Dairy products are known as bladder irritants. Those that can be especially bad are aged dairy products like aged cheese and sour cream.
Dairy Products
Some people have noticed that milk and dairy are especially problematic with overactive bladder syndrome so it may be beneficial to consider going dairy-free. Try reducing your intake of milk, cheese, and other products that are high in lactose to reduce symptoms of incontinence.
Milk Products
Foods such as milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, and ice cream are common bladder irritants. Keeping a food diary can help you figure out whether dairy is a trigger for you.
Instead of eating bladder irritating cheeses, opt for mild cheeses like mozzarella, feta, ricotta, or mild cheddar. Another soothing cheese is cream cheese or cottage cheese.
Try a plain fresh mozzarella, cottage cheese, or soft monterey jack. Farmers cheeses, string cheeses, cheddar, brie, gouda and even parmesan cheese (in a small amount only) seem to be IC friendly for most patients. Avoid the spiced, strong cheeses!
Dairy Products
Try plain Mozzarella, Cottage, Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese. Farmer's cheese, string cheese and Parmesan cheese seem to be IC friendly for most patients. Other cheeses may take some trial and error. In general, stay away from hot, spicy or bitter cheeses.
If you feel your bladder pain flaring up, you can consume certain foods that will actively soothe the pain. Vegetables such as corn, oatmeal, peas, quinoa, and potatoes fight bladder pain – along with zucchini bread and ricotta cheese.
Bananas, apples, grapes, coconut and watermelon are good options for those with overactive bladder. Vegetables – Leafy greens, like kale, lettuce, cucumber, squash, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, celery and bell peppers. Whole grains, like oats, barley, farro, and quinoa (also a great protein).
Dairy products are known as bladder irritants. Those that can be especially bad are aged dairy products like aged cheese and sour cream. If you like dairy products, then you could try alternatives made from soy or almond milk.
The Ommoord study has a simple conclusion [1]. At least in the Netherlands, eating chicken and pork is associated with an increase in the odds of having drug-resistant UTIs, but eating cheese reduces this. Cheese, in this sense, appears to promote a urinary tract that can be more easily soothed.
Almonds, cashews and peanuts are healthy snacks and rich in protein. Eggs. Also rich in protein, eggs are on several lists as one of the "least bothersome" foods for bladder conditions.
A diet high in fruits, vegetables, or non-cheese dairy products can increase your urine pH. A diet high in fish, meat products, or cheese can decrease your urine pH.
The American Urological Association also recognizes some foods as potentially having a calming effect on sensitive bladders. These foods include pears, bananas, green beans, squash, potatoes, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, bread, and eggs.
However, many people don't realize that eating yogurt can also play a positive role in your bladder's health too. Yogurt has active bacteria known as probiotics that your body needs. Studies show that eating yogurt may even reduce the risk of developing bladder cancer by keeping the cells of your bladder healthy.
Overactive bladder symptoms may also be associated with: Medications that cause your body to make a lot of urine or require that you take them with lots of fluids. Drinking too much caffeine or alcohol.
Taper off liquids as evening and bedtime approach. Limit other diuretics, including melons, cucumbers, cranberry and citrus juices, acidic foods like tomatoes, spicy foods, and artificial sweeteners. Watch your weight; excess pounds can pressure the bladder. Keep a food diary to identify suspect OAB triggers.
It usually takes weeks to months before symptoms improve. Even with successful treatment, the condition may not be cured. It is simply in remission. But, most patients can get significant relief of their symptoms and lead a normal life with treatment.
Milk, eggs, butter, mild cheese (mozzarella, mild cheddar, feta and ricotta) and vanilla ice-cream are generally well tolerated. Avoid blue cheese and chocolate, strawberry, raspberry or coffee ice-cream. Most fresh fish is well-tolerated but you should avoid smoked, preserved or heavily-spiced fish.
However, some people with IC find that certain foods or drinks trigger or worsen their symptoms. Coffee, soda, alcohol, tomatoes, hot and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus juices and drinks, MSG, and high-acid foods can trigger IC symptoms or make them worse.
Heat & Cold Therapy
Depending on the type of flare-up, the application of heat and cold therapy can prove helpful in reducing the pain and inflammation linked to Interstitial Cystitis.