I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2002, at the age of 41.

I’m second-generation—Dad had it, too—so I’d seen (and smelled) the effects of runaway Crohn’s up close and personal. No offense to pops, but I didn’t want to live my life that way, having doctors alternately cut things out and shoot me full of drugs. Western medicine is great for some things; you don’t want to visit an herbalist when your appendix explodes. But for chronic illnesses, I’m of the school that you do as much as possible first via diet and lifestyle changes.

The diet I went on is called the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, as written about by Elaine Gottschall in her book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet. There’s some crazy science in there, and the list of legal and illegal foods is not very intuitive, so it’s important to read the book through at least once before starting the diet (preferably two or three times).

I am happy to help people out and to answer questions, because I know how tough it is to get started. But unless it’s a dire emergency, please read through the links, etc. as directed before emailing me with more questions. There’s a bit of a learning curve w/ SCD, but it will make sense after you do some reading and digest it a bit, no pun intended (I hate puns).

And if it is a dire emergency, you’re probably better off dealing with a medical professional than a lone blogger in Los Angeles, however well-meaning.

While we’re on that topic, please remember that the closest I came to being a doctor was dating one back in my 20s. Nothing I say constitutes medical advice or should be taken as such. This diet has worked for me, as well as thousands of others before and after me. You must decide for yourself or in partnership with your doctor(s) what is best for you.

Also, while I appreciate that because of its restrictiveness, SCD is not for everyone, it has worked for me. If other methodologies, diets, treatments and the like work for you, great! I’m an SCD gal and that’s what I’m sticking with. So please do not email me back with other treatments, supplements, protocols, voodoo practices or what-have-you. I appreciate the spirit of helpfulness, but in the words of the old adage, it wastes your time and annoys the pig.

Thank you! Good luck and best wishes for great health.

xxx
c

SCD: The book

• Breaking the Vicious Cycle, by Elaine Gottschall (buy on Amazon)

SCD: General info on the diet and how to follow it

• A website some of Elaine’s loyal adherents set up for newbies. (link)
• An FAQ site set up by a long-time devotee of the diet, Tanya Krivel, a terrific woman who is very knowledgeable about the science behind it. Most of the answers are from the Long Island Listserv, a great source of info for the diet (link)
• A good, comprehensive website with some archival info, too. (link)
• Links to SCD community support groups, including the famed “Long Island Listserv.” I’ve found it (and others) invaluable, especially in those first months of starting the diet. (link)

SCD: Food & recipe linkage:

• Jilluck documents her yummy meals with delish pictures. (link)
• Raman Prasad has a terrific recipe site, and is the author of two terrific SCD cookbooks. (link)
• Lucy’s Kitchen Shop is where SCDers buy their supplies. (link)

SCD: my articles about living with Crohn’s, plus SCD recipes (link)