Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 So I'm on day six of the SCD for crohn's and have seen no improvement yet. My energy levels are up a little bit from the first three days but now my muscles ache, especially my legs. I'm determined to continue but I just don't feel like my body is getting the nutrition it needs. I imagine if your symptoms were gone it would be easy to determine what foods caused a problem, but right now I can't tell what's helping or hurting as everything comes out the same. I did try some steamed broccoli since my body seemed to be craving a " plant " but it came out looking like steamed broccoli so I will pass on that for a while. Friday was interesting as I went 24 hours without using the bathroom (which is unheard of) then Saturday back to the same pattern. ??? Is the leg thing normal? Is this diet giving my body what it needs? Are these symptoms due to detox or mal nutrition? What amount of weight loss is acceptable? I'm loosing 1-2 lbs. a day. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 1-2 lbs a day is probably not due to diet, but to the fact that you are still not well. It would not be possible to lose that much with calorie restriction alone. It seems everything is going through you. I remember eating broccoli and having it come out looking the same in the beginning. This is improved greatly by pureeing vegetables which makes them easier to digest. To improve nutrition, I would puree everything for a while. You can puree chicken and veggies and add them back into the chicken soup. If you tolerate eggs you can cook them in soup as an " egg drop " soup and add protein. Continue to add coconut oil to soup and pureed veggies and eat frequently. Hope this helps, PJ > > So I'm on day six of the SCD for crohn's and have seen no improvement yet. My energy levels are up a little bit from the first three days but now my muscles ache, especially my legs. I'm determined to continue but I just don't feel like my body is getting the nutrition it needs. I imagine if your symptoms were gone it would be easy to determine what foods caused a problem, but right now I can't tell what's helping or hurting as everything comes out the same. I did try some steamed broccoli since my body seemed to be craving a " plant " but it came out looking like steamed broccoli so I will pass on that for a while. Friday was interesting as I went 24 hours without using the bathroom (which is unheard of) then Saturday back to the same pattern. ??? Is the leg thing normal? Is this diet giving my body what it needs? Are these symptoms due to detox or mal nutrition? What amount of weight loss is acceptable? I'm loosing 1-2 lbs. a day. > Thanks, > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 > > >> >> So I'm on day six of the SCD for crohn's and have seen no >> improvement yet. Correction - you have had positive change - it just didn't last - but that means you already know the diet is beginning to work. It just takes longer to get consistent positive results. Be aware that this is a long term non-linear process of healing. Also, when did you eat the broccoli? Was it by any chance on Friday or Saturday? Anyway - broccoli is advanced - that won't help you at your stage. You have to eat simple veggies - pureed helps - so get out the blender or the cuisinart or the vitamix or whatever - try zucchini and carrots and spinach and avocado. >> My energy levels are up a little bit from the first three days but >> now my muscles ache, especially my legs. I'm determined to continue >> but I just don't feel like my body is getting the nutrition it needs. At the moment your entire gut ecology is going through intense radical changes. If I were you, I would get some hardy beef stewing bones with plenty of meat on them, and would make a beef broth - (roast the bones first to deal with impurities in the bones - and then cook them for hours and hours with carrots and onion and zucchini. And then keep eating that whenever you are hungry, every few hours, as well as things like hamburgers/cheeseburgers/bacon cheeseburgers or other things like that. You can also add soft boiled eggs (just the yolk or the whole thing) to your broth for extra richness. You can also make apple sauce or baked apples topped with coconut oil. >> I imagine if your symptoms were gone it would be easy to determine >> what foods caused a problem, but right now I can't tell what's >> helping or hurting as everything comes out the same. I did try some >> steamed broccoli since my body seemed to be craving a " plant " but >> it came out looking like steamed broccoli so I will pass on that >> for a while. Friday was interesting as I went 24 hours without >> using the bathroom (which is unheard of) then Saturday back to the >> same pattern. ??? Is the leg thing normal? Is this diet giving my >> body what it needs? Are these symptoms due to detox or mal nutrition? The leg thing is detox. Soak in a really long epsom bath with extra salt - daily if you have the time. >> What amount of weight loss is acceptable? I'm loosing 1-2 lbs. a day. Well, that can happen the first week - 10 days. I lost 6.5 lbs my first week - it tapered off after that as my digestion began to get used to my new way of eating. >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 Good info. Thank you! I love avacado and I'll try that with the scd mayo. One other thing I didn't mention was that right before I went on the diet I quit caffeine after several lattes/cups of coffee, cokes a day for years. So I'm sure my body is adjusting to that as well. Also, i'm curious what role all of you think stress plays in crohn's/IBD situations? The last three months have been the most stressfull period of my life and I'm feeling like that may be contributing. To sum it up, my wife and kids have been living in a different city while I wait on a job transfer. Thanks again, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 There is a connection between stress and IBD. I think it is truly chicken and egg. Stress may make it worse, but an unhealthy gut affects emotions as well. Many people have felt emotionally better on SCD once the gut heals. As much as you miss your family- hopefully you can focus on getting a lot of rest and recovering so that you can feel better when they can live with you. PJ > > Good info. Thank you! I love avacado and I'll try that with the scd mayo. One other thing I didn't mention was that right before I went on the diet I quit caffeine after several lattes/cups of coffee, cokes a day for years. So I'm sure my body is adjusting to that as well. Also, i'm curious what role all of you think stress plays in crohn's/IBD situations? The last three months have been the most stressfull period of my life and I'm feeling like that may be contributing. To sum it up, my wife and kids have been living in a different city while I wait on a job transfer. Thanks again, > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 There is a gut-brain connection. In my case, my brain (and that stress, anxiety,etc.) is getting better as my gut heals. I've been about 6 months on SCD, and I remember that it was very tough at the beginning, since I could not find the foods that were safe for me. Zucchini, avocado and coconut oil are some of those foods that today I think that are fine with me. It is tough because when my body detects some kind of improvement, it triggers some kind of detox process that makes me feel worse. So I never knew whether I was getting better or worse. To make things worse, there are some kind of food intolerances that manifest only a long time after eating the food. About three days. Some of us don't obtain immediate relief after starting the diet. I am feeling much better now, but it has been a difficult journey. I learned a lot about dieting and about my body. It is a blessing that there are some experienced scdieters in this list that provide advice and courage to those of us that are just starting. > > Good info. Thank you! I love avacado and I'll try that with the scd mayo. One other thing I didn't mention was that right before I went on the diet I quit caffeine after several lattes/cups of coffee, cokes a day for years. So I'm sure my body is adjusting to that as well. Also, i'm curious what role all of you think stress plays in crohn's/IBD situations? The last three months have been the most stressfull period of my life and I'm feeling like that may be contributing. To sum it up, my wife and kids have been living in a different city while I wait on a job transfer. Thanks again, > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 It's been a spiral to me too. Fortunately it's an upwards spiral. I'm also grateful for everyone's help here too. Remember- it's a slow process. You are in it for the long term. PJ > > > > Good info. Thank you! I love avacado and I'll try that with the scd mayo. One other thing I didn't mention was that right before I went on the diet I quit caffeine after several lattes/cups of coffee, cokes a day for years. So I'm sure my body is adjusting to that as well. Also, i'm curious what role all of you think stress plays in crohn's/IBD situations? The last three months have been the most stressfull period of my life and I'm feeling like that may be contributing. To sum it up, my wife and kids have been living in a different city while I wait on a job transfer. Thanks again, > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 > Good info. Thank you! I love avacado and I'll try that with the scd > mayo. One other thing I didn't mention was that right before I went > on the diet I quit caffeine after several lattes/cups of coffee, > cokes a day for years. So I'm sure my body is adjusting to that as > well. Yep. Though you can have weak coffee on SCD. And diet coke once a week or so. > Also, i'm curious what role all of you think stress plays in crohn's/ > IBD situations? The last three months have been the most stressfull > period of my life and I'm feeling like that may be contributing. Stress is a major contributor to symptoms. It's medically documented. Mara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 ,I knew a 'normal' woman who was drinking diet coke 2 to 3 32 oz cups a day. When she tried to quit, she was in hospital for migraines! Stress also will weaken an immune system because you are using up all your vitamins and minerals supporting your 'fight or flight' adrenal system. Your body actually converts certain hormones into other hormones to feed this system. Between the probable caffeine 'addiction' and stress, you would most likely be having problems right about now even if all other things were 'normal'! Try taking some epsom salt baths (2 cups to a bath of warm water up to your navel) right before bed. It will help your body detox, rejuvenate, and relax so that you can sleep. You can read about it here: http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/health_benefits.htmHang in there! I can relate to the whole transfer thing. We were told last January that the company was reorganizing and that we were to move. We have been in a holding pattern ever since.Amelia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 , The caffeine withdrawal will definitely give you a headache. I remember visiting my mom several years ago and I had this dull headache the whole time. It finally came up during conversation that she had been making decaf coffee for me, so I'm sure that was the cause of the headaches. As many others have written, you didn't get sick overnight, you definitely won't get better overnight ... and yes, the emotions/brain have a definite effect on the gut. It's truly a vicious cycle because if you're anxious about something unrelated to your disease, it can upset your gut ... and then if you get into a flare, that causes more anxiety by itself. And ... as Mara said, it's a nonlinear path of improvement - but at least you understand the cause and effect and can exert some control over it with the diet. I had many setbacks when I started, too, trying to figure out what I should eat, always being hungry, losing weight, and being exhausted from so *@#!! cooking!!! But the progression was sure, and I made clear progress as the months went on. Be patient, don't stress too much, and your body will begin to heal. Kathy UC since 12/05 SCD since 7/07 med-free and symptom-free from 7/08 to 3/09, when antibiotics upset my gut ecology back on sulfasalazine, LDN, occasional Canasa during bleeding episodes > > > > > > > > One other thing I didn't mention was that right before I went on the diet I quit caffeine after several lattes/cups of coffee, cokes a day for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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