When we think of our digestive organs, the first things that come to mind are the stomach, large intestine or liver. When patients are asked to show where the pancreas is located, I usually get a vague answer. Often they point to an area very far from where the pancreas is located. Even if they don’t know their location, they do know the role the pancreas plays in insulin production and diabetes. Also, many people express fear of pancreatic cancer, especially after the tragic death of Steve Jobs.
Unfortunately, people don’t know much about the pancreas. Pancreas is the small oblong gland with many vital jobs and functions. If you think that diseases of the pancreas are relatively rare, look around. Almost every family has a member with a range of digestive symptoms, including bloating, heartburn, nausea, gas, constipation, diarrhea, gas, stomach cramps, and pain. The person with all or some of these symptoms may not even know that these are the problems related to the improper functioning of the pancreas. Normal digestion depends on the right amount and good quality of pancreatic enzymes.
Let’s look at the gastrointestinal tract, a long tube with many chambers (stomach, small intestine, and large intestine) where digestion, absorption, and elimination take place. Almost all of the food we eat is made up of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Thanks to digestion, proteins are broken down into smaller particles called amino acids. In addition, they can enter the blood through the intestinal walls, allowing our body to use amino acids to build tissue. After we eat fats, they are broken down into fatty acids to meet our body’s energy needs. When we consume complex carbohydrates, they are broken down into simple sugars, which are the main sources of energy for our bodies. When we get the excess of carbohydrates, our body turns it into fat.
More than half of carbohydrates and proteins and 90% of fats are digested in the small intestine with the help of digestive enzymes from the pancreas. Low volume and poor quality of pancreatic digestive enzymes lead to indigestion. Imagine what would happen if you put everything you ate at dinner in the plastic bag and left in a warm room for 24 hours. Proteins rot, fats go rancid, microbes and yeast ferment carbohydrates. The plastic bag explodes due to the smelly poison gas that accumulates inside over time.
There are only two directions for our gastrointestinal tract to get rid of the toxins and gases from undigested food: up into the stomach and even into the esophagus or down into the large intestine. As the toxins move up, people experience gas, bloating, bloating, abdominal pain, and heartburn. When undigested toxic food goes down, gas, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation occur.
Evidence and clinical research show that low pancreatic function causes various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract ranging from dyspepsia, IBS, GERD, ulcers to autoimmune diseases and cancer. To prove these facts, I used more than 300 references from doctors and professors from around the world in my book. Low pancreatic function is a cornerstone of nearly all gastrointestinal disorders and diseases. Fortunately, the pancreas has an enormous working capacity. And that means humans can survive when 90% of the pancreatic tissue is gone.
Unfortunately, pancreatic awareness begins too late when only 10% of pancreatic tissue remains and the treatment approach is limited. Therefore, any symptoms of indigestion should be seen as alarm bells, and doctors should focus on the pancreas. To date, there is no simple and safe pharmaceutical solution to increase the production of digestive enzymes in the pancreas. However, it can be done with a holistic natural approach.
The first thing that should be changed is the diet. We need to stop and ask ourselves questions about what we are eating and how we are eating it. No creature on earth but us humans eats macaroni and cheese, meat and dessert, ice cream, fruit and coffee all at the same time. They also don’t eat processed “dead” foods without natural digestive enzymes. No one in the living world eats “on the go,” in front of the television, or even while driving. And last but not least, it is only people who consume alcohol, drugs, medicines and maintain environmental toxins. All of this puts an enormous strain on our pancreas; Consequently, a healthy diet for the pancreas is key to healthy digestion.
In healthy people, the pancreas produces 6-8 cups of clear, alkaline pancreatic juice daily. The content of pancreatic juice includes water, minerals, bicarbonates, trace elements and a large amount of digestive enzymes. The pancreas is the main organ in the human body to produce enzymes. It must be said that all pancreatic enzymes require an alkaline environment to function properly. When the pH changes to the neutral range, pancreatic enzymes in the small intestine stop working. For the pancreas, alkalinity means life, in contrast, acid means death.
How to promote the alkalinity of pancreatic juice? Of course, this can be done through basic nutrition, mineral supplements, cellular magnesium-potassium, or by drinking healing mineral water. Doctors from different countries have been using these methods for hundreds of years. European doctors use either the Karlovy Vary medicinal mineral water from the local springs or water prepared at home from evaporated genuine Karlovy Vary spring salt. This water has been used for hundreds of years to treat various digestive disorders, particularly pancreas and liver/gallbladder problems.
Among other non-drug methods that can be used to improve the functioning of the pancreas, good results can be achieved with acupuncture. If your acupuncturist says you have a weak spleen, it means your digestion is weak. Inserting needles into the Spleen and Stomach meridians improves digestion, lowers gastrointestinal symptoms, and relieves abdominal pain.
Many medical articles and books support this fact. And I myself see the improvement in my patients every day. In China and Russia, positive effects of acupuncture in acute pancreatitis are confirmed by clinical research.
People often use herbal chamomile or peppermint tea for indigestion and stomach fullness. Chinese, European, Russian, and Native American medicines offer a variety of single herbs and herbal formulas for digestive ailments. Consequently, humans have used spices for flavor, food preservation, medicinal purposes, and to prevent foodborne illness for millennia.
To produce 2 liters of pancreatic juice, the pancreas needs a lot of water. Dehydration is unhealthy for the pancreas and can cause pancreatitis.
Digestive (pancreatic) diseases are common in the modern world. Normal pancreatic function is essential for digestion, which means that improving pancreatic function usually reduces indigestion. The goal is to find a knowledgeable licensed physician before it’s too late.
The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a qualified, licensed professional.
Thanks to Peter Melamed Ph.D.