| Digestive Enzymes, the basics | | | | Acidity is fundamental for digestive enzymes. |
| Enzymes are proteins and the catalyst to many | | | | The enzymes work best at their optimum pH, so |
| changes going on in our body. Digestive enzymes | | | | for example, the enzymes secreted in the |
| separate our meals into simpler substances that | | | | pancreas and will only work in an alkaline medium, |
| can be more easily absorbed. Nutrients are | | | | and those in the stomach require a strong acidic |
| trapped in the meals we take in as our digestive | | | | medium. |
| is only designed to let these nutrients free with | | | | The pancreas manufactures the pancreatic juice |
| the help of the enzymes found in raw and | | | | that shifts the acid contents from the stomach |
| fermented foods. The enzymes within these raw | | | | into an alkaline in the small intestine. |
| foods are only highly active during the initial 45 | | | | A common problem is heartburn and indigestion |
| min of digestion. However because we consume | | | | shortly after eating due to an acid alkaline |
| such a poor eating plan of highly processed, highly | | | | instability. There is a common misconception |
| processed foods we often lack these important | | | | around heartburn. Infact in many cases this is |
| enzymes in our food. | | | | certainly an acid issue but more so not enough |
| The human body delivers approximately 22 | | | | acid at the right strength, or a low enough pH. For |
| digestive enzymes that all function on different | | | | perfect digestion in the stomach you require |
| types of food. If you consistently eat cooked | | | | digestive juices at a very low pH, in other words, |
| processed food your body is forced to supply all | | | | very, very strong acid, between 0.9 and 2.4. |
| of the missing enzymes, requiring a lot of energy | | | | Often it is working inadequately and very hard at |
| and can make you feel tired after eating. | | | | a pH of 4 or more, and if the stomach is not |
| However your body will eventually use up its | | | | acidic enough, the enzyme pepsin will not work |
| ability to produce enzymes and this causes | | | | properly. The food then does not get digestetd |
| symptoms such as fatigue, wind, constipation, | | | | properly, ferments and so produces gas that |
| headaches and bowel problems.Ultimately your | | | | bloats the stomach, causing discomfort. Other |
| body will lose it's ability to create the enzymes | | | | symptoms include burning in the throat and chest. |
| causing systems such as headaches, constipation | | | | How can you improve the situation? |
| and fatigue. | | | | Digestive enzymes may be helpful for those who |
| So what are the enzymes that we have in our | | | | can get bloating almost immediately after eating |
| body to help with digestion? | | | | food. There are some supplements that include |
| - Ptyalin for digesting starchy foods is produced | | | | hydrochloric acid to help with the digestion in the |
| by the saliver glands | | | | stomach which is really helpful for that burning |
| - The gastric enzymes that get secreted in the | | | | sensation. |
| stomach are pepsin which breaks down proteins, | | | | I would recommend nutrigest. Other supplements |
| gelatinase, gastric amylase and lipase. | | | | have a highly concentrated plant enzyme formula |
| - The pancreas secretes enzymes such as trypsin | | | | without the hydrochloric acid, and the good thing |
| that breaks down peptides in the small intestine, | | | | about plant enzymes is that they are stable and |
| pancreatic amylase that degrades most | | | | active in an acid or alkaline environment, such as |
| carbohydrates, protease that digests proteins, | | | | similase. |
| lipase that digests fats, steapsin, | | | | There are some enzyme supplements that will |
| carboxypeptidase, and bile from the liver that | | | | include an acid/alkaline balancer within them which |
| emulsifies fats. | | | | is helpful for people who suffer flatulence and |
| - The small intestine secrete a juice called succus | | | | indigestion soon after eating, such as Catalyst 7 |
| entericus which contains six types of enzymes to | | | | which contains calcium, magnesium and barley |
| degrade disaccharides into monosacchrides. | | | | grass. |