8 TIPS TO HEALING INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS (IC) AND UTI’S NATURALLY
I STRUGGLED WITH IC AND CHRONIC UTI ISSUES FOR YEARS
In this blog, I dive into what I’d do differently if I was starting my IC and chronic UTI recovery now.
Overcoming my chronic bladder pain issues and supporting balance in my urinary health completely changed my own life. But the best part is that I’ve been able to help heaps of people around the world say goodbye to their never-ending painful bladder issues and get their lives back too.
There is so much information out there about how to "heal your IC" and how to “find relief from UTIs”. It can feel totally overwhelming, and often contradictory.
If this is you, I feel you. I’ve been there. And I’ve got tips for you.
For years I bought supplements, tried elimination diets, and read dozens of articles to try to get to the bottom of my UTIs, bladder flares, food sensitivities, and the tiredness that comes with being in chronic pain.
Knowing what I know now, here’s where I would start if I was brand new to my bladder healing journey:
1 DITCH PACKAGED FOODS FIRST
Food that comes out of a packet (e.g. jars of pasta sauce, tins of soup, shop bought sandwiches) are filled with processed salt and sugar. That’s not helpful to your bladder. Before considering extreme elimination diets such as the IC diet, low histamine, or oxalate-free... start removing the packaged foods.
2 CHECK ON YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM
How are your stress levels? Are you constantly in the fight or flight response? Do you have a hard time relaxing? Constantly worried? If so, how can you support your body in feeling safe? Eat enough, sleep enough, laugh enough.
3 GET OUT INTO NATURE
Morning sun exposure for 10 minutes. A daily walk outside. See the trees and breathe in the microbes of nature. Getting exposure out in nature can support your gut microbes and reduce your health worries and anxiety.
4 STOP FIXATING ON FOODS BEING THE ENEMY
So much information out there obsesses over the foods to cut out. Acidic foods, histamine foods, oxalate foods, you name it, I’ve been there! I lost loads of weight, and felt incredibly miserable. Eliminating long lists of foods is not getting you to the root cause of anything. It’s simply creating food fear. Let’s keep things in perspective. The right foods will help you heal.
5 STOP THINKING YOU CAN “FLUSH THIS OUT WITH WATER”
You can’t. Don’t waste time attempting to address acute UTI symptoms with water or cranberry juice. I hear this all the time and I despair. If you suspect an acute infection, call your doctor’s surgery and get antibiotics. Don’t wait around in pain for days thinking it will go away. Yes their tests aren’t 100% accurate but they're still your best option in first line therapy. Once that’s done you can arrange your own PCR or NGS screening and make sure nothing’s been missed. This information will help guide your best next steps if UTI symptoms become persistent or chronic.
6 BREAKUP WITH FACEBOOK GROUPS
I see you, anxiously reading other people’s experiences and opinions. I used to do it too.
But guess what? These people are stuck in a place of fear, and fear breeds fear and anxiety. Wish them well but you’ve gotta focus on what you’re doing to heal. Your energy is best focused on all the positive things you are doing to support your healing journey. What they think about raspberries and strawberries and what this might mean for you, is not your business. If you’re already working with an expert in IC or UTIs then commit to their process and leave these rabbit holes behind.
7 GET TAILORED ADVICE ON SUPPLEMENTS
I dread the amount of money I wasted on random supplements and concoctions. Everytime I read an article on a vitamin or antioxidant I’d head to my nearest health food store and drop €€€. I had no idea what dose to take and after a few days of no miraculous cure I’d ditch them and move onto the next supplement or powder, (often recommended by someone in a Facebook group). On reflection, this was not the best use of my hard earned cash and it didn’t create lasting results.
8 CUT OUT ALCOHOL FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE
I hate to be the fun police but alcohol is highly toxic to your bladder. It’s a class A carcinogen (which means we know it increases the risk of cancer) and it’s a disinfectant. There is no point in popping lots of great quality probiotics and eating well one day and adding alcohol to the mix the next day. They cancel each other out. Alcohol suppresses our immune response and increases inflammation. All the things we are trying to UNDO.
I promise if you start applying these foundations consistently, you'll notice a difference in a matter of weeks.
STILL STRUGGLING TO HEAL FROM IC AND UTI’S?
If you feel like you're drowning in information, but somehow still don't know where to start to begin healing your bladder, sign up for my free webinar on Monday 29th July at 1pm BST. I’m sharing:
Three Lessons from Healing my IC/chronic UTI Naturally (and what I’d do differently now).
Discover how:
I healed my IC/chronic UTI naturally and what I would do differently now.
The natural approaches you need to consider to find long lasting relief from bladder pain.
How you can create your own map to bladder harmony.
You won’t want to miss this!
