Friday, May 10, 2013

Papaya seeds for better digestion

I knew that papaya seeds help with digestion, because I was once prescribed Papaya enzymes by a naturopath for indigestion during pregnancy. I also have a friend who told me she eats them along with the papaya. I tried this, and found them bitterly unpleasant, and decided I could do without them.

Now I understand that my digestion is slower than average, especially when it comes to meats that contain more Purine, like beef and lamb. I am supposed to limit or avoid these meats, but I happen to love lamb and enjoy a good grass-fed steak now and then. I've been trying to enhance my digestion with probiotic drinks such as Kevita, but lately I've been thinking about trying something else.


The last time I ate a papaya, I scraped out the seeds, washed them off and dried them in my dehydrator for later use. My intention was to grind them up in a coffee grinder and put them into capsules, but I haven't gotten around to this yet--my list of projects and tasks each day is long and never-ending. Today I came across this article about papaya seeds and it gave me some more ideas of how to take them. I have decided to use the pepper mill method, since they are naturally peppery and it will be an easy way for me to get papaya enzymes into my gut every day. Some people might not mind chewing them like the author of the article does, and it is suggested that we do so when eating protein-heavy meals such as steak and other meats.

By the way, I found out that I am a "slow oxidizer" by having a Metabolic Typing test done by a qualified health coach. I highly recommend this. It involves answering an extensive questionnaire and then having some simple tests done. Insurance most likely won't cover this, but I think it's a worthy investment in your health. Finding out what food is right for your unique metabolism and body type is a crucial element in optimizing your health and longevity. You can find a Metabolic Typing professional in your area by using that website I just linked to.

I wish you all the best on your journey to wellness!