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IAIC Diet

The following diet is prescribed in order to stabilize the internal environment from pain, inflammation, and microbial overgrowth. It is a very important treatment protocol to be used in conjunction with supplementation. Each person will be guided through the diet in an individual manner, but the following is a very general outline to be used in treatment. At the beginning the diet is most restrictive and during it is broadened as the person improves his or her condition. Reactions to foods will slowly disappear as the person improves. Experiencing dramatic changes in reactions to foods is a very tangible way in which to assess progress for one’s self.

IC Diet and warning for potential irritants in treatment

Meals should be ¼ protein, ¼ starch and ½ vegetables. Breakfast may be ½ protein and ½ starch if vegetables are too difficult to consume for that meal.

When moving to the next stage of treatment, do not assume that each change will be tolerated, try one food at a time per day. If you are going to respond negatively, you will likely feel an exacerbation of your symptoms between ½ hour to 6 hours after consumption. These modifications are general. Specific guidance will be given for each individual’s needs.

List 1

Protein: most fresh red meats, including pork, lamb, fish, and fowl, eggs (NON OMEGA FED AND VEGETARIAN FED EGGS). Cheese should be withheld initially.

Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, cucumbers, celery, yellow squash, zuchinni (most tolerate this, but, try it, some do react to this one), green cabbage, red cabbage, Chinese cabbage.

Fats: Butter, olive oil (not extra virgin) is best to cook with and use in salads

canola oil is fine in ingredients of pre prepared food bought at the store.

Starch: potatoes, rice brown or basmati, white OK, but last choice. Bread: yeast and sugar free (spelt/kamut/rice preferably, rice cakes, rice crackers. Grains are often not well tolerated in patients at the early onset of treatment. If a grain is not tolerated, remove it from the diet, and try again after a period of abstinence approximating 4 weeks.

Spices: garlic powder that is pure without additives (eat cautiously, sometimes this is too strong for beginners), dried basil, salt (usually tolerated in most individuals). Salad dressing should be olive oil, dill, garlic powder (pure), basil.

Drinks: water, preferably spring, not distilled, low minerals.

List 2

All foods in list one, plus:

Protein: small amounts of rovolone cheese, mozzarella cheese ( NOT the kind packed in water!)

Vegetables: asparagus, arugula, artichokes, cabbage (all kinds and colors), eggplant, endives, escarole, collard greens, chard, kale, brussel sprouts, spinach, zuchinni, bell peppers (seem to affect some people, try different colors, reactions to the various colors of bell peppers varies greatly) avocado (technically a fruit), cooked onions in small quantities.

Fats: No change.

Starch: barley, rice pasta, limited amounts of wheat pasta, rice crackers.

Spices: pepper, cooked garlic, herbs one at a time to see if any bother you (however absolutely no ginger, cinnamon, wasabi, nutmeg, cardamom, or any other strong “spicey” herb.

Drinks: low mineral sparkling water, (high will not be well tolerated)

naturally decaffeinated or caffeinated coffee, green tea. These each must be tried individually and tested fro sensitivity.

List 3

Add:

Proteins: more “hard” mild cheeses, plain yoghurt. Milk may be included in recipes, but not be drunk as a drink.

Vegetables: tomatoes (homemade sauce can be made from this), carrots, all bell peppers, dandelion greens, green beans, spagetti squash, bamboo shoots, kelp, turnip, okra, leeks, onions, radicchio, watercress, kohlrabi.

Fats: No change.

Starch: mung bean pasta, add more snack foods containing ingredients that are on this list.

Fruits: blueberries, grapefruit.

Spices: most spices.

Drinks: chamomile tea, black tea.

List 4

Add:

Proteins: no change.

Vegetables: sweet potatoes, yams, corn, beets, jicama, water chestnuts, all squashes ( including acorn, bananna, butternut), peas.

Fats: Extra virgin olive oil may be used now.

Starch: some regular breads, including rye (try to stay away from ones with high sugar content), add more snack foods containing ingredients that are on this list such as pop corn, beans.

Fruits: oranges, tangerines, all berries, apples.

Spices: all spices, except added sugar. This should always be avoided as much as possible. If it is in a recipe at a regular meal it is fine, but avoid adding to food or having it in cakes, cookies, etc… healthy fruit sweetening substitutes may be implemented.

Drinks: earl grey tea.

List 5

Proteins: all proteins.

Vegetables: all vegetables, please limit soy.

Fats: All fats, try to focus on extra virgin olive oil as a way of maintaining good fats in your diet always.

Starch: all starches.

Fruits: all fruit.

Spices: all spices, except added sugar. This should always be avoided as much as possible. If it is in a recipe at a regular meal it is fine, but avoid adding to food or having as a food itself such as cakes, cookies, etc… healthy fruit sweetening substitutes may be implemented. There are numerous kinds of healthy alternatives already prepared with fruit as cakes, pies, cookies, bars, etc…

Drinks: all non-sugar non-alcohol drinks.

One must keep continued good health with maintaining 

If you are flaring make sure you are NOT doing any of the following:

1.Drinking tap or filtered water

2.Having peroxide in your tooth paste, hair color, or any other products

3.Undergoing some kind of treatment such as laser hair removal, whitening cream for your face, tooth whitening protocols, etc…

4.Swallowing your Dairy Free Megadophilus capsules

5.Taking Dairy Free Megadophilus powder that is in the bottle loose

6.Taking the wrong supplement. For example, if Ultra Omegas were recommended, make sure, they are not Ultra Concentrated Omegas, which is not the same. Another common mistake is taking oregano oil instead of oil of oregano

7.Undergoing any medical treatments or taking any medication or supplements that you have not communicated. For examples are allergy shots may seem unimportant to mention, but is something that is very important to treatment.

8.Having unprotected sexual activity, or using condoms lubricated with spermicides.

9.Putting lotion on your body unless it is jojoba oil, olive oil, or Bomasense lotion. Putting antibacterial or antifungal creams on your body on a regular basis.

10.Including anything in your diet that you are not supposed to be having at this point. This includes recreational drugs and alcohol.

11.Having any of the following in your diet at the wrong time: ketchup, mustard, vinegar, sauces, msg., legumes, including beans, green beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, seeds or oils from seeds, nuts or oils from nuts, pickles, corn, tomatoes, beets, yams or sweet potatoes, oats, bagels or croissants, cottage cheese, cream cheese, ricotta or aged cheeses, milk or milk products, yogurt, margarine, soy, or soy products, tofu, bacon, sausage, ham, etc. i.e. nothing cured, cinnamon, ginger or spicy spices, sugar or products containing sugar, or natural or artificial sugar substitutes, basically nothing that tastes sweet including fruit, or juices, chocolate, alcohol, herb teas, gum.

If there is confusion over a food, do not eat it until this confusion has been clarified.

For severe pain not related to IC Tylenol or Advil is preferred over Aspirin, but do not overdo this as it is one underlying cause of IC.

At the end of treatment a normal diet may be resumed, but Dr. Brizman always cautions people against returning to old food habits. It is her desire to teach her patients healthier eating habits. SO, processed sugar and alcohol if eaten at all should be reserved for special occasions. There are wonderful ways in which to satisfy that sweet tooth with healthful fruit or fruit sweetened cookies, cakes, or pies. And, sugar substitutes should be a huge “no no”!

Feeding our bodies poor quality food and toxic chemicals, using medications inappropriately, and living out of sync with nature is what creates chronic illness. The ICAMA strives to bring people back to balance. If this sounds like the approach to disease that works for you, then you have found a place to embark on a new path to health.