Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

[Ms Jan]

One question:

I find that generally I'm doing much better when I'm able to follow my own rhythm during the day, whereas whenever I have too many commitments to keep up with, or must run around doing too much physically (which honestly isn't very much, but just too many errands in different places for example), I fall sick ...

Since I used to be very active with sports, and engaged in many activities in general, this fragility is really bothering me. I have to say no to so many things, simply because I don't have the strength to do them and I'm afraid of falling sick afterwards. I don't think it's the diet, since this weakness really set in like one year ago, long before I started the SCD. And ever since starting the diet, I feel so much better also in terms of strength. Only it's like I have to stay rather quiet to feel good - but as long as I stay with my bio-rhythm of doing things and can rest whenever I need to, I seem able to do quite a lot. I am taking a lot of vitamin/mineral supplements, so I don't think it's any deficiencies. Just don't know if it's all part of the healing, my body somehow protecting the healing process, or ...

Does anyone have experiences of this kind?

[mftnchn]

Yes, totally. I chafe at it at times. Especially since there is an ebb and flow. It would be a lot easier if it was a stable level of energy every day, even if limited. It is harder when it changes all the time.

[Ms Jan]

Yes, totally. I chafe at it at times. Especially since there is an ebb and flow. It would be a lot easier if it was a stable level of energy every day, even if limited. It is harder when it changes all the time.

What do you make of it?

Do you think it's the body's way to protect the process of healing so as to get the rest required and not become too exhausted, or is it just part of whatever illnesses we're dealing with ?

In certain ways, for me it mimics the malaria cycles that used to turn up whenever I overdid anything. But it has shown up rarely in the last many years - yet it could be some underlying or more subtle recurrence, or it could also be symptomatic perhaps, of parasitic cycles in general. I don't know ... I would like to think it's part of the healing, but I'm not really sure ...

[Bee-Jr]

I want to mention to all the newbies who are having digestive ills: Have you considered that you may have pancreatic insufficiency and lack digestive enzymes? According to Dr. Green in Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic, this is one of the leading causes of not getting well. There is a feedback loop in the small intestine, when food enters, the pancreas is signaled to release digestive enzymes. When the villi are damaged, this feedback loop fails. You may need to take a potent, high quality enzyme mix for awhile.

Pele, thank you for mentioning this. I didn't know it.

I have enzymes at home and will try them.

About the candida issue: When I started the SCD, I had a huge release of fluid. It's important for me to try to understand why. Obviously something happened to cause inflammation to subside in a big way. So in thinking that through, and knowing that the main thing the diet eliminated that I was eating before was certain sugars and starches (mainly my dark Hershey's Kisses, rice, and corn products - the others I had already eliminated months ago), I am led to believe that this particular inflammation was caused by ingestion of these particular sugars and starches.

I certainly don't know all about this, but it makes sense to me that one of two things could be fueled in such a way by these certain sugars and starches: candida and intestinal bacteria. Of those two, candida is the one that can be systemic in ways that seem to apply to me, but with the changes in digestion that have occurred so far, it is obvious to me that the answer to what was causing that inflammation was probably both candida and intestinal bacteria.

If my reasoning process is faulty, I'll be glad to accept correction. But I'm going on ten months trying to figure out this diet thing, and have had remarkable success so far with just my own research and instinct to go on. It is a work in progress, not passed in front of my doctor so he can just pooh-pooh everything I learn, and try to take all the wind out of my sails. I'm through listening to people who are close minded about nutrition and its effects on health. They've been wrong for the last thirty years and still won't admit it.

Pele, I've been taking calcium with vitamin D for nearly a year, but no, I have not been tested for a deficiency. I do not have the money to have a lot of tests through standard medical resources, so I have to figure out what I can on my own. I could not even pursue blood tests for food allergies because I already owe money to the lab (from months ago), and don't feel right having yet more tests when I haven't been able to pay for the ones I've already had. (And yes, insurance was filed, and hundreds of dollars remain for me to pay. Like I said before, my insurance is crap.) I don't recall right now how much D is in my calcium, but I'll check it tonight.

Don't mean to go on a tirade (had to start my Prozac back up this morning after two months off - I can't seem to stop going on tirades of all kinds these past few days); I really am open to learn whatever there is to learn about all this. And I very much appreciate all the feedback and generosity of all of you.

Regards,

Janie

[mftnchn]

What do you make of it?

Do you think it's the body's way to protect the process of healing so as to get the rest required and not become too exhausted, or is it just part of whatever illnesses we're dealing with ?

In certain ways, for me it mimics the malaria cycles that used to turn up whenever I overdid anything. But it has shown up rarely in the last many years - yet it could be some underlying or more subtle recurrence, or it could also be symptomatic perhaps, of parasitic cycles in general. I don't know ... I would like to think it's part of the healing, but I'm not really sure ...

Jan, this is a good question. For me the answer seems to be that it is both part of the illness and part of the healing. Teasing out the differences can be challenging.

Keeping a detailed journal can help. For example, recently I noticed symptoms 4-5 days after taking a med that I only take 2 days every 2 weeks. My MD said, yes, it could be related.

[mftnchn]

About the candida issue: When I started the SCD, I had a huge release of fluid. It's important for me to try to understand why. Obviously something happened to cause inflammation to subside in a big way. So in thinking that through, and knowing that the main thing the diet eliminated that I was eating before was certain sugars and starches (mainly my dark Hershey's Kisses, rice, and corn products - the others I had already eliminated months ago), I am led to believe that this particular inflammation was caused by ingestion of these particular sugars and starches.

Janie, I also noticed this. Actually some happened after going gluten-free but another more dramatic shift with SCD.

I think your ideas about the inflammation are valid. My MD explained about the inflammation but it was too complex for me to grasp and remember. My overall impression is that its not so much a direct cause and effect, (i.e. the sugars and starches cause inflammation), as it is a cascade effect throughout the system. So maybe, ingestion--can't digest them--damage to intestional tissue--feeding of parasite and imbalancing of gut flora--leaky gut--allergic responses--inflammation throughout the system trying to protect tissues--malabsorption impacting all body processes...... etc. etc.

[AliB]

I think another thing we are missing in regards to the SCD is that it not only helps the gut to heal but it also puts less of a burden on the liver and therefore helps it gradually to detox and function better.

The liver plays such a huge role in detoxification that if we are eating a lot of foods that it can't handle then not only does the liver suffer, but the toxins can end up in places they shouldn't be.

All this last episode has made me realise that my liver is VERY congested. It is swollen and is not eliminating toxins out of my body as it should be. Yes the liver function tests have come back normal and it is obviously managing to produce what it needs to but I think the problem lays in it's detox capacity and that is something that those tests will not pick up.

It is a gradual process on the diet and can take some time for the liver to shed all its backlog of rubbish but things like stronger nails and clearer eyes are all indications that the liver is starting to function as it should.

Liver congestion can contribute to many health issues but an inability to lose weight, weight around the middle, hair falling out, dull eyes, brittle ridged nails, impaired digestion are some of the many symptoms I have been suffering from for years.

Interestingly, I have also noticed that although this episode was not pleasant (triggered I suspect by a stone or something getting stuck in my hepatic tubes), my blood sugar control is better. I haven't had any insulin at all for several days and I am just monitoring the situation at the moment.

I have ordered a Liver Detox book and will follow the protocol as I am sure that my liver really needs help at the moment. It is possible that my recent activity may well have triggered a detox that my liver couldn't handle. I have been, unusually for me, suffering with C for the last couple of weeks and that won't help at all!

[pele]

(mainly my dark Hershey's Kisses,

Janie

I have read elsewhere on the forum that Hershey's has a reputation for gluten contamination. I know Hershey's made me sick.

Tirade away, Janie, no one will get mad at you, and we might even like what you have to say!

[pele]

One question:

I find that generally I'm doing much better when I'm able to follow my own rhythm during the day, whereas whenever I have too many commitments to keep up with, or must run around doing too much physically (which honestly isn't very much, but just too many errands in different places for example), I fall sick ...

Does anyone have experiences of this kind?

My experience is similar. My energy level is very uneven. I also participate in sports and if things get intense and stressful, I just run out of steam instead of getting revved up. I attribute this to poor adrenal function and long term malnutrition.

This article was recently posted on celiac.com Have you read it? It's quite illuminating.

https://www.celiac.com/articles/21783/1/B-V...Diet/Page1.html

[mftnchn]

People might be interested in this link if there are questions about whether an item contains any starch:

Open Original Shared Link

[Ms Jan]

My experience is similar. My energy level is very uneven. I also participate in sports and if things get intense and stressful, I just run out of steam instead of getting revved up. I attribute this to poor adrenal function and long term malnutrition.

This article was recently posted on celiac.com Have you read it? It's quite illuminating.

https://www.celiac.com/articles/21783/1/B-V...Diet/Page1.html

Thanks Sherry and Pele,

Yes, at some point in my late 20's I started reacting like that with total exhaustion and a need to sleep for a day or two, if I got too intensely involved in any sport (like squash for example). Then I attributed it to the malaria, but I guess it could have been the beginning of my gluten-poisoning symptoms, or perhaps other types of parasites.

Or, perhaps it might have been the early signs of a liver congestion - like you Ali, are talking about. Because for sure I do feel that at this stage my liver cleansing capacities is down to a very low level. I want to get a little bit further on the parasite treatment, then I'll follow you with the liver cleanse.

Think a food/health journal is a great idea. I'm just so undisciplined with these kind of things - but perhaps I shall give it a try ...

[Ms Jan]

And Janie,

I hope the SCD will help stabilize your moods, just like I've experienced it: I used to get so easily depressed or very hot-tempered, but now it's only when I inadvertently eat something wrong, like additives or sometimes too much coffee can do it as well. It's just great, this sence of being much happier and stable for no apparent reason, just stepping more lightly in the world.

Jan

[AliB]

Or, perhaps it might have been the early signs of a liver congestion - like you Ali, are talking about. Because for sure I do feel that at this stage my liver cleansing capacities is down to a very low level. I want to get a little bit further on the parasite treatment, then I'll follow you with the liver cleanse.

Hi Jan, yes I have to say that it is something I have wondered about over the years but never had enough information at my disposal to do anything about it.

I don't think I have had a really bad diet over the years, but I certainly think it must have included stuff that my liver just couldn't cope with. I haven't been able to tolerate alcohol for years - it would always make me cough and go straight to my bowels! That has to indicate something amiss with the liver - mind you, as Candida produces ethanol as a by-product and I have had issues with that for years, then my poor old liver has probably been desperately trying to deal with the constant stream of ethanol pouring into it!

Since I had the recent episode and before the colon cleanse my mouth in the morning was worse than ever and that had to be due to my liver being unable to clear toxins. I kind of feel at the moment as if most food is toxic to my body!

I said some months ago that I do feel better when I eat plenty of raw food, and maybe that is because it helps my body purge the toxins.

I have decided to try and detox my liver by diet and supplemental support rather than 'flushing' - tried that and I think that ended up blocking the tubes and causing me the grief over the last couple of weeks (I do not want to go through that again!).

Besides, hopefully if I continue to keep my diet simple, then that will help to keep my liver clean - no point flushing it out only to eat rubbish and have to do it all over again in a few weeks or months time.

From what I have read so far the SCD is certainly well on the way to being a good diet for that - which is probably why most people do eventually get better on it - but until I get the book I am not sure how I would need to tweak it. Maybe the liver detox diet is a more 'fast-track' way of clearing it than the SCD. I'll let you know when I get the book.

One thing I really need to focus on is drinking more water. Perhaps that is part of the problem - I have never really drunk enough of good old 'Adam's Ale'. If I can manage to get through a litre or a litre and a half a day I am going some. The fact that I probably drink only half the amount I really should will almost certainly hinder my body from getting rid of toxins properly.

[GermanMia]

Hi all,

I just pop in to post a recipe for starch free, sorbitol free toothpaste I just found:

Mix 100 ml sage or peppermint tea with 100 g white clay and some salt until creamy. Add 5 drops peppermint oil, store in small container.

I'll put this into the SCD recipe thread, too.

[Bee-Jr]

Candida produces ethanol as a by-product and I have had issues with that for years, then my poor old liver has probably been desperately trying to deal with the constant stream of ethanol pouring into it!

I have decided to try and detox my liver by diet and supplemental support rather than 'flushing' - tried that and I think that ended up blocking the tubes and causing me the grief over the last couple of weeks (I do not want to go through that again!).

Ali, good morning, I would surely be interested in the information you find about a liver detox. The statement that candida produces ethanol as a by-product is interesting; potentially puts a new twist on the "non alcoholic" fatty liver disease that I have. Guess they call it "non alcoholic" if the patient isn't a drinker, but if candida is present, and is producing a significant amount of ethanol, then there's no "non alcoholic" to it, is there?

Last year I had an "episode" during which I had dark urine, discomfort in my right side, nausea, and terrible, terrible itching all over. Felt like I could have scratched the skin off myself. It was horrible. After doing a little digging on the Internet I thought it might be related to my liver (surgeon had already told me I had "fatty liver" five years before, after removing my gall bladder), so I went to the doc for blood work. Liver enzymes were through the roof, and a second test showed a beginning level of fibrosis. This was when my doc went apesh*t and told me that if I didn't take off some weight, I was just choosing whether I'd die from a heart attack or from liver failure. In other words, this was the beginning of serious dieting for me. He wanted me to have gastric bypass. Well, uh, NO. I'll do nearly anything else, but not that.

Meantime, I have seen a gastroenterologist about this, and after I took off 40 pounds, had the blood work done again and it was much better - almost within normal limits. But I always feel just a slight congestion in my right side, and the whites of my eyes are never quite as clear as I think they should be. They aren't yellow - don't get me wrong - but they are just a little off.

I am continuing with the pared-down version of SCD to address potential candida, and am taking something called "Yeast/Fungal Detox" from Nature's Sunshine. It has selenium, zinc, echinacea, caprylic acid, Pau d'Arco, garlic, and oregano. Thought I might intersperse cinnamon capsules in with this (or instead of this) every now and then. This is Day 3, and I hadn't really reacted to any of it, except for one day of fairly serious fatigue and a little nausea, until this morning when my most recent trip to the bathroom was pretty unpleasant. (That could also have been caused by lactose, though, because I ate a serving of regular Dannon plain lowfat yogurt yesterday. What was I thinking? I am the classic personification of insanity - trying the same things over and over, expecting a different result.)

My H has an outbreak of some kind of horrible rash on his chest, just below his neck. The other morning when I did my "spit test" for candida (positive, by the way), I had him do one, too. OMG. My test was positive, but his jumped up and down and waved its arms. So the next morning when he showed me this blazing red rash and asked what I thought it was, I said, it's a yeast infection on your skin. Any chance I was right? If so, will athlete's foot spray help it? Next question, does anyone have any idea how to get the most stubborn man in the world to stop drinking Mountain Dew and eating honey buns and fried pies all day, and to use the d*mned foot spray or at least some medicated powder on his rash? The better my diet gets, the worse his gets, and the more I try to take care of myself, the more reckless he is with his own health. It's crazy. I think we are having a power struggle.

Ok, that's enough rambling. I've gotta get to work. Hope you all are doing well this morning, and have a pleasant weekend coming up. To all the Moms, Happy Mother's Day!

Janie

[Bee-Jr]

And Janie,

I hope the SCD will help stabilize your moods, just like I've experienced it: I used to get so easily depressed or very hot-tempered, but now it's only when I inadvertently eat something wrong, like additives or sometimes too much coffee can do it as well. It's just great, this sence of being much happier and stable for no apparent reason, just stepping more lightly in the world.

Jan

Jan, thank you for this kindness. I would like to think that one of these days I can "step more lightly." What a lovely phrase.

Janie

[clearsky]

Figured it was time for an update..

So since my last post I've been following the diet to the letter. I went on the intro diet for a couple days and have been in stage 1-2 since then. I would cautiously say that I am feeling better. My eyebrows nearly stopped falling out for about a week, then I had a sudden flareup of symptoms (with horrible joint pain) and since then my eyebrows are still falling out. Joint pain has been much better since then though.

I am not sure what caused the flareup, it was right around the 1 month mark for me (could be that dieoff that Elaine talks about). My best guess is that it was caused by eating too much fat, as I definitely seem to have trouble digesting it. I found that my digestion is best when each meal is somewhat balanced in terms of fat and protein.

I feel like I've made a lot of progress regarding understanding my body and the signals that its giving me. Eyebrow loss seems to be a very sensitive indicator of how things are going and reacts within 1 day to any gut inflammation or food that I cannot tolerate. Joint pains are more of a lagging indicator that are caused by the overall state of my gut and how things are progressing. Lethargy and energy levels are directly related to my digestion.

I started taking Betaine with Pepsin 3 days ago and have mixed thoughts on this. It's hard to tell whether my digestion feels better, but it definitely isn't worse. Since I started taking it, my joint pains have been close to nil, although the trend seemed to point towards improvement even before. However, I have noticed that I feel really lightheaded when I stand up after sitting for a while. This wasn't really a problem before. My tongue also feels quite sore, I know this is a traditional Candida symptom but it wasn't there before either. So I was wondering if you guys had any guidance/thoughts regarding this.

Once I get all this sorted out I'm excited to step things up a notch with Yogurt, etc. Would love to be stepping more lightly as well..

[marthamom]

Janie,

I read in your post that you're taking Prozac---I am too (the generic, fluoxetine), and I was wondering if I shouldn't be taking it while on the SCD because I called the company and they said that corn starch is listed as one of the inactive ingredients. I'm thinking it might be such a small amount that it might not matter, but I'm also such a perfectionist that I don't want that to screw up the rest of the diet and the healing. I'd love your thoughts....

Thanks,

Martha

[AliB]

Ali, good morning, I would surely be interested in the information you find about a liver detox. The statement that candida produces ethanol as a by-product is interesting; potentially puts a new twist on the "non alcoholic" fatty liver disease that I have. Guess they call it "non alcoholic" if the patient isn't a drinker, but if candida is present, and is producing a significant amount of ethanol, then there's no "non alcoholic" to it, is there?

Last year I had an "episode" during which I had dark urine, discomfort in my right side, nausea, and terrible, terrible itching all over. Felt like I could have scratched the skin off myself. It was horrible. After doing a little digging on the Internet I thought it might be related to my liver (surgeon had already told me I had "fatty liver" five years before, after removing my gall bladder), so I went to the doc for blood work. Liver enzymes were through the roof, and a second test showed a beginning level of fibrosis. This was when my doc went apesh*t and told me that if I didn't take off some weight, I was just choosing whether I'd die from a heart attack or from liver failure. In other words, this was the beginning of serious dieting for me. He wanted me to have gastric bypass. Well, uh, NO. I'll do nearly anything else, but not that.

Meantime, I have seen a gastroenterologist about this, and after I took off 40 pounds, had the blood work done again and it was much better - almost within normal limits. But I always feel just a slight congestion in my right side, and the whites of my eyes are never quite as clear as I think they should be. They aren't yellow - don't get me wrong - but they are just a little off.

I am continuing with the pared-down version of SCD to address potential candida, and am taking something called "Yeast/Fungal Detox" from Nature's Sunshine. It has selenium, zinc, echinacea, caprylic acid, Pau d'Arco, garlic, and oregano. Thought I might intersperse cinnamon capsules in with this (or instead of this) every now and then. This is Day 3, and I hadn't really reacted to any of it, except for one day of fairly serious fatigue and a little nausea, until this morning when my most recent trip to the bathroom was pretty unpleasant. (That could also have been caused by lactose, though, because I ate a serving of regular Dannon plain lowfat yogurt yesterday. What was I thinking? I am the classic personification of insanity - trying the same things over and over, expecting a different result.)

My H has an outbreak of some kind of horrible rash on his chest, just below his neck. The other morning when I did my "spit test" for candida (positive, by the way), I had him do one, too. OMG. My test was positive, but his jumped up and down and waved its arms. So the next morning when he showed me this blazing red rash and asked what I thought it was, I said, it's a yeast infection on your skin. Any chance I was right? If so, will athlete's foot spray help it? Next question, does anyone have any idea how to get the most stubborn man in the world to stop drinking Mountain Dew and eating honey buns and fried pies all day, and to use the d*mned foot spray or at least some medicated powder on his rash? The better my diet gets, the worse his gets, and the more I try to take care of myself, the more reckless he is with his own health. It's crazy. I think we are having a power struggle.

Ok, that's enough rambling. I've gotta get to work. Hope you all are doing well this morning, and have a pleasant weekend coming up. To all the Moms, Happy Mother's Day!

Janie

Hi Janie.

This is such a learning curve isn't it. Just when I think I have 'cracked it', I figure out it's not that after all!

Definitely though the liver is very much involved. I did the parasite cleanse and am not sure whether anything was there or not. However, it did trigger a huge detox which pretty much overwhelmed me for a bit.

I am coming out the other side of that now but feel that I need to concentrate on my liver now. I have to say that what I didn't really realise until today (see, I am still learning!) is that the liver empties into the colon. If the colon is clogged then the waste and toxins from the liver have nowhere to go (think blocked drains!).

If the gut is slow in removing the waste then the toxins build up and are hanging around in the body too long and can be reabsorbed. Sorry if this it TMI but after having 3 weeks of hardly any 'removal' I had a prolific one last night after drinking a healthy dose of water during the evening. This morning the 'dog breath' was much better. Not gone, but a huge improvement on what it has been over the last 3 weeks so definitely elimination of toxins has to be a huge factor in how well I am. I will definitely be keeping the next appointment with the Hydrotherapist next week. The more 'clog' and toxins I can eliminate, the better.

The Candida produces acetaldehyde as a by-product which is converted to ethanol by the liver and has been implicated in cases of people being drunk without ever drinking any alcohol. It can be quite common in diabetics - the high sugar levels in the body is a huge draw for the Candida. I suppose high sugar levels in any body, whether diabetic or not is going to encourage the proliferation of Candida and its ilk.

You will have to try and get it through to your husband that if he doesn't deal with it now he will end up an awful lot worse off in a short space of time. We have a tendency to always think 'short-term', 'here and now'. How many of us with hindsight would have done things very differently if we could put the clock back? If he carries on the way he is going it will only get worse. I have been there with the body fungal rashes and they are not pleasant. Eating good, wholesome and plenty of raw got rid of it for me.

Tell him about my friends' brother who, as a diabetic went blind when he was 30, and has had to have several toes and his heels removed due to gangrene at the age of 55, and all due to a rubbish diet. The body is not infallible. We see evidence of that all around us every day. People crippled, blind and debilitated. The food that is killing us is produced by companies that couldn't give a monkeys about our health - only their profits. They set traps and we walk right into them. Sweet and tasty is what sells, but it is our bodies that are ultimately paying the price.

The old saying used to be 'a little of what you fancy does you good' and perhaps at one time that may have been true, especially when it was a rare treat to have a slice of cake or a bun perhaps once a week if you were fortunate. These days though a little of what you fancy does you harm, and sadly very few people stop at just a little. They will have 'what they fancy' from the minute they wake up to the minute they go to bed if they feel like it.

PS. Don't be upset by any unpleasant bathroom trips - they are quite likely evidence that your body is off-loading. Better out than in...........

[mftnchn]

So since my last post I've been following the diet to the letter. I went on the intro diet for a couple days and have been in stage 1-2 since then. I would cautiously say that I am feeling better. My eyebrows nearly stopped falling out for about a week, then I had a sudden flareup of symptoms (with horrible joint pain) and since then my eyebrows are still falling out. Joint pain has been much better since then though.

I am not sure what caused the flareup, it was right around the 1 month mark for me (could be that dieoff that Elaine talks about).

Eyebrow loss seems to be a very sensitive indicator of how things are going and reacts within 1 day to any gut inflammation or food that I cannot tolerate. Joint pains are more of a lagging indicator that are caused by the overall state of my gut and how things are progressing. Lethargy and energy levels are directly related to my digestion.

I'm excited for you that it seems you are making clear progress! Congrats!

My sense is that your flare was the 1 month one that is common for many. And you will likely have more of these. My suggestion would be that when you flare, go back to intro again, just for a day or two. (Reduce any strain on your gut.)

Elaine never did figure out exactly what was the mechanism behind these flares, but it is a consistent experience by many. One idea I have is that if we are harboring bad bacteria and parasites, these have a life cycle. So they can naturally ebb and flow. I've even read that the parasites can flare according to the waxing and waning of the moon.

Another idea along the same line: I experience the pain flare and then improvement with my lyme disease treatment. The pain comes both with the flares of the disease (when I'm not able to fight it off naturally or with antibiotics), and also when the treatment is working and killing bugs (known among "lymies" as "herx", short for herxheimer reaction due to toxins excreted with the spirochete bacteria dies).

Also my allergist has told me that join pains tend to be an allergic response that is quite delayed, and also slow to clear.

I think the key to what you are describing is that after the "flare" and with the diet, the joint pains are improving overall. So I'd just stick with what you are doing--it takes quite awhile before most of us feel stable all the time.

[mftnchn]

Martha,

I think you have to make your own call on the meds. From what I have read, it seems that some people on SCD ARE sensitive to the slightest amount. Generally, the advice I have seen is that try to get something free of starches if possible. If not, and you really need the medication, go ahead and use it.

What I did was do this in stages, first I strictly followed the diet and didn't add in any new meds or supplements (I am taking a TON) that were not SCD compliant. Then as I used up what I had on hand, I searched for alternatives that were SCD compliant. I now have things pretty well in hand, though I still have a couple to deal with.

At least, as you say, the amount is tiny, and in the scheme of things, a tiny amount is so much better than a large amount in terms of gut healing.

[mftnchn]

Ali, so glad to hear things are improving.

I'm trying to figure out what to do to help with increasing my bile, which tests as extremely low, last winter, summer and just recently. I've a couple of liver supports, which I use sparingly as I don't test well for them with energetic testing. I have no symptoms of pain to suggest stones, and liver enzymes are fine.

I'm thinking that my low bile levels are contributing to the digestion/malabsorption issues?

I've started adding tumeric to my chicken carrot soup, and really like the taste. It is supposed to be very good for helping bile production. Also, I'm drinking ginger tea that I make; its great for nausea, but I also read it helps the liver.

I'd like to try a castor oil heat pack, but I can't find castor oil here. Thought I brought a bottle from the US but can't find it. Does anyone know if there is another oil that can be used for this or if it has to be castor oil?

[GermanMia]

Ali, so glad to hear things are improving.

I'm trying to figure out what to do to help with increasing my bile, which tests as extremely low, last winter, summer and just recently. I've a couple of liver supports, which I use sparingly as I don't test well for them with energetic testing. I have no symptoms of pain to suggest stones, and liver enzymes are fine.

I'm thinking that my low bile levels are contributing to the digestion/malabsorption issues?

I've started adding tumeric to my chicken carrot soup, and really like the taste. It is supposed to be very good for helping bile production. Also, I'm drinking ginger tea that I make; its great for nausea, but I also read it helps the liver.

I'd like to try a castor oil heat pack, but I can't find castor oil here. Thought I brought a bottle from the US but can't find it. Does anyone know if there is another oil that can be used for this or if it has to be castor oil?

Hi Sherry,

I'm not quite sure if that is for the same issue, but I know of some naturopaths who make heat packs with paraffin. It's said to take the toxins out of the body. No idea whether this is true or not but maybe worth a try?

[GermanMia]

Well, seemingly the liver thing is an issue for me, too.

I just got the report from my testings and - well - can't say I'm exactly happy. Adrenals are completely okay, which is good. Who would be fond of suffering from adrenal insufficiency...

Basically the report says I'm perfectly healthy and the psychiatrist was right: I'd go to some psychosomatic clinic and get help there. Wonderful.

On the other hand the report tells that my iron is much too high, zinc is on the lowest level which is still called normal (normal is said from 66 to 110 and it's 66 with me), vit. D3 is not lacking but "unsufficient supply", and the creatine kinase is slightly elevated.

The CT report says it's difficult to judge the condition of the small intestine because I'm cachectic and there is no intra abdominal fat, but that the vena cava inferior, the celiac artery and the liver and spleen venes are extended and the left lobe of the liver is enlarged. This, so they say, would bring up the question if there is a hint to heart failure.

All in all this is totally stupid. I just TOLD them my problem was muscle weakness and general physical fatigue - now, they wonder that I'm cachectic - yes, that's the problem, I'm cachectic whilst stuffing myself with high caloric stuff all the time. Are they dim, or what??? I'm weak although I eat more than most women my age do and there has to be a reason which I want to find out. Creatine kinase is related to heart and skeleton muscles. It's elevated if you're muscles are affected in some way or if your heart's got problems. As my protein level is perfectly okay, they can see that the muscle weakness is not nutrition related. With protein levels like that I should have muscles like an athlete, given the fact that I jog every day and try to do workouts for some more muscles (I do workouts but the muscles don't mind that). Can you imagine that this idiot of a psychiatrist told me to go to the gym if I had a problem with muscle weakness???

Sorry if I wind - I just have to. This is not only humiliating but it really starts frightening me. Great thing - if I tell a doc that this starts frightening me he will say, okay, clear sign of mental problems. I'm feeling weak and tired and start worrying if there probably might really be something wrong with my heart, but if I say so it will be a heart neurosis - !

All of you - if you aren't absolutely convinced yourself that you have mental problems, never, NEVER let someone talk you into seeing a psychiatrist if you have physical problems the reason of which nobody can find.

[mftnchn]

Mia, so sorry you are going through this. Another story that underlines the importance of a wholistic approach, which is rare these days.