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A key for achieving and maintaining peak health is insuring full and proper digestion of the foods you eat. By the time we reach the age of thirty or so, our body's ability to fully and completely digest what we eat has become greatly compromised. Whereas most food factors, including vitamins, suffer only minor or no demonstrable harm from heat preparation in the kitchen or factory, enzymes are completely destroyed by manufacturing or culinary operations. Enzymes can withstand no cooking, boiling, frying, roasting, stewing, broiling, or pasteurizing. Heat destroys them to the extent of not 99% but 100%!

Because today's modern diet includes huge amounts of hard-to-digest high-protein foods, as well as numerous enzyme deficient foods, our digestive organs are constantly overworking themselves in an attempt to digest the foods we eat. In order for the body to digest food completely and effectively, there must be a sufficient quantity of enzymes available. As little as a century ago, when our society was basically agrarian and people still ate plenty of organically grown raw fruits and vegetables as a way of life, incomplete digestion was virtually unknown as a medical problem. That is because organically grown raw fruits and vegetables contain huge amounts of their own active food enzymes.

These natural enzymes, which are found in all raw foods, begin digesting food the moment it is put into the mouth and is chewed. After the food is swallowed, enzymes continue predigesting the food while it is being held in the upper (cardiac) portion of the stomach (it is held there for an hour or so before it moves to the lower (pyloric) portion (in a sense, we really have two stomachs with two separate and distinct functions), breaking the food down into its most simple state, and releasing the vital nutrients from the food so that our bodies can assimilate and use those nutrients to maintain peak health.

However, today, because of modern agricultural practices which employ a myriad of herbicides, pesticides, synthetic chemicals, etc., and because the soil throughout America's vast farmland has been leached of much of its vital mineral content, even our raw foods are almost grossly lacking in the important quantities of enzymes necessary for proper food digestion.

Furthermore, if the food you eat has been heated to 118 degrees F. or higher, it really does not matter much whether it was organically grown or not, because any enzymes in that food have been totally and completely destroyed. Considering the fact that cooked and heat-processed foods now make up the predominant part of the average American diet, this means that the vast majority of what we eat these days is completely devoid of the vital enzymes that are absolutely essential to the digestive process. Because of this, the human body ends up severely overtaxing itself in order to produce enough of its own enzymes to aid in the process of digestion. According to Dr. Edward Howell, America's foremost medical expert on the role of enzymes in digestion and human health, the human body even goes so far as to shift from producing vital metabolic enzymes to producing digestive enzymes, in order to make up for the enzyme deficiencies in the foods we eat.

This works fine for a while - the body in its youth can often handle this problem to a sufficient enough extent to get by without ill effect. But by the time middle age rolls around, the overworked pancreas and other digestive organs can no longer produce sufficient quantities of either the crucial metabolic enzymes or the essential digestive enzymes. In a sense, the body's enzyme "bank account" becomes so severely overdrawn that the body itself begins to break down prematurely.

Thanks to the pioneering work of medical researchers and biochemists like Dr. Edward Howell, enzymes are now finally beginning to be recognized as the premier element in human health and well-being. Vitamins, minerals, and trace elements have long been known to be essential to human health and longevity, but what has only been discovered in the past 50 years or so is the fact that without enzymes, the human body simply cannot utilize vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and other nutrients. Enzymes are the body's nutritional delivery system. Without them in sufficient quantities, nutrients simply cannot be effectively delivered where needed in the human body.

In short, your stamina, energy level, ability to utilize vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, and your body's self-healing immune capability all depend directly upon the quantity of enzymes in the blood, organs and tissues. Without enzymes, not one single metabolic process can continue. In fact, having sufficient numbers of enzymes throughout the body is absolutely essential to the body's ability to break down toxins, build protein into muscle, eliminate carbon dioxide from the lungs, fend off attack from invading organisms, and much more.

If you desire to improve your diet and health with a high-quality, active enzymes supplement, you owe it to yourself to check out SOMAZYME from Life Plus - see this issue's "Product-of-the-Month" listed below.

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WELLNESS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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** Q & A #1:
What is the urinary tract?

Your urinary tract includes the organs that collect and store urine and release it from your body. These organs include the kidneys, which remove liquid waste from the blood in the form of urine, keep a balance of salts and other substances in the blood, and produce a hormone that helps form red blood cells. It also includes the ureters or narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, the triangle-shaped chamber in the lower abdomen that stores urine; and the urethra, a tube that carries the urine as it leaves the body.

** Q & A #2:
What are urinary tract infections (UTIs)?

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection anywhere in the urinary tract. Normal urine is sterile. It contains fluids, salts, and waste products, but it is free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. An infection occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria from the digestive tract, cling to the urethra, or opening to the urinary tract, and begin to multiply.

** Q & A #3:
What causes UTIs?

Most infections are caused by one type of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally live in the colon. In most cases, bacteria first begin growing in the urethra and often move on to the bladder, causing a bladder infection or cystitis. If an infection is not treated quickly, bacteria could then travel up the ureters to infect the kidneys. This serious condition is called pyelonephritis.

Microorganisms called chlamydia and mycoplasma can also cause UTIs in both women and men. These infections usually occur in the urethra and reproductive system (the uterus, or womb, and the ovaries and fallopian tubes). Unlike E. coli, chlamydia and mycoplasma can be sexually transmitted, and both partners should be treated for the infection.

Some women have a long-lasting condition called interstitial cystitis, also known as painful bladder syndrome or frequency-urgency-dysuria syndrome. With this condition, the wall of the bladder becomes inflamed or irritated, which affects the amount of urine the bladder can hold. Interstitial cystitis can cause scarring, stiffening, and bleeding in the bladder. This complex condition is different from a UTI, and scientists do not know what causes it.

** Q & A #4:
What are the symptoms of a UTI?

Not everyone with a UTI has symptoms, but most people get at least some signs. They can range from slightly irritating to very painful. Symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate, but only passing a small amount of urine and a burning sensation, pressure, or pain in the area of the bladder or when urinating. The urine itself may look milky or cloudy, even reddish if blood is present. It is not unusual to feel tired, shaky or washed out. Often, women feel an uncomfortable pressure above the pubic bone, and some men feel fullness in the rectum. A fever may mean the infection has reached the kidneys. Other symptoms of a kidney infection include pain in your back or your side below the ribs, nausea or vomiting, and chills. It is very important to see your health care provider at the first sign of pain, irritation, or blood when you urinate or if you have discomfort in or near your abdomen, back, or sides. An untreated UTI can lead to a kidney infection. An untreated or recurrent kidney infection can lead to scarring of the kidneys and permanent kidney damage.

** Q & A #5:
Who is at risk for UTIs?

Some people are more likely to get a UTI than others, but about one of every five women will develop a UTI in her lifetime. Women have more UTIs than men do. It may be because women's urethra is relatively short, which allows bacteria quick access to the bladder. It may also be because a women's urethral opening is near sources of bacteria from the anus and vagina.

For many women, sexual intercourse seems to trigger an infection. According to several studies, women who use a diaphragm are more likely to develop a UTI than women who use other forms of birth control. Women are at a higher risk for UTIs after they experience menopause. The walls of the urinary tract become thinner after menopause, which weakens their mucous linings. The mucous linings are then less able to resist bacteria. The muscles of the bladder also become less elastic (or cannot stretch the way they used to) and the bladder may not empty completely. This can contribute to a UTI.

Any abnormality of the urinary tract that blocks the flow of urine (a kidney stone, for example) makes an infection more likely. A common source of infection is catheters, or tubes placed in the bladder to help people who are unconscious or critically ill to urinate. Bacteria on the catheter can infect the bladder, so hospital staff take special care to keep the catheter sterile and to remove it as soon as possible. People with diabetes also have a higher risk of a UTI because of changes in the immune system. Any disorder that suppresses the immune system, like diabetes, raises the risk of a UTI.

** Q & A #6:
Do you develop more urinary tract infections during pregnancy?

Pregnant women do not seem more likely to get UTIs than other women. However, when a UTI does occur in pregnant women, it more likely to travel to the kidneys. Scientists think that hormonal changes and shifts in the position of the urinary tract during pregnancy make it easier for bacteria make it easier for bacteria to travel up the ureters to the kidneys. For this reason, many health care providers test a pregnant woman's urine during her routine visits. If you have symptoms of a UTI while you are pregnant, visit your health care provider right away because the infection could cause premature delivery of your baby and other risks such as high blood pressure.

** Q & A #7:
How is a UTI diagnosed?

To find out whether you have a UTI, your health care provider will test a sample of urine for pus and bacteria. You will be asked to give a "clean catch" urine sample by washing the genital area and collecting a "midstream" sample of urine in a sterile container. (This method of collecting urine helps prevent bacteria around the genital area from getting into the sample and confusing the test results.) The urine sample is then sent to the laboratory to be examined for white and red blood cells and bacteria. Then the bacteria are allowed to multiply in a culture. After the bacteria grow, it is tested against different antibiotics to see which drug best destroys the bacteria. This last step is called a sensitivity test. Although your health care provider may begin treatment before the bacterial cultures are back from the lab, the cultures will confirm the diagnosis and may cause a change in the antibiotic your health care provider chooses for you.

If the UTI does not clear up with treatment, or if you have had several bladder infections, you may need a test called a cystoscopy. A flexible tube with a light and camera is inserted into the bladder to remove samples of urine and tissue. Your health care provider might order other tests that produce pictures, or images, of the urinary tract, such as the intravenous pyelogram (IVP). This text provides x-ray images of the bladder, kidneys, and ureters. Another imaging test you might need is an ultrasound exam, which gives pictures from the echo patterns of sound waves bounced back from internal organs.

One test allows women with frequent infections to test their first-morning urine sample by themselves. Dipsticks (a type of testing paper that looks like a stick, which you can dip into a sample of your urine) that change color when an infection is present are now available in drug stores without a prescription.

** Q & A #8:
How is a UTI treated?

UTIs are treated with antibiotics (a medicine that kills bacteria), usually for seven to ten days. For some infections, however, you may only need a single dose of an antibiotic. The choice of antibiotic and length of treatment depend on your health history and the type of bacteria causing the infection. The antibiotic drugs most often used to treat UTIs are: trimethoprim (Trimpex); trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole or TMP/SMZ (Bactrim, Septra, Cotrim); amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox, Wymox); nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin, Furadantin), and ampicillin. Other antibiotics are sometimes used as well, including ofloxacin (Floxin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), and trovafloxin (Trovan). Some antibiotics are not safe to take during pregnancy. Talk with your health care provider about the risks and benefits of taking the different medications.

Getting proper treatment will prevent your urinary tract problems from getting worse and affecting other parts of your body. You can help prevent kidney infections by seeing your health care provider as soon as you have symptoms of a UTI. If you are in pain, ask your health care provider to prescribe a pain reliever since various drugs are available. A heating pad may also help.

** Q & A #9:
What if I keep getting UTIs?

Most healthy women do not get repeat infections. However, women who have had three UTIs are likely to continue having them. Four out of five of these women get another UTI within 18 months of the last UTI. Many women have them even more often. If you have frequent infections (three or more a year), ask your health care provider about one of the following treatment options:

1. Taking low doses of an antibiotic, such as TMP/SMZ or nitrofurantoin, daily for six months or longer. Research has shown this therapy to be effective without causing serious side effects.
2. Taking a single dose of an antibiotic after sexual intercourse.
3. Taking a short course (one or two days) of antibiotics when symptoms appear.

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PRODUCT-OF-THE-MONTH

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Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you know that might benefit from any of the above information - or refer them to http://www.aomega.com/ahs/newsletters/nl030407.htm - we would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for reading this edition of the Archangel Health News and may God bless you and your health!

Darrin and Sandi Quiles
Archangel Health and Nutrition Store

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Copyright © 2007 by Sandi and Darrin Quiles. All rights reserved.