Pancreatitis is a pathology in which inflammatory and degenerative changes develop in the pancreas.When exposed to certain etiological factors, the process of synthesis of proteolytic enzymes is activated, which leads to damage to pancreatic cells.This article indicates the main clinical manifestations of this pathology, as well as the features of dietary nutrition as an important component of complex therapy.
Pancreatitis Clinic
Pancreatitis is characterized by sharp, severe pain, which, if not treated in a timely manner, can provoke the development of painful shock.Painful sensations are localized in the pit of the stomach or have a girdling character.The inflammatory process in the pancreas provokes hyperthermia.In addition, changes in blood pressure (hypo- or hypertension) are observed, and the patient’s general condition worsens.It becomes pale, and subsequently the skin acquires an earthy-gray tint.With cholecystitis and pancreatitis, jaundice may be observed due to compression of the bile duct by an enlarged gland.
Patients also report dry mouth.They experience hiccups and belching, and nausea begins to bother them.In the acute period, constant vomiting is observed.Loss of electrolytes leads to clammy sweat, shortness of breath, and a yellow coating on the tongue.The stool becomes foamy, with food particles and a foul odor.Sometimes, on the contrary, constipation and flatulence are recorded.Symptoms of pancreatitis also include the appearance of bluish spots around the belly button.With further development of the pathological process, the patient’s condition worsens, so he should be immediately taken to the hospital.
Treatment of pancreatitis
If the disease worsens, the patient is hospitalized.The treatment regimen includes antispasmodics, drugs that eliminate vomiting, diuretics (they prevent swelling of the pancreas and help quickly remove excess enzymes from the body), painkillers, enzyme inhibitors, and antibiotics are prescribed for purulent pancreatitis.In the future, vitamin therapy is carried out to strengthen the body.
In case of acute inflammation and severe vomiting, patients are prescribed fasting.It is allowed to take only mineral water or rosehip decoction.In the future, low-calorie foods are gradually introduced into the diet with the exclusion of foods that can stimulate the production of gastric juice and gas formation.
Therapeutic diet
It is developed according to the patient's condition.Diet when acute inflammation subsides includes the following:
- providing the body with physiological levels of proteins, lipids, carbohydrate compounds;
- increasing the amount of vitamins;
- reducing the amount or completely eliminating substances that can irritate the intestinal mucosa;
- complete refusal of smoked, spicy, salty, alcohol, seasonings and canned food;
- a diet for pancreatitis involves chopping or grinding food, the temperature of which should not exceed 60 - 65 ° C, that is, mechanical and thermal irritation of the digestive organs must be eliminated as much as possible;
- meals should be frequent, but always in small portions; in case of severe pain, therapeutic fasting is allowed within 1 - 2 days;
- for pancreatitis and gastritis, refusing food can reduce irritation of the mucous membrane.
Authorized Products
If the pancreas is damaged, patients' diets can include:
- from dairy products - kefir, non-acidic cottage cheese and yogurt;
- lean meats (chicken, rabbit, veal) in the form of soufflé or puree;
- pike perch, pike, cod (low-fat varieties);
- grated vegetables, which should first be boiled or baked;
- crackers or slightly dried bread;
- vegetarian soups;
- steamed omelettes;
- for patients with pancreatitis, it is allowed to consume olive oil and butter from fats;
- The recommended cereals are oatmeal, buckwheat and semolina;
- as a fruit, you are allowed to eat unsweetened baked apples;
- The best drink to drink is rosehip infusion.
When inflammation is eliminated and clinical manifestations of the disease disappear, the diet is slightly expanded.
Sample menu
In chronic pancreatitis, the menu may look like this:
Option 1
- 200 g of mashed potatoes with meatballs (100 g), 200 grams of grated rice porridge, tea;
- 100 g cheese;
- vegetable puree soup with crouton, steamed meat soufflé, 200 g of buckwheat porridge;
- protein omelette in the amount of 110 g, steamed, compote;
- 250 g fish roll and tea;
- curdled milk (about 200 ml).
Option 2
- boiled fish, mashed potatoes and tea, to which you can add milk;
- 100 g cheese;
- rolled oats soup (approximately 250 g), as well as meat soufflé (100 g), steamed with mashed potatoes;
- egg white omelet;
- cottage cheese soufflé;
- a glass of curdled milk.
Option 3
- oatmeal and meat soufflé, tea;
- cheese;
- oatmeal soup and meat cutlets (110 g) with mashed potatoes, baked apple;
- egg white omelet;
- meatballs (110 g), carrot puree;
- curdled milk.
Dietary meals should contain animal proteins, as they are easily digestible, and fats and carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum to protect the pancreas and restore normal digestion of food.
When pancreatitis becomes chronic, diet can be considered the basis for effective treatment.It is important to eat enough protein foods.It is advisable not to stew or bake meat dishes, but to boil or steam them.Low-fat fish dishes are also prepared in the same way.
Milk can sometimes be poorly tolerated, so it is recommended only to add it to cooked cereals, and drink it in its pure form in an amount of no more than half a glass per day.In addition, the diet should not include meat and fish broths, garlic and onions, cabbage and radishes.Products made from rye flour are also prohibited.
What should be the calorie content of dishes?
Every day, patients should receive approximately 350 g of carbohydrates, of which 40 g should be easily digestible sugar.The total energy value of foods consumed during the day should average 2600 kilocalories.To correctly calculate calorie content, there is a special table that indicates the name of the product, its content of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, as well as the number of kilocalories.It is with its help that the daily diet of patients not only with pancreatitis, but also with other diseases that require appropriate dietary nutrition is compiled.
Traditional methods of treatment
Among traditional medicines, the following are considered the most effective:
- Potato juice.You should drink half a glass of it two hours before meals, wait 5 minutes and wash it down with a glass of kefir.Treatment should last 14 days, after which you need to take a 10-day break and repeat the use of the product.
- It is recommended to drink 100 ml of Brussels sprouts juice three times a day for 30 days.
- An infusion of dill and cumin turns out to be useful.
- It is useful to drink a solution of mumiyo every evening for 10 days in a row, an hour after eating (calculated at 2 g per 3 liters of water).
- For 6 months, in case of chronic pancreatitis, it is recommended to take 20 drops of propolis tincture (10%) at night, after dissolving them in 100 ml of warmed milk.
To prevent the progression of pancreatitis, folk remedies based on medicinal herbs are used.Mainly used are calendula flowers, marshmallow root, blueberry leaves, bean pods, calamus root, wormwood herb and mint leaves.
The following remedy will help speed up your recovery.You need to put one kilogram of lemons, parsley roots and garlic (300 g each) through a meat grinder, mix everything and leave the resulting mass for two weeks, after which you start taking a teaspoon.For chronic pancreatitis, it is also recommended to grind chicory root, pour boiling water over it, boil, then cool, strain and drink in small sips.
In addition to the above remedies, patients are recommended to do special exercises, which have a positive effect on the pancreas.You need to inhale and exhale, hold your breath and gently draw in your stomach, and then relax the muscles of the abdominal wall.After this, you should inhale and exhale again, hold your breath and strongly inflate your stomach, and then relax.The exercises should be performed in a lying position three times a day, doing from 3 to 9 repetitions.Such breathing exercises improve blood circulation and promote the outflow of digestive juices, helping to prevent the development of pancreatitis or its exacerbations.
It is worth remembering that in acute pancreatitis you should not resort to traditional methods, since the patient should be provided with immediate medical assistance.Otherwise, the disease may be fatal.