Greg Anderson, athlete and cancer survivor wrote in his book, The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness:

Changing our diet is something we choose to do, not something we are forced to do. Instead of dreading it, try saying, “There’s another thing I get to do to help myself!”

When you think about it, Anderson is right. Changing what we eat can be much easier if we work on changing our attitude. Instead of looking at meal planning as a daunting task, consider it a challenge—something you CHOOSE to do to help yourself!

When making your meal plans, include everything you will eat: breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. The website www.MyPyramid.gov has wonderful tools to help determine which food groups to include in your plan. Once you have a basic plan, add foods from the “Bladder Friendly” column of the new IC Food List. It is not necessary to plan fancy meals. New patients especially, find it easier to keep meals as simple as possible. It is much easier to sort out which foods may cause your symptoms to flare if you are eating simple foods without multiple ingredients.

Other helpful hints for planning meals:

• Figure out meals a week or a month at a time. Although it may take some time up front, it can help keep you on track, minimizing the chances that you will make a choice at the last minute that can upset your bladder.

• Make menu planning a family affair. Consulting with other family members about menu choices can increase their understanding of your condition.

• Include foods that might be triggers for you, but that your family can eat. It was nearly a year before I realized that I had not been buying strawberries for my family just because I couldn’t have them!

• Use your menu to create a grocery list for the week. Often people walk through the supermarket waiting for inspiration to strike. Sticking to a grocery list can help you resist buying items impulsively, which can be tough on the wallet and the bladder.

• Recycle your weekly meal plans. Once you developed a few weeks of menus that you and your family enjoy, go ahead and reuse them. Save the grocery lists, too! Hospitals, schools, and nursing homes use this “cycle menu” approach to simplify planning.

Remember, eating healthy and avoiding foods that can trigger bladder symptoms is something you have within your control. You CAN do it!

 For more information about meal planning, see Confident Choices: Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet