Why no grains?

So, all the time we hear about how great whole grains are for us. But to those of us doing or considering the SCD, they are off limits.

It's really pretty simple. When someone has Celiac, or any other sort of intestinal disorder, the enzymes that would normally break down food molecules are severely damaged, impairing the intestines ability to do what it is made to do: digest. And complex carbohydrates, such as those found in grains, are difficult to digest. With a less than perfect intestinal tract in place, it becomes nearly impossible. What happens then?

When the carbohydrates aren't digested properly, they just kind of sit. The harmful bacteria that normally stays in check in our guts then have a feast. So they feed on the undigested carbs, and then produce by products that just make things worse. Thus goes the cycle. Undigested carbs become food for harmful bacteria, harmful bacteria produce harmful by products which damage the intestines more and so on. From there you go to malabsorption, which causes fatigue and all other sorts of things.

The ideal behind the SCD is getting the bad bacteria under control by limiting the amount of carbs and eating easily digestible food. Once the bad bacteria are under control and the good bacteria are back to normal, often grains can be reintroduced into the diet.

So far, I can tell a difference when I eat grains and when I don't. This is definitely going to take some practice, it's definitely harder than just being gluten-free.

I'm SCDing

I think.

So I've decided to try this alarmingly cult-like diet called the SCD, which stands for Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I figure I will stick to it at least a month, although the guidebook suggests at least 6 months to a year. That's a long time to commit to, ya know.

So the basic principle behind this diet is that those of us with intestinal drama, and you all know who you are, have an imbalance of gut flora and that this specific diet will help to put things all back into balance again. Here's the hard part: No sugar, no grain, no alcohol. Does anyone understand this??? NO chocolate or wine... you see why I'm not committing for even six months. But, if this helps me return to my normal self, then I guess I'll live.

Essentially, if you have celiac, colitis, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's, you can be sure that your intestines are NOT in good shape. But with the help of food, and I do believe a lot can be cured by the very things we choose or do not choose to put into our mouths, we can help to get our intestines healthy again and therefore return our bodies to a normal state of health.

So I started last night with dinner. Chicken sauteed with some mint leaves and salt, and Spinach Dal, which is lentils with garlic and onions, some sauteed spinach, cilantro and some cumin and tumeric on top. YUM! So far so good, but we'll see what happens when I want to bake cookies or something. I have a feeling that I may have to have the "occasional cheat".