Rules to follow for proper food digestion....

The following information is courtesy of my sister-in-law Patrizia who is currently taking a course to become a  Registered Holistic Nutritionist.

First of all how you eat is as important as what you eat.  The following is called Food Sequence:

1. veggies should always be eaten first

2. carbohydrates second

3. complex proteins last

4. fruit should always be eaten by itself (half an hour before or two hours after each meal)

The sequence in which you eat your food is also how your digestive system digests it.  Different enzymes are used for digesting fat, carbs and proteins.

Also you should always follow these steps for good digestion:

1. Don't drink with meals.  You can sip but don't gulp your beverage because it interferes with the hydrocloric acid in your stomach that helps you digest your food.

2. Chew thoroughly.  The more your food is chewed, the less strain on your body to digest it.

3.  Don't eat when stressed.  Very important. Your stomach will hurt and food will not be digested properly.

4. Eat small meals more often.

5. Don't eat to more than 80% full.

I also like to add that you should stop eating by 7:30 pm.  This gives your digestion system a rest and it could use the saved energy for other parts of your body

Another thing that you may want to be aware of is food combining.

This means:

1. Fats (like butter and olive oil) can be eaten with carbs or protein

2. Veggies can be eaten with carbs or protein

3. Carbs and proteins are NOT to be eaten together at the same meal (Example:  Pasta with tuna is a no no)  This doesn't mean you can never have pasta with tuna but try not to eat it everyday.

Try to also remove foods that you think you might be sensitive too.  Take these foods out of your diet for about two weeks and then reintroduce them back into your diet one at a time for five days. So if you are sensitive to dairy and strawberries for example,  take out both for two weeks and then reintroduce the dairy for five days.  If you are feeling okay after the five days, then reintroduce the strawberries for five days.

Try to eat lots of green leafy vegetables, apples, kale, apple cider in salad dressing (buy the one at Noah's that says "with Mother" that means part of the apple is still there), drink Bio K or Kefir (1/4 cup per day...Liberte makes a good one - this will add the good bacteria to your stomach).  Make sure you eat lots of fiber and drink eight glasses of water.  Green tea is also very good.  Try to stay away from white sugar and white flour.

Thank you Patrizia for your words of wisdom!!!