Lose Weight and Cure Indigestion
Know What Foods Combine Well for Better Digestive Health
Aug 31, 2009
A diet that combines food types properly builds and maintains good health. When enzymes are inhibited by improper food combinations, digestion is blocked and the undigested food is acted on by bacteria, producing toxins. The bowel absorbs these toxins instead of needed nutrients and illness results.
How Enzymes Work
In the mouth, stomach, and intestines, specific enzymes are released when food is eaten. Such enzymes are designed to break down only one type of food at a time. Eating several types of foods at one meal creates an impossible situation in the digestive tract, slowing and sabotaging nutrition and elimination. The resulting bloating, gas, heavy feelings, pain, and fatigue leaves people feeling worse after every meal. Colon health is also maintained by proper digestion and elimination. Constant irritation and the absorption of toxins from poor eating habits over time increases a person's risk of developing bowel cancer.
Foods that Digest Quickly
Eat simple foods first in their natural (raw) state. Fruits move through the digestive tract rapidly because they do not need to be broken down as much as other foods. It is acceptable to eat uncooked green leafy vegetables (romaine, spinach, kale or green leaf lettuce) and other salad vegetables with fruits. Eat melons alone on an empty stomach—they should not be combined with any other foods. Liquids made from fruits and vegetables also digest more easily. Wait at least an hour before consuming another meal. To lose weight and stay fit, try eating only foods that digest quickly from morning until noon each day. Drink plenty of water or fresh juices.
Cooked Vegetables and Starchy Foods
Eat non-starchy vegetables second. Lightly steamed vegetables in the cabbage family and Asian stir-fry combinations work well. Starchy vegetables, such as carrots, yams, potatoes or corn, can also be eaten, but it is best to consume only one of these starchy foods at a meal. Wait at least two hours before consuming other foods. Do not drink large amounts of water or other liquids with meals as these dilute enzyme action in the digestive tract. Green leafy vegetables may be combined with starches (i.e., pasta and salad). For weight loss, starches, proteins and fats should be consumed in proper combinations between noon and mid-evening. Do not go to bed with a full stomach, as slow digestion while sleeping contributes to the accumulation of belly fat, a type of fat associated with health risks.
Milk, Meat, and Eggs
These are heavy foods, taking two to three hours to digest. The reason why proteins and starches don't mix is that proteins require the body to release acidic enzymes for digestion. Such acids neutralize the alkaline enzymatic juices required to digest starches. The resulting mix of products cannot move on to the next stage of digestion, in which nutrients should be made available to the body. It is fine to eat green leafy vegetables with proteins, such as fish and salad. Remember, however, that a tomato is a fruit.
Fats
The body needs at least four hours to digest fats. They may be eaten with leafy greens, such as olive oil or avocado with salad. Since the body uses alkaline enzymes (although not the same ones it uses on starches) to digest fats, some experts believe they may be used sparingly with starchy foods. They should not be combined with proteins. The nutrient availability in seeds skyrockets when they are sprouted and raw nuts can be made more digestible by soaking them overnight.
Combination Foods
What about foods that contain both starch and protein, or fats and protein, such as beans or nuts or fatty meats? A healthy diet should not include fatty meats. The body is able to digest plant-based combination foods to some degree, as long as only one food at a time is eaten. A bowl of beans may be fine by itself, but a taco, which includes added starch, is clearly a bad idea.
Skip Dessert
Different sugars require different enzymes to make them digestible and these will not be present if other foods are in the stomach. Bacterial fermentation will turn the sugars into alcohols that may poison other organs.
Minimize Mistakes
It's not easy to give up favorite sandwiches and pizza. For those occassional slips, take a good enzyme supplement and wait several hours before eating again.
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