IC Special Report Diet - Interstitial Cystitis Network

ICN special report: DIET 

published by the Interstitial Cystitis Network • volume 1, issue 2 • Summer 2004 

Understanding 

Diet and IC 

How Some Foods 

Make Symptoms Worse 

Patient Reactions 

to Food 

The IC Diet: 

A List of Problem Foods 

Our Five Worst Foods 

Plus An ICN 

Guest Lecture 

by Bev Laumann, 

author of 

“A Taste of the 

Good Life: A 

Cookbook for 

an IC Diet”

ICN special 

report: DIET 

from the editor 

Published by the Interstitial 

Cystitis Network 

Editor: Jill Osborne 

Advertising Sales: 707-538-9442 

e-mail: jill@ic-network.com 

Interstitial Cystitis Network: 

http://www.ic-network.com 

info@ic-network.com 

Administrative Offices: 

4983 Sonoma Highway, Suite L 

Santa Rosa, CA USA 95409 

The cornerstone of most effective IC 

treatment programs begins at home with 

diet modification. IC patients often have 

irritation, inflammation, small petechial 

hemorrhages and, for some, larger Hunner’s 

Ulcers in their bladders. As a result, these 

tender, wounded tissues are vulnerable. 

Would you pour coffee on a skinned knee 

Would you bathe a blister in diet soda or 

tomato sauce Of course not! 

I once talked with a woman who said 

that she had tried “everything” for her IC, 

including undergoing Interstim. When I 

asked her what she was drinking, she confessed 

that she was drinking twelve cans of Ginger Ale a day. I was 

stunned. Can you imagine what that amount of acid was doing to her the 

wounds in her bladder It’s no wonder that she was struggling with pain 

and that she wasn’t responding to therapies. 

The husband of a young IC patient in Finland called our office out of 

desperation. His wife was suffering horribly with pain. She had several 

Hunner’s Ulcers and had recently had a hydrodistention that she hadn’t 

yet recovered from. The pain was out of control. What was she drinking 

each day Four to six cups of coffee a day, as well as a pack of cigarettes. 

She was paying a huge price in greater pain. 

Far more frequently, I talk with patients who confess that they have 

one cup of coffee a day, usually decaf. Yet, the acid in that one cup of coffee 

can create enough irritation and inflammation to cause more IC 

symptoms and, perhaps, counteract some of the new tissue growth and 

healing that may have been occurring. 

It’s not worth it! If you’re struggling with IC symptoms and/or pain, 

your first objective should be to reduce irritation in your bladder, not add 

to it. It takes discipline to follow the IC diet but it can payoff with 

reduced symptoms. We carry several IC friendly foods and beverages in 

our ICN shop that you can also explore!!! 

Sincerely, 

Jill Osborne 

Editor and ICN Founder

contents 

4 Understanding Diet and IC 

by Jill Osborne and Bev Laumann 

4 How Some Foods Make 

IC Symptoms Worse 


6 The IC Diet: A List of Problem Foods 


9 Our Five Worst Foods 


11 ICN Guest Lectures: 

The Role of Diet and IC 

featuring Bev Laumann 

16 The Fish Story 

by Bev Laumann 

18 Sweets for My Sweet 


19 The Vitamin C Vegetables 


Copyright ©2004. Any reproduction is prohibited without prior written permission from 

the ICN. 

The necessary disclaimer: Active and informed IC patients understand that no patient, 

or web site or presentation on a web site should be considered medical advice. We 

strongly encourage you to discuss your medical care and treatments with a trusted 

medical care provider. Only your personal provider can and should give you medical 

advice. 

Opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect 

those of the ICN or its editorial board. The ICN assumes no liability for any material 

published herein. 

ICN SPECIAL REPORT ON DIET • SUMMER 2004 • 3

Understanding 

Diet and IC 


"For almost six 

months, I drank a 

quart of cranberry 

juice every two days. 

Why Because everyone 

said it would help. 

I had no idea that cranberry 

juice was an IC 

trigger. They were 

wrong. It hurt and 

made my IC much 

worse!" 

—J. Osborne 

PATIENTS’ REACTIONS TO FOOD: 

WE’RE ALL ALIKE, BUT 

DIFFERENT 

Though a few people with IC 

have bladders that are not sensitive 

to food, for the overwhelming majority 

of us, what we consume plays a 

significant role in how severe our 

symptoms are. While it’s true that 

some common trigger foods, such as 

coffee or cranberry juice, provoke IC 

symptoms for nearly everyone, it’s 

also true that each of us has a different 

tolerance level for many of the 

trigger foods. For instance, some IC 

patients may comfortably eat a small 

quantity of a specific food, yet if they 

eat more, they will have an IC flare. 

Others, to their great frustration, 

may not be able to tolerate even a 

single bite of that same trigger food 

without suffering increased symptoms. 

Still others may be able to 

consume all they want of that food 

with no trouble at all. This variation 

in our response is why no one can 

create a list of foods to avoid that 

will apply uniformly to absolutely 

everyone with IC. 

IC patients usually spend their 

first six months to a year discovering 

the ways in which their IC food triggers 

are similar to others’, and the 

ways in which their bladder reacts 

differently. They do this either 

through random trial and error, or 

via a systematic approach with an 

elimination diet. We’ve outlined 

here the most common IC triggers as 

well as a variety of elimination diet 

approaches and some IC friendly 

foods. 

HOW SOME FOODS MAKE IC 

SYMPTOMS WORSE 

While it hasn’t been scientifically 

established exactly why the foods on 

the IC diet list cause flares, urologists 

4 • ICN SPECIAL REPORT ON DIET • SUMMER 2004

and IC researchers have proposed 

some credible explanations based on 

what we currently know about the 

foods and about IC. 

If you recall the physiology of IC 

then you understand that IC 

involves mast cells in the bladder. 

These mast cells are not unlike the 

mast cells that line our sinuses and 

give us hay fever symptoms. Many of 

the foods on our IC Diet list are 

quite high in histamine, an irritating 

substance that can provoke mast 

cells. 

Another problem IC patients may 

have is increased nerve sensitivity in 

the bladder. Some of the items on 

the diet list actually stimulate and 

sensitize nerves, and that’s not something 

we want to do to an already 

oversensitive bladder. 

Dr. Lowell Parsons, a renowned 

IC researcher at the University of 

San Diego, has noticed that several 

foods on the list contain large 

amounts of potassium. Because some 

patients’ bladders are known to react 

when potassium salts are instilled in 

the bladder, Dr. Parsons has suggested 

that for those patients, part of the 

problem may be the foods’ potassium. 

Many people have noticed that 

some foods on the IC diet list, particularly 

fruits and tomatoes, contain 

a substantial amount of acid. Food 

acids and their potential effect on IC 

symptoms have been the focus of 

much discussion over the years. 

While we don’t have any concrete 

answers yet to questions of why these 

foods bother IC patients, IC 

researchers do know that certain 

explanations for the acid food effect 

are not credible. 

Sometimes referred to “pseudo-science”, 

the myths explaining the acid 

food effect may sound plausible, but 

are not founded on known medical 

facts or unbiased scientific evidence. 

Typically these myths are touted by 

someone trying to sell IC patients 

something. 

The pseudo-scientific food myth 

IC patients run into most often on 

the internet is the one that claims 

that IC urine (or the IC body in general) 

is too acidic and if it was alkaline, 

the patient wouldn't suffer. 

Acid foods, it says, bother the bladder 

because they make the body 

chemistry, and thus the urine, more 

acid. In truth, the effect of wellknown 

urinary alkalinizers such as 

PolyCitra is not universal among IC 

patients. Some patients say it makes 

their IC better, others tell their doctors 

it actually makes their IC worse. 

What’s more, some acid foods make 

the urine acid while others actually 

turn it alkaline. Drink a lot of cranberry 

juice and your urine will reliably 

turn acid, and if you’re an IC 

patient, your IC will flare up. Do the 

same with orange juice and your 

urine will become alkaline. But even 

though your urine is alkaline, you’ll 

probably have quite an IC flare-up! 

Why does one acidic food turn the 

urine acid and the other turn it alkaline 

Because each substance is utilized 

by the body differently. 

There are a variety of lists floating around the 

IC community which document some of 

the diverse IC food irritants. 


The IC Diet: A List of Problem Foods 

There are a variety of lists 

floating around the IC community 

which document 

some of the diverse IC food irritants. 

Many lists are similar, yet not identical. 

Whether or not a particular food 

is listed is sometimes a matter of the 

beliefs, priorities, or personal experience 

of the author(s). 

The problem foods we’ve listed 

below are the most common ones 

that thousands of IC patients have 

reported trouble with. Your goal is to 

determine IF these foods irritate you, 

perhaps by using an elimination diet! 

If you are like most, you’ll probably 

be able to eat a few of the foods listed 

as “problematic”. You also might 

have to avoid a few others listed as 

“okay”. Remember, this list is only a 

rough guide. Be prepared to be creative 

with your meals and in your 

kitchen! 

Please note: About 15% of 

women with IC also have vulvar 

pain (vulvodynia). Some of the 

foods in the “May Be Okay” column 

have high levels of oxalates, which 

women with vulvodynia react to. 

Those who don’t have vulvodynia 

typically don’t react to the oxalates, 

so they may have a much easier time 

getting away with foods in the “May 

Be Okay” column. 

Usually OK May Be OK Usually Problematic 

Beverages 

chamomile tea 

Evian® water 

Gerber® pear juice 

milk 

mint tea 

alfalfa tea 

bottled water 

coffee substitutes 

low acid decaf coffee 

low acid juices 

gin 

rice milk 

root beer w/ ice 

rum 

tap water 

vodka 

beer 

carbonated water 

chocolate milk 

citrus juices 

cranberry juice 

herb teas w/rose hips 

most fruit juices 

regular coffee 

sodas 

soy milk 

tea 

wines 

Grain 

Products 

buckwheat 

corn bread 

couscous 

matzo 

millet 

oat bread 

pasta 

pitas 

potato bread 

quinoa 

rice 

spelt 

white bread 

amaranth 

grits 

oatmeal 

rye bread 

sourdough bread 

some graham crackers w/o 

problem ingredients 

whole wheat bread 

bread or cereal 

w/preservatives 

soy flour 

Fats 

and 

Nuts 

butter 

canola oil 

coconut w/o preservatives 

coconut oil 

corn oil 

margarine 

olive oil 

peanut oil 

safflower oil 

sesame oil 

shortening 

soy oil 

almonds 

cashews 

tahini 

sunflower 

seeds 

filberts 

hazelnuts 

macadamia nuts 

mayonnaise 

most salad dressings 

peanuts 

pecans 

pistachio nuts 

English and black walnuts 



Soups 

homemade soups 

from ok meats 

and vegetables 

Health Valley® chicken broth 

some canned soups 

w/o problem ingredients 

bouillon cubes 

bouillon powder 

most packaged and canned 

soups 

Meat, 

Fish 

and 

Poultry 

beef 

chicken 

eggs 

fish 

lamb 

liver (beef or chicken) 

pork 

shellfish 

shrimp 

turkey 

veal 

anchovies 

bacon 

Canadian bacon 

caviar 

corned beef 

liverwurst 

prosciutto 

some sausages w/o problem 

ingredients 

bologna 

ham 

hot dogs 

most sausage 

pepperoni 

salami 

smoked fish 

Cheeses 

and 

Other 

Dairy 

cream cheese 

cottage cheese 

feta 

mozzarella 

ricotta 

string cheeses 

whipped cream 

vanilla ice cream 

buttermilk 

canned Parmesan 

Cool Whip® 

Monterey jack 

some sherbets 

some frozen yogurt 

Rice Dream® 

aged cheeses 

blue cheese 

brie 

brick parmesan 

camembert 

cheddar 

edam 

emmenthaler 

gruyer 

hard jack 

roquefort 

sorbet 

soy milk 

soy cheese 

sour cream 

stilton 

swiss 

yogurt 

Vegetables 

and 

Dried 

Beans 

broccoli 

brussels sprouts 

cabbage 

carrots 

cauliflower 

chives 

collard greens 

corn 

cucumber 

kale 

lentils 

lettuce 

mustard greens 

mushrooms 

most dried beans 

okra 

parsley 

peas 

potatoes 

pumpkin 

radishes 

snow peas 

split peas 

summer squash 

turnips 

winter squash 

yams 

zucchini 

avocado 

beets 

chicory 

cooked bulb onions 

cooked leeks 

dandelion greens 

eggplant 

low acid tomatoes 

purslane 

raw green onions 

rhubarb 

rutabagas 

swiss chard 

spinach 

turnip greens 

watercress 

chili peppers 

fava beans 

lima beans 

pickles 

raw bulb onions 

sauerkraut 

soy beans (edamame) 

tomato 

tomato sauces 

tomato juice 

tofu 


Fruits 


dates w/o preservatives 

coconut w/o preservatives 

pears 

bananas 

blueberries 

brown raisins 

cherimoya 

citrus peels 

crenshaw melon 

dried currants 

Gala apples 

honeydew 

mango (small amt) 

maraschino 

cherries 

rhubarb 

watermelon 

apricots 

all citrus fruit 

cantaloupe 

cherries 

dried fruit w/ preservatives 

peaches 

most plums 

most dried figs 

golden raisins 

grapes 

guava 

kiwi fruit 

most berries 

passion fruit 

papaya 

persimmon 

pineapple 

starfruit 

Desserts 

and 

Sweets 

brown sugar 

carob 

carrot cake 

creme brulee 

custards 

divinity 

homemade pound cake 

homemade white and yellow 

cakes 

homemade vanilla frosting 

homemade caramel frosting 

honey 

licorice 

maple syrup 

pear pastries 

sugar 

sugar cookies 

tapioca 

vanilla ice cream 

vanilla pudding 

banana bread 

blueberry pastries 

caramel candies 

peppermint ice cream 

plain pastries w/ almonds 

plain cheesecakes 

some frozen yogurt 

some hard candies w/o 

acids 

some popsicles 

Splenda® (sucralose) 

stevia 

white chocolate 

acesulfame K 

aspartame 

catsup 

chocolate 

coffee ice cream 

desserts w/ problem nuts 

mustard 

pastries w/ problem fruits 

pecan pie 

sorbets 

store-bought 

fruitcakes 

mincemeat pie 

Nutrasweet® 

saccharine 

Seasonings 

and 

Additives 

allspice 

almond extract 

anise 

basil 

caraway seed 

coriander 

dill 

fennel 

garlic 

mace 

marjoram 

oregano 

poppy seed 

rosemary 

sage 

salt 

thyme 

tarragon 

vanilla extract 

black pepper 

celery seed 

cilantro 

cinnamon 

cumin (small amt) 

dried parsley 

dried chervil 

ginger 

lemon extract 

malt powder 

nutmeg 

onion powder 

orange extract 

turmeric 

ascorbic acid 

autolyzed yeast 

BHA and BHT 

benzoates 

caffeine 

cayenne 

cloves 

chili powder 

citric acid 

hot curry powder 

hydrolyzed protein 

meat tenderizers 

miso 

oleoresin paprika 

paprika 

red pepper 

soy sauce 

tamari 

vinegar 

worcestershire sauce 

MSG (monosodium glutamate) 

metabisulfites 

sulfites 


Our Five Worst Foods 

These foods win our vote as the 

biggest misery makers for people 

with IC! These are the 

foods we hear about from IC patients 

all the time. Of course just because 

they cause trouble for so many others, 

that doesn’t guarantee they’ll 

make you miserable too. But if you 

do eat these, watch out! Be sure to 

pay close attention to how you feel 

afterwards. If you feel worse, then 

there is a good chance that this is a 

trigger food for you. Information is 

power. Whenever possible, talk with 

other patients and compare your 

trigger foods. They may help you discover 

some hidden triggers in your 

own diet. 

#1: Cranberry juice 

Otherwise known as the ACID 

BOMB when it hits, cranberry juice 

may be the biggest 

bladder irritant in an 

IC patient’s diet. It's 

often recommended 

for consumption during 

urinary tract 

infections because it 

is believed to have 

substances in it that 

help keep bacteria 

from sticking to the 

bladder wall. (If they 

can't stick, they can't 

infect. They just get 

flushed out). But 

cranberry juice can 

be difficult for an IC 

bladder to tolerate. If 

you have to have it, 

try diluting it by half 

or more! 

#2: Coffee 

Yes, we know that “lattes” and 

other coffee products are all the rage 

these days. However, in a sensitive 

bladder, the caffeine and tannins in 

coffee have little competition for 

causing intense irritation. Some people 

can tolerate low-acid decaf coffees, 

while others try (less caffeinated) 

teas. But for the most sensitive 

IC patient, by far the safest option 

for a hot drink in the morning is hot 

water and honey. 

#3: Carbonated beverages 

Whether it be plain carbonated 

Perrier water or flavored sodas, IC 

patients often complain about their 

effects on the bladder. The biggest 

problem appears to be the acid, 

though most flavored sodas also have 

big doses of caffeine.The most difficult 

carbonated beverage for an IC 

bladder to tolerate appears to be diet 

cola. Diet colas are a quadruple 

whammy of acidic carbonation, citric 

and other acids, caffeine, and 

artificial sweeteners—four wellknown 

bladder irritants. Taken all at 

once it can be an IC bladder’s nightmare! 

If you must have a soda, try a 

non-diet, usually non-caffeinated, 

root beer—and load the cup with 

plenty of ice to dilute 

it! 

Low 

acid tomatoes may be 

good substitutes for 

some people. A Taste 

of the Good Life: A 

Cookbook for an 

Interstitial Cystitis 

Diet, has a lengthy list 

of lower-acid tomato 

#4: Tomatoes 

They’re found in so 

many foods these days, 

tomatoes and tomato 

products are darn hard 

to avoid. Though we 

think of them as mild 

mannered vegetables, 

those tempting red 

globes are really a very 

acidic fruit. A few IC 

patients can tolerate 

tomato sauces on pizzas 

and pasta, but most 

cannot. 

varieties you can grow at home! 

#5: Tobacco 

Ok, we admit it, we cheated to 

get this one on the list... tobacco 

isn’t really a food. But it does have 

some significant effects on an IC 

bladder. For one, it acts to constrict 

the bladder’s blood vessels, interfering 

with the body’s natural way of 

washing out inflammatory substances 

from the bladder tissues. Veteran IC 

patients prefer less pain rather than 

more. Is that cigarette worth a night 

and day of pain 

Otherwise known as 

the ACID BOMB when 

it hits, cranberry juice 

may be the biggest 

bladder irritant in an 

IC patient’s diet. 


THE TWO HARDEST FOODS 

TO GIVE UP 

As a support group leader, every 

once in a while I encounter an IC 

patient who, despite their horrible, 

continuous pain, insists on drinking 

coffee and/or eating chocolate bars. 

Coffee and chocolate are 

among the most common 

comfort foods. We 

depend on these to wake 

up, soothe our bad mood, 

or just give us a cheerful 

lift. In addition to caffeine, 

these both have a load of 

substances any one of which 

can potentially affect an IC 

bladder. 

For me, as an IC patient, it was a 

choice between pain and frequency 

or coffee. I chose not to be in pain. 

But, still, some coffee addicts insist 

that they can drink coffee and not 

experience discomfort. I say, PROVE 

IT! 

Coffee and chocolate 

are among the most 

common comfort foods. 

We depend on these 

to wake up, soothe our 

bad mood, or just give 

us a cheerful lift. 

TAKING A PRO-ACTIVE ROLE 

IN YOUR DIET 

As a support group leader, I sometimes 

talk to patients who won’t take 

the time to explore the connection 

between pain and diet. I don’t understand 

why. If I am eating something 

which is flaring my bladder, my 

pain requires that I stop. It’s an 

easy choice... and, yes, 

even chocolate isn’t 

worth it. If you want to 

TAKE CHARGE of your 

IC flares, your first step may be 

exploring the world of dietary 

triggers and IC. 

Information is 

power. Whenever possible, 

talk with other 

patients about their forbidden foods. 

The best approach is to TAKE 

ACTION and keep a food diary. 

Your starting list should include 

those foods which you suspect 

inflame and irritate your bladder. 

Then, as you eat suspect food, keep 

track of how you feel afterwards. Is 

your frequency and pain increased If 

it is, place it on your forbidden list 

and avoid it for a while. 

Another approach that IC 

patients with determination take is 

to try an elimination diet. By avoiding 

foods which you suspect are triggers 

for awhile, you can then reintroduce 

suspected foods one at a 

time, and honestly assess whether it 

causes your symptoms to worsen. If 

you feel fine, with no increase in 

symptoms, you may be able to return 

this food to your diet in moderate 

quantities. If it causes pain, definitely 

avoid it! 

SUGGESTED READING 

A Taste of the Good Life: A 

Cookbook for an IC Diet by Bev 

Laumann. Currently available in the 

ICN Shop! 

The Best Guide to Allergy, 

Consumers Union Edition (by A. 

Giannin, N.D. Schultz, T.T. Chang 

& D.C. Wong) has an outstanding 

and comprehensive listing of food 

allergies, food groups & a variety of 

elimination diets. 

The only way to know if coffee, 

chocolate, (or any other comfort 

food) bothers your bladder is to do 

your own research! How Complete 

a voiding diary for a few days, WITH 

COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE, in 

your diet. Then, keep the same diary 

and avoid drinking and/or eating 

either for a week! 

If your voiding diary shows that 

you urinate less and/or are in less 

pain when you’re not consuming 

them, then they are clearly irritating 

you! Do you need any more evidence 

than that 


ICN Guest Lectures: 

The Role of Diet and IC 

Featuring Bev Laumann 

Author of A Taste of the Good Life: A Cookbook for an IC Diet 

Event date: June 29, 2004 

Founded in 1999, the ICN Guest Lecture 

series brings the world’s best researchers, 

doctors and advocates for IC directly to the 

homes and offices of patients in need. This 

lecture was sponsored by Akpharma, makers 

of Prelief (http://www.prelief.com), and 

AstraTech, makers of the Lo-Fric® Catheter 

(http://www.astratech.com) 

Tonight we welcome Bev 

Laumann, author of A Taste of 

the Good Life: A Cookbook for 

an IC Diet. Bev is one of the most talented, 

educated and enthusiastic IC 

experts in the country today. She is a 

former IC support group leader in 

Orange County, California. In addition, 

she has written what is, by far, the 

most popular IC book today. 

In “A Taste of the Good Life” she 

answers many of the questions that 

we all face in handling diet and IC. 

She has written dozens of columns on 

the IC network in her “Fresh Tastes” 

series that are designed to give you IC 

friendly food and meal ideas. Bev is 

also a consummate researcher. She 

has worked, and continues to work, 

with a number of researchers around 

the country in various food/diet related 

issues.Welcome Bev!!! 

Thank you very much. I’m glad to 

be here. 

Is diet important to IC patients 

Most people who have IC find 

that changes in their daily diet make 

a profound difference in their bladder 

symptoms. Of more than 550 IC 

patients responding to a recent 

online survey conducted by the ICA, 

84% of those who had tried the IC 

diet said that it helped reduce their 

symptoms. How did those patients 

find out about the diet Almost half 

of the survey respondents found out 

about it not from their doctors but 

from other sources such as fellow IC 

patients, support groups, or web sites. 

Historically, the IC diet is not something 

doctors came up with. It's a 

discovery that thousands of patients 

made over the years and shared with 

each other. 

So, while we now can ace out 

which foods tend to be troublemakers, 

little is known scientifically 

about how and why they cause us 

misery. Various doctors and organizations 

offer slightly different versions 

of the diet but the most reliable ones 

to start out with are those offered 

here on the IC Network and at the 

ICA’s website. Because no two people 

are alike, no two diets will be 

exactly alike. So, regardless of which 

diet version you start with, over time 

you will learn to customize it to suit 

your body. 

How should a patient approach 

the diet 

For newly diagnosed patients the 

idea that I like the most is a threestep 

process that confirms whether 

your bladder is affected by diet, identifies 

the major problems, then finetunes 

the diet to your needs. Here’s 

what you do: 

(1) Keep track of your symptoms, 

rating them on a scale of 1-10. 

(2) Begin a very restricted diet 

that includes only relatively safe 

foods such as Evian water, carrots, 

lettuce, rice, and cooked chicken. 

You can have all you want of these 

foods... but no seasonings, no butter, 

nothing else!!!! Continue rating your 

symptoms while you stick to this 

stringent diet about THREE days. A 

person can’t survive on just these 

foods. We need as broad a diet as 

possible to insure good nutrition so 

you have to expand your diet by 

adding foods as quickly as possible. If 

you are diet sensitive, your symptoms 

should begin to wane by the third 


day of the strict diet. Gradually add 

foods to your diet while watching 

your symptom level. 

(3) Try a new food every two days. 

If you get no reaction, try another 

food. If your bladder reacts, let it 

calm down before you add another 

food. Start with foods that are not 

listed on the IC diet as “problematic.” 

Test the problem foods LAST... 

after you already have a diverse diet. 

This technique is what doctors call 

an elimination diet. For more information 

on how to do this safely, take 

a look at the IC Networks’ patient 

handbook which has a chapter on 

elimination diets. With an elimination 

diet... it may take a while to sort 

out what you can eat, but be patient. 

In the end, you will have an IC diet 

customized just for you. 

What are the most common IC 

diet pitfalls 

By far the biggest pitfall we need 

to avoid when manipulating our diet 

is jumping to conclusions. When you 

try a food, make sure you are trying 

just the food—not the food and also 

preservatives, spices, or other substances. 

Test foods in their purest 

forms. If you want to test pears, for 

instance, eat a fresh pear. Do not 

test pears by eating pear bread, pear 

jelly or other foods that contain 

pears. 

Be aware, too, that not all ingredients 

in prepared food have to be on 

the label. Have you ever wondered 

why milk stays homogenized rather 

than separating Milk has emulsifiers 

in it that keep the 

cream from rising to the 

top. Those emulsifiers 

are not required to 

be listed on the 

label. Federal law 

has many loopholes 

and peculiarities like 

that. 

What are the high-risk foods 

The foods IC patient bladders 

react to typically fall into one of four 

categories: 

Be aware, too, 

that not all 

ingredients in 

prepared food 

have to be 

on the label. 

(1) Nerve stimulants 

(2) Foods that taste acidic 

(3) Foods that have high levels of 

potassium 

(4) Foods that the patient may 

be allergic to 

The worst foods are those that fall 

into more than one category such as 

coffee. Coffee has caffeine, a nerve 

stimulant. It also has several strong 

acids. The same came be said of tea 

and soft drinks. Other nerve stimulants 

that are big problems are aspartame 

and monosodium glutamate 

(MSG). Fruit and fruit juice is 

another big problem 

for us. 

Food acids come in 

two types: (1) acids 

that the body uses up 

and (2) acids that the 

body doesn’t use. The 

acids it uses, such as citric 

acid, are changed and become 

part of other chemicals rather than 

going into the urine and turning it 

acidic. The food acids that the body 

doesn’t use, however, just go directly 

into the urine and can turn the urine 

acidic. But, for us, it doesn’t matter 

whether the food makes our urine 

acid or not. The important tell tale 

indicator is whether or not the food 

tastes acid. Take orange juice and 

cranberry juice, for instance. Both 

are notorious for causing bladder 

pain, but cranberry juice will turn 

the urine acidic and orange juice will 

do just the opposite... it will turn the 

urine alkaline. 

To go back to the nerve stimulants, 

let’s look at MSG. It is naturally 

occurring in lima beans. Lima 

beans are often a problem for IC 

patients. MSG also occurs as a result 

of processing in such substances as 

hydrolyzed protein, soy sauce, and 

autolyzed yeast. Caffeine, another 

nerve stimulant, is also found in 

chocolate and is found in maté and 

guarana. Those last two are now 

being added to beverages without 

any warning about the caffeine they 

contain. So, you would be foolish to 

try some of the new drinks that come 

with a lot of extra herbs in it. 


Start with foods that are 

not listed on the IC diet 

as “problematic." Test 

the problem foods 

LAST... after you 

already have a diverse 

diet. This technique is 

what doctors call an 

elimination diet. 

Are there any IC Friendly 

Beverages 

Water, of course, is the most IC 

friendly beverage available. Evian 

water has a very good reputation 

with IC patients. It is not acidic and 

has a little natural sodium bicarbonate, 

which neutralizes a little bit of 

stomach acid. Another choice would 

be milk, unless you’re 

allergic to it. I also 

wrote a column on 

the many brands of 

bottled water that 

you can also read to 

compare the different 

types of water available. 

A few select herb 

teas are mint and 

chamomile. Spearmint is milder than 

peppermint and if you drink a lot of 

it, it would be better accepted by 

your intestinal tract. Chamomile is 

soothing. Another choice that some 

IC patients find helpful for their 

bladder is Marshmallow Root Tea. 

If you’re looking for something 

that has a coffee flavor, consider trying 

first Teeccino Herbal Coffees. 

These are carob based and have no 

caffeine... and come in a number of 

flavors. They are in the ICN shop if 

you want to look at the ingredients, 

etc. We can talk about coffees for 

hours and I do want to cover other 

things so check out the columns that 

I’ve written on the ICN “Fresh 

Tastes” column series for more information. 

Hot water and honey, though it 

sounds bland, rarely irritates the 

bladder and is easy to drink especially 

when out at a restaurant, etc. etc. 

Another choice for something to 

drink, particularly if you’re sick with 

a cold is Pacific Brand Free Range 

Chicken Broth. If you can find it, it 

comes in little individual one-cup 

servings that you can heat up. It 

makes a delicious warm cup in cold 

weather and has no MSG unlike 

most brands of chicken broth. 

For a summer drink, you might 

like the Davidson’s Children’s Tea 

chilled over ice or, iced pear juice. 

The Children’s tea (made by 

Davidson’s) has only chamomile and 

hibiscus. It’s very fruity, but not bitter 

or acid. It smells almost like fruit 

punch. Cold pear juice is probably 

your best choice on a hot summer 

day if you’re looking for a fruit drink. 

Jill and I were just comparing the 

fruit juices that we each can drink 

and it proves just how individual our 

IC diets can be. I, for 

example, can drink 

blueberry juice, but it 

bothers Jill’s bladder. 

Jill can drink pineapple 

juice, but it bothers 

my bladder. This 

is why that elimination 

diet that I 

talked about earlier is 

so important. You 

will find foods that you can tolerate 

easily, but you've got to try them 

carefully. 

Are eggs IC friendly 

Eggs and high protein foods, in 

general, will turn your urine acid but 

we’ve always said that that doesn’t 

seem to matter. However, the egg 

white is very alkaline even though it 

has protein in it, which can turn 

your urine acid. In general, eggs are a 


good source of protein and mild for 

the bladder. Unless you are very 

allergic to eggs, it shouldn’t be a 

problem. 

It’s summer and we want our 

salad dressings. What IC friendly 

ideas do you have 

Here are several ideas to try. Some 

may work for you, and some may 

not. 

#1. Avoid salad dressings with any 

preservatives or chemicals. Newman’s 

Own Oil & Vinegar dressing is pretty 

mild and you may be able to get 

away with it. 

#2. If that’s too acid, here’s another 

idea to try: Sprinkle dried herbs 

over a damp salad and toss. You’ll get 

the flavor without the vinegar. Herbs 

like basil, parsley, oregano, marjoram, 

garlic powder would be worth 

trying. 

#3. Flavored oils are another great 

alternative, such as basil or garlic flavored 

olive oils. Just stay away from 

the chili or pepper flavored oils. 

#4. Mayonnaise and mayonnaise 

type salad dressings are good for 

some people but not others. It's very 

individual. 

Are all soda pops bad for you 

They all are very acid. They all 

contain citric and phosphoric acid 

and some contain caffeine also. In 

addition, canned soft drinks usually 

contain sodium benzoate or potassium 

benzoate as a preservative. The 

potassium benzoate will not only 

become acid in your stomach but it 

will also supply potassium, which 

may stimulate pain-conducting 

nerves. This is why foods that are 

high in potassium can trigger some 

problems. Other high potassium 

foods include: orange juice and 

bananas. If you have to have a soda 

while you’re out try a root beer 

because it doesn’t usually contain 

caffeine. And, if it’s on tap as 

opposed to being in a can, it may not 

have preservatives either. 

Are bananas IC friendly 

Although bananas are high in potassium, 

they are not acidic. So, if you 

are not very potassium sensitive, you 

may be able to get away with 

bananas. A banana, in fact, is a good 

test for potassium sensitivity because 

they are the food that contains the 

most potassium. Potatoes would not 

be a problem. Most IC patients eat 

lots of potatoes without a problem. 

The level of potassium is nowhere 

near the potassium in a banana, for 

example. 

Can some alcoholic beverages, 

like white wine, be taken in moderation 

without hurting the bladder 

White wine has less histamine 

than red wine... but both have 

enough histamine to bother IC bladders. 

It just depends on how sensitive 

your bladder is to both the acid and 

the histamine in wines. 

Unfortunately, the wines that are 

the most acidic have the least histamine 

and vice versa. If you want to 

try a wine, try a white wine (like a 

chardonnay) rather than a red wine. 

Is it Safe 

Don’t feel bad about putting ice in 

your wine to dilute it. You’ll still get 

the flavor, but you just don’t look 

cool! 

Do you encounter patients who 

say that diet doesn’t make a difference 

in their symptoms 

Yes, there are people who can 

seemingly eat anything without a 

change in their symptoms. They 

tend to be very severe cases or very 

mild cases. For those who are newly 

diagnosed and are in severe pain 

they may not notice that their symptoms 

are fluctuating. Therefore, they 

may not notice, at first, the effect 

that diet would have. But, after 

they've been on a treatment for a 

while, and their symptoms become 

better, then they will notice the difference 

that diet makes. For the people 

who have very mild cases, often 

treatment does so well at controlling 

their symptoms that they simply do 

not pay attention to the little ups 

and downs that diet makes. 

Why won’t a product that reduces 

stomach acid help reduce bladder 

acid 

It depends upon what it is and 

how it reduces the stomach acid. 

Many stomach acid reducers DO 

help IC. Prelief neutralizes stomach 

acid, as does Tums or baking soda in 

some water and even Zantac and 

Tagamet may also help IC bladders. 

What’s the difference between a 

sensitivity and an allergy 

An allergy is mediated by a substance 

called IgE and sensitivity is 

not. A true allergy can be tested for 

at an allergist’s office. You may or 


may not react with your bladder to 

foods that you have a confirmed 

allergy to. Most patients probably 

have a sensitivity rather than an 

allergy. 

Do you have any suggestions for 

patients who are thinking about seeing 

a nutritionist 

Anyone can call himself or herself 

a nutritionist, but what we need to 

see is a registered dietitian. The 

American Dietetic Association has 

an 800 number and they can refer 

you to a dietician in your area. 

Dieticians are licensed and after you 

explain to them what foods you cannot 

eat without experiencing discomfort, 

they can work with you to 

find alternatives that will give you a 

balanced diet. 

I have IC and IBS...are there certain 

foods that I should stay away 

from for both of these conditions 

And are there certain foods that are 

safe for both of these conditions 

Caffeine is bad for both conditions. 

Anything that is a nerve stimulant 

is going to be bad for both conditions 

including aspartame, 

Nutrasweet, and MSG. Two things 

that are not necessarily bad for an IC 

bladder but will cause a flare for IBS 

are high fructose corn syrup and sorbitol. 

The International Foundation 

for Functional Gastrointestinal 

Disorders (IFFGD) has identified 

these as two of the most problematic 

food substances. Just how they cause 

a problem is unclear 

How about foods that can help 

keep our bowels together without 

irritating our IBS or IC 

Suggestions for high fiber foods 

Constipation is a problem for 

most IC patients whether or not they 

have IBS because many of the meds 

used to treat IC are constipating. 

There are several foods that are fairly 

bladder safe and will help out with 

the constipation, including: oatmeal, 

whole wheat bread, Ezekiel 

Breads (are very high in fiber and, 

because they aren’t processed and 

have no preservatives, seem to be 

favorites for many IC patients), 

cooked and fresh vegetables, and salads. 

Is chocolate safe 

Chocolate has histamines that 

will affect the mast cells in the bladder. 

It also has caffeine, acids and 

lots of substances to irritate the bladder 

when it’s in urine. If you have to 

try chocolate and just can’t stand it, 

try very expensive dark chocolate. 

Stay away from cheap supermarket 

candy bars. The cheaper chocolate 

seems to be more irritating perhaps 

due to the way it’s refined and/or it 

could be additives and/or preservatives. 

Personally, I can get away with 

Godiva chocolate a whole lot better 

than Hershey’s. Some people can get 

away with white chocolate but not 

the brown chocolate. Also, don’t forget 

carob which is not the world’s 

greatest substitute but it can do in a 

pinch and is safer than chocolate for 

the bladder. 

Now Available in the ICN Shop at: 

http://www.ic-network.com/shop/ 

or by calling (707) 433-0413 

• ”A Taste of the Good Life: A Cookbook for an IC Diet” 


• Organic Chamomile & Organic Peppermint Teas 

• Teeccino Brand Herbal Coffees 

• Golden Orchards Creamed Honeys 

• RW Knudson Organic Pear Juice 

• Sunridge Farms Carob Almonds, Raisins & Maltballs 

• A Perfect Pears Cinnamon Pear Jelly, Pear & Fig Jam, Cinnamon 

Pear Maple Syrup & More! 

Is sodium and salt a bladder irritant 

In general, IC patients don't have 

a problem with salty foods. However, 

since we’re all different, if you think 

that salt may be an issue for you try 

and test it out first. Moderation in 

everything is recognized as a healthy 

lifestyle. So, mild to moderate 

amount of salt may be fine, but 

heavy use may cause other issues 

such as high blood pressure, etc. 

Where can I get a complete list of 

the IC diet 

In my book! That’s a great question. 

In A Taste of the Good Life... 

I have extensive lists of IC foods that 

will help you learn the safe versus 

risky foods. You can buy that from 

the IC Network Shop. 

Is homemade better than readymade 

Yes, simply because it doesn’t have 

the additives. 

Is smoking also bad for the bladder 

Yes, because one of the things that 

it does is constrict blood vessels 

thereby cutting off blood supply to 

the bladder. Smoking is the #1 cause 

of bladder cancer. Just think about... 

all of the chemicals from tobacco sitting 

in your bladder for hours.... its a 

risky chemical stew... and it would be 

far better to quit smoking. You think 

IC is bad Bladder cancer is far 

worse! 

Active and informed IC patients 

understand implicitly that no patient, or 

website or presentation on a web site 

should be considered medical advice. 

We strongly encourage you to discuss 

your medical care and treatments with a 

trusted medical care provider. Only 

your personal provider can and should 

give you medical advice. The opinions 

expressed by our speaker may not represent 

the opinions of the IC Network. 

© 2004, The IC Network, All 

Rights Reserved. 

This transcript is copyright protected 

and may not be reproduced or distributed 

without written consent from the 

Interstitial Cystitis Network. For information, 

please contact the ICN at 

(707) 538-9442. 


The Fish Story 


Low in fat, high in Omega-3 

fatty acids that protect the 

heart and arteries...nutrition 

experts recommend serving 

fish at least twice a week! 

There’s no doubt that eating 

fish is a healthy habit, and in 

recent years it has become 

more popular too. Fish is not only 

lower in fat than beef or poultry, but 

it is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, 

a fact that no doubt has led to its 

popularity. Omega-3 fatty acids are 

substances that research suggests may 

protect the heart and arteries. 

Nutrition experts recommend eating 

some form of seafood at least twice a 

week. 

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. 

FISH ALLERGY 

So how do you know if you’re 

allergic to fish Just because you 

don’t break out in a rash or start 

sneezing when you eat a particular 

food, doesn’t mean you aren’t allergic 

to it. An allergist can test you for 

food allergies. Several kinds of tests 

are available including a skin-prick 

test, a blood test, or a challenge test 

(where you eat the food and watch 

for symptoms). You may have to 

hunt around to find an allergist who 

does blood-based food allergy testing. 

Many do not. One kind of blood test 

for food allergy may be called a 

RAST test or an ELISA test. One 

manufacturer of such a test, US 

Biotek, has an informative web site 

you may find interesting 

(www.usbiotek.com). 

One lady who had had IC for several 

years was clued in to the possibility 

of food allergies when she 

noticed that she had a runny nose 

quite often during dinner. Another 

IC patient who was recently tested, 

was surprised when her doctor told 

her she had food allergies. She didn’t 

sneeze or break out in an obvious 

rash in response to any food. But 

when she eliminated the allergenic 

foods from her diet, her IC improved. 

If your bladder seems to react to 

fish (and it may be a delayed-type 

reaction where the symptoms come 

on 12 to 24 hours after eating fish), 

you might also consider the possibility 

that you are reacting to preservatives, 

not the fish itself. Sulfites and 

phosphates are sometimes used as a 

dip to preserve seafood. (You may 

not taste sulfites, but if they've used 

too much phosphate dip the fish may 

taste “soapy”.) Sulfites are known to 

be especially allergenic. Try preservative-free 

fish from a natural foods 

store, or fish you catch yourself. 

When buying fish, be sure it is 

fresh, not old. Fish shouldn’t have a 

strong “fishy” odor. That’s a sure sign 

that the fish is decomposing. Be sure 

that you buy from a reputable dealer 

too, one who does not sell fish 

caught in contaminated waters. If fat 

content is important to you, remember 

that fish that is white or lightcolored 

(orange roughy, perch, snapper, 

or sole) is leaner than fish that is 

darker in color (Atlantic salmon, 

tuna, or mackerel). 

SPECIES TO KEEP AN EYE ON 

A few alarming studies over the 

last several years have shown that 

some Americans are consuming too 

much mercury. And despite being 

otherwise a very healthy food choice, 

a few fish species have routinely 

been found to contain dangerously 

high levels of mercury. Other species 


found in supermarkets may have 

high levels of PCB’s (polychlorinated 

biphenyls)—an industrial chemical 

whose use has been banned, though 

it persists in the environment. 

Mercury, a toxic metal that can 

cause permanent nervous system 

damage, is particularly harmful for 

pregnant women and children. PCB’s 

have long been suspected of causing 

cancer and compromised immune 

systems. Certain fish species absorb 

these dangerous chemicals because 

the food they eat is laden with it. As 

big fish eat small fish and then are in 

turn eaten by bigger fish, toxic substances 

become concentrated. These 

harmful chemicals are the most concentrated 

in species of large fish at 

the top of the food chain—swordfish 

and tuna for instance. Because IC 

has aspects of immune system 

involvement as well as involvement 

of the central nervous system, we'd 

be well advised to keep tabs on our 

intake of these fish. Who needs to 

add any more fuel to the fire 

The federal government advises 

that sensitive populations avoid 

these species altogether, because they 

are very high in mercury: swordfish, 

shark, king mackerel, and tilefish 

(which is sometimes called “golden 

snapper” or “golden bass” in stores 

and restaurants). Farmed salmon and 

catfish may have high levels of 

PCB's. Although there is some disagreement 

over the situation with 

tuna steaks and canned tuna, many 

toxicology experts think one should 

limit the intake of these. Michael 

Bender, director of the non-profit 

Mercury Policy Project, was quoted 

in the Wall Street Journal in 

September 2003 as saying, “Based on 

the data, yeah, we think that tuna 

steaks and sushi should be in the ‘do 

not eat’ category for pregnant 

women and kids.” 

SAFER SPECIES 

The following species are both 

low in toxins and a good source of 

protein and omega-3’s: oysters, 

clams, scallops, shrimp, cod, tilapia, 

perch, flounder, sole, wild salmon, 

and farm-raised rainbow trout, 

among others. With all the debate 

over fish safety you might be tempted 

to pop a few fish oil supplement 

pills, or reel in your own fish. 

Fish oil may not be a good idea 

because PCB’s reside in the fats and 

oils of fish. With unregulated dietary 

supplements, you have no way of 

knowing what kind of fish was used 

in the manufacture, and whether or 

not it came from polluted waters. 

Before eating any fish you catch, 

check the local advisory on the EPA’s 

web site: www.epa.gov/ost/fish/. 

There, you can check on the body of 

water where you fish by clicking on 

“National Listing of Advisories”. 

Here are two delicious, bladder-friendly, and easy-to-prepare fish recipes. 

Cousin Addy’s Oven-Baked Catfish 

serves 2 

2 servings cleaned fish filets 

3 Tbsp. olive oil 

2 cloves garlic, sliced 

1-1/4 tsp. dried thyme 

1/2 tsp. dried parsley 

1/4 tsp. dried basil 

1/8 tsp. ground cardamom 

1/4 cups unseasoned, preservative-free bread crumbs 

Pat fish dry and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a baking dish lightly 

with oil. In a small skillet, cook garlic in the olive oil just until tender. 

Remove from heat and stir spices into the hot oil. Place filets in the baking 

dish and pour oil and herbs over fish, scraping bits of herbs from the skillet. 

Bake uncovered in 400 degree F. oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle bread 

crumbs on top of fish and return to oven. Bake another 15 minutes until 

fish is opaque (test by cutting a small slit in the thickest part). 

NOTE: This recipe was originally meant for catfish, but I’ve tried it with 

tilapia and red snapper with great results! 

Nut-Topped Orange Roughy 

serves 4 

4 orange roughy filets, cleaned, skinned and patted dry 

6 Tbsp. olive oil 

3/4 cup almonds (or cashews) 

3 tsp. dried basil 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a covered baking dish with nonstick 

spray or lightly coat it with olive oil. Arrange the fish filets in the baking 

dish. Chop the almonds in a food processor or chopper until they are 

fine particles. Combine the olive oil, chopped almonds, and basil. Spread 

the nut mixture over the tops of the fish. Cover and bake in a 350 degree F. 

oven for 15-18 minutes, or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. 

This article originally published April 1999, revised and updated by the author 

Oct. 2003. 


Sweets for my Sweet by Bev Laumann 

Ilike to snack on candy now and 

then but Valentine’s Day has 

always been a great excuse for me 

to temporarily pig out. And until 

recently I was lucky to have never 

gained any weight from my mid-winter 

spree. In fact, for many years I 

was the family’s unabashed chocoholic. 

So understandably, avoiding 

chocolate due to my IC isn’t easy 

or pleasant. But at least with chocolate 

I instantly recognize it and know 

what I’m letting myself in for.... a lot 

of bladder pain. 

Artificial sweeteners though, are 

not like chocolate. They’re sneaky. 

Unless you carefully read the label, 

they lurk unsuspected in candies, ice 

creams, snacks, drinks, and other 

treats. Aspartame is one of the bladder 

burning artificial sweeteners we 

encounter the most. 

Aspartame enables many people 

to enjoy sweet foods—diabetics, 

hypoglycemics, and people looking 

to shed a few pounds, for instance. 

But for those of us with IC, aspartame 

is far from good news. It can 

increase our urgency, frequency and 

bladder pain. Troubles with aspartame 

are not limited to IC sufferers 

though. People with phenylketonuria 

shouldn’t consume it. (Their 

bodies can’t properly deal with one 

of its breakdown products, phenylalanine). 

And many migraine sufferers 

find that aspartame provokes 

headaches too. 

Aspartame is broken down in the 

digestive tract into other compounds, 

two of which are aspartic 

acid and phenylalanine. No one 

knows why IC patients have trouble 

with aspartame, but these two breakdown 

products are likely suspects. 

Phenylalanine is found in the protein 

of many foods. Some susceptible 

people seem to be sensitive to 

increased amounts of it, regardless of 

the source. The body can convert 

phenylalanine in food to tyrosine, 

which can in turn be converted to 

tyramine (a substance that constricts 

blood vessels and affects blood pressure, 

among other things). Many of 

the foods that people with IC or 

migraines find troubling are high in 

tyrosine and/or tyramine—foods like 

red wine and cheddar cheese. 

So if your Valentine’s Day plans 

include sharing a few sweets with 

your sweet, be sure the treats are the 

old-fashioned kind—made with 

sugar. Some candies that IC patients 

can often tolerate include: divinity, 

caramels, licorice, taffy, butterscotch 

drops, carob candies, nougats, some 

mint gumdrops, horehound drops, 

and peppermint sticks. And speaking 

of sweet treats (the non-chocolate 

kind) here is a recipe for one quickto 

make delicious homemade candy. 

Easy Butterscotch Fudge 

makes about 3 lbs. candy (108 pieces); preparation time, 20 minutes 

3/4 cup margarine 

2/3 cup evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk) 

3 cups sugar 

1 pkg (12 oz) Nestle's butterscotch morsels 

1 jar (7oz to 8 oz) Marshmallow creme 

1 cup chopped almonds (optional) 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

candy thermometer 

Lightly grease a 12 x 9-inch cake pan or a casserole dish. Mix margarine, milk, 

and sugar together in a large (2 or 3 quart) heavy saucepan. Stir constantly while 

bringing the mixture to a full rolling boil over medium heat. 

Continue boiling until candy thermometer reaches 235 degrees F., stirring constantly 

to prevent scorching (this takes about 5 minutes). Remove from heat. 

Quickly stir in butterscotch morsels, marshmallow creme, nuts and vanilla until all 

are mixed in well. (Butterscotch morsels will be melted and evenly distributed 

throughout). Pour into a prepared pan. Set aside to cool at room temperature. When 

cooled, carefully cut into 1-inch squares. (Candy will be relatively soft). 

Note: If you live at an altitude of 1000 above sea level or more, decrease the temperature 

on candy thermometer 2 degrees for every 1000 feet above sea level. If the 

butterscotch morsels provoke your bladder, there are many other variations of this 

recipe to try! 

Variations: There are so many fun variations on this recipe that you'll be tempted 

to try them all. Here are a few. 

Butterscotch-carob marbled fudge: Make butterscotch fudge as above, but omit 

almonds and substitute 1 cup of carob morsels, stirred in quickly after adding the 

butterscotch morsels. 

Basic vanilla fudge: Prepare recipe as above, but use Ghirardelli’s white baking 

chips instead of butterscotch (these contain a little cocoa butter, but taste like vanilla, 

not chocolate). 

Orange-creme fudge: Substitute 2 tsp. orange extract for the vanilla, and add 3 

drops yellow food coloring and 2 drops red if desired. (You can also stir in 2/3 cup of 

chopped orange slice gumdrop-style candies if they are low enough in citric acid for 

your bladder). 

Vanilla-Mint fudge: Make basic vanilla fudge but use 3/4 tsp. mint extract and 1/4 

tsp. vanilla. Add 5 drops of green food coloring, and omit the almonds. Pour into pan 

to cool. Immediately sprinkle top of fudge with 2/3 cup of finely cut up mint gumdrops. 

Cut when cool. 

Any of these candy squares can be decorated with white or colored icing (powdered 

sugar mixed with egg white), using a pastry tube and a fine writing tip. 

For Valentine’s day, draw hearts... or write words on each piece to spell out a 

message. 

This article originally published Feb 1999, revised and updated by the author Jan 

2004. 


The Vitamin C Vegetables by Bev Laumann 

Ever wonder if you’re getting 

enough vitamin C It’s something 

that a lot of us think 

about (or perhaps we should think 

about). Of course we can eat pears 

without suffering, but when it comes 

to vitamin C, pears just don't measure 

up to such “high-C” fruits as 

oranges, guavas, or strawberries. 

So what bladder-friendly foods do 

have plenty of vitamin C Although 

most people don’t realize it, broccoli 

and bell peppers are excellent 

sources of this important vitamin. 

In fact, according to the American 

Dietetic Association, a half-cup of 

raw red bell pepper has about 50% 

more vitamin C than a medium-sized 

fresh orange. Even cooked, a halfcup 

of broccoli boasts of just as much 

vitamin C as an orange. 

Several other vegetables also contain 

vitamin C in healthy doses. For 

instance, most adults can get all the 

daily vitamin C they need by eating 

about 2/3 of a cup of fresh green bell 

pepper, 1/3 cup of fresh red bell pepper, 

or 2/3 cup of cooked kohlrabi. 

Even a medium-sized baked potato 

has about 40 percent of the adult 

requirement of vitamin C (if you eat 

the skin). 

Hearty homemade soups are one 

way to get vitamins from vegetables 

as well as warm yourself up on a 

blustery, bone-chilling January day. 

Just remember not to overcook 

your soup and use a lid on the soup 

pot to retain as many vitamins as 

possible. 

Here is an easy-to-make soup from 

my cookbook, A Taste of the Good 

Life: A Cookbook for an 

Interstitial Cystitis Diet. Served 

with some crusty bread and a fresh 

pear, this soup makes a delicious and 

vitamin-packed meal. 

Busy Day Chicken-Broccoli Soup 

(serves 2) 

4 c. bladder-safe chicken broth 

(see note*) 

3 cloves garlic, chopped 

1/4 c. fresh carrots, peeled and 

chopped 

3/4 c. cooked chicken, in bite-sized 

pieces 

2 c. frozen broccoli florets 

1/4 tsp. dried thyme 

1/8 tsp. onion powder 

1 bay leaf 

salt (and/or pepper) to taste 

1/3 cup dry egg noodles 

Add all ingredients except noodles 

to a soup pot and bring to a simmer. 

Simmer about 12 minutes. Add noodles 

to the soup. Simmer a few minutes 

more, just until noodles are tender. 

Remove bay leaf before serving. 

This recipe also is delicious when 

using leftover turkey. Vitamin C: 

approx. 74 mg. per serving (about 

120% of the adult RDA for vitamin 

C). 

*Note: The key to making this recipe 

bladder-safe is the chicken broth. Be 

sure to use a brand that does not contain 

bladder provokers like monosodium 

glutamate (MSG), yeast extract, 

or hydrolyzed protein. Most chicken 

broth and chicken soups do contain 

some form of MSG. Either it is added 

in pure form (which means 

“monosodium glutamate” will be on 

the label), or it is contained in other 

ingredients in the broth (which 

means that though the bladder irritants 

are there, they won’t be listed 

on the label). 

Health Valley makes an excellent 

canned, low-fat, MSG-free chicken 

broth that also has significantly less 

salt than most brands. The company 

is a division of Hain Celestial Group, 

whose products are marketed nationally. 

Many, many grocery chains 

carry Hain products so it may be relatively 

easy for your local store’s 

manager to special order the Health 

Valley chicken broth for you. Here is 

the company’s toll-free number, 

manned from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm 

Pacific time: 1-800-423-4846. 

You may be able to find out from 

them which stores near you carry 

Hain or Health Valley products. 

If you cannot locate a bladder-safe 

chicken broth, you can also make 

your own broth and freeze it. 

SOUP TOPPERS 

Give any soup a festive look and 

boost its vitamin C by topping it 

with a couple tablespoons of your 

favorite raw vegetable garnish. Any 

of these work well: alfalfa sprouts; 

shredded carrot; finely chopped 

green, yellow, or red bell pepper; 

minced fresh parsley; chopped fresh 

broccoli florets; or finely shredded 

raw red cabbage. 

REFERENCES 

Roberta Larson Duyff. The American 

Dietetic Association’s Complete 

Food and Nutrition Guide. 1998. 

Chronimed Publishing. Minneapolis, 

MN. 

USDA Nutrient Database for 

Standard Reference, release 

12. Oct. 13, 1998. U.S. 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Nutrient Data 

Laboratory. 

This article 

originally published 

Jan 

1999, revised 

and updated by 

the author Jan 

2004. 


Urinary Urgency, 

Frequency, 

Pain... 

My symptoms are real. And what I eat does affect me. 

People like me are sensitive to the acid in 

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Ask your doctor. 

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For literature and a coupon, call 1-800-994-4711 or visit www.prelief.com

IC Special Report Diet - Interstitial Cystitis Network

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