What diet should be followed for pancreatitis?

diet for pancreatitis

One in three people suffers from inflammation of the pancreas, but not everyone realizes the need for a diet for pancreatitis.

Before talking about diet, it is important to understand what pancreatitis is, why it occurs, and how it manifests itself.

What is pancreatitis?

Before starting the study of this disease, it is necessary to know more about the organ in which the injury occurs. The pancreas is a hormonal organ with a mixed function (exocrine + endocrine).

Endocrine function is expressed in the production of its own hormones (glucagon and insulin), whose activity is aimed at regulating blood glucose levels.

The exocrine function consists of the production of pancreatic secretions (pancreatic juice), which improve digestion. The organ itself is located behind the stomach in the left hypochondrium.

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory process in the pancreas associated with increased damage to its structure.

Causes of pancreatitis:

  1. Alcohol abuse.
  2. Inaccuracy in diet, wrong diet.
  3. Diseases associated with damage to the liver's biliary system (includes the gallbladder with the bile ducts extending from it). Such diseases include: cholelithiasis, cholangitis, tumors of the large duodenal papilla, tumors of the liver gates).
  4. Taking certain drugs that have a toxic effect on the pancreas (antibacterial drugs, anticancer drugs).

Acute and chronic pancreatitis symptoms

Acute and chronic pancreatitis are distinguished. Each of these forms has a type of clinical treatment and requires the selection of an individual therapy.

How does pancreatitis manifest

Acute pancreatitis is characterized by:

  • Sharp pain in the waist in the upper half of the body. The pain can be associated with the food eaten and also occur on its own;
  • Increase in body temperature to febrile digits (38, 1-39, 0 degrees Celsius);
  • Vomiting from ingested food, sometimes bile (when the onset of the disease depends on damage to the biliary system of the liver)
  • Nausea causing vomiting;
  • Diarrhea (loose stools);
  • Belching of ingested undigested food;
  • High blood glucose numbers;
  • On palpation (sensation) of the abdomen: the anterior abdominal wall is tight, painful in specialized points, typical of the study of pancreatitis and diseases of the gallbladder.

Important!If these symptoms are found, you should see a doctor immediately for an additional instrumental examination!

Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by:

  • Pain in the epigastric area (stomach). Heaviness in the left hypochondrium (on the left side). Acute pain in the waist occurs most often with exacerbation of the chronic form of pancreatitis and occurs between 40 and 50 minutes after eating;
  • Dyspeptic disorders (associated with damage to the digestive system). These include: vomiting, after eating, constipation followed by diarrhea (complaints of white spots in the stool are possible; these are undigested fat particles and their breakdown products;
  • Dizziness, occurs due to irritation of the nervous system by non-neutralized glucose molecules;
  • Flatulence (gas in the stomach);
  • Noticeable weight loss.

Complications of pancreatitis

Complications of pancreatitis from inadequate treatment or poor performance:

  • Transition from acute to chronic;
  • Inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis);
  • If a secondary infection enters the inflamed organ, an abscess (limited purulent inflammation) and phlegmon (diffuse purulent inflammation) may occur;
  • Diabetes mellitus: occurs when the smallest structures of the pancreas (islets of Langerhans) are affected;
  • Bleed;
  • Peritonitis (the transition of the inflammatory process from the pancreas to the abdominal cavity);
  • Bleeding: occurs when the capsule of the organ ruptures (extremely rare).

The five basic principles of treating pancreatitis

To avoid complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor promptly and follow his recommendations impeccably.

general principles of treatment of pancreatitis

Therapy for acute pancreatitis of the pancreas involves the following principles:

  1. Detoxification therapy (rid the body of poisoning);
  2. Neutralization of excess free glucose in the body;
  3. Elimination of inflammation of the pancreas;
  4. Prevention of complications;
  5. Relief of the symptoms of the disease.

When a patient with an acute form of pancreatitis is admitted to the hospital, first of all, all therapeutic measures are aimed at eliminating intoxication (poisoning) from the body.

  1. The patient should be given droppers with 5% glucose solution together with 0. 9% sodium chloride solution in a volume of 1000-1200 ml;
  2. A "starve" diet is prescribed (only heavy drinking is allowed to remove excess toxins and free glucose from the body);
  3. Diuretics should be prescribed to reduce the circulating blood supply and remove toxins from the body;
  4. Protease inhibitors that reduce the increase in exocrine activity of the pancreas.

After the elimination of the intoxication syndrome, more medical measures are taken to combat this disease. For any form of pancreatitis, dieting is always recommended.

Interesting!In the form of acute pancreatitis and with exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, three main components are mainly prescribed: cold, hunger and rest.

Cold: an ice pack wrapped in a non-synthetic cloth should be applied to the left upper quadrant and kept for 40 minutes, then rest for 20 minutes. This procedure slows down the blood supply, which causes the development of inflammation.

Diet for pancreatitis

nutritional rules for pancreatitis

Diet is a normalized amount of food that is used for therapeutic purposes and is necessary to replenish the total daily energy balance.

The diet in pancreatic pancreatitis and its approximate content are different, both acutely and chronically.

Hunger. Nutrition for pancreatitis should be fractional. For the first two days, you should not eat completely (to unload your own digestive system and reduce the inflammatory process in the pancreas).

During this period, patients are recommended to use a decoction of chamomile, compotes of dried fruits, gelatin, mint, rose hip, alkaline mineral waters, special solutions.

From day 3 on, nutritional therapy for pancreatitis is based on a bland diet.

Important!It is forbidden to eat foods that are too hot, too cold, spicy, spicy, sour, smoked, sweet, fried.

Eat food in small portions 7 to 8 times a day. All products must be well thermally processed, grated in a blender or grated. It is recommended to consume up to 2-2. 5 liters of liquid, it can be freshly squeezed juices, decoctions of wild rose, chamomile, fruit drinks, jellies, compotes, alkaline drinks.

Nutrition for pancreatitis includes certain products in strictly established doses: wheat crackers no more than 50 g per day (rye cakes, premium bread, fresh bread are prohibited), lean meat (beef, chicken breast, turkey), fish (cod, walleye, pike, salmon), eggs (1 piece a day. Quail eggs are very rich in nutrients necessary to replenish the daily ration).

Low-fat dairy products (milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, cream, fermented baked milk), the use of biokefirs is strictly prohibited, as they contain live bacteria that can cause increased fermentation in the intestines of patientswith pancreatitis and fresh milk), vegetables can be consumed all (steamed and boiled), cereals (rice, oats, groats, buckwheat, millet grains), fruits (only green apples are allowed: 1 apple per day, which is notweigh more than 300 g).

Hint!On average, the amount of calories received from food per day should not exceed 700 to 750 kcal. Such a diet for pancreatitis of the pancreas lasts 3 days. From the fifth day of the exacerbation of pancreatitis, the diet should be with the number of kilocalories consumed per day up to 1000.

To do this, it is necessary to increase the amount of protein consumed up to 10-15 g per day (protein-containing products: cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, chicken breast), simple carbohydrates up to 200 g (cereals, honey, sugar, potatoes).

An example of a daily menu for a patient with acute pancreatitis, starting on day 5:

  1. Breakfast.Millet porridge (in water), wheat crackers 15 g, sweet tea.
  2. Second breakfast.Boiled beetroot 45 g, grated, chicken breast 50 g, lemon balm broth
  3. Lunch.Vegetable broth 150 g, wheat crackers 15 g, compote of nuts
  4. Snack.Mashed potatoes 50 g, boiled fish 30 g, unsweetened tea
  5. Dinner.Low-fat cottage cheese casserole 60 g, rosehip broth
  6. Second dinner.Skimmed milk with honey.

This diet should be followed for approximately 7-10 days. Starting from day 10, the amount of kilocalories increases to 2000-2500 kcal. Food must fully replenish the body's energy balances and not have a negative effect on digestion processes.

Nutrition for chronic pancreatitis

what you can and cannot eat with pancreatitis

A strict diet is recommended for chronic pancreatitis. Meals should be small fractional portions throughout the day.

Food must be eaten at a specified time with strictly designated intervals between meals (eg 7: 00, 11: 00, 14: 00, 16: 00, 19: 30). Most often, with chronic pancreatitis, diet number 5 should be prescribed. It is a moderate diet prescribed for therapeutic purposes in diseases of the pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, liver.

The following foods are recommended to maintain energy balance and calorie intake for proper body function.

Approximate food ration for therapeutic diet No. 5

Protein foods.This is a food very rich in energy, when it is decomposed a lot of energy is released. Assign proteins of animal and vegetable origin. Foods that contain animal protein include: meat (lean beef pulp, lamb, pork, chicken breast pulp, turkey meat), fish (cod pulp, lean salmon, walleye, red fish, shellfish - shrimp, squid), dairy products (low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, cream, fermented baked milk, cheese, buttermilk, yogurt.

Important!Eating food containing live bifidobacteria is not recommended to prevent breakdown and fermentation in the intestines). The amount of animal protein should not exceed 80 g per day.

Products containing vegetable protein include: cereals (buckwheat, wheat, pearl barley, lentils, walnuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds). The amount of vegetable protein should not exceed 100 g per day.

It is not recommended to eat legumes, as they cause fermentation in the body and poorly digested food, contributing to bloating, reproduction of pathogenic microflora in the intestinal lumen.

Foods that contain fat.The fats must be of animal origin.

Hint!The amount of foods containing fat should not exceed 70 g per day. It is recommended to add this product only to ready-to-use products, immediately before eating (porridge, mashed potatoes).

Foods with carbohydrates.Carbohydrates should have a simple structure and be easily digestible. These products include: sugar, first grade wheat flour cakes, wheat, semolina, potatoes, honey, apples, oranges, tangerines, pears, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, berries. The daily intake of easily digestible carbohydrates should not exceed 350 g.

For chronic pancreatitis, monthly fast days are recommended. Fasting days - are carried out 2-3 times a month and are characterized by a complete refusal of food; the use of alkaline drinks (mineral waters), broths of wild rose, chamomile, lemon balm. This method of treatment facilitates the work of the pancreas, improves peristalsis (the process of movement of the food lump along the digestive tract) and decreases the acidity of gastric juice.

Recommended meals for patients with chronic diabetes:

cooking rules for pancreatitis
  • soupsit is recommended to use vegetables with the addition of potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, fruits, low-fat meat broths (chicken, beef, turkey, fish). The broths should not be rich, without the addition of vegetable oil and animal fats;
  • Vegetable purees(from potatoes, beets, carrots, broccoli): vegetables must be thoroughly thermally processed, without adding milk or butter;
  • main dishes(boiled or steamed chicken breast, turkey meat, fish, beef) with a minimum amount of salt;
  • Pasta made from coarse flour,top quality wheat flour biscuits is allowed;
  • cereal grains(buckwheat, barley, pearl barley, millet, oats, oats). Porridge should be cooked only in water, with a minimal amount of salt and sugar. It is strictly forbidden to add butter to the porridge;
  • decoctionswild rose, chamomile, lemon balm, alkaline mineral waters, compotes of dried fruits, green tea, tea with milk, natural juices (apple, carrot, beet), skimmed milk;
  • 1st grade wheat flour cakes(it is not recommended to use fresh bread and top grade flour cakes, rye, cornmeal)

Interesting!The total daily caloric intake for pancreatitis should be 2000-2670 kcal.

Foods strictly prohibited for consumption, both in acute and chronic pancreatitis:

  • Drinks containing alcohol;
  • Coffee, strong teas;
  • Fresh wheat and rye bread;
  • Fatty meat broths (from beef, pork, lamb fat pulp);
  • Animal fats (pork and lamb fat);
  • Bananas, grapes, figs;
  • Subcultures (entrails of animals and birds: brain, liver, kidneys);
  • Semolina and rice cereals;
  • Fried and smoked fish, fried flour products;
  • Fatty dairy products, fresh milk;
  • Chocolate, sweets.

With any disease, you should definitely follow a diet, as it has a beneficial effect on the course of treatment and prevents the development of complications.