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Digestive Enzymes versus Probiotics (Anoka Pain and Women’s Health)

Warning: We will be Talking About Poop!…

What’s the Difference between Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics?

 

Should I Take Probiotics or Digestive Enzymes?

First, lets find out the difference between the two. How do they work? What are the Signs and Symptoms of Deficient Enzymes vs Imbalanced Probiotics within the body?…

 

What are Digestive Enzymes?

Digestive enzymes are proteins made in the GI tract to break down food so it can be digested and used by the body.

So, Digestive Enzymes Help You Digest Your Food.

  • From Raw Foods
  • From Supplements
  • Not Alive

(Only Alive in Food form, not supplement form)

 

So, if the Body Makes Enzymes, Why Supplement?

Though made in the GI, eating processed foods in place of raw foods, lowers these enzymes needed for proper digestion. There is an epidemic of processed foods in the Modern diet. This is why we hear so much about supplementing with digestive enzymes today. Enzymes Improve Poor Digestion.

 

What Do Digestive Enzymes Help?

  • Help break down foods & Improve Energy
  • Improve nutrients absorbed from food
  • Lack of Stomach acid (breaks down food)
  • Lack of Pepsin (breaks down food)

 

How Enzymes Help:

Digestive Enzymes assist your body when there is impaired ability to break down any of the three major macros in your food.

Essentially, digestive enzymes help you turn these into energy…

Macros- 3 main types of nutrients found in foods:

  1. Proteins
  2. Fats
  3. Carbohydrates

Macros & Specific Enzymes that Help Digestion:

  1. Protein (Proteases)
  2. Fats (Lipases)
  3. Carbohydrates (Amylases)

(Unless you know which specific macro your body needs help with, look for digestive enzymes to help you digest all Three).

 

Signs & Symptoms of Deficient Enzymes:

Look for Signs in Your Stool:

  • Pale or floating stool
  • Diarrhea (within 1 hour of meals)
  • Undigested food in stool (within 1 hour of meals)
  • streaking, fatty deposits of stool left in toilet
  • Lowered Immunity

Look for Digestive Symptoms:

  • Abdominal bloating after meals
  • Gas after meals
  • Acid reflux

Diagnosed Disease or Deficiencies:

  • Vitamin D
  • B-12 Deficiency
  • Crohn’s Disease
  • Liver disease
  • Leaky Gut
  • IBS

Deficiencies or Diseases dealing with malabsorption issues may result in becoming more prone to Digestive Enzyme Deficiency.

Where Digestive Enzymes are Located in Your Body:

  • Saliva
  • Stomach
  • Upper GI tract
  • (Helping) the entire GI tract

How to Use Digestive Enzymes?

  • Take 20-30 minutes prior to meal
  • Take half dose before and half dose with first bite (if this seems to help)
  • Take with meals that tend to cause digestive upset (avoid these foods when you can)

What to Watch Out for in Digestive Enzyme Supplements:

Be sure the product is a practitioner- quality supplement. You want Digestive Enzymes without added fillers, free from common allergens such as; gluten, wheat, corn, milk, eggs, fish, tree nuts, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. Individuals who already have impaired digestion are more prone to sensitivities of one of more of the above-mentioned additives.

Aleesha D Acupuncture carries practitioner-grade brands of Digestive Enzyme Supplements which are free of additives and fillers.

—Probiotics—

What are Probiotics?

Bacteria that live mostly in the lower GI tract. These are good bacteria that fight the bad bacteria. This good bacteria is easily wiped out by antibiotics taken. Probiotics are living organisms.

  • Protect Digestive Tract from Harmful bacteria
  • Alive

Where are Probiotics?

Probiotics are mostly in the small and large intestines.

 

 

More on Probiotics Here

 

What Are Prebiotics?

 

Should I Take Probiotics or Digestive Enzymes?

Take Enzymes for: Breaking Down the Nutrients in Food (Digestion Issues)

  • Low Immunity
  • Acid Reflux
  • Indigestion
  • Bloating
  • Gas
  • IBS

 

Acupuncture Helps with Acid Reflux or Heartburn 

Help with Digesting Foods

Take Probiotics for: Improving Microbial Balance in Intestinal Tract (Bacterial Imbalance Issues)

  • Low Immunity
  • Imbalanced Diet
  • Imbalanced Lifestyle
  • After Infection or Antibiotic use
  • Skin issues

How to Take Probiotics

Take Probiotic supplement with meal, right before meal or right after meal. This way the food provides some friendly bacteria

Aleesha D Acupuncture carries Probiotic supplements in practitioner-grade brands which are free of fillers and additives.

A Note of Caution:

Start out slowly with Probiotics in supplement for as well as Probiotic-rich foods, as they can have a powerful effect on digestion. If you start out taking too much, you will know… hello, Gas and Bloating!! If this happens, just back off of it or stop taking for a while until the symptoms subside. When you start taking again, use smaller dosage or try another brand. As always, check with your doctor before starting any new supplement such as Probiotics or Enzymes.

Thanks for Reading!

Written by Aleesha Ackerman, LAc.

Aleesha Ackerman is a certified and state licensed acupuncturist with a Master’s degree in acupuncture. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree from Hamline University. Aleesha owns and operates Aleesha D Acupuncture clinic for Pain and Women’s Health in Anoka, MN.

She became interested in acupuncture and holistic medicine when acupuncture cured her of debilitating migraine pain after an auto collision with a semi-truck. Aleesha specializes in treating acute and chronic pain and Women’s Health. Women come to her everyday with issues such as hot flashes, mood imbalance and low energy. Read more about Aleesha and what she specializes in Here.

Patients at Aleesha D Acupuncture report feeling cared for, listened to and are happy to get the much-needed pain and stress relief from their treatments!

Aleesha treats digestion issues successfully by treating the root cause and by treating the whole individual.

Why wait? Start Your Relief Today- contact Aleesha D Acupuncture in Anoka today to schedule your acupuncture appointment!

Feel Better, Move Forward

Aleesha D Acupuncture is located in historic downtown Anoka at 207 East Main Street close to Andover, MN with free parking.

DISCLAIMER

This article is not intended to replace any health care. No information on this site should be relied on to determine medical diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition. As with any health concerns, always be sure to consult your health care provider with any health concerns.

Licensed Acupuncturist in Anoka Serving Andover, Anoka, Big Lake, Champlin, Circle Pines, Columbus, Coon Rapids, Dayton, East Bethel, Elk River, Forest Lake, Fridley, Ham Lake, Isanti, Lino Lakes, Maple Grove, Minneapolis, Now Then, Oak Grove, Osseo, Ostego, Ramsey, Saint Francis, Saint Paul, Shoreview, Spring Lake Park, Vadnais Heights and White Bear Lake.

Zip codes we treat: 55304, 55303, 55309, 55014, 55316, 55433, 55448, 55327, 55330, 55432, 55040, 55401, 55402, 55403, 55404, 55406, 55407, 55408, 55409, 55410, 55411, 55412, 55413, 55416, 55418, 55419, 55421, 55422, 55011, 55311, 55369, 55102, 55103, 55104, 55105, 55106, 55107, 55108, 55101, 55109, 55110, 55111, 55113, 55114, 55116, 55117, 55120, 55124, 55125, 55115, 55118, 55119, 55121, 55122, 55123, 55126, 55129, 55130, 55146, 55127, 55128, 55133, 55144, 55145, 55155, 55164, 55165, 55166, 55166, 55168, 55170, 55175, 55187, 55188, 55171, 55172, 55014, 55025, 55371, 55398, 55308, 55960

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Why You Must Add Healthy Probiotic Food to Balance Your Gut (Anoka Pain and Women’s Health)

Intro to Probiotics: Foods to Improve Your Digestion and Overall Health- Part 1

History of Probiotics 

Probiotics is nothing new. We have always eaten Probiotics in our diets throughout history.

We just didn’t hear the term “Probiotics” being thrown around before.

More health issues are popping up surrounding gut flora/ fauna imbalance as the root cause.

Many gut diseases and dis-eases stem from overused antibiotics.

—This is why some docs are hitting the pause button on prescribing antibiotics (think antibiotic-resistant bugs).

 

Therefore, more and more people find the need to seek out probiotics in order to obtain healthy digestion, naturally.

 

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are alive and in the form of live yeasts or bacteria- or both live yeast and live bacteria, as Kombucha is.

Learn the Difference between Probiotics and Prebiotics Here

Traditions of Fermented Foods 

All traditions used fermented foods out of need (no refrigeration or pasteurization was available) which served as natural probiotics.

No pills were necessary.

Some of these food processing types (natural  type processing here)

include pickling with lactic acid (German sauerkraut or Korean kimchi),

baking yeast (sourdough),

bacterial fermentation of milks (yogurt or kefir),

and other fermented drinks (kombucha).

 

The “Good Stuff” in Enzyme-rich Probiotic Foods/ Drinks:

(a.k.a., What’s In it for Me?):

  • Anti-inflammatory effect
  • Improve Energy
  • Improve Mood
  • Vitamin B-12
  • Fights Allergies
  • Healthier Skin
  • Absorb more nutrients from food
  • Improve Diarrhea or Constipation
  • Stimulates Immunity*

*Increases T-cells which stimulates immune system

 

How Can You Improve Imbalanced Skin?

 

How Fermentation Works

Fermentation in food helps break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates

in order for our digestive system to be able to better handle the food

in order to turn it into energy.

 

We can let enzymes in foods do some of the work-

 

(Better option to save precious energy on digestion when our reserves run low)

due to…immune issues, stress or being just plain run-down.

Many of us are over-working while under-sleeping

(that is double-dipping into precious energy reserve)!

 

Examples of Fermented Food & Drinks:

  • Kefir
  • Kimchi
  • Kombucha
  • Miso soup
  • Sauerkraut
  • Sourdough
  • Yogurt

An example of a fermented food containing enzymes is a Japanese soup.

“Miso” soup is made from fermented soy (the only type of soy you should be eating).

Why not eat non-fermented soy?–because soy is an endocrine disrupter and can affect hormones and ultimately, even fertility.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has concluded soy to be an endocrine disrupter, particularly in children whose bodies are still developing.

One of the ways we can see the disruption of hormones from our disruptive foods is what some have called, “man boobs.” (We may need another post to dive deeper into this)…

 

Why worry about the health of your digestion?

Isn’t that just for old people and people with debilitating disease? No, a balanced digestion can help you avoid aging your body and ending up with disease and dis-ease. If having more energy and looking and feeling better are important to you, then getting your digestion into balance is for you! Feel better, Move forward.

 

What You Can Do?

You can help your gut by eating probiotic foods rich in enzymes. This can serve to improve your energy, mood and overall well-being.

Learn to make:

  • Your own probiotic drinks like Kombucha or Kefir
  • Your own pickled foods like Sauerkraut or Kimchi
  • Your own sourdough bread (try gluten-free version)

Avoid:

  • Stress
  • Refined sugars
  • Processed foods (including fast food)

Stress, refined sugar and overly-processed, packaged foods can impair your body’s ability to create enzymes that destroy the bad bacteria in the gut.

Digestive Enzymes

Some people opt to take Digestive enzymes in a pill form (instead of enzyme-rich fermented foods) to help break down all three macros; fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

Read More on Digestive Enzymes Here

 

Thanks for Reading!

Written by Aleesha Ackerman, LAc

Aleesha Ackerman is a certified and state licensed acupuncturist with a Master’s degree in acupuncture. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree from Hamline University. Aleesha owns and operates Aleesha D Acupuncture clinic for Pain and Women’s Health in Anoka, MN.

She became interested in acupuncture and holistic medicine when acupuncture cured her of debilitating migraine pain after an auto collision with a semi-truck. Aleesha specializes in treating acute and chronic pain and Women’s Health. Women come to her everyday with issues such as hot flashes, mood imbalance and low energy. Read more about Aleesha and what she specializes in Here.

Patients at Aleesha D Acupuncture report feeling cared for, listened to and are happy to get the much-needed pain and stress relief from their treatments!

Aleesha treats digestion issues successfully by treating the root cause and by treating the whole individual.

Why wait? Start Your Relief Today- contact Aleesha D Acupuncture in Anoka today to schedule your acupuncture appointment!

 

Feel Better, Move Forward

Aleesha D Acupuncture is located in historic downtown Anoka at 207 East Main Street close to Andover, MN with free parking.

DISCLAIMER

This article is not intended to replace any health care. No information on this site should be relied on to determine medical diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition. As with any health concerns, always be sure to consult your health care provider with any health concerns.

Licensed Acupuncturist in Anoka Serving Andover, Anoka, Big Lake, Champlin, Circle Pines, Columbus, Coon Rapids, Dayton, East Bethel, Elk River, Forest Lake, Fridley, Ham Lake, Isanti, Lino Lakes, Maple Grove, Minneapolis, Now Then, Oak Grove, Osseo, Ostego, Ramsey, Saint Francis, Saint Paul, Shoreview, Spring Lake Park, Vadnais Heights and White Bear Lake.

Zip codes we treat: 55304, 55303, 55309, 55014, 55316, 55433, 55448, 55327, 55330, 55432, 55040, 55401, 55402, 55403, 55404, 55406, 55407, 55408, 55409, 55410, 55411, 55412, 55413, 55416, 55418, 55419, 55421, 55422, 55011, 55311, 55369, 55102, 55103, 55104, 55105, 55106, 55107, 55108, 55101, 55109, 55110, 55111, 55113, 55114, 55116, 55117, 55120, 55124, 55125, 55115, 55118, 55119, 55121, 55122, 55123, 55126, 55129, 55130, 55146, 55127, 55128, 55133, 55144, 55145, 55155, 55164, 55165, 55166, 55166, 55168, 55170, 55175, 55187, 55188, 55171, 55172, 55014, 55025, 55371, 55398, 55308, 55960

 

 

 

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