Scd Support Group

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Glad everything went well!! I am getting ready to go on vacation, and the idea perplexes me as to what to bring. I have been really nauseated lately, and I don't know why. Any ideas???? Otherwise, I feel great!

[cynicaltomorrow]

Have you introduced any new foods within the past few weeks?

I think it's probably all the fruits and veggies, but I am bloated like all the time. Except when I wake up in the morning... then I look pretty skinny. But, I look pregnant by the time I go to bed! I know it's not a bad reaction to anything, because I've had bad bloating reactions. I think it's just all the fiber. Any suggestions on how to ease it though?

[Guest gfinnebraska]

I ate almond flour ginger cookies, but I have had them before. Hmmm... I am not sure. I'm nauseated in the evening, and there doesn't seem to be a rhymn or reason to it. Sigh... Like I said, though, I feel great otherwise... no bloating here. Maybe there is a certain fruit that is getting you?? The only thing that makes my bloat go away is laying on my stomach... and then "passing" it. I hate that bloated feeling. I haven't been bloated, just nauseated. Go figure!!!

But, on a whole, don't you feel much better since starting this journey?? I do!! BUT, I am also looking forward to my year being over!! Ice cream and popcorn are two things really calling my name!!!

[cynicaltomorrow]

Just be careful. I know that one of the times that I had to start over... I didn't start feeling sick until a week or two after I started eating the things that ended up making me sick. I actually don't feel any better than when I started. But, on the other hand, I didn't feel too bad when I started, since I'd already been gluten-free for like 7 months. I'm also looking forward to my year being over. I hope it works, but if not... at least I will have learned some great cooking skills and I can just incorporate more things into my techniques. I just wish I wasn't bloated! The last time when I had to start over though, I was super bloated... that was my sick factor. But, this is definitely not the same. I think I may start drinking some herbal teas, like pepperment, to help digestion.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Yes, I don't understand the bloating either. I was bloated before starting the diet, and have lost it since! My stomach actually looks normal for a change!

A few weeks back I was tempted off the diet, and got really sick!!! I will NOT do that again. I started over and am feeling great ~ except for the recent nausea. When our year is over, I can see that I will have to introduce carbs slowly!! I really don't want to get sick again, and I really don't want to damage myself all over again and have to do this for another year! That would NOT be good.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and being here to listen to mine! It helps to have others to speak with and know they understand.

[shimma]

So confused...

My number of BMs is normal (1-2 per day), but the consistency is very strange and does NOT look healthy at all. I wonder what I'm still doing wrong? Shouldn't I be having normal-looking BMs by now?

[Guest gfinnebraska]

I would think so... mine vary by what I ate, etc. Some times they are some funky colors if I ate a lot of one item the day before. i.e. watermelon= red BM. Maybe it is what you are eating?? Are you feeling good? Hang in there... don't get discouraged. You know what you are doing is good for you in the end... it may just take time!

[Guest gfinnebraska]

By the way... I just got my Farmer's Cheese in the mail today. I am VERY excited about trying it out!!! Any favorite things you do with it?? Things you felt wasted it?? Let me know! Thanks!!

[shimma]

I LOVE farmer's cheese. I have it every day for breakfast (I'm happy to say that they carry it in my local store, both the salted and unsalted versions). I usually sweeten it with some honey and chop up a banana and toss it all together. Sometimes I beat up an egg and cook it like a crepe, and put some sweetened Farmer's cheese in the middle with some fruit. It's like an SCD blintz! Yummy.

I've made the cheesecake recipe with it out of BTVC, but it was just ok - I haven't made it since my first week on the diet. The only other baked good I've used it for is the pumpkin pie filling, which was pretty good - but a lot thicker than your traditional filling and kind of gritty (same problem with the cheesecake; farmer's cheese doesn't seem to beat up as smoothly as you might think).

Did you get the regular (salted) or unsalted version? I've found that the regular cheese is a lot smoother and I like it better. It doesn't taste salty, though, it just tastes yummy - the unsalted tastes a little flat, in my opinion.

I've been experimenting with homemade almond milk, which may be the source of my problems. It makes a great custard though! I just used the standard Joy of Cooking custard recipe and replaced sugar with honey, and cow's milk with almond milk, and it was delicious.

Let me know how you like your farmer's cheese!

[shimma]

Oh, I started my period today, which may be why my BMs are funny. I always have GI trouble during that time of the month.

Overall, I do feel much better on this diet. Even when my BMs are a little off, I've had MUCH less gas, cramping, etc. My only concern is that I'm not digesting and absorbing properly. But I'm definitely willing to give it more time.

BTW, I had some watermelon about two weeks ago. That did NOT go over too well with the digestive tract! But it's my favorite summer food, so I had to try it. I don't think any of it digested though, at least according to what it looked like when it came out the other end (sorry, I know - TMI!)

[Guest gfinnebraska]

The farmer's cheese I bought has salt. I can't wait to go home and try it! I have no clue what it tastes or looks like yet, so it will be a whole new experience.

I know what you mean about "that" time... totally throws everything off. I had a hysterectomy almost 2 years ago ~ best thing I ever did!! No more "icky" for me!! But it is amazing how I still have the cravings & slight mood swings. Not nearly as bad, but they are still there enough for me to know... "Oh... it is that time!" But none of the mess! TMI?? Ha!

I will let you know what I like best with the farmers. We are leaving for vacation in a week, so I don't know how much time I will have to experiment. The last time I made the ginger cookies out of the almond flour I got really sick ~ don't know why. So I have just stuck to meat, cheese, fruit and veggies for a while now. I am anxious to bake again.

[shimma]

Did you ever get that yogurt maker? Mixing a little yogurt with the farmer's cheese is good too. Now that summer's here, I won't even need to use my yogurt-maker - it's about 100 degrees in my apartment anyway, so I can culture the yogurt right out on the counter!

I am trying a pizza with almond-flour crust tonight. I probably shouldn't, but my husband is having pizza and I haven't had it in months. We used to make pizza almost every week (I would use one of Bette Hagman's gluten-free recipes and they usually worked well).

Yummy - it's almost done!

[Guest gfinnebraska]

No ~ still haven't bought the yogurt maker yet. Soon!!!

What recipe are you using for the pizza crust? What are you using for the sauce?

Details!!!! I would love to make a pizza... can you share your recipe? That would be SO yummy!

Last night I didn't have time to bake/make anything. I just grilled the usual hamburger patty. My washer broke... water all over the floor... well, you get the picture! So, now, I have to contend with trying to find someone to fix it.

UGH!

[shimma]

Actually, the crust didn't turn out too well, and I didn't like the taste at all. I got the recipe off of scdrecipe.com. For sauce, I just simmered down some tomato juice with spices. I think next time I will top some eggplant or zucchini slices with pizza toppings when I get the urge for pizza!

What a pain about the washer.....I live in an apartment with a communal one downstairs. It kind of sucks sharing, but at the same point in time, if there's a leak, I don't have to fix it and my floor doesn't get wet!

[PreOptMegs]

I tried to introduce raisins into my SCD today, but man did they ever go over badly. I don't know if I should restart the diet, or just go on... I think I will take it easy for a while and stick to the tried and true foods I know don't mess me up. I just got a yogurt maker, so hopefully that will speed up the healing process!

[cynicaltomorrow]

When I make pizza, I grate a zucchini and throw it in the food processor, and then mix it with almond flour. I add basil, parsley, oregano, baking soda... maybe some oil or water, depending on how well the "dough" is sticking together. Then, I throw it in the oven while it preheats and then for a few additional minutes. I take it out and drizzle some olive oil on it, spread some homemade tomato sauce, and grate some muenster cheese on it. Then, I add my toppings (onions and tomatoes) and put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes. It's great!

[shimma]

That's a great idea for a crust - I can't wait to try it. I'm still not sure that my body likes almonds. I made some great walnut cookies though that my gut seemed to tolerate, so maybe I will try cooking more with those and see how it goes.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

MMMmmmm... sounds good!!!

I finally got some Farmer's Cheese... now i need to figure out what to do with it! Ha! I thought there were a lot of recipes in the book using it, but it is mostly the yogurt I need. STILL don't have that maker yet. Sigh... hopefully after vacation I can get that ordered.

I had a "bad" weekend for my diet. What do you do when your 18 year old son brings you a drink from Sonic to work??? How sweet was that??!! So, I drank it. Now I need to clean out all over again. Sigh...

[shimma]

What happens when you have sugar after being on this diet? Do you really have to start from scratch again?

I've thought about just eating normal gluten-free from time to time, but I haven't because I'm afraid to find out how my body will react. But my husband and I are thinking about going to Manhattan next weekend, and there's this fabulous restaurant that makes gluten-free pizza.....much more appealing than a boring plain salad! BUT - I will deal with the salad if I have to keep my body healthy.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

I didn't really have a bad reaction... a bit of a tummy ache for a few minutes, but that was it. I just ate the "beginning" stage yesterday, and I will just keep going!!

I am going to Niagara Falls this Saturday, and I am in the same dilemma. I want to enjoy my vacation... and have to weigh whether or not I want to stay on the diet. It is HARD to enjoy yourself while traveling and eating on the SCD!!!

I am thinking about going off of it for a week, and then back on again when I get home. This is the ONLY vacation I will have until my year is over... can you tell I am trying to justify it??!!?? Ha!

Give me your honest opinions... I can take it!!

[shimma]

I keep going back and forth on this. My choice to go on this diet and when to start it was entirely arbotrary. It's not medically necessary like the gluten-free diet, and, although I may suffer from some GI distress, I tend to think of it as not really cheating. Of course, I haven't cheated yet, because I'm afraid to let my guard down even once. But for a treat like eating out on vacation, considering that I NEVER eat out, it's not a pattern likely to be repeated where I keep cheating because I did that one time.

Then I manage to talk myself out of it, telling myself that I may undo any good that I've done up to this point. But....is that really true? It's so hard to say!

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Sounds like we are two peas in the same pod of indecision!!!

I think I am going to "mildly" cheat while on vacation... not go hog wild on carbs, but give myself the occassional treat! Then get back on the straight and narrow when I get home. Sound good???

[cynicaltomorrow]

Probably if you're looking for the healing aspect, you probably shouldn't cheat... unless you plan on regressing a little. I'm sure you can do it. I'm going to Denver next month and plan on sticking to the diet... not that I really have a choice. I'm sure if I were to eat anything not on the diet, I'd be in pretty bad shape. Of course, if I could go back in time, I would not have started this diet. But, I can't really just quit and not expect some negative consequences. Have fun in Niagara Falls though! Are you going to NY or Canada? I went to Canada last year and it was amazing!

[shimma]

I say, do whatever is the least stressful. And enjoy your vacation! I probably won't decide about my NY trip until the last minute. Whatever I decide now, I may change my mind anyway.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Thanks for the replys... I will probably take it one day at a time and see how it goes. BUT, I definitely plan on sticking this thing through when I return. It just may take a day or two of cleaning out again.

We are camping on the NY side, but do plan on visiting the Canada side as well. I was told last night to make sure we have identification on us so we can go across the border. Who knew??!!