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Posted 9/16/2012 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hey guys so recently I again am trying SCD lol. I feel like every time I start it I begin to see good things until I get antsy and add too many foods or end up at McDonald's etc. BUT I am determined because I want to see if I can get somewhere with this!

So! I wanna know from anyone doing SCD or something similar any tips you may have that helped you stay on it when it got tough, and advice for adding foods, like how many days did you wait in between, etc.

Another question I have is did you introduce things like scd yogurt/ or cultured veggies right away or did you wait?

I also seem to be unable to tolerate supplements even probiotics, does anyone else have this going on?

Also, the part that makes it tricky is I am trying to get off prednisone in a little while here so have been tapering, and wondering did anyone struggle with symptoms returning even on their diets, and any advice you would have for me :)

Thank you and I love being able to talk to people who get what I'm talking about in life lol.
Posted 9/17/2012 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Chrissy,

it will be tough to stick to a diet, but the way to keep at it, is to allow yourself minimal amounts of the usuals. Say a bag of potato chips for a few weeks (as your once a week snack craving), for me it was margaritas. Once you are able to feel full after big meals and lots of nutrient dense snacks, it should come easier.

I can recommend having jars of peanut butter around, lactose free greek yogurt (they do make it). Lots of soups and smoothies to keep you feeling full, and Lara-Bars. These are probably the only packaged/processed foods I found in stores that were SCD compliant.

Dusting turmeric and ginger on everything is a ++

Tapering prednisone is a whole different ballpark, until your body is managing its inflammatory response a little better (diet, supplements, other meds, finding a balance) is when it may work well.
Posted 9/17/2012 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Chrissy,

I'm not following SCD but I've been listening to all of the podcasts at SCDLifestyle.com. Those two guys have some awesome incredible advice all for free. I follow/listen to several 'digestive' blogs and this one is A-1. There is a lot of advice specifically about adding foods and not going crazy on almond flour. I hope you go and take a look/listen. Good Luck :-) .

For anyone else too, this blog/podcast has a lot of great info even if you don't follow this specific WOE.
Posted 9/17/2012 9:56 AM (GMT 0)
Chrissy,

I've been on SCD for about a year and a half. The hardest part is the first 3 months or so as you might imagine. After that it's actually fun as you get to add more foods and can make more goodies and such. If you are going to try it I suggest going cold turkey into the intro diet for 3-4 days. If you get hungry just have more jello or broth or eggs if you can tolerate.

To answer a couple of your questions, I would skip the SCD yogurt during intro but start adding it slowly after that. Leave the cultured veggies for month 2-3 on the diet if you are doing well. SCD is pretty strict about probiotics. Only the 2 yogurt cultures(S thermophilus and L Bulgaricus) plus L acidophilus and L casei are allowed and also the probiotic yeast S boulardii. Have you tried any of these that are ascd compliant and had bad reactions? Even in small quantities? Add new foods every 3 days and look for symptom changes.
Posted 9/17/2012 10:41 AM (GMT 0)

ChrissySoul said...
Hey guys so recently I again am trying SCD lol. I feel like every time I start it I begin to see good things until I get antsy and add too many foods or end up at McDonald's etc. BUT I am determined because I want to see if I can get somewhere with this!

So! I wanna know from anyone doing SCD or something similar any tips you may have that helped you stay on it when it got tough, and advice for adding foods, like how many days did you wait in between, etc.


First, I keep telling myself that certain food is not good for me and I'll end up in the restroom. It has helped so far! Second, the book says add a new food and keep watching it for a few days and write a food journal. This way you can determine if you react well or bad to it. If you added too many different food for instance, it's hard to say which one caused the bad reaction.

ChrissySoul said...
Another question I have is did you introduce things like scd yogurt/ or cultured veggies right away or did you wait?


I've been on it pretty much from the beginning. I know you are intolerant to diary so I'd say wait a little bit. Here is a great video that helped me learn how to make it: youtu.be/TJRjx0ptyfA Maybe different type of milk will help. I heard you can make the yogurt from goat milk.

ChrissySoul said...
I also seem to be unable to tolerate supplements even probiotics, does anyone else have this going on?


Yes, I tried supplements to help digest but it didn't help. I tried lactase pills.

ChrissySoul said...
Also, the part that makes it tricky is I am trying to get off prednisone in a little while here so have been tapering, and wondering did anyone struggle with symptoms returning even on their diets, and any advice you would have for me :)


I'm struggling right now myself. But I'm not giving up. You're not alone :-)
Posted 9/17/2012 12:25 PM (GMT 0)
My personal testimony about SCD is pay more attention to what your gut is saying than the book. I mean if your gut shows/tells you that an allowed SCD food is not liked by your gut don't keep eating it.

For me SCD yogurt was that thing--allowed by SCD but not liked by my gut. For you it might be different. And I love yogurt especially homemade yogurt but my gut just doesn't.
And I really agree with the earlier suggestion to go easy on almond flour. I also love baked goods and was eating a lot of almond flour goodies which was just too much fiber on my poor gut.

Is it easy to remove certain foods from SCD when the list is already limited? No, not easy. But when you get over a hump it does get easier.

Keep a food journal daily. Don't draw conclusions daily just write down everything you eat on one side and how your symptoms are that day on the other side. You will begin to notice a pattern but look at patterns weekly not daily.
Posted 9/17/2012 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the replies :) did anyone try scd when tapering pred and did your reactions to food change as you lowered your dose?
Posted 9/17/2012 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
And also what about chicken etc is it ok to eat the natural meats that are less processed or do you have to do organic meats etc only
Posted 9/17/2012 11:21 PM (GMT 0)
Chrissy, I started the SCD diet as an effort to get off the prednisone, because going + and - with doses wasn't doing anything for the long run. Once I eliminated those grains and excess sugars, my tummy troubles were changed for the better, and I knew it was time to taper off.

Personally, I would stick to meats that are not prepared with growth hormones for the time being, because it could make it that much harder for your body to digest. And this way, you don't have to break the bank as much by going fully organic.
Posted 9/18/2012 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
Stereo- totally agree. Whole foods has pretty affordable meats that are antibiotic free. But yeah since I've started my symptoms are much less. I had to eliminate all fruit/ nuts/ a lot of things because I cannot yet tolerate them. I am concerned about becoming too thin :/ but I dont wanna eat more and get sick you know. I just have horrendous headaches but I know it's the pred as well. I know I'm not getting enough calories right now but I can't rush the diet either.
Posted 9/18/2012 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
Do you guys find if you eat more red meat than white you feel fuller? I can't figure out if im starving myself or if its the prednisone giving me awful headaches, but last time i tried beef it didn't go well for my tummy
Posted 9/18/2012 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
Prednisone is likely giving you headaches. I'm not a person who normally has headaches, but on prednisone, and especially when tapering, i dealt with many sore days, battling for my head with what seemed like an axe!

Whey protein or pea protein, rice protein, etc shakes throughout the day may help keep you feeling fuller. It's unfortunate because while protein and veggies should not be ignored, I feel like carbs are really the only thing that fuels me and keeps me feeling full.

I wouldn't suggest breaking the diet after a short period of time, but if you can a sweet potato with meals here and there, it may help with the fullness/calories! Either that or, devouring 4 or 5 avocados a day. :)
Posted 9/18/2012 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
Chrissy the diet works. Sean says so, I say so, stereo got in remission, imagardener used it to form a base,listend to their gut and now runs marathons. It works, just know it works. The SCD diet is the diet to use for impaired intestinal digestion. It is the diet that is created just for people like us.

It took me 3 months to stick to a diet. All throughout October -> Christmas of last year I kept trying the diet, would go from like 10 bloody bms a day to like a formed stool 1nc a day (took about 14 days of a strict broth regimen for this to happen) and then, I would think I'm all better, that was it! And would binge on like chocolate and boom, back on the toilet.

After about this happening 3 times, I realized I was going to stay on the diet for a looong time. Then, In January came the prescription of prednisone, something I never thought I would need. I mean, quincy has had UC 20+ years and never touched prednisone. From all the horror stories I've read on here about people starting new drugs (prednisone, imuran, whatever) and then the troubles of trying to get off of them, I knew I was going to enter the drug loop. Prednisone is the UC gateway drug! Once it stops working you need something stronger, and you pretty much stay on drugs forever, unless...

I started SCD first day of prednisone and haven't looked back. I made a pact with myself, I will stay on SCD until I am off prednsione and see where I am at. Well needless to say, I did the course of prednisone and came off. I couldn't wait to get off prednisone I hated how sick I was I hated I needed stronger drugs I hated I was loosing a battle against an illness I couldn't control... Or could I?

8 Months later, SCD has cleared up so much of my colitis. It has completely eliminated the unpredictability of the disease. By clearing up this factor, it makes the mind rest, I finally have time for life again. It's wonderful, I feel like I have conquered.

Don't you hate the randomness of UC? The bounce back? The on/off again? I know you do. So stick to the SCD, tell your friends, tell your parents you are on a diet to get rid of your lifelong disease through 1 year of extreme dedication. They'll look up to you, and they'll support you.

Now get off the internet, make a shopping list and get your life back.
Posted 9/18/2012 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
Mindoverbutter- Hehe very very motivating!!! I'm on it! Going on a week so far :) couple questions- how many days did you wait to introduce foods and when did you start the yogurt?
Posted 9/18/2012 12:44 PM (GMT 0)
about 4 days to introduce a new food from the last food introduced. I started the yogurt when I have a hold on the one symptom of: Bleeding. as in, I see significant improvement. I add in the yogurt and test this symptom, if it gets worse, then stop, gotta wait for more healing... I also use goat milk to make my yogurt, not cow's. Goat milk is much better for the human body and for people with UC. You can use it from the grocery store, but you should try to find a local farm who will sell you it.
Posted 9/18/2012 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
mindoverbutter, what type of yogurt starter do you use? I normally use the one from Dannon but I believe it's cow milk.
Posted 9/18/2012 1:00 PM (GMT 0)
m-o-butter

you have convinced me to try making goat milk SCD yogurt. I have a feeling that would be OK since I had no problems with goat milk kefir (store-bought) but I have no local place to buy goat kefir where I live. There is goat milk available in the dairy case locally so it'll be a DIY project.

Ima
Posted 9/18/2012 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
what do you guys think about absorbing chemicals through the skin, do you think it goes to the gut? I am concerned about my job and healing. I wear gloves with hair color but it is pretty difficult to wear them when cutting hair and working with styling products :(
Posted 9/20/2012 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
imagardener2

Yes!!! Do the goat milk yogurt! haha i am happy to help! And thank you for all your help in the past. I am doing so well I cannot believe it!!! Isn't this whole UC ordeal DIY anyway ;) I am glad u are doing well too!

realmilk.com is a good start to finding raw milk in your area. Honestly ask around for people who have goats and try to buy some milk from them, it will require some detective work but totally worth it. Try googling "hometown name goat milk/farm". Try farmers stands, or local people who sell eggs then ask them if they know anyone who has goats. You'll be surprised.

Andrina, I use the dairy free yogurt starter from GIProHealth.com

I used to believe I was sensitive to cow milk protein, but now I think I just do poor with dairy. I do fine with Meyenburg goat milk butter avail in health food stores and of course my raw goat scd yogurt. I do not do cheese, and that includes DCCC. I noticed ill effects with either.

ChrissySoul, I mean everything is connected. If you step on a clove of garlic with bare feet, a moment later you can taste it on your breath... I don't want to make you paranoid, but once you get a good hold on SCD and start to see some healing you'll get less paranoid and figure stuff out. For the longest time my face would break out and I switched shampoos, to fragrance free, and I don't break out anymore... Wild right?
Posted 9/20/2012 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the link for the starters but that's waaay to expensive.
Posted 9/20/2012 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
mindoverbutter- I'm already paranoid lol. I have issues tolerating so many foods too right now, I can't get past spinach and carrots for veggies :(. I am pretty sick. I probably shouldn't be a hairstylist, it's tough to give up my career but i may have to
Posted 9/20/2012 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
I am on a "SCD guided diet". That is to say, I make my food choices based in relation to the rules of SCD but altered. I limit sugar as much as possible, avoid gluten and lactose. I avoid preservatives/additives and don't eat fried foods. My diet is largely just fruits, vegetables, fish and water. Having said that, I take rice and potatoes. I also avoid red meat because I strongly believe that has something to do with colon inflammation.

Whilst I haven't been feeling absolutely perfect, I do feel I am doing reasonably well.

My advice if you are serious about SCD, make sure you have a huge freezer.
Posted 9/20/2012 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
Max- that's good :) I have a hard time with red meat right now. I dot eat it much I feel like my body struggles to digest it
Posted 9/21/2012 10:12 PM (GMT 0)
Andrina, it lasts for 6 months... Thats 5$ a month and I make about 2 gallons a yogurt a month which costs me 20$ for the goat milk. So I spend 25$ on yogurt a month.

The small yogurt containers at Shaws are about 10$ for 10, for 6oz (no health benefits from this yogurt btw). There are 256oz in 2 gallons, thats 42.6$ of 6 oz cups of yogurt for one month, with no UC benefits.

Post Edited (mindoverbutter) : 9/21/2012 4:15:50 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/21/2012 10:18 PM (GMT 0)
Yea it's still a lot at once. If they sold it in smaller amounts I might consider.

Max you're not on SCD when you eat potatoes and rice.
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