Digestion is among the most critical functions our body performs. When digestion is poor, and substantial levels of food remain undigested, these food residues can become toxic and seep into the bloodstream. Digestive enzymes are proteins specially tailored to break down foods into nutrients that your body can then readily digest. The human body produces some 22 different digestive enzymes. Digestive enzymes release valuable nutrients from your food which are absorbed into the blood and used by your body to build and repair vital organs and tissue, to produce energy and to maintain a strong immune defense. Digestive enzymes, secreted along the upper gastrointestinal tract, help break down food so nutrients can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Enzymes are proteins that are a component in digestion and in every chemical reaction in your body. These enzymes are energized protein molecules found in all living cells. The breakdown of large carbohydrate molecules begins in the mouth. In addition, they are protein catalysts, or specific substances that allow biologic processes to occur in the body. Enzymes are a fundamental element of the digestive process. Enzymes can also be extremely sensitive and many can only exert their effects within narrow environmental conditions, especially to heat. Enzymes are an crucial factor in converting the food we eat into a form our bodies can use for nourishment and energy. Enzymes and digestion problems are similar in many people no matter which behavioral, physical, or medical diagnosis you face. Enzymes are highly specific, both in the substrate they affect, and in the reactions they catalyze. Living foods retain their abundance of enzymes and nutrients. Living foods are the key to our health and longevity. In their book, Living Health, Harvey and Marilyn Diamond emphasize: "It is physiologically impossible for your body to use an inorganic mineral." The role raw food enzymes play in aiding weight loss cannot, and should not, be ignored. They can be integrated into a diet easily and have ample essential vitamins and minerals. Without these raw food enzymes your body is forced to create and use its own enzymes too survive. All raw food enzymes are destroyed by heat. Most raw food, like our body, is quite perishable.