The seat of human health begins in the gut. The gut is our second skin. It is a single layer of cells supported by a network of related systems, which permit the passage of nutrients into our bodies and maintains a barrier against harmful substances and organisms. Complex or elaborate food combining can lead to digestive problems such as decreased nutrient assimilation, intestinal gas, abdominal pain, swelling, constipation, contaminated blood, and mental fog. There are many rules regarding food combining, but our cardinal rule at The Whole Journey is to never combine fruit with carbohydrates (starches). Avoiding this combination minimizes fermentation, bloating, and gas. This is your one anti-cancer rule of food combining for life! Fruit and grain (or carbohydrates) have a similar digestion rate, so they, in turn, compete with one another.