Specific Carbohydrate Diet?

[dlp252]

Um - the foul gas is gone too. I'm doing a 4 day backcountry ski trip in a week and my cabin mates will certainly appreciate that.

I'm a little nervous about the food for the trip, but the outfitter is taking our packs in by snowmobile and said that I could put an extra duffle bag of food on the sled. We'll be cooking over a woodstove so I think I'll make up and freeze some chicken soup, zucchini and carrots in portions ahead of time and can just add those to a pot. No problem with refrigeration with lots of snowbanks outside the cabin so I'll take some burgers and avocados too. Biggest problem will be lunches, but I'm thinking of bringing a widemouth thermos and warming up soup + putting that in it in the mornings before we head out skiing.

Ha, me too...I still have gas but I don't think anyone has to leave the state anymore, lol.

Wow, your trip sounds great and I think you have some great ideas!!! Nice hot soup will be great there.

[PreOptMegs]

With SCD, the awful gas that I sometimes get lets me know that I was not ready to try the food I ate, so it is bad, but at least I know...

[dlp252]

With SCD, the awful gas that I sometimes get lets me know that I was not ready to try the food I ate, so it is bad, but at least I know...

Out of curiosity, how soon do you get the gas after you've eating something you weren't ready for? I've had some gas, but it isn't awful. I'm just trying to figure out if it's just a normal kind of gas from a bit more fiber or something else, lol.

[PreOptMegs]

I only get gas if I have eaten something i am not ready for. I don't get gas at all if I stick to the normal carrots, meat, yogurt... I would say it occurs within 2-3 hours after eating it.

[PreOptMegs]

I am now able to eat raw fruits and vegetables. I still feel good, but my weight WILL NOT come down. I am so frustrated right now... I just got my synthroid upped, which is how I lost all of the weight last summer, so I don't know where to turn now.

[corinne]

The ski trip went super well, lots of fresh powder snow. No problems with the diet and I felt great, lots of energy, no stomache problems. I had lots of carrots, beets, zucchini and burgers+chicken. It's great to feel that I can get back out camping.

[dlp252]

I took a couple of days "break"...I didn't really go off too much, but I had a colonoscopy and an endoscopy on Monday, so afterwards the only thing I felt like eating was a Thai noodle bowl...so the rice noodles weren't legal. I've also added in some nut butter and most of my veggies (cooked). I have been eating some frozen fruit in a sorbet (so I guess that's raw fruit, lol. I've also had a couple of Lara bars which is raw.

I'm not losing weight either, even with lower calories...I'm thinking I may have to cut back on some of the fruit even though I didn't think I was having that much.

Corinne - I'm glad you're trip went well!!! Gives me hope for a couple of things coming up.

[Nancym]

I am now able to eat raw fruits and vegetables. I still feel good, but my weight WILL NOT come down. I am so frustrated right now... I just got my synthroid upped, which is how I lost all of the weight last summer, so I don't know where to turn now.

I find that increasing my protein (meats, eggs and such) really helps me.

[cornbread]

I'm really confused about whether I should try this diet. I read the book and I like the theory but I'm not sure if it's right for me for the following reasons:

1. I'm confused about where to start because I don't have D, and the initial phase seems to be aimed at clearing up D. Also, I can't eat eggs or dairy, so if I were to do the intro diet it would be just chicken soup.

2. I can currently consume raw fruit without any problem, so what is the benefit of starting to cook them? I can understand not eating anything on the illegal list (because of the carb structure), BUT if I can already happily eat most items that the book is aiming to 'build us up to' eating, isn't the diet a step backwards for me?

Any insights greatly appreciated. I am desperate to embark on something that I feel will heal my insides! I have gluten/casein/soy/yeast intolerance (lifetime IgA kind) and an IgG allergy to eggs. I also can't tolerate ANY grains or starchy tubers. Even strictly avoiding all of my problem foods, eating organic only, no chemicals, additives, no gluten-free junk food, I still get massive bloating and abdominal pain. My ND says I have a leaky gut. I'm on probiotics, l-glutamine, etc. but to no avail so far (6 months).

[corinne]

If you're still having problems ie bloating, it might be worthwhile to take a step back until you solve them.

I can't do dairy and initially, no eggs so I did eat chicken+carrot soup (no onions or celery for me) for four days. It depends on whether you think the benefits outweigh the symptoms. Cooked fruit and veggies are much easier to digest than raw so that helps the insides heal. Also, I wonder if you're eating too much fruit. Fructose is absorbed slowly and excess fructose can cause bloating. Some veggies especially the cruciferous veggies can also cause bloating.

[cornbread]

Thanks Corinne. I think you are totally right - the symptoms I'm still having are probably indicative of problems with some foods I *think* I can have (delayed reactions, etc). And if nothing else, a simple, cleansing diet like this will help me pinpoint what foods are really ok and not, as well as giving everything a chance to properly heal.

I definitely am going to give this a go! It's not even going to be that hard for me as the legal list is basically my current shopping list anyway, I will just have to cook it all longer and mush it up a little more than usual.

Can I also ask - you said you couldn't do eggs initially. Does this mean the SCDiet enabled you to now eat eggs? This is a big hope for me.

Thanks again!

[corinne]

At first, I reacted to everything except chicken and mushy carrots. I have been able to add quite a few foods back in (so far zucchini, squash, beets, red meat, canned pears, peaches, apricots). After 2 weeks, I could also add eggs back in.

[PreOptMegs]

How is everyone doing on the SCD? Updates? I am doing well and feeling good. I can eat all of the legal foods on SCD, which helps me to get some variety in my diet.

[Guest greengirl]

How is everyone doing on the SCD? Updates? I am doing well and feeling good. I can eat all of the legal foods on SCD, which helps me to get some variety in my diet.

I just started SCD last week. I have a double copy of the DQ2 gene and all the usual digestive issues of Celiac disease that mostly cleared up with the start of a gluten free diet in January. However, I also have small intestine ulcerations and some thickening of the bowel wall - doctor doesn't know if this is a result of Crohn's or Celiac. Anyway, I've been having abdominal cramping that is not clearing up with the gluten free alone. I'm hoping that SCD will help me to heal so I can eventually go back to the gluten-free diet (which seems like a smorgasbord at this point!)

I feel great, but I am so craving carbs!! I want a baked potato so bad! Do these cravings go away after a while?

Also, if I can manage raw fruits and vegetables can I eat them, even it's only been 6 days since I started? Or is there another reason to avoid them in the beginning besides not being able to tolerate them? I did the chicken broth and jello for a couple days and I've made 2 batches of the yogurt.

Christine

[Nancym]

I've been cheating like crazy and my gut is not happy with me. Back on the wagon!

Yes, the carb/junk food cravings go away. I think you can go as fast as your gut allows. But if you start getting flatulence, diarrhea or constipation, heed your body.

[dlp252]

Christine - the cravings do subside after a while...I think it took me almost a week to get over them.

My D is back big time today...I think that's because I had beans and an artichoke yesterday...oh, and a gluten/casein free chocolate bar...so I've definitely been off the wagon since last week...mostly eating legal foods, but cheating with the ocassional illegal thing too.

I seem to be able to handle mostl cooked vegetables except spinach which I've been afraid to retry, although I think the artichoke was just too much--I had a JUMBO one, lol. I've also been afraid to try brussel sprouts because they are gassy by nature, but I may cook the heck out of some this week to try.

I've been using frozen fruit which has seemed to be going well too, but with that, I put it in a blender with juice to make a sorbet, so I think that makes it more digestable. The only other raw fruit I've tried is banana, which really seems to work well for me.

My system could also be off because of the sedation I had for my colonoscopy/endoscopy last week...I had three days of C then went normally, then C again and yesterday and today D. The only illegal things have been two Thai rice noodle bowls, canned beans, canned crushed tomatoes, the chocolate bar and I've been using Spectrum mayonnaise instead of making my own.

[Nancym]

Artichoke is legal, I'm betting on the beans. They're evil for sending lots of undigested resistant starches down to the GI tract for the beasties to feast on.

[dlp252]

Artichoke is legal, I'm betting on the beans. They're evil for sending lots of undigested resistant starches down to the GI tract for the beasties to feast on.

Yah, kind of figured...I only had 1/2 cup, and I rinsed them really well from the can juice, but I still think that was too much, lol. I did buy some beans and may try those once my current distress goes away, but I'll do the full soak like Elaine suggests next week to see if that helps...suddenly I've discovered I LOVE beans, lol. I'm 50 years old, and never liked them much, but all of a sudden, yum. I have eaten them in small (1/2 cup) portions, and haven't been bothered, but I think my system was already on overload from the stuff last week. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, lol.

[Nancym]

I love beans too, really miss them. I'm afraid they'd be to much food for the bacteria lurking in my digestive tract that is affecting my arthritis. Still... it might be worth a try.

[Guest greengirl]

It's funny how you learn to like new foods once your diet is restricted. I actually can't wait to eat my vegetables now at dinner whereas before it was just something to go with the baked potato! I think it's because I'm starving!!

Does anyone know what brand of bacon is okay to eat?

Also, I buy almonds at Trader Joe's, but they are roasted and salted. I don't have the package anymore, but I think the only ingredient is nuts and salt. I think I remember reading in BTVC, though, that nuts roasted with salt are not okay because they may have added starch that's not on the ingredient list. Is this right? Do I need to buy blanched almonds, instead? Those certainly aren't as tasty!!

Christine

[penguin]

It's funny how you learn to like new foods once your diet is restricted. I actually can't wait to eat my vegetables now at dinner whereas before it was just something to go with the baked potato! I think it's because I'm starving!!

Does anyone know what brand of bacon is okay to eat?

Also, I buy almonds at Trader Joe's, but they are roasted and salted. I don't have the package anymore, but I think the only ingredient is nuts and salt. I think I remember reading in BTVC, though, that nuts roasted with salt are not okay because they may have added starch that's not on the ingredient list. Is this right? Do I need to buy blanched almonds, instead? Those certainly aren't as tasty!!

Christine

Blue Diamond has almonds that are "whole natural" and they're pretty good. They are the can with the lime green lid. If you want roasted and salted, just do it yourself! Toss them in some beaten egg white, then lay them flat on a greased baking sheet, salt them, and put them in the oven at 250 for an hour, stirring every 15 mins. voila! Roasted, salted almonds!

[jerseyangel]

It's funny how you learn to like new foods once your diet is restricted. I actually can't wait to eat my vegetables now at dinner whereas before it was just something to go with the baked potato! I think it's because I'm starving!!

Does anyone know what brand of bacon is okay to eat?

Also, I buy almonds at Trader Joe's, but they are roasted and salted. I don't have the package anymore, but I think the only ingredient is nuts and salt. I think I remember reading in BTVC, though, that nuts roasted with salt are not okay because they may have added starch that's not on the ingredient list. Is this right? Do I need to buy blanched almonds, instead? Those certainly aren't as tasty!!

Christine

Hi Christine--I eat Oscar Mayer Bacon, but I know that Hormel is gluten-free also. I eat Fisher Roasted and Salted Almonds--I called the company, and the (very nice) man told me that they do not use gluten in the processing of their almonds. I've had no problems with them at all--I get them at my reg, grocery store.

[Nancym]

TJ's almonds should be fine. I think there's some paranoia with the SCD folks that manufacturer's aren't following labeling guidelines but they're confusing the European Codex rules with the FDA rules.

[corinne]

I've been feel really good - everything completely normal. I'm almost starting to believe that this might work long term. As of today, I'm down to a quarter of the daily pepto bismol I was on last summer (I found out the hard way that I have to wean myself off REALLY slowly). I can't wait though to eat some fresh veggies and fruit (bananas and avocado are ok now).

[PreOptMegs]

Corinne-

The cravings do go away. I just tell myself that I cannot have them. For example, i was addicted to cadbury mini eggs before this diet and now I don't even go near them because I know how well this diet works.

Actually, I find myself craving things I can eat on this diet like fruits, definately raisins, natural peanut butter, and CHEESE! Lots of Swiss Cheese!

About raw vegetables and fruits. THere is honestly no way your body will be ready for them if you have been following this diet correctly. You will probably be a bit bloated and have gas.... If you don't have problems, then this could mean that your body is using the "bad bacteria" in your gut to break down the food and you should probably redo the intro diet...

Raw Nuts --- Honestly, I believe some companies when they say that the only ingredients are the nuts, oil and salt. I understand the concern, but if I must have my nuts every now and then.

FOR ALL THE CHEATERS OUT THERE (LOL!!!) I understand your cravings, but at the same time, I know this diet works. It takes time and patience so do your best because trust me, it isn't worth it!