There is very little information for dieters when it comes to combining different types of foods. We are all told to consume a certain amount of calories per day, but rarely, in any diet plan, is there a suggestion that when some foods are combined in a meal, that meal can slow your metabolism leading to increased weight gain.
If you are of my vintage, and I will keep you guessing you will have been bought up on main meals of meat and 2 or 3 vegetables. One of these vegetables would have invariably been potato. Another tricky combination is meat and rice. After one of these meals is quite likely you will experience bloating or feel gassy as well as being dehydrated and even tired.

The problem with these combinations is what happens in your digestive tract and your stomach. Proteins such as meat, fish, poultry and eggs requires your stomach to secrete hydrochloric acid to break down the food in a highly acidic environment.
There is no denying our quality of life has improved with the advent of certain practices. However, pasteurization kills not only the bad bacteria in the product but also the good. Antibiotic therapy, a life-saving addition to medical practice, is indiscriminate and kills all bacteria. Add in the daily stresses of life, also a €good bacteria' killer, and you will understand that the intestinal flora is challenged to maintain a good balance.
We need well-balanced gut bacteria to aid digestion and the elimination of waste. This balance is upset by chlorinated water, (after all chlorine is added to the water to kill the bugs) as well as pesticide residue in foods and the already mentioned antibiotics.

When you eat starches like potatoes, bread and rice, your stomach will secrete the enzyme ptyalin to create an alkaline condition. By eating both protein and starches together, digestion is inhibited because they neutralise each other. When the partly digested food reaches the intestines, it putrefied and causes your blood to become acidic. Regrettably, this environment is ideal for disease-causing pathogens!

The best way to digest a protein meal is to include non-starchy vegetables. These include: leafy greens, cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus, beans, carrots, zucchini, cucumber, onions, green beans, squash, turnips, beets, and garlic. These vegetables will digests well in acid or alkaline environments so they go with anything, apart from the proteins, including grains starchy vegetables, oils and butter, and sprouted nuts and seeds.
Starchy vegetables apart from potatoes include peas, corn, artichokes, and butternut squash/pumpkin.

Sugar is without a doubt the biggest problem for dieters because it is addictive. Apart from suppressing the body's natural immunity, sugar does not combine with anything and encourages the growth of yeast. Stevia is a natural sweetener, and a far better option.

Amaranth, buckwheat, millet and quinoa are ancient grains, which are gluten-free, rich in the B vitamins, high in protein and benefit the good bacteria in the gut. The Western world is vastly overfed and undernourished. Our reliance on fast food and processed food is the main reason our diets are nutritionally bankrupt.

Once we begin to find enjoyment in quality, nourishing food, in the right combinations excessive weight will melt away.