I have been told many times that my approach as a nutrition coach is somewhat unconventional.

Because I don’t just meet with a client and give them a list of foods to eat and foods to stay away from (depending on their particular health issue).

Instead, I start by asking, “How’s your digestion?”  “Are you often gassy and bloated?” and “Do you ‘go’ everyday?”

Most times I get the deer in the headlights look.

Uh-huh…I thought so.

Over the years, it’s been my observation that most people have at least a slight deficiency in their digestive enzymes—and they have the heartburn, gas, bloating and/or constipation to prove it!

Enzyme deficiencies are very common for several reasons:

• Our over-reliance on processed foods, which are extremely hard for your system to break down and use up lots of enzyme resources.
• The fact that acid reducers are one of the most commonly prescribed medications, but since they shut down your stomach’s acid production, your pancreas must secrete far more enzymes to compensate for what the stomach couldn’t accomplish.
• Many people no longer have their gallbladders, which impairs your ability to digest fats.
• Our production of enzyme decreases as we age, so people over 50 are at risk for deficiencies.

But sometimes a shortage of digestive enzymes doesn’t just come out as digestive problems!

There is a SLEW of other health issues that you may be experiencing right now that have their origin in digestive enzyme deficiencies, but trust me, that’s probably not something you would hear from your doctor.

Here’s what I mean:

Focus on the symptom—not the cure

Modern medicine focuses on the symptoms of an illness rather than pinpointing the underlying cause(s), and 99 percent of the time when you see a doctor, you will merely be given medication to cover up or address your symptoms.

What makes this worse is that medications come with a long list of side effects, so now you’re facing even MORE health issues!

For example:

• Got chronic pain? Here’s a painkiller for you. Never mind that it might be addictive, or harm your stomach or liver.
• Feeling depressed? SSRI antidepressants will help.  Just ignore those pesky suicidal ideations they can cause.
• High cholesterol? Statins are your ticket.  Don’t worry—the liver failure, muscle breakdown, kidney stones and memory loss they can cause are a walk in the park.

Remember that although you may feel (temporary) relief of your symptoms or your “number” will be where it should be on the chart, the underlying cause of your problem remains ignored. 

Plus you’ll need more medication to address the side effects of the original medication!

But when you instead tackle the core underlying cause of your problem, you can start feeling a whole new level of relief, as well as possibly not needing medication any longer!

And one of the very common but little-known underlying issues behind many illnesses is…

Digestive enzyme deficiency!

Let’s look at your primary digestive enzymes and the major health issues deficiencies can cause:

Proteases

Proteases are the enzymes that digest proteins.

Most proteins are acidic, so when you have too few proteases in your system, this can lead to too much alkalinity in your blood, which in turn can cause anxiety and insomnia.

Plus protein is needed to transport calcium in your blood.  So without the proteases to break the protein down, the calcium can't get where it needs to go.  That means you're encouraging calcium deficient diseases like osteoporosis as well as arthritis.

Protein is also changed into glucose (energy) as needed.  So poor protein digestion can lead to hypoglycemia, moodiness and irritability.

Amylases

Amylases digest carbohydrates and dead white blood cells (pus).  So when you're low in amylases you are susceptible to abscesses. 

Amylases also help fight inflammation, especially where the hormone histamine is involved.  So being low in them can worsen skin problems like psoriasis, eczema, hives, reactions to bug bites and herpes. 

Asthma and emphysema can also be worsened by an amylase deficiency.

Lipases

Since lipases digest fats, lipase-deficient people have a tendency toward high cholesterol, high triglycerides, difficulty losing weight and diabetes, and all of those are risks for heart disease!

People low in lipases also have decreased cell permeability, so essential nutrients can't get in and wastes can't get out. 

Cellulases

Cellulases break down the fiber you eat. 

Out of all the enzymes, cellulase deficiency causes the widest variety of health challenges and can especially affect your intestinal and cardiovascular health.

Lacking cellulase can also lead to pancreatic problems as well as gas, cramps and bloating.

So what do you do now?

If you suspect that you are facing enzyme issues, it’s very easy to tell.  Help your body along in the enzyme department and if you feel significantly better, you’ll have your answer!

And the good news is that no matter how enzyme-challenged you may be, you can help your body along with these two important measures:

1- Eat food sources of enzymes

In order to help ensure your body has the levels of enzymes you need, you must eat foods that are sources of—not depleters of—precious enzymes.

I’m talking about fresh fruits and vegetables!  Fresh produce contains its own enzymes, so it requires very little to none of yours in the digestive process. 

Here is a good way to start: Eat a tossed salad with your dinner every night (even a simple lettuce salad with dressing counts!), and swap out one carb snack (chips, cookies, etc.) for a piece of fresh fruit or some cut up vegetables each day.  Just those two baby steps alone will be a big help.

2- Supplement with the best digestive enzyme formula money can buy

Digestizol Max digestive enzyme formula is as good as it gets when it comes to tackling enzyme challenges.

Its carefully designed full-spectrum blend of 15 enzymes targets all kinds of foods, including proteins, carbohydrates, sugars, fats and fibers in your diet. 

Digestizol Max works along with your body’s own enzymes help break down ALL your foods completely just as Nature intended.  This encourages smoother digestion, less heartburn and more regular BMs, as well as helps your body counteract any enzyme-related health challenges like I mentioned above.

Because the enzymes in Digestizol Max are all plant-based, it is perfect for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. 

Plus Digestizol Max takes a HUGE step beyond other enzyme formulas and includes a bouquet of herbs that can help calm an inflamed, overtaxed digestive tract.  These include peppermint leaf, ginger root, coriander seeds and fennel seeds—herbs that have a well-proven history of gut-soothing properties.

See what a difference it can make in how you feel when you address any enzyme deficiencies that may be affecting you!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia