From an energy science view painful IC flares and bladder pain are a result of inflammation in the urinary channel(UT) since too much of hot produces inflammation. Interesting isn’t it that the words burning and flare are used to describe what is physically going on? I wrote a while ago about the use of the antiinflammatory cocktail using pomegranite juice and aloe vera gel and several of you have contacted me to tell me how helpful this has been.
So here’s another antiinflammatory drink! This time a tea made from cumin coriander and fennel(CCF) seeds Due to the cold energy of these herbs they also can be benefiicial in dealing with excess hot in the UT Create a stash of seeds by placing equal amounts of cumin, coriander and fennel into a ziploc bag and shake it so it’s well mixed From your stash you can draw one teaspoon and steep in cup of hot water Or if making a thermos to carry with you during the day placing enough in the thermos for the amount of hot water that will be placed The tea may need diluting if it gets too strong at the end of the day
Your kitchen’s spice drawer is a medicine cabinet and using spices skillfully over time can produce positive medicinal and physiologic effects But the converse is also true If you are using spices randomly and for flavor alone there can be adverse consequences For example, most spices are heating so they can be provoking if you have IC Or another example is the use of salt – too much leads to water retention
In general the value of spices is that they buck up our digestive fire or enzyme system responsible for digestion, absorption, and elimination This is why for us in the northern hemisphere at this time of year the use of spices is important because our digestive strength gets diminished
Cumin coriander and fennel uniquely have an energetically cold effect to the physiology when using them and so are particularly useful in dis-eases with lots of inflammation with poor or impaired digestive strength Cumin(not to be confused with curcumin from tumeric) is a unique digestant in that it bucks up digestive strength but brings balance to the GI tract Coriander seeds come from the plant we get cilantro The use of the fennel bulbs in the fresh vegetable section can give you a double whammy if you cook with it as a vegetable
Another interesting aspect of CCF is that all 3 herbs resonate with the UT They are specific to the UT channel and therefore bring their cold quality to the UT mucosa
If you have a lot of heat already(hot flashes, burning in the pelvis) then reduce or eliminate the cumin which is hot So put an equal amount of each seed in a ziploc bag(unless you’re eliminating or reducing cumin) mix around in the bag and then use 1T/8oz, boil for 5 minutes and then sip through the day
Of course not all spices are created equally For the easiest way to find which spices are safe to use go to icdiet.com There are grades or shades of hot within each herb so within the Favor list there are those asterisked These are spices that should be used in moderation
Notice the positioning of fresh basil and fresh ginger These are both beautiful spices to use on a consistent basis to bring about balance in the GI tract and improve digestion
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