chatycady

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs made with a little yogurt.

almond flour pancakes with butter and honey.

Fresh fruit.

Snack - apple and yogurt or apple and peanutbutter

lunch - Fried Chicken, mashed cauliflower (like mashed potatoes)

Peas, carrots, winter squash; Homemade butter pecan frozen yogurt. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

Sweets:

Blonde brownies (almond flour, butter and honey)

Coconut macaroons

Supper - grilled chicken salad - yogurt dressing (like ranch) or vinegerette dressing. Fresh pineapple with french cream.

Lemon Tarts, (Recipe's from Healing Foods cookbook.)

This is not a low carb diet.

Don't eat anything that causes a reaction, but eat as much as you want of what agrees with you. I munch all day long and eat well at each meal. Theses are low calorie foods, and all very very good for me. I increased my bone density by 2.5%. It's not a lot, but if I continue to increase in 5 years I will have cured my osteopenia! Also, my iron level is excellent, B-12 level normal, and vitamin D normal (I supplement D) Plus my skin is soft and clear, my hair healthy and shiny. My mind is clear and sharp and I have tons of energy. Life is finally very good!

Enjoy!

I have been reading through this topic and I think I know why I react to coffee, tea and chocolate. It's tannin!

I looked up the foods that contain tannin and they are all ones that give me trouble.

Most wines (Chablis and Pino Grigio are ok)

Beer

Coffee,

Tea,

Walnuts, pecans, and almonds

(blanched almonds and skinless peanuts are okay)

strawberries (all berries)

chocolate

grapes

commercial fruit juices (grape, apple juice, orange juice, etc.)

black beans

these are just some of the foods with tannin.

Symptoms are: headache (sometimes migraines) anxiety, rapid heart rate ataxia. If a person is sensitive it can cause iron anemia, B12 anemia, stomach ache, digestive problems and it can cause carbohydrate malabsorption!!!! This may be the last piece of my puzzle.

Chatycady, how long were you on the SCD before you started noticing an improvement in dryness?

And did you follow the SCD to the letter, or were there additional foods that you left out and additional foods that you included? For instance, I know for a fact that I can't have any milk based probiotics or even the home made yoghurt as I reacted to it.

I have been on the diet for 15 months. I follow the diet closely. I still have trouble with dry eyes if I accidently eat something that is "illegal". I used to think eyemake up caused my eye problems, but I have discovered it has something to do with food. I think the dry eyes and dry mouth comes from a number of different foods, grains one of them, but I believe preservatives and sugar also cause me trouble.

I am able to eat the yogurt, but no other dairy. I can not tolerate any nuts, but coconut doesn't appear to be a problem. Honey, is okay. I do not eat anything that is not of the "legal" list. I struggle with "legal" carbs and must eat very small amounts of them. I eat a lot of olives, dill pickles, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, carrots, onions, yogurt, butter, eggs, apples, pears, peaches, fish, sea food, pork steaks, chicken, and beef. I make bone broth and make lots of soups during the winter.

I have been sick since age 19 (anemic). I was 52 when I started the gluten free diet. So I think my digestive system was very damaged and I don't know if it will ever fully heal. But all my symptoms are gone if I eat foods that aren't a problem for me, but they do return if I accidently eat a "illegal" food. Each set back does get easier.

I've had a set back this weekend, and my eyes hurt. They were red, scratchy and so very dry. When I blink my eye lids get stuck to them. When I close them they bother. It feels like there is duct tape stuck to my eyeball! Tomorrow they will be better and I'll have better vision too.

I really had to think, study and make a mental note of all the foods I eat, how I feel, what symptoms, etc. It is difficult to figure out, but well worth it. What works for me does not work for my sister. I tolerate meat, she can't. I eat eggs, she can't, she tolerates more carbs, I can't. Get the picture?

Good luck and I hope you can discover what works for you, and you are relieved of your symptoms!

God bless you.

chaty

thank u lynayah! ok i've decided to jump on board and will start the diet in one week!

chatycady-i'm working on reversing osteopenia as well- good luck at the doc!!

what brand of honey do you guys use on SCD? i heard raw was best? i'm a little nervous i'll buy a brand that was harvested by a wheat field and get reactions...

I haven't been able to find unpasturized honey. I just buy the more expensive honey at the store that is harvested just across the river - local honey producer. I don't buy the cheap wal-mart kind.

Just be careful - too much honey can give you bad reactions at first. I ate the yogurt plain the first couple of days. When I had no reaction I celebrated big time!!! Then added honey. I had been without dairy for over a year and missed cottage cheese, cream cheese, etc. etc. I was so thankful (and still am) that I can tolerate the yogurt. It is really delicious.

I use 1/2 and 1/2 to make mine. I need extra fat and calories right now. It makes great frozen yogurt too, and salad dressings, and breads, and check out Carol's Cauliflower recipe on the SCD website.

I read the information on the links you posted. It looks like a good option. For now I'm going to continue the path I'm on. I'm doing very well on this diet and actually enjoy the food. For the first time in my life, I like to cook. Food is no longer my enemy, but my therapy.

I hope the diet works for you too.

I think I have discovered why some of us get a gassy reaction to the yogurt.

Apparently lactobacillus bacteria produce hydrogen peroxide when they come in contact with pathogenic bacteria and beasties in their work of overcoming them. Once they have dealt with them the gas should abate.

There are quite a few studies and references on this - most seem to refer to the lack of these friendly bacteria in connection with bacterial vaginosis (so the old-wives-tale of using a yogurt d%$#@#$ wasn't so stupid after all!), but it obviously works well in the digestive tract to counteract pathogens.

Another good reason why it is such an intrinsic part of the SCD. Other lactobacillus products like fermented cabbage etc. probably work just as well if yogurt can't be tolerated, but perhaps the intoleration reaction is not the yogurt itself but the effect it is having on the unwanted beasties.

I read somewhere they way to determine if bad reactions to yogurt is die off or intolerance is to freeze some yogurt. Freezing kills the cultures. If one reacts to the frozen yogurt - it's an intolerance. If one doesn't - it's die off. And the yogurt it doing it's job getting rid of the unwanted "beasties" as you call them!

I eat 2 to 4 servings every day and am doing well. Next month I go back to the Dr. and find out if I have reversed osteopenia - or at least held my own.

I believe you are on to something!!! My whole theory (scientific or not) is to eliminate foods that cause a immune reaction. In turn the healing of the intestine begins and hence the immune system is strengthened and attacks the "correct" invaders.

For me it is working. I know what foods are problems and avoid them altogether. It takes time and energy to figure out which foods are okay and which are triggers, but it is worth it!

I wasn't diagnosed with sjogren's - I gave up on Dr's. as they could only tell me what was wrong, not what was causing it, or how to fix it.

I had terribly dry eyes, mouth, hair and skin. Eyes were red and scratchy and hurt. Mouth was always dry with NO saliva. It was awful. I went on the SCDiet about 16 months ago and all these symptoms are gone. My sister was diagnosed with the beginning of sjogrens. She is following the diet also and is in remission. She also is in remission with lupus - no drugs.

GRAINS seem to be an issue for people with this disease. SCDiet addresses this.

My hope is, that once my intestine is healed the autoimmune issues will resolve. I believe diet is the cure for auto immune issues. I think of food as medicine and poison. The mystery is to find out which foods are the cure and which are the poison. The SCDiet addresses this too.

By the book, read everything the websites and see what you think.

The cure is slow, but worth it. I knew I was on to something with in a couple days. I believe if you eliminate the irritation the body will heal itself.

Good luck and God bless you!

I've been gluten free for about 3 years. I wasn't heavy before, 5'4" and 135 lbs. Since going gluten free and having to eliminate lots of food (dairy, grains, sugar etc.) I am under 120. I too get rude comments. I don't like how I look at all. My legs are like tooth picks. I eat a lot! Or I think I do. I have a lot of trouble with carbs - so stick with fruits, veggies and meat and yogurt.

Can't do nuts. Here's what I usually eat

3 eggs scrambled in butter

piece of fruit and yogurt.

double serving of meat with veggies, 1+ cup of yogurt (lactose free)

more fruit

1/3 hamburger with onions, veggies with butter

1+ cup yogurt

dill pickels

olives

carrot sticks, celery, cauliflower for crunch snacks.

And I keep loosing weight - although much slower now. I pray I stop soon.

I am active and have tons of energy. I just would like some padding. My tail bone started hurting a couple weeks ago and I think it's because of the weight loss.

Life goes on!

I thought they were NOT gluten free? Are they?

I'm sorry you are feeling so poorly, but you will get better. Just think positive and start working on healing your digestive system.

Intolerance are common, but don't have to be lifelong. Cure your tummy and you will be able to eat normal foods again. (gluten free of course)

Probiotics, vitamins, enzymes and good food - fresh fruits and veggies and fresh meat, should get you on the path to recovery!

Yes. I can't eat any of the gluten free products that contain grains, starch, sugar, etc. Too difficult for me to digest. I follow the SCdiet and am doing well. I hope you get better too.

I just purchased some digestive enzymes on line. (SCD legal) I follow the diet closely and eat yogurt everyday. I am wondering if anyone else here is using them and what I can expect. I realize we all respond differently. Will I be able to eat more legal foods?

I ordered them because I am pretty thin and need to add some carbs to either gain a couple pounds or stay my current weight. I can't tolerate the baked goods or citrus fruit, grape juice and more.

Just want some feed back.

Thanks

chaty

Ferrous Gluconate - it's a little easier on the stomach. Iron supplements are very hard on a celiac stomach, it irrates instead of heals. If it were me I would avoid suplements and would eat more red meat (grill some hamburgers) and make a liver pate'. Drink orange juice or eat an apple with your meat or iron supplement so it's easily absorbed.

Great suggestion, thank you. Do you use the Yogourmet starter as well?

Yes, I get it at the grocery store, but I'm thinking of ordering off of amazon as it's cheaper and they will sned it to me on a regular basis.

I am buying a new yogurt maker and would appreciate opinions on which brand to buy. I am thinking of purchasing a Yogourmet (currently have Salton, lid is cracked).

Thank you!

I have a yogourmet and love it. I would suggest if you decide to buy it, get the second conatiner too. I did and make yogurt about every other day! Good luck with your selection.

Are your B-12 levels okay?

I hope you don't think I'm rude, but what you ate doesn't sound very nutritious for someone who is so sick. Celiac is a very serious disease - life threatening.

I would suggest more nutritious foods.

Celiacs do not tolerate carbs very well.

Protein is easily digested. Cabs are not. Eat fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, fresh meat and yogurt (if you can tolerate it).

Avoid processed food until you are symptom free. Then have at it, but until then keep it simple.

I hope you start feeling better and are healed.

Knowing what I know now, I would eliminate all processed foods. Stick to the good stuff, fresh fruits, fresh veggies, fresh meat and eggs and see if the symptoms go away. Then slowly add in starch and grains and see what happens.

Protein is usually tolerated very well. Carbs are not.

Since I started reading labels I found the gluten free processed food is really high in carbs.

You can read more about different diets here on this website. I follow the Specific carbohydrate diet and it's solved my problem.

Hi all, I'm having a rough time digesting fats and meat broths have been too much for me. I'm wondering if the often mentioned bone broth might be okay? I'm thinking that if it's just boiling bones (not whole slabs of meat or entire chickens) and drinking that with the marrow in it it wouldn't have all the fat content of the broths I previously made from entire pieces of meat. Is that right, or are bone broths made from bones that still have meat on them like ribs and such?

Any help is much appreciated, thanks,

-Jesse

Yu can buy them either way. I like a little meat on the bones, but if fat is a problem buy just the bones, add your veggies and enjoy. Beef bones make the best tasting bones IMHO!

As you can probably tell from my other post, I'm having problems with certain foods that I shouldn't be. The gluten-free diet has been very helpful, but there seem to be residual symptoms - especially severe fatigue. I was diagnosed Celiac, and I think it was the root catalyst but I think that it caused other problems.

So I suffer from brain fog and severe fatigue, and it seems to be directly correlated to what I eat but these are foods that I shouldn't have reactions to.

I want to try the Specific Carbohydrate Diet in full and give it a chance to work but my gastrointestinal symptoms have all been fully resolved following my gluten-free diet. I no longer suffer from D or loose bowels or anything and those specific symptoms only return when I'm glutened. I can't tolerate dairy, or several other things, but none of them cause gastroinestinal symptoms - they just cause severe brain fog and fatigue.

Everything I've read indicates that the SCD is for people with diarrhea and Crohns, and I have neither. Is there any literature or anything anywhere where the people behind the SC diet recommend it to people like me without those particular symptoms? Anything?

The food I am eating is causing problems for me. That I'm sure of, but the problem is that it's too hard to eliminate everything. Protein may be causing problems but if I eliminate that, I must consume carbs. If I eliminate carbs, I must consume meats. I am absolutely positive I'm not being glutened btw. I was glutened about 4-5 weeks ago and it's caused a flare up in these symptoms. It's almost like anything I eat now is just draining me of energy.

Not everyone with gluten intolerance has digestive issues. I get D and my younger sister has seizures, and my older sister has hallucinations! We also have different food problems, but our goal is the same, get rid of the bad bacteria and reestablish the good guys! Two of us are able to eat the SCD yogurt, which is like manna from heaven. One of us eats home made sauerkraut, she is also on antibiotics and a probiotic (prescribed) in hopes to cure candida. I'm going the natural route and follow SCD.

You will have to decide. Once the immune system is strong and a good probiotic works and the good guys take hold, I will all be healed. I'm about there.

I used to have the heart palpitaions off and on..now it is every day all day long? Anyone else have this issue? What can it be caused from? I have also been breaking out in cold sore in my nose and on my mouth alot lately? It is frustrating! The dr's say it is anxiety, but honestly it is the feeling that is causing me to be anxious! Any thoughts would be appreciated! I have had my thyroid checked and is within normal rangeTSH 1.340 Triiodothyronine Free Serum 2.8 and T4 Direct 1.04...I guess this is normal? Even checked for Hashimotos since my sister has it but the antibody test was negative. Jodie

YES! It was horrible. The heart Dr. said my heart was enlarged. He sent me to an endocronologist...... it's a long story.

It took awhile for me to figure it out, but my adrenal glands were in over drive pumping out adrenaline to control my blood sugar levels. Also I struggled with low blood pressure. I think I was low on every single vitamin there is! I went gluten free and then took it a step farther and went on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. In time all the symptoms went away. It's been a year since I started the SCD.

I didn't find a Dr. who could help me. Went to 4 specialists. It was through this website that I found answers. We are all so different - so keep working. One thing I read and found out for myself was - there is no magic pill or food that will make me feel better, it was eliminating foods that caused the symptoms.

Since you said the Dr. told you it was anxiety I'm assuming you are not anemia (iron or B-12). B-12 deficiency causes cancer sores - terribly (been there done that too!) However you could be low on other B vitamins - which can lead to a racing heart too.

Find a new Dr. - or become your own Dr. You know your body better than anyone. I pray you get relief - the heart racing cause me major anxiety!!!! I'm glad it's gone.

Your gluten free aren't you? Celiac's often have cancer sores and racing hearts.

Alright, before I pose this question, you have to know that I'm the biggest meat eater you can imagine. Even before I got any stomach problems, I could easily eat 6 meals in a day; 5 of them would have meat, and all 5 of those would have more meat than veggies. When I went gluten free and now that I'm on the SCD I eat endless amounts of meat a day, I can go through a whole chicken plus no problem.

Could meat be keeping me from getting well? I had SIBO, took 2 antibiotics for that and barely improved, candida diet for 6 weeks and barely improved, I barely improved removing gluten the first time I did it and now on the SCD I'm worse than I've ever been. Consistently throughout these ventures I've been eating lots and lots of meat (all my meals are meat/meat + veggies.)

I've seen the term putrefactive dysbiosis thrown around, and I wonder if it's not the carbs that are a problem so much as all the animal fats and proteins? Because I haven't done much better off carbs, but when my doctor recently put me on the intro to GAPS diet (with soup and soup broth all fat included multiple times a day) I degraded rapidly and all the fat appeared in my stool, totally undigested.

Is this plausible, or are meats generally handled well by everyone with digestive problems?

Thanks, I'm discouraged,

-Jesse

My sister does poorly with heavy protein such as pork and beef. She avoids them. I eat tons for meat and have had no problems. It's all a mystery we each have to find out for ourselves. The most important thing about the SCDiet is the yogurt. Probiotic. Which can be homemade sauerkraut or someother fermented food. I hope you are on some good probiotic or it will take a long time to get feeling better.

here's some suggestions you can try. Eat meat and veggies alone, eat fruit on an empty stomach and with no other food for a least one hour. In other words, don't mix sugar and protein/fat together at the same meal.

Are you eating only fresh meat? Are you eating more often and small amounts? Don't over eat at one meal.

Eat lots and lots of raw fruits and veggies alone on an empty stomach.

I recently read that iron anemia, B-12 anemia, Vitamin D deficiency cause candida to multiply. Are you okay with these? I had all three problems.

I had lots of fat in my stools at first. Nothing stuck with me. But I'm pretty well okay now, I don't have many problems - as long as I watch what I eat! I follow the SCD religiously.

Take care and get better.

Does taking an antifungal make the die-off worse? I am bracing myself for some bad days ahead.

I am not totally eliminating all carbs. I have been eating a limited amount of corn tortillas, brown rice and quinoa. I plan to eat corn chips and mabye some pancakes made with brown rice flour. And a very limited amount of fruit. (like 1/2 per day)

It's hard to find consistent information on the diet. It varies so much.

And my dr. told me to take the diflucan for 2 weeks, eat the diet for 3 and then go hog wild and see how it makes me feel. I asked why he'd recommend that and he said so you know if your symptoms are food related. Yeah, thanks for that great advice. I know I won't be cured in 3 weeks and there's no way I am taking a huge step back like that. I think that was terrible advice.

I hope you are successful. My sister is taking an antibiotic to deal with candida. I'm taking the natural approach. I don't do well with anitbiotics and for me I believe antibiotics caused this problem.

Here are some tiips that work for me. I found them on some website. (You are right there is tons of websites wanting to sell us something.) Maybe you won't need these tips and will do fine, but just in case here's what I've fouund.

Eat raw fruit on an empty stomach and alone. Lots of fresh fruit and veggies- boosts the immune system and starves candida. You may want to check out raw foods and candida.

No grains. Only fresh meats, frozen or fresh fruit and veggies.

No additives of any kind. No sugar. Honey works for me and I have a little each day with my yogurt.

Eat meat, yogurt and veggies together.

Eat nuts and beans together and separate from meat, dairy, etc.

Eat smaller and more frequent meals.

No dairy, except butter and homemade 24 hour yogurt.

Eggs are okay. Coconut oil a couple times a day.

Make sure your vitamin D, iron and B-12 levels are okay. A deficiency of these cause candida to multiply. Also take extra selenium as a deficiency is believed to cause candida also.

I follow the SCDiet with these added rules.

May you find what works for you and are healed completely!

What I have read on the web is that it's diluted to 3% with distilled water. It's suppose to be taken on an empty stomach and it destroys candida and all bacteria in the stomach, includng the good. I agree with everyone here, it seems dangerous.

I did read that eating yogurt and vitamin C create hydrogen peroxide that kills the bad bacteria.

Thanks for the replies. I would be interested in what your mother the Dr. said.