Combining Foods For Proper Digestion - A Complete Guide

The correct combination of foods facilitates digestion and has a beneficial effect on the general health of the body.

The correct combination of foods facilitates digestion and has a beneficial effect on the general health of the body.

The principle on which this scheme is built is the following: each food contains certain nutrients. Some of them are passive (inert) in the presence of other nutrients, and others react with each other and cause disturbances in the digestive process.

All products basically contain the main nutrients, but in different proportions. What is in the greatest amount (dominant nutrient) determines the entire digestive process. The indiscriminate intake of different types of food usually leads to a conflict between them, and the resulting reactions can cause from mild upset to serious digestive problems.

Digestion primarily relies on the activity of enzymes whose function is limited within a strictly defined acid level. Each type of food affects this level and at a certain point can have a positive or negative effect on the digestive process.
The indiscriminate intake of food cannot have a good effect on our body, and in particular on digestion, since it is subject to a certain rhythm. For this reason, it is best that a meal consists of carefully selected foods that go together and that support each other in the digestion process.

Pythagoras, who said, "Only living, fresh food can make it possible for human beings to understand truth."

 

Nutrition experts have found that the following food combinations provide complete protein for the body:

Milk with rice, wheat, peanuts, sesame, legumes or potatoes.

Legumes with rice, wheat, corn, nuts, sesame seeds. peanuts with rice, wheat, corn, oats. Soy with wheat, corn or sesame. Vegetables with rice, cereals or sesame. Rural people seem to be able to instinctively combine proteins in their food, mixing for example rice with pulses (such as in China and India) or corn and beans (Central and South America).

millet, buckwheat, black flour, bulgur, chickpeas, lentils, brown rice, tofu

lecithin-rich soy provides strength and endurance, mobility and flexibility, youth and vitality.

 

This means eating whole grain pasta and bread, barley, rye and brown rice instead of white. It also means reducing or eliminating white sugar and confectionery, candy, soft drinks, jams and jellies from the diet. They are all foods that really fill the stomach but starve the body."

 

Food (100 g)	Proteins	Calcium	Phosphorus	Iron	Potassium	Sodium	Vit. B1	Vit. B2
Brown rice	7.5	32	221	1.6	214	9	0.34	0.05
White rice	6,7	24	94	0.8	92	5	0.07	0.03
Whole wheat flour	13.3	51	342	3.3	370	3	0.55	0.12
White flour	10.5	16	87	0.8	95	2	0.06	0.05
Molasses	-	85	194	3,4	344	30	0.01	0.03
Med	-	5	6	0.5	51	5	traces	0.04
White sugar	-	0	0	0.1	3	1	0	0

 

In a vegetarian diet, iron can be easily obtained from green leafy vegetables, soybeans, legumes, dried fruits and whole grain bread. Wheat germ is the most nutrient-dense part of the wheat grain and is also an excellent source of iron. Usually, when wheat is processed into white flour, they are separated from the grain, but they can be purchased separately, eaten roasted or raw, mixed with other foods or pasta.

Iron is water soluble and if the water in which the vegetables are cooked is thrown away, it will be lost.

Iron content in food (per 100 g)
Maya		17.3 mg
Wheat sprouts		9.4 mg
Dried fruits (apricots, plums, raisins)		5.5 mg
Legumes and soybeans		3 mg
Spinach, sugar beet (leaves)		3 mg
Sesame		11 mg
	Calcium content in 100 g of food
	Turnip (green leaves)		246 mg
	Almonds		234 mg
	Cabbage (kale)		179 mg
	Milk		118 mg
	Sesame		110 mg
	Spinach		93 mg
	Broccoli		88 mg
	Soy		73 mg
	Dried apricots		67 mg

 

Seaweeds are particularly rich in iodine, good sources are spinach, turnips, milk, radishes, unrefined sea salt and iodized refined salt.

 

The best source of vitamin A is raw carrots, but it is also found in sufficient quantity in green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, broccoli, pumpkin, peaches and milk. Even a single intake of some of these vegetables or fruits provides the daily requirement of vitamin A.

Vitamin A content (in units)
Carrots (raw)	11,000
Spinach	8,100
Sweet potatoes	8,100
Fresh peaches	8,000
kale (kale)	7,400
Beetroot (leaves)	5,100
A pumpkin	4,200
Butter	3,300
Broccoli	2,000
Milk	140

 

The best vegetarian sources of vitamin B are green leafy vegetables, whole grains, baker's yeast, wheat germ, brown rice, Brussels sprouts . All B vitamins are soluble in water, so the water in which the vegetables are cooked should always be consumed, not thrown away.

 

Content of vitamin Bz in 100g
Maya	38 mg
Wheat bran	21 mg
peanuts	17.3 mg
Almonds	3 mg
Legumes	3 mg

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Here are some foods rich in this very important vitamin: wheat germ, unpolished rice, nuts, beans, peas, soybeans, etc.

"If you drink milk, many things will be in your favor. In addition to providing calcium, vitamin B12 and high-quality protein, milk enhances the value of many other foods by adding some essential amino acids that are missing from them."

 

The best source of vitamin C are citrus fruits - oranges, lemons, grapefruit, tangerines, etc. Green peppers are also high in vitamin C. Other good sources are tomatoes and green vegetables, but it is also found in almost all raw fruits and vegetables.

Lemon juice with honey or salt is especially recommended for cleansing the body and removing nervous tension.

Vitamin C is a very delicate vitamin that is easily destroyed by heat, oxygen, light and alkaline substances. Soon after the fruit is peeled and cut, it breaks down, so it is best to eat fruits and vegetables immediately after cutting them.

The effectiveness of vitamin C is also reduced by heat, processing and freezing of products. Since it is highly soluble in water, when cooking the vegetables it should be consumed and not thrown away.

Vitamin C content in 100 g
Green peppers (raw)	128 mg
Broccoli	90 mg
Brussels sprouts	87 mg
Turnips (and leaves)	69 mg
Oranges	61 mg
Lemons	53 mg
Cabbage	53 mg
Grapefruit	38 mg
Tangerines	31 mg
Tomatoes	23 mg

 

Vitamin E

This extremely important vitamin for the body is found in the oil of all legumes, nuts and seeds, but its value is significantly lost when fried. Soybean oil is particularly rich in vitamin E. Other good sources are nuts, wheat germ, potatoes and cow's butter.

vitamin E content 100 g
Soybean oil	14 mg
Sweet potatoes	3.6 mg
Legumes and peas	2.4 mg
Butter	2 mg
turnip (leaves)	2 mg

 

• Whole grains and unrefined foods

White rice, white flour and especially white sugar have very little nutritional value compared to brown rice, whole wheat flour and wheat germ, molasses and honey.

• Enough protein, but not too much!

Don't worry about proteins in vain - if you drink a glass of milk every day or eat soy products, legumes or nuts and enough fresh vegetables, your body will get all the proteins it needs. In fact, too much protein taken in the diet leads to an increase in the acidity of the body, as a result of which various disorders and diseases can occur. Wheat sprouts are excellent for health because they contain not only proteins, but are also the best source of B vitamins, which help the body use proteins efficiently. Raw wheat sprouts are the most nutritious, but require storage at low temperatures.

• Not much sugar and foods rich in animal and vegetable fats

They are highly acid-forming and can lead to hyperacidity, which is the cause of many diseases.

When possible, substitute honey or molasses for sugar. Instead of frying vegetables, bake them, boil them or, best of all, steam them. 

PREMIUM CHAPTERS ▼

 

How to eat? Eating habbits (PREMIUM)

Don't overeat!

Doctors constantly warn us not to overeat, as overeating puts stress on the entire digestive system and prevents the proper digestion of food. Half-digested food turns into a putrid, decaying mass, which emits poisons entering the circulation, thus invariably weakening the whole organism. According to the teaching of yogis, regardless of whether the food is wholesome and pure, when consumed in large quantities, it automatically becomes a "static type" of food (tamastic food), which leads to coarsening and hardening of the body and mind. That is why yogis recommend us to always fill the stomach 1/2 with food, 1/4 with water and 1/4 with air.

Stop eating while you're still hungry. You will feel full as soon as the sugars and other nutrients enter the bloodstream and reach the brain.

Eat in a calm and joyful mood

In fact, how you eat and what you eat are equally important. If you eat in a hurry or when you are tired, worried or unhappy, the food you have taken will not be digested properly and all its nutritional value will be lost. When the mind is disturbed, the whole organism is also disturbed. Photographs of the stomach of people in a state of anger show that it is swollen, stiff and red, without elasticity and normal peristaltic movements. It is obvious that in such a state of anxiety of mind and body proper digestion is not possible. When we eat in such conditions, apart from the fact that the food taken cannot be digested, it also forms many harmful acids and poisons in the body. In such cases, it is much better not to eat at all. For these reasons, you should aim to eat in as relaxed a mood as possible. in beautiful and joyful surroundings. Avoid noisy and unpleasant restaurants. It is recommended that before you start eating, you take a short pause in silence to calm the mind, remembering that food is actually, in its essence, pure consciousness. Then start eating with others in a joyful atmosphere and remember: "Laughter helps digestion!"

Don't eat too many different types of food

By forcing the digestive system to deal with different types of food, you are actually weakening and damaging it. For this reason, it is recommended not to eat more than four different types of food at one meal. Try to stick to as simple a meal as possible and avoid lots of spices.

Chew food completely

This is especially true of starchy foods such as rice, bread, pasta and other pasta foods. All digestion actually begins in the oral cavity, where the saliva must mix homogeneously with the food and thus prepare it for the stomach. Chew carefully, do not swallow poorly chewed food, otherwise, when it gets into the stomach undigested, it releases toxins that damage the entire digestive process. Saliva is highly alkaline and if well mixed with the food taken, it neutralizes to a great extent the harmful effect of acidic foods.

Sit in proper posture while eating

Sit with a straight spine so that energy can flow freely along the spinal cord and the digestive organs are not compressed. The best posture for digestion is sitting cross-legged. In India, where people have traditionally eaten in this pose for centuries, it is called bhojanasana , or “eating pose.” Never eat or drink straight.  

Try to rest after eating, keeping the right nostril open

Do not engage in any strenuous physical or mental activity after eating. At this time all the body's energy and blood are needed by the digestive organs, and directing it to the muscles for physical work or to the brain for concentration of thought, not only diminishes mental and physical efficiency, but also disturbs digestion.

There are two main subtle energy channels in the body. ( Ida  and P ingala  in Sanskrit) inscrutably woven along the spine, ending in each of the two nostrils. When the inhaled air flows mainly through the left nostril, the body remains cold; subtle spiritual energy flows through it, and the brain reaches a refined spiritual state of consciousness. This is the best time for deep reflection and meditation.

When the breath flows primarily through the right nostril, the organism is greatly warmed, and the brain and body are ready for physical activity in the material world. Since the body needs heat to carry out digestion, the right nostril should always be open during and after eating. If during feeding the right nostril is closed and the left is open, it is better not to take hard and heavy food, because it is more difficult to digest it. Light and liquid foods are the most suitable in such cases. After eating, to ensure the passage of breath through the right nostril, it is recommended to lie on the left side - this automatically opens the right nostril.

Avoid snacking between meals

It takes about 4 hours for the food to leave the stomach and for the gastric juices, capable of digesting the food taken in the next meal, to accumulate again. If you eat many times a day, the gastric juices will not have the opportunity to secrete to their full potential, and thus deficient they would not be able to process the food properly. Therefore, it is best to eat when you are really hungry. Never eat when your stomach is full, and no more than four times a day.

Do not eat dinner too late and soon before going to bed

It is best to eat an hour, an hour and a half before going to bed. Otherwise, the heat from digestion will form gases that will affect the brain and lead to very unpleasant dreams. A walk in the fresh air before bed would aid digestion and lead to a much-needed pleasant relaxation before sleep.

If your sleep is restless, drink a glass of warm fresh milk in the evening before going to bed.

Drink plenty of water every day

Water naturally purifies the body and keeps it clean and free of poisons and waste substances. A healthy person should drink about 3-4 liters of water or other liquids a day. Those who have any disease and especially skin disease should drink 4-5 liters of water daily. If you are not used to drinking a lot of water, do not suddenly start with large amounts, but gradually increase the daily amount. Drink small amounts - half to one glass at a time, several times throughout the day. Limit drinking to a minimum during meals, otherwise proper digestion is disturbed as dilution of digestive juices occurs. Add a little lemon juice and salt or a spoonful of honey to the water you drink.

Do not eat very hot and very cold foods

Food that is too hot will cause the body to overheat and disrupt the action of digestive enzymes, most of which can only perform their function within certain temperature limits. In addition, hot food can damage the lining of the stomach and intestines. Allow the food to cool before eating.

Foods and drinks that are too cold, on the other hand, cause the gastrointestinal tract to contract and make digestion difficult. In addition, they are also harmful to the throat. Cold foods also cause the blood vessels in the delicate airways from the nose to the lungs to constrict, making them more sensitive to various harmful irritants. Sometimes the shock of drinking a cold drink can trigger an asthma attack or other type of allergic reaction.

Breathe enough fresh air and do gymnastics

The body needs physical exercises to stimulate and strengthen the digestive organs and facilitate the digestion process. The digestive fire needs a lot of oxygen as "fuel". If you are lethargic, sluggish and lazy, not only your digestion will suffer, but also your whole health. One of the best ways to avoid constipation is to do daily gymnastics, most - at least a little - a walk in the fresh air is mandatory.

Take a so-called "half bath" before each meal

During and after eating, the body generates a large amount of heat, so before eating it would be good to cool down the body. Before each meal (as well as before meditation, yoga-exercises and sleep) you should do the so-called "half bath" of the body:

1. Pour cold water over the genital area

2. The legs, from the knees down

3. The arms, from the elbows down

4. Rinse the mouth, splash water on the eyes, keeping them open (12 times)

5. Take in water through the nostrils and spit it out through the mouth - 3 times

6. Wash the ears with your index fingers and rinse the area behind the ears

7. Wash the neck from behind

13. Do utksepa mudra every morning to avoid constipation 

Constipation and indigestion are actually the cause of many diseases. To keep your digestive system clean and functioning properly, do the following yoga exercise - every morning, before getting out of bed, while still in a lying position, raise and bend the legs, pressing the knees firmly to the chest, hold the breath in this pose for a while. Then forcefully extend1 the legs again as you exhale. Repeat the exercise four times. This exercise stimulates the peristaltic movements of the digestive system, which are slow and sluggish during sleep, thus avoiding constipation. Then jump nimbly out of bed and immediately drink a glass of water (you could prepare it by your bed from the night before) or lemon water with a little honey or salt. Doctors have found that drinking liquid on an empty stomach immediately after getting out of bed quickly flushes sediments from the digestive system and promotes proper digestion. Do not touch the water to your teeth when you drink - all the toxins that have collected on your teeth throughout the night will end up in your stomach. Then walk around the room for about 5 minutes with the navel exposed. Thus, by exposing your bare navel to the fresh morning air, you strengthen and energize the solar plexus (manipura chakra), which controls heat and digestion. Then walk around the room for about 5 minutes with the navel exposed. Thus, by exposing your bare navel to the fresh morning air, you strengthen and energize the solar plexus (manipura chakra), which controls heat and digestion. Then walk around the room for about 5 minutes with the navel exposed. Thus, by exposing your bare navel to the fresh morning air, you strengthen and energize the solar plexus (manipura chakra), which controls heat and digestion.

If someone invites you sincerely and from the heart for lunch, accept with joy, even if they feast only on boiled vegetables and rice! But if someone invites you to lunch just to show wealth and wealth, you should never even touch the food there.

 

Try to eat food cooked only by pure, spiritual people

The food you eat and its digestion are affected not only by your consciousness and your environment, but also by the way the food is prepared. Everyone who touches your food leaves invisible traces of their own vibrations on it, and the more sensitive you are, the greater their influence on you. Try to eat food prepared by pure, loving people, and when you prepare food for others, keep pure and joyful thoughts in your mind. When you cook, sing nice and upbeat songs.

Food is your best medicine (PREMIUM)

Food should be your medicine and let your medicine be your food.

Hippocrates, "Father of Medicine"

In reality, diseases are not caused by viruses and bacteria, those horrible microscopic monsters of external origin that invade our bodies like an army of little devils. All these viruses and bacteria are around us and inside our body all the time. Why then do we fall victim to them and get sick at a certain time and not at some other time and why do some people get infected and others not? The answer is quite simple. All diseases start from within, in our bodies and minds and are caused by bad thoughts, wrong lifestyle and wrong diet. If we live according to nature, in accordance with the laws of harmony in the entire universe, we should not get sick either physically or spiritually. Only when we violate these universal laws of nature,

When our bodies are full of poisons and putrid waste products, they become weak and unable to resist the attacks of various viruses and bacteria, then diseases appear. So, the root cause of all disease is not external bacterial or viral agents, but the contamination of our own organisms, resulting from improper digestion and poor excretion of waste products and poisons.

Alkalinity and acidity (PREMIUM)

In its natural state, the organism is slightly alkaline with a pH of 7.4. Under these conditions, chemical processes in the body function most efficiently and all waste products from these processes are eliminated quickly. However, if we eat too much acidic food, the body and blood become acidic instead of slightly alkaline. This leads to an overload of the blood-purifying organs - spleen, liver, heart and kidneys, which necessarily weaken and become susceptible to diseases. Under these conditions, the waste poisons can no longer be properly excreted from the body and are deposited in the joints, causing rheumatism, arthritis and gout, or seek routes of excretion through the skin, causing eczema, acne, skin rashes, inflammations and boils. An acidic condition can also be a contributing factor to many other different ailments such as hemorrhoids,

The treatment of this acidic state of the body and hence the treatment of these diseases is to minimize the amount of acid-forming foods and increase the amount of alkaline foods.

"Never allow fruits, roots and vegetable soups (alkaline foods) to be less in your daily menu than the amount of acidic and pasta foods - the less acidic food, the better."

 

Acidic foods

Acid-forming foods that should be avoided in cases of indigestion and poor health are:

- Mainly meat, fish and eggs.

- Tea, coffee and alcohol.

- Spices (condiments), pickles, sauces, vinegar.

- Starchy, starchy and cereal foods, especially white refined starchy foods (rice, bread, macaroni, noodles, crackers, ready-made pasta, etc.)

- Strong spices.

- Onion, garlic, mushrooms

- Most legumes (including ripe beans, peas and lentils).

- Some nuts like peanuts and walnuts.

- Oils and all fatty and fried foods.

- Sweet foods, especially white sugar and the products that contain it - jams, jellies, syrups, candies, sweets, cakes, ice cream, compotes and soft drinks (highly acidic and quickly destroying teeth). 2

Alkaline foods

Alkaline foods that should be increased in the menu are:

- Almost all vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and soups made from them. Brussels sprouts cleanse the body particularly well and are rich in vitamins and minerals. Among legumes, soybeans are the most alkaline and are an excellent remedy for hyperacidity.

- Milk, butter and especially buttermilk F Honey and molasses

- Most nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts

- Fruits and fruit juices (freshly squeezed, not canned). Fruits, especially juicy ones, are the most easily digestible food, as they are digested in their own juices and the organs are not burdened with their processing and absorption. Nutrition experts call the fruit "the best alkalizer and internal cleanser we know" and also the most natural medicine.

PAPAYA contains an enzyme called papain that aids digestion and is very good for the stomach.

APPLES are very rich in potassium, which helps neutralize toxins in the oral cavity. That is why they are an excellent tool for cleaning teeth and gums.

FIGS contain a special enzyme called ficin that dissolves poisons that have entered the bloodstream. They also contain serotonin, which is believed to enhance and improve mental performance. The ancient teachers and sages of the Middle East fasted for long periods of time, subsisting only on figs and water, in order to attain higher spiritual power.

PINEAPPLE contains bromelain, which cleanses the pancreas.

TOMATOES are highly alkaline and are good neutralizers of hyperacidity.

BANANAS contain a significant amount of potassium, which is necessary for the nerves, so they are a tonic fruit, excellent for nervous depression due to potassium deficiency. They are especially nutritious when taken with milk.

COCONUT is a very alkaline food. Coconut water or milk is an excellent remedy for all diseases due to hyperacidity. Another such remedy is grated coconut mixed with fennel seed.

APRICOTS are an excellent source of vitamin A and iron.

LEMONS are highly alkaline and for this reason lemon juice is recommended by yogis as a wonderful remedy for almost all ailments. Drink lemon water in small amounts throughout the day. It will be best if you add a little salt or honey to it. Although lemons and other citrus fruits are acidic by themselves, they form an alkaline reaction during digestion.

ORANGES also have a strong cleansing effect and a high vitamin C content.

CEREAL FRUITS such as raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, currants, etc., are alkalizing if eaten ripe enough, otherwise they are acidic.