The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is designed to calm the gut and stop inflamation. The diet kills off bad gut bacteria by starving it from its primary food sources - carbs and sugars. On the diet only Specific Carbohydrates are allowed to be eaten - hence the name! The diet also eliminates lactose, soy, most grains, and root vegtables. When followed closely and done carefully, the diet can help eliminate a lot of the symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's and can sometimes even put them in remission, as it has for me. This diet has also been know to lessen the symptoms of Autism, Alzheimer's, and skin conditions such as acne and eczema. The diet is not harmful and promotes healthy eating. It can be beneficial for most people regardless of their medical conditions. If you are in a flare or struggling severely with your UC or Crohn's, I would recommend you start with a slow, calculated approach to the diet. Trying too much too fast can make symptoms worse. Be sure to keep a food journal so you can note what you ate and how you felt each day. In order to get the full understanding of the diet I highly recommend you read the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle, by Elaine Gottschall. This book truly changed my life! You should be able to find it on Amazon and in most larger book stores.
One of the main staples of the diet is homemade yogurt that ferments for 24 hours. Most store bought yogurt is made within 6 hours but the key to the SCD legal yogurt is the 24 hour fermentation. This helps ensure that all of the lactose from the milk has been broken down. For more information on the yogurt and how to make it, refer to my blog post called "How to Make SCD Legal Yogurt." When you begin the diet you will most likely experience Die-Off. Because you are eliminating the food source for the bad gut bacteria, they will die, and when they begin to die they release toxins which can cause a reaction in your body. Die-off can consist of the following symptoms: brain fog, nausea, diarrhea, bloating, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms. You may experience some of these or none at all. Die-off symptoms do not usually last long, no more than a few days, but they can be discouraging because they occur at the beginning of the diet. Don't get discouraged, those symptoms will go away and you will be on the road to recovery soon. For me, the key to success with the diet was to be very strict with it, keep a food journal, and only introduce new foods ever 4-5 days. I have included a beginner's guide on my site to help you get started. I was able to see success after being on the diet for about 3 weeks. My Ulcerative Colitis symptoms began to diminish and within about 6 weeks I felt "normal" again. This diet was life changing for me and has allowed me to be symptom free for several years now. I am able to live a happy normal life and feel so much better not being on any medication with side effects. Before you start the diet make sure you research it thoroughly and read Breaking the Vicious Cycle.
Note: I have several recipes you will need when you begin the diet. Check out the Intro Diet section of my Recipes tab.