(1) Take ½ teaspoon of baking soda and 3-5 drops
Grapefruit Seed Extract (Citricidal®)
in a glass of water or diluted juice - Stir,
let sit a minute, and then drink. You can repeat this up to 4 times a day. Baking
soda provides a fast and effective way to alkalize the body. GSE has shown beneficial
in all immuno-deficient health problems, but especially IC.
(2) Quercetin w/Bromelain (work well together) -
- Quercetin - as an antioxidant, reduces the damage and irritation caused by free radicals; also suppresses histamine response (that which causes allergic reactions);
- Bromelain - an enzyme which limits the action of metabolites on inflammation and decreases migration of pain-inducing neutrophils to areas of inflammation; also increases absorption and utilization of quercetin
• E.g. Quercetin with Bromelain (120 veg capsules) by NOW foods
• Activated Quercetin™ by Source Naturals
Emergency treatments are merely "band-aids" designed to immediately alleviate the pain of IC flare-ups by treating the symptoms. However, a long-term / lifetime effort is required to change the conditions in your body that actually caused the problem:
- AVOID acidic foods for 1-3 months. This allows bladder inflammation to be repaired; these irritant acidic foods include coffee, alcohol, vinegar and citrus fruits.
- Follow a very nutritious diet:
• Eat more fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean poultry, and plenty of cold water omega-3 fish (E.g. salmon, mackerel, sardines) - This will boost the body's immune system function
• Drink plenty of water - although this will increase the need to urinate, it also dilutes the urine, making it less caustic to the bladder lining
• SUPPLEMENT with Anti-inflammatory Omega-3 EPA/DHA and Omega-6 GLAEssential Fatty Acids - E.g. Krill oil or toxin-free, cold-pressed Wild Salmon Oil for EPA/DHA and Evening Primrose or Borage oil for GLA. These EFAs are important because they suppress the cytokines in the body that produce inflammation, especially interleuken-6 (IL-6). These EFA supplements can dramatically decrease the painful swelling in the bladder and pelvic area.
• Stay away from obvious toxins - such as aspartame, sucralose, MSG, chemical food additives, pesticides/herbicides. Eat organic foods.
• AVOID inflammatory Foods - Identifying /eliminating foods that are causing inflammation gives your body chance to rest and heal. Examples of these foods are red meat (in excess), processed foods (including refined white sugar and flour), and any food to which you may be allergic (e.g. wheat, nuts or chocolate).
- Support repair of the bladder lining and wall
• Drink organic Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinali) Tea - the mucilage found in the marshmallow plant root provides a soothing coating to the bladder; also acts as an anti-inflammatory
High levels of stress hormones can trigger the release of excess inflammatory chemicals. In addition to prayer and meditation, utilize the Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT) to relieve anxiety/stress. MTT unblocks electrical pathways in the body for better communication between the body's cells.
Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT)
Supplements will provide temporary relief, but if you do not change the toxic conditions in the body, it is like adding good oil to dirty oil in a car engine. See the various methods mentioned on this website to cleanse the body of a lifetime of unwanted toxins, microbes and toxic metals.
The Beck Protocol (Effective detox method using micro-current electricity)
Clinical DMSO "Bladder Wash". DMSO is the only FDA-approved bladder instillation drug for IC. A bladder instillation is a procedure where the bladder is filled though a catheter with a therapeutic solution for up to 20 minutes before being drained. This helps relax the bladder and alleviate pain and inflammation. Some research suggests that more than half of patients improve after six weeks of treatments once/week. It may cause a burning sensation during and after instillation and can cause a garlicky odor on the skin and breath for up to three days following treatment.
DMSO (Cell Membrane Penetrant , Carrier of other substances, Pain relief)
