Re: SIBO, antibiotics, and now a low-carb hell - MOTIVATION NEEDED

[Guest guest]

It's pretty easy when your back is against the wall and you feel your

condition is helpless. A sense of desperation sets in when the

anti-inflamitory medicines stop being effective and the doctor says

we're going to try immune suppressing drugs that have side effects for

some of us or he wants to go to steroids which can be harmful and

appearance changing. And then there is surgery. I feel lucky to avoid

all of these and know I may live longer with this diet. Ron

chickacheese wrote:

Can any of you share your techniques for keeping yourself

motivated and

handling cravings that make you feel like you'd rather die than not eat

sugar? What do you tell yourself when nothing seems to matter but

putting that piece of candy in your mouth?

I need to make it stick this time. The antibiotics have worked and

proven I am suffering from bacteria overgrowth. I finally feel healthy

again, but tomorrow is my last day of rifaximin. I have to switch to a

low-carb diet and healthy lifestyle immediately to keep this infection

in check. But I am so weak-minded. It's frustrating and patheic.

I've tried countless times and it has only resulted in binging and

giving up. How do you return to a healthy balance after a lifetime of

this?

Thanks guys.

[Guest guest]

> Can any of you share your techniques for keeping yourself motivated

> and

> handling cravings that make you feel like you'd rather die than not

> eat

> sugar? What do you tell yourself when nothing seems to matter but

> putting that piece of candy in your mouth?

>

> I need to make it stick this time. The antibiotics have worked and

> proven I am suffering from bacteria overgrowth. I finally feel

> healthy

> again, but tomorrow is my last day of rifaximin. I have to switch

> to a

> low-carb diet and healthy lifestyle immediately to keep this infection

> in check. But I am so weak-minded. It's frustrating and patheic.

> I've tried countless times and it has only resulted in binging and

> giving up. How do you return to a healthy balance after a lifetime of

> this?

Did you start on the intro diet for several days, that clears out your

system? Or did you

start by eating advanced SCD food right away? Or are you only talking

about being

on a low carb diet previously?

Starting with intro, when I got early cravings, I would get rid of

them by

eating really ripe bananas and lots of cheesecake. And honey in my

tea/coffee.

After a few weeks - banana/nut butter/egg pancakes are really tasty -

with or

without honey syrup.

After I had been on the diet for a while and felt I needed something

sweet,

I would eat pecan brownies and/

or other deserts, such as lemon meringue and make honey nut candies -

which are really addictive, so you have to be careful about those - and

also add honey to my coffee. The lemon meringue is also addictive at

times. And you can also make SCD fruit flavored yogurt ice cream.

I pretty much found - and I am not alone in this - that any form of

extreme

illegal cravings went away quickly. But you have to spend time

preparing

tasty, healthy food to satisfy yourself. Your tastes shift.

Also, it will help if you understand the root cause of those cravings

- that's

the little bugs inside manipulating your nervous system - exercising

mind

control, in order to prevent themselves from being killed off. You're

not

going to die if you don't have sugar - that's the bugs superimposing

their

little narcissistic ways into your mind - they're the ones who are

going to

die if you don't eat sugar. You won't die - you'll get healthier.

Essentially, you are picking up on their panicked screams and allowing

them to superimpose their will onto you.

Mara

[Guest guest]

>Can any of you share your techniques for keeping yourself motivated and

handling cravings that make you feel like you'd rather die than not eat

sugar? What do you tell yourself when nothing seems to matter but

putting that piece of candy in your mouth?<

Babies LOVE the taste of sweet. Breastmilk is twice as sweet as cow's milk.

Sweetness is an important taste (I won't go into all the details but it

fosters social intelligence in the growing baby).

In Chinese food theory the craving for sweets is a sign of being a child.

Adults all over the world prefer the taste of bitter, except for Westerners

who get used to modern, processed, sweet food.

When I have a craving I tell myself: on a physical plane, it is the " bugs "

in my system that want sugar. On a psycological plane it is the " baby "

inside me that craves the sweetness that comes hand in hand with knowing

you are loved and cared for. So when I feel the craving I make sure to do

something that makes me feel cared for and protected. Usually this means

getting in touch with someone, ie making sure I am not alone. Lying on the

floor and chanting things can help. Some people think that is silly,

but chanting makes your breathing regular and deeper. So does singing

which is also a really good " remedy " .

(The reason deep breathing is important is that one side of the nervous

system starts to slow down. By breathing deeper you can affect it and

turn it around. You notice it is helping when you start to feel more alert

and the craving goes. Doing lots of Jumping Jacks can also have the same

effect.)

Cecilia

(I work in infant health and psycology)

[Guest guest]

Cecelia;

I loved this post.

THANK YOU!

Jodi

SCD 13 months

Crohn's/Colitis

Where can I read about this infant/sweetness need/connection? Is

there a terminology for this?

[Guest guest]

All my life I'd been an *extreme* junkaholic so was blown away when my

cravings for sweets generally disappeared.

What I did:

-the GAPS intro for SCD. Chock full of bone broth, fats, etc, no

honey, no fruit at first. The nutrition was so satisfying that my

cravings were very little.

-in a craving, juiced sweet veggies: carrots, beets, etc, mixed with

non-sweet veggies (celery, etc)

I am now able to eat fruit regularly. I have about a cup of fruit

every day, with no problems and no cravings.

Previously I'd done the intro as presented in the BTVC book, but

because I was allowed to have so much sweet stuff, the cravings really

hung in there: a cycle of crave/sweets/crave. I thought I was lucky to

get to have all those cakes and pies, but this just kept me captive to

the cycle.

Pre-SCD, when I'd quit sugar (but changed nothing else), I found that

Days 3-5 were the hardest. Once past that, I was for the most part

good to go. But there was a fierce mental game involved --looking at

the end date, bribing myself, making deals with myself, discipline,

focus, etc. That wasn't a good longterm strategy for me, so didn't

really cut it. Incredible nutrition has been a good longterm strategy

for me. (I've been strict, casein-free, craving-free and ridiculously

happy SCD for five months now.)

I'm concerned that you're aiming for a low-carb diet. Personally, I

need a lot of carbs to keep going, but I get the vast majority of them

from vegetables, and some from nuts and a few from fruits. Does yours

need to be " low-carb " or just low-fruit or something?

Baden

[Guest guest]

When I started the diet I had those sugar cravings. When it was really bad, I would dip a spoon into the honey jar and then suck on the spoon for awhile. Once, I gave in and drank some Pepsi (fulfilling sugar and caffeine craving), but I was miserably ill with diarrhea for 2 days afterwards. Which pretty much killed any craving for Pepsi I'll ever have again! So enforcement for me became very easy -- no matter how much I wanted the sweets, the IMMEDIATE illness that followed extinguished my desires. After a few weeks of SCD (strict), the cravings really did go away. I haven't had to suck on a honey spoon for many months now! Good luck!!

Ann (in Iowa). SCD since 03/30/2008.

SIBO, antibiotics, and now a low-carb hell - MOTIVATION NEEDED Posted by: " chickacheese " chickacheese@... chickacheese Date: Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:00 pm ((PDT))

Can any of you share your techniques for keeping yourself motivated andhandling cravings that make you feel like you'd rather die than not eatsugar? What do you tell yourself when nothing seems to matter but

putting that piece of candy in your mouth?

I need to make it stick this time. The antibiotics have worked andproven I am suffering from bacteria overgrowth. I finally feel healthyagain, but tomorrow is my last day of rifaximin. I have to switch to a

low-carb diet and healthy lifestyle immediately to keep this infectionin check. But I am so weak-minded. It's frustrating and patheic.I've tried countless times and it has only resulted in binging and

giving up. How do you return to a healthy balance after a lifetime ofthis?

Thanks guys.

[Guest guest]

HI, I am new here and to the SCD diet. I have had digestive problems

for a long time - mostly GERDS and quick transit time. In September I

had a bit of a bladder infection and took an antibiotic for a few

days. I tried a number of strategies to cure myself and ended up with

a very upset digestive system. My naturopath suggested that I try the

SCD diet along with strictly eliminating all food sensitivites - IGE

and IGE - as shown in blood tests. This makes for a very restricted

diet. I have sensitivities to all dairy, all casein and whey and eggs.

I have felt for years that I am not really able to digest complex

carbs and when I travel or eat out frequently then I would get my

system all messed up Usually constipation from eating any grains but

also feeling very toxic. I have tried to eat complex carbs to better

manage my weight and blood sugar levels. Guess it was not a good idea.

I have followed the ER4YT O non-secretor diet in the past with good

results. It is essentially grain-free.

I have been following the SCD diet (as I understood it) for the past 3

weeks but did not receive much more than a list from my naturopath. I

have basically been having meat, fish, poultry + veggies and fruit

(raw)and nuts. I eat a lot of bananas (ripe) and squash and also

regularly eat a lentil soup that I make.

3 weeks ago I felt I wasn't digesting much of anything but now with

use of Bitters and digestive enzymes and this diet I feel that system

is much better. I had had a lot of stomach discomfort, cramps and gas.

They are better but I still am far from feeling good. Tenderness in

gut is decreasing.

Yesterday I gave in to temptation had some dark chocolate and a few

sips of coke. I really am feeling the need for more carbohydrates! I

felt very crampy and gasey after the small amount of coke.

I am eating more fruit than normal to give me more sugar and wonder if

it is loosening my stools.

What I am following at the moment feels like a low carb diet except

for the fruit. I have lost 4 lbs in the past 3 weeks (I am a bit

overweight and so that is perhaps good) but I don't feel that low carb

is good for me in the long run.

I see that there is much for me to learn here!!! Any advice would be

greatly appreciated.

Ann

.....Incredible nutrition has been a good longterm strategy

> for me. (I've been strict, casein-free, craving-free and ridiculously

> happy SCD for five months now.)

>

> I'm concerned that you're aiming for a low-carb diet. Personally, I

> need a lot of carbs to keep going, but I get the vast majority of them

> from vegetables, and some from nuts and a few from fruits. Does yours

> need to be " low-carb " or just low-fruit or something?

>

> Baden

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Chickacheese! Welcome aboard! First of all you should know that I have been on SCD for 7 weeks now. I don't consider this a "low-carb" diet cuz I tried the Atkins thing and this is different. I don't care how many carbs I eat as long as I eat legal. I'm not fixated on carbs. I describe this as a natural foods diet with no grains, milk products, preservatives and sugar. Mentally I can grasp that and so can people. My friends actually care about this diet and the philosophy. I also use "the perimeter of the grocery store" as a description and a rule of thumb. I believe it's a lifestyle change. Also so you know, I currently have no cravings for sweets anymore. In the past - while on Prednisone- I've gone to the grocery store and bought large cans of frosting and ate most of it in the car before I got home using my finger! I use sweet-n-low in yogurt with fresh fruit every day and I have a gulp of a soda here and there (only ones with Aspartame). Last week I had a bread craving and so I made almond nut brownies and added extra honey. It satisfied my bread and sweet craving for a couple of weeks at least! - but the craving wasn't intense- just intense enough to get off my butt and make it. Last night at a murder mystery potluck party, dessert was bread pudding- my ABSOLUTE favorite and my husband bribed me with a romantic evening if we left before dessert. Out the door I went and REALLY enjoyed my sweets! I have a 12 year old and a lot of candy in my house currently, however, to me candy isn't worth getting sick for or starting this diet over for. If I'm going to cheat on this diet, it's not going to be with something ordinary! I believe it's a slow healing process changing the gut bacteria and healing the intestines so if I blow it by cheating I go back to square one. At this point, I can't think of anything worth 7 weeks of healing down the drain. You'll get your priorities clear as you experience illegal's every now and again- nothing is worth it!!

Terri

2 years UC

7 weeks SCD

SIBO, antibiotics, and now a low-carb hell - MOTIVATION NEEDED

Can any of you share your techniques for keeping yourself motivated and handling cravings that make you feel like you'd rather die than not eat sugar? What do you tell yourself when nothing seems to matter but putting that piece of candy in your mouth?I need to make it stick this time. The antibiotics have worked and proven I am suffering from bacteria overgrowth. I finally feel healthy again, but tomorrow is my last day of rifaximin. I have to switch to a low-carb diet and healthy lifestyle immediately to keep this infection in check. But I am so weak-minded. It's frustrating and patheic. I've tried countless times and it has only resulted in binging and giving up. How do you return to a healthy balance after a lifetime of this?Thanks guys.

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the group, Chickacheese.

Motivation. No, actually, I don't think you are all that weak minded. You

had the courage to go looking for something other than the road you saw

you were traveling. You asked for assistance.

To me, that's not " weak minded. " That's courageous, because it

takes strength of mind to admit you can't do something alone.

I was a chocoholic and carb addict when I began SCD. My idea of a good

lunch (since I'd given up on the possibility of ever reaching a healthy

weight) was a peanut butter and brown sugar sandwich. Or a peanut butter

and chocolate chip sandwich. One thing I did know was that I couldn't use

sugar substitutes because if I did, I could crave carbs to the point of

virtual insanity. (Getting ahold of a single aspartame-loaded soda could

have me devouring an extra large bag of Nacho Doritoes.)

I wasn't at all sure I could do SCD, but I had seen the results of a

grain-free diet on my fur children, and I was determined to try.

Within seven months, I'd dropped 75 pounds, and knew I was on SCD for

life.

First, wrap your mind around the fact that not all fat is unhealthy.

There are plenty of good, healthy fats. Fats are your friends in avoiding

candy and sugar cravings.

Second, kick the notion that you have to get 60-70% of your calories from

complex carbs. Just isn't so. Protein, fat, and carbs in properly

prepared yogurt, fruits, and vegetables do fine.

Although remind me, some time, to tell the story of me, carrots, and dark

chocolate.

Getting to a healthy balance isn't easy. But you have hundreds of friends

here who have the same or similar problems and who will be happy to give

advice and suggestions.

This time, you will carry through!

—

Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund