Despite the fact that modern medicine has created a number of powerful and effective drugs for the treatment of pancreatitis without diet, such treatment is less effective. In addition, in mild or moderate pancreatitis, treatment may even consist of a dietary adjustment.
Unfortunately, many patients follow the diet only while they are in the hospital, stop after discharge and, according to their recovery, consume forbidden foods. As a result, this leads to repeated inflammation, which is much more difficult to treat than the primary.
The importance of proper nutrition in pancreatitis
Acute and chronic pancreatitis is mainly treated with medication, and in some cases surgery is required. However, neither drug therapy nor surgery is completely ineffective without adjusting the patient's diet.
Diet, without exception, is prescribed to every patient with pancreatitis, regardless of the severity of the disease. Failure to do so will lead to a second attack of the disease, which the patient will suffer much worse than the initial one.
The diet allows you to reduce the load not only on the pancreas, but also on the entire system of the gastrointestinal tract as a whole. In addition, the selection of foods in the diet is aimed at supplying the patient's body with all the necessary substances for the regeneration of damaged organs.
In many patients, the disease in the acute period causes such serious damage to the pancreas that the patient's diet is prescribed for life. Patients who disregard their doctor's dietary instructions in such a situation may become disabled or even die.
From this follows a simple conclusion: a diet for pancreatitis (both acute and chronic) is not just recommended, but necessary.
Who prescribes the diet?
Only a doctor can prescribe a diet and certain prescriptions for pancreatitis. At the same time in this case are suitable doctors of several specializations: therapists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists and in some cases specialists in infectious diseases.
Self-administration of diet is dangerous both for health (possible damage) and for life. It is especially dangerous to prescribe a diet for pancreatitis without consulting a doctor for children and pregnant women.
Characteristics of the diet in acute pancreatitis
A distinctive feature of the diet for acute pancreatitis can be called the starting point in the direction of fasting. That is, in acute pancreatitis, the diet should contain the most sparing food for the gastrointestinal tract in general and the pancreas in particular.
In addition, doctors prescribe to minimize the amount of food consumed in the first week of the disease, and in the first 2-4 days of the disease may be prescribed complete fasting (you can only drink).
The purpose of this rather restrictive diet is simple - to significantly reduce stress on the pancreas. In the absence of diet in the acute phase of pancreatitis, treatment may be completely useless.
Characteristics of the diet in chronic pancreatitis
The peculiarities of nutrition in chronic pancreatitis are that the patient should limit the use of fatty, fried, spicy and smoked foods throughout his life.
In this case, sometimes the patient is allowed to eat such food, but in small quantities. Alcohol is completely contraindicated, but most patients ignore this prescription, so doctors simply insist that the patient drink it as little as possible and in small amounts.
Characteristics of the diet with exacerbation of pancreatitis
In case of exacerbation of pancreatitis, an extremely restrictive diet is introduced, in which in the first days of the disease it is recommended to completely give up eating. In addition, only low-fat broths, cereals (usually buckwheat) and mashed potatoes are allowed during the week.
After the exacerbation subsides, the patient should gradually switch to a standard diet for chronic pancreatitis. In addition, any changes in diet during an exacerbation of pancreatitis should be made only after consulting a doctor. Self-administration of dietary therapy is dangerous not only for health but also for life.
What is not allowed in pancreatitis?
In pancreatitis of any type there is a fairly large list of products that are strictly prohibited for use (both until the end of treatment and much less frequently, for life).
The list of foods prohibited for pancreatitis is as follows:
- Fatty meats, fried meat (this includes cutlets), canned food, sausages, smoked products, stews.
- Oily fish, smoked and salted fish, all kinds of canned food and caviar.
- Fatty varieties of cottage cheese, cottage cheese (glazed cottage cheese is especially dangerous), spicy and smoked cheeses.
- Scrambled eggs or hard boiled eggs.
- Turnips, garlic, onions, horseradish, peppers, radishes.
- Beans, beans, mushrooms.
- Raw and uncrushed fruits, sour and too sweet fruits (oranges, figs, grapes, for example).
- Rolls, pastries and other sweet and / or greasy (due to cream) confectionery.
- Chocolate, ice cream, nuts.
What can and is useful to eat with pancreatitis?
In pancreatitis, the following foods are allowed:
- cereal and vegetable soups;
- boiled beef, fish, poultry;
- chicken egg omelette;
- a small amount of honey;
- various cereals;
- roasted or cooked vegetables;
- mashed potatoes;
- carrots.
What can and what cannot be drunk?
The use of the following beverages is prohibited:
- all kinds of alcoholic beverages;
- sweet and carbonated beverages (including store juices);
- cocoa;
- coffee drinks.
The following drinks are allowed:
- kefir;
- weak black and green tea;
- decoctions of rose hips;
- compote;
- cottage cheese milk.
Alcohol
Alcohol with pancreatitis is contraindicated in any form of the disease. Alcohol has a detrimental effect not only on the pancreas, but also on the neighboring organs of the abdominal cavity, which in most cases are also indirectly affected by pancreatitis.
Alcohol consumption against the background of chronic pancreatitis increases the severity of its symptoms and leads to disease progression. Alcohol consumption in acute pancreatitis significantly reduces the effectiveness of treatment and increases the risk of death from pancreatic necrosis.
Jam and honey
Honey and pastries (except chocolate) are only allowed for chronic pancreatitis. In the acute form of the disease or exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, all sweets, including honey, should be excluded.
In addition, in chronic pancreatitis, sweets can be consumed only in limited quantities, as rarely as possible. The fact is that if the pancreas is damaged on the background of chronic pancreatitis, the use of sweets is dangerously high risk of diabetes.
Dairy products
Although whole milk can be consumed, it is not recommended as it often provokes diarrhea and flatulence. It is recommended to consume low-fat kefir, fermented baked milk and yogurt, no more than one glass a day.
Cottage cheese (up to 9% fat) and cheese (light varieties such as mozzarella, Adyghe and feta cheese) are also allowed from dairy products with pancreatitis. Sour cream can be consumed only one tablespoon a day, but only as an additive for soups.
Oatmeal
Only certain types of cereals (buckwheat, semolina, rice and oatmeal) are allowed in this disease. In addition, the porridge can be cooked only in water or milk, in a ratio of 1 to 1.
In the chronic form of the disease, corn or barley porridge can be consumed once a week. But pearl barley and millet porridge is forbidden for any form of pancreatitis.
Oils
In pancreatitis it is allowed to add a small amount of oil to meals. Vegetable and olive oil can also be added in small amounts to meals, but only for the chronic form of the disease.
Sea buckthorn oil is strictly forbidden in pancreatitis due to irritation of the stomach and creating a serious burden on the pancreas.
Baking, biscuits
Even in acute pancreatitis, after a few days of hunger strike, some types of sweets and biscuits are allowed. Namely:
- white or slightly dried bread;
- raw and unsweetened cookies;
- biscuits biscuits.
Other pastries and pastries are banned or simply not recommended. Particularly dangerous are freshly baked products, which can significantly worsen acute pancreatitis or provoke an exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis.
Vegetables
It is allowed to consume vegetables only in boiled or baked form, but it is much better to use them in mashed potatoes (mashed potatoes, stews, soups).
The following vegetables are allowed for consumption:
- potatoes;
- carrots;
- beets;
- pumpkin;
- Cauliflower;
- green peas;
- zucchini.
In limited quantities and only in the case of chronic pancreatitis, outside of exacerbations, it is allowed to use white cabbage and tomatoes, but only in cooked form.
Fruits
In pancreatitis it is allowed to eat baked fruit or in the form of compotes and jellies. Fruit puree is also allowed. You can eat melon or watermelon in limited quantities.
Sour fruits (citrus fruits) are completely contraindicated, including juices made from them. It is also important to keep in mind that it is forbidden to use raw fruits in acute pancreatitis or exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis.
Dried fruit
In acute pancreatitis, dried fruits are strictly prohibited, while in the chronic form of this disease they can be consumed only in the form of compotes.
The fact is that dried fruits contain not much less fiber than fresh fruits. Fiber is contraindicated in pancreatitis.
It is worth noting that although dried fruits are allowed in small quantities in the chronic form of the disease, there are those dried fruits that can not be consumed at all (figs, dates, raisins, dried apricots).
Nuts
Nuts are quite a greasy product, which immediately speaks against their use in pancreatitis. They can be consumed only in the chronic form of the disease and only in small quantities. But here too there are some nuances.
Therefore, doctors prohibit the use of nuts for one year after acute pancreatitis or within one year after exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis.
Example of a menu for a week with pancreatitis
It is important to keep in mind: no more than 200 grams of white bread and no more than 30 grams of sugar are allowed daily. You should eat only partially, 6-8 times a day in small portions. It is advisable not to miss meals.
An example menu for pancreatitis for one week is given below.
Monday
- not more than 200 grams of mashed potatoes with 90-100 grams of meatballs, tea;
- not more than 100 grams of cottage cheese;
- carrot puree soup (not more than 250 grams), one toast, compote;
- 100 grams of steamed omelet (protein only! );
- a glass of yogurt.
Tuesday
- 150 grams of boiled fish and 150 grams of carrot puree, tea;
- not more than 100 grams of cottage cheese;
- 100 grams of stewed omelet;
- kefir.
Wednesday
- boiled fish with noodles (not more than 150 grams and only baked in the oven), 150 grams of puree;
- 100 grams of cottage cheese;
- cottage cheese souffle with tea (not more than 150 grams);
- a glass of yogurt.
Thursday
- 200 grams of mashed potatoes with the addition of steamed meatballs (not more than 10 grams), tea with milk;
- semolina from milk soup (not more than 250 grams), fruit jelly;
- protein omelet (not more than 100 grams);
- cottage cheese milk.
Friday
- apple and carrot pudding (not more than 200 grams);
- 250 grams of mashed vegetable soup with compote;
- protein omelet (not more than 100 grams);
- cottage cheese milk.
Saturday
- meatballs (not more than 100 grams) with mashed potatoes (not more than 150 grams), tea;
- protein omelet;
- grated oatmeal soup (not more than 250 grams) with carrot puree (200 grams);
- cottage cheese milk.
Sunday
- 160 grams of milk porridge from rice, tea;
- 200 grams of fruit jelly, 100 grams of boiled fish;
- cottage cheese pudding (not more than 150 grams) with rosehip decoction (150-200 grams);
- a glass of kefir.
Hunger
Fasting is very effective in acute pancreatitis or exacerbation of the chronic form of this disease. It is recommended to adhere to it under the described conditions for 1-3 days, during which time only plain water is used.
Fasting is necessary to unload both the gastrointestinal system in general and the pancreas in particular. It is important to keep in mind that the use of broths, even low-fat, is not allowed during fasting.