How to care for your Gut… Cleansing & Digestion are the foundations of health

You can eat all the healthy food in the world, but it doesn’t mean much if you aren’t digesting it properly.

Enter… Digestive Enzymes. They can strengthen the immune system, promote weight loss, prevent inflammation, smooth skin, and support bone, liver, and overall cardiovascular health.

Get to the bottom of your bloating once and for all.

Bloating is bad enough when it happens once in a blue moon. If you’re constantly dealing with bloat, it may be time to address the root of the problem. Here are three common causes of bloating and what you can do to get your digestive system functioning optimally.

1. BACTERIAL IMBALANCE

Why? Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is essential for overall health. If you’re consistently feeling bloated, it may be a sign that your gut bacteria is out of whack. A bacterial imbalance in the gut can either mean a subpar ratio of good to bad bacteria, a low diversity of gut bacteria, or that the gut bacteria isn’t ideally located.

What to do about it. Consider getting to know your gut microbiome on a much more intimate level with a stool test. Though it sounds kind of out there, it’s a very thorough way of understanding exactly what’s going on in your gut. You’ll learn exactly which strands of bacteria are in your gut and at what amounts. If you’re unable to take a stool test (or are maybe just intimidated by the process), you can try adjusting to a gut-friendly diet with lots of probiotic-rich foods.

2. TOO MANY PROCESSED FOODS

Why? There are a few different reasons processed foods can cause bloating. First, they’re typically high in sodium, which causes our bodies to retain water and bloat. Then, processed foods also may contain lots of sugar which feeds bad bacteria and yeast in your GI tract. Finally, processed sweeteners like sorbitol and fructose are difficult for the body to digest and can also cause bloating.

What to do about it. Avoid processed foods. No downside to this one. It’s simple, environmentally friendly, and great for your digestion.

3. LACK OF DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

Why? Digestive enzymes help to break down the macronutrients in your digestive tract including carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber. If your body doesn’t have enough digestive enzymes to break down food properly, it can sit in your GI tract fermenting and ultimately causing more gas and bloating.

What to do about it. Fill up your plate with enzyme-rich foods. Bananas are rich in amylase to break down carbohydrates. Pineapples contain bromelain and papaya has papain, which both help to break down protein. Finally, avocados have lipase, which helps to break down fat. To get all your enzymes at once, consider taking a broad-spectrum digestive enzyme supplement like Digestive Detox. It contains all of the enzymes listed above and more!

If you want to optimize your skin’s appearance, it’s essential to focus on your gut health.

Maintaining a healthy gut can give your skin that clear, radiant glow. Focus on getting a fiber-rich diet with quality protein and healthy fats to support your gut microbiome. Research also shows that eating a wide variety of fresh produce can improve the diversity of your gut bacteria.

Still, eating well isn’t always enough. Because there are so many factors that can throw off the delicate balance of our microbiome, we often need extra support. Here’s where probiotics come in! Using probiotics is one way to help balance your gut bacteria, and in turn, restore healthy skin.

PROBIOTICS
CLEAN DETOX & DIGESTIVE DETOX BOTH CONTAIN PROBIOTICS

Probiotics are live microorganisms that help keep the proper balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut. Some of the most common strains of probiotics that are beneficial for the skin include those from the lactobacillus and bifidobacterium genera.

In a study as far back as 1961, out of 300 acne patients, 80 percent showed clinical improvement after using probiotics. Strains of probiotics work through the gut-skin axis by having antimicrobial effects, reducing inflammation, and boosting the immune system. They can also help reduce oxidative stress. As a result, recent studies show dramatically improved skin health when consuming probiotics.

WHAT ARE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES?

Digestive enzymes are catalysts that enable molecules to change from one form into another. They’re necessary to break down macronutrients—such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—into smaller nutrient particles. This way, they can more readily flow through our systems and absorb into our bodies. While these enzymes are critical for digestive health, many of us don’t have the correct balance in our bodies.

DO I NEED A DIGESTIVE ENZYME?

Although we produce these enzymes naturally, there are a few challenges in getting enough. First, there’s a lack of nutrients in our modern diets. Then, as we age, we produce fewer digestive enzymes on our own. Yet another issue that affects our digestion is the air, soil, and water quality in our cities. For these reasons, supplementing with the right digestive enzymes can be a huge help.

After all, undigested food in the small intestine can cause a whole host of health problems, including:

• cravings
• weight gain
• thyroid issues
• gas/bloating
• heartburn
• diarrhea/constipation
• dull skin
• thin hair
• cracked nails
• fatigue
• sleep issues
• joint pain
• depression
• mood swings
• migraines
• rashes
• eczema
• psoriasis
• hives

First, look for a broad-spectrum digestive enzyme supplement. This means the supplement combines multiple enzymes to cover all your needs instead of having to amass a big, expensive collection of single enzymes.

Then, be wary of purchasing digestive enzymes with a bunch of fillers such as artificial colors and flavors. Instead, look for natural herbal blends with ginger, fennel, or peppermint. You’ll also want to prioritize the quality of the enzyme you purchase over the price. (It’s better to pay more for digestive enzymes that work than spend less money on subpar products.)

The right digestive enzyme supplement will typically use plant-based enzymes. These enzymes help target gut health with low-to-moderate acidity. They can also help relieve stress on your small intestines, making them inherently more effective than animal-based enzymes.

As always, a good rule of thumb is to look for enzymes with science-backed evidence supporting its health claims. Check for real doctors specializing in gut health to back the enzyme you intend to purchase.

TYPES OF ENZYMES

When shopping around, here are the specific key enzymes to look for in broad spectrum blends.

BROMELAIN

ENZYME FOR: INFLAMMATION, STIFFNESS, JOINT PAIN

This all-star enzyme is sourced from pineapples, which are also a great digestive aid. Bromelain helps aid in the digestion of proteins found in meat, grains, nuts, and cheese.

PAPAIN

BEST ENZYME FOR: PAIN, DIARRHEA, SORE THROAT

This enzyme is sourced from papaya and is also crucial for protein digestion. It helps break down proteins into peptides and amino acids and is best combined with bromelain.

PROTEASE

BEST ENZYME FOR: DIGESTION, IMMUNITY

This enzyme helps to break down protein into basic building blocks. Ironically, our digestive tract creates these building blocks naturally, but we start to produce less of them as we age. Hence why I recommend taking a digestive enzyme that includes this specific enzyme.

AMYLASE

BEST ENZYME FOR: STARCH BREAKDOWN

This enzyme does a ton of work! It breaks down the starch, fiber, and sugars found in fruits, vegetables and grains into smaller molecules. It is also called a carbohydrase, which is produced in the pancreas and salivary glands to help break down carbohydrates into simple sugars.

CELLULASE

BEST ENZYME FOR: INDIGESTION, CONSTIPATION, GAS, BLOATING

Cellulase is also a carbohydrase and is one of the basic building blocks of the plant kingdom that helps us digest fruits and vegetables. This enzyme isn’t one a human can produce naturally, so we must get it from supplements or fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, probiotic yogurt, and kombucha.

LIPASE

BEST ENZYME FOR: FAT DIGESTION

This enzyme breaks down fats like olive and fish oils, but also butter and cheese, into fatty acids and glycerol. These acids then travel into blood and lymph vessels in our bodies to help boost our health.

HOW SHOULD I USE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES?

Keep in mind not everyone needs digestive enzymes, but if you’re experiencing any of the aforementioned issues regularly, they can provide intense relief for symptoms. Ideally, take your digestive enzymes just before a meal. If that seems difficult to remember, you can take it at the end of a meal as well, or leave it out on the table when you eat as a reminder to take it during the meal. If you have a history of stomach ulcers, you should consult with your primary-care physician before taking any enzymes.

It’s best to store your digestive enzymes in a cool, dry place (ideally 77 degrees or cooler) where there’s limited exposure to moisture.

This unique blend of digestive enzymes is your secret to a slimmer stomach. Features key ingredients: cleansing and digestive enzymes. After 20+ years of educating that Cleansing & Digesting are the foundation of health, our customers who used Clean Detox & Digestive Detox for at least 3 months realized great success with weight gain, bloating and other gut related symptoms. Cleansing has helped many people lead a healthier lifestyle. Our bodies naturally make enzymes to improve digestion and to breakdown foods. However, as we age and if we are under large amounts of stress, our enzyme levels can decrease leading to digestive imbalances. Research shows that broad spectrum enzymes can help breakdown lactose, proteins, carbohydrates, fibers and fats to help improve digestion.

A FLATTER You… Clean Detox & Digestive Detox