For the last three years I have created recipes based on the IC food list. My focus was to create dishes that everyone missed, I had no idea it would cause me to pull out my hair. Did you know that is why I am bald? Seriously, though, I had become accustomed to picking ingredients to fit any idea, much like how you would just open the refrigerator and chow down. However, Interstitial Cystitis put a twist in my imagination and forced me to become even more creative in order to satisfy your hunger. We have received a treasure trove of requests for gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and vegetarian recipes, and we have responded. As of late, we have noticed a demand for low calorie and low fat recipes. You yell and I hear you.
The majority of fat is stored in fat cells right under our skin. We have between 50 – 200 billion fat cells in our body in areas such as; breasts, waist, hips, and buttocks. There is also fat storage around the kidneys, liver, and even inside muscle, and as we age, we store more fat in our muscles making it difficult to notice. It is impossible to choose where you wish to reduce these fat cells, but if you stop exercising it is possible that your muscles will shrink and fat will replace it. With regular exercise and correct dietary changes, you will decrease your overall body fat.
I am not Richard Simmons, and I would never wear his shorts, but where he and I do agree is with our diets. The top ten fatty foods to avoid are cakes/pie, candy, ice cream, fried foods, chocolate, soda/fruit drinks, white bread, chips, breakfast cereal, and fatty meats. The IC diet contains none of these, so I would say you are ahead of the game! The IC diet does contain a few foods that are the best at fighting fat.
Diluting Fat: Cantaloupe, Watermelon
Melons contain flavones, which help break down fatty compounds.
Speed up Metabolism: Almonds, Rolled Oats, Natural Yogurt, Beans, Spinach, Turkey, Salmon, Water, Whole Grains
These ingredients increase the body’s metabolic rate, speeding up the rate at which fat is burned.
Limit Fat: Apples
Red fruit like apples are loaded with pectin, which limits the amount of fat that each cell can physically hold.
Dissolve Fat: Lettuce, Radishes
These are abundant in iron and magnesium, which dissolve fat.