Trophology

We have all heard the advice given by doctors regarding a “balanced diet” and getting “five a day” in our meals. However, many people don’t realise that modern medical training includes little or no nutritional science. The intake of foods such as meat, milk, starch, fat and sugar is no different than pouring petrol, diesel, sugar and alcohol into the tank of your car and expecting it to run smoothly.                                                                                                                         

The science of food combining boils down to pH balance- acid/alkaline. If you add a measure of acid to a measure of alkaline you get a neutral solution like plain water. This is the principle behind taking bicarbonate (strong alkaline) for acid indigestion. The digestion of any concentrated protein (animal protein) requires a highly acidic medium, which must be maintained for several hours to break down and assimilate the proteins. The digestion of carbohydrate/ starch however, requires an alkaline medium for digestion, which is initiated by saliva in the mouth. This in turn signals the stomach to reduce its acidity in order for an alkaline medium to complete digestion. From this you can see the problem when a protein and starch are eaten together. Acid and alkaline juices are secreted together therefore neutralising each other and the result is a weak watery solution in the stomach that cannot digest either food type. The proteins start to putrefy and the starch starts to ferment, fed on by the ever present bacteria in the digestive tract.                                                                                    

This putrefied and fermented food now begins to cause all sorts of digestive problems, including: gas, heartburn, cramps, bloating, constipation, foul stools, bleeding piles, colitis etc. Also a lot of so called allergies are just a direct result of incorrect food combining. The blood carries toxins from the putrefying, fermented mess as it passes slowly through the intestines and these toxins cause rashes, hives, headaches, nausea and other “allergy” symptoms. The same foods that cause these reactions, when incorrectly combined, very often cause no ill effects when taken correctly and according to the laws of trophology.

So what happens to this undigested food? In order to protect itself from the toxins produced by the bacteria now feeding on this mess, the colon secretes large amounts of mucous to trap the toxins before they damage the sensitive lining of the colon. When food is continually being improperly combined every day at every meal, the colon produces a steady stream of mucous, which accumulates and gets impacted in the folds of the colon. This causes a narrowing of the passage through the colon and a constant seeping of toxins into the bloodstream by osmosis. When this build up of toxic mucous reaches a certain critical level, it causes a section of the colon to bulge outwards, causing a condition called diverticulosis. Colitis and cancer are the inevitably the next stages of colon deterioration caused by these conditions.                              
                                                                               

 The following are examples of common incorrect combinations: protein and starch (meat and potatoes, burger and fries, eggs and toast, meat and rice/pasta, anything battered etc.), protein and protein (meat and milk, mixed fry, fish and meat), starch and acid (oranges and bananas- fruit salad, vinegar on chips, tomatoes on bread, toast and orange juice), protein and acid ( orange juice and eggs/ meat, vinegar dressing and meat), protein and fat (fatty bacon, marbled steaks, meat cooked in fat), protein and sugar ( any sugary dessert after meat), starch and sugar (bread and jam, cereal and sugar).  

From the above list it may seem that there is nothing left to eat. But don’t freak out just yet!! There is no need to be fanatical about controlling your diet or counting calories, or worrying about cholesterol. There are many ways to enjoy your favourite foods if you simply follow the rules of trophology. If foods are properly combined then regardless of how many calories or how much cholesterol they contain they will not make you fat or clog up your veins and organs, especially if at least half your daily food intake is taken fresh and raw.

When combining foods correctly it’s important to realise that there is no such thing as a food that is 100% protein or 100% carbohydrate. What matters is whether protein or carbohydrate is the main source of nutrition in a particular food. In general, if a food contains 15% or more protein, then it falls into the protein category. If it contains 20% or more carbohydrate it falls into the carbohydrate category. When combining different classes of food at a single meal, it doesn't matter much if a little bit of protein is added to a mainly carbohydrate meal, or vice versa, as long as you include plenty of fresh raw vegetables. These will provide active enzymes and fibrous bulk to aid digestion.

Ideally you should try to eat one variety of food at any meal. We see plenty of examples of this in nature. Meat eating animals never combine starchy foods with their meat, but they will often chew on wild weeds to help digestion and clear their bowels. Also birds will always eat bugs and worms at one time of the day, and seeds, nuts and berries at another time.

When you understand the laws of trophology and the workings of the digestive system, you can plainly see the connection between the “all in one meal” and the dramatic rise in degenerative disease today.  

Nutritional Information Provided by David Sheehan (Trident Fitness Club)