Expert: Tonja Wells - 1/5/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Tonja,

My husband has a large hydrocele in his right testicle. He has already had it operated on and it has come back again. He is due to go into hospital for another operation in a few months. I wonder if you could let us know of any success treating this kind of thing with vitamin therapy? Please let us know of any treatments worth trying.

Thank you,

Toni

ANSWER: Hello Toni,

If it were me I would clean up the body at the cellular level with All Cells Detox.  I would also use enzyme therapy.  Enzymes taken with food break down the food but enzymes like Protease Plus taken one an empty stomach can break things down which should not be in the body.

A colon clean might also be a good idea in the spring as it is generally to cold to cleanse now.  But this area has a lot to do with cleansing.  I would also wonder if he has had any candida issues as well.

Topically I would put a product I carry which is a liquid enzyme product, called Nature's Fresh.  If you choose to get the liquid enzymes, please send me an e-mail and I can send you a handout on this and how it works.

To your health,

Tonja Wells, CNHP, NHC
To learn more or to order, you can go to my website at
www.yourherbalhealthsolutions.com

This information is for educational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose and treat diseases.  If you have any health problems consult a health practitioner before embarking on any course of treatment


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Tonja,

Thanks so much for your quick reply. Could you please let me know more about the topical enzyme? I would like to try everything you have suggested, I only hope I can convince my husband. I really appreciate you taking the time to help us.

Thanks again,

Toni

Answer
Here is an article I have on enzymes. Hope this helps.

Enzymes...something you can't live without!



How to decide between the basic digestive enzymes...food enzymes and proactazyme plus.  Well, if they are primarily “meat eaters” then food enzymes should be used...if they are more into fruits and vegetables then the proactazyme plus.  If the client has had their gallbladder out take the hi-lipase in addition to one of the above basics.  Oh yeah...if they are lactose intolerant, then lactase plus should be used as well.

NSP has 9 products on the master price list in the ENZYME section.  They are as follows:  FOOD ENZYMES , HI LIPASE, LACTASE PLUS, NATTOZIMES PLUS, PDA COMBINATION, PROACTAZYME PLUS, PROTEASE PLUS,  HIGH POTENCY PROTEASE, and  SOD W/GLIADIN.  


Enzymes are used throughout the world in various ways in different types of industry.  We are looking at the role they play in the human body.  One might think of them like the spark plugs in a car...without them, the car won't run!

Enzymes can be defined as complex proteins that cause a specific chemical change in other substances without being changed themselves. Enzymes are found in every organ of the body. For example, they can change starches, proteins, and sugars into substances the body can digest. Blood clotting is another example of enzymes at work.  Enzymes exist in the mouth (saliva), stomach (gastric juice), and intestines (pancreatic juice, intestinal juice, and intestinal mucosa) according to healthline.com. (1)   In the medical field today, enzymes are used as oncolytics, anticoagulants, thrombolytics, anti-inflammatories, fibrinolytics, mucolytics, antimicrobials, and digestive aids.  (2)

It is amazing to realize that "as early as the late 1700's and early 1800's, the digestion of meat by stomach secretions and the conversion of starch to sugars by plant extracts and saliva were known." (3) Even though it was discovered that there was some sort of process occurring, the 1878 German physiologist Wilhelm Kühne (1837–1900) first used the term enzyme, which comes from Greek word "in leaven", to describe this process. The word enzyme was used later to refer to nonliving substances such as pepsin, and the way in which this change took place was not understood.  As the years progressed,  discoveries mounted and"...in word ferment used to refer to chemical activity produced by living organisms." (4)  Today, enzymes have been categorized in 3 types of enzymes, of which the human body produces 2 of these, the metabolic and digestive.

Metabolic enzymes are the ones that cause the organs and systems of your body to function. They speed up the chemical reaction within the cells for detoxification and energy production. They are heavily involved in our immune system; in particular there are many different kinds of enzymes in the white blood cells alone.

Digestive enzymes are secreted along the digestive tract to break down food into nutrients and waste. This allows nutrients to be absorbed into the blood stream and the waste to be discarded.

Food enzymes are the ones introduced into the body by the raw foods we eat. They are contained directly in the food and assist in the digestion of that food.  It is important to remember that when foods are heated to above 129 degrees Fahrenheit, the enzymes are killed, thus the food becomes “dead!”  (3)

One topic that must not be overlooked is that of enzyme inhibitors.  These are "molecules that bind to enzymes and decrease their activity. Since blocking an enzyme's activity can kill a pathogen or correct a metabolic imbalance, many drugs are enzyme inhibitors. They are also used as herbicides and pesticides."

It is important to note that when prescription medications are taken with meals, they might be decreasing the effectiveness of the enzymes within the foods.  Given the amount of “dead” food that is consumed in the United States on a daily basis, it is not surprising that there are so many disease processes linked to the lack of enzymes in the human body.  It could be suggested that every time food or nutritional supplements are ingested, some type of supplemental enzymes should be taken


Here is a second article I have on enzymes.

Plant enzymes, of course, come from plants. They are the enzymes naturally present in raw foods. They are also present in fermented foods as they are produced by lactobacillis bacteria (probiotic bacteria). These plant enzymes aren’t manufactured by the body; they are supposed to be found in the foods we eat.

There’s nothing wrong with Food Enzymes, but I don’t like doing anything for the body that it should be doing for itself. My thoughts on this are that all chemicals in the body have feedback loops. When levels of a particular substance rise, it shuts down the body’s own production. This, in my opinion, tends to make the body “lazy,” and isn’t restoring natural function.

However, I do realize that many times, when people’s natural digestion has been impaired through illness, injury or age, that this kind of supplementation is helpful. So, I do use Food Enzymes in these kinds of cases. However, for the most part I prefer plant enzymes because they’re the enzymes we would be getting in our diet if we were eating in a healthy, natural way.

When I first started taking plant enzymes, I noticed an immediate improvement in my digestion. I think weak digestion has been one of my problems since childhood. That may be because I’m an A Blood Type and A Blood Types tend to have weak digestive systems, but for whatever reason, enzymes were something that made an immediate and obvious improvement for me.

The enzymes I first started using were sold by a network marketing company, whose name I have forgotten. Later, I found an even better brand of enzyme products for professionals only and ordered them through my chiropractor. I also recommended them to clients.

A few years later, NSP introduced a line of plant enzyme products and I started using their enzymes. Unfortunately, they discontinued my favorite plant enzyme product, Leguzyme, due to poor sales. That was a product that helps you digest beans and vegetables that cause gas.

However, I still use all of NSP’s enzyme products, including Proactazyme Plus, Protease Plus, Hi-Lipase and Lactase Plus. Lactase Plus is very important to me because I’m lactose intolerant and on those rare occasions when I indulge in a little ice cream, it’s essential for me. (By the way, 70% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant, so there are a lot of us.)


I’ve been taking plant enzyme supplements for nearly 20 years now. They are the only supplement that I have taken with any great regularity, and the reason is, that I notice a big difference when I don’t take them. So, whenever I’ve been off them for a while, I notice that my digestive health (and over all health) isn’t as good, and I get right back on them. They are the only supplement I’ve had this experience with.

So, why are plant enzymes such an important supplement? Here are my reasons.

First of all, no supplement you take is going to do you any good if you can’t digest and assimilate it. Neither is eating good food. So, if your digestion is poor, then dietary changes, supplements, etc. aren’t going to do you a whole lot of good. I know that when I first started in natural healing, I had to really carefully watch my diet. After I learned about the hiatal hernia from Jack Ritchason, got that problem fixed, and started using digestive enzymes, all my other supplements worked better and I didn’t have to be so careful about what I ate.

I find a lot of people have very poor digestion. In fact, in my experience, everyone who is chronically ill has digestive problems (more on that later).

Secondly, when I first got started in natural healing, I was taught, “death begins in the colon.” That’s because autointoxication from the waste products in the colon is an underlying cause of numerous diseases. However, if I’m seeing pollution in a mountain stream, then I need to go upstream and look for the source. Problems in the colon begin “upstream” in the stomach. If food isn’t digesting properly, it creates waste that builds up downstream in the colon.

You can cleanse the colon all day long, but if you don’t fix what’s happening “upstream” in the digestive organs it will just get polluted all over again. Digestive enzymes work “upstream” to keep the colon healthy.

Third, as we grow older, our digestive system tends to get weaker. Hydrochloric acid and enzyme production diminishes with age and is usually quite deficient by the time a person is 50, although it may start becoming deficient in many people much earlier than that. This deficiency of digestive secretions is a major part of protein and mineral deficiencies in the elderly. It is also why Food Enzymes is practically a “must-have” product for senior citizens.

Fourth, plant enzymes have a sparing effect on digestive enzymes. By getting adequate amount of plant enzymes when you are younger, you reduce stress on your digestive organs, which keeps them healthier longer. This has a major anti-aging effect.

Fifth, most Americans don’t get a lot of these enzymes in their diet because most of the food they eat is processed, cooked food. In addition, many foods Americans eat contain enzyme inhibitors that actually interfere with enzyme activity. Some of these enzyme inhibitors are chemical additives meant to keep foods from spoiling, but others are naturally-occurring. Plant enzymes not only supplement these natural enzymes missing from our diet, they help to “override” the enzyme inhibitors in people’s diets.


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The Digestive Process and Modern Diets
To further understand the importance of enzymes (and why we need them), it helps to understand a little about the digestive process. Here are some essential facts.

Digestion begins in the mouth, with the teeth and the saliva. Most Americans eat too fast. I have a tendency to eat too fast, but I’ve been learning to slow down and getting better at it. When you eat more slowly, you enjoy your food more. You also get “full” quicker as your body has time to register that you’ve had enough to eat. This helps you lose weight. It also helps your food digest better and that makes you healthier. However, the fact that most American’s eat too fast, means that digestive enzymes can at least help them make up for this problem.

Digestion continues in the stomach with the secretion of hydrochloric acid and pepsin. With all the ads on TV about antacids and acid blockers, you’d think that acid in the stomach is a bad thing. It isn’t, it’s a very good thing. You need hydrochloric acid (HCl) to break down proteins properly and you also need it to absorb minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper. Also, HCl is part of your pH buffering system. It may sound crazy, but neutralizing your stomach acid actually makes your body more acidic.

The interesting thing is that most people who suffer from acid indigestion are actually acid and enzyme deficient. If you get burning pains in your stomach about one hour after eating, then you don’t have enough digestive secretions to break down your food. Taking plant enzymes with meals will actually help this.

I sometimes get this type of acid indigestion, especially when I mix heavy grains with meat. I can eat grains and vegetables and vegetables with meat, but I don’t do well with a lot of grain and protein. Here’s how I deal with the problem—I take bitters in liquid form

My usual choice is a glycerine extract of golden seal or goldenseal powder straight from the capsules (open them and dump the powder in your mouth). This rapidly reduces the burning pain in my stomach. (I take a little every five minutes with water until I feel better.)


Stomach Acid and Calcium

And, while we’re talking about stomach acid, one of the most ridiculous things people do is to take various forms of calcium carbonate as calcium supplements thinking this will build their bones. Calcium carbonate blocks HCl production in the stomach, which is why it’s used in antacid tablets. By blocking HCl, calcium carbonate supplements are also interfering with proper digestion of proteins and mineral assimilation. In other words, it’s reducing digestive capacity.

Even the calcium that is absorbed from calcium carbonate is not in a bound form, which means it isn’t very easy to utilize. So instead of going into the tissues and bones, it winds up getting dumped in the urine. This alkalizes the urine and makes people think they are balancing their pH. They aren’t. They’re really just temporarily buffering the acid, without correcting the underlying problems that cause the waste acid buildup.

pH buffering is more than just getting an alkaline reading on a urine pH strip. You can do the same thing with baking soda and its a whole lot cheaper. Besides, using calcium carbonate to buffer acid increases the risk of kidney stones and calcification. If you really want to alkalize, eat lots of green leafy vegetables. In my experience, they not only supply calcium and buffer pH, they help, instead of interfering with digestion.

I’ve heard Jack Ritchason talk about “curing” people with acid indigestion by giving them PDA, which supplements hydrochloric acid production. This can also help make the system more alkaline. As I’ve mentioned earlier, I don’t personally like the way PDA makes my stomach feel. I do better with bitters, aromatics and enzymes.

Dietary Considerations

Since, plant enzymes replace the enzymes we’re missing by eating cooked and processed foods, the question naturally arises, should we eat everything raw. It’s an appealing idea and makes sense to me on a certain level, however, it hasn’t proven very practical for me when I’ve tried it. I find I do better when I have at least 50%-60% of my diet raw. Some vegetables just seem to digest better (for me) if I cook them. I’ve learned there is a reason for this.

Human beings lack an enzyme called cellulase. Animals that graze produce this enzyme, which breaks down the cellulose (a fiber) in plant foods and makes the minerals and nutrients available. Light cooking (such as a quick stir fry or light steaming) helps break down the cellulose structure in many veggies and releases their nutrients for absorption. So, some cooking can actually make many nutrients more available to us. So, while I try to eat some raw fruits and vegetables every day, I don’t eat everything raw.

Another thing I’ve learned is that grains, nuts, beans and other seeds are all difficult to digest when raw. In order to hold nutrients in a dormant state, all seeds contain enzyme inhibitors. When the seed begins to sprout, the enzyme inhibitors are deactivated and the enzymes are activated. This starts transforming the nutrients and making them bioavailable.

According to Sally Fallon, in Nourishing Traditions, Dr. Weston Price (author of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration) discovered that all native people’s soaked grains, nuts, legumes and seeds before cooking and eating them. Soaking deactivates the enzyme inhibitors and makes the food bioavailable.

She further indicates that bread used to be partially fermented that is, prepared as a sourdough. What this means is that the dough was allowed to sit long enough for bacterial enzymes to partially break down nutrients in the grain before baking. This makes the nutrients in the grain more available for utilization than they are in modern commercial bread.

This is just one example of how traditional people used enzymes to their advantage. All fermented foods are enzyme rich foods and were often eaten with other cooked foods. These fermented foods were natural enzyme supplements which supplied the extra enzymes needed to help break down the cooked foods these people ate. These enzyme-rich fermented foods were typically served as condiments with the meal.

Fermented foods include cultured dairy products, such as yoghurt, cheese and keifer. There are also fermented vegetable foods such as cultured soy foods (miso, Natto), pickled vegetables (sauerkraut, cucumbers, Kim Chi) and naturally fermented beverages (traditional beers and wines). Some cultures also fermented animal foods, like fish. Raw apple cider vinegar is another natural fermented food, which has been used to improve digestion.

These foods are not only good sources of enzymes, they also supply probiotics, friendly bacteria necessary for gastrointestinal health. So, fermented foods were not only enzyme supplements, they were probiotic supplements.
Unfortunately, in modern “germ-phobic” society most of these pickles, sauerkraut, fermented beverages, etc. are cooked or pasteurized after the fermentation process, which destroys both the probiotics and the enzymes. This increases shelf life, and prevents the raw E. coli infection that happens when food is mishandled, but destroys most of the benefits traditional societies derived from these foods.

Fortunately, many health food stores sell “raw” fermented products which are enzyme-rich. You can also learn to make your own or take enzyme supplements. After reading Sally Fallon’s book, I got some Keifer starter and have experimented with making my own Keifer with raw milk from a local dairy. I blend it with frozen fruit and it is wonderful. I’d like to try making some of the naturally fermented beverages (such as ginger beer) she has recipes for, but I haven’t had the time.

I find eating these fermented foods with meals does the same thing for me that digestive enzymes do. For example, if I eat some red meat with raw sauerkraut or kim chi it does not upset my digestive system, whereas, if I eat a typical “meat and potatoes” meal it upsets my digestive tract (unless I take digestive enzymes with it).



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Therapeutic Uses for Enzymes
Most people in our culture assume that indigestion is just something that “happens” to you, i.e., it’s none of your fault. But indigestion is always a sign that what you just ate was “wrong.” It means that your body is not able to digest what you just consumed, hence you have what should really be called “miss-digestion.” I pay attention to indigestion and try to avoid eating in ways that cause indigestion because when you have indigestion you’re creating inflammation in your digestive tract and that leads to chronic illness.

Conversely, when digestion goes smoothly and the food doesn’t feel “heavy” on my stomach and there is no feeling of discomfort, stuffiness, gas, bloating, etc., then I know that what I ate was good. This is why I know that enzymes are good for me. They make my digestive system feel good, and help restore that good feeling when I do something that makes my digestive system feel “wrong.”

If people would simply pay more attention to how the food they are eating is affecting them, they would soon learn to eat in a way that produced better health. This is more useful than trying to follow any “expert” advice on nutrition.

A very bright young herbalist, Thomas Easley, clued me into a new and very valuable use for enzymes a couple of years ago. He does enzyme cleanses for cancer patients where he has them fast and take enzymes every few hours for a couple of days. This made a light bulb go off in my head.

When I travel, I sometimes get constipated and my digestive tract gets sluggish because I find it harder to get quality food. As a result, I start to get a little “acid” stomach and feel bloated and constipated. Now, when this happens, I know I can “fix” the problem with enzymes. What I do is thisčI stop eating and start taking 2 enzyme capsules every two hours while drinking lots of water. In about 4-6 hours, my system clears out, my appetite returns and I feel fine again. In other words, digestive enzymes make a great “laxative.”

This leads me to believe that many people who are constipated are actually enzyme deficient. As a result, I’ve started using enzymes for cleaning and not just for digestion. Now, I take enzymes with my fiber drink and cleansing herbs in the morning. I find this works really well to keep my digestive tract working properly.

Enzymes are also therapeutically useful for a wide range of illnesses. Enzymes, particularly protease (protein-digesting) enzymes, are an important aid to eliminating parasites and to helping the body fight cancer.

As previously indicated, I learned from Jack Ritchason, and my own subsequent clinical experience, that all chronically ill people have poor digestion. These people nearly always benefit from taking enzyme supplements. However, I’ve found enzymes to be a critical part of helping people with parasites, chronic infections, cancer, auto-immune disorders, allergies (both respiratory and digestive), chronic sinus problems, digestive disorders and mood problems.

Good digestion is one of the foundations of good health. That’s why enzymes are one of the most important, if not the most important, basic supplement people need. I would hate to be without them.

By Steven Horne




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"Those who do not have enough time for good health, will not have enough good health for time"?
Tonja Wells, CNHP, NHC
www.yourherbalhealthsolutions.com