Article:  Improve Your Digestion With Proper Food Combining

One of the most common complaints that we receive from clients is that they experience gas and bloating, primarily after eating.  This is not surprising, when you consider that over $2 billion are spent annually on antacids.  Although there are multiple reasons why someone would experience these symptoms, the problem is typically pretty easy to resolve, without the use of drugs.  This article will address one of the common causes of gas, bloating, and poor digestion:  Food Combining.  Food Combining is not only helpful in reducing bloating, it also helps with digestion and absorption of the foods we eat.  Proponents of food combining also claim that it is effective in weight loss, reducing food cravings, eliminating allergies, and clearing up skin problems.  

The principles of food combining are dictated by digestive chemistry and time.  Different foods require different amounts of time in the stomach, and also different digestive environments to aid in the digestive process - some acid, some alkaline.  When acids and alkalines come in contact, they neutralize each other and this compromises digestion.  

An example of digestive chemistry:  Protein foods require a highly acidic environment for digestion while carbohydrates (starches, fruit and sugars) and fats require a more alkaline medium.  Anytime two or more foods are eaten at the same time, and those foods require opposite conditions for digestion, a medium is produced that does not digest either food very well, and poor digestion results.

An example of digestion time:  Any quick digesting foods - such as fruit - must wait until the slowest digesting foods leave the stomach before they can leave - a process which can take up to 6 or 8 hours. While waiting, the fruit and some of the starches undergo some decomposition and fermentation, producing gas, acid and even alcohol along with indigestion.

The Standard American Diet is basically the opposite of the main rule in food combining, which is ‘Do not combine starch and protein’.  Let’s look at some of the staples in the Standard American Diet so you can get the idea.  

Eggs and Toast or Potatoes
Turkey Sandwich on Bread
Bagel and Cream Cheese
Cereal and Milk
Granola and Yogurt
Hamburger on a Bun
Tuna Sandwich
Steak and Potatoes
Chicken and Rice
Pasta With Meat Sauce
Burrito with Beans, Meat, Rice, Cheese, & Tortilla
Sushi with Fish and Rice

You will notice that everything in the list above has a starch and a protein.  If you are trying to control your gas and bloating, this will be an important combination to avoid.  To follow along with the rest of this article, you may want to print the PDF File, or open up this link in your browser.  You will find many different food combining charts online that have slight variations. Experiment with the rules on different charts to see what works for you.

Food Combining Chart

The following are some of the main food combining rules, the chart will illustrate the rules in greater detail and will list what group all foods belong to.  This is much easier to understand if you look at the chart!

1.    Always eat fruit alone, at least an hour before, or a few hours after other meals. Fruit digests rapidly, and if eaten after a meal will begin to ferment in the stomach, as it is held up by the other foods.  Melons should always be eaten alone (not mixed with other fruits).

2.    Eat carbohydrates and proteins at separate meals.  Ideally eat protein with non-starchy vegetables (such as salad with fish or chicken with steamed vegetables), or eat starches with non-starchy vegetables (baked potato with salad or steamed vegetables and quinoa).  

3.    Eat only one kind of protein food at a meal.

4.    Eat fats and proteins at separate meals.

5.    Eat sugars (fruits) and proteins at separate meals.

6.    Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals.

I have found that proper food combining is very effective in controlling gas and bloating for many of our clients.  You may find that everyone has a different opinion about food combining; many people swear by it, while others find it ineffective and frustrating.  One way to find out what is right for yourself is to experiment and see how you feel. What works for one person may not work for another person.  It can be especially challenging for people in our culture, especially when you look at all the typical foods listed above.  I personally break the rule about eating fruit alone.  I actually want to slow down the digestion of fruit in my system so that the sugars are released more slowly, because maintaining my blood sugar levels is more of a concern for me than bloating.  When I eat fruit, I will have a small amount of soaked nuts or seeds, or some avocado.

 If you find the food combining rules to be strict and think it will be challenging for you to follow, digestive enzymes can be extremely beneficial for helping with digestion, gas, and bloating, especially with poorly combined meals.  Our promotion for the month of February is 15% off the Original Medicine Digestive Enzymes, the strongest enzymes on the market.  

2-4 Fresh Young Thai Coconuts (Jimbos, Whole Foods, or Asian Grocery)
1/2 Vanilla Bean (scrape out inside) or ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Powder
1/3 cup raw agave nectar, or 3 medjool dates, or stevia to taste
Enough coconut water to create desired consistency

If you have never purchased a young Thai coconut, it will be white, cone shaped on the top, and wrapped in plastic.  If you have never cracked a young Thai coconut, look for videos on line or have someone do it for you at the health food store.  If you do it at the store, bring a wide mouth jar with a lid so you can pour the coconut water into it.  The meat inside should be white, and the liquid should be clear or a tad bit yellow.  Do not purchase coconuts if there is a pink or purple tinge to the meat or water.  Some coconuts are more mature and have thicker, more dense meat, some have a very thin coating of meat.  The thinner the coating, the more coconuts you will need to make the pudding.

Scrape out the inside of the coconuts and put in high speed blender.  Add all other ingredients and blend until you have a smooth creamy pudding. You can drink the remaining coconut water or it will stay fresh in the fridge for a couple days.  Although the food combining chart lists coconut as a protein, young thai coconuts are high in water content and very easy to digest.  This pudding is wonderful with fresh fruit (especially strawberries...think Valentine's Day!), and fresh raw coconut and fruit seem to digest well together.

Digestive Enzymes are extremely effective at reducing gas and bloating that results from poor digestion and poor food combining.  They also maximize the amount of nutrients that you absorb from your food.  Original Medicine's Multi-Digestive Enzymes provide a unique blend of 22 enzymes to support digestion of dairy products, proteins, carbohydrates and fats from the foods you eat.  They are the strongest digestive enzymes available on the market. 

For the month of February, Multi Digestive Enzymes will be only $34.00!