Whats up with the pancreas?
The pancreas is about 6 inches long and sits across the back of the abdomen, behind the stomach. The head of the pancreas is on the right side of the abdomen and is connected to the duodenum (the first section of the small intestine) through a small tube called the pancreatic duct. It plays an essential role in converting the food we eat into fuel for the body’s cells. The pancreas has two main functions: an exocrine function that helps in digestion and an endocrine function that regulates blood sugar. The pancreas produces 2 antagonistic hormones to control blood sugar: glucagon and insulin.
The alpha cells of the pancreas produce glucagon. Glucagon raises blood glucose levels by stimulating the liver to metabolize glycogen into glucose molecules and to release glucose into the blood. Glycogen is a substance deposited in bodily tissues as a store of carbohydrates.
It is a polysaccharide that forms glucose on hydrolysis. Almost all of the pancreas (95%) consists of exocrine tissue that produces pancreatic enzymes for digestion. The remaining tissue consists of endocrine cells called islets of Langerhans. These clusters of cells look like grapes and produce hormones that regulate blood sugar and regulate pancreatic secretions. A healthy pancreas produces the correct chemicals in the proper quantities, at the right times, to digest the foods we eat.
A pancreas thats deseased.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas that occurs when pancreatic enzyme secretions build up and begin to digest the organ itself. It can occur as acute painful attacks lasting a matter of days, or it may be a chronic condition that progresses over a period of years. I have dealt with pancreatitis on numerous occasion. I had bouts of pancreatitis that led me into the hospital. It is incredibly painful and can last days. Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite.
Acute vs. Chronic Pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis refers to pancreatitis that develops suddenly, most often as a result of gallstones or alcohol abuse. Reactions to certain medications, trauma, and infectious causes can also lead to acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis can be life threatening, but most patients recover completely.
Chronic pancreatitis refers to ongoing disease in which the pancreas continues to sustain damage and lose function over time. The majority of cases of chronic pancreatitis is a result from ongoing alcohol abuse, but some cases are hereditary or due to diseases such as cystic fibrosis.
What type of foods help with the health of your pancreas?
There are 3 things that are specifically good for the pancreas. Extra virgin coconut oil, cayenne, and Cinnamon. First, you are going to need something that will try to improve the functions of the pancreas Cinnamon is your answer for this. Next, you need a way of keeping in place the improvements of the cinnamon. To do this, the improvements need to be fueled. Cayenne does this by causing the body to produce a thousand times more capillaries than it normally would. So anytime a healthy cell is produced that improves the function of the pancreas, it will need food/oxygen from the new capillaries that are created. The new, well fed cell then needs strong communications with the rest of the cell structure and beyond that to the entire organ. What Extra Virgin Coconut Oil does is build and rebuild nerves and nerve fibers throughout the body. It has already been proven successful in correcting or helping with MS, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.
Anywhere in the body that nerves need to be created or repaired only the Extra Virgin Coconut Oil will do it. You can get capsules of Cinnamon at just about any health food store–if not, get raw cinnamon and number zero capsules and fill them your self. If you do not have an actual pancreas problem, one number zero capsule of cinnamon every three days is appropriate. If you do have a problem with your pancreas , then one or two a day is going to be what you want to take. Do not buy the cinnamon from a bulk store or grocery store. It is not very pure. At any health foods store you can get 500 mg capsules of Cayenne. I get my supplements usually from GNC, they have the best cayenne. Cayenne has been shown to improve circulation and cure neuropathy, gout, edema, PAD and similar restricted blood flow problems. Take the cayenne with a meal and drink plenty of water. If you get a warm feeling in your tummy, drink more water and it will go away. If you have any kind of stomach disorder, the cayenne will likely cure the problem but never make it worse. Any good health foods store will carry Extra Virgin Coconut Oil in various sizes. A pint will cost no more than about $20 and last a very long time. The Oil only stays in the body for 8 hours before it is matabolized. Therefore, if you have a nerve disorder of any type you need to take two-three teaspoons every eight hours. If just for general maintenance of your nerve system, then every three days take one tablespoon. You can mix it with cerial or take directly. When you buy coconut oil it has to be Extra Virgin, meaning it is all natural cold compressed, Otherwise the benefits are not as powerfull.
Those are the main 3 components to a healthier pancreas, but what are some others? and specifically what are some vegetables that help prevent pancreatic cancer.
Broccoli
This green cruciferous vegetable is a superfood that is great for keeping the pancreas fit and disease-free. It is mainly known for reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer, on account of having high quantities of quercetin, a potent flavonol that is very healthy. Flavonols help fight cancer in many ways and thus need be an essential part of one’s diet; they fortify the body’s detoxification mechanism, flushing out carcinogenic substances from the body; they also prevent the growth and division of cancer cells, and even propel the latter into self-destruction. Your body will benefit significantly from flavonol-rich foods, and quercetin-rich broccoli is unusually high for maintaining a healthy pancreas. Broccoli also lowers estrogen production and increases the production of testosterone which can be helpful in many ways for both men and women.
Garlic
Garlic is a vegetable of the allium species which boasts of many health benefits and nutritional qualities. Concerning the pancreas, garlic consumption is believed to prevent cancerous tumors since it contains sulfur, flavonoids, arginine, selenium, and oligosaccharides which are all carcinogen-fighting micronutrients. Garlic also aids the efficiency of the pancreatic digestive function by ensuring that controlled regulated release of insulin. Garlic allows for an increase in insulin production and a decrease in blood sugar levels. Thus, consuming it will help keep the pancreas in optimal condition. Since eating raw garlic is unappealing for most normal people, it may be taken chopped up with water or even grated in honey overnight.
Anyone who is experiencing pancreatitis are encouraged to add spinach to their diet. Spinach contains Vitamin B and iron, both of which are required to lessen the inflammation of the pancreas and aid in healing. However, preparations with spinach are not well-liked by many so other vitamin-rich leafy greens such as kale, Swiss chard and mustard may also be considered. For those experiencing chronic pancreatitis, one portion of the average meal is recommended to comprise of spinach or other alternatives mentioned, every day. You may add it to your normal meals as fillings in sauces, curries, soups and many other ways. I eat 7cups of spinach a day. I hide it in eggs thinly sliced and you cant even taste it. Also i blend it into my berry shakes in the morning. A whole cup can just dissapear into your shakes like this without having to chomp down a bunch of squeeky leaves.
Taking care of your Pancreas is essential for digestion and as ive said in my other articles, all health starts at the gut. If your stomach isnt able to digest the essential vitamins and minerals from the healthy foods you eat than what is the point in eating them? The pancreas is an often ignored organ. Make sure you take good care of it. I hope this helped and i look forward to continuing the journey to become the BEST us we can be.