I hope I am not diving off this site’s parameters but I wanted to post a little synopsis I created after reading the Breaking the Vicious Cycle book by Elaine Gottschall and researching the http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info site and the http://www.pecanbread.com sites for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet in order to help my family with their continued digestive problems. My children like many on this site had severe reflux. We seemed to be sensitive to a lot of random foods. We used neocate. We nursed with a maternal elimination diet. Of course we used a lot of PPI’s and antacids and over time this caused malabsorption which kept them from benefitting from their dietary intake of nutrients. We’ve been to the GI and the allergist and the voo doo grandma’s house and done food elimination and all that jazz and still, gut problems remained along with obvious allergy signs like eczema, shiners, red bottoms, reflux, ear issues, and on and on…. I don’t know much, but I know my kids have never been so well in their lives-all three of them after just 6 weeks on this diet. Normalized formed stools, burping on their own, increased intake of fluids, increased interest in new foods, better sleeping patterns, less crankiness, better focus in play, no eczema at all anywhere on their previously covered bodies, and less overeating and anxiety at meal times, plus weight was gained in the smaller child and lost in the child who was a bit overweight. I know it is still early but if this can help anybody else, I would like to share the basics of it. Thank heaven for the grainy poop that led me to Elaine Gottschall’s book and why in the world aren’t they handing these out at the GI office? I asked our pedi GI’s nurse practioner and she and hospital nutritionist had never even heard of SCD and it’s been around forever! This book advertises on it’s cover that it is a known diet for Crohn’s, Ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, celiac, cystic fibrosis, chronic diarrhea, and for autism spectrum disorders. This book is in it’s 12th printing and the author herself, a mother like us with a child who needed help, passed away in 2005 though many dedicated people continue to spread her work to help others.
SCD SYNOPSIS:
HOW DOES IT WORK?
q The SCD diet excludes and removes ALL starches and complex sugars. This removal helps kill major yeast and bacterial overgrowth. Malabsorption decreases, rebalancing gut flora and encouraging healing. Feeding SCD yogurt or probiotics repopulates the gut with “good bugs” that keep yeast and bad bacteria in check. Digestion normalizes. Behavior, cognitive and language development begin to improve. We have seen how well it works for many, many children.
q When the diseased intestines are inflamed by the effects of *dysbiosis, they cannot break down molecules that are too large to be transported across the small intestinal surface into the bloodstream. Instead of entering the bloodstream, undigested starch and sugar molecules serve as a continual source of food for bacteria and fungus. The mission of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet is removal of all sources of those carbohydrates with a molecular structure that is too large for entry into the bloodstream.
q Removal of starches and complex sugars corrects dysbiosis and is followed by a decrease in intestinal inflammation so the gastrointestinal tract can heal.
q The SCD priority is to deal with the CAUSE of the gluten and casein intolerance rather than just treating the symptoms. SCD looks at things from an advanced scientific perspective and takes things a step further than some other diets because SCD deals with the structure of the gut wall first, not just the gluten and dairy culprits.
When the gut wall is severely damaged, instead of just patching up and supplementing piecemeal, SCD works to repair the underlying damage, it targets what the body is ABLE to digest. It is selective about the food and its components and where and how that food gets digested. Major problems are attributed to carbohydrates in combination with pathogenic bacteria, yeast and parasites. And current scientific findings support this conclusion. Research by Horvath (University of Maryland) and Buie (Harvard) uncovered carbohydrate malabsorption in ASD children; the work of Shaw reports gut microorganisms are the culprit in ASD *dysbiosis – an imbalance and its symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract of chronic nature.
q Specific Carbohydrate Diet In Brief from the Breaking the Vicious Cycle Book by Elaine Gottschall
(this is not a carb free or sugar free diet-it is the removal of starch and sugar so the body can heal itself)
q Diet rules: Strict no illegal foods during diet. Stage one endures until diarrhea or constipation subside. Stage two begins when bowels normalize. Hyperactivity is a sign that the body is detoxing faster than the system can process and on this diet there is a 10 day yeast die off during which time children will experience more negative behaviors until the “yeast” completely leaves their system. Never take a brand for granted and always check the label. Continue diet one full year past the last observed symptom. Seeds/raw foods are a stage two food. Buy a crock pot especially for soupy or moisture rich dishes. Start by making “condiments”. A weekly menu and cooking schedule also a good idea. Double up cooking and freeze half. http://www.pecanbread.com/new/scdfoods1.html for child basics. http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/legal/legal_illegal_d-n.htm for legal foods by name alpha list.
q Recipes: free web recipes: pecanbread.com for children or breakingtheviciouscycle.info for adults
Breaking the Vicious Cycle book by pioneer Elaine Gotschall w/ recipes $25 Barnes & Noble or $22 amazon.com free shipping
Free recipe bank: http://scdiet.net/scdfood.htm
q Online bakers/suppliers: http://www.lucyskitchenshop.com/ http://www.digestivewellness.com/ http://www.sunnylandfarms.com/ http://www.scdbakery.com/ http://www.jgourmet.ca/ digestive wellness has best overall selection. The SCD bakery for parties.
q Supplements/Treatments: GI Pro Child http://www.giprohealth.com or Freeda Vitamins http://www.digestivewellness.com , digestive enzymes like GI ProZymes. Must contain only the filler cellulose and not any sugars or starches to be legal on this diet. For probiotics avoid bifidus strains and choose instead lactobacillus bulgaricus, l. acidophilus, S. thermophilus-no need for pills if you make the yogurt from the recipes. Watch for medicines, treats, toothpastes, etc. that may contain starch or sugar. Only take medicines with these elements if they are essential.
q Epsom salt 2 cups warm baths are encouraged to help with detoxing but should not be overdone.
q electrolyte mixture: 1 quart boiled water, 2 tbsp honey, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp baking soda.
q Goat yogurt is made with: quart goat milk (health store), unflavored unsweetened commercial yogurt (grocery store) and your stove/oven. Easier than the recipe sounds-mix with fruit to sweeten but do not freeze! Keeps in fridge 2-3 weeks. Pull out as needed. GREAT source of probiotic health and tends to have immediate impact on stool, flatulence, and appetite.
q Nuts: best tolerated in buttered form, then flour, then as pieces then as whole nuts. Pecans are best tolerated form followed by almonds, brazil, hazel, walnut, chestnut. Wise to delay or avoid cashews and peanuts containing “anti enzymes” and are hard to digest. Coffee grinders are helpful with creaming nuts for butters and flours. Wafflemakers help with homemade “breads”. Nut flours available online-almond flour is best and cheapest.
q Spices: best purchased separately and not in “blends”. Garlic and onions best purchased fresh to avoid starch base. parsley, salt, pepper, bay leaves, vanilla extract, etc. are fine given they do not contain sugars or starches.
q Dairy: Avocadoes may be used in place of butter (use in one sitting as they turn). Cultured butter (health store) is far better than margarine which contains fillers and sugars. Also allowed on this diet is eggs, dry curd cottage cheese, muenster cheese, Colby cheese, jack cheese, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, and 100% pure parmesan cheese. Homemade yogurt is necessary to make many recipes and to consume probiotics-see online or book to find long recipe. Starters: baked “cottage” cheese (dry curd cheese, honey, butter, egg 350 for 15 minutes). Egg “pizza”. Egg substitutes: pureed squash, mash banana, homemade apple or pear sauce or 3 tbsp plain gelatin dissolved.
q Canned items include fish and salmon packed in either oil or water-check ingredients every time. Fruits canned in only their own juices and not any form of sugars. Some juices as listed below.
q Staple items: Knox gelatin (blend with juice to make jello) easy!!!, Heinz/Campbell tomato juice to make stock or paste, lightest color honey possible (boiled for 10 minutes for children under age 2), baking soda replaces powder in recipes. Saccharin is allowed. Plain mustard is usually fine-mix with honey if you like. Vanilla extract without corn syrup is legal-available online http://www.digestivewellness.com . Lemon juice legal.
q Homemade mayonnaise: egg, 1 cup oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp dry mustard powder, s/p, little honey
q Homemade salad dressing: vinegar or lemon juice, any oils, salt pepper, dry mustard powder, garlic glove peeled
q Homemade gravy: boiled pureed onion, real meat stock/drippings, homemade mayonnaise 2 tbsp per cup liquid
q Homemade ketchup: 2 cups tomato juice, 3 tbsp white vinegar, honey, bay leaf, salt/pepper-simmer to thicken then add honey. Marinara online http://www.digestivewellness.com but easy to make yourself if you get the legal Heinz juice.
q Oils: olive, coconut, sunflower, saffron, corn oil, soy oil (oil is fat and not a protein therefore milk and soy allergies do not usually include oils so soy lecithin is okay). Oils can substitute for butter in recipes but use less. Vinegar is fine given no sugar or starch added. Seeds are a stage two food.
q Meats: must be roasted, broiled, or boiled in stage one and then fried or baked in stage two. Beef, chicken, fish, pork, turkey, hens are all fine and oscar meyer bacon which does not include nitrates can be crisply cooked and eaten once a week legally. Those with milk /soy problems may not be able to eat beef. Starter: Ck egg drop soup. Ck pancakes.
q Vegetables: during stage one, all must be cooked, peeled, and seedless. All must be frozen or fresh-no canned vegetables are legal. During stage two, vegetables may be eaten raw if desired. If possible, buy fresh, cook, skin and freeze separately to use as needed. Varieties include: carrots, zucchini, spinach, green beans, tomato, cauliflower, squash, cabbage, lettuce, French not Jerusalem artichokes, cucumber, asparagus, mushroom, watercress, beet, eggplant, olives, peas, pickles, pumpkin, onions, and beans which must be soaked for at least an hour to remove starches. Absolutely no potatoes, okra, chickpeas, or garbanzo beans all of which are starch rich. Double check the online list for legal beans. Starters: cauliflower “mashed potatoes”. Squash “fries”. Carrot “chips”. “Spaghetti” squash and our favorite cauliflower “omelettes”.
q Fruits: during stage one all must be cooked, peeled, and seedless except the banana which must have brown spots and in no way appear new or green. During stage two, raw fruits may be eaten. It is wise to limit raisins and other dried fruits and avoid those with sulfur or which appear to be sticky from sugar used to separate them in processing. Fresh, frozen or canned in their own juices are allowed. Varieties include: ripe bananas, apples, apricot, pear, pineapple, peach, plum, lemon, lime, papaya, watermelon, berries all, figs, dates, kiwi, grapes peeled, cherry, strawberry, orange, mango, coconut, grapefruit, limited prunes and raisins. Starters: banana/egg/butter/honey “pancakes”. Pear/apple/honey “sauce”. Dehydrators help with making homemade fruits for stage 2.
q Drinks: dry wine, occasional bourbon, gin or vodka and diet soda are allowed. Some orange juices have no added sugar. Dole pineapple juice, 100% grapefruit juice, Knudson just juice line, welch’s 100%grape juices with no calcium fortification, sugars or starches. Homemade coconut or almond milks are legal in stage two. Weakly brewed tea, coffee or apple cider are legal. Herbal teas include peppermint and spearmint. Milkshakes made with homemade yogurt, fruits and honey or saccharin. Fresh squeezed legal fruits.
q Baby formula or toddler “milk” drink: 3 tbsp dry curd uncreamed cottage cheese, 1 tbsp unrefined safflower oil w/out BHT or BHA plus 2 tbsp pasteurized boiled honey-add sterile water to make 2 cups total mixture. Use larger nipple hole. Refrigerate/cover unused. Consume within 24 hours. Double/triple recipe as needed. Comparable to breast milk but without the vitamins/minerals. Temporary use for infants.
Illegal elements in foods:
q There are pretty much no legal pre-made foods but you can freeze your own cooking to achieve the same purpose.
q No hydrogenated shortening. Can get organic shortening at digestivewellness.com
q No Nitrates which are often found in prepackaged meats
q No Sulfates which are often found in dried fruits and other processed foods
q No Starches including corn, rice, etc. includes potatoes, sweet potatoes, okra, chickpeas, garbanzo and all other beans not cooked and drained for one hour to release starch.
q The natural cheese mozzarella and ricotta contain lactose are should not be consumed-some cheeses allowed-provalone, muenster, cheddar, Colby, swiss, jack, see list….
q No chocolate or carob products.
q No Pectin for canning-honey is preferred sweetener on this diet.
q No ice cream unless you make it dry curd cottage cheese and honey and other legal ingredients.
q No commercial yogurt unless you make it homemade with goat milk and lactic acid probiotics. This is easier than it sounds in the book.
q No ketchup which is 40% sugar.
q No bread or flours (even bean flours are starchy)- make your own from ground up pecans or other legal nuts like coconut or almonds but wait until later in the diet.
q No pasta-use instead shredded eggs into “noodles” or shaved zuccini baked into noodles.
q No margarine-use instead cultured butter, pecan nut butter, or avacado. (Health Hut)
q No baking powder-use instead baking soda.
q No instant soups or instant broth bases.
q No milk solids, no soy milk products except soy oil, no buttermilk, or sour cream-use instead almond butter to make milk or coconut milk but use these only later in the diet.
q Cashews are starchy and contain enzyme inhibitors-delay or avoid them. Peanuts are similar.
q No instant coffees and instant teas, or beer. All are all illegal. No boxed drinks-they all contain sugars even if the label says they don’t. black teas, brewed teas, mint herbal teas are all fine with saccharine or honey.
q No applejuice of any kind-they all contain sugar even if the label says they don’t.
q Probiotic blends containing FOS are illegal as this is a sugar that “feeds” all bacteria-good and bad kinds alike. They add FOS to keep the bacteria alive long enough for you to ingest it but this backfires when the FOS feeds everybody.
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ALL ILLEGAL & CAUTIONARY FOODS:
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according to SCD, none of:
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q milk solids
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q chocolate carob
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q baking powder instant broth bases
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q cashews
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q hydrogenated fats
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q yogurt from store
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q ketchup
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q soy milk buttermilk whole milk
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q FOS in probiotic blends
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q xylitol
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q inulin
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q ricotta mozarella
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q starches
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q breads flours pasta
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q margarine
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q sour cream
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q molasses
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q brown sugar
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q glucose
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q nitrates
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q sufites
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q sulfates
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q ready made foods
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q maple
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q pectin
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q ice cream
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q boxed juices
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q sorbitol
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q dextrose
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q sucralose
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q lactose
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q lactase
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q corn syrup
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q table sugar
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q sulfur
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q xantham gum
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q agar agar carrageenan
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q BHT BHQT BHA
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q salicylates
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q canned vegetables of any kind
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q Canned fruits in anything but their own juices
q Canned salmon or tuna with illegal starches/sugars added
q Vitamins, toothpaste etc with illegal additives
FOLLOWING FOODS AVOID FOR SPECIFIC PROBLEMS SCD LIKELY CORRECTS OVER TIME:
q High acidity foods: liquor, beer, soft drinks, berries, prunes, sweetened fruit juice, beef, pork, shellfish, cheese, milk, ice cream, chocolate, walnuts, peanuts, flour, wheat, pasta
q High oxalate foods: beer, chocolate, oatmeal, soy, popcorn, grapes, celery, eggplant, okra, parsely, pepper, cocoa, berries, tea, wheat, figs, kiwi, beans, nuts, seeds, beets, pumpkin, potato, spinach, squash, turnips, yams
q Blood type o positive bad foods: dairy, corn, wheat, pork, ham, coconut, orange, tangerine, peanut, soda, bacon, blk tea, kiwi, cantaloupe, honeydew, kidney/navy beans, pinto beans, pickle, ketchup, mayo
q Yeasty foods: breads, rolls, cakes, crackers, pizza, beer, cereal, pastries, sugar, honey, corn syrup, raisins, fruit juices undiluted, cheese, vinegar, ketchup, saurkraut, vine dressing, bbq sauces, sour cream, olives, mustard, capers, cider, tea, mushrooms, pickles
q Hypoglycemic avoidance foods: refined cereals, rye, pita, wheat, sweets, nuts, fats, brown rice, maple, tropical fruits, melons, raisins, potatoes, honey, rice, sugar.
MAY 2008 SHORT CUT SHEET OF LEGAL FOODS
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Specific Carbohydrate Approved Foods
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drinks: blk tea, green tea, coffee, spearmint tea
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apple cider, plain water,wine dry,
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diluted orange juice, pineapple juice, grape juice
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bfast – snack – dessert ideas:
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baked cinamon apple dipped in SCD honey blend
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banana based fruit smoothie – see fruits below
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dehydrated fruits – see fruits below
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dry curd cottage cheese w/ SCD jam swirled in
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SCD homemade yogurt w/ SCD jam swirl
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SCD baked items – see staples below
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welch’s grape juice knox gelatin jello
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dehydrated meat to jerky
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pork rinds ck ingredients
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fruit list: all peeled, cooked, seedless & OK mashed for baby too
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brown spotted banana need not be cooked!
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melons, prunes, pears, raisins, nectarine,
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mango, paypaya, oranges, passion fruit, tangerine
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peach, plum, pineapple, apple, banana, peeled grapes,
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coconut oil for cooking fruit
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staples: almond butter/flour, coconut flour, nut flours
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honey lemon blend, pure marinara, plain mustard
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coconut oil, safflower oil, almond oil, olive oil, vinegar
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all spices OK buy single no blends and fresh is OK too
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pickles, can tom juice, olives, local honey
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Vegetable list: peeled cooked seedless & OK mashed for baby
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yellow squash, zuccini, grean beans, cauliflower,
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Asparagus, carrots,tomato, mushroom
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pumpkin, eggplant, fresh limas, fresh onion, peas,
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fresh navy beans, rutabaga, watercress, NO TURNIPS
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olive oil for cooking veggies
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dairy list: eggs, muenster, cheddar, colby cheese, gouda
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100% parmesean, provolone, romano, swiss
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havarti, real butter, SCD yogurt
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meat list: whole chicken, chicken breasts, pork,
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catfish, salmon, shellfish, can tuna oil
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roast steak and burgers , turkey, hens
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I have a booklet I made to get myself organized too with baking tips, recipies i have collected, info about acidity, how to join their pecanbread yahoo group, gradually introducing foods, a grocery list, vitamins we use, our menu for the week and mistakes not to make to destroy the goal of the SCD program. Put your email in your post and i’ll be happy to email them out to you.
One last thing, this seems like a lot of work but when the troublesome symptoms of my children disappeared there was suddenly more time for and more enjoyment in preparing this food. I am still as busy but it is far more pleasant than it was before SCD!
amanda 😉
p.s. I hope this is okay for this site!!! if not, i’m apologizing in advance!!!
Does anyone have experience with day care? What are some of the things she needs to consider? If anyone has specific recommendations for places in the Detroit metro area (Royal Oak, Ferndale, etc), please feel free to PM me.
DD is now 2.5 and is reflux free!!! Off the meds since she was 1.5. I should have kept posting to support others, and feel bad about not doing so. But my older DD has been going through some horrible behavioral and emotional difficulties and my time has been so very stretched.
& (most of) it’s here:
??? Based on your experiences, does this sound like reflux? Is it usually up to the parents to diagnose? Any thoughts on this? And also- how did each of you know FOR SURE that your child had reflux vs some other condition?Sorry for so many questions- I’m just really confused and tired of playing the guessing game while my daughter is uncomfortable. And I also don’t want her to HATE nursing. I’ve breastfed exclusively since she was born but it has never seemed to really “comfort” her like it does with other babies. It’s like she’s just eating because she absolutely has to, not because it soothes her. And her recent squirming makes me think that she is really uncomfortable when she’s eating.Thanks for reading my post!
