SCD 101

In my fight to live a healthy and 'normal' life, I found the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) in 2011 and have been following it with "fanatical adherance" ever since.  To me, SCD is more than a regime, it is an entire lifestyle shift that impacts many facets of my life.  There is so much to say about this diet but here are the basics:

What is it?
SCD was originally developed by Dr. Haas for children with celiac disease.  It was then popularized by Elaine Gottschall, as her own daughter was one of his patients (she had Ulcerative Colitis).  To start SCD and to understand the science behind the regime, it is absolutely necessary to read her book: "Breaking the Vicious Cycle."  The basic premise of SCD is that of eliminating all grains, starches, refined sugar, and food additives.  SCD is used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases and gastrointestinal/systematic diseases, such as: Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, autism, chronic diarrhea/constipation, cystic fibrosis, eczema and celiac disease.

What to eat?
The regime eliminates specific carbohydrates and, therefore, foods are considered "legal" or "illegal".  (click HERE for an extensive list).  The basic foods that are considered "legal" are: fruits, (most) veggies, (many) beans, meats, seafood, nuts, homemade yogurt, (many) cheeses, butter, honey, and spices.  This may seem fairly easy at first appearances but once faced with our lovely American grocery stores, it proves to be much more difficult to find real food.

I'm currently not at the point where I can eat all of the food groups listed above.  Actually, most of the food groups that I can handle are in the very well-cooked and/or puréed (think baby food) form...but I'm healthy and I can function in society!  I will get to more of what I can eat at a later post...

Interested in the diet?
If you are intrigued by the diet and have more questions for me, please ask!  Besides the book, great places to start are:

• The official "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" website.
• The SCD Wiki (which covers most of the the frequently asked questions).
• The PecanBread website (created for parents with children who have autism but the baby-steps in this are very helpful).

There is a huge learning-curve in following SCD.  I know that my own mentality of diving-into 'projects' 100% when I decide to do something has definitely helped me in this process.  A regime, such as this, can't be forced on to anyone; it has to be a deliberate decision, by the person, to follow with "fanatical adherance."  Still, SCD has worked for so many people with so many different kinds of issues.  When it all comes down to it, it's about living healthy and listening to your body.  

~Andréa 

Could this information be helpful for anyone that you know?  Would you like to pass-on the websites to a friend or family member who is struggling with an IBS/IBD/systematic disease?