Gas, indigestion and similar conditions appear due to irregular food combination. The consequence – all kinds of pills and digestive aids available on the market.
A science called Ayurveda – ancient, holistic healing science is all about the basic elements that make up the human constitution, namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha. This science belief is that the key to a truly healthy and balanced diet is understanding the individual. The basic life functions are only able to happen if the food goes through the gastric “door” which is called agni.
Ayurveda has a philosophy that every food has a specific taste which is either a hot or cold energy that happens after digestion. So even though this agni has significant importance over good digestion, the combination of foods and their tastes and energies also matters, and it matters a lot. When a combination of foods with different taste and energy is made, the agni is overworked, even if these food can separately be a stimulation to the agni.
Bad food or poor food combination can have serious consequences: fermentation, gas production, indigestion and even toxemia or disease.
When food with different taste is combined, our cell’s intelligence gets confused.
Although it may seem way too complicated to you, there are a few guidelines that can make it much easier.
First of all – DO NOT COMBINE FRUIT WITH OTHER FOOD. Many fruits can create fermentation when mixed. Other suggestions include:
- The differing amount of food that is part of a combination can be very influential. Example: equal quantity of weight of honey and ghee is not good – the honey is heating while the ghee is cooling, but the 1:2 ratio is not bad at all.
- Herbs or spices are frequently used in Ayurveda since they can turn food to be more compatible or to make a certain effect milder.
- Our body has very likely adapted to a certain bad combination if we have been consuming it for a long time. This does not mean that it is good to keep having that combo, though.
- Sometimes antidotes like for example cardamom in coffee, can help in reducing a part of the negative effects.
- A bad combination from time to time does not cause too much damage.
Digestion aid:
- For agni stimulation: take half a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger with a bit of rock salt
- Gastric fire regulation: alkalis
- Improved digestion and agni stimulation: ghee
- Food absorbtion: small sips of warm water during meal. Ice water slows agni.
- Proper chewing is of high importance
Ideal ratio of “stuff” in the stomach cavity: a third of food, a third of liquid and an empty third.
Poor food combos:
- Beans with fruit, fish, yogurt, milk, meat and eggs
- Eggs with fruit (melons), beans, fish, chees, milk, yogurt and milk
- Grains with fruit or tapioca
- Lemon with milk, yogurt, tomato or cucumbers
- Hot beverages with mango, fish, yogurt, starch or chees
- Tapioca with fruit (banana or mango), beans or raisins
- Milk with bananas, melons, sour fruits, cherries, barn yeast, fish, meat, yogurt, kitchari
- Melons with anything
- Yogurt with fruit, eggs, meat, nightshades, hot beverages, cheese
A general guideline to finish this article: do not mix leftovers with fresh food or too much raw food and cooked food.
Tip: honey should never be cooked, the molecules get messed up and it is even considered as bad as poison.
