Human glyoxalase I. Two zinc ions that are needed for the enzyme to catalyze its reaction are shown as purple spheres, and an enzyme inhibitor called S-hexylglutathione is shown as a space-filling model, filling the two active sites.

There are several different kinds of enzymes. The ones I focus on typically are digestive enzymes and systemic enzymes.

Digestive enzymes like hydrochloric acid and pepsin are the primary things you need in your stomach to help digest proteins and minerals. They also help to sterilize the stomach and kill parasites, bacteria, mold, micro spores, etc. Ideally your stomach is the only place in your body that’s acidic, and it should be extremely acidic. After the mouth the stomach is the beginning of all chemical and digestive reactions in your body. You need all the atomic energy in there to break up the molecules and to get things ready and assembled for digestion. If you put protein like meat in water it will just set there; it won’t break down. Put the same protein in a strong hydrochloric acid and it will dissolve relatively quickly, and that’s what you want to have happen. You want things to dissolve relatively quickly. You don’t want food just sitting there rotting in your stomach. That’s the reason you need to avoid drinking fluids during your meals. They will dilute the acids. As you can imagine, taking antacids while you are trying to digest foods pretty much puts a stop to everything.

Digestive enzymes work in the stomach to digest food, while quality systemic enzymes are enterically coated to prevent contact with the stomach acid. This way they pass through the stomach into the intestines where they are absorbed by the body.

We are born with the ability to produce a certain amount of systemic enzymes. Systemic enzymes fight
inflammation, fibrosis (scar tissue), and viruses; modulate the immune system; and cleanse the blood. These enzymes are a kind of scavenger hunter. They go after foreign protein, things that shouldn’t be there. They’ll go after scar tissue, a cyst, bacteria, parasites, viruses. Virtually anything that doesn’t belong in your body is like food to these enzymes. We’ve even seen systemic enzymes kill heartworms in cats. And when you are young you can bump into things, fall, scratch yourself, and your body healed easily, and quickly, often not leaving a scar when you thought it would. You
didn’t have aches or pains, you healed so easily. But as they get older, the typical person does not ingest enough systemic enzymes and the body realizes it’s running out of them. So it begins to ration them, because if you completely run out, you can’t survive. Three days after you run out of enzymes you are dead. Your body always needs enough in reserve for the unexpected.

So you get into your 20’s and you don’t heal as quickly. You get into your thirties and you notice you scar more easily. You may even be developing permanent aches and pains. The reason you are running out of
these enzymes and not replenishing them is because you are not doing what you used to do, what all other animals do in nature, you aren’t eating living things.

When you pick an apple off of a tree, you get enzymes. When you eat an apple fallen from the tree a few days ago, you’re getting fewer enzymes. If you eat an apple off the shelf at the grocery store, well, you get the idea. It’s not rotten, it may have everything else you need, but the enzymes are gone.

Fish eat other fish, giraffes eat leaves, lions eat living prey, and we eat dead food. And we don’t heal like we should and we don’t digest our food like we should. We need these enzymes.

In Germany and Japan, two countries with the best healthcare in the world, you would be given systemic enzymes for almost any treatment. If you had kidney problems, they would include these enzymes in your treatment. If you were in an auto accident driving on the autobahn and sustained a spinal cord injury they would give you a retention enema with the equivalent of about 300 enzyme capsules to save you from major damage and reduce the possibility of major paralysis.

Dr. Kelly recommends Betaine HCl and Pepsin from Thorne for digestive enzymes and Vitälzym X for systemic enzymes.

Time and time again studies have shown vitamin C or Echinacea can help prevent or reduce the length and severity of a viral infection such as the common cold. And yet, other studies will show vitamin C or Echinacea are of little to no help in fighting viruses. Some studies conclude a particular supplement prevents or cures an illness. A second study says maybe it does, but more research is needed. A third denies any health benefits at all, while a fourth declares the same supplement to be dangerous. There are as many conflicting reports published as there are supplements!

The truth is, vitamins, minerals, and other supplements can be very beneficial in preventing disease or in restoring the body to health. But choosing the right supplement is not as easy as going to your local vitamin store or grocery store and picking up a multivitamin that claims to have 100% of every USDA daily requirement.
Vitamins, minerals, and other supplements come in many different forms: synthetic pills that our bodies can’t digest, much less assimilate, “natural” vitamins that are anything but natural, and whole food vitamins and supplements.

Binders, fillers, and lubricants used to speed up production are commonly found in almost all supplements. Typical synthetic vitamins are usually coated with shellac (listed in the ingredients as “natural glaze”) or vegetable coating (derived from corn).These additives have a number of effects, including decreased absorption and allergenic reaction. Even small amounts of additives may cause reactions in sensitive individuals. Of course, manufactures and distributors deny that the presence of these substances is detrimental. But obviously, the most desirable products would not contain non-nutrient substances added solely to expedite the manufacturing process.

Whole food vitamins, minerals, and supplements are usually best, but beware. Not all of the products referred to as “food vitamins” are created equal.

One common practice is to take standard vitamins and put them in tablets or capsules with dried foods or herbs along with fillers, preservatives, and other additives, then label them as food vitamins. These vitamins are nothing more than a more expensive version of standard synthetic vitamins.

Another common type of “food vitamin” is made by adding standard synthetic vitamins to a liquid broth containing yeast. As the yeast grows, the vitamins and minerals are incorporated into the cell structure of the yeast. The yeast is then killed in a drying process and the residue is pressed into tablets with herbs, binders, and manufacturing additives. Though absorption is superior to the previous method, vitamins made this way are low in potency and high in cost.

A third kind of “food vitamin” supplement is made from concentrated dried foods either pressed into tablets with the aid of manufacturing additives or sold as tinctures. Potency and effectiveness depend on the quality of the raw herb used, the care taken in manufacturing, and the purity of the final product.

When you look for a natural health care practitioner, we recommend that you check to see if they carry Thorne Research, Systemic Formulas, and/or Standard Process supplements. Though many of the products of these three companies can be purchased over the Internet, many of these products are restricted to distribution through health care practitioners. A health care practitioner who uses any of these brands for acute care is likely to know at least a little more about health than their counterparts.

For tinctures, you can’t go wrong with Medi-herb. As far as purchasing over the internet, the highest quality supplements you can get can be found at Beyond Health. They are pricy, but in this case you get what you pay for. For general nutrition and herbal remedies be sure to check out Organic Solutions.

Do we really need vitamins, minerals, and supplements? Not if we eat fresh raw nutrient dense organic vegetables and fruits straight from a garden with soil rich in minerals and nutrients, and fresh (just killed), raw, all natural, healthy meat. We must also remember to eat our grains, nuts, and seeds sprouted. But even if we were willing and able to eat such a Paleolithic diet in this modern day and age, it’s not readily available.

When choosing a multi vitamin and/or minerals know that knowledgeable manufacturers will exclude iron, copper, and iodine from their multivitamin formula as they react with and destroy other nutrients in most cases. Choose vitamins, minerals, and supplements void of synthetic ingredients. Even small amounts of the synthetic forms may be toxic. Yeast based vitamins can cause sensitivities over time for anyone who has problems with Candida and most of the supplements have hidden ingredients the manufacturers aren’t required to list on their labels, which can affect people with allergies. We believe it’s the toxic effect of synthetic vitamins; reactions to fillers, binders, and lubricants; the huge difference in purity from one brand to another; and the resultant lack of absorption or the absorption rate that are the root causes of widely varying outcomes in scientific studies.

The hardest part about writing an article to teach one how to shop for vitamins and minerals is that none of the rules are applicable every time. In addition, none of the supplement manufacturers listed above are perfect. We believe the highest quality multivitamin/minerals come from Beyond Health but they are far and away the most expensive. The other companies have various strengths and weaknesses but make good products that are effective, especially for acute care. For the best results, choose additive-free supplements.

There are two supplements we recommend you take every day, regardless of who you are and what diet you choose. Obviously, a good multivitamin/mineral is a must, but you also need a fatty acid supplement.

Multivitamins and minerals

Ideally you want to get your vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat. But it’s next to impossible for some and completely impossible for others in this day and age. A good multivitamin/mineral supplement is an absolute must for anyone who wants to reach optimum health regardless of their diet.

Thorne Basic Nutrients

Dr. Timothy Kelly recommends Thorne Research vitamins and mineral combinations. They offer a multi vitamin-mineral combination, Basic Nutrients ($30) I and II. Formula I is without copper and iron (recommended); formula II includes them. Another good choice is Basic Immune Nutrients, which combines Basic Nutrients with nutrients that have been found to enhance the functioning of the immune system. A third excellent choice from Thorne is Extra Nutrients. This comprehensive multi vitamin-mineral formula provides the added benefit of reduced glutathione, coenzyme Q10, and hesperidin methyl chalcone. For patients exposed to increased oxidant or free-radical stress, this formula maximizes antioxidant support.

Total Nutrition powder

Dr. Ian Shillington N.D. sells his own formula, Total Nutrition Powder ($48), a balanced blend of whole foods specially formulated to supply natural food source vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential trace elements.

These are nature’s nutrients, not manmade synthetic vitamins. All ingredients are from rich, whole food sources, which are organically grown or wild crafted. You can buy Total Nutrition Powder at our online store, read through his main site, www.academyofnaturalhealing.com, where Dr. Shillington shares his recipe for those who want to make their own Total Nutrition Powder.

Buried Treasure VM-100

Another good choice, available at most health food stores and Whole Foods, is Buried Treasure’s VM-100 ($30). VM-100 is a liquid vitamin/mineral with a full range of B vitamins and it’s also an excellent source of vitamin C.

Beyond Health Multi Vitamin Formula

The top of the line, arguably best, and certainly most expensive is the Multi Vitamin Formula available at BeyondHealth.com ($90). Raymond Francis designed and developed his own line of supplements and you can trust that in this case, you get what you pay for. His website is very informative and well worth your time.

Fatty Acid
Supplements

Fatty acids in the proper balance are needed for many metabolic functions and our bodies cannot produce them. We recommend a fatty acid supplement with a blend of omega-3s, omega 6s, and omega 9s:Udo’s DHA Oil Blend. Dr. Shillington, Raymond Francis, and many other alternative health care practitioners recommend Udo’s Choice Oil with DHA, available at most health food stores. In the past we recommended UDO’s oil and a high quality fish oil Like Carlson or Nordic Naturals in order to get DHA, but now you can get all of the fatty acids you need from one source. Vegans need not worry, Udo’s Oil DHA formula is still 100% vegan.

Other Supplements YouMay Need

PMS

Udo’s Oil and Buried Trasure VM-100 are an absolute must for any women with PMS. The B vitamins in the VM-100 are essential for controlling emotions and you need a variety of Omega 3’s, 6’s, and 9’s to process those B vitamins. Men or women, if you suffer from mood swings of any kind, you could benefit from these two supplements.

Candida (Fungus and/or Yeast)

Anyone coming off of antibiotics, struggling with chronic yeast infections or Candidaovergrowth (usually a result of antibiotic use or excessive alcohol consumption), or eating a typical American diet high in refined sugar, flour, and other refined foods, needs to supply the colon with beneficial bacteria. Forget yogurt, kefir, and most of those probiotics you find at your local health food stores. Virtually all of them are an absolute waste of money.

Little if any of the healthy bacteria makes it through your acidic stomach and into your gut where you need them. Probiotic strains need to be alive when they reach the intestine to be beneficial. A high quality probiotic such as Bio-K Plus is available in diary or soy-based formulas as well as capsules, though we recommend the non-capsule formulas for better absorption.

In addition we recommend Thorne Research SF-722, a castor bean oil abstract that does as good if not better than anything we’ve ever used to kill yeast.

Chronic Acidity

For chronic acidity or acute acidity due to a night out on the town drinking or eating an abundance of acidic foods, you will benefit from Body Balance + Formula by Dr. Shillington. This formula contains black walnut hull tincture, organic blackstrap molasses, and organic apple cider vinegar.

“The average person should take two tablespoons a day. If you’re suffering from arthritis, osteoporosis, or migraines, start off with three (one before each meal) for one month, then cut back to two tablespoons (one in the morning, and one at night, or two in the morning), which is the maintenance dosage. This formula works and has saved many an expensive trip to the Medico. With the quality of the food on our planet being so terrible, Body Balance + should be a daily supplement for everyone, including children,” says Dr. Shillington.