Food intolerance and IBS are usually super easy to rectify using a food elimination process. Within 2 weeks you’re usually symptom free and ready to start food testing and reintroduction. But, sometimes digestive discomfort can be caused by more than just a reaction to foods – it can be caused when your body doesn’t produce enough digestive enzymes to break down your food. Symptoms of this include bloating, floating stool, nausea, indigestion, aches and pains, stomach pains, blood sugar imbalance, belching, feeling full before you’ve finished a meal and constipation.
Enzymes are essential for every cell in your body – in fact all of your physiological processes. They are composed of amino acids and there are around 3000 different ones. But, those are just the enzymes that have been discovered. Some scientists believe that there may be more than 50000 more yet to be identified.
Enzymes are responsible for reducing inflammation, energy production, nutrient absorption, detoxification, breaking down fats and balancing hormones. A deficiency in these enzymes can cause all sorts of discomfort.
According to Dr. Edward Howell you are born with limited enzyme producing capabilities and if you don’t get enough enzymes from the food you eat then a lot of strain is put on your digestive system to produce enough to break down your food. Most digestive and metabolic enzymes are produced by your pancreas.
A typical western diet is made up of processed and cooked foods. This, along with the overuse of medicines and drugs like antibiotics, can lead to a massive imbalance in your ability to breakdown and absorb nutrients from your food, leading to chronic health conditions and deficiencies. Not only this, but your immune system starts in your gut, so any deficiency in the gut can greatly impair your immune defences.
The best way to get enzyme rich foods is to eat them raw. So adding a high raw element to your diet is always advisable. The use of mouth washes and chewing gum can affect the enzyme in saliva, further causing digestive upset.
Some foods contain specific digestive enzymes, these include sprouted seeds and legumes, papaya, pineapple, avocado, coconut and extra virgin olive oil, mango, kiwi and grapes.
A lot of raw fruit and veg is termed as “pre-digested” food, so its very gentle on your digestive system. In fact, most people spend 80% of their energy simply digesting food! The digestive system wasn’t designed to be so over worked which could be why a large portion of the population suffer with low energy levels and fatigue.
The use of supplemented digestive enzymes could be beneficial for those suffering with digestive discomfort and mist be taken with a meal. They are safe but I would always recommend speaking with a qualified professional to asses your symptoms first before taking anything you don’t really need to be taking.