1. Read Catherine Simone's Book "Along the Healing Path"
   
   
2. Identify Your Allergens & Eat the Right Foods for You
   
   
3. Tackle Acute Pain for Immediate Relief
   
   
4. Reduce Inflammation for Long-term Relief from Chronic Pain
   
   
5. Rebuild the Lining of the Bladder
   
   
6. Fight Off Bacterial and Candida Infections
   
   
7. Alkalize Your Body

• Balance the Immune System to Prevent Autoimmunity
  
  
• Detoxify Your Body of Heavy Metals and Chemicals
  
  
• Test for Heavy Metals and Mineral Imbalances using Hair Tissue Analysis

1. Read "Along the Healing Path - Recovering from Interstitial Cystitis"

This excellent book, written by Catherine M. Simone, is a must read for anyone experiencing symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis. I can honestly say, if it weren't for this book I would not be in the place I am today, which is completely symptom-free. Catherine Simone had a very severe case of IC, which she healed using the methods described in her book.

"Along The Healing Path" is a holistic perpective of IC with information on various alternative treatments, herbs, and natural products.

"Along The Healing Path" offers very helpful tips and vital information for IC sufferers “from one IC patient to another…”.

NEW IC DVD!!!

For those of you who want to have a supportive video by Catherine Simone, we recommend her DVD called "IC Hope - From one IC patient to another..."

This DVD was created to provide the following:

• A candid and honest look at the suffering IC patients endure
• A way to understand and treat symptoms of IC from a holistic perspective
• Insight into common root causes that can be identified through tests
• Something to show family and friends to help them understand IC better

"I read your book 'Along the Healing Path' about 9 months ago and followed many of the suggestions regarding supplements and other things. I wanted to let you know that I have had great success... I am currently off of pain meds, and am asymptomatic... Thank you so much for giving me hope... I never though I would be without suffering.

- Namaste, Priya O. (Posted 3/20/2012)

"Thank you for all the information you provide on your website. Just one month ago I received the book I ordered, "Along The Healing Path". I have read and re-read it, followed what it had to say, and I am symptom-free for almost a week now....

- Sincerely, Sharyn B., Long Beach, CA

"So today is the day I begin my journey to what I hope is recovery (or at least relief) from IC. I hope months from now I can write you with a smile on my face and a lack of pain in my body! You've done a wonderful thing to help those of us who suffer from IC have hope. God Bless You for that!
Take care."

- Ron M., San Dimas, CA (Posted July 31, 2011)

"...I just wanted to let you know that I am well on my way to recovery. It's been about a year and a half and I am 90% better. I want to thank you for your encouragement.... The information that I've gained has helped tremendously, along with all the other measures I've taken. I'm living proof that you CAN get better!! Thank you for dedicating your career to helping women like me..."

- Theresa C., Austin, TX

"Your site is so informative. Using your info, I was able to recover completely from my IC bladder. Thank you!"

- Connie H., Mt. Pleasant, SC

The first thing I did and what I encourage you to do is identify the foods that are causing you problems and eliminate them from your diet. For many of you it will seem like this will be most foods, but it is imperative that you do this so that your body has a chance to rest and heal. I did it the "laymans" way, just by noting how I felt after eating each food.

You may choose to seek professional help in identifying your allergies, but the true test is still how you feel a few minutes to several hours after eating each particular food or supplement.

For information on what foods to eat and what foods to avoid, visit our page Interstitial Cystitis Diet.

Acidic or spicy foods can often "trigger" bladder symptoms of IC. A calcium-based acid reducer can take the acid out of foods to make foods less acidic without affecting the taste. Consider it the same principle as taking the caffeine out of coffee or the lactose out of milk.

The studies and consensus are clear: Where IC symptoms are triggered by acid foods, studies confirm that nothing works on those foods as well as a safe acid reducer dietary supplement which is not a drug and has no side effects.

Unlike other antacids and proton-pump inhibitors, safe acid reducers don't affect your body's bacteria-killing protective stomach acid or your body's stomach acid pump.They simply take the acid out of food, when and as you eat that food.

Quercetin is considered to be a natural antihistamine and inflammation fighter. There are mast cells in the bladder, and mast cells secrete histamine, which is why IC patients become sensitive to so many different foods and supplements. Quercetin can help fight this histamine reaction. It is best to use a quercetin that has been activated with bromelain, which is an enzyme derived from the pineapple.

The Emergency Way to Relieving Pain Fast!

If you are having a painful flare-up right now try this fast and effective tip:

Take one half of a teaspoon of baking soda and put it in a full glass of water. Stir, let sit a minute, and then drink it down. You can repeat this one more time later in the day, but do not exceed 1 teaspoon per day.

Baking soda is an extremely fast and effective way to alkalize your body. It works very quickly to relieve painful flare-ups. Caution: Baking soda is not intended for long-term use. Do not use this therapy for more than 3 weeks at a time.

You can use this tip when you are having painful flare-ups, however I would recommend the alkalizing supplements listed below for long term use, since doctors have not studied the long-term effects of consuming baking soda on a daily basis.

NEW! There are now pure, all-natural baking sodas on the market which have no added aluminum which is added to regular brands as a anti-caking agent. The natural baking soda is ideal for people with chronic health conditions because it does not contribute to the toxic heavy metal load on the body.

Take Grapefruit Seed Extract

Grapefruit Seed Extract is used internally as a natural antibiotic for bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.

Use an extract that contains Citricidal, a natural compound synthesized from the seed and pulp of certified organically grown grapefruit.

This process converts the grapefruit bioflavanoids (polyphenolics) into an extremely potent compound that has been proven highly effective for yeast infections like candida albicans, urinary tract infections, vaginal infections and gastro-intestinal issues.

Taking grapefruit seed extract in combination with baking soda seems to be extremely effective for reducing interstitial cystitis related flare-ups.

Try Proteolytic Enzymes

Proteolytic enzymes are one of the supplements that is having tremendous results for inflammation and pain in all forms, but particularly for bacterial and non-bacterial cystitis.

Protelolytic enzymes digest non-living tissue, blood clots, arterial plaque and inflammation in all forms.

Besides reducing inflammation, one of the most profound benefits is the reduction of pain - physicians in Europe and Asia are using serrapeptase proteolytic enzymes as an alternative to aspirin, ibuprofen and other NSAIDS.

For the long-term relief of painful flare-ups, you will likely need to take some additional measures. You may find that even when you eat completely "safe" foods, you may still get symptoms of burning and pain. This was also the case with me.

Research has shown that inflammatory conditions in the body are often a direct result of a deficiency of essential fatty acids. As a result, I started taking flax seed oil and fish oil capsules everyday.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are very important because they suppress the cytokines in the body that produce inflammation, especially interleuken-6 (IL-6).

You can try either flax or fish oil, but fish oil is recommended since a minority of people are unable to metabolize or break down the flax oil. You can try a fish oil which comes from the entire fish, or cod liver oil which is strictly from the liver. The disadvantage of cod liver oil is that the ratio of vitamin A to vitamin D can sometimes be too high, thereby deactivating the naturally occuring vitamin D which has so many health benefits.

It is best to take your fish oil one hour before bedtime, as the omega-3 fatty acids suppress cytokines that disturb sleep.

As another direct antidote to the pain of IC, I found that I was able to take a supplement that combined quercetin with bromelain (an enzyme derived from pineapples).

This seemed to help within a few hours, giving me several hours of relief at a time. But I had to keep taking it because if I didn't the pain would come right back. Quercetin is a unique bioflavonoid derived from plant sources. In human cell culture studies, quercetin has been shown to inhibit histamine release. The bromelain enhances the effects of the quercetin, making it more bioavailable. Quercetin by itself without the bromelain is not as effective.

Some people find that the only way to relieve their pain is to take pain medication prescribed to them by their doctor. I say if it works for you in the short term, that's great. But these medications do nothing to heal the underlying cause of your condition, so it is best not to rely on them exclusively.

In order to experience permanent relief from painful flare-ups and food sensitivities, you will need to do something to help repair the lining of your bladder.

I did not begin to experience long-term relief from my symptoms until I tried a supplement called bovine colostrum. This is one of the recommendations also found in Catherine Simone's book, "Along the Healing Path - Recovering from Interstitial Cystitis".

Healing Powers of Colostrum

Colostrum is the first food mothers produce for their young. It is packed with antibodies and immune factors, and also reduces inflammation. One of the most important things it did for me was that it slowly but surely relieved my severe food allergies.

It took about a year, but in that time my food allergies and chronically inflammed bladder were 90 percent improved. I started out by taking only one or two capsules a day, and by the end of that year was taking eight to ten capsules per day.

I feel strongly that colostrum was the supplement that was the most important in helping relieve my IC symptoms. In my opinion, I believe the colostrum is what healed the lining of my bladder as well, since colostrum has the documented ability to heal the lining of the digestive tract.

Today, I no longer need to take any quercetin or colostrum capsules, and I only take them if I feel like I am coming down with a cold or flu, or am fighting an infection.

According to the well-known naturopathic physician, Dr. Bernard Jensen, colostrum has a therapeutic role to play in heart health, blood sugar control, and immune health.

Bovine colostrum also has powerful antioxidant properties, helps reduce inflammation, and is a source of many vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids if it is unprocessed and in its original natural state.

We have found that the purest colostrum comes from Canadian sourced cows.

Marshmallow Root Tea is an herb that is highly recommended by Catherine Simone, author of “Along the Healing Path”. It is believed that marshmallow root tea provides a soothing coating to the bladder because of the mucilage found in the plant.

Recent studies have demonstrated that there is a component in marshmallow root that does effect the lining of the bladder in a positive way.

Many thousands of people with bladder problems attest to the near miraculous effects of this healing herb. The one we carry is organic and contains 24 tea bags.

Scientific Name: Althaea officinali

Description: The herbal supplement is made from the dried root and the dried leaves combined as a tea.

Actions & Pharmacology: Marshmallow root relieves bladder and bowel irritation, functions as an anti-inflammatory, and soothes the lining of the bowel and bladder.

General Precautions: Marshmallow root tea is safe to use; some people may have an allergic reaction if they are sensitive to other herbs.

How Supplied: Marshmallow root is best prepared as a tea; it can be stored at room temperature and taken throughout the day.

As an alternative to the marshmallow root tea, you can try marshmallow root extract. We recommend one that is alcohol-free.

Alcohol-free extracts are produced using alcohol, water and natural extractants. All alcohol and extractants are then removed through an extraction process, yielding a standardized extract.

Liquid extracts are absorbed faster than tablets or capsules, and are more potent than tinctures.

Both bacteria and candida yeast have been implicated in IC, even though for many people, urine tests for bacteria come out negative.  It is thought that many cases of IC have “hidden” bacterial overload, and many people are put on low-dose antibiotics for many months at a time. This, of course, only serves to make any candida infections that are present in the body worse. The solution is to use natural antibiotic agents and natural anti-candida agents that will not harm the good flora in the digestive tract.

Grapefruit Seed Extract is both a bacteria and a candida fighter, and will not harm the beneficial flora in your system. Grapefruit seed extract is taken from the pulp of the grapefruit.

Apparently it is such a strong fungicide that farmers in Florida have been known to use it on their farm equipment to ward of fungus and molds that might affect their crops.

I achieved a 90 percent reduction in my interstitial bladder symptoms over an 18 month period using colostrum, and I eliminated most, if not all of my food allergies.

However, I was still experiencing mild periodic flare-ups. This frustrated me since no matter how much colostrum I took, I still would have periodic flare-ups approximately every 3 months for about 3 - 4 days. It seemed I had reached a plateau in my healing, and I wasn't sure what steps to take next.

I did some more research and learned that people with chronically inflamed bladders are considered to be very acidic. Acidic bodies are toxic bodies, and excess acidity also causes symptoms of pain. When you start to alkalize your body, either by eating an alkaline diet (which most people with interstitial bladder symptoms patients cannot do) or by taking alkalizing supplements, your body starts to come back into balance and your symptoms slowly but surely begin to recede.

Alkalizing your body definitely begins to eliminate some of the burning sensations associated with painful flare-ups. In a German study on people with chronically inflamed bladder, the researchers found a substantial reduction in inflammation and pain after 3 months of taking alkalizing supplements.

Try Alkalizing Supplements

There are different types of alkalizing supplements on the market. There are alkalizing booster drops that are designed to boost the pH value of any drinking water, changing it into healthy alkaline water. The drops should contain the right ratio of potassium and sodium hydroxides to maintain the proper mineral ratio in the body.

The alkalilzing drops are usually added to an 8-10 oz glass of water and you should drink at least 5 glasses a day. Booster drops can be taken with tea, coffee and juice, but not with carbonated or dairy beverages.

Besides balancing an overly acidic pH, alkalizing supplements can also replace important minerals that have been leached out of the bones and body tissues to counteract over-acidity.

People with a chronically inflammed bladder need to be very careful with what supplements they take into their bodies, since they are so very sensitive to many different agents including beneficial vitamins, minerals and other supplements.

With this in mind, the alkalizing supplement I recommend you try first are the alkaline booster drops. Drops composed of simple mineral salts with no added ingredients are very gentle and mild and not likely to adversely affect the sensitive bladder tissues..

Alkalizing buffering capsules can be taken if you have milder bladder symptoms or are not as sensitive to various ingredients. They work faster at regulating your body's pH, but are typically a stronger formula. It may be beneficial to start with the booster drops and then add the buffering capsules after a few weeks to accelerate improvement.

Sterols and sterolins are derived from pine bark. Sterols and sterolins have been shown in numerous clinical studies to modulate the over-active immune response encountered in people with autoimmune disease. Take sterols and sterolins to promote a healthy inflammation and immune response in your body.

Eliminating your allergies and alkalizing your body will go a long way in ensuring a return to health. Not only will colostrum and alkalizing products assist you in these areas, but they are also gentle cleansers and detoxifiers as well.

As I said before, sick, tired and hurting bodies are toxic bodies. In fact, if there is one thing that people with interstitial cystitis have in common, it is that they have a toxic body.

In fact, according to Catherine Simone, the author of "Along the Healing Path", people with interstitial bladder pain/inflammation have pretty much the epitome of a toxic body. The more severe the symptoms, the more toxic and sick the rest of the body.

The symptoms of a severely toxic body are exactly the same symptoms experienced by people with chronically inflamed bladders, including chemical sensitivities and allergies, inflamed and irritated mucous membranes, digestive disturbances, lowered immune system, and mysterious muscle and joint pain.

Catherine Simone states in no uncertain terms that until the toxins that are causing these symptoms in the first place are removed from the body, nothing else you do is really going to have a beneficial healing effect, since the same environment that caused the immune system breakdown is still present.

To put it bluntly, adding supplements and other healing agents to a toxic body is like putting good oil in a crappy engine - the supplements simply can't work as well and won't be nearly as effective. As some people with chronic diseases have found, healing supplements may seem to work for a short time and then stop working altogether.

In my opinion, this may be why some people who have had a chronically inflamed bladder for years and seem to have very little improvement - all the good things they may be taking simply cannot work as well if the body environment is compromised.

So while I believe that taking colostrum and other supplements and using alkalizing products may definitely help over time for you like they did for me, I now firmly believe that detoxifying the body may further accelerate the healing process and reduce the time needed for healing. I found the best way for detoxifying the body of toxins is to bathe in sodium bentonite clay. This removes the contaminants from the surface tissue of the body out through the pores of the skin.

Remember, it took me approximately one year to go from being extremely sick to having mild, intermittent symptoms with periodic flareups, and then another six months to having no symptoms at all. I had not been using any detoxifying products since I had a difficult time taking anything internally, even good things like vitamins and herbs. If I had been taking clay baths, it probably would have shortened the recovery time.

When you mix bentonite clay with water, it creates a large negatively charged surface area. When the body is in a tub of warm water, the warm water opens up the pores of the skin, and the positively charged toxic particles are drawn through the pores of the skin, to be absorbed by the clay.

Most chemical and metal toxins have a postive charge, whereas the clay has a negative charge. Thus, the toxins cannot resist being drawn towards the clay. Bentonite clay has a great capacity for absorbing and adsorbing many times its own weight in toxins. In other words, clay baths have been shown to literally pull pollutants out through the skin, getting rid of many months and years of toxic accumulations.

It is important that you find a clay that has been purified, so it contains no mold, yeast, bacteria or fungus. Also, it helps to use a clay that mixes well and disperses easily with warm water to get maximum effectiveness. Some clays do not mix well in the tub, leaving you with a cumbersome and messy clean-up.

Glutathione is a short string of amino acids called a peptide. It is composed of three amino acids: glycine, glutamine and cysteine.

Glutathione is a major player in detoxifying the body of many toxic pollutants, including toxic metals and chemicals. Glutathione deficiency impairs the body's ability to get rid of toxins whether they are environmental or the by-products of cellular metabolism.

If we have low glutathione levels we slowly become toxic, storing away poisons in our tissues, organs, muscles and brain. We simply cannot detoxify effectively if our glutathione levels are too low, no matter what form of detoxification we undertake.

Glutathione is made by all the cells in the body, and is the body’s master antioxidant and detoxifying agent. In one review, almost 80% of people with chronic ailments were found to be deficient in glutathione. In fact, low levels of glutathione are involved in all disease states.

Why? – because the heavier the cumulative toxic burden on the body, the greater this depletes supplies of glutathione. For example: One molecule of mercury uses up one molecule of glutathione. Since all chronic, degenerative disorders are triggered, in part, by the toxic load, it is small wonder to see why glutathione levels are such an important marker.

Glutathione is a supplement that is extremely difficult to absorb.  Most oral supplements are worthless, because the digestive tract destroys the nutrient before it can be absorbed. 

Supplements such as NAC can help your body make more glutathione, but the effect is mild. This is why intravenous therapy was once considered to be the only therapy that really works. There is now new technology which allows one to absorb glutathione orally using liposomal technology. The glutathione survives the trip through your intestines because the glutathione is contained in microscopic little pouches called liposomes. Thus, the glutathione enters your bloodstream intact.

According to Dr. Marcus Laux, it is important to find an oral glutathione supplement that your body can truly absorb.  According to Dr. Laux, liposomes were recently tested in rigorous scientific studies, and were found to have an amazing 90% absorption rate.  That’s comparable to intravenous glutathione therapy, for a fraction of the cost. 

A cell culture study was conducted on glutathione at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School by Gail Zeevalk, PhD. The study showed the neuro-protective nature of the glutathione from damage due to the known neuro-toxicants maneb (fungicide) and paraquat (herbicide).

A hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) is a simple, non-invasive screening test that can be used to find out if you have a heavy metal problem. This is especially useful if your program of supplements and lifestyle changes is not showing consistent positive results or is working a little more slowly than you would like. An HTMA test will help you find hidden toxicities, help you identify the source of exposure to heavy metals, and will suggest ways to balance the essential minerals and eliminate the toxic metals.

It is important to note that many people get better through detoxification when all else has failed them. Essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium and sodium all have important metabolic functions. However, too little or too much of any of these essential minerals can have an adverse affect on the human body and it’s ability to recover.

An HTMA can give you the extra information needed to take additional control of your health. I recommend a hair tissue mineral analysis test once or twice a year as a way to receive information that you can use to fine-tune your program and hasten your return to health.

For example, I myself tested extremely high for the essential mineral copper, which is a common finding for autoimmune diseases. Copper in the right amount is necessary for health, but it is toxic at high levels. I also discovered that I had toxic levels of mercury, arsenic and aluminum.

I undertook a program of taking clay baths and using a safe internal chelator, which over several months, eliminated the toxic metals. I believe it is the combination of proper diet, targeted supplements, finding hidden toxins and eliminating them that resulted in my return to normal symptom-free health.

A hair analysis provides a biological profile of the past 2 – 3 months of intracellular activity revealing a unique metabolic world which cannot be seen through most other tests. The hair mineral analysis gives you or your healthcare professional much-needed information about toxic metals, mineral deficiencies and chemical imbalances in your body, especially if you’re suffering from symptoms of any disease or disorder, including intestitial cysitis.

For FAQ’s about hair analysis, please click here.

The most common question I receive after people read the above Steps to Recovery is “Do I need to take all of these supplements and if so, what is the protocol?”

First of all, the main goals of finding relief from the symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis are to heal the lining of the bladder, relieve pain, fight infections, alkalize the body, reduce inflammation and to balance your immune system. The most that traditional medications can do is relieve symptoms, but they do very little to address the above areas at the root cause. Addressing all of the areas mentioned on this page are necessary for relief to be long-lasting and even permanent.

For a brief explanation of the function of each supplement, please click here for a Detailed Supplement Guide Summary for IC.