Leafy green & root vegetables like kale, spinach, cabbage, sweet potatoes, carrots & cauliflower can be safely eaten with unprocessed meats during IC flare-ups to avoid any further irritation to the bladder.
The best types of potatoes for your bladder are regular russet potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Many IC patients report having the least trouble with rice, potatoes, pasta, vegetables and chicken.
Potatoes, peas, summer squash, winter squash, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, celery, parsnips, rutabaga are just some of the veggies that IC patients can usually enjoy!
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.
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. Avoid: Benzyl alcohol, citric acid, MSG, NutraSweet, saccharin.
Carrots (usually bladder friendly)
While raw carrots can be great for snacking on with an IC friendly vegetable dip or for adding into a salad, there are some delicious recipes full of carrot flavor as well.
Filling, low-fat, nutritious, and mild, rice has long been a bladder-friendly staple in the IC sufferer's diet.
Apples can be IC friendly in certain varieties. Gala, Fuji and pink lady apples, for example, are lower in acid and usually bladder friendly. Definitely try apples in small amounts with caution if you aren't sure what will bother your bladder or not.
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.
Blueberries are one of the safest fruits for IC patients. And mid to late summer is the perfect time to find fresh blueberries. While a bowl of blueberries is a delicious snack, there are lots of IC friendly blueberry recipes that can be a great way to enjoy the fruit as well.
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.
Best of all for those with IC is the fact that this nutritional goldmine is low in acid, bladder-friendly, and low in oxalates.
Carbohydrates and Grains Avoid: rye and sourdough bread. Okay to try: other breads, pasta, potatoes and rice. Meats and Fish Avoid: aged, canned, cured, processed or smoked meats and fish, anchovies, caviar, chicken livers, corned beef, and meats that contain nitrates or nitrites.
Select low fat and fat-free dairy, such as skim milk or 1 percent. Eat low-fat yogurt* without added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
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.
✅ IC friendly: More cooked versus raw fresh vegetables grown above ground (i.e., lettuce, kale, swiss chard, bok choy, bell peppers, celery, green beans, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash).
Recent evidence however, indicates that they may have less tyramine than originally thought. 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.
Exercise can release endorphins, which are like nature's painkillers. Be careful to not place pressure on the bladder as vigorous exercise can backfire and make symptoms worse. Long walks are great. Swimming and water aerobics are terrific because the bladder feels nicely supported when you're in the pool.
Pentosan polysulfate sodium is the only FDA-approved oral medication for interstitial cystitis. The drug binds to the walls of the bladder, helping replace and repair the lining. Symptom improvement can take up to six months, but several studies have shown moderately positive results.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic and painful condition of the bladder. People with IC have a bladder wall that is tender and easily irritated, leading to uncomfortable symptoms. Although IC currently has no cure, the symptoms can be managed to help you feel better and live more comfortably.