Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

[fig girl]

Fig girl,

I think I have the same juicer as you - the Omega? I haven't tried making nut butters - but I am thinking of trying. Do you have to soak or wash the almonds? Do you stick them in plain and grind them and out comes nutbutter? Guess I need to do a bit of research on that.

The lugol's is a iodine that I take internally. After I went to the holistic dentist and he told me I had high bacteria counts including spirochettes (yuck!) that he would disinfect with iodine. I figured in the meantime I could probably swish with my iodine. I realize the one he uses for rinse the mouth is different. But what I am doing seems to work.

Also, because I don't have that much iodine (Lugol's) left, I decided to try hydrogen peroxide swishes. That seemed to help. I notice that when I am having die off or bug activity - that's when the breath seems bad. So, its definately related. Imagine that being in your mouth and then swallowing! YUCK! You should have seen it on the computer screen. He took a couple of sample from my mouth and then put it on a slide under a microscope. The microscope is hooked up to a computer monitor and it showed those mouth bugs moving around! I was FREAKED OUT! It was so gross. I know that we all have some type of bacteria/bugs living in our mouths, but to see it was certainly a shock!

Thanks April! Yes, i have the Omega also and love it. I bought it mainly because it juices greens really well and the 10 yr. warranty and making the nut butter and ice cream sounded yummy. I haven't made the nut butter yet but i think it's really similar to what pele had posted using the Champion juicer. I looked at the instuction booklet and it doesn't give you detailed instructions but i think you use the blank cone instead of the juicing screen and use the round or oval nozzle that attaches underneath it and your butter will come out under there. I think i read where someone just put the raw nuts right in there and ran the nuts/pulp through several times to get it more creamy. I'll have to search around and see if i find more info. on it. Heck, there may be something on youtube showing us how...you can find most anything on there it seems. I'll let you know if i find anything. Thanks for the lugol's info. too. My breath has been much better the past few days...thank goodness! That would be pretty gross looking at all of the mouth bugs...i'm sure i have tons!

[mftnchn]

Thanks Sherry! I found the recipe for almond yogurt on pecanbread.com and saved it in my favorites....i'm going to try and make it next batch. I'm glad my symptoms sound like they're pretty common. I cooked some peaches yesterday and mashed them up really good and made some peach sauce and put a little in my yogurt tonight but now i'm gassy....ugh! Maybe it was because we ate out tonight for dinner but the place we went to has a gluten-free menu and i ordered tilapia with lemon butter sauce and steamed veggies (i only ate the green beans, carrots and a few bites of yellow squash). Does cooking the fruits produce more sugar from them? Hmmm, guess i better freeze the peach sauce and apple sauce to save for later, darn.

I'm only getting the one organism also since i'm just using Kirkman and my first batch was from pure encapsulations.

I wonder if you just need to wait a little longer on the peaches. Another thing is to trial do another try in a few days with organic peaches.

I suppose if you have a lot of candida, the fruit and honey might cause gas. The book says if you have candida you might have to be stricter for awhile.

[mftnchn]

Open Original Shared Link

This talks about why kefir could be a problem and maybe where to find help to address these issues.

I'm thinking it might be wise for me to take it slow, and wait until my next visit back to the USA to try the kefir. Shay, your response to it sure is intriguing and encouraging!

[mftnchn]

I think perhaps part of my problem is egg and or the almonds I got here. I added apple this morning, then added one piece of muffin later. The apple seemed fine but after the muffin I had symptoms I also had not eaten eggs over the last three days, so I'll need to check those as well, but I am thinking the almonds...

Could be something added to the almonds too, or that I have had trouble grinding them fine enough so there are small pieces of nut, enough to crunch when I chew. My thought is right now that depending on how I am by morning, I'll drop the almonds/nuts for now, and stick with adding more vegetables, fruit and meat, with everything well cooked. I had been doing more stir fry which is likely not as thoroughly cooked as maybe what I need.

[mftnchn]

duplicate post

[fig girl]

Thanks Sherry, i think you're right about waiting on the fruit. I haven't used any honey because i figured i may have trouble with it. Anything sweet, even dates and figs, would give me gas. Raw fruit didn't before starting SCD so maybe once i start on the raw fruit it'll be ok.

I've been a little constipated the past 2 days....i didn't go at all yesterday but did today. It's much better formed and not as much as before - i used to clog the toilet sometimes Before SCD if i ate more than 1/2 banana it seemed to constipate me some and i've been eating a good bit of banana since it's the only fruit i can seem to tolerate right now so that's probably it. I've been hungry today but ate a good dinner....i had a beef patty with friendship cheese on top, bowl of carrot soup, avocado with lime juice, sauteed spinach and for dessert i had some yogurt w/a little banana.....but i've cut back on the banana a little more today.

Sherry - Sorry that you're having problems with either eggs or almonds...maybe it was just the almonds because they weren't ground fine enough or there's something added to them. It's such a pain to not know what caused the problem. Did you just start adding back the almond flour after 2 mths? I wonder how long i'll have to wait to bake something with the almond flour.....i'm dying to bake something.

April - i've lost some weight the past few weeks - my pants are more loose. I don't need to lose anymore so i started the avocado tonight - so far so good. I miss peanut butter I've got to look up when i can add that back in..can't remember.

Shay - I'm glad the kefir is helping you - i had looked into making some before starting the SCD but couldn't find the grains at any health stores and didn't search for any on-line. I've read that it does wonders for the healing.

[ShayFL]

There are a handful of people on e.B.a.y. that sell kefir grains. I have not bought any yet cuz it is so easy to buy it here. I already make so much of my own food. I am sure at some point I will give a go at making my own.

So far so good with the kefir. No problems. And nice looking bms.

[mftnchn]

Fig girl, I had been using almond flour regularly since my first 5 day round of intro in July. I went back on intro for three days over the weekend to see if it would help with my return of constipation. It didn't help with that, but I did get a slight die off feeling (MUCH less than the first time on intro). So I added in a muffin yesterday (constipation protocol--you start these earlier), and had symptoms afterward.

I'm still not sure how severe the symptom was...started with abdominal cramps, then bloating, then fatigue and a little fogginess, today aches. But I think the last three symptoms are lyme disease related as I switched back onto my antibiotic on Sunday so would be due for a die-off

My current plan is to retry the muffin in about 5 days, and see if I get a repeat of the symptoms.

I'm stumped on the constipation though. I'll have to up my magnesium and Vit C quite a bit again.

Shay that is encouraging--hopefully eventually I can try that too. I read that the only difference between kefir and yogurt is the mix of organisms. Clearly kefir has something you need!

[aprilh]

Sherry,

Weren't you doing okay with the almond flour in the US? Could it be that you got into a batch that has pesticide residues of some sort? Just a thought....

Luckily I have been doing okay on fruit. In fact, it has been exciting to be able to add more fruit in. When I was doing the candida diet I avoided most fruits. So, I think adding fruit gives me some extra needed vitamins.

I have to get back on track. Aiden is doing his CDSA2.0 this week - at least I am hoping to be finished tomorrow. I let him eat a little more forbidden foods than I normally would, just so I could get an idea of what's going on in there with foods.

He absolutely loves the banana bread recipe. It was so easy to make!! I have got to make a plan - plan dinners, lunch, ect. And get in the kitchen and cook and freeze. That way I don't do the half on half off again. Plus, I want to start my son very soon.

Tonight he was having bad ADD behavior - because my mom kept him today and gave him wheat, tuna, and sugar. Not a good combo!

OH = I am going to take my yogurt maker back and get my money back! I tried the heating pad under the pot method and tracked the temps and it stayed around 105. I was excited!

[mftnchn]

Yes I was doing the almonds in the USA every day--in muffins basically, not much else. I think the problem here may be finding raw almonds. Here apparently they soak them in salt water and "flavourings" then dehydrate them. I thought I got some this time with just salt but my housekeeper thinks there may be more things in it in the salting process. I need to look more and see if I can find raw anywhere.

Besides the constipation issue, I was also noting some water retention. Well over the weekend on intro, I lost that water. Today after yesterday's muffin and apple added in, I regained the 5 pounds of water. So I think I have probably narrowed down the culprit.

I am also surprised that I can do the fruit pretty well. I avoid banana, but have been using apple, pear, grape (make juice), peach.

April, will your mom cooperate when you start your son on SCD?

[ShayFL]

There are no more RAW almonds in the U.S. either. New Law says they must be "pasteurized". So I am now importing mine from Spain......

[mftnchn]

Really? How are they pasteurized?

[ShayFL]

Flash heating them for so many seconds.

Open Original Shared Link

[aprilh]

Yes I was doing the almonds in the USA every day--in muffins basically, not much else. I think the problem here may be finding raw almonds. Here apparently they soak them in salt water and "flavourings" then dehydrate them. I thought I got some this time with just salt but my housekeeper thinks there may be more things in it in the salting process. I need to look more and see if I can find raw anywhere.

Besides the constipation issue, I was also noting some water retention. Well over the weekend on intro, I lost that water. Today after yesterday's muffin and apple added in, I regained the 5 pounds of water. So I think I have probably narrowed down the culprit.

I am also surprised that I can do the fruit pretty well. I avoid banana, but have been using apple, pear, grape (make juice), peach.

April, will your mom cooperate when you start your son on SCD?

Sherry,

I HOPE she'll cooperate. She hasn't been the biggest supported of our dietary changes. Another reason why I wanted some kind of test for back up. I don't know if it will work, but maybe.

It does sound like the almonds have something in them. Who knows.....could msg be in there?

There are no more RAW almonds in the U.S. either. New Law says they must be "pasteurized". So I am now importing mine from Spain......

I heard about this *maybe* happening...but didn't know it was already in effect. They are selling "raw" almonds at my local store. Looks like the law only applies to CA.

Can you provide the link to where you are getting them from? I would love to check that out.

[ShayFL]

Thing is that MOST almonds grown in the U.S. are grown in CA due to it's Mediterranean like climate. They are also grown in Spain, Italy and Greece. I get mine from here:

Open Original Shared Link

It is a good company that I trust. 10.50 a pound. Some sites offer for 9.99 a pound, but I have no experience with them.

[aprilh]

Thing is that MOST almonds grown in the U.S. are grown in CA due to it's Mediterranean like climate. They are also grown in Spain, Italy and Greece. I get mine from here:

Open Original Shared Link

It is a good company that I trust. 10.50 a pound. Some sites offer for 9.99 a pound, but I have no experience with them.

The price is not bad. I have paid more in the store for raw organic almonds. Thanks for the info!

[aprilh]

I just cannot get this yogurt making down....I made another batch using the big stainless pot, heating pad underneath and 4 jars inside. I put warmed water inside the pot to surround the jars. I put an Oven type thermometer on top of a cup (to keep it out of the water) and periodically checked the temp inside the yogurt.

The oven thermometer said 105 degrees consistently. But when I checked the temp inside the jars - it was around 98 to 99. So, now the goat yogurt doesn't smell good and I am going to have to throw it out and start over.

I just can't get the consistent temp I want!

[mftnchn]

How frustrating! That seems weird that the temp varies that much. Did the water cover the jars most of the way up?

My experiment doing intro again has been a bit discouraging. I just can't find the key to the constipation issue. After weeks of great improvement, I can't figure out what is causing this. I'm only eating a very few things.

One thought is that perhaps the change in diet has brought on increased sensitivity to the starches in my meds and supplements. Guess I'll hang in there for awhile and see if this is just a stage of healing, and start adding more well cooked things back into the diet.

I did find some locally grown almonds that are supposed to be raw. They are a different type of almond than what we have in the US. I bought a few and will try these. I still have some foccacia bread I brought from the USA (made it there) and froze it. So I may try this first in a couple of days and see if I react.

[GermanMia]

Hi,

sorry that I burst into your conversation - but this is just the thread to ask my questions, I think

After 1 gluten-free year, all my symptoms became worse - they seemed to explode. I already knew I had a leaky gut and didn't digest neither carbohydrates nor fat well. Finally I thought that I'd only be able to restore my intestines avoiding all forms of complex carbohydrates, of course in combination with probiotics, and I started the SCD one week ago. Now I'm wondering about some things, and perhaps there's anyone who shares my experiences and/or can explain some things. First of all, I've always been kind of energy wasting machine - very thin, no fat at all on my bones and whatever I eat it just evaporates. That's good and nice, but never mind what I eat, it only lasts two or three hours and I'm desperately hungry again. With the SCD I really have a large calorie intake, but I already lost one more pound and am hungry all the time. Does this get better after a while? When I lived just low-carb some time ago I felt perfectly fit and barely hungry, and I didn't even eat bananas at that time.

The other thing is that my leg muscles don't feel very good. They're very tough and tight, sometimes I have cramps in the calves, and the thighs always hurt slightly. As I take very good supplements and never have had lack of any micronutrients, I wonder what's happening there and if this will stop after some time with the SCD.

Thanks for reading and - hopefully answering

Mia

[aprilh]

Hi,

sorry that I burst into your conversation - but this is just the thread to ask my questions, I think

After 1 gluten-free year, all my symptoms became worse - they seemed to explode. I already knew I had a leaky gut and didn't digest neither carbohydrates nor fat well. Finally I thought that I'd only be able to restore my intestines avoiding all forms of complex carbohydrates, of course in combination with probiotics, and I started the SCD one week ago. Now I'm wondering about some things, and perhaps there's anyone who shares my experiences and/or can explain some things. First of all, I've always been kind of energy wasting machine - very thin, no fat at all on my bones and whatever I eat it just evaporates. That's good and nice, but never mind what I eat, it only lasts two or three hours and I'm desperately hungry again. With the SCD I really have a large calorie intake, but I already lost one more pound and am hungry all the time. Does this get better after a while? When I lived just low-carb some time ago I felt perfectly fit and barely hungry, and I didn't even eat bananas at that time.

The other thing is that my leg muscles don't feel very good. They're very tough and tight, sometimes I have cramps in the calves, and the thighs always hurt slightly. As I take very good supplements and never have had lack of any micronutrients, I wonder what's happening there and if this will stop after some time with the SCD.

Thanks for reading and - hopefully answering

Mia

Mia,

I used to have Hypoglycemia so I felt hungry all the time even though I didn't need to eat. I always ate low carb veggies and hardly any fruit. This has shown huge improvements for me on the SCD! Now I eat and I feel like the food is working in my body again and I can go longer. When I do get hungry, I don't get that big blood sugar crash anymore.

If you have had leaky gut or gut damage in general, it might take more time on the SCD to heal and start showing more improvements.

I, too, had the leg thing....my legs always felt weak and tired even though they are normally very strong. I was starting to wonder what was wrong but I noticed that this improved on the SCD too. I guess its because when your body is constantly dealing with starches and carbs it cannot digest or process very well, it weakens you.

Some people sort of detox or have "die off" their first few days or weeks when starting the diet. This can make one feel like their legs are weak, too. Also, recently I had a bought with not drinking enough water and got a bad muscle cramp in the middle of the night. Once I ramped up my water intake, I noticed my neck and back didn't hurt as much either.

[mftnchn]

Mia, welcome. I noticed feeling a lot of hunger the first week or two as well. What I did was just not restrict myself to having honey or things made with honey, grape juice and gelatin. The hunger seemed to ease after awhile, and just this week I was commenting to a friend that I am now now hungry all the time and don't seem to "need" to snack all evening like I have for years.

I have read that this hunger may be due to the organisms in the gut that you are starving out. This can take awhile, so hang in there and see if it gets better. The literature says if you have candida as a problem you might need to restrict honey and fruit initially too. Since you did very well in the past very low carb...you might try dropping those foods if your symptoms don't ease. But I think it could all ease up in a week or so.

I have needed to lose weight so am not in the same boat as you. But I lost about 10 pounds the first while on the SCD, and then it stabilized, and even came back up just a little bit. So I think you can hang in there for a month or two and just see what happens. You actually could start to gain weight if the carbs have prevented the gut healing.

[GermanMia]

Hi aprilh and mftnchn,

thanks for your replies and thanks for the weilcome! Now I'll just be a bit patient.

I had hypoglycemia, too, which was the reason why I used to eat low carb. During the first days on SCD I tried to avoid honey and bananas indeed, but I felt I needed them and so here I go with bananas and honey, and it feels much better than without. There is a certain amount of carbs which the body needs and I think I cannot cover this with carrots alone...

I'm killing a candida, too, but as that does not work with starving alone I take nystatin. If I manage to clear the gut of the "bad" organisms and get it healing and the "good" organisms resettled, chances are good that the candida will not return.

Gaining some weight would be an nice change, too. I'm so fed up with people telling me I had to be anorectic and should see a psychiatrist!

Maybe it's just my imagination because I concentrate on food all the time and don't realise anything else but I have the imagination that even my PMS has already gotten better. Has any of you experiences with this sort of thing? I always wondered if there is a connection between such problems and the celiac / leaky gut thing?

[MissCici]

Hi everyone -

I'll probably be starting on SCD this week. I'm a little nervous, just because I've had to change my diet several times due different doctor's recommendations.

Any "getting started" tips you all have to offer?

Also, what is the thought behind the canned vegetables? Would even organic canned veggies be banned on SCD?

Cici

[mftnchn]

Mia, so glad adding the honey and bananas helped. How far have you progressed on adding foods?

Welcome, Cici. Glad to help if we can.

For getting started I would plan to cook ahead and have enough stuff for the first week at least, maybe two. Because you might feel some die off and might not have a lot of energy to cook. Also get some starter for your yogurt making and figure out a set up for culturing your yogurt.

Canned vegetables are a problem because of undeclared sugar. What I read was that Elaine had a friend in the food processing business and found out that as veggies were processed the pH was checked and sugar added down a chute to correct pH but that was never put on the label.

What symptoms are you having? Some people have jumped into full SCD, others have done intro and then jumped into mostly full SCD. Others have done the very gradual process. www.pecanbread.com has a chart for suggestions of when to introduce what food that is more detailed than the book.

[pele]

Hi Cici and Mia

Hang in there. The first two weeks are the hardest (or were for me anyway). After I got over my sugar addiction things got much easier.

When I started the diet, I didn't have constant uncontrollable D, so instead of doing an intro, I simply eliminated illegal foods.

Here in the USA we are programmed to eat low fat diets. I'm pretty sure a lot of my problems with hunger are a result of not eating enough fat. So Mia, if you are also used to avoiding fat you may need more fat to offset the loss of refined-carb-calories. Try to buy higher fat meats, saute vegetables in butter or olive oil rather than steam and eat nut butter if you can. I am also on the skinny side. I have lost 2-3 punds on the diet however, I am finally growing some muscle for the first time in a while.

As far as PMS, I am thankfully past that stage of life, but I'm pretty sure I did have celiac disease during my final 10 years or so of "childbearing age" and the whole cycle was way out of whack. Celaic wreaks havoc on the endocrine system.

Cici, don't be nervous about starting the diet. Really all you are doing is eliminating processed foods. Instead you will be eating whole natural foods: meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, honey, yogurt and cheese. After a while you will probably wonder why anyone thinks highly processed chemical concotions taste good.

And I second the suggestion to prepare some food in advance. Always take something to eat with you when you go out. Don't put yourselves in the position of being hungry with no safe, legal food to eat.

Welcome to the thread. It is nice to log on after a day or two away and find a new page of posts.