Supplement Trio

I found an interesting article in Bustle Magazine.  Dr. Jennifer Linehan is a Urologist from Santa Monica, California USA.  When treating patients with Interstitial Cystitis (IC), she recommends dietary changes and supplements, first.

Dr. Linehan recommends a supplement trio:  L-arginine, Calcium Glycerol Phosphate, and Aloe Vera.

As always, check with your medical professional before taking any supplement. 

L-arginine is an amino acid supplement that is taken for a variety of reasons.  The doctor  recommends L-arginine because this supplement relaxes the bladder.  L-arginine is also used to boost a person’s immune system.  The second supplement suggested is calcium glycerol phosphate to lower the acidity of your food.  Prelief is a product that contains calcium glycerophosphate.  And finally, the last in the trio is Aloe Vera which can help rebuild the mucous layer of the bladder.

A nutritionist (Melissa Albers) who specializes in treating Interstitial Cystitis suggests eating foods that are low in oxate, low in histamine, and low in FODMAPs.  FODMAPs are types of carbohydrates found in certain foods, including wheat and beans.  Albers recommends eliminating soy, sugar, and other fast carbohydrates, processed fats, food additives, alcohol, and caffeine.

High oxate foods to limit are

• Spinach
• Bran flakes
• Rhubarb
• Beets
• Potato chips
• French fries
• Nuts and nut butters

According to Heathline.com, oxalate helps to get rid of extra calcium by binding with it.  Current research shows that increasing your intake of calcium-rich foods when you eat foods that are high in oxalate may be a better approach than simply eliminating it from the diet.

High histamine foods to limit are

• Alcohol
• Pickled or canned foods such as sauerkraut
• Matured cheeses
• Smoked meat products like salami, ham and sausages
• Shellfish
• Beans and pulses – chickpeas, soy beans, peanuts
• Nuts – walnuts, cashew nuts
• Chocolates and other cocoa based products

According to Medical News Today, “when the body does not break down histamine from foods, and it leaks through the intestinal lining, it enters the bloodstream and can cause an immune response.”

Let me know in the comments below if you have had any success using the supplement trio or diet restrictions listed in this posting.