June 25, 2002
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Moscow, Russia:
You often advise us to eat more fibre to prevent the sugar from “jumping”, heart disease and so on, but what should I do, if I do not have enough enzymes (pancreatic and liver)? Oral enzymes don’t help me; I feel the same problems and more — constant hunger! I like fruits and vegetables very much, but I cannot eat them at all! (I do not have gastroparesis.) What should I do?
Answer:
Fiber has mechanical advantages in prolonging gut transit time. This makes the sugar rise after a meal lower. It also promotes colonic health. The oral enzymes are derivatives of pancreatic enzymes but do not break down the fiber from plants. You say you do not have gastroparesis. Have you been tested for this? If not, it still may be possible.
Have you thought about chopping up fruits, blending them, or pureeing them? You may be able to tolerate them this way. Sometimes you have to take what you can tolerate and that sounds like a good policy here.
JTL
