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Best 12 Foods and Herbs for a Healthy Pancreas
Photo credit: bigstock.com
Your pancreas, a small organ rarely thought of until it causes problems, is vital for your digestive system as well as the endocrine process. Your pancreas has two basic functions: make insulin for controlling blood sugar levels, and make enzymes for the digestion of fat and protein.
Your pancreas sits behind, and just below, your stomach. It has what is thought of as a head, a body, and a tail. Each part has its own job when it comes to producing specialized chemicals and enzymes. It also produces hormones and vital enzymes which are important to the digestion of food after it leaves your stomach. The fluid that your pancreas produces is alkaline in its makeup so it neutralizes the acids that come from the stomach, creating the perfect environment for digestive enzymes to do their work.
Should your pancreas become unable to function, or only partially function, nutrients from your food are no longer available to your body. The top three problems that arise from a weak pancreas are:
1. Diabetes – This is the most common disorder of the pancreas. Diabetes occurs when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
2. Acute or Chronic Pancreatitis – This causes tissue damaging inflammation levels in and around the pancreas.
3. Cancer – Pancreatic cancer is the 5th leading cause of death in the US and has a 100 percent mortality rate.
Although the cause of pancreas malfunctions are not well understood, it is known that diet and lifestyle can help rejuvenate the pancreas. There have limited studies on some herbs regarding their effectiveness, but the following list of herbs and foods may help to strengthen and protect your pancreas from the disorders listed above.
As always, if you are taking any type of prescription medication, please consult your doctor regarding possible interactions and never stop taking medications without your doctor’s approval.
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