Enzyme Appreciation

Enzymes are substances that perform two specific functions–they can either start chemical processes or they make them perform more quickly. Every cell in living plants and animals contains enzymes that are responsible for the very functions that keep them alive.
If enzymes are so important to keeping us alive, how come so few people know about them or how they function? Consider this fact: Enzymes are required to perform every single chemical reaction that occurs in your body. If it weren't for enzymes, none of the vitamins, minerals, or hormones in your body could work properly. Seems then there is quite a bit we ought to know about them and what they need to work well!


Let’s look at digestion for instance. Digestion couldn't take place without enzymes. From the time food enters your mouth, enzymes both in the food and in your body are working to break it down into smaller particles so they can be absorbed properly. Raw foods contain lots of enzymes that are necessary for digestion; these are released when these foods are chewed.


Unfortunately, many of the enzymes in food are destroyed by the ways in which they are prepared and processed. Enzymes are destroyed in temperatures higher than 118° F (48° C) and some are destroyed in temperatures as low as 105° F (41° C), so most can't even survive light steaming – a way of preparing food that most people erroneously believe fully preserves the nutritional value of food!


What happens when the enzymes in food are destroyed and the only enzymes at work in your body are those that are made there? Digestive disorders, compromised immunity, allergic reactions, skin problems and mood swings can occur. Eating enzyme-deficient foods also taxes your pancreas and other organs, overworking and ultimately wearing them out. Since your body needs both kinds of enzymes, when only one kind is present, it suffers.


One way to address this problem is through juicing. In fact, juicing is one of the best ways to ingest raw foods as part of your diet. In a world where "fast food" has taken a firm hold on our eating habits, juicing vegetables provides a great way to obtain the enzymes you need to ward off diseases that can rob you of your health and energy.


Understanding that enzymes can also help to heal chronic health problems which often seem to defy medical solutions is important as well. Getting regular chiropractic examinations and adjustments are also an important part of keeping your immune system functioning properly as part of living a healthy lifestyle. When we work together to give our bodies the food and care needed to stay healthy – we all benefit!

WATERMELON MAY REDUCE THE RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the U.S. If you or someone you know has CVD, or has high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, or any of the other factors that could lead to CVD, you have probably been told to exercise, reduce stress levels and avoid certain foods like sugar, white flours and junk food. Or you may have been prescribed drugs like statins. However, there are certain foods — known as ‘functional foods’ — that, in addition to the nutrients they supply, also specifically promote health or prevent disease in a certain part of the body. In the case of CVD, you still want to exercise and eat well, but there are also functional foods that may help prevent it, and may even help you avoid drugs.
Let’s just take one of the CVD risk factors: hypertension, high blood pressure.
Normal blood pressure is considered 120/80 or below. High blood pressure starts at 140/90. Between those you have a rating called prehypertension, which basically means that if you don’t do something to lower your blood pressure you could end up with full-blown hypertension — something you really want to avoid.
The risk level is much higher with hypertension than prehypertension, so getting your blood pressure under control now is a smart health move.
What functional foods help prehypertension? According to a recent study conducted at Florida State University, watermelon might be just what you need.
The study, though small, is very promising and is the first on human subjects. While the participants didn’t actually eat watermelon, they were given six grams daily of the amino acid L-citrulline/L-arginine from watermelon extract for six weeks. There were four men and five women, ages 51 to 57, and each were prehypertensive. All participants had positive results: improved arterial function and lowered blood pressure.
The real ‘active” ingredient, the one that’s making the difference, is the amino acid L-arginine. However, L-arginine taken on its own can be hard on the gastrointestinal system. The better option is another amino acid, L-citrulline, which converts to L-arginine once in the body.
Watermelon is loaded with L-citrulline, is well tolerated, has no side effects, and provides the added benefits of Vitamins A, B6 and C along with fiber, potassium and lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.
If you’re looking for natural solutions to protect your heart, give watermelon extract a try. It is available at local health food stores and online!

SOURCE: Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101013173847.htm.

The Many Health Benefits of Raw Honey

According to Dr. Ron Fessenden, M.D., M.P.H. the average American consumes over 150 pounds of refined sugar, plus an additional 62 pounds of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). In comparison, we consume just one pound of honey per year. Instead, Dr. Fessenden recommends that increasing the intake of pure “raw” honey and drastically reducing the refined sugars and HFCS would reap enormous health benefits.
A report in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine further backs the benefits of raw honey with their opinion:

“The therapeutic potential of uncontaminated, pure, raw honey is grossly underutilized. It is widely available in most communities and although the mechanism of action of several of its properties remains obscure and needs further investigation, the time has now come for conventional medicine to lift the blinds off this ‘traditional remedy’ and give it its due recognition.”

What is Honey?
Honey is far more than a natural sweetener. It is a “functional food”, which means it is a natural food with health benefits. It contains natural antioxidants, enzymes and minerals including iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and selenium. Vitamins found in honey include B6, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin. In addition, the nutraceuticals contained in honey help neutralize damaging free radical activity.
One tablespoon of honey contains 64 calories, yet it has a healthy glycemic load around 10 for 1 Tbsp, which is a little less than a banana. and does not cause a sugar spike and elevated insulin release like white sugar. Although honey is an affordable food, bees spend thousands of hours collecting pollen from around two million flowers to make one pound of pure honey.

Why Choose Raw Honey?
Research by the Palynology Research Laboratory at Texas A&M University tested 60 honey products from supermarkets and grocery stores and found that 76% contained no trace of pollen. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains that any honey products that have been ultra-filtered, as these have, are not actually honey and therefore the health benefits of honey cannot be assumed.
Commercial honey is often heavily processed and may even have been chemically refined. Excessive heat destroys the natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals in honey. Filtering and processing eliminates many of the beneficial phytonutrients including pollen and enzyme-rich propolis. The only way to achieve sparkling clear honey is by heat, so avoid the golden syrup-like honey in favor of opaque organic raw honey.
Raw honey is a concentrated source of natural goodness. Benefits include:
•    A rich taste
•    High nutritional benefits
•    Promotes the growth of good bacteria in the intestine
•    Soothes and heals skin wounds
•    Blocks free radicals
•    Aids sleep
•    Counters pollen allergies
•    Reduces homocysteine levels to maintain a healthy heart
Best of all, honey does not need special storage or refrigeration – use it by the spoonful straight from the jar.

The Health Benefits of Honey
Honey-infused bandages are known to aid healing. Peter Charles Molan at the University of Waikato, New Zealand found that honey reacts with the body’s fluids to make hydrogen peroxide, creating an inhospitable environment for bacteria.
Research studies have already shown that replacing sugar with honey in the diet results in less weight gain and lower blood sugar levels. Switching to honey may even aid in weight loss when compared to diets containing sugar or HFCS.
Honey provides a ready supply of energy in the form of liver glycogen, making it ideal for energetic morning starts and as a pre- and post-exercise energy source. It also boosts the immune system, acting as a preventative against any number of debilitating diseases.
Honey contains many antioxidants including flavonoids to maintain the body’s health balance. Pinostrobin supports enzyme activity while the antioxidant-rich organic acids maintain an optimal slightly acidic pH in the body. Pinocembrin is an antioxidant flavonoid thought to be unique to honey while the amino acids in honey are the body’s building blocks of protein.
Honey promotes restorative sleep as it slowly releases the glycogen needed for essential bodily functions during sleep. Adding honey to milk at bedtime helps the body release melatonin into the brain which is necessary for deep sleep. Melatonin also boosts immunity and helps rebuild tissue during periods of rest. Poor sleep, by comparison, has been shown to be a risk factor for hypertension, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and arthritis. As honey is a proven sleep aid, it naturally lowers the risk of all these health problems.

Although honey is one of the healthiest sweeteners, it still should be used in moderation.

Raw honey can be found at local flea and farmers markets, local farms, and on the internet.   Local raw honey is also known to be a homeopathic treatment for certain types of allergies and even asthma. 

Sources:
http://www.worldclassemprise.com/custom.aspx?id=22
http://products.mercola.com/honey/
http://www.mamahealthy.com/sweeteners-spices-ingredients/raw-honey-benefits-organic-honey
http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-nutrition.html
http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-benefits.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/034102_honey_consumer_alert.html
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.marksdailyapple.com/is-honey-a-safer-sweetener/#axzz1pZs2Na8k
http://www.draxe.com/the-top-5-natural-allergy-fighters/
http://www.ajcn.org/search?fulltext=RAW+HONEY&submit=yes&x=11&y=10
http://www.drgrotte.com/honey-medicine.shtml