Tips on implementing the diet for the whole family and surviving?

[Guest guest]

My daughter, age 3 was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis a few months ago.

She's currently on azulfidine and prednisone and the bleeding is still not under

control. I have read for hours online about the SCD and bought BTVC and read

through it as well. I am ready to start her on the intro diet, but I know that

the only way I can expect this to work is for the whole family to eat the way

she does. I just don't see it working any other way. I can't have forbidden

foods in the house and tell her no....it might work for others, but I'm just not

strong enough for that.

I don't have any problem with it myself...I've been low-carbing for a while and

have seen the benefits for firsthand, and I know that fresh real foods are

better than processed sugary stuff. However, I am really having a hard time

doing what needs to be done. My family unfortunately eats a lot of illegal

foods right now and while this probably sounds crazy I'm kind of fearful of the

potential upheaval from my son (6) and hubby.

Hubby, by the way, has diverticulosis and has suffered from infections at least

2 times in the last few years. The next step for him may be surgery, but he's

convinced that meat is not as easy on the digestive system. Son could use a

diet overhaul too, as he's a junk food junkie and very picky eater. My son also

has some behavior problems that I have seen respond positively to withholding

sugar.

I guess what I'm getting at is that while I know in my mind and heart that this

is the right thing to do, I need to feel like it's something I can offer up to

my family in a positive way....to help with the acceptance a bit. It's hard

enough dealing with the illness day to day, without everyone in the household

crabbing about not getting their favorite foods, if you know what I mean.

I'd love to hear from any of you who have implemented this in your household for

everyone in the family, tips on how to gain acceptance, recipe suggestions,

replacements for the junk with similar 'mouth feel', etc. I just feel the need

to be well armed. Did you clean out your cupboards and fridge of all non-legal

foods? I can give them to my mom, and she'd appreciate them.

Thanks in advance!

Kathy

[Guest guest]

hi!

I am a newbie, only on the diet full force for about six days for my son. I

would love my husband to go on it as well (UC) but he isn't too keen on it. We

have six kids and I can't imagine trying to get them all on this diet. So far

my son is fine eating his foods. And he is eating a lot! (Quantity anyway!) I

just make sure illegal foods are eaten when he can't see. Once I get my feet

wet with him on this I am going to try to get my one daughter on it as well. I

am hoping that as my husband sees the changes it is making for my son he will be

willing to try it. He is very supportive of it for my son-just doesn't sound

like how he wants to eat. I admire your trying to get the whole house on the

diet. I wish I could do it as well. I truly think that is the best way to do

it. I hope your little girl starts to heal with this diet. My son is PDD-NOS

and I can't believe the changes the last six days have brought. Good luck!

-------------- Original message --------------

My daughter, age 3 was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis a few months ago. She's

currently on azulfidine and prednisone and the bleeding is still not under

control. I have read for hours online about the SCD and bought BTVC and read

through it as well. I am ready to start her on the intro diet, but I know that

the only way I can expect this to work is for the whole family to eat the way

she does. I just don't see it working any other way. I can't have forbidden

foods in the house and tell her no....it might work for others, but I'm just not

strong enough for that.

I don't have any problem with it myself...I've been low-carbing for a while and

have seen the benefits for firsthand, and I know that fresh real foods are

better than processed sugary stuff. However, I am really having a hard time

doing what needs to be done. My family unfortunately eats a lot of illegal foods

right now and while this probably sounds crazy I'm kind of fearful of the

potential upheaval from my son (6) and hubby.

Hubby, by the way, has diverticulosis and has suffered from infections at least

2 times in the last few years. The next step for him may be surgery, but he's

convinced that meat is not as easy on the digestive system. Son could use a diet

overhaul too, as he's a junk food junkie and very picky eater. My son also has

some behavior problems that I have seen respond positively to withholding sugar.

I guess what I'm getting at is that while I know in my mind and heart that this

is the right thing to do, I need to feel like it's something I can offer up to

my family in a positive way....to help with the acceptance a bit. It's hard

enough dealing with the illness day to day, without everyone in the household

crabbing about not getting their favorite foods, if you know what I mean.

I'd love to hear from any of you who have implemented this in your household for

everyone in the family, tips on how to gain acceptance, recipe suggestions,

replacements for the junk with similar 'mouth feel', etc. I just feel the need

to be well armed. Did you clean out your cupboards and fridge of all non-legal

foods? I can give them to my mom, and she'd appreciate them.

Thanks in advance!

Kathy

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

I was sneaky. I finessed them. Here's my idea for your family: Tell them

that this is for your daughter and really play up how sick she is. Tell them

you need their help to get her to transition to SCD. Tell them that they don't

have to do it, it's only for your daughter, but cab they please eat what she

eats for a while? If they crave pizza or whatever, they can go out and eat,

just not in the house. That way they can be the big heroes at home, but not

feel forced into the diet. Expect them to do some father/son bonding over junk

food for a while, and don't worry.

My husband used to be a rice fanatic. He had terrible digestive problems,

sleep apnea, joint pain and nightmares that caused him to get up and scream at

nothing, with his eyes wide open. What got him to eat SCD was the food. Now,

he's two years on SCD and has no joint pain, no digestive problems, no sleep

apnea, no snoring, and no nightmares.

So that's my advice: trick them, don't force them.

: D

Kathy

Momof2gr8kids wrote:

My daughter, age 3 was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis a few months

ago. She's currently on azulfidine and prednisone and the bleeding is still not

under control. I have read for hours online about the SCD and bought BTVC and

read through it as well. I am ready to start her on the intro diet, but I know

that the only way I can expect this to work is for the whole family to eat the

way she does. I just don't see it working any other way. I can't have forbidden

foods in the house and tell her no....it might work for others, but I'm just not

strong enough for that.

I don't have any problem with it myself...I've been low-carbing for a while and

have seen the benefits for firsthand, and I know that fresh real foods are

better than processed sugary stuff. However, I am really having a hard time

doing what needs to be done. My family unfortunately eats a lot of illegal foods

right now and while this probably sounds crazy I'm kind of fearful of the

potential upheaval from my son (6) and hubby.

Hubby, by the way, has diverticulosis and has suffered from infections at least

2 times in the last few years. The next step for him may be surgery, but he's

convinced that meat is not as easy on the digestive system. Son could use a diet

overhaul too, as he's a junk food junkie and very picky eater. My son also has

some behavior problems that I have seen respond positively to withholding sugar.

I guess what I'm getting at is that while I know in my mind and heart that this

is the right thing to do, I need to feel like it's something I can offer up to

my family in a positive way....to help with the acceptance a bit. It's hard

enough dealing with the illness day to day, without everyone in the household

crabbing about not getting their favorite foods, if you know what I mean.

I'd love to hear from any of you who have implemented this in your household for

everyone in the family, tips on how to gain acceptance, recipe suggestions,

replacements for the junk with similar 'mouth feel', etc. I just feel the need

to be well armed. Did you clean out your cupboards and fridge of all non-legal

foods? I can give them to my mom, and she'd appreciate them.

Thanks in advance!

Kathy

[Guest guest]

Welcome Kathy:

My family started SCD in 1 week and 1/2 ago. I threw out all illegal food or

gave away what was illegal. We are all now eatting SCD. I too also felt that

was the only way this would work here at home.

I had a family meeting and explained how hard this would be but how beneficial

to all of us (my daughter has Autism and I have sever UC which the surgeons feel

they must operate). So our journey has begun.......I love meat, and can still

have it...Just learning to cook differently! I love pasta, we can still have

it, but we use different items to make the pasta ie) spagetti squash.

The way we introduce the food in our home is a bit different due to the autism,

however, for your daughter with UC she, I believe, and someone could correct me

if I am wrong, would follow the intro diet in BTVC and then be able to eat legal

foods. It is a different intro for kids with Autism.

So, do things like banana pancakes after the intro diet! Who does not love

them. The receipies can be found at pecanbread.

Mandy UC , 21 yo daughter with Autism , SCD November 2007

Tips on implementing the diet for the whole family and

surviving?

My daughter, age 3 was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis a few months ago.

She's currently on azulfidine and prednisone and the bleeding is still not under

control. I have read for hours online about the SCD and bought BTVC and read

through it as well. I am ready to start her on the intro diet, but I know that

the only way I can expect this to work is for the whole family to eat the way

she does. I just don't see it working any other way. I can't have forbidden

foods in the house and tell her no....it might work for others, but I'm just not

strong enough for that.

I don't have any problem with it myself...I've been low-carbing for a while

and have seen the benefits for firsthand, and I know that fresh real foods are

better than processed sugary stuff. However, I am really having a hard time

doing what needs to be done. My family unfortunately eats a lot of illegal foods

right now and while this probably sounds crazy I'm kind of fearful of the

potential upheaval from my son (6) and hubby.

Hubby, by the way, has diverticulosis and has suffered from infections at

least 2 times in the last few years. The next step for him may be surgery, but

he's convinced that meat is not as easy on the digestive system. Son could use a

diet overhaul too, as he's a junk food junkie and very picky eater. My son also

has some behavior problems that I have seen respond positively to withholding

sugar.

I guess what I'm getting at is that while I know in my mind and heart that

this is the right thing to do, I need to feel like it's something I can offer up

to my family in a positive way....to help with the acceptance a bit. It's hard

enough dealing with the illness day to day, without everyone in the household

crabbing about not getting their favorite foods, if you know what I mean.

I'd love to hear from any of you who have implemented this in your household

for everyone in the family, tips on how to gain acceptance, recipe suggestions,

replacements for the junk with similar 'mouth feel', etc. I just feel the need

to be well armed. Did you clean out your cupboards and fridge of all non-legal

foods? I can give them to my mom, and she'd appreciate them.

Thanks in advance!

Kathy

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

>

> My daughter, age 3 was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis a few

months ago. She's currently on azulfidine and prednisone and the

bleeding is still not under control. I have read for hours online

about the SCD and bought BTVC and read through it as well. I am

ready to start her on the intro diet, but I know that the only way I

can expect this to work is for the whole family to eat the way she

does. I just don't see it working any other way. I can't have

forbidden foods in the house and tell her no....it might work for

others, but I'm just not strong enough for that.

>

> I don't have any problem with it myself...I've been low-carbing for

a while and have seen the benefits for firsthand, and I know that

fresh real foods are better than processed sugary stuff. However, I

am really having a hard time doing what needs to be done. My family

unfortunately eats a lot of illegal foods right now and while this

probably sounds crazy I'm kind of fearful of the potential upheaval

from my son (6) and hubby.

>

> Hubby, by the way, has diverticulosis and has suffered from

infections at least 2 times in the last few years. The next step for

him may be surgery, but he's convinced that meat is not as easy on

the digestive system. Son could use a diet overhaul too, as he's a

junk food junkie and very picky eater. My son also has some behavior

problems that I have seen respond positively to withholding sugar.

>

> I guess what I'm getting at is that while I know in my mind and

heart that this is the right thing to do, I need to feel like it's

something I can offer up to my family in a positive way....to help

with the acceptance a bit. It's hard enough dealing with the

illness day to day, without everyone in the household crabbing about

not getting their favorite foods, if you know what I mean.

>

> I'd love to hear from any of you who have implemented this in your

household for everyone in the family, tips on how to gain acceptance,

recipe suggestions, replacements for the junk with similar 'mouth

feel', etc. I just feel the need to be well armed. Did you clean

out your cupboards and fridge of all non-legal foods? I can give

them to my mom, and she'd appreciate them.

>

> Thanks in advance!

> Kathy>>>>

I started the diet first by myself, but later we decided to put the

whole family on it. I was so sick at first it honestly didn't occur

to me to try all of us on it. But, the longer I was on it the more I

felt that all of us should be on it. My husband joined me on the

diet after 3 months, initially to be supportive and stayed on it

because he felt so much better on the diet: he had more energy and

his mind was clearer. My children joined us on the diet a while

after that. It helped all of us - my husband lost a very stubborn 50

lbs, my daughter constipation was corrected and my sons' smelly loose

stools went away. When I put all of us on it I cleaned out

cupboards, fridge and freezer. I tossed most opened items, gave a

few to neighbours and gave unopened illegals to the food bank. My

children were young so it was a bit easier. I concentrated their

meals with legal foods that they ate preSCD that they enjoyed: they

both loved cauliflower, broccoli, bananas, carrots. I swapped

cereal with other breakfast ideas: banana smoothies, eggs over easy,

SCD granola with yogurt and honey etc...

They aren't on the diet now but it gave the children a huge

appreciation for food and what it does for you. They still eat a

large proportion of SCD foods and miles healthier than any of their

friends.

My children loved hamburger patties, split open with cheese and legal

condiments: SCD ketchup, mustard, mayo, put inside. They also liked

carrot curls, peanut butter cake/brownies, ants on a log (celery

sticks with legal peanut butter covered with raisins. Some of these

are more advanced items.

There are lots of great recipes at

http://pecanbread.com/new/recipes1.html

A sample menu at

http://pecanbread.com/new/scdfoods1.html#menu

Great tips at http://pecanbread.com/new/scdfoods1.html#transition

http://pecanbread.com/new/pickly1.html

Sheila, SCD Feb. 2001, UC 23yrs, PCOD 22yrs

mom of and