Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

[fig girl]

I love yoga too and hope to start back doing it. It helps a lot for me to stretch. I have a DVD that i've done in the past and am trying to find the time to get back into it. You guys have motivated me!

[kannne]

I started SCD diet in april 2008 and I m som uch bether not. I have lots off yeast in the gut Im also diagnosed with asperger/add and Im less autistic now

[rinne]

kannne

I started SCD diet in april 2008 and I m som uch bether not. I have lots off yeast in the gut sad.gif Im also diagnosed with asperger/add and Im less autistic now smile.gif

Hi kanne.

That is wonderful that the SCD is working for you, I love good news.

As far as gelatin and chicken soup cooked for a long time I wonder if it may be a glutamate reaction. Glutamates are increased by long cooking of proteins, as I understand it and my understanding is limited, and they can be problematic for some. MSG is a man made glutamate and I would say if you have problems with it, it is possible that you will have problems with the gelatin and the soup.

I know the recipe for the SCD chicken soup is to cook it for a long time and that gelatin is considered to have healing properties by some on the SCD but it might be worth experimenting. I still make the soup but I cook it for an hour at the most and do much better with it.

Ali thanks for the information on enzymes, all helpful.

[GermanMia]

I did come across that point about fructose malabsorption but it is not necessarily the same in all people (just shows that not all information on the net is correct!).

There are two types - hereditary fructosemia which is caused by a deficiency of liver enzymes, but ordinary fructose malabsorption is due to a lack of enzymes in the enterocytes due to gut damage. I have been intolerant of fruit for many years, but that was probably because my gut has been damaged a long time. Now it is healing I am able to tolerate more fruits.

The hereditary type usually results in symptoms like vomiting, jaundice and even kidney failure and death if fructose is ingested and is probably present since birth. A deficiency of the fructose enzymes in the gut usually results in bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation and will have been 'acquired' at some point.

I know that Wikipedia is not the most accurate of information sources but in this case I would feel that the info is pretty kosher.

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Annoys me though how some articles mention cutting out or down on fruit but none of them suggest supplementing with enzymes to help the malabsorption! One hopes that as the gut heals properly, eventually the production of the enzymes would restart to some extent and the problem may resolve itself.

Ali,

the acquired form, i. e. the fructose malabsorption, may result from mucosa destruction in the gut, but it's not especially an enzymatic problem. In fact there is a thing called carrier protein (GLUT 5) which transports fructose into the cells of the small intestine from where they are carried via another carrier protein, GLUT 2, into the liver. If for some reason you lack this GLUT 5 protein, the fructose passes through the small intestine into the large intestine. If you avoid fructose for some time strictly (and heal the gut by avoiding everything else that cannot be digested) mostly the malabsorption gets better.

It's only the hereditary form of fructose intolerance which is an enzymatic problem. In that case the liver does not produce the enzyme which breaks down the fructose. Unluckily this enzyme cannot be substituted until now, but luckily the hereditary fructose intolerance is not very common...

[julirama723]

chatycady--the museums are OK, very interesting, but I was disappointed with how "touristy" and commercial the BBHC has become in past years. They talk up how real and natural and preservative of historical integrity all of their exhibits are; yet they didn't even have real fur pelts for an interactive display--it was that fake stuff you buy at craft stores! I guess they figured the average Joe wouldn't know the difference.

I would suggest going to the rodeo--I LOVE the rodeo, and Cody puts on an amazing one! Men and women from all over the world come to compete there. You will see some fantastic athletes.

The Irma is very interesting--lots of history, and they have a spectacular collection of mounts from all over the world. You can wander the building, they have better specimens than the BBHC! It's also supposedly haunted, which I can attest to--I saw some creepy stuff there! The Irma also does gunfights in the middle of the street most nights in the summer.

If you're adventurous and athletic, you can go to the BLM office and get the key for Spirit Mountain Caverns. It's a cave that is really neat--I think it used to be open, but to preserve it, they now have it gated off and locked. You'll need a 4wd vehicle and a friend to go with you!

Of course there's Yellowstone, that speaks for itself! If you want to hike or fish somewhere more secluded, try the area east of the park, the North Fork of the Shoshone river. People tend to think that wildlife and beauty are only inside the park boundaries, so the Shoshone is a really nice treat for those who take time to enjoy it!

If you like scenic drives, check out the Beartooth Highway (which goes in and out of MT and WY) and the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway.

[wschmucks]

Hey Guys,

How do you know if you have candida? I've heard about the water test-- where you spit in the water and certain reactions will indicate you have yeast over growth...I did it this morning and it came back positive...but i feel this this test clearly doesnt seem very scientific. How do I know?

[julirama723]

As far as I know, there is no reliable "scientific" or laboratory test for candida overgrowth. EVERYBODY has candida in their bodies, so a test to see if you "have" candida would be worthless. And mainstream medicine does not accept candida overgrowth as a systemic problem, but rather that it's limited to certain parts of the body (oral thrush, athlete's foot, vaginal yeast infections, etc.) instead of affecting the WHOLE body.

I know that Dr. Crook has some excellent questionnaires in his book The Yeast Connection (which are also available on the website, I believe) which can at least help steer you in the right direction, if you think that candida might be a problem. The only problem with the questionnaires is that they contain lots of "generic" symptoms that could actually be caused by something else.

Perhaps, as with gluten, your best test is dietary. Remove the offending foods from the diet and see your symptoms abate or improve over time.

[AliB]

I suppose that the 'spit' test can be a bit hit or miss, but my opinion would be that it is reasonably suggestive if it comes back positive.

If you do it first thing in the morning before you have put any other substance in the mouth and after the beasties have had all night to breed, then the white stuff is quite likely to be a strong indicator. People who do not have issues with Candida will likely have relatively clear spit.

There are other indicators too though. If your body is 'yeast supporting' you will likely be plagued with other issues, such as, althlete's foot, fungal nail infections, dandruff, thrush, 'jock-itch', and some other skin problems, etc., all of which are caused generally by some kind of yeast. They may not all be caused by Candida, but if you are supporting yeast infestations in general then there is a strong likelihood that Candida is lurking in there somewhere.

As I have progressed on the diet all my external yeast-based issues have either gone or are much improved and are still improving. Yay!

On a different note, I had a dreadful night last night - didn't get to sleep much before 5am with a very agitated stomach and pounding heart and the hot feet and RLS back with a vengeance. I haven't a clue what was behind it, and I suppose I may have been glutened but having read more of Ellen Cutler's book I am wondering if it was the crap Solgar Enzymes! I bought them some months ago and hadn't really used them until now but they are not SCD compliant and also are not vegetarian which EC recommends. They were the only ones I could find at the time.

I have been taking them for about 4 days and haven't been quite right the last few nights - maybe it was a build-up reaction. Apparently some can react to the animal-based enzymes or other stuff that isn't usually present in the vege ones, and they also are not as effective as the plant-based ones, so I think the Solgar will be going in the bin and I will be looking for a better source.

The digestive enzyme trial is temporarily postponed...........

[rinne]

Ginger is very high in digestive enzymes. I grate it finely and then squeeze it to get the juice out, about a teaspoon, and then I add that to water and drink it. It is also very good for nausea.

[GermanMia]

I don't know how it is in the US and GB, but in Germany you can make stool tests (nearly every conventional medical lab will do them if the doc orders it) to check for candida. Everything up to 10.000 candida-cells per g stool is considered normal, starting with 10.000 per g stool you should keep an eye on it and from 1000000 candida-cells per g stool it is recommended to take antimycotics.

Candida is not supposed to be a normal part of the gut flora, though. It may be found in "healthy" people, i. e. in people who don't show symptoms, but usually you can suppose that even low candida in "healthy" people means that there is some kind of maldigestion which just has not become pathological yet.

[Ms Jan]

Hi there,

was down with a headache for days due to a stupid salad dressing I tried in a restaurant last friday. No more restaurant eating for me for the next six months or so !!

Have been reading up a bit:

To nmr, I used to also get extremely fatigued after eating. I felt it happened almost no matter what I had, but naturally more so if I had something I can't digest, such as anything grains based or containing sugar. Having been on the SCD now for about a month, I'm so much better in general (my vomit-spells and debilitating headaches are almost non existent), but the fatigue still occurs. I believe it has a lot to do with the blood sugar balance, or perhaps simply circulation, since it feels like all my blood is drained from my brains and goes to the stomach instead ... Anyhow, what really works for me is to eat lots of small meals. Almost a little something every hour, but at least every two hours. Usually, I have a bowl of almonds, around, sometimes mixed with walnuts or other nuts that I have no problems with (pecans do give med some problems, as if they're too sweet), but otherwise, I heat whatever I'm eating anyhow, so it can be a bowl of chicken soup, a banana or an avocado, or lunch leftovers of any kind.

My diet is also very restricted, since I'm not doing honey, eggs, dairy, meats except for chicken, and presently no fish either, nor anything else sweet. can't even have apples (btw cooked fruits tend to become awfully sweet, so that might cause you some of the problems - I only ever have raw fruits). However, I still feel I get a varied diet - and get full. Of fruits I have mostly grape fruit or a little kiwi, which I both tolerate with no problems, at least if I take them at the beginning rather than later in a meal (apparently fruits are much better digested if you have them on an empty stomach, and for me at least it works that way). Otherwise, I eat the chicken soup a couple of times a week, I make large portions of sauteed broccoli with garlic and some lemon, or the same with other veggies, such as green beans, or green peppers, and if I'm very hungry I put some crunched walnuts into the pan. It's much more filling than you imagine. Also I eat - really eat, in spoonfulls - a lot of healthy oils, particularly coconut oil, flax seed oil and some olive oil, which all help give me a sense of being full. Lima beans are also fine with me in small quantities, I just buy the frozen ones and cook them in a caserolle for 20 minutes, and eat with oil and salt/pepper.

As to enzymes - Dmarie, Ali, Rinne etc.

If I take any enzymes (or other supplements), I always take them in the middle of the meal, which help against nausea. Generally I try to avoid the enzymes though, because although they surely do help, I also feel they somehow place a stress on my system. But it might just be me. To start the meal with something green, or a grapefruit works better for me. And now I'll also try Rinne's suggestion of the ginger. Thanks, that sounds really promising.

to Ali

I had a really bad experience with Solgar multivitamins last year. I bought them in a health store in France, and was told specifically by the sales person that they contained no colors or additives - and I of course also checked the label myself. Then, after haveing taken them for four days, it was like my mind was going crazy, jumping tensely all over the place, and I knew it was something I had eaten, but not what. But eventually I worked out it had to be the vitamins, which were the only new foods I had added. When I stopped taking them, the craziness went away within 24 hours, and studying the label once more, I found at least one of the culprits: added color! But noted in a tiny print, in between all the 'good' ingredients, so it was almost impossible to notice. And no warning signs. Now, this was France, and labelling rules differ, so maybe I'm unfair. But I just wrote off Solgar forever - I mean what are colors needed in multivitamins for anyhow ?!!!

Just thought I should let you know Ali, if you want to double check the ingredients list before throwing out the entire glass. Hope you'll get better soon.

Jan

[rinne]

Hi there,

was down with a headache for days due to a stupid salad dressing I tried in a restaurant last friday. No more restaurant eating for me for the next six months or so !!

.....

As to enzymes - Dmarie, Ali, Rinne etc.

If I take any enzymes (or other supplements), I always take them in the middle of the meal, which help against nausea. Generally I try to avoid the enzymes though, because although they surely do help, I also feel they somehow place a stress on my system. But it might just be me. To start the meal with something green, or a grapefruit works better for me. And now I'll also try Rinne's suggestion of the ginger. Thanks, that sounds really promising.

.....

Jan

I hope you feel better soon, stupid restaurant.

I am reading a great book on ginger called, "Ginger Common Spice and Wonder Drug by Paul Schulick, from that book:

Studies suggest that daily consumption of ginger might enhance digestive absorption by 200%.

[rinne]

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[nmr]

Ms. Jan - I've been on SCD now over 2 months, and in the past couple weeks, I've had to take food out that I was eating, but cannot tolerate anymore (or maybe I never was really tolerating it). The fatigue/brain fog I had is definitely only from the fructose malabsorption, and it doesn't happen as long as I stay away from foods that have higher fructose than glucose. No fruits for right now. And sorry, but a plate full of vegetables never fills me up for very long, maybe 1/2 hour. Beans fill me up. I do eat often throughout the day - I used to think it was a blood sugar thing. However, I understand the mechanics a bit more in terms of the problems with fructose, and the association with fructose malabsorption and low tryptophan (a precursor to serotonin). Also, all nuts are now completely out. I found those to be filling - almond bread, etc... However, the upside is that I am not making bread every other day, so less cooking/cleaning (but I am still not eating enough, a sort of involuntary calorie restricted diet). The worst for me is when I get home from work and am starving and no appealing snacks. However, I am sure things will get better.

As far as enzymes: pecanbread.com has a list of legal ones:

Open Original Shared Link

I was thinking of using GIProHealth's Prozymes, but I am worried I will react to the egg whites. So, I think I am going to try Digest Gold, which I can pick up this weekend in an actual store. Digest Gold are vegan and SCD safe. And I think the proper way to take digestive enzymes is to sprinkle it on your food. Start slow, 1/2 capsule per meal.

[AliB]

to Ali

I had a really bad experience with Solgar multivitamins last year. I bought them in a health store in France, and was told specifically by the sales person that they contained no colors or additives - and I of course also checked the label myself. Then, after haveing taken them for four days, it was like my mind was going crazy, jumping tensely all over the place, and I knew it was something I had eaten, but not what. But eventually I worked out it had to be the vitamins, which were the only new foods I had added. When I stopped taking them, the craziness went away within 24 hours, and studying the label once more, I found at least one of the culprits: added color! But noted in a tiny print, in between all the 'good' ingredients, so it was almost impossible to notice. And no warning signs. Now, this was France, and labelling rules differ, so maybe I'm unfair. But I just wrote off Solgar forever - I mean what are colors needed in multivitamins for anyhow ?!!!

Just thought I should let you know Ali, if you want to double check the ingredients list before throwing out the entire glass. Hope you'll get better soon.

Jan

Thanks Jan. I'm still getting it out of my system .

I suspect it may well have been something in the tablets - the dicalcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, silicon dioxide, the pepsin extract (contains milk) or even the ox bile (since when do oxen eat a roast dinner??). My dodgy stomach definitely coincided with the taking of the tablets so I would not be at all surprised if it was those. I think the reaction I had was worse than when I get glutened! I am fine with raw veg so I suspect that I would be better off with plant-based enzymes - serves me right for not researching enough before I started!

I have had a quiet day today food-wise, just an apple this morning and some home-made chicken and veg soup for dinner so the rest hopefully will get it back on track in a day or two. It is easing already.

[AliB]

I hope you feel better soon, stupid restaurant.

Yup, I second that - stupid restaurant. We went out for a meal on Saturday and I pointed out to the waiter that so many people have to be gluten-free these days they have a responsibility to label the menu to that extent. They label 'V' for vegetarian for those who through choice prefer not to eat meat, yet don't label meals gluten-free for those who need it for medical reasons! How daft is that!

I am reading a great book on ginger called, "Ginger Common Spice and Wonder Drug by Paul Schulick, from that book:

I wish I liked it. The only way I have ever eaten ginger is crystallised and wrapped in dark chocolate! My Mum loved it but I can't stand it, but then I can't cope with anything remotely hot - chilli, curry, pepper (my Mum used to love Ginger wine, but I haven't tried that!). If anyone has any way, or recipe for making it tolerable then please post it!

[AliB]

I was thinking of using GIProHealth's Prozymes, but I am worried I will react to the egg whites. So, I think I am going to try Digest Gold, which I can pick up this weekend in an actual store. Digest Gold are vegan and SCD safe. And I think the proper way to take digestive enzymes is to sprinkle it on your food. Start slow, 1/2 capsule per meal.

My only comment on that, according to what I have (now) read , is not to put the enzymes onto very hot food as anything greater than about 110 degrees F will apparently deactivate or 'kill' them.

We don't have the brands available here that you do so I am going to try the Vega range and see if they will be better.

[rinne]

Ali, I think I know the ginger you are talking about and fresh ginger doesn't taste like that but if heat bothers you then ginger has heat. You could try cutting a couple of slices of fresh ginger (about the size of a quarter, whoops what does a quarter look like over there? ) in a cup of water and simmering it for five minutes or so, I like it like that but sometimes I put honey in.

I find that I do much better by using food for its' functional qualities rather than taking supplements, of course I only realized this after I had spent hundreds of dollars on them. The supplements I have found that work are the ones that aren't in a pill or capsule form, the exception to that is the Iadoral but I am even questioning it because of the cellulose.

[fig girl]

I don't take fish oil, but I've taken flax oil for a couple of years. (Sometimes I do go through spurts where I forget my supplements, bad girl!) I love the results--shiny hair, soft skin, youthful glow. I know flax seed/meal is illegal, any particular reason for this? Is the oil illegal too?

Hi Julirama,

I loved the results of flax oil also - it helped with my mood, hair, joints and skin. I hope fish oil will give me the same benefits. I found the info. below that Elaine said about flax seed oil and seeds. She mentions if you're not eating ground up almonds you don't need the oil which i'm not eating any nuts right now but i hope the fish oil will help with inflammation and bm's.

Open Original Shared Link

[fig girl]

Hi kanne.

That is wonderful that the SCD is working for you, I love good news.

As far as gelatin and chicken soup cooked for a long time I wonder if it may be a glutamate reaction. Glutamates are increased by long cooking of proteins, as I understand it and my understanding is limited, and they can be problematic for some. MSG is a man made glutamate and I would say if you have problems with it, it is possible that you will have problems with the gelatin and the soup.

I know the recipe for the SCD chicken soup is to cook it for a long time and that gelatin is considered to have healing properties by some on the SCD but it might be worth experimenting. I still make the soup but I cook it for an hour at the most and do much better with it.

Ali thanks for the information on enzymes, all helpful.

That is wonderful Kanne that it is helping you...great news! And welcome!

Thanks Rinne for the glutamate information! Maybe that's my problem - i read about salicylites (spell?) also while looking up glutamate and aspirin is listed as this and as a teenager i had an allergic reaction to extra strength excedrin. I've since taken a baby aspirin and it didn't bother me but that was before goint gluten-free so it may now. I usually cook my chicken in the crock pot so i do cook it for a long time and after it is done i keep the bones in there, add water and simmer a good bit longer to make my broth. I'm going to try gelatin once more in the future either just plain or with some fresh lime or lemon juice. I don't know if MSG has bothered me in the past but back before going gluten-free when eating chinese food out (which wasn't very often) i would get it w/out MSG if possible. I'll do some further research on glutamate. Thanks also for posting a few posts back the link on pecanbread about constipation - that was helpful.

[fig girl]

Ginger is very high in digestive enzymes. I grate it finely and then squeeze it to get the juice out, about a teaspoon, and then I add that to water and drink it. It is also very good for nausea.

I'm going to try this, thanks Rinne. I used to make hot tea with fresh ginger and i tried it in the very beginning of scd and it may have bothered my tummy a little but maybe not now. I love ginger. I used to also add it to my juicer along with carrots, kale and sometimes a little fresh garlic and it was very tasty - i used to add garlic whenever i felt like i was coming down with sinus problems and it would help every time. Of course my husband didn't really appreciate it! I'm looking forward to being able to juice again. I like to try to find foods to help with certain things rather than supplements too - especially now since i'm so sensitive to just about everything it seems. I'm going to try the fish oil maybe tomorrow though - i sure hope it doesn't bother me and will help.

[pele]

Hey is Welches grape juice off the safe list??

I heard on a Yahoo SCD group today that there were processing changes and its no longer on the safe list...is that true!??

I've made all my gelatin with it! Does anyone know?

Funny, I have been wondering the same thing since I noticed it is made with grape juice concentrate. I can't believe Elaine would approve. I have been diluting it with up to 80% water but I think I am going to stop drinking it when I run out.

[julirama723]

Fig girl--thanks for the info! I feel a bit sheepish, as I could have been pro-active and found that myself. I'm glad to know that at least flax oil is legal! I've got a big container of it that I'd hate to see go to waste. I'm sad about flax meal though, since I really do love that stuff. I made the BEST flaxmeal cinnamon muffins...oh well. Hopefully in a while I can add some nuts, so I'll be able to make things with almond flour or almond meal.

[rinne]

I'm going to try this, thanks Rinne. I used to make hot tea with fresh ginger and i tried it in the very beginning of scd and it may have bothered my tummy a little but maybe not now. I love ginger. I used to also add it to my juicer along with carrots, kale and sometimes a little fresh garlic and it was very tasty - i used to add garlic whenever i felt like i was coming down with sinus problems and it would help every time. Of course my husband didn't really appreciate it! I'm looking forward to being able to juice again. I like to try to find foods to help with certain things rather than supplements too - especially now since i'm so sensitive to just about everything it seems. I'm going to try the fish oil maybe tomorrow though - i sure hope it doesn't bother me and will help.

I hope this helps, please let me know.

You could always start with less than a teaspoon and work up to it, the book I have says some do better with food in their stomachs and some without. We are unique and finding our way through this, I have found, requires patience.

[wschmucks]

Hi Guys,

I heard the same thing abotu the Welches grape juice on the Yahoo group-- The reply was as follows:

"Nearly ALL commercial citric acid is fermented from corn. The

representative simply told you that it is fermented from corn sugar,

which is true. ALL citric acid is made from cheap sugar -- and it's

all still legal. Ascorbic acid is made from glucose -- and it's legal too.

There is no sugar left in the final products after fermentation.

Technically speaking there shouldn't even be any corn protein left

after processing.

That is why I have no problem saying Welch's is legal. Citric acid and

ascorbic acid are both legal and ALL of it is produced from sugar.

This does not affect the legality of Welch's grape juice. This rep was

simply more detailed than most are.

There are many individuals who find they simply can't tolerate

products with citric acid or ascorbic acid added. This may be due to

traces of the corn, or it could be some other issue. But it is still

legal."

Thats what was posted back... What do we think?? Safe or not safe?