Enzymes anyone?

[miamimoe]

Thought I'd share some info. on supplements I have introduced into my daily routine. SWMBO is a vegetarian who does eat fish and dairy, albeit in small amounts. I continue my carnivorous ways, but my meat consumption is at an all time low. SWMBO is big on healthy, healthy eating, which means lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grain products, etc., and we rarely indulge in stuff like salty snacks, ice cream, candies, and the like, although we do enjoy some guilty pleasures once or twice a month. The change in diet did me well, as I had developed both gout and diverticultis, which are both diet related illnesses. Since changing my diet, I have had no further bouts of either. I also lost close to 40 pounds in the process (37 to be exact).

However, as a result of the introduction of tons of fiber into my diet, I found that certain things were not flowing as smoothly as before. A cousin of mine who is really into working out and nutrition recommended that I start taking essential enzymes. I started one month ago, and all I can say is they have made a huge difference. It seems as we get older, our bodies do not manufacture enzymes as much as before, and the lack of enzymes keeps our bodies from digesting food as well as before. If you are having any digestive difficulties, you may wish to introduce some essential enzymes into your diet. I bought the Source Natural brands online at Vitacost, and am very happy with them. Next time, I plan on buying enzymes with probiotics, to give an extra boost.

[Kevan]

Never tried enzymes, but I have to give a big +1 to probiotics. I'm not an old guy (27 today, as a mater of fact), though due to an illness earlier this year that resulted in 2 hospitalizations (the 2nd as a direct result of the first) and 2 antibiotic regimens....long story short, despite knowing beforehand and trying to prevent it, I got a C.diff infection.

I will never laugh at Probiotic ads on TV, ever again. Probiotics were a godsend both during and after my ordeal. Given that my "gut" was completely wrecked and had to be essentially repopulated from the ground up, I was willing to try anything. They, along with a few changes in diet, worked wonders. And since my GI doc said I could be dealing with this for a year more or so, I'm still open to anything. Funny how you never think about the effects of digestion problems until you have to deal with them. In many ways they affect how you feel in terms of "total body" if things aren't working properly.

I'll have to research the enzyme thing. Thanks for the heads up.

[miamimoe]

There are enzyme and probiotic mixtures. Given your history, you may want to check with your physicians before introducing them to your diet. As part of my treatment for diverticulitis, I had to make major changes to my diet, but the doc warned me to go slow, so I did. I went to him more than I wanted to the first few months just to keep an eye on things, and fortunately made the transition to a high fiber diet with few problems. Still and all, check with the doc. HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

[_JP_]

I'm completely on the side of consulting with a doctor before introducing non fod items to the diet.