The Pancreas

When you make a food choice, it is likely to be because of how it looks, smells and tastes. If you knew what happened to your digestive system each time you ate certain foods, you may change your eating habits.

These days everyone is talking about sugar. In fact some say that it is as dangerous to your health as tobacco. Both substances can cause very serious diseases if consumed on a regular basis.

The pancreas is an organ in the digestive and endocrine system. It is located behind the stomach and sits close to the duodenum in the abdominal cavity. It produces several important hormones two of which are insulin and glycogen. Both circulate in the blood.

The pancreas also secretes juices; lipase (fat digestion), amylase (starch digestion) and trypsin (protein digestion), all of which help the digestion of proteins and fat nutrients into the small intestine.  It is important to keep it functioning at its optimum level by controlling the amount of sugar you eat each day.

The pancreas plays an important role with sugar control and metabolism within the body. Insulin is a hormone secreted by specialised cells in the pancreas known as the Islets of Langerhans. It regulates blood sugar level.

When we eat, the blood sugar level rises. The sugar in the blood is in the form of glucose. Insulin helps cells absorb any excess glucose into glycogen, an insoluble sugar which is stored in the liver until the body needs it. Thus the blood sugar level drops.

Now you can begin to understand how all these important little cells move around your body!

More information is available to Workshop Attendees.