As with all disciplines you only need to be proficient at those you practice.  In the case of health and wellness people often simply wait until they become ill and even they defer to their doctors.  They do not take the time to learn about what it takes to achieve and maintain health.

Most experts in the field of nutrition agree that almost all illnesses are caused, either directly or indirectly, by poor nutrition.  The foods that we eat or lack there of, as well as the quality and the quantity of those foods are directly related to our overall health.  Lack of proper nutrition makes us susceptible to any number of malady’s.  These illnesses are a result of one simple cause.  Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

The perfect illustration of this fact can be seen when looking at the aids epidemic.   The important lesson that we learn here is that people do not die from the aids virus directly rather from a secondary illness  allowed to ravage the body because it’s natural defenses could not protect it or destroy the invader once it has penetrated our natural defenses.  Our bodies are placed under stress daily by being subjected to  environmental contaminants both chemical and biological.  This is true of everyone that does not live in a bubble.

We all need to smarten up as people and a culture and learn the facts about our bodies and our health.  We need to learn about how our body functions and the important roll that nutrition plays in those functions.  For example in the case of immune system health there are a few things that we can do to insure that our natural defenses are maximized.  As mentioned in previous articles we at Health Products Guru honestly believe, in terms of proper nutrition, that the body needs nutritional supplementation because we do not get the nutrients we need from the foods we consume.

We also believe that a person can take 4 simple steps today that will greatly improve their immune system function.  The first is to begin to detoxify your body.  It is critical to optimal health to be sure that there are no foods left in the digestive tract to putrefy and release toxins into the body.   Secondly you must eat the right foods in the qualities that we need to maintain health.  This includes vitamin and mineral supplementation. Third, we must be sure that the foods that we consume are being broken down into bio-available nutrition.  Lastly we must give our body what it needs to assure that the now bio-available nutrition can metabolized.

In terms of supplementation this adds up to taking vitamin & mineral supplements, both digestive and metabolic enzymes (to break down foods & improve metabolism) eat as much organic food as you can (to insure better nutritional value of the foods that you do consume and to avoid adding toxins such as pesticides into your body) and use a safe digestive tract cleansing product.  We believe that simply adding to your digestive enzyme intake will aid this process in a gentle but effective manner.  It is important to
remember to be careful if you decide to use colon cleansing products.  Check the ingredients carefully and be sure that they work in a slow steady and safe manner as opposed to taking a fast acting laxative product for example.

We left off, in the first part of this article, with opening up the idea of juicing to extract the desired enzymes from foods that are hard to digest in their whole form.  This is actually a very logical approach to resolving the problem of getting enzymes into our bodies from natural sources that are difficult to digest.  Juicing also offers you a way to quickly and easily consume the large quantities of fruits and vegetables required to meet daily requirements.  There is one flaw in this logic however.

Scientific studies have shown that the fruits and vegetables available in today’s marketplace are lacking, if not devoid, of much of the nutrients present in the produce grown some 50 years ago.  It is believed that today’s produce is grown in soil depleted of, or having less concentrations of, the minerals necessary to produce crops with the same nutritional value as were grown when we were children.  Also worthy of consideration is the fact that much of the fruits and vegetables available today have been genetically engineered and may not have the same nutritional value found in the produce of years gone by (there is not enough available research on this issue to draw an informed conclusion one way or the other).

What all of this adds up to is the simple fact that even though juicing these products does make them easier for the body to use it does not guarantee that you are getting the desired nutrients into your body.
The best option available to you as a consumer, to assure that you are getting the desired nutritional value from your fruits and vegetables, is to purchase only organically grown produce.  As most of you know this can be  quite costly especially if you have a large family.  Weather you can afford to go the organic route or not I believe that using a high quality therapeutic enzyme supplement is the only way to go.  By utilizing enzyme therapy you can guarantee that you are getting the necessary enzymes, in the proper quantities, to assure that your body will break down and utilize the nutrients when they are needed, at the cellular level.

Digestive Enzymes breakdown food particles for storage in the liver and muscles.  This stored energy is later converted, when needed,  for the body to use  by other enzymes called Metabolic Enzymes.  The presence of both of these enzymes are essential for the body to function at optimal levels and carry out critical functions.  Iron, for example, is concentrated in the blood by enzymes to help the blood to coagulate and stop bleeding.  Uricolytic enzymes catalyze the conversion of uric acid into urea.  Respiratory enzymes facilitate the elimination of carbon dioxide from the lungs.  Enzymes also assist the kidneys, lungs, colon and the skin in removing toxins from the body as well as utilize the nutrients ingested to construct new muscle tissue, nerve cells, bone, skin and glandular tissue.   All of these bodily functions depend on the right types of enzymes being present in the body at the right time and at the correct levels to insure optimal utility.

I hope that you are  beginning to see the importance of the presence of enzymes in your bodies and how they contribute to your health.  Conversely I hope you see that enzyme deficiency prevents your body from working properly at the cellular level and subsequently makes you vulnerable to physical maladies.  This has been found to be true especially true in the elderly where the body’s production of enzymes has slowed.  Think about this for a moment.  Enzymes are essential for digesting food,  stimulating the brain, providing cellular energy and for repairing tissues and cells.  If the body’s production of enzymes has slowed and we don’t get the proper enzymes from food sources what might we see as a result?   Weight gain, diminished thought processes, lack of energy, organ failure and prolonged healing time to name a few.  These are all symptoms of the body not functioning correctly.  Some might also see these symptoms as signs of aging.

I’m not saying that enzymes are a fountain of youth.  I have however seen remarkable results in overall health by people of all ages who incorporate enzyme therapy into their diets.  Just some food for thought.

Pun intended!

In the 1930’s, when enzymes first came to the attention of biochemists, some 80 were identified; today, over 5,000 have been discovered.  Enzymes fall into one of three major classifications. The largest is the metabolic enzymes, which play a role in all bodily processes including breathing, talking, moving, thinking, behavior and maintenance of the immune system. A subset of these metabolic enzymes acts to neutralize poisons and carcinogens, such as pollutants, DDT and tobacco smoke, changing them into less toxic forms, which the body can then eliminate. The second category is the digestive enzymes, of which there are about 22 in number. Most of these are manufactured by the pancreas. They are secreted by glands in the duodenum (the upper part of the small intestine) and work to break down the bulk of partially digested food leaving the stomach.

For the purposes of this discussion the enzymes we will be considering when planning our diet will be the ones found in the third category.  Enzyme research has revealed the importance of raw foods in the diet. The enzymes in raw food help start the process of digestion and reduce the body’s need to produce digestive enzymes.  Why raw foods?  When food is heated, wet heat such as boiling (118 degrees Fahrenheit) dry heat such as baking or broiling (about 150 degrees), the enzymes are destroyed and no longer function as an aid in the digestion process.

A diet composed exclusively of cooked food puts a severe strain on the pancreas, drawing down its reserves, so to speak.  If the pancreas is constantly over stimulated to produce enzymes that ought to be in foods, the result over time will be inhibited function. Humans eating an enzyme-poor diet, comprised primarily of cooked food, use up a tremendous amount of their enzyme potential in the outpouring of secretions from the pancreas and other digestive organs.  Studies have shown that a lack of digestive enzymes in our diet’s cause shortened life span, illness and lowered resistance to stress.  These studies also shows that both humans and animals on diets comprised of mostly of cooked food have enlarged pancreatic organs while other organs, notably the brain, actually shrink in size.

Naturally one would think; “ok, all I need to do is start eating raw fruits and vegetables and problem solved”.  Wrong!  First of all many raw vegetables are difficult for the body to digest.  The cruciferous vegetables, for example, (Broccoli, Brussels Sprout, Cabbage, Collard Greens, Kale, Horseradish, Rutabaga, Turnip, Chinese Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli Rabe, Daikon, Bok Choy, Radish, Spinach) although packed with , vitamins, and minerals they are also noted for their high cellulose content.  Most mammals do not have the ability to break it down and absorb nutrients from it easily, including humans (1). Cruciferous vegetables also contain oxalic acid, which is mildly irritating to the body. Humans have to excrete the acid through urine and feces.

Other vegetables such as those in the legumes, tubers and squashes are equally as difficult to digest in their raw state due to their high cellulose content.

Is there a light at the end of this tunnel?  There is, albeit a dim one.
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Leafy green vegetables such as , Loose Leaf, Romaine, Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Iceberg (Crisphead), Summer Crisp, Butterhead (Boston or Bibb), Cos, Imperial, Lollo Ross, and Round lettuce. Endive.  are the most ideal vegetable that humans can consume.  Digestively, we are well suited to eating leafy greens, and they do not cause the digestive problems brought on by the cellulose and starch in many other vegetables. They are low in calories and high in nutrients and minerals. They contain a small amount of fatty acids in a state suitable for use by the body.  At least a head of lettuce or other leafy greens should be eaten daily. This will only make up a small percentage of your calories (around 100 calories for a head), but a decent amount of your food mass, and provide you with numerous nutrients that your body cannot do without.

Raw diets that overemphasize these greens will likely fail because not enough calories will be taken in, and the diet would be unsustainable over time. Equally, a totally fruitarian diet with no greens will also likely fail without the important nutrients in greens.   Leafy greens combine well with all fruits and vegetables with the possible exception of melons for some people.

Vegetables that are really non-sweet fruits (Bell Peppers (Green, Red, Yellow, Orange, etc), Tomatoes, Cucumbers)  While these are technically fruit, they are considered vegetables for all intents and purposes. Without the high cellulose and starch content of many other vegetables, but with plenty of water and a great nutrient mix, they are ideal vegetables along with leafy greens.  They should be eaten regularly, and are excellent additions to salads. The only exception to this is green peppers. Green peppers are merely bell peppers which have not ripened yet and so should be avoided like all other unripened fruit. They mix well with all fruits and vegetables with the possible exception of melons for some people.

Celery is an excellent food that digests well with almost anything else. It contains the necessary mineral sodium, which is present in a ratio that can be easily accessed by the body. Sodium is critical, along with the mineral potassium, in managing the body’s electrolyte balance.  Electrolytes create electric osmotic pressure which helps the body to move fluids through the cell’s membranes. It can be eaten with any other fruit or vegetable.

Now I’m sure that many of you have thought at one time or another while reading this; “I can juice the veggies that are high in starch and cellulose, problem solved”.  Wrong Again!

But you will have to wait for part two to find out why.

1.  David G. Barkalow, Roy L. Whistler, “Cellulose”, in AccessScience@McGraw-Hill, DOI 10.1036/1097-8542.118200. Retrieved 15 March 2008.

We all know that the presence of vitamin D in our bodies is important for a variety of reasons notably for the absorption and utilization of calcium & phosphorus by the intestinal tract, to enable normal mineralization of the bone, reduce cancer risk and may play a role in the prevention or treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension and multiple sclerosis.

The question here is what is the best source of vitamin D?

Science seems to be divided on the answer to this question especially in the area of supplementation. There are some scientists who believe that our diets are deficient in vitamin D and that supplementation is necessary. Others say that the recommended dosages for adequate vitamin D supplementation are inadequate (Michael Holick, M.D., and a group of other nutrition experts writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (March, 2007, 85(3);649-650.) Still others claim that vitamin D supplementation suppresses the immune system (Trevor Marshall, Ph.D., professor at Australia’s Murdoch University School of Biological Medicine and Biotechnology).

In the absence of a clear scientific conclusion where should we turn for the answer to the question at hand? Personally, when I am conflicted, having no clear choice I always chose to err on the side of safety and turn to the body’s built in mechanisms. The body produces vitamin D naturally when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays. In my opinion this is the most natural method of assuring that vitamin D is present in the body. Many studies show that most people meet their vitamin D needs through exposure to sunlight. The factors that affect UV radiation exposure and research to date on the amount of sun exposure needed to maintain adequate vitamin D levels make it difficult to provide general guidelines. It has been suggested by some vitamin D researchers, for example, that approximately 5-30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen usually lead to sufficient vitamin D synthesis and that the moderate use of commercial tanning beds that emit 2-6% UVB radiation is also effective. Individuals with limited sun exposure need to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet (milk or fish) or take a supplement.

It is important to note that vitamin D obtained from sun exposure, food, and supplements is biologically inert and must undergo two hydroxylations in the body for activation. The first occurs in the liver and converts vitamin D to 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], also known as calcidiol. The second occurs primarily in the kidney and forms the physiologically active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D], also known as clairol. For people who suffer from some kind of dysfunction of the liver or kidney further supplementation may be necessary for the body to hydroxylate the vitimin. If you do suffer from inadequate liver or kidney function and desire to optimize the way your body uses vitamin D you should consult your physician.

Conclusion: Until there is a clear consensus on weather vitamin D supplementation is beneficial or harmful I suggest letting your body produce it’s own vitamin D from sunlight as it was designed to do.

New York Times (Health)
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
Published: July 17, 2009
Evan Vucci/Associated Press

The swine flu will probably return in force earlier than seasonal flu usually begins, federal health officials predicted Friday, saying they expected it to erupt as soon as schools open rather than in October or November.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on May 6.

The swine flu is still circulating in the United States, especially in summer camps, even though hot weather has arrived and the regular flu season ended months ago, “so we expect challenges when people return to school, when kids are congregating together,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of respiratory diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a telephone news conference held jointly with vaccine experts from the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services.

It is still unclear how many doses of a swine flu vaccine will be available by then, and officials have been reluctant to make firm predictions beyond saying that they expect tens of millions, rather than hundreds of millions, and they plan to triage them to people who are the most vulnerable, like pregnant women and people who are the most likely to encounter the flu, like health care workers.

The number of doses available will depend on how fast seed strains grow, how much protection a small dose provides, and whether immune-system boosters called adjuvants are needed and prove to be safe; adjuvants are not used in American flu vaccines now.

Clinical trials testing those questions are expected to take another couple of months, said Dr. Jesse L. Goodman, director of the F.D.A.’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

Assuming a swine flu vaccination campaign begins, it will be voluntary, Dr. Schuchat emphasized, but she “strongly encouraged” pregnant women to get both a seasonal flu shot and a swine flu shot when they are available.

The C.D.C. has been closely following the disease in the Southern Hemisphere winter, and it is mimicking the patterns seen in the United States and Mexico in the spring, she said.

Most infections and most serious cases are in children and young adults, and those with underlying conditions, including pregnancy, are the most likely to die. Dr. Schuchat likened the spread’s unpredictability to that of popcorn: one city could see an explosion of cases and overwhelmed hospitals while another saw few.

Her most important message, she added, was that “the virus isn’t gone, and we fully expect there will be challenges in the fall.”

HPG Editors Note: The best defence is a strong offence.  Be proactive and start building up your immune system and those of your children ASAP.