"Food Combining" was first proposed in the early 1900's.  Had it won out over the "four food groups," chronic health problems, that plague our society today, might have been the exception. 
    Americans that suffer from chronic health conditions brought on by years of use of tobacco have filed and won class actions suits against tobacco companies.   Perhaps the food industry, especially processed, refined, convenient and fast foods should consider these class actions suits and change their ways! 
    Altruistic concern for the welfare of the consumer will be the wave of the future.  With America getting fatter every decade, the fast food industry will be directly responsible for this outcome and liable for chronic illnesses caused by consuming their "foods."
    Anyone complaining of recurrent bowel problems especially gas, bloating, stomach upset, or those who routinely use digestive aides have been helped by food combining.  This "natural hygiene" is a paradigm shift, a growth spurt, a trek unto the non-traditional. 
    To dedicate the rest of your life to eating right will be the most important action you can take next to stop smoking!  
    In order to have a deeper understanding than this webpage can relate, please purchase and read Harvey and Marilyn Diamond's books:

Food Combining-Diet & Cookbooks

Fit for Life
by Harvey Diamond, Marilyn Diamond
     It is not only what you eat that makes the difference, but also of extreme importance is when you eat it and in what combinations," say Harvey and Marilyn Diamond, authors of this classic bestseller. Their program results in eating balanced, nutritious, high-fiber foods, making dieting "unnecessary and as obsolete as sealing wax."
    The book is actually based on the study of Natural Health, or more specifically Natural Hygiene, which is a lifestyle philosophy which has been practiced for over 100 years. Natural Hygiene is a way of eating that is in harmony with the bodies natural cycles, thereby allowing the body to cleanse itself of built up toxins which our normal western style diets don't allow. Basically the body has three main cycles, but the key one for good health and weight loss is the elimination cycle.. Fit for Life shows you how to eat in a manner that is in harmony with these body cycles and the result can be a dramatic increase in energy and feelings of well being, as well as a resultant loss of excess fats and toxins      

Fit for Life II : Living Health
by Harvey Diamond, Marilyn Diamond
     The Diamonds expand Fit for Life and offer a complete health program that includes all areas of life, including sleep, stress reduction and relationships.

 

   
      

 

A New Way of Eating from the Fit for Life Kitchen by Marilyn Diamond
     The essential companion volume to Fit for Life is a most popular diet and health cookbooks. Readers learn how to prepare and combine foods into a variety of great-tasting and healthful vegetarian dishes.

    

 

The American Vegetarian Cookbook from the Fit for Life Kitchen
by Marilyn Diamond
    Marilyn Diamond's recipes are so simple with simple ingredients that are easy to get, if you don't already have them in you pantry. A full encyclopedia that covers everything! A must for anyone who is looking for recipes without meat, whether vegetarian or just looking to use less meat by serving some vegetarian dishes. It is completely dairy free as well. Well worth the money!!!!!!

 

Food Combinations:
    In the 1930's a dietary concept know as "Natural Hygiene" was proposed, but due to politics, the "four food groups" won out and began a century of digestive problems.  In fact according to Harvey & Marilyn Diamond, In Fit For Life II:, "the archaic notion that we need to eat from each of the four basic food groups at every meal is probably responsible for more digestive difficulties than any other dietary habit we have." 
    The Diamond's books are a must for any one wanting to understand food combinations in detail.  Fit For Life the original book is tame and politically correct.  The Fit For Life II: is much more expressive.  I find the second book a natural vent for my frustrations with a political system that is built to maintain those on top. 
    The second book also has topics on food, water, air, loving relationships, animal products, feeding children, detoxification, and recipes.
    The basic chemical principles pushing these dietary concepts were proposed in the early half of the 1900's and were known as "natural hygiene."   It is only too clear, that when we eat food, we use different enzymes in the stomach to digest each food.  Some foods are "acidic" and some foods are "basic."  (Does this remind you of chemistry?  Well, it is!)   When more than one food is eaten together; like meat and potatoes, the meat needs an acid enzyme to digest, while the potatoes need a basic enzyme.  Together these acid and base enzymes CANCEL one another out!  Nothing gets digested!....and all that food in your stomach ROTS......rotting food causes gas!!....and all those digestive problems. 
    To cut to the quick and dirty..... 

The Basic Food Combining Principles are as follows:

1. Fruit should be eaten alone on an empty stomach, not with anything or immediately following anything.  This means eat fruits first thing in the morning.  Wait 30 minutes then eat the rest of your breakfast following the remainder of the combining principles.
       If you want to eat fruit any other time during the day, you must have been using the food combining principles and have not eaten within the last three hours.   Then eating the fruit, you must wait thirty minutes before you eat any other food.
       The Diamond's believe that eating fruit in the morning until noon allows you to maximize your work potential because your body is not diverting "energy" to digest food.  This way you don't need that "coffee break" to get a "charge" from the caffeine so you can continue until noon!

2. Meats and starches are NOT to be eaten together.  You may have all the "meats and vegetables" you want.  You may also have all the "starches and vegetables" you want.  You just can't mix them all.

3. Meats are NOT to be mixed.  This means you can only eat one meat at a time.   You cannot have steak and lobster.  You either have to have just the steak or just the lobster!

4. Starches may be mixed....breads and pasta are allowed.

5. An exception is beans and rice, they may be eaten together.

I am always amazed at the weight people lose on this diet...not to mention the decrease in bowel gas and distress.