IC and Yogurt: 7 Guidelines About Its Use

From an energy science point of view the IC bladder pain syndrome( interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia)  is a Vata and Pitta provoked disease, that is, too much hot and mobile qualities in the urinary tract – an imbalance created by the foods consumed   So the obvious first step is to reduce those foods that are Pitta and Vata provoking  When first getting started to get some relief from the burning sensation you can begin with just a Pitta pacifying nutritional format as at icdiet.com but as you progress using a format that is appropriate for you energy constitutional makeup can be found at foodsheal.com after taking the test

One particular thread that I have seen come up is the question about IC and yogurt   How should it be used and whether it is safe in IC, that is, whether it is Vata and Pitta provoking, causing bladder pain

Yogurt is an amazing food and many ethinic cultures on the planet use fresh yogurt and kefir as health promoting foods in their nutrition   And there are very good reasons for doing so but due to the Pitta aggravating nature of yogurt, freshly made is the only way to go in moderation

Helping Restore Imbalanced Agni

The value of yogurt is that it serves when freshly made a rich source of probiotic which is a population of “good bacteria” that reside in the bowel  “Bad” bacteria at times overgrow the gut flora leading to poor digestion, absorption, and assimilation so it’s important that the good flora flourishes and the bad are kept in check   As I’ve alluded to in the past, bacterial growth is a major part of our digestive strength that needs to be nourished

This is particularly important if you have GERD, IBS, and fibromyalgia associated with IC since the digestive fire is significantly compromised in these dual conditions

Regular use of freshly made yogurt insures that the “good” bacteria are consistently replenished  Agni is always compromised in these conditions and since the bacterial flora is part of agni it’s important to supplement with probiotic foods such as yogurt  SIBO(small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) is commonly thought of as the root cause of many bowel diseases but from an energy science perspective it’s just saying that agni is disturbed

You may have heard of yeast overgrowth and this is yet another factor that can lead to poor digestive fire(eliminating yeast laden bread products is a good idea in that it gives us more  than we need so flatbreads are best or at least toasting yeasted products)  This candidal imbalance in bowel flora much like SIBO is a result of poor agni  So building up agni is one of the central therapeutic themes in the management of the IC bladder pain syndrome

Bowel flora is important in the concept of digestive fire and aids in bowel digestive function as well as providing important nutrients for our nutrition

Pasteurized yogurts should be avoided as pasteurization kills off the beneficial probiotic component of yogurt

Making Digestion Easy By Predigestion-Optimizing Digestive Strength

The value of yogurt comes in the predigestion of lactose and casein which we talked about a couple of days ago  Hence the bacteria during the incubation phase of creating yogurt use the sugar lactose and break down the protein casein  The lactose then doesn’t bother the lactose intolerant and the casomorphin derivative from casein digestion can be less, hence affecting us less

Why freshly made?  From an energy science view the build up of acidity occurs with aging yogurt even if refrigerated becomes inflammatory and thus Pitta provoking   You also get the maximal amount of probiotic in the yogurt(some bacteria die off after 4-5 days)

Even though fresh yogurt is not very acidic(sour taste) it still can be Pitta provoking if used daily   Hence home made yogurt has its consumption limitations

So Some Guidelines

1 Based on the foodsheal.com food combining list, don’t use fruit with yogurt

2 To really inhibit the negative sour effects of even freshly made yogurt, the use of Sucanat or Turbinado(crystallized cane sugars) can be important because the sweet taste helps balance the aggravating sour taste

3 Always use yogurt in moderation, that is, 2-3x per week

4 Store bought and therefore processed yogurt is too acidic and will provoke IC

5 Diluting the yogurt with water reduces its acidity

6 Keeping in the fridge after it comes from the incubation phase will help get the yogurt firmer

7  For best results use whole mil

How to get started

Buy a yogurt maker(Donvier is a French brand or other various manufacturers can be found on Amazon)   Using fresh starter each time ensures that the bacterial count of the yogurt will be rich  The small amount of starter is not enough to aggravate Pitta

And yes, it does take some time to make your own yogurt but after doing it, in a short time you can do a batch in about 15 minutes(total time; heating the milk and cooling it can be done while doing other things)

If the yogurt is curdly and clearly not smooth in texture it means that there’s probably too much cooking going on and that the incubation times are too long  So try 10 hours instead of 12 hours with the Donvier

YouTube has several videos on how to make your own yogurt

It’s best not to use dry milk powder as the milk product as it is provoking to Vata Pitta

Here’s a link for directions on making your own for trouble shooting

The greatest value is making your own yogurt is that you participate in your own health and this is a small but significant step in assuming responsibility for our health

IC and IBS: 3 Fundamental Energy Science Steps

IC pain and the pain of IBS(irritable bowel syndrome) are interrelated on an energy level because gut problems begin the imbalance that leads to IC symptoms   What happens in the gut in IC eventually leads to problems in the urinary tract

To be aware of this is to begin the healing of painful IC flares  Why?  Because when you begin to understand the origins of your dis-ease then you can be  empowered to take on the challenges to live the life you once had

And we have seen that there are often psychological similarities between those with IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromylagia) and those with IBS

The Biological Energy Prototypes and IC/IBS

From an energy science medical view Nature is described in terms of the VPK(Vata Pitta Kapha) frame of reference   Everything in Nature can be seen as these energy patterns and they’re composed of primary vibrational frequencies or qualities that contribute to their expression in the mindbody

As we have talked about in the past from an energy science view they represent who we are in the world and we’re varying proportions of these energy patterns of  Vata, Pitta, and Kapha   They are mindbody energy expressions or combined mental and physical characteristics   And the pain of IC and IBS come as expressions of imbalances of the energy patterns of Vata and Pitta

When there is imbalance of the qualities of hot and mobile the Vata and Pitta energy patterns are provoked and may be expressed as IC and IBS first at the gut level then at the bladder   This is the relationship between these two apparent dissimilar dis-eases

When you are in balance there is no excess of these qualities

When we are out of balance or unbalanced, using our example above there’s an excess of the qualities of mobile or hot  In this way we would see more mobility of thought, movement, and the GI tract as in diarrhea; excessive hot in the GI tract suggesting acid indigestion or heartburn, headache, or the painful flares of IC

What Three Things Can You Do Right Now With This Information?

1  Take this energy pattern test and thank God you can’t fail the test!

2 Choose the nutritional format best for your energy mindbody makeup- you’ll see that when you take the quiz

3 Make a deal with yourself that you’ll do one thing to change something that is not consistent with the nutritional format you choose

IC and Genetic Destiny: Healing in the 21st Century

IC and Amalgamation: How to Heal It

The energy science of Ayurveda differs from the current conventional medicine model which emphasizes a matter science or molecular approach to disease management  In the energy science approach to healing the model sees imbalance of vibrational frequencies or qualities as the reason for physiologic dis-ease  So in the case of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) the qualities of hot and mobile are dominant in the disease expression which leads in the urinary tract the frequency, urgency, and burning of urination

Progression of Disease

In the energy science the most common reason for the accumulation of qualities occurs through nutrition which is why nutritional management is the cornerstone of IC disease treatment  The energy  science management of the various disease expressions of the IC bladder pain syndrome with respect to nutrition is far more complex than the currently practiced dietary recommendations used by the contemporary dietician  This is because one of the major tenets of the energy science approach is to help improve agni, the digestive power or strength

Agni is central to disease management in the energy science yet is completely not recognized in conventional medical circles including the nutritional  This is due to the model of healing which is molecular approach

The Energy Science and Origin of IC

As disease progresses qualities leave the GIT(gastrointestinal tract) and spread to tissues based on whether specific agnis in the mindbody are not up to par  Hence the qualities of hot and mobile become dominant BUT not as we would expect in the bladder and renal system

Actually the qualities of hot and mobile accumulate in the nervous tissue of the pelvis….the pelvic plexus…and cause ALL the symptoms that occur in the bladder, vagina, and prostate  This model of disease has been postulated by the matter science research but an research animal model will defy molecular proof unfortunately(how does one measure qualities in tissues of the pelvic plexus?) Hence it will probably be impossible for the matter science ever get to the origin of disease in the IC bladder pain syndrome and it will continue to be in the dark regarding the origin of this problem  The matter science model will never be able to solve this problem so don’t waste your time waiting because it will not happen

Amalgamation of Qualities With Tissues

Just as when fingers interlace with one another the qualities of the tissues interlace with the qualities that are circulating leading to the damage and imbalance of the tissue qualities  This leads the alteration of function of the tissues themselves  In the case of the IC bladder pain syndrome the nervous tissue function becomes altered leading to the reporting predominantly of the hot and mobile qualities  When this merging occurs a chronic condition is set up

When these qualities become dominant in the nervous tissue of the pelvis they begin to amalgamate with the tissue itself  In other words the qualities BECOME one with the tissue  This type of interrelationship begins the real stage of disease where we become aware of the significant signs and symptoms of the IC bladder pain syndrome

This amalgamation cannot be managed by simple nutritional intervention, by physical therapy techniques, it is beyond acupuncture, bladder therapies(cystoscopy, fulguration, instillations)….which are patently bandaids  The quality invasion into tissues with toxic load has no other therapy but detoxification measures that we have discussed in the past in the form of panchakarma(PK) which if to be effective needs to be done frequently over a period of time  Along with this we have to improve agni, burn toxins, along with potentized medicines that are catalytic in nature, and a specialized herbal formula

Those with chronic IC bladder pain syndrome will have no choice if they want to get better but to deal with an energy science detoxification technique and be in it for the long haul

IC and Getting Upset: 7 Ways to Change the Course of the Disease

The energy science of Ayurveda tells us that all of Nature including ourselves are composed of vibrational frequencies or qualities  These qualities are arranged into energy patterns of Vata Pitta and Kapha  The Pitta energy pattern is one of transformation  Anything that happens in the mindbody that requires transformation is under the guise of this energy pattern of Pitta  For example, enzymes that transform a piece of broccoli into heart, brain, and lung cells are expressions of the Pitta energy pattern  As you’re reading this your Pitta is transforming this information and changing you in a subtle way, hopefully for the better

When people get angry, upset, irritated, or impatient they’re experiencing the Pitta energy pattern  Often the reason why these emotions come up is because there is too much of the vibrational frequencies of Pitta in the physiology, usually the hot quality  And as a matter of fact, the burning experienced with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) is a result of too much of this hot quality

But we can use this energy pattern of Pitta to energize us to get off point zero and take action  Adding this heat to our mental framework can push us in the direction of transformation  Here are 9 suggestions that we can think of…and perhaps more….to help us move to transforming our problem of the IC bladder pain syndrome into health

 9 Steps to Transforming Mental Lethargy

1 Decide for yourself that a new way of doing things(energy science approach) is worth a try

2  Get angry  “Im fed up with this and can’t take any more of this nonsense in my life”  Engage your Pitta energy to get transformative about doing something about your imbalance

3  Be ready to do the work over time to make a difference  Realize that there’s no quick fix  Nutrition is a piece of the healing puzzle Watching out for incompatible food combinations is part of the healing puzzle  It’s not just one thing that produces the results you’re looking for in energy science work…it’s a culmination of a multiplicity of things that brings about healing of IC because all the self directed work that you is synergistic in producing a result

4 Use breath techniques to energize the physiology and improve motivation  The Kapha energy pattern keeps us stuck in ruts so using breath techniques to reduce this energy pattern can be beneficial

5 Use the neti pot technique to reduce the Kapha energy pattern as in the above

6 Use nasya oil to help shift mental patterns of behavior

7 Get support to help you move along in this direction  The hardest thing that people undertake in their lives is changing lifestyle behaviors that don’t help them in their quest to better health  Having someone to support you in making these changes can be helpful  It is best not to use a friend but someone who is more at a distance so that they can be rigorous in helping change patterns of behavior

8 Avoiding distractions which often take our attention away from the healing task at hand  There are so many things in our lives vying for our attention  Sales at department stores, the new entries on Facebook, responding to emails  The more we can reduce these distractions the more we can pay attention to the work at hand

9 Use your imagination and creativity as to how to do transformative work  For example, asking yourself what you can do to motivate yourself to do healing work can lead you into areas you hadn’t thought of before

IC and the Nutritional Corner: 5 Ways to Avoid Not Being Able to Eat Anything

The molecular/matter and energy science approaches are completely different because how diseases occur physiologically in each model are different So we have to decide which model we want to follow in order to deal with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) and stick with it

Many people because of their concern about particular foods causing digestive issues eliminate foods from their diet because of the fear that the food is producing an “allergic reaction” In so doing they begin sectoring off food groups such as dairy and grains that are causing the “allergic reaction” when in reality the foods are not causing the “allergic reaction” but rather are not tolerated due to poor digestion

One of the salient differences between the two models is that the molecular/matter science approach is devoid of the concept of agni which is central to the energy science model of Ayurveda  And it is this concept of agni that helps differentiate food allergy versus food intolerance

Food Allergy: An Abnormal Immune Response

Probably less than 6% of the population has a true allergic reaction to a molecule in the food that sets off an anaphylactic reaction or a response that seriously compromises the ability to breathe and can lead to death if not promptly treated   90% of allergic reactions are related to milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction

In the food allergy the immune system generally protects the body from harmful foreign proteins by generating a response to eliminate them  Allergy is essentially “immunity gone wrong” where a normally harmless substance is perceived as a threat -an allergen- and attacked by the body’s immunological defenses  In a true allergic reaction, the body produces antibodies (a protein that specifically binds to another protein called antigen -in this case the allergen- to deactivate it and remove it from the body)

Food Allergy versus Food Intolerance:  Why It’s Best to Know the Difference

On the other hand food intolerance from an energy science point of view is a result of poor agni  That is, the body’s digestive power is unable to digest completely the foods that have been ingested  This leads to a number of GI symptoms

Poor appetite               Fear anxiety loneliness sadness        Heaviness in stomach               Confusion

Burps smell of food   Apathy and/or repulsion                     Coated tongue                            Tissue emaciation

Bad breath                   Indecisiveness                                       Restlessness                                Impatience

Constipation/diarrhea  Weakness fatigue                              Foul gas(flatus)                          Emotional eating

Bloating                        Poor complexion                                   Lack of luster                              Insomnia

As we can see the differences between an allergic reaction and poor agni are completely different  Chances are that if we make the assumption of food allergy instead of food intolerance we will paint ourselves into the proverbial nutritional corner

Avoiding the Nutritional Corner

So the treatment of food intolerances from an energy science perspective is to improve agni

1 Eat according to your individual nutritional format….eating foods that are not according to the energy constitutional make up will produce food intolerance symptoms

2 Avoid IFC…this is like putting wet logs on your digestive fire

3 Use CCF tea on a regualar daily basis….this is a simple thing to do to enhance the digestive strength

4 Use of a culinary churan with each meal….there is a list at foods heal.com under nutritional tools

5 Herbs can enhance the digestive strength such as fresh ginger, chitrak, aloe vera