Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which is the gland responsible for producing enzymes that aid digestion and also helps regulate your blood sugar. Any type of pancreatitis is a potentially serious illness that often requires hospitalization, warns the University of Maryland Medical Center. Once your doctor diagnoses pancreatitis, you must follow specific dietary guidelines to reduce your risk of future attacks.
Fatty Foods
You should significantly reduce your fat intake after a bout of pancreatitis, advises the University of Maryland Medical Center. Ideally, you should limit your consumption of red meat to only a few times weekly. Also, you should reduce or eliminate foods such as French fries, cookies, crackers, processed foods and margarine. You can still use oil for cooking, but are better off sticking to healthful choices such as olive or vegetable oil.
Alcohol and Caffeine
Some cases of pancreatitis, especially the chronic form where attacks recur, are caused by drinking too much alcohol. Even if your condition was not caused by alcohol, you should still eliminate alcoholic beverages after a diagnosis of pancreatitis, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Check any over-the-counter medicines before taking them, as some include large amounts of alcohol and may trigger a painful pancreatic attack. Coffee and other forms of caffeine may overstimulate the pancreas, so it's best to avoid such beverages.
Healthy Food Choices
After suffering from pancreatitis, you should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants and B vitamins, advises the University of Maryland Medical Center. Focus on eating blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, spinach, bell peppers, squash and sea vegetables. You should eat lean proteins and beans to help your body recover from pancreatitis. It is also a great idea to drink six to eight glasses of water daily and take a multivitamin.
Symptoms to Watch For
Some people may experience chronic pancreatitis, which can eventually require surgery, warns PubMed Health. If you suffer from vomiting, nausea, jaundice, fatty stools, abdominal pain, chills, weight loss, fever, clammy skin or weakness, you need medical assistance. Your doctor may admit you to the hospital for supervised fasting, intravenous fluids, antibiotics and pain medication. In extreme cases, gallbladder or pancreas surgery is required. Some doctors may also prescribe pancreatic enzymes to help you better digest food; in some cases, you may require ongoing prescriptions of pain medications to manage the abdominal pain associated with pancreatitis.
