Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

[wschmucks]

Whitney - you might want to consider doing an herbal parasite cleanse - I was reading that certain parasites can cause constipation!

I was JUST thinking about doing that. The other day I had roasted some garlic and i LOOOVE garlic, so i literally just ate clove after clove and had the worst gas that night. I was thinking about what you had said, about the negetive reaction maybe being from the bad bacteria or a parasites (it was either the garlic or a portabella mushroom i had). I have some "cadi-gone" its a supplement that combines garlic, caprilic acid, oil of oregeno and some other anti-fungals. I was thinking about starting to take that. Would that be the same type of thing to take for the parasite?

[AliB]

Certainly things like garlic would help - but if you read that article that I have included the link for above, then you will see what needs to be taken for parasites. The most common are things like Black Walnut and Wormwood.

It is interesting that most cultures have certain herbs that they have traditionally taken for worms/parasites. Even if some things don't grow in your climate, there will be others that do.

I haven't been out to get any Black Walnut yet, but I am taking a Wormwood, Quassia and Male Fern complex, Echinacea and Goldenseal, garlic, chomping on pumpkin seeds, and drinking Lapacho (taheebo/Pau D'arco) and oregano tea made from the dried herbs. If I can find anything else I will throw that at them too! I am determined to get rid of the little beggars.

I am sure now that they are in residence, the fact I have had a good night's sleep for the last 3 nights since starting the 'de-worming', and the heart pounding thing is receding too is enough to convince me of that.

I have also had more energy today.

If this does do the trick, although I will be glad I will also be very annoyed that I didn't know about it 35 years ago!

[Ms Jan]

Sherry (mftnchn) posted a bit on this thread a page or two back where she said her 'doc' had picked up Strongyloides and she is just going through treatment for it so you could try PM'ing her to see how she is getting on with it. She has also been treated for other parasites. She doesn't post on here very often now so PM might be the best way to contact her.

Thanks Ali,

In the meanwhile, I came down with a really bad bout of headaches/vomiting for three days, only now getting slightly better. Think it was the flying to Denmark, those long flights together with the inevitable shift in the diet (even if I eat the same produce, they somehow have a different substance in different places) that brought me down. To be careful, I had even brought sauteed broccoli on the flight (and they let me carry it through security with no problems). I was so careful, yet one day later I was in bed, sick as I haven't been in a very long time. So annoying !

I will PM Sherry, and also read up on the parasite article you've linked to.

Jan

[GermanMia]

'Good thinking, Batman'!! (Sorry Mia, that might be lost on you - from the old 'Batman & Robin' series on UK/USA TV).

We just tend to think of fermenting the milk from the start when it is liquid, but fermenting the cheese could be an option. Hmm, wonder if you could do the same with ordinary cottage cheese? Might need to break the curds up so that the bacteria can get right through it.

I managed to pick up some DCCC a few days ago (I used to buy it years ago but it is very hard to get hold of here in the UK now). Trouble is it is in a huge tub. I was wondering if it would freeze and whether that would destroy the benefit of it in any way. It would be a lot easier if I could just get a small pot of it out as I need it. Any thoughts on that one?

Sorry, I wasn't around the past few days :-)

Ali, I thought about fermenting cottage cheese, too. Maybe first process it in a processor to get it smooth and then ferment?

The curd cheese which I buy comes in 1lb containers. But I found that once fermented you can store it for quite a long time. I had one batch of two 1lb containers which lasted two weeks - no problem.

[GermanMia]

I was JUST thinking about doing that. The other day I had roasted some garlic and i LOOOVE garlic, so i literally just ate clove after clove and had the worst gas that night. I was thinking about what you had said, about the negetive reaction maybe being from the bad bacteria or a parasites (it was either the garlic or a portabella mushroom i had). I have some "cadi-gone" its a supplement that combines garlic, caprilic acid, oil of oregeno and some other anti-fungals. I was thinking about starting to take that. Would that be the same type of thing to take for the parasite?

Hi Whitney,

sorry if I already asked this - again I lost track a bit But have you ever checked for fructose malabsorption? That is something which comes along with celiac quite often, and very often it makes bad C. Maybe trying to avoid everything high in fructose is an option, just to see if it gets better? That's not easy doing SCD, because it means practically no fruits, few veggies, no honey, no nuts, only almonds, but not much.

Garlic and mushrooms cause lots of problems if you have a fructose issue.

[Ms Jan]

As to the parasites, I just read in my old 'conventional' medicine handbook that the parasites we pick up in the tropics - which I'd believe are probably all over the world today - tend to spread beyond the intestines and can lounge in any organ, which is why they are so hard to get rid off: any sufficient dosage of medicine that would kill the worms/parasites might also kill the patient ... well, I'm surely opting for the herbal way. Just went out to buy some pau d'arco tea and wormwood to add to the foray I'm already taking. And I think I'll start taking Paratrex capsules - anyone having heard of these ?

Perhaps we should start a whole separate thread on parasites, as this is in fact not directly linked to the SCD at all?

Jan

[Lisa]

Whitney - you might want to consider doing an herbal parasite cleanse - I was reading that certain parasites can cause constipation!

I would strongly suggest, that if you or anyone feel that parasites are an issue, that you seek a medical professional to address the issue. We are not doctors and what might be a solution for one, may cause danger to others.

Please seek a professional. Thank you.

[rinne]

I look at myself as an ongoing science project and I feel quite free to experiment, since I have improved without doctors assistance by doing so I no longer consider them necessary. I don't recommend this to anyone else but I certainly no longer believe that the so called experts are anything but expert at toxic tests and treatments.

I have been on the SCD for four months now and am seeing improvement, it is slow but it is real. I follow it strictly except that I do drink espresso which I do not believe qualifies as weak coffee. I do drink a large glass of water prior to the coffee though, my theory being that that dilutes it slightly.

I notice many mentions of non-compliant ingredients and that is fine with me, I just think it would be good to be clear that they are not recommended for the SCD in case there are newbies reading along.

[Ms Jan]

I look at myself as an ongoing science project and I feel quite free to experiment, since I have improved without doctors assistance by doing so I no longer consider them necessary. I don't recommend this to anyone else but I certainly no longer believe that the so called experts are anything but expert at toxic tests and treatments.

Hi Rinne,

Yes, I do the same. Whereas I'll always recommend anyone else to check with doctors - I've myself been misdiagnosed and mistreated in the 'system' so many times (sometimes with harmful consequences - like when at least five doctors/specialists for two years couldn't diagnose my larva migrans in the leg, and gave me cortisone and cut into the skin, although I kept telling them I know it's something crawling and living, probably from Africa) that by now I consider myself the most trustworthy guide to my own health. And then I see doctors for very specific ailments/symptoms. But of course, one also has to be very careful with alternative advice and herbal medicines, since these can very well overburden or be toxic/harmful for the body as well.

I also went to a plethora of doctors and had countless tests done over the last five years for my debilitating headaches/vomiting without getting any help at all, before a health practitioner last november pointed me to celiac, and from there I myself went on to the SCD which has finally done real wonders for me. And I really learn so many valuable things from other people's personal experiences, picking out what I believe fits my body, and trying things carefully.

Think I'll put in a caption in my signature though that I'm just a layman, no one shall unquestioningly do like I do ... these are my personal experiences only.

I started a 'Parasite' thread yesterday - but it never showed up. don't know if it's a problem with the system or what ...

Jan

[AliB]

Jan, mine was removed too - don't worry it's not aimed at you specifically, there seems to be issues with the subject matter (if you want to know more in the Parasite field check it out on Curezone!).

I agree with the Doctor thing - I too am an ongoing experiment. Doctors have done me and mine more harm than good over the years and I have learned that you can't rely on an 'expert' to actually be an expert.

Sometimes having a brain and a good dose of common sense is the best form of expertise!

[rinne]

.....

Think I'll put in a caption in my signature though that I'm just a layman, no one shall unquestioningly do like I do ... these are my personal experiences only.

I started a 'Parasite' thread yesterday - but it never showed up. don't know if it's a problem with the system or what ...

Jan

I am not a doctor either.

What astonishes me is the number of people who will post with a clear understanding that gluten is causing them pain and yet they will still wait for a doctor to confirm it. I think we need to listen to our bodies more and trust our own experience. Long gone are the days when I would have any patience with anyone, doctor or not, telling me what I should or shouldn't do.

Jan, mine was removed too - don't worry it's not aimed at you specifically, there seems to be issues with the subject matter (if you want to know more in the Parasite field check it out on Curezone!).

I agree with the Doctor thing - I too am an ongoing experiment. Doctors have done me and mine more harm than good over the years and I have learned that you can't rely on an 'expert' to actually be an expert.

Sometimes having a brain and a good dose of common sense is the best form of expertise!

Yes to the good brain and common sense although perhaps we should change it to rare sense as it doesn't seem so common anymore.

What's the deal with the parasite threads? I think once our digestion collapses then we are vulnerable to everthing and I know when I did the Klinghardt salt protocol I saw things I would rather have not.

[Ms Jan]

Hi Ali and Rinne,

Now the parasite thread is up and running - with both our 'starters', Great.

It's as if for every stage of the healing I'm going through, I reach another level and discover something new to attack. First I went gluten free in November, then it wasn't sufficient, so I went on to the SCD in January, then cutting out all dairy/sugar, and realizing that my candida regimen wasn't strong enough, so I added caprylic acid, which seems to be doing the trick. And now, these welts were becoming so prevalent that I knew I had to find out what it was, and I'm ready to attack the parasites. My herbs are already working, I'm feeling better than in years, and I haven't had any new welts for several days (more about that on the parasite thread).

In the meanwhile, I'm also trying to get the right supplements. Something that I find strangely harder, since it's so difficult to get MD's in Denmark (where we have free health care) to undertake proper vitamin deficiency panels (don't ask me why - perhaps it's just assumed that we're all getting sufficient nutrients), so I just keep researching, testing and trying out different things. And by now, I do trust my body enough to tell me how things I take work for me. Presently I'm taking a strong multi vit/mineral, additional B comb and B12, as well as D vitamin. But it can be difficult to work out what I might be missing out on.

Anyhow, I know I'm on the right track. These days, I have an energy level, I'm not sure I can remember ever having had. So thanks to the SCD, and thanks to all what I learn from everyone posting here.

Jan

[fig girl]

Hi everyone,

Jan - what brand of B-12 do you take? I had been using pure encapsulations sublingual B-12 but it has some stevia in it so i quit using it. I can't seem to find an SCD legal B-12. I take Freeda B-complex along with the Freeda multivitamin. I probably need to get my B-12 level checked.

Rinne - I have been poaching or roasting my meats in the oven and that seems to help rather than cooking them so long in the crock pot. Thanks for the info!

I'm still having some stomach soreness some mornings though and can't figure out what it is. Could be stress from work or lemon and/or lime juice. Tonight i didn't use any lemon or lime juice so we'll see how i feel in the morning. One night this week i ate dinner later than usual so it could have been that. I really should eat before 6:30 - 7:00 pm - that really helps a lot.

[fig girl]

I LOVE the pumpkin mock danish too-- I make it with banana's or apples with cinnamin (I'm trying peaches today) too because the pumpkin can be hard to get fresh. This is my new favorite thing!

I had a quick question: I was reading the Raman's cook book that raspberries are not to be eaten until 3 months into the diet/ symptoms subside. Now I was wondering if anyone knows if that is because of the seeds, or from the sugar? I REALLY wanted to make a raspberry frosting for my birthday cake (on Wednesday :-) I'll be 25) and was so sad when I read that. Any thoughts? I was going to remove the seeds with a cheese cloth, because I wouldnt even dream of eating all those seeds. Do you guys think it would be ok without the seeds?

Happy Belated 25th Birthday Whitney! I hope your cake turned out well and you tolerated the rasberries ok!

[clearsky]

Hi everyone,

Another newcomer here. I'm a 23 year old male college student, a bit different than the typical member here wouldn't you say?

Most of my life, I got a variety of symptoms but mostly ignored them. Refusing to go to a doctor, I just accepted them as the way things were. These included joint pains, mouth ulcers, bloating, depression, anxiety, mood swings and brain fog.

Over time, these symptoms got worse and they started to affect my life in a significant way. My joint pains made it impossible for me to work out or exercise. My mouth ulcers were getting more and more frequent. All the neurological symptoms were starting to really affect me and drag me down. Because I had so readily accepted these things as part of who I am, they started to really make me pessimistic about the future and give me a negative outlook on life. I did a lot of research into joint pains and arthritis and concluded that I had some form of auto-immune arthritis. This worried me a great deal. I also lost about 50lbs over the past 5 years - this didn't really bother me for the first 30 lbs or so but after a while people started telling me that I was too skinny, etc.

One day, I randomly came across something that said that joint pains could be caused by gluten intolerance (it was a comment to an article in the NYTimes out of all things). The wheels started to turn. I drastically reduced my gluten intake for a while and noticed that some of my symptoms got a lot better. I tried challenges and would feel horrible the next day. I had a hard time accepting it at first, but eventually I came to see it as a blessing in disguise, as I would finally be able to rid myself of problems that had been bothering me for my whole life. I went to a doctor and got an endoscopy/biopsy and blood panels done, the results are coming out next Monday, but my doctor said that most likely things are pointing more towards gluten intolerance over Celiac. I went completely gluten free and starting cooking every single meal for myself (quite a challenge for a 23 year old college student ). After about 10 days, I noticed that most of my symptoms had shown improvement, but my joint pains had become SO MUCH WORSE. I also started reacting to seemingly random foods that I had been fine with before. I was baffled and frustrated, as well as discouraged. I tried to analyze the situation and figure out why. I did a ton of reading on the forum in search for knowledge that would help me understand. One day it just came to me, that as a replacement for gluten, I had started eating tons of rice. Everything clicked. I also compared this to my past history and realized that my joint pains had flared up in periods when I was eating more rice.

So here I am with the SCD. I intuitively realized that SCD was the "heavy-duty" diet, that people use when others things don't work out. As for me, what I found attractive about the SCD is that it would put my health into my own hands. I could go on a gluten-free diet, wait around and hope that my gut heals itself, or I can take action and do as much as possible to help things along.

Well, I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. I really want to thank all of you, as I've read every post in this thread and it has given me a lot of encouragement and knowledge.

CS

[GermanMia]

Hi Clearsky,

welcome to the thread :-)

Seems like you are on a good way - you're lucky to start a healing way of life so early, maybe this will be easier than for people who start past their thirties.

Nice to have you here and share your experiences!

Mia

[rinne]

.....

Rinne - I have been poaching or roasting my meats in the oven and that seems to help rather than cooking them so long in the crock pot. Thanks for the info!

I'm still having some stomach soreness some mornings though and can't figure out what it is. Could be stress from work or lemon and/or lime juice. Tonight i didn't use any lemon or lime juice so we'll see how i feel in the morning. One night this week i ate dinner later than usual so it could have been that. I really should eat before 6:30 - 7:00 pm - that really helps a lot.

I am so glad that it is helping.

I totally agree with you about eating early, it makes a big difference in how I feel.

Welcome Clearsky. And good for you to have figured this out at your age.

[wschmucks]

Happy Belated 25th Birthday Whitney! I hope your cake turned out well and you tolerated the rasberries ok!

Oh thanks so much! The raspberries worked out well and the cake was delicious. Sorry i havent written I just moved to Paris so I have been very busy (only here for 3 days now). The raspberries were great! I froze the cake and brought it with me on the plane and am still enjoying it :-) Also a side note. We ate dinner at Ruth's Chris steakhouse and they were VERY accomadating to my questions about the food and even made a second plate for me when i questioned a seasoning they used and then took my meal off the bill. Highly recommend eating there.

ALSO-- I AM FEELING BETTER!!!! I havent had problems with constipation in weeks. At the start of the diet i was very constipated then would go back and forth with C and D- but my biggest problem was fatigue and muscle weakness (i couldnt do anything). The last 10 days I have gotten my energy back and have had no C (still have D every day-- but it is manegable and not terribly urgent). I was able to go half way off my laxatives and am going to take the plunge tonight and not take any. My accupuncturist even asked me if i was feeling different because she felt a difference. So hopefully i continue to move in the right direction.

A funny story: The first thing i did when i arrived in Paris was go to the store to start making my yogurt. I thought the milk tasted great, and later discovered I had made it with 100% cream. lol! so i am making a second batch and will mix them together...hopefully I will get it right this time!

[purple]

Well, the H. Pylori test came back negative (suprise, surprise), but I am still veering towards some kind of parasite being a problem.

The more I read about them the more I am suspecting that avenue. It seems that they would not normally be able to get a hold in a healthy gut. The intestinal mucous would stop them doing that and they would basically just go in one end and out the other.

But different factors - not least the rotten substances that pass for food these days and other things like certain drugs - antibiotics for instance, by destroying the good flora can undermine and erode the mucous giving the pathogens the opportunity to get their feet 'under the table'.

I read an article by a doctor in the States who reckons that 40% of the patients who come to her have parasites even though many have never been abroad and I am sure that the UK is no different.

Open Original Shared Link

I emailed the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London last night to see if they could tell me of any comprehensive testing that is available on the NHS that I could pass on the info about to my Doctor.

I also pointed out to them that as their remit is to test for and investigate diseases contracted in the Tropics or by people who are moving in from abroad (which we have a copious and cpntinuous quantity of) maybe they need to change the name and the remit of the Hospital to the Hospital for Parasitical Disease as we are just as likely to pick them up here.

Our food is coming from all around the World, visitors come from all around the World but we have many 'home-grown' parasites that are largely ignored too. From what I can see, the NHS at present only seems to have the option of testing for a handful of different parasites like HP, Giardia, Cryptosporidia, etc., yet there are hundreds. Crazy.

What is interesting is that as I did a search of the net for herbal/natural parasite cleansing agents, many of the things that were recommended, like the goldenseal I have taken, garlic, pumpkin seeds, etc., were all items that I would react to. That got me wondering if in fact the reaction was the beasties chucking out toxins in response to the herbal antiheminthics and I am on the right track with the parasite thing.

I threw a load of goldenseal down my gut yesterday, took some Lapacho (Pau d'arco/Taheebo) tea, and swallowed more garlic and something was going on in my gut through the night - my legs were jumping around all over the place - a strong indicator that something was happening. Although tired now, I have had more energy today. As many parasites drain energy a long-term residency of the beggars could well be the reason why I have been so fatigued all my life!

I am researching Hulda Clark's protocol and am contemplating investing in a 'zapper'. Anyone tried one?

If you get a zapper, let me/us know what you think...thanks. Did you read her book The Cure For All Diseases? There is alot of good, interesting reading in it. Some I didn't know and I disagree with the milk drinking except for it depends on where the milk comes from...hopefully not a contaminated/hormone injected cow that is chemically decontaminated and lives in a stockyard eating chemically filled grains and can't walk and so on and so on... hey...chemcow

poor cows

edit:

Aha, I see you did or are reading it on your other post...good eye opener!

New question can you point me to the recipe for the homemade yogurt, I would like to make some. I love yogurt but want mine healthy too. THANKS!!!

[pele]

Hi everyone,

Another newcomer here. I'm a 23 year old male college student, a bit different than the typical member here wouldn't you say?

Well, I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. I really want to thank all of you, as I've read every post in this thread and it has given me a lot of encouragement and knowledge.

CS

Wow, you read the whole 105 pages! I'll bet you found a lot of repetition. So, I'll repeat myself and say that this really is a very simple diet. No labels to read, no bizarrre ingredients to worry about. Just plain veggies, fruits, meat, eggs, nuts, cheese and yogurt.

Once a person starts on a gluten-free diet, it usually takes several weeks to eliminate all gluten because there are so many hidden sources, like soy sauce, condiments and deli meats. If you go on the SCD, you will avoid most of those things, AND avoid the overuse of gluten-substitutes that consist of highly refined starches.

There are men, women and childern on this diet, but as you've nnoticed, most of the posters here are women, and many of a certain age.

Welcome!

[clearsky]

So this is Day 4 of the SCD..

I've mostly been eating meat, fish and vegetables. I've always been a big meat eater, so I don't really mind. It does feel like I'm eating way more meat than I should, but I convince myself that traditional notions of healthy eating are completely wrong. I'm pretty much in Stage 2 a la Pecan Bread, and I'm doing a rotation as well. Since there are not many vegetable choices open so far, that really limits what I can eat. I don't really mind though. Since all my meals are cooked at home from scratch, I am 100% compliant, except for the NSAIDs that I unfortunately have to take. Anyone know a brand that is ok with SCD?

So far, I'm very impressed by how I feel. I don't want to jinx it, but I must say that my mind is clearer than it has ever been. Depression/mood swings are nil. Neurological symptoms seem to be the first to ease up for me, as they also showed the most improvement when I went gluten-free. The way I feel on the SCD is leaps and bounds ahead of gluten-free though

However, my joints still hurt, although they seem to be getting better. My eyebrows are still falling out (a very recent symptom that developed in the past couple months).

Something I found weird is that my stomach has been making a lot of noises after I eat, also I've been gassy and constipated - all of which I never have been before (I had no GI symptoms before except for bloating). So I'll take them as a sign that things are changing down there!

I felt a lot of cravings for the first few days, and it was difficult to concentrate at times. Things seems to be better now. I quit smoking cold turkey a few years back, so I am pretty experienced with cravings and laying down some iron clad self control

Right now I am broiling a rather impressive cut of beef and boiling some green beans. Hopefully I will be able to expand my food choices soon, as all these recipes you guys have been discussing sound delicious. Fruit seems to have been giving me trouble so I've been avoiding it except for juice. I tried almond butter for the first time last night, not sure if I tolerated it ok. Since I am still going through dieoff/withdrawal, it's really hard to tell which foods are giving me trouble. Some make me itch, so I avoid those, but there seem to be some silent killers. How do you guys know if a new food isn't working out for you?

CS

[pele]

However, my joints still hurt, although they seem to be getting better. My eyebrows are still falling out (a very recent symptom that developed in the past couple months).

How do you guys know if a new food isn't working out for you?

CS

Hi again.

Do you have a regular doctor? The eyebrow thing is said to be a symptom of hypothyroidism or adrenal fatigue, I can't remember which. You might want to check it out, since adrenal and thyroid problems go hand-in -hand with gluten intolerance. Have you had bloodwork done to determine if you are deficient in Vitamin D or B12 or folate? Malabsorption can lead to deficiencies leading to joint pain, etc.

After a year on this diet, I have decided that if a legal food is not working out, it is not the fault of the food, it is the fault of our bodies, either not healed or still damaged. We each have to decide for ourselvs if a particular food makes us feel bad, then make the decision not to eat it.

It sounds like you are off to a good start and I'm sure you will be hearing from others on this thread soon.

[Ms Jan]

Hi everyone,

Jan - what brand of B-12 do you take?

One night this week i ate dinner later than usual so it could have been that. I really should eat before 6:30 - 7:00 pm - that really helps a lot.

Hi Fig girl,

I'm presently taking Solaray's B12 sublingual - it was all I could get in my local health food store here in Copenhagen, and I had run out of the Nature Made's B12 I was taking in the US (not sublingual, but they seemed to work for me anyhow). Problem with Solaray is that they contain sorbitol, so they're not SCD legal, and really too sweet for me being on a totally non-sugar diet. Someone on another thread recommended Natural Factors B12 sublingual, they apparently don't have any artificial sweeteners, so I might try to check and order those.

I also used not to be able to eat late. Since I went on the SCD it has helped though, and I am less sensitive. I don't know if you've tried it, but what could help me was to sleep with my head very high, drinking a lot of water, or taking a few drops of diluted peppermint oil; it's all about getting the food as far through the system before sleeping ...

except for the NSAIDs that I unfortunately have to take. Anyone know a brand that is ok with SCD?

However, my joints still hurt, although they seem to be getting better. My eyebrows are still falling out (a very recent symptom that developed in the past couple months).

Something I found weird is that my stomach has been making a lot of noises after I eat, also I've been gassy and constipated - all of which I never have been before (I had no GI symptoms before except for bloating). So I'll take them as a sign that things are changing down there!

Since I am still going through dieoff/withdrawal, it's really hard to tell which foods are giving me trouble. Some make me itch, so I avoid those, but there seem to be some silent killers. How do you guys know if a new food isn't working out for you?

Hi Clearsky,

Welcome! Wish the internet had been there for me to find the SCD at 23 yrs too. And great that you see benefits so quickly. It takes a little time for the body to get used to the diet in the beginning, then it settles and it becomes much easier to see the direct link between any new food and various reactions. Do keep it totally simple in the beginning, that makes the food identification process easier. Like you, I had never had GI symptoms before going on the diet (head aches/vomiting/brainfog/ arthritis/ were my main problems), but initially I got bloated and a few weeks into it I got three days of heavy D. Since then, I've been fine. So hopefully your body is just adjusting to the new diet.

With fruits, have you tried eating them alone or first in a meal? Fruits are most easily digested on an empty stomach. I have no problems with fruit except if they're too sweet (have you tried grape fruit or kiwi ?); but I know many on this thread can't digest them.

As to NSAIDs, do be careful. I took Naproxyn for three months like 15 years ago, and it ruined my stomach totally. If you have to take them, probably it's a good idea to do so with the yoghurt, or some strong probiotics. While the body is cleansing, it can give a lot of additional joint pains, I experienced that myself. Hopefully after a couple of weeks it should get better. But it could also be if you get too much red meat (that's a joint-killer). Have you tried if you can eat almonds or other nuts; I did so from the beginning, except during intro, and that helped me keep down the need for meat.

And Whitney, happy birthday, what a great gift to have your health improve so dramatically! Good for you - enjoy Paris !

Jan

[Ms Jan]

btw, eye brows falling out sounds to me like something that should be checked with a dr....

[clearsky]

Hi again.

Do you have a regular doctor? The eyebrow thing is said to be a symptom of hypothyroidism or adrenal fatigue, I can't remember which. You might want to check it out, since adrenal and thyroid problems go hand-in -hand with gluten intolerance. Have you had bloodwork done to determine if you are deficient in Vitamin D or B12 or folate? Malabsorption can lead to deficiencies leading to joint pain, etc.

After a year on this diet, I have decided that if a legal food is not working out, it is not the fault of the food, it is the fault of our bodies, either not healed or still damaged. We each have to decide for ourselvs if a particular food makes us feel bad, then make the decision not to eat it.

It sounds like you are off to a good start and I'm sure you will be hearing from others on this thread soon.

Hrmm hopefully there are no thyroid or adrenal problems going on. I never had a big problem with my energy levels, and they definitely saw an improvement when I went on the diet.

I don't have a regular doctor, other than the one who did the endoscopy/biopsy for me. Some of my labs came back and he said my vitamin D is low, and I'll find out the rest on Monday. I guess I should try to get some more sun, since I don't think my skin has any malabsorption problems