Saint Patrick’s day is around the corner and with it some traditional Irish food dishes. But, some of these tasty foods can irritate your bladder. This is especially true if you have overactive bladder or interstitial cystitis. Both conditions can cause sudden urges to urinate; even when the bladder isn’t full. Some people are able to reduce these urges by avoiding certain foods.We’ve compiled four foods (and drinks) that may irritate your bladder this Saint Patrick’s Day. Also, it’s possible that these foods may bother one person and not another. These foods are only potential irritants.
Doing an elimination diet is the best way to determine what foods you should avoid. (Download a complete bladder irritant list here)
1) Corned Beef
Corned beef is a cut of meat soaked in a brine of salt and pickling spices. Curing the meat in this way makes it a potential bladder irritant. A better option: Any meat that is not cured, canned, processed, smoked, or containing nitrates. 2) Irish Stew
Many beef stew recipes include several potential bladder irritants. Tomatoes or their products (like tomato paste) often find their way into Irish stews and they are among the most common irritants. Some recipes may include Worcestershire Sauce which may also cause bladder irritation.3) Irish Coffee
A combination of Irish Whiskey and black coffee, the Irish Coffee may irritate your bladder on two fronts. Both alcohol and coffee (even decaf) are potential bladder irritants. Coffee is one of the first items urology experts recommend excluding from your diet if you have Overactive Bladder. 4) Guinness Beer
This dark beer brewed in Dublin makes the list because of its alcohol content. Any alcoholic beverage has the potential to cause bladder irritation. Instead, choose a Guinness Milkshake. Most recipes only call for a small amount of beer, making it less likely to irritate your bladder.Bladder Irritant Summary
We don’t want to take all the fun out of your Saint Patrick’s day celebration, so perhaps decide to eliminate only one or two. Who knows – it’s possible none of these will bother your bladder!
Title Image Credit: Flickr, daspunkt