Modern mainstream medicine is symptom-focused, meaning sickness and disease are seen as some mysterious thing that pops up, and the standard answers are drugs that mask the symptoms or surgery. 

It wasn’t always this way.  Up until about 150 years ago, sickness was viewed as the result of an imbalance or deficiency in the body, and efforts were directed to correct the underlying situation.

But this change in the focus of medicine (largely due to John D. Rockefeller taking over the medical field and hawking his oil-derived pharmaceuticals to increase his profits) has resulted in lots of sickly, medicated people for whom the underlying cause of illness remains ignored.

And one commonly overlooked cause of a variety of illnesses is a person’s supply of ENZYMES!

Enzymes—the Master Catalyst

You might not know this, but every single process in your body depends on enzymes--breathing, digestion, circulation, thinking, immune system functioning, your ability to read this email--everything. 

We have about 2,700 known enzymes in our bodies, and each one binds to a certain substance and has a very specific job.  Plus enzymes facilitate more than 150,000 biochemical reactions and empower every cell in your body to function.

So when you're low in one or more of them, it can compromise your body’s ability to function and eventually make you very, very sick.

Let’s look at how important enzymes are to your body, a few ways you can tell if you might be running low and how you can help turn that around.

The three types of enzymes

There are actually three types of enzymes your body uses—metabolic, digestive and food enzymes. 

Metabolic enzymes run and heal your body, give structure to macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and repair damage. 

Digestive enzymes, as you would expect, break down the food you eat.

Food enzymes are not made by your body—instead they are a naturally occurring part of the food you eat, and they actually help the digestive process along too.

Your body manufactures both metabolic and digestive enzymes, depending on what your specific needs are. 

Note that your ability to produce enzymes is limited, and conserving in one area allows for more resources for another. 

So for example, if you eat a healthy diet and require fewer digestive enzymes to break down your meals than someone whose four food groups are Taco Bell, Dunkin, KFC and Domino’s, your body will have more “enzyme resources” to produce the metabolic enzymes you need.

The many faces of an enzyme deficiency

Since enzymes are the catalysts behind all of your body’s processes, the health symptoms of having too few of them can run the gamut.

Here are just some of the conditions that are caused or worsened by enzyme deficiencies:

• Headaches
• Frequent sinus infections or bronchitis
• Glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration
• Skin rashes, hives, breakouts
• Psoriasis
• Irregular heartbeats, palpitations
• Chest pain
• High cholesterol or triglycerides
• Shortness of breath, asthma, wheezing
• Gallbladder problems
• Acid reflux
• Constipation, diarrhea
• IBS, diverticulosis/diverticulitis, colitis
• Joint pain, arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Panic attacks
• Insomnia
• Painful menses
• Low libido

...and many, many more.

How will I know?

Typically doctors don't think to question someone's enzyme levels unless there is an obvious sign of a problem, like repeated digestive issues. 

Instead, a symptom-based solution is simply offered--meaning acid reducers (which only make the real problem WORSE--not better). 

Plus if any of the other enzyme-related issues above pop up, chances are you’ll be given symptomatic solutions for those too, whether it’s pain relievers, laxatives, statins, antibiotics, bronchodilators, sleeping pills, anti-inflammatories, etc. 

Unfortunately a lack of enzymes probably won’t even be on their radar.

Luckily there are a few self-evaluation exercises you can do to see if you might have a certain enzyme problem brewing inside of you:

1) The bile questionnaire

Here is a quiz to help detect bile deficiencies—see how many apply to you:

Have you had or do you have:

• Your gallbladder removed or have gallbladder issues?
• Liver disease
• Thyroid issues (hypothyroid or hyperthyroid)
• Ileostomy surgery
• Incomplete digestion of fats (a telltale sign is either belching after eating fat or BMs that float)
• Light-colored, smelly or frothy stools
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal discomfort, gas and bloating on a regular basis
• Weakness, fatigue
• Nutrient deficiencies, especially Vitamins A, D, E and K
• Water retention
• Low serum albumin levels
• A tendency to bleed easily
• Unexplained weight loss

Your total score: ______________

As you might guess, the more yes responses you have, the greater the chance of decreased bile output.

2) The vinegar test

This is an indicator of hydrochloric acid (HCl) production in your stomach.

Take one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a meal.  If warmth is felt in your stomach, that's an indication that sufficient HCl is being produced.

If no warmth is felt, take two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with your next meal.  If no warmth is felt, try three tablespoons at the next meal. 

If you STILL don't feel a warm sensation, chances are good you have an HCl deficiency. 

3) The “face the music” test

This test is an excellent indicator of how many food enzymes you’re taking in, as well as how many digestive enzymes you may be using up to break down your meals.

Take a piece of paper and draw a vertical line down the middle.  Label the column on the left "Enzyme Foods" and the column on the right "Non-Enzyme/Dead Foods."

Then write down every single thing you eat and drink for the next three days in the appropriate column using these guidelines: 

ENZYME FOODS

• Fresh (raw) fruits
• Fresh vegetables that are either raw or lightly cooked
• Tossed salads--fresh greens and raw vegetables only
• Fresh squeezed vegetable or fruit juices
• Raw nuts and seeds

NON-ENZYME FOODS

• Meats
• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Processed, packaged foods
• Fast food including burgers, hot dogs, pizza, tacos, fried chicken or fish, fries, onion rings, etc.
• Soda
• Alcohol
• Cooked or processed carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, rolls, pastries, cookies and rice

After the three days are up, look at your lists.  If your Non-Enzyme Food column is spilling over onto multiple pages and your Enzyme Food column is practically non-existent, chances are excellent that you've been depleting your enzyme capability with lots of non-enzyme foods and may be running low.

Now what?

This exercise was meant to enlighten you--not to tell you never eat another cooked piece of food again.

What you should strive to do is to incorporate more enzyme foods into your diet to get the natural food sources of enzymes, plus help preserve your body’s enzyme resource capabilities with enzyme supplementation.

Here’s how:

First of all, my Great Taste No Pain health system shows you how to create easier to digest meals featuring many delicious enzyme foods. 

Believe me, you won't feel like you're eating "rabbit food" when you taste the Great Taste No Pain recipes!  You'll also be pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy enzyme foods and eventually will develop a taste for healthier choices.

Plus the food combinations I will show you pave the way for more efficient digestion, which will also help conserve your precious enzyme resources.

As far as enzyme supplementation goes, Digestizol Max is your ticket.

Digestizol Max contains a blend of 15 plant-derived enzymes that target all the different types of foods you eat. 

Plus it provides a blend of natural tummy-soothing herbs like ginger, coriander and fennel.

When it comes to keeping your body working like it should from head to toe, enzymes are definitely a key player.

When you give your body the resources it needs to supply your enzyme requirements, you are helping to pave the way for better health into your golden years!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia