Digestion is very important and begins in the mouth, when we chew and swallow. It is completed in the small intestine. The chemical process varies somewhat for different kinds of food.

When starches are eaten, the signal is sent to the pancreas to provide alkaline or neutral gastric juices, such as “amylase” at an alkaline of about pH of 7.1 to 7.2. Conversely when proteins are eaten, the digestive system provides “acid” gastric juices, at a pH of approximately 3, for example. When protein is present, the signal is sent to the pancreas, to release more “protease enzymes”  to process the protein. When these food groups are eaten together, the gastric juices provided by each, cancel each other out, resulting in poor digestion and a disease state.

For example, an acid media is required for digestion of flesh foods and alkaline for milk.  If combining the two, the alkaline can neutralize the acid required for digesting the flesh foods. Therefore milk or dairy products would not be a wise choice to consume with your steak, poultry or other flesh meals.

Timing for consumption of foods is important. Having a salad with a protein for example, by eating the salad first, the hydrochloric acid needed, for digesting the protein is blocked. Digestion is better, if you eat the salad after the protein or while eating the protein as long as some of the protein was consumed first.

Digestion of fruit results in the release of an alkaline, which neutralizes the acid secretions needed for protein digestion. So it is not wise to consume fruit with meat. If foods like fruits, which are fast digesting, get held up in the digestive system longer than necessary, by being combined with foods that digest more slowly, fermentation takes place. Most of us can recall that gurgling feeling of our stomach after we have consumed certain foods.

We would not want a non-acid, to be consumed in the morning for breakfast, because the body needs acid, to begin the energy process for the day. Motivation and enthusiasm that is necessary for the morning requires acid. Foods like Oatmeal with some blueberries or Whole grain, high fiber cereals are a wise choice in the morning.