IC Diet Validation

The reason that our website icdiet.com is listed number one and two in the Google search engine is that the information works   People use what works for them not what’s written  And I can confidently say based on the energy science of Ayurveda that it works when you work it for bladder pain

There is no guess work(why did it work for Mary but not for me), no diet diaries, no elimination trials   Just straightforward Yes and No   The IC community(Interstitial Cystitis Association and Interstitial Cystitis Network) and the AUA(American Urological Association) have come to the conclusion that diet is fundamental to the management of IC and chronic prostatitis   The energy science model has understood that for 1000’s of years   From this model’s perspective the GI tract is the source of all diseases

Although being around for just six years and building its traffic by word of mouth, the site is a testimony to the effectiveness of this energy science nutritional format

Here’s what a reader had to say about the format

“I have been looking for answers for IC for quite some time now.  I totally have followed your advice on the Pitta diet and the aloe vera and now I know I have control over my IC.  It does not control me anymore.  I am 100 percent better.  I have talked to some people on the IC Network and I feel I have been brushed off because nothing so simple could work, but it did for me. Maybe there are other therapies but for me this really did work.  I only have myself to blame for bad habits.  I gave my urologist a copy of the Pitta pacifying diet and information to read.  He told me he would give the diet to his other patients.”

This is recent comment that was posted and not a random and rare   It is one of many that I have heard over the years of urological practice when giving people this simple tool of nutrition   But there is so much more that you can do along with the nutritional format to help resolve your IC condition

Incompatible Food Combinations

One aspect of nutrition that is missed by the Western dietician approach is the concept that certain foods don’t belong with each other   Due to the rates of digestion certain foods interfere with not only the digestion but also the absorption and assimilation of foods

The reason that this is so important is that your digestive fire(agni) get affected and doused like when a wet log is placed on a roaring campfire   Digestive fire is a precious gift and if strong burns through your digestive mistakes(at a friend’s house for a dinner that has a lot of No column foods)

But There’s More

Diet is a molecular assessment of foods to be ingested   If you’re short on Vitamin D then a supplement is taken   If you want an antiinflammatory supplement use fish oil etc  And there is definite value in having this molecular information   But could it be we’re operating with an incomplete model of nutrition?  I mean where do you readily find nutritional information in the matter science nutritional literature about antidegenerative and anticongestive nutrition   Presently there are forays by matter science nutritionists about antiinflammatory diets but their recommendations are incomplete

But when you look at the energy science approach you are really practicing nutrition because the practice of nutrition takes into account regularity of bowel activity, feelings about food before and after eating(agni), the appearance of the tongue and what that means day to day   And this also means that the same approach can be effective for fibromyalgia, IBS, GERD, chronic fatigue syndrome, and vulvodynia

New Paradigm

Not only are you now becoming aware of the body as simultaneously both matter and energy fields but now seeing the value of what happens when you take on that understanding   Here the molecular information is supported and augmented by energy field model

As a direct result of seeing your body as an energy field you are gifted nutrition not just information  This nutritional approach gives you so much more than molecular information by stepping into the 21st century

It’s applied theory that can change your life and IC!

Until next week                              To Health as a Skill      Love DrBill

IC and Stone Disease: A Scientifically Valid Nutritional Approach

The body is simultaneously an energy and matter field based on your perspective

The bladder pain that is seen in IC flares can be viewed as either a molecular problem(matter science) or an imbalance in energy patterns in the urinary tract   The predominant theory of the matter or molecular science is that the glycosoaminoglycan(GAG) layer becomes disrupted and allows urine irritants to infiltrate the bladder wall leading to the painful flares of IC

The energy science of Ayurveda completely concurs that there is disruption due to acidic loading but notes it as an  imbalance of too much of the hot quality(inflammation or high Pitta) rather than naming a molecule at fault   The  urinary frequency, urgency with or without incontinece due to the mobile quality of high Vata   Since the energy science is a qualitative one there is no evaluation of molecules as in the matter science discipline

The endoscopic photos above show variations of crystalline formations on the renal papillae as a prodrome of stone disease of any form or size

 GAG Layer Disruption and Stone Disease

I have long contended in my urological practice that the vast majority of patients with stone disease have a GAG layer disruption in the kidney that predisposes them to stone disease   And I have suggested to them that they use aloe vera gel and a Pitta pacifying nutritional format or one used at foodsheal.com after taking the questionnaire

In this month’s International Urogynecology Journal a group from Taipei reported on a study of a population of patients of painful bladder syndrome and controlling for other associated diseases such as IBS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain(CPPS). depression, and chronic pelvic pain found that those with prior stone disease were at higher risk for developing PBS or IC

There has been one other study suggesting an association but this is the first population based study to show the association between the chance of forming stones and suffering from IC or PBS

From the above discussion the GAG layer is secreted by all cellular tubes that communicate with the outside   So the respiratory tree, the GI tract, and the urinary tract linings all produce GAG layers

So it would make complete sense that deficient GAG layer in the urinary tract would not have to be necessarily located just singularly involving the bladder but could involve the kidney GAG layer as well   If this occurs the faulty papillary GAG layer in the kidney would not be slimy/smooth enough to prevent papillary crystals to form to serve as a nidus for continued stone growth

If the hot quality of Pitta can break down the GAG layer in the bladder it can certainly do the same thing in the kidney leading to stone formation

The Treatment of Stone Disease and  IC Are the Same

So it comes as no surprise that nutritional format reducing the Pitta energy pattern foods used is a solution not only for IC but also for stone disease as well   This would reduce those foods that are inflammatory and bring the hot quality in those patients who are predisposed to either stone disease or IC

The use of aloe would begin to help restructure the deficient GAG layer and making it whole again would be the solution to preventing stones in the future

What you are witnessing here is the unique interplay between the energy science and matter science disciplines where both support each other in a holistic way

Of course it goes without saying that IC and a person with stone disease should be treated in the same way as the problem is from an energy science view  Pitta and Vata imbalances in the urinary tract

All the best                                        To Health as a Skill    Love DrBill

Oh Nuts! and IC: 3 Nut Alternatives

Interstitial cystitis(IC) bladder pain with flares can be amplified by the routine use of nuts of any kind and this includes their butters!!  Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter

Why?

Unlike the matter science(MS) nutritional information that fatty acids are good and bad, the energy science(ES) of Ayurveda states that all nuts are inflammatory due to these molecular fatty acids regardless of the “good or bad nature of them”   The reason for this is that the post digestive(small bowel) effect is heating therefore inflammation provoking

The sweet taste of many foods covers the acidic nature of the foods itself and this is true of the nut category  This is why the ES nutritional information trumps the MS guesswork around nutrition and is why the anecdotal information of the MS nutritional realm is at times confusing hence flares and then no flares   What gives?   This also explains why various other inflammatory conditions are interrelated with IC such as fibromyalgia, IBS, chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS), GERD, prostatitis(did you know that PSA is a marker for inflammation?), and CPPS(chronic pelvic pain syndrome)

As an aside this sweet taste of nuts in general make them a great choice for building tissue since the sweet taste is anabolic

OK Then What Can I Use for Nuts? 

Sorry to blow your day if you crave the mixed nuts but there is certainly a favorite guideline of mine and that is “There are no hard guidelines in the ES realms”  Know that if you use the foods that are provoking that you increase the likelihood of a flare   That use of inflammatory foods will keep you up at the ceiling of the curve below rather than allowing your mindbody to do the rebalancing as the curve progresses to the right(BTW the ascent from the left shows how we gradually get sick over decades by our own choices(Oh shoot, you didn’t have to say that did you?)

Journey to Balance

Soaked and peeled almonds(this is very important! or you can use slivered almonds from the bulk section of the grocery store if they have one ) are very helpful for their nutritive benefit but also for their cooling effect  Turns out that the skin of the almond holds enzymes that in and of themselves are inflammatory   Almonds are not actually nuts but in the end who cares

Charole(actually seeds like sunflower) is another nut choice  It’s a very small nut found in very few stores in the US(I know because Ive looked; let me know if you have a source that you would share with the community) and is heating but due to the size and its energetics is acceptable and does not provoke Pitta(more about this energy pattern in future blog posts)

And of course coconut because it’s COOLING!  The general energy science principle is this:  Plants that grow in hot climates are there for a very specific reason  Their job is to make the environment cold(well cooler) and so Momma Nature is always taking care of balancing herself

What about nut milks?  Almond Breeze is made from blanched and peeled almonds so a great drink  Coconut milk also is a very nutritious drink and both these “nut” milks make great date shakes  More about that in the future

3 Nut Alternatives

Here are three options for substitution without provoking inflammation or the Pitta energy pattern in the physiology

Use the above three recommendations and make your own nut butters from the slivered almonds

Sunflower seeds can be used by anyone anywhere anytime  Sooo..  sunflower butter sold at Trader Joe’s is an excellent proprietary product and the best tasting sunflower butter on the planet    Have tasted many and this by far is the closest to peanut butter with a nice sweet taste  Mmm good!

Give yourself “permission” to have a few nuts every once and a while if the craving is too great   The ES reminds us that food cravings are a result of imbalanced digestion so the faster we can improve our digestion the better it will be

Interested in a free ES consultation with me?  Just tap on this link

Or sign up to join our growing ES IC community!

Well enough for now  Until next time                                           To Health as a Skill  Love DrBill

IC and Incompatible Food Combinations

Fruit and yogurt = Poor Food Combining

Those with IC know that  acidity has something to do with their bladder pain and other symptoms either intuitively or reading what others have to say about IC and its causative factors

This leads to a large number of dietary recommendations to eliminate the acidity from the diet and to reduce symptoms of pelvic pain

You can go a long way toward resolution of your symptoms if you do fundamental changes in your nutritional format just by eliminating known trigger foods from your food choices  But as I have written before what foods to avoid often comes down to “who’s doing the eating?” because from an energy science viewpoint the nutritional format can be meaningful

Food Incompatibility

At times we don’t know that what we are eating is making us sick  Did you know that pain from IC can also be related to the acidic loading that occurs from poor food combining?

Some foods don’t belong with one another  For example, fruit with any other food is commonly practiced yet it can lead to poor digestion and symptoms of bloating and abdominal pain if done frequent enough  In the energy science of Ayurveda every food has qualities and when foods are combined which are antagonistic to one another they may be toxic to the mindbody

Here’s a list for you to consider

A strong digestion which I’ll cover in the future is the most important physiologic tool to deal with poor food combining aside from not combining in the first place

An Energy Science Nutritional Approach

From an energy science approach nutrition is more than diet   The study of diet concerns itself wit h molecules of the food ingested   But nutrition takes into account not only the qualities of the foods taken in and how these qualities interact but also the impact of the digestion of foods on the mindbody physiology   This is a very significant difference between matter science and energy science nutrition

So here are 3 things that you can do right now to stop or reduce the flares of IC

1 Check out who you are energetically

2 Choose a nutritional format appropriate for your mindbody energy makeup

3 Go to the orange box and sign up to become a member our growing IC Ayurvedic energy science community

Every IC Patient Should Be Urologically Evaluated

Pelvic pain(also known as CPPS or chronic pelvic pain syndrome) has many different causes  When everything has been ruled out with CT scan, cytology, and cystoscopy then the urologist is left with the diagnosis of IC or chronic prostatitis   So the evaluation of IC pain is a diagnosis of exclusion

To the astute clinician often the symptom complex of IC stands out from other pelvic pain complexes having nuances that separate them apart from the IC label   Be that as it may it still is important to have studies done to be sure what you are dealing with IC

Then you can be rest assured that an energy science healing approach will clear your problem, symptom free and able to live a normal life

What Happens If You Don’t Get Better

I am so certain of this approach that I can say that if you’re doing this energy science work and you don’t notice a change in your symptoms or reduction in flares in 3 months you should return to your urologist and have studies repeated

I have seen patients in the past who even had a clear Hunner’s ulcer in the bladder by endoscopy and a complete workup who continued to have recurrent symptoms   She  failed to return on appt times and later I found a high grade cancer of the ureter

So it’s incumbent upon you to followup with your urologist despite supportive findings of IC if you don’t get better with the energy science approach

Flare Change

One thing to note about improvement is that the intervals between flares becomes longer, the intensity of the flare lessens, or both  The below diagram shows what happens as you reduce the imbalance of the hot quality

Journey to Balance

As you can see the apex of the graph depicts symptoms of the pain complex represented as spikes but as you make conscious choices to bring about cooling the physiology by nutrition and many other energy science techniques the flares lessen and lessen until they are negligible

Three Things You Can Do Right Now

Go to foodsheal.com right now and take the quiz    Then choose the appropriate nutritional format and print the pdf format off so you have it to follow

Read the incompatable food combination list and print off that file as well and post both on your refrigerator so you can reference them regularly  Incompatible foods produce inflammation

Use aloe vera gel(not the juice) on a regular basis (2T three times per day)   Take it to work, travel with it, and make a ritual out of its use  Why?  This herb reduces the hot quality(think of applying aloe on a hot sunburn) by using the opposite quality of cold

To Health as a Skill          Love DrBill

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What Is IC?: An Energy Science Explanation

The pain of interstitial cystitis(IC) is chronic, intermittent, and eventually debilitating  It is pelvic in origin and often originates from the bladder but may also involve the vagina leading to painful intercourse(dyspareunia)  The pain distribution is from belly button to midthigh and is associated with episodic urinary burning, urgency, and frequency

Diagnosis of the Disease Label of IC

This complex of symptoms is labeled by the current matter or molecular science healing discipline(your urologist) by many different names:  chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CPPS), painful bladder syndrome(PBS), vulvodynia(vaginal pain), chronic prostatitis, and of course interstitial cystitis  Fibromyalgia, depression, and chronic fatigue syndrome can be added to this list of synonyms as a frequent diagnoses often associated with IC   Read on to see why

The diagnosis of IC is based on a negative urological evaluation of the urinary tract which includes:

History and physical

Most often negative urine cultures(of many negative cultures there may be some positive)

Normal urine cytology

Normal  CTscan(xray evaluation of the urinary system)

Often a normal cystoscopic exam of the bladder(looking in the bladder) except there is pain with bladder filling during the exam

What is IC?

The current matter or molecular science understanding of IC is that the protective internal layer of the bladder(called the GAG layer) becomes damaged by unknown substances in the urine  It is unclear to the matter science discipline why fibromyalgia is associated with IC

The energy science understanding of IC pain is that it is an imbalance of qualities  Two basic vibrational frequencies among others become disturbed in the gastrointestinal tract(GIT) leading to increased the increased hot and mobile qualities

This imbalance of the hot quality leads to the burning pain in the bladder, pelvic region, and thighs   Hence not only bladder symptoms occur but also vaginal pain as well leading to painful sexual intercourse also referred to as vulvodynia  Fibromyalgia occurs due to these qualities among others involving the liver  Chronic fatigue syndrome and depression occur due to the imbalance of qualities already manifesting as IC   Sooo… the imbalance of the qualities lead to a group of labels used in the matter science model of healing

The increased mobile quality in the bladder leads to urinary urgency and frequency which are the hallmarks of the pain syndrome

But you can begin to see how the energy science model in its simplicity helps you understand how all dis-eases can be simplified as opposed to the current matter science where there is such confusion

Gastrointestinal Tract(GIT) Origin

In contrast to the matter or molecular science theory of disease, the energy science view is that the GIT is the origin of all dis-eases that occur in the energy mindbody including IC

This explains why nutrition and change in the type of foods ingested is important in dealing with  not only IC pain  but dis-eases in general that are painful  The GIT imbalances increase the qualities that eventually lead to the symptoms in the pelvic region  Witness the association of acid indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) with IC

Why is the bladder or pelvic region selected rather than the lungs or brain or muscular system?  The energy science of Ayurveda describes that there are weaknesses in the mindbody that predispose the organ or area to be affected

Three Things To Do Right Now

Since the GIT is the origin of IC it makes sense to eliminate those foods that are producing the imbalance  You have two options  Either go to icdiet.com  or go to foodsheal.com and select the appropriate nutritional format

Look at the food incompatibility list

If you have had longstanding chronic symptoms you probably need more attention to your imbalances   In this case sign up for a free consultation with me to explore what can be done to help you with your dis-ease

Or right now you can sign up by putting in your email in the right hand column box on the page  You’ll also get a free report on healing IC and become part of our growing IC community interested in dealing with chronic dis-ease in a different more effective way

Until next time Ciao                                                                                                            To Health as a Skill     Love DrBill

PS  Our ic-solutions.tv Facebook page is up  Would you stop by and if so inclined like it

PSS If you know a friend who could benefit from this explanation of IC could you pass it along   thanks DB