There are several helpful home remedies to treat pancreatitis, including the use of acupuncture, tofu, red grapes, reishi mushrooms, yogurt, spinach, ginseng, and blueberries, along with certain lifestyle changes.
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas, a small gland that is present near the top of the abdominal cavity. When the gland becomes inflamed, the surrounding blood vessels can also get inflamed, and there may be bleeding and infection. In time, the pancreas starts to produce too much digestive juice and “digests” itself. Pancreatitis can be of two types: acute and chronic. [1]
In cases of chronic pancreatitis, which can go on for months or years, seeing a medical professional is strongly recommended. If left untreated, pancreatitis can result in more serious complications, such as diabetes, kidney failure, infection of the pancreas, respiratory distress. That being said, many cases of pancreatitis can be treated naturally, with some of the home remedies outlined in more detail below.
Pancreatitis refers to the inflammation of the pancreas. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Natural Ways To Help With Pancreatitis
Let us look at the remedies for pancreatitis in detail:
Blueberries
The presence of free radicals can aggravate or bring about pancreatitis. One of the best free-radical-fighting foods you can eat is blueberries, which are packed with antioxidants and can reduce inflammation throughout the body very rapidly. Eating a handful of blueberries every morning can lower your risk of suffering this condition. [2]
Tofu
Switching to tofu-based meals is a popular meat alternative for people, particularly those who suffer from chronic pancreatitis. This is because high levels of fat in the blood are one of the most common causes of pancreatitis, which can be caused by eating a lot of red meat. If you cut out high-fat foods, such as red meat, you can lower your chances of inflammation in the pancreas. [3]
Ginseng
Ginseng is one of the oldest and most trusted natural remedies for a wide variety of health issues, especially those that are inflammatory or affect the gastrointestinal system. For a case of pancreatitis, ginseng tea or ginseng root supplements can be taken to lower inflammation throughout the body and relieve pain.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient remedy for pancreatitis, and there are some key pressure points and areas of the body where acupuncture can relieve the pain and inflammation of this particular gland in your body.
Yogurt
People consume yogurt for many reasons, but it is primarily to regulate the balance of bacteria in the stomach to improve digestive efficiency and prevent infections in the gut. This can significantly strengthen the immune system, which can then work harder to reduce inflammation in other areas and glands near the stomach, such as the pancreas. [4]
Reishi Mushrooms
This particular variety of mushroom is one of the most densely packed foods when it comes to antioxidants and active organic compounds that can affect our health. In pancreatitis, reishi mushrooms can soothe the stomach and bring down inflammation. [5]
Spinach
Spinach and other leafy green vegetables are a common suggestion for someone suffering from this condition. Pancreatitis is often worsened by vitamin deficiency, specifically vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C, as well as selenium. Fortunately, these essential nutrients can all be sourced in spinach, so don’t be afraid to load up a salad and enjoy the quick relief! [6]
Coconut Oil
When cooking, you should avoid the use of traditional vegetable oils if possible, as the fat content is not helpful for pancreatitis. However, coconut oils and other alternative cooking oils are much healthier, and have a better balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, helping prevent the inflammation of this condition. [7]
Red Grapes
Another powerful antioxidant that has been shown to work well against pancreatitis is resveratrol, which is found in high concentrations in red grapes. Not only is this a delicious remedy, but also a highly effective one! [8]
Cut Out Sugar
High levels of sweets, candies, cookies, and sugary foods in your diet can be a major contributing factor to pancreatitis. This can increase levels of bad fats in your blood, and also force your pancreas to work harder to compensate for the sugar in your system. This can put stress on the gland and cause it to a malfunction or become inflamed. [9]
Exercise Regularly
Improving metabolism is key to maintaining overall health and regulating the function of the pancreas. By ensuring that you exercise regularly, your body will naturally burn off calories and prevent excessive storing of fat, which greatly lowers your risk of having an inflamed pancreas. [10]
Turmeric
The antioxidant potential of turmeric, with its active ingredient curcumin, is practically legendary. If you mix turmeric in water every morning and drink the mixture, you help eliminate all inflammatory conditions quickly and easily. [11]
Lose Weight
Along the same lines of a healthier, low-fat diet and regular exercise, your ultimate goal should be to lose weight, especially if you are obese. This is a key contributing factor to pancreatitis, so do your best to shed the pounds, specifically if you suffer from a chronic version of this condition or are at high risk due to other factors. [12]
Word of Caution: Again, while most cases of pancreatitis clear up in a few days (or even faster with the remedies listed above), there are some potential complications if you fail to treat a chronic version of this condition. These remedies should be seen as complementary after speaking to a medical professional about more formal options for treatment.
