Diet For Interstitial Cystitis
January 16, 2008 by Kitchen Table Medicine
Filed under Interstitial cystitis/Irritable bladder
The symptoms of interstitial cystitis and irritable bladder can often improve from avoiding certain foods thought to specifically aggravate this condition.
Be sure to see your physician if you think you suffer from the chronic urgency, frequency, and burning pain involved in these conditions.
1. For rapid relief of discomfort, take 1 teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in one cup of water. This helps to prevent urine acids from interacting with damaged tissue.
2. Drink plenty of water to dilute urine.
3. Ice packs or heating pads may help to ease pain.
4. The foods listed below contain amino acids and/or other acids which contribute to bladder destruction and discomfort. Some foods may be more irritating for certain individuals than others. Avoid all foods listed below until symptoms have resolved:
Foods to be Avoided
- Alcohol
- Apples
- Apple juice
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Beer
- Brewer’s Yeast
- Cantaloupe
- Carbonated drinks
- Champagne
- Cheeses (all)
- Chicken livers
- Chilies/spicy foods
- Chocolate
- Citrus fruits
- Coffee
- Corned beef
- Cranberries
- Fava beans
- Figs
- Grapes
- Guavas
- Lemon juice
- Lima beans
- Mayonnaise
- Nutrasweet (Aspartame)
- Nuts (except pine nuts)
- Onions
- Peaches
- Pickled herring
- Pineapples
- Plums
- Prunes
- Raisins
- Rye bread
- Saccharine
- Sour cream
- Soy sauce
- Strawberries
- Teas
- Tomatoes
- Vinegar
- Vitamins buffered with aspartate
- Wines
- Yogurt
Resource and Recommended reading: Gillepsie, M.D., Larrian, “You Don’t Have to Live With Cystitis.”
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Although there are a number of “IC Diet” lists out there, it is important to remember that every IC patient is different. Some have to live with very restricted diets and some can eat many more foods.
Many IC patients can add foods back to their diets over time adding both taste and nutritional variety. Do your research. There are several great books with information on an IC diet.
Be smart, be well,
Julie B
If you are a vegetarian and you follow this diet, there is not a lot you could eat, and it would be almost impossible to get a balanced amount of essential nutrients!
Hello, I was diagnosed with IC approximately 3 years ago. At first, I thought it was going to be a short term thing. Unfortunately, my pain is just as bad now as it was three years ago. I sort of know what my triggers are, but with so many of them, it is very hard to avoid them all. i would appreciate any advice
I’m just wondering why yogurt is out. Acid level? My ayurvedic doc also told me that as a Pitta, I should decrease dairy and nut intake, which apparently correlates to the IC diet but I’m not sure I understand. Histamines? Does anyone know the why of it?
I don’t want to get into self=promotion here, but in late 2009, I was on the committee to re-evaluate the IC diet. according to the latest research and our collective experience. (I am actually a dietitian expert who has written two books on IC and diet,.) Actually, yogurt was just added back in as a bladder friendly food for most people. To be honest, the book mentioned in this article is not recommended by most of the IC physicians out there.
As for the whys? We really don’t know why yet. No one seems to have the money to do in depth research on diet and IC. It is hard also, because it is so individualized. i will try to check back here to see if anyone else has any questions.