There are many food items which would become stale after a few hours, but there are certain foods which may last forever without the need to can them or freeze or dehydrate. If an individual is new to the field of food storage, these staples can be an excellent way to begin.

White rice: There are numerous researchers who have found that polished or white rice keeps up their nutrient content and flavour for almost 30 years if it can be stored in oxygen-free containers in temperatures that range below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Brown rice, on the other hand, doesn t last more than six months owing to the availability of natural oils in the bran layer.
Honey: Honey is preferably the only food that would last forever due to the perfect chemistry and the handiwork of the bees. The nectar extracted from the flower gets mixed with the enzymes present in the bees  bodies which alter the composition of the nectar. The nectar is further broken down into simple sugars and is accumulated in the honeycombs. The processing, as well as sealing of the honey, is primarily responsible for the incredible shelf life.
Salt: Since sodium chloride is a mineral which is taken from the natural components of the earth, its shelf-life should come as a natural consequence. It is used for centuries as a means of preserving other food products as it can extract out all the moisture. But this doesn t indicate that the table salt would last forever. Experts say that the addition of the iodine to the table salt reduces the shelf life of the salt which means that if the label says that it is an iodized salt, it will not last over five years.
Soy sauce: When left unopened, a container filled with soya sauce would last for a significantly long period. But it is also dependent on the type of soy sauce and the additives used. Even if the soy sauce has been opened, this salty condiment will last for many years if stored in the refrigerator.
Sugar: Quite similar to many items, the storage process of the sugar determines whether the sugar is going to last for long or not. Granulated and powdered sugar must be kept under an airtight condition to steer clear of moisture. Although retailers are needed to provide the manufacturing dates of the sugar, manufacturers say that the sugar remains edible even if it has hardened and become brown.
Pure maple syrup: Pure maple syrup, as well as commercial sugars such as granular sugars and honey, has an irresistible life owing to its shield against any kinds of microbial growth. Unopened maple syrup shall last forever, and in case there is the formation of mould, boiling it to a certain degree and skimming the surface and ultimately pouring it to a clean and air-tight container would eliminate all the problems.
Clarified butter: This kind of butter is boiled unless the total moisture is extracted which is the reason that it doesn t go bad. As long as the clarified butter or ghee is stored in sealed container under cool temperature, it would last for about 100 years.

7 Foods That Never Expire!

Pancreas is a small organ that is located in the lower part of the stomach. It lies just behind the abdomen. It functions by producing the insulin hormone which is responsible for regulating blood sugar level in the body and breaking down food into glucagon which is stored in the body. This glucagon is converted into glucose which is used by the body for energy and other purposes. Therefore, pancreatic transplant is done in patients with a malfunctioning pancreas.

Why is pancreatic transplant required?
Patients suffering from type I diabetes usually undergo a pancreatic transplant. Type I diabetes is characterized by the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin, thereby leading to low blood sugar level. This type of diabetes occurs due to the malfunction of pancreatic beta cells whose primary role is to produce insulin. These beta cells make up around 65 to 80 percent of the cells found in the pancreatic islets. They typically malfunction when the body's immune system begins to attack and destroy the pancreatic beta cells. Therefore, type I diabetes is an autoimmune disorder. Patients with type I diabetes require insulin injections that might cause severe reactions. People dependent on insulin are prone to the development of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy.

People with type II diabetes generally do not need pancreatic transplant because this type of diabetes occurs due to low production of insulin or lack of insulin resistance. Here is a list of the probable reasons why pancreatic transplant is required:

People who have type I diabetes but are not cured by standard treatment
Severe reactions to insulin injections
Low blood sugar
Kidney damage
Hypoglycemia unawareness
A pancreatic transplant can be of three types. They are:

Pancreas transplant only- People with type I diabetes and normally functioning kidneys require only a pancreatic transplant.
Pancreas and kidney transplant- Type I diabetes, in rare cases, leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or end-stage kidney disease where one or both the kidneys are damaged. In such cases, pancreas and kidney are transplanted simultaneously to disable the dependence on insulin injection. This type of surgery may also be required when the pancreas and the kidneys come from the same donor.
Pancreas-after-kidney transplant- In some cases of type I diabetes, your doctor will recommend kidney transplant first followed by pancreatic transplant. It must be remembered that pancreatic transplant should be done by taking into consideration the side-effects caused by the anti-rejection injections administered after the procedure is performed. It may cause bone thinning, high cholesterol and high blood pressure in a patient s body. As the anti-rejection injections work by suppressing the immune system, the body s defense mechanism against infections and other diseases becomes ineffective to a considerable extent.
A pancreatic transplant is a serious procedure that requires a lot of deliberations and consultations with your doctor and should only be opted for when the benefits outweigh the side effects from the anti-rejection medications.

Pancreatic Transplant - When Is It Required?

Problems are pancreas are common and are treated by gastroenterologists. There are two common pancreas problems -

1. Acute Pancreatitis: Sudden Inflammation of the pancreas is known as acute pancreatitis. It is usually due to Alcohol, gall stones, trauma, metabolic causes such as hypertriglyceridemia, and congenital causes such as Pancreas divisum. The patient presents with severe upper abdominal pain and vomiting. Patients require admission for IV fluids and analgesics. Nearly all patients recover from the pain and start eating within 3 to 4 days. Few patients with severe pancreatitis may develop kidney failure, respiratory failure or GI bleeding. Such patients require longer hospitalisation stay and critical care management. Recovery is usually uneventful but few patients develop peripancreatic fluid collection known as Pseudocyst or walled-off pancreatic necrosis(WOPN). In such cases, the patient requires additional treatment of fluid collection and requires internal drainage by Cystogastrostomy which is done by Endosonography (EUS) by a gastroenterologist. Some patients require ERCP (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) for evaluation of pancreatic ductal leak. EUS and ERCP are advanced endoscopic procedures done by a few gastroenterologists who are specially trained in such procedures.

2. Chronic pancreatitis: Long term irreversible damage to the pancreas is called chronic pancreatitis. It is usually due to Alcohol intake. It presents with upper abdominal pain, Diabetes mellitus and fat in stools (steatorrhea). The small duct in the pancreas called main pancreatic duct can have hard calcifications also known as stones, which obstruct the flow of pancreatic juice and cause severe abdominal pain. Treatment of chronic pancreatitis includes stopping alcohol intake to prevent further damage to the pancreas, medicines for pain, Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) and Endoscopy for those who do not respond to medical treatment. Endoscopy includes ERCP and plastic stenting to establish a flow of obstructed pancreatic duct and Endosonography (EUS) guided Celiac plexus block for decreasing pain. Patients who develop fluid collection such as Pseudocyst require internal drainage by Cystogastrostomy which is done by Endosonography (EUS)

In Brief About Types Of Pancreatic Disorders!

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive form of cancer. The disease shows no early symptoms and often spreads to other organs long before it is properly diagnosed. Due to such poor prognosis, only around 6% of the pancreatic cancer patients are healthy and alive 5 years after the first diagnosis.

One of the most common surgeries to remove tumours from the pancreas is Pancreaticoduodenectomy, that is commonly called Whipples surgery. The primary aim of the procedure is to cure cancers or disorders that are identified in the pancreas, bile duct or the duodenum. Here, the tumour is removed to prevent it from spreading to other organs, thus improving the life expectancy of the patient. 

Whipple's Procedure

Before the surgery, an intravenous line will be injected to your arm, to provide you with the necessary medication. Medicines may be passed through this line to soothe your nerves. A spinal injection or an epidural catheter may be placed. This helps you to recover painlessly after the surgery.

The surgery can be carried out in different ways  

Open surgery

Here, the surgeon makes a small incision in your abdomen to access the pancreas and other organs. This is the most common method. This is a complicated operation where the tip of the pancreas, the gallbladder, the bile duct and the initial portion of the small intestine are removed. It is performed to treat cancers that are present on the head of the pancreas. 

Laparoscopic surgery

Here several small incisions are made in your abdomen to insert a camera that transmits the live video of the abdomen to a monitor. According to the live feed, the surgeon performs the operation by using surgical tools. It is a common form of minimally invasive surgery.

Robotic operation

This is another type of minimally invasive surgery where the surgical tools are attached to a special robot. Here, the doctor uses a console to control the robot to perform the surgery. This is used because surgical robots can reach and operate in spaces and corners where the human hands may not reach during surgery.

 The Whipples surgery can take 4 to 12 hours depending upon the approach being used and the complexity of the process. During the surgery, you will be given general anaesthesia, so you will be asleep.

In some cases, a part of your stomach or nearby lymph nodes may be removed to treat the cancer growths. After the process, the doctor will reconnect the other organs so that you can digest food normally.

After the procedure, you may face problems while emptying your bowels. The condition improves around 7 to 10 days after the surgery. Most patients are able to return back to their normal life usually around 6 weeks after the procedure.

It is recommended that you follow the doctor s instructions after the surgery and stick to the diet prescribed. Additionally, keep the incision protected from sunlight and remove the bandages only after consulting the doctors. 

 

 

Whipples Surgery & Pancreatic Cancer - Know About Them!

In this health-conscious era, more and more people want to stay fit. They constantly look for ways to maintain good health. Many have even developed a good habit of starting the day with a glass of lukewarm water as soon as they wake up in the morning. Yes, drinking water on an empty stomach offers the maximum health benefits. It not only stimulates the removal of toxins from the body but also benefits the overall digestive system. 

Although warm water isn t the most palatable, there are many reasons to start drinking it this way, either alone or with lemon. Below given are 6 reasons to start drinking lukewarm water on an empty stomach:

Digestive system: The food pipe, after having digested a variety of foods the previous day, would still be left with remnants. Starting the day with a glass of warm water acts as a good flush, which removes all these remnants. The warm or hot water also helps in removing greasiness, which is very helpful in people who eat a lot of junk food.
Helps in Weight loss: Drinking warm water on an empty stomach is perfect for those who are trying to lose weight as warm water raises body temperature and the metabolism. This, eventually, helps in burning more fat and boosting the weight loss efforts through diet and exercise changes. Ideally, you should add some drops of lemon in it. 
Strengthens Immune system: When a glass of hot water along with some lime is consumed early in the morning, it gives the required dose of vitamin C and potassium to the body, which strengthens your immunity system. Also, as the stomach is empty, the absorption is faster. 
Maintains body s pH balance: The body s pH turns alkaline as the ascorbic acid and the citric acid is easily digested and removed from the system. Drinking warm water helps in maintaining the required pH in the body.
Keeps you positive throughout the day: A nice juicy lime smells great, and this can be one of the best mood enhancers to begin your day with.
Skin and hair: For anybody with good skin, the key success factor is hydration, and a glass of warm water in the morning works like a cherry on the cake. When our body accumulates toxins, it becomes prone to illness and aging. A glass of hot water in the morning stimulates detoxification and helps in repairing skin cells and elasticity.
So, start your day with a glass of warm water and feel the difference. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Benefits of Drinking Lukewarm Water in Morning - Start Your Day With It?

The first commandment of healthy living is to eat plenty of fresh fruits. However, did you know that some fruits are healthier than others? Fruits do not have any added sugars but many fruits are rich in natural sugar. However, here are 11 fruits which have lowest sugar content.

Limes and lemons: Limes and lemons are known as sour fruits. While they are rich in vitamin C, they do not contain a lot of sugar. Freshly squeezed lime juice and hot water is the perfect drink to curb your appetite and raise metabolism.
Raspberries: Raspberries are rich in fiber but have only a little more than a teaspoon of sugar per cup. This makes them the perfect fruit to start the day with.
Strawberries: Strawberries may taste sweet but a cup of fresh strawberries has only about 7 grams of sugar. However, a cup of strawberries has enough vitamin C to take care of your daily requirements.
Blackberries: A cup of these berries also has minimal sugar. Along with fiber, these fruits are also rich in antioxidants. These berries also help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other such conditions.
Kiwi: Did you know that kiwis are technically berries? Each kiwi has less than 6 grams of sugar but is very rich in vitamin C.
Grapefruit: A grapefruit is a perfect breakfast. These citrus fruits are rich in fiber and low in sugar. Half a grapefruit contains only 52 calories and minimal sugar. They are also rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.
Avocado: Avocados are naturally low in their sugar content. One raw avocado has less than a gram of sugar. However, they are full of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and potassium.
Watermelon: Summer would be incomplete without watermelons. Though they taste sweet, watermelons are very low in sugar. A cup of watermelon has less than 10 grams of sugar.
Cantaloupe: Cantaloupes are rich in vitamin A but a cup of this fruit has only about 14 grams of sugar. They are also rich in vitamin B, magnesium and fiber.
Oranges: Eating an orange is the best way to boost our vitamin C levels and keep infections away. One orange typically contains less than 70 calories and 12 grams of sugar.
Peaches: A medium sized peach has less than 13 grams of sugar. This is an example of how taste can be deceptive when it comes to calories.
Given the sugar content in these fruits, it would be a great idea for the diabetics and weight watchers to include them in their diet and have a healthy and hearty meal. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

11 Best Fruits That Are Low In Sugar Content!

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