Scd Support Group

[Guest gfinnebraska]

That casserole sounds good! I have never tried the spaghetti squash. I wouldn't know where/how to start!!

I am NAUGHTY when it comes to beverages. I just can NOT give up my diet coke. Yes, I am addicted. I have one fill-up daily at Casey's. My only vice. I can't see where it hurts the diet ~ no carbs or sugar. I would give in to the tea and coffee if you really find you need it. I believe the main goal is to keep clean of sugar and carbs. IF you are doing that, then you are okay!

What did you use for gravy in the casserole?? Just curious. When you say gravy, I think ... eeek! I always made it with flour... I guess you can use other things too like corn starch. But, technically, would that be allowed on SCD since we are suppose to not eat corn?? Just a question!

My diet is very plain. I don't mind though. I eat grilled meat ~ various cuts, fruit, veggies and almond flour cookies. I made some gingerbread ones I found in a SCD cookbook. I will try and remember to post it. They were really good!! I drink 100% juice, water and my one diet coke. I still want to order the yogurt maker. I also made my own mayonaise with the recipe from the book, and had that with tuna to make a salad. That was good too!

My favorite thing to eat is fruit, so I do depend most on it. I am craving grapes right now, so that is my fruit of choice!!

[shimma]

I was intimidated by the spaghetti squash, but it was actually pretty easy. I just baked it for about an hour and then opened it up. The hard part is separating the seeds from the strands. It all tends to stick together.

Gravy was a cinch because I cooked the turkey in a crock pot with some onions and celery. By the time the turkey was cooked, there was tons of turkey-infused liquid, so I pureed that with the cooked onions and celery. It was pretty thick and not smooth like "real" gravy, but extremely tasty.

My problem is I can't stand plain meat, so I spend quite a bit of time figuring out how to jazz it up. My diet pre-SCD was lots of pasta, stir-fry, etc - one dish meals with the meat incorporated. Those are harder to do now with no starch to sit everything on top of (and I would have no idea how to do an SCD stir-fry sauce, for instance).

I made some peanut butter brownies yesterday. They are delicious! I'm not sure if it's too soon for PB, but I was craving something sweet and snackable.

I'm with you on the fruit! I love it, mostly raw though. Still holding off on that.....

[cynicaltomorrow]

The diet's not just about avoiding carbs and sugar. Fruits and veggies have carbs in them. It's about avoiding sugar (except honey, sweet n low, and those that occur naturally like in fruits and veggies), soy, starch, gluten, grains, and anything artificial. Pop isn't okay because of the corn syrup. That's fine if you're just interested in the diet, but if you're actually trying to heal anything, you have to quit drinking the pop, otherwise the diet is pointless. Also, I would be extremely wary about going out to eat anywhere. There's no telling what they put in stuff, even in seemingly plain things like hamburgers. If you're looking for more recipes, there are a few sites out there like www.pecanbread.com and www.scdrecipe.com.

[shimma]

Just curious -

If you wouldn't mind, can you summarize where you were (health-wise) before beginning the diet, and how you're feeling now? How did you come to hear of SCD? It seems like most celiacs have never heard of it.

[cynicaltomorrow]

I was eating gluten-free and lactose-free before starting the SCD. I was actually doing really well before I started the diet. I just started the diet for the healing aspects of it, in hopes that maybe one day I'll be able to regain a semi-normal diet. I heard quite a few people on this board mention Breaking the Vicious Cycle, so I decided to check it out. Right now I still feel about the same as before I started.

[Guest Eloisa]

I'm new to this board and have Celiac. What is SCD? I too have experienced weight loss in the beginning then weight gain and haven't been able to loose any of it aside from maybe 2-5 pounds.

[celiac3270]

It's the specific carbohydrate diet. See this thread:

Open Original Shared Link

[Guest gfinnebraska]

I am doing the diet for the healing effects. The pop I am drinking IS sugar free. I have already started to heal due to the fact that I could not eat dairy before the diet, and now, 2 months into it, I can eat some cheddar cheese ~ which is allowed.

My only point was that diet pop is sugar free and carb free. No, it isn't healthy for you, but the book even says that you can have one... occasionally. I just tend to drink one more often than "recommended".

[shimma]

My husband has expressed concern about the amount of high saturated fat and cholesterol foods I now consume, especially eggs and cheese. I would gladly cut back on those, but I hesitate to limit myself even more. Is anyone else concerned about this diet raising their cholesterol?

[Guest gfinnebraska]

No ~ the meats I eat are lean, and I try to limit my cheese somewhat. I am not worried about my levels because I am eating healthy and natural. The intake of fruits and veggies off set the fat intake. IF you are worried, you could always go and have your levels checked.

[Guest Eloisa]

I've done the gluten-free diet for about 3 years and no sugar since my son was born (6 years ago) but found that I never got any energy with anything I ate. I also don't consume any caffene or any type of sodas. In the past and even when I was on the gluten-free & off sugar diet I was in a constant fog with all sorts of other symptoms starting. I don't have reactions to any other foods other than the ones with Gluten which I stay away from. What helped me with energy and getting my life back was a shake that I drink 2 or 3 times a day called Reliv. It has healed everything that had been wrong with me. I've done lots of vitamins and different supplements and enzymes too but never got any results.

[cynicaltomorrow]

I am doing the diet for the healing effects. The pop I am drinking IS sugar free. I have already started to heal due to the fact that I could not eat dairy before the diet, and now, 2 months into it, I can eat some cheddar cheese ~ which is allowed.

My only point was that diet pop is sugar free and carb free. No, it isn't healthy for you, but the book even says that you can have one... occasionally. I just tend to drink one more often than "recommended".

The healing aspects of the diet will not be in full swing if you are still drinking pop, even if it IS sugar-free because it's full of corn syrup... corn being a grain... being illegal. If you look at SCD sites, you'll see that when Elaine refers to pop, it's about making your own pop with club soda or tonic water. The occasional part refers to using aspartame as a sweetener.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Cynical: I hate to be argumentative, but you have obviously not read the book...

Here is a quote from Breaking The Vicious Cycle: "Diet Soft drinks are permitted occasionally. Those sweetened with aspartame or Nutri-Sweet may sometimes contain lactose and should be avoided, if possible. However, if this is the only type available, one per week is permitted. Diet soft drinks sweetened with saccharin need not be limited to only one a week: 2-3 weekly would be permissible." Page 77&78 of the book.

Diet soft drinks DO NOT have corn syrup ~ hence the term DIET... and zero calories. IF you are serious about this diet, as you sound you are, please buy the book... read it... and then continue.

[cynicaltomorrow]

Okay... just curious, but how is it obvious that I haven't read the book? I'm obviously not a moron who is just pulling this stuff out of thin air. I've been on the diet for over 5 months and have read the book several times and am a member of a large SCD support group online. I was simply not aware that diet pop didn't have corn syrup in it. Had you said that to begin with, there would have been little misunderstanding. I don't appreciate you talking down to me like I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

I'm sorry if my posting was read as "talking down" to you... that was not my intention. I was just replying to your post where you quoted me and told me that I was not following the diet correctly... in essence, telling me I didn't know what I was talking about. I was under the impression that you had not read the book due to you not understanding the whole soda issue and due to the fact that in your post you said "If you look at SCD sites" ~ leading me to believe your knowledge was based on internet sites and not the book itself.

Again, I apologize if my reply was taken as anything but trying to clear the issue.

Good luck with your diet, and I hope you have great health in the year to come.

[cynicaltomorrow]

Alright, we're cool. I'm excited... I had some watermelon and some orange this week and have done a-okay. Woohoo for raw fruit!

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Thanks for understanding... and woohoo on the fruit!!

My main craving has been grapes. I can't get enough of them... and it is costing me dearly!!! $2.99/lb.! Yikes!!

I need to check out the watermelon... love it! Didn't know if it was "ripe" yet...

I do have some brown spotted bananas at home... will have to eat one of those ~ time for lunch!!

[shimma]

Speaking of grapes....sort of.....are there any wine drinkers here? The book specifies "dry wine only", and I think this is in contrast to a fortified wine like sherry. Is that your understanding as well? Aren't most red or white wines, at least the kind that go with dinner, "dry"?

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Not all red or white wines are "dry" ~ a lot of them are considered "sweet." I am NOT a specialist in wine by any means...but I was a wine stewardess YEARS ago... I would go to a good wine store and have a person there help you pick out a good, dry wine. Wine is not something I drink or buy, so I am of no help there!!

[PreOptMegs]

On the SCD diet, we are allowed to have nuts in the bag or shell, but not out of the can... right? Of course, one must always check the label.

[shimma]

The book says that canned mixed nuts are likely a problem. You can always check with the manufacturer though to check if they're coated with starch prior to roasting.

I know a couple of you are successfully losing weight with the SCD....but I'm frustrated because lost five pounds and I don't want to lose weight! I'm already underweight. I guess I need to eat more. I'm a little discouraged because I was hoping to get healthier (which for me would be to put back on the 15 pounds I lost when the celiac disease kicked in.)

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Shimma ~ I doubt the SCD is going to make you gain ~ unless you eat a lot! I have been doing it for 2 months now and have LOST 25 lbs. I don't know how you can keep from losing... eating only veggies, fruit and meat ... the weight is just falling off!! I still need to lose about 10 lbs., but then I will not need to lose weight and will be in the same boat as you!! I am dedicated to this diet for a year, and do not want to lose for a year... yikes!! I guess you can try eating more, and adding more cheese to your diet. Maybe that will help?? Let me know how it goes!!

[shimma]

I'll keep on the diet, if only because I haven't gained anything in the last two years just being gluten-free, so that obviously wasn't helping. I figure that if I can finally heal my intestines using SCD, then maybe eventually I can keep food in my system long enough to use it!

Now it's time for a nice cheesy omelet!

[PreOptMegs]

shimma- how long have you been on the SCD diet?

[shimma]

Just over a month now - I started April 25. I was reading a post by Elaine Gottschall this morning on Breakingtheviciouscycle.info that it's not uncommon to lost weight when you start this diet because your body is re-learning how to digest, or something like that. I'm encouraged to be patient and give this diet at least another few months and see how it goes.

I just came back from my trip, which I was worried about because I thought eating would be a pain. Things worked out ok - I brought a big freezer chest of food along so I could take my farmer's cheese, yogurt, etc. I have to say, peanut butter is a lifesaver - whenever I'm really hungry, just a little fills me up!