Fit for Life
by Harvey Diamond, Marilyn Diamond
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Book Reviews of Fit for Life
Book Review: Fit For Life is not a diet as much as it is a program for "living health"
Summary: 5 Stars
When I was around 13, I bought and read Suzanne Somers' book, "Suzanne Somers' Eat Great, Lose Weight", and figured this could be a good weight loss method, and this was when I really bought into the whole science behind proper food combining. So I took Suzanne's advice and tried her methods, with good results. So I had proved to myself that it works, you see I've had ulcers in my stomach since I was a child, and this was because of how I treated my body. Combining my foods had worsened this x100, so the method of proper food combining had been a Godsend. However, I was not always successful, due to my issues with overeating(and strong desire to combine for pleasure reasons). Fast foward, and at this point I'm 14, and my mother said she wasn't going to keep watching me do this, she told me I need to either stick to it or quit, so despite her lack of belief in me, I went 2 years without even a grain of sugar, I combined properly(for the most part) the whole time, and never slipped once.
Fit For Life, authored by Harvey and Marylin Diamond, is based upon proper eating habits. More than likely everyone you know, and everyone I know, combines their foods not only because this is custom, but also because it's what their doctors recommend. Here in Canada we have the "Canada Food Guide", and on it there is a graph that features all of the basic food groups that they claim everyone needs to partake in for optimal health. They say you should eat a lot of dairy products for calcium, when, if you look at the allergy rates, you are safer getting your calcium from vegetables and high quality supplements. That and these days, our foods are so depleted in nutrients that we, at least in my personal opinion, need to take supplements to fill the gap.
I've had a lot of doctors in my lifetime, and most of them have similar opinions, and none of them agree with Fit For Life. However, do not think that eating this way is the only possible way of being a healthy person. I know of many healthy people who do combine their foods. That said, you can be healther than those people if you do combine your foods properly. Proper food combination is a very simple science, anyone can pick up the book and learn exactly what to do, no sweat. Here is a small list of the main parts of the program I adhere to.
1. Eat acids and starches at separate meals. Acids neutralize the alkaline required for starch digestion. You don't want indigestion, and you certainly don't want the food to ferment in your stomach.
2. Eat proteins and carbohydrates at separate meals. Proteins require acid for digestion.
3. Eat only one kind of protein at a meal.
4. Eat fruits and proteins at separate meals.
5. Do not consume cooked fruits or juices. It's straight acid, the fruit is dead, it's one of the worst things you could do to your body.
6. Eat only fruit until noon.
This is essentially the part of the science that I adhere to, there are some heavier requirements that I just can't handle. Like not putting melon with my other fruits, melon combines with almost no other foods, but I make it an acception. I also make the acception of putting say, butter with meats and poultry, this is an issue of two different acids. It is important, and I may try to incorporate this for the future.
But essentially, doing this program, and provided I do not over do the flesh and fat consumption, my ulcers always, without fail, shrink and do not bother me. I don't take antacids, I don't need that stuff, and you shouldn't either! We're the only species on earth that has to run to the medicine cabinet in desperate pain after every meal. Now why is that? I believe it's a number of things. Firstly, it's overloading your system, not just combining, but overeating, because you can combine properly but overeat to the point where yes you will be sick. You do not want to overload your body with meat on a constant basis, small portions make a world of difference. Personally I eat fruit in the morning and daytime, and then have either a flesh or carb meal for supper. And that's it. This way, I keep my calories down, and I don't overload my body during the daytime, because eating fruit alone all day requires such little processing in the system, it's a cleanser. I cannot stress enough the fact that fruit is the most important and essential food you could possibly put into your body. It's not flesh products, and it's not even vegetables(although these are extremely important), it's fruit. It's apples, it's oranges, it's grapes and kiwi's, and melons, and cherries. And I'm not talking about cooked juice, that dead weight, I'm talking about real fresh fruits that contain water that is even more important than the water that comes out of your purified supply.
For every philosophy, for every science, there is a skeptic, there is a critic. Let me tell you, I was one of the biggest critics of this way of eating, do you know why? Because I was ignorant, I shot my mouth off before even reading about it. Yes it may sound like quackery to anyone who has never heard of it, but I don't ask you to believe me, just take two weeks of your valuable time and life and devote it to the principles of proper food combining, and prove it to yourself.
My one recommendation is that you ease yourself into this, do not think you can do it all at once, I learned that lesson the hard way. The other thing is that, while Fit For Life advocates vegetarianism as the best choice for optimal bodily health, it also says God bless you if you go the opposite route. I know for myself, I want to eat meat and poultry, so I do. And Fit For Life doesn't tell me I'm not allowed or that I can't be healthy this way, because it's all about moderation within the basic guidelines. If you do go vegetarian, just know that not eating meat does not mean you'll be healthy, because I know some very sickly vegetarians. They consume so much crap every day, pop, chips, candy, that's junk. Eat fruits and vegetables, you can live off of that, and you'd be the healther person for it.
Fit For Life is a book worth owning, it isn't expensive, and it contains priceless information about a great way of eating, a way of eating that promotes optimal bodily function and "living health". This book is a straight dose of common sense, and absolutely everyone I know of who has used the program has done well on it. It is informative and well written, there is personality injected into every chapter, and you should go out and spend $10 on this and Fit For Life II, the sequel to Fit For Life, for next level "living health" options and information.
Simply put, there isn't a book I'd recommend more.
Book Review: my all time favorite book on nutritional healing, hands down
Summary: 5 Stars
I've read so many books about nutrition in my lifetime, it's dizzying for me to even contemplate. Some have been eye opening, others have been helpful to a point, and then there were the ones that were utterly ridiculous to me (Atkins springs to mind). But there are a select handful of nutritional iconoclasts whose work changed my life irrevocably, and I mean that sincerely. Fit For Life tops that very short list. I could go on and on about why I love this book and continue to carry around an old paperback to this day, but suffice it to say it delivered me from the limited thinking of the old school nutritional paradigm, most of which I believe exists solely to sell goods. The meat and dairy trades are incredibly lucrative to those involved, so rather than buy into ANY "scientific studies" about the necessity for such foods to be ingested I go by my own body and the way I feel. I am the only one that I can say with 100% certainty is NOT being influenced by money or other agendas. I cannot say the same for the FDA or any of the scientific studies that continue to espouse the miracles of dairy and meat consumption. If you like the taste, don't care at all about animal suffering and want to continue to age prematurely like the status quo expectation, have at it. And actually, this book offers a program that could benefit even the most resolute meat eater despite the authors' collective belief in the healing power of a vegetarian lifestyle. But you can apply the principles of food combining and the energy ladder to ANY type of diet and benefit tremendously. Having fresh fruit and/or juices as breakfast, properly combined meaty meals between 12-8pm and adding lots of veg to your diet isn't that difficult but the positive changes even at that level are amazing. I've witnessed them myself with friends and colleagues who insisted they needed to eat meat. But by trying this simple shift in food timing and combinations they all found a tremendous increase in energy, good will and resistance to illness. My coworkers and I even tried this out once a few years back as a one month experiment and we were all eating different types of foods; vegan, vegetarian (with some dairy and fish), only eating fowl and eggs, full on carnivores. We were the only folks in the office who managed to dodge the winter cooties that dropped so many others around us with a holiday flu. Maybe it's a coincidence, but I doubt it.
For myself, I worked with the Fit For Life paradigm as a chicken and egg eater, then slowly transitioned into a lacto-ovo vegetarian and I am still slowly shifting into a 100% raw vegan lifestyle. It's a goal, and along the way I find that this has offered me a very simple, energizing and joyful way to eat and live. I love the universal applicability; even someone as extreme as a fruitarian can take these concepts and apply them for greater health and efficient digestion. When something can benefit everyone from a carnivore to a fruitarian, I find that to be both precious and incredibly valuable. I grew up eating bologna sandwiches with mayo and american cheese...and man that sounds good, lol, but having my toasted Ezekiel bread sandwich with Vegenaise, fresh juicy tomato, sprouts, lettuce and luscious avocado hits the spot beautifully. That's one of their healthy sandwich alternatives and it's both simple and totally satisfying.
I have been applying these concepts to my life and way of eating since the mid 90s. I have never once been deficient in any nutrients; my docs check, believe me. My general practitioner is old school and a meat eater himself, but time and again he has to admit that my blood tests and overall exams show me to be as healthy as a teenager at the age of 40. Why? I eat lots of high water content foods, combine them properly as often as possible (though even the authors admit that a slip once in a while isn't the end of the world), follow the energy ladder principle and stay active thanks to the energy that creates. I remember being 24, having 6 medications I was told I would need forever and feeling so achy and tired after work I never had the will or desire to do anything but sit in front of a TV every night. Applying these concepts, with any type of diet I've tried, has changed my body, my personality and my life. No exaggeration. And those lifelong meds; only 2 of the 6 remain, and I feel strongly those last 2 will go the way of the dinosaur before long as well.
We can all argue 'til the cows come home (pun intended) about what diet is "right" or "perfect" and it won't change anything. We all have to find what works for us and go by the way we feel rather than what we are told. When I read this book, it was a radical departure from anything I had ever known or heard. It seemed interesting but far fetched. What I discovered when I tried this for myself was that an open mind is the path to true health and happiness. Thank goodness I didn't let lifelong conditioning deter me from something this important in my life.
Harvey and Marilyn, thank you from the bottom of my healthy heart for putting this out there. I have given away dozens of copies over the years, only to replace them immediately so I always have one of my own. At the end of the day, my experience and success in this is all that I need. :)
Book Review: This book is a life changer - for the better.
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, regarding the anonymous comment claiming this book is pseudo-science: The commenter CLEARLY did not try out any of the the suggestions put forth in this book, because it doesn't take more than about a month of practicing the Fit for Life philosophy before you notice enough benefit from doing so that you'd never go back to your old ways without regret. I've been practicing by the philosophy of this book for 2, going on 3, years now, and I've NEVER been healthier. This coming to you from someone who has been quite keen on diet and exercise for many years prior to reading this book. I thought I already was as healthy as can be. I've trained under professional weight-lifting trainers, practiced yoga, and done cardiovascular exercise throughout my adult life, along with eating healthy, and yet reading this book has STILL caused me to reap better health than I've ever had before! This is also coming from someone who did not use this book to "lose weight" -- which so many people think is the only important factor of health. I've never been overweight - and indeed I gained 20 pounds of solid muscle while practicing the precepts of this book! (And working out, of course -- which is part of the Fit for Life mentality).After practicing the eating habits recommended by this book, I find I now have more energy, get out of bed easier in the morning, have a better disposition, improved digestion, less gas, and my bowel movements have never been so healthy. (As odd as that may sound, it's a very important thing.)
The focus of this book is on how improperly combining your food will lead to digestive disorders and drain your energy you could otherwise be using. In addition, improperly combining foods you eat in a single meal slowly poisons your body over the years. The authors lay forth why this occurs -- WHICH IS NOT PSEUDO-SCIENCE, AND I HAVE VERIFIED EACH OF THESE FACTS BY READING PHYSIOLOGY BOOKS SINCE. (I went looking shortly after reading this book -- the claims were so shocking that I just had to know if they were true). The authors also lay out clear and simple means of understanding how to combine foods properly without suffering such unwanted results. If you try these methods, you will IMMEDIATELY feel the difference. I have many friends who have solved major digestive issues by living the Fit for Life mentality. But it's much more than even just good for digestion. I honestly feel just aweful (physically) on days when I break the rules for proper food combining. Throughout my whole life I had many "off" days when I just felt no good, but never figured that there was such a correlation between what foods I ate together in a single meal, and my feeling no good that day. But now I clearly recognize the correlation. The evidence of this book is clear once you practice the philosophy set forth.
But if you're one of those people who just read about great ideas that you never try out for yourself, you sure aren't going to get anything from this book, or any other. (That line is just for you, Mr. PseudoScience.)
;)
This book is an excellent book I highly recommend to all my loved family and friends. This book should be read by anyone seeking better health, of any age. If you have your children read this book, they will likely benefit throughout their entire lives from it.
The only things you need to know about the book in advance are:
* There is a corrected mistake which is later addressed in one of the following books, regarding the healthiness of sunlight (The book was written in the mid-eighties where we were just beginning to come to scientific conclusions regarding the increasing risk to skin cancer due to the deterioration of our atmosphere...)
and...
* That the book was marketed towards people who want to lose weight, because that was the only thing back then selling health books, but it's soooooooo much more than just being about losing weight. It's packed with enlightening information that will change the way you look at things forever.
This book is a paradigm shift of knowledge and practice of living, eating, and hygeine. It will push your brain to new places. I'm not kidding. Every single friend of mine who has read the book has reaped great benefits from it. And they all look at things differently now.
Book Review: This book is a life changer - for the better.
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, regarding the anonymous comment claiming this book is pseudo-science: The commenter CLEARLY did not try out any of the the suggestions put forth in this book, because it doesn't take more than about a month of practicing the Fit for Life philosophy before you notice enough benefit from doing so that you'd never go back to your old ways without regret. I've been practicing by the philosophy of this book for 2, going on 3, years now, and I've NEVER been healthier. This coming to you from someone who has been quite keen on diet and exercise for many years prior to reading this book. I thought I already was as healthy as can be. I've trained under professional weight-lifting trainers, practiced yoga, and done cardiovascular exercise throughout my adult life, along with eating healthy, and yet reading this book has STILL caused me to reap better health than I've ever had before! This is also coming from someone who did not use this book to "lose weight" -- which so many people think is the only important factor of health. I've never been overweight - and indeed I gained 20 pounds of solid muscle while practicing the precepts of this book! (And working out, of course -- which is part of the Fit for Life mentality). After practicing the eating habits recommended by this book, I find I now have more energy, get out of bed easier in the morning, have a better disposition, improved digestion, less gas, and my bowel movements have never been so healthy. (As odd as that may sound, it's a very important thing.)The focus of this book is on how improperly combining your food will lead to digestive disorders and drain your energy you could otherwise be using. In addition, improperly combining foods you eat in a single meal slowly poisons your body over the years. The authors lay forth why this occurs -- WHICH IS NOT PSEUDO-SCIENCE, AND I HAVE VERIFIED EACH OF THESE FACTS BY READING PHYSIOLOGY BOOKS SINCE. (I went looking shortly after reading this book -- the claims were so shocking that I just had to know if they were true). The authors also lay out clear and simple means of understanding how to combine foods properly without suffering such unwanted results. If you try these methods, you will IMMEDIATELY feel the difference. I have many friends who have solved major digestive issues by living the Fit for Life mentality. But it's much more than even just good for digestion. I honestly feel just aweful (physically) on days when I break the rules for proper food combining. Throughout my whole life I had many "off" days when I just felt no good, but never figured that there was such a correlation between what foods I ate together in a single meal, and my feeling no good that day. But now I clearly recognize the correlation. The evidence of this book is clear once you practice the philosophy set forth.
But if you're one of those people who just read about great ideas that you never try out for yourself, you sure aren't going to get anything from this book, or any other. (That line is just for you, Mr. PseudoScience.)
;)
This book is an excellent book I highly recommend to all my loved family and friends. This book should be read by anyone seeking better health, of any age. If you have your children read this book, they will likely benefit throughout their entire lives from it.
The only things you need to know about the book in advance are:
* There is a corrected mistake which is later addressed in one of the following books, regarding the healthiness of sunlight (The book was written in the mid-eighties where we were just beginning to come to scientific conclusions regarding the increasing risk to skin cancer due to the deterioration of our atmosphere...)
and...
* That the book was marketed towards people who want to lose weight, because that was the only thing back then selling health books, but it's soooooooo much more than just being about losing weight. It's packed with enlightening information that will change the way you look at things forever.
This book is a paradigm shift of knowledge and practice of living, eating, and hygeine. It will push your brain to new places. I'm not kidding. Every single friend of mine who has read the book has reaped great benefits from it. And they all look at things differently now.
Book Review: Bogus Science, Good Food
Summary: 2 Stars
On the Fit for Life eating plan, more than 3/4 of your diet will be fuits and vegetatbles. Almost anyone will lose weight by eating a high-veggie, high fiber diet.
On the Fit for Life eating plan you will eat protein at some meals and complex carbs at other meals, but never protein and starches together. This is an interesting trick to reduce your caloric intake while feeling less deprived. You can eat a juicy steak without the potatoes. You can eat the fresh baked bread but can't make a turkey sandwich. This trick effectively reduces your calories by a half.
The authors launch into some detailed explanations as to why one shouldn't eat proteins and carbs together. This is all psuedoscience garbage. The stomach has no sensor that detects the pH of the food you've ingested and then sends different digestive fluids accordingly. Not to mention that veggies and fruits ARE carbs. The diet doesn't work because of food combining -- it works because of lowered caloric intake.
I found this book somewhere and thought the recipes looked interesting. I ate according to the Fit for Life plan for about four months. I am a 5'9" female and went from 165 lbs to 140 lbs, although I started a daily workout regime at about the same time. In retrospect, I became a little too thin.
Eating nothing but fruit before noon did NOT work for me. I was shaky and foggy headed from 10 am until lunch time. This part of the plan is a blood sugar nightmare. I also spent way too much time obsessing about food while I was on this diet (has it been three hours? can I eat again?). No one should be this hungry. I stopped following the plan more than two years ago, but have continued to eat large quantities of fruits and veggies. I often make meals that are protein or starches but not both. I eat a real breakfast now. I stuck with the workout regimen and weigh a healthy, normal, 150 lbs and I feel better (and stronger) than I did while on the Fit for Life plan. And I can concentrate on things other than food.
This book has some worthwhile recipes to increase your veggie intake, and can kick start some healthy eating habits. But the benefits of food combining can also be achieved with portion control. As written, the Food for Life plan is too drastic, and is possibly dangerous over the long haul. The science behind it is junk.