For some, you will already be well aware of this little gem for the rest of you, read on, as this is your start to a healthy lifestyle. With a few small alterations to your daily food regime and how you eat it, you will reap the benefits and start enjoying a trouble free, digestive heaven. This is food combining and a more healthy lifestyle made easy.
My main aim is to give you the basics (Let’s face it, I can’t do complicated) so that you can make an informed decision on whether this will work for you. Small changes in our life can sometimes have massive results down the road.
I won’t try to baffle you with science, just give you a taste of what can be achieved with very little effort. This was something I stumbled upon whilst I was working on my own road to a healthier lifestyle.
What is Food Combing
In Layman’ terms, which is the only way I can describe this, food combining is the art of eating single food groups. When I
say food groups, I am talking about, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fibre, minerals, and so forth. For example, steak is classed as protein whereas potato is a carbohydrate (A starchy one at that) The idea is that we eat these foods combined with other foods in the same group. No mixing it up, even when it looks so delicious. Simples.
Why on Earth Would we do That.
Ever had that Sunday lunch ? Meat, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, two or three types of vegetables, gravy and maybe even cranberry or horse radish sauce.Mmm. How about following it with a large piece of apple pie, covered in custard. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Then about half an hour after you’ve finished all you can do is sit on the sofa and try not to fall asleep. You’d’d think after refueling with all those nutrients you’d be feeling ready to take on the world. So unfair.
Your body is now in overdrive. It’s filling your stomach with lots of enzymes, acidic and alkaline. It does this to try to break down the food so that we can take out all the goodies hidden inside. Well that’s the theory anyway, in practice, not so much. What’s actually happening, in this instance, is that many of the chemicals secreted are being cancelled out by each other. Not very efficient. Another yummy by-product of this food fight is the build up of gases and some fermentation, time to kick the dog (not really, it’s just a turn of phrase, mainly used when grandma has wind). The end result is that we feel bloated and the whole process of extracting nutrients becomes very, very sloppy. No pun intended.
Sound Boring and a Pain In The Derriere ?
No pain, no gain. That’s what the drill sergeant says. I’m fairly sure that little sound bite has actually been ‘myth-busted’ many times over. However, for now, it works. You want to get fit ? Exercise does the job but it can be hard work and tedious. To achieve our goals in life, sometimes we have to do things that we find hard, that we don’t overly enjoy. You just have to weigh up the benefits (pros’) against the effort (cons’)
We are not talking about looking at a plate with just potatoes on for your tea. There are loads of options available to you. This is just the starting point, to see if you can implement any of this into your life. Remember any small change you make on a daily basis will help. You don’t have to do it all at once. The disclaimer is that this method should be used as part of a balanced healthy diet.
Did You Know ?
Fruit takes, on average, 20 to 30 minutes to digest. Even better is Melon which only takes about 10 minutes. In fact, it is an ideal starter because it does a good job of cleansing the gut. Nice. Mixing fruit with other food groups can cause fermentation….that’s one of the reasons you can feel bloated.
Some protein can take up to 3 to 5 hours to digest in the stomach… Isn’t there a scene in ‘Beverley Hills Cop’ where..hang on, I’ll find it… Here we go:
“Detective Rosewood: Wow. You know, it says here that by the time the average American is fifty, he’s got five pounds of undigested red meat in his bowels.
Sergeant Taggart: Why are you telling me this? What makes you think I have any interest in that at all?
Detective Rosewood: Well, you eat a lot of red meat.”
How about this. Food can take between 24 and 72 hours to complete its journey through the entire intestinal tract…Too much information? Sorry but get the idea, I just needed for us to be clear. Digestion is not a quick process and anything we can do to help is very much appreciated by the body.
Enzymes that help break down the food in your stomach can be both acidic and alkaline. I did not know that until recently. So put two opposing types of food in the stomach (One that needs an acidic enzyme and one that needs an alkaline one) at the same time and neither is going to get the full treatment as the enzymes will try to cancel each other out. Such a waste.
Water, which is majorly alkaline, should be avoided at meal times (the odd sip is acceptable) because it dilutes the juices in the stomach and makes them less potent when they’re trying to do their job. A glass of water about 30 minutes prior to a meal is ideal and if you’re also trying to lose weight this can help as you don’t eat as much, obviously because you’ve filled up on some water first…that’s as good as Buy One Get One Free.
So that your plate does not look like something on a ‘nouveau cuisine’ menu, there are some things you can do to help. You can eat leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables with everything and I mean everything. Even fish fingers and custard (Dr. Who fans would get that)
Pair starches with healthy fats and vegetables. Put protein together with non-starchy vegetables. To add a little zest to your meal, you can use spices, herbs and citrus as they are neutral.
One last tip and it’s a keeper. Have smaller portions, more often. Having less to digest takes less time. Oh and eat fruit on its own, remember grandma.
It’s a Lot to Digest ? (See what I did there ?)
Full up yet ? Yes I know, it’s a bit of a head-spinner or melon-twister. Who would have thought there was so much involved in eating. Bring back the days of simple meals, three times a day. No additives, preservatives, all fresh. Well, those days don’t have to be in the past. You could start right now, if you choose to. I know, life seems to be a bit more complicated now. Eating on the go, microwave meals, fast food for a fast lifestyle. Blahdy blah blah.
So, if all I’ve done is started you thinking about food and how we eat it, then that at least, is a start. There are some fantastic websites out there dedicated to the subject, which are well worth a look. Should you be more interested in the science then you will easily find content to sate your appetite.
I have merely tried to provide an introduction to food combining and I hope that it will start you on a journey to a healthier lifestyle. You’re very welcome.
Sycamore McBride
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