It’s estimated that 60-70% of people with the interstitial cystitis will resolve the problem spontaneously The percentage probably goes higher for those who do simple nutritional work as explained at icdiet.com and foodsheal.com
So we are left with about 20% of the IC population who will go on to chronic disease who will display more than one of the disease labels of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) This 20% represents the true chronic disease population who will need more change than just simple nutritional advice
Acute disease is short lived and the solutions are straight forward But chronic disease management requires continuous ongoing treatment therapies which become a problem for us living in a Vata vitiated society who want our solutions yesterday
From an energy science point of view treatment guidelines revolve around those which center on lifestyle behavior patterns(LBP) which are the most difficult for us as humans to deal with From an epigenetic view the reason for this is actually based on methylation groups that prevent us from changing easily This methylation obstructs us from changing our LBP Essentially unhealthy LBP are obstacles to health
Holocaust survivors have high levels of methylation and leave them mentally “scarred” Unfortunately this methylated scarring becomes heritable whatever the traumatic event may be But it brings up questions for us such as “Is agni or eating patterns heritable?”
The good news for us who are challenged by LBP’s that are not supportive for healing IC is remember that is takes just 8 weeks to reverse patterns not supportive of moving in the right direction That’s right, 8 weeks to reverse those pesky methylation patterns that prevent us from changing to healthy LBP’s
Ayurveda, the energy science of healing, gives us guidelines for healthy living Say we get up at 9am and go to bed at midnight Ayurveda would say that it would be better to go to bed early and get up earlier How much volume to drink during the day? How much to eat at the biggest meal of the day? What are the best foods to bring about physiologic balance?
The LBP help us live our lives in balance because that promotes health and heals chronic disease The above questions seem like they would have nothing to do with the IC bladder pain syndrome but from an energy science point of view they are all suggestions to bring about physiologic balance that will produce a foundation by which other therapies will build on the foundation of LBP
Yes, it’s possible to change those methylation groups leading to unsuccessful unhealty patterns or LBP The reason that they work is that these activities produce mental clarity Any technique as a matter of fact that induces more mental clarity will decrease “bad” methylation which can induce unfavorable LBP
1 Meditation is becoming a well known technique to quiet the mind An active mind clouds our soul’s intelligence leading to poor decision making that leads to repetitive destructive LBP
2 Mantra work is the repetition of sounds that evoke DNA demethylation Essentially the sounds said mentally to yourself bump off these unwanted methylated groups to bring about change in any LBP
3 Breath retention is a form of meditation but has the added advantage of improving agni and promoting love, compassion, and peace
4 Herbs can change over time behavior patterns because herbs work at the level of mind or DNA
5 Marma therapy directly works at the level of mind so unwanted patterns slip away and one is consciously directed in different directions
In the IC bladder pain syndrome as in many chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, IBS, GERD, or chronic prostatitis, there is often times the occurrence of cravings particularly around food Sometimes these cravings are normal and should be satisfied But if we understand the energy model we will understand when some cravings should not be satisfied I’m using the word “craving” here in a very specific way and different than addiction In addiction I’m speaking about a continual need for something you...
read moreAny chronic disease produces stress The stress can be good or it can be bad When stress is managed well there are adaptive behavioral patterns that are adopted that lead to changes that help heal or place the person in situations that help them have unique insights about their disease Whether the disease is IC or its sister related labels of IBS, GERD, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, or chronic prostatitis matters little What’s important is how the individual deals with the stress But as we know stress can be damaging and affect our...
read moreAs part of the IC bladder pain syndrome fibromyalgia(FM) is a common(along with vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD) It’s estimated that 25% of people with IC have complicating FM but that percentage is probably much higher than the estimate because many with IC have some symptoms of FM but don’t meet the strict criteria for diagnosis Nonetheless the associated symptoms of FM make the IC syndrome difficult to manage Fibromyalgia as a Disease Label More women than men are affected and the symptoms may be unilateral(on just...
read moreIn the past I’ve talked about various options open to an IC population interested in pursuing healing rather than palliative matter science methods The energy science also has palliative methods as well but the topic of this blog is not to palliate the IC bladder pain syndrome but to eliminate it The energy science model’s understanding of the origin of disease makes this possible and allows you to understand why the below therapies work in eliminating IC as well as its sister diseases of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia, vulvodynia,...
read moreBy definition IC is diagnosable by having symptoms of a UTI but a negative culture, best done on a well done cath specimen If the culture is negative with lower tract irritative symptoms(LTIS of frequency, urgency, burning on urination) and no gross hematuria(blood seen in the urine), one is fairly safe in assuming IC, especially if this happens over and over again Other urological workup can be done but this definition essentially seals the deal #1 Way to Figure It Out If there are associated symptoms of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia,...
read moreEverything that we observe whether it’s our body or the world around us can be viewed as either a wave or a particle When it’s a particle we see the world as reassuringly solid and palpable From this world view we see things around as molecules; but when the world is seen as a wave our view changes The world is seen as vibrating pulsating energy These vibrational frequencies are identified as money, struggles, obstructions to what we want, the passion of life itself Biologically vibrational frequencies are what make us up...
read moreLast week I wrote about various cooking oils that when used according to your energy constitutional makeup will bring you closer to balance and harmony But there is one cooking oil that can be used by everyone anytime (except in moderation for PK people) This cooking oil comes from unsalted butter, has a very high burning point(technically it’s called smoke point), and best of all is highly medicinal As a matter of fact it is a cornerstone in energy science therapies to heal IC bladder pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis,...
read moreOils may be overlooked when looking for the “apparent trigger foods” in the IC diet In the energy science approach there are specific oils that carry the hot quality and these in the end will aggravate the small bowel, the seat of Pitta energy which is as you recall the energy of transformation in the body These oils if used improperly can produce the bladder pain of the IC bladder pain syndrome Why would the small bowel be the focal point of transformative energy? It’s in the small bowel that foods are literally...
read moreYou would do anything to deal with the pain of IC especially when flares occur so it would stand to reason that using an antacid of some form would be appropriate since for some it gives them relief of their heartburn but has also been anecdotally reported by some to help with their IC symptoms But interestingly disease labels such as IBS, fibromyalgia, and even vulvodynia share the problems of too much heat in the physiology Interestingly acid indigestion(heartburn) and GERD are strongly associated with IC In an online survey done by the...
read moreThe energy body is composed of three types of energy using the energy science model of Ayurveda As I have talked about in the past how it is articulated in other models such as the Traditional Oriental Medicine discipline is different but in essence it’s the same, the mindbody is being seen as an energy field, not a matter field The three energy patterns in the Ayurvedic model are Vata(energy of movement), Pitta(energy of transformation or metabolism), and Kapha(energy of stability) You need all three to function but they are...
read more
When we enter a new way of doing healing it’s good for us to educate ourselves about how the new discipline does its healing I have emphasized in this blog that we can’t bring our matter science preconceived notions along with us when we begin looking at the energy science way of healing It just doesn’t work So we need to be prepared to leave behind out old baggage and be prepared to enter a new way of healing
The Ayurvedic detoxification procedure is called panchakarma(PK) which means the 5 actions The five actions are nasya, rakta moksha(blood donation), vamana, virechana, and basti These actions can be done outside the context of a panchakarma event especially if there are complicating clinical circumstances but they are most effective when done in the context of PK
Detoxification has a very specific meaning in the energy science It means that during the process the Vata Pitta and Kapha energy patterns are brought back to the GIT for elimination AS WELL AS ama which has been peripherally spread from the GIT to the tissues and energy channels of the mindbody along with VPK
The event of PK is just that It is an event that occurs that brings about healing Like all the healing modalities used in the energy science it’s not just one thing but a multiplicity of things done to the energy body’s field that brings about healing changes So it is with the PK It’s not just one thing in the PK event that brings about healing but it’s how all of the modalities during the event come together to bring about a successful outcome
There are 3 components to the PK event The first is the preparatory phase in which the primary purpose is to prepare the energy field for detoxification There are several components to this phase but by far and away the most important is internal oleation which is done by taking increasing amounts of ghee orally in order to saturate the tissues so that the energy mindbody will release VPK and ama from the peripheral tissues
The second phase is the application of the five actions during a period of time During this time three other things should be done to encourage the movement of VPK and ama back to the GIT for elimination Oil massage, sweating, and oil to the forehead in a continuous stream helps support the process Other therapies can also be applied as per individual patient
The followup or third phase is to do things to support the elimination of the VPK and ama from the GIT An important aspect here is to rekindle agni that has been slowed down by the first two phases This is a very important aspect of this third and last phase of PK This phase can last as long as three months in which there is gradual release of VPK/ama
One PK event in a person’s incarnation is not enough for detoxification Rather it should be seen as a repetitive process that is like dipping a shirt into soapy water One dip doesn’t clean the shirt It takes multiple dips to clear the accumulated toxic load As with any process the more you do the better you get at it
The PK event is special in how things get done If you take pieces out of context and use it regularly they don’t have the same effect For example, the use of basti which is the best way to eliminate Vata and ama from the energy mindbody doesn’t have the same effectiveness when done alone out of the context of the PK event as when it’s done in it
The more one oleates in the first phase the better the end result There are several tricks that can be used to make this important stage successful
It is possible to do the PK event over one week and by yourself with or without guidance But this week time frame doesn’t include the first and third phases outlined above
Lastly even though it may seem foreign to you it is a way to ensure that real healing can take place if you deposited peripheral VPK/ama
In the IC bladder pain syndrome as in many chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, IBS, GERD, or chronic prostatitis, there is often times the occurrence of cravings particularly around food Sometimes these cravings are normal and should be satisfied But if we understand the energy model we will understand when some cravings should not be satisfied I’m using the word “craving” here in a very specific way and different than addiction In addiction I’m speaking about a continual need for something you...
read moreAny chronic disease produces stress The stress can be good or it can be bad When stress is managed well there are adaptive behavioral patterns that are adopted that lead to changes that help heal or place the person in situations that help them have unique insights about their disease Whether the disease is IC or its sister related labels of IBS, GERD, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, or chronic prostatitis matters little What’s important is how the individual deals with the stress But as we know stress can be damaging and affect our...
read moreAs part of the IC bladder pain syndrome fibromyalgia(FM) is a common(along with vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD) It’s estimated that 25% of people with IC have complicating FM but that percentage is probably much higher than the estimate because many with IC have some symptoms of FM but don’t meet the strict criteria for diagnosis Nonetheless the associated symptoms of FM make the IC syndrome difficult to manage Fibromyalgia as a Disease Label More women than men are affected and the symptoms may be unilateral(on just...
read moreIn the past I’ve talked about various options open to an IC population interested in pursuing healing rather than palliative matter science methods The energy science also has palliative methods as well but the topic of this blog is not to palliate the IC bladder pain syndrome but to eliminate it The energy science model’s understanding of the origin of disease makes this possible and allows you to understand why the below therapies work in eliminating IC as well as its sister diseases of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia, vulvodynia,...
read moreBy definition IC is diagnosable by having symptoms of a UTI but a negative culture, best done on a well done cath specimen If the culture is negative with lower tract irritative symptoms(LTIS of frequency, urgency, burning on urination) and no gross hematuria(blood seen in the urine), one is fairly safe in assuming IC, especially if this happens over and over again Other urological workup can be done but this definition essentially seals the deal #1 Way to Figure It Out If there are associated symptoms of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia,...
read moreEverything that we observe whether it’s our body or the world around us can be viewed as either a wave or a particle When it’s a particle we see the world as reassuringly solid and palpable From this world view we see things around as molecules; but when the world is seen as a wave our view changes The world is seen as vibrating pulsating energy These vibrational frequencies are identified as money, struggles, obstructions to what we want, the passion of life itself Biologically vibrational frequencies are what make us up...
read moreLast week I wrote about various cooking oils that when used according to your energy constitutional makeup will bring you closer to balance and harmony But there is one cooking oil that can be used by everyone anytime (except in moderation for PK people) This cooking oil comes from unsalted butter, has a very high burning point(technically it’s called smoke point), and best of all is highly medicinal As a matter of fact it is a cornerstone in energy science therapies to heal IC bladder pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis,...
read moreOils may be overlooked when looking for the “apparent trigger foods” in the IC diet In the energy science approach there are specific oils that carry the hot quality and these in the end will aggravate the small bowel, the seat of Pitta energy which is as you recall the energy of transformation in the body These oils if used improperly can produce the bladder pain of the IC bladder pain syndrome Why would the small bowel be the focal point of transformative energy? It’s in the small bowel that foods are literally...
read moreYou would do anything to deal with the pain of IC especially when flares occur so it would stand to reason that using an antacid of some form would be appropriate since for some it gives them relief of their heartburn but has also been anecdotally reported by some to help with their IC symptoms But interestingly disease labels such as IBS, fibromyalgia, and even vulvodynia share the problems of too much heat in the physiology Interestingly acid indigestion(heartburn) and GERD are strongly associated with IC In an online survey done by the...
read moreThe energy body is composed of three types of energy using the energy science model of Ayurveda As I have talked about in the past how it is articulated in other models such as the Traditional Oriental Medicine discipline is different but in essence it’s the same, the mindbody is being seen as an energy field, not a matter field The three energy patterns in the Ayurvedic model are Vata(energy of movement), Pitta(energy of transformation or metabolism), and Kapha(energy of stability) You need all three to function but they are...
read more
The incidence of low back pain(LBP) in the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) is estimated to be higher than over the general population Presently there are new anatomical observations about the mechanical carriage of the spine that suggests that there has become an too much thoracic curvature due to our sedentary culture and furniture that doesn’t support the back
While these anatomical observations and reasons are probably true they don’t explain why there is a higher than expected LBP incidence in the ICPBS poplulation Let’s discuss how the energy science anatomy looks at LBP
Vata, the energy pattern of movement, has the qualities of cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, and clear Particularly the qualities of light, mobile, and rough play prominent roles in ICBPS It is these vibrational frequencies that lead to the urinary frequency and urgency of both the overactive bladder syndrome, interstitial cystitis, and chronic prostatitis
But as we have discussed before the role that Vata plays in these disease labels begins in the GIT and then spreads from the lower rectum to the pelvic nerves to produce the varied presentation of the syndrome such as vulvodynia, intersitital cystitis, and IBS
The anatomical home for Vata is the colon, pelvic girdle, thighs and lumbosacral(LSS) spine It is this latter involvement which leads to Vata when increased to produce symptoms of pain in the lower back
How does Vata increase its qualities? First, lifestyle choices such as lack of proper rest, lack of regimen, and foods that produce Vata aggravation This is particularly important for those with a PV type of energy constitutional makeup Secondly, when agni or digestive power is affected it can lead to a progressive buildup of Vata in the rectum that then leads to symptoms in the LSS
There is no pain without Vata This is because Vata’s primary functional area of the mindbody is the nervous system So when Vata accumulates and then aggravates the tissues Vata is the first to produce complaints of pain
The qualitative reasons for LBP are cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, and clear due to the localization of the Vata energy pattern in the LLS area Another important observation already discussed is the close relationship between the pelvic and pectoral(shoulder) girdles
Pranayama(PY) Since the breath ties the pelvis(apana vayu) and the shoulders(udana vayu) together it is no surprise that breath exercises can facilitate over time back rehabilitation This stategy improves the flexibility of the musculofascial planes surrounding the LSS and the strength of the supporting muscles of the entire back PY is the best way over time to make this happen Loss of flexibility is related to the cold, dry, and rough qualities The loss of strength is related to the light, dry, rough and subtle changes
Mahanaryan oil This is an excellent penetrating oil that quiets the Vata qualities of dry, rough, and subtle There are energy science methods of oil application that are ingenious and highly effective in improving ability to loosen the tissue rigidity occurring due to cold quality
Heat The cold quality is always present in any pain complex so the liberal use of heat, preferably moist heat, is important
Become a floor dweller This may seem rather radical but even laying on the floor for brief periods of time can be very therapeutic for LBP This is because when the back’s foundation(LSS) becomes impaired all aspects of the back become involved Using the floor helps provide support to the upper thoracic back which becomes problematic due to the LSS Vata effect
Become conscious of your posture As we started in this discussion being aware of our posture becomes an important part of rehabilitation of the lower back by targeting how we carry the upper back particularly the thoracic curve This is done by paying attention to the shoulders, keeping them drawn back and down This action improves the lordotic J hook of the LSS and reduces the prominence of the thoracic spine PY helps improve the overall strength of the back so that this action on the thoracic spine can be held for long periods of time
In the IC bladder pain syndrome as in many chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, IBS, GERD, or chronic prostatitis, there is often times the occurrence of cravings particularly around food Sometimes these cravings are normal and should be satisfied But if we understand the energy model we will understand when some cravings should not be satisfied I’m using the word “craving” here in a very specific way and different than addiction In addiction I’m speaking about a continual need for something you...
read moreAny chronic disease produces stress The stress can be good or it can be bad When stress is managed well there are adaptive behavioral patterns that are adopted that lead to changes that help heal or place the person in situations that help them have unique insights about their disease Whether the disease is IC or its sister related labels of IBS, GERD, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, or chronic prostatitis matters little What’s important is how the individual deals with the stress But as we know stress can be damaging and affect our...
read moreAs part of the IC bladder pain syndrome fibromyalgia(FM) is a common(along with vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD) It’s estimated that 25% of people with IC have complicating FM but that percentage is probably much higher than the estimate because many with IC have some symptoms of FM but don’t meet the strict criteria for diagnosis Nonetheless the associated symptoms of FM make the IC syndrome difficult to manage Fibromyalgia as a Disease Label More women than men are affected and the symptoms may be unilateral(on just...
read moreIn the past I’ve talked about various options open to an IC population interested in pursuing healing rather than palliative matter science methods The energy science also has palliative methods as well but the topic of this blog is not to palliate the IC bladder pain syndrome but to eliminate it The energy science model’s understanding of the origin of disease makes this possible and allows you to understand why the below therapies work in eliminating IC as well as its sister diseases of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia, vulvodynia,...
read moreBy definition IC is diagnosable by having symptoms of a UTI but a negative culture, best done on a well done cath specimen If the culture is negative with lower tract irritative symptoms(LTIS of frequency, urgency, burning on urination) and no gross hematuria(blood seen in the urine), one is fairly safe in assuming IC, especially if this happens over and over again Other urological workup can be done but this definition essentially seals the deal #1 Way to Figure It Out If there are associated symptoms of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia,...
read moreEverything that we observe whether it’s our body or the world around us can be viewed as either a wave or a particle When it’s a particle we see the world as reassuringly solid and palpable From this world view we see things around as molecules; but when the world is seen as a wave our view changes The world is seen as vibrating pulsating energy These vibrational frequencies are identified as money, struggles, obstructions to what we want, the passion of life itself Biologically vibrational frequencies are what make us up...
read moreLast week I wrote about various cooking oils that when used according to your energy constitutional makeup will bring you closer to balance and harmony But there is one cooking oil that can be used by everyone anytime (except in moderation for PK people) This cooking oil comes from unsalted butter, has a very high burning point(technically it’s called smoke point), and best of all is highly medicinal As a matter of fact it is a cornerstone in energy science therapies to heal IC bladder pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis,...
read moreOils may be overlooked when looking for the “apparent trigger foods” in the IC diet In the energy science approach there are specific oils that carry the hot quality and these in the end will aggravate the small bowel, the seat of Pitta energy which is as you recall the energy of transformation in the body These oils if used improperly can produce the bladder pain of the IC bladder pain syndrome Why would the small bowel be the focal point of transformative energy? It’s in the small bowel that foods are literally...
read moreYou would do anything to deal with the pain of IC especially when flares occur so it would stand to reason that using an antacid of some form would be appropriate since for some it gives them relief of their heartburn but has also been anecdotally reported by some to help with their IC symptoms But interestingly disease labels such as IBS, fibromyalgia, and even vulvodynia share the problems of too much heat in the physiology Interestingly acid indigestion(heartburn) and GERD are strongly associated with IC In an online survey done by the...
read moreThe energy body is composed of three types of energy using the energy science model of Ayurveda As I have talked about in the past how it is articulated in other models such as the Traditional Oriental Medicine discipline is different but in essence it’s the same, the mindbody is being seen as an energy field, not a matter field The three energy patterns in the Ayurvedic model are Vata(energy of movement), Pitta(energy of transformation or metabolism), and Kapha(energy of stability) You need all three to function but they are...
read more
A perfect snack should be nutritious and digest easily even in those with poor digestive strength(agni) This can be really important for those with the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) because poor agni is always the case
Fresh fruit fits this category and is the primo snack food, hands down It beats anything in the middle of the grocery store
Energetically we are not created equally Some are PV others PK while others VK(unusual) so we don’t resonate the same to foods and fruits are no exception Perhaps some of you already know that a granny Smith apple due to its sourness can provoke your IC
But there are some fruits that can be used all the time….the universal fruits Notice that they are all sweet because the sour taste will provoke Pitta
Fruit that can be used all the time: Sweet apples(apple a day keeps…), applesauce, sweet berries, sweet apricots, sweet cherries, soaked prunes, soaked raisins
Particularly during the summer when central agni is low, fruits make an excellent way to protect an already compromised agni Try to use locally grown fruits when you can and support the organic growers
Remember the general rule to not mix other foods with fruit If you eat fruit before or after a meal allow 30minutes as a separating time interval Fruits and yogurt is a particularly nauseating combination
Consider using fresh fruit for the below to charge up your agni 
Fruit fast (PittaVata every 2w…PittaKapha every week)
Fruit juice fast…using juices as a way to fast and improve agni is a great way to improve your chances of recovering from IC
Fruit as meal subsititutes…especially during the summer months when appetite is always low, fruit becomes a great meal substitute
Fruit as snacks…possibly 20% of the supermarket is snack foods, typically salty and fat(sour taste)laden….fruits are wholesome, fresh, and simple to digest
In the IC bladder pain syndrome as in many chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, IBS, GERD, or chronic prostatitis, there is often times the occurrence of cravings particularly around food Sometimes these cravings are normal and should be satisfied But if we understand the energy model we will understand when some cravings should not be satisfied I’m using the word “craving” here in a very specific way and different than addiction In addiction I’m speaking about a continual need for something you...
read moreAny chronic disease produces stress The stress can be good or it can be bad When stress is managed well there are adaptive behavioral patterns that are adopted that lead to changes that help heal or place the person in situations that help them have unique insights about their disease Whether the disease is IC or its sister related labels of IBS, GERD, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, or chronic prostatitis matters little What’s important is how the individual deals with the stress But as we know stress can be damaging and affect our...
read moreAs part of the IC bladder pain syndrome fibromyalgia(FM) is a common(along with vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD) It’s estimated that 25% of people with IC have complicating FM but that percentage is probably much higher than the estimate because many with IC have some symptoms of FM but don’t meet the strict criteria for diagnosis Nonetheless the associated symptoms of FM make the IC syndrome difficult to manage Fibromyalgia as a Disease Label More women than men are affected and the symptoms may be unilateral(on just...
read moreIn the past I’ve talked about various options open to an IC population interested in pursuing healing rather than palliative matter science methods The energy science also has palliative methods as well but the topic of this blog is not to palliate the IC bladder pain syndrome but to eliminate it The energy science model’s understanding of the origin of disease makes this possible and allows you to understand why the below therapies work in eliminating IC as well as its sister diseases of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia, vulvodynia,...
read moreBy definition IC is diagnosable by having symptoms of a UTI but a negative culture, best done on a well done cath specimen If the culture is negative with lower tract irritative symptoms(LTIS of frequency, urgency, burning on urination) and no gross hematuria(blood seen in the urine), one is fairly safe in assuming IC, especially if this happens over and over again Other urological workup can be done but this definition essentially seals the deal #1 Way to Figure It Out If there are associated symptoms of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia,...
read moreEverything that we observe whether it’s our body or the world around us can be viewed as either a wave or a particle When it’s a particle we see the world as reassuringly solid and palpable From this world view we see things around as molecules; but when the world is seen as a wave our view changes The world is seen as vibrating pulsating energy These vibrational frequencies are identified as money, struggles, obstructions to what we want, the passion of life itself Biologically vibrational frequencies are what make us up...
read moreLast week I wrote about various cooking oils that when used according to your energy constitutional makeup will bring you closer to balance and harmony But there is one cooking oil that can be used by everyone anytime (except in moderation for PK people) This cooking oil comes from unsalted butter, has a very high burning point(technically it’s called smoke point), and best of all is highly medicinal As a matter of fact it is a cornerstone in energy science therapies to heal IC bladder pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis,...
read moreOils may be overlooked when looking for the “apparent trigger foods” in the IC diet In the energy science approach there are specific oils that carry the hot quality and these in the end will aggravate the small bowel, the seat of Pitta energy which is as you recall the energy of transformation in the body These oils if used improperly can produce the bladder pain of the IC bladder pain syndrome Why would the small bowel be the focal point of transformative energy? It’s in the small bowel that foods are literally...
read moreYou would do anything to deal with the pain of IC especially when flares occur so it would stand to reason that using an antacid of some form would be appropriate since for some it gives them relief of their heartburn but has also been anecdotally reported by some to help with their IC symptoms But interestingly disease labels such as IBS, fibromyalgia, and even vulvodynia share the problems of too much heat in the physiology Interestingly acid indigestion(heartburn) and GERD are strongly associated with IC In an online survey done by the...
read moreThe energy body is composed of three types of energy using the energy science model of Ayurveda As I have talked about in the past how it is articulated in other models such as the Traditional Oriental Medicine discipline is different but in essence it’s the same, the mindbody is being seen as an energy field, not a matter field The three energy patterns in the Ayurvedic model are Vata(energy of movement), Pitta(energy of transformation or metabolism), and Kapha(energy of stability) You need all three to function but they are...
read more
In the past we have likened the mindbody to an energy battery that can become drained in many different ways One of the more common ways is chronic disease such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia) When there is constant daily discomfort for long periods of time there will be a high chance that an energy drain can occur
In the world of psychology this can lead to more often than not decision fatigue This is a situation where after several decisions “pile up”, say while grocery shopping, that by the time we’re done we are mentally fatigued That’s why the candy bars are at the checkout stand because with decision fatigue impulse buying happens to increase(unless a high will power quotient is present)
But add on the energy depletion from chronic disease and you’re more likely to start in the hole even before you get started with the shopping in the first place
So protecting your energy when you have the IC bladder pain syndrome is an important thing to look at
Establish a daily routine In the energy science a daily ritual in which foundational “to do’s” are always done such as brushing your teeth These foundational activities require no decision making and allow you to put yourself on “auto pilot” but at the same time they provide a structure that you can always rely on
So going to bed by 10 to 11p each night is a great start to be able to get up preferably at sunrise or by 6-7a each day This early morning rising then establishes a time when the bathroom ritual done and do some form of centering work(contemplation, meditation) Then you can get in a hour of exercise of your choosing…pranayama, asana practice, walking etc Typically the choices are based on your energy constitutional makeup
Having regular mealtimes with the biggest meal at noon is essential to maintaining good health rinking room temperature fluids(ice is not nice!), using spice mixtures(churans at foodsheal.com), simply paying attention to what you’re doing when eating(few meals a week in silence), or not eating when busy helps replenish your body’s energy
Reduce mental turbulence Perhaps a surprise to some is that the mind is the biggest drain of them all! Often the mind is running in the background even though you think it’s quiet This incessant turbulence shows up as fear, anxiety, depression, worry, and of course fatigue because the body gets beat up with this kind of mental activity Solution? Spend 5-10 minutes twice a day(morning and evening) closing your eyes and watching the breath
Remove nutritional stressors There are foods that drain the body’s energy such as refined sugar, coffee, chocolate(what the heck?) carbonated drinks
Improve food choices Foods that bring about balance for you according to the nutritional formats at foodsheal.com after you take the mindbody questionnaire will help you sort this out
Using proper food combining stops the depletion of energy expended due to difficult to digest food combinations
Avoid snacking Eating before you have digested the last food that you’ve ingested requires the mindbody to use more energy so this habit is depleting At least 4 to 6 hours between meals or better yet wait until your hungry since appetite is the best gauge of the body’s readiness for food
Toxicity If you have poor digestion, chances toxic formation will occur leading to the qualities in the bladder being held there and unable to be released But this toxicity is everywhere and it reduces the mindbody’s efficiency in functioning The mindbody can no longer function with “ease” but now functions with “dis-ease”
By implementing these suggestions you can begin to reduce decision fatigue and free up energy that gets wasted Good luck!! DB
In the IC bladder pain syndrome as in many chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, IBS, GERD, or chronic prostatitis, there is often times the occurrence of cravings particularly around food Sometimes these cravings are normal and should be satisfied But if we understand the energy model we will understand when some cravings should not be satisfied I’m using the word “craving” here in a very specific way and different than addiction In addiction I’m speaking about a continual need for something you...
read moreAny chronic disease produces stress The stress can be good or it can be bad When stress is managed well there are adaptive behavioral patterns that are adopted that lead to changes that help heal or place the person in situations that help them have unique insights about their disease Whether the disease is IC or its sister related labels of IBS, GERD, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, or chronic prostatitis matters little What’s important is how the individual deals with the stress But as we know stress can be damaging and affect our...
read moreAs part of the IC bladder pain syndrome fibromyalgia(FM) is a common(along with vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD) It’s estimated that 25% of people with IC have complicating FM but that percentage is probably much higher than the estimate because many with IC have some symptoms of FM but don’t meet the strict criteria for diagnosis Nonetheless the associated symptoms of FM make the IC syndrome difficult to manage Fibromyalgia as a Disease Label More women than men are affected and the symptoms may be unilateral(on just...
read moreIn the past I’ve talked about various options open to an IC population interested in pursuing healing rather than palliative matter science methods The energy science also has palliative methods as well but the topic of this blog is not to palliate the IC bladder pain syndrome but to eliminate it The energy science model’s understanding of the origin of disease makes this possible and allows you to understand why the below therapies work in eliminating IC as well as its sister diseases of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia, vulvodynia,...
read moreBy definition IC is diagnosable by having symptoms of a UTI but a negative culture, best done on a well done cath specimen If the culture is negative with lower tract irritative symptoms(LTIS of frequency, urgency, burning on urination) and no gross hematuria(blood seen in the urine), one is fairly safe in assuming IC, especially if this happens over and over again Other urological workup can be done but this definition essentially seals the deal #1 Way to Figure It Out If there are associated symptoms of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia,...
read moreEverything that we observe whether it’s our body or the world around us can be viewed as either a wave or a particle When it’s a particle we see the world as reassuringly solid and palpable From this world view we see things around as molecules; but when the world is seen as a wave our view changes The world is seen as vibrating pulsating energy These vibrational frequencies are identified as money, struggles, obstructions to what we want, the passion of life itself Biologically vibrational frequencies are what make us up...
read moreLast week I wrote about various cooking oils that when used according to your energy constitutional makeup will bring you closer to balance and harmony But there is one cooking oil that can be used by everyone anytime (except in moderation for PK people) This cooking oil comes from unsalted butter, has a very high burning point(technically it’s called smoke point), and best of all is highly medicinal As a matter of fact it is a cornerstone in energy science therapies to heal IC bladder pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis,...
read moreOils may be overlooked when looking for the “apparent trigger foods” in the IC diet In the energy science approach there are specific oils that carry the hot quality and these in the end will aggravate the small bowel, the seat of Pitta energy which is as you recall the energy of transformation in the body These oils if used improperly can produce the bladder pain of the IC bladder pain syndrome Why would the small bowel be the focal point of transformative energy? It’s in the small bowel that foods are literally...
read moreYou would do anything to deal with the pain of IC especially when flares occur so it would stand to reason that using an antacid of some form would be appropriate since for some it gives them relief of their heartburn but has also been anecdotally reported by some to help with their IC symptoms But interestingly disease labels such as IBS, fibromyalgia, and even vulvodynia share the problems of too much heat in the physiology Interestingly acid indigestion(heartburn) and GERD are strongly associated with IC In an online survey done by the...
read moreThe energy body is composed of three types of energy using the energy science model of Ayurveda As I have talked about in the past how it is articulated in other models such as the Traditional Oriental Medicine discipline is different but in essence it’s the same, the mindbody is being seen as an energy field, not a matter field The three energy patterns in the Ayurvedic model are Vata(energy of movement), Pitta(energy of transformation or metabolism), and Kapha(energy of stability) You need all three to function but they are...
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Grains are an interesting food group energetically but the one use of grains that is universally safe for all energy constitutional makeups is sprouted grains In the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, and fibromyalgia) grains vary in terms of the types that can be used
For example, Pitta Vata can use cooked oats, rice, and pancakes all the time whereas PK would use these in moderation Typically it’s recommended to avoid yeasted bread products so flatbreads become the best way to use grains as a form of “bread”
In general the husk of the grain is difficult to digest and requires strong agni Since most people’s agni is not up to par it makes the digestion of husked grains difficult to digest For example, brown rice is not balancing for any of the energy patterns due to the husk
White basmati rice is a classic grain without the husk Other grains are usually husked Here’s a video demo demonstrating the dehusking process
Another way to deal with the tough husk of a grain is to soak the grain and that stimulates the grain to begin to sprout Sprouting grains is a time honored way of releasing nourishing aspects of any grain The benefits of sprouting are three fundamental aspects: 1) sprouting activates food enzymes; 2) sprouting increases vitamin content, and 3) sprouting neutralizes antinutrients like phytic acid which bind up minerals preventing your ability to fully absorb them
It is the last aspect that is of most interest for those with IC since phytic acid would be irritating and provoking energetically But all three of these benefits are important in terms of improving the nutrition of the foods we eat
So another way to take advantage of sprouted grains is to access available products commercially The best is a nonyeasted sprouted grain product, tortillas Nonyeasted products are superior to yeasted grain products because yeast produces gas and heat in the small intestine
The most affordable and commonly commercially available bread source of sprouted grains is sprouted wheat bread
In the IC bladder pain syndrome as in many chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, IBS, GERD, or chronic prostatitis, there is often times the occurrence of cravings particularly around food Sometimes these cravings are normal and should be satisfied But if we understand the energy model we will understand when some cravings should not be satisfied I’m using the word “craving” here in a very specific way and different than addiction In addiction I’m speaking about a continual need for something you...
read moreAny chronic disease produces stress The stress can be good or it can be bad When stress is managed well there are adaptive behavioral patterns that are adopted that lead to changes that help heal or place the person in situations that help them have unique insights about their disease Whether the disease is IC or its sister related labels of IBS, GERD, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, or chronic prostatitis matters little What’s important is how the individual deals with the stress But as we know stress can be damaging and affect our...
read moreAs part of the IC bladder pain syndrome fibromyalgia(FM) is a common(along with vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD) It’s estimated that 25% of people with IC have complicating FM but that percentage is probably much higher than the estimate because many with IC have some symptoms of FM but don’t meet the strict criteria for diagnosis Nonetheless the associated symptoms of FM make the IC syndrome difficult to manage Fibromyalgia as a Disease Label More women than men are affected and the symptoms may be unilateral(on just...
read moreIn the past I’ve talked about various options open to an IC population interested in pursuing healing rather than palliative matter science methods The energy science also has palliative methods as well but the topic of this blog is not to palliate the IC bladder pain syndrome but to eliminate it The energy science model’s understanding of the origin of disease makes this possible and allows you to understand why the below therapies work in eliminating IC as well as its sister diseases of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia, vulvodynia,...
read moreBy definition IC is diagnosable by having symptoms of a UTI but a negative culture, best done on a well done cath specimen If the culture is negative with lower tract irritative symptoms(LTIS of frequency, urgency, burning on urination) and no gross hematuria(blood seen in the urine), one is fairly safe in assuming IC, especially if this happens over and over again Other urological workup can be done but this definition essentially seals the deal #1 Way to Figure It Out If there are associated symptoms of IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia,...
read moreEverything that we observe whether it’s our body or the world around us can be viewed as either a wave or a particle When it’s a particle we see the world as reassuringly solid and palpable From this world view we see things around as molecules; but when the world is seen as a wave our view changes The world is seen as vibrating pulsating energy These vibrational frequencies are identified as money, struggles, obstructions to what we want, the passion of life itself Biologically vibrational frequencies are what make us up...
read moreLast week I wrote about various cooking oils that when used according to your energy constitutional makeup will bring you closer to balance and harmony But there is one cooking oil that can be used by everyone anytime (except in moderation for PK people) This cooking oil comes from unsalted butter, has a very high burning point(technically it’s called smoke point), and best of all is highly medicinal As a matter of fact it is a cornerstone in energy science therapies to heal IC bladder pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis,...
read moreOils may be overlooked when looking for the “apparent trigger foods” in the IC diet In the energy science approach there are specific oils that carry the hot quality and these in the end will aggravate the small bowel, the seat of Pitta energy which is as you recall the energy of transformation in the body These oils if used improperly can produce the bladder pain of the IC bladder pain syndrome Why would the small bowel be the focal point of transformative energy? It’s in the small bowel that foods are literally...
read moreYou would do anything to deal with the pain of IC especially when flares occur so it would stand to reason that using an antacid of some form would be appropriate since for some it gives them relief of their heartburn but has also been anecdotally reported by some to help with their IC symptoms But interestingly disease labels such as IBS, fibromyalgia, and even vulvodynia share the problems of too much heat in the physiology Interestingly acid indigestion(heartburn) and GERD are strongly associated with IC In an online survey done by the...
read moreThe energy body is composed of three types of energy using the energy science model of Ayurveda As I have talked about in the past how it is articulated in other models such as the Traditional Oriental Medicine discipline is different but in essence it’s the same, the mindbody is being seen as an energy field, not a matter field The three energy patterns in the Ayurvedic model are Vata(energy of movement), Pitta(energy of transformation or metabolism), and Kapha(energy of stability) You need all three to function but they are...
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