heiwalove
08-14-2004, 12:19 AM
i will put this here, but i know i'm not allowed to be very specific or link to anything, otherwise it will get erased.
i'm currently seeking treatment for my IC from a certified chinese herbalist/acupuncturist who specializes in IC and other bladder conditions. it was a decision i made after many long nights and weeks of poring over possible treatment options, and coming to the realization that for me, i'd rather treat the whole body and the disease itself, rather than just cover up the symptoms with pills. i firmly believe that IC and other diseases like it (IBS, fibro, CFS, etc) are somehow autoimmune in nature and are related to a whole body imbalance that has been building up over the course of our lives.
so, i contacted this herbalist (it is indeed expensive to work with her; if you're long distance the herbs have to be shipped, and every consultation (an hour to an hour and a half, usually) costs money; but honestly, each consultation is actually cheaper than going to a western medicine doctor; the only problem, of course, is that most insurance doesn't cover it. i firmly believe that alternative medicine needs to be made available to everyone!) and started working with her almost exactly a month ago. she put me on a very strict diet (if you think the typical IC diet is strict, well, you ain't seen nothin' yet!) which excludes wheat, corn, all sugar including fruit and sweet veggies, anything acidic or spicy, beans, legumes, most dairy, soy.. and i'm sure i'm forgetting something. basically, the list of foods you can't eat is SO MUCH LONGER than the list of allowable foods. very very frustrating at first, i admit. it's still frustrating, but it's getting easier. she also supplements your diet with chinese herbs, and if you're long distance, keeps in close contact with you via email and scheduled phone consultations. there's also a yahoo group for her patients, which is really supportive and helpful.
so, basically, the idea is that you eat this incredibly strict diet for awhile, thus ridding your body of the yuckies - basically, yeast and bacteria. for some people this can be really unpleasant (yeast die-off), but i've only really noticed some skin rashes that come and go, and an annoying yet bearable increase in my IBS symptoms. while the diet cleanses your body, the herbs gently and slowly rebuild its strength and balance. eventually, the herbalist adds foods back into your diet one by one, until you can eat almost anything (excluding things you are really allergic to, and always taking it really easy on refined sugar, alcohol, and preservatives).
as i said, i've only been in treatment for a month, so i'm in the very beginning of the process. BUT, almost immediately after starting the diet, i noticed an abrupt decrease in my IC symptoms. now, i have many more good or ok IC days than bad (knock on wood!). this process is slow, difficult, and tedious, but i believe in it and i believe in the herbalist i've chosen as my healer. she seriously knows her stuff (she's studied IC for YEARS) and she's dedicating her life to helping people with IC.
and no, she doesn't profess to 'cure' IC; though she has helped people with even severe IC heal so that they experience little to no symptoms on a daily basis, for years. i think IC patients will always need to be extremely careful about what we put in our bodies, and how we treat our bodies/minds/spirits.
so, this was much longer than i intended. if you are interested in my herbalist's website address, please feel free to pm me. also, please feel free to ask any questions you may have.
blessings,
heather
.
i'm currently seeking treatment for my IC from a certified chinese herbalist/acupuncturist who specializes in IC and other bladder conditions. it was a decision i made after many long nights and weeks of poring over possible treatment options, and coming to the realization that for me, i'd rather treat the whole body and the disease itself, rather than just cover up the symptoms with pills. i firmly believe that IC and other diseases like it (IBS, fibro, CFS, etc) are somehow autoimmune in nature and are related to a whole body imbalance that has been building up over the course of our lives.
so, i contacted this herbalist (it is indeed expensive to work with her; if you're long distance the herbs have to be shipped, and every consultation (an hour to an hour and a half, usually) costs money; but honestly, each consultation is actually cheaper than going to a western medicine doctor; the only problem, of course, is that most insurance doesn't cover it. i firmly believe that alternative medicine needs to be made available to everyone!) and started working with her almost exactly a month ago. she put me on a very strict diet (if you think the typical IC diet is strict, well, you ain't seen nothin' yet!) which excludes wheat, corn, all sugar including fruit and sweet veggies, anything acidic or spicy, beans, legumes, most dairy, soy.. and i'm sure i'm forgetting something. basically, the list of foods you can't eat is SO MUCH LONGER than the list of allowable foods. very very frustrating at first, i admit. it's still frustrating, but it's getting easier. she also supplements your diet with chinese herbs, and if you're long distance, keeps in close contact with you via email and scheduled phone consultations. there's also a yahoo group for her patients, which is really supportive and helpful.
so, basically, the idea is that you eat this incredibly strict diet for awhile, thus ridding your body of the yuckies - basically, yeast and bacteria. for some people this can be really unpleasant (yeast die-off), but i've only really noticed some skin rashes that come and go, and an annoying yet bearable increase in my IBS symptoms. while the diet cleanses your body, the herbs gently and slowly rebuild its strength and balance. eventually, the herbalist adds foods back into your diet one by one, until you can eat almost anything (excluding things you are really allergic to, and always taking it really easy on refined sugar, alcohol, and preservatives).
as i said, i've only been in treatment for a month, so i'm in the very beginning of the process. BUT, almost immediately after starting the diet, i noticed an abrupt decrease in my IC symptoms. now, i have many more good or ok IC days than bad (knock on wood!). this process is slow, difficult, and tedious, but i believe in it and i believe in the herbalist i've chosen as my healer. she seriously knows her stuff (she's studied IC for YEARS) and she's dedicating her life to helping people with IC.
and no, she doesn't profess to 'cure' IC; though she has helped people with even severe IC heal so that they experience little to no symptoms on a daily basis, for years. i think IC patients will always need to be extremely careful about what we put in our bodies, and how we treat our bodies/minds/spirits.
so, this was much longer than i intended. if you are interested in my herbalist's website address, please feel free to pm me. also, please feel free to ask any questions you may have.
blessings,
heather
.