Good Intestinal Health Part III - Food Combinations

In the quest for great digestive health seldom do we hear about how we combine different kinds of food at practically every meal. We also don't hear how combining some of these foods have the potential to derail efficient digestion and inhibit the proper absorption of nutrients.

It goes without saying that human beings are the most unique among all the species on earth. Other species tend toward one type of eating genre such as herbivore, carnivore, omnivores, etc. with little variation if any at all. This is because most animals are instinctively aware of their digestive boundaries. We humans aren't so wary and we pay the price of poor food combinations with much indigestion and reflux. Billions are spent on products like Tums, Prilosec, Pepto Bismol, Rolaids, etc. and here's a reason why. We are unaware of our physiological limitations when it comes to digesting food.

There are a few principals to follow that may be helpful to keep the system running efficiently:

• Eat fruit alone. Fruit is one of the simplest foods that can be eaten because it comes with its own enzymes and is therefore easily digested. The stomach works hard to pass fruit out of your system to utilize the sugars for energy. When combined with other foods the sugar absorption from fruit is held up causing it to ferment which not only makes it useless to the body but feeds fungus and harmful bacteria. The fiber in fruit is quickly absorbed if eaten alone and is sorely needed to clean intestinal walls and help control cholesterol. Allow 1 - 2 hours for fruit to digest before eating anything else. Wait 3 - 4 hours after eating any other types of food before consuming fruits to receive their full nutritional value.
• Eat protein alone or with vegetables. Western diets are notorious for emphasising 'meat and potatoes'. Unfortunately proteins (meat) and starches (potatoes, corn, rice, etc.) don't play well with together in our stomachs. That's because proteins require an acidic environment for digestion while starches require an alkali environment. When acids mix with alkali in the stomach they cancel each other out and digestion comes to a virtual standstill. The food begins to decay before digestion can be completed causing gas and discomfort. Furthermore, decaying food loses nutrients leading to a vicious cycle of discomfort, gas, and malnourishment.

          Vegetables on the other hand can be digested in both acidic or alkali environments. In addition, raw or slightly cooked vegetables come with enzymes that assist in breaking down proteins and the fiber they contain help move the proteins rapidly through the intestines.

• Eat starches alone or with vegetables. Starches require an alkali environment in order to be digested. Combining them with vegetables is fine since we already know vegetables can be digested in alkali gastric juices.
• Do not drink with meals. I must admit I never really thought about this but it stands to reason that liquids will dilute the gastric juices which slows down digestion. Drink liquids no less than 30 minutes prior to a meal and wait at least 30 minutes after a meal to avoid hobbling digestion. Fruits and vegetables come with their own water while grains and beans prepared with water provide all the bodies needs during a meal. If you find you need something to drink during a meal check your salt intake and adjust accordingly. Many people really enjoy having something to drink during a meal but if you suffer from frequent indigestion avoiding liquids could be very beneficial.

This is a lot to stomach (pun intended!) but the goal is to relieve our aching bellies and burning throats. These simple but powerful steps could potentially soothe your body and your wallet since paying for antacids and reflux medicines can really add up. My prayerful hope is that this information helps someone find a measure of relief.

This post went a little longer than expected so look out for the final portion of intestinal health dealing specifically with fiber as promised next week. Much peace to all!

References: There is much information on the Internet about food combinations and more than a handful of books. For more detailed information please check here (http://www.naturalnews.com/025651_food_protein_foods.html) and here (http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/food-combining.htm) for a start.