The Pineapple and Bromelain - Good things for Digestion

[Dave]

Here's something that's not all that "newsy," but it sure isn't a bad
idea to bring a fresh pineapple home now and again from the grocery
store. They have such a wonderful flavor, and a complex of truly
unique healthy ingredients.

Thanks to Lori Glenn of the American Botanical Council for this
information. Lori is the editor of their excellent news service,
HerbClip:

"Pineapple contains B-complex vitamins, Vitamin C, magnesium,
manganese, and potassium. However, the pineapple is best known for the
enzyme bromelain which digests protein and reduces inflammation.
Bromelain has the potential to decrease pain, edema, and platelet
aggragation (as well as aforementioned inflammation), and it may also
increase the effect of antibiotics (author's note: this can be good
and bad). Bromelain has been used in the treatment of upper
respiratory infections such as bronchitis and sinusitis. It has the
potential to aid in burn treatment and may aid skin grafting.

Bromelain is being tested now for use in the treatment of
osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It may also be useful in the
treatment of other connective tissue disorders including scleroderma,
bursitis, and tendonitis.

Because this enzyme has digesting ability, bromelain is being examined
for its possible use in the treatment of amyloidosis, the buildup of a
protein-like substance, amyloid, which can cause damage to the kidney,
liver, and heart.

Along with enzymes such as amylase (which digests starch) and lipase
(which digests fat), bromelain is an important component in
maintaining healthy digestion. While children have an abundance of
digestive enzymes to process food, adults who have consumed a largely
processed, cooked food diet have used up a large portion of their
digestive enzyme supply. Live, organic food contains the enzymes
necessary to bring this back in balance and aid in digestion.
Processed and cooked foods -- not at all. Enzyme supplementation can
therefore aid in maintaining a healthy digestive system. Many maladies
are linked to the body's inability to process toxins; the inclusion of
enzymes, whether through supplements or live organic foods, allows the
digestive system to process these toxins more effectively."

I would add that even when the digestive tract is doing its job well,
there are enough toxins present in the environment and the food we eat
to make it worth considering adaptogenic herbs to help the body
cleanse itself. Adaptogens have the ability to normalize the body's
toxin load.

Dave

Full text article extracted from http://shamvswham.blogspot.com/

[Mark Thorson]

Dave wrote:
>
> While children have an abundance of digestive enzymes
> to process food, adults who have consumed a largely
> processed, cooked food diet have used up a large portion
> of their digestive enzyme supply.

That's nuts! New digestive enzymes are constantly
being made. You don't have a fixed supply
that can be "used up".

[mont...@lycos.com]

It's more likely to be a stomach acid problem that a digestive enzyme
problem. If you eat a lot of beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc.,
but don't consume much salt, it can lead to a situation where you
don't produce enough stomach acid (that is apparently what happened to
me).

[Mark Thorson]

What does salt have to do with it? Are you
claiming that you had a deficiency of chlorine
(needed to make hydrochloric acid, which is
the acid in stomach acid)?

[Dave]

Mark, I posted the full article here, no ads and the only link is to
the source. And there's no ads on the source, either. The source
quotes the HerbClip -- where there are no ads either. So, you have to
go many layers down to find an ad, and that's about the way it is on
ANY post with a referenced article (with the exception of a scientific
journal -- or MOST scientific journals). That's the norm on the
usenet. If you don't agree with the comments, as usual, just make a
few points about it and we'll move on with a discussion. That's why
this is called a "discussion forum" . . .

Most of my post was a quite from a respected editor at American
Botanical Council. I liked her comments -- I learned something from
Lori, too. Perhaps someone who knows something more about digestive
enzymes can say something about why children don't seem to need
"extra" help here, while adults do.

Thanks,

Dave

[mont...@lycos.com]

"Are you
claiming that you had a deficiency of chlorine
(needed to make hydrochloric acid, which is
the acid in stomach acid)? "

No, it is a reasonable possibility, especially considering how I've
stopped taking the supplements for several months now, and have ample
stomach acid on a diet rich in "table salt."

[Mark Thorson]

Dave wrote:
>
> Perhaps someone who knows something more about digestive
> enzymes can say something about why children don't seem
> to need "extra" help here, while adults do.

And while you're at it, explain why adults haven't
"used up" their supply of tears. Is that why babies
and children cry so much -- they have a larger supply
of tears? :-)

Do adults run out of saliva or stomach acid? Hey, monty,
maybe that was your problem! It wasn't that you weren't
eating enough salt -- you had "used up" your supply of
stomach acid! :-) :-)