Part of the reason that I embarked on the big move to Oregon was to improve my health. For basically my entire life I've been plagued with annoying bouts of eczema, allergies, constipation and bloating. Now at first some of these issues seem unrelated but I've come to understand how powerfully the gastrointestinal system can affect other parts of the body. I have been frustrated with traditional medicine as anything I'd been given merely treated the symptoms temporarily. I know many people are skeptical of naturopathic medicine and doctors but I felt like I had no other alternative. A friend of my mother's recommended a doctor about thirty minutes outside of Portland in the town of Aurora. On my first appointment, I looked akin to a red alligator/human hybrid. My neck and face were covered in scaly, red rashes, my eyes were puffy and swollen, and I had patches of eczema all over my body. This was more or less pretty typical for me and had been on and off for about seven years. I discussed with the doctor about how all my stomach problems began occurring around the same time my eczema worsened. I was given an at home breathing test which looks for signs of SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth).
The Cause
On my second visit the results were strongly indicative of SIBO which is where the SCD diet came in to play. Basically my doctor's theory was that bad bacteria had somehow grown in my small intestine (probably around 7 years ago). She couldn't say how this happened but often times this is a result of being on large doses of antibiotic and not getting enough probiotic to counterbalance and grow good bacteria which then prevents them from fighting off the villains of the bacteria world. These nasty little guys were eating in to the wall of my stomach creating what is known as a "leaky gut." When I would eat certain food, it would not digest properly as a result of the leaky gut. This was disguised as a food allergy because I would break out in rashes after eating certain foods like soy. I would often find that my "food allergies" were constantly changing from year to year. SIBO also causes a range of symptoms in the stomach ranging from constipation and bloating to diarrhea.
The Possible Solution
My doctor created an action plan to hopefully get rid of the bad bacteria giving my gut a chance to heal so I could then, hopefully, begin eating all foods without experiencing breakouts of eczema. Part of that plan involved the SCD diet which is used to help people with Celiac's disease, Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis. The theory is that the bacteria in the small intestine thrive off of certain foods (like grains) so by eliminating them from my diet I would starve the bacteria into oblivion! Here is the full list of foods that are "legal and illegal" on the SCD diet. If you've taken a look at the list one thing you will notice is that all grains and starches (breads, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, etc.) are off limits as well as.....sugar! Anyone who knows me even casually would be able to point out that I am a major sweet fiend. As you begin reading about my struggles with going on this health food diet please enjoy Shirley Temple's On the Good Ship Lollipop. I think it's a fitting song as I would often eat my way into a sugar coma by inhaling chocolate, cakes, and sweet breads before starting the SCD diet.
The Follow Through
I decided that if I really wanted to improve my health, I could not do the diet half-heartedly even though I very much resented giving up bread and conventional sweets. Most SCD experts recommended going on an intro diet which I decided to do a few weeks in after I didn't feel any different. The idea is that it helps clean out your system allowing for the healing process to begin faster. Here are examples of the SCD intro diet and the GAPS intro diet which is similar to the SCD diet but seems to have more restrictions. I picked the GAPS intro diet because it takes you through stages and allows for optimum "clean out" as I call it. In retrospect I probably shouldn't have done the stricter intro diet unless I was bedridden with sickness because it was really hard to get enough calories in everyday. At the time I was working at a call center and I'd often feel dizzy throughout the day. I only spent about 6 days on it as opposed to the recommended 2 weeks for obvious reasons! My constipation and bloating did lessen a bit and I appreciated all the foods I could eat on the SCD diet instead of being resentful ha! I would say it took a good three months to see vast improvements with my skin and my stomach. It takes time for the body to adjust and heal!
The food is actually very tasty on the diet but the challenge is that you have to make so much of the food yourself. Most packaged easy-to-make meals and restaurant food is riddled with additives that are not approved on the diet. It's also really hard to get away from starches, especially when eating out. Something that was really helpful in keeping me motivated at the beginning (when positive results were scarce) was that my step-sister also went on the diet for her own, more severe stomach condition. We shared frustrations, tips and recipes. A friend of mine from London also decided to give it a try as well to see if it made a difference in her body.
After being on the diet for awhile I've acquired some go-to, easy SCD recipes that are tasty (a very important requirement!).
For breakfast I usually have eggs, bacon and fruit. Sometimes I jazz it up with these recipes:
Bacon and Egg Cups with Spinach
The recipe is here. I would recommend cooking the bacon in a pan to almost well-cooked before putting it in the oven. Otherwise, the bacon doesn't cook all the way in the oven and it's not very pleasant.
Egg and Spinach Skillet
The recipe for this is here. I would recommend not including the bacon like I did here since it's healthier that way. Also next time I make this I'm going to add more spices.
Banana Pancakes
The recipe for this consists of simply 1 egg, two scoops of peanut butter, 1 banana and 1 Tablespoon of honey. I heat the skillet to medium and then serve it with just butter. These don't taste exactly like real pancakes but I enjoy them when I am craving the "real deal."
Pumpkin Smoothie
The recipe is here. I used coconut milk instead of almond milk because stores only sell almond milk with additives that are not SCD approved. This was similar to eating the center of a pumpkin pie so I would probably only eat a small amount at one time or right after an intense workout (as was intended by the author).
Grain-Free English Muffin
I can't believe this really works but this extremely easy recipe is great when you want something resembling regular bread. The recipe is here. Two flours I can have on the SCD diet are Almond and Coconut. I use these flours all the time when I am craving baked goods.
Grain-free Cinnamon Rolls
While these cinnamon rolls do not exactly taste like the "real thing" they are extremely delicious in their own right. I will say it isn't the easiest SCD recipe and I may have used a few choice words trying to make sure they wouldn't fall apart. For the more ambitious here is the recipe.
If I need to pack a lunch I'll bring apples, pure peanut or almond butter, pecans and raisins, green peppers or other easy to eat raw vegetables, bacon strips, lettuce wrapped chicken with cheese melted on the top or easy to store leftovers from dinner.
There are two snacks that are my absolute favorite for this diet.
The first is known as a Broccoli Popper
People who aren't on the SCD love these poppers! They are a great appetizer for parties and very easy to store and freeze. I've also found that doubling the recipe is a good idea since they keep well. The recipe is here. I also included cauliflower and loads of garlic and onions for flavor.
Bacon-wrapped Dates
This snack is a real treat and great for parties. They keep well for a day or two but taste the best soon after popping out of the oven. My step-sister and I discovered this snack after eating at the local Portland food truck/stand The Cultured Caveman which caters to people on the Paleo diet.
At dinner I usually have vegetable soup, fruit, broccoli poppers, grass-fed beef, free-range/hormone free meat, fresh seafood etc. Other dinner foods include:
Cabbage or lettuce-wrapped burgers
Vegetable Stir-fry
Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Elk
The recipe for the casserole is here. This is a delicious meal and even though it is very rich it's much healthier than most casseroles. The elk was shot and prepared by my step-dad's brother-in-law so I'm afraid I don't have any tips on how to acquire fresh elk meat.
Desserts have always been my weakness. I had a really hard time finding something that tasted remotely like a regular sweet baked good. Both almond and coconut flour have very distinct flavors but I've found that when I mix the two together, I get better results. This is my favorite treat I've discovered so far:
Peanut Butter/Almond Blondie
Here is the recipe. I preferred the almond butter but make sure to use pure crushed almonds which you can find at Whole Foods. I brought some of these for my sister's bridal shower and several non-SCD eaters thought they were delicious!
Before going back to North Carolina for Christmas, I made an SCD feast for my mom and step-family. The meal included Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers, broccoli poppers, bacon wrapped dates and raw vegetables with SCD ranch dressing.
One of the biggest pieces to the SCD diet is the homemade yogurt. I will include that recipe along with one for mayonnaise in another post.
As a result of continuing with the diet my eczema has improved immensely. 
These were my hands about two months after starting the diet. This is a vast improvement from when I first arrived in Oregon.
However, almost four months into the diet, my hands look almost normal except for a bit of redness.
My face has also healed as well and I have experienced very little problems with my stomach recently.
I may need to stay on the diet for two years to really heal the damage done to my gut but I think it is definitely worth it. I'm not saying that everyone should go on this diet but I do believe that all of us ought to be more aware of the awful things we put into our bodies everyday. Clean eating has certainly done wonders for my own health.
Below I've included some links for information on the diet and lots of great SCD recipes.
SCDfoodie (This is my favorite site for recipes!)
Against All Grain (I found a great pumpkin pie recipe for Thanksgiving here)
GlutenfreeSCDandVeggie (My friend P from London loves this site)
For all you pinterest lovers:
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