Pancreas: Acute Pancreatitis Can Be Improved Through Lifestyle Choices; Here's How

The pancreas is crucial for digestion. It is situated in the back of your stomach, inside the abdomen. Its size is comparable to your hand. Your pancreas produces pancreatic fluids called enzymes that aid in digesting. These enzymes disintegrate carbohydrates, lipids, and sugars. By producing hormones, the pancreas also supports your digestive system. 

These chemical messengers move throughout your bloodstream. Pancreatic hormones encourage the production of stomach acids, control hunger and blood sugar levels, and signal when the stomach should empty.

Acute pancreatitis is a sudden development of pancreatic inflammation. Some moderate cases go away on their own without treatment, but severe cases must need care to avoid potentially fatal consequences. 

Gallstones, which can get stuck in a bile or pancreatic duct and induce inflammation, are the main cause of acute pancreatitis. Use of certain drugs, genetic disorders, and excessive alcohol use are a few additional common causes. You can treat and prevent acute pancreatitis by following a healthy lifestyle. Read on as we share some tips.

Tips to treat and prevent acute pancreatitis:

1. Maintain healthy weight

Being overweight or obese can raise the risk of getting gallstones, which, if they get stuck in the duct that the pancreas uses to release its digesting enzymes, can cause pancreatitis. Gallstones can be avoided and other illnesses can be avoided if you keep a healthy weight.

2. Avoid alcohol 

Avoiding alcohol is one of the finest things you can do if you have chronic pancreatitis to minimise symptoms and stop acute episodes. Abstaining from alcohol reduces the risk of pancreatic injury and is one of the most frequent causes of pancreatitis. Also, it reduces the discomfort that is typically brought on by the disease's chronic form.

3. Quit smoking

Smoking may increase symptoms or prolong the rehabilitation process for those who have pancreatitis, according to medical professionals at NYU Langone. Smoking raises the risk of pancreatic cancer in those with pancreatitis. You can get expert assistance from the tobacco cessation programmes at NYU Langone.

4. Skip unhealthy foods

Doctors advise reducing items that can cause pancreatitis in order to control the condition. The pancreas is unable to produce enough of the enzymes required for the correct digestion of lipids, carbs, and proteins in persons with chronic pancreatitis. As a result, you can have abdominal discomfort after consuming foods high in fat and carbohydrates and your body might not be able to absorb enough nutrients.

5. Eat healthy

Gallstones can form when too much cholesterol builds up in your bile, a fluid that aids in the breakdown of fats, and is a major cause of acute pancreatitis. Eat a heart-healthy diet rich in whole grains and a range of fresh fruits and vegetables to lower your risk of gallstones. Avoiding fatty or fried foods and whole-fat dairy products can help prevent pancreatitis.

6. Avoid crash diets

It is important to lose weight gradually as a caution. Your liver increases cholesterol production in reaction to a crash diet, which causes rapid weight loss and raises your risk of gallstones. Follow a diet that is adequate in the nutrients you need while still keeping you in a calorie-deficit if you are trying to lose weight.

In some situations, adhering to dietary advice might help patients with pancreatitis feel better and recover more quickly.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.