Unintended Weight Loss
If you’ve been losing weight without actually trying, don’t pat yourself on the back and thank an improved metabolism just yet. When weight loss is unintended, it could mean a number of much less healthy things—one of those things being pancreatitis.
The pancreas is a gland, located on the left side of the abdomen, behind the stomach and above the small intestine. It is responsible for making digestive enzymes and hormones that help process glucose. When the pancreas becomes inflamed, this results in a condition called pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis often comes on quickly, with more extreme symptoms in a shorter periods of time. While abnormal weight loss may be possible with it, this symptom is more often found in patients with long-standing, chronic pancreatitis. This is a progressive form of pancreatitis that gets steadily worse.
It’s not uncommon for a loss of appetite to accompany pancreatitis, and this often plays a factor in unintended weight loss. Additionally, dealing with pancreatitis-induced vomiting and diarrhea can negatively impact your weight as well. If you are failing to get the necessary calories and carbohydrates to keep the body functioning, your body will eventually turn on itself and start taking fuel from wherever it can—including its own fat stores. If you haven’t been eating very well lately, make efforts to provide your body with more sustenance and see if things improve.
However, even if you do still have your normal appetite, if pancreatitis has set in, it doesn’t matter how much food you take in. The enzymes made by the pancreas are necessary for proper digestion—when this isn’t happening normally, the vitamins and minerals in your food aren't being absorbed normally either. Eventually, this can actually cause serious malnutrition, even if you’re eating what would otherwise be a healthy amount of food for a person in your situation.
Did you know...
- There are many factors that contribute to your body odor, but one of the strongest links is our diet. This may be some bad news for meat-lovers because many studies have shown that those who refrained from or ate less red meat were judged as being more pleasant smelling. The meat sweats are real, and they don’t smell great!
- Are you currently or often tired? As contradictory as it may sound, one of the best things you can do is exercise! It gives you more energy by improving your blood flow and increasing your oxygen throughout your body. You don't need to do much; a brisk walk is all it takes!
- A hearty laugh is good for the heart. Laughing can increase blood flow by 20%. Additionally, looking on the bright side can help you live longer. Studies have shown that a more optimistic outlook is linked to a healthier heart, lower blood pressure, and a lower risk for coronary artery disease.
- Need a quick cool down? Try drinking some hot liquid. It's true! As counterintuitive as it may seem, the heat from hot liquids will raise your body temperature. This will heat you up and cause you to sweat. The increased perspiration will wind up helping you feel cooler as it evaporates. Try it out!
- Starting to feel claustrophobic? The smells of apples may help keep your claustrophobic feelings at bay according to a 1995 study by Dr. Alan Hirsch. Green apples, specifically, helped people change their perception of their space. Maybe they thought of expansive apple orchards? Cucumbers and barbecue made the feelings worse.