I was just diagnosed with IC. For the last few years, I have tried to maintain a mostly vegan diet, but now I am wondering how I can do both a vegan diet and the interstitial cystitis diet. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for your help!! Olivia
Hi Olivia. Thanks for your question. Your observations are correct. A vegan diet is challenging enough without the additional restrictions of another special diet like that for IC.
Just to get everyone on the same page, here are some definitions that can help:
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Vegetarian diets in general do not include meat, poultry, or fish, although some people who eat vegetarian meals may include fish occasionally. The term "vegetarian" is fairly generic and doesn't describe whether or not a person consumes other animal products such as milk or eggs.
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Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets avoid all meats, but DO include milk and eggs. You may also hear of people who will only use milk products but not eggs (lacto vegetarian), or eggs but not milk products (ovo vegetarian).
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Vegan diets, of which you are referring, don't include any animal products at all and, by nature, are the most restrictive and difficult to balance nutritionally. There is some debate whether products created by animals (like honey) should be included in a vegan diet.
In addition to various religious restrictions, many people consume a vegetarian diet for the advertised health benefits: higher fiber and anti-oxidant consumption and lower saturated fat.
I don't usually recommend a strictly vegan diet for people with IC unless there is a strong religious or personal moral conviction against eating meat or other animal products. Besides the fact that foods that are generally a staple of a vegan diet like soy (including endamame, soy milk, and tofu), tomatoes, citrus fruits, and some legumes (fava and lima beans) can increase IC symptoms, many IC patients find that a little additional protein each day helps them feel better.
Therefore, a good compromise for you might be a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. People with IC generally find that eggs are soothing when they are in a flare, and also, many feel that vanilla milk shakes, warm milk with vanilla, or cottage cheese are soothing foods. You could also consider including fish one or two times a week. If possible, choose organic sources of eggs and milk/milk products to minimize exposure to hormones, steroids, and other chemicals that could stimulate your IC symptoms.
If you choose not to consume any animal products at all, it becomes essential to "complete" your protein intake by consuming the various types of plant based foods each day. A good rule of thumb is to include something from each of the amino acid rich plant groups each day: vegetables, legumes, grains, and nuts/seeds. Each of these food groups supplies a different set of "essential amino acids." Combining these essential amino acids helps ensure that you are getting the most protein possible out of a vegan diet.