Hello Everyone! Today we are speaking with Amrit Willis, author of "Solving the Interstitial Cystitis Puzzle, My Story of Discovery and Recovery". Amrit has healed from Interstitial Cystitis and is 100% symptom free. It is her mission to share what she has learned on her road to recovery with those who continue to suffer from this disease, to free others of the pain of Interstitial Cystitis.

Please note that I will be speaking in bold and Amrit in CAPS.

Tell me about your background, as well as your interest in Interstitial Cystitis? I AM A REGISTERED NURSE AS WELL AS A PERSON WHO HAS SUFFERED GREATLY FROM INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I AM A HOLISTIC NURSE SO THAT PROMPTED ME TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE HEALING MODALITIES WHEN I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH IC. I NEVER USED ANY WESTERN TREATMENTS OR MEDICINES. 

You claim that IC can be relieved by eating an alkali-forming diet. What is an alkali-forming diet? WELL, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS I ADDRESS IN MY BOOK, BUT I BELIEVE OVERACIDITY IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF IC. OVERACITIY CONTRIBUTES TO INFLAMMATION AND ALLERGIES AND THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THERE ARE SOME VICIOUS CYCLES WITH IC. FIRST OVERACITIY LEADS TO ALLERGIES. ALLERGIES CONTRIBUTE TO INFLAMMATION AND ALSO LEADS TO MORE OVERACIDITY AND THIS CREATES A VICIOUS CYCLE. THE OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS LEADS TO LEAKY GUT, WHICH ALSO CONTRIBUTES GREATLY TO THE ALLERGY PROBLEM. AN ALKALI-FORMING DIET IS A DIET THAT CONSISTS MAINLY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES BECAUSE THEY CREATE AN ALKALINE ASHE WHEN METABOLIZED IN THE BODY. THESE FOODS WILL NEUTRALIZE THE ACIDS THAT HAVE ACCUMULATED IN OUR BODIES DUE TO THE TYPICALLY ACID-FORMING DIET MOST AMERICANS EAT. 

There are certain alkali forming foods such as oranges and grapefruit that are known to effect the IC patient negatively and may even cause more pain. Yet you say that eating these foods will help to relieve symptoms, if so then why are they hurting IC patients? I BELIEVE THE VERY FIRST THING THAT MUST BE DONE IS A STRICT ALLERGY ELIMINATION DIET. IF YOU ELIMINATE THE ALLERGENS FROM THE DIET OF A PERSON WITH IC THEY WILL BE COMFORTABLE WITHIN 24 TO 72 HOURS. UNLESS THEY ARE BEING EXPOSED TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL TOXIN. AS FAR AS THE CITRUS FRUITS THEY ARE VERY ALKALIZING BECAUSE THEY ARE HIGH IN ALKALIZING ELEMENTS SUCH AS POTASSIUM AND ORGANIC SODIUM. HOWEVER, IT COULD TAKE SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR BEFORE YOU CAN START TO ADD AND TOLERATE CITRUS FOODS TO THE ALKALIZING DIET. ALTHOUGH WE NEED THE ALKALIZING ELEMENTS FOUND IN TOMATOES AND ORANGES WE CAN NOT TOLERATE THE CITRIC ACIDS OR MALLIC ACIDS FOUND IN THESE FOODS. ONLY AFTER MANY, MANY MONTHS OF ALKALIZING (EATING A LOT OF GREEN VEGETABLES AND NOT EATING TOO MANY ACID-FORMING FOODS) CAN WE BEGIN TO TOLERATE THESE FOODS HIGH IN CITRIC ACID. WE MUST LOWER THE ACID LOAD OF OUR BODIES BEFORE WE CAN TOLERATE CITRUS FRUITS AND FRUITS IN GENERAL. I JUST FINISHED A GLASS OF ORGANIC LEMONADE! VERY ALKALIZING, BUT DO NOT TRY THIS FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS OF ALKALIZING AND BEING SYMPTOM-FREE. 

What is an alkali-forming lifestyle, how does it affect IC and how does an alkali-forming diet help to manage IC? AS NOTED BEFORE THE ALKALI-FORMING DIET WILL NEUTRALIZE AND ESCORT OUT THE ACIDS THAT ARE STORED IN OUR BODIES' TISSUES. HOWEVER THIS DOES TAKE TIME. MANY, MANY MONTHS AND DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF ACIDITY, A YEAR OR MORE. HOWEVER, IF YOU DETECT ALL YOUR ALLERGIES WHICH IS USUALLY THE DIET (FOOD ALLERGENS) YOU WILL BE COMFORTABLE AS SOON AS YOU ELIMINATE THOSE ALLERGENS. THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHERS WHO HAVE RECOVERED USING THIS METHOD. YOU MUST CONTINUE TO ALKALIZE EVEN AFTER YOU HAVE DISCOVERED YOUR ALLERGENS AND HAVE ELIMINATED THEM. YOU MUST ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF OVERACIDITY SINCE THIS IS THE CAUSE OF THE HYPER-ALLERGIC STATE PERSONS WITH IC ARE IN TO BEGIN WITH. 

AN ALKALI-FORMING LIFESTYLE INVOLVES THINGS LIKE NOT OVEREXERCISING SINCE THIS WILL ADD LACTIC ACID TO OUR ALREADY OVERLOADED SYSTEMS. SOMETHING LIKE MODERATE WALKS OR LIGHT EXERCISE SUCH AS YOGA HELP TO BALANCE OUR BODY'S PH WITHOUT ADDING MORE ACID TO OUR SYSTEMS. MEDITATION, DEEP BREATHING AND ANY THING THAT RELAXES US WILL DECREASE OUR ACID LOADS. 

Can you discuss measuring your body's pH? THE BEST WAY TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE EATING AN ALKALIZING DIET IS TO TEST YOUR URINE. YOUR URINE PH NEEDS TO BE ABOVE 7 FOR YOU TO KNOW YOU ARE EATING ENOUGH ALKALI-FORMING FOODS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. YOU CAN TEST AS OFTEN AS YOU LIKE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SOME PERSONS WITH IC COME UP WITH AN ALKALINE URINE PH AND THEY ARE NOT EATING AN ALKALI-FORMING DIET. THERE ARE A COUPLE THEORIES FOR THIS. I BELIEVE PERSONS WITH IC HAVE VERY LOW ALKALINE RESERVES AND THEY ARE USING A 'BACK-UP' SYSTEM TO NEUTRALIZE THE URINE AND THAT IS THE AMMONIA BACK-UP SYSTEM. THE BODY NEUTRALIZES THE URINE WITH AMMONIA (PH OF 11) BECAUSE IT HAS RUN LOW ON ALKALIZING ELEMENTS SUCH AS MAGNESIUM AND POTASSIUM. WHEN YOUR BODY BEGINS TO RUN LOW IN ALKALINE RESERVES IT IS GOING TO CONSERVE THAT POTASSIUM AND MAGNESIUM TO KEEP YOUR HEART BEATING, NOT NEUTRALIZE THAT HAMBURGER YOU JUST ATE. YOUR BODY WAS BUILT TO SURVIVE AND THAT IS WHAT IT WILL DO FOR AS LONG AS IT CAN EVEN IF IT TAKES FROM OTHER PARTS OF OUR BODY. IF YOUR BODY NEEDS TO STRIP MAGNESIUM OR POTASSIUM OR CALCIUM FROM THE BLADDER OR MUSCLES OR THE BONE TO KEEP THE HEART BEATING OR THE BRAIN FUNCTIONING IT WILL DO THAT. THE BODY HAS A SYSTEM THAT MAKES CERTAIN BODY PARTS A PRIORITY; THE BRAIN AND HEART ARE TWO OF THOSE PRIORITIES. YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT A BLADDER, BUT YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT A HEART. 

Although you emphasize acid-alkali balance, you also bring up allergies. How do allergies affect the IC patient? OVERACIDITY IS THE REASON WE DEVELOP THESE ALLERGIES IN THE FIRST PLACE ALONG WITH THE LEAKY GUT SYNDROME FROM TOO MANY ANTIBIOTICS. FOR MYSELF AND SEVERAL OTHERS WE WERE PAIN-FREE IN A FEW DAYS BECAUSE WE DETECTED AND ELIMINATED OUR ALLERGENS. EATING FOODS WE ARE ALLERIGIC TO CAUSES BLADDER INFLAMMATION. INSTEAD OF HAVING TYPICAL ALLERGY SYMPTOMS OF SINUSITIS (ALTHOUGH MANY OF US HAVE THIS SYMPTOM TOO AS WELL AS OTHER SYMPTOMS) WE HAVE BLADDER BURNING, PAIN AND SPASMS. THIS IS THE REASON YOU SEE SO MUCH WAXING AND WANING WITH IC. WE ARE EATING FOODS WE ARE ALLERGIC TO AND ON SOME DAYS WE AVOID THOSE CERTAIN ALLERGENS. TO BE HONEST, FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN SO FAR, MANY PERSONS WITH IC DO NOT PERFORM A STRICT ALLERGY ELIMINATION DIET TO FIND THEIR ALLERGENS. THEY TELL ME THEY KNOW THEIR TRIGGER FOODS, BUT I FIND THIS NOT TO BE THE CASE. FOR MYSELF AND THOSE WHO HAVE RECOVERED, OUR ALLERGY ELIMINATION DIETS WERE VERY STRICT IN THE BEGINNING. TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THIS CONCEPT OF ALLERGIES OBSERVE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS HOW YOUR SYMPTOMS WAX AND WANE. SEE HOW YOU FEEL IN THE MORNING WHEN YOU WAKE UP. IF YOU HAVE NO SYMPTOMS OR YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE GREATLY DIMINISHED THIS IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN SEMI-FASTING THROUGH THE NIGHT AND ARE NOT BEING EXPOSED TO FOOD ALLERGENS. IF YOU ARE SYMPTOM FREE IN THE MORNING AND WERE TO WATER FAST FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, YOU WOULD REMAIN SYMPTOM FREE. GREEN VEGETABLES TEND TO BE HYPOALLERGENIC AND THE ANCIENT GRAINS DON'T CAUSE AS MANY ALLERGIES. 

Can you tell me more about Holistic medicine and why you feel it can benefit the IC patient? MOST HOLISITIC MEDICINE WORKS WITH OUR BODIES TO BRING ABOUT BALANCE. THIS APPROACH PROVIDES THE BODY WITH THE TOOLS IT NEEDS TO HEAL INSTEAD OF A BAND-AID APPROACH THAT ALLOPATHIC MEDICINE USES IN CHRONIC DISEASE. GIVEN THE PROPER FOOD, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT THE BODY CAN HEAL ITSELF. WE JUST NEED TO GET OUT OF ITS WAY. SO MANY PERSONS WITH IC SEEM TO BELIEVE THAT THE ANSWERS TO HEALING LIE IN A SUPPLEMENT. THAT IS NATURAL SINCE WE WERE BROUGHT UP IN A SOCIEITY THAT BELIEVES OUR HEALTH CAN BE RESTORED WITH A PILL. WE ARE NATURAL BEINGS LIVING IN A NATURAL WORLD AND WE HAVE GONE TOO FAR ASTRAY. IT IS TIME TO GET BACK TO BASICS. PURE FOOD IS GOOD MEDICINE. THE ANSWER TO HEALING IS SIMPLE AND NOT COMPLICATED. 

What is your opinion on supplementation? 
I FEEL PERSONS WITH IC TAKE FAR TOO MANY SUPPLEMENTS. THE ONLY SUPPLEMENTS I FEEL THAT ARE REALLY ESSENTIAL FOR IC ARE A GOOD OMEGA 3 FATTY ACID SUPPLEMENT LIKE FLAXSEED OIL (PROVIDED YOU ARE NOT ALLERGIC TO IT) AND A NON-DAIRY HYPOALLERGENIC PROBIOTIC. MAYBE A GOOD PARASITE HERBAL FORMULA TO HELP WITH THE LEAKY GUT. THAT REALLY IS IT. IF YOU CAN FIND A GOOD VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENT YOU ARE NOT ALLERGIC TO THAT IS GOOD TOO. YOU DO NOT NEED A WHOLE CUPBOARD FULL OF SUPPLEMENTS THAT I KNOW ALL PERSONS WITH IC HAVE AT HOME. 

Can an IC patient expect to become 100% symptom free using your strategies? YES UNLESS YOU ADD FOODS OR SUPPLEMENTS YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO. I AM 100% SYMPTOM FREE. How much of a recovery should one expect? YOU SHOULD EXPECT 100% RECOVERY OF ALL YOUR BODY SYMPTOMS. I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF NATURE AND THE BODY TO HEAL. WE DID NOT STOP BEING MIRACLES AFTER WE WERE BORN YOU KNOW!! 

Since it is believed by some that IC has many different etiologies is it possible that alkali/acid imbalance is only responsible for the symptoms of some IC patients and not all? In other words, perhaps it is not the answer for everyone. Your opinion? ALL LIVING SYSTEMS MUST HAVE BALANCE. EVERY LIVING BEING AND ECO-SYSTEM MUST MAINTAIN A PH BALANCE OR LIFE WILL CEASE. IF A POND BECOMES TOO ACIDIC, ALL THE FISH WILL DIE. IF A POND IS TOO ACIDIC, YOU DO NOT TREAT THE FISH YOU TREAT THE POND. OUR CELLS ARE LIKE FISH IN A POND. IF WE PLACE OUR CELLS IN AN ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT, THEY WILL NOT SURVIVE. 

Can you discuss your opinion on the involvement of bacteria and Candida in IC patients, how can your protocol help? THERE IS A FASCINATING BOOK BY DR ROBERT YOUNG CALLED SICK AND TIRED. HE IS A SCIENTIST AND A NATUROPATH WHO HAS DISCOVERED A NEW MEDICAL PARADIGM. HE HAS SHOWN WITH SLIDES AND VIDEOS AND YEARS OF RESEARCH THAT OVERACIDITY CAN CAUSE OUR OWN CELLS TO MORPH OR CHANGE INTO VIRUS, MOLD, BACTERIA AND YEAST!! AND CONVERSELY THAT PLACING THESE SAME CELLS IN AN ALKALINE ENVIRONMENT CAUSES THESE VERY SAME BACTERIA AND YEAST TO REVERT BACK INTO NORMAL HEALTHY CELLS!! SO OVERACIDITY WILL CAUSE OUR CELLS TO CHANGE INTO BACTERIA AND YEAST ACCORDING TO DR. YOUNG'S RESEARCH. THIS IS A SUBJECT THAT DESERVES MORE RESEACH FOR IF IT IS TRUE, TAKING ANTIBIOTICS IS ACTUALLY KILLING OUR OWN BODY CELLS THAT HAVE CONVERTED TO A BACTERIA OR YEAST BECAUSE OF THE ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT. SIMPLY CHANGING THE PH WILL HEAL THIS SITUATION AND ELIMINATE BACTERIA AND YEAST. 

What are you working on next? I AM WORKING ON A REVISED AND EXPANDED SECOND EDITION OF THIS BOOK SOLVING THE INTERSTITIAL CYSTISIS PUZZLE. I AM CONSIDERING WRITING A MORE GENERIC BOOK SINCE THE PUBLIC HAS NO IDEA HOW MUCH ALLERGIES AND ACIDITY IS CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR POOR HEALTH. 

I have taken the liberty of inviting some members of our board "The IC Advice & Support Page" to ask you some questions.

The following questions are from Becky, Kathy2, Susan, Carina, and Barbara.

Once you become pain free by using your method of healing do you have to remain on the diet and drink the water the rest of your life? I AM NOT AS STRICT NOW AS IN THE BEGINNING. IT TAKES MANY MONTHS DEPENDING ON HOW ACIDIC YOU ARE TO TITRATE THE ACID AND ALKAI-FORMING FOODS. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE A NERVOUS TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL THAT LIKES TO OVER-EXERCISE YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO EAT AS MANY ACID-FORMING FOODS AS SOMEONE WHO IS CALMER AND EXERCISES MODERATELY. SOME ONE WHO IS ANXIOUS AND OVER-EXERCISES WILL BE ADDING MORE LACTIC ACID TO THEIR BODIES WITH THIS LIFESTYLE. THIS IS A VERY HEALTHY DIET AND ACTUALLY ONCE YOU FEEL SO GOOD YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO EAT ANY OTHER WAY. I SPLURGE AND EAT ICE CREAM AND SWEETS OCCASSIONALLY. I HAVE A LOT OF SPICY FOODS AND CITRUS FRUITS WITHOUT A PROBLEM. MOSTLY THOUGH I MEASURE MY URINE PH SEVERAL TIMES A DAY AND KEEP MY URINE PH ABOVE 7. THIS TELLS ME I AM GIVING MY BODY ENOUGH ALKALI-FORMING FOODS DAILY. IN THE BEGINNING YOU NEED TO AVOID YOUR FOOD ALLERGENS OR INTOLERANCES. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF AVOIDING YOUR FOOD ALLERGENS YOU CAN ADD THESE FOODS BACK INTO THE DIET, BUT ONLY IN SMALL AMOUNTS. THE FOODS NEED TO BE ROTATED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AND NOT EATEN EVERYDAY.

Is there any way to alkalize water that is cheaper than buying an ionizer for your house? Many IC patients simply cannot afford to spend the $800? SURE YOU CAN DRINK EVIAN WATER OR TEST ANY WATER YOU WANT. WE WANT TO DRINK WATER THAT HAS A PH OF 7 OR ABOVE. DRINKING WATER WITH A PH BELOW 7 WILL LEACH OUT THE ALKALIZING ELEMENTS FROM YOUR BODY. ALSO YOU CAN BUY ALKALIZING DROPS YOU ADD TO YOUR DRINKING WATER TO RAISE THE PH. THEY ARE CALLED ALKALIFE. GO TO WWW.ALKALIFE.COM THOSE DROPS ARE ABOUT $20 AND LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. A WATER IONIZER IS USEFUL EVENTUALLY IF YOU CAN SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR ONE BECAUSE IT IS NICE TO MAKE SOUPS AND RICE ETC.WITH ALKALINE WATER. SOME IONIZERS ARE A LITTLE CHEAPER. I THINK YOU CAN FIND THEM FOR AROUND $600 IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE INTERNET. 

Due to the fact that some IC patients are on a shoe-string budget, due to their illness, they can't afford to follow everything on your protocol. What are some of the more important aspects to follow if one had to pick and choose? THE DIET! FRESH VEGETABLES ESPECIALLY GREEN ONES OF ALL KINDS. PH TEST SOME INEXPENSIVE SPRING WATERS OR DRINK SOMETHING LIKE ARROWHEAD WATER AND ADD THE ALKALIFE DROPS TO THE WATER TO RAISE THE PH ABOVE 7. POULTRY WITHOUT THE SKIN AND MEATS THAT ARE LEAN. FISH SUCH AS SALMON, TUNA AND TROUT. FLAXSEED OIL AND THE HYPOALLERGENIC DAIRY-FREE PROBIOTICS. THAT IS ABOUT IT. WHEN YOU START TO ADD IN THE GRAINS, DAIRY, NUTS, AND LEGUMES (LIKE SOY) THAT IS ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU RUN INTO ALLERGENS. BUT REMEMBER YOU CAN BE ALLERGIC TO ANYTHING. FOODS AND SUPPLEMENTS NEED TO BE ADDED AND EVALUATED CAREFULLY. 34% OF PERSONS HAVE ALLERGIES TO POULTRY! 

What factors do you believe contribute to an acid/alkaline body? POOR DIET MAINLY. ONE THAT IS HEAVY IN MEAT AND GRAINS. EVEN VEGETARIANS CAN BE UNHEALTHY BECAUSE THEY EAT A LOT OF NUTS, GRAINS AND LEGUMES THAT ARE ACID-FORMING. TOO MUCH DAIRY CAN BE ACID-FORMING AS WELL. 

Why do some of us remain ill (fatigued and in pain) even after trying so hard to restore the bodies balance by eating a more alkaline diet, supplementing our diets with vitamins, minerals and "green foods" (i.e.chlorella,barley grass and alfalfa) and getting moderate exercise? IN MY OPINION BECAUSE THESE INDIVIDUALS MOST LIKELY DID NOT DO A REALLY STRICT AND THOROUGH ALLERGY ELIMINATION DIET. IF THEIR PAIN IS CONSTANT I FEEL THEY COULD BE EXPOSED TO AN ENVIONMENTAL TOXIN. IT IS ALWAYS PRUDENT TO HAVE A THOROUGH EXAM BY A UROLOGIST AND GYNECOLOGIST TO RULE OUT OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS. IF YOUR SYMPTOMS WAX AND WANE THAT IS ALLERIGES. IF YOU ALWAYS HAVE SYMPTOMS AND NEVER EVER HAVE RELIEF I FEEL YOU COULD BE EXPOSED TO TOXIN(S) IN YOUR HOME OR WORK ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS A 'SICK BUILDING SYNDROME.' BUT I BELIEVE MOST PERSONS DON'T DO A STRICT ALLERGY ELIMINATION DIET. ALL SUPPLEMENTS MUST BE STOPPED AND ADDED ONE AT A TIME. YOUR MEDICINE YOUR DOCTOR PRESCIBES SHOULD BE TAKEN UNTIL YOU AND YOUR DOCTOR DECIDE TO STOP IT. A PERSON WHO STARTED THIS PROGRAM A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO GOT OFF HER ELMIRON AND ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND CONTINUES TO DO JUST FINE. HOWEVER, SHE WAS ON A STRICT DIET OF MOSTLY GREEN VEGETABLES WITH A LITTLE CHICKEN AND FISH WITH ANCIENT GRAINS TO BEGIN WITH. THESE TEND TO BE HYPOALLERGENIC. SHE CONTINUES TO ADD MORE FOODS AND TEST FOR ALLERGENS TO BROADEN HER DIET EVERY WEEK AS WELL AS ALKALIZE. 

Can you please talk about the homeopathic remedy you used after sex and how it works? TAKING SUPPLEMENTS TO DECREASE INFLAMMATION CAN HELP AFTER SEX. HOWEVER, ALLERGY ELIMINATION WILL ELIMINATE THE BLADDER INFLAMMATION AND ALKALIZING WILL STOP THE ALLERGIES. YOU CAN TRY THESE HOMEOPATHICS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM WHEN YOU ARE ON YOUR ALLERGY ELIMINATION DIET AND RUN INTO A FOOD YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO. TAKE TWO ALLERGY AND TWO INFLAMMATION TABLETS EVERY 5 MINUTES UNTIL SYMPTOMS SUBSIDE. THE ONLY HOMEOPATHIC COMPANY I RECOMMEND ARE MADE BY HEEL A SWISS COMPANY AND DISTRIBUTED BY THE AMERICAN COMPANY BHI. ALL HOMEOPATHICS ARE NOT ALIKE. THIS IS A GREAT COMPANY. LOOK FOR HEEL/BHI HOMEOPATHICS ONE FOR ALLERGY AND ONE FOR INFLAMMATION. YOU CAN TAKE THESE AFTER SEX. YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY BROMELAIN OR QUERCTIN, WHICH ARE NATURAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SUPPLEMENTS. THE BEST THING THOUGH IS ELIMINATING THOSE FOOD ALLERGENS AND ALKALIZING. 

How did your holistic provider test you for allergies? WE USED A TECHNIQUE CALLED MRT OR MUSCLE RESPONSE TESTING THAT IS ACTUALLY ABOUT 90% ACCURATE IF DONE CORRECTLY. I DESCRIBE THE TECHNIQUE IN MY BOOK AND I THINK IT IS KIND OF FUN. YOU CAN EVEN TEST CHILDREN AND PETS FOR ALLERIGES AND I DESCRIBE THAT IN MY BOOK. THE TECHNIQUE IS NOT HARD TO LEARN. I ALSO WENT ON A FEW FOOD ELIMINATION DIETS AND TESTED ONE FOOD AT A TIME AND USED THE HOMEOPATHICS WHEN I FLARED FROM THE FOOD. AFTER I TOOK ENOUGH HOMEOPATHICS (SOMETIMES SEVERAL DOSES) AND THE FLARE WAS GONE, I TESTED MORE FOODS. IT WENT FARILY QUICKLY THAT WAY. 

What are chelated vitamins? THEY ARE VITAMINS OR MINERALS ATTACHED TO SOMETHING TO HELP INCREASE ABSORPTION. USUALLY THE VITAMIN OR MINERAL IS ATTACHED TO AN AMINO ACID. 

What gallbladder/liver flush did you do? I USED THE ONE IN MY BOOK.

Would natural hormones be of any benefit to a patient suffering from IC? I BELIEVE BALANCING ALL SYSTEMS IN THE BODY HELPS BRING ABOUT HEALTH AND THAT INCLUDES BALANCING THE HORMONES. IT IS NOT THE ANSWER BUT I FEEL IT IS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. 

If oat bran and wheat bran irritate the IC patient what alternative alkaline-forming fiber can one eat instead? GREEN VEGETABLES HAVE LOTS OF FIBER. YOU SHOULD ALSO EXPLORE THE USE OF ANCIENT GRAINS SINCE THEY CAN BE MORE HYPOALLERGENIC. GRAINS SUCH AS AMARANTH, SPELT, BUCKWHEAT, MILLET AND QUINOA. 

Precision Blue Litmus paper does not come with a chart or scale to check your PH level. Is there somewhere else to buy a chart or could you make recommendation about what kind of a scale to follow? DON'T USE LITMUS PAPER. YOU NEED TO PURCHASE HYDRION PH PAPER THAT COMES WITH A COLOR CHART. WE STOCK A PH PAPER BY DR. MORTER THAT IS ABOUT $15 AND COMES WITH A COLOR CHART AND DOES ABOUT 100 TESTS. YOU CAN TEST YOUR URINE, WATER OR SALIVA OR LEMON JUICE WHATEVER. I HAD ONE LADY WRITE AND SAY SHE WAS TURNING INTO A MAD SCIENTEST AND WAS TESTING EVERYTHING IN SIGHT. 

Amrit, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule and thank you for your continued dedication in the fight against IC.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AMRIT

For more information on Amrit's methods and the alkali/acid forming diet go to www.icpuzzle.com

Good day, Good night and Good Health Everyone!!!!!!!!!

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