Enzymes, Probiotics and Prebiotics
You may wonder what the difference is between Probiotics, Prebiotics and Enzymes, and how they affect our health and wellness. Often people are confused. Here is a brief description of each.
Enzymes are types of proteins that are responsible for many or almost all cellular functions and biochemical reactions throughout the body. Enzymes play a very important role in growth, healing, and reproduction. They are also necessary for thousands of biochemical functions, such as hormones, thinking, breathing, emotions, immunity, detoxing, etc. Enzymes are also critical for digesting food nutrients and converting nutrients to energy.
There are two types of enzymes. One type is produced in the body. This type of enzymes are active in blood, organs and tissue, and are called metabolic and digestive enzymes. The second type are food enzymes which we consume and which help break down nutrients so they can be more easily assimilated and used in the body. The second type also supports the production and availability of natural metabolic and digestive enzymes.
Our bodies constantly need to produce metabolic enzymes for proper function of all body systems. That’s why we need foods that are rich in food enzymes to create optimal levels of metabolic enzymes and support whole body wellness.
I use TerraZyme blend of active whole-food enzymes to support my body holistically. Although I try to eat raw foods as much as possible, I know that my body needs the support of TerraZyme. I have seen a huge difference in my energy level, my metabolism and overall health and wellness when I take 2 with every meal and sometimes 1 or 2 additionally throughout the day.
Our digestive tract has about 100 trillion probiotic bacteria, sometimes referred to as microbiota, microbiome, or microflora. That’s 10 times more than the total number of cells that make up the entire human body! This healthy bacteria play a very important role in our digestive and immune health.
We have to make sure that the good bacteria outnumber the bad. When we do this, the good bacteria can help lower the number of bad bacteria thus supporting good health. Eating fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kefir or probiotic supplementation promotes microflora balance. I personally take PB Assist+ daily. My younger kids take PB Assist Jr.
PB Assist+ is a formula of pre-biotic fiber and six strains of probiotic microorganisms in a doublelayer vegetable capsule, which encourages the growth of friendly gut flora. The pre-biotics is the food for the beneficial microorganisms to proliferate in the gut. The time-release, doublelayer is designed to protect the probiotics from the stomach acid. It is well known that probiotics provide an immense digestive and immune system support. You can take one capsule three times daily with food for 10 days each month to promote colonization of friendly digestive flora. It can be used more frequently and for longer periods of time when the digestive flora has been compromised. I personally take 1 daily.
PB Assist Jr is a powdered probiotic supplement designed for children or adults who have trouble swallowing pills. It includes 5 billion live cells of a blend of six different probiotic strains, specifically selected for their benefits among children, and microencapsulated for protection against the stomach acid.This can be poured directly into the mouth and is very tasty as well. You can also mix with 4oz of water, juice, or preferred beverage and drink immediately. You can take 1 or 2 daily.
Here are some of the benefits of taking good probiotics:
- Promote healthy functioning of the digestive and immune systems.
- Support optimal metabolism and absorption of nutrients.
- Promote healthy lung and respiratory tract function.
- Support healthy brain and nervous system function.
- Provide support for the health of the kidneys, bladder, and urinary tract, as well as the female reproductive system.
I hope you have more clarity about the difference between enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics and their importance for our health and wellbeing. You can click on the bottom below to purchase these 3 products and browse through a variety of essential oils and other holistic products. I added Lemon to the list in the link below because it is one of the most versatile essential oils and it has powerful antimicrobial activity, fighting off the bad and supporting the good bacteria in the gut. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.