The Art of Food Combining

Many of us experience frequent symptoms of indigestion – feeling bloated, gassy, tired, low energy, bowel discomfort, heartburn. After years of entertaining my friends with giant burps I began to realize it wasn’t that funny. Too often we assume it is just the way our stomach and digestion systems are.

There are so many factors that contribute to indigestion. Yet sometimes even on a healthy diet we can still experience the inconvenient symptoms. If you are experiencing indigestion, it may be worth considering the art of food combining.

There are certain foods that don’t digest well together. Fruit, for example, is best eaten on its own. It digests quickly as many fruits contain mostly water, simple sugars and fiber. It is meant to move quickly though our system in about 30 minutes. However, when we mix fruit with proteins, (which has a 4-5 hour digestion time) fruit gets caught in the process and begins to ferment. This can cause gas, bloating and poor nutrient intake.

Proteins and carbs are also not recommended to eat together. In our culture of meat and potatoes, this can be a tough concept to grasp. However I encourage you not to believe me and just try it for yourself. Notice if there is a difference in how you feel afterwards.

We basically want to keep the ‘flame’ (Hydrochloric Acid) in our stomachs active and alive to digest everything efficiently rather than smothering it in a blanket of mixed foods. The easier it is to move through, the less time we spend digesting, the more energy we have for ourselves and (drum roll please) the better we look and feel!

Below are two charts which can be used as a very basic guide for food combining. However if you are curious for more, contact me – sus.mueller@gmail.com and Ill be happy to give you more info on this.

By playing with this approach you may find relief from some symptoms. Combine this with smaller and more frequent meals throughout the day and conscious breathing before and after meals and you may have found another ticket to better digestive health.