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by Gloria Gilbère, N.D., DAHom., Ph.D.
How to Get Out of Digestive Debt
A heated discussion
Chances are you or someone you know
overindulged on holiday temptations
and either experienced heartburn, indigestion
or that, all too often, feeling of
the food just “setting” in your stomach
with no place to go. Allow me to explain
one major cause for those experiences.
In today’s diet of overprocessed and
overcooked food, we can expect to be
enzyme depleted—enzyme effectiveness
starts dwindling at temperatures
above 106 degrees and is essentially
destroyed at 120 degrees. Therefore,
digestive disorders get their start
because of the body’s inability to produce
sufficient enzymes for healthenhancing
digestion and absorption,
resulting in poor digestion and absorption,
that leads to chronic disorders.
Trivialized, untreated, over-selfmedicated and misunderstood, gastrointestinal disorders chronically plague more than 95 million Americans.
Initiating digestion
The work of enzymes is to break down
food materials into components that are
absorbable and in addition, produce
substances that assist in emulsifying
fats into forms that can be readily
absorbed into the blood.
Digestion is initiated as you chew.
For example, amylase, an enzyme that
breaks down starch, is secreted in the
mouth. The digestive process does not
begin in the mouth, however, for fats or
proteins, only starches. Proper, thorough
chewing is important in beginning
the digestive process altogether.
Getting what we pay for
Malabsorption is the inability of the cells
of the body to obtain nutrients from the
foods consumed. This inaction causes
loss of the caloric value (energy) of
foods, vitamins, minerals and fiber,
manifesting as cellular deprivation.
Malabsorption can occur as a result of the following:
- Insufficient time for large food molecules (protein, starch, fat) to be brokendown by specific target enzymes.
- Poor functioning pancreas which is not capable of delivering enough digestive enzymes to the small intestine to breakdown large molecules, thus nutrient absorption is minimum or nonexistent.
- The development of a condition known as leaky gut syndrome; the membrane walls of the intestinal lining become permeable, allowing undigested food to be leaked into the bloodstream.
Enzymes ignite life
Everything that lives requires enzymes—human, plant and animal. The importance of enzymes cannot better be described than in the words of Dr. Anthony Cichoke, “without enzymes, you’d be pushing up daisies and fertilizing some living plant.”
Enzymes are a protein-based substance found in every living cell. Enzymes can also be likened to the starter in your automobile; they ignite the process into action and the speed is dependent on the amount of power under the hood (full-spectrum of enzymes for specific jobs, working in powerful synchronicity to enhance performance).
Other Functions of Enzymes
- Aid digestion
- Dissolves blood clots
- Reduces inflammation
- Assists healing
- Assists respiratory functions
- Combats age-related wrinkles
- Stimulates immunity
- Assists glucose balance
"Robbing Peter to pay Paul"
According to enzyme specialists, our bodies are not intended to bear the entire burden of digestion. If our food is devoid of sufficient enzymes, our body borrows from the bank (another source from within), much the same as “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” This depletion of enzymes from other sources causes some foods to be undigested. When our body recognizes that at the current rate of spending (consumption) our enzyme account will be depleted, it will always take measures to preserve life by drawing enough enzyme funds from other reserves to run an organ—adding to the already present digestive debt. However, in the process of stealing from another source to preserve life, undigested fermented food then becomes a toxin.
Gut fermentation: the basis for intestinal disorders
Another effect of low enzyme activity is fermentation. This process is encouraged when the diet contains carbohydrates and sugars that remain in the intestinal tract rather than being absorbed into the bloodstream. These unabsorbed substances constitute the most important source of gas in the intestines—a factor contributing to damage of the intestinal walls.
What I look for in a comprehensive digestive enzyme blend
In addition to an enzyme complex containing a full spectrum of enzymes for all phases of digestion, a comprehensive enzyme blend should contain bioactive botanicals that will:
- Reduce overall inflammation as in fibromyalgia, arthritis and gout
- Soothe the stomach, cleanse the colon, reduce spasms and help with overall circulation
- Increase stomach acidity—aiding digestion
- Have an anesthetizing effect on the intestinal tract
- Act as an astringent, antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral agent
- Contain ingredients known to assist in lowering cholesterol
- Aid elimination with a gentle laxative effect
- Act as a powerful uptake mechanism for nutrient absorption
- Contain antioxidants and carotenoids.
Considering the large consumption of carbohydrates, sugars and dairy products in this country, the breakdown of these substances is essential for digestive health. Getting out of digestive debt pays dividends equating to overall health and longevity; in other words, paying the debt and establishing a healthy reserve is dependent upon supplementation with full spectrum enzymes that act as the engines to carry the load of our digestive train, naturally.
To locate a retailer of CapraZyme™, the enzyme blend used and recommended by Dr. Gilbère, call tollfree 1-800-574-1961, or send an e-mail to
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Gloria Gilbère, N.D., DAHom., Ph.D. is a traditional naturopath, homeopath and doctor of natural health. She is internationally respected as an authoritative influence in the causes, effects and drug-free solutions for leaky gut syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, digestive and chemically induced immune system disorders. She is author of I was Poisoned by my body, Invisible Illnesses, Nature’s Prescription Milk and her new book 5 Years After I was Poisoned by my body: What Works, What Doesn’t and What it Takes to Be Healthy in a Toxic World. She is talk show host of “Health by Design with Dr. G.” heard weekly on www.healthylife.net. Visit
www.drgloriagilbere.com.
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