Chocolate, cheese, milk, salad dressing

[born2swim Angel watching over us Find all posts View Profile Close born2swim]

I really think chocolate is a major "NO" for me Is that normal? I have had chocolate pretty much every day of my life (like a small piece at night), but what do I do now? What can I substitute for it (or at least something sweet yet rich)? I had to give up my morning tea (even though it was decaf, still had to give up my green tea... I will try peppermint or blueberry though). I have been drinking tea every day for the last few years... and before that it was decaf coffee every morning.

Cheese... is it really a problem for many people? I don't like American... but what is the next best thing? I am talking as a garnish for beans or potatoes or on a salad.

What is the best way to dress a salad? I want to start with the most tolerated dressings then add the more "risky" ones to see how I tolerate salads.

Is milk usually ok? I like skim... but is organic better (for IC) than non-oragnic? I'm thinking in terms of preservatives/steroids in cows/etc.

I would really appreciate any advice! I'm sorry if I'm bombarding the board with my questions... this is all so new to me and I really need some help with starting to ID triggers and finding the best treatment. Thank you!

[leelee88 Support Volunteer Find all posts View Profile Close leelee88]

I do fine on amy dairy products but if you are lactose intolerant then stay away from them..As far as chocolate its a big no no for me found that out tonight. I had a piece of my stepdaughter bday cake and I am paying for it now..I use to drink green tea all the time, but have heard it is really bad for ICers...I do know that alot of ICers use carob<sp? to sub for chocolate.. I have not tried it yet but now since I know I cant have chocolate I going to find out where I can get it.. Now caffiene.. I can drink a half of blueberry coffee in the morning and I do fine with it..But this is just me.. Maybe more people can give you some tips.. Good Luck!

[born2swim Angel watching over us Find all posts View Profile Close born2swim]

Thank you for such a quick reply! It is heartbreaking to never enjoy chocolate again! I have a weak spot for chocolate. I had a chocolate protein shake every morning (and sometimes after a work out) every day for the last 2-3 years. It's hard to find a replacement. I am definately not lactose intolerant (I'd be crushed if I was!).

I can say with certainty (pretty certain at least) that chocolate is bad, tylenol is terrible, and green/black tea is a resounding no. I miss my tea, so I will try the blueberry or peppermint and if that is ok, I'll try the other ones recommended on the ICN shop. I did see the carob products and ordered small one (carmel/nut one) to see how it tastes. I have a feeling that I will not fancy it, but I figured I'd give it a shot!

Do things like sweedish fish, gummy bears, mike and ikes, give people trouble too?

Thank you so much!

[leelee88 Support Volunteer Find all posts View Profile Close leelee88]

I dont know about those candys.. I know how you feel about chocolate, That was my weakness.. I ate it when I was sad or happy just anytime..lol Oh and I loved chocolate chip cookies..This IC crap really does suck, but you know when I get depressed about things with IC.. I try my best to focus on the good things in my life.. This is what has kept me going..I also take one day at a time..I truly do understand what you are going through, but you are doing the right thing by asking lots of questions.. I have learned more about IC here on the ICN than form any doctor..

Also I have met so many nice people here they have really became my second family..

You were also asking about salad dressing.. If you can tolerate mayo, I use a little mayo with some garlic salt and a little misses dash.. and I do not poor it on my salad I dip a little of my salad into the dressing.. Another great tip I got from the boards..I have seen on here where alot of people can eat ranch dressing, just look for the brands that do not have many preservatives in it.. One other good tip is do not eat anything with MSG in it.. That is a big no no for most Icers..again good luck!

[kadi Support Leader Find all posts View Profile Close kadi]

A few answers to your questions!

I really think chocolate is a major "NO" for me Is that normal? I have had chocolate pretty much every day of my life (like a small piece at night), but what do I do now? What can I substitute for it (or at least something sweet yet rich)?

I like carob malt balls. I get them at the health food store or you can buy them at the ICN shop linked at the top of the page. I also just found Lindt Lindor truffles (white chocolate with soft inside)- delicious! White chocolate KitKats also do not bother my IC, even though they have a tiny bit of chocolate inside.

I had to give up my morning tea (even though it was decaf, still had to give up my green tea... I will try peppermint or blueberry though). I have been drinking tea every day for the last few years... and before that it was decaf coffee every morning.

I do peppermint tea or Mexican cinnamon tea (cinnamon stick boiled in water). I also get the Puroast House Blend Low Acid decaf coffee, make it in a Toddy Maker (which reduces the acid even further), & dilute it with milk & sugar. The coffee & Toddy Maker & filters are available at the ICN shop linked at the top of the page

Cheese... is it really a problem for many people? I don't like American... but what is the next best thing? I am talking as a garnish for beans or potatoes or on a salad.


Kraft or Sargento Mozzarella is ok for most of us. Knudsen cottage cheese (get the little one- the big ones sometimes have preservatives) works well & you can dress it up with raisins & cinnamon or blueberries. Some people also put cottage cheese in the blender with a little milk & IC-safe spices (like basil & oregano) to make a salad dressing.

What is the best way to dress a salad? I want to start with the most tolerated dressings then add the more "risky" ones to see how I tolerate salads.

I use Marie's Lite Creamy Ranch on salads (no preservatives). You can put it on the side of the plate & dip your fork in it before each bite of salad to minimize how much you use. You can also dilute it with a bit of nonfat milk to make it more "pourable". Another thing I do is mix a bit of pear juice with canola or olive oil & a sprinkle of basil. That makes a nice dressing, especially for baby greens. There is an herb flavored olive oil in the ICN store as well that some people use for salad dressing, marinade or sauteeing veggies.

Is milk usually ok? I like skim... but is organic better (for IC) than non-oragnic? I'm thinking in terms of preservatives/steroids in cows/etc.

Milk is usually okay. Be careful with butters & margarines that you get those without preservatives. I use Challenge butter for cooking & LandOLakes Butter with Canola for table use.

Hope that helps! It does get easier over time... Bon Appetit!

[born2swim Angel watching over us Find all posts View Profile Close born2swim]

Rhonda,
Thank you so much for the advice! I love ranch or oil with vinegar (obviously vinegar could be problematic right now). I have a fresh market here, so maybe I can find a ranch there that has no preservatives. I will also look for no MSG! Thank you!

Boy... chocolate chip cookies... that is what did it for me tonight. It tasted good going down... but a few hours later I was running to the bathroom for a few hours. I can't blame it on anything else because those other things I eat and have noticed nothing causing a increase in frequency. Darned IC keeping me from chocolate! I will try to focus on the positives. I have some right now (but the others were crushed with the IC: such as exercise, training for a half-marathon, losing 145 pounds and feeling great physically and mentally, excelling with school, having fun with friends, meeting more friends, etc). I will try to find the good things and focus on that on days like today.

I was afraid I was asking too many questions! I'm glad to know they are welcomed on here! I have tons of questions and have been reading on IC (especiallly the diet), but it's frustrating at how it varies among people. I have a hard time knowing where to start, what to eliminate, and what works the best... because it is so variable!

Thank you so much for all your help!

[born2swim Angel watching over us Find all posts View Profile Close born2swim]

Kadi! Your suggestions sound wonderful! Thank you so much! I will try them out! I really need to make a change. After today's chocolate chip cookies, I'm really not feeling well.

I will print out this thread because there were great suggestions!

[leelee88 Support Volunteer Find all posts View Profile Close leelee88]

Born2swim, Your very welcome..
I think at the beginning of finding out what you have is the hardest, I was very overwhelmed..and scared and confused..On the diet I started out very bland with just rice and chicken, I did this for about a week then I started adding things.. I know now I cannot have any tomatoe products and I try to stay away from vinegar if I do eat some in mayo or dressings I make sure I take some tums before I eat..But I really try to stay away from it..I found out about MSG was very bad for me before IC.. I would get pounding headaches stomach upset and someone suggested to not eat anything with MSG, Amazingly I have not had any bad headaches since..

[vm ICN Member Find all posts View Profile Close vm]

Chocolate was a huge food trigger for me. It's a very common flare trigger.

[ICNDonna ICN Staff Find all posts View Profile Close ICNDonna]

Have you tried white chocolate? It's not really chocolate, but I have become addicted to it. It contains some cocoa butter so they can call it chocolate.

The magic word with cheese is "processed" --- it's the aged cheeses that are usually a problem.

Donna

[Berkshire Road ICN Member Find all posts View Profile Close Berkshire Road]

I always turned up my nose at vanilla ice cream -- there were so many, more interesting flavors! But a while ago, my husband surprised me by bringing me a vanilla milkshake (it had been a bad day, guess he was looking for something to cheer me up). He'd gone out and bought Bryer's Light natural vanilla ice cream, and mixed up the milkshake in the blender. It was SO GOOD. Now it's my go-to comfort food. Once in a while I have a shake in place of lunch, or late at night when the pain is bad, and everyone else is asleep. Now I wonder why I ever scorned vanilla?

I hate carob. Just hate it. But some people find it a good sub for chocolate. Christine says that Wendy's frostees taste like chocolate but do not give her any symptoms, and she is chocolate sensitive (I always suspected there was no real chocolate in those things. ). But they do taste pretty good. High in calories though, you have to watch it.

I usually just eat my salad with no dressing. I use mozarella cheese for most things. I'm not as much of a diet expert as the others who posted here, so that's all I have to offer, sorry!

[born2swim Angel watching over us Find all posts View Profile Close born2swim]

Ronda,

I don't understand how the glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin (all the joint supplements) help IC. How does MSM help? Good to know to take it on an empty stomach (like with my Elmiron?).

I am going to make a shopping list and get only IC friendly foods. I don't really eat much meat, so that will be hard to get a balanced diet.

Thanks!

[born2swim Angel watching over us Find all posts View Profile Close born2swim]

Kim, what a sad trigger to have! In the last year, I developed a love for dark chocolate... so sad to give it up!

[born2swim Angel watching over us Find all posts View Profile Close born2swim]

Donna! So white chocolate is ok for some IC patients??? In the past, if I chose to eat chocolate, I always went with dark or milk chocolate (the white chocolate was too sugary sweet). Beggers can't be choosers! I'll give that a try to see if I can tolerate it! I do need something sweet now-and-then! Also, I think my protein shake (which has a bit of chocolate) bothers me too (not as bad as a chocolate bar though). I took Prelief before having it, but it still made me feel bad.

With cheese... if I got Kraft cheddar, would that be ok? It isn't like a block of cheese from the deli, so is that ok? I will try mozzarella sticks, but I love cheddar!

Boy, eating out with IC will be a challenge now

[kadi Support Leader Find all posts View Profile Close kadi]

Hi Alyssa,
Here is a sample shopping list, an overview of the diet & the link for the cookbook.

What made the diet easier for me to figure out is the IC diet in 3 columns ("usually ok", "sometimes ok", "usually not ok"). It's in the "Understanding diet & IC" article below. I started out eating only in the "usually ok" foods, then one at a time added in the "sometimes ok" waiting a few days between each trial to see if my symptoms increased.

Here are a few resources for you as well:

Article on understanding diet & IC
http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/diet.html

IC Chef Cookbook:
http://www.ic-network.com/icchef/

Safeway "shopping list"
http://www.ic-network.com/forum/show...t=Safeway+list

Sending a hug & wishing you better days soon!