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SYMPTOMS & AYURVEDIC REMEDIES
PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCYWHAT DOES IT MEAN? WHAT'S CAUSING IT? WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Written by John Immel,
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Written by John Immel,
Are you prone to a problem with 'Pancreatic Insufficiency'?
The pancreas is named for the Greek words pan (all) and kreas (flesh). The pancreas produces more enzymes than any other digestive organ. Pancreatic enzymes are centrally released into the duodenum through the pancreatic duct and sphincter of Oddi. The pancreas also releases sodium bicarbonate to neutralize acids from the stomach. In exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) the pancreas is unable to secrete adequate amounts of digestive enzymes. Pancreatic lipase accounts for 90% of fat digestion, however fat digestion is not impaired until output drops to 10% of normal levels. Fat malabsorption is often the most prominent sign of EPI. Gall bladder hypomotility may also contribute to impaired fat digestion. The resulting malabsorption causes weight loss, loss of subcutaneous fat, muscle wasting, and deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins including vitamins A,D,E and K. The undigested food particles are fermented by bacteria, causing gas, bloating and high toxic load to the liver. Stools may be shiny or oily, foul-smelling, soft, and often float because of unabsorbed fat (steatorrhea). Subclinical pancreatic insufficiency is a disorder of low agni in Ayruveda specifically affecting pachaka pitta and samana vayu. It is called a weak spleen in Chinese Medicine. Any of the techniques to improve agni may help alleviate subclinical pancreatic insufficiency. Since pancreatic enzymes are essentially in a fluid base, adequate hydration may increase digestive function by up to 25%. Inflammation and loss of function in the duodenum (from h pylori, radiation, etc) may interrupt the synchrony between the release of food from the stomach and discharge of enzymes from the pancreas. Clinical pancreatic insufficiency may be caused by chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, hypercalcemia, clogged ducts, and other causes. A low bile acid pool may produce similar effects to pancreatic insufficiency, such as found in short bowel syndrome, crohn's disease, or other bile acid malabsorptive disorders. Pancreatic insufficiency may reduce the pancreas' ability to neutralize stomach acids in the duodenum. At low pH, lipase becomes inactive and bile salts precipitate out of solution, rendering them ineffective for fat digestion and inabsorbable by the small intestine. Precipitated bile salts are eliminated in feces, reducing the bile salt pool. Disclaimer: 'Pancreatic Insufficiency' could be serious and should be checked by a medical doctor.
DIET REMEDIES FOR 'PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY'PRODUCT REMEDIES FOR 'PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY'FIND MORE DIGESTION RELATED PRODUCTS
See our herbs & products in these categories. Or, click here for general Digestion Tips.
DIGESTION PRODUCTSCLEANSE AND DETOX PRODUCTS DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. HOW DOES AYURVEDA HEAL 'PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY'?
AVOID DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS THAT AGGRAVATE THESE EFFECTS
With Pancreatic Insufficiency, one or more of the following
doshas
and qualities may be aggravated.
If you have an imbalance of one of these doshas or qualities, Ayurveda recommends avoiding foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate that quality and/or dosha.
These imbalanced doshas and qualities may need to be brought back into balance before this condition can be healed.
Click on the quality to learn what foods and
lifestyle habits should be avoided.
 Symptoms Tell A Story The first step to healing is learning patterns from your symptoms. Symptoms are clues that reveal underlying imbalances, showing you where your body is weak. Specifically, they reveal the doshas & qualities that may have become aggravated. If you notice a quality or dosha appears next to many of your symptoms, it helps you establish a pattern that may be systemic.V = VATA, P = PITTA, K = KAPHA 
To learn more about the symbols above, click on them. Are you prone to a problem with 'Pancreatic Insufficiency'?
FAVOR DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS WITH THESE MEDICINAL EFFECTSEverything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using gunas. Gunas are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the effect a food or herb has on your body. Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism. Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism. For 'Pancreatic Insufficiency', you should select foods with the following qualities (gunas). Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance.
To learn more about the symbols above, click on them. Digestion: Digestive , DIGESTIVEHerbs that encourage healthy digestive.Sialogogue , SIALOGOGUEA sialogogue increases saliva. Sour foods are often great sialogogues, and increase output of all exocrine glands. Salty taste is very moistening as well. Bitter, pungent and sweettastes also increase salivary output but to a lesser degree. AstringentsSpleen Tonic SPLEEN-TONICAn herb that strengthens spleen function by improving strength of the blood. Spleen tonics Builds agni, brighten the person's appearances & firms up tissues.Cleanse and Detox: Detoxicant DETOXICANTAn herb that eliminates or metabolizes toxins from the body.Heart & Circulation: Rebuild Electrolytes , REBUILD-ELECTROLYTESSubstances that increase your electrolyte balance. Electrolytes help you retain water, keep your palate moist, and truly quench your thirst.Rebuilds Fluids REBUILDS-FLUIDSHerbs or substances that create moisture in the body and increase fluids.Immune System: Anti Inflammatory , ANTI-INFLAMMATORYReduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.Flushes Membranes FLUSHES-MEMBRANESHerbs in this category stimulate mucus membranes to release fluids, flushing them out.Liver & Gall Bladder: Cholagogue CHOLAGOGUECholagogues stimulate the release of bile from the gall bladder for improved digestion.ADDRESS ISSUES IN STAGE OF DISEASE 4PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY IS IN STAGE OF DISEASE 4 - TISSUE DISEASEIf you have symptoms in this category it means your imbalances have overwhelmed your body's resistance causing a full-fledged disease. Once imbalance reaches this stage it is more likely to cause acute or chronic conditions. You might be tempted to focus your attention on fighting symptoms in this category, but dismiss earlier warning signs of imbalance - i.e. symptoms in the stage 1 category. It is ideal to find and address the root causes weakening your system and remove them first. This ensures you are not adding fuel to the fire of disease. Once the root causes are removed, you can work on addressing the disease head on along with strengthening your body. This typically yields a quicker recovery and prevents recurrence. Ayurveda's preventative approach suggests you pay careful attention to every stage of disease development. REDUCE THESE RELATED SYMPTOMS & HABITSThe following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Pancreatic Insufficiency'. See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type. Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them.
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WHY IS AYURVEDA THE RIGHT SOLUTION?Ayurveda strengthens the body, in addition to addressing the disorder. It take a holistic, systemic approach, instead of myopically focusing on the disorder in question. Ayurveda shows a person how to interpret signs and symptoms of imbalance, and how to address them using materials from home, so they can optimize their health on a continual basis. You can't take the doctor home with you, but you can take Ayurveda home with you. Ayurveda is the most advanced and easy to use home system for self healing with an exceptional focus on digestion.HOW DOES AYURVEDA WORK?Ayurveda starts by identifying your body type, which identifies certain tendencies in your body to get sick (as well as identifying your strengths). It uses body type to determine the likely root causes of your disorders. Next, Ayurveda analyzes the nature of your disorder. It fits all your signs and symptoms into a pattern, expressed as a combination of gunas / qualities. For example, you may have a heat disorder, a cold disorder, or an oily disorder, etc. This simple categorical approach shows you how to correct systemic imbalances and strengthen your body as a whole.On Joyful Belly, we've created an extensive categorization of food so you can easily match food to your imbalances (gunas). By eating an optimal diet that balances your gunas, your whole body is strengthened and the conditions that created the disorder are removed. Once the root causes of the disease are removed, the disease lessens in strength or disappears altogether. Additional remedies - such as herbs and lifestyle practices - focused on the specific disorder, can greatly enhance your healing. Want to learn more about Ayurveda and its step-by-step approach to healing? Click below.LEARN MOREGET STARTEDTo get started on your Ayurvedic journey, we first recommend that your find your body type by taking our free quiz. In Ayurveda, every solution is based on your unique body type, so by taking this quiz, you’ll get the best results.5 WAYS TO HEAL YOUR BODY
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About the Author John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. His online course Balance Your Ayurvedic Diet in a Week provides tools for gracefully healing with Ayurveda to thousands. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well. Comments & Personal ExperiencesHow does 'pancreatic insufficiency' affect your quality of life? What aggravates it? What has helped you? Is there something you'd like to know about 'pancreatic insufficiency'?17 likes |
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