Pancreatitis & Sunshine

The sun offers the body Vitamin D. People who suffer from pancreatitis can easily find themselves inside too much or feeling a little down in the dumps.

A lack of Vitamin D can also bring on a depressive mood.

I'm not usually stressed out. I try to control it and keep things in check because stress can bring on a pancreatitic flare-up.

Yesterday, I was a little stressed out.

A lot of change is happening in my life and yesterday was a day for feeling it.
I did everything I could as far as putting one foot in front of the other to make sure my life is moving in the right direction.

For a woman, some days during the month are simply more stressful. I also took that into consideration.

Then, I wondered if there was anything I could do to help boost my mood.

The answer: Sunshine!

So, this afternoon, I spent about 15 minutes swimming and upwards of an hour lounging about in the sun letting my skin soak up all of that scrumptious Vitamin D.

Sometimes I forget the basics.

Eat small meals. No stress. Exercise. Sun. Plenty of sleep.

When I realize the err of my ways, I rectify things as quickly as possible.

I believe my pancreas appreciates the effort!

Swimming and Pancreatitis

Next to walking, swimming is my favorite exercise.

It is gentle on the entire body including my pancreas.

Swimming and walking, for me, might be similar to meditating for other people.

It's where I find peace and tranquility. Calm and silence.

Swimming has the added benefit of ensuring I'm catching a little vitamin D if I'm swimming

during daylight hours then catch a few rays on the chaise.

When I'm more on the stressed out side I try to ensure exercise is part of my routine. Focus on something other than me. Restful exercise. Sounds like an oxymoron.

If I'm mid pancreatic flare-up, I pay attention to my pancreas and let it guide me.

My goal is always to allow my pancreas to rest when it needs it. If I don't think swimming is going to make it feel better than I would have no business swimming. I never want to do anything that would cause discomfort to my pancreas. I always want to take it slow and easy and allow my pancreas to dictate what kind and how much exercise I do.

Pancreatitis & Chrissy's Tea

I make all my own teas now. I buy the ingredients in bulk and honestly you can either grow or get most tea ingredients if you so desired!

I don't know why but Yogi Teas now tend to hurt my abdomen when I drink them. Before I had chronic pancreatitis, Yogi Teas were always fantastic! Now, the Yogi Teas cause discomfort to my pancreas.

My solution has been to make my own teas.

I've written several other articles on tea. If you go to the 'search' bar on the left of the screen and type in 'tea' it will bring up the other tea articles.

I think my all time favorite tea includes the below 4 ingredients:

1. Artemisia Capillaris
2. Dandelion
3. Lavender
4. Ginger

Let's name it! Let's call it 'Chrissy's Tea'. My favorite grandfather used to call me 'Chrissy' so both the name and the tea have a special meaning to me!

This is probably my favorite tea because it tastes good and seems to flush my system while also decreasing inflammation. It always feels beneficial. I was recently in NYC for 10 days. I didn't bring the tea and noticed such a difference in how the organs in my processed and rid itself of food. Often, when I drink this tea I feel like I'm not really experiencing problems with my pancreas anymore. I think it simply does an excellent job of flushing my system which seems to make life much easier on my pancreas.

The artemisia capillaris seems to flush and protect my system. Note: Especially if you haven't tried this herb in a tea before, you might want to make sure you are home for the night. For my system, it gets things moving. It is also considered to be beneficial for the liver. Many people with pancreatitis end up having liver problems. I think this tea (herb) helps me protect the longevity of my liver! By the way, you can totally smoke this herb but it might give you a headache and it will not get you high. I haven't found that the benefits are the same when smoking it. I prefer it in tea!

Dandelion is high in Vitamins A and B12 (riboflavin), is known considered helpful with hypertension, as a diuretic and is known to prevent the formation of gallstones and possibly helping to dissolve gallstones. Gallstone problems are often prevalent in people who suffer from pancreatitis.

The lavender seeds I put in my shake herbal tea mix smell so good! It brings a smile to my face. Besides, the seeds are a beautiful shade of purple. I don't use many, maybe 5-10 seeds. I suppose some people might use more but that is the quantity that works for me. Lavender is considered an herb that helps with anxiety and nervousness as well as depression and insomnia. It also is known to help with the digestive tract, in relieving persistent flatulence, spells of nausea as well as indigestion. Many of these symptoms are experienced by people who suffer from the disease of pancreatitis.

I love ginger! It is an anti-inflammatory. I buy jars of the pink ginger that accompany sushi in restaurants and eat it straight up! I love the way ginger tastes in tea. It has a zing to it! It is said that ginger can help with abdominal cramping and the treatment of kidney stones, as well as having an antiseptic quality that is extremely beneficial in dealing with all manners of gastrointestinal infections. Ginger is also known to help with flatulence (gas)!

Pancreatitis and Peppermint Tea

Since most of what I do for my chronic pancreatitis is holistic, tea is a natural go-to because it is a liquid with each herb potentially offering healing benefits.

I've found several different herbs from which I make teas which I feel might have beneficial effects on my pancreas or parts of my system or health that I feel work in unison with my pancreas.

I love Peppermint Tea!

It tastes good. Some herbs taste really bad so it can be nice to add peppermint leaf to them to improve the overall taste of the tea.

Peppermint is considered to have many health benefits. Below is a list of some of the benefits peppermint is purported to offer.

Health Benefits of Peppermint
-Relieving Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
-Decreasing abdominal cramping and pain
-Reduction in bloating
-Helps relieve intestinal gas
-Helps with constipation and diarrhea
-Excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A
-Good source of magnesium, folate, dietary fiber, calcium, iron and Vitamin B2
-considered to nausea (my personal experience is that peppermint is very helpful in this area)
-Vomiting (my personal experience is that peppermint is very helpful in this area)
-Headaches

Peppermint is also considered to be helpful in managing mild asthma, stress and warding off the common cold.

Peppermint is one of my favorite additives when I'm making tea because of its great taste and benefits. Plus, I personally have felt no ill effects from using it in my teas! I like mixing it with Artemisia Capillaris Tea. The peppermint greatly improves the overall taste of the tea. I find that these teas help my pancreas feel better on a daily basis.



Sources:
Harvard Medical School
The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno
Benders’ Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
Wikipedia

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!

Potassium Problems & Pancreatitis

I seem to be having problems with not eating enough potassium. This isn't a huge surprise since I'm a light eater in general and foods rich in potassium are not necessarily my favorite.

To counter this deficiency I'm drinking V8 Juice, eating dried apricots and potato chips and walking.

My understanding is that a lack of potassium can cause kidney problems and is common amongst sufferers of pancreatitis.

My goal is to increase the amount of potassium I eat and strengthen my overall health which I feel will protect my pancreas and help it to function at an easier level.

Pancreatitis & Potassium

Everyone's experience with chronic or acute pancreatitis is different. We live different lives and eat different foods which create different reactions in our bodies.

When I was hospitalized with Severe Acute Pancreatitis I couldn't eat anything. That being said I would sneak a potato chip here and there (about 1-6 per day). I would suck all the salt off it and sometimes eat the chip. I eventually confessed this to my doctor. He said it was not surprising and that my body probably needed it.

Apparently, I had a potassium deficiency. Sometimes when someone has Severe Acute Pancreatitis there is a chance their heart can stop. The heart rate can get slow that it just stops. It is possible for any number of organs to fail but for me the problem was the heart.

Nurses would come in, take my pulse and gasp. Honestly, I didn't appreciate their reaction and thought they should be a little more sensitive to the fact that I was there and could see them gasping in surprise. The doctor would come rushing in soon after looking at my legs. Apparently veins pop out or something to that effect when your heart is about to fail. The panic that often pursued was just not optimistic in my opinion.


I spent a great deal of time (me and my IV) walking the halls of the hospital. The reason was to keep my heart rate up so I wouldn't die from heart failure. The thought was that my heart would have a hard time stopping from beating too slowly if I was in the process of exercise. I didn't walk quickly. I just moseyed around the halls. Me and my IV.

Yep. What can I say. There is a good chance it kept me alive.


This experience is fresh in my mind because two nights ago my right arm was sore and lightly tingly as were my fingers. I Googled it and the first thing that came up was a potassium deficiency. I then Googled 'Foods High in Potassium' and quickly found lists of foods that I never eat and don't like. I figured I'd deal with it the next day.

Yesterday came around and I didn't deal with it. Last night came around and I woke up feeling like my heart was going to stop so I got up, walked around, stretched, jogged in place a little, felt light headed and went back to bed only to be reawakened by a feeling that the artery near my heart was going to collapse and I as though I might have a stroke.


I decided to get up and exercise a little more. After, I sat down and again identified foods with potassium and started devouring everything in the house that contained potassium. It seems that it is quite difficult to actually get a full daily allowance of potassium. Thankfully, I had dried apricots and papaya juice along with a few other items which I hoped was enough to get me through the night.

Today, I will run over to the store and buy some potato chips. I love potato chips but haven't been eating them recently. Tomato puree and baked beans are also quite high in potassium. I am a picky eater but I do like these foods.


My body is weak, sensitive and needs me to always listen to its needs. Having pancreatitis can make me more vulnerable to a lot of things and it can make my system struggle where a healthy system might not.

A potassium deficiency can cause heart disease, kidney disease and a stroke. I will not neglect this aspect of my body's needs again. I believe I have learned an important lesson and hopefully my body will feel better soon. Potassium deficiency also makes a person feel fatigued. Maybe that explains my low energy levels recently.


I love finding out what is causing a problem and being able to fix it. It's amazing how so much relates directly to the diet and how we can improve our state of being by locating the problem and correcting it. While I cannot make the chronic pancreatitis go away, I can fix this issue with the low levels of potassium.

Off to the grocery market!


Articles relating to Pancreatitis and Potassium:
Pancreatitis - Acute Pancreatitis - Chronic Pancreatitis - Symptoms - Diagnosis
Diagnose Me: Condition: Pancreatitis
Acute Pancreatitis and Potassium
Pancreatitis Discussion: Low on Potassium

Pancreatitis Diet: Bad Spices & Healthy Berries and Honey

Soooo, once again, I ate a fried egg with a seasoning I love but which hates my pancreas and inevitably causes pain.

Odd thing happened today, after my pancreas began to flare up I had an urge to eat some frozen berries & honey (red raspberries, blackberries & a few strawberries with ample honey). I'm eating it and I just realized my pancreas isn't hurting anymore.

I'm not drawing conclusions, just passing on information.

My goal is to understand what works, what doesn't and how foods are affecting my pancreas.

I'm really beginning to love frozen berries with honey more and more.

I would guess fresh berries are better for you but I can keep frozen berries in the house and at my disposal and therefore do!

Related Articles:

PANCREATITIS DIET

FOODS RECOMMENDED FOR CHRONIC PANCREATITIS

Pancreatitis: Berries & Honey

I eat a decent amount of frozen berries with honey. Fresh berries would be better, most likely, but I don't like to shop all the time, berries aren't always in season and I like having an assortment of berries in the house all the time. Hence, frozen berries.

Note: Although this picture has honey, berries and milk I do not add milk - only honey and berries for me. Pancreatic calcification is something I am trying to avoid.

Berries with honey do not seem to hurt my pancreas. If they did, I wouldn't be eating them. Things that hurt I tend to veer away from.

The other day I learned that honey is fat-free. I've always been thin and have never needed to watch my calories or weight so I've never given these things a second thought.

Pancreatitis is making me look at food a little differently. I no longer eat fatty meats such as steak or use heavy cream in my coffee. Rich foods tend to be fattier which hurts my pancreas about a half hour to an hour later. I don't like how that feels. I know it is bad for longevity, so I have learned (am still learning, I'm sure) to stay away from such foods.

I'm a typical Californian. I've grown up with healthy food - like fresh fruits and natural foods, never really one for processed foods - so to some degree I probably gravitate toward more appropriate choices for my pancreas naturally.

Today, after having made myself a bowl of strawberries, red raspberries and blackberries with an ample amount of honey on top I took a look at the nutritional fact on the back of the packages wondering what the fat content is of these food items that I enjoy so much.

Great Value No Sugar Added Blueberries contain 1g fat w/0 grams saturated fat
Great Value No Sugar Added Blackberries contain 0g fat w/0g saturated fat
Great Value No Sugar Added Strawberries contain 0g fat w/0g saturated fat
Great Value No Sugar Added Red Rasberries contain 0g fat w/0g saturated fat



Thought for the day: Frozen fruit might not be as nutritious as fresh fruit but if it ends up frozen fruit or worse eating habits I'd rather have the frozen fruit in the freeze and a healthier pancreas. I'm not perfect and neither are my shopping habits. I just try to make it as easy as possible for my pancreas to last longer.

Remember, if your pancreas hurts when you eat don't eat. Wait. Allow it to heal. It can't heal if you don't allow it the time it needs. It might take a looong time. That's okay. When you can drink water. Do that. When you can have clear broth. Do that. When you can have runny tapioca. Do that. Be patient. It's all good.

Never drink alcohol. It's not for you if you have pancreatitis. There are no exceptions to this rule. It doesn't matter if you want just one drink, if it is a special occasion or your birthday. You don't drink alcohol anymore. End of story. Lots of other things to enjoy. Enjoy life!

Have a great day!

Pancreatitis & Fat Free Honey!

Honey is fat free.

Yep! That's right.

Zero grams of fat.

0 grams of fat.

0% fat.

Honey has NO fat!

I just like saying that! As someone with pancreatitis this is very good news!

This is good for us with pancreatitis who are trying to find a sweetener.

I haven't used sugar or fake sweeteners for years. If I sweeten something it is with sugar.

One time when I was have a hard time with my pancreas and not really able to eat I had a spoonful of honey and felt a nice feeling in my stomach as if it might even be helpful with healing.

Helpful with healing and 0% fat. Oh yeah. I like honey!

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.

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.

Decreasing Inflammation of the Pancreas

A few months ago, I was experiencing pancreatitic flare-ups so I went to the health store to see if there was anything I could do about the inflammation.

It was suggested to me to try Wobenzym N. A product that claims to be for 'Healthy Inflammation and Joint Support'. I was skeptical at best. My joints were not the problem. The lady helping me said that it was better than gold, that it can cure cancer and decrease the size of tumors.

Honestly, I didn't believe her and wasn't too keen on her sales pitch. Nonetheless, I was desperate so I decided to give it a shot. I would take one dose paying very close attention to its reaction on my body particularly my pancreas.

At first, I noticed no discernible difference in how my pancreas felt. It might have been feeling a little better but I really wasn't sure and certainly not willing to give negligible kudos to this product. That being said, I did notice that I was detoxing as a result of the one Wobenzym N dose and all of a sudden very dehydrated resulting in drinking a lot of water and making sure water was always nearby.

Oddly, the Wobenzym N seemed to be detoxing my back. I'm slightly slouched and have been for most of my life since my pubescent years. I believe I also hold tension in my upper back and shoulder region. It felt like the pills (I took three) were detoxing the area where I had planned on getting osteoporosis. Not really the effect I was looking for but the pills weren't hurting my pancreas and I was more than happy to loose the toxins in my upper back. So, I kept taking them.

This comes to mind because I am now out of the pills. I did not take them regularly after the first week or so and only took them once or twice a day at most because I'm try to be sparing when trying new things that could potentially hurt my pancreas and send me whirling.

Now, when I feel my pancreas is enlarged I take Wobenzym N. Not all the time and I've never taken it regularly because I've never been sure of the effects. I'm guessing it works - at least to a minor degree - because I keep reaching for it. I believe it does decrease the inflammation of the pancreas when I have a flare up which in turns reduces the discomfort I feel.

Wobenzym N isn't necessarily cheap. For 100 tablets I paid $30. It's worth every penny. I can't wait to go back and buy more. I hate that I'm out of it. It's like a security blanket. I'm not sure why... but it is.

My bottle of Wobenzym N has 300mg of Pancreatin in it. I haven't really found that the pancreatin tablets I take help. In fact, sometimes I wonder if they have a negative effect. I don't know why that is. Just noting it to share the information in case you can find it useful.

Garden of Life makes the Wobenzym N tablets I take. I don't know anything about any other makers of the product, if they are all the same or vary greatly. I will not change to another maker. This one works for me and doesn't hurt my pancreas so I'm sticking with it.

I realize that I probably sound like a commercial for this product. I want you to know that I don't make any money off telling you about it and am only telling you about something that seems to be a neutral (at worse) to a good thing for my pancreas. Honestly, I trust this product more than any doctor I've ever talked to on this matter. Unfortunately, that doesn't say much.

Wobenzym N is a systemic enzyme which has no known negative side effects. I have no idea what a systemic enzyme is (although I may look into it). I just know two things. For some reason that I really don't understand, I trust this product with my pancreas (and might start increasing the doses to see if it helps - presently I don't even take it once a month) and two, my back is a lot straighter after taking the pills. It seems to have detoxed the toxins out of my back. I'm very happy with this result especially since this has always bothered me and the benefit was so totally unexpected. :-)

I hope that helps!

If you have any experience with this product I'd love to hear about it especially in relation to the pancreas.

As always, DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL no matter what! It's not part of your diet anymore. Recovery and life is what fuels you now.

Enjoy and share!

Here are a couple articles I found on treatment for pancreatitis:

PANCREATITIS - TREATMENT OVERVIEW

INFLAMMATION OF THE PANCREAS

PANCREATITIS: AN INFLAMMATION OF THE PANCREAS

Chronic Pancreatitis & Calcium Tablets

The other day I read that the pancreas becomes calcified... and that's a huge issue.

I used to take calcium tablet hoping to fight off osteoporosis. But I realized that each time I took the tablets my pancreas would hurt more. So, eventually, I stopped taking them.

Now that I know the pancreas eventually becomes calcified as a direct result from chronic pancreatitis I have an even better understanding as to why the calcium hurt my pancreas.

Maybe I should stay away from calcium rich foods (like broccoli) as well.

It's not like I'm planning on living long enough to enjoy the troubles caused by osteoporosis. I mean really! I should be so lucky!

It is my pancreas I must protect. Long live the pancreas!

Pancreatitis & Honey

One of the main reasons I created this website was because there was so little out there on Pancreatitis. I hope that this website will somehow help. I'm not very good about updating it because I'm busy with life. I'm thrilled to have a life to be busy with! Also, perhaps because I'm not sure I'm a good representative for those suffering from pancreatitis.

Honestly, I'm probably a rather average example of a person living with pancreatitis. I try to do the right things. I try to eat well and stay away from the things that are harmful to my pancreas. But, in all honesty, I'm not great at achieving this goal.

I remember when I first came out of the hospital - over two years ago now - and I had a very difficult time eating. At one point, I had a spoonful of honey. Immediately, there was a calming sensation in my pancreas. I don't know what the relationship is between honey and the pancreas but I believe it is a healing and healthy relationship.

If you are having a difficult time with food but you are hungry all I can tell you is what worked for me. I had a teaspoon of honey and it made my pancreas feel better... and I wasn't so hungry.

Honey is filling. If you try this let me know your results. Don't eat a gallon of it (or anything else) and expect positive results with or without pancreatitis. Or, if you know why the system seems to react positively to honey, please share. I'm guessing it probably has enzymes that the pancreas prefers... but that's just a guess.

Below are a couple articles I found on the topic:

THE BENEFITS OF BIOPOLLEN HONEY

HONEY AS A SWEETNER

HONEY AND DIABETES