Pain-Free Eating Basic Principles: 1. Eat fruit on an empty stomach 2.

Eat as much high-water content food (fresh fruits and vegetables) as possible 3. Properly combine your foods 4. Avoid animal products and processed foods 5. Maintain an alkaline pH (7.35 is ideal) Below is a more detailed explanation of each:

Principle 1. Fruit on an empty stomach only

Fruit is the most perfect food in existence. Its filled with essential nutrients, is a great energy source

and cleanses toxins from the body. It is truly natures candy and perhaps thats why so many people eat it as a dessert. Many people claim they cant eat fruit; that it doesnt agree with them. In most cases, they are wrongbecause its almost certain that the problem is not in eating fruit, but in when and how its eaten. Fruit is a food mainly made up of water and natural sugars. As such, it doesnt take much effort for our system to digest it. With the exception of more dense fruits (bananas, avocados and dried fruits), when fresh fruit is eaten, it passes right through the stomach and into the intestines where its digested. This is fine when your stomach is emptybut the problems arise when your stomach is full of other foods and is working to digest them and you toss fruit on top of them. At that point, the fruit wants to head to the intestines but its passage is blocked by the other food. So the fruit gets stuck sitting on top of those foods in the stomach and quickly starts to ferment and putrefy. And what happens at that point? You guessed itstomach aches, gas, bloating, diarrhea and cramps. And you head for the antacids. Bottom line: Eat fruit but eat it on an empty stomacheither (alone) for breakfast, as a snack (at least 3 hours after a properly combined meal) or as a first course of a meal, allowing at least 20-30 minutes for the fruit to pass through the stomach before other foods are eaten. Do this and Im confident youll see a big difference in how you feel fast, and will no longer believe that fruit doesnt agree with you. Plus, youll be getting nutrients that you havent gotten in years.

Principle 2. High water content foods

The old saying goes, You are what you eat. A new one should be, Eat what you are. Our bodies are comprised mainly of water as the percentages below illustrate: Lean muscle tissue is 75% water Blood is 90% water Bone is 22% water Saliva is 95% water Lymph is 94% water Lungs and brain are 80% water

Since the body is largely made up of water, it follows that it would need water to help keep it healthy and functioning properly. And Im not just referring to drinking water (although thats very important tooyou should always drink at least 5-8 cups of water each day). Im talking about eating foods that have a naturally high content of waterfresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables give your body the water it needs to help keep all your tissues moist and hydrated and play a crucial role in creating and maintaining health. First, all the nutrients and vitamins naturally occurring in fresh fruits and vegetables are carried to the intestines by the water in those fruits and vegetables, where they are absorbed and used by the body. Second, the same water that brought the nutrients in also carries wastes away from the body. Perfect! In addition, most fresh fruits and vegetables are alkaline foods, which will help your body achieve and maintain an alkaline pH. (Ill talk more about an alkaline pH in principle number 5.)
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Fruits and vegetables in a pill? Many people may say, I dont really like fresh fruits and vegetables. Cant I just take a multivitamin? Well, lets look at that. If someone wants to take a pill to get their vitamins and minerals, my first question is, Then what ARE they putting into their mouths at meal time? Sorry, but eating cupcakes, candy bars or chips, McDonalds, Burger King or KFC and feeling justified to do so because you took your multi-vitamin that morning just doesnt cut it. Heres why: First of all, any benefit your body could realize from the pill-induced nutrients is quickly being undermined by the completely-devoid-of-nutritional-value junk you just ingested. The acid created from that non-food destroys the nutrients from the vitamins. Or, the minerals from the supplements are used by the body to neutralize the acid formed from your food. Either way, you are not moving toward a state of health. You are moving backward. (More on processed foods in principle number 4.) Secondly, youre totally lacking the benefit of the water from fruits and vegetables to help carry away the wastes that are created from the junk food you ate today and yesterday and the day before. Getting those high water content foods into your meals Its important to point out that the less you cook your vegetables, the better. Cooking for long periods of time and/or in large amounts of water will lessen or even destroy the nutrients in the vegetables and decreases the natural water content. So when cooking vegetables, strive to lightly steam or saut them until they are just crisp-tender. This will make them more appealing to the average person than plain raw vegetables while still preserving their value to the body. The same and more can be said for fruit. Cooking fruit not only decreases its nutritional value to the bodyit also makes it highly acidic and likely to ferment in the stomach, causing gas, pain, bloating, indigestion and diarrhea. Aside from perhaps a rare indulgence of apple or blueberry pie, strive not to cook your fruit in any way. And remember, never eat any kind of fruit (cooked or raw) immediately after any other food or you will pay a heavy price. Another question may be, OK, so what do I need to do now? Eat like a rabbitraw vegetables and fruit morning, noon and night? Of course not. The idea is not to turn you into a rabbit but encourage you to incorporate increasing amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables into your meals each day, until they represent a high percentage (at least half and preferably 70%) of what you eat. That leaves a lot of space for all the foods you love. This is a lot easier than it sounds. Simple suggestions for getting more high water content food into your day: 1. Instead of chips with your lunch, have carrot sticks or cucumber slices 2. If youre still hungry at the end of dinner, have seconds on tossed salad instead of anything else 3. Make sure to have a raw veggie tray at all parties and get-togethers 4. If the kids are hungry after school, give them fresh fruit instead of cookies, chips or other non-foods 5. Add diced celery, cucumbers, onions and peppers to tuna or egg salad
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6. Stir some lightly steamed or sauted broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage into your favorite soup 7. Bring bags of veggie dippers (cut-up broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, radishes, peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms) to work to nibble on instead of answering the call of the vending machine 8. Offer a fresh fruit cup as a first course at dinner (never after dinner) 9. Turn plain spaghetti with tomato sauce into special primavera by sauting some of your favorite vegetables and stirring them in 10. For a light, healthy and great tasting breakfast, throw together a collection of all of your favorite fresh fruits, instead of the usual cereal, toast, eggs, etc. No matter where youre starting from, incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables into your meals will be beneficial. If you are already someone who eats a fairly high amount of fruits and vegetables, I commend you. If you occasionally (and maybe reluctantly) eat some fresh fruits and vegetables and are trying to eat better, I applaud you and encourage you to keep on that track.

If you are the person described above who wants your only source of vitamins to come from a pill or a powder, the next several paragraphs are just for you: Your body is mainly water. It needs water to keep it working properly. It needs nutrients to stay strong and healthy. It must get rid of wastes without working hard to do it. Stop looking for a magic pill that will serve as justification for you eating chemical potions created in labs designed by taste engineers to taste unbelievably good on your tongue. Garbage in, garbage out applies to your body as well as computers. If you exist mainly on nutritionally devoid, chemical-laden junk, dont expect to look good, feel good or have much energy for anything besides being a couch potato. And dont expect to see your toes for much longer, if you still can at this point. You need to stop complaining about being sick and gulping drugs for stomach problems, aches and pains and high cholesterol (among other things) that can be completely eliminated (or drastically improved) by properly combined healthy meals. I pray youre not there already, but if you suffer from a tragic disease like cancer, heart disease, arthritis or diabetes, know this: Your diet plays a MAJOR role in the development and severity of those diseases! Dont expect to ever hear that from a doctor, because most doctors are not educated in prevention of disease or preservation of healththey are disease-oriented. Sadly, very few doctors Ive encountered have ever spoken to me about changes in eating habits to cure or prevent illness. The vast majority are too eager, however, to write prescriptions once illness occurs. Its the band-aid approachnever mind the cause; lets just mask the symptoms. And if one pill doesnt work, theres always another one to try, thanks to the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical marketing machine. Here are some cold hard facts:
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Cancer cannot exist in a clean environment. It can only survive in a toxic environment. Know what makes you toxic? Wastes that have not been eliminated from the body. (Remember that fruits and vegetables help to eliminate wastes.) The number one killer in America is cardiovascular disease. Most heart and blood vessel-related conditions (including atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high triglycerides) are directly linked to peoples diets. High fat, low fiber diets cause the development of fatty deposits in your blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure, stroke and coronary heart disease. A low-fat, high fiber diet (fruits and vegetables, again) exponentially decreases the risk of heart-related problems. Uric acid is one of the most potent poisons in existence, and high protein foods (specifically animal productsMore on those later) are a major source of uric acid. Know what happens when uric acid settles in your joints? Its called arthritis. Uric acid is nowhere to be found in fruits and vegetablesit doesnt exist there. Even the US government is getting on board. The government publication, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, has given its stamp of approval to a vegetarian style diet, and acknowledged that a healthful diet can reduce the risk of developing diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. Bottom line: Your body needs to be fed with high water content foods. You absolutely cannot be healthy and free of disease without them.

Principle 3. Combine your foods for easy, complete digestion

You may or may not have heard of correct food combination. Even though its been around since 1911, I continue to be surprised at the large number of people that have never heard of it. Ill start with a brief history lesson: The birth of food combining Food combining as we know it today was originated by Dr. William Howard Hay, a New York physician. After graduating from NYU Medical College in 1891, Dr. Hay spent 16 years specializing in surgery. He then developed an often-fatal kidney condition called Brights disease, and after having no success with traditional medicine, he set out to find alternative methods to cure himself of the disease. He came up with the idea of food combining, which concerns itself with eating in such a way to be in harmony with the physiological manner in which different foods are digested by the human body that is, certain foods require an acid digestive enzyme, other foods require an alkaline environment. So the two should not be mixed if fast, efficient digestion is to be achieved. Dr. Hay cured his Brights disease with this manner of eating (now called The Dr. Hay Diet, or just The Hay Diet) and went on to become a famous author and lecturer. The concept of food combining (or similar derivatives) has since been touted by countless health9

oriented individuals including: Anthony Robbins, professional speaker, life coach and author, Unlimited Power, Awaken the Giant Within Suzanne Somers, actress and author, Ageless; The Sexy Years; Slim and Sexy Forever Dr. Herbert N. Shelton, author, An Introduction to Natural Hygiene; Food Combining Made Easy Marilu Henner, actress (Taxi) and author, The Total Health Makeover Dr. Stanley Bass, author, Ideal Health Through Sequential Eating (Perfection in Food Combining) Harvey Diamond and Marilyn Diamond, co-authors, Fit For Life and Fit For Life II Steve Myerowitz, author, Food Combining and Digestion, 101 Ways to Improve Digestion And I would like to add one more name onto that list: Sherry Brescia. Yes, these are the principles of eating that completely changed my life. They took me from a hopeless young woman plagued with daily stomach agony, excruciating migraine headaches and severe allergies to a healthy, medication-free, vibrant individual who maintains a perfect, slim bodyweight (size 2 at age 46). Proper Food Combining - Basic Principles Our bodies digest different foods in different ways: Fresh (non-starchy) vegetables, since they are largely comprised of water, are a more neutral food and pass through the stomach quickly with little or no digestive enzymes necessary Starchy foods require an alkaline digestive enzyme, which starts in the mouth with the enzyme ptyalin and continues in the stomach and small intestine Protein foods are digested by acid; specifically, hydrochloric acid and pepsin secreted by the stomach When an acid and alkaline are mixed together in a lab beaker, they neutralize each other. Same thing goes for your stomachwhen acid and alkaline digestive enzymes are mixed together in your stomach, they neutralize each other and as a result, proper digestion is greatly impaired or completely stopped. With no working digestive enzymes to break it down, all that undigested food sits there for six, seven, eight and even 14 hours or more in your stomach and ferments, rots and putrefies until its literally forced into the small intestine (by your next meal). And whats the result? You guessed itgas, heartburn, cramps, bloating, diarrhea, flatulence, you-name-it. Plus, since digestion requires a great deal of bodily energy, while your stomach is frantically trying to digest all that food, youre trying to find a place to take a nap. If you doubt what Im saying, just think about how you felt after last Thanksgivings dinner. Id be willing to bet your stomach felt like you had swallowed a boulder and you had little energy to do anything else besides lounge on the couch watching football and fighting sleep. Its estimated that nearly 30% of Americans take antacids on a regular basis. That means nearly 1/3 of people in this country have to take stomach medicine frequently; many need it every time they eat! Isnt it obvious that there is something terribly wrong with this picture? The human body was designed to digest food with no problem. It is not supposed to be in pain simply from eating! Heres whats wrong:
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CONCENTRATED PROTEINS AND STARCHES CANNOT DIGEST EFFICIENTLY IN THE STOMACH AT THE SAME TIME.
Yet our typical American diet consistently includes such combinations. For example, how often do you eat: Chicken and rice Hamburger and fries Spaghetti and meatballs Fish and rice Steak and a baked potato Pork chops and fried potatoes Turkey and stuffing Roast beef and mashed potatoes Pot roast and noodles Corned beef and boiled potatoes Eggs and toast Meat sandwiches (beef, chicken, ham, turkey, fish) Ham and scalloped potatoes I have bad news and good news for you: The bad news is that EVERY ONE of those meals is mis-combineda concentrated protein and starch combination. A recipe for digestive disaster and pain. The good news is that now that you know this, you can adjust your eating habits in order to boost your energy, speed your digestion, normalize your weight, and improve your health in every way. Now you may be saying, But those are my favorite meals! Yes, they were mine too. And at the same time, I walked around with a bloated, painful stomach everyday, many times to the point where I would have to loosen my pants or skirt because they were so tight because of the bloating, and made countless trips to the ladies room, doubled over with cramps. The day I stopped mis-combining my meals (September 19, 1992) was my last day of stomach agony. And believe me, with how phenomenally fantastic and pain-free I feel now (and have felt for the last 16 years), I happily say no to those favorite meals of the pastin fact, Im more than a bit repulsed by them, just thinking about how horribly they made me feel. Some of you may be saying, I eat those things all the time and dont have any stomach pain. Its entirely possible that you may be that lucky. However, youre not really lucky because chances are youre suffering in other ways and dont even realize it. All of these symptoms can be the result of inefficient digestion: Headaches Tiredness/chronic fatigue Frequent colds Runny nose Skin break-outs Back aches
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Or, worse yet, your body may be quietly manifesting a more chronic disease like I mentioned earlier. I certainly hope not, and its not a pleasant thought, but I really cant stress enough the importance of a healthy diet and keeping the body clean (from the inside) and working efficiently.

Yes, you can The GOOD NEWS is this: You can enjoy truly delicious meals every single day that are properly combined! Thats the reason I created this systemto provide you with scrumptious, mouthwatering, easy recipes and spell right out for you what to combine with what. The work is all done for you and all you do is reap the benefits (both on your taste buds and in your body). Even beyond the recipes in Great Taste No Pain, proper combining is far easier than you may think. You dont have to give up all the foods you loveyou just have to be more discerning about when you eat them and what you eat them with. For instance: If youre a steak lover, and refuse to give it up (no matter how much pain it causes), just have your steak with some (non-starchy) vegetables and a salad instead of adding the starch with it. If its chicken you crave, great! Like steak, have it with some non-starchy vegetables and a salad. On Thanksgiving Day, have all the turkey your heart desires. Just skip the mashed potatoes and stuffing. (Have some of those as a snack later on or for lunch the next day.) If youre a pasta lover, eat it with a nice (meatless) tomato sauce and skip the meatballs and sausage. (Theres a recipe in the GTNP recipe book for what has been called the most outstanding spaghetti sauce on Earth. Believe me; youve never had anything like it!) On St. Patricks Day, have your corned beef and cabbage dinner. Just skip the boiled potatoes. If you love your eggs for breakfast, have a nice scrambled egg omelet with assorted (nonstarchy) sauted vegetables and skip the toast. If you use a tasty variety of vegetables in your eggs (we like onions, broccoli, mushrooms, red peppers, olives and garlic), you wont miss the bread.

Once you get accustomed to eating this way, youll see for yourself how easy it is, even in restaurants. The only flesh food we eat is fish, and when we dine out, the typical side dish offerings with fish are rice, mashed potatoes and fries. I simply ask for extra vegetables instead, and I have yet to have a restaurant tell me no. And if they dont have a fresh vegetable option on the menu that night, the restaurants have always been accommodating and offered a roasted pepper appetizer or extra tossed salad instead.

To assist you with proper food combination, I have devised the chart below to help you learn what goes with what. Column A lists the neutral high water-content vegetables that go with everything Column B lists the starches Column C lists the concentrated proteins
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The simple rules to keep in mind are this (corny, I know, but it helps you remember): A + B = Abdominal Bliss A + C = Abdominal Comfort B + C = Bloating and Cramps (and Sickness and Disease)!

A
High Water Content Vegetables

B
Starches

C
Concentrated Proteins

Artichokes Asparagus Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Green beans Herbs, fresh Leafy greens (all types) Lettuce (all types) Mushrooms Okra Onions Parsley Peppers Radishes Rhubarb Spinach Sprouts (all types) Summer squash--green & yellow Tomatoes Yellow squash Zucchini

Acorn squash Alcohol (beer/wine/hard liquor) Avocado Bagels Beans (all except green) Beets Black beans Breads/Rolls (all varieties) Bulgur wheat Butternut squash Carrots Chips (all types) Chick peas Corn and Corn meal Crackers Grains (all types) Great Northern beans Kasha Kidney beans Legumes Lentils (red and green) Lima beans Macaroni Navy beans Olives (all types) Parsnips Pasta (all types) Peas and pea pods Pinto beans Polenta Potatoes (all types) Quinoa Rice (all types) Rice cakes Rutabaga Stuffing Sweet potatoes Turnips Water chestnuts Winter squash (all types) Yams

Beef Cheese Chicken Cold cuts Dairy products Duck Eggs Fish Ham Hot dogs Nuts (all types) Pork Rabbit Seeds (all types) Sausage Seafood Shellfish Turkey Veal Venison Wild game

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Plant Proteins Just like with everything else, there are exceptions to the protein/starch rules. For instance, tofu, a product derived from soybeans, is technically a protein, but its alkaline and not acid. Therefore, it digests fine with starches and, of course, high water content vegetables. The same can be said for other soy protein products (veggie burgers, tempeh, textured vegetable protein) and these other plant proteinsthey can all be combined with starches if desired: 1. SeedsSesame, fennell, flax, caraway, sunflower, pumpkin, celery, quinoa 2. NutsRAW (never roasted) almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and cashews. Nut butters are OK too, as long as they are made from fresh (not roasted) nuts organic nut butters are the best choice. Natures Mis-Combinations Mother Nature herself has even designed some mis-combinationsfoods that are both protein and starch. These include peanuts, lentils, olives, navy beans, black beans, green peas, kidney beans, garbanzo beans (chick peas) and lima beans.* But theyre different because your stomach treats them as one food. It simply digests the starch first and then the protein. This is vastly different than eating two different foods, one of which is a concentrated protein and the other a starch (like a steak and baked potato). * Each of these foods has been categorized in the food chart above according which is more predominant in that particular foodstarch or protein.

Minor mis-combinationsNon-flesh proteins with a starch Perfectly combining all of your foods is the IDEAL way to eat. But we are human, after all. There are times when we may wish to stretch the rules a bit, or indulge on a special occasion such as a birthday or holiday. My rule of thumb is this: As long as thats the exception and not the norm, you will be far healthier than if you never made a single modification to your diet. Although I properly combine 99% of my meals, I do occasionally partake in what I call less offensive mis-combinations. For example, once in a while I will eat a starch and a non-flesh protein: Pizza with a small amount of cheese A slice of whole-grain bread with a salad that has been sprinkled with grated cheese A baked potato with a dollop of sour cream Pasta with a sprinkling of grated cheese Pancakes (made with flour and egg) Generally speaking, minor mis-combinations that include non-flesh proteins (such as a sprinkling of cheese or a spoonful of dairy) mixed with starch are FAR less offensive to the stomach than if you were to go all-out and combine a concentrated flesh protein entree (meat, poultry or fish) with a starch side dish (rice, noodles, pasta, potatoes, bread).
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The reason is that non-flesh proteins dont require quite the concentration of acid for digestion that flesh proteins do. Plus when they are used as more of a condiment, there is less of it for the body to try to digest in the first place. However, remember that its still mis-combiningand mis-combining MUST be kept to a minimum if you want to eliminate your digestive difficulties, boost your healing energy. If you have really severe digestive symptoms as youre starting this program, be diligent about properly combining your meals until your system has a chance to cleanse itself, recover and get into an alkaline state (at least 2-3 months). Once your body is healthier and more alkaline (Ill explain more about that in principle number 5), then you can see if that occasional slice of pizza or sour cream on your potato will cause you distress. Everyone is different. If you do have a non-flesh protein and a starch, have some high water content foods with it to make it less harmful. For example, if youre having pizza, have a tossed salad with it. And remember: It is NEVER OK to have a flesh protein and a starch or you will have pain! Guidelines for desserts Ah, desserts. People do love their sweets. Unfortunately most desserts and sweet breads by their very nature are mis-combined and/or very acid-forming. Most everyone, including yours truly, enjoys a dessert now and then. And once youve been eating the Great Taste No Pain way and have gotten into a more healthy alkaline state, you can indulge in an occasional dessert and your body will bounce back much easier from it. Desserts should be eaten under the following guidelines: 1. Have dessert only on a rare or special occasion (a birthday, holiday or anniversary)once per month or less. 2. Choose your dessert to combine properly with the meal you just ate. 3. Have a small serving or share it with someone. 4. Wait as long as possible (at least 3 hours or more) after a properly combined meal to have your dessert. 5. Make sure your next two meals are at least 50% high water content foods to help cleanse your system. There are some scrumptious dessert and breakfast bread recipes in the Great Taste No Pain recipe book. Just be sure to follow the rules above or you will suffer. Beverages Far and away, the greatest beverage on Earth is water. Its alkaline, it cleanses the body, gives it much needed moisture and helps carry away wastes. You should strive to drink at least 5-8 cups of water each day. Note that you should not have a large drink (no more than 8 oz. of any beverage) with a meal; otherwise, youll dilute your stomach enzymes and impair proper digestion. Below is a chart that will guide you on when and how to drink a variety of beverages:
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Beverage Beer

Acid or alkaline Comments Highly acid Limit intake; if drinking with meals, don't combine with a protein meal Highly acid Acid Alkaline Avoid as much as possible; do not drink with meals Avoid as much as possible; do not drink with meals Don't drink with meals or within 3 hours after a meal; drink only on an empty stomach or when eating other fruits-nothing else. Drink freely; OK to drink with meals Avoid as much as possible; do not drink with meals Limit intake; if drinking with meals, don't combine with a protein meal Drink freely; OK to drink with meals Avoid as much as possible; do not drink with meals Drink freely; OK to drink with meals Limit intake; OK to drink with meals Avoid as much as possible; do not drink with meals Avoid as much as possible; do not drink with meals Avoid as much as possible; do not drink with meals

Coffee Juice, fruit (canned or bottled) Juice, fruit (fresh)

Juice, vegetable (fresh) Juice, vegetable (canned or bottled) Liquor

Alkaline Acid Highly acid

Milk, almond Milk, cow's, all types Milk, rice Milk, soy Seltzer water, club soda Soda (diet or regular)

Alkaline Highly acid Slightly acid Acid Acid Highly acid

Sports drinks Acid (Includes Gatorade, PowerAde, Vitamin Water, G2, Wellness water, Red Bull and similar beverages) Tea, black Acid Tea, herbal Water (purified, filtered or bottled) Water, tap Wine Alkaline Alkaline Acid Acid

Avoid as much as possible; do not drink with meals Drink freely; OK to drink with meals Drink freely; OK to drink with meals Avoid as much as possible unless you can filter it Limit intake; if drinking with meals, don't combine with a protein meal

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Other properly combined food ideas So far, Ive touched on a few examples of how you can still enjoy the foods you love and adhere to proper food combining principles. There are also other common mis-combinations that deserve mentioning as well, along with delicious, more easily digested alternatives. For example: Milk and cereal for breakfast: Simply change the cows milk to something that combines well with starch (such as rice milk, almond milk or soy milk) and youre in business. Soy milk is a vegetable protein, so it digests fine with cereals. Meat, tuna, egg or cold-cut sandwiches: Theres no getting around it. Most of the traditional sandwiches you are used to are MAJOR mis-combinations that contribute massively to many peoples digestive problems. One alternative is to use cucumber slices, pepper strips or celery sticks as scoops for your tuna or egg salad instead of putting it on bread if you want to be pain-free, that is. If you must have a sandwich, most sandwich shops have vegetable subs and sandwiches. With the right condiments, they are super delicious. Some tasty sandwich combinations to try at home are Sliced avocado, lettuce and tomato with mayonnaise Lettuce, tomato and cucumber with Italian dressing and mayonnaise Sliced tomato, onion and alfalfa sprouts with Dijon mustard and mayonnaise Sauted sliced (or whole) Portobello mushroom caps and onions with mayonnaise Substitute meat sandwiches with soy-based vegetarian cold cuts (available at health food stores and some supermarkets) Caesar or Greek salad in a whole-wheat pita pocket

No matter what you do, strive to stay away from white bread. It is a literal poison. Instead, use whole grain, whole wheat, oat bran or spelt bread (spelt bread is gluten-free). Once you start experimenting with properly combined meals and see how much better you feel, especially in the afternoon (youll probably stop feeling your 2:00 pm lull where you need a cup of coffee to keep going), those old favorite sandwiches of the past wont seem so great anymore. Kids lunches Kids are another story. The lunches served in most schools are horribly mis-combined and highly processed. Take the time to make your children a healthy lunch from home and get them started on good eating habits for life. Arent your kids worth a couple minutes? Here are some suggestions: A thermos full of any of the following: Homemade soup Homemade stew or chili Pasta with marinara sauce Mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, butter or Earth Balance Sandwiches: Sliced avocado with lettuce on whole wheat
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Cucumber with lettuce and tomato on whole grain Tomato with lettuce and mayonnaise on spelt bread Organic peanut butter on whole grain bread Hummus in a whole wheat pita Caesar salad in a whole grain pita

Other suggestions: Tuna salad or egg salad with veggie dippers (sliced cucumbers, celery sticks, pepper strips, etc.) instead of bread Veggie dippers and organic peanut butter or almond butter Bean burrito on a tortilla with lettuce, olives, tomatoes and salsa Tossed salad with whole grain or brown rice crackers Your children might cry foul at first, especially if theyre used to the highly processed, chemicalized, poorly combined foods at school. But keep them on course. You are the boss. Be the parent, not the buddy that gives in to whining. Their health is at stake. Eventually theyll come to love what theyre eating and how great it makes them feel.

Principle 4. Avoid animal products and processed foods

The Physiological Connection All animals in the wild eat what they were biologically designed to eat, the way they were designed to eat it. For example: Horses eat hay, carrots, grains and apples Lions eat meat (zebra, giraffe, buffalo, gazelle and impala, to name a few) Whales ingest fish, marine mammals and squid Cows eat grass and hay Rabbits eat hay and vegetables Tigers eat meat (their favorites are deer and wild boar) Squirrels eat nuts, fruits, flowers and plant buds Sharks eat meatfish, crustaceans, mollusks, marine mammals and other (smaller) sharks and the occasional human. Each animal was designed by nature to properly digest the type of food they eat. For instance, the meat eaters above (lions, tigers and 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 theyve eaten. The plant and grain eaters, on the other hand, have more squaredoff teeth for grinding their food, and their digestive tracts are longer (8 to 12 times the length of their torso) to allow for the proper digestion and absorption of nutrients from plants. We are the only species in the animal kingdom that doesnt eat what we were designed by nature to be able to digest. Nice to know a squirrel or a rabbit is smarter in some ways than a human, huh? Well, in this respect, they are. Heres what I mean. Take a look at your teeth. Unless youre a vampire, you dont have fangsyour teeth are more squared-offdesigned for grinding plants and grains. Our saliva is not like that of a flesh eater
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ours has an enzyme that is for digestion of complex carbohydrates and plants. Flesh eaters dont even have this enzyme. Our digestive tract is approximately 30 feet longagain, designed for the digestion and absorption of nutrients from plants. Like it or not, our physiology tells us that were made to eat mostly plants. You cant argue with mother nature.

Animal Products and Disease There are countless studies to document the relationship between consumption of animal products (to include all meats, poultry, fish, milk, dairy products and animal fats) and the development of disease and obesity. High cholesterol is touted as one of the primary disease-causing factors. An interesting point, however, is that cholesterol does not exist in plants. It is only found in the tissues of animals. Moreover, plant foods are naturally high in fiber and low in fat, which are the most common characteristics suggested as necessary for a healthy diet. Animal products are high in fat and low in fiberthe exact opposite of what is considered healthy by many authorities. For example, here are excerpts about what is considered a healthy diet from various authoritative websites, with my comments added and italicized in parenthesis: American Heart Association: Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Choose foods like vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products most often. (Animal products are very high in fat, high in cholesterol and low in fiber.) Center for Science in the Public Interest: A diet based more on plant-based foods than meats and dairy can lead to extra years of healthy living. This very same diet reduces environmental damage and farm animal suffering. World Health Organization: Specific recommendations for a healthy diet include: cutting down on salt, sugar and fat; eating more fruit, vegetables, nuts and grains; and substituting unsaturated vegetable oils for saturated animal fats. American Cancer Society: In the majority of population studies, greater consumption of vegetables and fruits has been linked to a lower risk of lung, oral, esophageal, stomach and colon cancer. (They just included most of the digestive tract there. Are you beginning to see the connection?) National Institute of Health: Compared with the many people who consume a dietary pattern with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancers in certain sites (oral cavity and pharynx, larynx, lung, esophagus, stomach, and colonrectum). Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. (Nowhere is any type of flesh food listed in their key recommendations for a healthy diet.) Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention: Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The more plant-based foods you get, the better. Minimize red meat. You cant deny itthe data is compelling. Not only were we not physiologically designed to eat flesh foods, but even a wide range of authorities cannot refute the health benefits of a largely plantbased diet and the dangers of a flesh-based diet. The specific diseases and illnesses that have been linked to the high fat and high cholesterol content of animal products include:
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

High blood cholesterol Arthritis Osteoporosis Gallstones Heart disease High blood pressure (hypertension) Cancer Diabetes

I must stress that its not my objective here to turn you into a vegetarian. My family and I are mostly vegetarianthat is, we do occasionally eat fish, chicken, eggs and cheese. My objective is to make you aware of the dangers of animal products so that you can strive to minimize how much of them you eat, and to educate you on how to properly combine them with other foods so as to avoid discomfort and disease and to boost nerve energy.

Processed Foods Perhaps the single most harmful and insulting attack on human health has come from processed foods. Note that I placed the word foods in quotation marks, because food is the farthest thing in the world that these products actually represent. Simply put, processed foods are anything in a jar, box, can or bag with hard to pronounce ingredients. Many have an indefinite shelf life in your pantry. They dont spoil within a few days of your buying them, like real food does. Processed foods start out with real food ingredientsbut then those ingredients are completely violated and destroyed through one or more processesheating, bleaching, drying, fragmenting, freeze drying, evaporating, etc.until they in no way resemble the real food they started out as. Then various chemicals are added (over a billion pounds of chemicals are added to processed foods in America each year!) that serve a variety of purposescoloring, preservatives, artificial flavors, appearance enhancers, texture modifiers, plus some good old vitamins and nutrients since the original ones in the food have been processed out. Eye-catching packaging and creative advertising complete the process, and voilaTasty boxes and bags of so-called foods that we buy by the boatload week in and week out. Targets of the food giants Kids are sold on sugar-laden cereals, fruit snacks (or fruit-flavored rubber bands, as I call them), sports drinks, packaged cookies, snack cakes, chips and soft drinks after seeing their favorite sports hero or cartoon character smiling on the box or bottle. The commercials are expertly crafted to show young people having the time of their life as they eat or drink the product. The slogan or jingle is masterfully written so its fun and easy to remember. And if thats not enough, there may be a free prize enclosed in the box, with the company telling kids to Collect All 4! Kids arent the only ones who are targets of processed food companies. How about us working moms who have to do it allwork full time, raise kids, do laundry, cooking, housework, and taxi kids to
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soccer, karate or dance lessons. The convenience of a processed food meal for dinner tonight is very tempting, especially when youre exhausted after a very long day. After all, why take the time to wash, slice, dice and cook fresh food when you can open a can, dump it into a bowl, pop it in the microwave and hit 10 minutes on power 5? Dinner is served! Harmful affects of processed foods My dear new friend, please know this: These chemical creations provide no benefit to your body whatsoever. Even if the box says the contents are healthy, it is not. On the contrary, not only are they not healthy, theyre harmful: No nutrients They provide no usable naturally occurring nutrients; they use up loads of digestive energy, and then basically turn to nothing but waste. No water They contain no water to transport nutrients or carry away wastes from the body. Instead, they add to the waste pile, making you more toxic! Hungry again and again The bodys hunger feeling is triggered by a need for nutrients from real foodnot just something to occupy space in the stomach. Since processed foods dont nourish you, even though your stomach may be physically full, the body thinks it still needs more food because it hasnt gotten nourished from what is in the stomach. Thats why you can polish off an entire family-size bag of your favorite snack chips then feel hungry again an hour later. And if all you keep eating is more processed foods, the vicious cycle will continue youll feel hungry, then eat more, then feel hungry again, then eat more, etc. Youll consume nothing but empty calories, youll feel lousy because youre undernourished and toxic, your waistline will grow and so will the bottom lines of the processed food manufacturers financial statements. Weve had people tell us that theyve lost 30-40 lbs in two months just by cutting out processed foods! Do yourself a favorspend the majority of your time in the grocery store in the outer perimeter where the real, fresh foods are locatedthe produce section and meat/fish counter. Fast food = processed food Dont be fooled by fast foodstheyre just as processed and infused with chemicals as the packaged stuff on the grocery store shelves. Plus the meals from those places are loaded with fats, sugars and are typically mis-combined to boot. If you doubt what Im saying and think that those trips you make through the drive-thru arent that bad, go to the video store, rent Supersize Me and watch it just once. It will change your life.

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Hydrogenated Oils A discussion of processed foods wouldnt be complete without mentioning hydrogenated oils. The processed food manufacturers have even gotten their hands into the fats we usethrough the process of hydrogenation. Simply put, it means adding hydrogen bubbles to an oil to make it solidify. Margarine and vegetable shortening are examples of hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (in other words, totally saturated fats) actually cause increases in blood cholesterol! (Which, of course, contributes to heart disease and other illnesses, as I mentioned earlier.) Be very wary. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils are found in a multitude of products, especially inyou guessed itprocessed foods. Take a close look at the ingredients label on anything in your pantry thats in a jar, box or bagId be willing to bet that it contains these oils. Theyre also in most cookies, cakes and sweet goods from your local bakery, since bakeries typically use traditional vegetable shortening. Good fats vs. bad fats Our bodies do need fats to thrive, but its important to know the difference between good fats and bad fats. Bad fats are any fat that is hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated or animal based (lard or salt pork). Good fats include real butter in moderation (not the light alternative), olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil. There is also a product brand called Earth Balance which makes butter and shortening substitutes from healthy oils (without hydrogenation) and theyre simply delicious. In addition to using them on bread or toast, I use them all the time in my cooking, as well as my occasional baking--including cakes, frosting, Christmas cookies and pie crusts, and the results are outstanding.

Principle 5. Maintain an alkaline pH (7.35 is ideal)

Most people have heard about the importance of maintaining a proper acid-alkaline balance in their bodies, but aren't exactly sure of why or how to do it. Here is a very brief explanation of what pH is and the importance of making sure yours is alkaline: pH (potential of hydrogen) is the measure of hydrogen ions present in a solution. In non-biochemist terms, that means how acid or alkaline something is on a scale of 0 to 14. 0 is extremely acid, 14 is extremely alkaline and 7 is neutral. Our blood naturally has a pH of 7.365--slightly alkaline. And since blood is our "life force" nourishing all of our organs and tissues, it's crucial to maintain its alkaline pH. What affects our pH Our pH is primarily the result of the food we eat. Other factors like stress and exercise can affect pH, but far and away the biggest factor affecting pH is our diet.

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Problem is the processed and chemical nature of the diets of most people today means that they are inundated with acid. In short, most of what the typical person eats is very acidic and should never ever be put into their bodies. But it is anyway. (See principle number 4 above on processed foods.) The other food-related problem is that most people mis-combine their foods and create even more acid in the body. When your body is too acidic, it breaks down. Your organs can't function like they should or at all. Aches and pains crop up and worsen. Diseases of all kinds and tumors can flourish. Benign tumors become malignant. Premature aging accelerates. Excess weight and obesity can result. And chances are, you'll die many years too soon. The human body is a brilliant machine. It knows when the blood circulating through its veins is too acidic. It's then that it puts its "emergency anti-acid defenses" into place in an attempt to alkalize the blood. The two anti-acid defenses the body has are: 1-- expelling it and 2-- neutralizing it Expelling acid Acid is expelled in the urine with the help of the kidneys. The kidneys filter out acid from the blood and dump it into the urine. (So it follows that people whose blood is chronically acidic are putting a tremendous strain on their kidneys.) Acid is also expelled through the lungs when we exhale carbon dioxide. That's why it's important to breathe deeply (and get breathing heavier with exercise)something that few people do on a regular basis, if at all. Neutralizing acid On the neutralizing side, your body neutralizes acid by dumping minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium into the bloodstream. It gets the acid neutralizing minerals from your bones and muscles. That means if you're even a little too acidic, little by little, your body is sapping calcium from your bones, and you're becoming a candidate for osteoporosis, arthritis and other bone and joint problems. So don't be fooled into thinking that calcium supplements are your ticket. Because if you don't change what's creating all that acid to begin withyour dietthat calcium is just getting filtered through the kidneys and excreted in the urine. (Can you say 'kidney stones?') 3 steps to maintaining an alkaline pH The good news is that a perfect alkaline pH (about 7.35) is pretty easy to achieve and maintain. There are just 3 key steps:
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1- Check your pH regularly You can get a saliva test or urine test kit at most drug stores or health food stores--the saliva test is the least accurate and urine is slightly more accurate. You can also have your blood tested by a doctor-this is the most accurate but also the most expensive. If you want this done and your doctor won't do it, find one who will. 2- Drink lots of pure water. Aim for at least 5-8 cups per day. Stir in a little fresh-squeezed lemon juice to make it more alkaline. Water does NOT include coffee, tea, Gator-Aid, soda, sports drinks or other sweetened beverages. Water means water. And if it makes you have to urinate more often, so what? Its healthy. 3- Eat a diet of at least 70% alkaline foods and properly combine all of your meals. There is a separate guide in your Great Taste No Pain system called Foods That Create Acid and Foods That Take It Away." This guide shows you exactly which foods are acid and which are alkaline, so there's no wondering. It also lists various illnesses and diseases that are caused or worsened by an acid pH. And you learned how to properly combine your foods (including eating fruit correctly) in principles 1 and 3 above.

Other helpful hints Recommended Product Brands and Types: Barbaras Bakery line of baked foods (natural, healthier overall than name-brands) Barilla multi-grain pasta Boca Burgers and Boca Sausages (Italian and Kielbasa) Brown eggs, organic, cage-free Celtic salt Earth Balance (butter, whipped butter, shortening) Emerils Seasoning Blends Garden of Eatin snack chips Himilayan salt Morningstar Farms vegetarian products (burger crumbles, burgers, chicken nuggets) Newmans Own (variety of products, including salad dressings) Old Bay Seasoning Rapunzel Vegetarian Vegetable Bullion Sea Salt Sugar in the Raw natural raw sugar Westbrae/Westsoy Rice beverages Rice Pasta

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Recommended Cookware: 1. Cast ironBEST 2. Stainless Steel (such as Farberware) STAY AWAY FROM: Any kind of cookware with a stick-free or no-stick coating. These products release toxic chemicals when heated to high temperatures, which you, in turn, breathe in and eat in your food. Aluminum is also harmful as it has been associated with the development of Alzheimers disease. Avoid using aluminum pans or foil for cooking food. Helpful Kitchen Tools: Mini chopper Food processor Garlic press (stainless steelthe plastic ones break too easily) Egg slicer Citrus juicer (an old-fashioned manual one is all you need to make fresh lemon or lime juice) Heavy-duty wooden cutting board A paring knife, serrated chopping knife and bread knife Blendergreat for making juices, sauces and smoothies Allergies: There are many delicious recipes in the Great Taste No Pain recipe book. However, if you have a known allergy or sensitivity to any food called for in a recipe, DO NOT EAT IT. Feel free to substitute an acceptable comparable ingredient instead (such as substituting chicken for fish). Gluten-free Options: There are many delicious gluten-free options on the market today, such as brown rice pasta and rice bread. Many of the GTNP recipes are naturally gluten-free or very easily modified to make them gluten-free. Portion sizes: Throughout this guide, nothing has been mentioned about portion sizes, for good reason. When you eat the Great Taste No Pain way, the only rule you need to remember about how much to eat is: You should eat until you are comfortable and satisfied. Learn to listen to your body and let it tell you when youve had enough. The thing to remember is that it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal from your stomach that it is full. So if you eat fast, you can frequently go waaaaaay past full without even knowing it until its too late. So the rule of thumb is EAT SLOWLY. Enjoy your food, dont inhale it. Because the faster you eat, the more overweight youll be in the long run.

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Theres no need to eat everything on your plate, measure food or have seconds all the time. Just eat slowly, chew thoroughly and when you feel comfortable and satisfied, stop eating. Condiments: Most condiments such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressing, salt, pepper and butter are typically used in very small amounts. As such, whether theyre eaten with a protein or starch isnt much of a concern because a small amount of a condiment will not negatively affect digestion. My Wish For You If you are reading this now, this system has been developed for YOU. You deserve great health. You deserve to be able to eat without having to take medicine. You deserve to look forward to your meals, enjoying really delicious food. You shouldnt have to diet to be at a normal bodyweight. When you eat as outlined in these manuals, you can probably eat more than you did before without gaining any weight. The single most important thing to remember is this: You were not put on this earth to suffer ill health from eating. That is not your destiny. You must listen to your body and respect what it needs. Just because most of the people around you eat foods and meal combinations that produce too much acid doesnt mean you have to do it, too. Stand apart. May you achieve and maintain your ideal bodyweight without fad diets or feelings of deprivation. May you have boundless energy. And may you live the longest, healthiest life you can possibly live. Thats my wish for you.
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Disclaimer All materials in the Great Taste No Pain system describe an approach to healthy living that has had positive effects for the many thousands of people who have implemented its principles. Nothing in this system is intended to constitute medical treatment or advice of any nature. Moreover, as every person responds differently to diet and lifestyle changes, it is strongly recommended that any person desiring to make modifications to his or her diet or lifestyle consult with his or her physician or medical practitioner. Although Great Taste No Pain contributes to health and wellness, it is not intended as a replacement for medical treatment. No medical claims are intended express or implied. Despite the fact that all statements are accompanied by research and references, no statements made in the application or related documentation have been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The buyer of Great Taste No Pain Health System assumes all risks in using the system, waving any claims against Sherry Brescia, Holistic Blends, Inc. and its affiliates for any and all mental or physical injuries. This includes all information acted upon from complimentary or paid newsletter content. The buyer/user also agrees to assume liabilities when other persons have access to the Great Taste No Pain Health System whether for commercial or private use. In no case will Sherry Brescia, Holistic Blends, Inc. and its affiliates or distributors of the Great Taste No Pain Health System be liable for chance, accidental, special, direct or indirect damages resulting from use, misuse or defect of its manuals, instructions or documentation.

2008 Holistic Blends, Inc. All Rights Reserved