BY MICHELLE SCHOFFRO COOK, PHD, DNM, ROHP

Most of us are aware that we are more than a collection of bones, joints, muscles, cells, and other physical structures.

Although these bodily parts and the many biochemical processes within our bodies are obviously important, we are not simply the sum of these parts and processes; indeed, there is a spark that initiates and organizes them, keeping us alive, functioning, and healthy.

From a biochemical viewpoint, that spark comes in the form of enzymes—specialized proteins that ensure that every cellular and biochemical process occurs in the body. Enzymes act as catalysts to initiate, activate, or expedite virtually every process in the body. Unlike other types of protein molecules, enzymes are biologically active; in other words, they set life’s processes into motion. We could not live without enzymes.

Extensive research by one of the earliest enzymologists, Edward Howell, MD, revealed that enzyme deficiencies are commonly observed in people with chronic diseases, including allergies, arthritis, premature aging, cancer, heart disease, skin conditions, and obesity.

Enzymes play central roles in regulating inflammation, supporting tissue repair, and maintaining normal immune responses—all of which are relevant in allergic conditions. Poor diet, chronic stress, illness, or injury may increase the demands on the body’s enzyme systems, potentially affecting their efficiency.

Understanding the Three Types of Enzymes

1. Metabolic: Metabolic enzymes are made by the body to properly run all its biochemical processes, from moving and talking to breathing and thinking. Each one of these enzymes has a unique function for which it was created. When certain enzymes are deficient or impaired, numerous physiological processes may be affected.

2. Digestive: Digestive enzymes assist with breaking down foods into their nutrient components for proper absorption. They are also called pancreatic enzymes because they are primarily secreted by the pancreas, an organ found just under the lower left side of your rib cage. The pancreas regulates blood sugar levels by producing and secreting insulin. It also manufactures and secretes more than twenty enzymes essential to digestion, including amylase, lipase, and protease. These enzymes digest carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, respectively.

3. Food: These enzymes, sometimes called plant enzymes, are found in raw plants such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and herbs. Advocates of enzyme-rich diets suggest that eating these foods may reduce the digestive burden, thereby freeing up energy and making more enzymes available to the body for healing. Eating plenty of foods rich in enzymes can not only give your energy a boost and reduce the energy and enzymes needed for digestion, but also boost the body’s healing functions.

The Standard American Diet (SAD) contains very few naturally occurring enzymes—aside from those found in small amounts of raw produce—placing greater reliance on the body’s own digestive production.

Although little is known about directly increasing metabolic enzyme production, digestion can be supported in two primary ways:

• Eat a diet rich in whole, enzyme-containing foods.

• Consider enzyme supplementation to support digestion and inflammatory balance.

A Look at Enzyme Depletion

Francis Pottenger Jr., MD, published the results of a study he conducted many years ago. He wanted to explore the damage caused by a diet devoid of enzymes to determine the effects on our body’s own enzyme stores. He studied 600 cats, feeding them a diet completely lacking in enzymes. The first generation of cats started suffering from “heart problems, nearsightedness, farsightedness; underactivity of the thyroid or inflammation of the thyroid gland; infection of the kidney, of the liver, of the testes, of the ovaries; arthritis, inflammation of the joints; inflammation of the nervous system with paralysis and meningitis.”

The third generation of kittens suffered from similar health conditions. None lived past six months, and as a result, they were unable to produce offspring. There was no fourth generation of cats.

For comparison’s sake, Dr. Pottenger fed another group of cats an enzyme-rich diet of raw meat, raw milk, and cod liver oil because cats are carnivorous animals. He observed healthy cats across generations.

Dr. Pottenger’s study demonstrates that a shortage of enzymes in the cats’ diets played a significant role in their health, or lack of it.

Supporting Enzyme Activity

In addition to eating a healthy diet, the best ways to boost enzyme availability for healing include reducing the amount required for digestion, incorporating enzyme-rich foods into your diet, and either adding supplementary enzymes to meals or taking them on an empty stomach, depending on your purpose.

Reducing Digestive Strain

Digestion depends on coordinated enzyme activity, particularly when meals are large, highly processed, or complex. Diets rich in refined sugars, processed fats, and heavy combinations of foods may increase digestive demands.

A typical meal—meat, potatoes, gravy, perhaps vegetables, followed by a rich dessert—requires significant digestive effort. When this pattern becomes routine, some individuals experience symptoms such as bloating, heaviness, or indigestion, suggesting that digestive efficiency may be compromised.

Supporting digestion through simpler meals and mindful eating may reduce strain and improve overall comfort.

Replenishing the Modern Diet

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds naturally contain enzymes that assist in their breakdown when eaten raw. These enzymes are heat-sensitive and are largely inactivated during cooking, particularly at higher temperatures. When foods are cooked, digestion depends primarily on the body’s own enzyme production. Most modern meals are prepared at temperatures well above this range, reducing the presence of naturally occurring food enzymes.

It’s not necessary to eat all your food raw, but when the diet contains very few fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, or seeds, digestion relies almost entirely on the body’s own enzyme production. Over time, some practitioners suggest this may place greater demands on digestive capacity. When digestion is supported, enzymatic activity may be more readily available for other physiological processes, including inflammatory balance and tissue repair.

Most of us fry, sauté, bake, broil, barbecue, microwave, or steam our food—processes that significantly reduce or inactivate naturally occurring food enzymes. Making an effort to include more fresh, minimally processed foods in your diet may support digestive efficiency and overall health.

Some people find raw fruits and vegetables more difficult to digest at first. Introducing them gradually and chewing thoroughly can improve tolerance. Mechanical breakdown in the mouth is an important first step in digestion, helping food mix with saliva and digestive secretions so nutrients become more accessible.

Here are some easy ways to enjoy more raw foods in your diet:

• Eat more fruit in its natural state. Instead of pastries or processed sweets, indulge your sweet tooth with some delicious fruit. Enjoy some pineapple, apples, pomegranates, cherries, blueberries, and other delicious fruits. Once you make it a habit, you’ll find you won’t miss other sweets anyway.

• Snack on vegetable crudité with hummus or a dairy-free veggie dip.

• Eat at least one leafy green salad every day. There are dozens of possible ingredients you can use to keep it interesting and delicious.

• Enjoy fermented foods such as dairy-free yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha (fermented tea). Make sure the ones you choose say “live cultures,” so they contain beneficial bacteria and health-supporting yeasts that support enzyme production and digestion.

• Snack on raw, unsalted nuts soaked in water for a few hours. Soaking them ahead of time deactivates enzyme inhibitors found in the nuts. I set out a couple of bowls of nuts in water at night before heading to bed so they’ll be ready to snack on the next day.

Using Supplementation Strategically

You can supplement your diet with a high-quality, full-spectrum digestive enzyme formula that includes amylase, lipase, and protease—enzymes that break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, the major building blocks of food.

Systemic enzyme therapy—the use of enzyme supplements taken on an empty stomach—has gained increasing attention in integrative medicine for allergies and other inflammatory conditions. When taken between meals, the same enzymes that would normally digest food are directed toward supporting inflammatory balance, helping reduce swelling in areas such as the sinuses and nasal passages, clearing mucus, and assisting immune regulation.

Many of the enzymes used in systemic therapy are proteolytic enzymes—also called proteases—meaning they break down proteins. When taken between meals, they are used to act on inflammatory by-products rather than food. Begin with one capsule taken at least twenty minutes before or one hour after meals, up to three times daily.

Bromelain: A Proteolytic Enzyme for Sinus and Inflammatory Support

Extracted from pineapple, when taken on an empty stomach, the enzyme bromelain treats allergies, sinus inflammation and congestion, and other respiratory complaints because it acts as an anti-inflammatory on the tissues and helps reduce lung swelling.

Here are some of bromelain’s main functions:

• Breaks down protein

• Is anti-inflammatory

• Improves digestion

• Alleviates lung swelling

• Speeds recovery, reduces tissue swelling

• Is good for sinusitis and respiratory disorders

• Balances the immune system

• Aids the body in identifying and destroying bacteria, including harmful ones that may reside in the gut

• Helps alleviate allergies

Although pineapples naturally contain bromelain, the enzymes they contain normally work on digesting the fruit. You can certainly enjoy pineapple periodically (avoid eating too much of it or eating it too often, as it is extremely high in sugar, which can aggravate allergies). I usually suggest supplementation with this enzyme for allergy symptoms. Take 1 or 2 capsules containing 5,000 MCU each on an empty stomach, three times daily. Because some enzymes can have blood-thinning effects, do not use them if you are taking blood-thinning drugs, are scheduled for surgery, or for at least a couple of weeks after surgery, or have another medical condition for which blood thinning could be a concern.

Serrapeptase and Mucus Regulation

Serrapeptase, a natural enzyme, has been shown to aid asthma, allergies, and many other health conditions. It helps break down excessive mucus and alleviate sinus swelling.

Research by Dr. Nakamura and his colleagues at the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo General Hospital in Japan found that the enzyme dissolves excess mucus. He published his results in Respirology, showing that serrapeptase helps the body clear excess mucus from the lungs in people with chronic airway conditions. He also found that serrapeptase reduced coughing associated with excessive mucus. The enzyme appears to work by restoring balance to an overactive immune system while also thinning mucus so it can be more effectively eliminated from the body.

Serrapeptase may also be beneficial for treating other inflammatory conditions. In a study published in the Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Drs. Viswanatha and Patil found that serrapeptase was more effective than aspirin at reducing inflammation in animals. Additional research will indicate whether serrapeptase has the same beneficial effects in humans. But because the enzyme is safe for use, has very few side effects, and is highly therapeutic, it warrants consideration in the treatment of allergies.

Serrapeptase is also known as serratiopeptidase, serratia protease, or serrapeptidase, and is available in many health food stores and online. It is best taken on an empty stomach. Choose a product containing 20,000 units of serrapeptase or serratiopeptidase. Take one capsule or tablet daily. Because some enzymes can have blood-thinning effects, do not use them if you are taking blood-thinning drugs, are scheduled for surgery (and for at least a couple of weeks after surgery), or have another medical condition for which blood thinning could be a concern. In extremely rare cases, some individuals have experienced an allergic skin reaction to serrapeptase. Discontinue use if you suspect an allergy to this supplement.

Papain and Respiratory Support

Papain is an enzyme isolated from papaya fruit. It is a protein-digesting enzyme that has anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, and diuretic properties. As such, it helps alleviate inflammation linked to sinus and nasal swelling. Additionally, it helps reduce gut infections that may contribute to allergies. It also helps address many of the symptoms of allergies, hay fever, and excessive mucus buildup in the lungs, nasal passageways, or sinuses.

It’s traditionally used to support sinus comfort and alleviate allergies, so be patient: it may take some time with papain, as with other enzymes, to see symptom relief. Papain is measured in papain units or in milligrams. Choose a product containing 250 mg of papain. Take two capsules three times daily during allergy season. Papain and bromelain are often found in the same product. If that’s the case, choose one containing 250 mg of each. Take two capsules of this blended product three times daily.

Superoxide Dismutase and Oxidative Stress

According to the medical journal Food & Function, some naturally fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, have been shown to boost levels of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), a powerful antioxidant that protects the body against free radical damage and helps alleviate allergy symptoms. SOD is one of the body’s greatest weapons against illness, yet it requires sufficient amounts of zinc in the diet to work properly.

You can eat more zinc-rich foods in your diet, including beets, beet greens, carrots, green leafy vegetables, nuts, onions, peas, pumpkin seeds, and most types of sprouts, to ensure your body can use SOD. Keep in mind that you should add zinc-rich foods to your diet, but still take SOD supplements on an empty stomach.

Zinc will be stored in your body for later use when you take SOD. SOD stored in the body tends to diminish as we age, so supplementation is often helpful. Because this enzyme is so helpful in treating many conditions, including allergies, it is worth considering as part of your allergy-relief program. Take two capsules three times daily.

Broad-Spectrum Enzymes and Systemic Support

Broad-spectrum enzyme formulas combine a variety of digestive and proteolytic enzymes into a single product. When taken with meals, they can support the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, helping the body absorb nutrients more efficiently. When taken between meals on an empty stomach, these same enzymes are often used as part of systemic enzyme therapy, where they are directed toward supporting inflammatory balance, mucus regulation, and overall immune resilience.

Because broad-spectrum formulas contain multiple enzymes working together, many people find them to be a convenient way to support both digestion and allergy-related concerns. As with any supplement, however, individual responses vary. Start conservatively, pay attention to how your body responds, and consider working with a knowledgeable healthcare professional—particularly if you have underlying medical conditions or take medications that affect blood clotting.

Allergies are not random events. They reflect inflammation, immune imbalance, and a body working harder than it should to maintain equilibrium. When we support digestion, reduce inflammatory load, and nourish the body with the tools it needs, we give the immune system an opportunity to respond more appropriately.

Enzymes, particularly proteolytic enzymes, play important roles in these processes. By supporting digestion when taken with meals and helping regulate inflammation when taken between meals, they offer a practical, often-overlooked strategy for those seeking more natural approaches to allergy relief.

Try one of these refreshing blends that combine enzyme-rich fruits and nutrient-dense vegetables to help ease histamine responses, reduce irritation, and support a more balanced, comfortable system.

• Enzyme Power: A Papaya & Pineapple Healing Smoothie

• Antihistamine Juice

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Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM, ROHP, holds advanced degrees in natural health and holistic nutrition and has twenty-five years of experience in the field. She is a registered nutritionist, board-certified doctor of natural medicine, certified herbalist, and doctor of acupuncture. She is the author of numerous books on health and wellness, including 60 Seconds to Slim and Allergy-Proof Your Life. She is also the publisher of the popular, free health e-newsletter World’s Healthiest News.

Well Being Journal adapted the above excerpt from Allergy-Proof Your Life by Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM, ROHP. Copyright © 2017 by Humanix Books. Printed with permission from Humanix Books, a division of Humanix Publishing, LLC.