Letters from the SCD support group: concerning cholesterol, fat, weight, teeth Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 21:34:38 -0600 From: "William Laing" <wlaing@telusplanet.net> To: <SCD-list@longisland.com> Subject: cholesterol levels on the diet Sharon I just had the results of a blood test back last week. The cholesterol levels were very good. Yet I eat at least two eggs each day and use butter on most all veggies. I dont believe it to be a problem on this diet. William Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 07:44:37 -0700 From: Tom <tomc@pnn.com> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Re: Cholesterol and Health Concerns mpetee wrote: > > I really suspect that suspect all the cholesterol is in the procesed foods > 'normies' eat. My cholesterol usually goes down bout 10-15 points on this > diet and thats eating over a dozen eggs a week..... > High cholesterol levels aren't due to eating lots of cholesterol. They are due to eating a high carb, low fat diet. At one time, I was eating a "healthy" breakfast of whole wheat pancakes with maple syrup every day. My cholesterol level was around 205, not especially bad. Then I switched to eggs every day for breakfast and quit all grains. My next test showed that it had dropped to 180. Even with 2-3 eggs/day. But the reason for the drop was that I had stopped all the grains and maple syrup. Linus Pauling in his book How to Live Longer and Feel Better quotes a study done in 1964. 18 subjects were kept in a locked environment for 6 months while their diet was completely controlled. Their diet and cholesterol levels can be summarized as: ordinary food 227 glucose as only carb 173 after 2 weeks, 160 after 4 weeks 25% sucrose, 75% glucose up to 178 after 1 week, 208 after 2 more weeks back to 100% glucose 175 after a week, continued to drop to 150 See pages 42-43 of his book. A great explanation of why the SCD works to improve our health and normalize weight can be found in the book: The Schwarzbein Principle The Truth About Aging, Health and Weight Loss by Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., and Nancy Deville Dr. Schwarzbein is an endicronologist and got into this through working with diabetic patients. To greatly simplify what she has found, eat lots of protein and fat, and be wary of carbs. See http://www.sboutdoors.com/health/index.html for the book's preface and how you can order the book. She also has cookbooks that are very good with many of the recipes SCD safe, or can be easily modified to be. To quote her: "To be absorbed, carbohydrates need to be digested, in the small intestine, into simple sugars. If you overeat carbohydrates some of them will escape being digested into simple sugars and will continue on into the large intestine. Once carbohydrates enter the large intestine, the bacteria there will break down all the sugar into gas, which causes distention and pain. To make you feel worse, water is pulled from the bloodstream into the colon to respond to the large sugar load that should not be there, resulting in loose stool." Elaine has said that we should be eating more fat, but that due to the anti-fat hysteria, she was afraid to put that into her book. So she left it for us to read between the lines. Dr. Schwarzbein has no fear of repeatedly saying that lots of fat and low carbs is the way to go. And she backs it up with lots of references to medical studies (109 references total). We've had polls looking for a common factor amongst us (such as fillings). Here's another: How many have a history of eating a high carb, low fat diet? I know I certainly did. Even as a small child, I remember being very careful to remove even the smallest bits of fat from meat. And I lived on bowls of cereal piled high with sugar. Tom You might find this site interesting. http://www.proteinpower.com/newsletter/index.htm Thu, 20 Mar 1997 21:50:25 GMT Dear Micheal and Denise, I too was worried about high cholesterol levels, in fact my GP was very disturbed when I told him I eat a dozen eggs a week along with a fairly high meat intake. He insisted on cholesterol tests. The results: lower cholesterol than average. At that time I'd been on the diet 9 months. I think part of the reason for favourable results are the high intake of nuts and fish. The fats in these actually help your body deal with undesirable fats. My advice, if you're concerned, is to have a cholesterol test done at about 6 months into the diet. (Apparently it can take a number of months for diet to have a measurable effect on cholesterol levels.) Good health Amanda Fri, 21 Mar 1997 15:58:42 GMT Concerning the high cholesterol, I too eat about 12 eggs per week, lots of nuts, and very high fat yogurt, the 18% kind. I also put a lot of mayonnaise on things, my homemade kind. I use it to make sauces for vegetables and also with Tuna. Lots of cheese too, and olives. My cholesterol tested a few months ago at excellent levels. I have been on the diet (as best I can) for a year. Even though the diet is "high fat", I struggle to keep the weight on and have to double up sometimes on the nuts and yogurt. Ironic for someone who used to fight the battle of the bulge. The weight loss is purely a part of the diet result of the diet as I am currently in good health and not losing weight from being sick. Carol Sat, 22 Mar 1997 12:27:24 GMT I had the same concern regarding the fat content of the diet. I wasn't concerned about gaining weight because, like so many others on the diet, I was on the low end of the weight scale. After almost a year on the diet, I have gained a little weight (which I attribute to being able to absorb nutrients more efficiently). I want to maintain this weight and not have quite so much fat in my diet so I do things like use only egg whites, use 1% milk for yogurt, watch my intake of cheese, and eat lots of fruit and vegetables. At the start of the diet, I was eating more meat, but not many nuts because I thought they would be hard to digest. Now I can tolerate them better and eat more nuts and less meat. Nothing drastic, just moderation. Catherine Sat, 22 Mar 1997 17:15:03 GMT' As for cholesterol and the diet. Well, the diet may be higher in saturated fat than most people were used to eating, but there are also things about the diet that can lower your cholesterol. For example, a high fiber diet has be linked to lower cholesterol levels, and if you are at the point in the diet where you can eat raw fruits and vegetables, than you are probably getting a lot of fiber. Also, I think someone else mentioned this, but the fat in nuts can actually lower your cholesterol. And finally exercising can lower your bad cholesterol levels and raise the good. I know for myself that my diet has improved my health so much that now I can exercise quite regularly compared to pre-diet days. Another interested point about cholesterol and heart disease is a study that found a link between a bacteria present in the lining of the arteries and plaque formation. I can't remember who did the study, although I could probably find the reference if anyone is interested. But I think that what they were saying was that it wasn't just diet that was involved, but this bacteria has to be present as well. I also have a question about prednisone, that is a little off topic. My sister has been taking medication to treat acne and it has turned her skin red and blotchy. On Friday she went to the dermatologist and he gave her a shot of prednisone. This seems a bit drastic to me considering all I've heard about prednisone from this list, I've never taken it myself. I guess I'm just wondering if I should be concerned and if she should ask her doctor for a different way to treat the redness. Thanks. Take care, Tina Sat, 22 Mar 1997 21:07:58 GMT This talk of cholesteral has promted me to write about something I read about in the Economist. It was about a study published in Lancet that explored the relationship between cholesteral and nerve development. Anyway, it had mentioned that cholestral seemed to work along with digestive enzymes to to help break down food. Since this diet is so high in cholesteral, maybe that is what is helping us. Any thoughts? April in Seattle Fri, 21 Mar 1997 17:00:48 GMT Hi All ! Thanks to all involved in keeping the lines of communication open the last bit. Question: Has anyone had increased staining and build up on teeth? Melissa recently went for her dental app. and our dentist(new to us as our other one retired) was concerned about the exceptional staining & buildup for her age. She wondered if the diet,in combination with the UC & meds caused it. She's going to moniter her to see how quickly it recurs. Melissa is past one year on the diet and still doing wonderful. In fact, she has gained back the 15 lbs lost last year while keeping a hectic basketball schedule. She's down to 2.5 mgs. prednisone on alternate days and next week goes to 2.5 every 3rd day. I shudder to think where she'd be without the diet! Anyone else with similar dental problem? Also re fats- My cousin, a dietician, found the diet okay-with vit B supplement. She said the egg concern was somewhat overrated and that moderation for any food was important. Every body reacts somewhat differently. A good day to all- Cathy I have experienced an increase in tooth sensitivity. My dentist said that the acids in fruit juice and yogurt are the cause. He suggests brushing right after consuming anything acidic or if this is not possible, to swish around some water and spit it out, pitu! I don't know about the buildup though. Nora Sat, 22 Mar 1997 19:11:03 GMT Dear Cathy, Since being on the diet ( a year and a half now) I have noticed significantly more staining on my teeth. My last dental visit took ages as the dentist attempted to clean things up. The staining is mostly on the inside of my front teeth. Now I brush most times after I eat although not always with toothpaste. The situation is a little better but the build up is beginning again and seems to resist my efforts to remove it. I do drink tea, about 3 cups a day as I did pre diet. But now I put in honey and I noticed that it turns the tea black. Perhaps, for me, this is the cause but I've also wondered if the honey alone would cause the staining. Good health Amanda Very interesting, I too started having tooth sensitivity. Mine started when I started the diet and lasted two weeks (I am into my third week now) where even drinking water at room temperature bothered them. Now it has abated. I wasn't sure how it was related, but after reading your letter, thought about it again. Has yours been going on for a long time? My only guess was that somehow it was related to killing off the bacteria -- don't ask me how:), I feel like I've had some pretty strange symptoms since trying the diet and can only surmise that they are related to die-off plus maybe metabolic changes. But my teeth were not sensitive at all before starting the diet. Best regards, Denise Denise: I've been on the diet for 8 months now and the tooth sensitivity began on month number 3. Of course I ignored it until just about one month ago. My pre-SCD days were shamefully devoid of fruits and vegetables. Now they make up a large part of my diet but I do lean more heavily toward the fruits. And I drink a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice every day and lots of yogurt and I never was real good about breaking my neck to brush my teeth immediately afterward. I do now and they are better. My dentist also gave me free samples of sensodyne toothpaste and a flouride rinse. These have helped considerably. You know, you probably should make that ever-so-enjoyable trip to the dentist just in case there is something drastically wrong. Don't wait 5 months like I did. Nora Date: Tue, 07 Jul 1998 15:46:52 -0700 From: David Hyde <dhyde@ccsf.cc.ca.us> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Dental visits About dental visits. Before starting the SCD I read somewhere that the synthetic abrasives in a lot of commercial toothpast may at least be linked to intestinal aggrevation. So, it could be that someone swallowed some mechanical irritants at the dentists office. Sugar would also be a possibility in most toothpaste (Crest for instance is LOADED with it). May I suggest Tom's of Maine toothpaste, takes some getting used to, but after a couple of weeks, you'll never go back. And be careful what you swallow at the dentist. _ David Hyde dhyde@ccsf.cc.ca.us Office of Research and Planning City College of San Francisco 50 Phelan Ave. Rm. E203 San Francisco, CA 94112 Phone: 415.239.3227 Fax: 415.239.3010 Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 17:20:19 -0400 From: Rachel Turet <rachel@longisland.com> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Re: Flare after 2 & 1/2 years From a personel standpoint, the only correlation I've seen between dental treatment and flares is that when I am in a flare, my gums are swollen & bloody. When I am in remission, my gums are healthy. I've worked in dental offices for over 20 years, have known patients with UC & with crohns, and all of their experiences are in line with my own. As an aside, I have found that most patients with any of the auto immune diseases share this experience. Most of these diseases have, as a symptom, inflamation (bowel, joints, skin), which seems to go hand in hand with the theory that when the disease is active, the accompanying inflamation would affect the gums as well. As for cancelling your son's dental appointment, it is my opinion that because of his disease (not in spite of it) and the various medications that become neccessary, regular dental checkups & cleanings become more, not less important. Rachel Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 01:34:30 EDT From: <ValtheV@aol.com> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: teeth cleaning and flare Concerning the teeth cleaning: I wonder if the flouride could have something to do with it. I have read and been told that flouride is a poison and I have also experienced stomach cramps after teeth cleaning. Does anyone know about the flouride issue? I have heard the pros and cons, but the cons seem to out weigh the pros. Flouride sure hasn't seemed to do my digestive tract good (when I use toothpaste with flouride it gives me a stomach ache) and I don't even have CD or UC. Val
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 19:03:47 EST From: CANDSURF@aol.com To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: tooth discoloration Is it possible that this diet can cause your teeth to discolor to a gray, or lose some of the enamel to make them appear darker? I just noticed this on my teeth and the only thing I have done differently is begin this diet-since Jan 1. I am not taking any vitamins yet... I am drinking a lot of grape juice...could that be it? Has anyone else had this problem? Any insight appreciated. Thanks! Lori
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 19:13:30 -0800 From: "Benke, Anna" <BenkeA@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca> To: "SCD (E-mail)" <SCD-list@longisland.com> Subject: tooth discoloration Lori, The diet itself does not cause any tooth discoloration, the grape juice is definately the culprit. It happened to me. The only thing to do is try to brush after drinking grape juice. It is better to water the juice down as well (1/2 juice, 1/2 water). It is not permanent discoloration, don't worry. It is just like tea or coffee stains; brushing more helps (try baking soda), and ultimately your hygienist can remove the grayness.
To all my crohnies: Thank you all for being here. I've been alone with both Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis for 12 years now, but luckily mostly functional. I've been on the diet for 5 weeks now and it is already helping. I did the Dr. Atkins diet for a year and half before but he doesn't allow fruit and his purpose, after all, is to lose weight. Besides, I cheated so much with chocolate and milk it didn't help much. As for cholesterol, here are my personal, unscientific observations: some people's bodies just produce too much cholesterol no matter what they eat. They will not be able to do this. Other people just thrive on vegetables and pasta. They know who they are. We know too. We tend to like meat, dairy products etc. and don't have naturally high cholesterol. I get a blood test every month (my cholesterol is less than 190 and all I eat right now is meat, eggs, cheese and butter). I have vitamin and hormone levels checked as well as the usual cholesterol, CBC and liver enzymes. Also, it is true that nuts help, not hurt. I can't wait til I can eat some. As for teeth, mine began to be very sensitive about three years ago. I thought it was that I had turned 40 and we all know whatever warranty we have expires just after your 40th birthday. But, perhaps it is the bacteria or the diet. Anyway, there are a lot of things you have no choice but to do with your teeth after you turn 40 if you aren't already. In addition to flossing, if you are eating a lot of meat you must use a "water pik" or you will never get all the bits. Add some listerine (yech, I use a generic but it has sorbitol) to the water to kill the bacteria. Finally, the trick to the sensitivity is to rub gel flouride on your teeth every night just before you go to bed. It is now "over-the-counter" but very expensive. Perhaps the flouride rinses work just as well. For whatever it is worth, my dental visits are better now than ever, even though I drink a lot of herbal tea and smoke incessantly. Again, thanks for being there. I'm enjoying the comaraderie enormously. Marlena Sat, 17 May 1997 5:05:31 GMT Jennifer Jenkins wrote: > > I'm new to this list. I have irritable bowel syndrome, and my doctor > recommended the Gottschall diet. I followed it strictly for about two weeks, > and felt much better. But I found myself constantly hungry no matter how > much meat, nuts and vegetables I ate. I was shocked at the amount of fat I > was able to eat, since I used to think fat caused my worst symptoms. Most > surprising of all, I lost weight. > > My doctor wanted me to gain weight, and suggested that I add potatoes, oatmeal > and soy milk to my diet. I gained back some weight, but the symptoms > gradually returned, and I eventually found worse ways to cheat. I'm trying to > follow the diet strictly again, but am finding it hard to deal with the > hunger--and packing enough food to get through work and grad school at night. > > My questions are: do I have a high metabolism or is it common to lose weight > or maintain an acceptable weight on the SCD diet (even when eating lots of > nuts)? Does weight tend to go up or down and then stabilize? Does appetite > change with time? > > Animal fat and cholesterol aside, is there any reason to limit fat from foods > like nuts, avocados, and olive oil? > > Are there foods on the diet that are more filling than others? > > I almost don't care about how much I weigh (I don't own a scale), but I want > my weight to be stable, so I can invest in a professional wardrobe that will > fit for a long time. I now have size 2 clothes that fit perfectly on good > days, and size 8 clothes that I can't button when I have IBS and am bloated! > > Thanks Dear Jennifer, In the beginning I went through a phase where I too felt ravenous. I was eating huge quantities of food and highly caloric ones as well. Sometimes I felt like I just couldn't get enough. A couple of things helped me. I think one is time, but also I noticed that my appetite lessened and I suddenly felt less hungry when I started taking psyllium husks (for me, 1/4 tsp twice a day in water, some people take more, like one tsp. twice a day or more). I feel this helped lubricate my gut somehow in a good way and helped me get more nutrition out of my food. I also started taking EPA (fish oil) supplements around the same time, which may also have helped by reducing some inflamation. But I heard something recently, in a medical journal which really caught my eye; the article (in this month's Townsend Newsletter for Doctors and Patients),I read a viewpoint that when we initially begin heal ourselves after a wasting, degenerative disease, in the beginning the cells are replacing themselves so quickly as they are given the chance to heal, that there is like double turnover than usual. Usually during this phase, people feel raveously hungry. According to the article this is a phase that passes as healing continues. The rate of turnover of the cells slows down. Somehow, that made sense to me. I just want to say, that I did lose weight, but it never went below a certain point and now gradually it has come up to where I was when I started the diet. I'm sure other's might have some more tips for how to keep the weight on. It sounds like the diet was really helping you. For me it has been so worth it. Sure is nerve-wracking trying to figure out the ins and outs though. This group is such valuable support to me in that regard! I wish you the best. Denise Davis, CA Sat, 17 May 1997 12:36:20 GMT Jennifer: I have been on the diet since January 7--a little over 4 months--and have lost about 33 pounds. During that time I can honestly say I have not been hungry. I am 6' 1" and now weigh 221 pounds so I need to eat alot of nuts, muffins, meat, yogurt, and vegetables to keep my energy level up. My weight started to drop immediately and dramatically the first few weeks. It has slowly tapered off at my current weight. Although I continue to VERY slowly lose weight (perhaps 3-4 pounds in the last six weeks), it seems to be stabilizing. The hunger issue is quite perplexing to me. I am a person who formally ate "mass quantities" of the worst kinds of food--pasta, mashed potatoes, french fries, pizza, cheese steaks, donuts, etc. Since being on this diet, my appetite has diminshed significantly. I try to eat a variety of what's allowed on the diet so as to not die of boredom, but I also do not deprive myself of anything allowed. I think the trick is to eat until satisfied so you are not tempted to stray. I follow Elaine's admonition to FANATICALLY ADHERE to the diet and ingest absolutely NOTHING that isn't "approved." From the very first week my symptoms showed dramatic improvement. Now, four months later, I have virtually NO symptoms remaining--I feel more "normal" than I have in years. I had a colonoscopy last week and was told by the doctor that my ulcerative colitis is now limited to the left side and is "very, very mild." Considering that I have been hospitalized with this damned affliction three times in the past few years, I was absolutely elated! I have every confidence that the diet is clearly up the colitis and that my next colonoscopy will show no signs of it!!! If you showed improvement on the diet and felt better after two weeks, keep at it. Although your doctor recommended the book, he clearly hasn't read it. Recommending you eat potatoes, oatmeal, and soy milk is bad advice on this diet--one cannot cheat AT ALL for this to work properly. Bake lots of muffins, prepare big batches of allowable foods and freeze them for later meals. I find the hardest time is when my schedule gets really hectic. If I have nothing prepared or frozen, it takes a great deal of will power to stay true to the diet. Another added benefit is that my cholesterol level has actually gone down on the diet (although it was always under 200 anyway). Good luck! Steven A. Melnick, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Education Email: sam7@psu.edu Sat, 17 May 1997 12:40:33 GMT Dear Jennifer, My daughter, Melissa-now 16- has been following the diet rigidly for the past 17 months. She is a very active teen- played soccer last fall and basketball all winter. She just recently was weaned off prednisone and is now medication free. She had lost close to 20 lbs. a year and a half ago so I was quite concerned about the diet's caloric intake. Yes she would get very hungry the first few months-sometimes a real weakness- she still occasionally has these episodes. Having snacks of fruit readily available,good portions of meat and vegetables at meals- a favorite is broccoli with melted cheddar cheese- are important to her. Each day she also has a large yogurt shake with blueberries and honey mixed in- which I believe gives her that extra caloric boost. The past fall seemed to be a real turning point for her as she slowly started gaing somme weight back - she is now at a great weght for her heighth and doing very well. I notced that this weight gain also coincided with a return to one solid mov't a day- prior to that this was off and on. Perhaps healthy food assimilation was happening for her. Hope this helps with your situation. Cathy in Nova Scotia, Canada Sat, 17 May 1997 5:38:30 GMT >with all the fat on the Gottshall's Diet...isn't anyone concerned >with cholesterol levels? > >arlene in istanbul Dear Arlene, I had my cholesterol checked after six months on the diet it was not at all high. I only recall one person on the list that had high and he might have had it before the diet. Mine is in the ideal range so if I were you I would just have it checked after six months or so and then recheck again in six months. Hopefully you know what it was pre - diet . Also to the person who asked about increased appetite mine increased at the beginning of the diet I was really packing away the steak and prime rib but then my appetite subsided. I also lost a lot of weight but I was happy as I have Behcet's and my weight had ballooned since I became ill four years ago. (Pred) I am very happy to be back to a size 8. I have been on the diet around 8 months now and do not seem to be losing any more which makes me happy as I don't want to. The last two weeks my colon has been a little bit upset but I think it is only a minor setback. I know I will never eat yeast again. Happy weekend, Kay Sat, 17 May 1997 6:13:35 GMT It may be surprising to hear this but there is a good bit of evidence that dietary fat does -not- cause most people to get bad cholesterol, and in fact there is a good bit of evidence that diets -low- in fat cause problems with bad cholesterol and triglycerides. There have also been very recent studies showing low-fat diets to cause both heart disease and breast cancer in women. I myself had my cholesterol massively improved by slashing my carbohydrate intake and increasing my fat and protein intake. I have a pile of scientific references I can send to anyone who is interested in this subject; I won't clutter up the list with them. But in general all you really need to do if you're worried about this is, go get your cholesterol checked before you start the diet, and then get it checked after a couple of months on the diet. If it's gotten significantly worse, then consider your options. If it's gotten better or is just fine (which is the most likely occurrence) then you have no worries. Also, even if it does worsen (which I would bet you a shiny new nickle it would not), unless you've already got other health risks for heart disease, having bad cholesterol for a few months is not going to kill you. What you would have to consider was how long you wanted to put up with it. If the diet really causes you a cholesterol problem, then leaving the diet later should fix the problem. Dean Esmay Re: fiber, cholesterol, colon cancer Fri, 4 Jul 1997 16:40:33 GMT At 12:36 AM 7/4/97 EDT, you wrote: >I'm about to embark on the diet, but I have some concerns about it as a >long-term (more than a couple of months) eating plan. > >My cholesterol tends to get high, but I can control it through diet, namely a >diet consisting of high fiber, especially oat bran. >If I keep my fat intake to >20% or so and eat 1/2 cup of oat bran per day >(in muffins, cereal, or whatever) >I seem to be able to keep my cholesterol below 190. >This is important for me as >heart disease runs in my family. > > >Elaine's diet seems to be -- or could be, I guess is more accurate -- fairly >high in saturated fats (animal fats), and cholesterol. There's a lot of eggs >and cheese involved, not to mention meats. This makes it pretty hard to >regulate your cholesterol. If you've been following the Paleodiet list-group, as well as read the Lutz book excerpt, you will find that (like virtually all of western people) you've been fully indoctrinated with the "party line" about fats. It's now becoming clearer & clearer (read Barry Sears' book "The Zone" for a starter, or Lutz's excerpt, escpecially his section "Fat is Not The Culprit") that this fear of fat and supposed health benefits by its avoidance is total bullshit, let me repeat, bullshit, foisted on us on the industrial food-processing industries starting in the 50's. Do some reading, convince yourself, then don't worry about it & just eat more "good" fats (i.e. lard or rancid beef fat are NOT a good fat, but I'd say olive oil, chicken / duck fat, butter, full-fat yoghurt, fish oils, ,avocado probably are). >She says it's possible to be a vegetarian on her >diet, but it would seem to be quite difficult, as complex carbohydrates are >basically prohibited, and these are important to complement the proteins in >legumes (the only vegetable proteins that seem to be allowed). I'm not a >vegetarian, particularly, but I've found eating a near-vegetarian diet to >be an >excellent means of keeping my saturated fats low while getting enough protein. > >Any thoughts on this problem? I'm 54 years old, and while IBD (they're >not sure >if it's UC or Crohn's colitis) is certainly a major health issue, it probably >won't kill me -- and a heart attack very well might. > >Then there's the colon cancer problem, important generally but especially >so for >those of us with colitis. It's known that a low-fat high-fiber (whole grains >again) diet lowers the risk factors for colon cancer. It would seem that >Elaine's diet would be higher risk in this regard. > On Elaine's diet you'll be eating lots of veggies and some fruits, plus normal amounts of fat. Read the Sears book, and stop worrying about the Fat Police ... I now believe that theory will soon be publically propounded as "Oops, screwed your head around once more, sorry, let's go on to the next fad we can sell you!" >John Blank >103120.612@compuserve.com > > Best wishes, Dietmar D. Hartl RMT Specialist in: Orthopaedic Assessment - Tactile Therapies - Pain Solutions White Rock, British Columbia Sat, 5 Jul 1997 2:43:49 GMT John, I agree about the fact that we don't know the whole story on fat and cholesterol. I also heard on the news the other day that aside from advoiding animal fats, people who want to keep their cholesterol levels under control should avoid sugar as well. I think the key is that it's really only animal fats that have been linked to higher cholesterol levels. So you should not be worried about eating the other fats, like olive oil and the fats in nuts and fish. And depending on your diet before, you may actually end up eating lower fat content overall. A lot of the foods that we have to avoid because of their sugar or starch content, also have a lot of fat in them, like donuts, cakes and chocolate bars. As far as fiber goes, the diet is high in fiber once diarrhea is no longer a problem and you can start introducing raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and beans. And I'm pretty sure that oat bran is not the only soluble fiber that has been linked to lowering cholesterol. Another source of soluble fiber is the part of a fruit other than it's skin. Also, exercise is a very successful way of controlling your cholesterol level, as well as many other health benefits. By the way, there were a few people on the diet who posted their pre and post diet cholesterol levels and they had actually dropped. Take care, Tina Wed, 9 Jul 1997 19:26:08 GMT At 09:07 AM 7/9/97 -0300, you wrote: >Hi people: > >I am new to the list and have been reading your correspondence with great >interest. I have an undiagnosed digestive problem which has responded >well to the scd. I came to the diet naturally, simply by eliminating >things which bothered me. By "bothered" I mean they caused extreme >fatigue and an unusual cardiac response. At first I would awaken at night >after a few minutes of sleep with my heart racing, later on the rapid >heart beat would occur anytime I ate certain complex carbs. I eliminated >all grains and dairy, except for cheese and certain other vegies. I had >diarrhea only when I consumed dairy products. My other main symptom is >dehydration which, I have discovered, was partly responsible for the fatigue. > >I like the scd, I feel alive when I follow it faithfully and do no >physical work. However, I live on a small homestead and there is alot of >physical labour involved in this lifestyle, and the scd just can't >generate the amount of energy I need. I was ok until I foolishly >submitted to a lactose intolerance test. The results did not show a >classic intolerance, but I haven't been able to eat cheese since - which >was, I guess, my major source of fuel (I ate gobs of it everyday when >active). So now, when I attempt to put in even a half day of work, I get >so played out that I can't move for a couple of days. > >I have had no results from the medical profession and am floundering for >some answers. I've been tested for a wide variety of things, with no >enlightening results. And I am afraid, after the lactose test, to submit >to any invasive testing. I am hoping that there is someone on this list >who has symptoms similar to mine - I don't really fit the scd profile - >or perhaps I just halted the progression of a bowel disease by going on >the diet in its early stages. Any help will be greatly appreciated. > >Penny Hi, Penny: Like you, I also would like to eat cheese as Elaine says, but it just doesn't work for me. About 2 weeks ago I "went back to square one" and studied the entire digestive system in all my physiology books (I'm a medical massage therapist) because the SCD dietdidn't seem to click 100% for me; from that, I decided to increase my fat intake (good fats, if you know what that means) and things are working better now ... still not perfect, so I don't know what still needs to be "jiggled", but not bad. I talked with Elaine on the phone this week, and asked her about my conclusions that I needed to increase fats; she replied that people should be smart enough to figure this out themselves by reading the book, that the needed calories obviously had to come from somewhere, and that the reason she didn't explicitly state in the books that fat intake needs to increase is that she doesn't want to get sued for telling people to increse fats beccause of all the hype / propaganda about "cholesterol", so she figured readers could "read between the lines" and figure it out. Personally, I was NOT able to do this from the book, only after (as mentioned) by going back to square one & my own medical books and thinking things through. But anyway, bottom line advice therefore: eat more "good" fats, and you'll probably find that you or any IBD'er tolerates fats quite well. Sincerely, Dietmar Sat, 5 Jul 1997 0:18:14 GMT >On Elaine's diet you'll be eating lots of veggies and some fruits, plus >normal amounts of fat. Read the Sears book, and stop worrying about the >Fat Police ... I now believe that theory will soon be publically propounded >as "Oops, screwed your head around once more, sorry, let's go on to the >next fad we can sell you!" I totally agree with Dietmar's excellent post in response to John's valid concern. We have been brainwashed in this society. The industries do it quite easily, and the mainstream medical industries fall for it too. Especially the Dieticians, whose schooling in my opinion is major brainwashing (sorry to offend anyone out there who is one). The things most MDs and Dieticians believe in are pounded it into their heads for years during the training. Then they become so closed minded, it's almost impossible to convince them of anything else. Tell any Dietician about our SCD and they'll tell you it's just plain wrong. They don't want to hear an explanation or believe in anyone's testimonial experience, because that is the extent of their brainwashing, so to speak. I just saw another exposee that told how they actually have no scientific evidence that salt is bad for high blood pressure and heart disease. Ask anyone you know and they'll tell you that too much salt is bad for you. Apparently there is no real proof of this. They actually have studies proving the opposite, that there's nothing really wrong with salt, and this idea of the badness of salt started in the 50's with a theory, a rumor and it stuck. The media is to blame for all this misinformation as well. Think about how many things in the past have been so publicized and thought to be true by the mass population, and then later on were disproved and are now regarded as total bunk. An old saying goes that many of these ideas we think are "the way it is", will one day be accepted to be "as old as sealing wax". (I think that refers to the wax people used to use to seal letters, correct me if I'm wrong) meaning that at one time in history, everyone did it and thought it was normal, but now nobody does it anymore and wouldn't even consider it. Anyway, the point is, I think Dietmar was on the ball with his bit of advice. If I were concerned about cholesterol (rightfully so, with all the media about it), I would take a cholesterol test now, before starting the diet, get a baseline reading, and then go on the diet for a month. Eat more fish and poultry, less red meat; more egg whites, less yolks; more olive oil, less butter, and more nuts, fruits, and vegies. Notice I said "more" and "less", not "all" or "none". There's nothing wrong with a little butter, but that doesn't mean you can slather it on like there's no tomorrow. Another thing I remembered is the butter/margerine thing. Remember how it was thought that margerine was healthier than butter. Everyone was convinced. Nobody would dare say they thought butter was ok. But NOW, it has been proven that margerine is actually WAY WORSE for everyone than even butter! Ever hear about Trans-fatty acids, hydrogenation, etc? Did you know that there are actually regulations or laws now that prevent margerine advertisments from claiming margerine is good for your health? It's all because they proved that margerine is horrible for you! Thank God margerine is not allowed on this diet. Although, I stopped eating margerine way before I found this diet. Margerine was only invented during the war because there wasn't enough butter to go around. I'm too young to remember, but remember when you had to squeeze the food coloring in and mix it up yourself? Gross! When the war ended there was no reason to keep eating margerine, but the companies needed to keep making money so it became the "healthier" counterpart to butter. Now we all know different, don't we. Not to mention that margerine is an oil usually stored in plastic (for those of you who read my plastic ramblings earlier). Margerine is probably worse than eating plastic. Ok, you're starting to think I'm nuts again, so I better go. That'll be all for now. Sorry to be so long. Anna 
Cholesterol, was eggs Sat, 12 Jul 1997 20:44:50 GMT Laurie Myhre-Choate <Laurie_Myhre_Choate@COMPUSERVE.COM> wrote: >A friend of mine is on a low carbo diet but not for IBD. Anyway, he has >eaten a lot of eggs and his cholesterol has went way up. Latest knowledge is that the total cholesterol isn't important, but it is the ratio between the good cholesterol and the bad that counts. What is his HDL/LDL ratio? Don.
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 18:15:13 -0700 From: Dempsey <stellar1@PACBELL.NET> Subject: Re: hunger & weight gain I agree with the need to follow the diet 100%! It's absolutely crucial. From personal experience, I know. I've had two major "cheats," once for a frozen yogurt, the other time visiting San Francicso an falling prey to some delicious french bread. I suffered for a week afterwards! However, psychologically, both cheats were worth it. Guess I just had to see what would happen. Minor character defect of mine. :) As for weight gain and hunger -- I have definitely increased my fat intake (the good kind as well as the bad). Cashews have been a godsend for me at times. Also, chicken WITH skin. And avocados. I went through phases when it felt like it was really hard to get enough to eat. I feel like there must be some phase in the diet when we can eat without diahhrea but still can't quite absorb all the calories from our food. I was soooo hungry there for awhile, around month two. I also got low blood sugar shakies. Now I don't experience either the hunger or the low blood sugar problem. Best regards, Denise
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 23:22:54 -0400 From: Ellen Adams <EllenAdams@AOL.COM> Subject: Re: hunger In a message dated 97-07-22 22:47:55 EDT, you write: << I hope your husband is able to resolve the weight loss problem. Maybe somebody else in the group with the same experience could help. >> I'm still lurking on the sidelines. I'm targeting starting the diet in mid August. Has anyone found that they gain unwanted weight on the diet? It seems like a lot of calories. What I've heard is that people's weight normalizes--they gain if they need it and lose if they need that--but honestly I have trouble reasoning through that. When I first looked at it I thought the diet would put the body into a state of keytosis--burning body fat--but if that were the case wouldn't everyone lose weight on the diet? I know it's supposed to improve absorption--which would allow one to fully benefit from the calories eaten--and that aspect would make me think people would gain weight. So....those few crohnies who are actually overweight...what affect did the SCD have on your weight? I'm really not as skeptical as this may sound, I just don't get it. And it would be worth it to me if it made me feel better--even if I gained weight. It's more like I want to know what to expect. Ellen
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 00:17:07 -0400 From: witkowski <witkowskis@WORLDNET.ATT.NET> Subject: Re: hunger > From: Ellen Adams <EllenAdams@AOL.COM> > In a message dated 97-07-22 22:47:55 EDT, you write: > > Has anyone found that they gain unwanted weight on the diet? Dear Ellen, That is the great thing about the diet it seems to set you to your ideal weight , if you need to lose you lose, need to gain you gain. I was a loser of 60lbs that I had gained from a stint on steroids. The weight never came off until I went on the SCD and it stopped coming off just as I hit my old normal weight. In the beginning I ate like a maniac and the more I ate the more I lost . Now my appetite is on the small side and I have stayed at the same weight for the last 4 months. I started the diet last Oct. Good luck and don't be afraid to eat to your hearts content. Take Care, Kay
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 01:18:28 -0700 From: Dempsey <stellar1@PACBELL.NET> Subject: Re: hunger I lost a little weight on the diet, but it stabilized. My husband, on the other had, who is also following the diet, did have quite a pot belly that he had tried to lose for years through sensible eating. I at more than he did, the poor man. Since being on the SCD five months, Brian is really looking slim (and healthy). He says it feels good to be able to eat as much as he wants to. By the way, during my really hungry phase, I always thought it was from ketosis and I worked real hard to get extra allowed carbs. But now I don't try so hard and I still don't get those "ketosis feelings." Sometimes I'm amazed by how much protein I eat these days! Denise
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 13:40:22 GMT From: Rachel Turet <shodanrt@LIII.COM> Subject: Re: hunger >So....those few crohnies who are actually overweight...what affect did the >SCD have on your weight? > >I'm really not as skeptical as this may sound, I just don't get it. And it >would be worth it to me if it made me feel better--even if I gained weight. > It's more like I want to know what to expect. > >Ellen Dear Ellen, I'm one of those with UC that is overweight. I lost about 30 lbs on the diet. I'm still a little overweight but am very happy feeling good, and I'm very active. I think that removing sugar and starch had a lot to do with my weight loss. No ice cream, potatoes or bread by itself has to have an effect. I think that even if going on the diet had put weight on me, the remission of my symptoms would have been woth it. Good luck. Rachel
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 10:11:51 -0400 From: "Steven A. Melnick" <sam7@PSU.EDU> Subject: Re: hunger I want to echo Rachel's comments. I too have UC, have been on the diet since January 7 (FANATICALLY!!), no longer have ANY (count 'em--ZIP!) symptoms. One of the very pleasant side effects has been that I have lost 51 pounds and am now at the weight I was when I got married 25 years ago! I feel great and look a lot slimmer! My primary incentive for following the diet is my own good health. Weight loss has merely been a bonus. Incidently, my cholosterol level has also declined! What more could one ask for????
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 06:28:00 -0500 From: Gerald Jantzi <gjantzi3@AIRMAIL.NET> Subject: Re: hunger I have lost over 20 of the 55 lbs that I had been over weight. I eat what I want. I currently have no symptoms, as long as I don't eat sunflower seeds!!! And I continue to lose 1 - 2 lbs a month on the "high fat diet". I am planning to have my cholesterol checked soon, but my guess is that it will be lower than it had been. It was in the normal range. My wife keeps commenting that "I don't cheat". I did on sunflower seeds on a salad one night. I have been diagnosed with Diverticulitis. But, I find the diet satisfying and filling. If I get a sweet tooth craving I make a "yogurt smoothie". It replaces the ice cream I used to eat. Blend until smooth, drink and smile knowing its really good for you. Gerry
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 18:57:51 -0500 From: Eric Abergel <eaberg@PO-BOX.MCGILL.CA> Subject: Re: hunger I read a critique of the SCD diet and one of the potential problems is that many (or most??) people actually tend to LOSE weight on the diet. Not necessarily a good thing to happen to an IBD sufferer. Eric eaberg@po-box.mcgill.ca
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 22:49:05 -0700 From: Dempsey <stellar1@PACBELL.NET> Subject: Re: hunger Eric, About people losing weight on the SCD, if you're underweight, you will probably gain, not lose. Because finally you will be able to actually absorb some of the food you're eating. My weight dipped breifly the first month, but then it stabilized back to where it was before, pretty normal. Denise
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 13:11:22 PST From: ACB <benkea@MAILHOST.PAC.DFO.CA> Subject: weight >So....those few crohnies who are actually overweight...what affect did the >SCD have on your weight? >I'm really not as skeptical as this may sound, I just don't get it. And it >would be worth it to me if it made me feel better--even if I gained weight. > It's more like I want to know what to expect. >Ellen Ellen, I've always lost weight on the SCD and gained weight immediately when I went back to a diet of carbos and sugars. I wouldn't expect a dramatic weight gain on the diet. It probably depends what your pre-SCD diet was. If you were already a low fat, low calorie eater, than you may gain a bit, but overall, you could stick with the same low fat principles as before if you wanted (ie. skim milk yogurt, low fat cheeses, chicken without the skin, trimmed meats, lots of vegies and fruits, etc.) so you really shouldn't gain for any reason. The SCD may not be low fat, but it is low sugar and low carb, so that makes up for it. I just read an article that told how the "good fats" (Essential Fatty Acids, Omega 3 and 6) like those in nuts fish and avacados, etc. actually help burn fat by increasing the rate of metabolic reactions in the body and burning more fat into carbon dioxide, water and energy (heat), which results in fat burn-off and a loss of excess weight. They say your EFA intake should be 12 - 15 % of your total caloric intake to do this, and at a ratio of two (omega 3) to one (omega 6). The article went on to say how by eating these pure, unadulterated fats and oils, your energy levels and stamina increase, which makes you feel like being more physically active too. I found I had more energy after a while on the diet, and no longer craved the forbiddens as much. I think I lost excess weight because the SCD was much healthier than my pre-SCD diet, which contained a lot of carbos and sugar and little vegies and fruits. I suspect this pre-scd diet is fairly common (unhealthy anyhow), and that's why most people's weights normalize (up or down) when they go on the diet. I know that not everyone ate badly before the SCD, and that some people have gained weight on it too, so this is just my opinion and experience. Like I said before, it depends alot on how you were eating before the SCD. Anna
Date: Thu, 14 Aug 1997 15:58:46 +0200 From: Kristine Vaernholt <dko3700@vip.cybercity.dk> Subject: Re: energy Hi Matt, You know one of the really great things about the SCD ? I can eat as much as I want of things that are usually frowned apon (mayo, meat, butter(!), nuts, eggs.... I could go on !) and I'm STILL loosing weight. I've been over weight for years, but since I started the diet 3 months ago, I've lost 20 pounds. And I'm still loosing about 1 pound per fortnight. I just had a delicious tuna salad for lunch and now I'm going to eat two squares of banana cake with DCCC frosting for desert. Yum ! In a couple of hours I'll probably be hungry again and have a handfull of cashews and 3 or 4 dates. Dont ask my how this works - to me it's just magik. And I'm enjoying it immensly ! Kris, from Denmark.
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 14:56:21 EST << and it doesn't seem
to matter how much rich, high calorie food I chow I am slowly fading
away. >> Mike, I had the same problem early on. I started eating at least 2 bananas(very ripe of course) and some cheese every day, and I reversed the weight loss problem. Brian
From: "paulah" <paulah@cmc.net> To: <SCD-list@longisland.com> Subject: Re: article about Animal Fats >Could you please explain to me the connection between IBD and low Tony,
Date: Mon, 05 Apr 1999 07:38:10 -0400 Hi All, I thought this entire web site was fascinating, many articles about food consumption aligned with the SCD philosophy about processed foods. It has well researched articles and information the food industry has a vested interest in keeping from the public. Here's the main page URL. http://www.peg.apc.org/~nexus/ Ruth
From: "Carole Westerhof" <cwesterhof@wave.home.com> To: "SCD List" <SCD-list@longisland.com> Subject: animal fats Hi Ruth,
porter@sprint.ca wrote:--
Michele, Ruth
Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 16:25:48 -0400 Janice, Here's a pertinent paragraph from the Margarine Hoax article about the the effects of anti-inflammatory drugs (many colitis drugs fit this category, like Asacol) making it difficult for utilize omega-6. Ruth THE MARGARINE HOAX
The two groups of essential fatty acids&emdash;omega-3 and omega-6&emdash;are named for their molecular configurations and where the first "unsaturated" bond occurs along the chain of carbon atoms. Omega-6 oils are found primarily in vegetables and seeds. They are converted to the E1 prostaglandins (mentioned earlier) via several chemical steps. Most people take in enough of these fatty acids, but some have difficulty converting them to the active prostaglandins. This blockage is commonly caused by excess trans- fats, anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin or Tylenol, or deficiencies of vitamin B6 or magnesium. An insufficiency of omega-6 EFAs can result in auto-immune problems, breast pain and lumpiness, eczema, hyperactivity in children, hypertension, inflammation and PMS. Supplementing with borage, evening primrose or black-currant seed oils will usually bypass the blocked step and provide the necessary precursor to make the desired prostaglandins. Dr Siguel has found that the omega-3s are the more likely to be deficient in our Western diets. Because of food processing and dietary choices, the average Western diet today contains only one-sixth the amount of omega-3 fatty acids needed for healthy function&emdash;compared to a healthy balance 100 years ago. Evidence indicates that a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with arthritis and joint stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome, PMS, prostate problems, various skin disorders as well as depression, phobias and schizophrenia. The two main sources of omega-3s are oils from organic flax seeds and from cold-water fish (such as mackerel, sardines, tuna, trout and salmon). These fish should not be fried because of the effect of the high temperatures involved and the resultant free-radical damage. Unlike chicken and turkey, cold-water fish should be eaten with the skin on, as this is where the highest concentration of desirable fats is located. There is some concern about eating fish frequently, due to the chemical and heavy-metal pollution in the oceans. Predatory fish concentrate these pollutants in their fatty tissues, but deep-ocean fish are usually less tainted than coastal species. Freshwater fish near agricultural, industrial or mining areas are best avoided due to their high-level intake of toxic chemicals. Farm-raised fish are fed something akin to pet food and should be avoided; they are not as healthy and have insignificant levels of omega-3 fatty acids. See http://www.peg.apc.org/~nexus/margarine.html for the complete article....
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