A chronic pancreatitis daily meal plan is something you will have to determine by experimentation. The first step you need to take is to read my previous posts on foods that are normally safe and those that are never safe. You can start here with what I deem to be the basics you should know about a proper pancreatitis diet.
The next step is to prep for and do a food diary. Without doing the prep and then the food diary properly you will never really know what is safe and what is NOT safe for YOU. Yes it is a pain in the butt, get over it, do it, and you just may find you are able heal your pancreas.
Choosing The RIGHT Chronic Pancreatitis Daily Meal Plan
Over the last few years people who visit my blogs have asked me about my daily meal plan. You know, what I eat on a daily basis. There is a lot of info out there from people who think they know what what a proper chronic pancreatitis daily meal plan should be but most are dangerously WRONG. Where most authority sites (doctors, hospitals, dieticians, etc) toted foods and meals with a high fat content many have now figured out that fat is one of the major enemies. I think they are reading my blogs. 🙂
My chronic pancreatitis diet meal plan is going to be far more restricted than yours (in most cases) because I’m also a diagnosed celiac. I have celiac disease and I’m one of the few who illicit a celiac response not only from wheat, rye, barley and anything made from those grains but also corn, oats and rice.
I’m not going to go into all the research I finally found on why corn, oats and rice trigger a celiac response in a small percentage of celiacs like me because it most likely has nothing to do with you and your situation but …
Since being diagnosed as a celiac in 2009 I have had to learn all about celiac disease as well. It took me a couple years to get it all worked out because everything out there (on the net, etc) says that celiacs can safely eat corn, rice and oats. Not true for a few of us. Anyway …
The point is MY chronic pancreatitis daily meal plan is far more restricted than what yours needs to be, in most cases. MY actual chronic pancreatitis daily meal plan will make you think yours is extravagant! So instead of what I eat NOW daily, which you’d find way to restricting, I am going to give you suggestions based upon what will be safe for as many as possible.
Your target for fat consumption is 5 grams or less per meal with a total of 25 grams per day, including snacks. Use this free tool to help you determine fat content and nutritional value (nutrient density). 5 grams of fat or less per meal with a maximum of 25 grams per day is NOT an easy target to hit for those who have never put a real, common sense, pancreatitis diet into implementation mode.
Your doctor, your dietitian and your neighbor will tell you that restricting fat to 25 grams per day is not safe. Well, they aren’t the ones who have to suffer and I ain’t dead yet and it’s been years; 30 plus now and counting yet …
I can tell you what may kill you if you don’t cut the fat – pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis will kill you faster or make you wish you were dead long before a low fat diet. If you like being sick keep eating the way you currently eat or how your doctor tells you to eat, or that dietitian or the sick chick in your favorite pancreatitis support group. But …
IF you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, if you are tired of nausea, puking and pain, if you just want to feel decent again, even GOOD again then do something different and pay attention to what I have said over and over and over on my two pancreatitis blogs and a couple Huppages.
Recognize the facts.
Fat and alcohol are your two enemies.
Food is not your friend and if you don’t start getting serious about a proper pancreatitis diet you may be looking up from six feet under sooner than you think.
Breakfast
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I can eat breakfast for breakfast, lunch or dinner. One of my favorites that I’ve had to give up because of celiac disease is oatmeal. I used to love oatmeal with apples, cinnamon and brown sugar. I also loved oatmeal with molasses. Oatmeal is good for most people and it has that “stick-to-the-ribs” quality that pretty much keeps you full for hours. I also love scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and onions. Add some fruit (bowl of bananas, kiwi, strawberry, blueberries) or a glass of organic vegetable juice and I’m good to go. A nice omelette with spinach, onions and tomatoes, fried potatoes and onions and coffee definitely works.
Breakfast # 1: Oatmeal
1 cup of oatmeal cooked- 1/2 cup of apple chunks
- cinnamon to taste
- 1 tsp of brown sugar
- 1 piece of whole wheat toast
- 1 tsp of apple butter, grape jelly, strawberry or raspberry jam
- 1 – 2 cups of coffee
The above breakfast contains approximately 5 grams of fat. You need to look at the fat content AND ingredients of any particular bread you buy for using as toast for breakfast. Some may have more than 1 gram of fat. If so you need to have 1/2 a slice or adjust the amount of oatmeal. Apples, cinnamon, brown sugar and jam do not contain fat.
Breakfast # 2: Scrambled Egg Whites, Fried Potatoes, Toast and Vegetable Juice
4 egg whites scrambled in a non-stick pan (no butter or oil), salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a fresh clove of chopped garlic, cilantro and or parsley to spice up your egg whites.- 1 small potato fried in a non-stick pan with onions, NO oil or butter
- 2 slices of whole wheat toast with fruit jam or jelly
- 1 glass of fresh, organic vegetable juice
The above breakfast boasts about 18 grams of protein, 3 – 4 grams of fat. There is ZERO fat in egg whites and zero fat in the potato. This is a hearty breakfast for those who need a substantial first meal. If you don’t want so much leave something out like the toast or only have one slice or leave out the potato. You can vary it in several ways. The only fat is in the toast so check your labels!
Breakfast # 3: Spinach Omelette With Tomatoes, Fried Potatoes and Fresh Strawberries
6 egg whites seasoned with salt and pepper- 1 cup of fresh spinach
- 1 cup of fresh, chopped tomato (poured over the omelette before eating)
- 1 small potato fried with onions, without oil or butter
- 1 cup of fresh strawberries (or any berries in season)
- 1 – 2 cups of coffee
This breakfast boasts around 27 grams of protein and ZERO fat! It’s a great way to start the day. It’s a lot of food, maybe too much for some, so you may want to make a smaller omelette or leave out the potatoes.
These are just three of my favorite breakfasts. Unfortunately I can no longer eat oatmeal or toast (I was diagnosed with celiac disease) but you probably can. I know that some of you have mentioned how restricted a pancreatitis diet can be but if you use your imagination you’ll soon find you can heal your pancreas, avoid more damage and still eat pretty dang good!
Mid Morning Snack
IF you should get hungry before lunch eat an apple! They are good for you and contain ZERO fat. They also have a ton of pectin and good fiber that helps sweep LDL cholesterol out of the body and the skins are loaded with flavonoids. Remember to go organic if at all possible.
Another healthy in between meal snack is a glass of organic vegetable juice. Yes, I push organic, make-your-own vegetable juice because it is easy to digest and depending upon your ingredients organic vegetable juice is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and flavonoids. And it is pancreas friendly.
Another power packed snack or even lunch is a fruit smoothie. Remember I don’t usually juice fruits. I want the whole fruit when I eat it and so my favorite fruit smoothie is made in a blender which gives me the skins of apples and berries, the fiber and all the cool nutrients, all pureed into a nutrient dense, great tasting drink. Try my favorite smoothie:
- 1-2 bananas
- 1 apple
- 1 kiwi
- 1 cup of frozen blue berries (makes it nice and cold)
- 8 ounces of orange juice (fresh juiced or store bought)
Blend it and enjoy. It tastes great and is one nutrient dense, power-packed snack with ZERO fat. If that is too much for one serving save it in the fridge for your next snack or cut it down to suit you. When downsizing this recipe I would suggest 1 banana instead of two and 4 ounces of OJ instead of 8. You can also do 4 ounces of OJ and 4 ounces of pineapples juice (very tasty!) which is awesome in flavor.
Lunch OR A Light Dinner
I often skip lunch or I’ll substitute dinner at lunch if I had a light breakfast and am hungry. Then I’ll either skip dinner or have a light dinner. I’m flexible and you should be also especially if you are not yet healed because if you don’t feel well, do not feel like eating then don’t eat! Making yourself eat just because you or someone else thinks you NEED to eat is NOT going to help you heal. If you don’t feel good it may be a sign your pancreas needs rest. Pushing food on your pancreas when you don’t feel well could spell disaster so pay attention to what your body is telling you! Eat only when you really feel like eating. Learn to “eat to live” versus “living to eat.” Yet …
For those of you who think you need three or more meals per day, and hear me on this … it is better for many to eat less at each meal but more often, then, here are some suggestions for lunch.
Lunch #1: The fruit smoothie
Above I gave you my recipe for one of my favorite fruit smoothies. I also gave you a variation using part OJ and part pineapple juice. Both are great. You can add almost any fruit you desire. I’ve used the above basic recipe and added strawberries, huckleberries, black berries, watermelon, and many other fruits that were in season.
Lunch #2: Protein fruit smoothies
This one may or may not work for you. It all depends on whether or not you tolerate dairy products. But this smoothie is good and offers 9 grams of protein which all fruit smoothies do not offer.
- 8 ounces of COLD, NO fat milk
- 4 ounces of COLD, NO fat, plain yogurt
- 1 cup of frozen blue berries
- 1 banana
This combination smoothie will provide 15 grams of protein and other great nutrients without any fat! And it tastes like a blueberry-banana milkshake 🙂 BUT if you do NOT tolerate dairy this isn’t for you. Let me remind you here to TEST everything! Test foods that I say are safe! Test everything you put in your mouth and swallow and follow the procedures outlined in the food diary (including prep).
Lunch #3: Salad with Oil Free Dressing
You can create almost any kind of salad and use one of these oil free salad dressings to liven up the taste! Salads are only limited by your own imagination.
One of may favorites is Ceviche. And …
Basically all it is is lots of cucumber, tomato, celery, onion and shrimp mixed with a lime juice dressing you’ll find on my oil free salad dressings post.
Another favorite salad of mine is a combination of kale, broccoli, cabbage, onion all sliced and diced with the addition of legumes. You (not me lol) could even add rice or barley and then drizzle balsamic honey mustard dressing on it and enjoy a taste bud experience.
Both of the above salads offer great taste with plenty of protein, vitamins and minerals. Again create salads and try the oil free salad dressings and you’ll hopefully enjoy better health while eating pretty darn good.
Dinner/Supper
Dinner #1: Boiled chicken with vegetables
I had a terrible time finding a picture. No I don’t have a digital camera or a smart phone lol. So the pics I have found will have to do for this section and you’ll have to get your mind to improvise its vision 🙂 Anyway you’ll need:
- Enough skinless chicken breasts to feed your tribe
- 4 – 6 nice sized red potatoes
- 4 – 6 stalks of celery
- 4 – 6 carrots
- 4- 6 parsnips
- one nice big onion
- 2 – 3 bay leaves
- 4 cloves of fresh garlic
- 2 sprigs of tyme or 1 teaspoon of tyme
- Fresh basil
- Salt
- Pepper
Trim your chicken of all visible fat. Start boiling the chicken breast(s), in a large pot, around 2 pm if you want to eat at 5 pm. Once the chicken has boiled for an hour take out the chicken and dump the water (gets rid of more fat). The add the chicken and more water to the pot AFTER you have clean it (the pot). Boil for another hour and a half. While waiting chop/slice up all the other vegetable ingredients (not the spices yet). 30 – 45 minutes before serving add all the veggies and spices (smash the garlic, add the basil, tyme and salt and pepper to taste). Cover the pot, set the timer and when the timer dings enjoy a fabulous dinner! The parsnips add a mildly sweet flavor that I really like. If you want a thicker, stew like sauce add in some potato flour (1-2 teaspoons). Here’s another of my chicken soup type recipes that is very similar.
Dinner #2: Cod Fish with Asparagus and Yams
Fish is especially good for those who suffer from chronic pancreatitis but white meat fish is best because it has less fat. And Cod with asparagus and yams sprinkled with brown sugar is one of my favorite meals.
One nice filet of Cod (116 grams) boasts 21 grams of protein, 250+ mgs of omega 3’s, 460 mgs of potassium, vitamin E, A, B 12, calcium and more with only ONE gram of fat.
Add the nutrients found in asparagus and some yam sprinkled with brown sugar and you have a darn nice, nutrient dense meal!
This is what you’ll need:
- A nice chunk of cod for each person
- Fresh or frozen asparagus
- Enough yams for your family
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Parsley
- Fresh crushed garlic (1-2 cloves)
- Lemon enough to squeeze on the cod
I start off cooking the meal by nuking the cleaned yams in the micro wave. I usually do two nice sized yams and they take about two 9 minute intervals on high to cook the way I like them. I check them half way through to see if they need an additional 9 minutes or if less might work. While the yams cook I get my cod ready in the frying pan. No oil, or spray just lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley. Once the yams are done I set them aside and nuke my asparagus (in heat and serve pouch) for 4 – 5 minutes on high heat. I like 4 minutes but you may want your more done at 5. While my asparagus is nuking my fish is frying (covered). By the time my fish is done so is everything else and I slice open my yam, sprinkle it with a liberal amount of brown sugar, dish up my fish and asparagus and begin enjoying a nice eating experience 🙂
I’m not a chef so if I can think of stuff to eat and how to cook it so I don’t get sick so can you, or your wife can. If I can do it, trust me, anyone can! With a little imagination you can create some fine meals. Roasted vegetables with fish and salad, the same with chicken or turkey breast. Really, just think, do and eat! All it takes is thinking of the foods you like, putting them in combinations that sound good and cooking then in a safe manner.
I’ll add more dinner ideas when I have time but your chronic pancreatitis daily meal plan is extremely important. Remember the target fat goal. No more than 5 grams of fat per meal with a total of 25 grams of fat per day. Most of that fat should be plant based which is much less inflammatory for the pancreas.
I’m so grateful for all of your hard work on your blog and your website. Thank you!
You are welcome Robin, hopefully it helps you in some way 🙂
I just read your breakfast and lunch recipes ,I didn’t know …what a great info. it was in front of my eyes and I didn’t see it! thanks HG you do so much for us the pancreatitis sufferers ,I believe in Karma and all good you do will back to you twice ,is what I wish for you , I was looking all over for recipes like this ,and finally found it ,I am very happy indeed ,thanks again …bless you HG .
You’re welcome Maria – I need to finish that page one of these days (lunch and dinner). I am adding a new category that will deal with safe pancreatitis diet recipes. So look for those as well cuz they will be coming soon 🙂
I will keep my eye on it …thanks a lot
This breakfast page was so helpful. I’m looking forward to reading your lunch and dinner meai plan. Thank you so much.
Hi Lisa I have to do the lunch and dinner plan first lol – it is on my schedule somewhere – really, I promise. 🙂
Where can I find all of your recipes? I just got out of the hospital with pancreatitis for the first time. I’m so stressed about what and how to eat. I’ve never eaten well. How do I find your blog?
Hi Andrea … I’m sorry to hear you have joined the club. Did they discover WHY you had acute pancreatitis? I’m really light on recipes. I’ve done very few. I should probably do them but I’m really not good at it. I have several articles on this site that share the foods that are usually safe and those to avoid. FAT and ALCOHOL are the two worst menu items. Avoid high fat foods (red meat, pork, duck, goose), egg yolks, nuts, butter, buttermilk, cheese, whole milk, margarine, OIL, mayo, coconut, avocado, lard, cream, whip cream, ice cream, dairy creamers, pastries etc. Keep meals to less than 5 grams of fat per meal, 25 total grams per day. Eat mainly a plant based diet with skinless white meat chicken, grouse, turkey, quail, and white meat fish for protein. Also egg whites are good protein with zero fat. one egg yolk has 5 grams of fat. Soy sauce contains alcohol. Listerene mouth wash, Nyquill, and many other things contain alcohol. READ LABELS. I hope you feel better soon. Oh … regarding recipes oil can be replaced with apple sauce, eggs with banana and so on.
Thank you it’s hard to find recipes for pancreatic ? I’m starving and got some idea from you I’m happy
Great article Paul, appreciate your insight.
Thanks Steve 🙂
I thank & praise God for an answered prayer; your blog!
I was in the local E.R. for almost 2 years to no avail. With the first attack, they removed my gallbladder, stating that I was merely having a gallbladder attack. After that they simply gave me painkillers, stating I have nothing wrong. I finally asked my Epileptologist to refer me to a G.I. specialist @ Henry Ford Hospital. I did learn on my own to keep my fat to <5g per meal and avoid red meat & the G.I. doctor gave my Zenpep to take with meals. The great challenge is that I have hypoglycemia (pre-diabetic) due to paternal genetics. I'm not overweight & physically active. Also, certain items like caffeine are a trigger to my epilepsy. So, I'm accustomed to small frequent meals & sufficient water. It is frightening when I incur great pain, because the local MDs say there's no medicine or help for pancreatitis. The first test they ran @ HFH was a genetic test showing I have cystic fibrosis, which they check immediately when someone has ongoing frequent attacks. Do any of my additional health issues change how to approach the diet?
Thank you so much for your site, insights and information. The Lord has blessed you with a great gift for so many. You shall be added to my daily prayer list. God bless you!
Hi Tanya – Thank you for the kind words and I can always use prayer to be sure so thank you for that too 🙂 It sounds like you definitely have your share of challenges. I have to ask several questions:
1) Were you in the ER for 2 straight years or off and on? I’m assuming you meant off and on but I thought I’d ask
2) Did they say you have cystic fibrosis or just the gene and are a carrier? There is a big difference. And …
3) What age are you?
From what I understand IF you actually have cystic fibrosis it does indeed cause inflammation of the pancreas due to the build up of sticky mucus inside the pancreatic duct. IF you do have CF you need to follow what your doctor says because that is a complex disease which I am certainly not qualified to address in anyway shape or form.
Thank you so much for the tips and advice on the diets and supplements. I am a 24 year old who has dealt with CP for over 4 years now. kept getting misdiagnosed with constipation,in which the ER sent me home with pain meds and laxative. Which defeats the purpose in my opinion,because the pain meds just cause constipation. In 2009 I was in a hunting accident and had 8 Inches of small intestine removed. That was the start of all my pain. Then they removed my gallbladder laproscopic because of stones in my billiary duct. The pain just continues to get worse. I have had 4 stent replacements in my pancreas, starting from the smallest stent to a bigger one each time due to my duct being almost closed. It’s very hard for me to find a job just for the reason I cant always control the pain. I hope with these supplements I can finally get some relief! Being 24 and having to try to learn to cope with the pain and living in a household where I am around all the foods I shouldnt eat is more difficult to deal with than when I was shot in the hunting accident. I never was an alcoholic, which leads me to believe that my case of CP was maybe cause by taking out my gallbladder making it harder to break my food down. I will continue to follow your page in hope to learn to deal with this. I am very thankful for everyone who has contributed to the page as well.
Hi John, you are welcome. I hope you find relief and healing
Thank you so much! Now I don’t have to starve. I would get so confused about the varying info on what I can or cannot eat with CP, so much of the time, I don’t eat or if I do, I pay for it. Thank you for posting all of this for free. You are doing a seriously good deed for those of us who need the right answers from someone who has actually been there. Again, many thanks 🙂
You are welcome Alissa and I hope you begin your journey towards beating pancreatitis. It isn’t an easy journey but it’s so worth it. Even those who have advanced disease may be able to find relief, stop, even reverse the condition and begin healing. Not everyone but many. I hope you are among those who are able to heal and again enjoy a pretty good daily life. Good luck to you! 🙂
Hi again, I was wondering if you could give me some or post some lunch/dinner things like for breakfast? If you did and I missed where, please let me know. I know what you are saying is right on and every other site says you need to have 50grams of fat a day and I would rather not. I know you work hard at providing this information and I am grateful 🙂
Low fat high protein foods, breakfast ideas and that page is unfinished. I meant to do lunch and dinner but haven’t got to it yet. 🙂
I thought the sugar in the jam would be a problem? Is sugar ok? is it just fat you need to eliminate?
Hi Wendy sugar has never been a problem with me nor others once they do a proper food diary prep and start an actual food diary, unless of course one is diabetic. In that case sugar and simple carbs are a problem but that is only due to the diabetes. Fat and alcohol are the two enemies. That doesn’t mean you should slam down bottles of coke or gobble candy. Fruit is better. If you have a sweet tooth eat some fruit (grapes, apples, oranges, kiwi etc). Kiwi is excellent and full of B vitamins.
Your pancreatitis cocktail has saved my life and my wallet! Thank you Healthy Guy!
You are welcome Pam. Glad it helps!
What foods can I eat , I’m diagnosed with (acute pancreatitus)
Hi Sinda, how long ago were you diagnosed? There are posts on this blog site that tell you what should be safe to eat after acute pancreatitis, which isn’t much and should be eaten sparingly at first. Infact if you have just gotten out of the hospital you should probably be drinking your meals (fresh organic vegetable juice, fruit juice, etc) until you are feeling better and brave enough to try normally safe solid foods (found on this blog). Just do some reading. Learn how to do a food diary prep and diary. Learn what NOT to eat. It’s all here on this blog. I hope you are feeling better soon. 🙂
Thanks so much you are a real star, and have helped so many of us who suffer from this, I am not diagnosed but I know my body and history of hospitalisation only to be told each time that they didn’t know what was was wrong with me! I used to drink a couple of glasses of red wine each day, if only I had known the damage this could cause I wouldn’t have touched the stuff!
I have a sore painful feeling across the top of my abdomen and my amylase is slightly raised, yet nothing shows on scan, but I know that when I stick to the diet and supplements the pain greatly reduces. The most alarming thing is that the gastroenterologist said its ok to have the occasional drink!!
I pray to god that I can heal my pancreas or at least have it in remission. thank you thank you, please keep up the good work.
Debbie.
You’re welcome Debbie. Hope you feel better real soon. 🙂
Hi. I don’t understand. I am told by the gastro doc that I must stay away from coffee, tomato, potato and spinach. (Diagnozed with accute attack less than a month ago.) Is this something that will be ok to eat after a while, as it is recommended in this breakfast plan?
I don’t understand either. Coffee, tomato, spinach and potato are all fine for pancreatitis. I drink tons of coffee, strong and black I also eat large amounts of the other three food items. NONE of those foods contain fat. They should be perfectly safe unless you have some underlying condition that would negate what I just said. But pancreatitis is NOT aggravated by either of those foods. FAT and alcohol are the only two enemies (food wise) except for those who are on prescription medications that actually cause pancreatitis and the list is fairly long.
The Health Guy
Hi, I was trying to find your Food Diary for pancreatitis and diabetes? You mention it in the food diary blog. But I cannot seem to pinpoint it on here. My boyfriend chronic Pancreatitis and diabetes. It is very difficult to make meal plans. He had been doing really well for almost three years but just had an attack that landed him in the ER for a week. Any help would be great. Thank you fo r all the wonderful information!
Hi Irishpony – You are welcome for the info 🙂 – I know! I have dropped the ball in regards to folks who have pancreatitis complicated by diabetes. I’m reluctant to post about fasting when diabetic because I’m simply not knowledgable enough about diabetes however … I would GUESS a lot would depend upon whether the person is insulin dependent due to damage or on medication (pills) for type 2 BUT again I just don’t know so I haven’t posted. I think that is an area where I should be extremely cautious and simply suggest you talk with your doctor about the ramifications of fasting for 3 days when diabetic. If he/she gives approval great. If not, well, the diary prep in regards to fasting will have to be avoided. I would imagine one could avoid offending foods (see lists on several pages) and do the cleansing (enema) to get rid of all offending foods previously eaten and go from there. Good luck 🙂
Hello Healthy Guy,
I have a juicer and was hoping you could post the recipe for the organic vegetable juice that you make. What veggies and how many of each do you use, etc…?
Hi John – somewhere I did post the veggies I use but here goes. I don’t use a recipe lol I just throw stuff in 🙂 Tomato, carrots, celery, spinach, beet, onion, garlic, kale, watercress if i can find some, broccoli. That combination is loaded with nutrients. Sometimes I’ll throw in some cucumber. You don’t want to get too carried away with amounts because the juice doesn’t keep long. So if you happen to make too much you’ll be drinking a lot of juice lol 🙂 Juice the kale, spinach and watercress first. They usually are stingy juicers lol then add the other stuff which contain more water and make more juice.
Healthy guy,
In this article, you listed a breakfast plan that is soooo helpful and mentioned there will be another post for the Lunch and Dinner meal plan/Recipes, but I can’t seem find them.
Can you post the link to your article regarding your Lunch and Dinner meal plan. I am new to acute pancreaitis and don’t know what to properly eat for the 3 meals, so this would be extremely helpful to help me or anyone new to get started off on the right foot.
Thanks,
John
I appologize! I really need to finish that post! So check back cuz one of these days it’ll have lunch and dinner too lol
No need to apologize, but the sooner you can get that done the better for new folks like myself who are struggling to figure out what to eat for lunch, dinner and snacks, so this post would be a great help! Here’s to hoping you can get it done in the next few days 🙂
As you can see it hasn’t been done in the last few days. I’ll get to it when I have time.
I have chronic pancreatitis. I have changed my diet. However i am Burping and gasy all the time . What should i do.
Hi Kathy – are you on prescription enzymes like creon? If not you may want to consider getting some pancreatic enzymes from your local health store. Now Foods Super Enzymes is a good product and I use them. They may help. If you can get a small test bottle to try just to see if they help with the burping and gas. It may be an enzyme issue.
Hello HG : now that you are talking about Enzymes , I am taking some ,I got it at a Pharmacy ,but I would like to have other brand name , can you please tell me which is the best ones? I am going to the Health store this week since my old bottle is emptied now . I have faith taking Enzymes I am afraid we don’t have that store here where I live , thanks .Take care of yourself HG !
Hi Maria – Are you on prescription enzymes? If so do not quit without consulting your doc. IF you are not on enzymes you may or may not need them. I doubt taking them if not needed will do harm but never take them without food. You may want to consult with your doc about whether you need them or not. I just use Now Foods Super Enzymes. Just make sure that whatever you purchase has the enzymes protease. amylase and lipase. Then you have to test how much you need.
Hello HG, thanks for responding, I was in Ursodiol 300mg took it for 3 months ,pretty bad side effects , and extremely expensive ,paying $300.00 for 60 pills I can’t afford it! took it for 3 months .I starting taking Enzymas but I would like to take a kind that is familiar to you ,since I never did before ….I read about this drug .is like kind of cleaning the pancreas and liver from grease and fats , is all . Be good to yourself HG ….Maria
Ursodiol is an interesting drug. Did it work Maria?
Hello HG: I really don’t know… I didn’t saw any difference ,I only saw that I was spending a lot of money buying those pills ,expend $900.00 at three months. I feel okay even that I stopped taking it 2 months ago , the side effects were killing me! I am taking Digestive Enzymes and it is helping me , I take it with meals …..I using the white grape juice ,grape seed extract capsules ,I am using all your info.( and being obedient) I am following your suggestions ,with a lot of faith ,….eating with moderation, hoping this illness some day goes away. Blessings ,Maria
Maria – some of those prescription drugs cost an arm and a leg – sounds like Ursodiol is one of those! That’s a lot of money for something that didn’t work well enough to notice any difference. Hopefully you will feel better soon. 🙂
Hi HG: the Enzymes I take contains Protease 20.000.Amylase 20.000,Lipase 1.600 and others . I bought it at a Health Food store .I take it with food ….Blessings ,Maria
hey Maria sounds like what I take
hi there, any chance you’ll be able to add some suggestions that work for you for lunch and dinner as well? Thanks for all your help
Hi JPL – yeah I need to do that. I should have never published that post until it was totally finished. I keep forgetting to finish it. I apologize.
Your blog has been very helpful. My wife has chronic pancreatitis . She was on J tube feeding so we are very careful of diet. Is there a cook book that you would recommend? Getting a little tired of chicken. thanks
Hi Carl – I know, chicken gets boring! Try it for 30+ years lol Hopefully you like turkey? Grouse? Quail? Rabbit? Fish? I can’t recommend a cook book simply because none will be safe. So what I do is I locate a recipe I think will be good and I then take out every unsafe product/ingredient and TRY to substitute another ingredient but most often that just doesn’t work to well. I know that isn’t what you wanted to hear but I don’t have an answer other than that.
Thanks for the breakfast and snack plan.. My husband just barely beat his first ever severe pancreatitis ordeal and i am now his dietician, meal planner and personal chef.. This helps me a lot.
You’re welcome Julie. I keep meaning to finish that post (lunch/dinner/supper). I always seem to forget it. Hopefully your husband will recover nicely. 🙂
I am new to all of this and trying to understand. So, is non-fat milk and non-fat yogurt ok? As long as I stick to a solid 25 grams of fat per day max, will it evenutallyt help? I am also taking the supplements you recommended and they seem to help. I dont have a lot of stomach pain, but my upper back aches so bad every day no matter what I do even when I breath in. I was diagnosed with CP in 2013 and didnt have any problems until I told myself it was ok to eat and drink whatever I want again. Now I am paying for it daily. So stupid! thank you for all the info, your site has been SOOOO helpful I wish I could hug you!
Hi Kelly – it’s ok to be new. Heck i have been dealing with this stuff (CP) for over 30 years and I still learn new stuff. (I no way know everything). No fat milk, cheese and yogurt all seem to work for many people who comment on this site. I can drink a cup or two of no fat milk every now and then. NOT all the time. I have NOT tried the no fat cheese or yogurt. Because they do not have no fat, lactose free cheese or yogurt yet. Lactaid has low fat, lactose free cottage cheese now. Unfortunately they put corn starch in it! And I’m one of the few lucky celiacs who illicit a response from not just wheat, barley and rye but also corn, oats, rice, amaranth and quinoa (so far – still testing lol). Lucky me right? 🙂
Hi HG 🙂
I just got in the All One formula 66 day supply. Well I started to make a heaping helping full and put in water but noticed it says Amino Acids naturally occurring in milk protien sourced from grass fed New Zealand dairy cows.!? (umm kinda scary only being 1 mo. 3 days from 1 hour attack.) Anyway Im a scaredy cat!! Also… I look good skin color and all just on the Vegan diet with some wheat toast (Ezekiel) feeling damn good lots egg whites and veggies just @148 lbs. and when people see me they are like OMG WTH happened to you….. man I want to be 165 so bad…. I messed up and had a 24 hour Claratin-D in Feb. of 15 and have not been normal since….was in denial…tried to eat low fat but was not succeding. Anyway TY. Feeling pretty damn good because of you 🙂 !
Hey Kelly – I wouldn’t worry about where the amino acids come from. By the time they are extracted and processed I doubt there is even a residue left. Glad to hear you are feeling better!
I would love to have a protein drink if possible…. I am still not pain free..to add in chick, and fish…sooo I wish i knew what would be good for me…. I am going to start the All One tomorrow for sure.
Hey Kelly – you might try Ensure Clear. It’s the only Ensure protein drink without oil. 7 grams of protein and zero fat per 6.8 fl oz . Walmart has them but it doesn’t say if the price is EACH or per case. You’d have to call. IF that is per case it’s a STEAL! Amazon carries the same in a case for $38.75 and free shipping. That’s $1.18 each.
I use Vega protein ?
ok thanks so much!
I found a place I can eat with my family:
Jason’s Deli – get the Salad Bar and no dressing (going tonight)….. This eating out thing is so hard I just have to order iced tea or water and watch and talk to folks…. Is there hope for any of us to ever eat out in the future? Zois Kitchen is on my mind and Chipotle with just Rice/beans/Salad bowl but I think their rice has oil in it 🙁
Yep Kelly eating out is not easy. You have to ask a lot of questions and of course give a reason why you need to know. I’d call first and ask on the phone so I didn’t waste my time going only to find out they couldn’t or wouldn’t accomodate me. PLUS once your pancreas heals you may be able to tolerate more foods and a screw up now and then but I’d be really cautious if you have CP. If you have CP the last thing you need is more damage.
Also, Weight gain has been a major issue.
Over the years it has been in between 52-55 Kgs.
AT – weight gain seems to be an issue for many. When people are ill they tend to lose weight due to various reasons.
I just wanted to know if you drink milk? I usally have coffee with milk in the morning (half coffee and half milk), or should I have some other hot drink?
Hi Laura – I can tolerate a little no fat milk every now and then. I can’t do it every day. There is something in milk that seems to cause me trouble and I do NOT know what it is. Others drink no fat milk without problems. The other types you need to be real careful with because they contain fat (butter is made from milk).
Hi HG! Diagnosed only 3 weeks ago with pancreatitis and I recently ran across your blog, which is a God-sent. Thank you for helping all of us, you are an angel. I’ve been researching here & there trying to find things of what to eat and what Not to eat. This is so hard and so time consuming. I am a 69 yr old woman. Do you know how much carb intake we should be taking in per day? And if almond milk is ok to drink with my whole grain cereal? I’ve tried several times the egg whites, spinach, onions omelet, but I wish there were more breakfast choices to eat. Do you think It’s ok to eat a handful (8) raw almonds? My Dr kinda wasn’t satisfied with the hospital results of pancreatitis so he’s having me get an ultra sound done to see if the gall bladder is the culprit this dec 13th (in 3 days). For 1) they didn’t keep overnight in hospital and 2) I did practicly had all the symptoms of pancreatitis.
Hi Irma – Thank you for the kind words 🙂 Sorry to hear you’ve joined the club. Hopefully they find what caused your acute attack and rectify it so you never have the problem again, can heal up and probably eat normally again after a few months of healing. In regards to food choices you may want to study this page. I know I haven’t done a lot of meal plans. I figured that if people read this page, knew what is usually very unsafe to eat they could avoid those foods and use the list of usually safe foods and create their own meal plans. I know my “avoid list” isn’t totally complete. Almond milk should be on the avoid list. Protein drinks (boost, ensure etc) that contain oil (read labels) should be avoided as well. Instead of almond milk on your cereal try no fat milk. Many people who have had mild attacks with minimum damage do well on no fat dairy products such as no fat milk, no fat yogurt, no fat cheese. I hope they find out what caused your attack, fix it and you heal up with no more difficulty. 🙂
Just found your site! Lots of great info for newbies. I was diagnosed with a mild case of pancreatitis over Christmas. If this is mild I’d hate to see worse. I’ve been sore off and on for a few weeks now still trying to figure out what’s good to eat and not. Might’ve a good idea to do some juicing for a couple weeks and get it settled.
Hi LH – Juicing definitely helps. Sorry to hear you have had to experience pancreatitis. It sucks. The good news is that most mild cases (about 80%) heal with no more problems as long as the reason for the attack was found and resolved. I hope you are in that group! 🙂
I Love You❣️
Thanks for being so caring?
Here’s my soap opera❗️
I’ve had 22 surgeries and I’m headed for 23 and maybe 24‼️
Born with a hormonal imbalance that made tumors grow, so far ALL have been benign ?
But, I now have: Systemic Candida
Diverticulitis
Pancreatitis
Celiac too‼️I was a vegan for years but had to return to eating ” Dead Flesh”…sorry for the vonacular❗️My pancreatitis is out of control, to the point where I’m on liquids only, infused with Good Polyphenols and Vega Protein ❗️
The only time I can have a bowel movement is by using a laxative, the stool is greasy and muddy
GROSS…. and hard to flush❗️I’m trying to avoid surgery, and if it wasn’t for Advil I would be in very very bad shape. I’m taking GSE 200mg at least 2/3 times daily. Need to Up my Vit C and Mag as maybe that’ll help me have a bowel movement ❗️
Not a candidate for Curcurman/ but I’m on other quality natural anti inflammatory supplements.
Do You think it’s ok to take Aluminum Free Baking Soda?
Feels good to share with others that are dealing with the same or similar issues. I know that My Heavenly Father has kept me going, so keep looking Up❣️
Blessings and Thank You?
Suze
Hi Suze – 22 surgeries? That is an incredible amount of pain to endure. Systemic Candida, Diverticulitis, Pancreatitis and Celiac Disease too? I can’t even imagine how difficult life has been for you, yet, you still have an incredible, positive attitude! You may want to consider increasing your grape seed extract along with the vitamin C. Be careful with magnesium supplements. Magnesium is essential for heart function and other functions but too much can become toxic. Baking soda every now and then shouldn’t be harmful. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 New King James Version (NKJV). I will uplift you to the Throne of Grace in prayer.
If you have never studied about two areas: 1) Generational Curses, 2) Healing the Soul, it may be beneficial to invest time to become familiar with both areas. If you are a student of God’s Word you’ll know that this is important stuff.
God bless you Suze and keep your eyes on Jesus 🙂
Hi Health guy,
My Dad has Pancreatitis and Celiac disease as well. He has been in and out of the hospital lately and is finally now ready to make some food changes as before he just was gluten free. I am a health coach and have done a lot of research. My dad can not have oatmeal, grains, or sugar. Sugar is supposed to be one of the worst things for pancreatitis plus alcohol. You suggest a lot of fruit and added sugar in meals. Like brown sugar why is this? Also eggs are high in Saturated fat but eggs are ok? He is really having a difficult time with breakfast. He will eat vegetables and fish for dinner and lean meat once in a while. I recommended he go vegetarian most of the time. I also cut out dairy, and sugar out of his diet. I added a lot of bone broth protein powder so he can do smoothies. What else do you recommend and what do you eat since you are more strict. I want the more strict version. Thank you in advance for the suggestions. Also what supplements do you take? Digestive enzymes I am sure since both of those conditions tend to not absorb nutrients. Do you take L–Glutamine, Probiotics, what else? Thanks again. Just trying to save my dads life!
Hi Laura – sorry your dad has pancreatitis. You asked “You suggest a lot of fruit and added sugar in meals. Like brown sugar why is this?” I don’t really suggest a lot of sugar, at least not refined white sugar. Sugar is inflammatory yet it doesn’t bother me. Fruit is full of good vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (anti-inflammatory compounds) besides sugar. You ask ” Also eggs are high in Saturated fat but eggs are ok?” I only suggest egg whites, not yolks. One yolk has 5 grams of fat. You said “I added a lot of bone broth protein powder.” That may not be too safe.
I live mainly on fish, shell fish, skinless chicken, egg whites and legumes (beans, peas, lentils) for protein and veggies (leafy greens, cruciferous and tubers) and fruits (various seasonal stuff – no avocado or coconut). My meals usually contain no more than 5-7 grams of fat and I try to limit my daily fat intake to 25 grams. I don’t eat red meat or pork. My workhorse supplements are vitamin C, grape seed extract and curcumin. Yes I take enzymes. Also a quality multi-vitamin/mineral formula is necessary. You can find all the info you will need to help heal your dad on this site. Use the category “dropdown” at the right to navigate different section on diet and supplements.
Just diagnosed diabetic and pancreatitis. Need to change my life. Your breakfast menus are easy and reasonable. Where can I find supper / dinner menus ? What meats can I have ? Thank you for your help. Anne
Hi Anne – Sorry to hear you are a club member. I need to finish this page we are on. As you have noticed there aren’t any lunch or dinner suggestions – yet. I’ve been meaning to do that I just seem to forget. Skinless chicken and turkey breast are about the only meats that work fairly well. White meat fish (pollock, cod, perch, bass, rock fish etc) are the safest fish. Shellfish (crab, lobster, shrimp, clams, scallops) are excellent. Make sure you do NOT make safe food unsafe by using oils and/or fats to prepare or cook them with.
Hello Again Health Guy: This is Peggy again. I’ve been on your program for 2 weeks now. I think fatigue is better and a little more energy. Still constant pain between ribs and shooting pain across chest. (not heart. had that ckd out). Does this take a long time to heal? Also do you recommend probiotics? Thank you for being there. No one understands unless they have experienced this. God bless you.
Hi Peggy – Yes, it does take some time to heal from acute pancreatitis especially if you have a lot of damage. Since you mentioned that you have SOD it may be that you may have discomfort on and off for life. You had mentioned that you have had 3 ERCPs. Was your SOD diagnosed via ERCP Sphincter of Oddi manometry? Anyway, a low fat diet should help. The supplement usage is a trial and error deal to find out how much grape seed extract and vitamin C are needed to achieve results. God bless you back 🙂
Hi my sister also has gluten allergy and was hoping to learn what you recommend for people like her since you have first hand experience with celiac. Can you please write about that?
Hi Remi – I have been strongly considering adding Celiac info to this site, especially since discovering Celiac Disease can manifest as (cause) pancreatitis. Thanks for visiting and asking. If I get enough interest I’ll probably do it 🙂
Is grapefruit juice still just as effective if I were to water it dowm??? Despite no sugar being added, an 8 Oz glass still has 17 grams of sugar.
Laura – I don’t know I have never done that. All fruit juices contain sugar, a lot, that is their major downfall. If you eat the whole fruit there is still sugar BUT the pulp contains fiber that slows down the absorption so that your system doesn’t get so slammed with sugar so fast. The same result could probably be seen by eating fiber while drinking the juice I.E veggies or legumes.
Thanks HG! That interesting about the pulp. Perhaps I’m better off eating grapefruit so that I consume more pulp. Although I did just read that Harvard Medical School states that grapefruit has a glycemic index of 25, suggesting that it does not significantly affect blood sugar and insulin levels. ?
Hi Laura – if you are diabetic it may certainly be an issue. From what I just read from Harvard Health anything above 20 is considered high. Since I am NOT diabetic I do not pay much attention to the amount of fruit sugars I consume.
Hello HG I have a question ,I think I was taking the wrong thing ,I was taking Grapefruit Seed Extract and I am reading here it is Grape Seed Extract … so the right thing is Grape Seed Extract ? thanks is always . you helped me a lot with your site …thank you .Blessings
Hi Maria – grape seed extract is the work horse. Grapefruit seed extract is good for protecting the pancreas as well but my favorite supplement, the one I use a lot is grape seed extract.
Thanks , i will buy the right one this time ( I am getting to old) thanks to your info. because that so far I am doing well ! Blessings ,Maria
Hi Maria – glad to hear you are doing better! 🙂
Will almond milk cause a flair up
New to this!
Hi Lynn – some people may tolerate almond milk while others may not. I wouldn’t drink it but I’m often accused of being over cautious lol
Thank you so much!! I have been having a really hard time w pancreatitis… This really helps.
You are welcome Lesley 🙂
is this site something I need to join to stay connected??? I don’t know how to join
Hi Laurie – it isn’t a site you join necessarily but you can opt to follow the whole site or just comments here in this comment section. Or you can save the site address and simply check back when you think you need to do so.
recently diagnosed with severe chronic pancreatitis. Real suffering for months. I’m sure you can relate. Thankyou for giving me hope. I haven’t had any till I read your site
Angela – You are welcome. There is always hope. 🙂
Hi there! Love the blog…Thank you so very much for sharing with us! About two years ago, i had an acute attack. Never even knew what pancreatitis was! Was a HEAVY drinker. What does dumb me do? Kept drinking. I’d like to say I didn’t know any better, but…. Anyway, flash forward to thus time last year. I dropped 40 pounds in two months. Doctor said it was adult onset diabetes. Great. Not supposed to drink with that either, so I quit. I have been fighting like mad to gain weight on a low glycemic diet. The nutritionist said full fat was fine as that didn’t raise sugars. BUT…. Last night at the ER, a CT confirmed scarring on my pancreas ( had an acute) so now I have both.
Is it even possible for me to gain weight?
Safely?
And be kind to my body?
Sorry for the novel.
Hi Dawn – Glad you like the blog and you are definitely welcome. Congrats on quitting the alcohol that is a very good choice! especially since your CT scan showed scarring. Are you on diabetes meds? The reason I asked is they are notorious for causing acute pancreatitis but so is alcohol, especially if you have the genetic gene variant that predisposes you to alcoholic panceatitis. You don’t even need to be a full-blown alcoholic if you have that variant, simply a social drinker and boom! To answer your questions once you heal up and are able to start eating decent amounts of protein you should be able to regain some of your lost weight. That wasn’t a novel. Heck, that didn’t even qualify as a short story lol. I hope you are feeling better very soon. 🙂
Trying to help a friend who had a pancreatic attack with triglycerides at 5,000, yes, not 500. He has a genetic problem. This information above concerning menus is very helpful and will assist me in helping him with a good healthy diet. Thank you for your time!
You’re welcome Maria – I hope he is on doctor prescribed medication to lower his Tris
Howdy again
If oils are bad (not saying they arent/just confused) why do they say black seed oil, sesame oil, pine/raw gum spirit of turpentine oil heal the liver & pancreas?
Some docs say stay away from sugar & eat fat
Others say the opposite
What about with highly elevated triglycerides?
Will grape seed oil lower the triglycerides?
In our case triglycerides trigger the pancreatitis
We need to get to the root cause & heal it
Thx
Blessings
Howdy Regina – Ok these are questions I don’t recognize so I’ll answer as best I can.
1) If oils are bad (not saying they arent/just confused) why do they say black seed oil, sesame oil, pine/raw gum spirit of turpentine oil heal the liver & pancreas? Because people think they know about the pancreas but don’t. Most doctors and dietitians have NO clue what is safe (food and drink) for a damaged pancreas. OIL ALL OIL IS PURE FAT. FAT is inflammatory except for olive oil and fish oil but they are still pure fat and a damaged pancreas does NOT tolerate fat well.
ALCOHOL is another HUGE no/no. Large amounts of sugar may not be good especially if diabetes is an issue due to cell damage. I personally have never had an issue with sugar but then I don’t consume a lot either except that which is found in fruits, vegetables, honey and molasses. I do NOT consume processed white sugar or corn syrup etc etc etc. I am GUESSING that in Louie’s case too much sugar will elevate his TRIs so it may be very wise to avoid it and certain foods that turn to immediate sugar such as white potatoes, white rice, white flour and other highly processed foods with little to no value.
Obviously the root cause is HIGH TRIs so it may be beneficial in Louie’s case to try fish oil and see how he tolerates it because fish oil has been found to lower TRIs. There is even a prescription fish oil pill now which is used for lowering TRIs called Vascepa. Naturally Big Pharma discovered how to take a natural product and design it so it can make you sick. So make sure to address the side effects of Vascepa first.
I am 73 year old male. In my corporate life I did a lot of alcohol. I have not been officially diagnosed as having chronic pancreatitis. I believe that I have started having symptoms maybe 10 years ago. Is that possible? Never put me down and symptoms disappeared in a couple of years. Well it happened again four weeks ago. It did not put me down, but certainly got me scared. I discovered your web site and have been eating low fat the last four weeks. I also went on a three day and 2 1/2 day fast, nothing but water. I started a food diary. Mostly making smoothies and eating stone cut oats in the morning with blueberries, half banana, a quarter of an apple and a couple of strawberries. During this period I lost 15 pounds. And when my wife has a burger does it smell good. Today I purchased the ingredients for your juice drink. I also ordered curcumin, and plan on ordering grape seed from your amazon link. I also drink plain almond milk which seems to suit me. I use it in my morning cereal. I get some fat from it. Thank you for all your documents.
one correction, my symptoms disappeared in a couple of days, not years.
No worries either way the answer is still yes. You should consider being evaluated.
Hi Myro – Yes to your question. Alcoholic pancreatitis can start out mild and progress to a severe disease. Especially if you keep drinking. And you are welcome 🙂
Thank you for this, our family will be looking to these guidelines as we figure out the new normal.
Hi, I am new on pancreatitis. G.I doctor only at the end of the month. Meanwhile I’ve been educating me on pancreatitis…
I thought you might find interesting to know how Bitter Melon helps people with pancreatitis. There are several studies on that…
I don’t like biter melon but my pancreas seem to like it.
Hi Veraike – I have never heard of bitter melon or if i have i forgot it. I am glad it works for you and all I can say is if it works keep doing it lol
For the cod recipe, do you have measurements for the ingredients?
Hi Jennifer I apologize for responding so slowly. I don’t have measurements cuz I’m a dumper. I just dump until it tastes good to me lol
Is this site taking questions again, I thought it may have been shut down. Very good source, much to take in
Hi Ken yes sir I am still taking questions. I just sometimes forget to check lol
Hi Health guy,
Thank you for this excellent resource.
I have a question about the food log. I am 3 days into the fast and plan to start the food log on day 8, after drinking the homemade juice for 2 days. The question is, if I still have pain when I start the log, how do I know if the food is aggravating the pancreas more? Is it if it increases the pain? I was going to add 1 food item at a time starting with potatoes every 2 days.
Thanks.
Steve … I’m sorry I am so late responding. It may take more fasting to help resolve the pancreas pain. If you are able to take Ibuprofen you may want to consider it because it is a powerful anti-inflammatory med. IF it were me I’d buy some advil and take 4 at one time – 800 mgs. then back down to 400 2x daily until you’re pain free. That’s what I would do. I used to have a prescription of 800 mg Ibuprofen tabs from the doc who diagnosed me. it’s the only med that worked for pain on me. Demerol didn’t do anything at all. Anyway … no drug is safe so i’d only use the ibuprofen until the pain and any ither symptoms resolved. I also had nausea meds, still do cuz I hate nausea and vomiting more than I do the pain. I also keep advil on hand just in case.