I am so excited about my brunch this afternoon. I have decided to make myself a smoothie of vanilla almond milk, blackberries, and blueberries. I was drinking these a few months ago and then I suddenly stopped. Well, okay I ran out of fruit and kept forgetting to pick it up at the store. But today the smoothie makes a comeback! Hooray for something cool to drink on a hot day!
Dear reader, are there any smoothies that you make that don't irritate your IC? I am always looking for diet friendly foods.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
staying active
Hello IC readers,
I have read on many of the IC boards that IC can make it difficult to stay active and get exercise. My own experience with this has been quite mixed. I lead a very active life. I swing dance ( aka Lindy Hop, a dance from the 1930's + 1940's) about five days a week. I have danced through flare ups but I find when I do that its difficult for me to focus on dancing. This could be because of the pain of the flare up is very distracting or because the pain medication doesn't exactly help me think clearly. Still, I persist because dancing lowers my stress level and keeps me happy. Having a lower stress level ultimately helps my IC.
However, I have found that dancing sometimes aggravates my IC. After some trial and error I have realized that if I don't have enough water while exercising, that my bladder starts to become unhappy. The solution seems simple, drink more water. But this is not without its challenges, the tap water at one of my favorite dance venues seems to irritate my bladder, other venues don't have easy access to water. I am now trying to make sure that I bring a large bottle of water whenever I go dancing and that at the end of my evening I either a drink a large glass of water or a big cup of chamomile or peppermint tea. I have found this keeps me well hydrated and keeps my bladder happy.
Or course if a flare is bad enough, I usually don't go anywhere. This can be very frustrating and not just because of the flare but also because I hate the way IC interferes with my attempts to have a normal life.
I am wondering dear readers (if you are out there) how you cope with exercise and IC? Thoughts and feedback would be appreciated.
The Goose Girl
I have read on many of the IC boards that IC can make it difficult to stay active and get exercise. My own experience with this has been quite mixed. I lead a very active life. I swing dance ( aka Lindy Hop, a dance from the 1930's + 1940's) about five days a week. I have danced through flare ups but I find when I do that its difficult for me to focus on dancing. This could be because of the pain of the flare up is very distracting or because the pain medication doesn't exactly help me think clearly. Still, I persist because dancing lowers my stress level and keeps me happy. Having a lower stress level ultimately helps my IC.
However, I have found that dancing sometimes aggravates my IC. After some trial and error I have realized that if I don't have enough water while exercising, that my bladder starts to become unhappy. The solution seems simple, drink more water. But this is not without its challenges, the tap water at one of my favorite dance venues seems to irritate my bladder, other venues don't have easy access to water. I am now trying to make sure that I bring a large bottle of water whenever I go dancing and that at the end of my evening I either a drink a large glass of water or a big cup of chamomile or peppermint tea. I have found this keeps me well hydrated and keeps my bladder happy.
Or course if a flare is bad enough, I usually don't go anywhere. This can be very frustrating and not just because of the flare but also because I hate the way IC interferes with my attempts to have a normal life.
I am wondering dear readers (if you are out there) how you cope with exercise and IC? Thoughts and feedback would be appreciated.
The Goose Girl
Monday, June 27, 2011
Eating in restuarants
I went out to dinner with a friend tonight. I love going out to eat with friends, as I am sure everyone else does. However, restaurant dining with IC can be a serious pain in the ass. Here is how I deal. I eat at diners. Almost exclusively. American food may not be fascinating, but its safe. I miss Chinese, Mexican, and Japanese food, but its not worth the risk and the possible pain. If anyone out there has ideas on how to eat at "ethnic" restaurants safely with IC, then please post a comment and share.
So tonight I went to dinner with my best friend of 20 years, "K". She ordered the chili topped with onions. It looked good and smelled amazing. I ordered the salmon, cooked in butter, with plain baked potato and steamed veggies. When I order in restaurants I make sure to tell my server that I am on a medical diet. I ask about how everything is cooked, are the vegetables steamed in chicken broth (an IC no-no, because of the onion in broth). I usually remember to tell the server that I can't have any citrus, acids, or peppers. However, tonight I forgot about that last part and my salmon turned up with a big lemon wedge next to it. I was lucky though the lemon was just garnish and it had not actually touched my buttery little fish. But it was a reminder to be more careful when I order.
I am wondering my sisters (and brothers?) how do you make the IC diet work for you in restaurants?
Yours,
The Goose Girl
So tonight I went to dinner with my best friend of 20 years, "K". She ordered the chili topped with onions. It looked good and smelled amazing. I ordered the salmon, cooked in butter, with plain baked potato and steamed veggies. When I order in restaurants I make sure to tell my server that I am on a medical diet. I ask about how everything is cooked, are the vegetables steamed in chicken broth (an IC no-no, because of the onion in broth). I usually remember to tell the server that I can't have any citrus, acids, or peppers. However, tonight I forgot about that last part and my salmon turned up with a big lemon wedge next to it. I was lucky though the lemon was just garnish and it had not actually touched my buttery little fish. But it was a reminder to be more careful when I order.
I am wondering my sisters (and brothers?) how do you make the IC diet work for you in restaurants?
Yours,
The Goose Girl
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Welcome to the IC sisterhood
Hello fellow IC fighters...I hope you are well and that your symptoms are manageable today. I have decided to start a blog about my IC to help other people like myself. I am doing this in part because my beloved Dr. Gina S. has, with my permission, been giving my phone number to other patients so that they can seek my perspective on dealing with IC. I guess I am a bit of a success story in that I am able to deal with and manage my symptoms.
When I first got sick with IC I was in the bathroom every 15 to 20 minutes or more. My urethra was irritated and felt like I constantly had to pee, all the time. It was agony. I hated it. I wanted to die. 18 months later and I am 80% symptom free. I am so thankful for Dr. Gina S. because without her I would have lost my damn mind.
I am keeping this first post short because I need to go paint the....wait for it..bathroom. That's right on my first post about IC, I am talking about painting the most used room in my home. The bathroom.
I look forward to using this blog to communicate with my fellow IC fighters (I don't suffer this disease, I fight it). In the mean time I leave you all with a link to my favorite supplement, its helped me keep my bladder happy.
Glucosamine & Chondroitin W/Quercetin & Bromelain
All the best,
The Goose Girl
When I first got sick with IC I was in the bathroom every 15 to 20 minutes or more. My urethra was irritated and felt like I constantly had to pee, all the time. It was agony. I hated it. I wanted to die. 18 months later and I am 80% symptom free. I am so thankful for Dr. Gina S. because without her I would have lost my damn mind.
I am keeping this first post short because I need to go paint the....wait for it..bathroom. That's right on my first post about IC, I am talking about painting the most used room in my home. The bathroom.
I look forward to using this blog to communicate with my fellow IC fighters (I don't suffer this disease, I fight it). In the mean time I leave you all with a link to my favorite supplement, its helped me keep my bladder happy.
Glucosamine & Chondroitin W/Quercetin & Bromelain
All the best,
The Goose Girl
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