What Can Go Wrong with Your Pancreas
One little kink in any of the digestive organs can throw the entire system off track. It's no different for the pancreas.
With some minor malfunctions in the digestive process involving the pancreas, you can experience problems digesting fat, which can lead to the ultrapopular side effect of fatty stools. (You know your stools have a lot of fat in them when they float; remember that fat always floats.) You may also experience some pain when ducts get blocked by stones or thick mucus.
There are, however, some more severe concerns
With some minor malfunctions in the digestive process involving the pancreas, you can experience problems digesting fat, which can lead to the ultrapopular side effect of fatty stools. (You know your stools have a lot of fat in them when they float; remember that fat always floats.) You may also experience some pain when ducts get blocked by stones or thick mucus.
There are, however, some more severe concerns
Pancreatitis
Inflammation of the pancreas is usually caused by toxins, like alcohol, a virus or a blocked duct, draining from the pancreas. The good news is that the problem is averted by avoiding the toxin that may have irritated this sensitive organ or the gallstones that block the duct—overusing caffeine and alcohol are possible culprits. The toughest part about this condition is severe pain. Pancreatitis is caused by a malfunction of the digestive process in which the digestive juices spill back into the pancreas and then into the abdominal cavity and dissolve tissue. That tissue is located right above a big set of nerve cells called the celiac plexus, so it's a wowie zowie kind of back throbbing—some of the worst pain people can experience.
Diabetes
Essentially, people with diabetes have high blood sugar because they either don't make enough insulin (type 1) or because the inside of the cells that make up our muscle, fat, liver and organs act as if they have shut the door on insulin and prevent glucose from being delivered inside (type 2). Obesity is the major risk factor in decreasing insulin's effectiveness, and the rise of obesity is the major reason we've recently seen diabetes levels skyrocket. There are many problems associated with diabetes, including frequent urination, fatigue, impotence, nerve dysfunction, accelerated arterial aging and even the development of vision problems that can cause blindness.
Get Dr. Oz's 5-step plan to digestive health.
Inflammation of the pancreas is usually caused by toxins, like alcohol, a virus or a blocked duct, draining from the pancreas. The good news is that the problem is averted by avoiding the toxin that may have irritated this sensitive organ or the gallstones that block the duct—overusing caffeine and alcohol are possible culprits. The toughest part about this condition is severe pain. Pancreatitis is caused by a malfunction of the digestive process in which the digestive juices spill back into the pancreas and then into the abdominal cavity and dissolve tissue. That tissue is located right above a big set of nerve cells called the celiac plexus, so it's a wowie zowie kind of back throbbing—some of the worst pain people can experience.
Diabetes
Essentially, people with diabetes have high blood sugar because they either don't make enough insulin (type 1) or because the inside of the cells that make up our muscle, fat, liver and organs act as if they have shut the door on insulin and prevent glucose from being delivered inside (type 2). Obesity is the major risk factor in decreasing insulin's effectiveness, and the rise of obesity is the major reason we've recently seen diabetes levels skyrocket. There are many problems associated with diabetes, including frequent urination, fatigue, impotence, nerve dysfunction, accelerated arterial aging and even the development of vision problems that can cause blindness.
Get Dr. Oz's 5-step plan to digestive health.
As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.
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