How to Lose Weight with Ayurveda and Enzymes

by Walter Shantree Kacera

In Ayurveda, enzymes translate into what is called agni- our digestive fire- our spark of life. Therefore, enzymes are especially important when addressing body type imbalances with Ayurveda. One of the keys to good health, longevity and balanced weight is choosing foods that are of the highest quality possible. These foods provide an abundance of energy through their natural life-force. These foods are in their natural organic state, as fresh as possible and in their wholesome form. Ayurveda describes these foods as the spark of life. For life supports life. If a seed does not sprout you know that its life-force has been lost. When a food is denatured it will be deficient in some of its life-giving properties including includes vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other essential nutrients. One of these nutrients is enzymes. A well known fact in Ayurveda is that once our fire is gone life ceases to be.


What are Enzymes?
According to Rudolf Steiner, "Enzymes are the bridge between the physical and the spiritual world." Biologically, enzymes are organic substances produced by living organisms which cause or speed up chemical reactions. They are organic catalysts. Enzymes are capable of creating simple to complex chemical reactions without changing themselves. Some enzymes can process more than two million chemical reactions in less than a minute. Enzymes can also transform some molecules into others to create new molecules. When enzyme levels in organisms fall below a certain level, life ceases. Most metabolic enzymes in organisms, including plants, are killed at temperatures exceeding 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 degrees Centigrade or Celsius).

Don't we get enough enzymes with the food we eat?
The simple answer is no. However, there are several reasons why we are enzyme deficient. The primary reasons include cooking and pasteurization. When food is pasteurized, all enzymes are destroyed. The simple fact is that if you don’t eat most of your food in its natural wholesome raw state then you are not getting the enzymes to support your digestive system, along with all the other vital body functions. Without enzymes there are no bodily functions; even vitamin and minerals cannot do their work. Foods cooked above 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 degrees Celsius) have zero enzymes. To digest cooked, enzyme-depleted food, your body must use essential metabolic enzymes. Metabolic enzymes are needed for the proper elimination and healthy assimilation of vitamins and minerals. They are crucial for regeneration of cells and tissues. Over time, enzymes will restore energy and stamina in the human body more than any other single supplement. And herein lies their importance for permanent weight management. Other hazards of modern life that destroy enzymes include stress, food additives, frequent air travel, excessive exercise, caffeine, food irradiation and poor sleep.

The Vicious Circle
If your body is starved for the vital energy of enzymes then it will crave more energy. The only way the body knows to get more energy is to eat. This happens through the feeling of hunger. Overeating happens while attempting to satisfy this endless hunger. However, the body doesn’t miss calories but vital life energy which is derived from vitamins and minerals, which are mostly lacking in the standard Western diet.
In essence, most people end up eating more of what created the imbalance in the first place: dead, calorie-rich, fattening, enzyme-free foods. This continues the destructive circle of food cravings . The only way out of this disparaging condition is by eating nutrient-rich life foods full of enzymes, vitamins and minerals.

Symptoms Common to Enzyme Deficiency
How do you know if your body is missing enzymes? An enzyme deficiency can manifest itself in a variety of conditions. Presented here are some causes and symptoms of disease broken down by the types of enzymes missing in the body:

Amylase Deficiency
Breaking out of the skin - rash
Hypoglycemia
Depression
Mood Swings
Allergies
PMS
Hot Flashes
Fatigue
Cold hands and feet
Neck and shoulder aches
Inflammation

Protease Deficiency
Back Weakness
Fungal forms
Constipation
High Blood Pressure
Insomnia
Hearing Problems
Parasites
Gum Disorders
Gingivitis

Lipase Deficiency
Aching Feet
Arthritis
Bladder Problems
Cystitis
Acne
Gall Bladder Stress
Gallstones
Hay Fever
Prostate Problems
Psoriasis
Urinary Weakness
Constipation
Diarrhea
Heart Problems
Combination Deficiency
Chronic Allergies
Common colds
Diverticulitis
Irritable Bowel
Chronic Fatigue
Sinus Infection
Immune Depressed Condition

How to break the vicious circle of imbalance?
Eat whole, fresh, sun-ripened, enzyme-rich, alkalizing, organic, plant-based foods.

Why a live-food approach for permanent weight management?
The true essence of understanding living-foods is: if it is not broken, don't fix it. According to Ayurveda, choosing foods that are as close as possible to nature is the healthiest and most life-enhancing approach to weight management. Live-foods are the most natural and healthy way to live. Human beings are the only species on earth that alter their foods before eating them. Then we wonder why we are sick and overweight. In Ayurveda, the Sanskrit word agni translates into enzymes. The fresher the food the more enzymes it contains and the easier it is to digest. This means more energy for our bodies along with a better metabolism, which translates into an ideal weight.
Live foods of organic origin are devoid of pesticides, herbicides and hormones. They have not been cooked, processed, micro waved, irradiated, genetically engineered or denatured in anyway. They represent an unbroken wholeness that is the original creation and nutritional gift of Mother Earth. Understanding that the food we eat is an energetic whole greater than the sum of its parts reflects a quantum mechanics view of nutrition.
Research by former Soviet Union Dr. Brekhman, illustrates a foundational truth - when he gave whole, live-foods to animals, their endurance was 2-3 times greater than if he gave them the same foods after they had been cooked. From a modern scientific nutritional perspective there should be no difference since cooked and live-foods have the same amount of calories and thus the same amount of energy. However, Brekhman's results can be explained if we understand the effect of cooking on whole foods. Cooking devastates the ecological balance of the food. It reduces 50 percent of the protein, destroys 60-70 percent of the vitamins, up to 96 percent of vitamin B12, 100 percent of the enzymes which support the immune system and other body functions. Heating foods at temperatures above 118 F (48 C) also disrupts the bioelectrical structure, the bioelectricity transfer power and the bioluminescence. All of these factors are important for maintaining your energy/life force and, of course your weight balance.

How to stop the cravings
The first thing you can do to avoid feelings of false hunger and cravings is to increase the nutritional intelligence in your meals by eating, fresh, home-made meals as well as by avoiding "junk" foods. Any foods that have been processed, packaged, preserved and are devoid of any vitamins, minerals or enzymes, are "junk" foods.
To stop cravings, you also need to eat a variety of foods with all six tastes and all rainbow colors. Make sure to eat sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent foods to satisfy your body’s needs. Live-foods are also more nourishing than processed-denatured cooked foods. Live-foods are easier to digest and can increase your digestive fire, due to their high enzyme content. When your metabolism is weak, the body accumulates toxins, which clog the digestive channels and prevent the body from receiving the proper nutrients from food. This, in the end, results in cravings.
Ayurveda also encourages portion control. Eat enough to get satiated but don't overeat. Your stomach should be two-thirds full after eating your heaviest meal of the day which should be your lunch.

Living According to Your Ideal Weight
We all have our ideal weight according to our inherited constitution, also called body type at birth. You will reach your ideal weight once you have learned to live and eat according to your genetic imprint and nature’s laws. You will know you have achieved your balance once you experience all the vital energy you were born with and used to have at the height of your health and vitality. Living according to your ideal weight means you are again in flow with your life force. It means that your blockages, stagnations and disempowering behavioral patterns/bad habits have been addressed. Furthermore, it means that you have returned to your sacred Self and that you are honoring the sacred temple of your body. You are at peace with your Self and with the world around you. This is what Ayurveda can do for you: Help you (re-)discover your true Self and how you can live in harmony with it.

Namasté! (The Light in Me Salutes the Light in you!)