Specific Carbohydrate Diet?

[PreOptMegs]

So how is progress????

[dlp252]

So how is progress????

I just started yesterday...so far so good, lol. I've already had to invent a way to make my cooked carrots (never one of my favorite dishes) palletable, lol.

[Nancym]

This is what the breaking the vicious cycle website says about sucralose.... and they label it as ILLEGAL, so please watch out with the liquid splenda stuff.....

Seth writes:

Splenda (sucralose) has been extensively discussed and it is not allowed for several reasons.

First, most splenda is packed in a filler called maltodextrin. This is a starch and is very difficult to digest. So it is not allowed on the diet.

Right, but liquid splenda is not. At least the sort I buy. It is extremely sweet, 600 times sweeter than sugar, and cut with water rather than maltodextrin. Measuring 1/600th of a cup gets tricky without the water to dillute it.

Splenda, aka sucralose, is a sucrose-like molecule. Basically, they have added Chlorine atoms to sucrose to make it indigestible by humans. However, since it is not digestible by us, it does not get absorbed and passes down the GI tract. It is digestible by bacteria. So in essence, if you consume sucralose, you are sending down an energy source to the bacteria you are trying to starve. So sucralose is not allowed.

Lots of foods have chlorine naturally, mushrooms, salt (sodium chloride), etc. I've never felt this was a valid argument for omitting those foods. Not everything indigestible by humans is passed down to the digestive tract, lots of stuff is eliminated by urine. And not every passed down to the GI tract is digestible by things there either. Most of it comes right out the in the form of pooh, the rest is excreted in the urine. So far, I don't think anyone has proven that any bacteria can grow in sucralose, and yes, they've tried. There are studies out there.

Anyway, those are my justifications for why I make the modifications I do. There are a number of things I differ with from the SCD orthodoxy, the claim to cure Celiac or food intolerances is one. I suppose if I were battling something like Autisim I'd be more of a purist. But since my goal is to heal my gut, I'm pretty sure liquid splenda doesn't cause harm in that area.

The motivation for this wanting a sugar substitute other than honey is that I have issues controlling my blood sugar and I need to lose some weight as well.

YMMV and I fully admit, I'm not a fully orthodox SCD'er.

[CMCM]

Right, but liquid splenda is not. At least the sort I buy. It is extremely sweet, 600 times sweeter than sugar, and cut with water rather than maltodextrin. Measuring 1/600th of a cup gets tricky without the water to dillute it.

Lots of foods have chlorine naturally, mushrooms, salt (sodium chloride), etc. I've never felt this was a valid argument for omitting those foods. Not everything indigestible by humans is passed down to the digestive tract, lots of stuff is eliminated by urine. And not every passed down to the GI tract is digestible by things there either. Most of it comes right out the in the form of pooh, the rest is excreted in the urine. So far, I don't think anyone has proven that any bacteria can grow in sucralose, and yes, they've tried. There are studies out there.

Anyway, those are my justifications for why I make the modifications I do. There are a number of things I differ with from the SCD orthodoxy, the claim to cure Celiac or food intolerances is one. I suppose if I were battling something like Autisim I'd be more of a purist. But since my goal is to heal my gut, I'm pretty sure liquid splenda doesn't cause harm in that area.

The motivation for this wanting a sugar substitute other than honey is that I have issues controlling my blood sugar and I need to lose some weight as well.

YMMV and I fully admit, I'm not a fully orthodox SCD'er.

Nancy...how does the liquid splenda taste compared to the powdered one? I wonder why the liquid is made differently that the powdered stuff...

[corinne]

Sucralose is manufactured by subsituting chlorine for 3 of the hydroxy groups on the sucrose molecule. The chloride groups are bound very tightly to the carbon. It's not the same as the free chloride that you see as salt or in many foods. These chloride molecules make sucralose difficult to digest by humans. 10-27% of sucralose is absorbed into the bloodstream and 10% of the absorbed sucralose is broken down. The remaining 63-90% of the sucralose passes through the GI tract. Oral bacteria appear unable to break down sucralose, but there are bacteria which can dechlorinate molecules and then use the carbon as nutrients. Do these bacteria exist in the gut? We don't know, but for me it's not worth the risk.

I'm a chemist/microbiologist - maybe I should suggest digestion of sucralose by fecal bacteria as the next project to my boss.

[Nancym]

I'm a chemist/microbiologist - maybe I should suggest digestion of sucralose by fecal bacteria as the next project to my boss.

That would be cool! I'd love to know. I've gotten real interested in microbiology lately since I found out that my arthritis might be caused by klebsiella pneumonia bacteria! But it's diet is starch.

The other thing is concentration. We're talking about incredibly small amounts of sucralose since it is so strong. I know I get more bacteria food from the starches and sugars in supplements I'm taking than in sucralose.

Nancy...how does the liquid splenda taste compared to the powdered one? I wonder why the liquid is made differently that the powdered stuff...

Well it is a lot stronger concentration than the powdered sort. The reason people make liquid splenda is because some people don't want to eat the filler/fluff (maltodextrin) they use in commercial end-user splenda. Especially people following a low carb diet, that dextrin stuff has 24 carbs per cup.

If you were using splenda in a commercial application, like making diet soda, you'd use the powder form (just plain old sucralose) that doesn't have maltodextrin in it. The reason is that you'll probably dump a huge, measurable amount of it into the giant soda vat. Us home users have a hard time measuring 1/600th of a cup when we bake something that requires a cup of sugar.

[CMCM]

That would be cool! I'd love to know. I've gotten real interested in microbiology lately since I found out that my arthritis might be caused by klebsiella pneumonia bacteria! But it's diet is starch.

The other thing is concentration. We're talking about incredibly small amounts of sucralose since it is so strong. I know I get more bacteria food from the starches and sugars in supplements I'm taking than in sucralose.

Well it is a lot stronger concentration than the powdered sort. The reason people make liquid splenda is because some people don't want to eat the filler/fluff (maltodextrin) they use in commercial end-user splenda. Especially people following a low carb diet, that dextrin stuff has 24 carbs per cup.

If you were using splenda in a commercial application, like making diet soda, you'd use the powder form (just plain old sucralose) that doesn't have maltodextrin in it. The reason is that you'll probably dump a huge, measurable amount of it into the giant soda vat. Us home users have a hard time measuring 1/600th of a cup when we bake something that requires a cup of sugar.

How much of the liquid would you use in something like a cup of tea?

[Nancym]

How much of the liquid would you use in something like a cup of tea?

I think 1 drop of some of the stuff I have is 2 tsp.

[PreOptMegs]

So I just re-started the SCD a few weeks ago and I have been sticking to the basics of mush carrots, apples, chicken, hamburger, cheese and eggs. Yesterday i went to eat my normal routine of carrots and I began to dry heave. I have been eating TOOO many carrots.. lol. Just had to tell the other fellow SCDers who can sympathize with the beginning stages of the diet!

[dlp252]

Oh ya, I am just about over carrots, lol. I tried spinach last night for something different, but couldn't even finish it for some reason...guess I'll have to buy 4 bags of carrots this week.

[PreOptMegs]

I took the weekend off from carrots and ate lots of cheese and peanut butter. I made peanut butter brownies. They were okay, but I guess for how strict the diet is, that is about as good as it gets as far as desserts.

[dlp252]

I long for peanut butter, lol. I think I can add that soon. I tried adding orange juice, but I think that didn't sit well. Green beans are okay, so I think I'm nearly ready for the next round, which is nut butters, YAY.

[danikali]

I know exactly what you mean about the carrots. For the first time since I started the diet, I decided I was going to skip bringing the carrots today because I'm having the chicken/carrot soup for dinner and that's enough for now.

Donna, I'm jealous you're doing so well! I'm practically still on the same diet I started with. I've added apples and mangos, but haven't tried anything new yet. My stomach is not back to normal yet from my 'raw' incident on Saturday.

Anyway, Preoptmegs (sorry, don't know your name) may I ask why you went off of the diet in the first place? And why you have to start all over again? Also, did it really work while you were on it?

[dlp252]

Donna, I'm jealous you're doing so well! I'm practically still on the same diet I started with. I've added apples and mangos, but haven't tried anything new yet. My stomach is not back to normal yet from my 'raw' incident on Saturday.

Don't be too jealous, lol. I'm still basically where I was, and D came back today (hopefully from the orange juice). My diet still consists of chicken, beef, carrots, green beans, apple cider, grape juice, and if I could make my own mayo work, tuna.

[danikali]

Don't be too jealous, lol. I'm still basically where I was, and D came back today (hopefully from the orange juice). My diet still consists of chicken, beef, carrots, green beans, apple cider, grape juice, and if I could make my own mayo work, tuna.

hahah, okay, I was beginning to think that I was doing something wrong! It's interesting because when I think about it, I can't believe that I've been eating pretty much the same thing every day for the past 13 days now and I still look forward to eating! I'm eating a lot of the chicken soup and a lot of hamburger patties, which I really love a lot. I don't think I'll ever get sick of hamburgers, but then again, who knows.

So what is the improvement, if any, that you have seen so far? ( For everyone doing the SCD and reading this. )

[dlp252]

So what is the improvement, if any, that you have seen so far? ( For everyone doing the SCD and reading this. )

I'm eating lots of beef too, and love it too. Hum, I think the improvement is that my BMs are a little more normal. Eventhough D came back today, it has been pretty "normal". Outside of that, I don't know if I can pin it down specifically to SCD. I've been feeling pretty energtic--I was feeling pretty sluggish there for a while. The first few days of the diet I was hungry all the time (actually before I started too, but really really hungry the first two days of the diet), but my appetite seems to have leveled out and I'm now actually eating less, so I guess that's an improvement. I'm not craving food...now that I think of it THAT is a MAJOR improvement, lol. All that gluten-free junk food was causing havoc with just about everything for me, lol.

[danikali]

OMG Donna! I've noticed that too, for the first time, since I can remember! I was eating ALL DAY LONG BEFORE, I mean NON-STOP. Nothing filled me, AT ALL. But now, I'm eating more like a normal person than ever! (Okay, you know what I mean). I can actually stop eating so much in between meals and focus on other things rather than 'what else can I eat?' I wasn't eating the gluten-free junk food so much because anytime I tried, it would kill my stomach before, within minutes. But I would eat like 2 whole bags of rice cakes a day, just as a snack! I was eating lots of rice cakes. I was craving starch so much. And yes, now, my cravings are all gone. It's either, I'm hungry, or I'm not. The word 'crave' isn't involved. And that's amazing to me! I was binging so much before, I would get home from work, and while cooking dinner, or waiting for my fiance to come home, I would eat and eat and eat, just to hold me over for dinner! Now, I cook things, patiently, and in the meantime, I'm not eating. I'm just doing the normal things a person does when they cook. (ie. set the table, maybe talk on the phone, or talk to Danny.

WOw, I just wrote a lot on one thing. hahah.....but I forgot I wanted to mention it.

[corinne]

I've had a major improvement so far (6 weeks). I had D for about 2 hours a day, nausea, occasional vomiting, cramps and gas. I've had no D, nausea or vomiting at all. I've had cramps only when I tried some new foods that didn't agree (spinach, yoghurt, cheese, ground nuts). I'm down to 70% of the peptobismol that I started with. I do have collagenous colitis not celiac disease so I might be seeing more improvement than someone with celiac disease would.

[danikali]

I've had a major improvement so far (6 weeks). I had D for about 2 hours a day, nausea, occasional vomiting, cramps and gas. I've had no D, nausea or vomiting at all. I've had cramps only when I tried some new foods that didn't agree (spinach, yoghurt, cheese, ground nuts). I'm down to 70% of the peptobismol that I started with. I do have collagenous colitis not celiac disease so I might be seeing more improvement than someone with celiac disease would.

Wow! Good for you!!! You give me inspiration! I've been on the diet for about 2 weeks now, and am doing MUCH better already than I was before too. Of course, like I mentioned the un-ending hunger, but my stomach doesn't hurt AT ALL unless I eat something that doesn't agree. (I tried raw apples and carrots on Sat. and I def. can't do that again.) But my sleep is so much more peaceful every night because my stomach, back, and chest don't hurt at all. Before, I would have to take pepto about every two hours, and I had to put so many pillows under my head (to help the heartburn a little) that I was practically sleeping sitting up! I also don't have any foul gas anymore. And this is only two weeks, so I'm very excited to see what happens as I keep it up!

[PreOptMegs]

Everyone's progress is awesome! Just think, it only gets better...

[corinne]

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.

[danikali]

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.

It's sounds like you've got it all figured out! That's great. Traveling can be hard when you have to cook EVERYTHING.

Does anyone know how to get rid of a bloated stomach? I'm not gassy, which is a good thing, so I'm just retaining water for some reason. I think too much juice on this diet, or too much salt? But whatever it is, I want to look normal again!

[Nancym]

When I bloat up it is a sign I've eaten something that is disagreeing with me. I don't know any other way of getting rid of it other than waiting it out and figuring out the culprit. Even though I've been fasting for 18 hours, I've got a lot of bloating still from the macadamia nuts I had been eating. :\

[danikali]

When I bloat up it is a sign I've eaten something that is disagreeing with me. I don't know any other way of getting rid of it other than waiting it out and figuring out the culprit. Even though I've been fasting for 18 hours, I've got a lot of bloating still from the macadamia nuts I had been eating. :\

Nancy, when you say that you're fasting, do you mean you are only drinking liquids? Or how is that? Does it speed up the process of getting over the symptoms of eating something that didn't agree with you.

Well, on Sat. I rushed ahead of myself and had raw fruit and veggies, and from that night on, I've been abnormal all over again. The only thing is that I don't have gas anymore. Usually when I'm really bloated like this, I have tons of gas, and I don't mean to be gross but when I eat something bad, there is a distinct foulness in the oder. hahaha, really though. I can tell the difference between normal person gas and my 'celiac gas' and if I get one, I know I'm in trouble and it always leads to more.

But I really would like to know how you are fasting so maybe I can try it until my system gets back to normal.

[Nancym]

I'm fasting to help my other disease, ankylosing spondylitis. Just drinking tea, coffee and water. It is sort of related because it may be due to a bad gut bacteria and leaky gut which feeds on starch. I'm waiting for my tummy to go down too. I think I might also have either colitis or Crohn's disease, which goes along with this diagnosis. But any time I treat a bloated belly, or even gas, as a sign I've eaten something bad.

I think I might have diagnosed another sign of eating something bad: A stuffy nose at night!

I don't know if fasting would help you. For me, it is an attempt to try to deprive my gut bugs of any source of food whatsoever. They recommend drinking salt water flushes at the AS site too, to kill more bacteria. I'll give it a try tonight. I'm hoping it'll help with the pain from my disease.

It takes 72 hours for the normal GI tract to process food, so I would suspect whatever you've eaten in the last 3 days is bugging you. Any ideas?