To those of you trying different diets...

A month or so after my diagnosis, I started reading all about different diets.  I cut out all kinds of stuff at different times and most recently was on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.  During this time of trial and error, my symptoms became progressively worse.  I thought for sure that my inflammation had spread, and that I was getting worse.  I lost ten pounds (for me, that's a lot), was seriously dehydrated and weak (hospitalized at one point), experienced muscle cramping, and even started having memory problems.  The constant deprivation of foods was making me crazy, and trying to stick to the SCD was nearly impossible because I was so weak.  Who can cook all day when you're already exhausted?

So finally last week I decided to go back to eating normally, and my symptoms have improved dramatically.  Granted, I still avoid foods that I've come to know as trigger foods, but I truly believe that the strict diets hurt me more than helped.  I think the diets help you to identify these trigger foods, but past that they didn't do much good for me.  I should mention that I continue to eat to homemade yogurt that is part of the SCD.  I love the flavor, and I have a feeling the probiotics/good bacteria are helping me, too.  Many of you are probably already eating yogurt, but those of you who can't tolerate lactose might want to try the SCD recipe. 

Anyways, this was a big breakthrough for me, so I just wanted to share it with the people who have been helping me along the way.  I'm not in remission, but at least now I can feel some hope that I may get there someday. 

Ah!  Thanks for the reminder!  I forgot it was on the website.  Here is a link to the page where you can learn how to make it with either a yogurtmaker or a heating pad (Sounds ridiculous, I know.  The yogurtmaker is easier.):

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/beginners_guide/yoghurt/yoghurt.htm

If plain yogurt is too tart for you, do what I do and mix in some honey.  SO good!

PS.  This isn't nearly as hard as it looks.  They use so many pictures and instructions, but I found it to be quite easy (especially with the Yogourmet).

I'd also add that, in my experience, it's not diet alone that does the trick, but dietary changes in combination with rebuilding the good gut flora with probiotics, reducing inflammation with omega-3s, soothing and healing the gut with l-glutamine and other supplements. In other words, as with so many other things in life, it's not a magic bullet, but it is a key piece of the puzzle.