Treatment of an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis) involves complex therapy, which includes not only taking drugs that relieve spasms in the organ ducts and normalize digestive processes, but also a diet. Its compliance is very important, since the development of pancreatitis in 90% of cases occurs precisely because of malnutrition and abuse of alcoholic beverages. In other words, a diet with inflammation of the pancreas helps eliminate the very factor that caused the alteration in the functioning of this organ. And if it is not removed, no medication will help prevent further progression of the disease.
General information
Before talking about eating with pancreatitis, it is worth saying a few words about the disease itself and the mechanism of its development. As mentioned at the beginning, the main cause of its development is an unhealthy diet and alcohol abuse. It is these factors that negatively affect the state of the pancreas, exerting a great load on it and stimulating the production of digestive enzymes.
If a person constantly eats "heavy" food, sooner or later the pancreas begins to "tire", causing damage to its cells and a decrease in the synthesis of digestive enzymes. This, in turn, becomes the cause of digestive disorders and an even greater increase in the load on the organ. As a result of this, acute inflammatory processes develop in the pancreas, which leads to spasms in the ducts, through which digestive enzymes are released into the duodenum. As a result, they accumulate in the gland and begin to digest their own cells, thus causing a bout of severe pain and necrosis (tissue death).
Thus, the development of acute pancreatitis occurs. And if its treatment is carried out incorrectly, the inflammatory processes acquire a chronic form and it becomes impossible to eliminate them only later. The peculiarity of chronic pancreatitis is that it tends to flare periodically, causing the same clinical picture that occurs in acute inflammation. Only in this case, self-digestion processes are activated in the pancreas each time, as soon as an exacerbation occurs, which sooner or later leads to complete dysfunction of the gland.
Proper nutrition for inflammation of the pancreas prevents frequent exacerbations and prevents the progression of the disease. Since in this case, the diet completely excludes food products from the patient's diet, which exert a strong load on the gland, allowing it to remain at rest for a long time.
Do not forget that the functionality of the gallbladder and liver depends on the work of the pancreas, which provokes the development of hepatitis, which significantly complicates the treatment process. And if the development of pancreatitis begins, a person has serious health problems, which further worsens his well-being.
Therefore, when primary signs of the development of this disease occur, doctors should conduct a comprehensive examination, which will allow them to make a proper assessment of the work of the liver and pancreas, as well as other organs that make up the gastrointestinal tract. Since if their functionality is affected, the patient needs additional therapy, which helps to restore their work.
Acute inflammation and chronic exacerbation: diet.
The symptoms of pancreatic inflammation are pronounced. First of all, a person has an attack of acute pain, which can be localized both in the right hypochondrium and in the left, depending on the part of the organ that has suffered inflammation. In this case, the pain syndrome is always shingles in nature. It covers not only the hypochondrium region, but also virtually the entire abdominal cavity and can radiate to the shoulder blades, lower back, and sternum. Pain simply chains the patient, and each movement becomes the cause of his further intensification.
When the pancreas becomes inflamed, the general clinical picture can be supplemented:
- an increase in temperature;
- nausea and vomiting;
- Diarrhea;
- shaking chills;
- soft spot;
- skin whitening, etc.
In case of acute pancreatitis and exacerbation of a chronic patient, it is necessary to immediately hospitalize, since only qualified medical care will prevent self-digestion processes in the pancreas and stop the pain syndrome. In this case, only drug therapy is used, while all drugs are administered intravenously or intramuscularly.
Diet also plays an important role in treating acute or aggravated chronic inflammation. And speaking of what you can eat in this case, the answer is simple: nothing. For several days, the patient will need to starve, as this is the only way he can reduce the secretion of digestive enzymes and reduce inflammation.
All that is allowed in case of an acute attack is to drink still mineral water in very small amounts and at regular intervals. For the first time, the patient can eat only when the doctors manage to completely stop the attack. As a general rule, this occurs for 2-3 days.
In this case, all dishes should be served only hot and pureed. During this period, it is allowed to use:
- mashed potatoes cooked in water without the use of milk and butter;
- porridge in the water;
- jelly;
- compotes;
- biscuits.
The patient must adhere to such a diet for approximately 2-3 weeks. And only after all signs of acute inflammation of the pancreas disappear, they are added to the diet:
- low-fat fish and meat;
- fermented milk and milk products;
- milk and cereal soups;
- fruit and vegetable juices;
- dry bread.
It is necessary to switch to "normal" nutrition gradually and only after 8-10 weeks after inflammation. In this case, it is necessary to adhere to some restrictions and rules that will prevent the repetition of an attack. And now you will find out what kind of diet is prescribed for patients with pancreatitis.
Diet after stopping an attack.
So, it was already said above what diet is prescribed for inflammation of the pancreas. But what to do next, when the attack has already been stopped and the patient's condition returns to normal? Since the cells of the pancreas do not have the property of self-healing, to avoid further destruction and deterioration of the functionality of the organ, the patient must follow a diet that has its own characteristics:
- food should be served warm (hot and cold dishes irritate the pancreas and can provoke an attack of pain);
- all foods must be steamed or cooked;
- portions should be small (this will reduce the load on the pancreas);
- you need to eat 5-6 times a day, the last meal should be no later than 2 hours before bedtime (with pancreatitis, it is forbidden to eat at night).
There are certain foods that should not be consumed with this disease. These include:
- all fatty fish and meat;
- fried and fatty foods;
- Salo;
- smoked meats;
- fresh confectionery;
- fresh cakes;
- high-fat fermented dairy and dairy products (more than 1. 5%);
- sausages
- semi-finished products;
- canned food;
- spices and hot sauces;
- Carbonated and alcoholic drinks.
Speaking of the diet that you need to follow with pancreatitis, you should pay special attention to the use of alcohol. Some people who suffer from this ailment believe that if you drink 50-100 ml of alcohol per week, there will be nothing wrong with it, since such doses of alcohol are even considered beneficial for the body. In normal cases, this is true, but not in pancreatitis.
Alcoholic beverages contain ethyl alcohol, which has a destructive effect on the cells of the body, and also increases appetite, as a result of which a person involuntarily begins to eat much more. And this leads to an increased load on the pancreas and increases the risk of pain. Therefore, people who have been diagnosed with pancreatitis are strictly prohibited from drinking alcohol, even in small amounts.
In terms of allowed products, these include:
- lean meats: turkey, chicken, rabbit, beef;
- lean fish;
- buckwheat, rice, semolina, pasta, lentils;
- vegetables and fruits;
- juices (not packaged only);
- eggs;
- dry baked goods;
- cookies without cream and chocolate filling;
- milk, cheese, cottage cheese;
- kefir, fermented baked milk.
All of these foods can easily make up a diet menu for a whole week. In addition, every day will be varied. For example, meat can be easily cooked into meatballs, chops, meatballs, etc. From cottage cheese: stews and cheesecakes. Vegetables can be used for both garnishes and salads. The main thing is to ignite your imagination.
But it should not be forgotten that, when following a diet, it is also necessary to take drugs prescribed by a doctor. They will help improve digestion and prevent exacerbation of the disease.
Diet recipes
On the Internet you can find a large number of recipes for dietary dishes that can be consumed with pancreatitis. They will help you easily create a rough menu for the week. For example, a recipe for making curd pudding is very popular, which can be used both for breakfast and for a snack. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:
- cottage cheese without fat - 350 g;
- chicken eggs - 4 pcs. ;
- low-fat sour cream - 80 g;
- granulated sugar - 100 g;
- starch - 1 tablespoon;
- semolina - 1 tablespoon
To prepare the curd pudding, you must first beat the curd well with a mixer or mixer so that it becomes a homogeneous air mass. Then you need to add the yolks of chicken eggs to it (the whites need to be put in the refrigerator for a while) and mix everything well again. Next, add sour cream, semolina and starch to the resulting mass and beat everything again thoroughly with a mixer.
After that, you need to take the proteins out of the refrigerator, beat them until a peak forms, and gradually add sugar to them. Next, you need to combine the proteins with the curd mass, stirring them gently with a spoon, but not with a mixer.
As soon as the curd is cooked through (it should be runny), it should be poured into a parchment-covered baking dish. The top should be covered with foil, and then put in a preheated 180 degree oven for 30 minutes. After this time, the foil should be removed and the pudding should continue to bake for about 15-20 minutes. As soon as it is ready, the oven should be turned off, but the door should not be opened immediately, as the pudding can settle. You need to allow 20-30 minutes for it to cool a bit, after which it can be served.
There is another recipe for cooking a dish that can be consumed with pancreatitis. And this is a pureed chicken and cauliflower soup. To prepare it you will need:
- water - 2 l;
- potatoes - 2 pieces. ;
- cauliflower - 5-7 inflorescences;
- carrots - 1 pc. ;
- chicken breast - 300-350 g.
Pour the chicken breast with 1 liter of water and cook over low heat. It should be boiled for 20 minutes after boiling, after which the water should be drained, and the breast should be refilled with water and cooked until fully cooked. Then you need to drain the broth again, take the breast, cool it and move it several times through a meat grinder.
After that, you need to prepare carrots and potatoes by peeling, rinsing under running water and cutting into cubes. Vegetables need to be poured with water and put on fire. Cook for 10 minutes after boiling, then add cauliflower and, without reducing heat, continue cooking for about 7-10 minutes.
When all the vegetables are ready, you have to remove them from the resulting vegetable broth, chop them with a blender or pass them through a strainer, and then mix them again with the broth, only this time we also put the minced chicken in it. If the pancreatitis is in a stable remission phase, the prepared soup can be lightly salted and fresh herbs added.
There are many recipes for preparing diet dishes. The main thing is not to get confused in this variety and use only those that include allowed products for pancreatitis. And the doctor should report on them in more detail.