Separate food. Right choice. Irina Ilyinichna Ulyanova

Introduction
“The doctor of the future will not give medicines, but will interest the patient in a suitable diet,” said the famous inventor Thomas Edison, an amazingly versatile, erudite person.

Over the long centuries of civilization, man has acquired a lot of knowledge about how to improve his own health and get rid of diseases with the help of nutrition. One of these methods is a separate power supply system.

Many consider it another popular diet, "rising" on the wave of fashion, which will soon subside without a trace. However, separate meals can in no way be attributed to a diet.

What is a diet? This is a specially selected, most often therapeutic or aimed at another specific goal (for example, weight loss) diet. The diet is not appointed for life, it is short-term and almost always in some way impoverishes and limits the nutrition of a person. Almost always, she forbids the use of certain foods. As a result of such “dieting”, a person does not always achieve the intended goal, but he certainly loses something, since any restriction makes nutrition inadequate, “one-sided”, deprives the body of a number of substances it needs.

The separate food system does not prohibit any product. You can happily gobble up your favorite pasta, lean on meat, eat cheese, eggs, fish, sweets, sour cream and cottage cheese, eat any vegetables and fruits. It is only necessary to correctly combine all these products so that they are absorbed easily and completely, and the body is not polluted with undigested waste.

Separate nutrition is not a diet, but a whole, balanced nutrition system, which has become for many people their lifestyle, the road to gaining health. It was this "diet" in the broadest sense of the word that Thomas Edison had in mind when he spoke of the healing power of the correct, sensible use of food.

Separate nutrition implies specific and well-founded principles and recommendations designed to improve the body, increase its vitality and immunity, normalize metabolism and body weight, and thanks to all this, ensure human health and longevity.

Today, separate nutrition has both active supporters and ardent opponents. And the only one The way to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this method is to understand its essence on your own, understand what this system is based on, and only then decide how acceptable and useful it is for you personally.

From the history of separate nutrition
The very idea of ​​a combination of various products useful for the body arose long before the term “separate nutrition”, which is popular today, appeared. So, even in ancient Rome, the famous physician Celsus expressed the idea of ​​the dangers of mixed consumption of certain types of food. “Mixing substances in the stomach, which are characterized by different speed and difficulty of digestion, leads to rotting of food and, ultimately, to poisoning of the body,” wrote the ancient Roman scientist and healer. He identified several similar combinations of products, the absorption of which is difficult for the stomach. Celsus also recommended not to abuse salty, fatty, as well as overly sweet dishes.

The issue of product compatibility was also discussed by Avicenna and Paracelsus. So, Avicenna advised eating in such combinations that they "balance each other and do no harm."

However, separate nutrition received its first scientific justification only at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries in the works of the great Russian physiologist, academician I.P. Pavlov. The scientist found that various products (for example, milk, meat and bread) are digested by different parts of the digestive tract, and with the participation of various digestive juices, or enzymes. The enzymes necessary for the processing of meat, bread and milk are so different from each other that IP Pavlov specifically called these digestive juices “meat juice”, “bread juice” and “milk juice”.

Numerous experiments have shown that every product that we eat stimulates the stomach to secrete a digestive juice characteristic only of it, quantitatively and qualitatively different from others. For example, the enzymes pepsin and erypsin participate in the breakdown of proteins, fats - the enzyme lipase, starch - the enzyme ptyalin, milk sugar - lactase, etc.

Moreover, all these differences are characteristic not only for the stomach, but also for the entire gastrointestinal tract. They begin already in the oral cavity, since various taste sensations contribute to a change in the chemical composition of the secreted saliva. To each the type of food corresponds to a certain composition of saliva, gastric and pancreatic juices, bile, digestive juices of the small and large intestine. In addition, the microflora of our intestines also participates in the digestion of various products in different ways.

IP Pavlov found that the digestion and assimilation of various types of food occurs in a strictly defined section of the digestive tract, where the corresponding enzymes are secreted. In addition, each product has its own processing speed, that is, the digestion of various products differs in the unequal duration of this process. So, the assimilation of meat requires a longer processing, and food, which is based on carbohydrates, is digested much faster. Therefore, the joint use of products that differ in their chemical composition often causes a breakdown in the normal functioning of the entire digestive system.

Therefore, we can assume that it was Pavlov's work that laid the scientific, medical basis for the system of separate nutrition. Its author, American nutritionist Herbert Shelton, in his writings rightly refers to the results of research and conclusions made by Academician Pavlov.

And the founder of the method of separate nutrition is rightfully Herbert Shelton, a specialist in alternative medicine from the United States. It was he who, relying on the work of his predecessors, managed to consider the problem of the compatibility of various substances in the most detailed and complete way and, as a result, create a logical and coherent classification of products, determine compatible and incompatible groups, and formulate the basic principles of the method of separate nutrition. And today his name is firmly associated with this method. The expression "separate meals according to Shelton" has already become a traditional, generally accepted term that everyone knows.

It must be said that Herbert Shelton did not have a classical medical education (which in itself is often blamed on him by his opponents). However, Shelton's education was very versatile. He successfully graduated from the College of Non-Drug Physicians, Postgraduate Specialty College of Chiropractic, School of Naturopathic Physicians. Shelton advocated the healing of man by natural factors - water, air, rest, exercise, as well as nutrition with natural, natural products. In addition, he devoted a lot of time to the teachings of Ayurveda - traditional ancient Indian medicine and philosophy. As a talented writer, Shelton published seven volumes on healthy lifestyles, theories of illness and recovery, and proper nutrition as one of the main conditions for well-being and longevity. He first published the principles of separate nutrition in the book "The Right Food Combinations". In "Orthotrophy. Fundamentals of proper nutrition ”Shelton outlined a whole philosophy of nutrition. Emphasizing the complexity of the mechanisms of splitting and assimilation of food and their important role for the normal state and well-being of a person, Shelton wrote: “Nutrition is the sum of all processes and functions that determine the growth and development, maintenance and restoration of the body, its reproduction. This is tissue repair, not just fat storage or vitality stimulation.”

Herbert Shelton lived a long and productive life. Possessing remarkable abilities as an entrepreneur, he successfully brought his ideas to life. In 1928, Shelton founded a health school in San Antonio (USA, Texas), where for more than 40 years he continued to study and put into practice the method of separate nutrition, not only for general health purposes, but also to combat various diseases. And the main commandment of patients undergoing treatment under the guidance of Shelton was his famous phrase: "If you value health, then do not eat everything!".

A significant role in the dissemination and popularization of Shelton's theory was played by Hollywood stars, many of whom were also his patients. Today, separate nutrition is considered one of the most well-known methods of nutrition and health maintenance and has a huge number of adherents not only in the United States, but throughout the world. Many people have seen from their own experience that thanks to a separate diet, you can avoid a number of serious diseases and, regardless of age, be in excellent physical shape. Today, Shelton's system is widely used in dietetics when compiling a menu for therapeutic and preventive nutrition, as well as for the purpose of weight correction.

The American naturopath Howard Hay was a contemporary of Shelton. He also adhered to the principles of separate nutrition, advocated for the use of natural products and the rejection of artificial, refined foods. In general, supporting the Shelton method, Hay, in addition, paid serious attention to the acid-base reaction of the blood of his patients. He developed his own theory of nutrition, aimed at combating the "overacidification" of the body, which is caused by the predominant use of foods that have an acidic reaction. Dr. Hay's recommendations are also often used to treat overweight and overcome overeating habits.

Thus, the theory of separate consumption of products of different composition originated many centuries ago. She has come a long way of development, and the controversy around her only increased her popularity. And today Herbert Shelton and Howard Hay are rightfully considered the founders of the classical principles of separate nutrition.

Basic principles of separate nutrition
Separate nutrition according to Herbert Shelton
Compatible and incompatible products, product matching tables

So, you already know that the theory of separate nutrition is based on serious scientific research regarding