Questions about beverages

[Mishka]

Hi!

I'm just starting the IC Diet, and having real problems with what to drink. I HATE plain water. It actually makes me nauseated. I also don't care for chamomile or mint tea.

Before I was diagnosed, I drank English Breakfast tea and Coke mostly. I'm having withdrawals!!! Is there anything else people have found is ok to drink? Most things seem to have citric acid.

I found a tea today called Madagascar Vanilla Red. Are vanilla products ok?

The tea is made from something called Rooibos. I had never heard of it, so looked it up. It's from Africa, and seems to be an amazing drink! No caffeine, very low tannin, 50% higher antioxidants than green tea. Mothers use it for colicky babies as it has an anti-spasmodic affect. Also very good for skin irritations.

Has anyone tried Rooibos? Did it bother your bladder? I'm in such intense pain it's going to take weeks for me to be able to see what is or isn't working, so hoping someone has tried it before. :)

Thanks!

[HillaryD]

I don't know if it will bother your bladder, most teas don't bother mine, but I tried that exact tea and I couldn't stand the taste of it.....Everyone is different though, you might love it. You might find that teas don't bother you at all.

[Iris]

Hi, I drink tea, it is a low acid, decaffeinated English breakfast tea, I get it from California, and so far have had no problems with it at all. I am originally from England, so tea is my mainstay, and this one has not affected my bladder at all. Be happy to give you the address and phone, if you are interested, hugs Iris.:hi: :thumbsup: :flower:

[classics]

If you like coffee you might like Helva coffee from www.americacoffee.com. It's low acid and you can get regular or decaf. I drink this on weekends only. During the week I drink white grape juice and that seems to be okay.

[sleepyangel30]

rooibos tea has many healing properties. I know someone that is taking rooibos tea and it doesn't bother her bladder at all. I don't know if it would bother yours. Everyone is different.

[Mishka]

Thanks for the tips. :)

I tried the Rooibos vanilla tea this afternoon with some honey and milk and it was yuuuuumy. I love vanilla.

Iris, I would appreciate the name/number of that company. I've scoured the stores, and can find decaf english breakfast, but nothing that said low acid.

And I will try white grape juice, I like that.

Currently in bad caffeine withdrawal, and missing my Coke! Ah well. If I start to feel better in a few weeks, it will be worth it!

[JAMIEL]

I know how you said you hate drinking water...but it really is the best thing for you...I did not like it too much but now I fill up the glass with ice and water...it seems to help when it is really cold...I can't seem to drink anything else. Plus my doctor keeps stressing the importance of drinking it!!!

Hope that helps!

Jamie

[kadi]

These are beverages I can drink:
1.Sobe Lizard Blizzard (I drink it 1/2 dilute w/ bottled water, too sweet full strength)
2.Carob Rice Dream (health food store)
3.Nonfat milk
4.Looza pear juice (again 1/2 strength with ice or bottled water, super sweet!!! I've found this at Whole Foods Market. I think that store is called Bread & Circus on east coast?) Trader Joe also has a pear juice with no citric acid, I think.
5.Nonfat milk heated with honey & drop or two of vanilla extract
6. Hot water with honey (good for my sore throat!)
7. Puroast House blend decaf coffee (low acid. Available at www.puroast.com They're really nice & if you call them & say you have IC they'll send you a free 2 oz sample. If you take their 2-part survey you can get a free 14 oz bag of coffee)
:woohoo:


Enjoy!

[Donna L]

I had the opportunity to speak with Jill a number of weeks ago and she said she used flavored syrup with (I believe) soda water. I know "Borders" carries flavored syrups for coffee like rasberry and orange and some others. I didn't check ingredients as I was pressed for time, but I am going back to see if it might work.Tea really irritates me, tho I love it, so like you, after 6 months, I'm getting tired of water.....If they have vanilla, I'm buying it....I'll let you know how it works.............Donna L

[makeyourday]

I have ordered the lemon tea from the IC shop. It is fine for me. I do steamed milk with a bit of vanilla when I want something hot. I don't think I have a problem with Rice Milk either, but I am still testing the waters on the rice milk. I put it over ice with a little cinnimon.

[holles]

i have found some stuff called "just blueberries" by knudsen. it's really concentrated though, so dilute it with water.

i've also been able to drink some sodas (but not coke yet) if i sprinkle some salt into it first and stir. it gets most of the carbonation out without making the drink taste flat. fountain drinks are the worst though. canned drinks aren't that bad. but drinks from a plastic or glass bottle seem to be the easiest to tolerate.

there's also low-acid orange juice, but it's hard to find it without a lot of pulp. even the ones that say pulp-free aren't really pulp-free.

if i'm desperate, i'll take a couple preliefs though. they help most of the time.

[Donna L]

Holles, Where did you buy the "just blueberries"? Sounds really good. I posted ealier(I thought to this site, so who knows where it ended up!) that I needed to correct a previous post suggesting mixing syrup with soda water. I said at the time I wasn't sure about that, and sure 'nuff, I was wrong! It's low sodium mineral water........Donna L

[kadi]

Definitely dilute the blueberry juice if you try it, maybe just a spoonful of juice in water at first. It flared me badly when I tried it at half strength. Bummer for me, it looked good! But it may work out fine for you. I'm pretty food sensitive.

I just found a pear juice at Trader Joe's with no citric acid or other juices! It's pretty good diluted with water or it's really good when mixed with half water & heated up with honey! (Makes a good cough/sore throat remedy!)

[Donna L]

Thanks for the tip about the pear juice, did you find the just blueberries at Trader Joe's too? If not, where?.Thanks...Donna L

[kadi]

Yes, I saw the Just Blueberries at TJ's, also at Whole Foods Market, and a local health food store.

[holles]

found just blueberries at whole foods and central market (fancy schmancy version of whole foods). supertarget might have it too. they have dried blueberries there, so they may have the juice. don't know for sure though.

[sleepyangel30]

There is even purple tea i saw it somewhere online a month ago.

[blue]

I really, really miss my coffee! I keep saying that I'm going to order a Toddy Coffee maker, I just haven't yet.

Let me tell you what helps me drinking water.

I buy only bottled water. I drink about half a bottle, then put it in the freezer. I bring two frozen bottles to work with one that's not frozen. When it's ice cold, it's so much easier to drink. It's what I drink the most. Also, when the ice is melting, it doesn't seem like you are drinking all that much, but before you know it, the water is gone.

Drinking water helps me so much, it really lessens the burning.

[JAMIEL]

I AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I posted earlier about water and how it is soooooooo much easier to drink when it is really cold and with ice!!!! I like your idea about freezing the water bottles..I think that water is the best thing you can drink for IC but I know people get bored with it. I just don't even bother drinking anything else!

Jamie

[Drama_Queen16]

I bought some Tetley vanilla rooibos tea yesterday and I really like it. It smells SO heavenly...doesn't really taste like it smells but still good. :) I don't know yet for sure how my bladder does with it, I'll probably have to try it a few times to know. But thanks to those who mentioned it. I never would have given it a second glance otherwise! I am going to look around at teas now and see what else I can have.

[MeganAnne]

I ordered a low acid decaf coffee...Euromild I think it was called... and still flared! :( Has anyone tried any of the fake coffees. I think they are made with roasted nuts and chickory. Just curious.

Knudsens also mades pear juice in little boxes which I've found are nice to take to work. I might get some of their blueberry too and dilute it.

[kadi]

I have been okay with Puroast low acid coffee, but I really make it light & mix it with a lot of milk & 3 preliefs. Probably overkill, but it's made it possible.

I didn't like the taste of Roma or Postum, but I'm pretty fussy. I guess if you don't think of it as coffee, but just a hot drink, that might help.

There's a 90% de-acidified coffee called Kava. It's an instant coffee, I've seen it at Albertsons & Safeway. I haven't tried it myself because there's no decaf, but if caffeine doesn't bother you, might be okay...

I do like Carob flavored Rice Dream, hot or over ice. But I only drink that if I'm having a good day. If the day starts out a little irritated, I drink very cold distilled water.

Hope you find something that works.

[MeganAnne]

Carob Rice Dream is really not all that bad. When I first poured a glass, I expected it to taste like chocolate milk, but of course... like you said, if you try to take it for what it is, it's pretty good. Kind of like ovaltine. :thumbsup:

I'm thinking of making mint decaf iced tea too. Anyone tried it? I don't think I'll be able to make it like sun tea, but maybe brew it hot then serve it over ice.

And I will also try the prerelief and extra milk in the coffee... at least one more time. :)

[ChrissyH]

I've had mint iced tea before, I can't remember if it was decaf or not. But it was really good. The mint flavor really adds a little something, it's very refreshing, especially in warm summer weather.

[Sharon]

I would like the CA phone number for the decaf English Tea!

Thanks Sharon

[kadi]

Hey, MeganAnne, I talked to the Puroast rep today & mentioned that the Euromild hadn't worked out for another patient. She said that Puroast uses a different process to remove the acid... Might be worth a try & Puroast will send you a 2oz free sample...

I'm not a puroast salesperson, but I've been so happy I can drink a coffee again that I tell everybody about this stuff. I've tried regular decaf coffee with milk & prelief & it was a disaster, but the puroast houseblend decaf has worked out well...

Here's the link. I talked to "Carrie" on the phone & she was knew about IC patients & which of their products we like best... :thumbsup:

http://www.puroast.com/

Hope it works out for you :pray:

[MeganAnne]

Hi Kadi! I just called and spoke with Carrie. She was super nice and is going to mail me out the sample. I can't WAIT to try it. I usually have to be at work at 6am and it is so hard to do it without coffee. Apparently, PureRoast headquarters is only two hours from my house in CA! :) I'll let you know how it works out. Thanks again!

[windwalker]

I tried the puroast, well I went overkill on it. (my fault, it was just so darn tasty) I had a weak cup of it, six hours later, no problems so I had another (BIGGER) cup, well that did it for me. It was off to the bathroom every 10 minutes.
I take it as a learning experience, and boyyyy did I learn. ;)
Just take it real easy. I was just to thrilled to not have an immediate reaction, I overdid it. See I learned for many of us lol.