Benefits of Digestive Enzymes
There are two “worker bees” in the human body—digestive enzymes and probiotics. Without these in the human system the body would not be able to utilize the food that is ingested or be able to make all of the thousands of complexes that the body needs to heal, regulate, regenerate, repair, detoxify and energize the body.
Enzymes are energized protein molecules that are essential for the digestion of food, stimulation of the brain, repairing of tissues, cells and organ repairing as well as for cellular energy. They are also catalysts for many biochemical reactions and do not change or get consumed in the process.
Specific enzymes are like keys that enable the body to breakdown fat (lipase), protein (protease), carbohydrate (amylase), fiber (cellulase) and sugars (maltase, sucrase). Without these enzymes, the food would putrefy in our stomachs and we would die. The life force of the body can in many ways be gauged by the enzyme levels—the lower the enzyme levels, the lower the life force.A proper amount of digestive enzymes are necessary to break down the food we eat into components that can be readily absorbed and utilized by the body. Food is your body’s nourishment but to get all the benefits, food has to be digested or broken down into small units that can be absorbed. We are not what we eat, but rather we are what we absorb.
Enzymes are naturally made by our pancreas, liver and gallbladder primarily to breakdown specific food constituents such as protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, sugar and milk. It becomes a problem, especially as we age as we do not make a sufficient amount of these enzymes.
Digestive enzymes are the stealth ingredient in our diet because most of the populace is deficient in their enzyme levels. These are THE SECRET and missing nutrients in our diet because we eat so much processed and cooked foods. Enzymes begin to be destroyed at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. By the time you reach 150 degrees, they are all deactivated.
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Digestive enzymes break down the food in the body so that the nutrients can be absorbed. Enzymes are present in the raw food you eat which is why there is great importance placed upon having plenty of raw foods in the diet. The enzymes in raw food help start the process of digestion which reduces the body’s need to secret digestive enzymes. If your body has to rely too much on its own digestive enzymes, this places more stress on your system and organs leaving less time and energy for other jobs such as rebuilding and replacing damaged cells and tissue as well as keeping your immune system strong.
A diet that consists mainly of cooked food requires the pancreas to “work overtime” and the extra effort leaves it exhausted. If the pancreas is overworked by producing enzymes that could come from food, it will eventually cease to function properly. According to the late Dr. Edward Howell, when a person eats an enzyme-poor diet consisting of lots of cooked food, the result is illness, lowered resistance to stress and a shortened life span. The body progressively loses its ability to produce enzymes with major drops occurring roughly every ten years of life. At the beginning it may not be that noticeable, however, later on you will discover that you cannot tolerate or enjoy certain foods like you did before. This may also be accompanied by a feeling of reduced stamina. Yes, you’re running low of enzymes.
Eating significant amounts of raw foods and taking a high-quality enzyme supplement can help avoid depletion of the body’s own enzymes thereby reducing stress.
A diminished amount of digestive enzymes in the body can lead to:
- Joint pain
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Auto-immune disease
- Allergies
- Failure to absorb essential nutrients from foods or mal-absorption
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Atherosclerosis
- Auto-immune disease
- Celiac disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Crohn’s Disease
- Lupus
- Fibromyalgia
In the book, The Healing Power of Enzymes, Dr. DicQie Fuller talks about the importance of enzymes and says:
“Eighty percent of our body’s energy is expended by the digestive process. If you are run down, under stress, living in a very hot or very cold climate, pregnant or a frequent traveler, then enormous quantities of extra enzymes are required by your body. Because our entire system functions through enzymatic action, we must supplement our enzymes. Aging deprives us of our ability to produce necessary enzymes. The medical profession tells us that all disease is due to a lack or imbalance of enzymes. Our very lives are dependent upon them!”
