The Homemade Broth Cleanse I SWEAR by…
First things first… Let me start by saying that I am not a doctor, a physician or anyone who knows anything about anything medical related. Let’s get real, I am an interior designer. The girl who flinches when I see a drop of blood. ALWAYS consult with a physician before starting any type of cleanse or fasting. I am simply sharing my research, my experience and the pain relief I have found from this simple broth cleanse.
Okay, now that those big disclaimers are out of the way, let me tell you how excited I am about drinking vegetable broth. Hehe. To start from the very beginning and I promise I will make it very very short, in 2008 I was diagnosed with a bladder disease called IC (Interstitial Cystitis) now also known as Painful Bladder Disease. I was in so much pain at the time that I truly thought my life was over. I was depressed and devastated. It totally sucked. Excuse my language. That’s about the best language I can use for a disease that can literally rule your life. Just to share a small detail let me say that I have not had a lemon or anything containing lemons in almost ten years and I sleep on a heating pad every single night. From pain to dietary limitations, it can be pretty life consuming at times. It’s a disease that has no known cause and no known cure. There are medications you can take but you guys probably know how I feel about that by now.
Here’s where I will give you all ONE more disclaimer… I am about to share lots of what I THINK and not what I KNOW. I have researched interstitial cystitis A LOT. I have also tried A LOT of things. All of which is natural. Some have worked and some have not. Although I have some level of pain every single day, the pain ranges from an annoying dull ache to a severe stabbing pain to something that literally feels like someone is slicing me open with scissors. Sorry for the TMI. You guys know that I can get brutally honest. So… I am fairly certain that I basically go in and out of remission. From the dull ache being “in remission” to the more severe pains being “flare-ups”. That’s what I call it at least. So let me share what I have found puts me in remission…
Now here’s where I am going to get really crazy on you and share a lot more of what I THINK… I truly think that LOTS of diseases and pain and medial issues are directly related to an overgrowth of yeast and sugar in your body. Overgrowth that causes infections. Which seems to be a lot more common in women than men. I believe that this overgrowth can cause a wide array of problems way beyond IC (Interstitial Cystitis). Possibly even some autoimmune diseases. At least this is what I personally truly believe. Because I also believe that IC is in some way, shape or form related to an autoimmune disease. Whew! Just trying really hard to explain and help those interested in trying some of my methods without trying to offend anyone.
What I have found over the years is that my pain is DIRECTLY related to how much sugar and yeast I consume. When I cut back enough and for long enough AND pair that good eating with several supplements I swear by, I can put myself into remission. As I shared in September, I finally decided to not just cut back but to totally “quit” sugar, gluten and dairy for four weeks. You can READ MORE ABOUT THAT HERE. I planned on doing it for much longer but ya know… life happens. Well, for me stress happens. But let me tell you that I can with 110% honesty say that I became completely pain free for several days over those four weeks. Something that has not even remotely happened to me in the ten years I have struggled with IC. Mark said he could just tell how much better I felt without me even saying a word. But yes, life happened and I started to eat normal again. My normal isn’t terrible but I do love me some sugar from time to time. So then Thanksgiving hit. And I went from normal to horrible. I ate terrible and had one too many glasses of wine. Because I had been feeling AMAZING. Well let me tell you that I paid for it. The Saturday evening after Thanksgiving, I literally doubled over on the sofa at our cabin in pain. And it was a new pain. A much more severe pinching, stinging pain that did not let up for even a second for five straight days. I cried more in those five days than I have in a long time. I took probably 20 baths because soaking in epsom salt and baking soda was the only thing that helped. By mid-week I even went to the doctor to see if I actually had a UTI for what would have been the first time in ten years. Because you see with IC, you feel like you have one all of the time so you never know when to get checked. But I did not. And I cried again. Because at least that would have been an answer. SO I got desperate and once again researched a natural way to help my pain for HOURS and HOURS and HOURS. And what I found once again was more confirmation of what I have thought for years. I also started to find success stories from those who did intense candida (sugar overgrowth) cleanses. I knew what would help over the course of time but I wanted something that had the possibility of working FAST. I then took several ideas from other broth cleanses and created my own based around what I can eat/drink with my bladder disease. All of these ingredients are strong anti-fungals and anti-inflammatories.
And last Friday I began a two-day cleanse. I made this broth each morning and had all 8-10 cups each day along with lots of water. And that was all. I kid you not that I went from being absolutely miserable that morning to feeling GREAT that afternoon. Mark literally came who and was like “who are you?!?” Day two was definitely more difficult given that my hunger was intense but I felt the positive effects so strongly that I continued on. I can truly say that NOTHING has made my pain ease up as quickly as this cleanse. I not only felt great from my bladder pain but also great overall. I have more energy and feel like my head is more clear as well. It also doesn’t hurt that I lost several pounds in the two days as well.
As I said before, consult a physician before starting any type of cleanse or fast. Make sure you can lay low during the one to two days and that you drink plenty of water. So here is my broth recipe…
Homemade Broth Cleanse
2-3 Cups Raw Organic Kale (Chopped)
2 Organic Onions (Chopped)
6-8 Celery Stalks
1 Head of Garlic (Separated into Cloves)
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Place ingredients into 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour…
Strain and discard the vegetables. Enjoy 8-10 cups per day for 1-2 days…
Last Friday I also added to my regimen of supplements. Some of these below I have been taking for a while but some are newer to my regimen. I can honestly say that I feel better than I ever have before from my IC and that says A LOT. I truly swear by taking care of your body from the inside out.
The Supplements I Take (and yes, I am taking ALL of these every single day…)
XOXO, Brittany Hayes
Dear Brittany, Thank you so much for sharing your struggles with IC. I was just definitively diagnosed with IC last Tuesday after a cystoscopy with hydrodistention and a urethral dilation. I have not been prepared for the pain that has followed this procedure. Oh my goodness! I pray the hydrodistention will help. I had 5 bladder instillations before this surgery and they helped to varying degrees. I suffered with a severe UTI off and on this past Spring and Summer. But the feeling of the UTI never went away even with a negative culture. Things came to a head this Fall. I would have severe urgency/frequency of urination (40+ times a day) and pelvic pain and pressure. It has been just miserable and so isolating. I am so glad I am not alone in this and appreciate so much you sharing your story. I will definitely try this cleanse at some point. Thank you, Bonnie Hall
I swear by D-Mannose! It’s the only thing that has kept my UTIs at bay. If I feel like I’m getting one I just take D-Mannose every two hours and it usually gone pretty quick. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for posting this! My sons girlfriend was recently diagnosed with IC. I had never heard of it until then. It’s been a challenge for her. I am going to share this with her and hope she can get some pointers. She was told that having children would be quite difficult with IC. Did you have any issues? Thank you and I’m glad you’re feeling better!
Hi Brittany! I have been following you for quite some time. Love your decorating. You are not crazy in your idea of Candida overgrowth being an underlying cause of lots of issues as far as I am concerned. I ended up with pretty severe gastro issues after having my second baby. It was super hard as I had a two year old and a newborn and in the midst felt like my body was completely falling apart. Doctors did tests on me and I was all clear but I knew I felt terrible and couldn’t even keep weight on so I had to do something. Also my dad had severe ulcerative colitis (so bad he had his colon removed). I was not diagnosed with this but I believe my gastro issues could have gone in the direction of UC based on family history and my symptoms. I gave up gluten and dairy (advice from a friend) and immedietely noticed a difference but I still had issues, but because giving up gluten and dairy alone was so encouraging I continued to research and change my diet. After doing other cleanses and many changes with a food journal and all I ended up doing a full candida cleanse with anti fungals. It was a major game changer for me. To me, candida along with gluten are ultimately the major things for me to lookout for. Moving forward I have listened to my body and treat myself with occasional dairy and sugar but I definitely cannot eat gluten (it’s too hard on me). It will continue to be a learning experience but I am grateful for all I have learned. Sorry you are going through this. When I get my gastro issues I also end up with bladder pain so I can imagine what IC is like. Seems to be all so intertwined. Too bad the medical doctors don’t recognize things like candida or lifestyle changes very often but I believe the medical field will eventually adapt in this direction one day or at least I hope! It’s hard to get support when it comes to autoimmunity! Anyway, I felt moved to reach out. Your blog post really hit home for me. You aren’t alone in this and the way you feel. We are smart women and this candida thing isn’t a crazy idea. I feel crazy sometimes too but only because I am not always acknowledged or understood. You are smart for taking control of your health. -Greta
Hey Brittany, Thank you for sharing. I always LOVE learning from you. This is a great article and a great recipe! I noticed you cut off the leaves on the celery. A LOT of people don’t realize most of the nutrients from celery is in the leafy parts. You may have done that on purpose but just in case I wanted to make sure you knew that. I will definitely be doing this broth cleanse this week! Thanks girl!
– Lynsey
Too much to share here but cutting out sugar changed my whole life. Everything I struggled with resolved within a month. I’m a huge fan of essential oils. And supplements. Thorne products have medical grade supplements. On amazon. Happy to hear your figuring it all out. I wish you the best.
So relieved to read this and know I’m not the only one! Not that I would wish this on anyone else, but I have also had countless UTI tests that come back negative while still have all the symptoms! It is so maddening!! Another natural supplement that has helped me immensely is Cornsilk. I take the Nature’s Way brand, 6/day. If anything starts to flare up I increase to 10 in the morning and 10 at night. Like you, I also have found a very clear connection between my symptoms and sugar. I’ve eaten a keto diet for the past 6 years and it had helped immensely.
Hi, I’m a 28-year old male who was diagnosed with IC in late February of this year. Before that, I had Dysuria last year. I’ve had an ongoing yeast infection of the toenails and common warts on my hands years before I got the Dysuria or IC. I noticed that aside from the sugar and bread I would eat my problems with yeast seemed to increase after getting overly stimulated. Now I’ve never been in a relationship with anyone before but I’ve noticed that I would get symptoms like pain in the back and neck as well as a mild fever and fatigue. My symptoms with the IC include frequent urge to urinate, urinary retention (i.e. obstruction), weak stream, and constipation. I’ve seen three doctors and the last one suggested I had constipation as a result of an upper urinary tract problem. Do you think a candida cleanse would help me? It’s SO difficult finding any information about IC for males that it’s hard to tell what does and doesn’t work. If you can guide me as to what kind of candida or yeast cleanse might help in my case or any test that would reveal the kinds of yeast/bacteria I have I would be very appreciative. Thank you for your help.
Sincerely, Joe
Hi Brittany! Thanks for sharing this! Question: do you store in fridge when done and then just reheat cup in microwave when you need to drink more?
Omg !! I feel like I have just been given a gift!
I have suffered from IC and UTI’s for over 40 years ( yep I am an old lady! LOL) , I plan on making your IC brew ASAP!!
And reaping from your self exploration and adding some of your supplements as well.
I should own stock and wealth from all the Over- The -Counter UTI UI presidium meds I have consumed over the years.
Please continue to share your triumphs and lows so we can all learn from them.
Thank you so much .
Beth
Thanks so much for your information, Brittany. Definitely not TMI!! I’ve had IC for decades (!!), it is awful when it flares up – which is always a direct result of my diet. DIRECT.
Too much dark tea, some coffee, a glass of wine here & there & sweets……. & VOILA the pain is back. I too am convinced that sugar – yeast & gluten are huge culprits in health. Gluten is immediate ick in my stomach.
Sugar & dairy tastes oh soooo good & take a bit to build up but that yeast goes crazy in my body & wages war.
Question: I do lots of chicken bone broth & really feel good. What about beef? Is that problematic for any of you? It’s supposed to be acidic.
Thanks again for all the great information.
Thanks so much for your information, Brittany. Definitely not TMI!! I’ve had IC for decades (!!), it is awful when it flares up – which is always a direct result of my diet. DIRECT.
Too much dark tea, some coffee, a glass of wine here & there & sweets……. & VOILA the pain is back. I too am convinced that sugar – yeast & gluten are huge culprits in health. Gluten is immediate ick in my stomach.
Sugar & dairy tastes oh soooo good & take a bit to build up but that yeast goes crazy in my body & wages war.
Question: I do lots of chicken bone broth & really feel good. What about beef? Is that problematic for any of you? It’s supposed to be acidic.
Thanks again for all the great information.
Hi Brittany, My only concern with this broth is the onions. Onions are a known trigger for an IC flare. Has anybody else tried this and had difficulty because of the onion?
I actually tried this. The onions were a horrible mistake, and I figured that out by about 5 pm the first day I did this. I remade the broth and omitted the onions and added carrots; that was very good. I’m trying to detox and start an elimination diet to figure out what all bothers me. Using a homemade veggie broth was an excellent idea for this. I also left the salt out no particular reason than I simply forgot lol when I was throwing in the veggies.