So I have been on SCD for almost a month.

It all started when I began to flare in January of 2010. The worst flare I’d had since the summer of 2009. I’d had mini flares, but this one I just couldn’t shake. Nothing was working. I tried cortisone enemas but I couldn’t “retain” them long enough to help. I tried going back on 6MP but it didn’t help either. I had to go on prednisone and was taking 40mg a day.

One night during a prednisone-induced mania mixed with insomnia, I decided that I was going to find a cure. And I was sure that the cure was on the internet somewhere. I found what I was kind of hoping not to. Hundreds of people having success with SCD. I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

Now, I’d heard of SCD before 5 years ago when I was first diagnosed. At that time it seemed like a death sentence and I wanted to see what Western medicine had to offer so I wouldn’t have to give up pizza, processed convenience foods, and high fructose corn syrup (that stuff is in everything). I also asked my then doctor about it and he said it didn’t work, and that only those who happen have success with it speak up about it, but you don’t hear from the ones that it doesn’t work for, and that there are more of those, spontaneous remission, it’s not the diet blah blah. I guess I just wasn’t desperate enough to try it at that point.

So now I’m hearing about SCD again years later, and it’s either remicade, surgery, or this crazy diet. Suddenly it seems do-able. The final push I got to try SCD was when I ended up on feb162019ihaveuc.mystagingwebsite.com, watching Adam’s videos, and he seems happy! He doesn’t seem to be held back by the diet at all. He’s finding plenty of stuff to eat. Most importantly he’s healthy and still has his colon. All the negative thoughts I’d had about the diet faded away because I could see people living within the means of the SCD and enjoying it. Adam, I hope you realize the positive effect you have on people!

My last SCD illegal meal was some super cheesy, creamy, shrimp and scallop ravioli with asparagus. It tasted amazing but I spent most of that night on the toilet. The next day I was actually excited to start the diet hoping to get some relief from all the pain the ravioli caused. I also successfully employed some classical conditioning and the mere thought of pasta now makes me think of pain. Anybody else have a final meal? Did it result in a lot of pain?

I started out by making the chicken soup, which I pretty much lived on for a week. The other intro foods weren’t appealing to me at all but I thought the chicken soup was delicious. If I was hungry between meals I’d drink a hot cup of chicken stock from the soup. I was kind of used to being hungry because I don’t ever eat very much during a flare. I had really bad headaches the first week or so. I used to be a sugar junkie so I suspect that was sugar withdrawals.

Since then I’ve been spending a lot of my time in the kitchen and looking for new recipes to try. (More time in the kitchen is less time in the bathroom, after all!) Lucky for me I already love vegetables. I made some muffins with almond flour and wasn’t that impressed. I don’t really miss muffins though. I feel too good to miss anything non-SCD really. I love the yogurt. It’s great in smoothies and as a snack. I like to mash up a super ripe banana and have banana yogurt.  I made my yogurt with half and half and it’s pretty thick (pic included). I also made some butternut squash sauce (pureed butternut squash, some yogurt, some butter, parmesan cheese, garlic, onions) to put over spaghetti squash. Yum! And tacos are just fine as a lettuce wrap to me. I am really happy with this diet. I have really enjoyed everything I’ve cooked and I am learning about how to use and enjoy real flavors instead of fake processed stuff. I did have kind of an “ooops!” moment today when I was rereading BTVC and was reminded that you can’t have sherry on SCD. I tend to cook with sherry A LOT, so I will be switching to some dry white wine and see if I have even more success with the diet. Speaking of alcohol, it seemed sacrilegious to not have a beer or 5 at the roller derby game I went to a couple weeks ago like the good old days but I resisted.

it's kinda lumpy, is that normal?

On Valentine’s day, I wasn’t brave enough to go out to eat yet. My boyfriend and I stayed in and had our own grilled steaks with sautéed mushrooms and LOBSTER! It turned out delicious and we both liked eating at home all cozy instead of going to some crowded restaurant. So you can still splurge that way. I’ve gone out to eat twice. The first time was at an Italian restaurant (don’t even look at those bread baskets and dipping oil!). I ordered pork chops and they were happy to switch the mashed potatoes out for sautéed spinach and leave the questionable “glaze” off the chops. The second time was an Italian sub from Jimmy John’s but I had them make it a lettuce wrap and leave the dressing off (I had my own). The meats and sliced cheese were probably of questionable SCD legality but I didn’t seem to have any problems. I will probably be more careful once I’m weaned off prednisone.

I am down to 15mg of prednisone and my symptoms are cleared! I didn’t have instant results like some people get. It took 2 or 3 weeks for me to feel completely better. There is also the weight loss. I am 5’6”. I was a little heavy before around 163 and now I seem to be hangin out pretty stable at a healthy 148. I don’t usually lose much weight when I flare, especially on prednisone, so it’s all the diet. It’s so healthy. I ate very unhealthy before, thinking about the stuff I used to eat makes me want to throw up now. People have been telling me how great I look and want to know how I did it. Yup, just give up processed food, sugar, soda, milk, pasta, grains, rice, bread, oats, potatoes, all fast food, and pizza and you’ll be on your way.

Yesterday I went ROLLER SKATING. Which is pretty much my most favorite thing in the world. But lately I’ve been too scared to go (roller skates + urge to poo + 50 kids on skates around you = not fun) or just didn’t have the energy. I used to play roller derby but I quit because I just never had enough energy and just couldn’t keep up with the other girls L I’m sure everyone here can relate to giving stuff up because you are just too tired. Lately I seem to have more energy than I usually would weaning off prednisone.

Anyway, long story short I am very happy with my results so far with SCD. I told myself I’d try it for 3 months and then decide at that point to stay on or go off. If anyone out there is starting SCD and having a hard time, just keep hanging in there and give the diet a chance to work and time for your bowels to heal.

Steph’s story is now entered into the 2011 Ulcerative Colitis Writing Contest!!! You Can Join too, click here for details

The 2 Best Ways to Get Started with this diet:

1) Read the book (about $15.00) written by the scientist who invented the SCD Diet from Amazon, there is a big section filled with SCD recipes included in the book:

Breaking the Vicious Cycle Colitis Diet Book From Amazon Click Here!

2) A more comprehensive introduction, overview, and getting started guide is also available from this site ( I used this guide to get out of my last flare in Dec. 2010):

Specific Carbohydrate Diet introductory guide.

This guide walks you through starting the SCD diet if you are in a flare. It’s less then $30.00. You Can Buy it HERE. This one has a 365 day money back guarantee return policy.