Interstitial Cystitis Advice

With winter in full swing many us have already come down with colds and other airborne viruses or know that it's only a matter of time until we do. This is of course true of both the IC and the non-IC population, but for many with IC the less illnesses we catch the better (and stronger) our bladders feel. For many with IC colds and flues can trigger Interstitial Cystitis flares and/or trigger flares in other IC related medical conditions that we may have. But luckily there are some relatively simple and easy to implement IC friendly steps that we can all take to help boost and strengthen our immune systems. Here are six helpful ways to strengthen your immune system help and keep you cold free.

Sleep: The body needs sleep, without it we quickly become lethargic, run down and even disoriented. Ongoing sleep deprivation or broken sleep has been shown to impair memory and motor abilities, as well as put us at risk of getting more colds and viruses. Often ICers have a difficult time sleeping through the night or for hours at a time, simply due to the fact that we are voiding at continually getting up to void at night.

Sadly this can seriously weaken our immune systems, and it is wise to try and find as many ways as you can to get several hours of sleep a day. This may mean taking medications that are known to help reduce night time voiding, napping during the day (if possible) or implementing techniques which can give you a better nights rest. For many ideas on how to achieve better sleep with IC, please see the article, I just want some sleep.

Reduce your stress level: While this often comes across as so much easier to say than to actually do, almost everyone can find ways to cut some of the stress out of their daily lives. This is critically important because when we are stressed out our systems can release certain hormones, such as cortisol, which can be harmful to our bodies in excessive levels. When excess cortisol is present our immune systems give off a product called interleukin 6 (IL-6). IL-6 is thought to be a primary contributing factor behind the development of such conditions as rheumatoid arthritis and potentially even fibromyalgia. It also depletes our bones of calcium and can even be a catalysis for the development of cancerous tumors.

You may want to consider making a list of all the stressful factors in your life, from big things like family and work to small things like having to take out the trash (if this is stressful for you, that is). See how many items on your list can be reduced or changed in order to be less stressful. Seek the help of family and friends, and even outside help if you need it. Luckily society has become more aware of the presence of high levels of stress in our everyday lives and many avenues exist to help you reduce your stress. For more great tips on how to cut stress out of your life, please see the article, Are you comfortable?.

Exercise: This can be a very difficult point for many ICers, especially if we have numerous overlapping health issues. Each of us varies widely in what we are able to do in terms of physical activity, and its important to never judge yourself against what others can do. Exercise is excellent because it helps to boost the immune system significantly, and has good affects on your overall health and stamina. Regular exercise - even moderate amounts – can help to reduce stress and give you a better nights sleep.
Before commencing any exercise program, please always discuss doing so with your doctor(s) and make sure that you are not trying to do more than you are physically capable of at this point in time.

Some types of exercise which ICers report are more tolerable are walking (you don't have to run a marathon, just 20-40 minutes 3-6 times a week can do wonders for your overall health and help you burn excess calories), gentle swimming and water aerobics, certain kinds of yoga, walking on a treadmill, climbing a flight of stairs, stretching, do gentle Tai Chi, and light, low-impact aerobics.

Always remember to wear the proper type of clothing for the sport or exercise that you are doing, stretch adequately both before and after the activity, and drink fluids as you go. If you need to stop, than stop, it's perfectly all right. Give yourself some time and either continue on that day or pick up again later in the week, if possible.

Stay positive: Though IC can often wear on us and be a cause of sadness, pain and frustration trying to maintain a positive outlook on life and your health can actually be beneficial. Research has shown that when we are happy every cell in our body becomes aware of that fact and reacts accordingly. Try to find something on a daily basis – no matter what it is – that makes you smile, and better yet that makes you laugh. Talk about your emotions and experiences and look for ways to let go of past pains and bad memories. Embrace each day as a new start and keep a realistically optimistic view on life when ever possible.

Great ways to enjoy laughter and happiness are very individual, for some it might be watching a funny movie, for others playing with their children, gardening, meeting friends for lunch or spending time with a pet. Whatever makes you happy and helps to take your mental concentration off of your health will aid in strengthening your immune system. It might be cliché, but the old axiom, that “laughter is the best medicine” still rings as true for ICers as for anyone else.

Drop bad habits: No one wants to be nagged, and as adults we do have the right to choose what we put in our bodies, but the moment that you develop any type of health problems, the more crucial than ever it becomes to stop partaking in things that can worsen your health further (not to mention aggravate your IC!).

This includes smoking of any kind, recreational drug use and consuming excess amounts of alcohol (many ICers will find that their bladders cannot not take any alcohol at all, and are wise to stop drinking it entirely). Smoking has been clearly linked to an increase in bladder cancer, lung cancer, throat cancer and emphysema, to name but a few health problems. Smoking – like drug use and alcoholism – has harsh, long lasting affects on the immune system. ICers who have stopped smoking often report that their bladders feel markedly improved, and that their overall health is also better. Truly, the less toxins that you put into the temple which is your body, the better.
If you need help giving up any of these things please talk to your doctor as well as your family, a support group, councilor, or other trusted adviser.

Take your vitamins: Vitamins are like little miracles when it comes to helping keep our immune systems strong. Though diet alone can provide us with most of our required nutrients, this is not always possible for everyone, especially if you have restricted or eliminated foods from your diet due to medical reasons. In this case you may need to enlist the aid of nutritional supplements and vitamins. Always talk to your doctor before doing so, as some vitamins and supplements can react negatively with certain medications.
A plethora of information now abounds about vitamins and minerals, as well as the roles and importance that they have in our bodies. Talk to your health care team to see if you are in need of certain vitamins or minerals, for example a low level of iron can lead to anemia, where as too little calcium puts us at risk for brittle bones and osteoarthritis.

Some key vitamins and minerals that have been noted to be particularly beneficial to immune system health are:

Echinacea: Technically not a mineral or vitamin, but a plant that is well established as in important immune system booster. This North American plant has gained wide spread appeal and fame in the past decade, as scientific studies show its merits when it comes to increasing the level of properdin in our bodies. Increased properdin leads to a higher defense level in our immune systems when it comes to blocking our viruses and harmful bacteria.

Echinacea is available in a very wide array of pills, tablets, oils, and tinctures. Always source the purest form that you can (many are bulked up with unnecessary fillers) and take only the recommended daily amount, or what your doctor has told you to consume. If taken regularly many people feel that it decreases their overall levels of colds and viruses.




Vitamin C: This vitamin helps to increase the level of white infection fighting blood cells in our bodies, as well as increasing our levels of an antibody called interferon which helps to coat cells and protect them from invading viruses).

For ICers who are not able to take vitamin C in the form of citric acid based supplements there are buffered pills available, with less acid. Good IC friendly food sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, Brussel sprouts, snap peas, kohlrabi, broccoli, spinach, kale, cauliflower, red cabbage, sweet potatoes, potatoes in their skins, blackberries, papayas (not all ICers can tolerate papayas) and cherimoyas.




Vitamin E: Though it probably gets less press than vitamin C when it comes to defending the immune system and warding off colds, vitamin E is a very important helper too. It stimulates the creation of certain cells that in essence seek out and kill germs and even cancer cells. Vitamin E has also been linked to lowering the chances of developing cardiovascular disease and suffering from heart attacks. Importantly, vitamin E also increases the production of the cells (called B-cells) in the immune system which produce natural antibodies.

We don't need tons of vitamin E a day, in general between 100-400 milligrams is recommended and it can obtained through both diet and supplements. Some IC friendly foods with high levels of vitamin E in them are wheat germ, almonds, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, spinach and broccoli.




Carotenoids: Just like vitamins C and E, beta carotene is a major antioxidant, and interestingly the body actually converts beta carotene into vitamin A. It ups your level of infection battling calls, natural hunter/killer cells (the ones that go after nasty invaders) and helper T-cells. It also helps to soak up abundant free radicals and fight off cancer cells, as wells as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Other important carotenoids have also been recognized as being critical for a healthy, well functioning body. It is believed that a combination of numerous carotenoids working together is the best way to help protect yourself, and may explain why a healthy, carotenoid rich diet is more helpful against cancer than simply taking beta carotene supplements. Choosing foods that are high in beta carotenes is a great way to help strengthen your immune system. Some wonderful bladder safe choices include sweet potatoes (which are also a good source of vitamin C, something to keep in mind if you do come down with a cold), carrots, spinach, pumpkin, melons, and papaya.




Zinc: Zinc is a hard working mineral, it increases the production of white blood cells (therefore creating more natural antibody cells), potentially slows the growth of cancer, ups your number of infection fighting T-cells, and some people claim helps to keep colds at bay (primarily by reducing the number of respiratory illnesses that we catch).

We don't need oodles of zinc a day to benefit from its helping properties, about 15-25 milligrams is sufficient for most adults.
Aim to get your zinc from your diet, as it is possible to suffer a zinc overdose which will actually impair the immune system rather than aid (this is possible if you take supplements and obtain more than 75 milligrams per day). Great bladder friendly food sources of zinc include fortified cereals, oysters (they are loaded to the hills with naturally occurring zinc), crabs, beef, pork, chicken, turkey, milk, lentils, seeds (especially pumpkin seeds, a great zinc source for vegetarians), cashews, almonds, beans and chickpeas.




Selenium: This handy trace mineral is a natural born killer, it goes to work destroying cancer cells and strengthening the immune system. In time selenium essentially becomes part of each of our cells, and it is found abundantly in our kidneys, liver, spleen, testes (in men) and pancreas.

Though available in supplement form it can also be obtained through our diet. If you eat for IC, some selenium rich choices to pick from are tuna, lobster, red snapper, shrimp, whole grains, brown rice, oats, egg yolks, chicken, vegetables, cottage cheese, lamb, garlic and sunflower seeds. (Note, if you are able to eat Brazil nuts they are the single highest known food source of selenium, with 120 micro grams per nut.)




Omega 3 fatty acids: Flax oil and fatty fish oil (such as mackerel, tuna and salmon) are natural immune boosters, and high sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These acids increase the production of the white blood cells that consume and destroy bacteria. They also help our bodies to heal from infections. It's recommended that you take omega-3 in conjunction with vitamin E, as the two work excellently together to increase your immune system.

Omega-3 can be obtained in the form of supplement capsules or from foods like oily fish, venison, buffalo meat, and leafy green plants and vegetables (interestingly the edible garden plant “purslane” is a good source of omega-3 and alpha-linolenic acid.)