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Some queries about SCD diet

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/13/2013 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I have recently started SCD diet, and purchased Elain's famous book, "Breaking the vicious cycle". On an internet source, I read some comments about this book and I want to clarify myself whether or not that was rightly pointed out as mistake in the book (http://digestivehealthinstitute.org/2012/08/sibo-diet-and-digestive-health/):

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet

The book Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall describes her experiences with Drs. Sidney and Merrill Haas, who successfully treated celiac disease with a diet that allowed only specific sugars and starches. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet limits disaccharide or double sugars as well as grains and starch, but allows simple sugars like glucose.

In general, this dietary approach is on the right track, but some carbohydrates potentially contributing to SIBO-related illness are not limited. For example, honey is used extensively in the recipes even though honey has just as much fructose as table sugar (sucrose is made of equal parts glucose and fructose). And the diet allows a large variety of fruits and fruit juices that also contain large quantities of fructose, which is now recognized as a major contributor to the development of SIBO.

Finally, the SCD does not allow any grains or foods containing starch. It incorrectly identifies amylose starch as easy to digest and amylopectin starch as difficult to digest, suggesting that amylopectin and not amylose is more likely to cause problems. The reverse is actually true.

Thanks in advance.
Posted 12/13/2013 4:24 AM (GMT 0)
Your best option is to consider mixing the Autoimmune Paleolithic protocol with low-fodmaps guidelines. Diet has a huge impact on colitis, but there isn't a particular diet book that stands out alone, the key is in researched trial and error. The SCD works for many people, but it is not perfect and numerous colitis sufferers have not fared well with it. If there was a diet that stood above and beyond, we would all be its loyal followers. Of course, the issues that you have pointed out have crossed my mind, since my attempts with SCD have been unsuccessful in the past, despite my absolute adherence to its restrictions. Always take what you read with a grain of salt and question what you are told, so that you could make the best decision and create a custom diet that you could properly adhere to.
Posted 12/13/2013 4:31 AM (GMT 0)
Honey and especially bananas really bother me, so the entry phase of SCD is very difficult for me. I did not know about honey until I tried the FODMAP elimination diet. Then I better understood why I failed SCD.
Posted 12/13/2013 5:30 AM (GMT 0)
SCD diet is very tricky to follow, as in the intro diet of the Breaking the vicious Cycle book, lot of stuff is added that may not be tolerated by most of the people, and of course a beginner would suffer a lot without seeing 10 other resources about each item.

The book itself requires major revision, and should also introduce some phases to transition from intro diet to next levels. At least I passed difficult time after having "nuts flour cake" after I passed intro diet, as nuts are not easily digestible foods, that I came to know later. And of course, same about the cups of honey in each recipe.
Posted 12/13/2013 12:10 PM (GMT 0)
Osman,

As someone said to you prior, some have done great on SCD, and others not so much.
I didn't go well on SCD, just ok. But found Paleo was much more natural for me.
And my gut has always loved animal protein.

A food journal might help identify things for you as well.
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