Correct Eating Habits - Part II

Sour Apple

Sour Cherries

Strawberries

Water
0-15 minutes

Juice
15-30 minutes

Fruit
30-60 minutes

Melons
30-60 minutes

Sprouts
60 minutes

Wheatgrass Juice
60-90 minutes

Most Vegetables
1-2 Hours

Grains and Beans
1-2 Hours

Meat and Fish
3-4 Hours+

Shell Fish
8 Hours+


1. Protein and carbohydrate concentrated foods
Breakdown of protein requires an acid medium, and digestion of protein dense animal products requires high levels of hydrochloric acid. Since digestion of carbohydrate dense foods requires an alkaline medium in order to be broken down, high carbohydrate foods that have been mixed with high protein foods will not digest but will sit there fermenting, producing indigestion, bloating and gas. And since this fermentation of carbohydrates will inhibit the digestion of the protein, more gas, bloating and discomfort will be produced. This makes the typical American meal, composed of a large hunk of meat along with potatoes and bread, a recipe for digestive disaster.

Most protein foods are best digested when accompanied by a fresh green salad. Other concentrated protein foods like nuts and seeds combine well with acid fruits such as oranges, pineapples blackberries, or strawberries. They also work fairly well with sub-acid fruits such as apples, cherries, mangos, or peaches. The vitamin C in these fruits aids digestion of the mixture.

2. Eating two concentrated proteins together
Each type of protein requires a specific character, strength and timing of digestive juice secretions. This means that no two types of concentrated protein should be consumed together at a meal. Nuts, meat, eggs, cheese, or other protein foods should not be eaten together. And no two types of animal protein should be eaten together, a rule that may be hard to swallow by the surf and turf crowd.

3. Protein and fats
Fats inhibit the secretion of gastric juices needed to digest meat, fish, dairy products, nuts, and eggs by as much as fifty percent. When fat concentrated foods are eaten with protein concentrated foods, the digestive breakdown of the fats is delayed until gastric juices complete their work on the complex proteins. This means fats will remain undigested in the stomach for a long period of time. Although some high protein foods also contain high amounts of fat, these fats will be held in suspension awaiting breakdown without impeding gastric action. However, free fats such as oil, butter and milk fat will coat the gastric mucosa, inhibiting gastric juice. This is why fried chicken is so hard to digest.

4. Acid fruits with carbohydrates
The enzyme in saliva that begins the breakdown of starch concentrated foods in the mouth does the important job of converting complex starch molecules
into more simple sugars. In order to work, the enzyme requires a neutral or slightly alkaline medium, the natural condition found in the mouth. When acid foods are eaten, the action of the enzyme needed to break down starch is halted because the medium needed has been altered. Thus acid fruits should not be eaten at the same meal as sweet fruits or other starches. This combination is what makes spaghetti and other dishes combining tomatoes with starch so
bloating.

5. Acid fruits with protein
Oranges, tomatoes, lemons, pineapples and other acid fruits can be easily digested and produce no distress when eaten away from starchy and protein
foods. However, when included in a meal that contains a protein concentrated food, the acid fruits seriously hamper protein digestion. This is in part what
makes the typical American breakfast of orange juice, bacon, eggs and toast such a digestive nightmare

6. Starch and sugar
Eating starches that have been disguised as sweets is not a good way to eat starch. Although the “treat†produces an abundance of saliva, the saliva contains none of the enzyme needed to digest the starch because the sugar has turned the environment acidic. This is why such items as fruit filled Danish settle on the digestive tract like a sack of bricks. The carbohydrates are fermenting in the body, producing noxious gases.

7. Consuming melons
Melons should not be consumed with any other foods. Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and the more exotic melons should always be eaten away from mealtime and alone. Melons are meant to decompose quickly in the digestive system, which is what they will do if there is no interfering with the process.

8. Consuming milk
Milk is best left to babies who traditionally consume it alone, away from other foods. Milk does not digest in the stomach, but in the duodenum, so the presence of milk in the stomach does not promote secretion of gastric juice. The use of acid fruits with milk does not cause any digestive difficulty, although the benefits of the antioxidant potential of the fruits may be lost due to the affinity they have for the protein in milk.

Our medical history

Gallstones

Some years ago, my wife had her gallstones removed via laparoscopy. The condition can be attributed to poor digestion.

Acid or esophageal reflux, gas, bloating, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, hypertension, severe loss of weight, no appetite

Some years later, my wife suffered two episodes of TB and endometrial cancer in-between so we feared the worst when she dropped her weight from 126 lbs. to 99 lbs. in 3 months. She lost her appetite, had difficulty swallowing food and at times had difficulty breathing. Her BP would shoot up completely debilitating her; she could hardly do her housework. She also had continual gas, bloating and diarrhea.

On doctor’s examination, she was diagnosed to have acid reflux. Acid from her stomach would flux back to her esophagus and cause it to swell. The swelled esophagus in turn pressed on her heart causing her hypertension and difficulty breathing. We actually had to rush to hospital a few times.

She was prescribed antacids and Hytaz for her hypertension. X-rays also revealed that she had diverticulitis. After two different expensive antacids, the second one was prescribed after the first turned out ineffective and dieting, her condition abated and she slowly regained her weight. We thought she was cured.

Osteopena

Not yet osteoporosis, but getting there, my wife was prescribed Evista for 5 years and Caltrate for life. If claims are true, these were unnecessary.

Gout

Since her twenties, she had had bouts with gout which is caused by too much uric acid in the blood that eventually coagulate into crystals in the joints. Again, the culprit can be argued to be poor digestion and assimilation of food.

Diverticulitis, abdominal pains

Just recently, her bloating, gas pains and diarrhea episodes that were recurrent became serious and prolonged. This was when we decided to obtain more info from the Web.

After learning about alkaline and acidic foods and food combining and changing her eating habits, accordingly, her condition began to improve within a few days. Still having slight discomfort and occasional stabs of pain in the abdomen, we reviewed her diet.

In the information provided, it is suggested that to maintain good health, our daily diet should consist of not less than 3 parts alkalizing foods to 2 parts acidic foods, but preferably with more of alkalizing foods. However, to effect a cure, the alkaline acid ratio should be 4 to 1.

So she stopped taking grains and flour -- rice and bread -- along with her meat, just like when in hospital, our diet is restricted until we are healed. Afterwards, we can resume eating within the recommended limits.

Latest news is that she continues to improve.

Constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoids

In my youth, we would usually have two kinds of meat dishes and one vegetable during lunch and dinner. I gave no thought to eating a lot and eating everything all at the same time. I heard of alkaline and acidic foods but never gave it much thought or otherwise, piece it together. I always thought that occasional constipation, diarrhea and gas pains were normal.

Gout

My mother suffered from gout until she died at age 89. I thought I would have to endure the same. After 2 years or recurring gout attacks, I discovered that a daily maintenance dose of Allopurinol 100 mg. would make me gout-free. It’s been 3 years and more since then. But now, I am thinking that maybe, I can discontinue taking the drug and just take it when I feel an attack coming on.

Obesity

At one point, I had come to weigh 188 lbs. Fortunately, I was enjoined to take up a low carbo diet. I drastically reduced my intake of rice and breads while eating as much as I wanted of other foods. It proved effective with me dropping to 158 lbs. But I relaxed and gained back a few pounds, after.

Acid reflux, morning colds, sinus problems, sore throat, bronchitis

I stopped smoking over ten years ago but my colds, clogged nose, phlegm, sore throat and periodic bronchitis have persisted. I have always thought that all these were caused by my chain smoking. But now after more than 10 years having stopped the habit, I really don’t think that smoking is the cause. More probably, it is because of my acid reflux. Again, too much acid due to poor eating habits.

I would wake up from my afternoon nap nauseous, with heartburn and almost always tired. I began taking Tums over a month ago after my acid reflux became more severe. But relief is temporary and on and off. I am slowly adopting the proposed eating habits but I still have quite a-ways to go. Some symptoms, though, are no longer bothering me, as much.

Hemorrhoids

From excessive eating and in bad combination, I used to have to move twice a day. Often, I would have diarrhea. The result – hemorrhoids. I obtained some relief from Daflon, twice a day, as prescribed by my wife’s oncologist. It was only later that I found out Hemo Rid is the cheaper substitute. Same content, different manufacturer, only 45% cheaper. Hopefully in time, my veins can strengthen enough so I won’t need to take them, anymore.

All of the above are just my tentative findings. If you have any information that debunks the claims or simply shed more light on this subject, I would appreciate your letting me know.

We are still continuing to experiment but in our case, there have been marked improvements.

This paper has been especially sent to all fellow sufferers in the hope that the information detailed here will be of help to them.

Reference links

Food combining rules

http://www.detoxifynow.com/Food_diet.html

http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm

http://livingfoodvillage.com/7-food-combining-rules

http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/digestive-physiology-and-food-combining/food-combining-rules.html

Sherry Brescia

http://www.greattastenopain.com/cbk/great.asp
http://www.greattastenopain.com/dl/painfree-inone-day.pdf http://www.greattastenopain.com/dl/what-doctor-wont-tell-you-about-d-pain.pdf

Michael Murray

http://www.acidalkalinediet.com/Alkaline-Foods-Chart.htm?utm_campaign=email1-foodchart&utm_medium=email&utm_source=alkaline-dieth

http://www.acidalkalinediet.com/food-combining-chart?utm_campaign=email1-combiningchart&utm_medium=email&utm_source=alkaline-dieth