Interstitial Cystitis Advice

Hi Kristin,

A warm welcome to ICadvice.com!

My apologizes for not getting to your question sooner, I'm in the midst of moving houses (at the end of the month) and haven't been online too much these last few weeks.

Generally speaking so long as salmon, tuna or other canned fish products are packed in water (or bladder friendly oils, though this type of canned fish does add extra fat/calories and can be a problem for those with IBS) and are free of preservatives, they should be well tolerated. Some ICers find that excess sodium can be a problem for them, so make sure to read the nutritional label and check the sodium content if this is a concern for you. Starkist brand (tuna) makes a version which is both free of additives and low sodium (here's their
officia page about it).

In terms of canned salmon, I know of a brand called ""Vital Choice"" which produces kosher, low sodium salmon (and tuna). They are a bit pricey, but again, if sodium is a concern, you may feel that the price is justifiable (plus their products can be ordered online, which is always super handy!).

When it comes to seafood, it's a good idea to avoid products which have been smoked (smoked foods of all types - meats, cheeses, fish - are fairly common bladder irritants due to the fact that smoked foods are high in nitrates/nitrites, a substance which is well known for its ability to upset our bladders), heavily processed (avoid those with added MSG, for sure) or combined with trigger ingredients (such as lemon juice, chili peppers or tomato sauce).

I hope that this helps answer your question, Kristin. Definitely feel free to ask whatever you like :) (Be sure to check out our Diet and Nutrition & IC friendly recipe sections for more useful info pertaining to eating for IC.)

Wishing you good health & much happiness,
Jessica

-----

Jessica Cangiano: ICadvice.com creator and administrator

I have IC, but IC doesn't have me!