As a certified personal trainer with 35 years of experience guiding clients toward their fitness goals, I've encountered almost every type of diet.

The Food Combining Diet has piqued my interest due to its potential benefits for digestion and overall well-being. In this article, we'll delve deep into this diet, exploring its origins, principles, science, and real-world implications. 

Does the Food Combining Diet really stack up? 

Read on to find out.

Understanding the Food Combining Diet

The Food Combining Diet, commonly known as the Hay Diet, dates to the early 20th century. William Howard Hay, a New York doctor, developed the idea in response to his own health issues.

He thought his health problems stemmed from eating the wrong foods together. In 1930, he wrote a book titled "Health via Food," which outlined the tenets of the Food Combining Diet.

Dr. Hay's central thesis was that various food kinds necessitate various digestion conditions in the stomach. For instance, he...

What’s the best kinda’ date? The one you can eat!

This simple and delish recipe from my book always delivers just the right amount of sweetness and energy. By combining dates, which help to stabilize blood sugar with lots of fiber – the fresh apple, vanilla collagen protein, nuts and coconut, you get a little apple pie in every bite. And to make them a little more festive, I added some fuschia-colored Pitaya powder to the mix. Pure natural color.

Here are the ingredients – hope you’ll try!

• 1 cup dried dates, pitted and chopped
• ½ cup slivered raw almonds
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup ground flaxseed
• 1 scoop collagen protein powder
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 teaspoons dried Pitaya powder or natural sprinkles

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine the dates, almonds, walnuts, ground flaxseed, protein powder, ¼ cup of the coconut and 2 teaspoons water and pulse until a dough is formed. Add...

Aging gracefully isn’t solely in the hands of fate; it's profoundly influenced by our daily choices. This essential truth is at the heart of understanding how dietary habits, fitness, and lifestyle decisions impact our journey into older age. Here are practical tips gleaned from deep dives into health and longevity topics, which can help you navigate aging with vitality and joy.

1. Focus on Natural and Functional Health Approaches

• Opt for natural remedies and nutrition over medication when possible.
• Incorporate functional foods that offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition.

2. Clean Eating for Longevity

• Use food washes like "Eat Cleaner" to ensure your produce is free from pesticides and contaminants.
• Prioritize organic and whole foods to minimize exposure to harmful chemicals.

3. Supplement Wisely

• Consider natural supplementation, especially for essential nutrients that support aging bodies, such as Omega-3s from algae.
• Engage in regular health checks to tailor...

EP 120 - The dangers of mercury: How to avoid it and protect your brain from it

As a chef, my kitchen is my sanctuary, and my dishes are my messages to the world. Imagine my shock when I delved into the shadowy facts about mercury, a pervasive threat that can subtly invade our bodies with each bite of seemingly wholesome food. This revelation was a wake-up call, prompting me to pivot towards advocating for cleaner eating and living.

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that exists in various forms, including elemental mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds like methylmercury. While mercury has industrial applications and is used in products like thermometers and fluorescent lights, its presence in the environment poses significant health risks to humans and wildlife alike.

Mercury sneaks into our lives in ways we might not expect, from the fillings in our teeth to the fish on our plates. High-mercury fish like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and...

Taco Tuesday Pozole (or any day of the week)

I call my food HER when it looks pretty.  ‘She pretty!’ And girl, when you add roses to anything it just makes a person happy. 

My mom’s rice pudding is a happy place for this Middle Eastern girl.  I just gave it a little ‘rehab’ and boosted the protein, lowered the sugar and made it healthy enough to have for breakfast. 

I love dessert for breakfast :-) 

Adding these dried rose petals just makes it so much prettier and yes, functional.  Did you know that roses have been eaten in the Middle East for thousands of years? They’re rich in antioxidants and help to prevent cardiovascular disease.  And they add the most beautiful, subtle essence that feels like a hug from my mom.   

Rose petals are also considered an aphrodisiac so just be careful who you share your pudding with, babe. 

Gluten-free, protein-rich, nutrient-dense - and only sweetened with date syrup....

EP 108 - From Clif Bars to wine + honey The future of sustainability in Napa Valley with Clif Family 

“A big part of what we do has to do with the engagement with our community and how that translates to people who live and work here.”

-Linzi Gay

Did you know that renowned Clif family also produces wine? Nested in Napa Valley, the Clif family is working to create a healthier, more sustainable world through the enjoyment of wine, food and connection. We get into how the Clif family is really changing the wine and food experience and how regenerative agriculture is the future of sustainability.

LISTEN AND WATCH THE FULL EPISODE 108 HERE:

01:28 Sustainable Food Summit – How Mareya and Linzi met

05:06 ‘’We're a business that thinks like a tree’’

10:21 Linzi explains the procedure from farm to product 

16:51 How Clif Farms overcome issue with water usage

20:39 How Clif Farms started producing honey

24:01 Is...

EP 107 - Lettuce Not Waste - Tips for Keeping Produce out of Landfills

 “Our waste is eating us Alive is the number one contributor to greenhouse gas emissions is the food that should be nourishing our bodies. It begs the obvious shouldn't we do something about it? Really do something about it.”

-Chef Mareya

“Now with Eat Cleaner, you have a way of enjoying that food and helping it last up to five times longer just by taking a few minutes to wash it – the impact on your wallet will be substantial.”

-Chef Mareya

The episode discusses the alarming amount of food waste in the US and the resulting environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions and methane emissions from landfills. It emphasizes the need to take action to reduce food waste and highlights the role of a company called Eat Cleaner in removing harmful residue and keeping produce out of landfills. The episode also mentions the movement towards rescuing imperfect or "ugly"...

Industry Expert & Trend Watcher Chef Mareya

Shares Her ‘Cool 10 Trends’ in Sustainability for Earth Month

New products, services and habit shifts can help prevent the number one cause of methane emissions

According to the USDA, around 40% of all food produced in the US is thrown out, translating to over 133 billion pounds and over $161 billion worth of loss.  Food waste is the single most common material landfilled and incinerated in the U.S.  and the largest contributor of methane emissions.  Food waste is burning up the planet.

Chef Mareya, Mareya Ibrahim, is a 28+ year veteran of the food industry and trend watcher shares her ‘Cool 10 Trends’ on what’s next in America’s sustainable food scene and how we can reverse climate change with every bite.

What’s COOL in Sustainable Food:

1. Cashew Nut Meat: The cashew meat from inside the cashew fruit, which is normally thrown out, is a single ingredient,...