Is Cranberry Juice Good For Interstitial Cystitis & What About Bananas & Hummus?

Acidic products like cranberry juice worsen the lining and cause more irritation in patients with Interstitial cystitis struggling with irritated bladder.¹

The interstitial cystitis network suggests avoiding drinking cranberry juice since the symptoms worse as the bladder is inflamed.²

Banana can make an ideal choice for IC patients since they have extremely low acidic properties.^3,4

Unfortunately, there is no cure for interstitial cystitis and there is no well-defined treatment or therapy that can help these patients recover from their symptoms. Medical studies show that there are patients who battle with IC struggles from late teens with no complete recovery.

The usual course of treatment is antibiotics until the patients develop sensitivity to the same kind of medications. This is a serious discomfort in IC patients since they tend to develop depression and anxiety at a very young age.

Interstitial cystitis turns into disability and the quality of life is decreased. However, following dietary changes as a guide is perhaps a convenient, painless, and easy way to come out of this condition. Everyone may have a different level of sensitivity so understand what best suits for you to ease the condition.

Clinical studies demonstrate that lifestyle modifications and changes to your diet can bring in changes to IC symptoms and helps prevent flares. However, not all foods are good for this condition. Certain foods can worsen your condition and enhance your pain and discomfort.¹

For anyone struggling with interstitial cystitis, the first suggestion they often hear is to drink cranberry juice. Cranberry contains an ingredient called proanthocyanidins that has high acidic properties which have provided beneficial results in patients with urinary tract infection however they are found to trigger agonizing symptoms in IC patients. Acidic products like cranberry juice worsen the lining and cause more irritation in patients with Interstitial cystitis struggling with the irritated bladder.

The acidic nature is cranberry juice that prevents bacteria from attaching to the bladder wall also called bacterial adhesion and induce irritation to the tender bladder. The interstitial cystitis network suggests avoiding drinking cranberry juice since the symptoms worse as the bladder is inflamed. The main objective of IC treatment is to support bladder healing and tissue repair however, cranberry juice turns the tender tissues more inflamed and deter healing.

Texas, Health Science Center analyzed 24 research studies that compared the role of cranberry juice in improving or worsening of IC symptoms. Although some studies showed minor benefits on the preventions of urinary tract infections yet larger studies denied its benefits and revealed cranberry juice will make Interstitial Cystitis symptoms worse.²

Research about the influence of eating habits on interstitial cystitis, or IC, is inadequate. Many fruits and vegetables do not trigger bladder flares and keep us healthy. Some women with this condition have additional symptoms triggered by food allergies whereas other patients have sensitivity towards milk products. There are certain fruits such as bananas, blueberries, pear, and apples referred to as interstitial cystitis friendly fruits that can help improve symptoms in IC patients.

Bananas have low-acidic properties hence make an ideal choice for IC patients. Years ago, the banana was not considered as the recommended option because they were thought to contain high tyramine linked to IC flares however with the development in medical fields, the latest studies proved that you will notice improvement after a few weeks. Similarly, hummus is packed with protein and they are usually IC friendly.^3,4

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