Among these enzymes are numerous protein -digesting enzymes (chymotrypsin, trypsin, carboxypeptidase, and elastase), a carbohydrate-digesting enzyme (pancreatic amylase), and a lipid -digesting enzyme (pancreatic lipase).
These enzymes don’t digest the pancreas itself because they are not activated or provided with optimal ionic conditions till pancreatic juice enters the duodenum. The sodium bicarbonate finds the optimal pH for the actions of pancreatic and intestinal enzymes within the small intestine.
What you do and don't eat can affect exocrine pancreatic insufficiency symptoms like stomach pain. Try these strategies for a healthy pancreatic insufficiency diet at Everydayhealth.com.
For patients with pancreatic disease, there are many times when it is difficult to eat at all. Even when you are feeling well, you still have to be very careful to follow a low-fat diet.
Find some nutrition advice, recipes and guidelines from Pancreasfoundation.org, and, as always, your doctor is the best one to tell you how to eat.
Tip! Sometimes it is easier to eat small meals several times a day, instead of trying to sit down to three big meals.