Milk/Dairy Products Avoid: aged cheeses, sour cream, yogurt and choco- late. Okay to try: white chocolate, non-aged cheeses such as cottage or American, frozen yogurt and milk. Vegetables Avoid: fava beans, lima beans, onions, tofu, soy beans & soy-based products, and tomatoes.
Select low fat and fat-free dairy, such as skim milk or 1 percent. Eat low-fat yogurt* without added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
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. If a person has a milk allergy or lactose intolerance, their interstitial cystitis symptoms may worsen when they drink milk and eat dairy products. According to the Urology Care Foundation (UCF), people with interstitial cystitis may consider avoiding: chocolate ice cream.
Lactose intolerant? Almond, coconut and rice milk are bladder friendly options, especially if you crave yogurt. Just make sure to pick IC friendly flavors such as: vanilla, blueberry, peach or raspberry.
Carbohydrates/Grains: Avoid rye and sourdough breads. Meats/Fish/Nuts: Avoid anchovies, caviar, livers, and meats that contain nitrates or nitrites. Also avoid aged, canned, cured, processed or smoked meats and fish. Most nuts, other than almonds, cashews, and pine nuts should be avoided.
In fact, yogurt can help fight urinary tract infections, which could also help prevent the development of more serious urinary problems, including bladder cancer.
Okay to try: white chocolate, non-aged cheeses such as cottage or American, frozen yogurt and milk. Vegetables Avoid: fava beans, lima beans, onions, tofu, soy beans & soy-based products, and tomatoes.
A person with interstitial cystitis can include the following foods in their diet: Certain fruits: avocados, bananas, blueberries, melons, pears, apricots, dates, prunes, and raisins. Some vegetables: asparagus, celery, bell pepper, broccoli, beets, eggplant, peas, mushrooms, and spinach. Grains: oats and rice.
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.
Pasta, rice and potatoes are “safe” favorites with IC patients, but what to put on them? Here's a flavorful and protein-packed Italian seafood dish that uses pasta– but no tomatoes! This versatile recipe can be used as a base for endless seafood-vegetable variations.
Carrots (usually bladder friendly)
Oftentimes cooked onions are less acidic and more tolerable. However, if your bladder can't tolerate them or you don't want to risk it, omit the onion.)
Allowed: Bananas, coconuts, dates, blueberries, melons and pears Avoid: All other fruits and juices (especially acidic and citrus fruits) Special note: Avoid cranberry juice. The acid is a strong bladder irritant.
Most people with IC can eat fish and unless you have an allergy to it (fish is a common allergen) chances are you won't have any trouble from your bladder. IC patients with food allergies may find their bladder also seems to react to foods they are allergic to.
Most Bothersome Foods. There are certain items that are more likely to trigger IC/BPS flares: Coffee (caffeinated and decaffeinated), tea (caffeinated and decaffeinated), soda, alcohol, citrus juices, and cranberry juice. Foods and beverages containing artificial sweeteners.
Honey is certainly considered IC friendly when consumed in small amounts. IC patients have shared a variety of experiences after eating honey in general. Most tolerate it quite well according to a discussion in the ICN Support Forum.
The most proven treatment for interstitial cystitis is natural. Pelvic floor physical therapy resolves IC symptoms naturally and gets to the underlying 'why' of symptoms for lasting relief. Natural supplements and remedies have also been tested and proven to help those with IC.
If you have interstitial cystitis, your symptoms may also vary over time, periodically flaring in response to common triggers, such as menstruation, sitting for a long time, stress, exercise and sexual activity.
Berries. Summer is the perfect time for fresh berries. Blueberries are an IC diet staple, because they are usually bladder friendly. Strawberries, blackberries and raspberries all fall into the “foods worth trying” category.
In fact, only banana skins or extremely overripe bananas may have enough tyramine to bother IC bladders. Unlike many other fruits, bananas are fairly low-acid so they make an ideal choice for IC patients to experiment with.
What foods calm the bladder? 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.
Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries have high levels of vitamin C, which can help your bladder stave off bad bacteria. Berries have high water content, so they can also help you flush out your urinary tract system throughout the day to avoid UTIs.
Greek yogurt that is labelled 'contains live cultures', provides beneficial bacteria known as probiotics, which when eaten regularly may support gut health. This is because regular inclusion of fermented foods, including yogurt, appears to increase the microbial diversity of the gut.