Re: QUESTION TO ALL PARENTS: How did you overcome your resistance to trying SCD?

[Guest guest]

We are less than two weeks into the diet, and certainly not experts, but we

decided it was worth doing because we are looking at the rest of our kids'

lives. It is one thing to look " weird " by eating differently; it is another

entirely to look " weird " with ASD traits - in our case, Aspergers, which has

gotten our son picked on quite a bit because he is enough " different " or " weird "

to make kids pick on him. And even more importantly to us, we realize that the

" weirdness " with the ASD is only the outward manifestation of the inward very

ill health. Even if we never see a change in the outward ASD, for which we are

truly hoping, it is still worth it to us to do this to heal the underlying gut

issues. Our 9 year old Aspergers' son tested IGG allergic to 27 foods. His

gluten/casein peptide test indicated leaky gut. His OAT test shows high yeast.

Our 4-yr-old son's OAT showed both high yeast and Clostridia; the Clostridia

actually affects the brain. Our 21mth old shows signs of yeast and food

allergies, even though not formally tested. I am more concerned about the

health they will live with for the rest of their lives, than I am that we are

*all* limited in our food right now and truly not enjoying it, and having to eat

in a " weird " way compared to the people around us. I am not worried about how

different our boys seem to others for their food; in 20 years no one will

remember that, but my boys will still be living with the health I have helped to

foster or have chosen not to foster for whatever reasons. We are choosing to

foster healing and good health, even though we are not enjoying this journey.

I don't mean this to sound harsh in any way; if it does, please forgive me - I

am impassioned on the subject. I am on a crusade to defeat autism in our family

and tend to come across rather strongly. I truly hope your grandson's parents

can look at the fruit of SCD in the other family members and decide that their

son's health is worth the effort.

If I can be of any help, please email me!

Lynn

QUESTION TO ALL PARENTS: How did you overcome your

resistance to trying SCD?

My DGS has ASD. My kids (his parents) hate, HATE, the idea of special

diets. They think they are limiting, make kids look weird, are

nonsence. But I know that our boy needs this diet. Four other members

of our family, one also on the spectrum, are getting so many benefits

from it. It is so frustrating.

How did you overcome your resistance to the diet? Any suggestions? I

really have tried so many things but they still won't budge.

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy.

I am afraid that, if your kids have seen other family members benefit

from SCD, including one on the spectrum, and still are resistant to putting your

grandchild on it, that you may be fighting a losing battle. And its clear that

you are knowledgeable about SCD and have already made several arguments on

behalf of the diet.

Have they read BTVC? I personally think any child on the spectrum can

benefit from SCD, but especially if your grandchild shows any kind of

gastro-related irregularities, like diarrhea or constipation, its very important

that they try SCD. Can you get them to see starches and sugars as feeding their

child poison, if in fact the child can't digest these items? Can you get them

to subscribe to an SCD website and become educated by parents who have walked

this path before them and are ready to support them? Maybe they won't feel so

alone then. Also, if they are lucky, maybe your grandchild won't need SCD for

life (though I think many who see the benefits of scd in our children are

willing to keep them on it anyway).

I read Lynn's response to you and agree COMPLETELY with it so I won't

repeat it. This diet could be their best chance to recover their child. I

honestly don't understand how any parent of a child on the spectrum would not

give this diet a fighting chance. My God, wouldn't we all jump in front of a

train to save our children's lives? Surely implementing this diet isn't too

much to ask. I'm sorry if that sounds judgmental, but I too am passionate about

healing my son and so hopeful that we can one day say that he is recovered and

look back on this tough time as " the autism years " . Sure it may be a dream, but

its one that I believe has a greater likelihood of coming true because of scd

and supplementation. My son is getting better every day and that's enough for

me to stick with SCD.

I know this may be alot to ask, but have you considered making any of

the kid-friendly items in BTVC or the other scd cookbooks and offering them to

your grandchild when he visits? Make him some yummy chicken soup. If his

parents see him enjoying a SCD meal and a cookie or cupcake and it doesn't look

weird to them, maybe they'll reconsider.

Please encourage your kids to read BTVC and to get on a website like

this and hear the testimonials. There's lots of people willing to help them

help their child heal. All they need to do is ask. And please don't give

up--your grandchild needs you more than ever.

Tracey. mom of Clay, 4, asd, scd 8/05

thisiskathys wrote:

My DGS has ASD. My kids (his parents) hate, HATE, the idea of special

diets. They think they are limiting, make kids look weird, are

nonsence. But I know that our boy needs this diet. Four other members

of our family, one also on the spectrum, are getting so many benefits

from it. It is so frustrating.

How did you overcome your resistance to the diet? Any suggestions? I

really have tried so many things but they still won't budge.

---------------------------------

Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+

countries) for 2¢/min or less.

[Guest guest]

Easy question in my opinion. You are the mom. Parents know what is best for

thier childern...esp. if you have a special one. You are thier best advocate and

the one left to pick up the pieces. I believe as parents you have a " gut "

feeling and you should run with it. As a mother of two boys with neurological

disorders, i am telling go with your gut. Sometimes in life the strides come

with great pain...but success is even greater. Good Luck!

---------------------------------

Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates

starting at 1¢/min.

[Guest guest]

Hear Elaine speak on the Dini Petti Show

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

My child / spouse won't try the diet (they say it sounds too hard) - what

should I do?

http://www.scdiet.org/4faq/

It's always sounds too difficult to anyone who's never tried the SCD - but

to those of us who *have* tried it, and for whom it works, it's not too

difficult at all.

As Deanna points out, " " Mom " : I'm a mom, too, and if your daughter isn't

interested in doing this, no amount of encouragement / cajoling / nagging /

begging / pleading will make her want to give it a try - in fact it can have

just the opposite effect. A while back, we on this list heard from a woman whose

husband had Crohn's, and she was literally *killing* herself to prepare SCD

foods for him, in spite of his indifference to the diet. Turns out he was making

daily trips, behind his wife's back, to the local convenience store where he

would buy candy bars for himself. Don't fight a battle you cannot win. You can

lead a horse to water; give her the book, show her where the online resources

are, etc, then let it go. She's an adult; the rest is up to her. "

" src= " http://www.scdiet.org/images/blackarrow.gif " width=8 border=0> Critical

Success Factors

http://www.scdiet.org/3testimonials/success.html

The SCD Path To Success What does it take to become

aware of the SCD? What does it take to try it? To make it work? How difficult is

it to follow?

In addition to the other personal testimonials in this section, this page

summarizes what many have gone through before starting the SCD and the critical

success factors to helping it work.

SCD Critical Success Factors Subject: re: SCD critical

success factors

Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2000

From: Mike Simons

To: Emerson , *SCD Listserve

Abstract:

Regarding your post about the SCD " hurting people " , and the challenge the parent

of your teenage student faces [in getting their child to try the SCD], I agree

with [list member] in that I would have had a hard time with the SCD in

high school (1982). In my opinion, getting the SCD to work requires an open

attitude, personal motivation (vested interest), a supporting family or

structure, and reduction of stress. This mix of critical success factors is not

easy to accomplish. In reality, to get the drugs to *really* work in place of

the SCD, the same is necessary. And while the doctors won't tell anyone about

the SCD, they rarely discuss these other critical success factors, either.

Detail:

I was diagnosed as a sophomore in high school. It was a very stressful time for

me and I am quite certain that stress was the major trigger--there were others,

including a slightly-remote family history of CD, having always internalized my

emotions as a kid, and environmental factors -- there were 2 other kids not 1

mile from my home that were diagnosed with CD or UC the same year as I was.

Perhaps it was something in the water? Was it the proverbial " Jewish mother

syndrome " (mine is Catholic)? Was there some mysterious ingredient in the spray

they used to kill the Gypsy Moth caterpillars that year, ala Brockovitch??

http://www.amazon.com/gp/explorer/B00003CXFV/2/ref=pd_lpo_ase/002-2323086-483843\

6?ie=UTF8

Was it all of this together? Yup.

Anyway, I did hear about a " change in diet " while I was in college, around

1984. At the time I was in a pain-free time, drug free state, and pretty much

ate what I wanted and dealt with it - with plenty of diarrhea (D). Then in 1994

and 1995 I frequented the alt.support.crohns-colitis newsgroup, but I do not

recall anything about diet. I do recall plenty of fish oil and omega 3

discussion, which I ignored because the Asacol and 6-MP were keeping me in a

pain-free state (again, with plenty of D). [Point: I was never able to get rid

of the D until I started the SCD!!!] In 1996 my girlfriend (now wife)

introduced me to a woman named Louise (upper west side, NYC). I visited

Louise 4 or 5 times for " body and mind work " . Whatever criticism anyone has

about chakras and auras and craniosacral massage and the like--she can dispell

all of that and make a believer of anyone--at least she made me a believer. Her

key questions for me during all of our sessions were:

" OK, so you got Crohn's back in 1982. You've had it since then. Why won't you

let it go? Why are you allowing it to control you? And most importantly, What

would your life be like without it? " Ohhh, how I resisted answering those

questions. I just couldn't. Or so I thought.

My folks had taken the whole family to someone back in 1983, several sessions'

worth of psychobabble stuff. These sessions were just a big finger-pointing

gripefest. I was not able to extricate myself enough to learn what was going on

until I met Louise. Then in 1996 and I came to Tucson on a vacation, to

see if I would move here with her (versus my staying in NYC and her moving here

for her Ph.D. studies without me). I fell in love with Tucson--the wonderful

food, the hiking, the perpetual blue skies, the relaxed atmosphere, and more.

Anyway, we were hiking one afternoon and I got a bad case of D. What had started

as a wonderful day quickly turned sour. I lagged way behind. I squirmed and

twisted to try to hold it back. It was horrible. Finally I explained that there

was no way I could make it back to the trailhead and bathrooms. I needed to go.

So, like so many others on this list, I found the most private place I could on

the hard, rocky, cactus-ridden trail and

made a big stinky mess. I had to use leaves to clean myself. It was so damned

humiliating! And that was it--that was the last straw.

I got back to NYC, saw Louise one more time, and got the name of Elaine's book

(Louise was well aware of it and had asked: Why I wouldn't try it?). and I

moved to Tucson, but it took me 2 months to purchase the book, four months to

muster up the guts (pun intended) to try it. I found out that a new friend's son

(10 years old) was on the SCD and was doing great. They told me how they cooked

enough food for 2-3 days, put everything in glass or tupperware, and sent him to

school, friends' homes for sleepovers, etc. When I started the SCD on 1/1/97, I

told my wife that I was going to do it for 30 days. Then another 30. Then

another 30. And I've never looked back.

The success I enjoy with the SCD is so liberating. It used to be that when I

dined out I'd eat and then have to go to the bathroom. Now that things are in

control, and I know what to eat (and what not to) my life is - well, pure

bliss!!! My wife and I both love to cook, so the added fun of translating our

old, favorite recipes to SCD is just fine. We both benefit from the SCD

(coincidentally, my wife has finally realized that she had suffered from IBS for

almost 40 years. Eating the same food has done wonders for her, too).

As you can see, maintaining the right " mix " keeps me in remission. It'll be

four years this January 1st. I am so happy that I finally heeded all of Elaine's

work and Louise's suggestions. It has made a world of difference. And that is

why I dedicate so much time to maintaining the scdiet.org site, as well as my

personal SCD food log

http://www.glassbird.com/scd/

and other internet locations. So many will benefit from this regimen for

remission! And has soooooo many have said, thank God for Elaine!!!!

Successful SCD-ers have an open attitude, personal motivation, a loving

support structure, and a way to control stress (for me, weight training at the

gym twice a week and yoga twice a week).

Again, all of this is my own opinion. :-)

-Mike Simons Tucson, AZ

http://www.glassbird.com/mike

http://www.glassbird.com/scd

and if that ain't enough there's the mother lode

@ http://www.scdiet.org

abigail chaney wrote: Easy question in my

opinion. You are the mom. Parents know what is best for thier childern...esp. if

you have a special one. You are thier best advocate and the one left to pick up

the pieces. I believe as parents you have a " gut " feeling and you should run

with it. As a mother of two boys with neurological disorders, i am telling go

with your gut. Sometimes in life the strides come with great pain...but success

is even greater. Good Luck!

---------------------------------

Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates

starting at 1¢/min.