From gas and bloating to abdominal pain, reflux, heartburn, and diarrhea, surveys show that 75 percent of Americans are living with digestive problems.
And when you consider the old saying, “You are what you eat,” it’s easy to understand why.
After all, we’re now a nation that eats an ever-increasing amount of processed foods — foods with no active enzymes needed to help with digestion that you would find in a raw food diet. And to top it off, even the fresh fruits and veggies we consume are often grown in depleted soil, offering lower nutrient levels, including enzymes, than they used to.
So what can you do to support healthy digestion that doesn’t involve radically changing your diet and growing your own food?
The answer is to add those digestive enzymes back to your life!
WHAT ARE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES, AND WHY DO YOU NEED THEM?
First, let me answer why you may want other options than reaching for the typical solutions to ease your digestive symptoms, like heartburn or acid reflux.
They can actually make you feel worse and lead to health problems totally unrelated to why you took them in the first place!
Proton pump inhibitors like Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid have been linked to bone, lung, and gut problems — not to mention vitamin B12 and magnesium deficiencies.
In a world where digestive complaints are epidemic, enzymes are a natural, healthy choice that works.
You see, enzymes are what your body uses to convert the food you eat into the chemical substances it needs to perform its everyday functions, like…
- Nourishing your body.
- Maintaining your immune system.
- Making it possible for your body to process nutrients and energy.
- Breaking down and carrying away toxic waste from the body.
This is why enzyme deficiency is known to lead to digestive problems such as:
- Constipation
- Gas
- Reflux
- Bloating
- Abdominal cramps
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea
And since your gut plays a role in your overall health, lack of the proper enzymes to keep your digestion moving could even increase your risk of long-term health issues.
The good news is that your body naturally produces enzymes in your pancreas to aid in the processing of the nutrients from the foods we eat. Some of your body’s natural digestive enzymes include:
- Amylase – An enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates and starches
- Protease – A protein-specific enzyme
- Lipase – The enzyme that targets fats
The bad news is that your pancreas doesn’t always produce enough enzymes on its own to handle the food you eat, especially as you get older.
That’s why adding digestive enzymes to your diet is essential to supporting healthy digestion.
And two of the best natural enzymes to use for this purpose are bromelain and papain.
So how can you get more of these in your daily diet?
Bromelain is found in its natural form in pineapples’ stem, juice, and flesh. This protein-digesting enzyme works to support digestive comfort after the consumption of common food irritants. And it’s even been shown to calm the fires of inflammation that can cause stomachache.
Papain, on the other hand, is found in papayas. Another protein-devouring enzyme, papain’s power, comes from its ability to digest proteins and gluten peptides to help banish unwanted after-meal side effects like cramping, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and gas from eating wheat proteins such as gluten.
Of course, if regular servings of pineapple and papaya fruit salad aren’t on your menu, you can do like I do and choose to take an easy digestive supplement like All-Zyme.
All I do is take it during or at the end of my meal, and I’m not left wondering when the gas and bloating will start — because it works that well for me, every time.
But in addition to soothing run-of-the-mill digestive issues, All-Zyme contains unique ingredients for those with gluten sensitivity. You can’t beat that for helping you out when that gluten-free meal at your favorite restaurant turns out to be not so free of the one thing that can send you running for the nearest restroom.
Promoting healthy digestion doesn’t have to be problematic, scary, or complicated. Don’t you wish everything could be so easy?
To learn more about how digestive enzymes can help you, call Doctor’s Nutrition today at 1-800-824-0194.
I have been taking All Enzyme for about 3 weeks and have lost 6 lbs. Is this a normal side effect of All Enzyme or am I just one lucky duck?
It is possible – it will improve digestion which helps you process your foods correctly. Reduces bloating and inflammation.
I am the happiest of old girls cause as of today I’ve lost 9 lbs and only 21 more to lose. And I feel so much better. My digestive system must be in worse shape than I thought!! Thank you for your response!
That is great – so glad to hear.