Saravana's Musings: Pancreas

Saturday, January 15, 2022

Pancreas:

- beneath the ribs

- acts like a personal health coach.

Control sugar level.

produces a special pancreatic juice that release nutrients from the food.

Just behind stomach.

- breakdown the food eat.

- aids digesting by producing special tonic made of water.

sodium bicarbonate and digestive enzymes.

sodium bicarbonate neutralizes stomach's natural acidity.

so that , digestive enzyme can perform their jobs.

lipase(enzyme) breaks down fatty substance

proteas(enzyme) splits protein

amylase(enzyme) divides carbs to energy rich sugar

Most of those nutrients absorbed into the blood stream. enrich the body.

Pancreas another critical task:

controls amount of sugar in blood

uses hormones called:

1. insulin

2. and glucagon

which are produced in special cells call the "Islets of Langerhans".

too much / too little of sugar - life threatening

blood - flushed with sugar after big meals

to bring us normal , pancreas release insulin.

excess sugar to cells - as energy source or stored for later.

insulin also tell liver to shutdown sugar production.

blood sugar is low - pancreas release glucagon

- tells body to release stored sugar to blood stream.

This interplay between insulin and glucagon keeps sugar balanced.

faulty pancreas - cannot coach.

healthy balance destroyed.

If weakened by disease, production of insulin in reduced/ extinguished

- condition named "diabetes"

Without regular insulin release - sugar builds up in blood.

so hardening blood vessels and causing heart attacks, kidney failure, stroke.

same lack of insulin deprive cell of energy rich sugar need to grow and function.

diabetes - high liver of glucagon - even more sugar circulate.

Without pancreas, sugar can go haywire.

pancreas plays major role and need our support :)

Saravana's Musings