How Enzymes Factor in Anti Aging

Enzymes are needed for every chemical reaction that takes place in your body. An increasing number of studies have shown the effectiveness of proper enzyme intake to combat heart disease, help diabetics control their blood sugar levels, and help alleviate arthritic symptoms. Proper enzyme intake also improves digestion, elimination, and detoxification. With over 100 different enzymes in the body I won’t have the time or the space to discuss each one, but I want to give you an overview on how important enzymes are to an anti aging strategy.

Enzymes are proteins that act like catalysts by binding to an initial substance and converting it into something else. Because of this enzymes are needed for every chemical reaction that takes place in your body. No mineral, vitamin or hormone can do any significant work without enzymes. It is for this reason that enzymes are critical for your health and factor so importantly in an effective anti aging strategy.

Think in 3’s!
There are 3 classes of enzymes:

Digestive – which digest our food.
Metabolic – which run our bodies.
Food – which come from raw foods and start food digestion.

For this article, we are going to look at 3 types of digestive enzymes and their function:

Amylases are enzymes that digest carbohydrates.
Lipases are enzymes that digest fats.
Proteases are enzymes that digest proteins.

Some say, "You Are What You Eat!" but I say,
"You Are What You Digest!"
Food enzymes from raw foods help start the digestive process by helping to break down complex foods into simple structures. That’s why the chewing process is so important. Now, I’m not talking about eating like a cow that continues to chew its cud but neither is it a benefit to you to bite, chew once and then swallow. These food enzymes are beneficial to the digestive enzymes because the more the food is already broken down prior to entering the lower portion of the stomach, the less the digestive enzymes are needed to complete the breakdown. And, the more your food is broken down into its simplest form, the easier it will be for your small intestine to absorb these nutrients to allow your blood stream to delivery them to the needed areas.

What is the Natural Enemy of Enzymes?
The enzymes in raw foods are destroyed by heat. In fact, cooking any food at temperatures above 116 degrees Fahrenheit kills all enzymes. This then increases the amount of energy the body needs to digest the cooked food and it increases the amount of time needed in the digestive tract to try to absorb nutrients. This puts wear and tear on your pancreas. If there are no food enzymes to help predigest the food, then the pancreas must put out the "HELP WANTED" sign to look for metabolic enzymes that can be converted into digestive enzymes. This can stress the pancreas and rob the body of the metabolic enzymes needed to create the energy your body needs to survive.

Those Nutritionists Got It Right Again!
The nutritionists who keep recommending 5-8 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day are really trying to help your body work at a higher level of wellness. As stated at the beginning of this article, there are an increasing number of studies showing the effectiveness of proper enzyme intake to combat heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis. Proper enzyme intake also improves digestion, elimination, and detoxification. If you factor in the studies from the Journal of Longevity Research, which praise enzymes for their ability to combat cancer, then you begin to see why enzymes are so important to your health and anti aging strategy.

Let’s Have Some Fun!
Let me briefly educate you on a couple of enzymes that you can throw into your next conversation to impress your family and friends:

Lipase – Lipase is highly effective in the digestion of fats. Without it fat stagnates and accumulates in the organs and arteries. If you’re talking with someone who eats most of their meals at the fast food joint you could say something like "Did you want some extra lipase to go with that double cheeseburger?"

P4D1 – P4D1 can actually stimulate the repair of the DNA molecule. It has also been shown to destroy the protein sheath of cancer cells so that the white blood cells can attack and destroy them. Next time you’re at a Star Wars convention you could say something like "Dude, that P4D1 droid is awesome!"

Cytochrome Oxidase – Cytochrome Oxidase anchors an important chain of enzymes that produce energy in the mitochondria of the cell. Next time you’re at the spa you can say something like "Wow, that Cytochrome Oxidase therapy really got my energy flowing!"

Just think what you could do with enzymes like Catalase or Hexokinase or Superoxide Dismutase. Well, I think you get the picture. Enzymes need to be a big part of any anti aging strategy. And that means that raw foods, especially fruits and vegetables, need to be an important part of your daily routine.

About the author:
Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years. His website www.AgingNoMore.com provides current information on how to slow down the aging process. He offers a free daily email that breaks this information down into actionable steps that are easy to understand and implement.