An enzyme functions as a biocatalyst and while chemical reactions are generally slow, enzymes work to accelerate certain reactions. There are approximately 3000 enzymes and over 7000 reactions caused by enzymes. While most of the enzymes are related to digestion, they also fulfill a variety of other tasks such as acting as anti-inflammatory agents, immune boosters, blood cleansers, etc. The body naturally creates enzymes and we absorb enzymes from various foods. However, as we grow older the ability of our body to create enzymes diminishes and the manner in which modern day food is prepared does not help either. Cooking food involves steaming, microwaving, broiling, roasting, pasteurizing, etc., and this process can seriously reduce or eliminate many essential enzymes. In fact, current statistics suggest that around 20-75 million Americans and millions of others the world over suffer from digestive problems because of the lack of the necessary enzymes. Therefore, it is important to obtain an alternative source of enzymes.
Digestive enzymes in particular, are produced by the body along the digestive tract. This helps break down the food into nutrients and waste. One solution that has gained a lot of attention is to eat raw foods. However, the enzymes brought about by raw foods will only be sufficient enough to break down those particular foods, they will not be enough to break down other processed foods. In addition, eating a lot of raw food is not good for your health since there is a possibility that it could be contaminated and it is not practical with certain foods such as eggs, poultry and meat. Therefore, the only proper way to help your body regain lost enzymes is via enzyme supplements.
The supplements help the body’s digestive and immune systems, therefore less energy is used and the body’s health is preserved. Enzyme supplements work to breakdown fats and help digest fat deposits. This process reduces the stress on your lives, gallbladder and pancreas. One of the end results is that enzyme supplements helps reduce excess weight. In addition, enzyme supplements help utilize glucose deposits found in your liver. This helps improve mental capacity and balance your emotions. Yet another important benefit gained from enzyme supplements is that it helps slow down the effects of ageing and improve the condition of your skin. This is because enzyme supplements can increase blood supply to the skin while effectively removing any waste products that are responsible for making the skin look unhealthy.
Some of the benefits of certain enzyme supplements are listed as follows.
• Bromelain: Helps reduce inflamation in arthritis, muscular-skeletal injuries and rheumatism.
• Protease: Helps slow the metastasis of cancerous tumors while also helping to reduce the pain generated by cancer.
• Amylase and Lipase: Helps reduce artery disease and atherosclerosis.
While Enzyme supplements have their benefits it is important to note that before taking them, you should consult your doctor. Some enzymes can intensify the effect of certain drugs, which in turn could harm your body. In addition, if you have various digestive problems or trouble eating and processing food, you might have an enzyme deficiency. In this case, consult your doctor before taking enzyme supplements.
Archive
Posts Tagged ‘Digestive Tract’
Because of the need and use of regular food and liquids, your digestive system is in constant use. The tube from your mouth to your stomach is known as the esophagus. When you eat or drink food products, they go through this tube where breakdown of food begins. Acid and pepsin are released in the stomach once the food is swallowed and reaches its destination in that area. The acid and pepsin then help the body to break down the food and digest it. The problem starts when this acid is pushed up from the stomach to the esophagus and begins to cause deterioration.
If a problem, such as indigestion, should occur in the digestive tract, it is not uncommon for people to ignore and neglect the warning signs, thus avoiding treatment of what could be a very serious problem. Often, they will use some type of home remedial treatment in order to treat the problems. The problem with this is that a very common digestive disease becomes neglected. That disease is acid reflux or heartburn. When the esophagus is irritated by those stomach acids that are pushed up into the esophagus, erosion of tissues occurs. This erosion, usually in the lower esophagus and upper stomach, is what is known as acid reflux disease or Gastroenteral Regurgitation Disease (GERD).
Acid reflux disease (GERD) is only one of many kinds of digestive diseases commonly known as “heartburn.” There are specific symptoms that will help you determine whether or not you have acid reflux or “GERD.”
If you have a “searing” sensation in the digestive tract, you have one of the most common symptoms of GERD. This sensation can often be felt in the throat or the chest. Other common symptoms are hoarseness, an acrid taste in the mouth, bitterness or sourness in the mouth, frequent coughing and wheezing.
There are some special characteristics that can help indicate the existence of GERD. One of them is the presence of pain or that “searing” sensation when one is lying down or just bending over. If this should occur, try to sleep on the back with the head elevated. Some people claim that physical activity and exercise help diminish acid reflux over time. The vast majority of people simply use antacids which can be helpful in the short term but medical help should be sought to address the long-term effects of acid reflux. GERD symptoms are often mistaken for symptoms of heart attack and any type of chest pain should be investigated medically.
Acid reflux disease is not a disease of old or middle aged people. It can occur with all age groups, including infants and small children. While some infants can have acid reflux, it is not common and often dissapates as the child matures. In adults, the GERd is usually caused by poor diet, lack of physical activity or inactive lifestyle.
Acid reflux could also be caused by other factors. Pregnancy is a common time to see acid reflux because during this time women tend to have large increases in their levels of hormones and the stomach has pressure on it from the fetus. Another reason for acid reflux is extreme obesity. The intake of some acidic beverages, overeating or even some medicines can cause acid reflux disease.
An investigation into the causes of acid reflux-like symptoms should be undertaken if a person believes that he or she may have acid reflux disease. Prevention is the most effective means of avoiding acid reflux. This means that a person who suffers from GERD should attempt to change lifestyles to one that is more healthy.
Because acid reflux is most often caused by poor diet, it is obviously to one’s benefit to change to a proper nutritional diet in order to aid in the eradication of acid reflux. If the diet is usually a spicy, high fat diet, the chances of acid reflux are much greater. An acid reflux problem can lead to much more serious problems such as advanced respiratory difficulties or liver problems, therefore, it would certainly behoove anyone to visit their health care professional and determine whether or not they have acid reflux and make a plan to rid themselves of this painful and irritating condition.
Your risk of developing exercise induced heartburn increases if you exercise too soon after a meal, particularly a large meal. If possible, wait several hours after a meal before heading to the gym to give your food a chance to move out of the stomach into the small intestines. Try to avoid overindulging at mealtime if you know you’ll be exercising later that day.
Try it yourself; have someone sit on your stomach after a meal and watch the acid rise back up the digestive tract. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling. Imagine how uncomfortable it will be for a pregnant woman.
There may be ways to stop heartburn naturally, depending on how severe your case becomes. For example, eating smaller meals more frequently instead of a few large meals throughout the day may prevent heartburn from occurring. Similarly, if you’re significantly overweight you have a higher chance of recurring heartburn; eat sensibly and exercise, and you may be able to prevent heartburn altogether. Subsequently, you probably want to avoid spicy and fried foods because these are common triggers of most cases of heartburn.
Avoid foods that are fatty, spicy or greasy. If you have to eat them, eat in moderation. Citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, chocolate and onions are foods that may trigger heartburn as well.
Alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. It also increases the production of stomach acid. If you want to consume alcohol, follow these tips: Dilute alcoholic beverages with water or club soda, drink moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages — the suggested amounts are 1-2 mixed drinks, 12-16 ounces of wine, or 2-3 beers, drink white wine instead of red, choose non-alcoholic beer or wine whenever you can.
Change your sleep position. Raising your head or shoulders slightly (about four to six inches) can keep stomach acid where it belongs. Try putting blocks under the legs at the head of your bed or adding a small pillow. Some studies also have suggested that sleeping on your left side can speed up digestion.
Gain the proper amount of weight as discussed by your doctor. Heartburn is more prevalent in obese people. While most pregnant women can healthily gain about 30 pounds during pregnancy, this weight should be added gradually, over the course of several months.
When you have had a meal, resist the temptation to either lay down or sit back with your feet in a raised position. This is a common catalyst for pregnancy heartburn. When you lay back you’re inviting food to travel back up your digestive tract.
Gallstones are solid deposits of cholesterol or calcium salts that form in your gallbladder or nearby bile ducts. They often cause no symptoms and require no treatment. Sometimes, however, gallstones cause chronic indigestion, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
Raise the head of your bed so that your head and chest are higher than your feet. You can do this by placing 6-inch blocks under the bedposts at the head of the bed. Don’t use piles of pillows to achieve the same goal. You will only put your head at an angle that can increase pressure on your stomach and make your heartburn worse.
Allergies in dogs seem to have become more and more common over the years. Whether this is just because we are getting better at diagnosing them is debatable, but certainly the pet food manufacturers have had an important role to play in dealing with this phenomenon. Although a food allergy is thought to be non curable, the good news is that with proper diagnosis and management it can be well controlled in virtually 100% of cases.
What is a food allergy?
A more appropriate term for a food allergy is an adverse food reaction. It is where ingestion of a certain ingredient in the diet causes itchiness anywhere on the body and recurring skin or ear infections with Malassezia yeast and bacteria. Food allergies can also cause digestive tract signs too, such as fecal mucus, blood in the stools and increased frequency of defecation. They have also been associated with increased flatulence.
The root cause of these adverse food reactions is unknown, but research points towards an increase in permeability of the gut wall, or a failure of the gut associated immune system. Though it has never been proven that certain breeds are affected worse than others, some breeds do seem to be over represented. The age of onset can range from a few months to 12 years old.
What are the ingredients that dogs are most commonly allergic to?
There are 7 ingredients that are frequently responsible for adverse food reactions:
1. Beef
2. Milk
3. Eggs
4. Chicken
5. Soy
6. Wheat
7. Corn
Statistically, beef and soy are the biggest offenders. Many dogs will be allergic to more than one of these ingredients, and may also be allergic to things in their environment, such as pollen, certain grasses or fleas.
How can a food allergy be diagnosed?
If a dog has had general itchiness that does not lessen in the winter months, recurrent skin and ear infections or intermittent soft stools, it is worth investigating for a food allergy.
There are 3 recognised diagnostic methods:
1. A blood test to measure antibodies to various ingredients.
2. An intradermal skin test where allergens are injected at various points on the skin and the reaction is measured.
3. An elimination diet.
The intradermal skin test is thought to be very inaccurate, and the jury is still out on the blood test. The elimination diet is seen as the most reliable, and the cheapest of the three options. It does however require a motivated and disciplined owner in order to achieve meaningful results.
Elimination Diet
There are three basic elimination diet choices:
1. Home cooked food
This is not generally recommended as it is time consuming for the owner and can also provide an unnatural and nutritionally unbalanced diet. However, if the dog is incredibly fussy and the owner cannot bear to force it to eat a commercial diet, the best ingredients are one of either lamb, fish, duck or turkey, plus one of either rice or potatoes. The two ingredients selected (the former high in protein, the latter a carbohydrate source) should be ones that the dog has preferably never eaten before.
2. A commercial, limited antigen diet
If one of these diets is to be recommended, suitable ingredients would be venison, rabbit or oatmeal. Remember, we are looking for ingredients that your dog has never eaten before, so cannot possibly already be allergic to.
3. A commercial, hydrolysed protein hypoallergenic diet
These contain proteins that have been broken down to the extent that they are no longer capable of causing an allergic reaction. They are often referred to as prescription diets because they are usually purchased via a veterinarian, although they can be obtained over the counter without a prescription. They are significantly more expensive than limited antigen diets, so it is wiser to try a limited antigen diet first as if the elimination diet is successful, the dog will remain on that food for life.
The elimination diet must be given for a minimum of 6 weeks, and possibly up to 10, in order to observe the maximum response. Owners must not give their dog ANYTHING else during the trial period, meaning no titbits, treats or vitamin supplements. For example, many owners do not realize that rawhide chews are made from cow derivatives and that with beef being the most common culprit in allergies, these chews could be the root of the problem. During the trial period, nothing must enter the dogs mouth apart from the chosen diet and water.
If the symptoms in question are intense itchiness, many vets will prescribe antihistamines or steroids during the first few weeks of the trial in order to make the dog more comfortable. If the dog gets better as the trial goes on, and the initial drugs to provide temporary comfort have worn off, then it is suggestive of a food allergy. If this occurs, the dog is then challenged with its former diet to see if the symptoms return and therefore confirm the diagnosis. It usually takes between 3 and 7 days for the symptoms to return after initiating the challenge.
If there is a partial improvement in the dogs condition, it is likely that the dog indeed has a food allergy but also has other allergies at the same time. The dog will then be kept on the elimination diet while other potential allergies are investigated, such as flea bite sensitivity and atopy. These can be checked for via intradermal testing or blood tests.
If a food allergy is confirmed, the owner can either continue to feed the same food given during the elimination trial indefinitely, or can persevere with dietary trials by introducing the 7 most common allergic ingredients (see above) one by one until it is ascertained exactly what the dog is allergic to.