Re: stages & cheese question

[Guest guest]

,

There's no hard-and-fast rule for when to add new foods. The stages chart is

simply a tool for showing which foods are easier to digest than others. Most of

it is common sense. You don't have to use that chart, or follow it to the

letter.

It's really an individualized thing. Best approach (I think) is to keep a food

log... so you can record what you ate and how it was prepared. Then, add ONE new

food at a time, so if you get some distress you will know exactly which food you

aren't able to tolerate yet.

When we start SCD, there can be colonies of gut pathogens that die off and " pass

on " .... leaving tender new tissue in the gut. You need to keep this in mind...

so keeping things peeled and cooked (easier to digest) makes good sense. Even if

there never was diarrhea to begin with, the more fibrous, difficult to digest

foods are going to be more of a challenge to a gut that is trying to " re-line "

itself and re-balance with good flora.

But, you have to be the judge of when you're ready to move ahead. Take it a step

at a time, see how you feel and take a step back if you get some negative

symptoms. Your body will tell you when it's too much, too soon. Be gentle... and

observant. One new food at a time. Everyone's different.

After being around here for many months or years, some of the veterans have seen

the same patterns with many other people.

That's why it's easier for us to respond when someone asks:

" I can't understand it, we've been strictly SCD for three months now. My son

just started eating raw carrots and apples but he's suddenly got loose stools

now. These foods are legal... so why is this happening??? "

....with a reply like: " Take out the raw foods and go back to peeled and cooked

for a while. It's too soon for raw foods " .

What we mean of course is that, given the symptoms this hypothetical person is

having, it's just obvious to us that it was too soon for HIM. It might not be

too soon for someone else, but from our experience it's easy to see... even if

it might not be so easy for the new SCD parent to objectively judge in this

situation. That's just a really simplified example, but hopefully makes sense.

Patti

stages & cheese question

I have been lurking & monitoring the list for about a month now, & started

my son & myself on the intro diet on Tues. We followed it for 2 days (though

I just found out he sneaked some tic tacs from his brother's room yesterday-

I surely hope I don't have to start all over again for him, because we've

both been miserable on the intro).

Here are the questions on the things I still don't understand even after

having looked through everything on this site, reading the book several

times (not the newest version, though), and also looking at all the info on

the BTVC site:

1. I am not clear on how to add foods. I've printed the stages chart as

a guideline, but what I can't seem to find anywhere is how to know when you

can move to more " digestively challenging " foods. Neither of us have

diarrhea as an issue. His problems have primarily been manifested

behaviorally- but he definitely had leaky gut/food intolerance/candida

issues. I have an autoimmune illness and sometimes have unexplained bouts of

gastrointestinal distress- but I can't seem to tie them to diet per se. I am

more doing the diet for myself with plans to stick to it for a month- and if

not feeling dramatically better- I can't take it:-)

2. I have read where people write " Oh, x amount of time is WAY too soon

to start adding raw produce. " But there is no even rough time table

included anywhere on the site- or symptoms to watch for- I just don't

understand how long to stick with a particular stage before moving on.

Obviously we're both pretty anxious to move on to recipes with nut flours,

etc.

3. Also, cheeses aren't mentioned at all in the stages. Where would

they fall on that continuum?

Thanks so much for your help.

[Guest guest]

So how long do you have to wait before adding the next food? For

example, today I added cooked carrots and zucchini. That's 2 foods.

For my son, I added applesauce and ripe bananas, also 2 foods. Can we

add a couple new foods daily if there is no problem? And can someone

remind my weak, headachy self how long these icky symptoms typically

last? I am about ready to throw in the towel after only a few days if

this is going to last long. I can't get the things done that I need

to- but if I can see a light at the end of this tunnel, I can go a

bit more.

>

> ,

>

> There's no hard-and-fast rule for when to add new foods. The stages

chart is simply a tool for showing which foods are easier to digest

than others. Most of it is common sense. You don't have to use that

chart, or follow it to the letter.

>

> It's really an individualized thing. Best approach (I think) is to

keep a food log... so you can record what you ate and how it was

prepared. Then, add ONE new food at a time, so if you get some

distress you will know exactly which food you aren't able to tolerate

yet.

>

> When we start SCD, there can be colonies of gut pathogens that die

off and " pass on " .... leaving tender new tissue in the gut. You need

to keep this in mind... so keeping things peeled and cooked (easier

to digest) makes good sense. Even if there never was diarrhea to

begin with, the more fibrous, difficult to digest foods are going to

be more of a challenge to a gut that is trying to " re-line " itself

and re-balance with good flora.

>

> But, you have to be the judge of when you're ready to move ahead.

Take it a step at a time, see how you feel and take a step back if

you get some negative symptoms. Your body will tell you when it's too

much, too soon. Be gentle... and observant. One new food at a time.

Everyone's different.

>

> After being around here for many months or years, some of the

veterans have seen the same patterns with many other people.

>

> That's why it's easier for us to respond when someone asks:

>

> " I can't understand it, we've been strictly SCD for three months

now. My son just started eating raw carrots and apples but he's

suddenly got loose stools now. These foods are legal... so why is

this happening??? "

>

> ...with a reply like: " Take out the raw foods and go back to peeled

and cooked for a while. It's too soon for raw foods " .

>

> What we mean of course is that, given the symptoms this

hypothetical person is having, it's just obvious to us that it was

too soon for HIM. It might not be too soon for someone else, but from

our experience it's easy to see... even if it might not be so easy

for the new SCD parent to objectively judge in this situation. That's

just a really simplified example, but hopefully makes sense.

>

> Patti

> stages & cheese question

>

>

> I have been lurking & monitoring the list for about a month now,

& started

> my son & myself on the intro diet on Tues. We followed it for 2

days (though

> I just found out he sneaked some tic tacs from his brother's room

yesterday-

> I surely hope I don't have to start all over again for him,

because we've

> both been miserable on the intro).

> Here are the questions on the things I still don't understand

even after

> having looked through everything on this site, reading the book

several

> times (not the newest version, though), and also looking at all

the info on

> the BTVC site:

> 1. I am not clear on how to add foods. I've printed the stages

chart as

> a guideline, but what I can't seem to find anywhere is how to

know when you

> can move to more " digestively challenging " foods. Neither of us

have

> diarrhea as an issue. His problems have primarily been manifested

> behaviorally- but he definitely had leaky gut/food

intolerance/candida

> issues. I have an autoimmune illness and sometimes have

unexplained bouts of

> gastrointestinal distress- but I can't seem to tie them to diet

per se. I am

> more doing the diet for myself with plans to stick to it for a

month- and if

> not feeling dramatically better- I can't take it:-)

> 2. I have read where people write " Oh, x amount of time is WAY

too soon

> to start adding raw produce. " But there is no even rough time

table

> included anywhere on the site- or symptoms to watch for- I just

don't

> understand how long to stick with a particular stage before

moving on.

> Obviously we're both pretty anxious to move on to recipes with

nut flours,

> etc.

> 3. Also, cheeses aren't mentioned at all in the stages. Where

would

> they fall on that continuum?

>

> Thanks so much for your help.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

<<So how long do you have to wait before adding the next food? For

example, today I added cooked carrots and zucchini. That's 2 foods.

For my son, I added applesauce and ripe bananas, also 2 foods. Can we

add a couple new foods daily if there is no problem?>>

That's up to you. I would try to add only one at a time. If you have a bad

response to something, you won't know which one... and will have to pull both

back out and re-try them later. If you've added a food, and it's not caused any

problem within 24 hours, it seems reasonable to assume you've tolerated that

food. Some people might need longer than that to absolutely be sure.

<<And can someone

remind my weak, headachy self how long these icky symptoms typically

last? >>

Die-off can last days.... or weeks. It's impossible to say. Everyone is

different. The state of your gut... and the amount of overgrowth of bad

bacteria... and how resiliant they may be... is unique.

Are you soaking in the tub with epsom salts? Stay well hydrated, too. Don't

throw in the towel yet. Feeling yucky is temporary.

Patti

[Guest guest]

>

> So how long do you have to wait before adding the next food?

Consider thinking of it this way:

When you first fed your baby solids, you added in ONE food at a

time. Why? So you could clearly determine any reaction. If you add

in multiple foods and have issues, which one is the culprit?

Consecutive steps forward is faster than several steps forward/some

back. Less frustrating in the long haul, IMO.

Generally, we found that if one member of a family (ex.

cruciferous veggies) was okay, it pretty much greenlighted the

others, but I would still go reeeaaal slow in the beginning.

And can someone

> remind my weak, headachy self how long these icky symptoms

typically

> last? I am about ready to throw in the towel after only a few days

if

> this is going to last long.

Think of what you are writing. You feel lousy (and the kiddo

probably ain't thrilled with it either). Seems like SOMEthing is

shifting - you don't always feel like this, right? ;-)

Just fwiw, if you bail now, and then decide later to restart scd

it may be much harder to gear yourself and your family up for it.

Diet is not a magic bullet (some may disagree), but it is a integral

part of healing. You and your child are only going to be as good as

the stuff that goes into you. Esp if you are not sharing it with a

gutload of pathogens.

*thump* (jumping off soapbox)

Personally, I felt like total crap for about 72 solid hours, and

did not wake up one morning 100%. It took a few days. Worth it, IMO.

When you feel better (and you will), you'll look at this completely

differently.

-christine