While starting my second round of IV chelation therapy for heavy metals, I had an insightful discussion with a Dr. sitting next to me going through the same process. We were talking about what a healthy operating gut looks/feels like, and how to get one's gut operating that way. Elaine Gottschall's name came up, I hadn't heard of her. So, I checked out this web site: "Breaking The Vicious Cycle." As I read through the information I made the decision to try the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). What caught my attention was that the information indicated that doing this diet for 2 years often "cures" such diseases as Celiac, Diverticulitus, Crohn's, & possibly Autism. Wow, Cured? The idea that I could be cured of Celiac & be relieved of a painful gut inspired me.
Elaine Gottschall's book, Breaking The Vicious Cycle, tells the story of the original Drs. who came up with the SCD, how the medical field abandoned the healing discoveries, how Elaine picked it back up, & how to incorporate it into one's life. It doesn't work for everyone, but I wanted to find out about my situation.
Let me digress a little to say that the IV chelation therapy to reduce heavy metals has been a rewarding experience for me, much to my glad surprise. I was skeptical until I did some research to find that the process has been around for some time, proven to be fruitful so that most health insurances covers the cost (around $150 per 1 1/2 hour session for my sessions). The high levels of lead and mercury have been considerably reduced. I will continue until levels are normal.
What is the point of the Specific Carbohydtrate Diet (SCD)? From what I understand, gut problems can be caused by a bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. That bacteria was never meant to be in the small intestine & our common diets include grains, starches, dairy, & refined sugars (breads, pastas, cakes, pies, icecream, candy, alcohol, etc.), which feeds an overgrowth of this destructive, unwanted bacteria.
When I looked over my lifetime I remembered stories of health issues in my earliest years as an underweight baby. For the first few years of my life I was given some kind of food supplement drink that was an awful, chocolate, chalky liquid. I have no memory of a calm gut/digestive experience. I have struggled with health from that time on.
I have been on the SCD for over 2 months now with an measurable increase in health for both me and my husband (who chose to join me). I have considerably more energy, so much so I have begun lowering my intake of supplements & cut back on the amount of Lyothryonine I take for my Thyroid. A significant change has been my comfort. I no longer have a continuous ache in my guts, & I have a system operating the way I have heard is healthy & normal. WOW!
What does this diet look like? I can eat as much cooked veggies as I want (there is a legal/illegal food list on the web site that is invaluable), I eat as much meat, chicken, fish, as I want (I choose to eat grass fed, pastured, and wild caught), I eat fresh, ripe, (and cooked) fruit, raw honey, and 24 hour yoghurt (the recipe is on the web site). I can eat all the raw nuts I want and have made some amazing desserts with nuts creamed into such things as Cheesecake and candies. The web site has more recipes than I could make in years, including grain free baked goods. WOW! I have lost all my cravings for candy, chocolate, ice cream, & latte's.
I had spent the early part of this summer enjoying about 1/2 pint of organic chocolate ice cream while traveling through 100 degree weather. And, though I thoroughly enjoyed the delicious treat, by the time I had the conversation with the wise doctor, my guts were not happy with me. It has been enjoyable to have the rest of the summer eating delicious ripe local fruit with homemade yoghurt (that has no lactose) drizzled with raw honey. Another opportunity to be blessed towards healing in this life. My guts have been very happy.