Enzymes affect your energy!
At Solluna, we believe in the importance of enzymes for gut health, for building immunity, and for overall wellness. Enzymes affect your bodyās health, influence your energy levels, and help break down your food. You can take enzymes to maximize health, vitality, and beauty ā weāll show you the exact steps to take.
We also want to clear up some myths floating around regarding so-called āimmune reactionsā when eating cooked foods that lack enzymes. But first, letās begin with the basics.
Enzymes are proteins that serve as catalysts or the āsparkā to quickly bring about specific chemical reactions in your bodyās cells. The easiest way to understand enzymes is to see them as āworker beesā in your bodyās cells, creating chemical reactions that allow them to break down existing materials or create new ones. This is why enzymes and food are synonymous with achieving optimal gut health.
Pineapple is a wonderful source of digestive enzymes and is one of natureās most enzyme-rich foods (and one of Sollunaās top 50 Beauty Foods). It has an abundance of bromelain, which is a powerful digestive aid, and is loaded with Vitamin C, which has an endless list of health benefits, including the growth and development of bodily tissues, improving the immune system, and even stimulating collagen production for beautiful skin. In the next article, weāll dive deep into the connection between enzymes and beauty.
The therapeutic role of digestive enzymes was popularized by Dr. Edward Howell, author of a book called The Status of Food Enzymes in Digestion and Metabolism. He said, āEnzymes may be the key factor in preventing chronic disease and extending the human lifespan.ā
Dr. Howellās work influenced many other figures in the digestive health movement, including Dr. Anne Wigmore, one of the pioneers of the living foods movement. Dr. Wigmore was an amazing woman and a big proponent of dietary enzymes.
There are more than 3,000 types of enzymes in the human body, playing key roles in more than 4,000 biochemical reactions.
In other words, nothing in your body happens without the action of enzymes!
Enzymes are important for proper digestion, metabolism, respiration, nutrient absorption and transportation, detoxification and purification, muscle building, hormone production, cellular rejuvenation, and so many other things related to your health and beauty.
Once an enzyme does its job, it is removed and must be replaced by new enzymes in order to keep your body humming along.
Your body gets enzymes from four main sources:
The foods you eat contain food enzymes, but they are typically only āaliveā and bio-available to you if the food is raw (heated below 118 degrees Fahrenheit). These enzymes can strengthen your immune system and work in conjunction with nutrients to repair cells and build health. This, however, doesnāt mean that everything you eat must be raw.
When you eat foods that do not contain enzymes, or overheated foods with inactive enzymes, your body, including salivary glands, digestive system, and pancreas must work harder to produce the enzymes it needs. Foods like cooking oils, which become trans fats, are completely devoid of enzymes, toxic and actually trigger an immune reaction, according to research summarized by Harvard. Thatās a big reason why fried food should be avoided at all costs.
Dr. Joel Fuhrman states, āIt is true that when food is baked at high temperaturesāand especially when it is fried or barbecuedā¦important nutrients are lost. A significant percentĀ
Dr. Fuhrman goes onto explain that the nutrient and enzyme loss that occurs during cooking is often exaggerated by raw food diet proponents and often overlooks the nutrients that are brought out by the cooking process. (Such as the additional lycopene in tomatoes you can bring out when you cook them.)
Whatās more, cooking certain foods ā including cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or Brussel sprouts ā actually makes those foods easier for the body to digest. This can actually save you enzymes in the digestive process, versus attempting to eat and break them down in the raw form. Additionally, mushrooms have very tough cell walls that prevent our small intestines from absorbing their nutrients because they are highly indigestible when theyāre not cooked. Mushrooms also contain small amounts of carcinogens that are destroyed during the cooking process.
This is also, to an extent, instinctive. Isnāt cooked broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or mushrooms often more appetizing than eating them raw? Just avoid deep frying or burned food and youāll be fine.
Incorporating fermented foods into your diet is a great way to add more natural digestive enzymes to improve your gut health. In a later article, weāll examine which foods to eat and what steps to take to maximize your bodyās enzyme levels.
Supplementing with digestive enzymes and probiotics will help you to fully digest the food you eat, allowing you to absorb more nutrients to help you not only feel better but look better too! People with minor sensitivities to certain foods and people with lactose intolerance can also benefit from taking a digestive enzyme supplement. Thatās because your digestive system will be equipped to properly break down and digest proteins that are causing gas, bloating and discomfort
Improve your overall digestive health and start feeling even better with our Solluna Feel Good Digestive Starter Kit. It includes:
TRY OUR DIGESTIVE STARTER KIT NOW
Part 2: How Enzymes Keep Us Beautiful
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This article was updated from its original, published on 09/04/2014
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