Along with a diagnosis of IC comes the realization that your life has completely and utterly changed.  Perhaps it has become obvious that foods play a role in triggering painful IC flareups, but what might not be so obvious are the the chemicals in body products, skin care products, and household cleaners that fill our homes, and the negative effect that these products have on IC.  There are many websites, books, and articles in which to research how products are made.  Petroleum, and other harsh chemicals reside in products ranging from lipstick to candles to soap.  For those of us with IC, this products can be causing further harm to our bodies, due to the possibility that IC creates a lowered immune system response.  (Not to mention the harmful affects that these chemicals have on our water supply, the air we breathe, and the animals that we share our space with). 

It wasn't until my IC was so bad that I took a long, hard look at the products within my house, and made positive changes.  Along with the dietary changes, I was able to see the subtle decrease in pain and IC flareups after changing out laundry detergent, makeup, shampoo, and even the cat litter in our cats' litter box to cedar chips instead of litter made from harsh chemicals.  Wax candles with chemically scented smells have been replaced with the delicate sweet smell of candles made from beeswax.  Look around your environment.  Think about those things that might be causing your IC flare-ups.  Both you and our shared environment will thank you for the changes that you make.