Re: enzymes, infractions, and eating old foods (long)

January 31, 2004

>>>She talked to someone who was recommending an enzyme, saying that

if her son got into such-and-such, it would antidote it, sounds

like.

For some people, they can take digestive enzymes after the 'wrong

food' has been eaten and it will still digest it so there is not

adverse effects. Depends on the person and exactly where in the

digestive process the problem lies. The process of digestion can take

hours and hours. In general though, I would not rely on enzymes to

handle a food accident if it has been longer than 1 hour since the

food was eaten. Pepcid AC or Alka-selzer Gold have been known to help

after the fact. Both enzymes and these others can help reduce or

lessen any adverse effects. This has been reported many many times.

Taking plant derived enzymes before eating or with the meal can work

because they would be digesting the food so it isn't a problem in the

first place. Remember that supplemental enzymes are only doing what

your body is supposed to be doing anyway.

>>>Also, she asked can the kids start eating the foods they used to

eat again with the enzymes.

For most people, yes, this is the case. For for some, it is not.

Digestive enzymes typically work GREAT on real food (no surprise

there). They do not have as much success or as consistent success

with non-food ingredients (artificial ingredients). There is also

some success, but not totally, with things like sulfites, benzoates,

amines, etc, which can be naturally occurring or artificially derived.

>>>The question was also raised can they eat the old foods, even with

gluten and casein, in general eventually (I guess maybe without the

enzymes). She also asked wouldn't going back to the forbidden grains

mess the gut up all over again?

This rather depends on the person and the foods and why the foods are

a problem in the first place. If you have a true allergy to a food or

chemical, then likely, no, you would still need to avoid it. However,

sometimes adverse reactions can be avoided if you eat the offending

food sparingly.

For casein, gluten, and other common foods often restricted with

autism, some people can go back to a 'regular' diet without enzymes

whereas others would still need enzymes to avoid regressing. Some

people do a detox therapy and this alleviates the need for enzymes

because the root cause is 'fixed'. But for others, this is not the

root cause and so that won't help. Maybe an anti-viral is in order or

something else. For some, once the gut is healed with enzymes or

other measures, then the person can return to all foods all the time

with no problems returning at all. This has happened before with

people doing GFCF for a while and then leaving the diet - some are

fine from then on, and others regress after awhile.

Here is another way to look at it: Can healing the gut restore proper

enzyme and digestive function so that you no longer need supplemental

enzymes or restrictive diets?

Taking enzymes can promote gut healing (as research indicates enzymes

proactively facilitate tissue healing). When the gut lining is

healed, the villi and microvilli can be restored (or 'grow back'),

and return to doing their job of breaking down certain foods. SCD

aims to eliminate all the foods that require these particular

enzymes. Remember it is not the lack of pancreatic enzymes SCD is

concnerned about. It is the ones in the intestinal lining that are in

question.

And thus, taking supplemental enzymes can actually promote your own

natural enzyme production back to 'normal' so you no longer need the

supplements. So rather than a person becoming dependent on

supplemental enzymes (as some fear), they can actually make you less

dependent on not only enzymes but other nutritional supplements as

well. You would be less dependent because you could now get your

nutrition from the food you eat and not handfuls of pill. I believe

that is part of the SCD objective. To heal the gut so your own

enzymes get back in business.

>>>>> So, I told her I would ask.

You are a good friend.

>>>>Is being able to eat the " old foods " totally an issue dependent

upon gut healing?

I don't know personally...probably depends on the person and all the

factors involved in their individual situation.

>>>Wouldn't casein, gluten, grape juice, etc. still doing something

biochemically to the brain?

No, not necessarily. If the gut is injured and therefore absorbing

things that is *should* be screening out, and it is those things are

affecting the brain or body in some way, then healing the gut should

resolve those issues. The gut heals, the 'things' do not get through,

and you have no adverse effects. In fact, this is what a number of

people report with SCD and/or supplemental enzymes.

Casein, gluten, and other insufficiently digested proteins only

affect *some* people with autism with a brain reaction, but

definitely not all. And only *some* people have an enhanced 'opiate'

effect, but others most definitely do not. A fair number of GFCF

people do not believe in the 'opiate effect' but feel it is an immune

system effect they are reacting to. There are other possibilities as

well.

You may have an adverse reaction to a food for a number of reasons.

Here is a link to a discussion on the many aspects of dairy:

http://www.enzymestuff.com/discussiondairy.htm

With gluten, it might not be the starch or bread at all. It might be

the chemicals used in commercial pan sprays the person is reacting

to. Or it might be that insufficiently digested food is feeding gut

bugs and it is the by-products or toxins produced by the gut bugs

that is affecting the brain and body (not the food at all).

Juice may be a problem because of additivies, the sugar content, the

phenol content, or other compounds.

>>>> 1) Do enzymes antidote casein and/or gluten (or anything else)?

> In the beginning? Eventually?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no, depending on the person.

>>> 2) How do kids go back to old foods?

With gut healing they may go back to all foods, or just some foods,

or it isn't possible for them without supports like enzymes or diets.

>>>> 3) Is it just a function of gut healing or also

biochemical/metabolic issues involving the brain?

Probably both. More of one for some, more of the other for different

folks.

>>>> 4) Don't the old grains hurt the gut again?

Not necessarily at all, depending on the problem, how often you eat

the old grains, what else you are eating, what your genetic makeup

is, etc.

Teri, if you or your friend have further questions, please post them.

These are really at the heart of what many people want to know about

these dietary and supplemental treatments.

.

January 31, 2004

Wow, , thank you so much!! I will share this with Wilma and it is good

information for me, too.

Teri