Enzymes: Where Life Begins

Enzymes are substances that make life possible.

They are needed for every chemical reaction that takes place in the human body. No mineral, vitamin, or hormone can do any work without enzymes.

Our bodies, all of our organs, tissues, and cells, are run by metabolic enzymes. They are the manual workers that build our body from proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, just as construction workers build our home.

You may have all the raw materials with which to build, but without the workers (enzymes) you cannot even begin.

Dr. Edward Howell, Enzyme Nutrition, the Food Enzyme Concept, 1985.

The late Dr. Edward Howell, M.D. spent his entire professional life studying enzymes. He developed his food enzyme concept in the 1930s after observing that people who ate raw foods had less illness than people who ate largely cooked foods. He wrote two fascinating books on his research, Food Enzymes for Health and Longevity and Enzyme Nutrition.

Through extensive research, he believed that we were born with a limited enzyme-producing capacity, and that our life expectancy depends on how well we preserve our “enzyme potential”. His theory was that if we don’t get enough enzymes from the food we eat, great strain is placed on our digestive system. A deficiency in digestive enzymes then reduces availability of our metabolic enzymes. Dr. Howell believed this metabolic enzyme deficit was the root of most chronic health problems.

Basics of Enzymes

There are three basic categories of enzymes:

1. Digestive
2. Metabolic
3. Food based

Digestive enzymes are extra-cellular— meaning, they are found outside your cells. They help break down food into smaller parts that can be absorbed, transported and utilized by every cell in your body.

Metabolic enzymes are intra-cellular—meaning, inside your cells, where they help the cell carry out a variety of functions related to its reproduction and replenishment. They are involved in running your circulatory, lymphatic, cardiac, neurologic, endocrine, renal, hepatic and reproductive systems, and maintaining your skin, bones, joints, muscles and other tissues.

Your pancreas produces most of these digestive and metabolic enzymes.

There are also enzymes that you can get (or should be getting) from the foods you consume. These directly help with your digestive process.

Enzyme Deficiency

Enzymes are easily lost during cooking, pasteurization, canning, microwaving, or heating above 47 degrees Celsius.

This is why it is so important to eat your foods raw. Raw foods give you the digestive enzymes and decrease your body’s burden to produce its own enzymes. The high demand for digestive enzymes depletes the availability of your metabolic enzymes. Why does this matter? The more raw foods you eat, the less the burden on your body to produce the enzymes it needs, not only for digestion, but for practically everything. Whatever enzymes that are not used up in digestion are then available to help with other essential biological processes, for example,

• Absorption of oxygen
• Circulation of nutrients into your cells
• Energy production
• Elimination of toxic wastes and unwanted chemicals
• Fighting infections and healing wounds
• Breaking down fats in your blood, regulating cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Dissolving blood clots
• Immune support
• Proper hormone regulation
• Reduction of inflammation
• Protection against harmful effects of radiation
• Slowing the aging processes
• and a myriad of other biochemical processes that are happening every second without you even thinking about them

Enzymes are the catalysts that cause many of these important biochemical reactions to happen by speeding up the reactions.

Hence, if most of your diet comprises of cooked and processed foods then you are travelling down the road of being enzyme deficient. Enzyme deficiency results in indigestion and poor nutrient absorption. This creates health issues like:

• Constipation
• Bloating
• Cramping
• Flatulence and belching
• Heartburn and acid reflux

In fact, if you have enzyme issues, chances are your immune system is not functioning as well as it should be. If immune response is impaired, it can lead to a variety of illnesses.

Therefore, the best way to get enzymes into your body is by consuming at least 75% of your foods raw. For many of you, you will have to work towards this goal gradually.

While all raw foods contain enzymes, the most powerful enzyme-rich foods are those sprouted, such as seeds and legumes. Other enzyme-rich foods include:

• Papaya, pineapple, mango, kiwi and grapes
• Avocado
• Bee pollen
• Raw honey (the enzymes come from the bee’s saliva)
• Extra virgin coconut oil
• Raw apple cider vinegar

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Though the original research on enzymes and immunity dates back to the 1930s, it has only been in recent years that the various mechanisms involved have begun to be made clear. At one time it was thought that the specialized cells lining the intestines prevented penetration by large food molecules, but it is now known that large molecules can pass through the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream.

One of the best ways of preventing the absorption of these large molecules is through the complete breakdown of food, especially protein, into its smallest components prior to absorption. Unfortunately, because of today’s diet that is heavily cooked, processed and sugary, most people’s own digestive system is not capable of breaking down this quantity of large food molecules effectively, thus resulting in some of these molecules being absorbed through the intestinal walls.

In addition, there are a number of factors that can further hinder this process of complete breakdown of food. Eating too fast, not chewing thoroughly, eating under stress, drinking (water, beverage or even soup) with meals and also the over-use of antacids can inhibit the proper functioning of the body’s own digestive enzymes. Overuse of pharmaceutical drugs such as antibiotics, also depletes your body’s ability to make enzymes. As a result, an increased amount of undigested or partially digested food passes through the small intestines. This absorption of large food molecules causes a condition called “Leaky Gut Syndrome.”

When absorbed into the bloodstream, some of these molecules are seen by the body’s immune system as foreign, and an immune response is triggered, producing the symptoms of an allergy. These circulating molecules can also damage the immune system, thus contributing to the development of inflammatory disorders, autoimmune diseases and food allergies.

Who Needs Enzyme Supplements?

Everybody! Especially those who have digestive problems, irritable bowel syndrome, skin allergies, inflammatory conditions, viral infections, and all chronic and degenerative conditions like rheumatic disorders, soft tissue trauma, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, autoimmune diseases, etc.

Even raw food eaters can still be enzyme deficient and need enzyme supplements because nowadays plants are grown in depleted, sick soils. These plants will give up their enzymes to the soil in an effort to replenish it. Taking a food enzyme supplement will spare your pancreas from having to do 100% of the digestion in the duodenum and allow your body to put more of its energy into producing metabolic enzymes, which every cell in your body needs in order to function.

Furthermore, research has shown that your capacity for enzyme production declines at the rate of 13% every 10 years starting at the age of 20. So by the time you are 60, you could be producing only half of the enzymes your body needs.

That’s why you should consider a good, natural enzyme supplement in addition to eating more of your foods raw.

Special supplementary enzymes from plant microbial sources, taken with meals, can provide valuable assistance to the body’s own digestive processes. These enzymes are stable and active throughout the pH range of the entire gastrointestinal tract; and therefore can help ensure that food is completely broken down by the time it passes out of the small intestine. By preventing the absorption of these potentially harmful large molecules, supplementary enzymes can alleviate some of the stress and damage to the immune system that these large molecules can cause.

Another way that supplementary enzymes can support the Immune system is through their systemic effect. In order for enzymes to be used systemically, they must be ingested on an empty stomach (between meals). Otherwise, your body will use them for digesting food, instead of being absorbed through your gut and into your bloodstream, where your cells can use them metabolically.

What is N.Zimes PA Plus™?

N.Zimes PA Plus™ is a result of eight decades of research and expertise in the study and safe handling of enzymes founded by Dr. Edward Howell.

The name N.Zimes PA Plus™ denotes that it contains a proprietary blend called N.Zimes PA which stands for Pancreatin Alternative. This product is specially formulated to provide digestive support throughout a broad range of conditions.

Unique features of N.Zimes PA Plus™:

1. It is 100% plant based; suitable for vegetarians.
2. It is sourced from the highest quality ingredients and is guaranteed free of GMO.
3. It contains microbial enzymes that are active in the pH range of 2.5 to 10.0. This means that unlike supplemental enzymes of animal origin (active only in the narrow pH range of 7.5 to 8.5, an alkaline environment found in the small intestines), N.Zimes PA Plus™ is active in both the acidic environment of the stomach and the alkaline environment of the small intestines. It starts digesting food in the stomach, and continues the process as the food enters the small intestines, ensuring complete digestion of the food.
4. N.Zimes PA Plus™ contains a complete spectrum of enzymes necessary for digesting a broad range of foods. They include:
   • A variety of proteolytic enzymes which help to break down proteins at different optimum levels (effective in the broad pH range of 2.5-10). This enables protein digestion to begin in the upper stomach where pH is lower, and to continue in the higher pH environment of the small intestines.
   • A variety of carbohydrolytic enzymes which help to digest various forms of carbohydrates, like maltose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, complex sugars found in vegetables, grains as well as legumes.
   • Lactase to help digest lactose found in dairy products.
   • Lipase that helps to break down oils and fats.
   • A variety of fibre-hydrolysing enzymes that help to break down the fibrous cell walls present in grains, fruits, and vegetables. These help to release the nutrients within and enable the absorption of the resulting smaller molecules. They also help to prevent gas formation in the intestines.

Now that you understand how important enzymes are to your overall health, right down to the cellular level, hopefully you may begin to appreciate just how important it is to eat a diet rich in fresh, organic, raw foods and start taking a natural enzyme supplement.

Testimonials

Occasionally, I have a feeling of fullness after having my meals, and sometimes this leads to discomfort and even affects my sleep.

I have tried a few remedies proposed by my friends and relatives, but I find my wife’s recommendation the best. It is through her that I first learned about N.Zimes PA Plus™ and its benefits. After taking the recommended dose, I find that the feeling of fullness and discomfort disappears. What a relief!

N.Zimes PA Plus™ is an amazing digestive aid, and it is so easy to consume. Now I carry it in my bag wherever I go, and I have even recommended it to my friends and relatives who share the same problem with me.

Kelvin Choong, Kuala Lumpur.

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I have been taking N.Zimes PA Plus™ consistently everyday with my meals for 6 months already. It greatly helps improve my digestion.

During the Chinese New Year period when I was enjoying so many feasts and yummy goodies and also, whenever I felt that I have over eaten during my meals, I would take N.Zimes PA Plus™ and it helps to reduce the gas and bloatedness rather quickly.

I think it is a must-have as we eat a lot of cooked food in our daily meals because it helps in breaking down the food for easier absorption.

Kelly Wong, Singapore.

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There are certain foods that tend to provoke my indigestion. After eating them, I would be burping a lot and feeling very bloated.

Such uncomfortable feeling usually carries on for many hours and does not seem to go away by itself until I turn to N.Zimes PA Plus for relief. Without fail, N.Zimes PA Plus always works!

Shortly after taking half or one teaspoon of N.Zimes PA Plus™, the burping and bloated feeling disappear. Perhaps my body is lacking of certain digestive enzymes hence the indigestion experience with certain food.

N.Zimes PA Plus™ provides me every necessary enzyme so that food can be broken down properly for digestion and absorption.

Madam Lee, Kota Kinabalu.