of food preparation may affect health.
Medical education must keep pace with the rapid advance in this subject.’
In 1977, this same editor wrote: ‘Enthusiasm for fibre is sweeping the world. The journals are full of it, the popular press revels in it, and doctors take time off from prescribing it only to attend international conferences on it … in “discovering” fibre modern man is waking up to the fact that his food is systematically deprived of fibre on its journey from field to grocery shop.’
Also in 1977, the editor of
The Lancet stated: ‘About five years ago dietary fibre burst into the consciousness of the medical world, having smouldered at the back of some minds for decades.’
In 1981, research carried out by the consumer magazine
Which? discovered that more people than ever were clamouring for drugless treatment. (This, however, is not sufficient – people must also be willing
to assume responsibility for keeping themselves fit.)
At the British Medical Association’s 150th annual dinner 14 December 1982, H.R.H. Prince Charles affirmed, in his presidential speech, with reference to drugs: ‘Wonderful as many of them are, it should be more widely stressed by doctors that the health of human beings is so often determined by their behaviour, their food, and the nature of their environment.’
In January 1983, in
Homoeopathy Today, a doctor wrote that he advised his patients ‘not to eat high proteins with high carbohydrate foods’, and stressed the importance to health of recognizing the trinity of mind, body and spirit.
Also in 1983, remarkably, the potential for health of ‘fringe medicine’, now elevated to the status of ‘alternative medicine’, was being considered by a new research committee.
Hospital Doctor of 14 April reported that ‘Alternative Medicine’ was to be ‘put under the scientific spotlight’ by the Research Council for Complementary Medicine, consisting of both conventional and complementary specialists. This council had been formed ‘because of growing public interest in acupuncture, homoeopathy and herbalism’. The committee believed that it would ‘help to stop the erosion of public confidence in orthodox medicine’.
In June 1983, in his speech on stepping down as president of the British Medical Association, H.R.H. Prince Charles urged: ‘Don’t over-estimate the sophisticated approach to medicine. It seems that account has to be taken of those sometimes long-neglected complementary methods of medicine.’
It would seem his message had the desired effect. On Wednesday 17 August 1983, the national press announced that in a revolutionary move, the British Medical Association was launching an inquiry into all forms of complementary medicine and that some might soon become available on the National Health Service. In the
Daily Mail John Illman wrote: ‘The move marks a remarkable about-turn for the BMA, which for years has resisted what has been regarded as “quack medicine”… the background to the BMA move is the growing interest in Britain in health matters and preventive measures against illness.’
In this same article John Illman quoted Dr Malcolm Carruthers, author of The Western Way of Death: ‘There is a crisis of confidence in drugs. No medical system can afford not to take account of the public’s desire to play a larger part in determining their own medical treatment!’
John Illman also quoted Dr Anthony Fry, consultant physician in psychological medicine at Guy’s Hospital: ‘As a profession we have spent too much time giving Valium instead of teaching patients how to relax. We spend too much time treating symptoms and not causes.’ (My emphasis – D.G.) So affirmed Dr William Howard Hay, 60 years ahead of his time, throughout all his writings.
What better vindication could this prophet have than the decision of the British Medical Association to launch an inquiry into complementary medicine?
Since the 1980s, public interest in complementary therapies has continued to grow. Nutritional therapy is no longer seen as unorthodox but as an integrated part of healthcare. Governments have recognized the importance of encouraging people to eat healthily to prevent disease. In the UK, guidelines have been issued such as the ‘five-a-day’ campaign, urging us to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day because of the evidence that this may help to prevent cancer. The popularity of organic food continues to grow with supermarkets stocking an ever-increasing range of organic produce.
In 2003, a World Health Organization report recommended the reduced consumption of saturated fats, sugar and salt, especially in snacks and processed foods and drinks – these are automatically eliminated in the Hay diet.
A New Health Era
It would appear from these ‘signs and portents’ that the ‘new health era’ so dear to Dr Hay’s heart has indeed begun. If this book contributes to this era, even in a small way, by helping its readers to achieve greater health and happiness, its authors will perhaps have repaid a small part of the great debt they both owe Dr Hay for countless benefits received from his teachings. How better to end this chapter than in his own words:
To really live is to be in exuberant health continually, and when in that condition nothing palls on one, nothing is devoid of interest, and life is the swellest job in the world. When in splendid health every breath we draw is filled with inspiration, everything we do is full of interest, there are so many things to do, so much to accomplish, so many delectable prospects in life that even if we are poor and unknown we still may fully enjoy life, for life is a splendid thing if we are really alive.
CHAPTER TWO The Hay System Explained
There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.
The Hay system consists of five important rules:
1 Starches and sugars should not be eaten with proteins and acid fruits at the same meal.
2 Vegetables, salads and fruits should form the major part of the diet.
3 Proteins, starches and fats should be eaten in small quantities.
4 Only whole-grain and unprocessed starches should be used, and all refined processed foods should be taboo – in particular, white flour and sugar and all foods made with them, and highly processed fats such as margarine.
5 An interval of at least four to four-and-a-half hours should elapse between meals of different character.
The cardinal rule of the Hay system – not mixing carbohydrates (i.e., starches and sugars) with proteins and acid fruits – is generally misunderstood, although based on sound physiological principles long existing and long forgotten. In order to understand this rule it is therefore necessary to explain the classification of carbohydrates and proteins in the context of compatible food combinations:
The proteins are concentrated (20 per cent or more) animal proteins such as meat, fish, cheese
