Enzymes: 6 amazing facts 🙌

Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful and safe day. 🙋🏻

Enzymes are an integral part of the body’s metabolism, growth and repair. They are crucial for gut health, the ageing process and maintaining overall good health.

Six facts about the fantastic enzymes :

1.Enzymes are protein or protein-like substances found in our body which acts as a catalyst at a cellular level and speed up the biochemical process of energy production, growth and repair of tissues.


2.Enzymes are specific and are very selective to which substance they bind to and activate the process of breakdown and digestion. Whatever food, we consume, each of the food types stimulate a different set of enzymes.
Carbohydrate stimulates enzyme Carbohydrase like Amylase. The enzyme lactase digests lactose. People who lack lactase suffers from lactose intolerance.
Protein stimulates enzyme Protease like Pepsin, trypsin.
Lipid stimulates enzyme Lipase which digests fat by emulsification.
Some more examples of enzymes are: ATP synthase helps to convert ADP to ATP. Helicase unzips DNA strands.

3. Enzymes are sensitive to temperature and ph change. A slight temperature change can either slow down or speed up the enzyme activity. Large temperature changes can denature and can even lose their function. Similarly, ph changes can directly influence enzyme activity.

4. Enzymes stores in our body can be depleted slowly due to causes like ageing, unhealthy food habits like overprocessing, refined food consumption. Overcooking of food can cause the breakdown of natural enzymes present in the food. Therefore, enzyme deficiency in the body can lead to digestive issues like bloating, gas, food intolerance, anaemia, lethargy and heartburn.

5. There have been multiple enzyme supplements available and marketed commercially with different benefits in the market. But it is essential to know that not enough studies/researches are done to prove either their efficacy or side effects. So, before using the supplements, it is crucial to inform your Physician or else, it may have a drug interaction with your regular medicines currently taken.

6. Certain food rich with natural enzymes which can be consumed but in moderation:
Pineapple has bromolein, and Papaya has papain, and they both are protein enzymes. Avocado has Lipase, and bananas have amylase and maltase. Natural raw honey, wild sprouts (alfa, alfa) and kefir are also rich in digestive enzymes. Fermented food like saurkraut, kimchi is rich in digestive enzymes and even probiotics.

Thanks for reading.

Blessings and much love to all 💐

 

Post: Why “me” 💖 time is essential? 4 small endearing steps towards self-care.

Self-care is a priority and not selfish. The simple reason is if I don’t care about me, how can I care for my loved ones? If I don’t cater to my emotional and physical needs, then how will I cater to other’s needs?

But, then, in reality, you are driven by your responsibilities, to push yourself more and more. There are personal, professional, family, societal pressures and commitments which makes you push yourself to the extreme limits to fulfil all the demands and responsibilities. In the process, you forget yourself and do not even realise that you have your share of emotional and physical needs to be taken care of for your overall wellbeing.

Realisations come very late when we are knocked down by chronic stress, complete burnout or end up in a diseased state. Therefore, self-care daily is very important for both physical and mental wellbeing.

Scientifically speaking, there are several areas and dimensions of self-care.

Here, I have tried giving 4 small different steps towards self-care.

1.Spend some ‘me’ time alone: Everyday, give yourself a few couples of minutes to cut off from the routine grind and the hustle-bustle. This is your ‘me’ time entirely. Do whatever you enjoy doing, go for a short walk in nature, practise a hobby or listen to a piece of music. Meditate and observe your emotional feelings and acknowledge them. Understanding and acknowledging your both positive and negative thoughts are important so that you can let go of unwanted thoughts. Remember, thoughts are always associated with your feelings and experiences. Always, love and praise yourself for what you are and how far you have come in this journey. In self-care, self-love is important.

2. Control your stress level: Understand that when stress persists, your cortisol level shoots up. This adrenal gland hormone not only increases your blood sugar level but also elevates inflammation in the body which is responsible for various diseases like heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, cancers. So, when you feel you are at stress in the day, take a break. Practise relaxation like breathing exercises, stretches so that cortisol comes back to balance. Another simple way of letting stress go is to practice mindful moments, being present at the present moment. Sit quietly and notice your breath for some time. Feel the wind, air, smell around. Engage yourself in imagery exercise like walking down a beautiful forest, walking down a sandy beach, hearing the sounds of waves.

3.Practice gratitude: In the daytime, practice gratitude several times, being thankful for your existence, for your loved ones around, and for a beautiful life you have. These moments are important because whenever you feel gratitude and joy, there is a release of endorphins and serotonin which are happy hormones and which are necessary for your physical and mental health wellbeing.

4.Physical health: Lastly, as we all know, self-care remain incomplete if we do not care for our body. Eating healthy, routine exercise, sleeping well are essential steps towards physical wellbeing. For the normal wear tear of the body, giving enough rest helps in the healing and repairing process.