Acute pancreatic inflammation often triggers intense pain that warrants hospitalization. For severe inflammation, your doctor will place you on a saline IV and restrict you from consuming any food or fluid orally, because food and drink worsen the inflammation and pain. This intervention, called nil per os, which is Latin for "nothing by mouth," might take a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the severity of the inflammation. For chronic mild pancreatic inflammation, you can modify your diet to systemically dampen inflammatory responses and enhance the anti-inflammatory reactions of your immune system.
Pancreas Function
The pancreas assists in the digestion of food. It releases enzymes that pass through the pancreatic duct into the duodenum, the uppermost section of the small intestine. There, the enzymes mix with bile and become activated, helping to break down food. The pancreas also releases glucagon and insulin, hormones involved in metabolism and storage of energy. Inflammation of the pancreas activates the enzymes while they are still in the pancreas, so the enzymes cause pain and can damage pancreatic tissue.
Inflammation
When your body detects tissue damage, infection or attack by foreign invaders, such as bacteria or infection, your immune system sends white blood cells, fluid and other chemicals to destroy the invaders and protect surrounding tissues. However, often inflammatory responses are excessive, says Philip Calder in the June 2006 "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Inflammation contributes to a wide range of acute and chronic conditions, including diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and pancreatitis.
Dietary Causes
Both epidemiological and experimental studies indicate that dietary factors influence inflammatory responses, says Leo Galland in his December 2010 review in "Nutrition in Clinical Practice." Dietary factors that affect inflammatory responses include how quickly foods are metabolized and the presence of nutrients such as fiber, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and antioxidants such as flavonoids and carotenoids.
Low-Glycemic Foods
Sweet, sugary and highly processed foods composed of simple carbohydrates are quickly digested and released into your bloodstream as glucose. These foods, referred to as high-glycemic foods, heighten inflammatory responses, according to Galland. On the other hand, low-glycemic, high-fiber and whole-grain foods, such as brown rice, oats, whole wheat bread, fruits and vegetables, slow the release of sugars into the bloodstream and promote anti-inflammatory reactions from the immune system.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Foods
Omega-3 fatty acids promote anti-inflammatory processes, while an imbalance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids promotes inflammatory processes, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids include cold-water fish and other seafood, such as salmon, sardines, tuna, herring, mackerel, halibut, shrimp, algae and krill. Other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseeds and walnuts. Eat fish or seafood at least once or twice a week to help balance your omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Antioxidant Foods
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, unstable oxygen compounds that damage DNA, cell walls and other tissues throughout your body. Antioxidant damage invokes inflammatory responses from your immune system. Vitamins A, C and E are potent antioxidants, as are flavonoids and carotenoids. Antioxidant foods include: fruit such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples, pears, plums and pineapple; vegetables such as spinach, red cabbage, red and white potatoes with their peels, broccoli and sweet potatoes; legumes such as small red beans and kidney beans, black and pinto beans; nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds and pecans; and beverages such as green tea, coffee and red wine.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Inflammation: What You Need To Know
- Mayo Clinic; Food Sources the Best Choice for Antioxidants; Donald Hensrud; June 2009
- "Nutrition"; Association Between Dietary Fiber and Markers of Systemic Inflammation in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study; Yunsheng Ma, et al.; October, 2008
- "Nutrition in Clinical Practice"; Diet and Inflammation; Leo Galland; December 2010
- "The American Journal of Nutrition"; n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Inflammation, and Inflammatory Diseases; Philip Calder; June 2006
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
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