The SCD Diet as Summarized on the CCCFA Website

[Guest guest]

This was sent October 18, 2006 and received no response.

http://www.ccfa.org/about/news/scd

I read your recent commentary on the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet)

http://www.ccfa.org/about/news/scd

and would like to clear up some misconceptions. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO

BE A LOW CARB DIET!. This diet should never be confused with a weight

loss diet.

There are no " caps " on the number of permitted carbs that can be

ingested daily. The diet differentiates between mono saccharide and

disaccharide carbs for the purpose of digestibility. Proteins, fats and

carbohydrates can easily be balanced as desired using a nutrition

tracker such as the one provided by

www.fitday.com

The permitted beans and legumes must be soaked for twelve hours, rinsed

and cooked for two hours to eliminate the starch you cite. Because nut

flour is allowed, there are endless options for baked goods.

I have been on the diet for nearly seven years with no desire to return

to the Standard American Diet even though I am able to tolerate some of

the formerly excluded foods on the SCD.

The Gluten Free Diet has peculiar restrictions e.g. about utensils

which SCD does not have.

SCD may appear to eliminate a number of foods but is is actually just a

few categories leaving a varied and nutritious diet absent in many of

the additives and contaminants that plague processed foods. The GFCF

Diet includes processed snacks of the very type that are leading to

increased obesity. I am actually able to duplicate a lot of classic

French Cuisine with SCD because the ingredients are pure. My family

finds the recipes excel conventional ones in flavor.

Having archived many reports of improvement and healing, I am

confident, that when formal tests can be funded SCD will yield

impressive results.

SCD was never touted as a miracle diet or a cure-all but the success

rate in archived reports is very high. It is also clearly stated it may

not be for everyone and after a reasonable trial the options are

suggested of switching to some other diet or retrying SCD at a later

date.

This diet is wholesome, nutritious, gastronomically palatable and a lot

less restrictive than many other diets for gastrointestinal dysfunction

and autism. It is certainly worth a one month trial by interested

persons.

Further to my comments on your summary of The Specific Carbohydrate

Diet I would like to include a few daily meal items that are typical of

what I am able to eat on the diet. Nothing requires elaborate

preparation. There are alternate choices for those who must be nut, egg

or dairy free. I gave a six week (two hours a week) non profit cooking

course at a Loblaws' Supermarket in Toronto, ON, Canada with two other

SCD-ers and it was a big hit.

Furthermore, I said this is not a weight loss diet but it is excellent

for maintaining a healthy ideal weight. I lost eighty six pounds prior

to starting SCD and have maintained for six years within two pounds in

either direction while eating very well as described below. I have

never had to take medication but Elaine Gottschall did not tell people

to stop their medication which seems to be implied in your summary.

Most were able to taper off gradually

as healing progressed.

In conclusion, if SCD were the only and flawless diet it would have

made headlines, since it has been around for fifty years, but results

are sufficiently imopressive to include it among recommended approaches

to dealing with gastrointestinal diseases like Crohns' Colitis etc.

Several Breakfasts:

Cheeze Blintzes with Strawberry Sauce

Stewed prunes, Waffles with honey

Omelets with many variations, orange juice

Muffins with blueberry jam and a bowl of yogurt

Fruit smoothies, SCD toast

Several Lunches

Egg, tuna or salmon salad with SCD bread or crackers, custard

Fresh salad, includes, field greens, capers, blue cheese, garlic,

cherry tomatoes, raisins, herbs, olive oil and honey

Lasagna made with zucchini noodles

Grilled minced sirloin with baked squash chips

Asparagus Quiche. fruit juice gelatin

Hearty tomato vegetable soup

Pizza

Several Dinner Items that can have other courses like soup and

appetizers added:

Risotto made with cauliflower

Zucchini noodles and cheese

string beans with almonds, mushrooms and onions

Broiled lamb chops crusted with mustard and herbs

Pan braised carmelized chicken legs

vegetable pie (eggplant, red onion, squash, garlic, butter, parmesan

cheese, tomato sauce)

We also have a variety of breads, crackers, cakes and muffins, candies

( Diva's Fab Fudge), tortes and pies There are neArly 500 free recipes

for SCD on the Internet and several excellent cookbooks.

I've been on the diet nearly seven years and don't have to repeat

selections often except by choice.

Best regards,

Carol Frilegh