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[Mr_Tracys_Corner] The Essentials Of Enzigne Nutritional Therapy 1/3

SEARCH:HOME | CURRENT ISSUE | BACK ISSUES | ARTICLES | SUBSCRIBE | PRODUCTS |ADVERTISING | WHO, WHAT, WHERE | LINKS | COMMENTS | SURVEYThe Essentials ofEnzyme Nutrition TherapyPart 1/3Food enzymes in raw food are vital for digesting that food, but theirdestruction during cooking is a key factor in today's rising levels ofallergies and chronic degenerative diseases.--Extracted from Nexus Magazine, Volume 10, Number 6 (October-November 2003)PO Box 30, Mapleton Qld 4560 Australia. editorTelephone: +61 (0)7 5442 9280; Fax: +61 (0)7 5442 9381From our web page at: www.nexusmagazine.com© 2003 by Mark Rojek785 N. Dancer RoadDexter, MI 48130, USATelephone/fax: +1 (734) 433 9267Email: mrojek1Website: http://www.radianthealth.cc--In August 1971, the US Department of Agriculture published "An Evaluation ofResearch in the United States on Human Nutrition; Report No. 2, Benefitsfrom Nutrition Research". The US government spent approximately $30 millionanalysing the relationship diet has to disease. According to the study:. Major health problems are diet related;. The real potential from improved diet is preventative;. Benefits would be shared by all.especially by lower economic and non-whitepopulation groups;. Major benefits are long range. Early adjustments of diet could prevent thedevelopment of undesirable long-range effects;. There exist geographical, regional differences in diet-related problems.It's now known that within a very short time after its release, all copiesof the report were seized by the federal government. It was not until thecampaign in 1993-94 for the Dietary Health Education and Supplement Act thata copy was mysteriously forwarded to the grassroots organisation, Citizensfor Health, to help in its fight to prevent the Food and Drug Administrationfrom classifying food supplements as drugs.Within any group that seeks control and power over a population, even healthis a legitimate target. If you can manipulate the population's health orinduce disease by modifying what they consume, you can create a pseudohealthcare system that seems to care but is busy making billions off diseasethat is relatively easy to prevent or cure through diet alone. With themultimillion-dollar backing of an industry, you can also discredit anyalternative to current, popularly accepted treatments by labelling them "oldwives' tales", "quackery" or "unscientific".In 1988, "The Surgeon-General's Report on Nutrition and Health" addressedthe overwhelming evidence of the connection between diet and chronicdisease. In his report, then Surgeon-General C. Everett Koop wrote: "For thetwo out of three adult Americans who do not smoke and do not drinkexcessively, one personal choice seems to influence long-term healthprospects more than any other: what we eat. The weight of this evidence andthe magnitude of the problem at hand indicate that it is now time to takeaction. In the cause of good health for all citizens, I urge support forthis Report's recommendations by every sector of American society." (Italicsadded.)As reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (vol. 280,November 11, 1998), a nationwide survey on the use of alternative medicaltherapies revealed that "[e]stimated expenditures for alternative medicineprofessional services increased 45.2% between 1990 and 1997 and wereconservatively estimated at $21.2 billion in 1997, with at least $12.2billion paid out of pocket". The article concluded that "[a]lternativemedicine use and expenditures increased substantially between 1990 and 1997,attributable primarily to an increase in the proportion of the populationseeking alternative therapies, rather than increased patient visits perpatient".Not only in America but in other countries, the populace is demonstrating apreference to what are referred to as "alternative therapies". People areseeking natural therapies, drawing upon cultural heritages of healingaligned with their own philosophies and beliefs. These therapies includeacupuncture, herbal medicines (both Eastern and Western botanicals),homoeopathy, Reiki and other so-called energy treatments, and nutrition.It has become overwhelmingly clear that diet and lifestyle influence healthand disease. Yet, within the field of nutrition, there are differingopinions on just what constitutes a healthy diet. This is most evident withpopular books on diets which flood the market. Is the low fat/low protein,high complex carbohydrate diet that Pritikin advocated correct? Or is theAtkins diet with high protein/fat, low carbohydrate the one we shouldfavour? Should we eat according to our blood type? What about raw versuscooked foods? Is soy good for you, or is it harmful? Do the media drive ourchoices through advertising? What about the "friendly" doctor staring fromyour television set, telling you how dangerous this herb or that vitamin is?Are nutritional supplements effective or not? The debate seems endless.Over the last decade, sales of nutritional supplements have generated a US$4billion industry worldwide. Almost every month, new companies claim to havethe "magic bullet" for what ails us. Multi-level/network marketing companiesare quick to get on the bandwagon, knowing how much profit is availablethanks to members of the baby-boomer generation who pride themselves on"looking good" and staying healthy, no matter what the cost. The rush todiscover new drugs from medicinal herbs in Third World countries keepspharmaceutical companies abreast of all that is under the sky.Pioneers in Enzyme Nutrition TherapyWithin the field of nutrition, enzymes have become the buzzword. Everycompany now has its own "super-concentrated enzyme formula", and boasts howpowerful it is and how it contains 10 times the enzyme power as the othercompany's product.Yet, understanding enzymes and their role in human nutrition requires morethan just knowledge of the chemistry. We also need to be familiar with thehistory and pioneers behind the development of enzyme nutrition therapy andthe rationale behind its clinical use.Historically, there is recorded evidence of diverse cultural groupsdeveloping foods high in concentrated enzymes. Many of these culturesdiscovered the health benefits of enzyme-rich foods because of trial anderror and probably just plain luck, by leaving them out in the open forbacteria to work on them. Among these foods are fermented dairy products,such as yoghurt, kefir and various soured-milk products; fermentedvegetables, such as European sauerkraut and Korean kim chi from cabbage; andsoy products like miso and tempeh, which were first developed in Asia. Intropical countries, certain fruits such as papaya and mango were found tocontain very high concentrations of enzymes, and have been usedtraditionally for the topical treatment of burns and wounds.Nonetheless, it was not until the early 1900s that Dr John Beard, a Scottishembryologist, filtered the pancreatic liquid of freshly slaughtered younganimals for the active enzyme content. He reasoned from observation thatyoung animals had to have greater and more powerful concentrations ofenzymes because the energy required for growth was greater. Dr Beardinjected this concentration into veins, gluteal muscles and sometimesdirectly into tumour sites of cancer patients. He observed the rapidshrinkage of tumour masses and cancer cell growth inhibition. Some patientsexperienced allergic reactions because the unpurified juice containedforeign proteins. In spite of this, more than half of the cancers completelydisappeared, while other patients' lives greatly improved and were prolongedfar beyond what was expected.Dr Beard's enzyme treatment caused turmoil in the allopathic medicalcommunity in England. He was called a charlatan and received threats toclose down his practice. However, patients of other doctors requested DrBeard's enzyme treatment. To satisfy them, doctors ordered pancreatic juicefrom local pharmacists who, in turn, ordered it from the slaughterhouses.Doctors were sold pancreatic juice from older animals whose enzyme contentwas inactive. Unfortunately, the results were not successful and patientswere very disappointed.In all, Dr Beard treated 170 cancer patients and recounted his enzymetherapy in his book, The Enzyme Treatment of Cancer and its ScientificBasis, published in 1907.Not much followed from the early part of the 20th century. Indeed, it wasnot until the 1930s that clinical use of enzymes began to pique the interestof a few physicians.In 1930, at the First International Microbiology Conference, held in Paris,Dr Paul Kautchakoff, a Swiss doctor, presented a paper entitled "TheInfluence of Food Cooking on the Blood Formula of Man". In it, he explainedhow digestive leukocytosis occurred every time cooked food was ingested bysubjects of differing age and sex. This phenomenon was observed in patientsas early as 1843 and was considered a normal occurrence.Digestive leukocytosis is the dramatic increase in the amount and activitylevel of white blood cells (leukocytes) in the blood due to a stimulus-thatstimulus being undigested cooked food crossing the gut wall. With canned andcooked foods, the increase was moderate. With heavily processed foods suchas packaged meats, the increase was identical to food poisoning! The onlydifference was the absence of the bacterium associated with food poisoning.Cooked foods are missing essential enzymes which prevent adequate digestion.Dr Kautchakoff made note that there was no increase leukocyte count/activityin subjects who ate only raw food. This is because all raw food containsfood enzymes which completely digest what we eat.From 1932 to 1942, Dr Francis Pottenger, Jr, of Monrovia, California, beganone of the most intriguing clinical studies undertaken in the field ofnutrition. His study ran for 10 years, covering four generations of over 900cats. In this groundbreaking study, Dr Pottenger simply controlled the foodcats were fed. The original group was fed raw, unpasteurised milk, cod liveroil and cooked meat scraps. The other two groups were fed uncookedmeat/pasteurised milk and cooked meat/pasteurised milk respectively. Thefourth group was fed uncooked, raw meat and raw, unpasteurised milk.Dr Pottenger's observations should have shaken the foundations of modernmedicine. Nonetheless his work, like that of so many others, has largelybeen ignored. He meticulously recorded his observations with exactingmeasurements and photographs. Here is a brief summary of his discoveries. Inthe group of cats fed only raw food, there were no chronic degenerativediseases! The cats lived to grow old and were easily handled. They primarilydied of old age, living much longer than cats from the other groups.In the first generation of the combination cooked-food groups, cats showedsymptoms of chronic degenerative disease that we are familiar with:allergies, asthma, arthritis (both rheumatic and osteo), cancers, heartdisease, kidney, liver and thyroid disease, dental disease and osteoporosis.The second generation manifested the same diseases, albeit even moreseverely. Most kittens were stillborn or born with disease, and died withinsix months in the third generation. By the fourth generation, the studyended because the cats were infertile and could not reproduce.In drawing his conclusions, Dr Pottenger reported the underlying nutritionalfactor had to be a "heat-labile substance". Unfortunately, he had notdeduced them to be enzymes, because so little was known about them at thetime.In the early 1930s, a "special substance" was discovered in the blood ofhealthy individuals which was proficient at attacking and destroying cancercells. However, this substance was found only very slightly or was missingaltogether in patients suffering from cancer. Working during those years inNew York, Dr Max Wolf became one of the most celebrated doctors of his time.He was fascinated to hear of this substance and began investigating on hisown. He convinced Dr Helen Benitez to join him from her post in theneurosurgical department at Columbia University, and they performedthousands of tests to determine exactly what this substance was. Theyconcluded it had to be enzymes.Dr Wolf then had to isolate which of the many dozens of known enzymes wereresponsible for several activities, i.e., controlling inflammation,correcting degenerative disorders and breaking down cancer cells. Afteryears of testing various enzyme mixtures on animals, with no harmfulreactions, he was able to offer his enzyme therapy. It soon earned him areputation with many famous clients in politics and the arts. Even a fewPresidents and European leaders sought him out. He developed one of the mostwidely used enzyme products available-WobenzymeT.At the same time that Dr Pottenger was overseeing the clinical study inCalifornia and Dr Wolf was researching in New York, Dr Edward Howell ofChicago was questioning the use of cooked, processed food for humanconsumption. He found that heating food to 118°F (47.78°C) for more than 15minutes destroyed all the enzymes. Obviously then, heating foods at highertemperatures for shorter periods also destroys enzymes. The currenttechnology of "flash pasteurisation" of milk and juice is an example.Enzymes are the only substances capable of digesting food. They exist in rawfood in order to digest (break down) that food.Enzyme Deficiency and Degenerative DiseaseIn 1940, Dr Howell posed the question, "Is chronic degenerative disease amatter of severe enzyme deficiency?" To this end, he spent the rest of hislife researching and documenting clinical work throughout the world, and heanswered his query with a resounding "Yes!"In the early 1940s, Dr Howell created the first manufacturing facility forthe production of plant-based enzymes. While Drs Beard and Wolf usedanimal-based enzymes produced from the pancreas of animals, Dr Howell usedcertain species of fungus to "grow" highly concentrated plant-based enzymes.This is where animal- and plant-based enzymes become markedly different intheir clinical use. And this is where Dr Howell's observations and researchhave made all the difference in the world of enzyme nutrition.Dr Howell wrote two books reporting his life's work: Food Enzymes for Healthand Longevity and Enzyme Nutrition. Some of the most important revelationsabout enzymes, nutrition and physiology are contained in these pages. Henoted that all mammals have a pre-digestive stomach; he called it a "foodenzyme stomach". In humans, it is the uppermost portion of the stomach-thefundus or cardiac portion. It is here that enzymes found in raw foodpre-digest what has been ingested. Enzymes secreted from saliva and otherglands will likewise pre-digest some of the cooked food consumed. However,when cooked food is eaten, enzymes will be supplied from other organs todigest the cooked food. This produces a constant drain of enzymes from theimmune system and other important organs. When this happens over a lifetime,organs fail and are overcome with "disease".Howell discussed organ hypertrophy, noting that any organ or gland will growmore cells, becoming larger because the demand placed on it exceeds itsability to function. He found that, in particular, the pancreas in humanswas 2-3 times heavier and larger in proportion to body weight as compared tothe pancreas of other mammals. He attributed this to consumption of anexcessive amount of cooked foods.When enzymes are not present in the stomach for digestion, food passes intothe duodenum, the upper portion of the small intestine, where enzymessecreted from the pancreas digest the food. This is the common teaching inmedical schools. But what if the pancreas was not meant to be the majordigestive enzyme organ? What if digestion was meant to take place in thestomach, with enzyme-rich food?Dr Howell cited studies suggesting this to be the case. Because food is notdigested in the stomach as Nature intended, the burden then falls to thepancreas, causing it to hypertrophy. If the burden continues for long enoughperiods, it may lead to pancreatitis or other more serious ailments.Howell referred to what he called "the law of adaptive secretion ofdigestive enzymes"-that the body will secrete exactly the right amounts andtypes of digestive enzymes depending upon what type of food is ingested.Eating a piece of cheese will produce more fat-digesting enzymes than wouldbe produced if eating a piece of bread, which is primarily a starch andrequires a starch-digesting enzyme.Dr Howell remarked that during the early part of the 20th century when zooswere being developed to house captured wild animals, the death rate was veryhigh. It was found that animals in their natural habitat ate everything raw.They were now being fed cooked foods and experiencing many new diseasesunknown to their counterparts in the wild. It was found that the enzymecontent of saliva from animals in the wild was either hardly there ormissing altogether. On the contrary, captured animals fed cooked foods hadvery high enzyme content in their saliva. The animals were being forced tosecrete enzymes from other organs to digest the cooked food. When theirdiets were changed back to mostly raw foods, the enzyme content in theirsaliva was reduced and the death rate dropped significantly.Before Dr Howell passed away in the late 1980s, Dr Howard Loomis journeyedto Florida to spend time with him. He had been asked by Dr Howell's originalmanufacturing facility to formulate a professional line of enzymes. DrLoomis had become frustrated with the use of nutrition in clinical practice.There seemed to be no rhyme nor reason in administering minerals, vitaminsor herbs to those in his care. As he said: "A patient comes in with a coldand you give him vitamin C, and within a week he's feeling better. Anotherperson comes in with a cold and takes nothing. Seven days later, she'sfine." Everywhere one looks, the common discussion centres arounddeficiencies. "Oh, you have this or that mineral or vitamin deficiency: takesome of these."Nutrition today is practised much like pharmacology is. For every symptom,there is a corresponding deficiency. The solution, then, is to take more ofa particular mineral or vitamin. It is a matching game, much like withpharmaceutical drugs. And while it is true that in certain cases adeficiency can relate to a symptom, it is not rock-solid evidence of adeficiency. "I have a deficiency in relation to what-another mineral orvitamin? Isn't it possible I have an excessive amount of something?"Making Sense of Decades of MisdiagnosesThe progression of differing diagnoses over the last few decades is anexample of how symptoms alone can be misleading when it comes to findingroot causative factors in disease.In the 1960s, one of the common diagnoses in Western societies washypoglycaemia or low blood-sugar levels. Blood sugar is composed of glucosewhich is metabolised from protein by the liver. Doctors told their patientssimply to eat more protein. And while it is true that low blood sugar can bethe result of inadequate protein intake, no one ever suspected it could bethe result of an inability to digest protein completely, i.e., a proteindigestive enzyme deficiency. So even if you increase the patient's proteinintake, what good is it doing if they cannot digest it adequately? Was it aprotein deficiency or a protease deficiency which caused the low levels ofprotein leading to hypoglycaemia?In the 1970s, vitamin B12 deficiency was a popular diagnosis. Many of thesymptoms of B12 deficiency match those of hypoglycaemia. These includefatigue, inability to concentrate, irritability, headaches, confusion,tremors and even cold sweats. Patients were given vitamin B12 shots toalleviate the symptoms. A major concern with vegetarianism is the highincidence of vitamin B12 deficiency that's been documented.One of the functions of protein in the blood is that of a "universalcarrier". Protein transports vitamins, minerals, enzymes and hormonesthroughout the body. Not having enough blood protein to transport thesesubstances would lead a doctor to diagnose a patient with a particularimbalance or illness. The underlying assumption in the medical world is thatpatients' digestions are working fine-unless, of course, they complain tothe contrary. Nevertheless, if patients have inadequate protein levels, eventhough blood tests are within reference range, they still may not betransporting or utilising vitamin B12.Moving into the 1980s, most everyone had become infested with yeast/fungalorganisms and/or parasites. Normally, various micro-organisms inhabit thedigestive tract and are kept in balance by "friendly" micro-organisms likeLactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Many of the symptoms of this newdiagnosis were, again, very similar to hypoglycaemia and vitamin B12deficiency.When it comes to immune system function, protein is the most essentialnutrient. White blood cells, cellular complements and many other aspects ofthis system are dependent upon protein. Enzymes themselves are composed ofprotein and minerals. Additionally, Dr Howell reminds us of this "vitalforce" inherent in enzymes. These microscopic entities we are dependent uponhave something of an almost mysterious nature. Various white blood cells useenzymes literally to digest what they come up against in our bodies. Theseprocesses are known as pinocytosis and phagocytosis. After engulfing anoffending pathogen or allergen, white blood cells secrete enzymes thatdestroy and digest it. If the majority of enzymes from the immune system arebeing redirected to digest food, how is it possible to maintain healthyimmune system functions?As the 1990s progressed, patients were told they must have anenvironmentally induced illness, which could include allergies andhypersensitivities. Patients were told to avoid everything they wereallergic to and take enormous amounts of supplements. Usually this resultedin extremely limited diets and very expensive bills. New "energy" techniqueswere developed supposedly to remove blocked energy and rewire the nervoussystem to allow for accepting the allergen into the body without the overtreaction.If we look at allergies from an enzyme point of view, it becomes apparentwhy so many of these techniques work only temporarily. Allergies are thebody's reaction to something entering via the blood, skin, nasal cavity orother source. When something enters the body in a healthy person, the immunesystem is called upon to investigate and clear the allergen (substance) fromthe body. This happens without any notice. Because there are enough enzymesavailable in a healthy person, the allergen can be cleared unobtrusively. Insomeone with an allergic response to the same substance, the immune systemis called to do the same work but finds it cannot handle the request. In aperson who exhibits an allergic response, there are not enough enzymesavailable for the white blood cells to break down the allergen and rid thebody of it. They then experience the typical histamine response, includingreddening of the eyes or local tissue, heat, runny nose and pain.People with allergies of an airborne source are typically those with ahistory of excessive sugar and simple carbohydrate intake. Someone with thisproblem has depleted their reserves of the enzyme amylase. Amylase is an IgGhistamine blocker. Like bioflavonoids, amylase stabilises the mast cells andbasophiles that release histamine as a reaction to the damaged area.Antihistamines are what these types of patients get from their doctors.Finally, in the last five years or so, patients were tested for somethingcalled "Syndrome X", which happens to bear a striking resemblance to type IIdiabetes. Syndrome X patients exhibit excess weight, cardiovascular issues,lightheadedness and elevated glucose levels, among other symptoms. If thisis actually another name for diabetes II, it should be apparent how symptomsare only one aspect of proper diagnostics.What the examples above point to are signs and symptoms of distress in thebody. Looking more deeply, one finds the same phenomenon exhibited inPottenger's cat study and Howell's life research: namely, that signs andsymptoms of disease are proof of chronic enzyme deficiencies! It is likecoming upon a car accident and seeing the wreckage, but not knowing exactlyhow it happened. The medical profession is seeing evidence of enzymedeficiencies but is unable to correlate them to the actual disease. Governedby their training in schools biased towards pharmaceutical drugs, surgery,radiation and the latest in genome biotechnology and nanotechnology, doctorstoday are further away from realising the truth of how the body can go outof balance and end up in a diseased state.When Dr Loomis asked Dr Howell what the symptoms were for a particularenzyme deficiency, Howell did not have an answer. He had not linked up thesigns and symptoms of enzyme deficiencies. Dr Loomis left with manyunanswered questions and began the work that has developed into EnzymeNutrition Therapy. After 20 years of clinical work in the field of enzymes,Dr Loomis is considered the foremost living authority. His trainedassociates continue adding to the body of work he pioneered. EnzymeNutrition Therapy is a scientifically sound system of assessing enzymedeficiencies in patients. Loomis has taken Howell's baton, carried it to thenext stage and continues to push it to a higher level.Over time, as Dr Pottenger observed in his study of cats, the continued useof cooked, enzyme-deficient food not only leads to enzyme deficiencies butalso to subsequent generations of subjects with disease that's more intensewith each generation. Could this explain why 40 to 50 years ago childhoodasthma and allergies were rare, but today they affect the majority ofchildren? What about obesity? Or infertility? The percentage of infertilecouples has risen sharply in the last several decades. And whileenvironmental toxins may play a part in this, are we now not seeing theresults of generations fed excessive amounts of cooked food-as Drs Howelland Pottenger foresaw?Without ever knowing it, Drs Howell, Pottenger and Wolf confirmed eachother's work and left a legacy upon which Dr Loomis has demonstrated thesolution to humanity's many ills-that enzymes are the key factors in healthand healing, but their destruction by heat leads to chronic degenerativedisease.Enzymes - the Vital Labour ForceDorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary (28th edition) defines an enzyme as"a protein molecule that catalyses [increases the velocity of a chemicalreaction.] chemical reactions of other substances without itself beingdestroyed or altered upon completion of the reactions". While this may seemto be definitive, it does not clarify why an enzyme can do what it does, norhow a protein can become an active enzyme. In other words, if an enzyme issimply a protein molecule, why not manufacture enzymes synthetically?The trouble begins here because, to date, no one has successfully created anenzyme from synthetic material. Enzymes can only be created from living,organic material. It is evident that there is something more to enzymes thancan yet be accounted for scientifically.Dr Howell observed enzymes giving off a "luminescent glow" when activelyworking. He is famous for his statement, "Life itself could not existwithout enzymes". He surmised that there is a "vital force" inherent in allliving beings, as demonstrated by enzymes. For ages, humans have observedand deduced a "divine innate force" common to all living things. Animationof animals and plants separates us from the soil, dust and rocks on which wemove around.Enzymes are considered the "labour force" in living things. They are theonly substances capable of doing work. They are busy putting things togetheror splitting them apart. They initiate, speed up, slow down or stop allbiochemical processes in living beings. Enzymes are very specific in howthey work on a substrate (the component upon which they work). This hasoften been referred to as a "lock-and-key system". The substrate is thelock, while enzymes are the keys that fit precisely into the lock. They canonly work on the exact substrate.Enzymes are classified into several groups. Hydrolytic enzymes are the mostrelevant in clinical nutrition, and they are of three major groups:1) Digestive enzymes-manufactured by digestive organs to assist in digestingfood;2) Food enzymes-found in all raw, uncooked food;3) Metabolic enzymes-manufactured by all cells to carry out their respectivefunctions.Although there are many classes and sub-classes of digestive enzymes, thereare four general enzymes considered here:. Amylase-digests starches, including grains and starchy vegetables;. Cellulase-breaks down plant fibre;. Lipase-splits apart fats and oils into fatty acids;. Protease-breaks down protein into amino acids and small-chain peptides.Probably the most familiar of the amylases is lactase. People who arelactose intolerant are both deficient in and lack the ability to manufacturethis enzyme.All the above, except cellulase, are manufactured in the human body.Cellulase must come from the plants themselves, which is why it is soimportant to chew one's food thoroughly. Cellulase is trapped inside thefibre itself and must be liberated in the chewing process-otherwise, oneexperiences the gas and bloating common to those, especially the elderly,who cannot digest raw foods. Juicing fruits and vegetables also extractscellulase from the fibre. But the need for plant fibre in a world where manyare dependent on laxatives cannot be overstated and may outweigh unnecessaryjuicing.All raw, uncooked foods contain the exact types and amounts of enzymesnecessary for their breakdown (digestion). Fruit ripening is the consequenceof enzymes slowly breaking down the fruit's contents. If it has gone too farbefore we consume it, we say it is "rotten". There are optimal times whenfruit should be harvested and consumed. But due to "shelf life", fruit ispicked unripe and left to ripen in the warehouse or grocery store. In thiscase, the vitamin, mineral and enzyme content is inadequate and notdesirable from a nutritional point of view. One study found that plants gaveup their enzyme structures to return the mineral portion of them back to thesoil since it was lacking in minerals.Enzymes are the most heat-sensitive nutrients. As mentioned earlier, foodenzymes are generally destroyed when heated at 118°F (47.78°C) for longerthan 15 minutes, and this happens whether the food is baked, boiled,broiled, canned, fried, pasteurised, roasted, steamed or especiallymicrowaved. Dr Howell observed this and reasoned that enzyme-deficient foodmust force the body to use up metabolic enzymes to digest food. He comparedit to a bank account. If you continually drain your resources and neverreplenish your holdings, at some point you are bankrupt. In the case ofenzymes, degenerative disease occurs, with old age following soonafterwards. We are told all the time, "Oh, your symptoms are related to oldage; better get used to it". Culturally, this seems true because we haveobserved it since childhood. We even expect to grow old with theaccompanying health issues associated with old age because we have been toldso.Granted, our progression from infancy through adolescence and adulthoodinvolves changes and the appearance of "ageing". But what if there weresubstances naturally occurring in the food and within our bodies that wereresponsible for the rate at which we grew older? Dr Howell equated that thelength of life was proportional to the amount of enzymes exhausted indigestion. In other words, one's length of life is influenced by how muchour metabolic enzymes are used to digest cooked food. Since enzymes areshifted from their metabolic uses, especially from the immune system, todigest cooked food, we will age faster. Could this be what Ponce de León waslooking for in his legendary "fountain of youth"? Some researchers may havegiven us a clue.In the 1980s, Dr Roy Walford of UCLA conducted numerous laboratoryexperiments on animals. He reduced their food intake and found that theirlength of life extended beyond what was considered normal. He suggested thatall one had to do was not eat so much in order to have a healthier andlonger life. Walford stated the obvious, but he may have missed the realpoint.Dr Howell found that in fasting there is an increase in available enzymes inthe body due to the lack of food, especially cooked food. In the absence offood, the body has more enzymes for repair and healing. As an example, thereare approximately 64 different types of enzymes circulating in the blood toclear waste and prevent the build-up of plaque. When the body isshort-changed of these enzymes, there will be an unnatural build-up ofplaque. Why would there be a lack of these enzymes in the blood? When cookedfood is eaten, enzymes for digesting it must be found somewhere in the body.It is here that metabolic enzymes are shifted from their normal functions tothe role of digestion, leaving the body primed for future disease.Signs of Enzyme DeficienciesSymptoms of mineral and vitamin deficiencies occur relatively quickly. Theyare recognised to cause specific illness. Enzyme deficiencies, outside ofgenetic or birth defects, take longer periods to be noticed and have onlybegun to be recognised in some circles of the medical community. What, then,are typical signs and symptoms of the more common enzyme deficiencies?. If you have problems digesting carbohydrates, you may experienceairborne-sourced allergies, diarrhoea, fibromyalgia or attention deficitdisorder (ADD or ADHD).. If you cannot digest fats, you may experience constipation, gallbladderproblems, heart disease or hormone imbalances.. If you cannot adequately digest protein, you may experience constipation,arthritis or other inflammatory conditions, anxiety or panic attacks,premenstrual syndrome or immune system disorders.. If you are unable to break down plant fibre, you may experienceconstipation, eczema or other skin-related problems, recurrent yeast/fungalinfestations or excessive weight gain.The above conditions are also the result of diets high in those foodsassociated with the enzyme deficiency. In fact, the foods one craves arethose that create dietary stress due to one's inability to digest themcompletely. They are also the foods one has either allergies orhypersensitivities towards because of the failure to be able to digest them,i.e., because of the deficiency of that particular enzyme.People may crave certain foods because of the enzymes found within the food,which the body needs. But being cooked and destroyed, those enzymes donothing for the craving-so we eat more of the same thing, telling ourselveswe should not.To be continued...References:. Cichoke, Anthony J., Enzymes and Enzyme Therapy: How to Jump Start YourWay to Lifelong Good Health, Keats Publishing, New Canaan, 1994. Effros, R.B., Walford, R.L, Weindruch, R., Mitcheltree, C.J., "Influencesof dietary restriction on immunity to influenza in aged mice", Gerontol 1991Jul; 46(4):B142-7. Howell, Edward, Enzyme Nutrition: The Food Enzyme Concept, AveryPublishing Group, Inc., Wayne, NJ, 1985. Howell, Edward, Food Enzymes for Health & Longevity, Lotus Press, TwinLakes, WI, 1994, 2nd ed.. Loomis, Howard F., Jr, Enzymes: The Key to Health, Vol. 1 - TheFundamentals, Grote Publishing, Madison, WI, 1999. Lopez, D.A., Williams, R.M., Miehlke, M., Enzymes: The Fountain of Life,The Neville Press, Inc., Charleston, SC, 1994. Pottenger, Francis, Jr, "The Effect of Heat-Processed Foods andMetabolized Vitamin D Milk on the Dentofacial Structures of ExperimentalAnimals", American Journal of Orthodontics and Oral Surgery, St Louis, MO,vol. 32, no. 8, pp. 467-485, August 1946. Pottenger, Francis, Jr, Pottenger's Cats: A Study in Nutrition,Price-Pottenger Foundation, Inc., La Mesa, CA, 1995. Verdery, R.B. and Walford, R.L., "Changes in plasma lipids andlipoproteins in humans during a 2-year period of dietary restriction inBiosphere 2", Arch Intern Med 1998 Apr 27; 158(8): 900-6. Walford, R.L. and Crew, M., "How dietary restriction retards aging: anintegrative hypothesis", Growth Dev Aging 1989 Winter, 53(4) 139-140. Walford, R.L.,"The clinical promise of dietary restriction", Geriatrics1990 Apr; 45(4):81-3, 86-7About the Author:Mark Rojek began researching alternative therapies in 1970. His studiesincluded botanicals, mineral and vitamin requirements and diet. He internedin acupuncture with Dr Bell in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, in 1973, andgraduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science. He studied aromatherapy,kinesiology, massage therapy and classical homoeopathy in England.In 1986, Mark began formal studies in traditional Chinese medicine,especially acupuncture. In Chicago, he worked with several holisticphysicians as a medical technician and maintained a private nutritionalpractice. Also in 1986, he met Dr Howard Loomis, foremost living expert inenzyme nutrition, and continues to work with him. He works with severaldoctors in Michigan who refer to him and seek his counsel. He continues toresearch, lecture and counsel clients in nutrition and diet.Mark Rojek can be contacted by phone/fax on +1 (734) 433 9267, by email atmrojek1, and via his website at http://www.radianthealth.cc.The homepage and the place to sign up for Tracy's Corner is: Mr_Tracys_CornerFor complaints or assistance contact xootsuit26

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Fw: [Mr_Tracys_Corner] The Essentials Of Enzigme Nutritional Therapy 1/3

 

 

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[Mr_Tracys_Corner] The Essentials Of Enzigne Nutritional Therapy 1/3

SEARCH:HOME | CURRENT ISSUE | BACK ISSUES | ARTICLES | SUBSCRIBE | PRODUCTS |ADVERTISING | WHO, WHAT, WHERE | LINKS | COMMENTS | SURVEYThe Essentials ofEnzyme Nutrition TherapyPart 1/3Food enzymes in raw food are vital for digesting that food, but theirdestruction during cooking is a key factor in today's rising levels ofallergies and chronic degenerative diseases.--Extracted from Nexus Magazine, Volume 10, Number 6 (October-November 2003)PO Box 30, Mapleton Qld 4560 Australia. editorTelephone: +61 (0)7 5442 9280; Fax: +61 (0)7 5442 9381From our web page at: www.nexusmagazine.com© 2003 by Mark Rojek785 N. Dancer RoadDexter, MI 48130, USATelephone/fax: +1 (734) 433 9267Email: mrojek1Website: http://www.radianthealth.cc--In August 1971, the US Department of Agriculture published "An Evaluation ofResearch in the United States on Human Nutrition; Report No. 2, Benefitsfrom Nutrition Research". The US government spent approximately $30 millionanalysing the relationship diet has to disease. According to the study:. Major health problems are diet related;. The real potential from improved diet is preventative;. Benefits would be shared by all.especially by lower economic and non-whitepopulation groups;. Major benefits are long range. Early adjustments of diet could prevent thedevelopment of undesirable long-range effects;. There exist geographical, regional differences in diet-related problems.It's now known that within a very short time after its release, all copiesof the report were seized by the federal government. It was not until thecampaign in 1993-94 for the Dietary Health Education and Supplement Act thata copy was mysteriously forwarded to the grassroots organisation, Citizensfor Health, to help in its fight to prevent the Food and Drug Administrationfrom classifying food supplements as drugs.Within any group that seeks control and power over a population, even healthis a legitimate target. If you can manipulate the population's health orinduce disease by modifying what they consume, you can create a pseudohealthcare system that seems to care but is busy making billions off diseasethat is relatively easy to prevent or cure through diet alone. With themultimillion-dollar backing of an industry, you can also discredit anyalternative to current, popularly accepted treatments by labelling them "oldwives' tales", "quackery" or "unscientific".In 1988, "The Surgeon-General's Report on Nutrition and Health" addressedthe overwhelming evidence of the connection between diet and chronicdisease. In his report, then Surgeon-General C. Everett Koop wrote: "For thetwo out of three adult Americans who do not smoke and do not drinkexcessively, one personal choice seems to influence long-term healthprospects more than any other: what we eat. The weight of this evidence andthe magnitude of the problem at hand indicate that it is now time to takeaction. In the cause of good health for all citizens, I urge support forthis Report's recommendations by every sector of American society." (Italicsadded.)As reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (vol. 280,November 11, 1998), a nationwide survey on the use of alternative medicaltherapies revealed that "[e]stimated expenditures for alternative medicineprofessional services increased 45.2% between 1990 and 1997 and wereconservatively estimated at $21.2 billion in 1997, with at least $12.2billion paid out of pocket". The article concluded that "[a]lternativemedicine use and expenditures increased substantially between 1990 and 1997,attributable primarily to an increase in the proportion of the populationseeking alternative therapies, rather than increased patient visits perpatient".Not only in America but in other countries, the populace is demonstrating apreference to what are referred to as "alternative therapies". People areseeking natural therapies, drawing upon cultural heritages of healingaligned with their own philosophies and beliefs. These therapies includeacupuncture, herbal medicines (both Eastern and Western botanicals),homoeopathy, Reiki and other so-called energy treatments, and nutrition.It has become overwhelmingly clear that diet and lifestyle influence healthand disease. Yet, within the field of nutrition, there are differingopinions on just what constitutes a healthy diet. This is most evident withpopular books on diets which flood the market. Is the low fat/low protein,high complex carbohydrate diet that Pritikin advocated correct? Or is theAtkins diet with high protein/fat, low carbohydrate the one we shouldfavour? Should we eat according to our blood type? What about raw versuscooked foods? Is soy good for you, or is it harmful? Do the media drive ourchoices through advertising? What about the "friendly" doctor staring fromyour television set, telling you how dangerous this herb or that vitamin is?Are nutritional supplements effective or not? The debate seems endless.Over the last decade, sales of nutritional supplements have generated a US$4billion industry worldwide. Almost every month, new companies claim to havethe "magic bullet" for what ails us. Multi-level/network marketing companiesare quick to get on the bandwagon, knowing how much profit is availablethanks to members of the baby-boomer generation who pride themselves on"looking good" and staying healthy, no matter what the cost. The rush todiscover new drugs from medicinal herbs in Third World countries keepspharmaceutical companies abreast of all that is under the sky.Pioneers in Enzyme Nutrition TherapyWithin the field of nutrition, enzymes have become the buzzword. Everycompany now has its own "super-concentrated enzyme formula", and boasts howpowerful it is and how it contains 10 times the enzyme power as the othercompany's product.Yet, understanding enzymes and their role in human nutrition requires morethan just knowledge of the chemistry. We also need to be familiar with thehistory and pioneers behind the development of enzyme nutrition therapy andthe rationale behind its clinical use.Historically, there is recorded evidence of diverse cultural groupsdeveloping foods high in concentrated enzymes. Many of these culturesdiscovered the health benefits of enzyme-rich foods because of trial anderror and probably just plain luck, by leaving them out in the open forbacteria to work on them. Among these foods are fermented dairy products,such as yoghurt, kefir and various soured-milk products; fermentedvegetables, such as European sauerkraut and Korean kim chi from cabbage; andsoy products like miso and tempeh, which were first developed in Asia. Intropical countries, certain fruits such as papaya and mango were found tocontain very high concentrations of enzymes, and have been usedtraditionally for the topical treatment of burns and wounds.Nonetheless, it was not until the early 1900s that Dr John Beard, a Scottishembryologist, filtered the pancreatic liquid of freshly slaughtered younganimals for the active enzyme content. He reasoned from observation thatyoung animals had to have greater and more powerful concentrations ofenzymes because the energy required for growth was greater. Dr Beardinjected this concentration into veins, gluteal muscles and sometimesdirectly into tumour sites of cancer patients. He observed the rapidshrinkage of tumour masses and cancer cell growth inhibition. Some patientsexperienced allergic reactions because the unpurified juice containedforeign proteins. In spite of this, more than half of the cancers completelydisappeared, while other patients' lives greatly improved and were prolongedfar beyond what was expected.Dr Beard's enzyme treatment caused turmoil in the allopathic medicalcommunity in England. He was called a charlatan and received threats toclose down his practice. However, patients of other doctors requested DrBeard's enzyme treatment. To satisfy them, doctors ordered pancreatic juicefrom local pharmacists who, in turn, ordered it from the slaughterhouses.Doctors were sold pancreatic juice from older animals whose enzyme contentwas inactive. Unfortunately, the results were not successful and patientswere very disappointed.In all, Dr Beard treated 170 cancer patients and recounted his enzymetherapy in his book, The Enzyme Treatment of Cancer and its ScientificBasis, published in 1907.Not much followed from the early part of the 20th century. Indeed, it wasnot until the 1930s that clinical use of enzymes began to pique the interestof a few physicians.In 1930, at the First International Microbiology Conference, held in Paris,Dr Paul Kautchakoff, a Swiss doctor, presented a paper entitled "TheInfluence of Food Cooking on the Blood Formula of Man". In it, he explainedhow digestive leukocytosis occurred every time cooked food was ingested bysubjects of differing age and sex. This phenomenon was observed in patientsas early as 1843 and was considered a normal occurrence.Digestive leukocytosis is the dramatic increase in the amount and activitylevel of white blood cells (leukocytes) in the blood due to a stimulus-thatstimulus being undigested cooked food crossing the gut wall. With canned andcooked foods, the increase was moderate. With heavily processed foods suchas packaged meats, the increase was identical to food poisoning! The onlydifference was the absence of the bacterium associated with food poisoning.Cooked foods are missing essential enzymes which prevent adequate digestion.Dr Kautchakoff made note that there was no increase leukocyte count/activityin subjects who ate only raw food. This is because all raw food containsfood enzymes which completely digest what we eat.From 1932 to 1942, Dr Francis Pottenger, Jr, of Monrovia, California, beganone of the most intriguing clinical studies undertaken in the field ofnutrition. His study ran for 10 years, covering four generations of over 900cats. In this groundbreaking study, Dr Pottenger simply controlled the foodcats were fed. The original group was fed raw, unpasteurised milk, cod liveroil and cooked meat scraps. The other two groups were fed uncookedmeat/pasteurised milk and cooked meat/pasteurised milk respectively. Thefourth group was fed uncooked, raw meat and raw, unpasteurised milk.Dr Pottenger's observations should have shaken the foundations of modernmedicine. Nonetheless his work, like that of so many others, has largelybeen ignored. He meticulously recorded his observations with exactingmeasurements and photographs. Here is a brief summary of his discoveries. Inthe group of cats fed only raw food, there were no chronic degenerativediseases! The cats lived to grow old and were easily handled. They primarilydied of old age, living much longer than cats from the other groups.In the first generation of the combination cooked-food groups, cats showedsymptoms of chronic degenerative disease that we are familiar with:allergies, asthma, arthritis (both rheumatic and osteo), cancers, heartdisease, kidney, liver and thyroid disease, dental disease and osteoporosis.The second generation manifested the same diseases, albeit even moreseverely. Most kittens were stillborn or born with disease, and died withinsix months in the third generation. By the fourth generation, the studyended because the cats were infertile and could not reproduce.In drawing his conclusions, Dr Pottenger reported the underlying nutritionalfactor had to be a "heat-labile substance". Unfortunately, he had notdeduced them to be enzymes, because so little was known about them at thetime.In the early 1930s, a "special substance" was discovered in the blood ofhealthy individuals which was proficient at attacking and destroying cancercells. However, this substance was found only very slightly or was missingaltogether in patients suffering from cancer. Working during those years inNew York, Dr Max Wolf became one of the most celebrated doctors of his time.He was fascinated to hear of this substance and began investigating on hisown. He convinced Dr Helen Benitez to join him from her post in theneurosurgical department at Columbia University, and they performedthousands of tests to determine exactly what this substance was. Theyconcluded it had to be enzymes.Dr Wolf then had to isolate which of the many dozens of known enzymes wereresponsible for several activities, i.e., controlling inflammation,correcting degenerative disorders and breaking down cancer cells. Afteryears of testing various enzyme mixtures on animals, with no harmfulreactions, he was able to offer his enzyme therapy. It soon earned him areputation with many famous clients in politics and the arts. Even a fewPresidents and European leaders sought him out. He developed one of the mostwidely used enzyme products available-WobenzymeT.At the same time that Dr Pottenger was overseeing the clinical study inCalifornia and Dr Wolf was researching in New York, Dr Edward Howell ofChicago was questioning the use of cooked, processed food for humanconsumption. He found that heating food to 118°F (47.78°C) for more than 15minutes destroyed all the enzymes. Obviously then, heating foods at highertemperatures for shorter periods also destroys enzymes. The currenttechnology of "flash pasteurisation" of milk and juice is an example.Enzymes are the only substances capable of digesting food. They exist in rawfood in order to digest (break down) that food.Enzyme Deficiency and Degenerative DiseaseIn 1940, Dr Howell posed the question, "Is chronic degenerative disease amatter of severe enzyme deficiency?" To this end, he spent the rest of hislife researching and documenting clinical work throughout the world, and heanswered his query with a resounding "Yes!"In the early 1940s, Dr Howell created the first manufacturing facility forthe production of plant-based enzymes. While Drs Beard and Wolf usedanimal-based enzymes produced from the pancreas of animals, Dr Howell usedcertain species of fungus to "grow" highly concentrated plant-based enzymes.This is where animal- and plant-based enzymes become markedly different intheir clinical use. And this is where Dr Howell's observations and researchhave made all the difference in the world of enzyme nutrition.Dr Howell wrote two books reporting his life's work: Food Enzymes for Healthand Longevity and Enzyme Nutrition. Some of the most important revelationsabout enzymes, nutrition and physiology are contained in these pages. Henoted that all mammals have a pre-digestive stomach; he called it a "foodenzyme stomach". In humans, it is the uppermost portion of the stomach-thefundus or cardiac portion. It is here that enzymes found in raw foodpre-digest what has been ingested. Enzymes secreted from saliva and otherglands will likewise pre-digest some of the cooked food consumed. However,when cooked food is eaten, enzymes will be supplied from other organs todigest the cooked food. This produces a constant drain of enzymes from theimmune system and other important organs. When this happens over a lifetime,organs fail and are overcome with "disease".Howell discussed organ hypertrophy, noting that any organ or gland will growmore cells, becoming larger because the demand placed on it exceeds itsability to function. He found that, in particular, the pancreas in humanswas 2-3 times heavier and larger in proportion to body weight as compared tothe pancreas of other mammals. He attributed this to consumption of anexcessive amount of cooked foods.When enzymes are not present in the stomach for digestion, food passes intothe duodenum, the upper portion of the small intestine, where enzymessecreted from the pancreas digest the food. This is the common teaching inmedical schools. But what if the pancreas was not meant to be the majordigestive enzyme organ? What if digestion was meant to take place in thestomach, with enzyme-rich food?Dr Howell cited studies suggesting this to be the case. Because food is notdigested in the stomach as Nature intended, the burden then falls to thepancreas, causing it to hypertrophy. If the burden continues for long enoughperiods, it may lead to pancreatitis or other more serious ailments.Howell referred to what he called "the law of adaptive secretion ofdigestive enzymes"-that the body will secrete exactly the right amounts andtypes of digestive enzymes depending upon what type of food is ingested.Eating a piece of cheese will produce more fat-digesting enzymes than wouldbe produced if eating a piece of bread, which is primarily a starch andrequires a starch-digesting enzyme.Dr Howell remarked that during the early part of the 20th century when zooswere being developed to house captured wild animals, the death rate was veryhigh. It was found that animals in their natural habitat ate everything raw.They were now being fed cooked foods and experiencing many new diseasesunknown to their counterparts in the wild. It was found that the enzymecontent of saliva from animals in the wild was either hardly there ormissing altogether. On the contrary, captured animals fed cooked foods hadvery high enzyme content in their saliva. The animals were being forced tosecrete enzymes from other organs to digest the cooked food. When theirdiets were changed back to mostly raw foods, the enzyme content in theirsaliva was reduced and the death rate dropped significantly.Before Dr Howell passed away in the late 1980s, Dr Howard Loomis journeyedto Florida to spend time with him. He had been asked by Dr Howell's originalmanufacturing facility to formulate a professional line of enzymes. DrLoomis had become frustrated with the use of nutrition in clinical practice.There seemed to be no rhyme nor reason in administering minerals, vitaminsor herbs to those in his care. As he said: "A patient comes in with a coldand you give him vitamin C, and within a week he's feeling better. Anotherperson comes in with a cold and takes nothing. Seven days later, she'sfine." Everywhere one looks, the common discussion centres arounddeficiencies. "Oh, you have this or that mineral or vitamin deficiency: takesome of these."Nutrition today is practised much like pharmacology is. For every symptom,there is a corresponding deficiency. The solution, then, is to take more ofa particular mineral or vitamin. It is a matching game, much like withpharmaceutical drugs. And while it is true that in certain cases adeficiency can relate to a symptom, it is not rock-solid evidence of adeficiency. "I have a deficiency in relation to what-another mineral orvitamin? Isn't it possible I have an excessive amount of something?"Making Sense of Decades of MisdiagnosesThe progression of differing diagnoses over the last few decades is anexample of how symptoms alone can be misleading when it comes to findingroot causative factors in disease.In the 1960s, one of the common diagnoses in Western societies washypoglycaemia or low blood-sugar levels. Blood sugar is composed of glucosewhich is metabolised from protein by the liver. Doctors told their patientssimply to eat more protein. And while it is true that low blood sugar can bethe result of inadequate protein intake, no one ever suspected it could bethe result of an inability to digest protein completely, i.e., a proteindigestive enzyme deficiency. So even if you increase the patient's proteinintake, what good is it doing if they cannot digest it adequately? Was it aprotein deficiency or a protease deficiency which caused the low levels ofprotein leading to hypoglycaemia?In the 1970s, vitamin B12 deficiency was a popular diagnosis. Many of thesymptoms of B12 deficiency match those of hypoglycaemia. These includefatigue, inability to concentrate, irritability, headaches, confusion,tremors and even cold sweats. Patients were given vitamin B12 shots toalleviate the symptoms. A major concern with vegetarianism is the highincidence of vitamin B12 deficiency that's been documented.One of the functions of protein in the blood is that of a "universalcarrier". Protein transports vitamins, minerals, enzymes and hormonesthroughout the body. Not having enough blood protein to transport thesesubstances would lead a doctor to diagnose a patient with a particularimbalance or illness. The underlying assumption in the medical world is thatpatients' digestions are working fine-unless, of course, they complain tothe contrary. Nevertheless, if patients have inadequate protein levels, eventhough blood tests are within reference range, they still may not betransporting or utilising vitamin B12.Moving into the 1980s, most everyone had become infested with yeast/fungalorganisms and/or parasites. Normally, various micro-organisms inhabit thedigestive tract and are kept in balance by "friendly" micro-organisms likeLactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Many of the symptoms of this newdiagnosis were, again, very similar to hypoglycaemia and vitamin B12deficiency.When it comes to immune system function, protein is the most essentialnutrient. White blood cells, cellular complements and many other aspects ofthis system are dependent upon protein. Enzymes themselves are composed ofprotein and minerals. Additionally, Dr Howell reminds us of this "vitalforce" inherent in enzymes. These microscopic entities we are dependent uponhave something of an almost mysterious nature. Various white blood cells useenzymes literally to digest what they come up against in our bodies. Theseprocesses are known as pinocytosis and phagocytosis. After engulfing anoffending pathogen or allergen, white blood cells secrete enzymes thatdestroy and digest it. If the majority of enzymes from the immune system arebeing redirected to digest food, how is it possible to maintain healthyimmune system functions?As the 1990s progressed, patients were told they must have anenvironmentally induced illness, which could include allergies andhypersensitivities. Patients were told to avoid everything they wereallergic to and take enormous amounts of supplements. Usually this resultedin extremely limited diets and very expensive bills. New "energy" techniqueswere developed supposedly to remove blocked energy and rewire the nervoussystem to allow for accepting the allergen into the body without the overtreaction.If we look at allergies from an enzyme point of view, it becomes apparentwhy so many of these techniques work only temporarily. Allergies are thebody's reaction to something entering via the blood, skin, nasal cavity orother source. When something enters the body in a healthy person, the immunesystem is called upon to investigate and clear the allergen (substance) fromthe body. This happens without any notice. Because there are enough enzymesavailable in a healthy person, the allergen can be cleared unobtrusively. Insomeone with an allergic response to the same substance, the immune systemis called to do the same work but finds it cannot handle the request. In aperson who exhibits an allergic response, there are not enough enzymesavailable for the white blood cells to break down the allergen and rid thebody of it. They then experience the typical histamine response, includingreddening of the eyes or local tissue, heat, runny nose and pain.People with allergies of an airborne source are typically those with ahistory of excessive sugar and simple carbohydrate intake. Someone with thisproblem has depleted their reserves of the enzyme amylase. Amylase is an IgGhistamine blocker. Like bioflavonoids, amylase stabilises the mast cells andbasophiles that release histamine as a reaction to the damaged area.Antihistamines are what these types of patients get from their doctors.Finally, in the last five years or so, patients were tested for somethingcalled "Syndrome X", which happens to bear a striking resemblance to type IIdiabetes. Syndrome X patients exhibit excess weight, cardiovascular issues,lightheadedness and elevated glucose levels, among other symptoms. If thisis actually another name for diabetes II, it should be apparent how symptomsare only one aspect of proper diagnostics.What the examples above point to are signs and symptoms of distress in thebody. Looking more deeply, one finds the same phenomenon exhibited inPottenger's cat study and Howell's life research: namely, that signs andsymptoms of disease are proof of chronic enzyme deficiencies! It is likecoming upon a car accident and seeing the wreckage, but not knowing exactlyhow it happened. The medical profession is seeing evidence of enzymedeficiencies but is unable to correlate them to the actual disease. Governedby their training in schools biased towards pharmaceutical drugs, surgery,radiation and the latest in genome biotechnology and nanotechnology, doctorstoday are further away from realising the truth of how the body can go outof balance and end up in a diseased state.When Dr Loomis asked Dr Howell what the symptoms were for a particularenzyme deficiency, Howell did not have an answer. He had not linked up thesigns and symptoms of enzyme deficiencies. Dr Loomis left with manyunanswered questions and began the work that has developed into EnzymeNutrition Therapy. After 20 years of clinical work in the field of enzymes,Dr Loomis is considered the foremost living authority. His trainedassociates continue adding to the body of work he pioneered. EnzymeNutrition Therapy is a scientifically sound system of assessing enzymedeficiencies in patients. Loomis has taken Howell's baton, carried it to thenext stage and continues to push it to a higher level.Over time, as Dr Pottenger observed in his study of cats, the continued useof cooked, enzyme-deficient food not only leads to enzyme deficiencies butalso to subsequent generations of subjects with disease that's more intensewith each generation. Could this explain why 40 to 50 years ago childhoodasthma and allergies were rare, but today they affect the majority ofchildren? What about obesity? Or infertility? The percentage of infertilecouples has risen sharply in the last several decades. And whileenvironmental toxins may play a part in this, are we now not seeing theresults of generations fed excessive amounts of cooked food-as Drs Howelland Pottenger foresaw?Without ever knowing it, Drs Howell, Pottenger and Wolf confirmed eachother's work and left a legacy upon which Dr Loomis has demonstrated thesolution to humanity's many ills-that enzymes are the key factors in healthand healing, but their destruction by heat leads to chronic degenerativedisease.Enzymes - the Vital Labour ForceDorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary (28th edition) defines an enzyme as"a protein molecule that catalyses [increases the velocity of a chemicalreaction.] chemical reactions of other substances without itself beingdestroyed or altered upon completion of the reactions". While this may seemto be definitive, it does not clarify why an enzyme can do what it does, norhow a protein can become an active enzyme. In other words, if an enzyme issimply a protein molecule, why not manufacture enzymes synthetically?The trouble begins here because, to date, no one has successfully created anenzyme from synthetic material. Enzymes can only be created from living,organic material. It is evident that there is something more to enzymes thancan yet be accounted for scientifically.Dr Howell observed enzymes giving off a "luminescent glow" when activelyworking. He is famous for his statement, "Life itself could not existwithout enzymes". He surmised that there is a "vital force" inherent in allliving beings, as demonstrated by enzymes. For ages, humans have observedand deduced a "divine innate force" common to all living things. Animationof animals and plants separates us from the soil, dust and rocks on which wemove around.Enzymes are considered the "labour force" in living things. They are theonly substances capable of doing work. They are busy putting things togetheror splitting them apart. They initiate, speed up, slow down or stop allbiochemical processes in living beings. Enzymes are very specific in howthey work on a substrate (the component upon which they work). This hasoften been referred to as a "lock-and-key system". The substrate is thelock, while enzymes are the keys that fit precisely into the lock. They canonly work on the exact substrate.Enzymes are classified into several groups. Hydrolytic enzymes are the mostrelevant in clinical nutrition, and they are of three major groups:1) Digestive enzymes-manufactured by digestive organs to assist in digestingfood;2) Food enzymes-found in all raw, uncooked food;3) Metabolic enzymes-manufactured by all cells to carry out their respectivefunctions.Although there are many classes and sub-classes of digestive enzymes, thereare four general enzymes considered here:. Amylase-digests starches, including grains and starchy vegetables;. Cellulase-breaks down plant fibre;. Lipase-splits apart fats and oils into fatty acids;. Protease-breaks down protein into amino acids and small-chain peptides.Probably the most familiar of the amylases is lactase. People who arelactose intolerant are both deficient in and lack the ability to manufacturethis enzyme.All the above, except cellulase, are manufactured in the human body.Cellulase must come from the plants themselves, which is why it is soimportant to chew one's food thoroughly. Cellulase is trapped inside thefibre itself and must be liberated in the chewing process-otherwise, oneexperiences the gas and bloating common to those, especially the elderly,who cannot digest raw foods. Juicing fruits and vegetables also extractscellulase from the fibre. But the need for plant fibre in a world where manyare dependent on laxatives cannot be overstated and may outweigh unnecessaryjuicing.All raw, uncooked foods contain the exact types and amounts of enzymesnecessary for their breakdown (digestion). Fruit ripening is the consequenceof enzymes slowly breaking down the fruit's contents. If it has gone too farbefore we consume it, we say it is "rotten". There are optimal times whenfruit should be harvested and consumed. But due to "shelf life", fruit ispicked unripe and left to ripen in the warehouse or grocery store. In thiscase, the vitamin, mineral and enzyme content is inadequate and notdesirable from a nutritional point of view. One study found that plants gaveup their enzyme structures to return the mineral portion of them back to thesoil since it was lacking in minerals.Enzymes are the most heat-sensitive nutrients. As mentioned earlier, foodenzymes are generally destroyed when heated at 118°F (47.78°C) for longerthan 15 minutes, and this happens whether the food is baked, boiled,broiled, canned, fried, pasteurised, roasted, steamed or especiallymicrowaved. Dr Howell observed this and reasoned that enzyme-deficient foodmust force the body to use up metabolic enzymes to digest food. He comparedit to a bank account. If you continually drain your resources and neverreplenish your holdings, at some point you are bankrupt. In the case ofenzymes, degenerative disease occurs, with old age following soonafterwards. We are told all the time, "Oh, your symptoms are related to oldage; better get used to it". Culturally, this seems true because we haveobserved it since childhood. We even expect to grow old with theaccompanying health issues associated with old age because we have been toldso.Granted, our progression from infancy through adolescence and adulthoodinvolves changes and the appearance of "ageing". But what if there weresubstances naturally occurring in the food and within our bodies that wereresponsible for the rate at which we grew older? Dr Howell equated that thelength of life was proportional to the amount of enzymes exhausted indigestion. In other words, one's length of life is influenced by how muchour metabolic enzymes are used to digest cooked food. Since enzymes areshifted from their metabolic uses, especially from the immune system, todigest cooked food, we will age faster. Could this be what Ponce de León waslooking for in his legendary "fountain of youth"? Some researchers may havegiven us a clue.In the 1980s, Dr Roy Walford of UCLA conducted numerous laboratoryexperiments on animals. He reduced their food intake and found that theirlength of life extended beyond what was considered normal. He suggested thatall one had to do was not eat so much in order to have a healthier andlonger life. Walford stated the obvious, but he may have missed the realpoint.Dr Howell found that in fasting there is an increase in available enzymes inthe body due to the lack of food, especially cooked food. In the absence offood, the body has more enzymes for repair and healing. As an example, thereare approximately 64 different types of enzymes circulating in the blood toclear waste and prevent the build-up of plaque. When the body isshort-changed of these enzymes, there will be an unnatural build-up ofplaque. Why would there be a lack of these enzymes in the blood? When cookedfood is eaten, enzymes for digesting it must be found somewhere in the body.It is here that metabolic enzymes are shifted from their normal functions tothe role of digestion, leaving the body primed for future disease.Signs of Enzyme DeficienciesSymptoms of mineral and vitamin deficiencies occur relatively quickly. Theyare recognised to cause specific illness. Enzyme deficiencies, outside ofgenetic or birth defects, take longer periods to be noticed and have onlybegun to be recognised in some circles of the medical community. What, then,are typical signs and symptoms of the more common enzyme deficiencies?. If you have problems digesting carbohydrates, you may experienceairborne-sourced allergies, diarrhoea, fibromyalgia or attention deficitdisorder (ADD or ADHD).. If you cannot digest fats, you may experience constipation, gallbladderproblems, heart disease or hormone imbalances.. If you cannot adequately digest protein, you may experience constipation,arthritis or other inflammatory conditions, anxiety or panic attacks,premenstrual syndrome or immune system disorders.. If you are unable to break down plant fibre, you may experienceconstipation, eczema or other skin-related problems, recurrent yeast/fungalinfestations or excessive weight gain.The above conditions are also the result of diets high in those foodsassociated with the enzyme deficiency. In fact, the foods one craves arethose that create dietary stress due to one's inability to digest themcompletely. They are also the foods one has either allergies orhypersensitivities towards because of the failure to be able to digest them,i.e., because of the deficiency of that particular enzyme.People may crave certain foods because of the enzymes found within the food,which the body needs. But being cooked and destroyed, those enzymes donothing for the craving-so we eat more of the same thing, telling ourselveswe should not.To be continued...References:. Cichoke, Anthony J., Enzymes and Enzyme Therapy: How to Jump Start YourWay to Lifelong Good Health, Keats Publishing, New Canaan, 1994. Effros, R.B., Walford, R.L, Weindruch, R., Mitcheltree, C.J., "Influencesof dietary restriction on immunity to influenza in aged mice", Gerontol 1991Jul; 46(4):B142-7. Howell, Edward, Enzyme Nutrition: The Food Enzyme Concept, AveryPublishing Group, Inc., Wayne, NJ, 1985. Howell, Edward, Food Enzymes for Health & Longevity, Lotus Press, TwinLakes, WI, 1994, 2nd ed.. Loomis, Howard F., Jr, Enzymes: The Key to Health, Vol. 1 - TheFundamentals, Grote Publishing, Madison, WI, 1999. Lopez, D.A., Williams, R.M., Miehlke, M., Enzymes: The Fountain of Life,The Neville Press, Inc., Charleston, SC, 1994. Pottenger, Francis, Jr, "The Effect of Heat-Processed Foods andMetabolized Vitamin D Milk on the Dentofacial Structures of ExperimentalAnimals", American Journal of Orthodontics and Oral Surgery, St Louis, MO,vol. 32, no. 8, pp. 467-485, August 1946. Pottenger, Francis, Jr, Pottenger's Cats: A Study in Nutrition,Price-Pottenger Foundation, Inc., La Mesa, CA, 1995. Verdery, R.B. and Walford, R.L., "Changes in plasma lipids andlipoproteins in humans during a 2-year period of dietary restriction inBiosphere 2", Arch Intern Med 1998 Apr 27; 158(8): 900-6. Walford, R.L. and Crew, M., "How dietary restriction retards aging: anintegrative hypothesis", Growth Dev Aging 1989 Winter, 53(4) 139-140. Walford, R.L.,"The clinical promise of dietary restriction", Geriatrics1990 Apr; 45(4):81-3, 86-7About the Author:Mark Rojek began researching alternative therapies in 1970. His studiesincluded botanicals, mineral and vitamin requirements and diet. He internedin acupuncture with Dr Bell in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, in 1973, andgraduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science. He studied aromatherapy,kinesiology, massage therapy and classical homoeopathy in England.In 1986, Mark began formal studies in traditional Chinese medicine,especially acupuncture. In Chicago, he worked with several holisticphysicians as a medical technician and maintained a private nutritionalpractice. Also in 1986, he met Dr Howard Loomis, foremost living expert inenzyme nutrition, and continues to work with him. He works with severaldoctors in Michigan who refer to him and seek his counsel. He continues toresearch, lecture and counsel clients in nutrition and diet.Mark Rojek can be contacted by phone/fax on +1 (734) 433 9267, by email atmrojek1, and via his website at http://www.radianthealth.cc.The homepage and the place to sign up for Tracy's Corner is: Mr_Tracys_CornerFor complaints or assistance contact xootsuit26 «¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§ - PULSE ON WORLD HEALTH CONSPIRACIES! §Subscribe:......... - To :.... - Any information here in is for educational purpose only, it may be news related, purely speculation or someone's opinion. Always consult with a qualified health practitioner before deciding on any course of treatment, especially for serious or life-threatening illnesses.**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. 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