I only “discovered” avocados well into my 30s. I never knew they existed when I lived in Singapore, and was reluctant to even try one when I came to Sydney. They were simply too expensive – although I loved the taste of them with lemon juice and pepper!

But creeping up to my 40s, I had a weight problem. My waist was spreading, and the tipping point came when I had to ditch my size 10 jeans for a 12. I was simply having too much carbs: rice and more rice with dinner, 4 slices of bread with lunch at work and pastries during the day. I needed to feel “full” – and carbs kept me happy. I knew size 14 was just around the corner and something needed to be done quickly!

By then, I had already been following Dr Walker’s “Fruit before meals and never after” rule – which in fact cured my gastritis. But was that all I needed to enjoy better health? 

It was now the 1990s … the “Fat-Phobia” decade, with “fat-free” slapped on yoghurt and ice-cream. Cream, sour cream, butter and cheese then got on the bandwagon with “low” or “reduced fat” labels. Always curious, I checked the sugar content of these products. Surprise, surprise: more sugar was added to compensate for the lack of texture or taste from these foods. 

I remembered Dr Walker’s words about sugar in Diet & Salad:

“Destructive fermentation and putrefaction in the body result from eating at the same time combinations of foods containing concentrated sugar and concentrated starch carbohydrates with those containing concentrated proteins or with acid fruits.” 

(Walker, N.W. (1940/1970). “Diet & Salad”, p.37. Norwalk Press: Summertown, Tennessee.)

Reading that page again I figured out why I always felt bloated and uncomfortable after having dessert (or even a biscuit) after a meal. It was the SUGAR!

I chose to ignore the “fat-free” hype, but still had a problem with my dependence on starches and sugars. I re-read the section on Avocados from Walker’s book:   

“Avocados … are one of the most valuable sources of organic fat … An exceptionally nutritious food and should be used daily whenever obtainable.”

(p.135)

Here’s some trusted information from Medical News Today:

• One avocado has 10 grams of fibre — or almost half of your daily requirement — and with a variety of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and magnesium, the fruit is also naturally free of sodium, cholesterol, and sugar. 
• Avocados contain high levels of healthy, beneficial fats, which can help a person feel fuller between meals and slow the breakdown of carbohydrates, helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.

From then on, my lunch almost every day has been 1 slice of full-grain toast with half an avocado and lettuce. It keeps me full until 4pm. I don’t have post-lunch lethargy. (I also have a handful of walnuts and almonds mid-afternoon with a fig and a couple of dates, or a slice of toast with peanut butter.) All this has helped to reduce my cravings for carbs and sugar at dinner time.   

Combined with exercise and following Dr Walker’s food combinations (pictured in the chart) as best I could, I have kept the same weight for the last 25 years and learned to LOVE the avocado!