DIGESTIVE ENZYMES AND YOU…

If we don’t have enough digestive enzymes, we won’t be able to digest and absorb all the beautiful healthy food we are eating (let alone some of the unhealthy stuff).  What stops the body producing adequate digestive enzymes?

• Low-grade inflammation in the digestive tract (such as that caused by “food allergies,” intestinal permeability, dysbiosis, parasitic infection, etc.) can lead to deficiencies in digestive enzymes.

• Aging has been associated with decreased digestive function (by age 40, it has been indicated in research that you could have 25% less enzymes naturally produced than when you were a child). This, in combination with less stomach acid, which activates enzymes, could easily explain the plethora of digestive complaints that appear in middle age. Now, we can’t fix ageing, but we can fix low digestive enzymes, which helps you digest and absorb all the nutrients you need for healthy tissue as you age.

• Chronic stress (Q: does stress ruin everything???) Digestive enzymes are very sensitive to stress, so if yours is off the chart, and you’re feeling like life if in the red-line often, then we need to protect your pancreas and enzymes.

 The pancreas is tucked in between the stomach and the small intestine, and it performs two roles:

·        It produces enzymes to help break down your food

·        It produces hormones glucagon and insulin for blood sugar regulation

This organ is super sensitive to stress, sugars and alcohol.  Because you only have one pancreas, it’s a really important organ to look after for your health.

What are enzymes important for?

• Energy production

• Oxygen transport

• Dissolving blood clots

• Fight infections

• Wound healing

• Dealing with toxins

• Breaking down damaging fats

• Helping with hormone balance

• Helping maintain an appropriate ageing process

The more raw foods you eat, the less burden on your body to produce extra enzymes. A diet high in processed and cooked foods contributes very little in the way of enzymes, as most are destroyed at around 42 – 48 degrees celcius. Common symptoms of enzyme deficiency are:

• Constipation

• Bloating

• Flatulence

• Heartburn

• Cramping

At Heal, we don’t just point out what can go wrong of course - we are right here with solutions. We assess your enzymes and digestive function, and provide you with some great solutions if they could do with support.

ask@healhealth.co.nz