Curry Squid with Rice - Pancreatic Diet

Deep sea fish are high in iodine. Iodine is necessary for proper thyroid function. The thyroid is part of the endocrine system. The pancreas is part of the endocrine system. Therefore, my thought is the healthier I can keep my thyroid and endocrine system, as a whole, the easier things will be on my pancreas. As it is, I have problems with my thyroid so I am trying to take special note of things that could help to keep it strong or improve its condition.

Eating is often a difficult proposition for people with pancreatic problems. My pancreas likes to

become inflamed at the thought of food. Therefore, a goal of mine is to keep my pancreas from becoming inflamed while still eating... and preferably while enjoying my diet!

Today, I made Squid (or Calamari, if you prefer) with rice. The spices I used are ground black pepper, iodized salt, curry and turmeric.

Curry and turmeric are anti-inflammatory spices. My experience has been that these spices tend to decrease pancreatic irritability.

I cooked the squid in a pan (Frozen squid which I took out of the freezer yesterday) with iodized salt, freshly ground black pepper, turmeric and curry.

In a separate pan, I cooked the rice to which I added curry and iodized salt.

Note: I am not currently experiencing pancreatic pain. If I were then I would probably not be eating solids. Rather, I would probably be better off with either straight liquids - if I needed to allow my pancreas time to rest and heal - or easier foods to digest such as yogurt, baby cereal, tapioca pudding and perhaps oatmeal and toast with jam or maybe an english muffin.

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Pancreas Glucagon

Ugh, right!?! What a phrase. I'm a simple girl with simple taste. How do phrases like 'pancreas glucagon' pop up in my world? Well, I'll tell ya! Chronic pancreatitis has the tendencies to expand the horizons of one's vocabulary, even that of a simple girl like me.

While I'm making light, Glucagon is worth noting and paying attention to. The more I learn the more I realize how vulnerable my pancreas may have been by factors beyond alcohol. This does not mean I can drink alcohol or that alcohol wasn't the trigger. It means that other factors within my body may have made me more vulnerable to alcoholic pancreatitis.

Glucagon is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. It raises blood sucrose levels and has the opposite effect of insulin. When blood sugar (glucose) levels fall too low the pancreas releases glucagon. Glucagon affects the liver causing it to convert stored glycogen into glucose, which is then released into the bloodstream.

Noteworthy: What is interesting here is that problems with the pancreas often cause trouble with the liver. Glucagon affects both the liver and pancreas.

Also NOTEWORTHY: Glucagon is a hormone. a) I have a thyroid imbalance which is said to be hormonal. Glucagon is a endocrine hormone molecule. b) The pancreas is part of the endocrine system. One of the questions might be: Does my swollen thyroid weaken my pancreas glucagon?

The glucagon hormone is synthesized and secreted from alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans, which are located in the endocrine portion of the pancreas.

NOTEWORTHY: a) Steve Jobs has Islet Pancreatic Cancer. He has also had a liver transplant. b) For me, it is important to note that the glucagon hormone is located in the endocrine portion of the pancreas because my endocrine system is weak and therefore this could be related or a trigger point.

Glucagon helps maintain the level of glucose in the blood. Glucose is stored in the liver.

Glucagon production appears to be dependent on the central nervous system through pathways yet to be defined.

One of the regulatory mechanisms of pancreas glucagon is that an increased secretion of glucagon is caused by an increased plasma amino acid (to protect from hypoglycemia if an all-protein meal is consumed).

NOTEWORTHY: I tend to prefer 'all-protein meals' and happen to be hypoglycemic.



Source: Wikipedia: Glucagon

Pancreatitis & Popcorn

Popcorn is my bestest friend in the whole wide world! :-)

Okay, maybe not, but you get the jist.

Popcorn doesn't hurt my pancreas. I pop it myself from kernels using Canola or Olive Oil on the bottom of the pot.

Popcorn is not a fatty food.

Popcorn is a grain which is important for my balanced diet.

Popcorn helps to keep me regular which helps to flush my GI tract promoting a stronger system overall.

I use iodized salt on my popcorn which is essential my thyroid. My thyroid is part my endocrine system. My pancreas is part of my endocrine system.

My thought is that maintaining proper health throughout my endocrine system will increase longevity for my pancreas.

Therefore, I eat popcorn!

Notes: Flavored pre-popped popcorn and flavored microwavable popcorn tend to contain ingredients that are not natural. Some of these ingredients could hurt my pancreas or simply not be healthy to digest so I pop my own.

I use both generic and Orville's popcorn. Both have different instructions so for the best tasting popcorn don't assume the same cooking directions work equally well for both. I learned this the hard way!

Potassium Iodine, The Thyroid and the Endocrine System

This topic might seem off-topic but I believe it is directly related to the health of my pancreas. The pancreas is part of the endocrine system. So when other parts of the endocrine system are weakened perhaps it is possible for the pancreas to also become more vulnerable.

The radiation contamination issues in Japan lead me to wonder which foods were rich in iodine potassium. I have heard that everyone is sold out of it, fake pills are being sold and that it will take perhaps even months before new iodine potassium tablets are available on the market.

I'm not very big on pills anyway and prefer getting my nutrients through food. So I looked it up and found these foods to be richest in potassium iodine.

1. Kelp (hellaciously high)
2. Low-Fat Yogurt
3. 2% Cow's Milk
4. Egg, whole, boiled
5. Stawberries
6. Mozzarella Cheese

Kelp has the highest amount of iodine with Mozzarella Cheese coming in last... but still containing a valuable amount.

It is important to note that too much potassium iodine can cause a body great harm. So, don't over do it.

Previously, my thyroid gland was swollen - perhaps for a few years. I have since changed the things I eat and the swelling has gone down. It seems quite possible that a lack of iodine could have been the culprit. Due to my milk allergy I usually pass on milk and yogurt. It's safe to say I

eat very few eggs, often go without salt (which contains iodine), can assume kelp is not high on my intake list and while I love strawberries and mozzarella cheese, I probably don't generally consume enough of either to meet my needed allowance of iodine.

A lack of iodine can cause thyroidism which is what I have suspected was caused by a potassium deficiency. Apparently, both could have caused an issue in this area.

So, in conclusion, I believe that caring for all the organs in my endocrine system will help ensure that my pancreas isn't overburdened by weakness coming from a different area of my body.
Second, if the issues at Japan's nuclear plants aren't dealt with it may become increasingly important for people to ensure they have enough potassium iodine in their system to fight off the ill effects of radiation in relation to staving off cancerous effects to the thyroid as impacted by the iodine issues. If you can't find potassium iodine pills you can always just eat the foods rich in it!

Pancreatitis & the Endocrine System

The pancreas is part of the endocrine system. A few years back I notice I had an enlarged thyroid. At some point I was reading up on it and realized that both the thyroid and pancreas were part of the endocrine system.

The way I initially suspected I was having troubles with my pancreas was because each time my daughter would do reflexology on my feet my pancreas was sore. This was the case for several years before going to a doctor about it. In fact, the soreness on the bottom of my foot lead me to learn more about the pancreas and why it might be sore. This is why I was able to tell the doctors I thought I was having problems with my pancreas when I went into the emergency hospital.

Later, when trying to figure out if there was anything I could do about my enlarged thyroid I discovered its relation to the pancreas via the endocrine system.

When I massage my feet (or when my daughter does it for me) there are areas which are usually sore - the pancreas and the pituitary are always on the list. When I had the flu over the past couple weeks my thymus was so sore that area of my foot was achy when walking on it.

So one of the questions I consider when trying to improve or maintain the condition of my pancreas is how it interacts to and is affected by the overall health and well-being of the endocrine system.

If my thymus or thyroid is weakened will this negatively impact my pancreas. Logic would lead me to believe the answer is 'yes'. The reasoning being that the interaction of the whole affects the whole so if other parts of the endocrine system are weak the result will be a weaker pancreas. This matters because it could affect the overall health and function of my pancreas and therefore affect my overall longevity.

Yesterday, I went to the health food store. I was out of Wobenzym N and needed more. Wobenzym N is an anti-inflammatory systemic enzyme which seems to be a benefit to my system. When my pancreas is inflamed I like to take three Wobenzym N tablets. This seems to result in a decrease of inflammation in the pancreas region.

Bound and determined to find the bottle on my own - even though it was no longer in the same section as previously - I scoured the shelves. I noticed a bottle called 'Thyroid Balance' which claimed to be for healthy thyroid function. Intrigued, I picked up the bottle and the side which stated the over-the-counter capsules 'help to regulate healthy metabolism and to counteract such things as 'thinning hair, poor circulation' and 'mood swings' all of which I experience. Wow! All these symptoms could be related to my thyroid which in turn could be affecting my pancreas. I touched my swollen thyroid gland only to notice it was barely there anymore. Hmmm. I thought to myself the Wobenzym N must have shrunken it. Good!

While my thyroid gland is still swollen it is not nearly as swollen as it was before. So I bought the bottle of capsules to see what sort of affect it might have on my system - hoping for a positive affect.

The bottle says to take 4 capsules with breakfast. I did this. A little later my pancreas felt uncomfortable and swollen, as it does now. I had recently eaten breakfast so I don't know if it is because I ate a little more than I should have or if my pancreas doesn't prefer the thyroid capsules.

I will take the capsules again in hopes of seeing if it is beneficial. I do think it impacted my mood positively, but if it impacts my pancreas negatively than the capsules would not be something I would continue to take.

I suggested to Sophie that she take them as well to see if it helps balance her hormone. This evening she said that she thinks the thyroid capsules might have helped her mood because although she has been a little grumpy over the past couple days she was not grumpy today. She's going to keep testing it out.

If she might tend to have a weakened endocrine system then it would be better to be proactive to help her protect from the negative side effects such a weakened system might cause to her body.

Noteworthy: I think my eye sight has improved since taking the thyroid capsules this morning - meaning, things don't seem to be quite as blurring. Just thought it was worth making note of...

By the way, my thymus does not usually (like never) hurt on my foot when doing reflexology. The sensitivity in this area seems to be a direct result of having the flu.

Another note: While the thymus has endocrine function, it is not considered to be an endocrine gland. Nonetheless, when I had the flu my pancreas was not doing as well. Perhaps the weakened state of the thymus affected the pancreas as a result of its direct endocrine function.