Pancreatitis is a serious disease of the pancreas, characterized by a violation of the production of digestive enzymes. The main symptoms of this disease are pain after eating in the left or right hypochondrium, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and discomfort in the stomach.
The key to treating pancreatitis is strict adherence to dietary guidelines. After all, disease progression often occurs due to improper lifestyle, the use of large amounts of alcohol and "junk" food.
Diet for pancreatitis helps patients reduce pain during exacerbation of the disease and increase the stage of remission. In acute and chronic pancreatitis, nutrition is different, but still has some similarities. Let's talk about them.
General nutrition rules for pancreatitis
The main requirement of this diet is to increase the amount of protein consumed and reduce the fats and carbohydrates in the main meal (if possible, they should be eliminated completely). You should especially stop consuming granulated sugar, because it's 99% carbohydrates.
Fatty foods high in crude fiber should completely disappear from the life of a pancreatitis patient. After all, they put a strong load on the pancreas, as a result of which the organs begin to produce digestive enzymes in very large numbers, which are dangerous in this disease and can lead to serious complications.
Doctors recommend that all patients with pancreatitis take a vitamin complex that will help fill in vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the body, often the result of limited nutrition.
Meals must be scheduled at the same time.
Eat 5-6 small meals a day to avoid over-stressing the pancreas and overeating.
Diet for acute pancreatitis
Usually, acute pancreatitis is manifested by a sudden sharp pain in the abdomen. The pain was unbearable, and therefore forced someone to call an emergency ambulance. The diet for acute pancreatitis before the arrival of the doctor is "zero". In no case should you eat food. Either "light" or "heavy".
Prior to the doctor's arrival, it is permissible to drink non-carbonated mineral water, but not more than 3 glasses. And it is permissible to drink it only if the urination process occurs normally.
Treatment of acute pancreatitis only occurs in a hospital setting. The first two days the patient is prescribed fasting. Only now is it allowed to drink rosehip broth along with mineral water. The total amount of fluids consumed should not exceed 5 glasses per day.
On the third day of treatment, the patient is allowed to eat fresh, low-calorie foods, which do not contain substances that irritate the pancreas and increase the resulting secretions.
After the main symptoms subside, the diet for pancreatic pancreatitis continues for one to two months. During this period, you should completely abandon:
- fried and fatty foods;
- muffins and pastries;
- pickled and smoked food;
- pickles and canned food;
- spicy and sweet;
- onions and garlic;
- alcoholic beverages;
- fatty meat and fish;
- sausages.
All food products must be heated. They must be boiled in water or steamed. Do not use oil, salt and seasonings during cooking.
The patient is allowed to eat only warm and grated food. Before going to bed, it is recommended to use a laxative fermented milk product - kefir, fermented baked milk.
Diet duration from 6 to 12 months. And how a person will obey it so that his future health depends. If all nutritional recommendations are ignored, the disease can become a chronic form and then the patient must be treated for the rest of his life.
Diet for chronic pancreatitis in remission
The chronic pancreatitis diet is slightly different from the above diet. In this case, the patient's diet progressed significantly, but only in the remission phase. During the period of exacerbation, the diet has completely different properties, but more later.
In chronic pancreatitis, the consumption of protein is allowed, which must be almost several times higher than the person's daily intake, and the use of carbohydrates (sugar, honey, baked goods, baked goods, etc. ) is also allowed.
Foods that irritate the pancreas (hot spices, lots of salt, alcohol, etc. ) are a limitation.
Patient nutrition should also be fractional. The number of meals is 4 to 6 times. The food served should be warm. No need to grind food before consumption.
Meat and fish products should not contain a lot of fat, otherwise they can cause liver degeneration, which is quite common with chronic pancreatitis. Cottage cheese contains many beneficial substances, and therefore must be present in the patient's diet. However, you can eat only homemade cottage cheese, but it's not too fatty. Storing cottage cheese is forbidden to eat.
If a person cannot refuse bread, then he or she is advised to use it when eating either yesterday's cake or crackers (only from gray or black bread). You can also eat baked goods and pastries, but in limited quantities (no more than one serving per day).
In case of pancreatitis, it is not recommended to drink whole milk as it is difficult to digest. It can be added to teas or made into cereals and soups. Although the patient tolerates milk well, milk should not be drunk in large quantities. The maximum dose is 200 ml.
Fermented milk products are very useful for people with chronic pancreatitis. Even cheese, which is at another stage of the disease on the forbidden food list, can be consumed on a remission basis, but not in large quantities and provided you feel well. Cheese should not be too salty or too fatty.
Eggs cannot be eaten whole. Only egg whites can be in the patient's diet. It can be used to steam omelets or add it to soups.
The patient's diet should not contain a lot of fat (no more than 70 g per day). Moreover, most of it must consist of vegetable fats. They are better digested and do not overload the pancreas.
Diet for chronic pancreatitis during exacerbations
Diet for pancreatitis during exacerbations is the same as for the acute form of the disease. The patient is prescribed fasting, and in case of positive dynamics, he is allowed to eat small amounts of fresh, low-fat food.
If there is no deterioration in health, the patient menu will gradually expand. After 2-3 months, the person can eat in the same way as in the remission phase.
Remember, this is just a rough diet for pancreatitis. The full list of permitted and prohibited products should be checked with your doctor. Only he can make the right diet, taking into account your health condition.