As a Boomer, I am constantly battling my weight (that picture is NOT me ). I have worked hard in the last 4 months and have lost 40 pounds. Being disabled, that is a HUGE undertaking. No, I did not starve myself, I got smart! I learned to expand my knowledge on foods beyond low fat foods and calorie counting.  I found that by combining or NOT combining certain types of foods do matter in weight control. I found that understanding and practicing proper food separation is far more effective than “dieting,” which simply doesn’t work to keep pounds off permanently.

I found that the most effective method to optimize digestion is with the ‘food separation diet’ and to eat small, food-separated meals every 2 to 3 hours. That will be explained in more detail below.

The Beginnings of the Food Separation Diet

The idea of food separation was first developed by Dr. Hay. This diet has now been adjusted by many health advocates throughout the world.

The Back Story: Dr Hay’s health broke down after 16 yrs in medical practice. He developed high blood pressure, brights disease and a dilated heart. There being no treatment available for dilated heart at the time Dr Hay was inspired to treat his own symptoms.

The first action taken was to start eating ‘fundamentally’ as he called it. This entailed eating foods in a natural form and not mixing proteins and starches at the same meal.

Following Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (September 14, 1849 – February 27, 1936) the famous Russian physiologist research on digestion, (Pavlovs experiments with dogs showed that starches are digested in about two hours, proteins are digested in about four hours but a protein – starch mixture can still be digesting 13 hours later, food taken on top can lead to fermentation and toxic by-products putting strain on the system.) Dr. Hay created a list of foods that should and should NOT be combined in a meal.

By using this list of foods, in about 3 months Dr. Hay enjoyed a complete remission of symptoms and a reduction of weight from 225lbs (100kg) to 175lbs (80kg).

In addition, he believed he had a ‘surefire treatment for diabetes’. Although ridiculed at the time, some modern research has produced evidence of a close connection between refined carbohydrates and allergies, skin problems, migraine, fatigue, depression, schizophrenic and aggressive behaviors.

So, what is the Food Separation Diet?

The Food Separation Diet is a process used to balance your diet, meaning; if you are overweight, you  will decrease your weight by eliminating the fat you have in your body and increase lean muscle and people who are underweight will gain weight in lean muscle. Not combining proteins and starches at the same meal is the main principle of the diet.

Proteins are concentrated animal proteins such as meat, poultry, fish and cheese. Carbohydrates are concentrated starches such as grains, cereals, bread, potatoes, and sugars.

All foods containing protein and all foods containing carbohydrates should be kept strictly separate from one another (hence the term ‘food separation’). Separating these foods leads to improved digestion: proteins can be broken down more easily without carbohydrates, and vice versa.

The evidence indicates that while you use this food separation principle diet you will maintain your weight and continue to have general and specific health improvements. BUT, once you discontinue this diet of the combination principle you most likely will have the return of the unwanted fat and your health will return to the sorry state it was before you used this food separation principle diet.

Dr. Hay’s research concluded that acid forming foods (e.g. meat, fish, cheese) and alkaline forming foods (e.g. fruit, vegetables) should not be eaten at the same time. However there are also neutral foods (e.g. yoghurt, milk) which according to Hay mix well with proteins and carbohydrates whereas proteins and carbohydrates eaten together can lead to fermentation in the small intestine.

You can use the Separation Diet in combination with any other diet, eg. blood type etc.

How does the Food Separation Diet work

Digestion of Proteins

All proteins need an acid medium for digestion. When animal proteins are eaten, hydrochloric acid is produced in stomach, which activates the enzyme pepsin, which splits and digests proteins.  This process can only take place in a wholly acid medium.  This acid medium is neutralized by the presence of a high starch or sugar with its accompanying alkalies, and the proteins are incompletely digested.

Digestion of Starches

All carbohydrates need an alkaline medium for digestion.  This process begins in the mouth with the enzyme ptyalin, which starts to break down the starches before they enter the small intestine, where they are further reduced, and where main digestion takes place.  The presence of meat or other acid-compelling foods, or acid fruits, upsets the alkaline medium necessary for the intestinal digestion of starches.

Food Separation Diet table

The Food Separation Diet is very simple – fruit is best taken alone at breakfast time (the sugars ferment if fruit sits on top of an evening meal) and don’t mix columns 1 and 3. Meaning you can mix proteins with neutral foods and you can mix starch with neutral foods, but don’t mix protein and starches!

Health Disclaimer: The information provided above is not intended as personal medical advice or instructions. You should not take any action affecting your health without consulting a qualified health professional. The authors and publishers of the information above are not doctors or health-caregivers. The authors and publishers believe the information to be accurate but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. There is some risk associated with ANY diet,  treatment, herb, pill, medication or philosophy and the reader should not act on the information above unless he or she is willing to assume the full risk.

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