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The Importance of Enzymes
(updated August 2008)
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 body’s 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 body’s normal defences from getting to the cancer cell. They found that, if you could dissolve the
protein lining from around the cancer cell, the body’s 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 body’s 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 we’re 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 individual’s 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 body’s first line of defence against cancer. Secondly you must also restore the body’s
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 body’s 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
Binzel’s 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. Some people prefer to take the laetrile tablets
with the meal. In this case take the Univase Forte half an hour to
an hour before the meal. Do not take at the same time as laetrile
tablets.
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.) Those
on less strict regimes could try natural Xylitol as a substitute - see 'Suppliers'
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. Binzel recommended 100mg three times daily.
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. NB If reducing
from high levels of vitamin C, please do so gradually.
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. (FamilE by Jarrow Formulas contains all eight forms of vitamin
E.)
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 (Kensington, New York 2003) for detailed
suggestions to help.
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.
Since
writing this page, I have come across two interesting articles on the
importance of digestive enzymes on the website www.regenerativenutrition.com
These are entitled ‘Digestive Enzymes’ and ‘Multi-Enzyme Protect’.
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