Diet Suggestions: Do’s and Don’ts
The idea behind managing your diet is to avoid foods that may irritate your
bladder. Here is a list of some of the suggested items to restrict, followed
by foods that a number of IC patients have noted do not cause them problems.
Milk/Dairy Products
aged cheeses, sour cream, yogurt and chocolate
white chocolate, non-aged cheeses such as cottage or American, frozen yogurt
and milk
Vegetables
fava beans, lima beans, onions, tofu, soy beans and tomatoes
other vegetables and home grown tomatoes (which may be less acidic)
Fruits
apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, cantaloupes, citrus fruits, cranberries,
grapes, nectarines, peaches, pineapples, plums, pomegranates, rhubarb,
strawberries and juices made from these fruits
melons (other than cantaloupes) and pears
Carbohydrates and Grains
rye and sourdough bread
other breads, pasta, potatoes and rice
Meats and Fish
aged, canned, cured, processed or smoked meats and fish, anchovies, caviar,
chicken livers, corned beef, and meats which contain nitrates or nitrites
other poultry, fish and meat
Nuts
most nuts
almonds, cashews and pine nuts
Beverages
alcoholic beverages, beer, carbonated drinks such as sodas, coffee, tea,
cranberry juice and wine
bottled or spring water, decaffeinated, acid-free coffee and tea, and some
herbal teas. Call 1-800-TEALEAF for information on coffees and teas.
Seasonings
mayonnaise, miso, spicy foods (especially such ethnic foods as Chinese,
Indian, Mexican and Thai), soy sauce, salad dressing and vinegar
garlic and other seasonings
Preservatives and Additives
benzol alcohol, citric acid, monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame
(Nutrasweet®), saccharine, foods containing preservatives and artificial
ingredients and colors
Miscellaneous
tobacco, caffeine, diet pills, junk foods, recreational drugs, cold and
allergy medications containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, and certain
vitamins
Although the list of foods to avoid may initially appear daunting, remember
that there are still many foods you can enjoy. Some IC patients report that
they have the least trouble with rice, potatoes, pasta, vegetables, meat, and
chicken. With these foods as a base for your diet, you can create nutritious
and flavorful meals. You can still cook for family and friends and share
meals with them because the foods you can eat are the basic elements of a
healthful, balanced diet. However, you may need to make some minor
adjustments, such as setting your serving aside before adding seasonings. You
may also want to consider adding a source of fiber to your diet to promote
regular bowel movements.
Suggestions
With some imaginative effort, you should be able to come up with
substitutions for your favorite foods and drinks which will not aggravate
your symptoms. Here are a few suggestions:
Add a pinch of salt to carbonated beverages to make them flat.
Try reduced-acid orange juice now available in supermarkets.
Try Prelief® a natural dietary supplement which helps neutralize acidic
foods. Prelief is available over-the-counter at pharmacies and grocery stores
in granulate or tablets. For more information call 1-800-994-4711.
Boil down all sauces containing alcohol.
Dining Out
Once you have determined which foods cause you trouble, you should be able to
eat in restaurants or at social gatherings without too much difficulty. You
will simply need to ask about ingredients or stay away from dishes where
ingredients are hard to discern. Spicy ethnic foods can pose a problem when
dining out because the spices used may cause the release of trouble-making
histamines. The ingredients in these dishes are often difficult to determine
as well. Before ordering, ask your waiter what spices are used in particular
dishes.
Food Allergies
Doctors find that some IC patients have additional symptoms that are caused
by food allergies. Allergies to wheat, corn, rye, oats and barley are common.
Other patients with milk allergies and lactose intolerance may experience a
severe response to these foods. Although the existence of systemic yeast or
“yeast syndrome” remains controversial in the medical community, a number of
IC patients report success with a yeast-free diet which eliminates yeast,
cheeses, molds, alcohol and fermented foods. If you suspect that food
allergies play a role in your IC symptoms, you should consult a doctor or
nutritionist who specializes in food and environmental allergies.
What if I have eaten something I shouldn’t have?
If you have eaten a forbidden food or tried a new dish only to discover
afterwards that it has brought on symptoms, take one teaspoon of baking soda
in a glass of water. This helps to alkalinize the urine and prevent the acids
in urine from irritating the bladder. Some patients take baking soda as a
preventative before consuming problematic foods. Those who have heart
conditions, high blood pressure, or other medical conditions affected by salt
intake should consult their doctors before taking baking soda because of its
high salt content. If you have a flare in symptoms after eating, you should
also drink plenty of water to dilute the urine.
Conclusions
Making the changes necessary in the diet to help control IC is a challenge,
as are so many aspects of this disease. Don’t get discouraged if you do not
discover your ideal diet even after a few weeks of trial and error. The
process takes time and patience, but if you are like many others with IC, it
may pay off in a reduction in your symptoms.
