SCD Resources
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) works for those with intestinal problems (such as Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, celiac, IBS, diverticulitis) by allowing only specific carbohydrates: those that are easiest to digest. These carbohydrates are called monosaccharides, and examples of foods that contain monosaccharides include honey, most fruits and vegetables, meat, and some legumes. When people with IBD ingest complex carbohydrates (disaccharides and polysaccharides), the balance of good versus bad bacteria in the gut becomes disturbed, leading to inflammation. By ingesting only monosaccharides, you stop feeding the bad bacteria and break the cycle of inflammation in the gut and restore the balance of bacteria, which leads to healing.
first step
The very first step to learning more about the Specific Carbohydrate Diet is to buy the book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health through Diet, written by the woman who created the diet, Elaine Gottschall.
You can get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Vicious-Cycle-Intestinal-Through/dp/0969276818/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543433430&sr=8-1&keywords=breaking+the+vicious+cycle+by+elaine+gottschall
Next
Next, take a look through the official website: www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info. Here you will find a beginner’s guide, the complete list of Legal / Illegal foods, recipes, and more.
**Note: this website has been down for some time now. In the meantime, you may check out www.pecanbread.com to learn more about SCD and find a comprehensive Legal / Illegal foods list.
online resources
There are plenty of fabulous blogs and websites that folks who follow the SCD have created. These are among my favorites:
- No More Crohn’s for Me (www.nomorecrohns.com)
- Comfy Belly (www.comfybelly.com)
- A Life of Happenstance (www.alifeofhappentance.com)