The Al-Tayyibat Diet: Dr. Diaa El-Awady’s Nutritional Approach to Chronic Disease and Human Health

Al-Tayyibat Diet   

Dr. Diaa El-Awady, an assistant professor of intensive care medicine, has changed his overall perspective on medicine. The doctor questions the logic of considering chronic diseases “normal” simply because they are widespread. It is unreasonable, he argues, that everyone develops hypertension and diabetes at a certain age, and that this is accepted as a “normal range” just because the condition has become common.

Diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, and autism occur across all age groups and social classes, affecting both the rich and the poor alike, and they are surrounded by many unanswered questions.

Despite the depth of our testing and treatments, we rarely ask about the root cause: is it vaccines, diet, or other factors?

Even the age of forty, which is described in the Qur’an as the “age of full strength,” meaning the peak of mental and physical maturity, we have come to treat it as the beginning of physical decline.

At that stage, people are advised to avoid fats, reduce effort, and stop having children, as if they are bidding farewell to life.

This raises a fundamental question: do we trust the divine blueprint, which considers forty the peak of strength, or the societal blueprint which considers it the beginning of deterioration?

Dr. El-Awady believes that most diseases can be treated through the application of a unified dietary system known as the “Tayyibat Diet,” alongside the gradual reduction of medications.

 He also believes that all diseases originate from similar roots, progressing from mild disorders to more serious conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and strokes.

He also emphasizes that the body sends early warning signals, such as irritable bowel syndrome or acid reflux, before a condition develops into more severe diseases.

He rejects the idea that diseases are inevitably inherited genetically, pointing out that what is actually passed down within families is lifestyle and dietary habits rather than direct disease-causing genes.

He points out that improving nutrition can help treat or alleviate many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, and some cases of infertility.

He also criticizes the conventional medical approach, which focuses on controlling disease with medications rather than addressing its root causes.

He concludes that the complications of diseases are not caused by the diseases themselves as much as they are caused by poor nutrition, and that improving lifestyle can help individuals avoid these complications and achieve better health.

Where did the idea of the “Tayyibat Diet” come from?

The initial thinking about food and the attempt to change its concept and content began through observing patterns related to the recurrence of diseases across the human life cycle.

 It was noted that the same diseases tend to appear at the same ages, regardless of gender or ethnicity, which was striking.

A common concept of a “balanced diet” was presented as a meal consisting of rice, pasta, or bread; another plate containing vegetables; a third containing protein; and a fourth containing salad. However, this raised a question: what is actually missing for a person to be in good health if this is what is always described as a complete diet?

It is often said that health depends on nutrition, and that a complete diet should contain specific elements that nourish the body and provide it with what it needs in order to process and handle them properly later on.

However, through observation, it was found that health problems remain largely the same; people suffer from anemia despite eating meat, and from osteomalacia (bone softening) despite drinking milk and consuming cheese and eggs.

They also experience hair loss despite taking various vitamins and supplements.

It is believed that Egypt is among the countries with the highest use of vitamins such as Centrum, Perfectil, and others.

At every stage of life, it is said that a person needs supplements whether during adolescence or old age as if humans are in constant need of vitamins throughout their entire lives.

In contrast, reference is made to the idea that ancient humans lived for long periods and performed physically demanding work without such complex dietary structures or nutritional supplements, and without similar complaints, as is often claimed.

Based on this, the idea of re-evaluating food from a different perspective was proposed, by questioning the origin of food and its components, and whether everything placed on the table is truly suitable for consumption.

The first element that was examined was flour. Its harms were considered to fall into two categories: either indirect harms resulting from poor absorption meaning that nutrients are present but are not properly extracted or utilized by the body

or direct harms resulting from the nature of the food itself and its direct impact on the body.

Flour is viewed as a product that may hinder the process of absorption, as it creates a barrier between the food and its entry into the bloodstream.

It is emphasized that the real benefit does not lie in the presence of nutrients within food itself, but rather in their reaching the blood, where the body ultimately needs them.

Observations and experiments were conducted, including a comparison between whole wheat flour and white flour in terms of adhesion and physiological impact.

 Differences were noted in certain cases, with an improvement in symptoms recorded in several individuals upon reducing or stopping flour consumption.

However, it was emphasized that complaints continued to exist, and a principle was proposed stating that as long as the digestive system shows signs of distress, this is considered an indication that the type of food is unsuitable, rather than necessarily implying that the digestive system itself is the problem.

The idea of attributing all symptoms to the digestive system itself was rejected, with emphasis placed on the fact that many conventional medical explanations attribute problems solely to internal causes, such as irritable bowel syndrome, neurological disorders, or anemia resulting from low meat intake, while overlooking the fundamental dietary factor.

Whenever a health complaint arises, it is addressed by adding another element: in cases of constipation, fiber is added; in irritable bowel syndrome, medications are introduced; in anemia, meat consumption is increased; and in vitamin deficiencies, supplements are given. It is as if each problem is treated by adding a new dish, rather than re-examining the basic meal itself .

From this perspective, the idea was proposed that the solution is not in adding more elements, but in removing the underlying cause if it is harmful. Accordingly, a review of the components of the dietary table began, examining whether these foods are fundamentally suitable for human consumption.

It is also pointed out that the modern food table has not always been like this, and that traditional diets were not based on the same complex classifications that are common today.

The evaluation then shifted to food types in terms of digestibility, with the suggestion that some foods may be difficult to digest or may affect the body indirectly, and that anything not properly digested can become a burden on the digestive system and the immune system.

It was also noted that the Industrial Revolution and the introduction of electric milling brought a fundamental change in the nature of flour, by separating the bran and germ from the grain, which altered the characteristics of food and was followed by the emergence of health problems. This was often met with attempts to compensate through adding supplements or other foods, rather than addressing the root cause.

The discussion then moved to soft drinks, which were prohibited whether sweetened or sugar-free, on the basis that they affect stomach acidity and neutralize gastric acid responsible for digestion and killing bacteria, thereby disrupting the stomach’s primary function.

It was emphasized that the stomach is naturally a highly acidic environment, and that this acidity is essential for protein digestion and for killing bacteria coming from the mouth, meaning that any imbalance in this acidity can affect the digestive process.

It was also stressed that the digestive system is not merely a digestive organ, but part of the immune system, as it contains lymphoid cells and nodes that act as guards for the body and deal with everything that enters it on a daily basis.

The topic then moved to fasting, which was considered a mechanism for reorganizing the body and activating its vital functions. It was noted that fasting for consecutive periods may help improve metabolic processes within the body and reset certain biochemical pathways related to energy utilization.

It was also suggested that fasting during the month of Ramadan, for example, is not merely abstaining from food and drink, but rather a period of restoring internal balance.

 During this time, the body is believed to shift its energy source from glucose to fats, producing ketones, which is thought to help the body adapt and improve its efficiency.

It was also noted that fasting is used as a period of “maintenance” for the body, during which the dietary load on the digestive system is reduced, allowing it to reorganize its functions.

It was emphasized that introducing periods of abstinence from food and drink may help the body restore its natural balance.

It was further pointed out that the respiratory system and lungs are among the strongest immune-related systems in the body, and that some diseases may have an indirect relationship with diet through its impact on the digestive system and immune function.

In this context, observations related to children were mentioned, where some symptoms were noted after consuming certain foods, with the belief that the effect of food may extend for several days on the body’s functions.

It was also emphasized that the body does not function efficiently when certain foods are introduced, and that the nutritional impact may persist for a period after eating.

Accordingly, the idea was proposed that the suggested dietary system is not only a preventive system, but also a therapeutic one aimed at restoring the body to its natural state.

Obesity was also linked to other diseases, with the idea proposed that the problem is not always the quantity of food, but rather the nature of the food itself, and that both underweight and obesity may reflect different forms of nutritional imbalance.

Ultimately, it was emphasized that the body is created in a sound and functional state, and that many problems are often misinterpreted as purely internal diseases, while their primary source may be food and the nature of what is consumed. The digestive system was presented as a key indicator of food suitability, where the body’s response is considered the main reference for choosing appropriate nutrition .