Q. Dear Terry, “My daughter has interstitial cystitis. She has changed her diet and removed all known food and beverage triggers. Her symptoms are still persistent and it’s starting to affect her mood. Any natural relief for this condition?” – Amanda V., Wilmington, NC

A. Dear Amanda, Medical professionals are still not certain of the exact cause(s) of interstitial cystitis (IC). The symptoms of IC can resemble a urinary tract infection (UTI), but IC usually occurs without an infection being present. Other symptoms include bladder pressure, bladder pain, and pelvic pain. To rule out other potential causes of these symptoms, I encourage her to continue working with her healthcare practitioner to determine the best treatment plan. That said, I do have some safe and effective options I believe can help.

Your daughter may want to consider adding Angelica (Angelica archangelica) to her daily regimen. Angelica archangelica grows in Iceland and has been used in folk medicine for centuries – the Vikings even used this herb as a form of currency. In fact, banning the theft of angelica was actually written into some of the earliest law books in Iceland about 1,000 years ago!

Angelica archangelica extract will help to tonify the bladder muscles and increase bladder capacity. When choosing a formula, make sure she looks for one that features an aqueous (water) extract of the leaves that has been clinically studied. I recommend taking 100 mg of Angelica archangelica twice per day.

She could also benefit greatly by adding a clinically studied curcumin. Curcumin is a compound found in the spice turmeric. Curcumin is a potent antioxidant and powerful anti-inflammatory that works via multiple pathways to restore health in the body. Curcumin can address the suspected causes or contributors of IC, including inflammation, nerve dysfunction, autoimmune conditions, depression and other mood disorders .I recommend taking 750 mg per day of a clinically studied curcumin that is enhanced with turmeric essential oil.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally