About Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis refers to inflammation of the pancreas. It is an extremely vital organ of the body. It is located just behind the stomach. The function of the pancreas is to produce a hormone called Pancrease which secretes digestive enzymes and juices which help in digestion of food. As a result of Pancreatitis, these enzymes are not produced normally thus affecting overall digestion. Pancreas also is responsible for producing hormones which regulate the blood glucose levels in the body. Pancreatitis thus also affects the glucose levels of the body. It is quite a difficult condition to treat and to ensure the treatment is successful and the patient is back to functioning normally diet also plays an important role along with medical treatment. It is extremely essential for the patient to adhere to a strict diet plan, a brief overview of which is discussed below, to keep the symptoms of Pancreatitis in control until the condition resolves.
Which are the Foods to Avoid in Pancreatitis?
Since diet plays a very vital role in treatment of pancreatitis, the patient should know what foods to avoid when he or she is battling with pancreatitis. Some of the foods that need to be avoided with Pancreatitis are:
Fried and Fatty Foods: As fried and fatty foods are difficult to digest and are hard on the stomach and pancreas, it is best to avoid them as these types of foods may predispose the patient to having another bout of Pancreatitis. Greasy foods like French fries, burgers, pizzas, bacon, and other types of fast or junk foods need to be avoided. Also try and avoid cheese and yogurt during a bout of Pancreatitis
Starch Products and Breads: These are yet another type of foods to avoid with Pancreatitis, especially breads with high fat content as eating them may make the symptoms worse. When an individual has pancreatitis, the body is not able to digest excessive fat which are usually found in foods like biscuits and waffles and hence are best to avoid with Pancreatitis.
Vegetables and Fruits: Most of the vegetables and fruits are considered safe with pancreatitis; however, vegetables and foods high on fat like avocados should be avoided when battling with Pancreatitis.
Dairy Products: Dairy products like avoid fat filled milk, cheese, and yogurt should be avoided when suffering from Pancreatitis. Instead juice, tea, and coffee can be taken to keep the body hydrated.
Meat: Meat is an absolute no when having Pancreatitis as its high fat content is extremely difficult for the stomach to digest and in turn aggravates the symptoms of Pancreatitis. It is also better to not take any types of seeds, nuts, or meat with skin. Avoid at all costs chicken, mutton, beef, and pork to avoid aggravation of symptoms of Pancreatitis.
Sweets and Desserts: Sweets and desserts like cookies, ice cream contain trans-fats which are again hard to digest in pancreatitis and hence need to be avoided.
Additionally, whole milk or large amounts of margarine also need to be avoided with Pancreatitis.
Cooking Oils: Try and cook foods with as little oil as possible and try and avoid butter, vegetable oils, or cream to cook foods as they can aggravate the symptoms of Pancreatitis.
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