Valerie Goldstein said:

>>Treatment for the interstitial cystitis involves avoiding eating anything
acid at all (almost all fruits, tomatoes, vinegar), avoiding msg and
processed foods, avoiding all aged cheese, avoiding sugar and avoiding
grains, which the doctor says acidify your system.   The IC books say that
most people with IC do well on meat and potatoes and veggies.  I haven't
been able to follow this diet and have been eating very unhealthily.

Acid tasting foods actually have an alkalizing effect on the body.  Fruits
can be included in an alkalizing diet.  Fruthermore, if you are eating all
sorts of junk now, I can't see how including fruits with your vegetables and
meats would do harm anyway.  You'd be eating real foods, nourishing foods.

>>Any change I make will have to be very, very
gradual--like one thing every couple of weeks.  It may take me a long time
to switch over.  If I deprive myself of something I want to eat, I tend to
go back and eat lots of it later, so I have to be careful.

You  have the power to change your  habits.  Most of us had habits we didn't
like before we changed our diets.
You will be amazed at how much better you feel and you'll start wanting to
eat only healthy, wholesome foods the more you do.  After a while the
pictures in your head (of what sounds good to you) will be pictures of all
sorts of vegetables, fruits, nuts, meats, eggs, etc.

In the book REINVENTING YOURSELF by Steve Chandler, page 179, someone says
*How do I motiate myself to run in the morning?*  Chandler tells him *By
running in the morning.*  The person says, *But I don't feel like running in
the morning.* Chandler says *That's because youre' not running in the
morning.  Yet, if you were running in the morning, pretty soon you would
feel like running.*

It's the same way with eating a natural diet.  With conditioning, you can
wake up and ONLY want vegetables, fruits, meats, nuts, seeds, and healthy
oils.  After all, its only conditioning (habit) that makes some people want
chips, crackers, doughnuts, pizza, pop tarts, french fries, soda pop, etc.
In time, just the thought of eating such foods may put you off and make you
feel like you'd be deprived without the NATURAL foods you habitually eat and
enjoy.

Has anyone on this list had similar health problems to mine?  For a couple
of years I have wanted to cut out grain and dairy and see what happens, but
that would leave me only meat and veggies to eat.  Not sure what to do at
this point, but I have to do something or I'll be like this at 80 (if I
make it to 80).

There are so many kinds of vegetables to eat, so many types of meats (many
varieties of fish, poultry, meat, eggs), also nuts, seeds, herbs, spices....
Avoiding grains, dairy products, and processed foods need not limit your
diet.   Most people who look at pictures of meals I (and my husband) eat or
see his pack lunches are amazed at how beautiful they are.  Many people have
said they'd love to raid our refrigerator or move in with us to eat our
food.  You will be amazed at the variety once you start eating this way.

I suggest you get Ray's book NEANDERTHIN, the Eades book, PROTEIN POWER
LIFEPLAN, and, if you want a bunch of paleo recipes all in one book, CHARLES
HUNTS' DIET EVOLUTION.  You could buy my cookbook series when it's out, but
it's still in the works.  Also check the Paleo Receip Digest archives.

Go for it (a varried paleo diet).  Best of success to you!

Rachel Matesz
Healthy cooking coach, cooking instructor, paleo foods enthusiast,
photographer, freelance nutrition journalist, and water filtration expert...