Yes, You Eat, but Are You Receiving Enough Nutrients from Your Food?

Maintaining a healthy diet is the most important thing you can do to contribute to a long and healthy life. If you’ve got that base covered, your health should reflect it. However, that broccoli and spinach must be broken down into nutrients and absorbed by the body before they can be used. How can you know if your digestive system is performing efficiently?

Digestive Enzymes

The key to digestion is enzymes. Digestive enzymes are the catalysts that take whole foods and break them down into simple nutrients that the body can absorb and use. Ideally, enzymes like pancreatin, pepsin, and papain are present in abundance throughout the stomach and small intestines, but this is not always the case. The production of digestive enzymes can be compromised due to certain illnesses or conditions, such as:

• Advanced age
• Low stomach acid
• Low-grade inflammation in the digestive tract, such as that caused by food allergies, intestinal permeability, or parasitic infection
• Chronic stress
• Pancreatic problems like cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer, and acute or chronic pancreatitis
• Celiac disease or Crohn’s disease

Not sure if this applies to you? Here are some warning signs that may indicate insufficient digestive enzymes:

• Feelings of gas and bloating after eating
• A heavy sensation in your stomach
• Feeling full after eating only a few bites of food
• Undigested food in stools
• Oily, undigested fat or grease in the toilet bowl

If any of these symptoms applies to you, it may be beneficial to try an all-natural enzyme supplement like these Digestive Enzyme capsules by the Dr. Clark Research Association. These vegan capsules contain five key digestive enzymes as well as peppermint extract to soothe and enhance the digestive process. Look for these and other digestive supplements in the Living Clean store, or read more about supplementing your health on the blog:

• This Exotic Fruit Could Answer Your Digestion Woes
• The Perfect Cleansing Herb

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