Interstitial Cystitis Diet Books: Customizing the Intersitital Cystitis Diet

Recently, I had someone ask me what the differences were in my books for interstitial cystitis and some other IC Diet books, so I thought it would be a good thing to post here.

At http://ic-diet.com/, you will see pictures of my three books about the IC Diet. If someone is just starting the elimination diet, Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet, is probably the best place to start. It walks you through the elimination diet step-by-step including some meal plans, the food list, grocery list, some recipes and additional helpful information about other lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your bladder symptoms.

For those of you who don't know, I am a dietitian who also has interstitial cystitis. (I always say you get smart about stuff you never wanted to be smart about!) I was part of the ICA/ICN team that put together the IC Food List that is most commonly used today. In addition, I have worked with IC patients for 15 years now. I do consultations, but found that I was saying the same thing over and over and over to patients....that is why I wrote the book.

So, with Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet, you get two or three hours of my diet and lifestyle expertise for around $30 instead of $90 an hour which is my fee. In fact, it is obvious I am not in this just to make money because I always tell people to buy the book first because most IC patients don't need my one-on-one help after they read the book. For those who decide they do need more guidance, getting the book first always saves time and money because we start out much further down the educational line. 

As for the other two books: A Cookbook for Interstitial Cystitis and Overactive Bladder is just that--a book full of recipes that also has a small amount of educational material. There are many other IC cookbooks out there that are very good too. But that is okay with me; we all like a lot of cookbooks, right? If I had to differentiate, I would say my IC cookbook is more for the brand new patient who is looking for a bladder safe diet with easy to prepare recipes using everyday foods. It truly falls under the category of "just tell me what to eat!" 


Finally, Interstitial Cystitis: A Guide for Nutrition Professionals, was written as a continuing education vehicle for medical professionals who want to learn more about interstitial cystitis so they can help their patients. This book would also be great for an interstitial cystitis patient who want to learn more about the medical research behind the IC diet.


As you probably know, modifying diet helps nearly 90% of IC patients, and having quality tools like these books can make the difference between living in pain and frustration and living a fulfilling life. Following an IC diet may not get rid of all your bladder symptoms, but the vast majority of people with interstitial cystitis experience significant improvement. Keep in mind, diet is something you CAN control. You CAN do it!

Julie Beyer, MA, RDN

Author, Speaker, Patient Advocate

www.ic-diet.com  

Helping Yourself Is the First Step to Getting Well

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

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