Diet taboos for chronic pancreatitis

There are three absolute dietary red lines for chronic pancreatitis, which cannot be touched at all - no alcohol, strict control of the intake of all high-fat foods, and absolutely no overeating. If you step on any of them, there is a high probability of triggering an acute attack, and it is common to report to the emergency department for pain.

Don't believe it, last month I just admitted a 28-year-old boy who had chronic pancreatitis that has been under good control for 2 years. He couldn't resist the boss's advice at the company's annual meeting and drank half a glass of sparkling fruit wine. That night, he suffered from rolling pain in his upper abdomen. The amylase in his blood test soared to 6 times the normal value. It took him 5 days in the hospital to recover. You must know that alcohol is a complete blow to the damaged pancreas. It will directly stimulate the secretion of large amounts of pancreatic juice. Originally, the pancreatic ducts of patients with chronic pancreatitis are usually narrowed or even blocked by small stones. The excess pancreatic juice cannot be discharged and directly begins to "digest" the pancreatic tissue itself. The pain is usually mild, but severe cases may even induce pancreatic necrosis.

Many people think that if I don’t drink, won’t it be safe? Really not, I have seen too many patients fall into the trap of "taking good supplements". There was a 60-year-old aunt. When she was discharged from the hospital, I repeatedly warned her to use less oil. However, her daughter was filial and stewed a pot of free-range chicken soup for her, and purposely skimmed off the oil three times. The aunt felt that there was no oil, so she drank two large bowls without worry. She relapsed that night. Don't think that only visible animal oils are called oils. Vegetable oils and invisible fats in food are all included in the total amount, such as nuts such as walnuts and almonds, and high-fat fruits such as avocados and durians. It's okay to eat one or two occasionally during the stable period. Showing off half a plate at a time is basically tantamount to actively provoking the pancreas to lose its temper. Some people think there’s nothing wrong with being vegetarian, right? There used to be a patient who was a Buddhist. He ate fried vegetables and vegetarian fried radish balls every meal. He used more vegetable oil in cooking than other people's fried meat. As a result, he was admitted to the hospital three times in six months, and he couldn't laugh or cry.

In fact, today's dietary taboos are not completely one-size-fits-all, and different schools of thought also have different views. For example, in the past, all doctors would tell patients to abstain from coffee and strong tea, but the latest European Society of Gastroenterology guidelines mention that if you usually drink it without bloating or abdominal pain, it is perfectly fine to drink a cup of light coffee or light green tea every day during the stable period, and there is no need to deliberately avoid them completely. ； There is also the issue of protein intake. The old view is to strictly limit protein for fear of increasing the burden on the pancreas. Now it is recommended to appropriately supplement high-quality protein during the stable period, such as steamed sea bass, skinless chicken breasts, and boiled egg whites. Eating about 1 tael at a time can help repair the pancreatic tissue. As long as you don't eat too much at one time, don't use heavy cooking methods such as braised or deep-fried. Of course, these are all based on your own body's reaction. If you feel a slight swelling and pain after drinking half a cup of coffee, then you can definitely just black out it. There is no need to read the guide.

There is another pitfall that many people fall into. They think that a light diet is just eating white porridge every day, which is really unnecessary. There was a patient who drank white porridge for three months and lost 20 pounds. His immunity was so weak that he felt bloated even if he ate a few mouthfuls of boiled vegetables, which made him more likely to relapse. Don't blindly believe in any "pancreas replenishing" folk remedies, such as stewed pork belly with panax notoginseng or yam stewed with turtle. Let's not talk about whether they are useful or not. The fat content of these ingredients is not low. If you add oil and seasoning to stew them, you will immediately step into the red line after eating them.

To be honest, I have chatted with many old patients who have been ill for five or six years, and the practical methods they summarized are sometimes more useful than the guide. For example, when cooking, use a graduated oil pot. The total amount of oil in a day should not exceed 20 grams, which is about the amount of two ordinary porcelain spoons. ； When eating out, run all dishes through warm water to rinse away any oil on the surface before eating. ； If you feel a slight bloating or tingling pain in your upper abdomen after eating something, just stop eating it next time. Don't worry about whether you can eat it or not. Your body's reaction will always be more accurate than the textbook.

To put it bluntly, the dietary taboos for chronic pancreatitis are not that many twists and turns. The core is not to put extra burden on the already injured pancreas, and don’t take a chance that “just one bite will be fine”. It is more effective than any supplement.