Enzymes

Enzymes are the most important substances which are present in human beings as well as in animals and plants. These are complex protein molecules in all living cells and catalyse and regulate almost all biochemical reactions that occur within the human body.

Our digestion, our energy, the functions of our body, our immune system and much more depends upon the presence of enzymes and their capacity to function.

Enzymes are catalysts. The reactions which need high temperatures such as 50 or 100 or 150 degrees C can be performed in our body at 37 degree C with the help of the enzymes as catalysts. This is the wonder of our creation.

There are two groups - digestive and metabolic - enzymes. They are stored in organs, such as, liver and be used wherever they are needed.

Some important biochemical reactions that occur inside our 100 trillion cells are the energy production, detoxification and oxygen free radical scavenging. It is aptly said that our cells can survive only with the help of the metabolic enzymes.

The important duties of the digestive enzymes are the digestion and absorption of all nutrients from our food. The major work is to digest carbohydrates, protein and fat. The digestive enzymes include pepsin, trypsin, lipase, protease, ptyalin and amylase. Our body cannot produce cellulase, an enzyme necessary for the digestion of certain fibre and here the raw foods are the best source.

Our body accepts the enzymes from our raw food thankfully which are saved till the body needs. Therefore, the foods containing enzymes are very healthier to us.

Fresh raw vegetables and fruits are very good source of enzymes. Cooking makes different degrees of degradation. The production of these enzymes is a very complicated process in our organs utilising different, important nutrients including many metals like zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese and others.

Enzymes are also organizing the necessary functions or synthesize new bio-chemicals in the body which are necessary to build and repair the bones, cells, other organs and the tissues.

Enzymes are responsible for synthesizing, delivering, distributing, constructing, repairing and also eliminating wastes from our 100 trillion cells by giving the substances and chemicals to our body to live. Without enzymes there is no life.

Enzymes play a vital role in many diseases, such as, high blood pressure, diabetes, liver diseases, respiratory infections, cold, flu, heartburn, indigestion, weakened immune system, depression, burn out syndrome, migraines, pre-menstruation-syndrome, candida, fibromyalgia, arthritis, hyperactivity, anxiety, lack of concentration, constipation, fatigue, allergies, obesity and many others.

There are substances or metals which can inhibit the action of the enzymes and they are as follows:

• Almost all chemicals in excessive amount are poisonous to enzymes
• Heavy metals such as mercury present in amalgam, aluminium in antacid, deodorants, tea and cucumber, cadmium from seafood and tobacco smoke and lead can take the place of essential elements in the enzymes thus preventing the action of the enzymes.
• Over-the-counter, prescription and illegal drugs such as novalgin, aspirin, cannabis, cocaine and other designer drugs can be inhibitors.
• Pesticides and all the other chemicals used in the agriculture
• Solvents from household, industries and car exhausts, such as benzene, chlorinated solvents, ethylene glycol
• Alcohol, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol etc.
• Caffeine from coffee, tea and chocolates
• Tobacco smoking and passive smoking
• Oxygen free radical and other free radicals

All the chemicals used in the food processing are not good for the enzymes, I have examined the blood sample of people who ate only processed food for months together without taking fresh raw vegetables and their enzyme status is mostly bad compared to an average person. Women are worse than men.

Grilled meat is worse than cigarettes. But smoking is worse than one time of eating grilled meat, since cigarettes are being smoked everyday.

Stress in the family or in the office or extreme worries and financial problems can affect the amount of enzymes produced and it is same with diseases also.

Aging causes the body to produce fewer enzymes and the whole metabolism and digestion can become slow.

Why is raw food in our diet important?

Depending upon your cooking process, an average of 50% of the enzymes gets destroyed. Fresh, raw foods contain the highest amount of enzymes which catalyse thousands of chemical reactions in our body. Dried and denatured foods have no enzymes which in course of time do not promote health and longevity.

Of all known fruits, pineapple contains a large amount of digestive or metabolic or both enzymes. Eat pineapple regularly if you have no allergy.

Reply to Kanti after going through her Aaron Analysis Form and 14 days food and fluids intake...

This is for you Kanti....The Food and our Health is not accepting this huge information. This is the reason why I put this in my blog...

You have 5 kgs overweight. Although resear has not given a clear picture whether aluminium is one of the culprits for Parkinson's disease, you must avoid cooking vessels with aluminium and using aluminium foils to cover or transport food. It is applicable to rice cooker also.

Moreover, tea and cucumber have lot of aluminium. If you use this you must be careful with food that have lot of vitamin C. Vitamin C prefers aluminium than iron if aluminium is present in high concentration to take to the blood. So eat cucumber alone and do not put it with your salad where the possibility of the presence of vitamin C is high. You are now fixed to a certain type of food. If i have to write a plan it will be entirely different. There will be no or very little supplements only. So, if you are happy with your present food follow it. At the same time try to avoid the following risk factors...

Wood furnitures - what are the chemical preservatives used?

Wool carpet -

It contains pesticide in high concentration...Normally it is soaked in a pesticide solution so that the insects will not attack it. The pesticide used is permethrin which is a neurotoxic. In which room you have this. If it is in your bedromm it is the worst.

Amalgam -

if it is done properly amalgam is good teeth filling. If not it is released continuously in your mouth and is deposited in your body. The possibility of a mercury allergy is then there. You could ask your skin specialist to do the mercury skin allergy test.

What are the industries nearby? Could you tell me exactly please?

What about your detoxification system and free radical scavenging system? In your case there are many environmental questions which must be cleared or solved...After that we have to see what is left...

Metabolism based individual diet plan

The main functions of metabolism are to break food, digest, get energy from the nutrients, to synthesize protein, fats, carbohydrates and nucleic acids and their combinations and synthesize special substances for various cellular functions. It is the total of all the biochemical reactions an organism needs to survive.

These reactions are controlled by enzymes, the protein catalysts. Food provides many substances which are essential for the building, upkeep and repair of body tissues. It must supply carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, sulphur, at least 17 vitamins and 18 inorganic elements. Apart from carbohydrates, fats and protein many antioxidants and other phytochemicals are also needed for the healthy functioning of the body. If there is a deficiency or excess in these nutrients the metabolism cannot function properly and the health problem starts there and it is not easy to find out the reasons and to treat it. Do not forget water is the most important food.

It is important to find out whether a person is getting all the nutrients needed and it could be achieved if he writes his food calendar for 14 days. Everything what one eats and drinks must be written there and from that an expert can judge what is needed and what should be avoided. Alternatively, 3 cm hair from his back head from the skin is cut and the hair minerals are estimated. From these 24 minerals also we could estimate the metabolism of a person to write the individual diet plan.

Then a diet plan is made tailor-made for this individual to support his metabolism. It needs six weeks to see the changes and this diet must be followed for three months and after that it is corrected once again for the normal day to day life. When the metabolism functions properly many of the unknown diseases also disappear. A good functioning metabolism burns more calories and weight reduction is not at all a problem without any hunger.

A good functioning metabolism prevents many health problems and here the role of food is very important. Food is not a medicine to heal all the diseases but the right food can prevent and support the treatment of many diseases. Food must supply the necessary nutrients for a good functioning metabolism. Medicines are important to treat diseases, but with many unwanted side effects. The right food has no side effects and it is worth to try. Since one takes almost the same food during weight reduction and afterwards it is easy to maintain the weight for ever. If you understand well about the food everything is easy.

As usual enough physical activity must accompany a good diet.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a plant which is a member of ginger family. It is used as a spice and also has several medicinal applications. It is boiled, dried and ground to a yellow powder and this is used in spices. The active substance of the turmeric plant is curcumin, a polyphenol.

Turmeric is used in several foods in Western countries. It is used as a colouring agent. It is used in beverages, baked products, dairy products, ice cream, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn, sweets and gelatines.

In India, we use turmeric everyday in our kitchen and the curry powders with turmeric is well known and world famous. It is widely used in South Asian food preparations.

• In Ayurvdic medicine turmeric is used as an antiseptic for bruises and burns and the fluoride in it is essential for the health of the teeth.
• It is used as an antibacterial agent.
• It is also used to treat stomach disorders.

For the last 3 years a lot of research has been done about the medicinal effect of curcumin and there are clinical studies going already for the treatment of many diseases that include:

• Joint inflammation in arthritis
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Pancreatic cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Multiple myeloma.
• Curcumin based cream is used to treat psoriasis.

Research findings reveal that curcumin, a natural substance, has no side effects.

The other uses of turmeric include:

• Turmeric is used in some of the sunscreens
• Women in India apply the turmeric paste on their face to remove the unnecessary hair
• It is used as a dye in India
• Tetrahydrocurcuminoids are expected to have antioxidant properties.
• Turmeric repels ants but the exact mechanism is not known. It is not a poison and so environmental friendly

We have to do more research on turmeric which could be useful to our health.

Ginger

Ginger is the underground stem of the ginger plant. India and China produce most of the ginger.

The active components of the ginger are the volatile oils and pungent phenolic compounds, such as, gingerols and shogaols. The volatile oils are of 3% and it is the gives volatile oil that the fragrance to ginger.

Ginger is mainly used as a spice in Asian and other countries. In Western countries, ginger is used only in sweet food. But in other countries, the uses are diverse, from sweets to several food preparations. Ginger tea, ginger pickles, spicy seafood or mutton, ginger ale, an aerated sweet beverage and spicier ginger beer are well known ginger products.

In India, ginger spice tea is well known and ginger is used in vegetarian as well as in non-vegetarian foods. In Tamil Nadu it is used to make a candy, called ‘inji murappa’.

Ginger root is widely used as a digestive aid for mild stomach upset and is also recommended by doctors and other health professionals to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting pregnancy, cancer chemotherapy and motion sickness. Ginger is also a good support in inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and can even be used in heart disease or cancer.

It is safe for children over two years old because of side effects. Normally four grams per day are used for an adult. The dose is calculated for a person weighing 70 kg. Children may weigh 20 to 25 kg and the amount of ginger must be adjusted to their weight. If you want to use ginger for a child below two years old, consult your doctor always. The dose makes the poison.

Allergic reactions have been reported rarely. If you experience a side effect, talk to your doctor immediately. Here the interactions with other medicines should be taken into consideration.

What are the interactions of ginger with other medicines?

Do not use ginger if you take the following medicines:

- any heart medicine
- any medicine including insulin to control blood sugar values
- any medicines to thin the blood such as aspirin or warfarin or heparin

If you take any other medicines consult your doctor or herbal specialist.

Who should not take ginger?

You must consult your doctor before you take ginger if you have the following health problems:

- have gallstones and any other disease of the gallbladder
- have any heart problems or if you take medicines for these
- have diabetes and take medicine to control your blood sugar levels
- have blood clotting or bleeding disorders
- Do not take ginger without first consulting your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant
- Do not take ginger without first consulting your doctor if you are breastfeeding a baby

Why should not be given to children before two years?

There are no scientific studies about this and therefore, we must be careful. Your grandmother can have the fine feeling to use it from her experience with many children but, we cannot expect this from a modern lady who knows better in several other things! Remember always, the dose only makes the poison.