Read What Others Say About SCD

[Guest guest]

Elaine's website:

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/testimonies/testimonies.htm

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0969276818/qid=1142360172/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_\

xs_ap_i1_xgl/702-8640070-1762451

Spotlight Reviews Breaking The Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall.

Nothing short of a miracle, July 5, 2000

Reviewer: Turet (Deer Park, NY USA)

With a great deal of skeptisizm, I read this book over five years ago.

Ulcerative colitis was bleeding me to death, not that I had a life much worth

living at the time. My world revolved around pain and I could be no further than

30 seconds from a bathroom. Ms. Gottschall, her book, and the diet completely

vanquished all my symptoms of UC, saved my life and restored my intestinal

health. I've just finished reading the reveiws of and a reader

from Conneticut, who were both put off by the amount of work involved in

maintaining this diet. Perhaps their symptoms were not as crippling as mine.

Perhaps they have success with medication and have no problem with staying on it

for the rest of their lives. I wish them well and hope they do not eventually

require the surgery that many of us with this disease must face. I am concerned

however, that their reveiws might prevent even one person from reading the book,

which is why I am writing about my own experience. After 6 months

on this diet I went for my yearly colonoscopy and my doctor declared my colon

to appear " like that of a healthy 18 year old's " . I have been off of all

medication for over 4 years. I currently facilitate a listserver of almost 400

participents, most of who are on the diet. If anyone is interested in joining

it, write me at rturet@...

103 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

Proof positive - the SCD works!, February 26, 2000

Reviewer: " mikesimons " (Tucson, AZ United States)

I have been on this regimen for three years. During this time I have been drug

and symptom free. A year and half ago I posted the following review, which is

even more dramatic proof now: After a year and a half on the Specific

Carbohydrate Diet, I finally followed my gastroenterologist's request to get a

colonoscopy. After all, it had been over four years since the last time anyone

had given me any sort of exam of the gut, and 18 years with Crohns. My doc said

" We got all the way to the cecum. No evidence at all of Crohns. No scars. No

inflammation. Nothing. You look completely normal. "

This dietary modification is far better than a drug-induced remission for me

because even in past drug-induced 'remissions' my past exams have showed

indication of disease. Now there are no drugs, no side effects. I believe this

diet is a superior way to bring on a controlled remission.

This book guides the patient through the process of understanding their illness,

describing the research that contributed to creating the diet, how to start the

diet, what foods can be added and when. The book also contains valuable a list

of links to " SCDiet " resources and online support groups that are available over

the Internet.

Life Changing Book ...life is enjoyable again!, February 17, 2006

Reviewer: (Albertville, MN)

Not too many books change your life. This one does.

Diagnosed with Moderate-Severe Crohn's Disease, Aug. '03. Symptoms: night

sweats, lost wheight, constant pain, tired, loose & frequent bowel movements.

Meds: 150 mg Imuran

Started Diet May '04

Syptoms improved within 2 weeks while meds didn't affect them at all.

Now, Feb '06

No symptoms. Med free since Jan '06. Still follow the diet strictly.

The book just makes sense, scientifically. I know the diet can be hard to follow

at times, but the only motivation I need is to remember all the symptoms I had

and look at the future I want to enjoy. ...our bodies were made to heal

themselves, we just need to give our bodies the right food in order to let it. I

encourage you to read the book from your library or order from

http://www.scdiet.com/.

A true Godsend!, December 22, 2004

Reviewer: SG " Sheryl G. " (Houston, Texas)

I was just like you...researching all the books here on Amazon.com for something

that would tell me what to eat and what not to eat so I could get some kind of

relief from the pain and horrible discomfort of Crohn's! My doctor provided as

much help and percriptions as she could but could give me absolutly no advise on

what to and what not to eat (that wouldn't hurt!). Well, she was right about one

thing, food doesn't seem to cause the illness (which shocked me!) but certain

food do irritate or exasperate the inflamation that already exisits!

I read all the high reviews of this book and since I had nothing else to lose,

ordered it. I read it. It made a lot of sense. And then I did the hardest

thing...I made a decision to implement the diet. The first week was difficult

because I wasn't used to the " restrictions " ...they seemed so unusual. But, all I

can tell you is that it worked!! the first few days my " D " turned green and like

water, but that cleared up after a week or two and then 90% of all my cramping,

bloating, and swelling and " D " stopped.

All I can say is to trust the diet! Trust these reviews. Your own recovery will

be different than mine, but you will have recovery and relief from the intense

pain!! The book also has a wonderful website with lots of links and forums for

us to support each other.

Best Wishes...

Diagnosed with Crohn's 12/02 - Cured 1 year later, February 4, 2004

Reviewer: " mjbone " (Cobb mtn. Ca. USA)

I want to start this letter off by thanking Elaine Gottschall who's book,

" Breaking the Vicious Cycle " , has brought my health back to a healthier state

than before I even got Crohn's. To Lucy, conqueror of Colitis, and author of

Lucy's SCD cookbook, for all her great recipes, including the coffee cake (my

favorite)and all her great advise, oh, can't forget the many orders of almond

flower you sent me. And of course, the love of my life , thank you so much

for making all those SCD meals that allowed me to kill that crohn monster. You

are my savior, and I love you sooo much;)

Here's where my story begins: After receiving a colonoscopy a week before

Christmas 2002, after continued stomach pain and severe diahrrea (about every 20

min at one point)...I was diagnosed with Crohn's involving 14in of my small

intestine (near the ileum). The doc said it was a moderate and classic case of

Crohn's. He said it looked like someone had scraped my insides with 80 grit

sandpaper (ouch)!! (To those of you reading this right now, I have been where

you are, thinking hopeless thoughts... " Why me!..My life is ruined!...etc. "

There is hope, there is a cure, no matter what the doctor, or anyone else,

says... I am the proof...as well as sooooo many others who have followed, and I

mean vigorously followed the SCD diet. The most important aspect of the diet is

patience, patience, and more patience, and (no cheating)...

After eight months on the diet, I felt that the Asacol and Pantasa were only

hampering my progress and decided to taper off. (Caution) Don't cold turkey the

meds! Ask someone in the medical field with help on developing a program to

taper off the meds. ...Anyway, getting off the meds was a bit scary. This is the

point at which the SCD is put to the true test. All of my doubts and scepticism

about the diet were put to rest after being med-free for the first time in eight

months. After three months med-free, I was a TRUE BELIEVER!!

After five months med-free and feeling great, I decided to go see my GI. I told

him I'd been med-free for 5 months with only one bowel movement, somtimes two, a

day and no diarrea (maybe only 3x over the last year). He was shocked!! He said

he's never seen anyone go into remission and stay there without maintenance

drugs. Then he said, " Maybe you didn't have Crohn's after all... Maybe it was a

virus or something else. " I explained the diet to him and how serious I was

about it, but I don't think he got the picture. Anyway, he ordered me another

exam...a small bowel follow-through w/Barium (Yuck!). My thought before the exam

was that the results would show improvements, but that I still had Crohn's.

Well, after the 3 hour exam, my GI said, " Your intestines are perfectly

normal...absolutely perfect...not one blemish. " ... " YOU DON'T HAVE CROHN'S, " he

said!!! We were both shocked! To sum up this whole story is to say, " IT'S NOT A

MIRACLE, IT'S THE SCD DIET! " Actually, there may just be a miricle to this

story, her name is Elaine Gottschall ....

.

Chrohns - getting your life back, January 3, 2003

Reviewer: (Waiheke Island New Zealand)

This book is a godsend for all sufferers of all manner of intestinal diseases.

As a Chrohns sufferer I have faithfully followed the diet for the past year

after the medical community consistently told me that no matter what I ate it is

an inevitability that some of my ileum would have to be removed. I no longer

live with that fear. The diet has enabled me to take control over my life and

regain health - I am drug and symptom free and intend to continue with the diet

in order to remain this way. The diet is strict and results can only be reached

through fanatical adherance to the guidelines laid out in the book. This can

take some effort and vigilence but how important is your health? It can be

complicated and there are several webgroups (detailed in the book) with an ever

increasing number of volunteers dedicated to answering questions and giving

advice to all newcomers (an invaluable resource and welcoming community of

fellow sufferers). Elaine Gotteschall at the age of eighty has

spent many many years helping people with intestinal diseases through her

research and the fact that the medical community, for the most part, ignore this

important scientific work is their loss - do not let it be yours. Take control!!

Read the book and the many reviews here and decide for yourself if you want to

continue to live your life with poor health - is that as good as it

gets????????????

BREAKING THE VICIOUS CYCLE... " BY ELAINE GLORIA GOTTSCHALL, March 19, 2002

Reviewer: JAYNETTE GAY BAUER (Indianapolis, Indiana , United States)

-

I ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO ARE ILL WITH IBD TO SEE THEIR DOCTORS, AND TAKE THEIR

MEDICATIONS, WHILE EATING PLAIN GOD-GIVEN FOODS IN ORDER TO REGAIN HEALTH AS,

" BREAKING THE VICIOUS CYCLE.. " , BY ELAINE GLORIA GOTTSCHALL WHO TELLS ME WHAT TO

EAT AND NOT TO EAT IN THE BOOK. IT TELLS ME ABOUT DR'S. SIDNEY VALENTINE HAAS

AND SON'S DIET, " THE SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET " THAT ELAINE GOTTSCHALL EXPLAINS

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE USE THIS DIET WHEN WE HAVE IBD, IBS, CROHN'S DISEAE,

ULCERATIVE COLITIS, DIVERTICULITIS, CELIA DISEASE, CYSTIC FIBROSIS, CHRONIC

DIARRHEA AND OTHER DIGESTIVE DISEASES TO REGAIN INTESTINAL HEALTH THROUGH, " THE

SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET " .

I WAS DIAGNOSED IN 1994 WITH CROHN'S DISEASE. I HAVE BEEN IN REMISSION SINCE

1997 WITHOUT MEDICATION EXCEPT FOLIC ACID AND FREEDA VITAMINS BY READING THIS

BOOK. I HAVE HAD IBD MORE THAN FOURTY TWO YEARS [ALL MY LIFE, SOME FORM OR

ANOTHER, STARTING WITH DIARRHEA, SPASTIC COLON, ANGRY COLON, IBS, YOU NAME IT,

ETC.].

I NEVER FELT WELL IN MY CHILDHOOD OR MY ADULT LIFE UNTIL I GOT THIS BOOK AND IT

HAS GIVEN ME BACK MY LIFE, FULL OF ENGERGY AND ALSO BEING GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR

THIS GOD SENT BOOK FOR OTHERS TO BE HEALTHY, TOO.

I AM NO LONGER ANEMIC, HAVE COLDS, EAR ACHES, INFLUENZA, PNEUMONIA, SINUS

HEADACHES; ACHES AND CRAMPS IN MY LEGS, STOMACH, OR ARM; HEART PALPITATIONS,

GALL BLADDER PROBLEMS, SKIN WORTS, OR SKIN PROBLEMS, MY COLON IS NOT SPASTIC OR

INFLAMED, NO MORE DIARRHA OR VOMITING; TEETH DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE CAVITIES OR

HAVE TO BE PULLED, OR ARE NOT LOOSE; OR HAVE ANY MORE POCKETS IN THE GUMS OR

BLEEDING GUMS. HAD TO STOP DRIVING BECAUSE I COULD NOT TELL MY DISTANCES: BANGED

MY HEAD AGAINST THE DOOR FRAME, PUT THINGS ON THE TABLE WITH A BANG BECAUSE I

THOUGHT I HAD MORE ROOM, I AM FINE NOW. NO MORE BLOODY NOSE, YEAST INFECTION,

EAR INFECTIONS OR ATHLETE'S FEET. MY BONES ARE NOT THINNING ANY MORE BUT GETTING

STRONGER ON THIS DIET. MY WEIGHT IS GREAT TOO. ALL I NEEDED WAS GOOD HEALTHY

NUTRUTION GIVEN TO ME IN THIS BOOK.

I WAS TOLD TO FIND PSYCHIATRIC HELP AND THAT ALL THIS WAS IN MY HEAD. WHEN IT

WAS THE FOOD I WAS EATING ALL ALONG. I AM GRATEFUL AGAIN FOR THIS BOOK TO HAVE

BEEN PRINTED FOR ALL TO GET HEALTHY BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW.

THERE ARE SEVERAL WEBSITES TO GET INFORMATION FROM, AND AN E-MAIL ADDRESS NEAR

THE BACK OF THE BOOK TO CHAT ABOUT THESE DISEASES, AND, " THE SPECIFIC

CARBOOHYDRAT DIET, " WHICH I FIND VERY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH OHTERS LIKE

MYSELF. I WISH MY GRANDMOTHER HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS BOOK