How to Avoid Foods That Trigger an Interstitial Cystitis Flare

As someone who was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis (IC) last year, I can state with confidence that IC is among the many misunderstood and mishandled conditions in modern America. People who suffer from IC may experience urinary urgency and/or frequency, pelvic pain or discomfort and other gastrointestinal problems. While most medical professionals contend that a diet low in acidity can help alleviate IC symptoms and prevent flares, there is little to no evidence that supports this speculation. In order to avoid foods that trigger an interstitial cystitis flare, an individual must know and understand her unique body chemistry and makeup, be fully aware of any food allergies, have conducted a thorough elimination diet under the supervision of a licensed medical doctor and have ruled out any other factors that may be confused as a food-induced flare.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Partner with a Holistic or Integrative Medical Doctor

1. Search for holistic doctors or doctors who practice internal medicine. You can conduct searches by using the yellow pages, searching online, checking with your insurance company or asking friends and family. You can also check ads in local health and wellness publications. A holistic doctor is one who considers the entire body-mind-spirit spectrum. Doctors who practice integrative medicine integrate conventional medicine with alternative and complementary modalities.
2. Visit one or more doctors until you find one with whom you are comfortable. You should seek a doctor who is familiar with interstitial cystitis. Make sure that he or she can perform necessary exams and order labs for you.
3. Consult with the doctor of your choice about your IC condition. Do not view your appointment with them as a “one time fix,” or as a visit that will result in you obtaining a list of what not to eat in order to avoid triggering an IC flare. Rather, think about your physician from a long-term perspective. He or she will help you understand your condition and what foods irritate it. This process may take some time.

Get Tested for Food Allergies

4. Tell your doctor that you need to be tested for food allergies. It is entirely possible that the symptoms you experience are largely caused by food allergies. The medical community is somewhat behind in this regard; they do not normally deem urinary frequency, urgency or pelvic pain as symptoms which result from food allergies.
5. Complete your food allergy testing at your doctor’s office or a lab. You should receive a blood test for food allergies. Your doctor can draw the blood at his or her office and send it to the labs. Or, he or she can write an order or referral for lab testing.
6. Review the results with your doctor. You should begin to avoid the foods to which you are allergic immediately. Some patients will be amazed at what results they can experience from this measure alone.

Go on an Elimination Diet under the Supervision of Your Medical Doctor

7. Consult with your doctor about beginning an elimination diet. This visit should take place after your initial visit in which you established a relationship with your doctor, and after your food allergy testing. Your medical doctor should supervise your elimination diet.
8. Develop your specific elimination diet with your physician. Begin by agreeing to eliminate the foods to which you are allergic. Your doctor should tell you which other foods groups to avoid. In my case, I eliminated all dairy, corn, wheat and sugar. I eliminated one food group at a time and was able to systematically discover which food groups I could eat from and not have an IC flare.
9. Follow the elimination diet, per the instructions of your physician. Eliminate food groups and beverages as necessary. Most elimination diets involve a gradual re-introduction of foods once suspected as flare-triggers. Monitor yourself closely during the reintroduction of any food group.

Tips & Warnings

• Using the internet to search for lists of foods that might trigger an IC flare is not an effective method. Moreover, there is no scientific evidence that any specific foods trigger an IC flare. Each person must use food allergy testing, trial and error to determine which trigger a flare. Psychological aspects of the condition must be addressed simultaneously to achieve the best results.