Most foods are not anti-inflammatory and if you are trying to formulate your own anti-inflammation pancreatitis diet you want to eat foods that fight inflammation. Foods that are anti-inflammatory can be broken down into five groups that include:
1) Spices and Herbs. Certain spices are strongly anit-inflammatory and can be easily used to put out the fire of inflammation simply by adding them to your diet.
Garlic in every form, raw, powder, or cooked. When cooking the less it is cooked the more beneficial it is in regards to its myriad of benefits. For best results use 3 fresh raw cloves daily or one teaspoon of garlic powder by adding it to your meals.
Cayenne Pepper is one herb and spice that you should get to know inside and out. It is one of the most effective and highly anti-inflammatory herbs available and that is exactly why you find it in so many topical pain medications for such things as arthritis.
Ginger is a potent anti-inflammatory and this potency is attributed to phenolic compounds called gingerols. In several studies ginger has been shown to be very useful in reducining pain and swelling for those who suffer from arthritis along with actually killing ovarian cancer cells.
Turmeric is a very potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs without the side effects and when combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and even stop the growth of existing cancer.
2) Vegetables. Some of the more highly anti-inflammatory veggies are brussel sprouts, broccoli, beet greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, green chili peppers, and spinach. Other good choices include carrots, green snap beans, green leaf lettuce, asparagus, cauliflower and sweet green peppers.
3) Fruits. Raw oranges (not store bought juice), raw papaya, raw avocado (especially California variety), tomatoes (yes they are a fruit), pink and red grapefruit, strawberries (raw), raspberries, blue berries, huckle berries, apricots (raw), cantaloupe (raw). Most other fruits believe it or not have inflammatory properties.
4) Nuts and Seeds. Almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachio, hickory, brazil, hazel and macadamia nuts offer excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Flax Seed is strongly anti-inflammatory and has the added benefit of being a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. Caraway, yellow mustard, dill, cumin and celery seeds also offer some anti-inflammatory properties.
5) Fish. Wild salmon, makerel, sardines and trout are the most anti-inflammatory and also have the highest amount of beneficial fish oil.
I'm sure there are other somewhat safe foods for a pancreatitis diet in the veggie and fruit categories but those are the better one. You can check your food selctions for an "inflammation factor" using this tool.
Oh and the site that has that tool is not mine, I just use the tool to check food inflammation factors and that's it, I suggest you do the same.
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I am starting a lifestyle change not diet of eating only fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains--no meat products or dairy. Our bodies were originally designed to be vegetarians not meat eaters. Having a low salt and sugar regime also, can only benefit you!
ReplyDeleteVery true and good for you I hope it helps you :-)
ReplyDeleteI am very excited to see that avocado's are anti inflammatory. My 65 year old mother has suffered for the past 6 months. I read your story and it is a duplicate copy of her ordeal. We are making smoothies...all berry with avocado. I WAS putting greek yogurt in her smoothies...no, no, now. I would love a cook book you could recommend to help her with her meal plan. We are also seeing a naturopahtic doctor at the Edgar Cayce Ctr in Virginia Beach (where we live) and he too recommended the turmeric (curcumin)and the low fat diet. He also advised 8 oz of Beet Juice with 8 oz of carrot juice 2x day. Beet juice is high in nutrients. He also recommended Flax Oil (Barlean's Oil "HIGHEST LIGNAN" content...it says it on the bottle) 2 tblsp 2x day. We are incorporating acupuncture and chiropractic care but we feel that it is primarily the diet which is helping her most. What she puts down has a direct result. THANK YOU for the heads up regarding the anti-inflammatory. My mother was in bed from chrismas dinner for two days and on high dose of duragesic patch (100mcg) and oxycodone. She took an NSAID last night and is up dusting the furniture this morning. 1000 mg Vit C and curcumin this morning and a bowl of flax cereal and she is feeling great. I really believe that she needed the anti-inflammatory so now she will reach for that instead of the codone. I was jumping up for JOY when I found your blog last night...same story!!! YAY! FINALLY, a pattern to figure out and considering the pain she's been through she is ready to go vegan! And for a 65 year old stubborn Scottish lass...that's says A LOT! ;) Many blessings to you and all those who suffer!
ReplyDeleteHi Happy Joy - That is so cool about your mom. NSAIDS (Ibuprofen,Aspirin) work wonders! Pancreatitis is INFLAMMATION and so when the inflammation is addressed the pain resolves.
DeleteBe careful with the NSAIDS because they are NOT totally safe. I've mentioned this before in other posts but NO drug is safe.
NSAIDS, ALL except aspirin, have been associated with heart attack (rare) when used in large doses and/or long periods so I ONLY use Ibuprofen for acute pancreatitis attacks.
800 mgs of Ibuprofen coupled with 200mgs of grape seed extract, vit C and curcumin usually stop an acute attack in less than 90 minutes in most cases. On several occassions I have had to redose the next day or for several days in the more persistent attacks. BUT for MOST of my acute attacks that cocktail resolves the pain in less than 90 minutes with just one dose.
FOUR 325 mg tabs of aspirin works almost as well as Ibuprofen (advil, motrin) and doesn't cause heart attack however ALL NSAIDS can cause bleeding and it can be lethal (rare).
Also, NSAIDS, other than Ibuprofen and Aspirin can be very toxic in large doses so I ONLY use Ibuprofen or aspirin but the stuff does work, doesn't it?
I am really happy that your mom found relief and is doing better. Even though I have flax, avacado, nuts, oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, trout) on the anti-inflammatory list there could be problems for those who are NOT healed and if your mom was just sick she of course qualifys. ALL those foods are great but they have high amounts of FAT. It is GOOD FAT but it's FAT and fat is not good for an inflamed, damaged, unhealed pancreas so watch the eating of those very closely because they could cause problems even though they are anti-inflammatory.
The BEST course of action in regards to food when someone has just experienced an unpleasant episode, especially and acute attack is to fast and rest the panc, then do juice for a few days, then if there are NO symptoms graduate to a "modified" VEGAN food diet (rice, veggies - no meat, no dairy, no fat, no oil).
Thanks for visiting my blog, again I am very happy to hear NSAIDS helped your mom too! AWESOME!