Pancreatitis & Eating Proactively

On a daily basis, I both work toward maintaining a diet that is beneficial to my pancreas while at the same time destroying it with... uhhh... crap foods I shouldn't be putting into my system.

I'm human. This means I'm not perfect, so I don't beat myself up for it. Although, I do try to keep my foot downfalls at bay and to a relative minimum.

There are some things I do for my body on a regular basis  - especially when I haven't been eating as well as I could - to help maintain a decrease in inflammation of the pancreas.

- Proper dietary intake (necessary for living without pain)
- Decreasing stress levels (huge for decreasing pancreatic attacks)
- Sunshine (for Vitamin D)
- Gently detoxifying the body through teas (such as Chrissy's Tea)
- Brazil Nuts (the level of selenium is very cleansing)
- Oatmeal (great cleanser for the liver)

Two of my favorite friends that fight off pancreatitic inflammation are ginger and turmeric. Both roots are all natural and can be bought in any store. I have turmeric powder and buy ginger in the bottle both sliced and minced, by the root, and as a tea. Both are great for cooking and can be very helpful in intercepting inflammation at the time food is eaten since the spice is on the food at the time you are eating it. Now that is proactive!

It doesn't mean I can eat anything with a little ginger on it and all of a sudden I get to go hog-wild. It means that if I eat a limited amount of something with ginger or turmeric I find that the food intake is far less likely to cause me pain. Again, moderation is always essential for me since overworking the pancreas is now always a very real problem that causes very real pain.

Small meals are always a must. Never eating until full is always a must. Then, on top of that, eating foods with anti-inflammatory benefits such as Broccoli with minced ginger and paprika (another anti-inflammatory spice) in limited quantities makes the process of eating easier.

One of the problems with Western medicine is that it refuses to incorporate natures cures into it's prescriptions. Prescribing ginger instead of morphine doesn't buy their new house - so to speak.

In my recovery and longevity, I find it important to address my chronic pancreatitis with foods that heal and cure.

The other day, I read that turmeric heals tissues around tumors which makes tumors less likely to metastasize. As I understand it, a metastized tumor is one that has exploded which is when and how cancer happens. Therefore, the stronger the tissue around the tumor, cyst or fibroid, the less likely it will metastasize.

It is still necessary to decrease the size of the tumor (inflammation) which many say can be done through foods.

When a person has pancreatitis the pancreatitic enzymes are not working properly - and the pancreatitic enzymes help to decrease the likelihood of cancer - people with pancreatic issues need to be especially careful to decrease their chances of creating cancer in their bodies. Decreasing the risk of cancer can be done through better eating and mostly knowing what that means. Decreasing white flour, sugars and processed foods. I like the saying, "Read the ingredients. If you don't know what it means, don't eat it."

Pancreatitis & Thanksgiving

It is possible that I am beginning to have a better understanding of and relationship with food. This more advanced relationship will help with the holidays.

It seems like now might be the perfect time to talk a little about how to survive Thanksgiving without enduring a pancreatic attack.

Alcohol should not be considered an option. People with pancreatitis have a pancreas that is too weak or dysfunctional to properly digest alcohol. Therefore, the only safe option is to stay away from it.

Some people are usually used to celebrating with an alcoholic drink. It is fine that such a place

is where you have come from but it is now time to realize that drinking and holidays are not where you are at anymore. Why? Because you want to keep living for as long as possible and you would like to do that pain free. Therefore, celebrate with something that won't hurt you. Martinelli's Apple Cider might be a nice choice. (Hint: The Martinelli's Website has a whole section on non-alcoholic drinks!) Maybe a cold premade anti-inflammatory tea that you can that you can put in a high baller or something like that if it makes you feel better to have a drink in your hand.

Here is the calorie information on Turkey:

Calories in Turkey

TURKEY SELECTION	SERVING SIZE & PREPARATION	NUTRITION NOTES FOR TURKEY	TURKEY CALORIES
Calorie in Turkey-Dark Meat	3 ounces	Excellent source of protein.	159
Calories in Turkey Gizzards	3 ounces	Excellent source of protein. Good amounts of zinc and B Vitamins.	139
Calories in Turkey Liver	3 ounces	Excellent source of protein. Good source of Vitamin A, folate, zinc and riboflavin.	144
Calories in White Turkey	3 ounces	Excellent source of protein.	133

Maybe a simple green salad with sliced carrots and radishes and slivered almonds? Remember not to weigh the salad down with added calories. Sugared walnuts are bad. Dried cranberries have added sugar. If you use a salad dressing, perhaps opting for a 'lite' or fat-free dressing will be proactive in protecting your fat intake.

The potassium in potatoes is necessary. Smothering the potato in condiments kind of defeats the point. I love lots of sour cream. Thankfully, there is fat-free sour cream. Fat Free Margarine or the equivalent will be easier on the pancreas then a rich butter.

The goal is to be able to eat and enjoy the holiday food while not suffering the ramifications of a pancreatic flare-up as a result. The goal is balance.

If you eat sugar and want a dessert than go for a fat-free dessert. There are fat-free pies and chocolate dishes.

If you are spending the holidays with others than be participatory and bring a dish. No need to tell them it is because you need a fat-free option. Heck, do you even need to tell them it is fat-free. Just be a helpful guest and bring a food dish. This will also help ensure that there is food to eat. If your sister or friend is also going and the group doesn't know you have pancreatitis maybe your sister or friend can also bring a fat-free dish which will mean you will have at least two dishes you know will be safe to eat. No one needs to know your circumstances if you are a private person. None of this needs to be a big deal. It's just something you can set up as a safety

measure, a precaution to ensure you can both enjoy the holiday in a participatory way while not suffering from a pancreatic flare-up as a result.

If Auntie Mame is insisting you eat a little of this or that and you know it will hurt you but she's trying to guilt you into it just look at her lovingly directly in the eyes and say, "Auntie Mame, I love you and I want to see you again next year but eating that could kill me so I'm not going to have it so that next year I can come back and see you again." Smile, kiss her on the forehead and continue with what you were doing. She'll probably back off.

Enjoy the holidays!

Fat Free Dessert Recipes

Pancreatitis, Eating & the Holidays

Note: The above is for not meant for people who are just out of the hospital and not on solids. Each person is different and their process to recovery and maintenance will vary. Toast w/Jam, Chicken broth, baby cereal, jello, tapioca pudding, pureed veggies, etc are going to be much better options for many pancreatitis sufferers who are feeling more sensitive and tender and who have systems that are not in the mood for solids. Some people will only be ready for an IV hook-up. Some will only be ready for clear liquids. We're all different and each stage of recovery needs to be respected and appreciated.

Holidays do not affect our current stage of pancreatitis and what a person, at that stage, can eat. Being alive while enduring a life with pancreatitis gives us an awful lot to be thankful for... and isn't that really what Thanksgiving is about. Homemade Turkey pictures and turkey hats are just as wonderful as any other aspect of Thanksgiving. There are many ways to celebrate the holiday and thankfully we are alive to enjoy our options!

Pancreatitis & Strong Coffee

I like really strong coffee. Years before my problems with pancreatitis surfaced, I had run into problems that can occur from drinking too much coffee. Now, I try (sometimes more diligently than others) to refrain from going overboard with my caffeine intake.

About a week ago, I bought some expresso. Man do I ever lovely finely ground, thick, rich coffee.

It caused problems for my pancreas. My back became sore. It was no good. I immediately remembered what a NY doctor said to me recently while we were traveling from the airport to the city. He said that people don't drink enough water and so their systems become toxic (paraphrasing). He's thoughts on water intake made me think that perhaps my system would

appreciate it if I cleansed it with a little water.

Knowing that my pancreas was inflamed, I also got some ginger out of the refrigerator and downed several pieces. Then, I made my favorite tea, Chrissy's Tea, which always helps as an anti-inflammatory.

Since then, it's possible that... perhaps, I'm being a little better about not drinking coffee quite so think or quite as much of it. I still need to go to the store and buy some regular coffee to mix with my extra fabulous expresso paste. I will. Humph!

While it is good to know what can help stave off a pancreatic flare-up and to have those things in the house at all time, and to take them immediately, it is better to avoid those things that can cause a pancreatic attack in the first place.

Pancreatitis & Diluted Juice

Generally speaking, I don't care for diluted juice. I'd rather have an ounce or two of full strength juice. But today I was Queen of Thirsty and decided to just add the water immediately to the juice rather than wait until after I drank the juice to refill it the cup with water.
A lot of people dilute juice. Even people who don't have pancreatitis. It's just easier on the stomach, I suppose.
Personally, I don't like flavored water. I prefer water.
But if you happen to be one of the many, many people who don't mind - or even enjoy - diluted juice, it is good to know that it is probably much easier on the pancreas than full strength juice.
I would say my juice today was about 1.5 ounces of juice and perhaps 6.5 ounces of water.

Part of protecting my pancreas is learning what hurts it and what does not hurt it. If I drink more than an ounce or two of undiluted juice at a time my pancreas will feel the intake in a negative way.

Therefore, as a sufferer of chronic pancreatitis it is important to offer my body the nutrients the juices contain while not inflaming the pancreas. The inflamation can scar the pancreas which can cause further permanent damage to the pancreas which can potentially shorten the lifespan of the person suffering from pancreatitis.

Diluted juice might be a realistic and pleasant alternative for many people who live with pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis & Dehydration

Dehydration is like the curse of all evils. It's never a good thing and no matter what is going wrong with one's system dehydration only seems to make it worse. Dehydration makes no exception when it comes to pancreatitis.

The pancreas needs to stay hydrated or it becomes more vulnerable.

There are times when people are midst an attack and can't drink anything including water but this is when they go into the hospital.

On a normal day when liquids can go down, it is very important to remember not to get dehydrated. Overdoing it is never good for the pancreas and is certainly not necessary for hydration. Just a little gentle respect toward one's needs as they relate to thirst and liquids!

I'm sure this is coming up for me today because I was out in the sun and have been quite thirsty.

Water. Water. Water.

I need it.

I feel it.

I'm quenching my thirst.

I love my pancreas.

I don't want itmy pancreas to be mad at me. :-)

Pancreas Flare-up and Broth

Eating can be painful when experiencing a pancreatic flare-up. For me, the goal is for the pain to stop as soon as possible. Allowing the pancreas to rest seems to be the best cure when I am experiencing a pancreatic flare-up.

For me, allowing the pancreas to rest means either not eating or eating very little. Usually, I begin with rebelliously eating a little, then I surrender to the fact that I need to eat even less, eventually realizing and accepting that I simply need to be on liquids for a little while.

Chicken broth is one of my favorite liquids and it makes me feel good when I can't eat because my pancreas is inflammed and I'm experiencing a flare-up. The salt and warm liquid is soothing. It's also filling and soothing when I can't eat.

'A little while' could be a few days, weeks or months. Everyone is different. The severity of where a person is at with their disease and how inflamed and/or damaged the pancreas is would probably, at least in part, help to determine how long a person needs to stay away from food.

The longer I stubbornly eat the longer the flare-up will last because it will just take that much longer before my pancreas can rest and therefore heal.

For me, it is important to be willing to give up food when I am experiencing a flare-up of the pancreas. But I don't want to lose weight and I get hungry. So, I want to eat. The sooner I relinquish control and surrender to the fact that my pancreas cannot rest while I am eating the sooner my pancreas can heal and the less likely I am causing it further damage and scarring. As a result, I assume I the earlier I get on a liquid diet during times of pancreatic flare-ups the longer I will live.

Chronic pancreatitis is a dangerous disease. I'd like to live relatively pain-free for as long as possible. YEARS! Therefore, when experiencing a flare-up, I try to remember that liquids are good and food can increase the pain and delay and/or prevent recovery.

If you are or someone you love is experiencing a pancreatic flare-up then my heart goes out to you. It can pass. Patience is necessary. It is always important to remember that alcohol is no longer an option and can put your life at risk.

Pancreatitis & Low Acid Coffee

I'm making a concerted effort to switch from regular coffee to low-acid coffee because I think it might be easier on my pancreas.

Someone from this website had suggested that I switch from regular coffee to low acid coffee. She said that she had made the switch and found it helpful. I used to drink low acid coffee before I was diagnosed with pancreatitis and know from my own experience that it is much more gentle on my stomach.

The other day, I was at Fairway Market on the Upper East Side in NYC. So, while at the supermarket I decided to make the switch. I've looked for low acid coffee before and the only place I've found a coffee that is called 'Low Acid' is at Trader Joes. Fairway has a whole section coffee beach section with an employee there to help you decide what you want. I read all the labels and none of the coffees were called 'Low Acid'. So, I asked the man who worked the coffee section. He suggested three different types of coffee stating that those were the market's 'low acid' coffees.

Sumatra was one off the suggestions. I like Sumatra. It always seems smoother and gentler than most. So I bought that.

I don't know for sure if Sumatra is actually low acid or not. I am taking the word of someone who sells coffee at a supermarket. I'd research it online for more information or to see which are the best low acid coffees. For now, I'm back home with my Folgers blend.

I'll probably look into it further before I buy coffee again because I truly do want things to be as easy as possible on my system... uhhh, unless that means having to give up coffee altogether - which I'm not ready to do.

Pancreatitis and Lavender Tea

Lavender is something I love to add to my tea mixes.

A pinch is enough. Lavender is strong and a little goes a long way.

Like with peppermint, lavender adds a lovely aroma and taste to the teas I make for the benefit of my pancreas.

Some of the herbs I use taste dreadful but are beneficial so adding a pinch of lavender can really enhance my tea drinking experience.

Benefits of Lavender
- Lavender may help with insomnia
- Lavender may be calming, help with nervousness and alleviating stress. (I have found that, for me, stress is a trigger point for pancreatic flare-ups.)
- Lavender may help to uplift wilting spirits!
- Lavender may help with flatulence, an upset stomach and bowel infections
- Lavender may help to headaches

As with anything I put into my system, I take it slow and see how my body reacts. Again, lavender is very strong and something I use only as a supplement to the other herbs I make tea from. The reason is because the other herbs are more directed toward reducing tumors, decreasing inflammation, detoxing, etc. Those are more prominent concerns when I'm trying to maintain a healthier pancreas. It seems to work, so I stick with it!

Pancreatitis & Artemisia Capillaris Tea

This past winter, my liver became quite swollen. I had never focused on liver maintenance until this time. I knew Apple's Steve Jobs had a liver transplant years after being diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. So, I made a decision to respect the importance of maintaining a healthy liver.

From all I've read it seems not only is there no cure for pancreatic cancer but doctor's merely use us as guinea pigs during our demise down misery lane. After my awful experience in the hospital with Severe Acute Pancreatitis I decided I'd do the best I could to figure out what was wrong with my pancreas, on my own, and live a the happiest life possible without the help of doctors. While I am very pleased with this decision knowing it was the right choice I also understand that diligence in listening to my body and responding with research and action is vital.

When my liver swelled I researched herbs and teas that would decrease inflammation. At the time I was visiting family in NYC so I headed down to Chinatown to see what sort of Chinese medicinals might be available to cure what ailed me.

A very nice young Chinese man told me to drink tea every day. Warm tea. He recommended against prepackaged teas and suggested the use of bulk tea instead. I thanked him for his assistance and began my search for bulk teas. I had no idea what I was looking for but decided to ask around and see what I could find. I found a 16 ounce bag of tea for $5. The lady behind the counter suggested drinking a cup every day. I assumed it was the sort of tea Chinese restaurants served. So, I bought it. Then, I went to Pearl River on Broadway - a large Chinese store with everything that has been there for 40 years.

By this time I had ended my search for tea and decided to look for goodies to help furnish my daughter's apartment since she had recently moved to the city. While rummaging downstairs I worked my way to the very back end of the basement and much to my surprise the wall was filled with medicinals and bulk tea! There was a Chinese medicine doctor on duty who happened to leave for the day before I had a chance to seek his assistance. So left to my own devices, I bought several bags of various teas in hopes that something would be what I was looking for. At a different shop, I purchased a lovely Chinese tea pot set ($18) which my daughter loves and I use regularly during my NYC visits.

Once home, I researched each of the teas for medicinal purposes and marked my findings in the side of each bag with a sharpie. Several of the teas were noted as having anti-inflammatory properties.

My liver was swollen. This meant that it was inflamed. Therefore, the goal was to decrease the inflammation. Some of the teas I purchased were good for the GI tract, liver and kidneys.

Artemisia Capillaris is probably my favorite of the teas although I usually mix at least three together at a time due to the various medicinal benefits of each tea. I know drink my teas regularly. After drinking the tea my liver went back down to normal. I want to say this happened immediately but let's veer on the side of reserve and say that it might have taken as long as a day for my liver to become normal again.

I often feel like I don't have pancreatitis these days. Currently, I am back in NYC. I've been here since the day of the 'hurricane', August 27th. I did not bring my teas with me. I regret it. I think the teas flush my system and keep it healthy and viable. I can feel a difference and unfortunately, don't have the tea on hand to immediately decrease the swelling or flush the system. While this is not a painful experience to me. It is uncomfortable and unnecessary since the teas seem to aid my GI tract in ways it needs.

Artemisia Capillaris is also known as Chinese Wormwood and Yen Chen Hao. I can be purchased online and is relatively inexpensive. The bag I purchased in NYC's Chinatown was $5. Online I've seen it for more... perhaps as $11-16? Nonetheless, I'm still working on my first bag and it lasts a longtime and, for me, it works!

Instructions:

In NYC, I fill the screen full of the tea in the Chinese teapot, then add water. Let sit for a few minutes before drinking.

At home, I do not have a Chinese teapot and therefore boil the herb directly in the water and strain the bulk tea directly into the cup.

Both seem ways of making the tea seem to work fine!

I'd love to hear what is working for you. Information is our friend and will hopefully help us prolong our lives.

Pancreatitis & Turmeric The Elixir of Life

There is a drink called Turmeric - The Elixir of Life that is filled with anti-inflammatories such as ginger, cayenne and turmeric and other good things that don't hurt my pancreas such as honey, sea salt.

Click on the link to read more about the product. It appears that it is only available in 5 areas within the State of NY. If that's not local to where you are perhaps you can make your own?

By the way, it's made with local NY honey - an added bonus if you're from here. If you make your own you might use local honey to help defray the effect of seasonal allergies.

Something to remember is that with pancreatitis more is not necessarily better. For me, I'm not ever better off with more of anything (unless it's sleep, lowered stress and more money). As far as foods and liquids go, I'm always better off leaning toward less. If you are trying a new food or drink take it slow so you can see how your body reacts.

I have had an entire bottle of Turmeric - The Elixir of Life at a time. But you'll need to test it out to see what works best for you. With most juices, I've learned that I'm best off only having a couple ounces at a time. I've also learned that it is very important for me to have a variety of juice so I'm getting the entire rainbow of food groups. Different food colors offer different benefits for the body.

I'm notorious for only liking certain things and sticking with only those things. Unfortunately, this sort of eating doesn't benefit the overall health of my body so I try very hard to have a variety of colored drinks. Green, red, blue, yellow and orange. If I only have a couple ounces of two colors in a day then that's fine. I do try to mix it up so my body can benefit from all the colors. My choice would to never drink mango juice. That being said, I've learned what an important part of my diet it can be since it is so high in potassium and it is easy for a person who doesn't tend to eat a lot to have unsafe levels of potassium. Something I recently learned the hard way.

Chronic Pancreatitis and Tea

I 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 apple
• 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!

Pancreatitis & Juice

One of the things I learned early on after being diagnosed with acute severe pancreatitis was that I didn't have a well-rounded diet and that it was probably important to change my and improve my diet to promote better overall health.

Initially, this seemed as though it would force me to eat more which would be in direct conflict of what I was capable of doing without hurting my pancreas. There were so many fruits and vegetables I really needed to include in my diet if I were to increase the overall nutrients.

Juice. Bolthouse is one of my favorites but Odwalla and Naked drinks are very good as well. There are so many juices out there that have a multitude of fruits and vegetables in them. My job now seems to be more about choosing red, green, yellow and blue juices than any one particular fruit juice or berry. As a result, the process if fun and easy!

One thing to note is quantity. I can't drink very much juice at one time because it can hurt my pancreas. That isn't an issue. An ounce or two of any particular kind of juice is probably plenty for my system to receive the varied nutrients it needs from each of the color categories. No. They aren't really color categories but if I get green, red, purple and yellow/orange juices then I've probably covered the spectrum of the fruits and veggies my body needs to be well-balanced.

So even if I only have a total of 6-8 ounces of juice throughout the day but I'm taking in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables as a result I feel as though I'm giving my body the varied nutrients it needs from these food sources without hurting my pancreas by overeating or over drinking.

If you live on your own, you might want to buy the smallest bottles available. I used to buy the largest bottles available because my daughter drinks so much juice but after she moved out I found that I was either trying to finish the bottle (which inevitably would overwork the pancreas) or half the container would be thrown out. Now, I don't sweat it. I buy small quantities and toss it when need be. The whole idea is to help the pancreas not to cause stress to it. Therefore, tossing old juice is always better than drinking it at the risk of overworking the pancreas. While I tend to be thrifty it is important to prioritize, as well. The health of the pancreas comes first!

Can Orange Juice Cause Pancreatitis?

Someone reached this site by asking if orange juice can cause pancreatitis.

While this is not a question that ever occurred to me before, it could be an important question especially considering my background.

I have always been an avid drinker of orange juice. So much so that I've actually been warned not to drink so much and told that drinking so much orange juice could rip away my stomach lining.

I never listened to any of this and wrote it off as nonsense.

Nonetheless, it is important to note that there is someone out there who is wondering if orange juice could cause pancreatitis and that I have always drunk an awful lot of orange juice. Well, not anymore. My pancreas cannot handle it anymore. In case it is noteworthy, I preferred Minute Maid with Calcium.

I've read that over time the pancreas - in pancreatic patients - becomes calcified. If orange juice has anything to do with pancreatitis would calcium fortified orange juice be even harder on the pancreas?

Another interjection is that I'm hypoglycemic.

Okay, that's all I got. Did anyone else who suffers from pancreatitis drink an overabundance of orange juice.

Seems like a silly train of thought but it's not. At this point, most everything important about pancreatitis, what causes it and how to live with it is unknown. Therefore, similarities in pancreatitic patients should be noted... even if it is something as simple as an orange juice addition.

One of the big problems is that people with chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer don't seem to live long enough for the medical profession to learn enough about our disease to make much headway with it. Therefore, any patterns or similarities should be noted. We don't have to have all the answered. We just want to log our findings, questions, progress and what we experience and see as similar patterns so that hopefully this information can be used to help us and others!

Note: If you have pancreatitis, this does not mean it is okay to drink alcohol. It is not. If you have pancreatitis you cannot drink alcohol anymore. EVER!

Pancreatitis: Coffee with Honey

I know I'm not supposed to drink caffeine since I have pancreatitis. Yet, I do it anyway.

I admit it. I'm a coffee fiend. I drink several cups a day.

I like coffee with cream (real cream) only. No sweeteners. Just delicious fresh coffee with a good cream that makes my coffee rich in color.

When at home, I now use a fat free milk or a fat-free half-and-half.

Although I never have used a sweetener for my coffee, I have decided to begin to do so. It's is on a trial basis, for now.

I have begun putting honey in my coffee. The reason isn't to sweeten the coffee but rather in hopes that the cream with make the coffee easier on my pancreas. I don't know if it will work or not. In fact, I can feel that my pancreas is currently slightly swollen so I have my doubts. Nonetheless, I know that honey has eased my pancreas pain when, at times, I've been unable to eat. Honey also helps to fill me up when I can't eat.

I assume there is something in honey that works in a positive nature with the pancreas. I think this might be the case as a result of how it makes my pancreas feel when I can't eat and the fact that my pancreas is at ease with the honey intake.

All that being said, it does seem that my pancreas is probably slight swollen at present. That being said, I'm on my third large coffee of the day. It is 2:00 pm. Between the caffeine and cream intake (I'm not at home so the cream intake is either real cream or a non-dairy creamer - which probably has a sweetener in it. I've heard sweeteners are very hard on the pancreas).

I'll take my Wobenzym N which is an all natural systemic enzyme anti-inflammatory. I don't know if it actually helped but I always want to take it when I can feel that my pancreas is swollen.

Note: It is now several days later. I am still drinking coffee with honey in it. I don't believe it is helpful in anyway. We're still on vacation. I think I'll go back to straight coffee with cream when we return home. That being said, I should not be drinking coffee at all. It is said that people with pancreatitis should not drink coffee. Obviously, I'm not perfect. Heck, it's not even on my 'To Do' list.

Chronic Pancreatitis: What to Eat/Drink

Everyone with Chronic Pancreatitis is probably going to react to the disease differently particularly depending on what stage of the disease they are at.

I currently eat solids and drink non-alcoholic liquids. Sometimes without any or much pain or discomfort. I try not to eat or drink too much at any particular sitting. I try to stay away from foods that are too fatty. And, I try to get a well-rounded amount of vegetables. I hate vegetables. Nonetheless, a balanced diet is probably important for my overall health.

I get most of my veggies from Naked Drinks and Bolthouse Juices. Why? Because I can get several different types of vegetables in one drink and therefore save myself from eating too much or having to deal with veggies I don't like. Instead I'm done in a few gulps. I'm better with the green veggies but really don't like any of the yellow, white or red ones.

I drink them sparingly. If you are worried about the drink going bad in the fridge. Don't! Remember, you're more interested in preserving the health of your pancreas (and staying alive) than finishing a juice. Just buy the little bottle. Drink a couple sips a day. If it goes bad before its gone, so be it. It is probably better to get some diversity of healthy foods in your body then not.

Feel good about having a little and tossing anything that didn't go down comfortably. Your body probably doesn't need much to get the nutrients so anything you do is good. At least that is how I feel about it.

Again, everyone is at a different place with their chronic pancreatitis. I can't speak for anyone else's system. Only mine. And, this is where I'm at with my system and my eating and drinking habits today!

:-)

Remember... no booze.

Those of us with chronic pancreatitis don't get to drink alcohol anymore. EVER!

Pancreatitis & Coffee

I have a friend who has subtitled her blog is "Family is Funny".

Maybe I should subtitle this blog "...because Pancreatitis is Funny".

I was thinking about coffee and how much I like coffee. How I would rather fight you for it than lose my coffee.

Of course, this is silly because coffee is bad for those of us with pancreatitis so I should be wanting and willing to give it up. Instead I'm about as smart as this tattooed baby smoking in his little pool... and, luckily, about as happy, too!

Noteworthy: I've read that coffee is not good for people with pancreatitis. Think of it like a "Just say no to coffee" campaign. Why? Not sure I know. I think it has to do with the high acid content...

Hmmm... if that is the case and if you live near a Trader Joe's (which I don't) you could simply by low-acid coffee grounds.

Of course, I'm not sure that's why coffee is bad for you if you have chronic pancreatitis

And... of course, I also just gave you a solution to continue drinking coffee.

Man. I'm not good at giving up my coffee.

Of course, I wasn't good at giving up my booze either and that's what got me in this mess in the first place.

So, the question is do I, or will I, need to give up coffee to protect my health in relationship to my chronic pancreatitis? Answer: I don't know. If that time comes I will probably quit drinking coffee. In the meantime I try to moderate. Whatever that means... Actually, that means that I try not to drink so much that it hurts my pancreas.

Pancreatitis: What to Take When You Have the Flu

First, I have no idea how to get rid of the flu except to wait it out.

I tried Alka-Seltzer Plus Flu and it didn't do a darn thing to alleviate my flu symptoms but seems to have inflamed my liver.

I try not to drink too much juice because the acidity is hard on my pancreas. Store bought herbal teas seem difficult to tolerate these days. (Check out this post on one of my favorite anti-inflammatory bulk teas and some other fun healthy tea ideas!)

Chicken broth doesn't hurt. I drink chicken broth.

I'm still sick and about 6 or 7 days into being a sickie-poo. Yuck

The only difference between today and a few days ago is that now I know the over-the-counter flu relievers don't work and so I need to just wait it out.

I used to drink tons of Orange Juice to feel better sooner. Now, it seems like all the things I used to do to get well hurt my pancreas so I'm better off just coughing, resting and patiently waiting to feel better.

On the upside, my inability to do much is lending me much needed and desired time to write on this blog. Yeah! Although, I regularly think how much I'd like to contribute and share my story I often find myself with more desire than time.

Today, I'm a sickie poo with little energy. Therefore, I'm Queen of Time and my blog can benefit! Nice. :-)

Starbucks and Pancreatitis

I go through phases where I drink a lot of Venti Non-Fat Lattes from Starbucks.

I need more restraint. My pancreas does not prefer it when I drink them - meaning my pancreas becomes inflammed. I tend to have 2-4 a day. I should have none.

I've read that caffeine is not good for pancreatitis. Lattes are very rich. I used to drink them with whole milk. Switching over to non-fat milk hasn't made enough of a difference. I still shouldn't drink them.

I need to stop. I will stop. Today will be my last day.

My health is more important than my lattes. This is my new motto!

Related articles:
Pancreatitis & Coffee
Pancreatitis: Coffee with Honey

Pancreatic Care at Home

Attached is a letter I received yesterday. Below, I have responded. Please keep in mind that I can only share my personal experience. I have no medical expertise and am not giving a medical opinion nor am I qualified to do so. What I can do is share my pancreatic experiences and how I've deal with it.

This is my third acute pancreatitis attack. The two previous ones i was hospitalized. I am currently having one know, very severe pain and i am awaiting my lab results from my doctor. i told my doctor i would like to try to stay at home during this one and he did prescribe some pain meds but he did tell me regarding the diet...to only eat carbs and no fatty foods.

I know that when i eat something the pain increases for awhile but I am not sure other than the increased pain, what the effects are of eating. I am drinking only water but in small amounts. I did try broth and jello but even with those i felt increased pain.

I am not sure what to do at this point. Since I do not want to be hospitalized again I do not have the IV fluids to help sustain me nutrionally. Is it ok, if I am willing to tolerate the increased pain, to eat a small light meal and then stick with the fluids for other meals?

thank you,

cynthia

Hi Cynthia,

Thanks for your thoughts. My heart goes out to you and what you are going through. I completely understand not wanting to return to the hospital. I have sworn that I will never return. It was a nightmare experience. I also think that I was told to eat a large meal after a couple days of feeling better which after eating the meal did horrible things to my system and perhaps cause scar tissue that I might not otherwise have to live with now and which affects me on a regular basis.

That being said, I do my best to keep my health in a state where I might not feel that I need to be hooked up to an IV. As stated above, I'm not a doctor so I can only share what I've learned and what I feel about pancreatitis.

I have heard that when you have an attack it is important to let your pancreas heal. The way the pancreas heals is by not putting things into it which then allows it to heal rather than work to process whatever you might be eating and drinking. To fully let it heal one needs to be hooked into an IV. This way nothing is going through the pancreas and it can just spend time healing itself.

Since you don't want to go into the hospital you'll probably want to be ultra careful as to what you put into your system so that your food and drink intake is as light as possible and will hopefully not be too stressful on the pancreas.

Acute pancreatic attacks have a very high mortality rate so it is incredibly important that you read up on it and learn everything that you can so you are aware of the danger signs. The main problem is organ failure. In my particular case, the low rate of my heart beat was a constant concern and I spent much of my time pacing the hospital halls with my IV just to keep my heartbeat up and to keep my heart from stopping. Other organs that can become damaged or destroyed include the kidney, liver and lungs.

I've been having some pancreatic issues recently that I've been trying to keep under control. This means I'm having a dull pain in my pancreas. It's fairly common. It might go away completely if I stopped drinking coffee and if I hadn't had quite so many acidic, fatty and spicy things lately.

It is important to understand your diet and respect what your body needs, wants, doesn't need and doesn't want. No one is perfect... and sometimes we get hungry even when we know it will hurt our body to eat.

I do not take painkillers ever nor would I. It is very important to me to know if my pancreas is reacting poorly to food and when it does to try to take better care of myself. If I'm on painkillers than I won't know how my body is reacting or what I can do to improve the state of my health.

I remember reading an article where a doctor made a statement about how little the medical professionals know about pancreatitis. What I learned from that is that I don't want to be their test rat. I'd rather explore holistic options. This disease isn't kind. Chronic pancreatitis turns into pancreatic cancer which is a very fast killer.

If you should be hooked up to an IV then it doesn't sound like you are ready for solids, particularly something as solid as starch.

Perhaps you could consider a broth diet for a few days allowing your pancreas to rest. Are you taking potassium and magnisium? When I was in the hospital, I would like the salt off potato chips and eat maybe 1 or 2, later increasing to 3-6 per day. My doctor said I probably needed the salt, potassium and magnisium which were in the chips and that these things were probably helping to keep my heart rate higher.

Since my pancreas has been bothering me over the past few days I've been trying to limit my food intake. I've had very little to eat (yesterday only potato chips) and am having as much broth and tea as I want. The day before I mostly just had broth. I also drink coffee which is not helpful and not encouraged.

I know it is difficult but if you can refrain from the meals and allow your pancreas to heal it might help. What do you think? You don't want to cause more damage and isn't that possible if you keep eating? It sounds like you want me to tell you it's okay to eat because you're hungry. You know the answer is to let your pancreas rest. If you let your pancreas rest now will be better sooner and will your pancreas heal faster? I believe the answer is 'Yes!'

Take the time to take care of yourself. You're not drinking are you? If so, then you need to know that it is probably the worst thing you can do for your body. Also, I believe that having a laptop situated on the tummy bothers the pancreas. I have never heard anyone say that. It is a personal opinion. The harm that drinking causes to the pancreas is not my opinion but the opinion of the medical world.

Water is good and perhaps the least harmful thing you can put in your body.
Tea and broth are probably next on the list.
Yogurt might be considered.

I drink a lot of Bolthouse Green Goodness. It is very filling and just a liquid. It seems to help keep the appetite at bay and has things in it that are good for the pancreas, I believe. Have you tried juices? If you can tolerate them fairly well then you might try the Green Goodness more often in smaller quanitities. First, you could try 2-4 oz, a half hour or an hour later have another 2-4 ounces. In between if you are hungry have some chicken, vegetable or beef broth. Give it a few days before moving on to mashed potatoes, if possible.

I hope that helps give you an idea of how another person with pancreatitis would try to deal with it. I'm not perfect and we don't always know what will hurt us. For instance, I just had dinner rolls and I'm noticing that my body probably isn't ready for them yet. Maybe I'll just go back to a straight liquid diet with a few potato chips for 2 or 3 days and see how that goes. I was on that for the past two days and apparently should stick with it for a couple more days. I'll also buy more green juice so I don't get hungry. It is very filling!

All the best. Let me know how it goes!

Thank you for all your advice! Right now I am on water only. I did try broth and jello the other day but found that the pain increased even with just that! That is why I was thinking, if i am going to hurt after having that, why not go with a light meal. I will try the potato chip thing but if it is mainly for salt, why not just eat a dash of salt here or there?

I saw my family doctor on Wed. (today is Sun) and I had bloodwork on Thurs. of which I have heard nothing about as far as the results go. The day I saw my family doctor my stomach was not yet swollen and distended. At that time he said as far as diet, just to stick with carbs and no fats. My reply to him was for several days i intended to stick to clear liquids. He did prescribe a stronger pain medication but it does very little to relieve this excruciating pain!

I am regularly on pain medication as I have two lumbar vertebraes that have no disc left in between them, it is bone on bone and at my age, there is no way I am undergoing any type of back surgery! Having worked for an orthopaedic surgeon, I know that even if the surgery is successful, I will be facing surgery every 2-3 years to break up scar tissue and adehsions. So while I do practice therapy excersizes, pain medication is often unavoidable for me.

Every since my first attack of acute pancreatitis, I have followed a low fat diet because my gastroenterologist warned me of the problems that my pancreas would have in processing fats. Too, I have followed a low carb diet because after returning from europe, my triglycerides were through the roof, even up into the 1000's! My family doctor told me that if they go over 500 again, it could trigger another attack. I also take Tricor along with the diet and my last blood test showed they were down to 220. I do however, faulter from the diets as no one can be perfect all the time and eating out can be extremely difficult to find something within both diets. So, I do have to have cheat days but limit them. Spicy foods I never worry about because I don't like them and have never tolerated them.

I have been monitoring my heart rate which has been running around 120 give or take a few points each time.

Where can I find this green goodness drink?

I am desperately trying to do the right thing and I am researching everywhere I can find anything but it is all very confusing and the doctor's are not good at offerring suggestions on the diets other than to say "low fat" and "low carb"

To be honest, with the amount of pain I am in, i am getting very little sleep due to the discomfort and not knowing which way to turn, not knowing how to find out if the other serious issues than can occur with pancreatitis are happening, I am at my wits end and just cry. I also suffer from depression so all of this is not helping matters!

Strange that you mention about the laptop thing, while I was in europe I laid with my laptop on my stomach frequently and I remember how hot it did get on my stomach!

I am doing my best just to get through each day and keep myself hydrated.

How do you know when you have gone from a few acute attacks to chronic pancreatitis? Too, I have read as you also mentioned, that very often chronic pancreatitis leads to pancreatic cancer. When and how should I go about requesting to be tested for that without sounding like a hypochondriac!

Again, I thank you for your advice and prompt reply!

Cynthia

i tried to reply in the blog to be posted but could not figure out what i was supposed to do with selecting a profile!

Hi Cynthia,

Hope all is well. The Bolthouse Green Goodness juice is something I buy at the local grocery market. It's thick, so take it easy with the quantity, especially at first.

As far as asking to be tested for Pancreatic Cancer... there is no reason you should ever feel like a hypochondriac. Very little is known about disease. Usually, doctors only diagnose Pancreatic Cancer once a person is in the final stages. Therefore, the doctors have either completely missed the disease previously or the disease was misdiagnosed. Both are very common. I would assume it is best to be very assertive with your doctor is not. In fact, you might want to find a doctor with experience in this area if you feel your doctor is not well versed when it comes to the disease of pancreatitis. Since this disease is rare and not a lot is known about it there is a good chance your doctor might have limited knowledge about it. Ask to be tested. Be aggressive. Pancreatitis is an aggressive disease. If you don't want it to win you will need to be diligent and more aggressive than the disease. So put on our boxing gloves and fight!

Below are some articles I found on Pancreatitis Care at Home:

PANCREATITIS: SELF CARE AT HOME
PANCREATITIS: HOME CARE
PANCREATITIS: LIQUID DIET