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Posted by: | Posted on: April 8, 2024

Have You Tried Curcumin for Indigestion?


Reproduced from original article:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/04/08/curcumin-indigestion.aspx
Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola     April 08, 2024

curcumin indigestion

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • If you experience chronic heartburn, a new study indicates that taking curcumin, the biologically active polyphenolic compound found in turmeric, may offer the same protection and relief as the popularly used proton pump inhibitor (PPI) Prilosec (omeprazole)
  • Despite knowing the serious side effects associated with PPIs, data show people are prescribed and are taking them at doses higher than recommended and for longer than is recommended by clinical guidelines
  • PPIs may increase your risk of a gut infection, vitamin B12 deficiency, heart disease, heart attack, bone fractures and events of cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus. In just one week of use, PPIs are associated with significant impairment in attention, executive function, visual memory and working and planning functions
  • Steps you can take to naturally reduce symptoms are to identify your trigger foods and eliminate them, don’t eat within four hours of going to bed, consider elevating the head of the bed if you experience nighttime symptoms and don’t wear clothing that is tight around the waist

Curcumin is the major biologically active polyphenolic compound of turmeric and the compound that gives the spice its yellow color. A 2023 study1 published in the BMJ Journal finds that curcumin has yet another health benefit — it helps improve outcomes in people with functional dyspepsia.

In the past decade, researchers have discovered several health benefits from including turmeric and curcumin in your diet. As I reported in 2021, curcumin was among the top five substances researchers had found that could help improve COVID outcomes. However, on their own, turmeric and curcumin have poor bioavailability when taken orally.

Researchers have attributed this to the body’s limited ability to absorb the compound and the body’s ability to rapidly metabolize and eliminate it.2 However, research has also demonstrated that when taken with different compounds, the bioavailability can improve and therefore may help enhance the multiple health benefits that are attributed to the compound.

For example, when taken with piperine, an alkaloid found in black pepper, the bioavailability of curcumin rises by 2,000%.3 Combining curcumin with bromelain, a protease from the pineapple stem, also “substantially increases the absorption of curcumin after oral administration.”4

Curcumin Is Potentially Effective for Functional Dysplasia

In the featured paper,5 151 people completed the study. The group was broken into four groups. They either received two 250 mg capsules of curcumin four times daily, one placebo capsule, 20 mg of Prilosec (omeprazole) and two placebo pills four times daily, or turmeric plus Prilosec.

Prilosec is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) that is commonly used to treat functional dyspepsia. Functional dyspepsia6 is a type of chronic indigestion in which you experience symptoms of feeling full or bloated during and after meals, heartburn and excessive burping.

The researchers were interested in how curcumin could affect the gastrointestinal tract, so no additional compounds were included to increase bioavailability. The study was a randomized, double-blind controlled trial that engaged participants with functional dyspepsia from university hospitals in Thailand.

The main outcome measure used was the Severity of Dyspepsia Assessment (SODA) score that was measured on Days 28 and 56 to evaluate pain, non-pain and satisfaction with treatment. Secondary outcomes measured included adverse events and severe adverse events.

At the start of the study, patients in all the groups had similar clinical characteristics and scores on the SODA. When evaluating the results, the researchers found that on Days 28 and 56, the SODA scores indicated a significant reduction in symptoms for all but the placebo group.

The improvements were greater by Day 56. The researchers reported no serious adverse events occurred during the study, but acknowledged that individuals who were overweight experienced some liver function deterioration while taking curcumin.7

The researchers acknowledged several limiting factors, including the size of the study, the short intervention and the lack of long-term data. Despite these limitations, the researchers found that “The strength of the study lies in its relevance to daily clinical practice, providing additional drug options in addition to PPIs alone, without added side effects.” and “… the new findings from our study may justify considering curcumin in clinical practice.”8

What You Eat Matters to Your Heartburn

While it might seem counterintuitive, one of the most common causes of heartburn is insufficient amounts of stomach acid. Your body uses stomach acid to properly digest food, breaking it down to absorb nutrients. Without enough stomach acid, undigested food can lead to indigestion and heartburn. Undigested food can also cause bacterial overgrowth.

Yet, if you use PPIs,9 they reduce your stomach acid even further, and over time may cause the glands in the stomach that secrete acid to stop working altogether. A 2017 study10 suggested that a Mediterranean diet that focuses on fruits, healthy fats, lean meat and vegetables could be as effective as PPIs in treating acid reflux symptoms.

The study involved 184 participants and found that after six weeks those who had changed their diet had a slightly greater reduction in reflux symptoms than those who used PPI medication. The study measured symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux during which stomach acid affects the tissue at the back of your throat.

Each of your dietary choices can play a role in heartburn symptoms, including beverages. For occasional symptom relief, alkaline water, also tested in the study, may help neutralize the acid and offer relief. You can add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 4 ounces of orange juice and stir.

Because the reaction causes foaming, make sure the glass is only half full to avoid overflow. Another option is to add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, or one-half to 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of filtered water.

However, I would underscore the importance of using alkaline water only as a temporary solution and only if reflux is caused by excess stomach acid. The bottom line is that daily consumption of water that’s either too acidic or too alkaline can upset the pH balance in your gastrointestinal tract and trigger heartburn.

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PPIs Have Serious Side Effects

PPIs are associated with several significant side effects. For example, individuals who regularly use them can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as they reduce your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 from food.11 Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that’s required for red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis, and for the development of the central nervous system.12

A 2017 study13 indicates PPIs may increase your risk for a gut infection. The study engaged a total of 564,969 PPI users and controls (188,323 PPI users and 376,646 controls) and found that those who took certain heartburn drugs had an increased risk of developing C. difficile and campylobacter bacterial infections related to the suppression of stomach acid production.

Research has also found that even short-term use of PPIs can contribute to cognitive changes and long-term use is linked to dementia. One 2015 study14 suggested PPIs were associated with clinically and statistically significant impairment in attention, executive function, visual memory and working and planning functions after just one week of use.

Finally, long-term use has also been linked to chronic kidney disease, heart disease and heart attacks and increased risk of bone fractures and events of cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus.15

Despite this evidence, a 2018 Iceland nationwide drug utilization study16 demonstrated a continued increase in overall use in the previous 13 years, particularly in older adults.

The researchers noted that “Patients were increasingly treated for longer durations than recommended by clinical guidelines and mainly with higher doses.”17 A 2022 study from Spain found similar results in which the researchers observed an increase in PPI use especially in a population older than 65 years, “despite the risk of cognitive decline and falls.”18

A 2023 literature review19 identified observational studies on PPI use in individuals older than 18 across several databases from 23 countries. The data indicated that of the people using PPIs, 63%, were younger than 65 years, 56% were female and roughly two-thirds were on high doses of PPIs, 25% of which for more than a year and 28% for more than three years.

After reviewing the global data, the researchers concluded, “Given the widespread use of PPIs and increasing concern regarding long-term use, this review provides a catalyst to support more rational use, particularly with unnecessary prolonged continuation.”20

Steps to Help Naturally Reduce Symptoms

As I have written before, PPIs have serious effects on your health, so it is wise to first consider non-drug alternatives to reduce your symptoms. Since the foods you eat affect your reflux and heartburn symptoms, you can begin by identifying the foods that trigger your symptoms and eliminating them from your diet.

If you are on a PPI, it is vitally important that you seek to wean from them as soon as possible with your physician. The best H2 blocker to use would be Pepcid (famotidine) which you will gradually wean from as well.

Foods that commonly increase heartburn21 include fried and processed foods, such as fast food, pizza, and potato chips or similar fried snack foods. Other foods that commonly make the list are tomato-based sauces, citrus fruits and carbonated beverages.

After you have eliminated the foods that trigger your symptoms, there are several more steps you can take. Steer clear of clothes that are tight around your waist or middle22 since it can increase the symptoms of heartburn.

When you sit down, tight clothes squeeze your abdominal area, increasing the risk your stomach contents will push through the sphincter at the top of the stomach and you’ll experience reflux.

It’s important to remember that for many people, heartburn gets worse at night after you are lying down to go to sleep.23 It’s easier for food to back up the esophagus without the push of gravity as you’re standing.

Don’t eat in the three to four hours before going to sleep at night and if you’re still having trouble, try elevating the head of your bed approximately 6 inches. Don’t simply sleep on extra pillows as that adds an extra strain to your neck and shoulders.

The angle of the pillows can also increase pressure on the abdomen, depending on the position. Instead, consider blocks sold specifically for elevating the bed, which stabilizes it, so it doesn’t move at night.

Ginger has long been known to have a gastroprotective effect. Add two to three quarter-size slices of fresh ginger root to 2 cups of hot water and let it steep for several minutes. Drink it approximately 20 minutes before eating your meal. If heartburn seems to plague you at night, try a cup of chamomile tea about an hour before going to sleep.24

Posted in Coronavirus, Digestion, DNA, Food, PPI, Supplements, Vitamins | No Comments »

Posted by: | Posted on: January 11, 2024

Here’s Why You Should Consider Not Chewing Gum


Reproduced from original article:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/01/10/chewing-gum-downsides.aspx
The original Mercola article may not remain on the original site, but I will endeavor to keep it on this site as long as I deem it to be appropriate.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola     January 10, 2024

chewing gum downsides

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Global chewing gum sales are expected to reach $48.68 billion in 2025, but there are downsides to gum chewing to be aware of
  • If you chew gum excessively, it signals to your body that it’s time to digest food when it’s really not, which could have health implications
  • When you chew gum, it may increase the amount of air and saliva that you swallow, leading to bloating, pressure on the stomach and possibly worsened acid reflux symptoms
  • Gum is essentially made of plastic and often contains titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, artificial colors and other harmful additives
  • Chewing gum is also linked to headaches and temporomandibular disorders, and poses a significant threat to the environment due to plastic pollution

Chewing gum is a common pastime worldwide, with global sales expected to reach $48.68 billion in 2025. In North America alone, the chewing gum market may reach $3.5 billion by 2024.1 Some people chew gum for the flavor while others use it more as a tool to reduce food cravings or help quit smoking.

Still others chew gum as a form of stress relief, as chewing, also known as mastication, may reduce anxiety.2 But before you get hooked on this seemingly innocent habit, there are several downsides to chewing gum that you should be aware of.

Chewing Triggers Biological Processes in Your Body

Chewing, and especially chewing slowly, helps with the mastication-to-digestion process, starting in your mouth. Chewing helps break down your food faster, and stimulates the production of saliva, which contains an enzyme called lingual lipase to help break down fats, and which helps (quite a bit) when you swallow. The longer you chew, the more time those enzymes have to start breaking down your food.

The process makes digestion easier on your stomach and small intestine, because digestion takes a lot of energy. Chewing food thoroughly makes it easier for your intestines to absorb the nutrients in the foods you eat.

Chewing also increases glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). As a peptide hormone, GLP-1 is, among other things, part of a group of incretin hormones, which are released when you eat to regulate insulin, along with many other functions.3 Along with affecting insulin, GLP-1 may influence the nervous system, leading to an appetite-reducing response.

A link may also exist between histaminic neurons in the brain and the periodontal ligament and the masseter muscle — one of four muscles involved in chewing — to influence blood sugar levels.4 These processes are beneficial when you’re about to eat, but if you chew gum excessively, it signals to your body that it’s time to digest food, when it’s not.

Chewing Gum May Cause Digestive Issues, Jaw Troubles

When you chew gum, it may increase the amount of air and saliva that you swallow.5 This can lead to bloating, pressure on the stomach and possibly worsened acid reflux symptoms.6 Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are also common in gum. They’re added as a whitening agent to increase brightness and resistance to discoloration.

Research shows, however, that chronic exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles significantly decreases intestinal barrier function while increasing reactive oxygen species generation, proinflammatory signaling and intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity, which plays a role in intestinal health.7

Iron, zinc, and fatty acid transport also significantly decreased following exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles. In a Binghamton University news release, it’s explained:8

“Acute exposures did not have much effect, but chronic exposure [three meal’s worth over five days] diminished the absorptive projections on the surface of intestinal cells called microvilli.

With fewer microvilli, the intestinal barrier was weakened, metabolism slowed and some nutrients — iron, zinc, and fatty acids, specifically — were more difficult to absorb. Enzyme functions were negatively affected, while inflammation signals increased.”

The European Union banned titanium dioxide for food use in 2021 after the European Food Safety Authority Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings found it “can no longer be considered as safe when used as a food additive.” The panel concluded that TiO2 particles “have the potential to induce DNA strand breaks and chromosomal damage” and a “concern for genotoxicity could not be ruled out.”9

Temporomandibular disorders, which include those relating to the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, are also associated with gum chewing.10 Incidence of TMD symptoms, including clicking and pain, were higher in gum chewers than non-chewers.11 If you chew gum on one side of your mouth more often than the other, it can also cause jaw muscle imbalance.

Anytime you overuse a certain set of muscles, it can lead to contracted muscles and related pain, including headaches, earaches, and toothaches over time.

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Gum Was Once Natural, Now Contains Plastic

Gum is a processed food that contains questionable ingredients. These include “gum base,” which is what makes gum chewy. The exact ingredients that make up gum base are often kept quiet as a trade secret, but they may include:12

  • Fillers — These provide texture and bulk to the gum and are usually calcium carbonate or magnesium silicate (talc).
  • Elastomers — Long synthetic polymer molecules such as polyvinyl acetate.
  • Emulsifiers — These chemicals help keep flavors and colors mixed.
  • Softeners — Vegetable oil and lecithin are used to keep the product soft and chewy. Once these have washed away and been swallowed, the gum gets stiff.

It wasn’t always this way. People have been chewing gum for thousands of years. One 5,700-year-old piece of chewed gum from Denmark was found to be made of birch pitch, a substance obtained by heating birch bark.

Interestingly, birch pitch contains betulin, a compound with antiseptic properties, so it’s possible the “gum” was chewed for medicinal purposes.13 Other ancient gum was made from chicle, which comes from the sap of the Sapodilla tree.14

Modern scientists sought to find a recipe that provided the same characteristics of these natural substances using synthetic chemicals that were easier to source. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s list of additives15 permitted for direct addition to food for consumption includes Section 172.615 that covers the chemicals allowed in chewing gum.

These are the additives they say “may be safely used in the manufacture of chewing gum”16 and bear the name “chewing gum base,” which:17

“… means the manufactured or partially manufactured nonnutritive masticatory substance comprised of one or more of the ingredients named and so defined in paragraph (a) of this section.”

The list of ingredients the FDA allows in gum base includes the following, which are plastics, rubbers and waxes:18

  • Butadiene-styrene rubber
  • Isobutylene-isoprene copolymer (butyl rubber)
  • Petroleum wax, Petroleum wax synthetic
  • Polyethylene, one of the most widely used plastics, included in plastic wrap, grocery bags, drainage pipes and bulletproof vests
  • Polyvinyl acetate, one of the ingredients found in PVA glue, which you may know as school glue and wood glue19

As author David Jones wrote in Just One Ocean, “You probably had no idea that you were chewing on what is essentially a lump of malleable plastic and that’s not surprising, because the manufacturers don’t actually tell you as much — they kind of dodge around the detail.”20

Toxic Food Chemicals Are Common in Chewing Gum

In addition to titanium dioxide nanoparticles, synthetic food dyes, including Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6 and Blue No. 1, are often added to chewing gum. Such dyes are linked to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in children.21 As noted by the Environmental Working Group:22

“The California health agency [Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment] also found that current federal safe intake levels of these dyes might not protect children’s brain health. Current legal levels were set by the Food and Drug Administration decades ago and do not take recent research into account.

Human studies have also linked synthetics dyes to learning difficulties and restlessness in sensitive children. In the EU, products containing Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6 must contain the warning ‘May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.’”

Artificial sweeteners are also common in chewing gum. While sugar-sweetened gum isn’t recommended, as it can promote tooth decay,23 artificial sweeteners like aspartame are toxic. A systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by the World Health Organization revealed “potential undesirable effects from long-term use of NSS [non-sugar sweeteners], such as an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mortality in adults.”24

Further, even sugar-free gum can be bad for your teeth if it contains acidic additives. Acid-containing sugar-free gum, which may be fruit-flavored, may increase the risk of demineralizing enamel on your teeth, causing dental erosion.25

Chewing Gum May Trigger Headaches and Release Mercury From Fillings

Excessive gum-chewing may be an underrecognized trigger for headaches, particularly in children and adolescents. One study involved 30 children with a median age of 16 years who suffered from chronic migraine or tension headaches. After quitting gum-chewing for one month, headaches went away completely in 19 of them while another seven had a reduction in headache frequency and severity.26

When the children then started chewing gum again, their headaches returned within days. It’s possible the headaches may be linked to chewing-gum-induced TMJ, which may cause headaches. A separate systematic electronic search of the literature concluded:27

“Despite the limited evidence, it seems reasonable to suggest that headache attacks may be triggered by gum-chewing in migraineurs and in patients with tension-type headache …

Although larger randomized studies will be necessary to definitely establish the relationship between gum-chewing and headache across different populations, it seems cautionary to suggest that subjects with migraine or tension-type headache should avoid or limit gum-chewing in their lifestyle.”

While it’s often stated that chewing gum may reduce appetite, one study found gum chewers’ meals end up being less nutritious than those eaten by non-gum-chewers.28 Chewing gum was also linked to increased meal size and reduced nutrient adequacy. Mint gum chewers were also less likely to eat fruit but their intake of snack foods was not affected, possibly because the minty flavor in the gum makes fruits — but not junk foods — taste bitter.

If you have mercury fillings, you should also know that chewing gum may cause this known neurotoxin to release from the fillings into your body. According to one study:29

“… chewing gum has been shown to increase the release rate of mercury vapor from dental amalgam fillings … The impact of excessive chewing on mercury levels was considerable.”

Every time you chew, mercury vapor is released and quickly finds its way into your bloodstream, where it causes oxidative processes in your tissues. If you chew gum, you’re going to be chewing often, which is why it’s particularly problematic for those with mercury fillings.

Gum Is ‘One of the Biggest Threats to Our Ecology’

Another often overlooked reason to give up gum? It poses a significant risk to the environment because it’s made of “nonbiodegradable hydrophobic polymers.”30 Because many people toss their gum on sidewalks and streets, gum pollution is a major pollution problem.

According to a review in Current World Environment, “Each year, chewing gum generates more than 105 [100,000] tonnes of “plastic” garbage. Thus, the discarded nonbiodegradable residue of the gum produces plastic pollution. Every year, enormous sums of money are spent to clean up the abandoned gum from the streets.”31

So, not only may chewing gum have adverse effects on your own health, collectively it’s contributing to considerable environmental damage as well. If you’re chewing gum for stress relief, consider other options like meditation, yoga and the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). If it’s the flavor you’re after, try adding fresh mint leaves or cinnamon to water for a healthy alternative.

– Sources and References

Posted in Digestion, FDA, Gut, Headache, Insulin, Oral, Sugar, Toxins | One Comment »

Posted by: | Posted on: December 20, 2023

The Importance of Enzymes for Health, Longevity and Chronic Disease Prevention


Reproduced from original article:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2023/12/19/importance-of-enzymes.aspx
The original Mercola article may not remain on the original site, but I will endeavor to keep it on this site as long as I deem it to be appropriate.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola     December 19, 2023

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Enzymes are catalysts that accelerate biochemical reactions in your body. Digestive enzymes are important for proper digestion and nutrient absorption, but the benefits of enzymes do not end there
  • Researchers have discovered enzymes for all sorts of uses, from boosting athletic endurance by optimizing digestion and nutrient uptake to treating cancer
  • To optimize enzyme function, eat plenty of fresh, raw and/or fermented foods. Sprouts are a particularly excellent source. Fasting has also been shown to conserve enzymes

As the name implies, digestive enzymes are important for optimal digestion and nutrient absorption. But their functions and benefits do not end there. Enzymes are actually necessary for most cellular functions and biological processes.

Enzymes — proteins composed of amino acids — are secreted by your body to catalyze functions that normally would not occur at body temperature, making them vital to good health and longevity.1,2

Science has identified more than 3,000 different enzymes, yet we’ve likely only scratched the surface. There are at least 75,000 enzymes in our bodies.3 Each organ has its own set of enzymes, and each enzyme has a different function. In essence, they act like specialized keys cut to fit specific locks. In this analogy, the locks are biochemical reactions.

Enzymes Do More Than Aid Digestion

Over the years, researchers have discovered enzymes for all sorts of uses, from boosting athletic endurance by optimizing digestion and nutrient uptake4 to treating cancer. According to some researchers, enzyme preservation is an important aspect of longevity, as younger people have far higher levels than older ones.

For example, young adults have about 30 times more amylase in their saliva than 69-year-olds, and 27-year-olds have twice the amount of lipase as 77-year-olds. Chronically ill people also tend to have much lower levels of enzymes.5

In one recent animal study,6 the nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) — an enzyme involved in energy metabolism, found in broccoli, cucumbers and cabbage — helped regenerate aging cells, making them behave as younger cells and preventing certain age-related genetic changes.

As a result, the NMN-treated mice gained less weight than untreated ones (likely a result of increased energy conversion) and experienced improved eyesight. Fortunately, optimizing your enzymes is as easy as eating plenty of fresh, raw and/or fermented foods. Sprouts are a particularly excellent source of live enzymes.

Fasting has also been shown to conserve enzymes. If you do not eat, you will not produce digestive enzymes, allowing metabolic enzyme production and activity to proliferate instead.

Types of Enzymes and Their Functions

Enzymes can be broadly divided into the following categories:7

• Digestive enzymes, involved in digestion; the breaking down of foods into nutrients and elimination of waste products. Digestive enzymes are extra-cellular, meaning they’re found outside your cells.

There are eight primary digestive enzymes, each designed to help break down different types of food:

Protease — Digesting protein Maltase — Converting complex sugars from grains into glucose
Amylase — Digesting carbohydrates Lactase — Digesting milk sugar (lactose) in dairy products
Lipase — Digesting fats (If you have IBS, cystic fibrosis , celiac disease, no gallbladder or gallbladder dysfunction and/or obesity, you may benefit from higher levels of lipase.

Also beware that fluorinated water may decrease lipase and protease production)8

 Phytase — Helps with overall digestion, especially in producing the B vitamins
Cellulase — Breaking down fiber Sucrase — Digesting most sugars

• Metabolic enzymes, involved in energy production and detoxification. Metabolic enzymes are intra-cellular, meaning inside your cells, where they help the cell carry out a variety of functions related to its reproduction and replenishment.

• Food-based enzymes, contained in raw, uncooked/unprocessed foods and/or supplements. Dietary enzyme supplements are derived either from plants or animals.

For example, enzymes can be extracted from certain fungi and bacteria, raw foods, such as the bromelain in pineapple and papain from papaya. Pancreatic enzyme supplements, such as pepsin and trypsin, are obtained from the stomach, small intestine and pancreas of animals.

People who may benefit from eating more raw foods and/or taking a food enzyme supplement include those who:

• Eat cooked, microwaved or processed foods. The more raw foods you eat, the lower the burden on your body to produce the enzymes it needs, not only for digestion, but for practically everything.

Whatever enzymes are not used up in digestion are then available to help with other important physiological processes.

• Are over the age of 30. Studies show your body’s production of enzymes decreases by about 13% every decade. So by age 40, your enzyme production could be 25% lower than it was when you were a child.

By the time you’re 70, you could be producing only one-third of the enzymes you need for good health. Making matters worse, your stomach produces less hydrochloric acid as you age, and hydrochloric acid is crucial in activating your stomach’s digestive enzymes.

When digestion of foods requires such a heavy demand, enzyme supplies run short and your enzyme-producing capacity can become exhausted.

• Struggle with toxicity.

• Are acutely or chronically ill, including those with digestive problems, endocrine gland imbalances, high blood sugar, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, stress-related problems, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

Supplements containing amylase, lipase and proteases (enzymes that help break down starches, fats and proteins respectively) have been shown to benefit those with food sensitivities.9 For optimal digestion, you need all three. Other less well-known digestive enzymes include ribonuclease and deoxycyribonuclease-I, which digest nucleic acids and DNA/nuclease respectively.

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Enzymes and Coenzymes Play Important Roles in Health

Enzymes are catalysts that cause biochemical reactions to happen. In other words, they assist and accelerate reactions, sometimes to a mind-boggling several million reactions per second. In this way, enzymes significantly lower the amount of energy needed for a reaction to occur. And, without them, some reactions would not even be able to take place at all. Here’s a sampling of activities in your body that require enzymes in order to occur:

Energy production Carrying away toxic wastes
Absorption of oxygen Dissolving blood clots
Fighting infections and healing wounds Breaking down carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and regulating cholesterol and triglyceride levels
Reducing inflammation Hormone regulation
RNA/DNA functioning Nerve impulse regulation
Getting nutrients into your cells Slowing the aging process

As important as they are, enzymes do not work alone. They rely on other elements to accomplish their tasks, such as certain vitamins and minerals. These elements are called coenzymes.10 One of the most well-known coenzymes is coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), found in the mitochondria (power centers) of your cells where it is involved in making ATP, a principal energy source. Another example is magnesium, which participates in over 300 enzyme reactions.

However, while your body produces its own enzymes, this ability begins to decline as early as your late 20s. The situation is worsened if you eat primarily processed foods, as viable enzymes are only found in fresh foods. This is yet another reason why diet has such a tremendous impact on disease risk, as enzyme imbalance or deficiency can significantly raise your risk of cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Annesse Brockley’s and Kristin Urdiales’ book, “Autoimmune,” explores the link between digestive enzyme deficiency and autoimmune disease. While still controversial, the link between digestive enzymes and immune dysfunction is quite compelling, and helps us understand why and how diet can be such a powerful intervention.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits of Pancreatic Enzymes

A large portion of your digestion occurs in your duodenum, the early part of your small intestine. Your pancreas secretes digestive juices in response to food in your stomach. These digestive juices contain the eight groups of enzymes responsible for breaking down carbs, protein, fats and other nutrients.

When your pancreas is not working well, a deficiency in pancreatic enzymes can lead to malabsorption of nutrients and overgrowth of bacteria in your small intestine, a condition that presents itself as gas and bloating, fatigue and constipation. It may also play a role in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).11 Pancreatic insufficiency may be treated by taking a pancreatic enzyme supplement.

Interestingly, pancreatic enzymes may also be very useful in the treatment of cancer. When used for this purpose, pancreatic enzymes are taken between meals rather than with them. When taken at a time when they’re not needed for digestion, the enzymes have been shown to go to work systemically, affecting your body organs via your blood.

One of the mechanisms by which enzymes fight cancer is by stripping away the fibrin coating that cancer cells protect themselves with. Fibrin is a fibrous protein that cancer cells wrap themselves with in order to protect themselves against attack by your immune system. Due to its fibrous nature, this coating is 15 times thicker than the outer layer of a normal, healthy cell.

By stripping off this layer, enzymes help your immune system detect the antigens contained within the cancer cell, thereby allowing your immune system to kill the cell and dispose of it naturally. Moreover, certain enzymes trigger macrophage to release tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which plays an important role in downregulating an overactive immune system, thereby helping those with autoimmune conditions.

Enzymes Used in Leukemia Treatment

L-asparaginase, an enzyme isolated from the bacteria Escherichia coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi, has a long history of use in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood leukemia in the U.S.

It’s also widely used in veterinary medicine to treat certain types of cancers in cats and dogs, specifically cancers involving the immune system.12 L-asparaginase works by “starving” the cancer cell of asparaginase, an enzyme needed in the production of proteins.

Healthy cells need only a small amount of asparaginase, and can produce what it needs internally. Cancer cells not only need hefty amounts; they also cannot produce this enzyme internally and must obtain it from outside sources.

L-asparaginase works by eliminating asparaginase and, by depriving the cancer cell of it, the cell dies since it cannot produce what it needs to thrive. Researchers have now found an L-asparaginase-like enzyme found in baker’s yeast may be a less toxic alternative to the bacteria-derived enzyme. As reported by Medical News Today:13

“First study author Iris Munhoz Costa … explains that unlike bacteria, yeast is eukaryotic. This means that it contains a membrane-covered nucleus consisting of genetic material, as is the case with human cells. As such, it is hypothesized that yeast-derived enzymes are less likely than bacterial enzymes to trigger severe immune responses.”

The Kelley Treatment — Cancer Treatment Using Enzymes

Download Interview Transcript | Video Link

In 2011, I interviewed Dr. Nick Gonzalez, a prominent cancer doctor who specialized in alternative treatment methods. Gonzalez died in 2015 from what appears to have been a heart attack. Prior to his untimely death, he’d had remarkable success treating cancer patients with a three-pronged nutritional approach based on the groundbreaking work of Dr. William Kelley, a dentist who cofounded nutritional typing.

Many of these patients were diagnosed with highly lethal forms of cancer that conventional medicine cannot effectively address, including pancreatic cancer, brain cancer and leukemia. Gonzalez’s program consisted of three basic components:

  • Individualized diet based on nutritional (metabolic) typing
  • Individualized supplement program, which includes vitamins, minerals, trace elements and pancreatic enzymes
  • Detoxification, which included coffee enemas and colon cleanses

In regard to the enzymes, he stressed the importance of taking the correct ratio of active and inactive enzymes. Interestingly, the inactive precursors are particularly active against cancer. They also have a far longer shelf life, and are more stable than the active ones.

According to Gonzalez, pancreatic enzymes not only are useful as treatment for active cancer but are also one of the best preventive measures. Before his death, Gonzalez published two highly rated books, “The Trophoblast and the Origins of Cancer,” and “One Man Alone: An Investigation of Nutrition, Cancer, and William Donald Kelley.”

The Many Benefits of Seaprose-S

Seaprose-S (also known as protease-s) is one proteolytic, meaning systemic, enzyme with powerful health benefits.14 It’s particularly effective for breaking up of mucus15 and reducing inflammation.16 Some studies also suggest it may have antibiotic properties. Its anti-inflammatory and mucus-dissolving activities have been shown to benefit conditions such as:

Arthritis Edema
Pleurisy (inflammation of your lung lining) Peritonitis (inflammation of your abdominal lining)
Thrombophlebitis
(pain and inflammation in your veins following a blood clot)		 Pulmonary tuberculosis
Bronchitis Pulmonary emphysema
COPD Bronchiolitis
Bronchial asthma Wound complications following vaginal birth or C-section17
Venous inflammatory disease18

This enzyme is one you would take in-between meals, not with your meals, as it’s not aimed at improving digestion but rather doing its work systemically. By passing unused into your digestive tract, seaprose-S can enter your bloodstream, thereby reaching all the tissues in your body.

How to Boost Your Enzyme Levels Naturally

There are four ways to naturally increase your enzyme levels:

  • Increase your intake of raw, living foods
  • Fast
  • Chew your food thoroughly
  • Avoid chewing gum

The very best way to get enzymes into your body is by consuming at least 75% of your foods raw. For many of you, you’ll have to work toward this goal gradually. While all raw foods contain enzymes, the most powerful enzyme-rich foods are those that are sprouted (seeds and legumes). Sprouting increases the enzyme content in these foods tremendously. Besides sprouts, other enzyme-rich foods include:

Papaya, pineapple, mango, kiwifruit and grapes Raw honey (the enzymes actually come from the bee’s saliva)
Extra virgin olive oil Raw meat and dairy
Avocado Bee pollen
Coconut oil Fish sauce19,20,21 and other fermented fish products22

By eating these types of foods, you supply your body with the amino acids and the enzyme co-factors needed to boost your own natural enzyme production. Another way to lower your body’s demand for enzymes is to reduce your caloric intake. Did you know the average person spends 80% of his available energy simply digesting food?

By reducing overall consumption, as well as introducing more living foods, you reduce your need for digestive enzymes, which allows your body to put more of its energy into producing metabolic enzymes, which brings us to chewing: Quite apart from the esthetic pleasure of an unhurried meal, there are important physiological reasons to chew your food well.

Chewing stimulates saliva production, and the more time you spend chewing, the longer your saliva enzymes have to work in your mouth, lessening the workload of your stomach and small intestine. This is also the reason for the recommendation to avoid chewing gum. Chewing gum fools your body into believing it is digesting something, so it pumps out digestive enzymes unnecessarily.

Digestive Enzyme Supplementation

If you suffer from occasional bloating, minor abdominal discomfort and/or occasional constipation and suspect your enzyme production is low, you might want to consider a digestive enzyme supplement in addition to eating more of your foods raw.

Keep in mind that digestive enzymes should be taken WITH a meal, whereas systemic enzymes, taken for other health reasons, are taken between meals (see following section). There are hundreds of digestive enzymes on the market. Ideally, look for an enzyme formula with the following characteristics:

  • It should contain a mixture of different types of enzymes, to help digest all of the different components of your diet (including lipase, protease and amylase)
  • The ingredients should be high-quality, all-natural and free of allergens and additives
  • The supplement should be labeled as to the enzymatic strength of each ingredient, not just its weight
  • It should be made by a reputable company with rigorous quality control and testing for potency

Use of Systemic Enzymes May Improve Your Health

Besides digestive enzyme supplementation, oral enzymes can be used systemically. This requires taking enzymes on an empty stomach between meals so they can be absorbed through your gut into your bloodstream, where your cells can use them metabolically to clear away debris and accumulated metabolic buildups.

However, getting enzymes from your digestive tract into your bloodstream isn’t as easy as it would seem. Enzymes are very susceptible to denaturing and must be helped to survive the highly acidic environment in your stomach. For this reason, they’re often given an “enteric coating” to help them survive the journey through your digestive tract.

Systemic oral enzymes have been used to treat problems ranging from sports injuries to arthritis to heart disease and cancer, particularly in European countries. But most of the research has been published in non-English language journals.

This systemic use of enzymes is still in its infancy in the U.S. Keep in mind that in order for enzymes to be used systemically, they must be ingested on an empty stomach. Otherwise, your body will use them for digesting your food, instead of being absorbed into the blood and doing their work there.

Posted in Brain, Cancer, Carbohydrates, Digestion, Enzymes, Fasting, Food, Hormones, Immunity, Inflammation, Pancreas, Processed Food, Toxins | One Comment »

Posted by: | Posted on: August 16, 2023

The Digestive Power of Fennel Seeds


Reproduced from original article:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2023/08/14/the-digestive-power-of-fennel-seeds.aspx
The original Mercola article may not remain on the original site, but I will endeavor to keep it on this site as long as I deem it to be appropriate.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola     Fact Checked      August 14, 2023

the digestive power of fennel seeds

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Fennel seeds, with their licorice-like flavor, are a featured ingredient in the Indian Ayurvedic snack mukhwas, which is traditionally eaten after a meal to freshen breath and aid digestion
  • Fennel seeds are a natural remedy for digestive disorders, including heartburn, bloating, gas and even chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
  • Fennel, which also has antispasmodic and carminative, or flatulence-relieving, effects, may also be useful for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Fennel helps relieve infant colic, and its beneficial compounds pass through breastmilk, so breastfeeding mothers who consume fennel seeds may help to naturally relieve colic in their infants
  • Fennel “seeds,” also known as saunf, are actually the plant’s dried, aromatic fruit

Chewing fennel seeds after a meal is a common practice in many parts of the world, including southeast Asia. The seeds, with their licorice-like flavor, are a featured ingredient in the Indian Ayurvedic snack mukhwas, which is traditionally eaten after a meal to freshen breath and aid digestion.1

Considered “one of the world’s oldest medicinal herbs,” fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) has anti-inflammatory and antipathogenic properties,2 and is among the richest plant sources of potassium, phosphorus, calcium and fiber.3 As part of the Apiaceae family, fennel is related to cumin, dill, caraway and anise. Fennel “seeds,” also known as saunf, are actually the plant’s dried, aromatic fruit, known to have pain-relieving, fever-reducing and antioxidant properties.4

But their greatest claim to fame lies with their use as a natural remedy for digestive disorders, including heartburn, bloating, gas and even chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).5

Fennel Seeds for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

An estimated 3 million (or 1.3%) of U.S. adults suffer from IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.6 A CDC study revealed that from 2001 to 2018, the prevalence of IBD among 25.1 million Medicare beneficiaries aged 67 years or older increased among all racial/ethnic groups.7

In Iran, fennel is a popular complementary and alternative treatment for IBD,8 which involves chronic inflammation of the small and/or large intestines. In the intestines, a barrier exists between epithelial cells to protect against foreign antigens, but in IBD, this barrier is compromised.

“The cytokines present in IBD damage the intestinal barrier, resulting in clinical and pathologic manifestations including mucosal friability, decreased tissue resistance, and increased paracellular permeability,” researchers explained in PLoS One.9 They conducted a study showing that fennel seed extract improves barrier function in the gastrointestinal tract, “suggesting the potential utility of this agent as an alternative or adjunctive therapy in IBD.”10

Fennel, which also has antispasmodic and carminative, or flatulence-relieving, effects, may also be useful for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). When combined with curcumin, fennel essential oil significantly improved symptoms, including abdominal pain, and quality of life in IBS patients over a 30-day period.11

Fennel’s Flavor Comes From Health-Boosting Anethole

Anethole is the primary bioactive compound in fennel, which is responsible for its unique flavor. It has an impressive array of beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, chemopreventive, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective and antithrombotic effects.12

It also has gastroprotective properties, and in a study on mice with colitis, anethole relieved colitis symptoms by reducing oxidative stress and the inflammatory response.13 Anethole may also help with appetite control and may explain why fennel helps prevent weight gain.14 Fennel seeds also contain about 50% fiber, which helps increase feelings of fullness, however even fennel essential oil has been found to help with appetite control.15

A study published in Clinical Nutrition Research also found that overweight women who drank fennel and fenugreek tea before a lunch buffet felt less hungry and consumed less food.16 In fact, in ancient Greece, fennel was known as Marathon, which comes from the word Mariano, or “to grow thin.” They used the plant to suppress appetite for weight loss or during times of famine.17

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Fennel Is Useful for Colic

Among children, fennel seed oil emulsion has also been shown to effectively decrease the intensity of colic, and is known to reduce intestinal spasms.18 In one study of parents who used a fennel-based herbal treatment to soothe colic, which is characterized by inconsolable crying, in their infants, 65% reported rapid symptom reduction.19

After just 30 minutes, those parents reported “meaningful improvements” in up to 79% of symptoms. Constipation and diarrhea were also reported significantly less often in babies who received the fennel herbal product. Fennel’s beneficial compounds can also pass through breastmilk, so breastfeeding mothers who consume fennel seeds may help to naturally relieve colic in their infants.20

Why It Makes Sense to Chew Fennel Seeds After a Meal

Compounds in fennel essential oil help regulate the motility of smooth muscles in the intestine and reduce gas at the same time.

“Alone, or combined with other plant medicinals, Foeniculum vulgare is indicated in the treatment of spastic gastrointestinal disturbances, in some forms of chronic colitis (which resist other treatments), in dyspepsias from gastrointestinal atony, in dyspepsias with the sensation of heaviness in the stomach, and so forth,” researchers explained in BioMed Research International.21

In a review of fennel’s health properties, they found clinical trials validated traditional uses of fennel for a number of gastrointestinal issues, including abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, gastritis, irritable colon, stomachache and more.22

Phytochemicals in fennel, including volatile compounds, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids and amino acids are thought to be responsible for the plant’s wide-reaching benefits, but they added:23

“Fennel also contains mineral and trace elements like … barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, nickel, lead, strontium, and zinc; fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, E, and K; water soluble vitamins like ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and pyridoxine; essential amino acids like leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and tryptophane may contribute to the myriad health beneficial effects at least in part.”

‘One of the Most Effective Digestive Aids’

The Northwest School for Botanical Studies also counts fennel as “one of the most effective digestive aids,” calling out its gas-relieving antispasmodic and stomachic — or beneficial to the stomach — properties.24 In a monograph on fennel, it’s explained how various parts of the plant come together to form a near-perfect herb for digestive health:25

“It [fennel] is highly beneficial to reduce digestive cramping, gas, and bloating. The volatile oils contained in the seed stimulate the mucus membranes in the digestive tract, encouraging motility and peristalsis. The aromatic oils also exert smooth muscle antispasmodic and carminative actions.

The seed tincture or tea is effective for treating intestinal spasms that result from conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, leaky gut syndrome, Celiac disease, and intestinal candidiasis.

Fennel’s properties pass through breast milk, reducing infant colic. Fennel seed has anti-nauseant properties, aiding recovery from stomach flu, food poisoning, digestive infections, and hangovers. It anesthetizes pain resulting from a hiatal hernia and indigestion. Fennel decongests the liver and is a useful adjunct for conditions arising from liver stagnation.”

Fennel Relieves Menstrual Cramps as Well as NSAIDs

There are other uses for fennel, too, including as a remedy for painful menstrual cramps. In a study of 60 college students, ages 18 to 25 years, suffering from cramps, the authors explained fennel contains “antispasmodic and anethol agents that may be helpful for the management of primary dysmenorrhea.”26

The participants were divided into two groups and followed for two cycles. At the onset of pain, one group received 25 drops of a 2% fennel-containing solution every six hours. If pain was not reduced within two hours, they also received 250 milligrams (mg) of mefenamic acid, an NSAID, in capsule form. The control group received only 250 mg of mefenamic acid, also in capsule form, every six hours, as needed.

After comparing the two groups, the researchers asserted, “The present study showed the efficacy of fennel drops in pain relief for primary dysmenorrhea is comparable to the efficacy of common NSAIDs such as mefenamic acid capsules.”27 In a separate study involving 110 high school girls, mean age 13 years, fennel was also found to be as effective as mefenamic acid for relieving pain associated with menstrual cramps.28

Fennel Is Good for Oral Health, Too

Chewing fennel seeds is a natural way to freshen your breath, while the anethole they contain may have a potent inhibitory effect on periodontitis.29 Fennel seeds also have antimicrobial effects and chewing them increases the pH of saliva, which may help fight cavity development.30

“If the salivary pH is <5.5 (critical pH of dental enamel) then the mineral contents of dental enamel tend to dissolve,” researchers noted in the Indian Journal of Dental Research.31 They believe anethol in fennel seeds increases the salivary flow rate, while another compound in the seeds — fenchone — has additional medicinal properties.

Separate research found similar effects on salivary pH from chewing fennel or cardamom seeds, noting, “Chewing both fennel seeds and cardamom seeds are equally effective in increasing salivary and plaque pH. Both the seeds can be used to lubricate and moisten the mouth, while at the same time providing caries protection to highly susceptible individuals.”32

It’s Easy to Grow Your Own Fennel

If you’d like a fresh, convenient source of fennel seeds to chew after meals or if you’re feeling bloated, crampy or gassy, it’s easy to grow fennel at home. The seeds can be started indoors or planted directly outside. Just keep in mind that fennel tends to seed surrounding areas, so if you don’t want it to spread too much, plant it in a spot with natural borders.

For maximum freshness, fennel seeds should be harvested just as the flowers are beginning to dry out and turn brown. Simply clip the tops of the stalks containing flower heads and store them in a dark place for a week or two until they’re fully dried. At this point, the seeds easily fall out of the flower heads and can be separated from the dried plant debris.

You can chew the seeds on their own or use them in baking or as a flavoring for beverages. For a simple fennel tea, steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of freshly crushed fennel seeds in 1 cup of boiling water for five to 10 minutes. Strain the seeds, then enjoy this natural remedy for digestive support.

Posted in Cancer, Colon, Digestion, Gut, IBD, Oral, Spasms | One Comment »