Pancreatitis
If you’ve ever had this, you know how little fun it is. It can also become chronic if not treated well and chronic can lead to much more serious issues.
Here’s what I know and what I would do to heal it.
What is pancreatitis?
The pancreas is an organ located in the abdomen that plays an essential role in converting food into fuel for the body's cells. It has two main functions: during digestion, the pancreas makes enzymes that break down sugars, fats, and protein. It also secretes insulin to help push blood sugar into cells for energy.
The pancreas can malfunction, causing the digestive enzymes to activate while still in the pancreas instead of in the digestive tract. This is autoimmune: your pancreas turns on itself. Pancreatitis is the redness and swelling (inflammation) of the pancreas due to the malfunction.
CAUSES: About 50% of sufferers are heavy drinkers, with gallstones causing most of the other 50%. (Yes, you can have gallstones even without a gallbladder!) If you are not a heavy drinker and know there are no gallstones, pancreatitis can also be caused by: autoimmune disease (pancreas malfunctions), hypertriglyceridaemia (high blood fat levels), hyperparathyroidism (an increase in parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in the blood), hypercalcaemia (high blood calcium levels), tumors, trauma, infections, drug reactions, parasitic infiltrations, scorpion bites, cystic fibrosis. In some series nearly a third of cases are classed as idiopathic (any disease with an unknown cause or mechanism of apparent spontaneous origin).
ACUTE or CHRONIC? Acute means it is occasional, hopefully only once. Chronic means it happens OFTEN and puts you at a significantly increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer, diabetes, liver failure and other potentially life-threatening illnesses.
Healing Pancreatitis
This did not develop overnight. In fact, by the time you have symptoms, you are already quite sick. Symptoms don’t start when the illness begins to develop. Symptoms turn up pretty far down the road.
So it won’t go away over night. Relieve the symptoms now, but healing takes time.
I know you KNOW that, but get that knowledge deep in your soul. Your body is not Amazon delivery. You want to FEEL better asap. You will BE better in a couple of months, completely healed in a few more.
PAIN
You have 2 great options for pain management:
Homeopathy: affordable, effective, no side effects. We use Arnica here for pain, love it! Start with this potency. Take 4 pellets every 15 minutes for the first hour. Then take 4 pellets am and pm. If it’s not enough pain relief, you can use a stronger potency. I can help you tweak it.
Good old fashioned aspirin. Drop two to three 325mg aspirin in 1/4 cup water, let dissolve. This takes a few seconds, then blend with a frother for a sec. Now add 1/2 tsp baking soda, no need to blend. This buffers the aspirin so it’s easier on your stomach. When the fizzing stops and the water is clear (about 20 minutes), drink the clear liquid leaving the white residue (filler ingredients) at the bottom.
5 Steps to Healing
#1 Homeopathy Have you used homeopathy before? There is a safe, affordable and effective Banerji protocol that I’m happy to share with you. Leave a comment below and I’ll send it out to you :)
#2 Supplements (3)
Digestive Enzymes These were formulated by the late Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez and are a major component in his successful cancer treatment, still being used by Dr. Linda Isaacs. Start with 1 at each meal, work up to at least 3 at each meal.
Even though pancreatitis is caused by digestive enzymes STUCK IN the pancreas, taking digestive enzymes orally is crucial for recovery. For one thing, you need them to digest food. More to the point, when you are taking digestive enzymes, it's a signal to your pancreas that it can stop making them! This biofeedback reduces the load placed on the pancreas, giving it a rest.
ALA & LDN Take these everyday. (we do)
Here's how to order LDN (if you can't get a scrip in the US, you gotta order from an offshore pharmacy).
This is the duo that Dr. Burt Berkson uses to cure liver and pancreatic cancer. There's a bit more to the protocol, but these are the essentials and perfect for a bout of pancreatitis. Learn more here.
#3 Stop drinking alcohol. Sorry. Not forever, just for now.
#4 Clean up your diet to heal your gut. Ultimately, all disease begins in the gut which is the tube from your lips to your anus. That's 22' to 30' of digestive tract... if that's not working right, NOTHING in your body can. Even if you feel good.
Here are ways to heal your gut:
Stop drinking alcohol.
Stop eating grains, all of them. Just for now.
Drink beef bone broth, 1 cup a day. If you don't make your broth, Kettle & Fire is an excellent brand.
Add a dash (or more) Real Salt to your drinks. I add to water, raw milk, OJ, smoothies, everything. It's good for your digestion and everything else. Does NOT affect blood pressure. If your doctor tells you to quit salt, quit that doctor, he’s an idiot. You’re welcome.
Eat a raw unpeeled scrubbed organic carrot a day. Chew it thoroughly. Carrots help detox excess estrogen from your liver. Excess estrogen is one of the top 3 most catabolic (damaging) hormones in your body! Cortisol and serotonin are the other two. Eat the carrot :)
No fast food -- they are full of anti-nutrients (which prevent absorption of nutrients) and toxins. You don’t have to quit forever. Although forever would be a very good idea.
Drink a protein smoothie everyday with glycine in it. Glycine is an amino acid that is critically important in healing the actual tissues of your gut. Protein is the building block for all your tissues and you need a LOT of it, about a gram for every pound you weigh.
Enjoy your food, even if it’s liver. Mindset is everything. In fact, enjoy your life: stress down, fun UP!
#5 Move. A 10 minute walk once a day is sufficient. If it's warm enough and it's daytime, do it in as little clothing as possible. If your job is physically demanding, that’s enough… but just. A 10 minute walk RELIEVES stress, while work INCREASES it.
Gallstones (or any stones: salivary, kidney) are incredibly painful. To get rid of one, take epsom salt baths, take Stonebreaker, use castor oil packs. To prevent them, stop eating foods with oxalates, like almonds and spinach. Here’s Dr. Ken Berry on oxalates, lots of links for more info in the descriptions.
Shopping List
Kettle & Fire beef bone broth
There you have it: pancreatitis in a nutshell! Have you had it? How did you heal? What should I add to this list?
Be well! xo Sally