Nutritional Imbalance: Low Digestive Enzymes 

background info  | recommendations

According to the nutritional symptoms you noted in your answers to the nutritional quiz, you may have symptoms of low digestive enzymes. 

To refresh your memory, here is the background information on low digestive enzymes and following that are my recommendations to help you improve your digestive enzymes. 

Background Information

LOW DIGESTIVE ENZYMES 

Digestive enzymes are substances that allow your body to digest food, and transform it into the various nutrients required to sustain life. Healthy enzyme levels are critically important. All whole, fresh, raw foods contain enzymes which help them break down and digest easily in your system. However, processing, cooking and storing foods destroys most of these enzymes so we are forced to depend on enzymes produced in our body to digest that type of food.

The production of natural digestive enzymes is stimulated by several things such as delicious food smells, the pleasing look of food, or just the anticipation of food. When you salivate in anticipation of food, your body is preparing for digestion by generating an enzyme (ptyalin) in your saliva which is part of the first step of good digestion. The ptyalin that mixes with food in your mouth serves as a marker, and triggers additional digestive enzymes when the food reaches your stomach. Eating in a slow, relaxed manner is very important to good digestion. The flow of digestive juices can be severely inhibited by worry, anger, fear, fatigue or other strong emotions. Eating when you are tired or stressed, etc. not only results in indigestion because the enzymes have not been present to do their work, but prevents your body from extracting the nutrients it needs. 

The pancreas produces most of our digestive enzymes but its function may become sluggish due to age, nutrient deficiencies and/or poor diet.

Supplemental digestive enzymes are available in capsule form, chewable pills and liquid form. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins each require a specific enzyme to break them down. Full-spectrum digestive enzymes are available or you can buy single supplements to help digest one particular kind of food such as fats. However, before taking supplementary digestive enzymes it is important to first determine with certainty that you need them, since excessive levels of digestive enzymes can also create problems. You will notice a warm sensation in your stomach if you are taking enzymes that you don't really need, or if you are taking too many.


Low Digestive Enzyme Recommendations: 

A high score indicates that your pancreas may not be producing enough enzymes to digest your food well. This is a very common problem, especially as we get older. Coffee, alcohol, tobacco smoke, drugs, refined sugar, food preservatives and artificial sweeteners are hard on the pancreas. Excess sugar is especially destructive. Eliminate or cut back on as many of these as possible. Fresh, raw foods and foods that are very lightly cooked (lightly steamed or stir-fried) are the only dietary sources of enzymes, since enzymes are destroyed by heat. Try to eat more raw fruits and vegetables and don't overcook your vegetables. Take a digestive enzyme supplement with all meals, especially if you're eating mostly cooked foods. With some meals you may need more than one capsule. 

Take a good multivitamin/mineral tablet with a meal. If it does not contain at least 50mg of vitamin B-6, add a B complex tablet as well -- taken at a separate meal. If these recommendations do not relieve your digestive discomfort, consult with your health care practitioner.

Better combinations of foods can make a tremendous difference in digestion -- it might be a good idea to try better food combining first to see if it relieves your symptoms.

A sluggish liver or colon or an overactive stomach or an underactive stomach could also be factors in your digestive problems.