What are digestive enzymes?

Digestive enzymes help break down our food into smaller, more absorbable units. Your body cannot absorb the food you eat as is, it can only absorb nutrients. Therefore, in order for your body to benefit from what you eat, proteins need to be broken down into amino acids; fats need to be broken down into fatty acids and cholesterol; and carbohydrates need to be broken down into simple sugars. You rely on digestive enzymes to break down what you eat. Here is a list of enzymes your body is supposed to make to break down certain types of foods:

• Amylase & Diastase - break down starch into sugars
• Protease -breaks down protein into amino acids
• Lipase - breaks down fat into fatty acids
• Invertase -breaks sugar down into glucose and fructose
• Lactase - breaks down sugar found in dairy products

Why you should consider a digestive enzyme supplement.

If you are enzyme deficient, you are not absorbing nutrients from your food, even if the food you are eating is very healthy. In addition to not being able to absorb nutrients from what you are eating, enzyme deficiency can also cause many digestive symptoms such as acid reflux, heartburn, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, constipation and diarrhea. If you are eating the Standard American Diet (SAD), you are not giving your body the proper “nutrients” to make healthy digestive enzymes; therefore, you are more than likely deficient.

Amino acids, minerals and metal elements such as iron or zinc bond together to create digestive enzymes. For example, selenium is a mineral that is needed in the body to make enzymes. Selenium rich foods include; nuts, seeds, and green vegetables. This means if your diet is selenium deficient, the body is not going to be able to manufacture enough enzymes for digestion.

At birth we are given a certain potential for manufacturing enzymes in our body, creating an enzyme “reserve.” However, if we do not continually replenish that reserve through proper nutrition, it runs out.

Having a lack of digestive enzymes puts tremendous stress on the body, because it is then forced to draw reserves from other locations throughout the body. The more we depend on our body to create digestive enzymes without the proper tools, the less time and energy the body’s systems and organs have for rebuilding and replacing worn out damaged cells and tissue. This puts a tremendous amount of stress on the endocrine system, as well as the immune system. After years and years of relying on our “reserve,” it is eventually depleted.

Chronic stress is also a reason to consider a digestive enzyme supplement. When our body is in the “fight or flight” mode, digestion is considered low priority. This results in little digestive enzyme output.

To ensure that Dr. Liz Cruz and her family are fully digesting their food, they take their Everyday Enzymes supplement. To order yours, either speak with a staff member, or order online at www.drlizcruz.com.