Food Combining for Health

"I spent 20 years looking at all I could find about healthy eating, high-fibre diets and so on, and I've thought for all that time I was a healthy eater. Yet I was still overweight and had recently had increasing dyspepsia. Increasing the fibre as per doctor had no effect.

Then I came across the Hay System through the Anthony Robbins Organisation. Following its advice to avoid eating 'foods that fight' in the same meal, the dyspepsia disappeared in four days and only returns when I unwisely ignore the rules: I can get tempted when eating out and I pay for it!

I've now used the system for nearly three years and I can vouch for its value: I get much less illness and I have been steadily losing weight all that time; now I'm not far off my ideal weight. I've had the occasional relapse, which just reminds me of the gains of 'sympathetic eating' - better fitness, more vitality and that 'zing' that makes each day much easier to get through even though you know you're going to face a lot of problems. In relapse (the supermarket shelves can be sooo tempting) I quickly feel lethargic and incisive thinking becomes very difficult. This can take a day or two of eating to the system to correct.

This book is the one that launched the revival of the Hay System in the 1980s. It became a bit of a craze for a year or two, with top London restaurants opening a 'Hay bar'! But, the craze over, the Hay System has continued, successfully renewing the digestively challenged and helping people recover from a wide range of illnesses, including diabetes and arthritis. The key to it all is to eat a more alkaline diet (even acid fruit can help in this!) and to avoid eating 'foods that fight', as Doris Grant so cleverly and succinctly puts it.

In this book Doris Grant succinctly explains the origin and success of the diet. She then goes on to explain how it works in clear and simply language, including the management of many conditions it should relieve - look at previous reviews for examples. Jean Joice next introduces the System in practice and gives sensible advice on the ease of following it and the pitfalls. Over 100 pages of sample recipes and meal plans end the book.

I have looked at all the books on the Hay System that I could find. This one tops them all, covering everything you need to know in one inexpensive volume, and making following the System easy for anyone with enough willpower to avoid overindulgence. You might like to note that my 1991 copy was £3.99, and it's not much more 15 years later!


I will give one warning. Dr. Hay was wont to tell enquirers in the 1930s that if they weren't committed to improving their health, they needn't bother with this system. Most modern convenience foods are OFF the diet (as you'd expect) and the fat-and-sugar, fat-and-starch rich foods of today are not compatible with the plan. But then, you'd expect any healthy diet to be like that, wouldn't you?"
~ Written on 2007-02-23

"This is the original and best book on food combining. It has history, advice, menus, food charts the lot and, at this price, you can't go wrong. Should have a health warning on it...you know...reading this book could seriously enhance your health, sex life, life expectancy and daily vigour. If you just want to settle for everyday slobbism, forget it!"
~ Written on 2001-03-11

"This is a must! My husband has had heartburn nearly every night for three years. The day he started food combining, it stopped! I have lost a stone in 6 weeks, but am eating loads, including crisps, chocolate + drinking lots of cider. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone. It just makes sense AND works!"
~ Written on 2001-02-07

"After just 3 weeks I have lost a stone in weight despite enjoying rugby player quantities of beer and wine. I feel energetic throughout the day - no more mid-afternoon lulls or chocolate cravings. You basically eat the same foods but in slightly different combinations...and cut out all the processed c**p."
~ Written on 2000-08-31

"I followed the advice from day one. Gradually changing from habit to common sense; to such an extent it felt as I was spoiling myself. The feeling of well being was immediate and allergies showed signs of disappearing within a few days. And for the first time in 51 years my hay fever did not bother me, at all. I have suffered badly from the age of eleven. I'm not a crank. Engineers aren't cranks they are realists. Thoroughly recommended aloing with the Kathryn Marsden book."
~ Written on 2000-03-20