia Pustaka Utama --------------------Pola makan sehat alami FOOD COMBINING MENU PROTEIN Makan Malam Ramadhan (dinikmati setelah berbuka puasa serba-buah dan shalat Magrib) Menu : Ayam Taliwang Cap Cay Co Jus Wortel Paprika Resep hidangan lezat sehat alami dikutip dari buku ***105 RESEP SEDAP FOOD COMBINING: MAKAN ENAK UNTUK LANGSING & SEHAT*** karya Wied Harry Apriadji. Buku best seller terbitan Gramedia Pustaka Utama ini dapat diperoleh di Toko Buku Gramedia. Ayam Bakar Taliwang Untuk 4 porsi 1 ekor (700 g) ayam kampung muda/ayam ras muda organik, potong 4 1 sdm air jeruk lemon/nipis 1 sdt air jeruk limau 3 sdm minyak goreng, untuk menumis

Bumbu halus: 15 buah cabai merah (boleh dibuang bijinya bila kurang suka pedas) 15 butir bawang merah 6 siung bawang putih 6 cm kencur 2 sdm terasi goreng 2 buah tomat 1 sdm gula merah iris 2 sdt garam

1.Campur ayam dengan air jeruk lemon/nipis dan air jeruk limau. Diamkan selama 20 menit. 2.Panaskan minyak goreng, tumis bumbu halus hingga harum. Masukkan ayam, aduk. Masak hingga ayam kaku. Kecilkan api, tutup wajan. Masak terus hingga bumbu kesat dan ayam empuk, sambil sesekali diaduk, angkat. 3.Panggang ayam dalam oven atau bakar di atas bara hingga keluar aroma gurih, angkat.

Cap Cay Co Untuk 4 porsi 2 sdm minyak goreng, untuk menumis 1 sdm minyak wijen, untuk menumis 5 siung bawang putih, memarkan, cincang 50 g bawang bombai, belah 6 4 buah cabai hijau, potong serong cm 250 g kuntum brokoli, rebus sebentar 200 g wortel, kupas, belah 2, iris serong 1 cm, rebus sebentar 75 g kapri manis 75 g mentimun, buang bijinya, potong bentuk batang korek api

Saus taoco: campur hingga rata 1 sdm tepung maizena 300 ml air masak 3 sdm kecap asin 3 sdm taoco (pilih taoco manis atau taoco yang tidak terlalu asin) sdm gula pasir

1.Panaskan wajan di atas api besar, masukkan minyak goreng dan minyak wijen. Tumis bawang putih hingga harum. Masukkan bawang bombai dan cabai hijau, tumis hingga layu. 2.Masukkan brokoli, wortel, kapri, dan mentimun. Tambahkan saus, aduk. Masak hingga saus mengental dan sayuran masak tapi masih renyah, angkat. Sajikan panas.

Jus Wortel Paprika Untuk 2 porsi 350 g wortel (kupas bila bukan wortel organik) 200 g paprika merah,buang bijinya 100 g mentimun 1 sdm asam jawa, remas-remas dengan 5 sdm air masak, saring

1.Proses wortel, paprika, dan mentimun dengan juice extractor. 2.Campur jus sayuran dengan air asam jawa, aduk. Sajikan segera. ----------------

Diet & Lifestyle FoodCombining It is commonly believed that the human stomach shouldbe able to digest any number of different foods at thesame time. However, digestion is governed byphysiological chemistry. It is not what we eat that iscrucial to our health, but what we digest and assimilate Digestive enzymes Digestive enzymes are secreted in very specific amountsand at very specific times. Different food types requiredifferent digestive secretions. Carbohydrate foodsrequire carbohydratesplitting enzymes, whereas proteinfoods require protein splitting enzymes, etc. It is theknowledge of the digestive process that has led manyhealth practitioners to promote efficient food combing,the rules of which are briefly explained below: 1.

Carbohydrate foods and acid foods should not beeaten at the same meal. Do not eat bread, rice orpotatoes with lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits,pineapples, tomatoes or other sour fruits. This isbecause the enzyme, ptyalin, acts only in an alkalinemedium; it is destroyed even by a mild acid! Fruit acidsnot only prevent carbohydrate digestion, but they also produce a fermentation. Oxalic acid, for example, dilutedto one part in 10,000 completely arrests the action ofptyalin. And, there is enough acetic acid in one teaspoonof wine vinegar to completely halt salivary digestion. DrPercy Howe of Harvard Medical School states:"Many people who cannot eat oranges ata meal derive great benefit from eatingthem fifteen to thirty minutes before the meal". Herbert Sheldon, author of 'Thescience and fine art of food and nutrition'reports: " I have put hundreds of patients ,who have told me that they could not eatoranges or grapefruit, upon a diet of thesefruits and they found that they could takethem. Such people are in the habit oftaking these foods with a breakfast ofcereal, with cream and sugar, egg ontoast, stewed prunes and coffee, or somesimilar meal."Tomatoes should also never be combined with starchyfood as the combination of the various acids in thetomato, which are intensified on cooking, are very muchopposed to the alkaline digestion of starches. They maybe eaten with leafy vegetables and fat foods.What all this tends to mean is that people who say theycannot eat oranges or grapefruit as it gives them gas,could be blaming the fruit, when the problem may lie withthe escape of starches and the bodies release ofpancreatic juice and intestinal enzymes to break themdown.In cases where there is hyperacidity of the stomachthere is great difficulty digesting starches. Fermentationand poisoning of the body occurs along with muchdiscomfort. This is because the digestion ofcarbohydrates (starches and sugars) and of protein isso different, that when they are mixed in the stomachthey interfere with the digestion of each other. An acidprocess (gastric digestion) and an alkaline process(salivary digestion) can not be carried on at the sametime in an ideal way in the stomach. Before long, theycannot proceed at all , as the rising acidity of thestomach soon completely stops carbohydrate digestion.The highest efficiency in digestion demands that we eatin such a way as to offer the least hindrance to the workof digestion. 2. Do not eat a concentrated protein and a concentratedcarbohydrate at the same meal. This means do not eatnuts, meat, eggs, cheese, or other protein foods at thesame meal with bread, cereals, potatoes, sweet fruits.Cakes, etc. Candy and sugar greatly inhibit the secretionof gastric juice and markedly delay digestion and ifconsumed in large quantities can depress the stomachactivity. 3. Do not eat two concentrated proteins at the samemeal. Avoid nuts and meat, or eggs and meat, cheeseand nuts, cheese and eggs, meat and milk, or eggs andmilk or nuts at milk at the same meal. Milk, if taken atall, is best taken alone. The reason for avoiding eatingthese combinations is because each protein requires aspecific character and strength of digestive juice to besecreted. Eggs require different timing in stomachsecretions than do either meat or milk. 4.

Do not eat fats with proteins. This means do not usecream, butter, oil, etc with meat, eggs, cheese, nuts,etc. Fat depresses the action of the gastric glands bydelaying the development of appetite juices and inhibitingthe pouring out of the proper gastric juices for meats. nuts, eggs or other protein. Fats may lower the entiregastric tone more than fifty per cent. 5. Do not eat acid fruits with proteins. This is to say,oranges, tomatoes, lemons, pineapples, etc., should notbe eaten with meat, eggs, cheese or nuts. Acid fruitsseriously hamper protein digestion and results inputrefaction. Milk and orange juice, while by no meansan indigestible combination, is far from a goodcombination. Orange juice and eggs form an even worsecombination. 6. Do not consume starch and sugars together. Jellies, jams, fruit, butter, sugar, honey, syrups, molasses, etc.,on bread, cake, or at the same meal with cereals,potatoes, etc., or sugar with cereal, will producefermentation. The practice of eating starches that havebeen disguised by sweets is also a bad way to eatcarbohydrates. If sugar is taken into the mouth it quicklyfills with saliva but no ptyalin is present which we knowis essential for starch digestion. 7. Eat but one concentrated starch food at a meal. Thisrule is more important as a means of overeating than asa means of avoiding a bad combination. Whileovereating of starches may lead to fermentation, there isno certainty that the combination of two starches will doso. 8. Do not consume melons with any other foods.Watermelon, muskmelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupeand other melons should always be eaten alone. This ispossibly due to the ease and speed in which melonsdecompose. 9. Milk is best taken alone or let alone. Milk is thenatural food of the mammalian young, each speciesproducing milk peculiarly and precisely adapted to theneeds of its young. It is the rule that the young take themilk alone, not in combination with other foods. Milkdoes not digest in the stomach, but in the duodenum,hence in the presence of milk the stomach does notrespond with its secretion. The use of acid fruits withmilk does not cause any trouble and apparently does notconflict with its digestion.A suggested combination of meals is included in thefollowing plan of eating three meals a day : Breakfast Fruit. Any fruit in season may be used. It is suggestedthat not more than three fruits be used at a meal, as, forexample, grapes, well ripened bananas and an apple. Itis well to have an acid fruit breakfast one morning and asweet breakfast the next. In season breakfast may bemade of melons. In the winter months, one or two driedfruits such as figs, dates, raisins, prunes, etc., may besubstituted for the fresh fruit. Lunch A large raw vegetable salad of lettuce, celery, and oneor two other raw vegetables plus avocado and alfalfasprouts or nut and seeds. As an alternative, a vegetablesalad (omitting tomatoes), one cooked green vegetable

and a starch. Dinner A large raw vegetable salad (if nuts or cottage cheeseare to be used as the protein, tomatoes may be used inthis salad), two cooked non-starchy vegetables and aprotein. Fat meats, sour apples, beans, peanuts, peas, cereals,bread and jam, or hot cakes and honey or syrup, are notoriously slow in digestion and are frequent sources of discomfort and putrescent poisoning. If the bodys reserves are carefully hoarded they willcarry us well beyond the hundred year mark withyouthful enthusiasm and zest. Their depletion is one ofthe most common calamities of modern life. Thealkaloids and alcohols, with which gastrointestinaldecomposition charges our bodies, rob us of ourreserves, greatly weaken our vital resistance and sooneror later produce a state of physiological collapse. Food Combining: The Little-Understood Secret to Optimal Health & Weight Revealed Steak and potatoes, tuna-noodle casserole, scrambled eggs with toast... these classic American meals are also classic examples of why the Standard American Diet is making us fatter and more prone to disease. After eating one of those traditional American meals, you might experience bloating or feel gassy, dehydrated or tired. No wonder! They violate all the principles of food combining.

This meal might look healthy, but it actually cause weight gain and digestive problems. Learn why combining starches like rice with meat can actually harm your health! Many diet companies, like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, tell you to eat less and exercise more, with little regard towhat you actually combine together in your stomach. What they don't know is that what happens in your stomach and digestive tract is important AND can be the key to long-term health and weight loss!

Many years ago, our ancestors worked hard at physical jobs and returned home each day to eat big meals of meat, breads, cheeses, and even sweets with no adverse effects. They had iron stomachs and digested everything. Our ancestors also had healthier inner ecosystems. A healthy inner ecosystem is made up of the friendly microflora (good bacteria) that reside in our intestines and keep us healthy and strong. A healthy inner ecosystem also means more beneficial microflora helping you digest the foods you eat. Over time, the introduction of antibiotics, pasteurization and processed foods, along with a lifestyle of constant stress, has damaged our inner ecosystems. An unhealthy inner ecosystem can lead to fatigue, poor health and a digestive tract that functions inefficiently. Today, more than ever, we need to take extra special care of our bodies because they have never been more under-nourished and overstressed. The good news is that you can eat your way to better health... and achieve a naturally slim body at the same time! The Body Ecology system of health and healing teaches that it's more than just what you eat; it's alshowyou eat. The "how" is indeed just as important and Body Ecology provides a roadmap for how to eat your way to health through our 7 Healthy Eating Principles. In this article, we will cover the principle of food combining in more detail. Food combining is the little-known secret to eating that enhances your digestion to give you energy and to help you lose weight and keep it off! Food Combining the Body Ecology Way The process of digesting each meal takes a great deal of energy so you want to increase your ability to digest or your "digestive fire." But what happens if your digestion is not working properly, like so many Americans today? The undigested food stays in your digestive tract and putrefies, creating a toxic environment that makes your blood more acidic and allows yeast, viruses, cancer cells and parasites to grow inside you. In essence, your inner ecosystem is damaged and you are more prone to illness. Proper food combining is a system of eating f foods that combine together efficiently to assist digestion so that your digestive tract does not have to work so hard to give you the nutrients you need for energy. You can learn the basics with 3 simple guidelines.

Read more about the principles of food combining in the Body Ecology Diet. It's also packed with delicious recipes and sample menus! #1) Eat Fruits Alone on an Empty Stomach For anyone just starting on the Body Ecology program, I recommend avoiding most fruits -they have a high concentration of natural sugars that encourage the growth of yeast and other pathogens. The exceptions are sour fruits like lemons and limes, unsweetened juices from cranberries and black currants, and pomegranates. These fruits are very low in sugars and are safe to eat, even in the initial, more limited phase of the program. Once your inner ecosystem is restored (usually within 3 months of remaining on stage one of The Diet), you can introduce other low-sugar fruits like grapefruit and kiwis, as well as pineapple, blueberries, and strawberry. These sour fruits combine best with kefir and yogurt made from milk and sprouted seeds and nuts. Nuts, seeds and dairy foods including cheese are called "protein fats" because they truly are a protein and a fat combined together by nature. In the kitchen: Start your morning with a glass of warm water and lemon juice to hydrate your body and cleanse and tone your digestive system. Lemon and lime juice can be eaten with animal protein for flavor and to enhance digestion. #2 Eat Proteins with Non-Starchy Vegetables and/or Ocean Vegetables When you eat proteins like poultry, fish, meat, and eggs, your stomach secretes hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsin to break down the food in a highly acidic environment. When you eat starches like potatoes or bread, your stomach secretes the enzyme ptyalin to create an alkaline condition. If you eat proteins and starches together, they tend to neutralize each other and inhibit digestion. The poorly-digested food travels through the digestive tract reaching the intestines where it putrefies and causes your blood to become acidic. It also provides a welcome environment for disease-causing pathogens!

To keep this from happening, avoid combining proteins and starches (including grains, like rice, and starchy vegetables, like potatoes) in the same meal. Instead, have non-starchy vegetables and ocean vegetables with your protein meals to achieve optimal digestion. Non-Starchy Vegetables Include: Leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, bok choy, cabbage, celery, lettuces, green beans, garlic, fennel, onions, chives, turnips, sprouts, red radish, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, beets Non-starchy vegetables and ocean vegetables digest well in acid OR alkaline environments, so they go with anything: proteins, oils and butter, grains, starchy vegetables, lemons and limes, and soaked and sprouted nuts and seeds.. Read Why You Need to Cook Those Vegetables for Maximum Nutrition to learn some important tips for preparing these vegetables for optimum health - and to avoid some risks associated with certain raw vegetables. In the kitchen: Pair poached fish with stir-fried vegetables, roasted chicken with a leafy green salad and/or a non-starchy vegetable soup. Or try a salad that has veggies that are steamed and chilled (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans plus also a variety of raw vegetables (shredded carrots, cucumber, yellow squash) with lightly grilled salmon and a lemon-garlicy dressing. #3 Eat Grains and Starchy Vegetables with Non-Starchy and/or Ocean Vegetables There are four grain-like seeds on The Body Ecology Program: amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat and millet. These ancient grains are high in protein,gluten-free, rich in B vitamins and feed the beneficial bacteria in your inner ecosystem. Read more about the risks of consuming conventional grains and how to prepare Body Ecology grains at home. Starchy Vegetables Include: Acorn and butternut squash, lima beans, peas, corn, water chestnuts, artichokes and red skinned potatoes (red skinned potatoes are the only potatoes included in the Body Ecology program because they have fewer sugars than other kinds of potatoes). In the kitchen: Make hearty millet casserole with a green leafy salad and yellow squash sauted in butter. Or try acorn squash stuffed with curried quinoa with the ocean vegetable hijiki and onions. Warming grain soups are also good, especially in winter. Food Combining Details Fats and Oils Choose organic, unrefined and extra virgin oils like flax seed, pumpkin seed, olive or coconut oils.

Combine With: Vegetables, grains and protein. Avoid large amounts of fat with protein (like the mayonnaise in tuna salad) because it slows digestion. Instead use a small amount of oil to cook and oil free dressings. Protein Fats: Avocado, olives, seeds and nuts (except peanuts and chestnuts, which are starches) Combine With: Non-starchy and ocean vegetables and sour fruits. Be sure to soak and sprout your seeds and nuts to ease digestion. Learn more about How to Eat and Not Eat Almonds. Dairy: Cheese and milk, are also protein fats. Dairy products are not on the initial phase of the Body Ecology program because the lactose in milk feeds pathogenic yeast and most people don't have enough dairy loving enzymes to digest the milk protein, casein. After you've established a healthy inner ecosystem, you may be able to benefit from fermented dairy foods and drinks that help populate your digestive tract with plenty of microflora. Some people do well on dairy foods and some simply do not. Combine With: Fermented dairy products, like milk kefir, combine with sour fruits, seeds and nuts and non-starchy vegetables. In the kitchen: Make a Body Ecology kefir dressing with lemon juice and herbs and toss it onto your favorite lettuce with some soaked and sprouted sunflower seeds for a tasty salad. To learn more about kefir and how to make it at home, read Baghdad's Ancient Secret That Can Help Improve Your Health. Dried Peas, Beans, and Soybeans: These foods are mainly a starch combined with a small amount of protein and are difficult to digest. This helps explain why many people have problems with gas and bloating immediately after eating them. Because they are so difficult to digest, they are not part of the initial phase of the Body Ecology program. Additionally, we only recommend fermented soy foods, To learn more, read: Soy Lecithin, the Risks if You Choose the Wrong Type, the Benefits if You Choose Right Combine With: Non-starchy vegetables and cultured vegetables. Sugar: Sugar encourages the growth of yeast, suppresses your body's natural immunity and does not combine with anything! Instead of sugar, use Stevia in your tea to satisfy sugar cravings or add it to a glass of lemon water. To learn more about the health benefits of stevia, read: The One Supplement that Should Be in Everyone's Cooking Cupboard. Combine With: Nothing (if you must eat sugar, it should be eaten alone as in a cup of tea with no other foods).

Fermented Foods and Drinks: These are the "stars" of our Body Ecology program because they are packed with vitamins, minerals and healthy microflora that heal your inner ecosystem. Cultured vegetables and Young Coconut Kefir are just two examples of superfoods that help us stay healthy, slim and youthful. o Combine With: Everything, even with fruit (in fact we sometime ferment green apples in our cultured vegetables). Weight Loss: You might find after just a few days of following food combining principles that you have lost weight. Your body will no longer be bloated and you'll rid yourself of toxins. You might also feel hungrier...just eat more frequently. As long as you are combining properly and eating when you are hungry, you will not gain weight! As your energy increases, you will find you now have more energy to exercise. This then will result in your becoming more slender and well-toned. Some Final Notes: Wait 3 hours after eating a grain-based meal before you have a protein meal. After a protein meal, give yourself 4 hours to fully digest. (You may even want to try all grain meals one day and all protein meals the next.) Assist enzymes are a must for helping digest these meals. Try not to drink cold water during meals. A cup of warm tea, however, will aid digestion. Avoid ice when you drink water. Stick to room temp water that doesn't shock your body and do not drink for at least 15 minutes before you eat or 1 hour after a meal. With food combining and the Body Ecology principles, you'll find yourself eating simpler meals that nourish your body. You'll also digest your food better and supply your body with even more nutrients. As your digestion improves, you'll have more energy and vitality, freeing up your body to come into balance, heal and stay naturally slim!