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Crohn's Disease Forum

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Hi Basmah, I appreciate your post, but keep in mind i'm just some guy telling people to eat real food.
My own thoughts are that some carbs are ok (if not essential) but i found sweet potato and some white rice less problematic than potato.for my digestion.
Keep in mind you need either fat OR carbs (or a combination) and a diet with insufficient of either is NOT good. (with nothing else to use the body cannibalizes itself)

Is the diet helping?
Can you spare the weight you have lost?
Does your accupuncturist have a plan for reintroducing foods?
Is someone else (doc,GI etc) keeping an eye on you?
When will you add foods?
You will need to add fats/oils slowly as they can cause D if too much too quickly.

If, if, if.......
If you are loosing weight too quickly (or too much weight) then add rice (or fat?) back in immediately,
 
Hey y'all:

Here's a tip that I found was a tremendous help to me and opened up the flexibility of the diet tremendously.

We are cautioned against using nut flours too early in the diet. I definitely agree with this, with one very big caveat.

If you soak your nuts in salt water before using them, it removes the single greatest threat to digestion you encounter when consuming nuts - enzyme inhibitors.

If you want to use nut flour early on in the diet, soak your almonds or walnuts for 12 / 4 hours, respectively, dry them in the oven at 150 degrees F, then treat them exactly as you would regular nuts!

Very simple trick. I went from feeling terrible after consuming nuts to literally not even knowing I had eaten them. I also gained 10 pounds in a month.
 
hugh said:
Hi Basmah, I appreciate your post, but keep in mind i'm just some guy telling people to eat real food.


My own thoughts are that some carbs are ok (if not essential) but i found sweet potato and some white rice less problematic than potato.for my digestion.
Keep in mind you need either fat OR carbs (or a combination) and a diet with insufficient of either is NOT good. (with nothing else to use the body cannibalizes itself)

Is the diet helping?
Can you spare the weight you have lost?
Does your accupuncturist have a plan for reintroducing foods?
Is someone else (doc,GI etc) keeping an eye on you?
When will you add foods?
You will need to add fats/oils slowly as they can cause D if too much too quickly.

If, if, if.......
If you are loosing weight too quickly (or too much weight) then add rice (or fat?) back in immediately,
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Hehe, I suppose with the combo of your posts and the bibliography, along with your picture of Sheldon, I always just thought, "This guy is a freakin' expert!"

I was losing quite a bit of weight in the beginning, and then I stopped when I started entering in potato (just a little bit each day in my soup, equaling one potato in 3-4 days) and cooking meats that were 85% lean (Instead of 90%, etc). Now, I have been maintaining my weight for the last month, and the feeling is very different than when I would lose weight in a flare; in other words, I don't feel bad or gross at all, just the opposite. That's why I'm not worried about the weight anymore, I would just like to move on from maintaining to gaining some back.

In the past, I have tried going gluten free, which helped a little at first, but not much. Then I went to see a dietician and did an elimination diet. I cut out most dairy, corn, wheat, and gluten. I was pretty good about following it, and for some reason I started getting really constipated, and my energy was awful (sleeping for several hours every day after work, and I would wake up for like 2 hours and fall asleep at 8pm). The acupuncture and diet is helping tremendously in regards to my energy and BMs. I don't nap very much anymore, and I stay up until a relatively decent hour. I also go to the bathroom less, no urgency/accidents, and the BMs are starting to have more form to them.

My acupuncturist's plan is to have me add in more foods once my digestion is more stable - she actually just told me to try a little bit of avocado and sweet potato for my weight, and check if I react to either one. But it's all about eating foods that are easy to digest right now (low carb and watch the fiber content), and then add on foods as time goes on. I just saw my GI doctor the other day, and he thinks that everything other than the weight sounds great - he was really impressed with my appetite, as I was eating food in his office for the first time in the 7 years I've been seeing him. I am just anxious to see what my lab results are, although I doubt I would see much difference at this point.
 
Basmah said:
.... along with your picture of Sheldon, I always just thought, "This guy is a freakin' expert!"
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just because i read alot doesn't make me an expert......
If anything i say makes sense then test it out and see if its true.
I'm so evangelical because for the first time in more than forty years i'm have normal *****.......

" but displays an almost total lack of social skills, a tenuous understanding of humor, and difficulty recognizing irony and sarcasm in other people, although he himself often employs them. He exhibits highly idiosyncratic and narcissistic behavior and a general lack of humility or empathy."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_Cooper
 
I get that you don't speak on behalf of the SCD diet, I just find it difficult to understand why you'd support a diet even though you disagree with one of its fundamental characteristics (needing strict adherence), and see that characteristic as a purely promotional tactic. You might as well say that you see SCD and paleo as good diets generally, but that you do better when you include some processed sugar and a MacDonald's every now and then.
 
UnXmas said:
I just find it difficult to understand why you'd support a diet even though you disagree with one of its fundamental characteristics (needing strict adherence),
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Think of it like this....
If I lived in a house with dogs, cats, and chickens and had bad allergies and someone said “Stay away from dogs, cats, and chickens” and if I took this advice and my allergies got better then I would be better off (and grateful).
If at a later stage I found out that dogs and chickens didn't cause me any allergies I wouldn't be pissed off at the guy who gave me the advice, I would think that his advice was relevant for everyone who lived with dogs, cats and chickens, (i know it's a lot more complicated than an allergy, but work with me on this, maybe the allergy to cats is making me more reactive to chickens, maybe it's making me intolerant of radishes, who knows? it's complicated)

SCD is a system, there is a lot of support and a lot of resources on line, there is even a book that you can buy to help understand the philosophy and practice, That's the main reason I support it,
It is a lot of people's introduction to the idea of avoiding toxins in food, that's another reason I support it, It leads people to thinking about and eating real food, that's another reason I support it.

UnXmas said:
and see that characteristic as a purely promotional tactic.
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I don't see it as a promotional tactic, it is their belief. I refer you back to the support, resources and experience with thousands of people over a number of years.
I have my own theories and they more closely line up with Paul Jaminet's (Perfect Health Diet)[1], but i'm just some random guy who likes to argue on forums and my 'confirmation bias' is as obvious as everybody else’s.
I think STRICT adherence to the no grains/no sugar policy is important and if people can reintroduce other foods that are 'illegal', like white rice and yams, at a later stage then great, but while they have a serious disbiosis then restricting carbs is probably helpful.
It's not perfect but it's worth a crack and it's better nutritional advice than you will get from most doctors (unless it's this guy[2])

UnXmas said:
You might as well say that you see SCD and paleo as good diets generally, but that you do better when you include some processed sugar and a MacDonald's every now and then.
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Now you've lost me, really, really lost me........
It's the opposite, completely opposite, that i'm advocating, and I get really tired of repeating myself.
This is me asking a serious question – do you get that it's the opposite of what you said above?,
Now if you'd said this i would agree with you....
“You might as well say that you see SCD and paleo as good diets generally, but that you might do better when you exclude eggplant and tomatoes for a while.”

[1] Bowel Disorders, Part I: About Gut Disease
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2010/07/ulcerative-colitis-a-devastating-gut-disease/
[2] Dr. Joseph Brasco MD
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=48559
 
The opposite of what?

You support SCD, paleo, perfect health diet, see them as good diets generally, but there are some foods that they deem illegal which you believe are or should be legal (or vice versa). Why tomatoes but not sugar? If you disagree with the official diets' ruling about one food, you could disagree about any food.
 
UnXmas said:
The opposite of what?

You support SCD, paleo, perfect health diet, see them as good diets generally, but there are some foods that they deem illegal which you believe are or should be legal (or vice versa). Why tomatoes but not sugar? If you disagree with the official diets' ruling about one food, you could disagree about any food.
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blah blah blah
 
UnXmas said:
The opposite of what?
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The opposite as in – there is no harm in being overly cautious, excluding more than the absolute minimum (especially since no-one knows what that is for any individual).
There is a real and pretty [expletive deleted] obvious risk of not excluding enough.
Can someone else let me know if i'm not being clear? It seems pretty obvious to me......

UnXmas said:
You support SCD, paleo, perfect health diet, see them as good diets generally,
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Yes, they are 90% the same, it is the other 10% that make for interesting thought. The areas that they are in agreement I think are worth 100% adherence, the points of difference might be worth an individual investigating if they were so inclined.

UnXmas said:
but there are some foods that they deem illegal which you believe are or should be legal (or vice versa).
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The foods deemed 'illegal' on the SCD diet that I believe 'should' be 'legal' are 'approved' for the perfect health diet and widely (but not universally) accepted in the paleo diet.
Likewise, the foods that are 'legal' on the SCD diet diet that I believe 'should' be 'illegal'' are not 'approved' for the perfect health diet and are not accepted in the paleo diet.
OK?

UnXmas said:
Why tomatoes but not sugar?
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The important changes in the alternate sentence that I put up were highlighted – 'might' instead 'will do better', 'exclude' instead of 'include', and 'for a while' instead of 'now and then'.
Tomato was just an example (there is some slight evidence that some people have problems with nightshades, therefore, but my rational, everyone might benefit by excluding them for a while.)
Nobody will benefit by adding McD's or sugar to their SCD diet.
It's pretty simple and you are being tedious with this line of questioning.
If you really can't understand what i'm saying then I can't help you with that.

UnXmas said:
If you disagree with the official diets' ruling about one food, you could disagree about any food.
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Firstly, I can disagree with whatever the **** I want, that's one of life's simple truths.
Doesn't mean i'm right or not,
I think I covered this last sentence in the rest of this post, but please, if there is anybody else reading please let me know if it's me not explaining myself or just a lack of comprehension on Unxmas's part
 
You've missed my point, but never mind, what you have made clear is the danger of what can happen if you become too obsessed with diet.

Happy Christmas... I hope no one made the mistake of offering you a shop-bought mince pie or a piece of Christmas pudding - they wouldn't be expecting you to get angry, most people don't get angry about sugar.
 
UnXmas said:
You've missed my point, but never mind, what you have made clear is the danger of what can happen if you become too obsessed with diet.

Happy Christmas... I hope no one made the mistake of offering you a shop-bought mince pie or a piece of Christmas pudding - they wouldn't be expecting you to get angry, most people don't get angry about sugar.
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Merry christmas to you too,
I missed your point?.......now i'm intrigued, but never mind.
I find the blank looks when i (politely) refuse food and explain that i don't eat toxic 'food-like-products' quite amusing.
I'm pretty relaxed about diet, i just decide not to eat things that are bad for me and feel good about it.
 
hugh said:
Merry christmas to you too,
I missed your point?.......now i'm intrigued, but never mind.
I find the blank looks when i (politely) refuse food and explain that i don't eat toxic 'food-like-products' quite amusing.
I'm pretty relaxed about diet, i just decide not to eat things that are bad for me and feel good about it.
Click to expand...



Telling people they are eating "toxic food" is simply rude an obnoxious. Toxic to you may not be toxic to someone else and vice versa. Many people on this board wish people would be more understanding and supportive. Attitudes like this turn people away. A simple "no thank you" suffices. If someone inquires a simple "I'm on a special diet" should do the trick. If people inquire as to what/why, then maybe there is your avenue to explain without being biased. I have a patient who is 84 years old, comes in once a year for a checkup. Takes no meds, has normal cholesterol, sugar, blood pressure, had a normal colonoscopy 2 years ago, no GI, heart or pulmonary problems. Eats whatever the heck he wants. You want to tell him he is poisoning himself for the past 84 years? I dare you.

I'm glad you found a diet that works for you, and I hope you continue to heal and thrive. But please don't judge others.
 
As the title of this thread suggests it is a support group and by definition is:

Support group: A group of people with common experiences or concerns who provide each other with encouragement, comfort, and advice.

Now no one is suggesting that robust and respectful discussion can’t take place as that is exactly what should be occurring but, I don’t know that the last handful of posts are helpful to those seeking advice about these diets.

Please keep things civil and if that isn’t possible then walk away from it.

Thanks.
 
I was just reading this on The SCD Lifestyle website yesterday (http://scdlifestyle.com/2014/09/the-ultimate-digestive-troubleshooting-guide/) , and I think everyone should adopt this idea rather than labeling how they eat:

"What we found over the years is that really it’s about finding a custom diet that works for you. It’s about putting on your engineering hat, whatever that looks like for you.

We can all be health engineers."

So whatever may work for someone may not work for somebody else. Also, science is ever changing, whether it's nature/space/health and food. Someone who has been a Paleo guru for 20+ years might say this year that "potato is the new superfood, and here is the scientific evidence to prove it". Then, there are other folks who may be able to survive eating at McDonald's once a week, and have no problems. It's just the way our bodies work.
 
Paleo followers, do you exclude nightshades from your diet?
I've used different synthetic alkaloids for my migraine and find out alkaloids cause significant gastrointestinal problems.
Nightshades contain alkaloids and some paleo websites warn about them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycoalkaloid

Potato glycoalkaloids adversely affect intestinal permeability and aggravate inflammatory bowel disease.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12479649
 
Crohn2357 said:
Paleo followers, do you exclude nightshades from your diet?
I've used different synthetic alkaloids for my migraine and find out alkaloids cause significant gastrointestinal problems.
Nightshades contain alkaloids and some paleo websites warn about them.
Click to expand...

When I first went paleo it was a 'no potatoes, low carb' version (following on from no potatoes SCD).
After about eight months of no potatoes (and very infrequent other nightshades) I reintroduced them on two separate occasions (two weeks apart) and reacted to them (snot, lots of runny snot, sweating and weird tingling in my legs). I tried them again another 4 months later with no reaction and included them in my diet for almost two years with no issues until I had a run in with gluten laced hamburger and the reactions came back so I no longer eat them.

I have never had the feeling that potatoes were causing problems, just that when I was not doing well it was a food I reacted to but that is only my impression.

I have never noticed problems with other nightshades but I don't eat much of them and we are all different. I do not avoid small amounts of other nightshades but if i ever notice any reactions i will reconsider.

Short answer: There are lots of different compounds in different quantities in different nightshades and if you have any intestinal issues then it is not unlikely that some of these compounds may be making their way into your body and you may react to some of them......

“To put it bluntly, the only people who need to worry about nightshades are those who already have issues with their stomachs, intestinal tracks, or digestive tracks. Some individuals with autoimmune diseases should also avoid ingesting the edible nightshades but, for the vast majority of people, nightshades should cause no problems.”
http://ultimatepaleoguide.com/beginners-guide-nightshades/

The “paleo A/I protocol" (and related book (“The Paleo Approach”) which you might be able to get from a library rather than buying) avoid Nightshades on their 30 day elimination diet and then add them in one thing at a time to see if they are tolerated

The WHYs behind the Autoimmune Protocol: Nightshades
http://www.thepaleomom.com/2012/08/the-whys-behind-autoimmune-protocol.html
 
I just joined this group, but have been doing SCD for a long time. I am fanatically compliant. The conversation here seems a bit off and I am not yet sure of the purpose. Lots and lots of debate regarding folks opinions. SCD makes sense, SCD does not make sense... It seems to me if you believe SCD does not make sense, you should not do it.

What is confusing to me are folks who believe SCD does NOT make sense, yet spend so much energy trying to what, educate?, convince? those that think SCD works. To what end? For what purpose? In a support forum, we should be supportive. The only valid reason I can think of spending time talking about why SCD does not work, is if you believe there is harm being done. That would be supportive. How does saying "I think SCD is wrong, incorrect, does not make sense.. equal being supportive?

I will now give my OPINION. I believe eating healthy has to improve health. There are some baselines to eating healthy which includes eliminating and minimizing chemicals, eating food in it's natural state or at least in a way which does not strip nutrients, eating protein that does not come from factories... I see the above as pretty much just common sense and applicable to all, but even more so to folks with compromised health (like Crohn's).
My OPINION, is that what we put in our guts, the part of the body Crohn's is hurting, has to have some impact. Doctors who say it does not have not read all the research.

My OPINION, is if you believe the above, then you should do something about it because the drugs and long term effects of Crohn's are darn severe.

My OPINION, is that you should spend energy, helping yourself, and/or helping others. It does not make sense or create personal or community value, spending effort to tell others your opinion of why what they are doing is wrong.

My OPINION is diet works. The facts are the diet books contradict each other. The facts are all the books say they work. My suggestion is read them all and find one that "speaks" to you. I read Paleo, Low FodMAp, SCD, Makers, Probiotic, Life Without Bread and a ton more. Spend your time and effort making your decision work for you and if you wish for others. My OPINION, is that spending time, having a scientific discussion, when mostly no one participating is a scientist, but rather just folks expressing opinions with little real knowledge, helps no one.

Hope this thread turns positive and we support folks to heal with food

Dave
 
I question and criticise diets (and other alternative therapies) that claim to help with, cure or prevent illness with no reliable evidence behind them. These diets and therapies do do harm: they make people give their money, time and energy into something that most likely won't help at all. When I was a teenager, I tried all sorts of diets and alternative treatments because I was desperate to get better, and I was very naive. I didn't understand why there were people claiming that if I gave up gluten, dairy, processed food, sugar, etc. etc. that I would get better, when I didn't. I tried elimination diets, got tested for food intolerances, saw nutritionists. And I didn't get better.

I upset my family, because I had to buy my food separately, cook it separately; I couldn't join in family meals or meals with my friends. It was isolating, but I could have handled that, and my family could have handled that, if it had made me better. But it didn't. It made me worse. All the "healthy" vegetables, nuts, seeds, I was eating on many versions of the diets I tried was far too much fibre for my system to handle, and I lost weight that I couldn't afford to lose. And I got so confused about why I wasn't getting better, and went through endless disappointment. I got phobic of eating, because so many foods were labelled as "bad". It was absolutely miserable.

Diet does help me: I eat a balanced diet now. A typical Western diet is a balanced diet if you stick to the right quantities of things, and it's a diet which encourages freedom and relaxation, rather than neuroticism. A low fibre diet (in which processed food is a great help) also alleviates my symptoms. And funnily enough, it's these diets that have real evidence behind them: conventional doctors often advise a low fibre diet for certain digestive disorders, and there's no shortage of information available about what an actual healthy diet looks like.

Does that help you understand why I try to "educate" and "convince?" Which I haven't done on this thread, this is a support group, so on this thread I've questioned (....except perhaps in this post). I also just find it quite interesting, given the experiences I've had. You can be interested in something and want to find out about it without agreeing with it.
 
UnXmas

"These diets and therapies do do harm: they make people give their money, time and energy into something that most likely won't help at all."

The current SCD studies all show a very high % of folks have measurable decrease in symptoms and the need for less drugs. I have never seen any research that has any different results. You might say, the studies are too small and too short and in my opinion, that is a valid observation. The counter to that is if you perform a meta analysis, the results are more valid. If you have ever seen one study that shows SCD does not work would you please do me a favor and reference it. Otherwise, I have to conclude, you are one more person who diet did not work for, and you without regard to the research showing SCD does work you feel you need to protect folks from trying SCD.

"Diet does help me: I eat a balanced diet now. A typical Western diet is a balanced diet if you stick to the right quantities of things, and it's a diet which encourages freedom and relaxation, rather than neuroticism."

So on one hand you say, "something that most likely won't help at all" and then in the next paragraph you say "Diet does help me" (Weston Price). So your real position is diet does help but not SCD. I will spend my time trying to tear down SCD, not promoting/educating re Weston Price. hmm

I love the book Nourishing Traditions which is a Weston Price book. Few folks know all the super valuable info in it. I have incorporated lots from that book.
Would you not make a greater contribution by educating on what you know works for you after all your hard work on diet, instead of spending time directly and indirectly putting down SCD.
Dave
 
I'm not sure where the contradiction is in saying that I criticise diets which have no good evidence that they help and saying that diet helps me. I would criticise diets that claim health benefits but which have no evidence supporting them beyond the anecdotal, but the aspects of diet that have helped me don't just have anecdotal evidence: there's good evidence that low fibre helps certain digestive problems (and prevents stoma blockages), and there's definitely evidence that some foods are healthy and some aren't, and what constitutes a healthy diet; obviously the specifics of a healthy diet will vary from person to person, but the basics - fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fish, water, etc. = good; sweets, chocolate, crisps, fizzy drinks, etc. = bad if you have too much - there's a lot more than just anecdotal evidence available to work out a healthy, balanced diet. (And I don't think there's any need to go looking up published articles about such common knowledge.) I don't follow any special, restrictive, alternative diet claiming special healing powers, just what regular, conventional dieticians and doctors advise to keep people healthy, using the everyday foods you get at every supermarket, but in my case adjusted to a low-fibre version, and with more of the calorie-dense foods because I need to gain weight.

So where's the contradiction?

Anyway, since your response to reading about the distressing experiences I had was to insult, I think you've again proven the point I made in an earlier post about the dangers of becoming obsessed with diet. So I'm going to stop posting on this thread now, and you can get back to making it a supportive thread.

Edit: I've never heard of Weston Price, and aren't really sure what point you're attempting to make about whatever that is.
 
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I am all for criticizing specific diets, because none of them are going to be a "one size fits all" - even most SCD/Paleo/whatever "gurus" say that now. The human body is a complex system, and we should treat it as such. Science will continue to provide evidence on what's good for the body and what isn't, but that doesn't mean that we can't experiment on ourselves to know what's best for us.

Anywho, It's sometimes hard to tell the tone in which people type on the net. I apologize in advance if I'm wrong, but it did appear as though things were getting a little bit defensive and hostile on this page. But it doesn't seem fair that someone feels like they have to leave a thread because of some disagreement. This thread should be supportive as well as open minded.

That's all I have to say about that. Happy Friday!
 
I'm interested in trying paleo diet, I've got severe Crohn's & think this diet could help me! Anyone got any tips or helpful info. Thanks :)
 
Welcome to the forum. I'm going to tag Hugh as he has a lot of info on the paleo diet. Hopefully he will be along shortly.

Good luck.
 
Hi all,

I've been doing SCD for my Crohns now for over 6 months now and fell out of doing it 100% for a month over Christmas as I was home visiting family (I live in the UK but I'm Canadian) and at times had things slip through the radar as it couldn't be helped. It didn't affect me too bad (but had some unfortunate episodes) but I've been back on SCD for a week and either having die off or some other issues. I've been finding that with this diet I can't find out exactly what's bothering me and I have a feeling I'm eliminating things that I could eat, and sometimes having things that I shouldn't therefore I've been thinking about trying AIP (auto immune paleo).

So I was wondering if anyone else on here has had experience with AIP? I was hoping to maybe switch to this and then once some food re-introductions happen I could figure out some of what I can eat and some of what I can't. I think I will maintain being grain-free for a long time though as I feel much better without this. Also, are there any books or websites that you could consider essential for starting AIP?

Thanks everyone in advance!

Stacey
 
keep in mind that they are not specifically designed for people with gut issues so i would definitely consider something like the SCD or GAPS introduction diet[1] to heal and transition to these diets.......

The Autoimmune Protocol
http://www.thepaleomom.com/autoimmunity/the-autoimmune-protocol
What is Autoimmune Paleo or AIP Diet?
http://aiplifestyle.com/what-is-autoimmune-protocol-diet/

also worth a look
The Perfect Health Diet
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/the-diet/
Bowel Disorders, Part I: About Gut Disease
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2010/07/ulcerative-colitis-a-devastating-gut-disease/

[1]The SCD Intro Diet
"The intro diet helps get a head start on clearing the harmful microbes out of the body by starving them while at the same time feeding the body nutritious foods that are easy to digest. "
http://pecanbread.com/f/how/introdiet.html

The Stages of SCD
"-Introduce ONE new food at a time- a two to four day interval is a great (but not mandatory) guideline for introducing new foods. This will make it possible determine whether each new food can be tolerated.
-This chart is based on the healing process that is taking place.
It is not based on a timeline. Some people may be able to add new foods more quickly than others. "
http://pecanbread.com/p/how/stages.html
 
hugh said:
keep in mind that they are not specifically designed for people with gut issues so i would definitely consider something like the SCD or GAPS introduction diet[1] to heal and transition to these diets.......

The Autoimmune Protocol
http://www.thepaleomom.com/autoimmunity/the-autoimmune-protocol
What is Autoimmune Paleo or AIP Diet?
http://aiplifestyle.com/what-is-autoimmune-protocol-diet/
Click to expand...

I give up with SCD. I don't really feel better on the intro diet. My symptoms are very mild anyway, but SCD doesn't seem to help the constant bloating, cramping and numerous trips to the bathroom in the morning.

I am thinking of trying the AIP diet. Can anyone tell me anything about it? Do you have to do an intro like SCD? Is there stages for reintroducing foods?

What's it all about? :)

EDIT: What book should I get? Is it: The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body by S. Ballantyne?
 
Al77 said:
I give up with SCD. I don't really feel better on the intro diet. My symptoms are very mild anyway, but SCD doesn't seem to help the constant bloating, cramping and numerous trips to the bathroom in the morning.
I am thinking of trying the AIP diet. Can anyone tell me anything about it? Do you have to do an intro like SCD? Is there stages for reintroducing foods?

What's it all about? :)
Click to expand...

Check out the links above,(What is Autoimmune Paleo or AIP Diet? that header was a bit of a give-away?????) but you might want to do FODMAPS, it's all about identifying what sugars are causing bloating/cramping/gas/diarrhoea .....
There are SCD legal foods that can cause problems for some,... dairy, legumes, onions, broccoli.....
Fodmaps eliminates and reintroduces foods to test for cramping/gas etc

FODMAP Diet: A Fad Diet or Helpful for Everyone?
““FODMAP.” It’s a medical acronym for Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols.”
“F is for Fermentable– In this context, the fermentation of these carbohydrates occurs either in the small or large intestine. In many cases, this is normal and happens in healthy people. But in people affected by IBS the fermentation causes more pain than normal. The theory here is (in affected people) a reduction in all fermentation will improve the quality of patients’ lives.”
http://scdlifestyle.com/2012/09/fodmap-diet-a-fad-diet-or-helpful-for-everyone/

this is a great podcast and explains it well.......
Dr. Siebecker Explains the Art and Science of the FODMAP Diet (Podcast 45)
http://scdlifestyle.com/2012/09/dr-...rt-and-science-of-the-fodmap-diet-podcast-45/
 
Al77 said:
EDIT: What book should I get? Is it: The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body by S. Ballantyne?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't buy it unless you want to geek out on the science (way over my head, makes sense, might be right, might not). It would be helpful but all the information you need is for free on the internet.
I got it from my library and i would recommend going that option.....
by the way......S. Ballantyne is "The Paleo Mom"
http://www.thepaleomom.com/autoimmunity/the-autoimmune-protocol
 
I'm reading Paleo Approach and I wish I'd skipped the science-y chapters when she said where to skip to, lol!!
The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook is beautiful!
AIP is an elimination diet (not meant as a lifestyle long-term) that, in addition to those foods eliminated with Paleo, eliminates nightshades, eggs & nuts. There is systematic reintroduction of these foods suggested.
 
Hello all. Just thought I would respond to this thread since I got an update on a different thread I posted on years ago. I haven't posted recently because my son has been in remission for almost 2 years now. He was facing having to increase Remicade when he started SCD. It has worked really well for him. He did it following the stepwise approach of SCD Lifestyle and now can eat anything including nuts. The old post on another thread showed me that I was remiss in not including a success story for people to read about. Too often you get on with your life and stop posting. I wish all of you the best. This is not an easy diet to do. Anyone who has tried should congratulate themselves. Die off is real and withdrawal from refined sugar is rough but well worth it. He was "almost SCD" for years, but going 100% really made the difference for him. I wish everyone the best with their efforts.
 
Congratulations vpc420 to you and your son!! I to had success (modified scd of course, I think we all have to modify to some degree) with nutritional changes and am at about 10-12 years of no active disease (diagnosis in 1995). Happy to provide specific support to those with specific questions. There are a lot of things missing in SCD based on when it was written as well as interpretation issues, and there are a lot of products around now that weren't then - so you don't necessarily have to make your own yogurt anymore (though I remember doing it). I agree that those of us who are having success need to post more so more of us can achieve remission. Anyway, good luck to you all and please don't hesitate to contact if you have a question.
 
I'd love to know more about the yogurt! I have been feeling like I wasn't getting probiotics right bc I'm not making yogurt!
 
The yogurt is easy! I still make it for myself even though my son is at school. He has an apartment now, but he used to make it in the dorm. It takes me 30 minutes start to finish. My son used to take probiotics that were $100/month. I read somewhere that the colony count in the yogurt is around 700 billion in one cup. He started just taking the yogurt each day instead of the probiotics. He tries to get in about half a cup. The maker is only about $60 on amazon, so it isn't a huge financial commitment. I also bought a yogurt strainer. Somehow it doesn't seem as sour if you strain it. I like it best with Manuka honey mixed in.
 
I make yoghurt without any specific equipment (in fact, I've just unwrapped what I made yesterday).

There are various recipes. I use 1 litre of full cream, organic milk in a saucepan. Bring to the boil (85ºC/180F if you have a thermometer), stirring, keep at that temperature for about a minute or so.

Take off the heat and let cool to room temperature (I know, that varies radically, so 45ºC/110ºF*). Add about 1/4 cup/2 full tablespoons** PLAIN yoghurt with live culture (I use organic or bio dynamic yoghurt), stir in thoroughly.

Pour into a heavy container, with a lid, that will retain the heat. I use a ceramic pot. Then wrap in blanket, doona, towels, old jumpers or anything that will keep it warm while it develops. Some people use a heat pad on low, or put it in your hot water service cupboard, drying cabinet or whatever in the cooler weather. Leave for 24 hours.

* A Pakistani woman friend of mine, who has 5 children and makes yoghurt every day, says cool it until you can hold your little finger in it while you count 10 seconds.

** Different brands or types of commercial yoghurt will give you degrees of firmness, so you might need a bit more or less. It's a bit trial and error to start with, but you can always use it as pouring yoghurt if it's a bit too thin.

I find that I can use my own yoghurt as a starter 3 or 4 times, then need to buy some commercial yoghurt to give it a boost.
 
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I also made the yogurt. Oddly enough my mom and grandma used to make it when I was a kid so I had people to ask. There are some products that in a pinch give you the benefits when you can't make your own yogurt. I have been buying decent quality kefir at local health food stores. It is drinkable and has even more probiotics than yogurt, though homemade yogurt doesn't necessarily have a culture count that we can measure. Similar in taste, just read ingredients and make sure there aren't additives you should be avoiding until your are feeling better. Carrageenan is one that we should avoid, though I personally didn't have a problem with it. When you are having flare ups, be as strict as possible. Kefir is very settling on the stomach. My fave is Helios brand...price is ok, organic and ingredients list checks out. Watch pre-flavored ones when flaring up, but you may tolerate just fine. Usual fake colors and flavor won't be in organic ones but carrageenan may be present, and again, not all of us have a problem with that. Also keeps well over a month in fridge, so easy to grab when you don't know what else to do and need something in your belly...you can also make yourself similar to yogurt. This is one of the foods that wasn't readily available during first printing of SCD but easy to get now.
 
And btw, my mom had the yogurt maker when I was a kid, and my grandma just made in corningware in stove with gas pilot light. We would then strain in cheesecloth for about a day to make labni, which is less sour and more like a cheese. Always used mountain high brand as starter, but today there are so many brands that are rBST free, organic, and live culture that you should try different ones to get flavor you like. I believe they would say fat free made more sour yogurt and low fat to regular fat made less sour. All a starter is - any yogurt that has live culture, so just read labels.

Also, someone mentioned missing bread...read up on the history of sourdough...also a live culture food. A good quality, slow raised sourdough on occasion might be tolerated very well. Rumor is that the sourdough culture eats the yeast. I have been experimenting with different brands and no problems, but if flaring up, proceed with caution. I ate no bread for the bad years, but wasn't aware of probiotics in good quality sourdough. I totally would have tried it. I think has to slow raise, 24 hrs.
 
My local health food shop makes kefir, but it is very fizzy with lots of bubbles and I'm very wary of bubbles. I make enough gas of my own!
 
Lol...agree to avoid soda water and champagne, but there is a whole site on kefir and crohns that you might want to read up on. And again, plenty of high quality yogurts these days that work just fine. I stumbled onto kefir by accident, something for my kids to use as a healthy base for smoothies, then I would drink some plain. It really makes my belly feel good! I guess that's what the word kefir translates to. Type crohns babe kefir in search engine for info. Main thing is to get your probiotics in one way or another.
 
Curious to hear other opinions on kefir...success, failure and brands...always interesting to compare similarities and differences.
 
I have been thinking of trying kefir, quite honestly 'cause I like the name more than anything! :)

But when can you introduce it if you are following SCD etc?

I am not sure I can buy it here (I'm British, live in Finland - Need to go on a Finnish Crohn's forum) and would be even more surprised if I can buy a good quality, safe one.
 
Go on the net and find someone who is selling kefir grains.
it's super easy to make and cheap too......

Some people do NOT respond well to yoghurt/kefir.
I improved when i gave it up (D stopped).
Goat or sheep milk seems to be better tolerated/less likely to cause problems.

SCD recommends probiotics and yoghurt starters without Bifidobacteria as they can overgrow and cause problems.
"Before we get into the good stuff we have to touch on Bifidobacteria. It’s a hot topic in the SCD community for the reason that it can “take over” and cause health problems in some cases."

SCD lifestyle recommends "So our current thinking on it is: once you’ve been on the diet about 30 days and you’re starting to feel better, go ahead and test SCD legal fermented yogurt slowly…
In the meantime – probiotics can help you heal start healing in the absence of these other sources."
SCD Probiotics – What You Really Need to Know
http://scdlifestyle.com/2011/08/scd-probiotics-what-you-really-need-to-know/

Make sauerkraut - it is sooooo easy
Chop veggies (just cabbage is ok), add 1 teaspoon of salt per pound, crush with fingers, cover with water and weight, wait 1 week.......
Start with half a teaspoon of the liquid and if that's ok work upwards slowly.
Don't rush it, start slow!!!!!!!!!!!
 
...and that makes sense with the kefir, I have only added in the past 3 years?? after already having disappearance of symptoms.

So going to make some sauerkraut now...I grow a lot of my own veggies now, had way too many last year. Hugh- making it sound nice and easy!!
 
nikki4294 said:
So going to make some sauerkraut now...I grow a lot of my own veggies now, had way too many last year. Hugh- making it sound nice and easy!!
Click to expand...

It is that easy, but check out some recipes to fine tune....

I cut my cabbage chunky because i like it crunchy,
My standard is 500% cabbage, 30%carrot, 20%celery
I add turmeric, ginger and chilli,
but all you need is cabbage and salt

Leave overnight after crunching in salt and then top up with water to cover and weight down.
I use a slow-cooker crock, a plate (unpainted) as the paint can dissolve (found that out the hard way) and a heavy glass paper weight.
It needs to be covered as the flies will drown in it as they investigate the smell
 
Anti-inflammatory add-ins of course. Very cool to work in the turmeric. Never been a fan of the store bought and have just been reading about expanding fermented foods beyond yogurt and kefir... Thanks for that - first time trying homemade. Hated pickles too until I made my own, now I love them! Will let you know how I do...
 
ai77, i think kefir is an Eastern European product, so i'd imagine if i can get is San Diego, your local health food store would have in Finland...don't quote me on that!! Suggestion if you can't find starter to make your own (hugh is right for starter - I have only bought premade as we have many good options here in local hfs) should be many varieties near milk/cream section of health food store. I was in Netherlands in April last year and found similar products at grocery store...not sure how organic translates on Finnish label, but again, no additives, food coloring, etc...
 
nikki4294 said:
ai77, i think kefir is an Eastern European product, so i'd imagine if i can get is San Diego, your local health food store would have in Finland...don't quote me on that!! Suggestion if you can't find starter to make your own (hugh is right for starter - I have only bought premade as we have many good options here in local hfs) should be many varieties near milk/cream section of health food store. I was in Netherlands in April last year and found similar products at grocery store...not sure how organic translates on Finnish label, but again, no additives, food coloring, etc...
Click to expand...

You'll be surprised. Finland is a little remote and not exactly a culturally diverse place and politely put....a little behind the times. Organic only started to take off a couple of years ago.

But...I remembered a discussion about kefir on an ex-pat forum so I had a browse there. People said it used to be sold in Estonian and Russian shops in Helsinki. My girlfriend goes down a lot for work so she'll check around. But some people from the forum were offering to share the grains (??) and I think I can order the stuff online.

Estonia is only a quick ferry ride away, so there's always that option.

It'll be fun to try at least.

Edit: Apparently Kefir buttermilk is easy to find. Dunno if that's ok though.
 
We've just started making sauerkraut! Just used cabbage and salt for the first batch which turned out well, so now I'm going to start experimenting with other recipies.

For you folks who lacto-ferment things -- how long do you typically let them ferment? The advice I read seems to have wide ranges (eg, 1 to 4+ weeks).... is there a health benefit to a longer ferment? Or just taste preference?
 
Just over two weeks into the SCD here. Man I couldn't believe how hard the first week was! I literally went from eating loads of breads, chips, crackers, reeces pieces, all kinds of sweets, and then went cold turkey into this diet and holy hell did it hit hard. For the first 3-5 days I had what felt like the flu or some kind of withdrawal from carbs and sugars with headaches, body aches, weird mental states, anger, bad dreams, and having absolutely no energy. I would lose my temper at the drop of a hat.

All that has seemed to taper off now as I'm adjusting to the diet but I'm not a very good cook and am still working hard to try and eat enough each day to maintain even 1500 cals (already lost 6lbs, I'm 5' 11" and now 178lbs). I like to have a shake in the morning with a banana, apple, blueberries, baby spinach, and some cidar. For lunch I do some kind of chicken and salad related meal. Then for dinner either more chicken and greens or another shake. I just started to get enough courage to start eating nuts and some raisins as a snack between meals and it hasn't affected me negatively so far. I had cut out dairy just over a year ago so I haven't had any still, but I might try some of the legal cheeses down the road if I work up the guts to do so.

So far all I can say is that I feel much better than I have in years already. I've been in terrible shape over the last three years trying different elimination diets then failing completely and going into eating just about anything except dairy in defeat. I've had times in my life where I randomly go into a nice remission even eating the worst of diets so I'm just hoping that this isn't a fluke coincidence and that if I continue to live this way I can lead a more fulfilling life with better health.

Due to under eating I've also gone into Ketosis quite a few times over the last week. I normally wake up with an awful taste in my mouth (kinda like metal). Sometimes I have an increased heart rate and some anxiety along with it. I went out and got some ketone strips and it showed my ketones were moderate to high. To make sure this wasn't some new diabetic problem showing up I had a banana and then tested a few more times throughout the hour and the test gradually became negative.

Anyway, I'm glad to be trying something new and hope I can stick with this for at least a few months to report whether or not I have any stable improvement. I will definitely need some food tips along the way. Thanks for all the info thus far in the forum guys.
 
And a1000lies, good for you for giving a go! I know it is a major life redesign, but like you said, you are feeling better, so totally worth it. If you ever have specific questions, don't hesitate to ask, email private, group email... the more threads you read, the more you realize that we each have different variations that work for us...
 
Inspired by this discussion, I bought some Bubbies sauerkraut but I don't know if I can bring myself to try it!!
 
For any Aussies out there "Life in a Jar" sauerkraut is fabulous especially the purple cabbage variety!
 
hello i want to ask if anyone in this group is from greece and i can ask some information about sdc and some products i cant find in athens and if anyone can contact me via PM and chat give me some advice it will be much appreciated.thanks
 
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SCD has been very good to me. When I was DX'd 2 years ago, I got super restrictive with Paleo Auto Immune + FODMAPS avoidance. Tried the ole' GAPS intro protocol, which was hilariously restrictive. SCD, paired with the food fermentation I learned during GAPS, has broadened my menu tremendously. Basically 2 years without a flare, just a couple of bad days in response to some over indulging.

I had a laughably restrictive diet for months on end, and though it may not have been entirely necessary, it makes today seem much brighter. Anyone with any questions about any of these is welcome to ask this diet mega-nerd anything. I am no scientist, just a guinea pig.

I know some good cook books, web sites and people who could help anyone through the "diet" approach to IBD.
 
InkyStinky said:
We've just started making sauerkraut! Just used cabbage and salt for the first batch which turned out well, so now I'm going to start experimenting with other recipies.

For you folks who lacto-ferment things -- how long do you typically let them ferment? The advice I read seems to have wide ranges (eg, 1 to 4+ weeks).... is there a health benefit to a longer ferment? Or just taste preference?
Click to expand...

Hey,

I have some good luck with Sauer Kraut. 3 weeks minimum if your home is fairly warm. If it is chilly, 4-5 for perfect kraut.

My recipe is 1.5% salt by weight. This works for any vegetable ferment. I have used it for regular cabbage, but it works well for special blends also.

My favorite is:

1 head nappa cabbage, sliced in 1 in chunks
6 carrots, shredded on a grater or food processor
1 bunch green onions
3 cloves pressed/minced garlic
3/4" cube of fresh ginger, grated
as much radish as you might like
This is a good recipe to double if you have a good sized crock or jar.

Weigh it all, preferably in grams.
Multiply weight by .015
Weigh that amount of salt.
Work salt into the mixture.
Let sit for 3-10 hrs
Pack into a jar.
Put a weight on it to keep it under the brine

This will be ready for your table in 2 weeks as long as your temperature in house is above 68. Delicious, cheap medicine.
 
Woah, it's been a while since someone has posted on here. I wrote this on another thread, but I have to say my diet has helped tremendously. I got lab results last week, and My hemoglobin, protein, RBC, and WBC all went up, while my inflammation markers have gone down. My energy, sleep, and overall mood are a whole lot better. I have added some more vegetables, and I can have some sesame oil and liquid aminos to make with egg pudding. I have also started gaining some weight too! I started tapering off one of my meds, and I have a colonoscopy next week. Keep your fingers crossed that it goes well!
 
So far I'm seeing an enourmous difference in my health. I've haven't had a flare up in months and I was doing really bad for a while. I was very sick at least a few days out of ever 1-2 weeks with other days being only "not too bad". I haven't experienced the weakness, fevers, cramps, or d in a really long time. This diet is really tough but the pay off has been too good for me to quit.

Anyone ever cheat on this diet without severe repercussions? I have a glass of red wine 1-3 nights a week with no problems but I'm DYING for a beer once the weather gets nice. :dance:
 
a1000lies said:
So far I'm seeing an enourmous difference in my health. I've haven't had a flare up in months and I was doing really bad for a while. I was very sick at least a few days out of ever 1-2 weeks with other days being only "not too bad". I haven't experienced the weakness, fevers, cramps, or d in a really long time. This diet is really tough but the pay off has been too good for me to quit.

Anyone ever cheat on this diet without severe repercussions? I have a glass of red wine 1-3 nights a week with no problems but I'm DYING for a beer once the weather gets nice. :dance:
Click to expand...

I don't think the issue is cheating on occasion. I think the issue is that if someone cheats and it doesn't hurt then they continue to cheat until they get sick again.
 
hugh said:
The opposite as in – there is no harm in being overly cautious, excluding more than the absolute minimum (especially since no-one knows what that is for any individual).
There is a real and pretty [expletive deleted] obvious risk of not excluding enough.
Can someone else let me know if i'm not being clear? It seems pretty obvious to me......


Yes, they are 90% the same, it is the other 10% that make for interesting thought. The areas that they are in agreement I think are worth 100% adherence, the points of difference might be worth an individual investigating if they were so inclined.


The foods deemed 'illegal' on the SCD diet that I believe 'should' be 'legal' are 'approved' for the perfect health diet and widely (but not universally) accepted in the paleo diet.
Likewise, the foods that are 'legal' on the SCD diet diet that I believe 'should' be 'illegal'' are not 'approved' for the perfect health diet and are not accepted in the paleo diet.
OK?


The important changes in the alternate sentence that I put up were highlighted – 'might' instead 'will do better', 'exclude' instead of 'include', and 'for a while' instead of 'now and then'.
Tomato was just an example (there is some slight evidence that some people have problems with nightshades, therefore, but my rational, everyone might benefit by excluding them for a while.)
Nobody will benefit by adding McD's or sugar to their SCD diet.
It's pretty simple and you are being tedious with this line of questioning.
If you really can't understand what i'm saying then I can't help you with that.


Firstly, I can disagree with whatever the **** I want, that's one of life's simple truths.
Doesn't mean i'm right or not,
I think I covered this last sentence in the rest of this post, but please, if there is anybody else reading please let me know if it's me not explaining myself or just a lack of comprehension on Unxmas's part
Click to expand...


The use of profanity on this website is not appropriate.
 
Reporting back just to say that Since I started this diet in January I've been 90% better than I've been since my symptoms of Crohn's disease first started 12 years ago. This is the best thing I've done in my entire life and I just hope this lasts.
 
a1000lies said:
Reporting back just to say that Since I started this diet in January I've been 90% better than I've been since my symptoms of Crohn's disease first started 12 years ago. This is the best thing I've done in my entire life and I just hope this lasts.
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Can you please tell If you make scd cheese at home? How do you make it

I am from India and struggling to find scd cheese in market, need to make it at home, properly
 
I came down with Crohn's Aug 2014 and immediately went on steroids. I then tried Pentasa which failed. I then Nov 2014 went back on steroids and then to budesonide, which worked OK. I started the diet Dec 2014. It worked OK, but I found out in March/April that an inactive ingredient in the budesonide is SUGAR SPHERES which is counterproductive to the diet. I stopped taking budesonide and immediately felt a positive difference. Since then, the diet is the only treatment I have. I had a setback a couple weeks ago, but it passed after a couple of days. I attribute this to overdoing it on fruit juice and eating unfiltered honey that had pollen in it.

SCD works, however you MUST do it 100% how the program dictates, otherwise it will not be as effective.

Hope this helps,

Brandon
Savannah, Ga (US)
 
I think it works for some but not all.

We tried it 100% and my daughter returned to bleeding in two weeks. We were still using the intro diet. For her any food, even the best designed diet, caused bleeding. That said, we'd like to try diet again to a large degree once we have seen mucosal healing with the meds.

I find that with Crohn's it isn't wise to speak in absolutes.
 
I agree. No one treatment works for everyone, including the conventional treatments. SCD is effective for many but not all. I can only say that it is working for me personally.

Pilgrim said:
I think it works for some but not all.

We tried it 100% and my daughter returned to bleeding in two weeks. We were still using the intro diet. For her any food, even the best designed diet, caused bleeding. That said, we'd like to try diet again to a large degree once we have seen mucosal healing with the meds.

I find that with Crohn's it isn't wise to speak in absolutes.
Click to expand...
 
There are also some other IBD diets being researched which are very similar to SCD. Most don't allow dairy at all so that would be one difference between these and the SCD (SCD uses the home made yogurt).

Absolutely agree that the meds are not one size fits all, either. Been through that, too. It's such an individualized disease.

One thing that is interesting to note, is that even when diet isn't working 100% usually if you can keep the diet along with the meds, then the meds "work better".

So, diet has to be a vital component and I think we're seeing it included more by the GI's.
 
The problem with dairy is LACTOSE. For many, if you can find dairy that doesn't have lactose, it is OK - such as the SCD yogurt you mentioned. SCD also allows cheddar cheese (as long as its lactose free) - most of the "Cabot" and "Cracker Barrel" brands are. Basically, the more it is aged, the less lactose it has and easier for people to eat. I've never had a problem with cheese as long as it's lactose free. I actually don't do the SCD yogurt, only because it seems difficult to make. I do buy high-quality, refrigerated probiotics from Whole Foods and similar stores. Ultimate Flora is a good brand that seems to be compatible with SCD.

Best of luck...
 
Easy Bake Oven SCD Yogurt: Try it at Home

I'm making SCD yogurt for the first time. I over-heated by first batch and killed the probiotics. It was delicious anyway and but am going to try again. But there is definitely a DIY element to making it.

The tough part is the last step, maintaining a low temperature between around 100 -110 degrees consistently for 24 hours. This is what produces the sought after low-lactose, high probiotics load that makes it a healing food for IBD folks. Many people who just want to make yogurt don't have to be so careful. But IBD patients are all looking for the set and forget temperature technique that will preserve the probiotics and make this yogurt easy.

They are a myriad of low temperature methods: yogurt makers are the gold standard; however people who test their yogurt makers with a thermometer sometimes find they are too hot for SCD yogurt. Other people use a water bath with a thermometer; Elaine G recommends a heating pad; some put their warn yogurt in a cooler over night with or without hot water bottles; and then they're my favorite: put your warm yogurt in your oven and turn the oven light on. No heat. Its an easy-bake oven for adults. I like this option because you can use a oven thermometer is be certain the oven is holding a consistent temperature, and then set and forget it. Sadly, I have a powerful light bulb I can't remove. So, yes, I'm making yogurt with my oven door cracked open slightly with a wooden spoon. What's the point?

Once you find your consistent heating method, you can make easy set and forget it yogurt. But there is a little Alton Brown/Mr Science element at the start. I've really enjoyed having dairy that causes no gas or urgency. And it is great as a condiment. Put it on oatmeal, add garlic for aioli on a hamburger, etc.

The other point is that SCD diets take a lot of time in shopping and making foods that most people buy. Its a wonderful, fun, and a self-nurturing process with great health rewards for IBD patients and the whole family.

It's only enjoyable and even possible however if you have the time and energy or family support. Otherwise it can get tough. I suspect many people like me start SCD when they're unemployed and/or disabled at home. Having a partner or parent who can cook and shop may be a necessary support. If you're actively suffering and too tired to move healthy diet production can be beyond reach and even make you feel inadequate. If you're working and exhausted it can also be hard.

However I strongly recommend giving it a try if you're at home and upright. You may be able to develop techniques that allow to you keep good food in your diet as you improve and have more demands on your time. In the meantime, I'm finding it a positive way to deal with being sidelined at home. The energy I put in creates food. That's more fun than reviewing test results.

If anybody has a temperature-tested yogurt make they want recommend please let know. I'd appreciate it.
 
JSBach327 said:
The problem with dairy is LACTOSE. For many, if you can find dairy that doesn't have lactose, it is OK - such as the SCD yogurt you mentioned. SCD also allows cheddar cheese (as long as its lactose free) - most of the "Cabot" and "Cracker Barrel" brands are. Basically, the more it is aged, the less lactose it has and easier for people to eat. I've never had a problem with cheese as long as it's lactose free. I actually don't do the SCD yogurt, only because it seems difficult to make. I do buy high-quality, refrigerated probiotics from Whole Foods and similar stores. Ultimate Flora is a good brand that seems to be compatible with SCD.

Best of luck...
Click to expand...

We used the yogurt maker Yogourmet and follow the directions for SCD as given to us by Lucy's Kitchen Shop. It was so easy. We used ours so much that we broke it, but plan to buy another ASAP.

Lactose free milk didn't work but yes, it must be the lactose in general. She can only tolerate GOOD quality cheddars and a few other types.

I wonder why lactose free milk was intolerable? Anyone have insights there? Could it be a protein thing?
 
Pilgrim said:
Which specific diet are you working with?
Click to expand...

I'm on the SCD. Most of my intake includes chicken, beef, peas & carrots, green beans, cashews, sunflower seeds (to control cravings and give me something to do), peanut butter, shakes (made with apples, bananas, blueberries, baby spinach, ice, and apple juice not made from concentrate and no added sugar)

I am not lactose intolerant but I notice whenever I have more than just a small amount of cheddar cheese I get symptoms that last me for a day or two so I try and avoid it most of the time.

I also have been drinking dry red wine sometimes with dinner or while relaxing before bed without any repercussions.
 
a1000lies - best of luck as you continue the diet. Be careful about cheddar - only certain brands are free of lactose. Maybe you were eating a lactose containing brand? If it doesn't say either "lactose free" or 0g lactose per serving, you can bet it is chock full of it. "Aged" cheese is usually ok, too.

kingandsyd - I hate that you're having to take Humira. Not wanting to go on it myself is one of my biggest motivations for doing SCD. As bad as Crohn's is, Hepatosplenic T-Cell Lymphoma is worse. For some reason, mainly male patients have gotten this when taking Humira and 6MP simultaneously, so I guess if you're a woman you're relatively safe.

mvond5 - I've often wondered about this. Of course, I'm not sure about intentionally putting parasites in my body. My other big question is, would a doctor really agree to this, or would you have to pay out of pocket for a naturopathic doctor?

Best of luck to everyone with trying SCD!
 
a1000lies said:
I'm on the SCD. Most of my intake includes chicken, beef, peas & carrots, green beans, cashews, sunflower seeds (to control cravings and give me something to do), peanut butter, shakes (made with apples, bananas, blueberries, baby spinach, ice, and apple juice not made from concentrate and no added sugar)

I am not lactose intolerant but I notice whenever I have more than just a small amount of cheddar cheese I get symptoms that last me for a day or two so I try and avoid it most of the time.

I also have been drinking dry red wine sometimes with dinner or while relaxing before bed without any repercussions.
Click to expand...

I am very interested in any "shake" recipes that anyone might have enjoyed and want to share. I am not on the SCD or Paleo Diets at this time.
 
I know that this is an SCD and Paleo Diet thread. But I was just wondering if anyone out there is a Vegan. Has anyone had any success with being a Vegan. I was a Vegetarian over 20 years ago and it was the best I had ever felt in my life. I really took pride in all of my hard work and effort in the shopping for and preparation of my meals. I would like to find this passion again. I just watched a very graphic animal farming video tonight and it was quit disturbing ( but it wasn't the first time I had seen this kind of inhumane treatment of animals ). Thanks for listening.
 
Ann Morgan said:
I know that this is an SCD and Paleo Diet thread. But I was just wondering if anyone out there is a Vegan. Has anyone had any success with being a Vegan. I was a Vegetarian over 20 years ago and it was the best I had ever felt in my life. I really took pride in all of my hard work and effort in the shopping for and preparation of my meals. I would like to find this passion again. I just watched a very graphic animal farming video tonight and it was quit disturbing ( but it wasn't the first time I had seen this kind of inhumane treatment of animals ). Thanks for listening.
Click to expand...

You might want to check this out, "the hottest new fad" or a pretty sensible diet?
""Although they may sound completely at odds, the truth is Paleo and vegan diets have more in common with each other than either have with the standard American diet," says Mark Hyman, M.D., director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine "

Why I am a Pegan – or Paleo-Vegan – and Why You Should Be Too!
http://drhyman.com/blog/2014/11/07/pegan-paleo-vegan/#close

or, if you would rather listen to a fairly thoughtful review of Dr Hynman's 'paleo-vegan' approach jump to 29:00 to 40:35 on this podcast.....
http://fly.5by5.tv/audio/broadcasts/paleo/2014/paleo-125.mp3

Just to be clear though
-i don't eat this way, but i have no issues with it. I think it is a sensible diet.
After much experimentation i have found a moderate carb intake (paleo carbs (tubers) and white rice) suits me, and i eat much more meat than 'pegan'. I am trying to displace both with more veggies but i'm not too worried about it.
- if you have digestive issues you may need to transition to it, it would be unreasonable to start eating nuts and raw broccoli if you are in a flair. - Something like the SCD intro diet or FODMAPS elimination diet
-no diet is written in stone, work out what works for you

The other person i would consider reading up on is Denise Minger, thought by many vegans to be the anti-christ for her take-down of the great Colin T Campbell, but she has some good advice for those going vegan.....

"In no particular order of importance, here’s a summary of the list, followed by a more detailed version of each point:

Eat real food—no fake meats, processed soy products, vegan junk food, etc.
Avoid high omega-6 vegetable oils and take a vegan DHA supplement.
Supplement with vitamin K2.
Supplement with a vegan form of vitamin D3.
Enhance your beta carotene absorption and conversion.
Properly prepare any grains, legumes, or nuts you eat.
Maximize iron absorption using vitamin-C-rich foods.
Keep your thyroid in good shape.
Take vitamin B12.
Try going gluten-free.
Eat some fermented foods.
Supplement with taurine.
Consider adding oysters or other non-sentient bivalves to your diet."
for a detailed expansion of each point.......
http://rawfoodsos.com/for-vegans/
 
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Hugh, thank you so much for all of the great resources. It is smart for everyone to be as informed as possible before making any kind of major changes in their life.

Funny you would mention Vitamin D ! I read my Vitamin D label and it contains gelatin, which comes from cows. There is gelatin in my Culturelle Probitics too.

I go to my Endocrinologist every 6 months. She is a good doctor. I have Hypothyroidism and do take medication for it. Plus I have 3 nodules on my thyroid and one is growing.

Tubers, rice, pasta are all foods that do not bother my tummy at all. But I have not been able to eat seafood for at least over 20 years, makes me really sick. I already take B12. Yeah, all those vegan and vegetarian frozen foods are no better than regular frozen foods. Foods really need to be prepared from scratch at home. But, eek, raw fruits and vegetables give me diarrhea ( except bananas and potatoes).....I will have to figure out what to do about that.

I really want to make one of my meals each day a smoothie ( morning). Liquid, pulverized food agrees with my gut. I like to use fresh carrot juice.

Lots to think about, but that is good for me. I have not taken much interest in ANYTHING for a LONG while. Exploring the Vegan world should be very educational and interesting. I will eventually find out what works for me.

I am still thinking about that horrific cow, pig, chicken video I watched last night. I did not really realize how inhumane those "industries" were ( dairy farming, raising cows for food, raising chickens for food and raising pigs for food.). But when I saw a farmer deliberately torturing an animal just for his own pleasure I was totally horrified.

Thanks for listening. :)
 
Ann Morgan said:
I go to my Endocrinologist every 6 months. She is a good doctor. I have Hypothyroidism and do take medication for it. Plus I have 3 nodules on my thyroid and one is growing.

Tubers, rice, pasta are all foods that do not bother my tummy at all. But I have not been able to eat seafood for at least over 20 years, makes me really sick. I already take B12. Foods really need to be prepared from scratch at home. But, eek, raw fruits and vegetables give me diarrhea ( except bananas and potatoes).....I will have to figure out what to do about that.

I am still thinking about that horrific cow, pig, chicken video I watched last night. I did not really realize how inhumane those "industries" were ( dairy farming, raising cows for food, raising chickens for food and raising pigs for food.). But when I saw a farmer deliberately torturing an animal just for his own pleasure I was totally horrified.

Thanks for listening. :)
Click to expand...

Just two points......
I would seriously look at avoiding gluten if you have any auto-immune condiition. (I would eliminate it anyway. Rice and tubbers are probably OK but ditch the bread/past as and see if thyroid improves( google it).
Secondly, it is possible to get ethically raised meat. You don't need much, organ meat is best from grass fed animals.
 
Of course, being vegan I disagree that one can purchase ethically raised meat. It's an oxymoron. However, when my son was being starved by his digestive system, I put his health above my ethics and bought and cooked meat for him and I would do it again, if I thought he needed me to.

I spent half of my childhood on a farm where the animals were treated quite well, but it was still bad for them in the end. :(
 
Hi lenny, I respect your stance on vegetarianism. That being said, it's so hard for Crohnies like me to absorb any nutrient, and my best chance for protein and fat right now are meat products. So I make sure I buy ethically raised animals - local, free range, grass fed. It's expensive, but I hardly spend my money on anything else, so it's worth it.

I just wish there was a grass fed halal farm nearby (Islamically based) because That way I would know that the animals are treated well, and they won't see their friends being killed - I don't know if that's the case in most farms, though.
 
But, eek, raw fruits and vegetables give me diarrhea ( except bananas and potatoes).....I will have to figure out what to do about that.

I really want to make one of my meals each day a smoothie ( morning). Liquid, pulverized food agrees with my gut. I like to use fresh carrot juice.
Click to expand...

On the how are you feeling today? thread, you said fibre is not a problem for you. But in that case I'm wondering what your problem is with fruits and vegetables, especially because juices, bananas and (skinless) potatoes are some of the few fruits and vegetables (or forms of fruits and vegetables) that are usually ok on a low fibre diet. If fruits and vegetables generally give you diarrhoea, but juice, bananas and potatoes don't, I would think that you do have trouble with fibre.
 
UnXmas said:
On the how are you feeling today? thread, you said fibre is not a problem for you. But in that case I'm wondering what your problem is with fruits and vegetables, especially because juices, bananas and (skinless) potatoes are some of the few fruits and vegetables (or forms of fruits and vegetables) that are usually ok on a low fibre diet. If fruits and vegetables generally give you diarrhoea, but juice, bananas and potatoes don't, I would think that you do have trouble with fibre.
Click to expand...

Since this is the SCD/Paleo thread I will talk about fibre at a later date on a different thread. I am tired today and resting. It is 104 degrees at 7:45pm and due to be 111 degrees tomorrow ! Everyone have a healthy week. Goodnight.
 
Hi there! My husband has UC for 9 years now. He's been on a flare up for about 8 months now, and we've tried almost all of these things you've all mentioned here. We were on the Paleo diet for about 1.5 months but there was just no difference whatsoever. When we reintroduced it, his BMs were the same frequency and shape. The only difference was that he lost weight, but we're not really hoping for him to lose weight. Have any of you experienced the lack of success of all these diets?
 
I have Crohn's, not UC, but SCD has been pretty successful for me. I can't say I'm 100% symptom free, but I'm 100% medication free, and that's how I want to stay for as long as possible, possibly indefinitely.
 
Hello, new here.
My daughter,21, Has Crohn.
I am a new naturopth and a Gaps practitioner but I have no experience. I think i do need support in taking care of my daughter. You guys seem very experienced to me.
Wish you all good.
 

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