People get all the nutrients and energy they need through food. A reasonable diet and adequate nutrition can improve the health of a generation, prevent a variety of diseases, prolong life and improve the physical fitness of the entire nation. Unreasonable diet, excessive or insufficient nutrition will bring different degrees of harm to health. Overeating can lead to obesity, diabetes, cholelithiasis, hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure and other diseases due to overnutrition, and even induce mesothelioma, such as breast cancer and colon cancer. Not only seriously affects our health, but it also shortens life expectancy. Long-term nutritional deficiencies in the diet can lead to malnutrition, anemia, deficiency of various elements and vitamins, affecting children’s intellectual growth and development, and lowering body resistance to illness.
The food we eat can either be our first line of defense against harmful illnesses and disease, or can be detrimental depending on our choices. Due to the fact that we are consuming more processed and manufactured foods rather than home-cooked, fresh foods our health is being compromised. Digestive disorders can commence with the first signs of indigestion, gastric reflux, irritable bowel then can lead to coeliac and chron’s disease which can lead further to stomach and bowel cancer. So it is vital that we become what I call mindful of the foods we eat, so we have the maximum opportunity for optimal health.
Our digestive function must be at its best to ensure that we get the full value of the food we eat. You may have heard of digestive enzymes, such as lipase, pepsin and laccase, maybe you haven’t heard of it, yes, you can buy it in bottles, but a simpler, cheaper alternative is to add them to your diet. Please see the foods you want to combine below to help you properly digest your food intake. You will find this will help with weight loss, bloating, indigestion and reflux.
Raw Vegetables: Vegetables contain naturally occurring digestive enzymes. Wheatgrass juice contains about 30 different enzymes. Aloe vera juice, mixed beans and seed sprouts contain natural amylase. “Shiitake mushrooms contain enzymes and vitamins that do not normally appear in plants,” according to Jonny Bowden. Parsley, kale, broccoli, celery, cabbage and beets and beet greens are excellent choices for raw vegetables that contain naturally occurring digestive enzymes.
Fresh Fruit: According to Jonny Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” papaya and pineapple are the best sources of foods that contain naturally occurring digestive enzymes. Papaya contains the naturally occurring protease and papain, which helps to digest protein. Pineapples contain the digestive enzyme bromelain, which acts as an aid for ingestion. Pineapples also contain multiple anti-inflammatory enzymes. Mangos, watermelon, blueberries, raspberries and grapefruit also contain naturally occurring digestive enzymes.
Foods with naturally occurring digestive enzymes: Raw, uncooked foods contain naturally occurring digestive enzymes. Enzymes are catalysts that aid in digestion. They refer to a group of proteins that break down and digest nutrients. Digestive enzymes begin in the mouth when saliva interacts with food. Although the enzymes convert food into usable nutrients, the enzymes remain unchanged. Some foods with naturally occurring digestive enzymes, such as yogurt, with active, live cultures, break down lactose, which makes yogurt a possibility for those who are lactose intolerant.
Raw Foods: Raw, uncooked fruits and vegetables contain enzymes necessary for digestion. Natural, digestive enzymes are destroyed through the heating and cooking processes. Good choices of foods that contain digestive enzymes are fresh apples, figs, pears, cherries, peaches, strawberries and apricots. All of the bell peppers: red, yellow, green and orange, as well as tomatoes, are excellent choices. According to Patrick Holford, author of “The New Optimum Nutrition Bible,” grapes, honey that is raw and unpasteurized, soybeans and sweet potatoes contain naturally occurring digestive enzymes. In addition, apple cider vinegar contains a surprisingly high number of nutrients and enzymes.
Probiotics: Fermented foods. If you have digestive problems, it will be almost impossible to permanently eliminate them unless you improve the balance between bacteria that is beneficial and disease causing or bad bacteria that exist naturally in your digestive system. One of the most effective ways to do this is by eating foods that are high in beneficial bacteria called probiotics specifically traditional fermented foods.