More than 3 million American women and 1 million men have interstitial cystitis (IC), according to 2010 information from FamilyDoctor.org. This condition is characterized by chronic bladder inflammation and scarring of the bladder walls. Urgency and painful urination may accompany this condition, which is also referred to as painful bladder syndrome. The condition is diagnosed in lieu of symptoms not related to infection, urinary stones or other diseases related to the urinary system.
IC and Diet
The cause of IC is not fully understood, but it is not a result of bacterial or viral infections. The lining of your bladder wall, which normally protects the bladder from the toxic effects of urine, becomes fragile, irritated and cracked as it fills with urine. Some of the foods you eat increase irritation in your bladder since the lining is not viable enough to protect you from urinary toxins. This is especially the case for acidic foods and those high in potassium. These foods may cause your nerve endings to sting, inflame and further crack the bladder lining. Although no certain cure for IC exists, your physician may recommend a change in diet along with minor surgery or medication to help alleviate symptoms.
Smart Diet
The dietary suggestions for alleviating IC symptoms are referred to as a smart diet. This diet encourages you to make selective food and meal choices to prevent you from the painful experience of consuming irritating foods. The exact response your bladder has to different foods depends on your food tolerance. To determine the best dietary habits for your condition, you may have to figure out the trigger foods before you can eliminate them from your diet. Use the smart diet guidelines for foods allowed and those to avoid while keeping a food diary to track what causes symptoms. Remove the foods to avoid from your diet for two weeks and note if you experience any symptoms of IC. Reintroduce the trigger foods singularly and slowly, and then record any symptom reactions in your diary. Once you log this information for a few weeks, you can better understand what foods your body tolerates.
Foods to Avoid
The most common and highly acidic IC irritants include carbonated beverages, coffee and tea, citrus or cranberry juices, commercial tomato-based products and alcohol beverages. Avoid canned foods like soup or vegetables and those with added preservatives including corned beef, sardines, processed lunch meats or meats with nitrates/nitrites and any food with the ingredients of aspartame, saccharin or monosodium glutamate. Avoid rye or sourdough breads, cereals with preservatives. For some, whole wheat breads may be problematic. Black, fava, lima and soy beans are irritants; you may need to avoid spinach, turnip greens, most onion varieties and cayenne or chili peppers. Most solid nuts like pistachios, peanuts and macadamias and a variety of whole fruits like cantaloupe, grapes and berries can also cause irritation. Aged cheeses, sour cream and yogurt are on the trigger foods list as well. You may find that many "healthy" foods are on the avoid list. If this is true for your diet, consult your physician on ways to supplement the nutrients lost from avoiding these foods.
Allowed Foods
Safe beverages like water, pure blueberry or pear juice and herbal teas may not irritate your bladder. Pasta, rice, oatmeal and potato-based or corn-based foods are allowed. Choose free-range meats like chicken or turkey and pork or beef. Mozzarella, feta, ricotta and cottage cheese are safe dairy choices. Opt for fresh vegetables and fruits like broccoli, mushrooms and squash, or blueberries and pears. Homemade soup with fresh vegetables and meat is allowed, but do not add any form of bouillon. Seasonings like garlic, basil, rosemary or sage and sesame oil, olive oil and canola oil are allowed as food flavorings. Read ingredient lists on package labels to determine if irritants are in the foods, but in most cases, you may have to avoid many processed and packaged foods to manage your symptoms.
References
- Hillingdon Hospital: IC Smart Diet; The Truth About the Foods You Eat
- Ortho Women's Health and Urology; The IC-Smart Diet; December 2007
- FamilyDoctor.org; Interstitial Cystitis; Oct. 2001
- Interstitial Cystitis Network: ICN Handbook
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome; Dec. 2009
- Cystitis and Overactive Bladder Foundation: Interstitial Cystitis and Painful Bladder Diet
