The Hay Diet food combining

[The Hay Diet Made Easy, a practical guide to food combining by Jackie Habgood]

Dr. Hay researched and wrote about his findings about the stomach gastric juices required for the digestion of food into nutritional elements needed for body growth and maintenance.  He discovered that the stomach needed an Acid medium for complete digestion of protein foods and an Alkaline medium for carbohydrate foods.

(A new Health Era written by Dr. William Howard Hay in the 1930; Food Combining for Health by Doris Grant and Jean Joyce; Thorsons, 1984)

Dr. Hay recommends that we do not eat complex proteins (meat, dairy, soya) and acid fruits with complex carbohydrates (grains, beans and pulses) in the same meal. He suggests the best option is not to eat complex proteins and complex carbohydrates on the same day. Thus meals should be organised with neutral foods and either complex proteins or complex carbohydrates, not both together. Alternatively he suggests that at least four hours should be left between eating complex proteins and complex carbohydrates.

Mixing complex proteins and carbohydrates in the same meal causes digestive chaos in the stomach and generally disrupts successful digestion of both protein and carbohydrate foods

The order of Importance

Dr. Hay ranked food in order of importance as follows:-

1. Fruit
2. All salad and leafy green vegetables
3. All root vegetables
4. Grains
5. Proteins

Added to this one can consider that he also suggests that organic foods are best, raw is better than cooked and fresh is better than pre-packed convenience foods.

It is also worth noting that the body can make proteins when we eat grains and nuts, or grains and seeds or grains and beans/pulses together.

Liquid Aminos are the proteins that the body would normally extract through digestive processes from complex protein foods. They can be a very helpful supplement for those that do not eat meat and/or dairy products.

The author also feels that soya products grown outside of organic farming regulations may not be a healthy source of complex protein because the soya beans can absorb the strong chemicals from the chemical fertilisers. Eggs from intensive farming techniques can also contain the chemical additives and fertilisers present in the chicken feed.

A brief and simple presentation of the Hay Diet compiled by the author.

Do Not Mix A & C in the same meal because A needs an acid stomach medium and C needs an alkaline medium and B is neutral and therefore can be digested with either the A column foods or the B column foods.

A	B	C
Milk, Yogurt, FromageFrais, and hard and soft cheese	Buttermilk, cream, cream cheese, cream fraiche, butter/margarine, vegetable oils – nut/seed/olive	Seeds, rice and grains
All soya bean products	All nuts except:	Chestnuts and tiger nuts
All citrus fruits	Sweet grape juice, pear juice	Bananas, plantain, figs, dates, sweet ripe pears and grapes
Egg white	Egg yoke (Jackie Le Tissier; 1992)
Vinegar
Cooked tomatoes and tomato concentrate/paste	Tomato juice	Fresh/raw tomatoes
Honey and Maple Syrup	Sugar beet syrup	Date syrup, malt syrup and malt extract, molasses
100% fruit jams and dried fruit except those in column B	Raisins, sultanas, currents
	Seaweed and all vegetables except those listed in column C.	Potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, yams, squashes, Jerusalem artichoke, pumpkin
	Vegetable juice, and vegetable bouillon
	Sprouted nuts, seeds, grains, peas, beans, lentils.	Peas, beans, lentils, and carob

Supporting Natural Healing

The Healing Benefits of Fasting

‘Fasting is an important part of any detoxification approach but requires some strength on the part of the patient, particularly fasting for more than a few days. Fasting is often a good step for starting a detoxification diet: 3-5 days fasting for Vata, 5-7 days for Pitta and 7-10 days for Kapha………….It is best to fast on herbal teas or vegetable juices. A fruit juice fast is not advisable because sweet tastes Increase ama.(hunger).  Lemon juice, however, is good particularly mixed with ginger juice. A little honey can be used as well because of its special detoxifying properties. Fasting is often combined with herbs to improve the digestive fire, taking of pungent herbs or spice teas like ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and fennel.’ (‘Ayurvadic Healing’ by David Frawley,2000:122)

‘The Miracle of FastingProven throughout History for Physical, Mental and Spiritual Rejuvenation’ by Paul Bragg and his daughter Patricia Bragg.

Our present day diet of predominantly acid forming foods, added salt, added sugar, artificial preservatives, colourings and flavourings, greatly increases the levels of toxic waste accumulated within the body. Healthy blood needs to be neutral or alkaline, acid blood levels are associated with all manner of health problems.  A good diet of plenty of organic fruit and vegetables, good quality water and outdoor exercise is essential for good health and fitness.  When we are eating food the body’s energies, resources and water levels are fully focused on the digestive processes. Fasting enables the body to eliminate waste and toxic materials.  Fasting enables the body to use the intake of good water to assist the body’s natural elimination systems to function efficiently on a focused commitment to detoxification. However, it may also be important to moderate the fasting to a level that can be accommodated by the body’s elimination processes in order to avoid high levels of detoxification and associated headaches, tiredness, and nausea. When natural instincts encourage a sick person to avoid food the body has more energy to use on vital healing processes. During a health fast the body may effectively eliminate toxins in a greater volume than that possible during everyday life styles when detoxification may feel uncomfortable. During any fasting period it is important the person has plenty of water and lots of quiet rest.  Paul Bragg writes about the success of fasting for people who are under weight as well as those over weight. Anyone fasting for more than a few days and those suffering any form of illness should have qualified medical supervision. 

Different Blood Types Influence which Foods Promote Good Health 

Your blood type is key to your body’s entire immune system.  It controls the influence of viruses, bacteria, infections, chemicals, stress and the entire assortment of the invaders and conditions that might compromise your immune system.’ Dr. P.J. D’Adamo ‘Eat Right For Your Type’.

Vaccinations and Antibiotics

Dr.D’Adamo gives details of which antibiotic drugs are more or less suitable to each of the different blood types and also relates information about how different blood types have a different reaction to the present vaccination scheme for young children. He also speaks about the unnecessary use of antibiotics as a routine procedure. In our present time legal safety appears to have more importance than meeting individuals’ health requirements.

‘Eat Right For Your Type’

Dr. P.J. D’Adamo in his book Eat Right for Your Type presents how we can choose to eat foods that are compatible with our blood type and avoid foods that are not compatible. Dr.D’Adamo describes the different internal chemistry of each blood type which determines the way we can absorb nutrition from the different foods we eat.

Stress is also managed differently by people with the different blood types. Dr.D’Adamo divides foods into 16 food groups and then classifies the different foods within each group into one of three catagories

• ‘Highly beneficial is a food that acts like a medicine
• Neutral is a food that acts like a food
• Avoid is a food that acts like a poison ‘

The foods he catagorises under avoidrelate specifically to each of the different blood types. He summarises the key facts for each blood type in an appendix at the back of the book. He also suggests that weight gain is due to the body needing to store toxic waste in fatty tissue. This waste is normally related to the foods we eat. Therefore, as illustrated by the work of Dr.D’Adamo, if we eat the foods that are best suited or neutral to our blood type it will help bring about normal weight and general good health.

The old saying one man’s food is another man’s poison is illustrated in the scientific research presented by Dr.D’Adamo. The following examples relate this aspect of consideration and raise important questions about conflicts within a family unit where more than one blood type is present. It is natural for a parent to assume that foods that are beneficial to themselves are also going to be beneficial to their children. When family members are of different blood types organising a healthy diet for everyone can be complicated, as shown below:-

Tofu : Good for blood types A & O & AB. Benign for Type B

[ fermented tofu – Tempeh and soya yogurt is easier to digest than plain cooked soya bean products. Non organic intensive farming of soya beans has been shown by some research to have adverse affects on the food value of soya beans therefore the author only uses organic grade soya products.]

Wheat : Alright for AB, not good for O & A & B except for spelt which is alright in

moderation.

[Organic wheat bran and oat bran retain good levels of nutritional value found in these grains with a low gluten content. This makes bran foods and whole grain foods more healthy. Spelt is an old type of wheat that has not been strongly influenced by genetic engineering associated with modern types of commercially grown wheat].

Peanuts: Good for A & AB, not good for O & B.

[The author avoids foods and fresh peanuts that may have been grown under intensive commercial farming regimes because, like soya beans, peanuts are especially susceptible to the adverse effects of chemical fertilisers and sprays.]

Dairy: Good for B & AB, not good for O & A.

[Fermented dairy products in small quantities are more easily digested.]

Corn: Good for A, not good for O & B & AB.

Oranges: Good for B types and not good for O & A & AB. [ Clementines are the easiest (mildest) of the orange fruit family for those who Dr.D’Adamo suggests should avoid oranges.]

Parents will be glad to hear that children from parents of different blood types can have tolerances outside of their own blood type gained from the different blood type in their other parent.

An added difficulty that parents may need to address is that, whereas most children predominantly like the foods that are good for them, there are also a notable number of children who illustrate unreasonable and addictive levels of craving for the very foods that are not good for them. The author has noted how hyperactive children may be addicted to sweets, chocolate, dairy foods and oranges, all of which have been seen to help the children sustain and heighten their hyperactive behaviour. The author has also noted on many occasions an insatiable desire for wheat foods by those children who are not of compatible blood type. Blood type O is commonly seen to favour this food which Dr.D’Adamo suggests they should avoid. This wheat addiction has been associated with co-ordination difficulties and dyspraxia. The author has seen clumsy and dyspraxic children regain good co-ordination when placed on a wheat-free or in more severe cases a gluten-free diet. High levels of wheat are also noted as a common cause for excessive weight especially in children and adults who have blood type O, and also those with blood type A, or B.

The Sattvic Diet – Ayurvedic Healing

The Sattvic Diet

A sattvic diet is one that is generally ‘healthful and balancing for all three doshas, and it can help neutralise some of the disturbances of our intensive life styles which aggravate and intensify levels of vata energy within the body which create disturbances in the mind. …Sattva is pure, light, clear, calming, harmonising, opens the mind and promotes wakefulness.’ (Ayurvedic Healing by David Frawley,2000:100)

Only naturally occurring sweet tastes, as in fruit, are considered generally sattvic. However, even these sweet foods are taken sparingly only raw unheated honey and Jaggery.

Fresh and seasonal fruits are the main foods of this diet. Followed by vegetables, however, mushrooms, garlic, onions radishes and chillies are avoided altogether and potatoes and sweet potatoes are eaten in moderation. Beans are also avoided except for mung, aduki and tofu (fermented soy bean products). All nuts and seeds are good and even better if lightly roasted. Almonds, pine nuts, pecans and walnuts are considered the best and all nuts should ideally be fresh and eaten in moderation. All unsalted and unpasteurised milk products are considered sattvic in nature and especially good for convalescence from conditions of blood loss or wasting diseases.

[A recent and pioneering project -the Ahimsa charity (www.ashimsamilk.org) delivers direct to your door wholesome organic milk from cows and their calves that are protected for life.]

‘The cow is the past and the future. She nourishes the health of all entities, and she is the root of prosperity. The piety one achieves by feeding a cow is never destroyed .’( Gavopanishad , Text 2 compiled and published by :Gangagati Devi Dasi)

Ghee is the most favourable sattvicoil, other oils are sesame, coconut and olive oil.

(This section on Ayurvedic Health was compiled from Ayurvedic Healing – A Comprehensive Guide by David Frawley; pub Motilal Banarsidass,1989)

Ayurvedic Healing

The ancient Vedic scriptures present how we can gain control of the forces of life. ‘This not only creates health but also gives the basis for rejuvenation of the mind and the transformation of consciousness………’ (Ayurvedic Healing – A Comprehensive Guide by David Frawley; pub Motilal Banarsidass,1989)

The Ayurvedic system of health and healing is based on three primary life forces in the body called Doshas. Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The balance and imbalances within these forces determine the life forces of growth and decay, empowerment and disease. The Ayurvedic System for healing is based on the need to accommodate the levels of Vata, Pitta and Kapha energy in the body together with related external conditions such as seasons, climate, age and sex.

Ayurvedic treatments are made up of foods and minerals and most especially herbs. All treatments are related to the six categories of taste. However, it is not recommended that any of the six tastes are taken in a pure form because this can aggravate a person’s condition and cause excess damage to certain organs of the body. In the West we usually have an excess of the sweet and salty and too little of the other tastes. It is considered important to get all the six tastes every day within a healthy diet. This is considered especially important for children so that they become comfortable with all the different tastes and thereby grow up to embrace them within a healthy range of foods. Without this education some children may become averse to certain food tastes and establish excessive levels of avoidance. In India children are sometimes given herbal pills containing each of the six tastes so that they develop good health and strength. The required proportion of each of the six tastes varies according to the unique constitution of each individual person.

SWEET (love)	Sugars and starches	Tissue building and strengthening, it also harmonizes the mind
SALTY (greed)	Crystal salt and seaweed	In small amounts it stimulates digestion.
SOUR (envy)	Fermented foods and acid fruits	A stimulant that increases all tissue except that of the reproductive which it decreases.
PUNGENT (hatred)	Hot spices like cayenne pepper and ginger	Improves metabolism – promotes heat and digestion.
BITTER (grief)	Bitter herbs like goldseal and gentian	Blood purifying, cleansing and detoxifying. Increases lightness of the mind.
ASTRINGENT (fear)	Herbs containing tannins, alfalfa, red raspberry and witch hazel.	Stops bleeding and other excess discharges and promotes healing of the skin and mucus membranes.

A guide to the qualities of the Ayurvedic definition of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

Vata Air – (spaces) controls the other two forces	The life force. – Prana, the primal breath-	Conscious will – seen as intuitive and spontaneous movement. Action and determination	Responsible for all physical processes and it is therefore a primary factor in our health	Governs the sensory information and promotes mental balance and adaptability	Most increased by bitter taste and most decreased by salty taste.	Vata creates bone	Diseases are related to wasting away of the tissues and include most disorders within  nervous system and arthritis.	Pain and debility with a tendency towards decay.
Pitta Fire – (oil)	Light and warmth in the body and mind	Our capacity to perceive reality	Responsible for all the bodies metabolic activity, and the acid levels in the body. Also  physical digestion.	Governs  mental understanding and emotional processing	Most increased by sour taste and most decreased by bitter taste.	Pitta creates the blood	Diseases include infections, liver disorders, ulcers, boils and skin rashes. Characterised by an excess of acidity	Fever and burning sensations
Kapha Water – (earth)	Alkalises the body	Stabilises our emotions	Responsible for the way the physical body is maintained and all supportive aspects that hold things together.	Governs mental states of compassion and patience.	Most increased by sweet taste and most decreased by pungent taste	Kaphacreatesplasma, muscle, fat, marrow &reproductive tissues.	Kapha diseases are characterised primarily by phlegm, and normally affect the respiratory system.	Excessive mucus forming i.e. phlegm

‘Each one of us possesses all three doshas in our physical make up, Kapha makes up our flesh and our secretions, the water in our body. Pitta gives us warmth and the capacity to transform substances in the body, our fire. Vata governs our energies and activities, giving us our air.’ (Ayurvedic Healing by David Frawley,2000:29)

The Ayurvedic treatments are based on an assessment of what dosha are strongest in the individual and then a treatment is organised to raise the weakest dosha. The person’s bodily structure and appearance (examples are shown in the table below) combined with other key environmental influences such as where they live, culture, life style and climate.

Vata	Pitta	Kapha
Tall or short , thin; poorly developed physique	Medium build, moderately developed physique	Stout, stocky, short, big; well developed physique.
Low weight, hard to hold weight, prominent veins and bones.	Moderate weight, good muscles.	Heavy weight, tends towards obesity
Quick, fast, unsteady, erratic, hyperactive	Medium activity levels, motivated, purposeful, goal oriented.	Slow, steady and stately activity, with a good strong disposition.
Fear of cold, wind and sensitive to dryness.	Fear  of heat, dislike of sun, fire.	Fear of cold and  damp, likes wind and sun.
Earns and spends quickly and erratically	Spends on specific goals, causes or projects.	Holds on to what one earns, particularly property.
Sleeps light tends towards insomnia	Sleeps moderately well, may wake up, but will fall asleep again.	Heavy difficulty in waking up. (Compiled from Ayurvedic Healing by David Frawley,2000:31-34)

Modern day lifestyles, especially in the West, include many influences that disturb a person’s balance by adversely increasing Vata and overriding dietary influences that might otherwise help the balance of Vata energy. Examples include fast and competitive sports, radiations from Media equipment (TV and computers) and associated superficial information, disharmonious sound (environmental sound pollution), forceful repetitive practices, over stimulating entertainment, sexual indulgences and excessive changes in the social aspects of family life.

‘Most drugs derange vata, including both medicinal and recreational types, largely through their over-stimulation or disruption of the nerve function.’ (Ayurvedic Healing by David Frawley,2000:76)

Dietary foods that can help lower Vata energy in the body:-

Fruit and vegetables with cooked whole grains and oil and spices. Most oils are good. Many spices are good especially cumin, ginger and cayenne. Rock Salt is good for helping digestion. Most nuts and seeds especially when dry roasted with salt and spices. Dairy products except ice cream.

Mung beans and tofu again cooked with the spices. (Most beans and dried peas are not helpful)

Most natural sweeteners except all forms of processed cane sugar.

Dietary foods that can help lower Pitta energy in the body:-

Foods should generally have only gentle types of added flavouring, avoiding strong spices, and with minimal oil. Most raw fruits and fruit juices as well as lightly cooked fruits. Most vegetables raw or very lightly cooked and vegetable juices. Most whole grains. Dairy products that are unsalted and unfermented. Molasses is the only sweetener all other sweeteners are avoided especially all forms of processed cane sugar (which is considered a toxic food). Gentle spices such as coriander, cumin, fennel, mint, rosemary and turmeric. Hot Spices are best avoided. Mineral supplements and B vitamins can be especially helpful.

Dietary foods that can help lower Kapha energy in the body:-

Dried fruit and apples are good. Most vegetables are good lightly cooked with spices, but not potatoes, squash and tomatoes. Grains are limited to whole grains that are light and cooked gently, such as  barley,buckwheat, corn, millet, quinoa and rye. Breads are generally too heavy and should be avoided. Most beans are good except chickpeas. Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are good but most nuts and seeds are not so good. Sunflower oil, flax oil and corn oil are good, however, most oils are generally not good. Buttermilk is good but all other dairy products are best avoided. All spices are good, however, salt should be avoided. The only sweetener that is well tolerated is old honey.

Obviously everyone could potentially choose to eat the foods that would compliment imbalance in our dosha energies. For example, when a person’s Vata was notably too high, s/he would automatically be wanting to eat foods that lower Vata. However, it would seem that people find it much easier to identify and choose to eat those foods that will reflect the strong imbalances and thereby increase Vata energy. This phenomena is seen clearly in children and adults who are addicted to the very foods (or substances) that cause them the most disturbance and subsequent disruption to their energetic well-being and health. If everyone could correctly follow the Ayurvedic principles everyone would follow their own perfect diet for good health and happiness………!