Enzymes and Eczema

We've all heard about amino acids ... the building blocks of the body.  It's great to have them, but we also need the construction workers to move those building blocks to get the work done.  Consider enzymes as construction workers of the living system.

Enzymes are protein molecules that help out a chemical reaction by making it quicker and easier for the reaction to occur.  They are the primary motivators of all the biochemical processes in the body.  Enzymes are responsible for certain functions such as food digestion, building bones and tissues and aiding in detoxification.   They digest our food and convert it so that our muscles, nerves and glands are fortified and assist kidneys, lungs, liver, skin and colon in their important eliminative tasks.  They have been referred to as "very strong anti-inflammatories."  Although most chemical reactions in our bodies would happen without enzymes, they would just happen very slowly.

Many people compare enzymes to locks and keys.  The enzymes in your body will only work on one type of substrate.  This means that if you are missing a certain kind of enzyme in your body, you may not be able to perform certain types of reactions. For instance, if someone are missing the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk into its monosaccharide form, they can't digest milk.

With over 1000 types of enzymes, there are three broad classifications:  1) metabolic enzymes are produced in every cell of the body and perform specific biochemical reactions in the tissues and organs of the body; 2) digestive enzymes are produced by the body and are specifically used to break down or digest ingested food, and 3) food enzymes, not produced by the body, are found in raw food and liberated during digestion.  The enzymes most often found in supplements are: 1) lipase to digest fats and oils,  2) protease to digest proteins, 3) amylase to digest carbohydrates, and 4) lactase to digest milk sugar or lactose.   

Are You Getting Your Enzymes?

Bananas, avocados, papayas, mangos, and pineapples are examples of fruits that are high in enzymes.  One of the best sources of enzymes is sprouts.  Unfortunately, when food is cooked--whether it be baked, boiled, broiled, microwaved, steamed, etc.--these enzymes are destroyed.  When we eat raw fruits or vegetables, each piece already contains enough enzymes to aid in its own digestion.   Cooked food takes from our body's storehouse of enzymes.  When we eat cooked food, enzymes that can be used for healing our bodies or maintaining our immune system are diverted and sent into the digestive system to digest our food.  This is because the body puts a higher priority on digestion than on maintaining health.  If we don't replenish our supply of enzymes, we can become enzyme deficient.   

Digestion and Eczema

The Physician's Handbook of Clinical Nutritional states that improving digestion is essential in patients with eczema.    In The Hydrochloric Acid Web Page we learned that digestive enzymes and HCL must be produced in adequate amounts to facilitate normal digestion.  We also learned that good bacteria are key in aiding digestion, and nutritional deficiencies may restrict the production of essential enzymes.

I've noticed for years that sometimes I looked pregnant when I wasn't.  Then, the bloating would just go away, and I couldn't figure it out at first.   I learned that irritable bowel syndrome ("IBS") is one of the most common disorders of the digestive tract, and symptoms include abdominal bloating, pain, gas and irregular bowel habits.  For years I had to avoid foods like beans and ice cream, because they made my stomach uncomfortable.  Now, though, with enzymes I don't have those symptoms anymore.   

Supplementing With Enzymes

When I began eating more raw vegetables like broccoli, it did bother my stomach.  Foods like beans, whole grain cereals, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, onions, lentils, green peppers, cucumbers and many other healthful foods contain certain complex sugars "which we cannot digest".  The undigested sugars ferment inside the body causing gassiness.

Another very helpful enzyme is the lactase enzyme.  If your stomach gets uncomfortable when eating things like cottage cheese and ice cream, you might lack lactase enzymes.  Lactase enzymes give your body extra help to break down the milk sugar found in many dairy foods and makes dairy foods more digestible.

Enzymes are not drugs, they don't have bad side effects,  the body will eliminate whatever it doesn't need, they are safe, don't interfere with any medication and are non-toxic.   

Did you know that panic disorder and multiple chemical sensitivity may be attributed to enzyme deficiencies?