Rethinking Interstitial Cystitis: Food Fear, the IC Diet, and Healing (with Callie Krajcir)
Heal Your Chronic Pelvic PainShow Notes
In this week's episode, I'm joined by registered dietitian, Callie Krajcir, to explore why the conversation around interstitial cystitis (IC) needs to change.
We discuss the limitations (and potential harm) of the traditional IC diet, why food restriction can reinforce fear rather than facilitate healing, and how the nervous system often plays a much bigger role in chronic bladder symptoms than most healthcare providers realize.
Callie shares her own journey from living with lifelong bladder pain, overactive bladder, pelvic floor dysfunction, and vulvodynia to finding relief through a mind-body approach. Together, we explore how fear around food can become part of the chronic symptom cycle, why the nervous system should be addressed with interstitial cystitis, and what a more flexible, hopeful approach to healing can look like.
Whether you've been diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, struggle with chronic bladder symptoms, or have found yourself trapped in cycles of food restriction and symptom fear, this conversation will give you a broader framework for understanding what's happening and where healing is possible.
In this episode, we discuss: Callie's personal journey recovering from interstitial cystitis, overactive bladder, pelvic floor dysfunction, and vulvodynia
Why she no longer recommends the traditional IC diet for most people
What the research actually says about food and interstitial cystitis
The difference between true food sensitivities and nervous system-driven symptom responses
How food fear can unintentionally reinforce chronic symptoms
Why restrictive diets can keep the nervous system in a state of threat
How pelvic floor dysfunction and nervous system dysregulation often overlap
The connection between chronic symptoms, uncertainty, OCD tendencies, and reassurance-seeking
About Callie Krajcir: Callie Krajcir, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian specializing in interstitial cystitis (IC), overactive bladder, and bladder health. After living with IC and pelvic floor dysfunction for nearly two decades, she found lasting relief through a nervous system-informed approach and now helps others do the same. She's the founder of Road to Remission, host of the IC You Podcast, and serves as Vice Chair of the Interstitial Cystitis Association.
Connect with Callie: Website: https://www.callieknutrition.com/ Instagram: @callieknutrition TikTok: @callieknutrition Podcast: IC You Road To Remission Program: https://www.callieknutrition.com/road-to-remission
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