Re: food combining

July 8, 2006

VERY INTERESTING READ EVEN IF I DID SKIM THRU SOME B/C IT WAS SO

LONG.

THANKS FOR THINKING OF US.

REG

PS DID EVERYONE SEE ILANIT'S POST? I HAPPEN TO NOTICE IT IN A SPAM

WAITING FILE OR SOMETHING. APPARENTLY THEY THOUGHT IT COULD

DISAPPEAR B/C IT HAD INFORMATION ABOUT AIDS. HOW FRUSTRATING THE

AMA HAS SO MUCH PULL! I'M SURPRISED WE'RE ABLE TO SPEAK, MOST

PROBABLY MONITORED TOO.................

>

> we were just talking about this recently, so i thought i'd post

this

> article from http://www.yogajournal.com/health/934_1.cfm?ctsrc=nldn

>

> The Right Combination

>

> Mixing too many foods at one time can trigger poor digestion.

Here's

> a practical guide to combining foods appropriately.

>

> By Hale Sofia Schatz

>

> If you've ever tried to practice yoga right after a meal, then you

> know how uncomfortable your Downward-Facing Dogs and spinal twists

> can feel with a full or bloated belly. Even if you've finished

eating

> several hours before stepping onto the mat, your body may still be

> working to digest your last meal, which means less available

energy

> for your practice. To keep your body feeling light and vibrant,

look

> within—to your digestive tract.

> The main reason we eat is to provide our bodies with the fuel we

need

> to live—fuel for walking, thinking,, making art, working, playing

> with our children, and doing yoga. But the very act of digestion

also

> takes energy. You can assist your body's digestion before you even

> take the first bite of food. If you think of the stomach as a

blender

> that purees food into a molecular soup, then what you eat together

at

> one time doesn't matter because it all gets mixed up anyway,

right?

> Wrong.

>

> Different foods have different digestion times and require

different

> digestive enzymes. Therefore, eating too many kinds of foods at

one

> time—such as proteins with grains, fats, and sugars, a la the

common

> peanut butter and jelly sandwich—can result in difficult

digestion.

> Eating the appropriate food combinations not only helps improve

> digestion, it can also increase energy, regulate elimination, and

> help relieve depression, anxiety, and mood swings. And increased

> physical energy means more vitality, clarity, and focus in all

areas

> of life. Although food combining isn't a panacea, it can ease

> digestion so that energy flows through the body unimpeded.

>

> We do yoga not just for the sake of physical results, but so those

> results—a strong, supple, and receptive body—-give us greater

access

> to our spirit. Why should feeding ourselves be any different?

Think

> of food combining as food yoga. By keeping the core of our bodies

> functioning with ease, we can access our inner selves more deeply

> because less of our attention is diverted to the physical.

>

> A Process of Elimination

>

> How often do you actually think about the food that's being

digested

> by your body? Most of us think about digestion only when we suffer

> indigestion—bloating, gas, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, and

all

> the other unpleasant symptoms that quickly direct our attention to

> our bellies. Yet the digestive tract is the center of the body—the

> alchemical furnace in which what we eat is transmuted from

separate

> foods into the fuel our bodies and minds need. The next time you

eat

> something, think about when your food actually becomes you.

>

> The digestive tract has three basic functions: The stomach

separates

> the food into smaller parts, the small intestine completes the

> breakdown and assimilates nutrients to supply to the rest of the

> body, and the large intestine eventually eliminates any remaining

> waste. Keeping this system in good working order is essential to

> overall health and vitality.

>

> Digestive problems can arise as we age, undergo stress, eat too

> quickly or on the run, or eat diets composed of refined and rich

> foods, too much food, or foods eaten in complicated combinations.

> Eventually, the proper flow of digestive juices slows down,

> compromising the breakdown of foods in the stomach and small

> intestine. Like any plumbing system, the digestive tract can erode

or

> get backed up, resulting in chronic diarrhea and/or constipation.

If

> elimination doesn't happen properly, we don't receive the

nutrients

> we need and toxic waste matter can remain in the system. This

causes

> us to feel uncomfortable and lethargic; the flow of life energy is

> blocked.

>

> The word digestion comes from the Latin for " separate "

or " arrange. "

> In fact, this is exactly what happens in the digestive tract:

> Nutrients, in the form of molecules, are separated from food and

> arranged through assimilation to provide energy for all the body's

> internal organs. With food combining, you assist digestion by

> separating and prearranging your food before it even lands in your

> stomach.

>

> Although medical research hasn't yet been done on the specific

> benefits of food combining, this system, which has been around in

> various forms since the 1930s, is based on the understanding that

> eating foods in combinations that have compatible enzymes and

> digestive times makes for easier and more complete digestion. High-

> protein foods require the acidic medium of the stomach to be

broken

> down, whereas carbohydrates require the alkaline or neutral medium

of

> the small intestine. When high-protein and high-carbohydrate foods

> are eaten together, digestion becomes more complicated, since the

> transit time for carbohydrates is slowed by the breakdown of

protein

> in the stomach. If the breakdown is impeded, then the absorption

of

> nutrients and elimination also may become more difficult, with

> undigested food particles remaining in the system. These

undigested

> particles can create allergens, bacterial imbalances, and other

> disorders in the gastrointestinal tract.

>

> A Simple Approach

>

> In many aspects of life, with simplification comes less excess.

The

> same is true for the body. In a world obsessed with abundance and

the

> availability of every imaginable foodstuff 365 days a year, food

> combining helps us simplify our food choices. The basic rule of

thumb

> is: The simpler the meal, the easier digestion will be. Simple

meals,

> moderate portions, and chewing food slowly and with an attitude of

> reverence all help maintain easy digestion and free-flowing energy

in

> the body. It doesn't take long to get the hang of food combining

with

> these simple guidelines:

>

> Fruits are the easiest and fastest foods to digest, and for that

> reason should always be eaten separately from proteins, grains,

and

> vegetables. They are further classified into acid, subacid, sweet,

> and melons—based on their levels of acid and sugar—and have their

own

> set of guidelines for combinations. Digestion time: 20 minutes to

one

> hour.

>

> All vegetables can be combined with one another as well as with

> proteins. For optimal digestive ease, it's best to combine only

> nonstarchy and low-starch vegetables with grains. Digestion time:

30

> minutes to two hours.

>

> Grains can be eaten alone or combined with nonstarchy and low-

starch

> vegetables. Do not combine grains with protein or with starchy

> vegetables. It's best to have only one type of grain at a meal, so

> decide if you really want that hunk of bread or if it's worth

waiting

> for the rice. Digestion time: two to three hours.

>

> Proteins can be eaten alone or combined with nonstarchy, low-

starch,

> and starchy vegetables. It's best to have only one type of protein

at

> a meal. Digestion time: two to four hours.

>

> When selecting what to eat, consider not only the culinary appeal

of

> your choices but how your body will interpret the foods you are

about

> to ingest. Ask yourself: Will these foods fuel my body so it can

be a

> strong vehicle for my spirit, or will they slow me down? Feeding

> yourself purposefully is like doing yoga off the mat: Each choice

of

> what and how to feed yourself is an opportunity to practice

> awareness, compassion, and self-love.

>

July 9, 2006

Food Combining is an interesting concept and there may be some sense in the idea that different foods digest at different speeds. The part I find hard to understand is how protein and carbohydrates should be treated differently when many of the foods that contain as much protein (soya beans for example) as meats and yet also contain a large quantity of carbohydrates. Apart from beans many types of wheat, nuts and seeds contain high quantities of carbohydrates and protein. It might be that meat and fish do not mix well with rice, pasta or bread for some people but I think it would be a mistake to try and rationalise it down to saying all protein rich foods do not mix with all carbohydrate rich foods.

I tend to be cautious with these concepts as they can lead us to eat in an unnatural, contrived way. Ohsawa’s macrobiotics had it roots in Zen Buddhism and he placed a great emphasis on using our intuition, avoiding dualistic thinking and questioning everything. In the Buddhism tradition trying not to believe any doctrines. The point is the more concepts we believe in the harder it becomes to be in the moment and choose our food intuitively. Favoured theories and beliefs will tend to over rule intuition. In my experience most people who run into problems eating macrobiotically do so because they force themselves to eat according to whatever is going on in their head, over ruling whatever feels right. This could be yin and yang or any other concepts.

We are blessed with amazing system for intuitively finding out what we need and craving those foods with the nutrients we most need. In theory we have a biological memory of all the meals we have eaten and the chemical changes that result. For me the best way to get outside ideas is to look at societies that have enjoyed good health eating a certain way over many generations. If this confirms any concept I am happy to give it a try and experience it for myself, adding more data to my biological memory!

All the best,

Simon

Simon G. Brown

22 Belsize Square

London NW3 4HT

+44 (0) 20 7431 9897

simon@...

http://www.chienergy.co.uk/

VERY INTERESTING READ EVEN IF I DID SKIM THRU SOME B/C IT WAS SO

LONG.

THANKS FOR THINKING OF US.

REG

PS DID EVERYONE SEE ILANIT'S POST? I HAPPEN TO NOTICE IT IN A SPAM

WAITING FILE OR SOMETHING. APPARENTLY THEY THOUGHT IT COULD

DISAPPEAR B/C IT HAD INFORMATION ABOUT AIDS. HOW FRUSTRATING THE

AMA HAS SO MUCH PULL! I'M SURPRISED WE'RE ABLE TO SPEAK, MOST

PROBABLY MONITORED TOO.................

>

> we were just talking about this recently, so i thought i'd post

this

> article from http://www.yogajournal.com/health/934_1.cfm?ctsrc=nldn

>

> The Right Combination

>

> Mixing too many foods at one time can trigger poor digestion.

Here's

> a practical guide to combining foods appropriately.

>

> By Hale Sofia Schatz

>

> If you've ever tried to practice yoga right after a meal, then you

> know how uncomfortable your Downward-Facing Dogs and spinal twists

> can feel with a full or bloated belly. Even if you've finished

eating

> several hours before stepping onto the mat, your body may still be

> working to digest your last meal, which means less available

energy

> for your practice. To keep your body feeling light and vibrant,

look

> within˜to your digestive tract.

> The main reason we eat is to provide our bodies with the fuel we

need

> to live˜fuel for walking, thinking,, making art, working, playing

> with our children, and doing yoga. But the very act of digestion

also

> takes energy. You can assist your body's digestion before you even

> take the first bite of food. If you think of the stomach as a

blender

> that purees food into a molecular soup, then what you eat together

at

> one time doesn't matter because it all gets mixed up anyway,

right?

> Wrong.

>

> Different foods have different digestion times and require

different

> digestive enzymes. Therefore, eating too many kinds of foods at

one

> time˜such as proteins with grains, fats, and sugars, a la the

common

> peanut butter and jelly sandwich˜can result in difficult

digestion.

> Eating the appropriate food combinations not only helps improve

> digestion, it can also increase energy, regulate elimination, and

> help relieve depression, anxiety, and mood swings. And increased

> physical energy means more vitality, clarity, and focus in all

areas

> of life. Although food combining isn't a panacea, it can ease

> digestion so that energy flows through the body unimpeded.

>

> We do yoga not just for the sake of physical results, but so those

> results˜a strong, supple, and receptive body˜-give us greater

access

> to our spirit. Why should feeding ourselves be any different?

Think

> of food combining as food yoga. By keeping the core of our bodies

> functioning with ease, we can access our inner selves more deeply

> because less of our attention is diverted to the physical.

>

> A Process of Elimination

>

> How often do you actually think about the food that's being

digested

> by your body? Most of us think about digestion only when we suffer

> indigestion˜bloating, gas, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, and

all

> the other unpleasant symptoms that quickly direct our attention to

> our bellies. Yet the digestive tract is the center of the body˜the

> alchemical furnace in which what we eat is transmuted from

separate

> foods into the fuel our bodies and minds need. The next time you

eat

> something, think about when your food actually becomes you.

>

> The digestive tract has three basic functions: The stomach

separates

> the food into smaller parts, the small intestine completes the

> breakdown and assimilates nutrients to supply to the rest of the

> body, and the large intestine eventually eliminates any remaining

> waste. Keeping this system in good working order is essential to

> overall health and vitality.

>

> Digestive problems can arise as we age, undergo stress, eat too

> quickly or on the run, or eat diets composed of refined and rich

> foods, too much food, or foods eaten in complicated combinations.

> Eventually, the proper flow of digestive juices slows down,

> compromising the breakdown of foods in the stomach and small

> intestine. Like any plumbing system, the digestive tract can erode

or

> get backed up, resulting in chronic diarrhea and/or constipation.

If

> elimination doesn't happen properly, we don't receive the

nutrients

> we need and toxic waste matter can remain in the system. This

causes

> us to feel uncomfortable and lethargic; the flow of life energy is

> blocked.

>

> The word digestion comes from the Latin for " separate "

or " arrange. "

> In fact, this is exactly what happens in the digestive tract:

> Nutrients, in the form of molecules, are separated from food and

> arranged through assimilation to provide energy for all the body's

> internal organs. With food combining, you assist digestion by

> separating and prearranging your food before it even lands in your

> stomach.

>

> Although medical research hasn't yet been done on the specific

> benefits of food combining, this system, which has been around in

> various forms since the 1930s, is based on the understanding that

> eating foods in combinations that have compatible enzymes and

> digestive times makes for easier and more complete digestion. High-

> protein foods require the acidic medium of the stomach to be

broken

> down, whereas carbohydrates require the alkaline or neutral medium

of

> the small intestine. When high-protein and high-carbohydrate foods

> are eaten together, digestion becomes more complicated, since the

> transit time for carbohydrates is slowed by the breakdown of

protein

> in the stomach. If the breakdown is impeded, then the absorption

of

> nutrients and elimination also may become more difficult, with

> undigested food particles remaining in the system. These

undigested

> particles can create allergens, bacterial imbalances, and other

> disorders in the gastrointestinal tract.

>

> A Simple Approach

>

> In many aspects of life, with simplification comes less excess.

The

> same is true for the body. In a world obsessed with abundance and

the

> availability of every imaginable foodstuff 365 days a year, food

> combining helps us simplify our food choices. The basic rule of

thumb

> is: The simpler the meal, the easier digestion will be. Simple

meals,

> moderate portions, and chewing food slowly and with an attitude of

> reverence all help maintain easy digestion and free-flowing energy

in

> the body. It doesn't take long to get the hang of food combining

with

> these simple guidelines:

>

> Fruits are the easiest and fastest foods to digest, and for that

> reason should always be eaten separately from proteins, grains,

and

> vegetables. They are further classified into acid, subacid, sweet,

> and melons˜based on their levels of acid and sugar˜and have their

own

> set of guidelines for combinations. Digestion time: 20 minutes to

one

> hour.

>

> All vegetables can be combined with one another as well as with

> proteins. For optimal digestive ease, it's best to combine only

> nonstarchy and low-starch vegetables with grains. Digestion time:

30

> minutes to two hours.

>

> Grains can be eaten alone or combined with nonstarchy and low-

starch

> vegetables. Do not combine grains with protein or with starchy

> vegetables. It's best to have only one type of grain at a meal, so

> decide if you really want that hunk of bread or if it's worth

waiting

> for the rice. Digestion time: two to three hours.

>

> Proteins can be eaten alone or combined with nonstarchy, low-

starch,

> and starchy vegetables. It's best to have only one type of protein

at

> a meal. Digestion time: two to four hours.

>

> When selecting what to eat, consider not only the culinary appeal

of

> your choices but how your body will interpret the foods you are

about

> to ingest. Ask yourself: Will these foods fuel my body so it can

be a

> strong vehicle for my spirit, or will they slow me down? Feeding

> yourself purposefully is like doing yoga off the mat: Each choice

of

> what and how to feed yourself is an opportunity to practice

> awareness, compassion, and self-love.

>

July 10, 2006

I think these are great questions to be asking. To me, this concept

of food combining is just another way or another angle from which

people can view health if they don't know where to start. If someone

has been eating a SAD for a long time, or is dealing with health

issues, maybe their intuition has not been working for them? It has

carried them to some form of excess. To me, this is structure for

someone to be experimental, and in doing so, people can begin to pay

attention to what is going on with their bodies and minds. It's just

a lens which to identify patterns. I agree that too much structure

or following rules without exception is not always healthy. We do

have to allow ourselves to feel the changes that each day or each

situation brings. There is a front and a back to everything..... it

all depends on how the person approaches his/her life.

> >> >

> >> > we were just talking about this recently, so i thought i'd post

> > this

> >> > article from http://www.yogajournal.com/health/934_1.cfm?

ctsrc=nldn

> >> >

> >> > The Right Combination

> >> >

> >> > Mixing too many foods at one time can trigger poor digestion.

> > Here's

> >> > a practical guide to combining foods appropriately.

> >> >

> >> > By Hale Sofia Schatz

> >> >

> >> > If you've ever tried to practice yoga right after a meal, then

you

> >> > know how uncomfortable your Downward-Facing Dogs and spinal

twists

> >> > can feel with a full or bloated belly. Even if you've finished

> > eating

> >> > several hours before stepping onto the mat, your body may

still be

> >> > working to digest your last meal, which means less available

> > energy

> >> > for your practice. To keep your body feeling light and vibrant,

> > look

> >> > within—to your digestive tract.

> >> > The main reason we eat is to provide our bodies with the fuel

we

> > need

> >> > to live—fuel for walking, thinking,, making art, working,

playing

> >> > with our children, and doing yoga. But the very act of

digestion

> > also

> >> > takes energy. You can assist your body's digestion before you

even

> >> > take the first bite of food. If you think of the stomach as a

> > blender

> >> > that purees food into a molecular soup, then what you eat

together

> > at

> >> > one time doesn't matter because it all gets mixed up anyway,

> > right?

> >> > Wrong.

> >> >

> >> > Different foods have different digestion times and require

> > different

> >> > digestive enzymes. Therefore, eating too many kinds of foods at

> > one

> >> > time—such as proteins with grains, fats, and sugars, a la the

> > common

> >> > peanut butter and jelly sandwich—can result in difficult

> > digestion.

> >> > Eating the appropriate food combinations not only helps improve

> >> > digestion, it can also increase energy, regulate elimination,

and

> >> > help relieve depression, anxiety, and mood swings. And

increased

> >> > physical energy means more vitality, clarity, and focus in all

> > areas

> >> > of life. Although food combining isn't a panacea, it can ease

> >> > digestion so that energy flows through the body unimpeded.

> >> >

> >> > We do yoga not just for the sake of physical results, but so

those

> >> > results—a strong, supple, and receptive body—-give us greater

> > access

> >> > to our spirit. Why should feeding ourselves be any different?

> > Think

> >> > of food combining as food yoga. By keeping the core of our

bodies

> >> > functioning with ease, we can access our inner selves more

deeply

> >> > because less of our attention is diverted to the physical.

> >> >

> >> > A Process of Elimination

> >> >

> >> > How often do you actually think about the food that's being

> > digested

> >> > by your body? Most of us think about digestion only when we

suffer

> >> > indigestion—bloating, gas, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea,

and

> > all

> >> > the other unpleasant symptoms that quickly direct our

attention to

> >> > our bellies. Yet the digestive tract is the center of the body—

the

> >> > alchemical furnace in which what we eat is transmuted from

> > separate

> >> > foods into the fuel our bodies and minds need. The next time

you

> > eat

> >> > something, think about when your food actually becomes you.

> >> >

> >> > The digestive tract has three basic functions: The stomach

> > separates

> >> > the food into smaller parts, the small intestine completes the

> >> > breakdown and assimilates nutrients to supply to the rest of

the

> >> > body, and the large intestine eventually eliminates any

remaining

> >> > waste. Keeping this system in good working order is essential

to

> >> > overall health and vitality.

> >> >

> >> > Digestive problems can arise as we age, undergo stress, eat too

> >> > quickly or on the run, or eat diets composed of refined and

rich

> >> > foods, too much food, or foods eaten in complicated

combinations.

> >> > Eventually, the proper flow of digestive juices slows down,

> >> > compromising the breakdown of foods in the stomach and small

> >> > intestine. Like any plumbing system, the digestive tract can

erode

> > or

> >> > get backed up, resulting in chronic diarrhea and/or

constipation.

> > If

> >> > elimination doesn't happen properly, we don't receive the

> > nutrients

> >> > we need and toxic waste matter can remain in the system. This

> > causes

> >> > us to feel uncomfortable and lethargic; the flow of life

energy is

> >> > blocked.

> >> >

> >> > The word digestion comes from the Latin for " separate "

> > or " arrange. "

> >> > In fact, this is exactly what happens in the digestive tract:

> >> > Nutrients, in the form of molecules, are separated from food

and

> >> > arranged through assimilation to provide energy for all the

body's

> >> > internal organs. With food combining, you assist digestion by

> >> > separating and prearranging your food before it even lands in

your

> >> > stomach.

> >> >

> >> > Although medical research hasn't yet been done on the specific

> >> > benefits of food combining, this system, which has been around

in

> >> > various forms since the 1930s, is based on the understanding

that

> >> > eating foods in combinations that have compatible enzymes and

> >> > digestive times makes for easier and more complete digestion.

High-

> >> > protein foods require the acidic medium of the stomach to be

> > broken

> >> > down, whereas carbohydrates require the alkaline or neutral

medium

> > of

> >> > the small intestine. When high-protein and high-carbohydrate

foods

> >> > are eaten together, digestion becomes more complicated, since

the

> >> > transit time for carbohydrates is slowed by the breakdown of

> > protein

> >> > in the stomach. If the breakdown is impeded, then the

absorption

> > of

> >> > nutrients and elimination also may become more difficult, with

> >> > undigested food particles remaining in the system. These

> > undigested

> >> > particles can create allergens, bacterial imbalances, and other

> >> > disorders in the gastrointestinal tract.

> >> >

> >> > A Simple Approach

> >> >

> >> > In many aspects of life, with simplification comes less excess.

> > The

> >> > same is true for the body. In a world obsessed with abundance

and

> > the

> >> > availability of every imaginable foodstuff 365 days a year,

food

> >> > combining helps us simplify our food choices. The basic rule of

> > thumb

> >> > is: The simpler the meal, the easier digestion will be. Simple

> > meals,

> >> > moderate portions, and chewing food slowly and with an

attitude of

> >> > reverence all help maintain easy digestion and free-flowing

energy

> > in

> >> > the body. It doesn't take long to get the hang of food

combining

> > with

> >> > these simple guidelines:

> >> >

> >> > Fruits are the easiest and fastest foods to digest, and for

that

> >> > reason should always be eaten separately from proteins, grains,

> > and

> >> > vegetables. They are further classified into acid, subacid,

sweet,

> >> > and melons—based on their levels of acid and sugar—and have

their

> > own

> >> > set of guidelines for combinations. Digestion time: 20 minutes

to

> > one

> >> > hour.

> >> >

> >> > All vegetables can be combined with one another as well as with

> >> > proteins. For optimal digestive ease, it's best to combine only

> >> > nonstarchy and low-starch vegetables with grains. Digestion

time:

> > 30

> >> > minutes to two hours.

> >> >

> >> > Grains can be eaten alone or combined with nonstarchy and low-

> > starch

> >> > vegetables. Do not combine grains with protein or with starchy

> >> > vegetables. It's best to have only one type of grain at a

meal, so

> >> > decide if you really want that hunk of bread or if it's worth

> > waiting

> >> > for the rice. Digestion time: two to three hours.

> >> >

> >> > Proteins can be eaten alone or combined with nonstarchy, low-

> > starch,

> >> > and starchy vegetables. It's best to have only one type of

protein

> > at

> >> > a meal. Digestion time: two to four hours.

> >> >

> >> > When selecting what to eat, consider not only the culinary

appeal

> > of

> >> > your choices but how your body will interpret the foods you are

> > about

> >> > to ingest. Ask yourself: Will these foods fuel my body so it

can

> > be a

> >> > strong vehicle for my spirit, or will they slow me down?

Feeding

> >> > yourself purposefully is like doing yoga off the mat: Each

choice

> > of

> >> > what and how to feed yourself is an opportunity to practice

> >> > awareness, compassion, and self-love.

> >> >

> >

>

July 10, 2006