Enzymes

Enzyme preparations are one of the most useful nutritional supplements available, and just about everything that makes us sick is either a protein or protected by a protein and so are subject to control by enzymes which are essential for maintaining optimal health.

 

"Anyone who has any understanding of health has got to be taking enzyme supplements with every meal they eat"

- Jon Barron

 

Common symptoms of enzyme insufficiency include:

• Digestive Issues: Indigestion, gas, bloating, abdominal pain or cramps, acid reflux/heartburn, undigested food in stool (floating or fatty stool), foul-smelling stool, constipation, diarrhea, difficulty passing stools, irritable bowel, diverticulitis, gall bladder stress, gallstones.
• Nutrient Deficiency: Craving certain foods, food allergies or intolerances, blood sugar issues, malnutrition, vitamin or mineral deficiencies, feeling tired after eating, low energy and fatigue, have to eat every 2 hours to avoid crankiness or hunger.
• Skin, Hair, and Nails: Thinning hair or hair loss, weak or brittle nails, pale/unhealthy skin, acne, psoriasis, rashes, eczema.
• Muscle and Joint Concerns: Muscle and joint pain, arthritis, weakness in the back, aching feet, neck and shoulder aches.
• Immune and Inflammatory Responses: Frequent colds, candida overgrowth and yeast infections, allergies and sinus issues (sinus infections, hay fever), inflammation, slow wound healing, immune-depressed conditions.
• Hormonal and Circulatory Symptoms: PMS, hot flashes, poor circulation (cold hands and feet), cystitis and prostate problems, bladder issues.
• Mood and Cognitive Symptoms: Mood swings, depression, fatigue, headaches, insomnia.

 

So what are enzymes and why do we need them?

Enzymes are molecules that speed up chemical reactions – they either help build new molecules or they split the bonds that join molecules together to break them into smaller units. Enzymes, as well as being necessary for protein digestion, are largely responsible for keeping the small intestine free from parasites - including bacteria, yeast, protozoa, and intestinal worms and  also help your body protect itself from a viral invasion. Bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and fungi are all protected by proteins. Attacking those proteins is key to destroying the invaders.

1. Food allergens are almost all proteins.
2. Cancer cells are protected by proteins.

Your DNA stores the code for all of your body's proteins and enzymes. In essence, your DNA is a protein manufacturing plant. Genetic diseases are the result of your DNA no longer producing those proteins and enzymes accurately or doing it insufficiently or excessively.

Enzymes are proteins, required for every single chemical reaction that takes place in your body. All your tissues, muscles, bones, organs, cells, digestive system, blood stream, liver, kidneys, spleen, and pancreas as well as your ability to see, think, feel, and breathe all depend on and are run by enzymes.

All the minerals, vitamins, and hormones your body produces need enzymes in order to work properly and every single metabolic function in your body is governed by enzymes.
Your stamina, energy level, ability to utilise vitamins and minerals, your immune system – all governed by enzymes.

Enzymes are produced mostly in the pancreas and other endocrine glands and are present in all raw foods we eat.

 

How, when, and why should I take enzymes?

When you take a digestive enzyme formula with your meal, the enzymes work on speeding up the breakdown of food in your stomach.

Regular supplementation with digestive enzymes takes stress off the pancreas and the entire body by providing the enzymes required for digestion.

Digestive enzyme supplements may just be one of the best insurance policies you can give your body so you can enjoy a long and healthy life.

 

But what happens if you take enzymes between meals?

Enzymes taken just before bed and first thing in the morning go into the bloodstream where they break down the partially digested protein from wheat, corn, dairy, soy, and digest foreign proteins. When you take a proteolytic enzyme formula between meals, the enzymes don’t get stuck working in your stomach or wrapped up with your food and passed out through the colon. Instead, they quickly enter your bloodstream where they help optimize your blood. They make their way to all of the tissues throughout your body where they assist with intelligent, adaptive healing.

 

What is a proteolytic enzyme?

Proteolytic enzymes have the ability to digest and destroy the protein-based defense shield of each and every pathogen, allergen, and rogue cell, thereby leading to their ultimate elimination. In addition, established cancers reprogram the production of enzymes in the body to both accelerate their own growth and protect themselves from the immune system. Supplemental proteolytic enzymes have the ability to alter that dynamic.

Because they can digest foreign proteins, enzymes work to clear out infecting organisms such as viruses, scar tissue, and the products of inflammation. For this reason, enzymes are frequently used to treat a variety of conditions, including lung infections, tooth infections, bone fractures, and as a body strengthener before surgery. Specifically, pancreatic enzymes have been used to aid in a variety of conditions including inflammation, viral disease, multiple sclerosis, and cancer.

How do the pancreatic enzymes help autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis?

Enzymes work on acute and chronic inflammatory conditions including sports injuries, tendinitis, rheumatoid arthritis. The benefits in some inflammatory conditions appear to be related to helping the body breakdown immune complexes formed between antibodies produced by the immune system and the compounds they bind to - antigens. Conditions associated with high levels of immune complexes in the blood are often referred to as “autoimmune diseases” and include such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, and multiple sclerosis. Higher levels of circulating immune complexes are also seen in ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and AIDS.

The list of conditions benefited by pancreatic enzyme supplementation seems to be growing all the time. One potential use is in the treatment of viral-related illness including hepatitis C and herpes simplex infections. For example, in one study in the treatment of herpes zoster (shingles), an orally administered pancreatic enzyme preparation was more effective than the standard drug therapy (acyclovir). In a study in patients with hepatitis C, pancreatic enzymes were shown to be slightly superior to alpha-interferon in improving laboratory values and symptoms.

In addition to a longer, healthier, and more vital life, you will also experience a number of short-term benefits, including:

• A significant reduction in indigestion and heartburn problems (resulting from too much acid in the stomach).
• Relief from gas and bloating as complex carbohydrates are now being substantially digested before they enter the intestinal tract.
• Improved digestion of dairy products.
  
• Diminished food allergies due to more complete protein digestion.

Since the digestion of enzyme deficient food is an extremely energy consuming task, within a few days of enzyme supplementation you should notice:

• An increase in energy levels.
• Relief from hiatal hernias.
• Relief from ulcers.

You’ll benefit from any good vegetarian-based enzyme supplement. But look for one that contains several protein digestors such as

• Protease and Papain to aid in the digestion of protein,
• Amylase for the digestion of starches and carbohydrates,
• Lipase and Bromelain to digest fats,
• Cellulase invaluable in breaking down fibre cellulose into smaller units, and
• Lactase which works in the digestion of dairy products.

Plant-derived enzymes tolerate stomach acid far better than animal derived ones, so look for a vegetarian formula.

To maximize systemic benefits, look for a formula that contains a variety of different enzymes and certain non-enzymatic ingredients, such as papain, bromelain, rutin and/or ginger, can help boost the efficacy of the enzymes.

While proteolytic enzymes are well-tolerated and safe for long-term use in most people, there are exceptions. If any of the following scenarios apply to you, you should not take proteolytic enzymes before consulting your doctor:

• You're on prescription blood thinners such as Coumadin, Heparin or Plavix
• You're due for surgery within two weeks as they can increase surgical bleeding
• You have a stomach ulcer
• You're pregnant or lactating
• You are currently taking antibiotics
• You're allergic to pineapple or papaya

How you can build your digestive self-sufficiency

Cumin, fennel, cardamom, coriander and ginger in equal quantities to make a tea or chew a small handful after each meal and it:

• Increases bile flow
• Stimulates digestion
• Supports the pancreas’s enzyme ability
• Boosts small intestine enzyme activity
• Decreases bloating and gas
• Improves fat and sugar metabolism
• Promotes optimal weight
• Microbiology health
• Promotes beneficial bacteria
• Supports healthy elimination by quickening the transit time in the intestines
  

 

The Gumpii Apothecary content is provided for informational purposes only. We do not provide medical advice, diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional’s advice.