Mid Week 7, Feelin GREAT
Hi guys,
My amazing, awesome, super-supportive online community has been wishing me good luck since news of last week’s flare and figured I’m overdue for a post. Looks like I did in fact taper off the preds too fast- upped my dosage a little to 20 mgs (still without horrible side effects) and I’m feelin like a CHAMP. Will start weening down 2.5 mgs a week instead of 5. Also, woke up this am, no stomach pain at all. Also, I cut out ALL almond flour and am on a very rudimentary SCD diet (pretty much the starter diet, minus the broth, which actually bothers my tummy, and adding avocado and banana in for mushy, healthy, calories).
Feelin good. Am POSITIVE my inflammation is down based on how I feel- which is significantly better! Taking blood work on Thursday for this week, and as always, I will share with my awesome community of Crohnies and UCers.
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Rockin the SCD
The SCD Experiment 
Jo-Yay! So happy you’re feeling better! From what I’ve read of Elaine Gottschall, she doesn’t say to stop meds, but that in time, SCD will heal from the bottom up so that one is no longer in need of them.
If you haven’t read, “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, I think it would be very helpful in reinforcing the mechanics of the SCD, and giving you nutritional healing ideas. She is a Cambridge Pediatrician with degrees in Neurology and Nutrition who is also writing a book called “Gut and Physiology Syndrome” -how the gut affects physiology. Until the book arrives, this video of her speaking in the UK is very interesting: http://vimeo.com/10507542.
I’m curious to know why the broth bothered your stomach. Was it homemade? Did you strain it? Was it made from chicken bones and you’re allergic to chicken, perhaps? Broth is known to be very gentle and healing, so I wonder what about it made it bothersome?
Also, you may know this, but coconut oil is an anti-inflammatory and healthy oil to cook with and add to recipes. I buy it from Vitacost.com which is cheaper than Whole Foods. We also use pasture butter (grass-fed) from either Kerrygold or Organic Valley, I think.
If you steam veggies until very soft, i.e. broccoli, then saute in butter/coconut oil and/or olive oil, the fiber won’t rake against your wounded intestines. Don’t eat things with hard seeds like raspberries. Take off the seeds in strawberries, kiwi, etc, and peel your pears, etc. For now, eat food that you would give a baby (baked apple, etc).
You can cut butternut squash and/or rutabaga into french fry strips, toss in coconut oil/olive oil and put on parchment paper in 375 degree oven til slightly brown. Delicious! Last night we had spaghetti squash in lieu of pasta with SCD legal marinara sauce and ground beef. It’s so good, I don’t want to go back to pasta!
For now, follow the intro diet and remember your intestines are raw and wounded, and need to heal. So eat soft foods for a while. Let me know about the broth. Know this is a change and not near as convenient as the usual fare, but your gut will thank you!
Hi Leslie…I’m her sis and made the broth…followed the Intro Diet recipe to the tee! maybe it was the carrots which were blended in there that aggravated her? or something in the boiled onion or celery juices (took out the veggies after they were boiled and soft). Next time she should maybe just try chicken w/o carrots blended?
Woo hoo!! So glad to hear you’re doing so well! Love reading your happy posts ! 🙂
Way to go!
Regarding broth: When I make it, I use NO veggies at all – just boil/simmer a whole chicken for 6-8 hours (or however long I can safely leave it on the stove – ie. if I’m home all day it’ll be on all day). When it’s done I get the bird parts out, strain the liquid, put it in the fridge to cool it; then after it has cooled (this takes a while) there is a layer of fat that has hardened on the top – I grab a spoon and scoop that stuff out (you can toss it or if you want keep it to cook eggs/veggies/whatever in later). Sometimes broth can be pretty heavy so getting the fat out may be helpful. I don’t use any spices or veggies, but I do add some salt at the start. It keeps it simple but that’s how I actually prefer it 🙂
As for the almond flour, this stuff is definitely more advanced! I would avoid nuts entirely for the first several weeks if you can (that means no nut butters, either). When you do introduce them, try homemade nut butters (nuts into food processor and process until smooth; you may have to add additional oil depending on the nut; and it’s always best if you have blanched nuts or nuts without a skin at first). And only try a small amount! My problem with nuts was that I’d always go CRAZY eating them – have a ton, end up constipated (that seems to be how they affected me), plus nuts are actually really inflammatory if you overdo them, so they can hinder your healing in that way too. Sometimes it’s just best to go without in the beginning 🙂