Enzymes are protein molecules that speed up chemical reactions in
all plants and animals. Without enzymes, these reactions would occur too
slowly or not at all, and no life would be possible. The human body has
over 1,000 types of enzymes. Each kind does one specific job. Without
enzymes, a person could not breathe, see, move, or digest food.
In simple language, enzymes keep us alive! Truly, enzymes are our
"biochemical agents of life." These unique proteins are essential
components of over 90 trillion cells, composing every tissue of every
organ in our body. Without them, very few of our essential metabolic
processes would even take place. They regulate the digestion of our food,
the production of energy, the production of hormones and other important
body secretions, and the destruction of foreign substances. Even the
process of phagocytosis, an important activity of the immune system in
protecting us from deadly bacterial infections, involves enzyme action. In
short, maintaining adequate enzyme levels in our bodies is critical.
Clean Sweep One
important function of enzymes is the breakdown of older cells that have
fulfilled their useful function and need to be recycled. This is a major
process whose importance is commonly overlooked. Think about it, though.
Would you rather your body be made up of older, less efficient and
lethargic cells, or would you prefer to have a larger portion made up of
younger, more efficient cells, producing your energy and performing their
life functions? In which case do you think you would feel better and be
more healthy? With which scenario do you think you could better withstand
the attack of free radicals and old "Father Time"? Thanks to enzymes,
virtually billions of cells are broken down each day and the proteins,
lipids and other ingredients of which they were made are recycled and used
to produce new, more active cells. Given that our age, or at least our
relative vigor, is linked to whether our cells are efficient and alive or
mere "deadwood," the importance of enzymes is clear. If adequate levels
are not present, the body simply can't rid itself of the old and make room
for new, more efficient cells.
Stocking Up Where do
we obtain our enzymes? Most are manufactured in our body. Others must be
obtained from our diet, and, increasingly, from supplements. Keep in mind
that enzymes are very sensitive to heat, and most of them are destroyed by
cooking. As a result, the foods we eat may well be lacking in the enzymes
they originally contained. That is why it is so important to include a
reasonable amount of raw fruits and vegetables in our diet. What's more,
these must be fresh, as enzymes are very active chemically and do not
remain stable in the produce containing them. Keeping them cool is also
important, because the enzymes are used up much more quickly at warmer
temperatures.
Bon
Appétit! Scientists usually classify enzymes either by
the action they perform or the type of substance they work on. For
instance, enzymes whose action involves the transfer of one part of a
molecule to another are called transferases. Hydrolases insert a molecule
of water into a large molecule and thereby split it apart. Examples of
enzymes named for the substrate on which they work are proteases (protein)
and lipases (lipids, or "fats"). Both are essential to healthy digestion.
They are produced in goodly amounts in the healthy pancreas and are also
present in a number of foods; papain, from papaya, and bromelain, from
pineapple, are two of the most common, used in tenderizing meat. Because
digestion requires a lot of energy from the body-and a lot of enzyme
action-it makes sense to aid this function by supplementing with enzymes,
just as it makes sense to concentrate on eating fresh, whole, raw foods
for the many enzymes they contain. It is also important to make sure that
adequate amounts of stomach acid are present, to help activate digestive
enzymes there. If foods are not completely broken down, they have a much
greater possibility of causing allergic reactions in the body.
Go with the Flow In
the bloodstream, certain proteins can be major factors in provoking aging
and reduced health. One good example is fibrin, directly involved in the
formation of blood clots. This, of course, can increase one's probability
of developing many of the well known circulatory diseases, such as angina
pectoris, atherosclerosis, thrombophlebitis, heart attack and stroke. As a
matter of fact, it can be shown that a reduced "proteolytic potential" of
the bloodstream-that is, a lesser ability to break down protein-can be
linked with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore,
research suggests that consuming a diet rich in proteolytic enzymes, as
well as supplementing with them, can increase proteolytic potential,
thereby reducing the risk of suffering such conditions.
In Sum When enzyme
levels in the body diminish, as they seem to over time, and when dietary
levels decrease as well, the stage is set for the development of poor
health and even weight gain. Choosing a diet containing reasonable levels
of fruits and vegetables-some of them raw-and supplementing with enzymes
only makes good sense.
MAKING ENZYMES WORK FOR YOU
DIGESTIVE FORMULA™, SOMAZYME™ AND
PHYTOZYME™
The body has thousands of different enzymes. They digest foods,
maintain our cells and control body processes. Although enzymes are
themselves proteins, they often serve to break down other proteins (in
this case, they are called "proteolytic" enzymes). Usually, they are
recycled and used over and over, but eventually, some of the enzyme is
used up and must be replaced to insure maximum function. Fortunately,
enzymes are powerful substances and small amounts can do a lot.
PhytoZyme Bromelain is
an enzyme obtained from pineapple; papain is an enzyme from papaya. Both
are components of the Life Plus PhytoZyme base and both are proteolytic
enzymes. In fact, they are often used as components of marinades, to break
down proteins in and tenderize meats prior to cooking. Because enzymes are
very heat-sensitive, they have to be used prior to cooking. Similarly,
Life Plus uses cold-processing and other proprietary techniques to ensure
the enzymes in the Life Plus products are not destroyed, thus maintaining
their high level of activity.
Enzymes for
Proteins Many proteolytic enzymes are produced
within the body as part of the normal digestive process. Pepsin and rennin
are enzymes produced in the stomach. Trypsin and chymotrypsin are produced
by the pancreas and secreted into the small intestine to facilitate
protein digestion.
Enzymes for Carbohydrates &
Fats Other enzymes are more specific. To help
with the breakdown of carbohydrates, the body produces amylase enzymes in
the salivary glands and pancreas, as well as in the small intestinal
lining. Then, for the breakdown of fats, the body produces lipase.
Unique Enzyme
Products In addition to the core enzymes appearing in
the Life Plus PhytoZyme base, as used in most Life Plus products, Life
Plus provides two very important stand-alone enzyme-rich products:
Digestive Formula and Somazyme.
Digestive Formula-For
Digestion
 It is important for
us to properly digest the foods we eat, because that is how we obtain the
nutrition from them. What is required is enzyme action. The purpose of
Digestive Formula is to help sustain us, by supplementing for several
different enzymes used in digestion. This is a two-phase tablet, assisting
digestion both in the acid environment of the stomach and in the neutral
or more alkaline environment of the intestines. It is important that
Digestive Formula be taken just before or during meals, to help ensure
that its enzymes are mixed with your foods. Among the important components
of Digestive formula are the active enzymes amylase, bromelain, lipase,
pancreatin, pancrelipase, papain and pepsin.
In addition, Digestive Formula supports healthy digestive tract
ecology, by providing for proper pH with the biological buffering agents
betaine HCl, glycine, L-glutamic acid and calcium carbonate, and by
supplying several beneficial microflora. Ox bile and lecithin are included
to facilitate the digestion of fats, with further digestive support coming
from peppermint leaf, Aloe vera and beet root herb.
For Detailed Information Including Complete List of
Ingredients
ALSO...
Somazyme-For The Whole Body
 The name Somazyme is derived from " Soma," meaning
"body" and " Zyme," for "enzyme." It is best taken on an empty stomach or
at times when food is not being eaten. This allows the enzymes to be
absorbed and circulated throughout the body, rather than being used up for
digestion.
Somazyme is formulated to provide active proteolytic enzymes for the
bloodstream and the rest of the body. Among these are alpha-chymotrypsin,
bromelain, pancreatin, papain and trypsin. Other key synergistic
components of Somazyme include super oxide dismutase, rutin, hesperidin,
glutathione, lemon bioflavonoids and selected amino acids.
For Detailed Information Including Complete List of
Ingredients
Enzyme Power Whether
you choose a product formulated using the Life Plus exclusive PhotoZyme
base or a stand-alone, enzyme-rich product like Digestive Formula or
Somazyme, Life Plus is dedicated to bringing you all the benefits
state-of-the-art enzyme formulation technology can provide. Experience the
power!
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