OT: The Specific Carbohydrate Diet

[Babette]

Remember folks - this is OFF TOPIC. If you don't like the thread, don't read it.

We've talked on several occasions here about weight loss, and therapies for overall health improvement, so I thought I'd share this info that another forum member shared offlist with me.

She's a follower of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, and has found it very helpful for overall health, as well as her specific gut-related issues, and has lost a considerable amount of weight with it.

Here are some links she sent me:

The book that started it all:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/ ... ition=used

Other sites about it:

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.com/

http://www.pecanbread.com/

I was intrigued enough to send these links off to some friends of mine fighting Celiac's and other issues.

I've been Googling this and so far have found NO DETRACTING WEBSITES. Which is frickin' IMPOSSIBLE. I mean, every diet program I've ever contemplated has its foes. I can't seem to find anything that anyone can say bad about it. Other than it's devotees, who do admit it is a strict diet that forbids chocolate.

So, I'm just sharing, in the hopes it may help someone else. Specific issues this diet is aimed at include Celiac Disease, Autism, Cystic Fibrosis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Crohn's.

Cheers,
Barbara

[2girlsmom]

Thanks for posting this. I've been trying to talk myself into this or something like it to see how my arthritis symptoms improve.

[echo]

There are other similar diets that also purport to have the same result, for the same/similar illnesses. I've tried one before and am trying a different one now.

Montignac diet: in a nutshell, it is about the separation of carbs and fats. I lost a lot of weight on this one, and it realllly stabilized my blood sugar. But it was difficult (as the SCD also seems to be). Chocolate was not forbidden, but eaten separately, and only the high-cocoa content type is recommended (i.e. dark chocolate). A little bit of wine was also OK. It was hard to eat carbs with no fats (not even butter). Now he's modified the diet, but it's still a nightmare to follow.

Now I'm doing something else, I don't really know the name of it, but it is a combination of separating carbs and proteins (not fats), and eating alkalizing/acidiying foods... well basically I guess it is a type of food combination diet. It has really helped my GERD so far, and though I haven't lost weight on it yet (it's been less than a week) it has also helped stabilize my blood sugar. Normally if I eat carbs I get all weird and wacky and the blood sugar goes all over the place, but so far with this scheme I've been able to eat carbs without any problems (if i avoid protein with it). I also tend to get arthritis like problems (runs in the family) when I go overboard on carbs/sugar, as well as muscle pains, and so far I've been OK with that too. But the best is reduced bloating and less reflux.

Basically you eat carbs with veggies or fats (e.g. butter), but not protein. Or you eat protein, but then with veggies. Here's one take on it: http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/Di ... bining.htm (I have no idea who wrote it or when but it pretty much sums up every other site I've found). Here's another good chart: http://weightloss.about.com/gi/dynamic/ ... ombine.htm

I took at look at the SCD, woah it was way too much for me. I have done lots of similar diets (due to allergies to wheat, corn, potato, barley, yeast, ... well the whole list would take up a whole page) since the age of 12, and so far most of the allergies have resolved themselves after not eating them for months or years.

So now, instead of focusing on eliminating certain foods from my diet, I'm look at combining them in the right way. The Montignac worked but was very difficult, now this other food combining one seems to be working.

Anyway, that's just my 2 cents, and yes different strokes for different folks. Thanks for sharing Babs

[echo]

By the way, I totally agree with the justification behind the diet. I think they are spot-on when they talk about bowel imbalance as (one of) the primary causes of these diseases.

On the other hand, I dislike any diet that is strict and says "eat this" or "dont eat that" ... for example they say to eat honey, but in some cases there will be people who can't even tolerate that.
Similarly, there might be other solutions that don't involve diet, and those too should be explored (liver flushes, kidney flushes, parasite cleanses). Sometimes we need a multi-faceted approach to deal with the problem, because usually there is not just one cause of illness/disease -- if the damage goes on for long enough then certainly other organs will also be affected, and you may need to supplement your dietary efforts with some cleansing as well... OR the initial precipitating injury may have come from something else to begin with).

I also do not think it is necessary to follow such a strict diet for an extended period of time. If you are able to bring balance back to your body, and if you continue to eat "healthy," then there is no reason you cannot eat sensible portions of normal foods. I personally think that, if after so many years, a person still cannot tolerate a moderate amount of these 'forbidden' foods at all, then the body still hasn't recovered... and this can be due to parasites or liver/kidney congestion. But that's just me, because I hate anything that (a) is so strict and (b) reduces the problem to a single issue.

Nevertheless, I *do* think it *is* about breaking the vicious cycle, and getting back to good health. And the gut is definitely the right place to start.

[Babette]

I am beginning to find some detractors for this diet, though not in as great a drove as I've found for other diets.

One thing that does impress me thus far - no one seems to be attempting to make a buck off it, besides the book.

I'm so DONE with diets that are just one big marketing pitch. The Zone might be a great diet, but you're in for daily emails and numerous pitches to buy more stuff.

It's definitely a daunting diet, I'll give you that!
B.

[GumbyCT]

Remember folks - this is OFF TOPIC. If you don't like the thread, don't read it.

Why would weight loss be Off Topic? This is a sleep apnea forum right?

I agree with the 2nd part.

[Kiralynx]

By the way, I totally agree with the justification behind the diet. I think they are spot-on when they talk about bowel imbalance as (one of) the primary causes of these diseases.

On the other hand, I dislike any diet that is strict and says "eat this" or "dont eat that" ... for example they say to eat honey, but in some cases there will be people who can't even tolerate that.

In point of fact, I'm an SCDer, and yes, it's strict, but it's not a don't eat this food" or don't eat that food." It's based on the premise that some of us are unable to break down complex carbs and such-like, and as a consequence, these foods become food for the bacteria in our guts which have a field day with it, and keep us sick.

What SCD does is tell you that these are types of foods you can eat, now go and find those you can handle. In my case, I couldn't handle the carrots which most people think are just great on the intro part of the diet for something like six months. On the other hand, I was able to eat broccoli and cauliflower within a few months, and those veggies are usually a problem for many people. One of the people on a list I participate in and I chuckle, because my system requires fairly high fat to function. Hers needs low-fat. What I eat would land her in the hospital. What she eats would land me in the hospital. We're both SCD.

I eat very little honey because I don't tolerate it well in much of anything, except with high fats, like egg nog frozen full cream yogurt, or butter pecan satin, or blueberry pecan muffins or things like that.

Similarly, there might be other solutions that don't involve diet, and those too should be explored (liver flushes, kidney flushes, parasite cleanses). Sometimes we need a multi-faceted approach to deal with the problem, because usually there is not just one cause of illness/disease -- if the damage goes on for long enough then certainly other organs will also be affected, and you may need to supplement your dietary efforts with some cleansing as well... OR the initial precipitating injury may have come from something else to begin with).

Absolutely there are -- but a healthy diet is the basis of any treatment. I wouldn't, for instance, have tried to treat my cancer with just this diet -- but I healed faster and more completely than either of my surgeons expected. I credit that to the SC Diet. They told me that it was a question of how much, not if, I would have infection, and how much, not if, I had wound separation, and how much, not if, I had nerve damage. No infection. No wound separation. One small area, about 2" x 4" which is... not precisely numb., but not yet normal. Right after the surgery, it was a 4" x 24" area of "dental anesthesia feeling".

I also do not think it is necessary to follow such a strict diet for an extended period of time. If you are able to bring balance back to your body, and if you continue to eat "healthy," then there is no reason you cannot eat sensible portions of normal foods. I personally think that, if after so many years, a person still cannot tolerate a moderate amount of these 'forbidden' foods at all, then the body still hasn't recovered... and this can be due to parasites or liver/kidney congestion. But that's just me, because I hate anything that (a) is so strict and (b) reduces the problem to a single issue.

Gee. Guess I'm gonna hafta skip the homemade pepperoni pizza I was going to have for dinner tonight, and the homemade hotdogs I had for dinner last night, and the philly cheese steak sandwiches we had the other night, or Cajun BBQ'd shrimp and salad with Hurricane dressing, not to mention cheese and bacon quiches for breakfast, and avocado chicken salad sandwiches on pecan souffle bread. My diet is just too limited for all that! And I shouldn't have fixed oyster and artichoke bisque, oysters Bienville, oysters Rockefeller, oysters Fitspatrick, either! Not to mention shrimp and catfish done these ways. Hmm, the smoked brisket with spicy BBQ sauce is probably out, too. <grin> Probably the lamb roast with crimini mushrooms and green pepper noodles, too.

Couple years ago, my non-SCD husband was going on a trip. I teased him that this time, he could eat anything he wanted: he wouldn't have to worry about finding a restaurant where I could eat. He looked at me and said, "Umm, would it be too much trouble for you to put up a cold box of SCD food for me to take with me? Sure, I can eat anywhere... but SCD food tastes better!"

FYI, a friend was strict SCD for 3 years. She decided to be tested for celiac because of a MIL who thought her special diet was just her way of getting attention. (MIL also apparently thought she was over reacting when my friend insisted her husband be tested for apnea... he was supposed to have two separated night studies. They woke him up after two hours and put him on a mask because he was so severe.) Any way, for the celiac test to work, you have to have eaten gluten for at least two weeks before the test. Friend thought, "Oh, BOY! I can have all the stuff I haven't had for three years!" First day was great. She savored everything. Second day, she woke up feeling like someone had beaten her with an ugly stick -- flu-like symptoms -- which continued the entire two weeks. She went back on SCD the moment they drew the blood for her test. Symptoms gradually faded... and only return if she eats non-SCD, though she doesn't have to be so strict about minutia.

Another friend has Crohn's. Doc described her gut as "bloody lace." 14 months of SCD, and all the lesions were healed. She's been able to add non-SCD foods back into her diet. Everyone reacts differently.

For myself, I lose steady... as long as I stay strict SCD. If I cheat -- by intent or accident -- I stop losing for several weeks, even if the calorie counts are the same. There's a significant body of research developing which indicates that the kinds of bacteria in one's gut affects whether or not one loses or gains weight. There's even a test for the bacterial strains involved in weight gain, but it's still experimental, so the insurance won't pick up the $400+ tab.

SCD is not for everyone -- but it is a good, healthy, balanced diet. And not all THAT limiting!

Nevertheless, I *do* think it *is* about breaking the vicious cycle, and getting back to good health. And the gut is definitely the right place to start.

Well, no arguments there!

[Babette]

Thanks for posting this. I've been trying to talk myself into this or something like it to see how my arthritis symptoms improve.

You might look up Hawthorne. She's got RA and has been helpful to me when I was looking for a support group for a young friend of mine with RA.

Cheers,
Barbara

[Kiralynx]

Thanks for posting this. I've been trying to talk myself into this or something like it to see how my arthritis symptoms improve.

Check out http://scdgirl.blogspot.com/. Susan is a delightful lady who has done some amazing things. Tell her the darn good SCD cook sent you.