SCD Diet?

Crohn's Disease Forum

Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:

Leslie

Leslie

Joined
Feb 25, 2011
Messages
13
I've started the Specific Carb Diet five days ago. I've known people who had great results with it and no longer have flare ups. Is anyone trying it? My trigger foods tend to be high fiber which makes me question the sanity of all this. I've felt very sick the last two days and my gut is going crazy. However, looking around on the internet this would be considered a "die off" period where the bad bacteria are being staved out. Anyone been there?
 
SCD diet

I am considering starting the SCD diet. There is a book out there based on this diet. I will let you know how it works for me. You are the first person I have seen mention this diet. I also don't eat any beef. I stick to mostly proteins of chicken, fish, or very lean pork. I have problems with fat content in food so I look at that before it hits my lips. Hope this helps you as well.
Cindy
 
Cindy

So I figured it out. I was started on an antibiotic for crohn's that I need to eat a lot with to take it. That was causing all my problems. The diet was very difficult for me to stay full on because there was so many restrictions. So while I'm on meds I'm off the diet, maybe to revisit it later. I've read the book you are speaking of, “The Specific Carb Diet.” I have a friend who has a very severe case of crohn's and she says it worked wonders for her. I could hang with cutting out lactose and all sugars; it was cutting out carbs that really threw me. Good luck, it's very difficult but if it helps it's worth it.
 
SCD diet

Thanks Leslie for your reply. I have restricted my diet quite a bit already with lactose free products, no high fiber bread or snacks, no raw fruit, no raw veggies, no caffine, no beef (only chicken, fish, and very lean pork), no rice, no processed breads, gosh I think I am down to the basic card board. LOL I'll still read the book and see what other suggestions are there. I don't have any sugar in my house or sugar products. I read labels carefully for their content including fat. I have a pancreatic problem along with the crohn's and I have both crohn's and UC. So the fat is out too. I live on lots of my own soups and make my own stock to be able to be convinced it is fat free. I do recommend, don't laugh, two flinstones vitamins a day. They are not hard on the gutt and they are yummy to boot. Eatting out...well thats an adventure all on its own.
 
Cindy

I'm so sorry you have both UC and Crohn's. One is enough! It sounds like you are half way there with the diet. The book gets very specific about somethings but if you are cooking at home a lot already maybe you won't have as much difficulty as I did. I work a lot and my job has us doing working lunches every day. I tried to make special requests off the menu but the diet got so specific about no cheating. It was difficult to know what the meats where marinated in or other hidden things like that. I'm not organized enough to take my lunch :). I wish you more luck then I had!
 
I was on the SCD diet for awhile in combination with Pentasa and LDN when I had a mild case of crohn's disease. I was very strict with it and noticed amazing results. However I slacked off with it and went off the meds and now I have a moderate case and it seems the diet no longer helps. I'm now on a low residue diet in combination with humira. It's definitely worth a try though! It just depends on what foods you can tolerate. It seems certain crohnies do bad on carbs while others have issues with fiber or fats or proteins.
 
Just started the SCD

I'm just beginning to work with the Specific Carb Diet. Doing lots of reading, watching Youtube videos on the topic/recipes really helps too. I cut out sugars quite awhile ago. I'm carefully logging everything I eat to see what the results are from day to day.

Last week I had 4 PERFECT days with no pain, no diarrhea for the first time in years. It was awesome! Then had a bowl of oatmeal and ow, ow, ow. I'm learning what loves me vs what I love.
 
I got the book yesterday and am going to give this a try. After reading the book and looking at recipes online I see it's not nearly as restrictive as I'd originally thought when I investigated it last year.

Fortunately the foods I handle well are in the main diet and the things that give me problems are things you add slowly anyway.

My CD has also begun to worsen slightly so I figure now is the time to try this rather than going on more powerful meds or whatever awfulness the next step would be.
 
gonna give it a try to. the theory seems sensible (complex carbohydrates remain undigested in gut causing overgrowth of harmful bacteria and other issues) although I cannot speak the the scientific credibility of this theory. desperatly looking for some control over this lame disease. cimzia had gotten me off the pred, but still having some ups and downs significant enough to keep me from typical daily activities.
 
"Healing Foods" Cooking for Celiacs, Colitis, Crohns and IBS is a great resource for SCD. I have not had any personal benefit from the prgram but I a have had some great simple meal ideas. The pics look so yummy it is enough to get me inspired to try new recipies here and there.
 
So far, I'm incredibly happy with the diet. It's working so well for me. I gave up...gasp...coffee on Tuesday. That was a hard one, but I think in the long run it'll be good for me. Every new food that I find that I can eat without ensuing symptoms, makes me so happy. It sucks when I find something that gives me the runs-when I really, really want that food. But I want to not have the runs and exhaustion WAY more.
 
I ordered the book off Amazon today. New to Bowel problems and have been trying low res. I wanted a book with recipes as I think I need ideas for interesting stuff to eat. It's hard being hungry and not really knowing what to eat. That's when I'm tempted to go for things that are at hand that I really shouldn't eat.
I have cut out caffeine, sugars and cheese as they do the most damage.
 
Katie, that's very encouraging and congratulations on feeling so much better. I've been working on decreasing my coffee for a few weeks now and should be off it completely shortly. That's when I'm going to start the SCD.

One thing that intrigues me is the suggestion to try it for a month and you should know by then if it'll work or not. No waiting around for months for improvement or not.

Tomorrow I'm going around locally to check out the dry curd cottage cheese situation.

I admit I'm pretty intimidated by giving up pasta and rice the most.
 
Partly cloudy, I know it's not the same, but I love spaghetti squash as a pasta replacement.

I was reading that you can make your own dry curd cottage cheese by just rinsing it really well and letting it air dry. Is that correct? Cottage cheese as it stands, runs right through me. (I'm still waiting for my "Breaking The Vicious Cycle" to arrive so I'm working off the info I get on the internet on the SCD.)
 
I don't know on the dry curd, Katie. I've only read the book once so far. There's so much to absorb that I may have missed it if the author said anything about that technique. I'm in the process of reading it again and highlighting things. If I run across it I'll share.

I just spent a lot of time browsing pecanbread.com. Have you been? It's geared towards kids with autism but has a ton of organized info on SCD, including a nice chart on introducing foods. The book was a bit confusing to me, and this pecanbread site helped to clarify a lot of things.

I plan on trying spaghetti squash. I tried it years ago and didn't like it much, but I'll have a totally different perspective now. :D
 
I would've thought pasta and rice were OK but my stomach seems to find them a bit heavy, but that could be because of the narrowing I've been diagnosed with. My main concern is not being able to get a lot of stuff here. Our biggest 'supermarket' is a Co-op which would be classed as a corner shop on the mainland!
 
I have the book and I'm going to make a commitment to start right away. I'm due for a ressection in May. A friend has had two surgeries and has been sypmtom free for 8 years while on the diet.....
 
Good luck, Crohns5-0. You've got a good motivation with that upcoming surgery.

We should all support each other here. :) I'll be starting in about two weeks.
 
Grumbletum said:
I would've thought pasta and rice were OK..... "

Yep, no brown or white rice. It's interesting the things that aren't allowed. Still, I'm always full and satisfied on this diet and today when I came in from a 5 mile run with no worries about potty breaks, it reminds me again and again why I love this diet.

I keep the link to the legal/illegal list on my phone, bookmarked on Safari, so no matter I am, I can do a quick search to find out if it's an OK food I'm wanting to eat. I would post the link, but I guess I'm not allowed to post links until after I've written 15 messages. I'll post is soon though. Or maybe someone else could?
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
That's a good idea about keeping the list on your phone. I was thinking I'd bring a paper list around with me but the phone is a better idea.

I scouted out our local health food stores this morning and did find almond flour but apparently dry curd cottage cheese is unheard of. They kept referring me to cheese curds, lol.
 
My paper list is like 26 pages long. So...not carrying that puppy around! I can't post links yet....soon, but I found this great video on it on Youtube. It's listed as "Dry Curd Cottage Cheese DCCC"
 
Yes, great idea for the list on the phone. I'm sure I'll be able to get some stuff on the net. And can ask friends to send me 'red cross parcels' from the mainland. I think I'll start as soon as The book arrives. Might have to improvise for a bit, but hey it's a start. Good to have the company here too :)
 
I'll check that video out, thanks Katie. Did you determine that you could make it yourself then? That'd be nice!

Grumbletum, it must be tough not having a decent store. I was thinking of your situation today as I hunted for the cottage cheese.
 
http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/legal/legal_illegal_a-c.htm
Here is the list for the legal / illegal stuff

The next website has some really good recipes
http://nomorecrohns.com/deliciousrecipes.aspx

My son has been on this diet for a year and a half, there are a few things that he eats now that are not on the diet - but very few. Although he misses bread and cereal, the fact that he has no stomach issues makes it easier to stay on (also the fact that his mother - me - is still doing the cooking for him :)

Just a note about the yogurt - if you are going to be making it, expect a week of bad symptoms as your body gets rid of some bad bacteria.
Also, it is not necessary to buy a yogurt maker, in fact a lot of them overheat because they are not meant to be on for 24 hours.
I make the yogurt in a electric skillet - one with a temperature gage. After heating and cooling the milk, and then adding starter, I pour the milk into 2 casserole dishes (approximately 1.5 litres per dish) put in a thermometer and set the temperature gage where it will keep the thermometer at 105 - 110 degrees and then leave it for 24 hours.
When Mitch first started the diet he could not do any dairy, so we made the yogurt out of goats milk, he hated it, so we ended up dropping it and going to pill form of probiotics. Now he can do cheese, so we restarted the yogurt with cows milk and it has not been a problem.

Good luck to all who are trying it.
 
Thanks so much for the tips and encouragement and links (the NoMoreCrohn's link is GREAT!), DMS. Congratulations on your son's wonderful results also. :)

That's good to know about the yogurt makers as I was considering buying one eventually. I'll just get an electric skillet instead.
 
Last edited:
Regarding DIY dry curd cottage cheese, I did a bit of research on a couple of the SCD lists I've joined. You can make it yourself, but there are two things to watch out for. Number one is that it has to be made using enzymes, not just vinegar (using vinegar alone is a common method). Number two is that you skip the step of adding back in milk or cream at the end. That leaves it the "dry" curd cottage cheese rather than regular cottage cheese.

Needless to say I'm still checking locally.
 
I forgot to mention that the book I ordered is 'Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet' by Raman Prasad ( sufferer of Ulcerative Colitis ) and which follows all the principles of 'Breaking the Vicious Circle.'
It's got the list of legal and illegal foods and the recipes look really yummy. I'll probably get the 'BVC' at a later date. I wanted something to get me started as the list is a bit daunting when you first look at and I was like 'No bread, rice, pasta? Eek, what CAN i eat?'
I think I'll start with the introductory diet for a couple of days this weekend and see how it goes - gives me time to look for a yoghurt maker on the Net.
 
I've read that book is filled with delicious recipes. Let us know how it goes for you this weekend, okay? I'm starting Monday with the intro diet.

The website pecanbread dot com has info on getting started if you're interested.
 
I've made cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese in the past, so I know that cheese making is pretty easy. I've been searching for a video/recipes to make SCD legal Dry Curd Cottage Cheese because it's so hard for so many of us to find. I found this video on Youtube. The cheese takes 5 minutes to make. She uses white vinegar in the recipe but you could also use a rennet tablet or lemon juice instead. I'm going to try making this and will report what happens!

In the comments, people are saying that this is more like "Paneer Cheese" and that it's not melty. But I'm going to check it out. If it turns out and is legal and works in such recipes as SCD breads, muffins, etc, then I'm all for making it myself.
 
Last edited:
Making your own Farmers Cheese or Dry Curd Cottage Cheese

Picture: Sorry, couldn't get the link thing to do it's thing correctly. But click on the link and you'll see.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bI4Py-UeZxRCZZhEYMjwRPRaQM53JDzwqKIoi9W44jg?feat=directlink

It worked! It was so easy! The picture isn't the greatest. It's actually a lovely, white curd. Soft and creamy.

I made 2 batches, one with lemon juice as the curdler and one with apple cider vinegar as the curdler. They both taste the same though the lemon is creamier and I got about 2/3 of a cup more cheese from that one. I got 3 cups of cheese from the apple cider vinegar batch and 3 and 3/4 c. of loosely packed cheese from the lemon.

1 gallon of milk (I used whole but you can use skim or any % of fat)
1 candy type thermometer (In the video, the lady didn't use one, just stopped cooking the milk just before it boiled. I used one.)

2/3 cup of lemon juice OR 2/3 cup of apple cider vinegar (I used 1/2 c. at first and it didn't too much So I added more and it worked instantly.) ***Update: You can use white vinegar too. I was reading the "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" Book last night and she mentions that white vinegar is just fine.

A scant teaspoon of salt to season with, after the cheese is all done.(You may want more.)

Pour milk in large pan and set the stove on medium. Stir constantly, or often, especially when it starts to get pretty warm. You don't want it to stick and burn.

It takes about 25 minutes to warm the milk up to between 175-180 degrees, or just before it boils. Turn off the fire. Pour in the curdler and stir. That's it!
Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Put a cheesecloth or a cotton cloth (I used a bandana and it worked great. Don't use terrycloth. You'll never get the cheese out of the loops.) in a colander in the sink and pour the cheese in. The whey will drain out. Let a lot of the water drip out-you can squeeze the bag to help, once it's cooler.

Tie the cheese bag around your faucet and let it drip there for awhile. I took a walk for an hour and it worked a treat for me. Many people let it drip for just 30 minutes or so.

Dump into a bowl and crumble up. Sprinkle salt over and mix it in. You can keep it loose like it is or press it into a container for a firmer type cheese but I think it's still going to be soft.

Now I'm going to go bake something and see how it works with almond flour. By the way, it tastes incredibly good!

**Used this cheese to make some almond flour bread this afternoon and it worked GREAT!!!
 
Last edited:
i actually managed to find a shop here at that sells it :yoshijumpjoy: There's also a wholefood cooperative here that I think orders stuff from the mainland so I'll check with them too. I'll also ask them about sourcing DCCC as I know of a few people here with Crohn's etc.
However, I'm going to have a go at making it myself this weekend. Relatively easy really.
 
Went back to the shop today to pick some flour, and it's chickpea flour, not almond - DOH! Guess I will have to look for some on the Net. I ordered a yoghurt maker today on ebay so maybe that will get here by the weekend.
 
I just got my yogurt maker delivered today. My first batch of 24 hour yogurt is a-brewing right now!

Grumletum-check out Nutty Guys on line. They have pretty OK prices
 
Yep, I will Katie, thanks. I'm a bit confused after trying to source it here in the UK on the Net. Are 'almond flour' and 'ground almonds' the same thing?
 
Grumbletum, yes, almond flour is just ground up almonds. I was watching a guy on Youtube yesterday, making almond flour. He just dumped some whole raw almonds in his little coffee grinder and it worked a treat!
 
I was really frustrated to read the McCormick Vanilla bottles at the store today. They offered several different "Pure" vanillas...with corn syrup! Sheesh. Finally found one little bottle of Spice Island that has no added ingredients.
 
According to the BTVC (Breaking the Vicious Cycle) Yahoo weblist the DIY DCCC using lemon juice or vinegar isn't legal. I honestly don't understand why it's illegal since you're still draining out the whey unless the legal bacterial/enzymatic process gets all the hidden lactose. :confused2: Edited to say I don't know about the rennet. Isn't it an enzyme?

In any case, someone asked what makes DCCC legal there and here was the answer:

What makes dry curd cottage cheese legal is the fact that it has no lactose. The milk is coagulated by a bacterial and/or enzymatic process, and the curds are then heated to firm them up, and washed to remove any of the whey. Acid-coagulated cheeses are not SCD-legal.


I'm starting the diet on Monday. :eek2: Been fighting the urge to binge on sugary things this weekend, which I know I'd pay dearly for.
 
Last edited:
Lemon juice and Vinegar legal

Hi Partlycloudy! Here's the link to the "Legal/Illegal" page.

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/legal/legal_illegal_t-z.htm (In the book, this is mentioned as the ONLY real website in connection with the book. The author freely uses both in her recipes.)

It lists both lemon juice and vinegar as well as apple cider vinegar, as legal.

Good luck with the diet! I do hope it works for you too!:goodluck:
 
Last edited:
Went to the shops to find grape or any other juice without sugar or sweeteners and couldn't find any! Takes me twice as long to do my shopping now as I am poring over the lables :) I'm sure they think I'm a secret shopper of some sort. I think a juicer will be the next thing on my wish list.
I had a couple of glasses of red wine after a long day at work yesterday which I probably shouldn't have, but I figure I'm not going to be having any for a while. I think I'll do a couple of days just on hot water, then maybe switch to herbal tea. Will have to wean myself off the decaff tea and coffee.
Hoping my yoghurt maker will come today and I can start on Sunday. Will have to do without the jello thing, as I can't stand jellies but I think I'll manage with the other things on the list.
 
Grumbletum, Decaff actually isn't legal. I guess it's the process of decaffing it that makes it questionable. But most people say a cup or two of regular coffee a day doesn't trouble them. Gottschall says to just make it weak. I like my coffee super strong---so I decided to just give it up. Weak coffee was no fun for me :)

Regular tea is legal, but make it weaker. One tea bag in a cup makes it so strong it makes me want to gag. I usually use one bag to make 3 cups, but that's me.

Spearmint and Peppermint tea are legal but watch for any herbal teas that mention "natural flavorings". Those aren't legal because who knows what they put in? The only issue I've had over the past few weeks is when I had a Chia tea bag, which mentioned it contained "natural cinnamon oil" as well as cinnamon. I gave it a shot but it dinked with my stomach. Could be just me.

On the wine: Dry wines are totally legal. Yay! I read that a glass of red wine is actually very GOOD for the digestive system. There are also multiple alcoholic drinks that are fine.

I found this link this morning: http://scdlifestyle.com/2010/07/steve’s-scd-diet-healing-journal-week-23-scd-legal-summer-cocktails/ It mentions some summertime cocktails. He's selling a book btw. Haven't read it but maybe I will.

Personally, I think it's lovely that I can still have a glass of wine, etc. And tea and coffee if I wanted. I hope that the info makes you breath easier about not having to give up those things. Unless of course you want to.

Last thing: Since you're looking at juices-don't drink orange juice first thing in the morning if you're having any problems with diarrhea still. Just wait until later in the day and then it's all good.
 
Hi Katie, I realize vinegar and lemons are legal because I love both and that was one of the first things I checked. :D I keep seeing this method as being the illegal part, not the acid itself. I know I probably sound argumentative but I really don't mean any of my questions or comments that way. :) I'm very interested in how this works out for you and am trying to figure it all out. So, does BTVC actually include a recipe for DCCC using acid? I looked and couldn't find it anywhere in my copy.

Grumbletum, I know just how you feel in the stores. I've been jotting down ingredients to research at home and expect the manager to challenge me at any moment. I considered taking photos with my phone but decided that'd look even more suspicious, lol.

I've gotten sick with a really bad sore throat and body aches. I think I'm still going to start SCD on Monday because I figure I'll be tired anyway on the intro. I'd rather just get it all over with together and it may clear up my flu or whatever it is quicker.
 
Partlycloudy, I don't think you're being argumentative at all. Yeah, that doesn't make sense to me about the process part of it since lemon and vinegar are OK. But then, I'm just feeling my way through this too.

I know that the Farmer's cheese made this way doesn't bug my innerds and doesn't seem to bother most people, but using the rennet tablets would be a great option, and maybe the best option. And I believe you're right, it's the whey that seems to be the real devil, and you pour that off.

But that said, I'll bet using the little rennet tablets would take all of the worry out of it. I think! Nothing like the blind leading the blind, eh?
 
Last edited:
Ohhhhhh yaaayyyyy, real coffee and red wine - my kinda diet, lol!! Noticed on the illegal list that decaff was out, but I suspect that I will have to stay away from the real coffee, unfortunately. I don't get D much, one of my main symptoms is bladder problems ( i.e. urgency ) - GP thinks cos affected loop of bowel is low down in my pelvic area. Switching to decaff definitely helped with that and reduced the pain. Mind you, I was drinking instant coffee, so might experiment with filter coffee after I've done the intro diet and been on the main SCD for a bit. I like Twinings Lemon and Ginger tea, but I'll have to check the ingredients.
Re: the juice. for some reason I can't face OJ at the moment. It's almost like my body is sending out warning signals for some reason. BTW, is Sorbitol on the illegal list ( sorry, being too lazy to check ). The most untampered with juice I found today was 100% prune ( good job I don't get bad D! ) - no sugar or sweeteners, but it has Sorbitol?
My yoghurt maker didn't arrive today, so I may postpone starting the intro.
 
Katie, I'm glad I wasn't seeming argumentative. I never know with this communication medium how I may come across to others. :)

I LOVE Farmer's cheese and hope it'll be okay for me too.
 
So glad for this thread. I stumbled upon this diet the other day and have been thinking about getting a book and giving it a try. I think I will need to ease into it though. I already make most things for myself to avoid additives and preservatives, so that part may not be as much of a burden to me as others. Currently the only things I can keep down are juice, mashed potatoes and crackers, so if you take away the crackers that leaves me with little. Dr doctor currently has me banned from all solids, any raw vegetables or fruit, legumes, "gassy veggies", fatty foods and anything spiced or that tastes good (that last one is sort of a joke). Any meat needs to be moist and shredded into tiny bits before even going into my mouth and can't exceed 4 oz for the whole day. Additionally, any "meal" cannot exceed 1 cup in total volume I am currently also am about 90% lactose free by my own choice, but there are some things that I just can't resist a splash of milk in, like my mashed potatoes. I may still give it a try though, see if I can't cobble together a couple options for each meal given my restrictions. Any suggestions? It seems like the yogurt would be worth trying, but I suspect doing that and juices every day might be ill advised. Has anyone thought of starting a separate thread just for SCD recipes? I would do it myself, but I don't have anything to provide.
 
Alicat: Wow, I feel for you. Maybe just get the book and read it and see what you think. Just from MY perspective, I always knew that "something I was eating" was making me poop my brains out, but for the life of me I could never figure it out. Now I get that about HALF of what I was eating was the problem. For me it was simple (I feel guilty about that but I did suffer from 10 years of constant "D" so...maybe I can get over the guilt. :)

I started out eating only the things that I was sure would work for me and then started adding things in, trying them out. After about a week I just finally went full-onto the SPD diet. The author of the book, "Breaking the Viscous Cycle" seems to really know her stuff. I'm good as long as I eat what she suggests. Apples still kill me when they "shouldn't". So you know, everyone has their "thing" or "things".

Does sugar bother you? Sugar in any form except honey just runs right through me. I have a hard time with juices unless they're 100% juice and then I add a lot-o-water.

For me, I look at it this way: Anything I can eat that stays in my stomach is a great thing. Every single thing I find that I can add to my list feels like a huge win. It sounds like you have it really hard right now. I think the book could really help you to kind of get the overall picture and see what you'd like to look into for yourself. But everyone is different and has to do what works for them.

People are really helpful here to wade through the info and see what might work and what might not. At the very least, it feels good to try and do something. It's not much fun being completely out of control of your situation. I take my meds for sure, but I like knowing that it's possible to take back a little of the control through my eating.
 
I have been on the diet for over a year now. It works for me. U have to do the intro duet until your bad symptoms go away. I think for me it was only acweek then I could each raw veggies etc. At first it seems hard to do and overwhelming but u have to weigh it out. I felt anything would be better than the awef symptoms of Crohns.

Rox
 
I don't know that sugar bothers me, but I certainly feel better the more "savory" sorts of foods I can mange to sneak in. I definitely agree that finding what works for you is trial and error. I can't even look at anything with citric acid in it or I am miserable for at least the rest of the day. But nothing is worse than bananas. If I eat anything with even a little banana in it I will be sorry within 10 minutes. I am also finding that chocolate and ginger are now starting to bother me even in small quantities. And turkey. I was drawn to the SCD diet because my body seems to be tolerating meat extremely well when I have been told it should be the worst and last time I got myself well it was by eating the same thing everyday and it seems like it is pretty close to being SCD compliant. I would have this funny locally sourced, super probiotic, organic yogurt for breakfast, some berried in the mid morning, carrot sticks and 2oz of home cooked meat along with a slice of low fiber bread for lunch, some peanut butter (home made) and celery for afternoon snack and green beans, 1/2 chicken breast and some mashed potatoes for dinner. I know I would have to say good bye to the slice of bread and mashed potatoes but overall it is a lot more compliant than I am currently eat or was eating for most of the year that I was symptom free. Thought it would at least be worth a try. If it worked I can certainly see myself sticking to it for the sake of being free of pain and "food fear".
 
That is pretty darned close to SCD compliant. It seems like it would be worth trying the diet. I think we'll be interested to hear how things are working for you so please let us know!
 
Yes I love feeling normal again too! It's a healthy way to eat and I even have gone further with organic, additive and preservative free food. The SCDiet really works if u do it by the book.
 
I don't take drugs.

Just:
SCDophilus (SCD safe probiotic)
cod liver oil
5000 iu olive oil based vitamin D
SCD safe multivitamin (high potency)
L-Glutamine powder (1/4 tsp per day)
 
Starting today after all

My stomach pains have been really bad this week and things feel a bit 'raw' in there. You might have read about my little accident the other day too :poo:
Don't think it's a UTI because there's no burning, just maybe pressure from inflammation. So now seems a good time to start.
Soup is on the cooker to simmer and I'll have a go at making the cheese. Sipping on a yummy cup of hot water at the mo!! Off to have a look at the pecanbread website. Hope you're all having a good, pain free weekend.
Helen :hug:
 
Alicat, I agree it sounds like you've been forced to be almost SCD already. And if you can already tolerate meat well (I can too) then the intro should be easy for you. I'd give it a go if I were you. You don't appear to have much to lose. According the author most people see improvement on the Intro Diet quickly, in 2-5 days and they can then begin to carefully add more foods in.

Katie and Hope, I'm so glad you mentioned the trade-off. It's Sunday and I start the diet tomorrow and I'm tempted to put it off because I'm scared. But my disease is worsening and I have to keep reminding myself of that.
 
Well, Katie, I followed the recipe for the lemon juice version and yay, it worked a treat. Only used 2 litres milk to see how it went. Left it to drip while I went to the shop and when I came back, hey presto! A perfect little ball of crumbly cheese.
Successful trip to the shop too. Found some Tropicana 100% not from concentrate grape juice which has no sweeteners or preservatives added. having broiled fish for dinner - might try popping some of the cheese on top a couple of minutes before I take it out of the oven.
Must admit, I am pretty hungry but I guess I can fill up on the broth. Having said that, round about now is usually when my stomach starts to complain most, I guess at what I used to eat during the day, and it seems a bit happier this evening. Maybe cos the food is nice and light.
Hope you starters next week get on OK with it :)
 
Personally the lactose free yogurt I make still causes me D if I have more then a tablespoon a week. So I only choose to use it sparingly. I focus more on the SCDophilus capsules. I do like to make the cream cheese from it so I can make my cream cheese frosting when I need that special treat! Just a little of that goes a long way when it comes to my frosting. Yumm! I also noticed that too much of the peanut butter brownies gives me a whole lot of gas. So please take things very slow. I remember doing the yogurt too soon and as soon as I eliminated the homemade yogurt, and took it easy on the legal cheeses I got so much better.

Rox
Peri-anal crohns 2009
SCDiet 2010
Fistula/Seton 2010 (because I went off SCD for a bit)
no drugs
SCDophilus
SCD Multivitamin
L-Glutamine (amino acid)
 
For those of you in the States, do you know this site : lucyskitchenshop.com ? Was browsing through my recipe book and it's on the author's recommended list. Looks like they will deliver overseas too.
 
Grumbletum, I didn't know about that site. Going to check it out! And I'm SO excited your cheese experience turned out well! And you found juice! Pretty slammin' weekend!

hope4: I totally agree! I think people have to take it very slowly, very carefully, to see what works and what doesn't work for them. Thanks so much for that reminder.
 
Have y'all read the reviews of the book on Amazon? They're very inspiring.

I decided to start Tuesday instead of Monday. I was still too sick today to prepare the food, wander the stores looking for the grape juice, etc.
 
Yes. Partlycloudy sorry to hear you are unwell and hope you start to pick up soon.Definitely wait til you are feeling a bit stronger to arm yourself with all the bits. I'd forgotten in all the excitement of getting a yoghurt maker, making the cheese etc about the discipline of being on a diet. It's a bit like stopping smoking!! My big craving is for tea and coffee, albeit decaff - I managed to wean myself off the real thing. At least I found the juice, so I have something other than hot water to drink.
Katie I was so pleased with the cheese and it's so easy. Real sense of achievement in making it too! It was good browned in the oven on top of the fish - gave it a lovely texture and flavour. I will probably continue to make it for some time, because shop bought cheese is one of my big triggers and it's hard here to find any without colour or additives. Like you say Hope it will be a case of reintroducing things carefully and methodically.
Right, I am off to have a couple of eggs scrambled with some of the cheese for brekkie. Have a great day, y'all :hug:
 
Thank you, Katie and Grumbletum. I'm attacking.....er, staggering into,haha....the store today to get my supplies and get the soup on. I kinda like the sound of that. Instead of getting our groove on, we're getting our soup on. :D

I'm still weaning myself off coffee so will probably just continue drinking my 1/4 regular- 3/4 decaf combo while on the Intro, inching my way down each week. I know that's not legal, but I cannot take those caffeine withdrawal headaches, which I still get even at this low of a coffee dose.

Hope everyone has a successful week. :)
 
Alright, so I tried this diet this past December, and it did nothing for me. In fact, my inflammation rates went up! I did it for the entire month like the book suggested and followed it to a tee. Meanwhile, I was on around 15 mg of prednisone, pentasa, and methotrexate. I would say give this diet a try, but don't put all of your hopes in it because it doesn't work for everybody.
 
You're right, Scotishcanadian. I like that the author says that you'll know in a month if it'll work for you. It doesn't work for everyone. I try to mention that so people know that the diet might not necessarily work magic for them, like it does for me.
 
Well, today is the end of my first day on the Intro Diet, and I'm feeling awfully sorry for myself. I choked down a burger and almost cried at the idea of tackling this project and eating like this forever. I know I need to take it one day at a time and be patient.

My stupid cold has settled into my chest so I'm exhausted from all the coughing and my head hurts.

At least the gelatin is delish and very soothing on my raw throat.
 
Oh, Partlycloudy! Don't be blue. If you're like me, when you feel sick you feel incredibly weepy anyway. That's a hard time to start the diet. Just give it a shot. Sometimes after a few months, you can add back in some of your favorite foods and they won't bother you. So maybe that will cast a bit of hope on the whole thing.

And I often go to Sonics for a Bacon Cheeseburger! I just take off the buns and request no mayo or catsup. I know it's not the same, but I just don't care-it tastes awesome!

I went to Subway for a 12" Club sandwich today and I said..."Yeah, don't bother with the bread, just make it all on the paper." I'm sure that maybe there were nitrates and stuff in some of the meat, but it didn't bother my digestive system. I really don't feel like I'm sacrificing.

But to be fair, I've spent almost a year and a half giving up a LOT of foods, permanently, to lose a ton of weight. So it's been a process for me. Take it one step at a time. It actually TOTALLY isn't fair to have Crohn's, and it isn't fair with what we have to deal with and what we may have to give up. But I just think...well, this is the hand I've been dealt, so I guess I'll work within this framework. It's not easy, I know. One day at a time. It may be only a few months for you and might be able to dip back into some of your favorite foods!
 
Last edited:
Recipe for Peanut Butter/Raisin/Almond treats:

I made this today and it is fabulous!

Take one bag of PLAIN pork rinds. Open the bag to let the air out, then crush the rinds to little bits. Use a rolling pin or your hand or the bottom of a jar.

Pour the rinds into a bowl (are like rice crispies now) and add either 1 cup of peanut butter (all natural-no sugar) or 1/2 c. peanut butter and half a cup of almond butter (no sugar), 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup melted butter and 2/3 cup of raw almonds. Mix it all up. If you feel you need more moisture, add a little more honey or peanut butter.

Butter an 8x8" or so pan. Dump the mixture in and press it down. Put it in the freezer for 30 minutes or so. Cut into 2x2" squares and throw into a freezer bag. Keep in freezer. These treats are to die for. They really hit the spot when you want something sweet.
 
Partlycloudy I hear ya! The diet is a bit daunting at first, particularly the intro diet. Added to that, my yoghurt maker still hasn't arrived and I don't like jelly so don't think I'd get the gelatin thing down. Maybe you should wait until you've got rid of your cold symptoms? I think the will involved in doing this requires you to be feeling a wee bit more strong both physically and mentally.
I'd recommend getting an SCD recipe book as well. To me it's encouraging to see some of the yummy and nutritious things you can eat on this diet.
I couldn't find hamburgers that didn't have breadcrumbs etc. in them so got some ground almonds and made burgers with the recipe in the book. And they really were very nice!
I'm on day 3, or is it 4? now and I really do think my pain is subsiding. First couple of days I felt a bit rough and, ironically, have had D and - forgive my bluntness - some very strange coloured poo, but I think that's the bad bacteria coming out and the BVC website does warn that you might feel worse rather than better for a few days in the beginning.
Was at a friend's the other day who makes the most yummy cakes - I used to eat two bits at a time when I visited - and when I told her I couldn't have any cos I was on a diet and a bit about it she freaked a bit cos I have lost quite a lot of weight ( pre SCD ). But as I said to her, I was losing weight despite my cake greediness and eating regularly.
It still is a bit strange not having bread and especially pasta which I love, but I think I'm going to get used to it quite quickly. Tonight I am having broiled salmon and I'm going to try a spinach ( or rocket if I can't get spinach ) side dish from the book. My son can have his mashed potatoes instead!!
 
Grumbletum, thanks for the tip about the almond flour in the hamburger! Have you ever tried spaghetti squash in replacement of pastas? I like it a lot.

How much weight have you-pre SCD diet?
 
Katie and Grumbletum, thank you for your support. :) I'm feeling much better this morning, both physically and psychologically. You're right, I probably shouldn't have started this while sick. My thinking was since I was feeling bad anyway I may as well kill off some bacteria too. Bad idea!

One thing I've realized is how psychologically addicted I am to having a side of bread/pasta/noodles to make a "complete" meal.

Katie, did you lose weight on SCD or were you doing something different? I need to lose weight and I'm hoping getting my gut situation balanced will help. Those treats look yummy!
 
:I'm not sure how much I've lost (don't have scales) but I've probably dropped a dress size Or two. My trousers are in danger of falling down! I'm only 5ft so a couple of pounds up or down makes a noticeable difference. Definitely a bit too skinny at the mo.
I'd never heard of spaghetti squash til joining the forum so will look out for it.
 
Last edited:
Grumbletum, I meant to thank you for the recipe book suggestion. I'm waiting until after the Intro before spending any money. I want to make sure this works for me. I know that seems kind of odd, since books aren't THAT expensive, but then you haven't seen my cabinet full of cookbooks I never use. :D I'm addicted to them.
 
I tried to diet for a week and thought I was going to die, I felt horrible and my digestive problems got worse. Question, for those of you that are having positive results with the diet, are high fiber foods your trigger foods? The diet had me eating more fiber than normal and that's the only thing I could figure out as to why it was so negative for me.

So happy some of you are feeling better. That's great news!!!
 
Hi Leslie
I had D on and off for a few days which is not one of my 'normal' symptoms but that seems to have settled down.
Not sure about fibres, but I haven't been eating that many recently. Sugar and caffeine seem to be the biggest triggers for me. I'm starting to try out some fibery stuff to see how it goes. Was OK with the spinach yesterday.
What do you do then: are you better sticking to low res foods?
 
Leslie, I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit and it doesn't bother me at all. Apples give me "D" in a big way though. But on the other hand, I'd been losing weight for more than a year and my body was used to a lot of vegetables and fruits-so there is that. It wasn't a "shock" to my system maybe, is what I think I'm trying to say. Sugars, grains, milk or regular cottage cheese or soft cheeses is what does me in immediately.
 
Partlycloudy, I actually posted a reply to your question about my weight loss but it never showed up. I lost about 85 pounds counting calories on a normal diet. I pulled simple carbs like breads and sugar out of my diet when my son was diagnosed with diabetes and the whole family started a low carb diet of fruits/vegs/proteins. I began to feel so much better that I started looking into the possibility that some foods were bothering me (something I've suspected for 10+ years but could never pin down.) In doing research, I found out about the SCD diet and went on it the very next day. From that day on I've not had any diarrhea at all and have lost another several pounds quite easily.
 
The way I had been handling fiber before the diet was to always eat a veggie with a carb to cut it. It seems I can eat fiber when paired with something... but I can't over do it. For example, eating a salad as a meal is the worst thing I could do.

I guess that's why I so many problems on the SCD diet. That left meat, some veggies, some cheeses which also made it difficult to eat enough without eating tons of meat. So for now I'm back to eating the way I was before the SCD diet. I'm feeling alright... not 100% but alright.

Just curious why it was so horrible for me and so helpful for others.
 
Leslie, yes, high fiber foods are what put me in the ER twice before I figured out to avoid them. Last time I ate lettuce two days in a row I hurt for a month.

Did you do the Intro Diet for that week? The only veggies you eat on the Intro are well-cooked pureed carrots and you don't even have to eat those since the intro only lasts 2-5 days. It sounds like maybe you added too many veggies in too quickly(?).

I'm on day 3 of the Intro and my digestive symptoms are much better today. I'm sure I had bacteria die-off symptoms, but I've been sick with the flu so don't know which was flu and which was die-off.


Katie, thanks. I have quite a bit of weight to lose and have worried I'll gain on this. So many IBD patients do need to gain there's very little info about those of us who need to lose, although Elaine makes a few comments in her book about digestive imbalance contributing to extra weight. It sounds like you were almost SCD before you even began, huh? That's really interesting and I'm encouraged, although the weight issue wouldn't stop me from pursuing this. Losing it would be a fine benefit though. :D
 
According to the SCDiet you cannot introduce fiberouse food, or SCD yogurt until your symptoms go away!!!!! Very important step. Once you are down to formed stools, at the most, I think it is 2 or 3 then you can add cooked carrot, or cooked green beans or zuchinni. If it causes issues when you try it then take it out of your diet and reintroduce later. So cooked veggies, and cooked fruit. Nothing raw, and a little at a time. Like try cooked carrots in one week. If all is good the next week add cooked zucchini, etc.
 
Well, I fell off the SCD wagon yesterday. It's been a really busy week and I was feeling really wiped out yesterday, so caved and bought pizza for me and DS on the way home. Partly my thinking was that if I react badly, then the SCD is for me - and partly, I just couldn't be bothered to cook. Yep, I have the good old D this morning, so will be back on the SCD with a vengeance.
It does help that my yoghurt maker arrived yesterday :yoshijumpjoy: My first batch is fermenting away in the kitchen. I got the one with the seven jars so that I can make some with fruit for DS too cos he loves yoghurt. He's showing some interest in this now. I made scrambled egg the other day with just the eggs and some homemade cheese, and put a bit of smoked salmon in his share for him. He was pretty impressed!
 
Grumbletum, I love pizza! I make it SCD legal sometimes but it's so fatty, it's a rare treat. I totally get it on the wanting of pizza and not wanting to cook :) Anyway, you might do this too, but just wanted to share in case you hadn't tried and want to give it a shot:


PIZZA

Non-stick skillet with some butter melted in the bottom.
Sprinkle in about a half cup of cheddar cheese and top with other legal cheeses. I use a few slices of provolone and some fresh Parmesan. I sprinkle on red chili flakes, some fresh garlic and diced onion and olives and some thinly sliced meat and Italian seasoning. I just let it sit there and simmer away and as it cooks it gets a lovely crust on the bottom. I think I cook it on a low flame for about 5 minutes.

I've also made this in the oven but it never gets a great, crunchy crust unless I cook it in the skillet with a little butter. It is to die for IMHO. The top cheeses stay all melty and good and you have a crust-like crust.
 
Grumbletum: On the yogurt maker---so excited for you!!! This morning I had my homemade yogurt with honey, raisins, almonds and coconut and it was sooooooo good.
 
I'm littering the thread with messages today. I just wanted to say that I'll be away for a week, out working on our property in Southern New Mexico with no internet access. I'll catchup with ya'll later next week.:sheep:
 
Katie, I am droooooooling at the sound of that :D Sounds like a great quick fix and I will grab those ingredients the next time I get a pizza and/or can't be bothered to cook night!
I just had stuffed mushrooms for lunch. They were so tasty. Guess you can make up any mixture but mine had chopped spinach, homemade cheese, cheddar and egg to bind. Took about 10 mins to prepare and 15 to cook. And I was just thinking, how much nicer is this than the sandwich I would normally have had.
 
Katiejohnsonwriter said:
I'm littering the thread with messages today. I just wanted to say that I'll be away for a week, out working on our property in Southern New Mexico with no internet access. I'll catchup with ya'll later next week.:sheep:
Click to expand...

That sounds interesting! Have a good time - we'll miss you :panda-wave-t:
 
One of the things that I didn't like about SCD was that I could never thicken anything (like Chilli, lasagna, stew or plum sauce), so I played around a little bit and have now got something that works quite well.
I cook a squash - doesn't really matter what kind - spaghetti or butternut usually, scoop out all the insides and put them in the blender and puree them, then I put them in about 1 cup containers in the freezer. When I want to thicken something I'll pull one out to thaw, mix in an egg and then put the mixture in my chilli or whatever, gives it a thicker texture without flour and the squash really doesn't have any taste to it.
Hope you guys are all doing well on the diet :)
 
Hope, thanks for posting that. That was my understanding also.

Katie, have a good time in New Mexico. That sounds like fun even if you are working.

DMS, that's a great tip! I love my sauces thick and the "add a little mayo" technique in the book didn't sound appetizing.

Grumletum, it must have been the moon as I was SO tempted to eat pizza yesterday. I didn't though.
 
For me I would do anything to not have symptoms of a disease!! I do the SCD because it makes me feel physically normal again! It also got rid of my high blood pressure (lost all the extra weight) and it also healed my ACID REFLUX! So I feel better than I have in years! Only thing is that it has to be your lifestyle. No cheating ever! You get used to it. And everyone around you is in awe and wonder. No one can believe how strong I am. I say I don't have strength, I have FEAR, fear of another abscess! and that keeps me doing the diet. In fact, I am trying to get my whole family to eat like this because it is better for them and so many of them have diabetes, and Gerd. I want them to get better too. Some are trying part of the diet now and they don't even have IBD.
 
Very inspiring, Hope. I love hearing stuff like this.

I had to go off the diet for now due to being sick. I haven't been this sick in years! I was too exhausted and sick to do any more cooking for the next step and ran out of chicken soup. I'll restart next week.

The interesting thing was within an hour of eating regular food my diarrhea came back with a vengeance. The diet really sells itself.
 
DMS, that's a brilliant tip about the squash, thank you. Partlycloudy, sorry to hear your still not to good, and I think you're right to take a break for the mo. This diet definitely involves quite a lot of time in the kitchen, meal planning etc. I'm guessing it's something that will become second nature in time.
 
Grumbletum said:
This diet definitely involves quite a lot of time in the kitchen, meal planning etc. I'm guessing it's something that will become second nature in time.
Click to expand...

All the dirty dishes really take you by surprise too. I finally turned the corner and believe I just may live, but I'm still too exhausted to prepare anything. Instead of assuming this time, I'm just going to wait until I know for a fact I'm feeling well enough to start anew.
 
Do any of you use "cheat products"? For example I have been doing research on the possibility of a commercial yogurt to test the waters before I commit to a yogurt maker. It appears that a number of people who suffer from celiac and severe lactose intolerance who are also following SCD have found Nancy's Yogurt to be an awesome substitute. It is the longest fermented yogurt on the retail market and has twice as much live cultures as Stonyfield's Organic Plain Yogurt at 1.33 billion per mg. While it is not claiming to be lactose free, neither is the yogurt I would make at home. I am considering using it also because I can get it extremely fresh. I live less than 20 minutes from the factory and the creamery is owned by family friends. Anyone else take a gamble like this? At 2 bucks a gallon and less than a couple days removed from the cow it is hard to resist. Thoughts?
 

Similar threads

kiny
Inulin fiber exacerbates inflammatory bowel disease, study finds
Replies
4
Views
2K
Andersen007
A
kiny
Fiber-deficient diet inhibits colitis through the regulation of the niche and metabolism of a gut pathobiont
Replies
3
Views
2K
lukesjr
L
Papantoine
Neglect?
Replies
0
Views
251
Papantoine
Papantoine
thike1966
Hotel Crohn's Forever, The Return Of The Fistula
Replies
0
Views
593
thike1966
thike1966
A
My History
Replies
3
Views
2K
ARSalerno3
A

Latest posts

Back
Top