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The
health of almost every system in your body has its foundation in
food consumption and digestion. That is why digestive enzyme
supplementation can have such a profound affect on the health of
your body.
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Stomach (Abdominal)
Bloating: When food is not digested in a timely manner, it just sits in the stomach causing bloating. The better and faster you digest your food, the faster it can move out of the stomach and into the intestines. Digestive enzymes speed up the digestive process, reducing bloating.
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Excessive Stomach
Gas/Flatulence: Undigested foods tend to rot and ferment in the intestines and colon, feeding bacteria which create gas as a byproduct. The better you digest your food, the less these bacteria have to feed on, reducing the amount of gas they produce. In addition to digestive enzymes, some people my need to supplement with betaine hydrochloride to assist in protein digestion. It is also important to note that certain foods will always cause gas (flatulence) for certain people.
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Heartburn: One of the primary causes of heartburn or indigestion (also referred to as "acid indigestion") is too much food in the stomach. The longer food sits in the stomach, the more stomach acid your body will produce to help break down that food. Digestive enzymes help to break down foods immediately, so that they can move from the stomach area more readily, reducing the pressure in the stomach that may lead to heartburn or excessive production of stomach acid (the symptom normally associated with indigestion).
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Fatigue After
Meals: When you lack sufficient digestive enzymes to break down the foods you eat, your body must expend a lot of energy to help break down these foods. Enzyme supplements help break down food so that your body can expend its energy doing something more important.
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Bowel (Colon)
Problems: Most bowel problems are caused by a build up of toxins in the bowels. Many of these toxins are in the form of undigested foods, and many of these toxins results as a byproduct of the bacteria that thrive in the bowels as a result of these undigested foods. Undigested foods stick to the sides of the colon, compromising the optimal function of the colon and creating an environment perfect for pathogenic bacteria growth. Digestive enzymes help reduce the amount of undigested foods that enter the colon and may also help to break down the toxic build up on the colon walls. It is also important to note that if you already have bowel problems, you should do some type of colon detoxification program to clean out your colon, before starting on digestive enzymes to receive optimal results. (Refer to our page on Constipation for a good colon detox system)
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Food
Allergies: Research indicates that undigested proteins pass through the intestinal lining and cause the formation of antigens which are responsible for a number of allergic reactions. Proteolytic enzymes like Protease, help break down these antigens, calming certain immune responses that may cause swelling, redness, itching, and other allergic reactions.
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Weight
Gain: Some experts believe that obese people suffer from a deficiency of lipase in their fatty tissues. Lipase plays a critical role in metabolizing, burning, and storing fat. Some experts also believe that a diet high in cooked and processed foods taxes the pancreas to produce more digestive enzymes predisposes a person to weight gain. It is theorized that the stress on the pancreas leads to stress on the pituitary gland, which leads to thyroid imbalances, which lead to weight problems. Digestive enzyme supplements can help remedy this situation and can even promote weight loss.
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Premature
Aging: There are many factors that lead to premature aging and digestive enzymes play a vital role in so many of those factors including reducing stress on your digestive system, immune system, and most of your major organs, helping to break down the fatty deposits that may accumulate in your veins and arteries and the toxic sludge that builds up on the intestinal wall, and maximizing the amount of nutrients you get from the foods you eat that are so critical to its rejuvenation processes.
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Even
healthy foods that are not digested completely can cause stress to
our bodies.
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Undigested
proteins, fats and minerals form uric acid crystals that may lead to
gout and joint pain or kidney stones. Undigested Fats can clog blood
vessels and arteries. Undigested sugars and starches will feed
fungal forms and yeast in the body.
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Undigested
foods that enter the blood stream and the tissues are considered “foreign
invaders” by our immune system. As a result, the immune system is
required to expend a lot of energy ridding your body of these
undigested foods when it could be expending that same energy doing
other important functions like rebuilding tissue or fighting
disease. Digestive enzyme supplements allow your immune system to
focus on more important issues than getting rid of undigested foods.
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When
enzyme function is compromised, more free-radical damage can occur
and detoxification functions are also compromised. This creates a
more acid environment in your body which is more conducive
pathogenic cell growth (like cancer).
