Category Archives: CPPS

IC and Inflammed Gut: How to Deal With It By Diet

bladder, bladder pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis, CPPS, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, vulvodynia,

Through the Ayurvedic lens of seeing disease in the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, GERD, IBS, fibromyalgia) the GIT(gastrointestinal tract) is inflammed with acidic blood pH in the range of 5.5 to 6.5  Alkalinizing the GIT using diet is fundamental to healing the disease  This also helps heal over time the microbiome that is universally affected in these conditions

A unique combination of alkalinizing greens and protein can make a complete meal or as side dish for other foods on the table(can be used with squash, grain, and chutney).  Using ghee and water separates the lipid and water soluble materials from the ingredients which aids in the digestion, absorption, and assimilation of the food. The alkalinizing impact of the steamed greens heals an acidic inflammatory environment of an unhealthy GI tract and its agni

Equipment  Food processor

2 quart skillet with cover(preferably glass so you can see when the greens are done….see below0000000000000000000000000000)

Ingredients

Green source (choose one and vary from day to day)   Collard greens, Kale, Spinach, Chard rainbow

Can also initially steam broccoli, white daikon radish with asparagus, yellow crookneck squash before adding above greens

Subtle greens(choose one)   Cilantro, Fresh basil, Parsley, Mint

Lime juice

Ghee

Culinary spice mixture:  Mom’s masala or High Pitta Masala(chandika.com)

Soma salt(chandika.com)

Protein(choose one): white chicken, eggs, vegan powder(available at chandika.com), split mung dal, mung dal, split red, kulthi, black beluga, green-gray du puy, green french dal

Spring water is preferable(has more soma) in preparation

Instructions

Heat 1-2 inches water into a 2 quart pan with 2T ghee and 2t spice mixture.  Add greens(remove the fibrous steams in kale and collard greens using only the leaf) and steam with cover on the pot. If adding denser vegetables steam them first eg broccoli before adding the greens. Steam until the greens become bright green.  If you want a juicier green dish you can add00000000000 water.  Place in food processor and process after adding soma salt, lime juice, and tapioca flour. Place a bunch of subtle greens and complete processing. Do not cook the subtle greens with the rough greens.

The vegan powder(chandika.com) can be mixed 4T powder and 8oz water and added to the green composite in the food processor or you can simply sprinkle it over the greens

Add 1t olive oil if not cooking with chicken which is best when boiled. If using eggs cook scrambled and can then add to the green processed mixture. Another way to add the eggs is to poach them is boiling water, place them on toast with ghee, and place the green composite over the top of the poached eggs.

Detoxification and the Green Composite Protein Recipe(GCPR)

Toxins(Ayurveda calls this ama) will be liberated using this recipe so you may have some mild physiologic effects when beginning. If you have a more severe reaction you should contact me. The use of the GCPR can be beneficial as any liberation of toxin can be easily received as the GI tract is alkalinized and healthy.

Release of toxic load has to be done in order to regain health and clear the symptoms of the IC bladder pain syndrome.

IC and 3 Things to Deal with Food Allergies

bladder, bladder pain, chronic prostatitis, CPPS, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia

Eating-Beautiful-GirlInterstitial cystitis (IC) painvsyndrome(intersitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, IBS, GERD, fibromyalgia)  is often associated with other conditions such as  food allergies or sensitivities and GERD which we have written about in the past   This is difficult to understand from a molecular approach to dis-ease since the model looks at the problem within an organ system without taking into consideration the interrelationship of all organ systems

This is frustrating to physicians as well as patients seeking to understand the pain of IC and how to treat it   And it sometimes leads a real difficulty for IC patients in choosing foods thinking that perhaps their IC pain symptoms are related to their “food allergies”  so they are fearful of eating anything Oftentimes elimination diets are used to try to sort it out but partially fail

The Dis-ease Origin Is the Same

With a different way of seeing the mindbody from an energy science viewpoint rather than the currently used matter science discipline it becomes clear that food allergies are interrelated with IC   Why is this so?

Dis-ease or lack of harmony in the mindbody begins in the gastrointestinal tract(GIT) and when there is too much of the hot quality it leaves the GIT to be eliminated through the urinary tract   The GIT is not healthy enough to deal with the excess hot quality

Food allergies that occur in the GIT leads to distress as well but the energy science explanation is due to lack of digestive strength   The same lack of digestive strength leads to two seemingly different forms of dis-ease

Lack of Digestive Strength

Digestive strength from a matter or molecular science approach is not enough digestive enzymes to do the job  Because of this toxic debris builds up much like a cold campfire has unprocessed charred remains   Acute symptoms occur after eating such as:

Poor appetite                     Coated tongue                      Nausea                   Bloating               Belching with smell of previously eaten food

Weakness and fatigue         Foul gas or flatus; bad-smelling feces       Unhappiness       Constipation or diarrhea

Abdominal pain and/or distention               Bad breath           Bad taste in the mouth        Restlessness     Heaviness after food

Congestion            Excessive sleep

These signs and symptoms represent poor digestive strength but as you can see could be interpreted as “food allergy”

Then chronic signs and symptoms may occur over years of poor digestion strength:

Tissue emaciation                     Malabsorption          Emotional eating                Food cravings                   Food allergies

Insomnia        Poor visual perception           Poor circulation           Abnormal color and complexion     Lack of luster(skin rashes)

Fear           Grief, sadness, and depression         Confusion          Apathy, repulsion      Shortened life span      Aggressiveness

Indecisiveness and lack of discrimination     Lack of intelligence(loss of clarity)           Impatience

Improper direction and inappropriate goals

Isn’t it interesting that fear, confusion, apathy, aggressiveness occur in this list of chronic symptoms?   The reason for this is that there is a mindbody connection   What happens in the mind happens in the body  What happens in the body happens in the mind

From an energy science view mind and body are intimately spliced   You cannot separate them  Mind is in every cell of the body   So we see that if the GIT is effected with dis-ease or disharmony then it will register in the mind and these psychological manifestations will be apparent

3 Things to Do to Improve Digestive Strength

As I have said in previous blogs eating according to your mindbody energy makeup is the most important thing along with avoiding poor food combinations   But here are some other general things you can do as well

1  Use Coriander and Fennel tea to support agni

2  Use of GCPR(green composite protein recipe)  Have blogged about this in the past  If you need the recipe send me an email and I’ll send you a copy

3  Use pre and probiotic in the form of a pappadam lassi   If you need the recipe send me an email and I’ll send you a copy

Herbs and Painful IC Flares

bladder, bladder pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis, CPPS, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, vulvodynia

tea tree forestThe use of herbal preparations in the treatment of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, GERD, IBS, and fibromyalgia) can be effective if we understand the world of herbology

Herbs have their medicinal effects on multiple systems and go where they are most needed in the physiology unlike their pharma counterparts who are made to have specific molecular physiologic effects  However herbs are similar to the effects antibiotics have in that they support the system in correcting the disruption  Antibiotics don’t eradicate the infection as much as they support the immune response to the invading organisms  For example, if someone develops pneumococcal pneumonia, the immune system is not up to the challenge to clear the organism  In that case the antibiotics help the immune system in clearing the pneumococcus from the lungs and in actuality do not eradicate the organisms completely

Similarly herbs due to their specific energetics help support the physiology to clear energetic imbalances that are created by unconscious choices  Even though herbs are thought of as molecules by nutraceutical companies and are marketed as such, the proper use of herbs will not be done effectively until we use them as healing energetics

Understanding the Origin of the Imbalance Being Treated

Probably the most important aspect in the energetic use of herbs is understanding the imbalance that has been created  Any healer whether allopathic or Ayurvedic would admit that you have to know what you’re treating before you decide on the direction of therapy  In the allopathic discipline the physician  through the course of testing comes up a disease label such as cancer, hypertension, autoimmune disease  At times not much testing is required and at other times a lot of testing is needed

Similarly in the energy science of Ayurveda a precise understanding of the energetic imbalance is required in order so that a successful herbal protocol is prescribed  It requires more than taking a pill conjured up by some nutraceutical company but rather an in depth analysis of what is going on energetically based on what is being reported by the patient

It may be surprising to you to hear this but no two cases of the IC bladder pain syndrome are alike  So as we are each uniquely different from one another so we are uniquely different in the way we create our diseases

Absorption of Herbs

An important aspect of the use of herbs is their digestion, absorption, and assimilation  Healthy agni is required for this to occur or they are excreted through stool or urine  The unfortunate problem for most is that the agni is not healthy  What’s more is that if the herbs are attempted to be digested they will be turned into ama which is undigested unprocessed food

This is a serious problem even though as a unsophisticated audience we don’t understand what deleterious effects we are physiologically creating We merrily go along our way popping nutraceuticals hoping we’ll get better when in actuality we are making ourselves sick by our actions

This specific problem can be averted by taking advantage of the agni in our skin through the use of transdermal herbal creams  Also through the use of submucosal delivery of herbs we can avoid the digestive system altogether  Using both types of delivery systems we can physiologically herbs into the system where they are needed for healing

Real Healing Takes Time

Healing is subtle not gross  That is to say, healing using an energetic approach requires observing for subtle changes in the body’s reporting of symptoms and noticing how improvement is occurring  Otherwise we miss the signs of healing and sooner rather than later we say “this isn’t working”So any healing whether allopathic or energy science requires patience and discipline when using a herbal approach otherwise we lose in the end

Another aspect to real healing is to understand that as we get better we reverse our disease process  What this means is that we have apparent aggravation of symptoms as the imbalance is corrected  We hate to hear this but it’s a fact  As we gently release the excess energy that we have created by unconscious choices in the past the net result is gentle symptoms of release

IC and the Invisible Nerve Irritant: Vata Qualities And 3 Things To Do

bladder, bladder pain, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis, CPPS, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia, , ,

Those who have followed this blog on the IC/PBS(IC Bladder Pain Syndrome) are well aware of the fundamental energy science principle that mostly all disease in the body(except for trauma) originates in the GIT(gastrointestinal tract)  From this location energetic qualities or vibrational frequencies(they are one and the same) disseminate from the GIT to locations and/or organs in the body to produce Pelvic nerves and rectum with labelssymptoms of disease  This is true for chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, IBS(irritable bowel syndrome), GERD(gastroesophageal reflux disease), and interstitial cystitis which are all part of the IC/PBS

Qualities(Vibrational Frequencies) Producing Disease

When excessive these qualities produce disease  They are grouped into the energy patterns of VPK(Vata Pitta and Kapha)and are associated with specific physical symptoms or manifestations 

Vata, the energy of movement, is associated with gas in the body  We most notably experience gas as flatus or belching
Due to its mobile vibrational frequency Vata qualities easily relate to the nervous system which is the most active mobile system in the body

Pitta, the energy of transformation, is associated with the hot sensation in the body  We experience this energy pattern as burning

Kapha, the energy of stability, is the most physically expressed and we experience this pattern as mucous

When the Vata group of vibrational frequencies become progressively excessive in the colon the qualities of cold, dry, light, mobile, and rough begin moving out of the colon and usually seeks out the nervous tissue that it is most like

Traveling Uninvited Guests in the Pelvis

The stage is now set for these vibrational frequencies to extend to peripheral adjacent tissues  Since these frequencies have an affinity to nervous tissue which has similar frequencies, they increase in amount in the pelvic plexus of nerves around the rectum, vagina bladder, and prostate

The increase in vibrational frequencies in the pelvic nervous system brings nerve irritability with “nerves that are screaming”  These irritated and hurting nerves send signals to the organs innervated such as the bladder, prostate, vagina, sciatic nerve, and even the pelvic floor  Literally the “nerves are killing her”!

This pelvic floor involvement can at times lead to pelvic floor spasm leading to discoordinated efforts of voiding or eliminating stool, pain in the perineum, and/or spasms

3 Things You Can Do

1  Stop taking in these unwanted vibrational freqeuncies  This is why the energy science nutrtional format is so important  It gives you guidance as to what foods are good to use and those foods that are not so good as choices

2 Basti  When herbally medicated fluid is placed in the lower rectum it eliminates excess vibrational frequencies from the lower rectum  This creates a negative pressure in the lower rectum and there is a return of these frequencies from the involved pelvic nerves to the lower rectum for elimination with subsequent basti

3 Use of herbal formula   Each of the imbalances created in us are unique because there are so many aspects to the imbalance  A formula specifically tailored to the individual’s imbalance is helpful in maintaining the flow of excess vibrational frequencies from the body

To Health as a Skill          Best DB

The Benefit of Detoxification in the IC Bladder Pain Syndrome

bladder, bladder pain, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, CPPS, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia, , , , ,

mental energyIn the last couple of months I have written intermittently to you about the energy science’s understanding of toxic load(called ama) that occurs with all disease  Since this kind of thinking is completely foreign to those of us following the matter science medical model, it represents a radical departure as to how we think about the origin and treatment of disease

The bladder pain syndrome is such a complex of physiologic imbalances composed of CPPS(chronic pelvic pain syndrome), fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, and vulvodynia that are all associated with ama

As I have said from an energy science perspective ama or this toxic moribund substance is the byproduct of poorly functioning metabolism   Again  the energy science describes poor metabolism as a result of low agni(digestive strength, power, or fire)  This agni is in part the digestive capability of the entire GIT that we are all familiar with  The agni in this part of the body is comprised of all the enzyme systems from the mouth to the rectum including all the bacterial systems as well

But there are other agnis in the body that are involved with the metabolism of the tissues and excretory functions  And most importantly agnis that help us digest thoughts, feelings, and emotions  When you digest well psychologically the result is mental clarity

From an energy perspective the primary purpose of any detoxification protocol is to improve agni or the capability to digest(physical food, thoughts, feelings, emotions)

Physical Detoxification

If you’re tired you rest IF you’re listening to your body  As you know there are many people who don’t listen to their bodies and that’s literally the first step to disease  Eventually you have to listen because the body essentially gives out with resultant disease

If your agni is laboring, not up to par, and as a result your body is producing ama, then it makes sense that one of the first things to do is to give your agni a rest One of the simplest things to do is a monodiet

A monodiet is a certain type of food that is done over a period of time  The type of food chosen for the diet is not as important as the consistency to do the monodiet for the period of time   Some would call this a “fast” and it is in the loosest sense of the term but it’s essentially giving your digestive system rest  Why?  Because you’re using only one group of enzyme systems to digest the same thing over and over again  The monodiet could be fruit, could be rice and yogurt, could be fruit juice  The point is that it doesn’t matter what the monodiet is, as long as it’s repetitive for a period of time

How long?  It depends  If you are Pitta Vata at most 7 days  If PK then 14 days

Psychological Detoxification

I’ve divided the body and mind apart for discussion purposes but we should be clear here that from an energy science perspective the mind and body are intimately spliced  They’re one and the same  What is mind is body and what is body is mind  You can’t separate them  As a matter of fact detoxification of the physical body does psychological detox and psychological detox does physical detox  That’s how intimately spliced we are

Detox of the mind reduces mental ama and involves a form of monodiet as well  But this monodiet is in the form of reducing mental activity  The energy science is very clear that in order to remove mental ama some form of activity that reduces mental activity is most important

Why?  Since we want to improve psychological agni we want to fast from thoughts  The best way to do this is by meditation  There are many ways to meditate  The simplest is probably the most effective and involves watching the breath  If you want you can add a mental instrument to trap the mind’s attention using SO HUM  SO on inhalation and HUM on exhalation

Breathing exercises can be meditative as well as yoga posture practice if done properly

The Benefits of Detoxification

When we improve agni there are great gifts  Probably the most important is mental clarity and therefore peace, less emotional turmoil  When the GIT is given some time off there is improved digestion and elimination  We simply digest food and emotions better  Here are some benefits from improving your agni

Loss of cravings              Feeling of lightness after eating           Good taste perception

Steady weight                  Normal GI elimination                             Vigor vitality strength stamina

Healthy glow                    Mental clarity                                              Sound sleep

Alertness                         Discrimination, intelligence                     Direction  determination courage

Joy cheerfulness           Contentment                                               Affection  enthusiasm

Patience                          Longevity                                                     Confidence

All because we have given our mindbody a break and improved our agni

To Health as a Skill  DB

 

 

incompletely digested impressions, feelings and emotions

 

 

due to nutritional and lifestyle choices that we make

Nuts and Seeds for IC

bladder, bladder pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis, CPPS, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

almondsInterstitial cystitis(IC) bladder pain with flares can be amplified by the routine use of nuts and seeds of any kind and this includes their butters!!  Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter

Why?

Unlike the matter science(MS) nutritional information that fatty acids are good and bad, the energy science(ES) of Ayurveda states that all nuts are inflammatory due to these molecular fatty acids regardless of the “good or bad nature of them”   The reason for this is that the post digestive(small bowel) effect is heating therefore inflammation provoking

Seeds also can be problematic  Safe to say that all seeds should be used in moderatioin  So popcorn, flax, halva, and pumpkin can be used once every 2-3 days

The sweet taste of many foods covers the acidic nature of the foods itself and this is true of the nut category  This is why the ES nutritional information trumps the MS guesswork around nutrition and is why the anecdotal information of the MS nutritional realm is at times confusing hence flares and then no flares   What gives?   This also explains why various other inflammatory conditions are interrelated with IC such as fibromyalgia, IBS, chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS), GERD, prostatitis(did you know that PSA is a marker for inflammation?), and CPPS(chronic pelvic pain syndrome)

As an aside this sweet taste of nuts in general make them a great choice for building tissue since the sweet taste is anabolic

OK Then What Can I Use for Nuts or Seeds? 

Sorry to blow your day if you crave the mixed nuts but there is certainly a favorite guideline of mine and that is “There are no hard guidelines in the ES realms”  Know that if you use the foods that are provoking that you increase the likelihood of a flare   That use of inflammatory foods will keep you up at the ceiling of the curve below rather than allowing your mindbody to do the rebalancing as the curve progresses to the right(BTW the ascent from the left shows how we gradually get sick over decades by our own choices(Oh shoot, you didn’t have to say that did you?)

Journey to Balance

Soaked and peeled almonds(this is very important! or you can use slivered almonds from the bulk section of the grocery store if they have one ) are very helpful for their nutritive benefit but also for their cooling effect  Turns out that the skin of the almond holds enzymes that in and of themselves are inflammatory   Almonds are not actually nuts but in the end who cares

Charole(actually seeds like sunflower) is another nut choice  It’s a very small nut found in very few stores in the US(I know because Ive looked; let me know if you have a source that you would share with the community) and is heating but due to the size and its energetics is acceptable and does not provoke Pitta(more about this energy pattern in future blog posts)

And of course coconut because it’s COOLING!  The general energy science principle is this:  Plants that grow in hot climates are there for a very specific reason  Their job is to make the environment cold(well cooler) and so Momma Nature is always taking care of balancing herself

What about nut milks?  Almond Breeze is made from blanched and peeled almonds so a great drink  Coconut milk also is a very nutritious drink and both these “nut” milks make great date shakes  More about that in the future

Note that popcorn is full of air therefore aggravating Vata so should be used in moderation

3 Nut Alternatives

Here are three options for substitution without provoking inflammation or the Pitta energy pattern in the physiology

Use the above three recommendations and make your own nut butters from the slivered almonds

Sunflower seeds can be used by anyone anywhere anytime  Sooo..  sunflower butter sold at Trader Joe’s is an excellent proprietary product and the best tasting sunflower butter on the planet    Have tasted many and this by far is the closest to peanut butter with a nice sweet taste  Mmm good!

Give yourself “permission” to have a few nuts every once and a while if the craving is too great   The ES reminds us that food cravings are a result of imbalanced digestion so the faster we can improve our digestion the better it will be

Interested in a free ES consultation with me?  Just tap on this link

Or sign up to join our growing ES IC community!

Well enough for now  Until next time                                           To Health as a Skill  Love DrBill

 

Understanding Chronic Debilitating IC and 5 Things to Do

bladder, bladder pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, CPPS, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

ChoiceIn the practice of medicine no disease is really the same as someone else’s disease  They all have their nuances of differences   And this is true of IC

No IC bladder pain syndrome is the same from one individual to another  Some have more anxiety and frequency while others have more burning and spasm  Some have other skin and eye conditions associated with their IC  Some are fortunate enough to have a few nonbacterial  “UTIs” and then things seem to rectify themselves and they never have symptoms again

Others are debilitated with symptoms and cannot function  So what’s the definition of chronic IC

The Stratification of IC

The reason that it’s difficult to assess the true prevalence of IC in a given population is that symptoms of the condition can vary widely  Some may have very localized symptoms to the bladder/pelvis and may dissipate over time for one reason or another

Some may struggle with symptoms and then with modifications to diet or using suggested remedies by friends or physicians the symptoms again gradually dissipate over time

These populations of patients are not counted typically in the IC longitudinal surveys  And then there are the men and children affected by the same voiding and pelvic dysfunction that has not as yet been labeled as IC   So you can see that the prevalence of IC may far be underestimated

But then who’s left?  Typically in studies the people with chronic symptoms congregate to form study populations  So what’s chronic IC?

Definition of Chronic IC

Admittedly due to the lateness of detection typically patients have progressed far enough along in their symptom complex that chronicity is part of the picture   Importantly the earlier a clinician can intervene with nutritional information and lifestyle the more likely that the IC will not go onto chronic debilitating disease

Chronic Debilitating IC Definition:  Bladder and/or pelvic pain for greater than 3 years that is constant and that has persisted and increased in intensity and has urologically and gynecologically been shown to have no obvious cause(eg tumor,cancer, bladder stone, ureteral disease)

Now this time frame is arguable but you get the picture that there has to be enough time to establish a pattern of chronicity  This of course is almost always(unless there is relentless pain) punctuated with acute flares

The Value of a Definition

It’s always nice to know where you are on the spectrum of any disease  But even more valuable is to give you an appreciation of what to expect in getting better

Getting better?  Wait, this disease is treatable but not curable   Currently what “treatable” means is that another groping bandaid is applied to try to manage the symptoms   Having trouble?  Try a shortstay in the outpatient surgical unit for a bladder fulguration  Or perhaps low dose Valium

So if one’s open to getting better with IC then you should want to know what to expect

Real Healing Takes Time   The No Bandaid Approach

As you know disease is not created overnight  The imbalance that creates the disease in the body takes time  But slowly but surely the symptoms become full blown and relief is required  So here are 5 things that you should understand and be willing to do if you want to manage your IC effectively

1  Patience and being in it for the long haul    So if you really get this then you realize that it will take time to reverse the imbalance that created the disease in the first place   What’s the time frame?  For every year of imbalance it will take 2 months for the disease course to reverse itself   For example, if you’ve been having problems with symptoms since 1999 then that’s at least 14 years of imbalance exposure which would mean 28 months or +2 years of work  Interestingly most people with IC are an impatient bunch  “I don’t have time to wait for healing to occur  I’ve got things to do, places to go, and people to see”   If you know that about yourself then you have the chance for being more patient about results There is no magic pill with this disease!

2 Choose a healing discipline that can deliver  Obviously the matter science approach with it bandaid approach isn’t working(interstim, bladder distentions, pharmaceuticals)  The energy science approach can affect change but it takes time   Of clinical significance is the now recognized association of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome with chronic IC(1)  As IC progresses in its chronic state it’s apparent that patients get sicker  It is at this stage of the disease that the matter science approach to healing comes to a complete standstill in terms of options  It is at this point that the  energy science model of healing can take over due to its understanding of the origin of disease

3 Realize that with chronic disease there is universally a bowel component to the problem  The matter science approach is to micromanage the bladder symptoms when the origin of the disease is at the gut level  Strange as it may sound, IC management requires that the clinician become a bowel health doctor  Otherwise there will be no success  IBS is estimated to be present in the IC population as high as 80%(2) (personally I believe it’s probably 100%..it’s just that the 20% don’t have symptoms severe enough for them to be diagnosed as IBS)  Acid indigestion(GERD) is estimated to be in the range of at least 50%( but again probably higher)  Prelief anyone?

4 Understand a multifaceted approach to disease  There are many causes that brought about the symptom complex of IC  So realize that it will take many different avenues of treatment  So it’s not just one drug(elmiron) or one procedure(interstim) but a multiplicity of interventions from a therapeutic standpoint to bring about change in symptoms

5 Toxicity  Realize that part of the process of healing is detoxification that comes along with the balancing process that occurs with the clearance of symptoms  As a matter of fact the reason that the qualities that produce IC cannot be eliminated from the pelvis is that the toxic load in the pelvis holds them there  So detoxification is mandatory if you are to get relief  But what is detoxification in the mainstream press is not anything close to what real detox is

(1)J Urol. 2010 Oct;184(4):1358-63. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2010.06.005. Epub 2010 Aug 17

(2)J Urol. 2013 Jan;189(1 Suppl):S66-74. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2012.11.019

All the best in healing         To Health as a Skill      Dr Bill

IC and Carbonated Drinks

bladder, bladder pain, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, chronic prostatitis, CPPS, fibromyalgia, GERD, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, , , ,

bigstock-Pouring-35142932Interstitial cystitis(IC) is a chronic disease with an unknown cause from the currently practiced matter or molecular science medical discipline  And the treatments are random due to this reason

From an energy science medical view IC is a painful pelvic syndrome not necessarily localized to the bladder due to the failure of the body to eliminate the hot and mobile qualities from the pelvis usually due to toxic load also localized in the pelvis  This disease as in all diseases according to the energy science tradition originates in the gut and hence the foundational approach for treatment must include a shift in nutrition

Shift in Nutrition

So it makes sense that you would remove the hot and mobile qualities from the foods ingested if you want to make any headway in the management of IC  The mobile quality is found in many foods in different forms but one of the obvious foods is carbonated drinks  Air is mobile and gas containing foods have air in them; in carbonated drinks the air is carbon dioxide

The mobile quality is directly responsible for the urinary frequency and urgency associated with the abnormal voiding pattern of IC and the overactive bladder syndrome(OAB)  But it doesn’t stop at IC because these same qualities are involved in chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, IBS and GERD

But there is also the burning sensation associated with IC and the hot quality is responsible for this physical sensation in the pelvis  The OAB does not have much of this quality so urinary frequency and urgency with or without incontinence predominate as symptoms

Carbonated Drinks as the Source of the Hot Quality

It’s not quite intuitive how carbonated drinks produce the hot quality  Usually the drink is taken over ice anyway(ice is not a good idea anyway from a digestive point of view) so where’s the hot quality come from?

Anything that’s acidic in the body contains the hot quality  There is heat associated with digestion and when you digest food with the stomach acid and the enzymes to break down food you are using the hot quality

It turns out that all the favorite carbonated drinks carry orthophosphoric acid  This is now a much publicized ingredient to Coca Cola    The drink is so acidic that it is used as a pesticide, a commercial grade cleaner for car batteries, engines, and removing rust from surfaces   If you leave a penny in a glass of coke over a week, the penny will dissolve into solution!

Cut the Fizzy

The upshot of our discussion today is that carbonated drinks for anyone is problematic but for you with IC it will provoke your symptoms and can instigate a painful pelvic or bladder flare  And then you can add chronic prostatitis, fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, IBS and GERD because all of these seemingly unrelated diseases are associated with the hot and mobile qualities  If you want you can add as a waste basket term CPPS or chronic pelvic pain syndrome

This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to energy science  food recommendations for IC  The matter science nutrition makes their recommendations based on anecdotal experience so in essence guess work is involved when it comes to recommendations

The energy science nutritional approach is different  It asks for no consumer feedback, does not equivocate, and produces the list grounded in a deep science of an understanding of the workings of Nature herself  The body obeys the laws of Nature and physics  I make no claims that energy science cures everything including IC   Energy work is not a quick fix but with diligence discipline and assuming a different lifestyle, you can bring harmony to the body and resolve  IC

Have an awesome week       Love Dr Bill

 

 

 

 

 

 

IC and Stone Disease: A Scientifically Valid Nutritional Approach

bladder pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, CPPS, fibromyalgia, IBS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

The body is simultaneously an energy and matter field based on your perspective

The bladder pain that is seen in IC flares can be viewed as either a molecular problem(matter science) or an imbalance in energy patterns in the urinary tract   The predominant theory of the matter or molecular science is that the glycosoaminoglycan(GAG) layer becomes disrupted and allows urine irritants to infiltrate the bladder wall leading to the painful flares of IC

The energy science of Ayurveda completely concurs that there is disruption due to acidic loading but notes it as an  imbalance of too much of the hot quality(inflammation or high Pitta) rather than naming a molecule at fault   The  urinary frequency, urgency with or without incontinece due to the mobile quality of high Vata   Since the energy science is a qualitative one there is no evaluation of molecules as in the matter science discipline

The endoscopic photos above show variations of crystalline formations on the renal papillae as a prodrome of stone disease of any form or size

 GAG Layer Disruption and Stone Disease

I have long contended in my urological practice that the vast majority of patients with stone disease have a GAG layer disruption in the kidney that predisposes them to stone disease   And I have suggested to them that they use aloe vera gel and a Pitta pacifying nutritional format or one used at foodsheal.com after taking the questionnaire

In this month’s International Urogynecology Journal a group from Taipei reported on a study of a population of patients of painful bladder syndrome and controlling for other associated diseases such as IBS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain(CPPS). depression, and chronic pelvic pain found that those with prior stone disease were at higher risk for developing PBS or IC

There has been one other study suggesting an association but this is the first population based study to show the association between the chance of forming stones and suffering from IC or PBS

From the above discussion the GAG layer is secreted by all cellular tubes that communicate with the outside   So the respiratory tree, the GI tract, and the urinary tract linings all produce GAG layers

So it would make complete sense that deficient GAG layer in the urinary tract would not have to be necessarily located just singularly involving the bladder but could involve the kidney GAG layer as well   If this occurs the faulty papillary GAG layer in the kidney would not be slimy/smooth enough to prevent papillary crystals to form to serve as a nidus for continued stone growth

If the hot quality of Pitta can break down the GAG layer in the bladder it can certainly do the same thing in the kidney leading to stone formation

The Treatment of Stone Disease and  IC Are the Same

So it comes as no surprise that nutritional format reducing the Pitta energy pattern foods used is a solution not only for IC but also for stone disease as well   This would reduce those foods that are inflammatory and bring the hot quality in those patients who are predisposed to either stone disease or IC

The use of aloe would begin to help restructure the deficient GAG layer and making it whole again would be the solution to preventing stones in the future

What you are witnessing here is the unique interplay between the energy science and matter science disciplines where both support each other in a holistic way

Of course it goes without saying that IC and a person with stone disease should be treated in the same way as the problem is from an energy science view  Pitta and Vata imbalances in the urinary tract

All the best                                        To Health as a Skill    Love DrBill

 

7 Herbs for Targeted Intravesical Use in Interstitial Cystitis

bladder, bladder pain, CPPS, IC, Interstiial cystitis, Uncategorized, vulvodynia, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s estimated that 50 to as high as 70% of people experiencing IC have spontaneous resolution of bladder pain symptoms or after a period of time go away entirely or move to a more manageable symptom complex.  This is typified in the accompanying bell curve graph which shows to the left of the line those that have resolved completely or have manageable symptoms and those to the right who have repeated flares for an extended period of time.

This latter debilitated group of patients(CPPS) suffer not only unrelenting flares but lose marriages, relationships, and jobs leaving them on disability, helpless and with little positive outlook.  I believe the urologist is equally frustrated with these tormented souls as the pharma tools that they have are often inadequate for the job.  This is primarily because the origin of disease by the matter science is not understood and hence the pharma used is not targeted therapy.

Matter and Energy Science Urology:  Use of Bladder Instillation Therapy

Anyone with chronic interstitial cystitis(IC) with numerous trips to the urologist has experienced cystoscopy and catheterizations necessary to instill medicinal agents such as DMSO or medications such as heparin and steroid.   Some patients who have severe frequency and urgency are taught to by some urologists to do self administered intermittent catheterization thinking that decreasing residuals might help these lower tract irritative symptoms.

The energy science of Ayurveda has used catheterization for 1000’s of years and it is called basti.   There are many different forms of basti dependent on what locale of the body’s anatomy the healer wishes to treat.  Basti is used for various disease states from eye disorders to low back pain to constipation.

Basti helps to target the specific imbalanced organ in this case the bladder but can also be used for vulvodynia or vaginal pain which I blogged about in the past using topically administered herbs placed by hand or tampon.

Energy Science Targeted Therapy

Recently in the past 12 years there has been growing interest in the cancer literature on “targeted therapy” which has been used to describe cancer treating molecules that specifically “target” specific cancer cell processes that arrest cancer growth.  This avoids the broad chemotherapy effects that can be hard on treated patients.

I have described in previous posts that the origin of disease is understood from an energy science perspective to be an imbalance in qualities.  When herbs are used they specifically “target” the imbalance in the organs that are symptomatic, in this case the bladder or vagina.

What herbs target the bladder lining and can be used safely for topical intravesical use?  Let’s list them.

Aloe vera gel   This time honored herb reduces the hot of  inflammation and so is excellent when the Pitta energy pattern is causing the burning in the pelvic cavity as well as on urination or vaginal burning.

Cumin Coriander Fennel   These three herbs are medicinal to the urinary tract since all are cooling to the bladder mucosa.  Taken orally as a tea or making a decoction to deliver other herbs to the bladder mucosa can be therapeutically effective.

Goksura(aka Caltrops)   This herb is an antiinflammatory and targets the urinary tract and can be effective in reducing stone formation hence suggesting that it is important in GAG layer function.  It is also a nervine and shows the broad effects that happen to be characteristic of herbs in general.  It is one of the roots in dashamula below.

Guduchi  This is a commonly used herb for high Pitta conditions because it’s a rejuvenative for Pitta but has the unique quality of heating hence useful in toxic conditions which is often the case when there is longstanding IC.

Dashamula   This is a combination of 1o roots all with specific properties hence the name which means 10 roots.  Whenever there is Pitta in the tissue the tissue there is Vata as well and this herb is helpful in clearing the Vata energy pattern from the bladder wall.

Shatavari   This herb is tissue building and great for high Pitta conditions.  As I have said earlier it should not be used if there is a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Neem   This is a commonly used antiinflammatory and great for high Vata conditions and debility.

Applications of Energy Science Targeted Therapies

If you know how to self cath then this type of therapy under guidance as to which herbs to use is fairly easy.

If you can’t cath then accessing your friendly urologist to help with the instillation of the tea can be done.  The instillation schedule varies according to the clearance of symptoms but usually would be daily for at least 8 days while doing other therapies.

I have found basti as targeted therapy to be immensely rewarding for chronic IC over the years.  Try it, you’ll like it!

To Health as a Skill         DB