Popcorn Anyone?

One of the best Christmas gifts I received last year was a Cuisinart popcorn popper. Nearly every Sunday night I pop a big potful. I love popcorn!

Popcorn is also a terrific snack for a party! Here is a great microwave recipe for caramel corn from Confident Choices: A Cookbook for IC and OAB.

Amy’s Microwave Caramel Corn

Ingredients

• · 1 c. brown sugar
• · 1/2 c. butter
• · 1/4 c. white corn syrup
• · 1/2 t. salt
• · 1/2 t. baking soda
• · 3 qt. popped corn
• · 2 large grocery bags (put one inside the other)

Combine brown sugar, butter, syrup, and salt in a 4-cup microwave-safe container. Cook for 2 minutes on high. After mixture comes to a rolling boil, add baking soda and stir well.

Place popcorn in doubled bag and pour the sugar/butter mixture over it. Fold the edge of the bag to close and return to the microwave. Cook on high for 1-1/2 minutes. Remove and shake well. Return to the microwave for another 1/2 minute. Remove, shake, and eat!

Julie Beyer, MA, RDN

Author, Speaker, Patient Advocate

www.ic-diet.com 

Just Tell Me What to Eat!

For step by step guidance for creating your own personal interstitial cystitis meal plan, see: Confident Choices^®: Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet.

For some basic, family-style, IC bladder-friendly recipes, see: Confident Choices^®: A Cookbook for Interstitial Cystitis and Overactive Bladder

For health care workers:  Interstitial Cystitis: A Guide for Nutrition Educators 

 **Please SHARE using the links below!**

The Sunshine Vitamin and IC

Interstitial cystitis patients often ask me about how various vitamin supplements can help them. The latest buzz in the media seems to be how a deficiency of vitamin D can affect chronic conditions like IC and related conditions.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient, meaning that our bodies cannot manufacture it, therefore we need to get it from our food or outside sources. Unlike most essential nutrients, however, our bodies CAN make vitamin D if we are exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays for a minimum of 10 minutes a day. Although 10 minutes doesn’t seem like much, if a person doesn’t get much exposure in the winter and avoids sun in the summer by covering the body with clothes and sunscreen, you can see how quickly a low level of the vitamin can develop. People with IC or painful bladder syndrome can be more susceptible if the feel they are housebound and don't get outdoors as often as a healthier person.

How might a vitamin D deficiency affect someone with bladder pain? A true vitamin D deficiency in an adult would be evidenced by a softening of the bones called ‘osteomalacia.” This is actually very rare in the United States due to supplementation of the vitamin in a number of food products including most milk. What we are learning, however, is that a person does not need to be “deficient” in the classic sense of the word, but that Vitamin D levels can be very low contributing to a variety of common ailments, including autoimmune conditions, some cancers, and people with muscle disorders including pelvic floor dysfunction.

The problem with definitively trying to link Vitamin D to IC is that prevalence of low Vitamin D in the IC population is probably not much different than we are seeing in the general population, which is quite high regardless of any other disease process. If you do an internet search for “Prevalence of low Vitamin D,” you can see the many different studies that have compared Vitamin D to various diseases. It is actually staggering.

Rather than totally discount the connection of Vitamin D to IC, it is important to recognize that anything that makes the body stronger as a whole can help IC patients, at least to some degree. Therefore, if you suspect your Vitamin D levels are low, talk to your physician about getting a blood level test to determine if you should take supplemental Vitamin D, and how much.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Web MD: Risk of Dying Linked to Low Vitamin D

Julie Beyer, MA, RDN

Author, Speaker, Patient Advocate

www.ic-diet.com 

Just Tell Me What to Eat!

For step by step guidance for creating your own personal interstitial cystitis meal plan, see: Confident Choices^®: Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet.

For some basic, family-style, IC bladder-friendly recipes, see: Confident Choices^®: A Cookbook for Interstitial Cystitis and Overactive Bladder

For health care workers:  Interstitial Cystitis: A Guide for Nutrition Educators 

 **Please SHARE using the links below!**

Drink Right to Feel Right

One of the great debates among nutrition scientists is how much water a person should drink. The debate gets even more complex when you talk about interstitial cystitis (IC) and overactive bladder (OAB). Obviously, a person who drinks constantly during the day will also be running to the bathroom more frequently. But for people whose painful bladder symptoms are affected by the type of food that they eat, water can help dilute the effects of the bad foods, potentially providing some relief.
 

Probably the best advice that I can give IC and OAB patients is to listen to your body. If you are thirsty, have something to drink. In fact, many people with bladder problems find they do better if they sip on water all day long rather than drink large glasses at a time.

What kind of water should you drink? IC patients may have to experiment. In general, filtered tap water is fine. You might also try distilled water or other types of bottled water. There are questions today about the use of plastic water bottles, not just for the environment, but because they may leach harmful chemicals into the water itself. A stainless steel bottle filled with tap water may actually be your best bet.

If you choose to drink bottled water, many bladder patients find 100% pure spring water without added minerals is more bladder friendly. You may also find it easier to sip a glass of water over an hour rather than drink it all at one time. Also, try hot water with a bit of honey.

Resources:

Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Julie Beyer, MA, RDN

Author, Speaker, Patient Advocate

www.ic-diet.com 

Just Tell Me What to Eat!

For step by step guidance for creating your own personal interstitial cystitis meal plan, see: Confident Choices^®: Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet.

For some basic, family-style, IC bladder-friendly recipes, see: Confident Choices^®: A Cookbook for Interstitial Cystitis and Overactive Bladder

For health care workers:  Interstitial Cystitis: A Guide for Nutrition Educators 

 **Please SHARE using the links below!**