Subscribe To My Blog
Digestive EnzymesDigestive Enzymes are so important. You have them in your digestive system and supplementation is sometimes necessary. What are Enzymes?:Enzymes are proteins, composed of amino acids, which are produced by the human body and by all animals and plant life.The pancreas, one of the important organs in the endocrine system produces these enzymes that are so vital for our food assimilation. Enzymes are in every animal and every plant. Anything that is alive needs enzymes in order to function. In the human body, enzymes are the components that kick-start the chemical reactions that are necessary to be able to breathe, for digestion, growth, reproduction, blood coagulation, healing, combating disease and everything else that goes on in the body. Our bodies contain some 3,000 different types of enzymes that are constantly regenerating, repairing and protecting us. In the book Juicing for Life, it states that digestive secretions like hydrochloric acid, pancreatic enzymes and bile help prevent the overgrowth of candida. Enzymes are needed by every living thing, from the grass and trees, to your family dog or cat as well. How Do Digestive Enzymes Work: Digestive enzymes are a vital part of proper digestion and health. Each protein, each carbohydrate and each fat that we eat, need a different enzyme in order to be digested.
the carbohydrate breaking enzyme is amylase the fat breaking enzyme is lipase For example, increasing your intake of protease enzymes would help you digest protein rich foods like meat, eggs or soy products. This increases your ability to absorb the nutrients in the protein. Amylase will improve digestion of carbohydrate rich foods including pasta and breads, while lipase will help the digestion fatty foods. Enzymes have a vital role in transporting nutrients and in food absorption from the small intestine to the bloodstream. Live a Healthier, Happier Life: Maintaining a balance in the processes of digestion, inflammation, circulation and immune function will help to ensure faster recovery from injury and disease, plus a longer, healthier, happier life. This is quoted from Enzymes, The Sparks of Life by Anthony J. Cichoke, DC., PhD. How Do Enzymes Work?Digestion begins in the mouth as soon as we open our mouths, take a bite of food and begin to chew. There are amylase molecules in the saliva and they begin to break down and process the carbohydrates.That is why Mom always said,"chew your food". Chew, chew and chew some more! After the saliva and all that chewing completely masticate the food, it travels through the esophagus down to the stomach. The better you did the chewing and the saliva has broken down the food, the easier it is for the stomach to continue its job of digestion. The Stomach's Job: The stomach produces hydrochloric acid and several protein-degrading enzymes (protease). The hydrochloric acid activates the protease enzymes, which begin to break down the proteins in your foods and destroys some of the bacteria present in the foods we eat, along with other important digestive functions. The stomach sends signals (through hormones) to the pancreas and the gall bladder, requesting sufficient enzymes for the next step – intestinal processing. Did you know that the stomach does not do the main process of digesting? The Small Intestine: The stomach gradually releases its contents into the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum. It is here that the most essential work of digestion and absorption is performed. The pancreas produces the digestive juices in addition to hormones, such as glucagon and insulin. In these pancreatic juices are three groups of enzymes:
lipolytic enzymes (lipase) proteolytic enzymes (protease) After the food has been broken down into small particles by the enzymes of the stomach and the duodenum, it moves on to the jejunum and ileum, the next two sections of the small intestine. It is here that absorption of nutrient primarily occurs. Individual nutrients from the foods are selected and conveyed through the walls of the small intestine and then into the bloodstream. It is here that digestive enzymes play a vital role in the transport of nutrients and in food absorption from the small intestine to the bloodstream. The unusable food products remain in the gut as waste, where water is extracted, the waste products thicken, passing into the large intestine and finally being deposited in the rectum as stool. There is some utilization of the waste product in the large intestine and rectum, since the entire gut (particularly the large intestine and rectum) is alive with micro-organisms that seek out additional nutrients. Enzyme Deficiency:Our bodies do make most of the enzymes we need to survive. Poor diet, illness, injury and genetics can wreak havoc on our body's enzyme system.A deficiency in the lactase enzyme which normally breaks down sugars in milk and other dairy products, causes individuals to suffer from diarrhea, gas, bloating and other intestinal discomfort if they consume dairy products. If your body is enzyme deficient, sooner or later this will begin to show itself. One of the first and most obvious signs is poor or disturbed digestion, including excess gas, indigestion, heartburn, diarrhea and constipation. As we age, our bodies produce less enzymes and the enzymes that we do have, can't work as hard. Results of Enzyme Deficiency
Taking Digestive Enzymes can
It is important to change your diet from those fast foods, processed foods, cooked foods and dead foods. I recommend the Candida Diet to help your body heal faster. Learn to eat more enzyme rich foods. There are some plant foods that are high in enzyme content. These include extra virgin olive oil, raw honey, grapes, figs and many tropical fruits. All my favourite tropical fruits are included in this list and knowing they are high in digestive enzymes makes them even better.
There are also digestive enzymes available from Nature's Sunshine and I will tell you more about them later. NSP has a chewable Papaya Mint. It's delicious...almost like having a dessert!
|
