Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

[Anu]

After struggling for years with UC, we have started trying SCD. We are seeing some control in the usual symptoms.

Here are some notes in case someone is looking for info:

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet™ has helped many thousands of people with various forms of bowel disease and other ailments vastly improve their quality of life.

It is a diet intended mainly for Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, diverticulitis, cystic fibrosis and chronic diarrhea. However it is a very healthy, balanced and safe diet that has health benefits for everyone. The foods that are allowed on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet™ are based on the chemical structure of these foods. Carbohydrates are classified by their molecular structure.

The allowed carbohydrates are monosaccharides and have a single molecule structure that allow them to be easily absorbed by the intestine wall. Complex carbohydrates which are disaccharides (double molecules) and polysaccharides (chain molecules) are not allowed. Complex carbohydrates that are not easily digested feed harmful bacteria in our intestines causing them to overgrow producing by products and inflaming the intestine wall. The diet works by starving out these bacteria and restoring the balance of bacteria in our gut.

www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/beginners_guide/beginners.htm

[iplrocks]

Thanks for this thread. Can you talk about specific diet, people with borderline IBS (but not diagnosed for colitis) need to follow on daily basis? Especially the vegetarians?

[Anu]

First step is to maintain a Food Log/Diary.

With SCD, we had to initially do an Intro diet for 2-3 days. It is being on very minimal ingredient food - like say pureed and cooked carrot soup, grape juice gelatin and banana pancake. (Being a vegetarian, initially the options are very less. Slowly, based on the tolerance of your system, your menu will expand).

After the intro diet, we will slowly introduce one ingredient and observe how it affects the body.
Like for eg., initially, we used to have lots of eggs in the diet. After elimination, we realized that more than 1 egg impacts the system badly.

Since it is only borderline, I am sure you will be able to tolerate a lot of food without any issue. The key is to take it slow initially and include one ingredient at a time.

The known culprits are Lactose products, Eggs, Raw fruits and veggies, Very Sour items like tamarind, lemon, etc. Also, initially try to avoid any store bought product. Though the ingredient list may not mention any chemicals, they do not have list items that have been used less than 2% - most of the food companies hide behind that rule and use SCD-offensive products like sugar, saccharine, etc.

Good Luck. Please share your experience and knowledge here - this is a learning process and we can all benefit from each other.

[GaramChai]

We have started SCD only recently. Before that we tried Sheldon's cure with Brown rice, Dal and Yogurt diet. It was responding very well till lately. But recently, there was a flareup that did not go down even after trying everything. so, finally we have started following SCD and have seen significant improvement.

Currently on Asacol for medication. Has anyone tried Prednisone or LDN(Low Dose Naltrexone )

[GaramChai]

From what I have gathered so far, Prednisone does not help in long term. Initially, it relieves symptoms but over time, the dosage may need to be increased to achieve the same level of relief. And higher doses are not good for your health. So over a period of time, it does not help.

I am still working on getting informed on LDN. I'll keep you updated on what I learn.

[superman]

One of my friend's kid is having severe food digestion problem and it is affecting quality of life of everyone involved. Dorm life in US hard for people with restrictive diets is my take on this based on their experience.

Parents who are vegetarians have advised the kid several times to start eating meat to overcome this problem and to expand choices than restrictive vegetarian diet as they believe that the kid's health is more important than the beliefs and norms followed over years. But the kid is more stern on these beliefs than parents.

Would you be happy that the kid has an independent mind to continue to follow a set of beliefs or unhappy that kid is foolish to continue these conditioned beliefs to even affect one's health?