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The Importance of Enzymes
(updated August 2007)
This
information comes mainly from Philip E. Binzel, M.D. Alive and Well (American Media, California 1994) (used with
permission) and from reading Russell L. Blaylock, M.D. Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients (Kensington, New York
2003). Both books available on
www.amazon.com and highly recommended.
The bodys first line of defence relies on
enzymes
Having read
through the research papers published by Dr Ernst Krebs, Dr Dean Burk of the
USA, Dr Hans Nieper of Germany, Dr Ernesto Contreras of Mexico, Dr Manuel
Navarro of the Philippines, Dr Shigeaki Sakai of Japan and others, Dr Binzel
reports that these researchers found that cancer cells are coated with a
protein lining, and that it was this protein lining (or covering) that
prevented the bodys normal defences from getting to the cancer cell. They found that, if you could dissolve the
protein lining from around the cancer cell, the bodys normal defences, the
leukocytes (white blood cells) would destroy the cancer cell. They found that the dissolving of the
protein coating from around the cancer cell was done very nicely within the
body by two enzymes: trypsin and chymotrypsin.
These enzymes are secreted by
the pancreas. Thus, they said the
enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin formed the bodys first line of defence
against cancer.
Dr Blaylock
adds the information that cancer cells escape immune destruction by blocking
their antigen receptor sites with special covering proteins. The antigen receptor sites are what allow
the immune system to identify the cancer cells. In addition, the cancer cells secrete
proteins that bind to the antibodies, forming immune-suppressing
complexes. Digestive enzymes can strip
these cancer-protecting proteins away, allowing the immune system to identify
and kill the cancer cells.
To be effective
Dr Blaylock recommends the digestive enzymes must be taken on an empty stomach.
If they are taken with food, they will be used up digesting the food
proteins. Take Univase Forte (formerly MegaZyme) half an hour to an hour before meals. See note # below. (NB patients with
active or recently cured ulcers cannot take these enzymes, since they can
erode into the ulcer). Univase Forte contains trypsin
and chymotrypsin. Available from Nutrestore and The Nutri Centre. These tablets
have a coating. If you cannot swallow tablets whole you might like to try
Dried Mature Green Papaya, a powder containing digestive enzyme papain which works in either an acid, alkaline or neutral medium. Available from Nutrestore and www.regenerativenutrition.com.
See 'Suppliers'.
Second line of defence nitrilosides in food
react with enzymes in the cancer cells
In addition
to the above first line of defence, Dr Krebs et al. found that the body has a
second line of defence against cancer.
This is formed by a group of substances known as nitrilosides. The cancer cell has an enzyme,
beta-glucosidase, which when it comes in contact with nitrilosides, converts
those nitrilosides into two molecules of glucose, one molecule of benzaldehyde
and one molecule of hydrogen cyanide.
While the hydrogen cyanide may exert some toxic effect, it is the
benzaldehyde that is extremely toxic to the cancer cell. What is so significant about this is that
this is a target-specific reaction.
Within the body, the cancer cell, and only the cancer cell
contains the enzyme beta-glucosidase.
Thus, the benzaldehyde and the hydrogen cyanide can be formed in the
presence of the cancer cell, and only the cancer cell. Thus they are toxic to the cancer cell and
only the cancer cell. Normal cells
contain the enzyme rhodanese, which converts the nitrilosides into food.
These
researchers found that all of us probably have cancer many times in our
lives. If our defence mechanisms are
functioning normally, the body kills off the cancer cells, and were never even
aware that it happened. If, however,
there is a breakdown in that defence mechanism, when the cancer cells appear,
there is nothing to prevent the growth of those cancer cells and soon there is
a tumour.
What causes a breakdown in these defence
mechanisms?
Eating
large quantities of animal protein uses up large amounts of the enzymes trypsin
and chymotrypsin, and if these are all being used up for digestive purposes, the
first line of defence is lost. In
addition there may be little or no nitrilosides in the diet. Millet, which is very high in nitrilosides,
used to be the staple grain. We went
from millet to wheat, which contains no nitrilosides. Our cattle used to graze and ear large
quantities of grasses, which are high in nitrilosides. Now we grain-feed our cattle. There are no nitrilosides in the grain. So the second line of defence against cancer
has disappeared. Should cancer cells
appear at this time, there is nothing to prevent their growth. The results?
Tumour! As Krebs et al, then
pointed out, you can remove the tumour, but if you do not correct the defects
in that individuals defence mechanisms, that tumour will come back.
This means
that you must markedly reduce the intake of animal protein and replace it with
vegetable protein. Vegetable protein
requires nothing in the way of the enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin for
digestion. Thus you can free these
enzymes from being used up for digestive purposes, put them back into the body
and re-establish the bodys first line of defence against cancer. Secondly you must also restore the bodys
second line of defence against cancer by establishing an adequate level of
nitrilosides in these individuals. While there are some 1,500 foods that contain
nitrilosides, the researchers found that the most rapid way to build up the
nitrilosides level was by the use of laetrile (vitamin B17), a concentrated
form of nitrilosides. Apricot kernels are a good food source of nitrilosides. See
'Suppliers'.
Holistic approach needed
The
researchers stressed that cancer is a multi-variable disease. Other chronic metabolic diseases are
single-variable (e.g. diabetes (insulin), scurvy (vitamin C), pernicious anaemia
(vitamin B12), pellagra (vitamin B).
However, research has shown there can be a number of deficiencies in a
cancer patient. They found for
example, that zinc was the transportation mechanism for the nitrilosides. They found that you could give laetrile until
it came out of the ears of the patient, but if that patient did not have a
sufficient level of zinc, none of the laetrile would get into the tissues of
the body. They also found that nothing
heals within the body without sufficient vitamin C. They found that manganese, magnesium,
selenium, vitamin B, vitamin A and other nutrients all played an important part
in maintaining the bodys defence mechanisms.
The most important thing they stressed was that, unless you correct all
of these deficiencies, you are not going to help the patient. Thus, they were talking about a total
nutrition programme. They were talking
about a programme that consisted of diet, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and
laetrile.
Diet and
supplements:
Recommendations from Binzel Alive and Well (with additions)
1.
Digestive enzyme supplements: Binzel:
2 three times daily. Blaylock: take
between meals.# (#NB. If you are following Binzels
advice (and he had the best results with cancer patients that I have come
across) then you will be on a no animal product, raw vegetable and fruit diet,
and will want to be taking laetrile tablets between meals. It seems to me that it will then be fine to
be taking a good quantity of digestive enzymes with meals, as there are no
animal proteins using up the enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin which will be
left over to attack the protein coating of the cancer cells). Univase Forte contains
trypsin and chymotrypsin.
2.
No animal products: i.e. No meat, no poultry, no fish, no eggs, no cheese, no cottage
cheese, no milk no dairy. This is to
free up the enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin so that they can dissolve the
protein coating of the cancer cell, thereby exposing it to destructive action
of the immune system and nitrilosides.
3.
Lots of fresh vegetables in variety, raw if possible, not cooked, canned, bottled or
frozen. (Home frozen is OK, if not blanched before freezing). This is to consume lots of enzymes which are
destroyed above 130 degrees. Proportion
of fruit to vegetables should aim for 40% / 60%. Citrus (i.e. oranges, lemons, grapefruit and
tomatoes) should be no more than 10% of fruit total. Eat/crunch the non-citrus seeds apple pips,
grape seeds, apricot kernels, peach kernels, all have a high nitriloside
content. Consider juicing for enzymes.
4.
Nitrilosides: supplement with
laetrile and/or apricot kernels. See separate notes. Binzel advises
taking laetrile tablets on an empty stomach with water. It is important to use water not juice
because there are some enzymes in the fruits and vegetables and in their juices
which will destroy part of the potency of the laetrile tablets while they are
in the stomach. (However, some
people prefer to take laetrile tablets with cooked food in their stomachs.)
5.
No sugar. Cancer cells feed off sugar. (But also avoid artificial sweeteners.)
6.
Salt OK (needed
in moderation, but be sure to use unrefined sea salt, traditionally harvested, e.g. Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Crystal Salt). Also use a variety of
herbs and spices.
7.
Vegetable protein important especially found in legumes, pulses, beans, nuts and seeds.
8.
Vitamin B15/pangamic acid supplement, which helps oxygenate the body. Cancer cells
cannot live in oxygen.
9.
Check for deficiencies in minerals with a clinical nutritionist. Supplement accordingly. Zinc, manganese, magnesium, selenium are
important.
10.
Multivitamin
high strength. (Patrick Holford says one tablet cannot contain enough - look for a 2+ tablet multi.)
11.
Vitamin C
minimum 1000mg x 2 daily, increase to bowel tolerance level.
12. Vitamin E. Binzel recommends 400i.u. twice
daily. Blaylock says it is important
what form you get this in. The best form
is d-alpha tocopheryl succinate, shown to be the most active against cancer,
directly inhibiting the cellular components needed by cancer cells in addition
to its antioxidant effects. It is able to enter all tissues, including the
brain. He recommends 400i.u. three times
daily. The next best form is called the
mixed tocopherols. He recommends in
addition 200i.u. daily.
13. Vitamin A.
Binzel recommends an emulsified form of vitamin A to provide 125,000iu daily. 'Vitamin A and E Emulsion' drops provide 15,000iu per drop and 10iu of vitamin E (so approximately 8 drops daily). Other forms of vitamin A: do not
exceed recommended dose for that product.
14. Nutritional support when receiving
conventional treatment. Protect against side-effects
and enhance treatment. See Russell L
Blaylock MD Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients (
15. Avoid fluoride and excitotoxin food
additives (such as
MSG, hydrolysed vegetable protein, aspartame, cysteine) which have been shown
to result in DNA injury, therefore causing cancer; also detrimental to cancer patients are
unhealthy snacks and dairy products. (See Blaylock, p237)
16. Drink water 2 litres daily. See Dr F. Batmanghelidj Water
& Salt: healers from within (Tagman, Norwich
2003)
17. Look at lifestyle and stress for additional
causes of cancer and take action. Try to
work out what caused yours. Although
listed last this is VERY IMPORTANT.
The above information and that
of all the notes of anticancerinfo.co.uk are purely information and may not
be construed as medical advice or instructions.
Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter
relating to their health and wellbeing.