I just wanted to devle into "combined" eating for a moment here, because I'm constantly amazed by how much its benefited me.
Well, combined eating is what I've done for....I don't even know, 8 months now? I first started doing it to treat my gastritis.
Anyways, I know I've talked about it before, but here I go again. Get over it.
I'm sorry, that was rude. Don't hate me.
Anyways.
Due to my stomach problems + growths on my thyroid, I was unable to work out or even sing (whaaaa????) for about 6 months. It really sucked because those two things provide many an endorphin for this girl.
But it WORKED, and not only that, I kept the weight off. I even lost about 15 lbs which I had unexplainabley gained. My stomach was flat. It was marvelous.
So I've kept it up for many reasons:
1. The science behind it is legitimate. Combined eating is not only for those of us with serious stomach/intestinal issues. It is for everyone.
Foods are either alkaline or acidic. And they break down differently. So if you're eating two foods that don't break down in the same way, your body fights to digest it properly, and if it can't, you end up with food rotting in your intestines, weight gain, and health problems not limited to the gastrointestinal area. (Oh my gosh. I typed out gastrointestinal and was totally expecting spell check to light up, but it didn't. Did I seriously spell it right? I AM A GENIUS)
It can cause headaches, bad skin, poor sleep, etc. etc. etc. Its also been linked to cancer, crohns disease, and more. Yikes.
I don't like the idea of food sitting in my body far longer than it should, rotting and creating bacteria that can cause serious problems. SICK dude.
2. I looked hot. Thas right. Without working out, I still looked fairly nice in the nude. Totally worth it.
3. It helped alleviate my symptoms of gastritis and eventually cured it. Rock on.
Not only have I kept up with the combined eating, but I have also really cut back on animal products. I've read a lot of books about the negative side of eating our animal friends, and there is definitely more negative than positive. I've slowly cut out meat, which hasn't been hard since it's hard for me to get through my system anyways. I hardly ever drink milk, although I have really craved it since getting pregnant.
The dangerous side of becoming a vegetarian or a vegan is losing the calcium and protein that we get from those sources. BUT, we have to remember that we can get those from plenty of other sources as well.
So if you decide to become a veggie, then do you research so you're getting the proper nutrients your bod needs.
The best argument I've heard about eating meat is this:
"All animals in the wild eat what they were biologically designed to eat, the way they were designed to eat it. Each animal was designed by nature to properlydigest the type of food they eat. For instance, the meat eaters (lions, tigers, sharks) all have sharp pointed teeth for ripping and tearing prey and relatively short digestive tracts (about 3 times the length of their torso) for fast elimination of the decomposing flesh they've eaten. The plant and grain eaters, on the other hand, have more squared-off teeth for grinding their food, and their digestive tracts are longer (8 to 12 times the length of their torso) to allow for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients from plants.
We are the ONLY species in the animal kingdom that doesn't eat what we are designed by nature to be able to digest. Take a look at your teeth. Unless you're a vampire, you don't have fangs-your teeth are more squared off-designed for grinding plants and grains. Our saliva has an enzyme that is for digestion of complex carbs and plants. Flesh eaters don't even have that enzyme. Our digestive track is 30 feet long-again, designed for the digestion and absorption of nutrients from plants. Like it or not, our physiology tells us that we're made to eat mostly plants. You can't argue with mother nature."
-Sherri Brescia,
Great Taste No Pain! Manuals
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OH my gosh this has gotten so long.
Anywhoodles, the recipe book I use the most is by Sherri Brescia, whom I found out about the combined eating thing from.
The link is on my sidebar under "how I stay healthy". The recipe book is called "Great Taste No Pain", but it doesn't mean its only for sick people. The recipes are awesome and it's pretty much all I've used for a long time:
Great Taste No Pain: 112 of the Most Delicious, Delectable, Scrumptious, Yummy and Healthy Recipes
The Borscht rocks my world, as well as the Pan Bagnet.
Here is the recipe for Borscht:
5-6 large fresh beets, peeled and sliced into matchstick-sized pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 pkg. vegetarian burger crumbles (optional)
6-8 cups veggie broth (use more if a more brothy soup is desired)
1 large or 2 small bay leaves
Pinch of thyme
Salt and pepper taste
Sour cream for garnish (optional)
Have all vegetables prepared ahead of time.
Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add onion. Saute 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots and saute 5 more minutes. Add red pepper and saute a few minutes more. Add broth, beets, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in cabbage and veggie burger crumbles (if using), return to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf.
Serve in bowls with a dollop of sour cream in the middle for garnish if desired.
