How to Be Healthy

 Digestive enzymes are essential in the overall use of foods.  Even the best of foods will be of no use if they are not absorbed and utilized by the body.  What is the point of eating the best of diets if very little of the nutrients are actually getting into the cells of the person eating?  Many of us assume that just because we are eating as best as we can, everything that we are consuming is being utilized effectively.  Our digestive process is often not a topic of conversation with either our doctors or with our friends.  As a consequence, many of us feel that our digestive systems are working properly when in fact it is not as we don’t have anything to draw a comparison to.   Proper digestion occurs only;

·         When the majority of the food that you are eating is broken down,

·         You are able to extract most of the nutrients from the foods that you eat and

·         You eliminate the indigestible food fractions easily, thereby removing the toxic residue in your digestive tract. 

  Once again our perception of what is normal can create problems.  If a person has long standing problems with bloating and gas after meals, diarrhea or constipation, they perceive this as normal for them.  This does not mean that it is correct.  Proper digestive function depends on several factors including appropriate levels of digestive enzymes.  There are a number of different reasons why poor digestion becomes a chronic problem.  Some of them include improper chewing technique (fast eating), drinking water or other fluids during meals or directly afterwards (this habit dilutes digestive enzymes), or eating meals that are too large rather than eating smaller meals more often.  While use of digestive enzymes can make a dramatic change in the overall absorption and availability of nutrients from foods consumed, making minor changes in the mechanics of eating, food choices and amounts of foods eaten also play a decisive role in the overall absorption and utilization of foods.  Just using digestive enzymes without making fundamental and often needed changes in habits, will be at best a Band-Aid solution.  By ensuring proper digestion and utilization of all foods, you can avoid the inevitable cascade of bowel inflammation which often leads to irritable bowel syndrome also known as leaky gut syndrome which in turn can create problems with widespread food allergies with the end result of immune system conditions.  One vital aspect of digestion is proper chewing technique.

  Your mother was right after all.  The finer that food is chewed the greater the surface area being created and therefore smaller particles of food are produced which are easier to digest.  This simply means that you must chew food a minimum of twenty times for each bite.  This ensures that the stomach is not overworked or asked to produce an excessive amount of gastric juices in order to break down large chunks of food due to fast eating habits.  By adopting this simple habit, a substantial percentage of indigestion cases could be resolved.  Many of us feel that mealtime is a chore and is rushed through almost as though it is a race.  By simply slowing down and enjoying the eating process and savouring the food, it is guaranteed that you’ll get much more nutritive value out of your meal.

  Three digestive enzymes need to be present to optimize good digestion; protease, amylase and bromelain.  Proper levels of digestive enzymes are often absent in the majority of the population.  By using broad spectrum digestive enzymes on a regular basis, dramatically increased digestive capacity would be realized.  The levels of digestive enzymes we produce are also reduced as we grow older.  As a consequence difficult digestion becomes more of a problem as we age.  To compound this problem, naturally occurring digestive enzymes in raw food are destroyed during the cooking and processing of foods and should be replaced to ensure proper digestion.  Since digestive enzymes are one of the more important factors in efficient digestion, increasing the level of digestive enzymes only makes common sense to avoid gas and bloating.  An effective, safe, and side effect free method of dealing with this chronic problem would be to simply start using a broad spectrum digestive enzyme with every meal.  Instead, many seniors start using indigestion remedies such as Maalox and Pepto-Bismol in response to their digestive difficulties.  This is a common response and Western medicine and advertising is mostly to blame.  The common approach Western medicine has is to treat the symptom while ignoring the cause.   Symptoms such lack of energy, fatigue and chronic illness may be due to lack of digestion resulting in a consequent malnutrition problem.  Regular and chronic use of Maalox can lead to increased digestive difficulty and excessive loss of magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, chromium and calcium.  Some antacids contain aluminium which may not be good for you if taken over a long period.