Welcome to Science Facts Sundays.

This week we are beginning the journey through Dr. Edward Howell’s ground-breaking book, Enzyme Nutrition, The Food Enzyme Concept - Unlocking the Secrets of Eating Right for Health, Vitality, and Longevity. I read this book several years ago with much interest, and am excited to be combing through it again.

Published in 1985, this book was written by Dr. Howell when he was in his late eighties. A pioneering biochemist and nutrition researcher, Dr. Howell began his study of food enzymes and how they affect human health in the 1920′s - right around the time Dr. Weston A. Price was connecting the dots between tooth decay and modern diets.

In 1930, Dr. Howell began utilizing nutritional therapies in his own facility, where he used the concepts described in this book to treat chronic ailments.

Our modern diet is severely lacking natural, unprocessed foods. Although unrefined foods are vital to our health, we are plagued with degenerative diseases. Why?

Dr. Howell discovered natural elements already in our food play a key role in longevity - and it’s not just the vitamins and minerals. Food enzymes play a vital role in health, and this book will show you why - and how.

Although we will learn all the details in this book, I want you to know where Dr. Howell is coming from. Here is the Enzyme Nutrition concept in a nutshell, from Dr. Howell’s own mouth:

The length of life is inversely proportional to the rate of exhaustion of the enzyme potential of an organism. The increased use of food enzymes promotes a decreased rate of exhaustion of the enzyme potential.

In other words, Dr. Howell believed that as we age, our internal enzymes become depleted, thus leading to chronic illnesses.

Dr. Howell may or may not have correctly assessed the how’s and why’s (do we really have a store of enzymes? can we conserve them? do they really run out?), but he was a man ahead of his time. We have much to learn from this book about enzymes - much of which is being proven in new ways by modern science.

Join me as we lean everything there is to know about Enzyme Nutrition. If I am moving too slow for you, consider purchasing your own copy of Enzyme Nutrition. Warning: it is not an easy read! As a biochemist, Dr. Howell uses impressive words, as did most men of his era. This is a book that you will need to read slowly so you can absorb it (at least I do!).

This week our focus is Some Research Findings and Raw vs. Cooked Food (written in my own words, from the view of the author):

(Make sure you read previous weeks or this week could be confusing)

Most of us know that high temperatures destroy enzymes - but did you know they also do more work at slightly warmer temperatures? Enzymes do four times as much work at 80 degrees than they do at a refrigerated 40 degrees. At 120 degrees they accomplish eight times as much as at 80 degrees. At 160 degrees they do sixteen times as much, but they wear out in half an hour and are then unable to work. Lesson learned: although enzymes do more work in warmer temps, they are used up more quickly.

The same principle is true in the case of a fever. The elevated temperature induces faster enzyme action which is not favorable for bacteria. The hungry enzymes frequenting white blood cells make short work of germs through phagocytosis, where the white blood cells engulf and consume the germs. This is why it is important to let a fever run its course and not suppress it, as long as it stays below 104 degrees. The used-up enzymes are expelled in the urine, another proof that enzymes do wear out.

The rating of the enzyme potential determines not only the length of life, but how effectively the organisms can maintain a high state of health and deal with disease.

Enzyme activity becomes weaker with age. Researchers in a hospital in Chicago found enzyme activity in the saliva of young adults was 30 times stronger than in persons over 69 years old. In Germany urine samples were screened and it was found in young adults the enzyme averaged 25 of his test units for young people and 14 in old people.

There are other examples in this book, all showing the evidence of a fixed enzyme potential in all living creatures.

That’s it for today! I hope you learned something Check back next week as we continue to discuss Dr. Edward Howell’s book, Enzyme Nutrition and focus on Enzymes and Life.

Please let me know if you are enjoying this series. I am considering pausing it. There is much useful information, and also some theories that seem dated. What do YOU think?

• The Enzyme Complex & The Food Enzyme Concept (Part 1)
• The Law of Adaptive Secretion of Digestive Enzymes (Part 2)
• The Food-Enzyme Stomach (Part 3)
• Research Findings (Part 4)
• Enzymes & Temperatures (Part 5)

Similar Posts:

Science Facts Sundays: Research Findings (Part 4)
Science Facts Sundays: Enzyme Nutrition Introduction - The Enzyme Complex & The Food Enzyme Concept (Part 1)
Science Facts Sundays: The Food-Enzyme Stomach (Part 3)

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Lea Harris founded Nourishing Treasures in 2006. A mom passionate about her family's health and well-being, Lea believes education is power. Encouraging others to take baby steps in the right direction of health for their families, Lea's goal is to raise awareness of what goes into our mouths and on our bodies, providing natural alternative information that promotes health and prevents disease by using traditional foods and nature's medicine. Lea is a Certified Health Coach graduate from Beyond Organic University, and a Certified Aromatherapist graduate from Aromahead Institute. "Like" Nourishing Treasures on Facebook, join the Nourishing Treasures Group on Facebook, follow @NourishTreasure on Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter. You can also find me on Learning About Essential Oils forum, and Fido Fermentation Facebook group. Disclaimer: I use affiliate links wherever possible. So if you click on a link, and make a purchase, I might make a small commission, but it doesn't cost you any more.