The Enzyme Cure
by Lita Lee, Ph. D., and Burton Goldberg
Book Report by Liz Pavek
This useful book joins the others of my short but growing "essential reading" list. Dr. Lee has a doctorate in chemistry, and has had 30 years of chemical and medical research experience. Because of this, I am inclined to trust her opinions on the importance of enzymes in the diet.
Enzymes are so essential that they are part of every physical process in the body, and without them, life stops. When we are young, our enzyme stores are well-stocked, but the longer we eat a perverted and synthetic diet, the fewer enzymes we take in, and the more enzymes are required to process the faulty diet. Like a bank account, the income has to meet or exceed the outgo or the budget is in trouble, and eating fake foods and synthesized fats and nutrients is like writing too many checks--eventually, there's nothing in the account to cover them.
Dr. Lee explains how enzymes can be used to treat 36 different disorders and problems, and gives lots of wonderful advice on good nutrition and healthful eating.
Part One of this book is a thorough explanation of enzymes: where they come from, what they do, and why they are important. It also has information on how to tell if enzyme deficiency is what is causing your problems.
Enzyme deficiencies can be caused by high-temperature cooking of natural foods (enzymes are "killed" at 118 degrees F. and are worthless after food temperature reaches this point), refined and chemical-laced synthetic foods (your body must mobilize its immune system each time you eat trashy food, since the enzymes for digestion are carried on white blood cells. Dr. Lee says the physical reaction to a slice of bologna or other deli meat would be about the same as that encountered with exposure to a virus), pesticides, genetic engineering and hybridization, BGH, or "bovine growth hormone," Pasteurization (in which the food is brought to a temperature just below boiling. This is well over the 118 degrees F. limit for enzymes, of course), irradiated foods, excess intake of unsaturated and hydrogenated fats (polyunsaturated fatty acids severely suppress the immune system, so enzymes that might be essential for digestion might not even be able to be stimulated in the presence of PUFA's), geopathic stress zones in the earth, fluoridated water, heavy metals, mercury amalgam dental fillings, and root canals.
Part Three is the section on appendices. Dr. Lee has included large and interesting appendices covering Hormonal Balancing, Thera-zyme Enzyme Formulas, where to find Enzyme Therapy practitioners, and product contact information.
The largest part of the book is Part Two, in which Dr. Lee lists numerous conditions and problems, and explains how enzyme therapy is used to treat the problems. It covers such conditions as headache, osteoporosis, seizures, gall bladder disorders, and fibroid cysts, just to name a few.
My only complaint was the TINY type in the sidebars. (Of course, the fact that I'm nearly 60 might have something to do with this!) The book is beautifully laid out, illustrated with diagrams and even some funny cartoons, and lists websites to surf to, addresses and sometimes even phone numbers for pursuit of further information on everything that is in the book.
This a very good book with a lot of information in it. Do your body a favor and get yourself a copy. (Tell them Liz sent you...)
