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Countdown to SCD!

KWalker

Moderator
After many very helpful discussions with various people through private messages, I've decided to come out and share with everybody that I will be starting the SCD diet within the first week of January 2013 (preferably the 1st). The reason I say that is because over the holidays we travel back to see family and I figured I enjoy one last "binge" over the holidays and then once we return home I'm going to hit this hard.

A little background for the newer members who may not know my story, I was diagnosed with crohns when I was just two years old and I am now 22. I've been tested on Prednisone, Humira, Remicade, and Methotrexate, Cipro and Flagyl. I'm actually currently on Cipro right now but only have a few days left out of my 2 week prescription.

I currently have two perianal abscesses, had two abscesses for the same one, and have another one that does not require surgery as it is draining on it's own. My latest colonoscopy (taken January 2012) shows active inflammation, but I currently feel great and go completely symptom free (minus the abscesses) when I take psyllium.

I've decided to start the SCD diet because my old doctor wants me to go on Imuran and while that takes 4 months to even become effective, I figured I might as well take advantage of my current health and try the diet while I'm in the state I'm in as I do have time to play around a little and experiment with what works for me. I've decided against the Imuran for now and am in the process of finding a new doctor by the way.

I'm going to document everything I do with this diet so I can see for myself what kind of progress I do (or don't) make, as well as for anybody else who is considering the diet. I am going to get blood work done at the beginning and as well after a little while so I can monitor that as well, and see what (if any) kinds of supplements I need as well.

I'm sure this is going to take some serious commitment as I currently eat whatever I see, but to me it is worth making significant diet changes to see if I can avoid medicine for the time being.

At this point I'd like to invite anybody considering the diet to jump in and start at the same time as me and we can do this together.

I hope those skeptics out there respect my decisions and please hold off on the negative comments. Of course it is easier to take a pill in the morning but if I'm not on any medicine right now anyways, I might as well take advantage of this time and try the diet for myself.
 
Good luck to you! I'll be watching with interest. I had such a hard time sourcing ingredients and sticking to this thing that my daughter and I gave up after two weeks. I can't wait to see your progress on this.
 

KWalker

Moderator
Thank you! My fiancee has agreed to diet as well (just to overall eat healthier) so I think that will really make things easier. We've started sourcing out ingredients and things we will be able to eat. Of course she won't be as strict as I am but a lot of stuff that are "legal" are already things we eat anyways. For me, my biggest challenge will be cutting out the chocolate, ice cream, and pop, and finding different sides instead of the potatoes, rice, etc.
 
I do low residue and no dairy which is far easier to follow, and in my opinion is the reason (or a large part of the reason) I'm able to attain remission on 5-ASA drugs and haven't needed biologicals to date. I think you're nuts to go off of all meds, but if you're going to pull this experiment, best when you're young and more likely to heal. ;)
 

KWalker

Moderator
I appreciate the concern, but I haven't been on any medicine since 2010 for crohns. The only medicine I've been on were the short courses of Cipro and Flagyl for the abscesses. (2 weeks max) I figured that if I've already went that long without medicine and not going over the deep end, Significantly changing my diet could only make things better. If I don't see progress than I will definitely be going back on medicine.

I think it is important to note that I do NOT think anybody should stop their medicine. There are many people that have serious cases of IBD and need their medicine. The only reason I'm doing this is because I'm not on any medicine to begin with.
 
Sorry, I can't help but see the klaxons. I did very similarly to you at around the same age as you. I went 7 years without a single IBD issue despite being on no meds and only casually watching my diet. Sometimes remissions last a loooooong time and it's hard to pin it on any particular variable. I wish you the best but I think caution and being as objective as possible about your progress are paramount.
 

KWalker

Moderator
I know you're skeptic about the whole thing, and I'm sure you're not the only one, and that's okay. I would be absolutely thrilled if I could go 7 years with no symptoms and be in remission just from changing my diet.

I know there is, and will always be an on-going debate over whether or not diet matters with crohns disease but if nobody tries to change that through experimenting that debate will always be there and people will be self-reliant on medication. There are no risks with diet. There are huge risks with some medications.

If this doesn't work, it doesn't work but I'm willing to try for myself, and for others to challenge the critics and see what diet can do for me.
 
Oh I don't think there's any merit at all in the idea that diet has NO effect on Crohn's Disease, that's nuts.

I'm really not trying to hijack your thread. :) I do have to say though, that I don't agree at all that there are NO risks with diet. That's not true at all. There are risks with anything you put into your body. And if diet implies eschewing medication, there are risks with eschewing medication as well.

I'd like nothing more than for you to prove you can go symptom free perpetually with diet. Like I said, I've done it, but it didn't last. If it lasts for you, that'll be awesome. My only point is that you have to be careful not to ignore the red lights on the dashboard, should they come on while you're going for your record breaking endurance drive... ;)
 

KWalker

Moderator
I realized after I said how it can be misinterpreted. With diet, there are risks if it means not taking medication, and also if we eat foods we all know we're not supposed to eat. What I meant was there is essentially no harm in eating healthy (in my eyes).

I wasn't referring to you specifically when I said people don't believe diet matters. I was looking through some old threads when deciding which diet to attempt and you would be surprised to see how many people who posted that diet makes no difference at all and that medicine is the only answer.

I'm definitely going to be careful with this. Like I said I'm going to keep a monitor on blood tests, I'm going to schedule a colonoscopy once I find a new doctor, etc. And like I said, if it doesn't work and I don't notice a difference, I go on medication.

I appreciate your comments, and encourage questions/discussions. I just want to steer clear of people posting negative comments without any thought (which doesn't apply to you). I think people might be hesitant to post questions about diet because we don't have a whole lot of discussion at the moment so through discussions like this, it might encourage others to join in, ask questions, become educated, etc.

Once I start the official diet/diet thread I'm going to track all my symptoms, foods, test results, etc. I just need christmas to eat way too much turkey and treats before I start lol. It's pretty much here anyways, I might as well wait the few extra weeks.
 
We are a few weeks into the SCD diet with my son (11 years old). We are choosing to try the diet instead of meds. I, like you, know there are risks with this, but when I read the 4 pages of precautions and side effects for the medication our pediatric GI wants my son on it is obvious ~ there are risks regardless! So far, we are very pleased. His diarrhea and abdominal cramps are gone. Yay! The downside is that he really needs to gain weight and gaining weight on the diet is rather difficult. We hope to see an increase in weight as he heals.

Some good websites with great recipes (some of them have a mix of grain free and gluten free recipes, but you need to check ingredients to make sure it is SCD friendly).

www.nomorecrohns.com
www.breakingtheviciouscycle.com
www.pecanbread.com
www.thepaleomom.com
www.elanaspantry.com
 
Even with all the issues my 14 year old has had with medications over the past 11 years, I'd never dare try to go 'bareback' with just SCD alone, it'd scare the hell out of me. We tried another similar diet a few years back in conjunction with a prednisone taper and the result was a blood transfusion. Will he still be getting regular checkups with the GI, scopes, etc?
 
Another thing I wanted to add...

I think you are being cautious and that is good. We are doing the same with my son. We are going to keep a close eye on symptoms, SED rates, stool samples, etc. There are a lot of skeptics and that is okay. I won't feel right about meds until we give this a chance. If he were to begin meds and have adverse reactions or end up with liver damage, kidney damage, or cancer and I did not try a more natural route first then I would always regret it.

Also, I find it silly that my son's doctor will say that they use these indicators (symptoms, stool, SED rates,etc) to manage medications and see if they are working, but somehow those don't apply if you are trying diet. He actually said that when I mentioned a non-medication route ~ he said those weren't reliable indicators. So I asked him again ~ isn't that how you keep an eye on medications? How can it apply in one situation and not another?
 
Even with all the issues my 14 year old has had with medications over the past 11 years, I'd never dare try to go 'bareback' with just SCD alone, it'd scare the hell out of me. We tried another similar diet a few years back in conjunction with a prednisone taper and the result was a blood transfusion. Will he still be getting regular checkups with the GI, scopes, etc?


Yes, I plan to keep him with his pediatric specialist. He isn't happy with us, but he is one of the best ped. specialists in this area. I am not completely opposed to meds and if we can't reach and maintain remission without them then to the meds we shall go. I have heard story after story of people who are in remission with meds and then the meds just stop working and they end up with huge issues ~ that risk is real with or without meds.
 

Judith

Crohnsforum Science Advisor
Best of luck KWalker with your diet! Please give my thanks to your fiancee for being so supportive. I look forward to seeing your progress. :)
 
Another thing I wanted to add...

I think you are being cautious and that is good. We are doing the same with my son. We are going to keep a close eye on symptoms, SED rates, stool samples, etc. There are a lot of skeptics and that is okay. I won't feel right about meds until we give this a chance. If he were to begin meds and have adverse reactions or end up with liver damage, kidney damage, or cancer and I did not try a more natural route first then I would always regret it.

Also, I find it silly that my son's doctor will say that they use these indicators (symptoms, stool, SED rates,etc) to manage medications and see if they are working, but somehow those don't apply if you are trying diet. He actually said that when I mentioned a non-medication route ~ he said those weren't reliable indicators. So I asked him again ~ isn't that how you keep an eye on medications? How can it apply in one situation and not another?
It sounds like he's using an implied threat of withholding treatment to pressure you towards the meds. He probably believes he's doing it in your own best interest. My own doctor has told me that if I'm going to be cavalier about my treatment, then he won't retain me as a patient, it's within their right to do so.

Hopefully you'll reach an understanding with him and he will still test your son, if not, find a new GI in a hurry. Going without diagnostic checkups is bad news, as you clearly already know.
 
It sounds like he's using an implied threat of withholding treatment to pressure you towards the meds. He probably believes he's doing it in your own best interest. My own doctor has told me that if I'm going to be cavalier about my treatment, then he won't retain me as a patient, it's within their right to do so.

Hopefully you'll reach an understanding with him and he will still test your son, if not, find a new GI in a hurry. Going without diagnostic checkups is bad news, as you clearly already know.

I'm hoping he won't kick us out :lol: If so, I will be sad but I will find a new GI.
 

KWalker

Moderator
Thanks Charleigh, it sounds like we have the same opinions when it comes to this. I feel like a lot of doctors don't push medicine because it's not their scope of practice. And besides, if we could all manage with diet alone we wouldn't need them anymore. But that's not my purpose of wanting to the do the SCD. I will be monitored and I will still get check ups to see what progress I make. I'm glad to hear you guys are doing SCD as well and your son is doing well on it. Did you guys buy the BTVC book and follow the steps on that or how did you go about doing the diet? What did you do about the yogurt as well?

Judith, thanks again for the support and all the help you've given me. I will indeed keep you updated with progress.
 
Short of a cure, there will not be a time when Crohn's sufferers don't need GI doctors, unless you have a self colonoscopy kit I don't know about. ;)
 

KWalker

Moderator
I didn't say we won't need GI's..

Come on muppet, let's try to keep this on topic instead of turning it into a debate about doctors. This is strictly for the diet.
 
And besides, if we could all manage with diet alone we wouldn't need them anymore.
You said exactly that.

This sort of language reveals a pretty heavy anti-medical bias. I don't think it's good for the community, is all.

I agree this isn't a debate thread, but neither should it be a "throw doctors and medical research under the bus" thread. Why not just focus on the SCD and how it works for you guys without the "political" commentary?
 

KWalker

Moderator
Well I'm not going to turn this into a debate, I know you're a skeptic with the diet but why turn others against trying it?

Anyways,
Charleigh, another website you should check out is foreverscd.blogspot.com The person who started it is a member on here and is doing really well on the SCD diet! She has a bunch of delicious recipes as well
 
Not turning others against trying it. I'm rooting for you all. I just think you have to temper your optimism with caution. I've been guilty of letting adverse symptoms go "just one more day" waiting for a diet or a medication or other regimen adjustment kick in when I should have been making changes or talking to the doc. I don't think saying "GO you!! Just be careful!!" is an attempt to turn anybody off of SCD if they want to try it.

Trying it without meds is not generally considered safe. This thread needs a "At your own risk, be careful" sticker.

If it works for you, I'll definitely be trying it again. I am 100% in favor of this working for you. I hope it does. My concern, as ever, is always for the inexperienced newcomers who find these threads on Google and try this on their 4 year old without also reading the important contextual information to be found elsewhere on the forum, which they may never even bother to browse. It's important to give a complete picture. I'm trying this, I'm optimistic, here I go, by the way, here are the risks of my project if you're thinking of doing this yourself.
 
Thanks Charleigh, it sounds like we have the same opinions when it comes to this. I feel like a lot of doctors don't push medicine because it's not their scope of practice. And besides, if we could all manage with diet alone we wouldn't need them anymore. But that's not my purpose of wanting to the do the SCD. I will be monitored and I will still get check ups to see what progress I make. I'm glad to hear you guys are doing SCD as well and your son is doing well on it. Did you guys buy the BTVC book and follow the steps on that or how did you go about doing the diet? What did you do about the yogurt as well?
Yes, my husband and I both read the book. It is excellent and to the point (not drawn out). She gives the real Science behind why it will work for most people. It is fascinating actually. My son cannot handle dairy in any amount. This is where we have had to go our own route. We do not use the yogurt, cheese, or butter at all. My plan was to give him probiotics in lieu of yogurt but every time I try it flares up the diarrhea. We followed the slow introduction as described on the www.pecanbread.com website. She breaks the diet down into stages where you begin with a very basic diet and introduce foods from each stage one at a time. This is to make sure there aren't any flares for you. For the first few days, all he ate were plain meat, well cooked carrots, ripe bananas, and homemade applesauce. Once his diarrhea was mostly gone, we added in cooked green beans. We have now added in coconut flour, homemade coconut milk, squash, and grapes. We haven't tried too many raw veggies and fruits yet and she suggests those to come later. I do see that introducing in stages could be beneficial in finding flares. It might take longer to be able to eat the whole diet and the variety is sad, but think of it as a long term investment. I am thankful that I have an amazing kid who has had a great attitude through all of this!
 

KWalker

Moderator
muppet, I understand what you're saying. I'm not against doctors at all, and I do NOT advise anybody to go off their medicine to try this diet, but personally I'm going to try this before I do go back on medicine. As far as the "at your own risk" I planned to make an official thread when I actually start the thread. This one was just more for the conversations like this, people asking questions, and finding others on the diet.

Charleigh, I've been reading the pecanbread website a lot lately as well. I've found lots of useful info on all the sites I've used. I'm glad to hear you didn't use the yogurt. There's a bit of debate on how beneficial it really is (especially when the ingredients are all illegal) and personally I HATE the taste of yogurt.
 
I totally understand. Just be aware that while this thread documents your personal journey, it's on the internet. It's on search engines. Sufferers and loved ones of sufferers will be reading it. I worry about this all the time on my blog. I try to couch everything in neutral terms. "In my opinion". "Worked for us". "Some people disagree with me and here's why..." and so on.
 
Charleigh, I've been reading the pecanbread website a lot lately as well. I've found lots of useful info on all the sites I've used. I'm glad to hear you didn't use the yogurt. There's a bit of debate on how beneficial it really is (especially when the ingredients are all illegal) and personally I HATE the taste of yogurt.
I can't speak for everyone, but my son is doing fine without the yogurt. I would like to try probiotics again in a few months because I do see that they could be beneficial.

If you are planning to use the almond flour then the cheapest price I have found is www.honeyville.com You are supposed to use the blanched, not the natural (to avoid the skins). They send out coupons occasionally, so sign up for their email list. I am hoping that my son can use the almond flour because it is packed with good calories (difficult to get on this diet without nuts involved).
 

KWalker

Moderator
Luckily nuts don't bother me so I also want to try hazlenut butter and others like that. You can boil the almond as well and then the skins peel right off, if that's cheaper.

I actually found 100% pure peanut butter at my Walmart as well that I think would be SCD legal
 
I totally understand. Just be aware that while this thread documents your personal journey, it's on the internet. It's on search engines. Sufferers and loved ones of sufferers will be reading it. I worry about this all the time on my blog. I try to couch everything in neutral terms. "In my opinion". "Worked for us". "Some people disagree with me and here's why..." and so on.

I appreciate your concern. I doubt anyone would dare to go off of meds without strong consideration and much research. I am already a very natural, holistic person and yet I researched, thought, explored, etc until my head hurt before deciding to go this route. While concern is not unwanted, I just don't think it is necessary. People tend to be cautious with their health. We all know that what works for one may not work for another. I doubt anyone would read a thread like this and throw their meds in the trash, especially with all of the good debates on both sides of medication lines.
 
You'd be surprised at the flighty and ill-conceived reasons that some people go off their meds, I think. I just think that we've got a great community here and it's incumbent on us all to present a comprehensive picture whenever possible. Good vibes, optimism, and FACTS, instead of cheerleading. :)

ANYWAY, thanks so much for the honeyville link. That site looks awesome.
 
Luckily nuts don't bother me so I also want to try hazlenut butter and others like that. You can boil the almond as well and then the skins peel right off, if that's cheaper.

I actually found 100% pure peanut butter at my Walmart as well that I think would be SCD legal
The Smucker's brand? I picked some up, hoping we can try it in the near future. Coconut milk is pretty easy to make. We make homemade olive oil mayo and that is a life saver. You can mix that with real honey and mustard for a great dressing or dip. I find many uses for the mayo! We use coconut oil too. There is also a brand of canned coconut milk at Wal-mart. It has a green label ~ it is the only one that I can find without guar gum or xantham gum or sugar (all illegal). If you take that can and put it in the fridge for a few hours, take it out and spoon all of the thick white off the top and put it in a mixing bowl with a little honey and mix it with an electric mixer then it will fluff just like whipped cream. An awesome treat on top of fruit, etc.
 

KWalker

Moderator
It's either smucker's or kraft. I think I know what kind of coconut mil you're talking about as well. I believe olive oil is allowed (even from the store) as long as it is extra virgin. I did not know mustard was allowed either.

Tropicana makes a 100% orange juice (legal) and Welch's makes 100% grape juice which is also legal.
 
It's either smucker's or kraft. I think I know what kind of coconut mil you're talking about as well. I believe olive oil is allowed (even from the store) as long as it is extra virgin. I did not know mustard was allowed either.

Tropicana makes a 100% orange juice (legal) and Welch's makes 100% grape juice which is also legal.

Yes, and I have made popsicles and jello out of the Welch's for my son. Real apple cider is great ~ it is a great warm drink too. It must be the type with fresh pressed apples and no sugar.

Here is the blurb on mustard from the official website...
Mustard is legal as long as it doesn't contain illegal ingredients; read the labels carefully.
 

Gianni

Moderator
Great Stuff, Love it. I look forward to following your progress. Are you altering the diet at all? Are you including dairy?

Muppet, you know, It doesn't need to be your duty to hijack every alternative/diet treatment thread and spill your anti diet and anti alternative ideas on the person who has made the decision through research and by asking about other's experiences like KWalker did. You don't have this duty anymore than I have the duty to go to a Humira thread and tell them my opinion of biologics and diet.


I did very similarly to you at around the same age as you. I went 7 years without a single IBD issue despite being on no meds and only casually watching my diet.
Then it wasn't similar at all. "casually". KWalker will be "hitting this hard" and starting on a strict SCD diet which is a completely different thing than a "casually watched diet".

I don't believe you have the right to talk against a strict healthy diet when you yourself haven't even attempted said diet. Just as I wouldn't talk on the efficacy of Imuran, since I was never on it.

This thread needs a "At your own risk, be careful" sticker.
If we were to start doing that then we would need that sticker for just about every treatment, yes even the meds. Most people consult their doctors first and foremost so don't think that someone is going to suddenly make the decision to drop meds and adopt a diet based off the SCD journey of one individual.

This thread isn't a "SCD DIET WORKS!" this was a "hey guys I'm going to TRY the SCD diet, any words of encouragement... any questions?".

I understand your points and concern if he was claiming in the thread that it works and that everyone should give it a try, but to hijack a personal journey thread would be like scaring a newby on a Remicade treatment journey by posting all the serious side effects and then crutching it against the "safety" and "efficacy" of a diet.


Please leave the cautionary information for the threads that need it and that aren't already exercising such caution.

Gianni
 
There's nothing anti diet in my posts. I'm sorry you project it onto them as its counter to discussion. If not for diet modifications I'd have had a total colectomy a decade ago and probably be close to disability. Criticism is not opposition. Stop being so polarizing.
 

KWalker

Moderator
Thanks Gianni for the ongoing help and support. I'm going to take the diet a little farther than just the SCD. After the growing number of people talking about doing well without the yogurt, I won't be including dairy at all. I don't drink milk to begin with, and with the little amount of cheese that I do eat I'm just going to cut it completely. The SCD also allows pop once a week which I'm going to cut because I feel that once a week would eventuallyturn into twice a week, three times, etc.

I'm going to do a bit more reading on juicing/smoothies to see what I can use, because I do plan to do that a lot but I want to make sure I get enough calories and need to find a way to make sure those get in there.

Pretty much if the scd diet says "allowed in moderation" I'm just got to cut it completely. Like I said with the pop, if I drink it without problems, the frequency will just increase and I'll end up ruining the diet. Another basis I'm going to use is if I can't even pronounce the ingredients, its not going in my mouth.

Again, thanks a lot for your help. I appreciate the support from some people and through those helping through PM's.
 
Then it wasn't similar at all. "casually". KWalker will be "hitting this hard" and starting on a strict SCD diet which is a completely different thing than a "casually watched diet".

I don't believe you have the right to talk against a strict healthy diet when you yourself haven't even attempted said diet. Just as I wouldn't talk on the efficacy of Imuran, since I was never on it.


Gianni

This is a HUGE point Gianni. I keep hearing from people who talk down on diet but when you really ask questions they have either never tried it or they did it half way. If you choose to go without meds and try a diet approach, there is no half heartedness allowed. It is all or nothing. For some people, food can be your medicine, but you must eat to live not live to eat ~ develop new tastes and new food habits. You can't follow the diet 75% of the time ~ the other 25% counts too.
 

KWalker

Moderator
Who are teenaged patients? Usually teens have the supervision of their parents, unless you're talking about me in which I'm not a teenager, I buy my own groceries and cook my own meals.
 
The likelihood of compliance is an inherent risk of the diet. Especially for teenaged patients.

Absolutely true! But there are doctors who know that diets often work and yet they only give the medication options because they don't feel they can trust the patient to stick to a diet. I think they should be honest with patients. Option A ~ take the meds and don't worry as much about diet or Option B ~ strict diet, no cheating allowed. It really isn't fair that they only present the one option as if there wasn't another. My son is only 11, but he knows that this diet is working and he is 100% compliant because he is seeing the results. We have talked through this with him. He knows the medications and the side effects. He knows that he wouldn't need to worry about the food as much if he were on medication. We asked him if he would rather use the medication and he said no. We have a pact ~ as long as we are not on medications he must stick to it 100%, but if at any point he wants to go on medication instead then we are open to that. Have we influenced his decision? Of course, we are his parents. But he is not without say in this matter.

I think if the diet approach was presented, doctors might be surprised at how many people would choose and stick to it.
 

Gianni

Moderator
The likelihood of compliance is an inherent risk of the diet. Especially for teenaged patients.
Yes I understand the concern muppet but this is just a thread about KWalker notifying that he will be TRYING the SCD diet... This isn't a thread swearing the efficacy. No one is going to look at this thread and go "wow if he is starting a diet... it must mean it works". What it might do is spark interest and with that interest the patient will further research the diet and see if they are willing to make the commitment or whether or not it works for them and their lifestyle.

Gianni
 

KWalker

Moderator
I just think it's completely contradictory when people take medicine because it allows them to eat whatever they want. Why not just change what we eat so we can reduce the medicine we need? Taking biologics is going to do absolutely nothing if you still go out and put all this processed, spicy food in your mouth that isn't even good for "healthy" people.

I guess it just depends how much effort people want to put into it
 
Kwalker, I wish you the best of luck and your son, Charleigh, also. I was on the SCD with great results for almost a year. I only stopped because I grew so incredibly tired of never eating out and making everything from scratch. So instead of cheating occasionally I totally fell off the wagon. :D

Otherwise I highly recommend it. There's a Yahoo support group you can join if you Google "BTVC Yahoo group." Lots of SCD old-timers there to give support and info.
 
I did really well for the first few weeks after stopping and thought I'd been cured, haha. I ended up going on Imuran due to symptoms returning though. I'm doing okay on Imuran as long as I watch what I eat and avoid fiber, overeating, etc., my typical triggers. As long as I feel okay I prefer Imuran to SCD due to the SCD restrictions and work load. IF you could cheat on it occasionally I'd probably go back on it and may give that a try one of these days, but cheating always made me sick for a week so I never did it. I got "diet fatigue" after awhile and just totally gave up instead of trying a compromise by maybe eating out once a month or something.

Should I ever face stronger meds or surgery I'll probably return to SCD. I'm also playing around with the idea of doing it part-time with Imuran simply because I lost a lot of weight on it, weight I needed to lose as Crohn's makes me fat in the same way it makes some people too thin.
 

KWalker

Moderator
What did you do for the yogurt at the beginning? I've found yogurt at the store that is dairy free, and only has like 3 ingredients which makes me think that would be legal, but I'm not sure I want to do dairy/yogurt at all.
 
I didn't do yogurt at first. If I'm remembering correctly I started it a couple of weeks in and made it using the heating pad method (you can Gooogle that:D). After I'd decided I was sticking to SCD I bought a yogurt maker.

A lot of people do SCD without yogurt. I'm not sure if they take probiotics in pill form or not. I don't remember. Oh, you know some people make yogurt using almond or coconut milk but I never bothered.

Far as I know there is no commercially prepared yogurt that's recognized as legal.
 
You will be fine without yogurt, but i'd advise a good probiotic in high doses to begin with (or probably building up to high doses as there can be a bit of a reaction at the start).
There are non-dairy probiotic foods, so check them out (except for the soy ones!!!!! that' the paleo in me coming out)
You won't have a healthy gut without healthy gut bacteria

I tried SCD and went paleo because of what the yogurt did to me. (I'm fine till i fall of the diet, then pain comes back, interestingly, and just as an aside, white rice and sweet potatoes are fine (for me) but sugar and wheat are evil))

A juicer would be a great option, after a few weeks of veg juice pop will taste like the shit that it is.
You can still eat out, Meat and salad, you just have to be careful about sauces and gravy and dressing. (i take a lemon and a small jar of good olive oil with me, best dressing ever)
 
I tried SCD and went paleo because of what the yogurt did to me. (I'm fine till i fall of the diet, then pain comes back, interestingly, and just as an aside, white rice and sweet potatoes are fine (for me) but sugar and wheat are evil))

We are SCD without the yogurt too. Probiotics have caused huge issues each time we have tried them so we are avoiding them for now.

I have heard many people say that can tolerate potatoes ~ for you, is it just sweet potatoes? Have you tried white potatoes?
 
One way to get some probiotics is Bubbies brand pickles. If you like pickles, that is. They're legal and fermented rather than the usual pickle so have lots of good bacteria in them. If you can't tolerate the pickle you can drink some of the juice.

I still buy Bubbies even not on SCD because they're sooo good.
 
I have heard many people say that can tolerate potatoes ~ for you, is it just sweet potatoes? Have you tried white potatoes?
I've tried roast potatoes a couple of times, each time i broke out in a sweat and then started pouring snot (ewwww) for about an hour so i have decided to avoid them.
I also ate some chips fried in veg oil and had a bad episode about two/three weeks later which i put down to the potatoe
 
Luckily nuts don't bother me so I also want to try hazlenut butter and others like that. You can boil the almond as well and then the skins peel right off, if that's cheaper.

I actually found 100% pure peanut butter at my Walmart as well that I think would be SCD legal
Good luck on the diet!!! I just wanted to point out that peanut butter is not allowed on the SCD intro diet. Peanuts are actually legumes and not nuts. And you may want to go easy on the nuts at first. That was one of the things that delayed my healing for awhile (too many nuts). Also, I did the Welch's grape juice and discovered that it was just too much at first...as was the homemade yogurt. I had to cut out all dairy.

I cannot tolerate most root vegetables, even those that are SCD legal. I tried rutabaga at one point and it definitely didn't agree with me, so I won't be attempting potatoes anytime soon.

Bubbies brand pickles are a good alternative, but even better would be to make your own fermented vegetables. Instructions here: http://thepaleonurse.com/2012/09/23/fermented-vegetables/
 
good luck on the scd diet.

making yogurt was very hard for me, i had better results with natren yogurt starter rather then the yogormet starter. eventually i stopped making yogurt because i made so many unsuccessful batches, i NEVER could ferment all the lactose out of the yogurt so i doubt that you ever will, but it likely still is better then store bought products and contains less then a store bought product.

lately ive been thinking, if i ever start eating yogurt again, which i should because that helps alot and makes me feel so great, i will simply buy plain yogurt from the store and let it sit out on the counter for 24 hours to further ferment then stick it in the fridge the next day, that would be alot easier then boiling the milk myself and adding the starter at the right moment etc , its alot of work, and it oftens fails. i would also let it sit in the fridge for a week or two as it will still be fermenting the lactose, although quite slower then at room temp, that would likely be the simplest and possibly the best way to get a low lactose/high lactic acid yogurt without all the work.

ps, i even bought the recommended yogormet yogurt maker and followed every instruction to the tee, STILL, things were challenging, but that was my experiance.

i hope this helps you on your journey.
 

KWalker

Moderator
Thanks KatyBuckeye! I've ordered the BTVC book and was going to follow that and not incorporate the peanut butter until it says too. I've just been looking at what I can and can't eat when I noticed the peanut butter in the store.

wildbill_52280- I probably won't make my own yogurt either to be honest..if I even eat the yogurt at all. The yogurt I found only had 3 ingredients but of course I can't find it on the walmart website. I was also looking at an almond milk today that only had a few ingredients that I was wondering if it would be legal as well.

Are you on the SCD diet? How did it work for you?
 
I was also looking at an almond milk today that only had a few ingredients that I was wondering if it would be legal as well.
I can't find a commercial milk that is legal. Even if it doesn't have sugar it has xantham, gellan, or locust gum (all illegal). I find homemade coconut milk to be easier to make that almond milk.
 
Oh okay. I'm still new to trying to figure out which ingredients like those I can have

It is tricky! I thought I could just use commercial unsweetened almond or coconut milk but I had no luck finding anything. If you happen to find a brand that is legal, please let me know so I can look for it. :thumleft:
 

KWalker

Moderator
This is a Silk Pure Almond milk I found. It's unsweetened and the original version.
Ingredients: All Natural Almondmilk (filtered water, almonds), All Natural Evaporated Cane Juice, Calcium Carbonate, Sea Salt, Locust Bean Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum, d-alpha-Tocopherol (natural vitamin E), Zinc Gluconate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Riboflavin (B2), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D2.

This is a Silk Pure Coconut Milk I found. Again, original and unsweetened. (Won't let me copy/paste ingredients.)
 
KWalker since the carrageenan is illegal you also have to be careful with your toothpaste as most do contain it.
 

KWalker

Moderator
Thanks Carleigh. I'm hoping after I read the book (hopefully it gets here soon) it will help with the other ingredients like that.

Clash- that's not problem, I spit the tooth paste out when I'm done with it anyways. Lol just kidding haha. Yeah I thought about that and will have to look at different kinds next time I go out.

What kind do you guys use?
 

KWalker

Moderator
I meant for the toothpaste. I actually haven't even seen a recipe for coconut milk yet! I would assume its much cheaper than almond milk though.
 
You probably will not be able to find a legal milk that comes in a carton. Most have gums or carrageenan added. If you have a Trader Joe's near you (I think they are only in the US though), there is a canned Trader Joe's brand that is legal. Or this is a legal brand sold on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Value...71&sr=8-1&keywords=natural+value+coconut+milk.

You could also make homemade coconut or almond milk. I find it easier just to buy it from Trader Joe's since it is close and convenient.
 

KWalker

Moderator
So umm, I figured since I won't be able to eat it in about 2 weeks, I figured I'd take advantage of it while I can


 
Thanks KatyBuckeye! I've ordered the BTVC book and was going to follow that and not incorporate the peanut butter until it says too. I've just been looking at what I can and can't eat when I noticed the peanut butter in the store.

wildbill_52280- I probably won't make my own yogurt either to be honest..if I even eat the yogurt at all. The yogurt I found only had 3 ingredients but of course I can't find it on the walmart website. I was also looking at an almond milk today that only had a few ingredients that I was wondering if it would be legal as well.

Are you on the SCD diet? How did it work for you?
i just use the principles of the scd to help with symptoms, fo rme i found that well cooked refried beans are fines, instant oatmeal is fine, and only select brands of wheat are fine, as the book mentions, corn is not well tolerated and for me that seems to be the case, also rice has been an issue at times. also,most fruits have enough sucrose to bring back symptoms for me, with the regiman i have devised which is inspired by the scd, i have maintained one- two bms a day for about 3.5 years now, since first being diagnosed, i have not had any surgery nor any serious complications at all, its definitly a tool to learn how to use. i have only used medication for about one month. and my disease is not mild it is severe. i wouldnt say i owe it all to the scd principles, but alot of it is likely due to the ideas in the books, i do not follow anything strictly and for me some of the advice doesnt apply very well, such as the fruit thing and issues with the yogurt, i can have small pieces of fruit maybe once a week. For someone that also uses medications, you may not have to be so strict with the diet.

let me clarify, i am strict with the principles of the diet like starving bacteria of lactose sucrose and select starches, but i dont follow the list of safe/unsafe foods so strictly, i have only used that list as a guideline, its a good starting point. unfortunatly the yogurt part is very important i was only able to do it for about 6 weeks in the beginning and now i believe it helped greatly though i had some issues going back to that yogurt part i never really did find solutions to it until what i had previously mentioned of buying yogurt from the store and leaving it at room temp to ferment or in the fridge to ferment for a week or two. i have every intention on doing that again soon, or seeing if that will actually work to solve the " how do i get low lactose yogurt, without making my own" problem. so for you to get the full trial of what the diet plan can do for you, it would be good to at least employ the yogurt for some time.
 

KWalker

Moderator
Wow! I will reply tomorrow when I have more time, but thanks! I'm not on meds either though. I haven't been on any meds since 2010. The most I've taken was 1-2 week prescriptions for an abscess. Other than that I'm med free.
 
Hi KWalker, how is your diet coming along? You may have started a new thread but this is one I had subscribed to. Very curious!
 
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