Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

[DMarie]

Dawn,

I should have told you that you shouldn

[pele]

I made an applesauce cake today and am posting the recipe on the recipe thread.

[GermanMia]

Hi Rinne,

bananas contain very much starch when they are unripe. At the end of the ripenig process the starch mostly is transformed to sugar biochemically. The black spots are stiches of little insects which suck juice from the skin of unripe bananas. It doesn't affect the bananas but only makes those spots during ripening - and it's a good marker for low use of insecticides.

Acupuctur is a good thing, but depending on how much your flora is weakened maybe you should have a look at it. If you took lots of antibiotics due to the lyme maybe yoou really should check that.

Mache also is called corn salad or field salat or rapunzel (I had to look the word up )

Hi Dawn,

nexium is a proton pump inhibitor. That means it stops the gastric acid.

What I take is HCL Plus and Hydrozyme from Biotics (www.bioticsresearch.com/en/cms/?261#hciplus). Maybe something like HCL Plus will be sufficient for you - I add the Hydrozyme with the pancreas enzymes because otherwise I have undigested fat in my stool. Just have a look at the Biotics stuff, maybe you find something that you think could fit you.

Did you have trouble with the beans?

I'm sorry your situation is so complicated. It's surely more difficult to bring your husband to listening and understanding when he is worrying about having lost his job. I do hope he will find something new soon.

To be honest I don't understand either why tomato juice is legal and tomato paste isn't. The concentrated tomato I buy here absolutely does not contain anything except tomatos and a little salt. Sadly I can't eat it because of the fructose but I would if this wasn't a problem. But actually I'm not sure how strict the guidelines for declaration in the US are.

As Shay or someone else stated, first you have the feeling to live in the kitchen when doing SCD. But it's an organisation thing. I just figured out what I need all the time and then figured out a plan what to make how and when. First of all I always look for sales - for example, now before X-mas almond flour is cheap here, so I buy lots of it and store it. Same with honey. Or poultry etc...

Then I have a plan when to make large batches of soup, bread, muffins, yoghurt or dccc, almond milk etc. As I was tired of making sauces and dressings ahead I just got used to only throw some chopped feta or goats cheese, apple cider vinegar and olive oil into my salads and eat meat, fish and veggies without sauce, just some salt. Meanwhile I'm so used to the pure taste of the things that I don't even miss onions, garlic and pepper - that stuff just makes me sick, so why have it?

Maybe you will manage some way to figure this out for you. And this forum is a great place for finding help, lots of so helpful and encouraging guys!

Pele,

this applesauce cake sounds wonderful. Sadly I shouldn't eat apples because of the very high fructose content, so I wondered if I could try the recipe with berry sauce instead. I have some cranberry / blueberry sauce which I'm going to give a try.

[mftnchn]

I can't remember for sure who was posting with so many food intolerances that wasn't getting better. Might have been you Dawn, but seems like someone else too??

Just wanted to mention to be sure to treat for parasites.

Also, there are some folk who are finding out that genetic issues with enzymes can cause major food problems. Rachel24 is really looking into that right now and can point you in the direction of some info.

Dawn I hope removing the dairy might be of some help. I know it is hard to deal with all of this. I make my tomato sauce from fresh tomatos. I'll post on the recipe thread how I do it.

Sherry

[rinne]

Hi, thank you all for your responses. So mache is what I thought!

It seems my goat yogurt turned out fine although I haven't tasted it yet, I am really looking forward to the goat "cream" cheese.

I never took any antibiotics for the Lyme, I used nutraceticals. I seem to have my own theory about Lyme which doesn't jive with the medical models out there, I have looked at them. Trusting myself I am 80% recovered, though if I had found anyone I felt could help me I would have been grateful for that help.

I have been on the diet for a week now and I am seeing some improvement, for one thing for the first time in a very long time I am having regular BM's every morning. C is my issue not D.

I am going to check out the new recipes, thanks all for posting them.

[DMarie]

Mia - Thank you for the info on what Nexium is and what it does (and the tip on the HCL) I have taken HCL before. I remember I could only take a little of it - caused burning.

I agree, organization is key to making this work. It is funny, sort of, but I contemplate what to do to make this easier - and I think that using some canned items would be helpful. But not that much. I mean, I would still make my own salad dressing, bbq sauce - etc. So I am asking myself - what is the real problem here. I think part of it is that there is food everywhere. It is difficult to not be able to eat anywhere but home unless I cart around food with me. There is nothing convenient. I miss snacking sometimes - but would like crunchy, salty, easy.

Also, if I do not notice that much difference on the diet as opposed to off - then it is too hard to maintain for seemingly no return.

The beans sat okay, I guess. I didn't notice anything after eating. I ate a bowl of them around 6:00 pm. At approximately 12:00, midnight, I woke up because my stomach really hurt. It wasn't cramping, more like burning. I just remember thinking that if I touched the outside to see where it was hurting - I was sure that would hurt - so I didn't touch. Whatever it was subsided in about 30 minutes. I cut out 1 of my Nexium's about 1 week ago. In the past when I have tried to cut the dose, I will notice pain in my chest area within about 4 days of cutting the Nexium. So I am not sure if last night had to do with the Nexium or what. This morning, after eating my breakfast, I felt a mild discomfort there, I thought it was going to start burning again.

This is probably a silly question, but since I have been on 2 doses of Nexium per day for 2 years or more (and a smaller dose prior) - and I cut a dose out - could my stomach be bothered by the sudden appearance one day of some gastric acid that was being cut off by the Nexium previously?

Sherry - I saw your recipe for the tomatoe sauce. Something to try. :-) Also, I do have several intolerances that showed up on intradermal skin testing (tomatoes, brewers yeast, corn, soy, tea and one other item I can never remember) - plus it seems like I react miscellaneously to items (such as nuts). Dairy seems to be a problem as does gluten. Also, I have thought I might should post on the thread Rachel24 started regarding digestive issues - especially with the following info:

I went back and found the info on a stomach function test I had done in 2002 (Heidelburg pH Gastrogram was the name of the test). The impressions from the test were as follows:

- Hypochlorhydric state

- Delayed pyloric entry and delayed transit time into small intestine

- Low smaller intestinal pH, which is seemingly right around 3.5 pH

- Consider pancreatic enzyme production malfunction including poor production of bicarbonate by the pancreas

- Consider pancreatic insufficiency

Suggestions given at that time were:

- Trial of Betaine HCL with crescendo dosage

- Upper GI series with a detailed small bowel study focusing on pylorospasm and configuration of the distal sector of the gastrium

- Plausibly consider a comprehensive digestive stool analysis with a parasite study to ascertain more regarding digestive issues

- Recall history of eating disroder factors (Note - I was bulimic for many, many years)

- Consider the use even of bicarb given orally about one hour after the meal is eaten to coincide with the timing of production of lipase, protease, and amylase. (hmmm - this was the advise given to me on this board - to perhaps try the bicarb to help with the mucous stuff)

When I saw this doctor, I was sent by my regular doctor at the time to ascertain stomach function. I only saw him for the test, was put on the HCL by my regular doctor - and was probably purusing other avenues at that time - so no more testing was done. I think I need to get back into this doctor who did the testing. However, he would be considered out of network for my insurance, which means more cost. Especially for the labs he would likely want - probably not from the lab where my labs are covered 100%. I just can't go there at this time with the cost due to my husbands job situation. Though I am thinking about an initial visit only - with discussion of a plan of action after I am able to afford it again.

I was also typed metabolically from my regular doctor at the time. I am not even sure what all of this means or how accurate it is. I was given a list of foods for Group II Foods, Fast Oxidizers and Parasympathetics. It seems at the time I thought it would be hard confining my eating to this list. Also in 2006 this same doctor did a Body Bio Blood Test - which I really don't recall anything about. It seems about this time I was worn out from seemingly getting no where with all of these tests, nutritional iv's, etc, so that I started doubting whether any of it was valid.

I do believe there are obviously digestive issues. I don't know about parasites (I have done cleanses before, but it has been awhile). I have periodically done gall bladder cleanses (which has worked when having gall bladder problems). The last cleanse really wiped me out though - and I haven't had any gall bladder issues since then (at least 2 years ago).

Some of this might all make sense to someone more knowledgeable, I wouldn't be surprised if the various pieces relate to one another - I just haven't researched all of this in so long - looks like I have some googling to do.

[ShayFL]

Those were done 6 - 7 years ago. Every cell in the body completely turns over in that amount of time. You are an entirely new person.

So you need to test everything again to know what you are dealing with. I know it would be expensive, but it isnt wise to "speculate" with adding additional HCL and bicarbonate unless you know exactly that you need to.

[mftnchn]

I agree--those tests are too old to base current treatment on. They can however, provide you with some information that might help you know what to pursue.

I can't help you with the acid blockers. I was put on those in series in '06, and had horrible side effects to all of them. Anyway, it was the wrong treatment for my nausea because I had h pylori (and celiac, but I didn't know it then).

So you never tried the Betaine?

[DMarie]

So you never tried the Betaine?

I had been put on a variety of digestive enzymes, HCL, etc over the years. I am sure Betaine was in there somewhere as it seems I had taken a variety of things. I still have Metazyme left, which is from Metagenics. That one has the proteases, amalases, etc in it (so not the HCL). One of the last things I was put on was something called Kristazyme (An extra high-potency plant-based digestive enzyme supplement formulated to optimize breakdown of protein, fats and carbohydrates across a broad pH range).

Seems like the place to start is back with this doctor. I'll have to make a preliminary appt to discuss the problem and set up some sort of plan for addressing it - which will likely have to wait to be implemented until my husband finds a job (just depends on what the various tests will cost).

Today my stomach still feels kind of sore after I eat (tender I guess) - and I had a little bit of burning that was starting at the base of my throat. I don't want to add back in the Nexium I took out though. If it gets too bad, I guess I will have to, but I don't want to.

[DMarie]

Oh man, I tracked down this doctor (he had moved). I knew he wasn't on my insurance plan. Actually he does not take insurance. He is a DO, specializes in allergies, description of practice indicates:

*Family Medicine

*Environment Medicine

*Airborne & Food

*Allergy Testing & Treatment

*Gastric Analysis

A new patient visit is $215. I do have coverage at 50% of eligible charges for a non-network doctor. I am sure what my insurance will pay will be minimal, so I have to be ready to foot the entire bill (have to pay up front anyway). There is no way of knowing what charges will be eligible until I go for the visit.

I scheduled an appointment for January 6th - but I don't know that I will be able to keep that appointment; depends on the job situation with my husband. I have spent a small fortune in doctors over the years - and some of the more expensive things I deem not to have done any good and just drained the pocketbook. It would be difficult to convince my husband that I need to see this specific doctor out of all of the doctors out there. Even if he has a job - I think he will not understand why I feel the need to see this doctor. Maybe I am selling him short - hopefully so and he will be understanding (especially if I broach this subject with my current thyroid/adrenal fatigue doc and get no where).

I will have an appt with the doctor that manages my thyroid/adrenal fatigue issues in December (time for labs). I will talk to her about all of this - but not sure how much help she will be. I lucked out in finding her as very few doctors consider that adrenal fatigue exists - but yet I find I do much of my own thing based on my own reading and experiences of others with regard to managing my medication (as in, I take cortef for this in tapered doses 4x a day with a small 5th dose at bedtime while she would have me take the whole amount evenly spaced in 3 doses). So, while she believes in something that most doctors don't - in many other ways she is a typical doctor, typical beliefs.

[AliB]

It is difficult Dawn as the problem with the acid/bicarb thing is, as Mia said, the the stomach needs acid to break down the food, but the small intestine needs bicarb to neutralise the acid when it get out the other end. If you take bicarb then you are neutralising the acid, so it needs to be taken at the right time once the food has left the stomach and how do you know when that is???

Nexium is reducing the amount of stomach acid. If there is not enough acid the diaphragm does not close properly so you then get acid reflux from the acid that is in there. As the acid is designed to not only break the food down but to protect the stomach from bugs, then the Nexium is making things worse. Not only that but if the food takes longer to break down because of the lack of acid then it slows the transit time down through the whole shebang. Not enough acid will not trigger enough bicarb and so it goes on.

Although you say that the HCL caused your stomach to 'burn', I wonder whether it isn't due to bacterial activity. If you are having problems with say, Helicobacter or something similar, it is going to react when you try to change its environment, and may well cause inflammation. You may also have some damage to the stomach lining because of the low acid level allowing bacteria to get a hold. Things like Helicobacter actually is able to neutralise the acid to protect itself and can create low acid level. Have you had a breath test for Helicobacter or a gastroscopy to look for any damage?

If you can persevere you may be able to make its environment uncomfortable enough to kill it. Although you may not be able to tolerate the yogurt, see if you can get hold of some good Probiotics if you haven't already and take plenty of those - I am finding taking a few capsules a few minutes before I lay down at night seems to be helping. If you do decide to take the HCL, gradually reduce the Nexium if you haven't already done so, then gradually increase the HCL - perhaps just half a tablet or even a quarter, for a few days, then increase every few days until you are taking the suggested dose, and see if your stomach adjusts to it better that way.

If you can follow the SCD as near as possible, hopefully eventually things will sort themselves out and you will no longer need to take the HCL.

[GermanMia]

Dawn,

I totally agree with Shay, Sherry and Ali. You have to do some tests, but maybe it's not necessary to see this doctor whom your insurance doesn't pay. If you see your other doctor you might ask for a gastorenterologist. I'm afraid I don't know how it is in the USA but in Germany there are gastroenterologists who are in the insurance plans. They're probably not the brightest and most alternative persons in the world but they can do simple diagnosis such as stool tests, blood tests, breath tests and endoscopy.

If there has been the idea of pancreatic insufficiency you should have tested the pancreatic elastase in the stool. Also they should see if there are undigested fats, carbs or proteins in the stool. Fat in the stool (it must not be really fatty stools, mind, it can be a small amount which is not visible to the blank eye) very often accompanies gluten intolerance.

I looked up the Metazyme. It's pancreatic enzyme - but the thing is that not all pancreatic enzyme products work for everyone. Mostly it's because the products are *only* pancreatic enzymes. But as I stated above somewhere, those enzymes do work much better when combined with HCL betaine and pepsine, so that's why I do so much better with Hydro-Zyme from Biotics. I had a look and found that it's even a little less expensive than Metazyme, so maybe you give that a try? It might not be the final solution but it could give you some relief until you can do more testing.

Your stomach could be bothered by HCL because very often the doses in HCL products are much too high. The idea is not to drown the stomach in HCL but give it a little kick so that it starts to produce some HCL itself at the right moment. The added pepsine gets the protein digestion started; so if the stomach has HCL and pepsine ready to start digestion, the transport to the small intestine will be faster. Then the pancreatic enzymes can start immediately to continue the digestion.

Also the Hydro-Zyme has some Vitamin B6 added because Vitamin B6 is essential for the process of digesting proteins and carbohydrates. Many people with gluten intolerance are lacking Vitamin B6 (not in the blood but in the cells) so that the whole digestive cycle is disturbed.

So you see it's the combination of several things to get the process running: Little HCL to give the stomach a start at the right time, pepsine to start the protein digestion and stimulate the transport to the small intestine, pancreatic enzymes to help the breakdown of the food in the small intestine and Vitamin B6 to support the body's digestive abilities.

[DMarie]

Thank you Ali and Mia for the detailed explanations. It is all so very complicated! I have to admit that for the past several years I have been focused on my thyroid/adrenal issues (which I am quite familiar with). While digestion was looked at previously - it was not something that was focused on and I never researched it.

I can see a gastro doctor easily on my plan. Not thrilled with it as I see them as being about as useful as Endocrinologists - which is to say most are worthless. The one that put me on the nexium, did the endoscopies I have had and recommended the surgery I had - he was the same one that said I couldn't possibly have celiac as I wasn't emaciated and didn't have D. Nice enough - but very walk the line, straight forward person. So if any of the tests that need to be done are off line of mainstream - he is not going to do it.

The next gastro doctor just wanted to pick on my thyroid/adrenal doctor - lectured me on taking the steroids I was on, denenigrated my thyroid doc for the labs she ran (said doctors really need to understand what labs they are running before they run them) - etc. Said the gastric test I had done was basically invalid - didn't give him any useful information. Needless to say - I will never walk into that office again.

I started taking a B complex vitamin (no starches, etc in it). The Metazyme was from a couple of years ago - I had not finished the bottle. I will look up the one you mentioned, Mia. It is hard to remember about the HCL. It seems I was eventually able to tolerate it. I was on a variety of digestive aids at one time. Now I see that there are many parts to digestion - hence the different components (I didn't understand at the time why the multiple supplements).

I am probably not going to be able to have a lot of testing done anytime soon, but don't want to just let this sit for months either. I will first do some more research of my own on this, then will take in what I have to my thyroid/adrenal doctor and hope that it means something to her and she might be able to help - or at least point me to a doctor she would recommend to look at these issues. With any luck she can order some tests. I have never been tested for helibacter (spelling?).

I do have an HCL/Pepsin supplement. Not sure whether to take it or not. It is in capsule form, so cannot be broken in half. Maybe I can return it and look for the hydrozyme (is that available in health food stores - or only online?). Though part of me says since I don't know exactly what is what - I shouldn't do anything at this point (I understand Shay's point as well). In the meantime - I have stopped 1 dose of the nexium. Stomach feels like it is settling down now. I will ultimately try dropping the 2nd dose as well.

[AliB]

Hippocrates said "all disease begins in the gut". He also said "let food be thy medicine". He had more understanding in his little finger than most of the highly trained 21st C doctors have in their entire brain!

You will have thyroid and adrenal problems because your gut isn't working properly. Because the body cannot utilise the food we eat then we become deficient in various nutrients. If the digestion is struggling - and it can be struggling for a long time without us being aware, or at least aware that it is our digestion that is the problem, then it will stress the whole body, not least the Adrenals. Get the digestion working properly and the other things will sort themselves out.

Because your stomach is so uncomfortable I would certainly ask if you can be tested for Helicobacter. The blood test, however can come back as a false negative so I would ask for a breath test as it seems to be more accurate.

[DMarie]

What is the difference or significance of having gas immediately after eating (or before you are even finished eating) versus little bits later after eating (such as 1-1/2 to 2 hours later). It is only bad if it is foul smelling right after eating or during?

Also, I have been eating cooked apples with no problems. However, I haven't had cooked fruit for almost a week now. I had eaten some fresh fruit on/after Thanksgiving, and didn't seem to have a problem - but also ate fresh fruit yesterday and the day before. Very gassy, figured I need to keep with cooked, which I like fine anyway. So I cooked up some apples with cinnamon, nutmeg and honey and ate that as a snack this afternoon. My face felt a little warm. Upon looking in a mirror, my cheeks are bright pink. My co-worker confirmed. Does this mean anything? Do I wait so many days before trying cooked apples again? Also, I have a slight headache.

I hope everyone is doing well post-Thanksgiving!

Other than that today has been a very good day. I have felt pretty good (other than being really hungry today for some reason), I haven't been excessively gassy (and not really foul gas for the little I have had), mucous isn't too bad today - much better than I have been for days.

And - yesterday I tried some home-made salad dressing (oil and vinegar and seasonings - italian). I really liked it. In general I haven't been eating salads - but it was a co-worker's birthday and we went out. A salad seemed like the best/easiest choice - and I just carried my own dressing. I'll have to post the recipe. I didn't notice any problem after eating the salad though. But did see some undigested or partially digested pinto beans move through over the past couple of days - so will make sure I have other choices than the beans. I am actually getting ready to roast a chicken tonight and am looking forward to some more chicken soup! Didn't think I would be saying that anytime soon...

I hope everyone is doing well post-Thanksgiving...

[mftnchn]

Dawn that's good news. On the apples: I'd try without the spices, without the honey, and then try organic apples before you eliminate them totally.

Pinto beans are not SCD legal, as I recall but kidney beans are. Glad that salad worked!

[mftnchn]

I am giving a new thing a try for constipation to see what happens. It is olive oil first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Has anybody tried that before? It would be SCD safe is my thought!

It may be that I am just impatient; after all we know that intestinal healing takes 1-2 years. I just wish I could get more regular. My concern about it is that I have to make sure I am detoxing well due to the lyme and heavy metal issues that I have. Also the bloating and weight gain that happens is uncomfortable.

[AliB]

Dawn I would say that the immediate gas may well be down to bacteria of some kind in the stomach - something you have eaten is obviously triggering a response. If the gas stops once the food is past that point then starts again later, it may just be that the same bacteria or a similar one is having a similar reaction further down the digestive tract.

I would say that any gas that comes up will come from the stomach or the upper intestine and any that goes down is from something reacting in the lower intestine!

Food takes between 6 - 10 seconds to travel from the mouth to the stomach. It then enters the stomach where it can have its first exposure to reactive bacteria. Different bacteria types do different things. Some types of bacteria will produce carbon dioxide or a similar gas when it is presented with a certain food type. That process can start to happen as soon as the food reaches the bacteria.

So yes, you can get gas whilst you are still eating.

[DMarie]

Thanks for the explanation Ali! Makes sense... I did get some goat milk last night at the store. So I am going to try goat yogurt. I haven't tasted the milk yet though; just seems odd drinking goat milk.

Sherry, I'll be interested to know how the olive oil works. I finally got some plain psyllium. I believe that mucilagenous (sp?) supplements are illegal (which I think psyllium is of that type) - but I needed to get something moving. I can no longer tolerate a high dose of magnesium (since starting SCD). I am just taking 500 mg a day (down from 1200). Maybe that was why I felt so good today - it was the first good movement in a week and a half or so. I was thinking the same as you...stuff needs to move and not sit and cause more problems.

Yeah, I knew the pinto beans were illegal - but it was what I had here and what my husband was asking for (I cooked them from dry, soaked overnight). I think I'll be avoiding even the legal beans for now (as well as the illegal).

I am thinking back on my apple today. First, it was a different type than I have been eating. Second, I sauteed it in coconut oil, when I normally use a small amount of butter. I have had a small amount of coconut oil before (in that pumpkin porridge) - but that is a very small amount spread out over multiple servings. Could be that was the problem. Next time I will skip the coconut oil and skip the seasonings too. But for tomorrow - it is pear day.

[mftnchn]

Interesting, I also have been unable to now use the same dose of oral magnesium that I have been using all along until starting SCD (wasn't needing it for awhile after starting SCD). After trying it again, I have dropped it because it seemed to making me have more "spastic" type constipation rather than helping like it did before (maybe because before SCD I was more "atonic" with no intestinal tone/movement).

I'll let you know about the olive oil.

I have not yet attempted any legumes, I expect I may have trouble.

[mftnchn]

My first day of trying the olive oil--it was very successful and very quick. I bought a good quality cold pressed virgin olive oil. Took about a good tablespoon on an empty stomach first thing in the morning and started to sip on a cup of hot water. Within a few minutes it worked very well.

Hope it works consistently! For now I'm pleased with an SCD compliant approach!

[AliB]

If your gut is starting to heal then it will be able to absorb more nutrients. Perhaps, Dawn and Sherry, you are beginning to absorb more magnesium - also it is possible that certain bacteria were actually robbing your body of it, necessitating the extra high supplementation and now you are on SCD the bacteria have been forced to take a back seat. Whatever the reason, it looks as though some magnesium is finally getting through and you now need less in the way of supplementation.

When you can get to the stage of eating more raw 'live' foods that will undoubtedly help too.

I had a green smoothie for breakfast (1 banana, 2 apples, 1 carrot, a chunk of cucumber, half an avocado, 1 stick celery and leaves, handful of salad greens, 2 romaine leaves and a large cup of water) (actually there was so much I had another for lunch and still have some left!), I felt good - had a great walk around the town on a Charity (Thrift) shop search for 'Raw' Diet books.

This evening I succumbed to cooked food with a gammon steak, pineapple, cooked green beans and carrots and a small sweet potato (smack). I had backache all evening and felt like I had a rock in my stomach (it was a LARGE gammon!). Now I am sitting here in front of the PC getting a clammy sweat on - 7 hours after eating it (funny that often happens about the same time so it must be struggling at the same point in the digestive process to cause that - although I didn't get it when I had a few days of eating almost all raw).

Now I can see that when I eat food that is easy on my digestion I have energy. When I eat food that is heavy I am fatigued. Don't really need much more proof than that, do I. If only I could enjoy eating salad in freezing cold weather! Still, I enjoy the smoothies and at least I am getting it all that way. Maybe I need to have them for breakfast, lunch and dinner..........

[ArtGirl]

Hi all,

I've sort of been AWOL - from the thread and somewhat from the diet.

I'm not sure I'm going to stay completely on SCD - really difficult with all my restrictions. I find I cannot eat any of the nut flour goodies, and too much honey is just as bad. And the coconut flour all by itself doesn't really set well with me.

Most of my diet is still protein, veggies and fruit. I think that's a very healthy way to eat and I'm eating more raw now and liking it much better than all those cooked-to-mush veggies. I'm using more stevia to sweeten things, and fruit juices that I boil to reduce and make a sort of sweet syrup. I still use the honey in the coconut yogurt, but that's not very much per serving. And I've used some Agave, too. I will stay away from refined sugar, though.

The coconut yogurt is a great addition to my diet. I'm loving it and like what I can do with it - smoothies, toppings, etc.

I saw the holistic doctor and she ran thyroid tests (results not back yet). She wanted me to take a bunch of supplements from the compounding pharmacy this practice is associated with - but the labels weren't clear about gluten so they were supposed to get back to me, but haven't - then I got a cold this week and have sort of been out of it. I'll have to get back to them next week. I have an appointment next Friday with the nutritionist in the practice. This doctor recomments the "Fit for Life" diet - which I'm not completely in agreement with. So it remains to be seen if I stay with her. But if I can get the tests run that I want, that'll be good.

Well, I just popped in to say hi. Haven't read the recent posts so can't comment on anything current.

[rinne]

....Hope it works consistently! For now I'm pleased with an SCD compliant approach!

Congrats.

[pele]

Hi all,

I've sort of been AWOL - from the thread and somewhat from the diet.

I'm not sure I'm going to stay completely on SCD - really difficult with all my restrictions. I find I cannot eat any of the nut flour goodies, and too much honey is just as bad. And the coconut flour all by itself doesn't really set well with me.

Most of my diet is still protein, veggies and fruit. I think that's a very healthy way to eat and I'm eating more raw now and liking it much better than all those cooked-to-mush veggies. I'm using more stevia to sweeten things, and fruit juices that I boil to reduce and make a sort of sweet syrup. I still use the honey in the coconut yogurt, but that's not very much per serving. And I've used some Agave, too. I will stay away from refined sugar, though.

The coconut yogurt is a great addition to my diet. I'm loving it and like what I can do with it - smoothies, toppings, etc.

I saw the holistic doctor and she ran thyroid tests (results not back yet). She wanted me to take a bunch of supplements from the compounding pharmacy this practice is associated with - but the labels weren't clear about gluten so they were supposed to get back to me, but haven't - then I got a cold this week and have sort of been out of it. I'll have to get back to them next week. I have an appointment next Friday with the nutritionist in the practice. This doctor recomments the "Fit for Life" diet - which I'm not completely in agreement with. So it remains to be seen if I stay with her. But if I can get the tests run that I want, that'll be good.

Well, I just popped in to say hi. Haven't read the recent posts so can't comment on anything current.

Hi Valda

It sounds like you are on a good diet. If I was going to go off the SCD and wanted to bake, I would use garbanzo bean flour before I would use grains. I bake very little, so like you, mostly protein, veggies and fruit although I eat nuts, too. I am also enjoying raw veggies. I'm really glad I can eat them, there is something very satisfying abut a stomach full of raw carrot, celery and cucumber.

I'll bet you will continue to heal and feel better as long as you stay away from refined carbs.