Saturday, April 16, 2011

Chronic Pancreatitis and Tea

chronic pancreatitis and teaI don't talk much about tea. It's a liquid my doctor recommended while I was in the hospital. You'd think I'd mention it more.

I used to drink a lot of wellness teas but found that many of them upset my pancreas and would cause irritability to the pancreas. So, after retrying the teas I finally decided that my pancreas and the teas - I would so readily drink regularly before the chronic pancreatitis - were no longer good friends.

Recently, while visiting my daughter in NYC I ventured into Chinatown where I purchased several herbs for tea. I've been on a 'let's make tea' journey ever since.

This morning I made my favorite so far. Just for the record, it taste like Celestrial Season's Apple Orchard. The tea must be healthy for me and doesn't seem to bother my pancreas at all.

Ingredients:
  • one green applepancreas and tea
  • several strawberries
  • several blueberries
  • a squirt of lemon
  • a few slivers of ginger
  • honey to taste
  • salvia (at least that's what it looks like - the writing on the container is in Chinese)
  • artemisia capillaris (good for the GI system - 16 oz for $5 in Chinatown, a large bag)

Just put it in a pot and boil it. For all I know it might hold the nutrients if only simmered rather than boiled but either way, it sure tastes good!

I put the artemisia capillaris and the salvia in the strainer in the teapot. Everything else I boiled to bring out the flavor.

Enjoy!

2 comments:

  1. What a wonderful story about your love of tea. I was just recently diagnosed with Pancreatitis (just from bloodwork and symptoms). I have always eat healthy and love coffee but drink peppermint herbal teas too. I have changed to a low acid coffee and this works for me. Hope your feeling better. Just wandering, have you had any diabetes symptoms due to your pancreatis? I have bad neuropathy in my feet, legs, hands and fingers for the past year and a half. I am going to be tested for diabetes soon. This seems so strange to me since I eat healthy and exercise. I am in my early 40's and I am 5 ft 8 and weigh 114 pounds. I have never had a problem with weight. I was told that once you had pancreatitis you can can pancreatic diabetes. Have you ever heard of this? Sorry for the questions but it's nice to email or talk to someone who knows what I am going through.I don't know anyone that I can talk to about this and would appreciate any thoughts or advice you could give me. Thanks, Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Michelle - Thanks for the head's up on low-acid coffee. I know Trader Joe's has it and I am currently in a city with a Trader Joe's, so I'll pick some up. The diabetes issue might come up as a result of the pancreas' inefficiency to properly produce appropriate levels of insulin. It is common for people with pancreatitis to develop diabetes. For people with chronic pancreatitis, complications from diabetes along with alcoholism are the two main causes of death within the first two years of being diagnosed. One study claims that 50% of all people diagnosed chronic pancreatitis die within the first two years as a result of the two aforementioned conditions. Sidenote: I'll be 44 in a week. I'm 5'7" and probably weigh about what you weigh (I don't have a scale but have been holding onto weight fairly well recently). No problem at all with the questions. I'm grateful to hear about the peppermint teas and the low-acid coffee. Input from others can only help us protect our pancreas and hopefully help toward longevity! I appreciate your input! Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete