Re: dealing with convenience foods for long-time SCDers -- was hot dogs

[Guest guest]

I'm not Jodi, so please forgive me for commenting on this.

I'm a newbie to SCD, so I'm trying to be strict, since it's my son who needs the

diet and I wouldn't do ANYTHING to sabatoge his health. I'm sure that most, if

not all, members here also want to follow the diet correctly. There's a HUGE

difference between wanting to use a few " convenience " items (like organic canned

tomatoes, organic canned pumpkin, organic uncured hotdogs, and organic

mayonnaise) and wanting to eat convenience foods that contain additives,

preservatives, sugars and starches.

No one would even argue against the idea that the SAD is responsible for a host

of the current medical problems afflicting our nation. I haven't seen anyone on

here that is wanting to go back to eating that way. We haven't eaten the SAD in

our house for 13 years and my son still got sick with UC - who knows how sick

he'd be if he had been eating like most American children.

The reason I am interested in a few (really, very few) convenience items is that

I cook for 6 of us, I work 4 days a week and we are a busy family. There are

others on here who have very busy lives too. If I could open up a can of organic

tomatoes instead of having to chop and cook fresh tomatoes it would huge

timesaver for me and I could have that much more energy to devote to my family

and other cooking. I've always cooked most things from scratch, but there are

some basic ingredients that would be helpful to not have to make. If there are

safe items available, I really want to know. We haven't gotten far enough into

the diet to feel safe eating anything that I'm not positive about, so I'm

sticking with " make my own " , but I'm already getting burned out with the sheer

volume of work.

I'm really not here to argue - I want to learn how to do this and get ideas for

surviving SCD long term. There needs to be a level of understanding between

members here that those of us who are wanting a few minor shortcuts are not

being lazy or trying to cheat - we are simply trying to find practical ways to

make it possible to stick to this diet within the framework of our very real and

full lives.

Thanks,

Liz

>

> Jodi

>

> I consider myself one of the long-time SCDers, having been on SCD for more

than five years. I know there are plenty of others who have been on SCD far

longer [grin]. I've been able to relax my fanaticism in the past two years --

somewhat, that is. I don't reach for illegals, nor do I reach for convenience

foods. But I do occasionally eat out, choosing the permitted foods my digestion

tolerates the best (and maybe an occasional bite of something illegal if someone

will share with me!) and although I usually feel increased digestive symptoms

for a day or two, I am no longer laid low for weeks as a result.

>

> In other words, I can be a lot more relaxed about swallowing the occasional

illegal or getting some additives and preservatives. But I can't do it too

often or my body suffers.

>

> I made the choice during my first two months on SCD that I didn't want to

spend time dealing with getting something in writing from food processors and

manufacturers. I didn't have any energy to spare at that time as I was really

sick, and now I have a bit more energy but I just can't be bothered. I don't

want any convenience foods that might or might not contain something illegal and

probably has additives and preservatives. Detoxing took months for me, and I am

not about to start adding those toxins back. Besides, once I had detoxed, I

realized how much my body was affected by synthetic chemicals. Since my nervous

system is continuing to deteriorate from as as yet unknown cause, I don't want

to add another level of problems by using foods containing additives and

preservatives. I want to know exactly how the food is prepared and what

ingredients were used and I need to see how it is done.

>

> So, I make my own, make my own, make my own.... That's my choice, at least.

>

> Sometimes I wonder if a lot of the health issues found today are a direct

result of introducing convenience foods in the 1950s. Most of us have eaten

convenience foods, with their additives and preservatives and high levels of

sugar and starch, for most of our lives. Often takes time for the bad

side-effects to appear.

>

> Kim M.

> SCD 5+ years

>

>

> >>>>>>>>

> How are SCD'ers supposed to get on with their lives? I don't want to eat SAD

but it sure would be nice to be able to navigate with a little more wiggle room.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Mort,

Responses below;

> The hardest food for me to give up for SCD was Wasabi and Soy Sauce for my

> sashimi. Finally I found pure wasabi kosher certified confirming its

> labeling as pure Wasabia japonica - this should be added as a legal food.

> Sometimes I use certified organic or kosher as additional people are

> inspecting it to confirm labeling is correct.

I think there is a big difference between modernizing the legal/illegal list and

adding the dry wasabi you found? I gather it is dehydrated powder- please

correct me if I am wrong.. anyway- Why is there a difference? Well, Whole pure

Wasabi can be listed as legal but if it is processed to be a powder or a mix

(like many wasabi's are) than that is a commercial product and therefor we need

a letterhead to make it SCD legal.

> I think we, as a group, need

> to come up with some way of certifying ethnic and new food brands.

That

> said we all have to remember that when we were starting this diet we had a

> much more restricted food list than later. Somehow we need to figure out

> and let newbies know that this is an advanced food or not. One idea is to

> have 3 food groups; beginning, middle, and advanced.

Terry mentioned having a system of if you are symptom free and one year on the

diet you may proceed. Maybe we will work on this a bit more.

> Previously Gay Bauer provided me with the lady editing the legal/illegal

> food list but I failed to follow up with her. That was my fault that I

> neglected to make the effort.

As for updating the legal/illegal list; The PecanBread legal/illegal list will

be more extensive than the BTVC website- this due to various technical issues-

so you should defer to that.

If you have suggestions of legal additions like legal ethnic foods- you should

email it to PecanBread.. Like Mimi or Sheila and I think they can consider it.

http://pecanbread.com/p/legal_illegal_a-c.htm

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Hi Mort,

Responses below;

> The hardest food for me to give up for SCD was Wasabi and Soy Sauce for my

> sashimi. Finally I found pure wasabi kosher certified confirming its

> labeling as pure Wasabia japonica - this should be added as a legal food.

> Sometimes I use certified organic or kosher as additional people are

> inspecting it to confirm labeling is correct.

I think there is a big difference between modernizing the legal/illegal list and

adding the dry wasabi you found? I gather it is dehydrated powder- please

correct me if I am wrong.. anyway- Why is there a difference? Well, Whole pure

Wasabi can be listed as legal but if it is processed to be a powder or a mix

(like many wasabi's are) than that is a commercial product and therefor we need

a letterhead to make it SCD legal.

> I think we, as a group, need

> to come up with some way of certifying ethnic and new food brands.

That

> said we all have to remember that when we were starting this diet we had a

> much more restricted food list than later. Somehow we need to figure out

> and let newbies know that this is an advanced food or not. One idea is to

> have 3 food groups; beginning, middle, and advanced.

Terry mentioned having a system of if you are symptom free and one year on the

diet you may proceed. Maybe we will work on this a bit more.

> Previously Gay Bauer provided me with the lady editing the legal/illegal

> food list but I failed to follow up with her. That was my fault that I

> neglected to make the effort.

As for updating the legal/illegal list; The PecanBread legal/illegal list will

be more extensive than the BTVC website- this due to various technical issues-

so you should defer to that.

If you have suggestions of legal additions like legal ethnic foods- you should

email it to PecanBread.. Like Mimi or Sheila and I think they can consider it.

http://pecanbread.com/p/legal_illegal_a-c.htm

Jodi