What is the Pancreas and What Does it Do - Wellness Coach

The pancreas is a small gland found in the abdomen just a little below the breast and very close to the stomach. It produces enzymes and hormones which helps break down foods we eat. One of the most known hormones it produces is insulin.

The pancreas produces enzymes that continue the process of breaking down foods, which begins in the stomach. The pancreas also produces hormones, most recognizes is insulin, which controls the balance of glucose between the blood and the rest of the body. Thanks to the pancreas, the body can use the sugars and store the fats, which are essential for health.

The stomach empties already partially digested food and liquid into the duodenum and it is here that it mixes with the secretions from the pancreas. All of this sounds rather technical, but what I want to stress here is that this is the very reason we have been told to chew, chew our foods really good and not to eat right before going to bed. It really makes this little organ work even harder

The pancreas is an amazingly efficient, self-regulating organ, far cleverer than any computer ever invented. Day in, day out throughout a lifetime, a healthy pancreas produces exactly the right chemicals at the right times in the right quantities for digesting the food we eat. Isn't this the most amazing thing. We just eat our foods, and my intention for you is that it is healthy foods, and this little powerhouse takes care of digesting them just right for us. So every time you put that junk food and greasy unhealthy food in your mouth just think how this little organ is going to be working so hard to make the best of it for you.

This is how the pancreas does it work; the pancreas begins its biggest job by secreting from its exocrine tissue the clear, watery, alkaline juice containing enzymes that help break down food into molecules small enough to be absorbed by the intestine.

Most of the time, the pancreas is a wonderfully self-functioning organ. Like any of our organs, it can malfunction. If it fails to produce sufficient digestive enzymes and food is poorly absorbed, weight loss and/or diarrhea can result. The greatest risk is of diabetes if too little insulin is produced the result in diabetes. This raises the level of glucose in the blood, and increases the risk of a number of problems throughout the body. Once again I want to empress healthy eating is the biggest clue to a healthy body.

Pancreatitis is the disease of the pancreas, which is the inflammation of the pancreas. This is caused by the blockage of a gallstone in one of the ducts of the pancreas. Again all of this can be avoided with diet and generally taking care of our bodies. Smoking and drinking can aggravate the pancreas and bring on this disease and this disease is more prevalent in men than women. It can also lead to cancer, which is more common in people with diabetes. So the best cure is to be aware of what we eat, how we eat and when we eat. Be responsible in the care of our bodies.

Thought of the Day: "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." -John F. Kennedy-