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Dr Loomis includes a 24-hour urinal in his system of evalu- ation. "Volume" represents how much fluid intake there is and how well the body eliminates it. In relation to chlorides and spe- cific gravity, volume reveals sodium chloride (salt) intake and kidney function respectively. Does one ingest too much salt or not enough? Does the patient drink enough water or too much? Many people drink too many liquids (not necessarily water) in the belief that they are doing their bodies good by flushing out toxins. While elimination of toxins is beneficial and to be encour- aged, excessive fluid intake can deplete and change the electrolyte balance, resulting in numerous other health issues. Rather than guess how much water your body needs, you are advised to fol- low the recommendations in Dr Batmanghelidj's book. In addition, utilising Dr Loomis's 24-hour urinalysis will prove to the patient if they are drinking excessive amounts of water, too little water or just the right amounts daily. Adjusting water intake based on a 24-hour urinalysis is a clinically sound method of cor- recting electrolyte levels and balancing acidic/alkaline conditions. Temperature Temperature plays a crucial role in how active enzymes are within the environment in which they are working. Bromelain and papain are two protein-digesting enzymes common in com- mercial and industrial use. Bromelain is utilised in the meat industry as a meat tenderiser because its ideal temperature range is 120-160°F (48.89-71.11°C). Papain is used in the tanning industry to soften leather. Its optimal temperature is around 105°F (40.56°C). Bromelain and papain have had some success in clinical use as anti-inflammatory agents. However, their limit- ed results might be due to the body's temperature of 98.6°F (37.0°C), which is not ideal for them. Enzymes produced from mould/fungus organisms, however, have an ideal temperature range of 95—105°F (35.0-40.56°C). At the normal body tempera- ture of 98.6°F, plant enzymes from mould/fungus origins are per- fect. This will be seen when we discuss fever in part three of this article series. Animal-based enzymes (pancreatin) are heat labile, as are plant enzymes. Dr Howell noted that heating food at 118°F (47.78°C) or greater, for any length of time, destroys all the enzymes. Pancreatin, which has been used most extensively over the last 80 years, is subject to the same problems faced when manufactur- ing enzymes in the form of tablets or capsules. Whether the enzymes are from animal or plant origins, when they are produced as a tablet the heat involved in the processing causes a loss of at least 50% of the enzyme activity in those products. Encapsulating enzymes is more advantageous because there is no heat involved and consequently no loss of enzyme activity. There are also no binders, fillers or excipients as in tablets; these have the potential to cause allergic reaction in some people. Acidity and Alkalinity One of the other major differences in using animal and plant enzymes is what is known as the pH factor. In chemistry, pH is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. Vinegar is somewhat acidic, while hydrochloric and sulphuric acids are highly acidic. Sulphuric acid is contained in car batteries. Hydrochloric acid is used commercially and is produced in the stomach. Lye, on the other hand, is extremely alkaline; it is an ingredient in most commercial products used to unclog plumbing drains. Interestingly, many of the newer plumbing and septic tank cleaners use concentrated plant enzymes. Animal-based enzymes like pancreatin are limited, as they can only work in a pH range of 7.2-9.0, which is alkaline. Stomach acid concentrates down to about 2.0-3.0 during digestion. This is why animal-based enzymes can never digest food, since they are limited to the alkaline end of the pH spectrum. One of the body's most important functions, monitored by the ypothalamus, is that of keeping the blood pH between 7.35 and 7.45—which, as indicated above, is alkaline. The slightest devia- tion from this narrow range will throw the body into crisis. Since animal-based enzymes work only in an alkaline environment, they ave been shown to work best when taken in between meals to reak down unwanted protein such as undigested food remnants, viruses, bacteria and other pathogenic micro-organisms. They are also clinically proven in reducing inflammation. Most of the original clinical studies using enzymes were done in Europe, particularly Germany. These were primarily per- ‘ormed using animal pancreatic enzymes. A library search of lit- erature dating back to the early 1900s shows that most studies were written in French, Italian and German. Very few studies were presented in English until the late 1930s, as found in the Index Medicus. Even today, most clinical studies recorded in the medical literature still employ animal-based enzymes (pancreatin) and are from Europe. Common usage for pancreatic enzymes is in the treatment of pancreatic insufficiency diseases s amounts of undigested fat in stools), cystic fibrosis and pancreati- tis. Results are mixed, but generally some help is obtained from pancreatin. While some of the inflammation is reduced to a degree, digestion is very little affected due to the fact that pancre- atin does not work in the acidic pH of the stomach. Plant enzymes, on the other hand, are known to have a much greater effect in these conditions due to the advantage of their broad pH range. A study out of England observed that a small amount of an acid-stable lipase from plant sources was as effectual as a 25-times larger dose of animal pancreatin.? NEXUS + 23 DECEMBER 2003 — JANUARY 2004 a www.nexusmagazine.com