Interstitial cystitis is a condition that affects the bladder, causing chronic inflammation. It is also sometimes referred to as "painful bladder syndrome," or PBS. Primary symptoms include pelvic pain and discomfort in the bladder, along with urinary urgency and frequency, although symptoms can vary from person to person. There is no cure, but you can manage symptoms through lifestyle changes, medication and diet modification. Making changes to your diet is often the first mode of treatment for people with interstitial cystitis.
Diet Guidelines
The diet for interstitial cystitis is based on healthy diet guidelines. While there is no concrete evidence that certain foods increase symptoms, many people with interstitial cystitis report flare-ups with some foods. To help you manage your symptoms, foods have been divided into three categories, including bladder-friendly foods, try-it foods and foods to eat with caution. Because interstitial cystitis is such an individual illness, the diet requires some trial and error to find the foods that work for you.
Bladder-Friendly Foods
Bladder-friendly foods include foods that even the most sensitive individual can tolerate. You should eat only bladder friendly foods during the first weeks of diagnosis to help improve your symptoms. Bladder-friendly foods include a variety of choices from each of the food groups and should adequately meet your nutrient needs. Some food selections include milk, whole wheat bread, white bread, corn bread, oat cereal, rice cereal, quinoa, couscous, almonds, peanuts, olive oil, safflower oil, chicken, eggs, beef, American cheese, mozzarella cheese, gala apples, blueberries, pears, asparagus, broccoli and spinach.
Try It
Most people with interstitial cystitis can tolerate "Try It" foods, but those who are more sensitive may experience flare-ups when eating these foods. After symptoms have cleared eating just the bladder friendly foods, you can start to introduce the "Try It" foods. Introduce one new food at a time in small quantities, carefully monitoring and documenting symptoms. Some "Try It" foods include grape juice, root beer, rye bread, instant hot cereal, macadamia nuts, mayonnaise, walnuts, veggie burgers, corned beef, bacon, blue cheese, Swiss cheese, yogurt, applesauce, raspberries, cherries, kidney beans, green peppers and red onions.
Caution
Caution foods trigger symptoms and should only be consumed when your bladder is no longer sensitive. Caution foods include alcohol, sports drinks, soy, boxed pasta and rice mixes, filberts, bologna, hot dogs, processed cheese, citrus fruits, strawberries, sauerkraut, tomatoes, aspartame, saccharin and chocolate.
