Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

I am able to do all things through Christ 

who strengthens me.

                                        Phillippians 4:13

It has been several years since Miles has been on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). He began with the GFCF diet for 6 months then began the SCD which eliminates soy, starch and sugar.  Miles' D.A.N Doctor oversees and directs any dietary changes based on his test results.

What is The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)?

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet was developed from the work of Dr. Sydney V. Haas, a pioneer in Celiac Management by the late Elaine Gottschall, B.A., M. Sc.,. She was a biologist and scientist who successfully healed her daughter from Ulcerative Colitis using SCD.

How Does It Work?

Research indicates starches and certain sugars feed microbes, such as bacteria, yeast and fungi. These harmful microbes in the intestinal tract can cause GI problems, autism and other illnesses. SCD eliminates these microbes by starving them while continuing to nourish the body.  As the body heals the gut/brain connection is repaired.

How Is It Different From GFCF?

You can remain GFCF on SCD. SCD is gluten free, but does not allow starch and sugar. SCD includes dairy that is virtually lactose free and contains denatured casein. However, dairy foods are not mandatory on SCD. Pam Ferro, of The Gottschall Autism Center and Hopewell Clinic, says the first three months for ASD children should be dairy free.  The majority of ASD children begin SCD without dairy and many successfully integrate dairy back into their diet after some healing occurs.

What Do I Need To Get Started?

The information to get started on SCD can be found in the book:

“Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Intestinal Health through Diet” by Elaine Gottschall.

Online information is available at:

• www.pecanbread.com
• www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info

Support

• To receive help with SCD you can join the SCD children’s list “Pecanbread.” The Pecanbread Yahoo group provides help, encouragement and motivation from Veterans of SCD and from other families doing the SCD.

• Individual help can be obtained from SCD Counselors

Did you know there's sugar in salt?! Nor did I.....this meant I had to learn a new way of cooking and baking. It sounds more daunting than it is but I discovered the freezer was my friend!

With a stand up freezer I was able to make many dishes and desserts to keep on hand for Miles. The freezer meals lasted him about 3 to 4 months (he was the only one in the house eating these meals). Honestly this is one of the best items I've ever invested in because I still use our freezer today with the GFCF Diet.

The more comfortable I became at cooking on this diet the more willing I was to experiment and mix things up.  I did not want Miles to become bored with eating the same things over and over. Thank goodness Miles is a rules based kid because he stuck with the diet and never cheated by sneaking food, even though he was missing the store bought candy he enjoyed eating. 

Miles made a lot of progress with his gut healing. He was having no more stomach pain, his behaviors and stimming/TICS decreased. Miles experienced more creativity and an interest in building which is still going strong today!

Needless to say, after his D.A.N Doctor informed us that Miles had been successful on the SCD and was allowed to go back on the GFCF Diet, Miles was VERY happy!

Again, every child is different and what works for one child may not work for another. As with any treatment or therapy you might have to give it 6 months to a year before you begin seeing changes. For Miles this has been a very beneficial treatment and I am glad that the Lord lead us to his wonderful D.A.N Doctor! 

The Bio-Medical approach is not cheap but there are organizations who can help with the cost of some of these treatments (see Autism Resources for more information). 

The SCD information provided can be found at TACA

Gluten Free Casein Free Diet (GFCF)

The result of humility is fear of the Lord,

along with wealth, honor and life.

                                            Proverbs 22:4

Learning a new way of cooking, thinking and getting your "picky eater" to try something new, can be overwhelming and challenging. Luckily, there are MANY websites out there that will help you navigate through the Gluten Free Casein Free Diet and many stores have GFCF pre-packaged foods and snacks. 

Miles' D.A.N Doctor oversees and directs dietary changes based on his test results.


What is GFCFSF?

1. Gluten is more than just wheat – it’s grains like wheat, barley, oats and rye. Labels that say “wheat-free” do not necessarily mean gluten-free and certainly not GFCF. Gluten-free also includes things that do not have gluten in them but are either grown near them or processed in a facility with them, contaminating them, such as millet and oats.

2. Casein is the protein found in all things dairy – more specifically, anything juiced from a mammal – including cow’s milk, sheep, goat and human breast milk. Dairy-free isn’t casein-free. Lactose is milk sugar. Lactose-free isn’t casein-free either.

3. Soy might need to be removed.  

4. Phenols, Salicylates & Additives might need to be removed.

5. Organic doesn’t mean GFCF. Organic milk still comes from a cow and organic wheat is still wheat. 

6. Reading labels and understanding the difference is crucial. 

Learn To Read Ingredient Labels

Learning to read labels will save you much time and effort and that means you can go anywhere confidently. If a store or restaurant sells a food, they must be able to provide you with the exact ingredients list for each food so you can determine if it meets your child’s allergy issues or not. Know that manufacturers can change ingredients without any special alerts, so always check the labels. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer. For the most up-to-date information about food labeling laws and requirements, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA).

Miles has been on the GFCF diet since he was 8 years old. The GFCF diet was done initially for 6 months then it lead him into the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD).

In the beginning we were very strict with cross-contamination and processing practices. Finding foods and recipes that he could eat was tough because there were not as many companies producing GFCF products as there are today. 

Being on a budget means I have to pick and choose what I can afford in order to get the best possible results out of diets or treatments. One of those budgeting factors is Organic food. Organic is expensive so the only items we purchase are Organic Eggs, Chicken, Grass Fed  Meats and the "clean 15" when possible. We chose to go organic for these foods when Miles' heavy metal test showed high arsenic levels. The D.A.N Doctor had us stick with the organic versions of these items and amazingly the arsenic levels decreased. 

Since Miles is no longer as sensitive to Gluten I buy items that are processed in the same facility as their wheat counterparts. I also make most of Miles' meals and desserts and store them in the freezer. The pre-packaged food items are very handy for traveling, quick snacks and those nights where I haven't thawed anything out to cook! 

Again, every child is different and what works for one child may not work for another. As with any treatment or therapy you might have to give it 6 months to a year before you begin seeing changes. For Miles this has been a VERY beneficial treatment and I am glad that the Lord lead us to his wonderful D.A.N Doctor! 

The Bio-Medical approach is not cheap but there are organizations who can help with the cost of some of these treatments (see Autism Resources for more information). 

Diet topics discussed can be located at TACA.