Letters from the SCD support group: Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 19:13:26 -0400 From: Midas Gold <midasgold@pipeline.com> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Bread (Oh No! The "B" Word!) - long Well, this list has been so very helpful and encouraging so far. I hinted in one of my last pregnancy posts that I have one more major hurdle to overcome before I join the ranks of the SCD-ers... See, I'm a strictly observant Jew (OK, "orthodox" - although I prefer to avoid that label). ("Oh, no wonder she has so many kids..." ;-)) That means I strive to maintain a high standard of food Kashrus ("kosherness") at all times and in all situations... I think this puts me at somewhat of an advantage vis-a-vis adopting the SCD lifestyle. I'm already a habitual food-label scrutinizer, and have a healthy skepticism about what's printed on a package (even with a kosher symbol). I subscribe to kosher-consumer publications that draw attention to food production methods and food mislabeling (the number of mislabeled products listed in each issue is enough to curl your hair!). I think keeping kosher enhances my awareness of many aspects of how different foods are made. (For example, in BTVC, page 58, Elaine writes "Use butter, not margarine. Margarine contains added milk solids and/or whey." Well, any margarine with reliable kosher supervision that bears the designation "pareve" *will* be totally non-dairy - not that I'm a big fan of margarine, though.) What else? Restaurants? - well the relative number of restaurants in which I can eat is pretty miniscule, and when I travel outside of major Jewish neighborhoods into places where kosher restaurants are nonexistent, I must prepare and bring along my own food, so I'm used to all that. Friends' homes? Whenever I visit someone who doesn't keep kosher, the only thing I can eat is raw fruit, anyway. So, in a sense, I'm used to self-denial and I don't think I'll miss much (...except the sugar, and the cereal, and the potatoes, and the chocolate, and... oh, never mind!) ;-) Interestingly, the SCD diet is not terribly dissimilar to what observant Jews - specifically those who follow the stricter custom of not eating "gebrukts" (matzos moistened with liquid) - eat during Passover. With the exclusion of plain matzos, potatoes/yams/parsnips, fluid milk, sugar, and potato starch (a popular flour/cornstarch-substitute on Passover), and with the inclusion of many legumes (legumes are not eaten by Ashkenazic Jews on Passover), a non-gebrukts Passover diet is amazingly similar to the SCD! But I digress... My problem involves the requirement to honor the Sabbath and major holidays through the eating of *bread* with our festive meals. In Jewish Law, bread is defined as having been made from one or more of the "5 Grains": wheat, oats, rye, barley, or spelt. There are two meals on each Sabbath and holiday during which a minimum amount (defined as "the size of an olive") of such bread must be eaten. Of course I intend to consult my rabbi about this, as Jewish Law is often lenient - on an individual, case-by-case basis - in situations where one's health is involved. Before I do so, however, I need to ascertain what, if any, flexibility the SCD would permit in this situation: are there specific grains that are less problematic than others (such as spelt instead of wheat)? Are yeast-free breads, like matzo or certain crackers, preferable? Or perhaps breads made from sprouted whole grains instead of flour? So, my question boils down to this: IF, as I already suspect, proper SCD-observance would *totally* prevent my eating two bites of *any* kind of bread on each Sabbath and holiday, and IF my rabbi isn't convinced that the possible health benefits of the SCD would outweigh the Sabbath bread requirement, would this "necessary cheating" mean that I may as well not even *bother* with the SCD? Would I benefit from at least following SCD as much as I can, with the exception of eating a bit of bread once a week? If there's anyone else out there who is familiar with this problem, I'd love to hear from you... -- Deanna PS - And dare I even *mention* the *major* religious requirement to eat a substantial amount of *matzah* at the Passover seder, but that's still about 9 months away...
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 21:25:55 -0400 From: paulasirois@juno.com (Paula Sirois) To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Bread and the Bible Deanna, Do you really think that GOD would expect you to jeopardize your health for the sake of keeping the laws? I am a Jew, albeit a nonreligious one. This is a very personal issue for you, I know, but with all due respect, to ancient texts and your rabbi, your body is the temple of the Spirit. Your body has its own laws, and because nothing that exists can exist outside of GOD, that means your body is a holy temple. Treat your body as it demands to be treated, with absolute trust in its wisdom. If eating grains creates a negative reaction, your body's wisdom is crying out to be heard. blessings, Paula
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 22:38:12 EDT From: <EDITH38@aol.com> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Re: Bread (Oh No! The "B" Word!) - long I so very much appreciate your sharing. Although I am not Jewish I do very much respect the faith, the community and study as much as I can. I have run into a similar situation with my own faith. I am a Roman Catholic 3rd Order Nun. We take communion daily as part of our lifestyle. The host contains wheat. I was able to get permission to use rice wafers for my daily communion. I know the SCD does not allow rice, however it does not set off a reaction in me and wheat sure does, so I purchased at my own expense (I don't mind at all) a box of rice wafers from the Catholic Book Shoppe (enuff for 2 years LOL) at a very reasonable price and as long as I sit in the same seat every day, which I do, I get my rice communion wafer when I go thru the line and I am all set. There were some SCD'ers who opposed my taking even the small rice wafer daily, but I am secure knowing that with my condition Celiac's Disease rice is allowed on a traditional Celiac Diet, just not on the SCD. I had to make this tiny exception and remain 100% faithful to SCD otherwise. Sometimes we must make tiny adjustments for our faith. Edith Boyd OCDS
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 22:47:34 -0400 From: Rachel Turet <rachel@longisland.com> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Re: Bread and the Bible Dear Deanna, I basically agree with Paula, but got a chuckle out of your letter as memories of childhood passovers flooded over me. Mostly positive of course, with the exception of the blockages in my gut from the matzoh. Eight days with no bowel movements. I am not a practicing Jew, but come from an orthodox background (now, hold your tongue please). My wonderful Grampa (the Rabbi), always told me that health came first and he himself took life giving medicine even on Yom Kippur (a day of complete fasting, for those of you who dont know). I dont know if a piece chalah (bread) the size of an olive could eradicate the affect of the diet. I dont know if not having it would cause you enormous stress (only you can answer that) but I would consult with the rabbi and ask his advice, but do make sure he understand the nature of your illness. Too many people totally misunderstand this disease and think us as having "nervous" stomachs and we ourselves are sometimes guilty of underplaying the toll this takes on our lives. Should you decide that you must have the bread, please do not dismiss the possible benefit of the rest of the diet and please keep us posted. Rachel
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 22:47:38 -0400 From: Midas Gold <midasgold@pipeline.com> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Re: Bread (Oh No! The "B" Word!) - long EDITH38@aol.com wrote: > I so very much appreciate your sharing. Although I am not Jewish I > do very much respect the faith, the community and study as much as I > can. I have run into a similar situation with my own faith. I am a > Roman Catholic 3rd Order Nun. We take communion daily as part of our > lifestyle. The host contains wheat. Oh, Edith - thank you so much for your response! As a matter of fact, when I formulated my post I got to wondering how people of other faiths than mine might be challenged by the SCD diet - communion for Catholics was the first thing that I thought of... and now you've answered my question without my even having to ask! <snip> > I had to make this tiny exception and remain 100% faithful to SCD > otherwise. Sometimes we must make tiny adjustments for our faith. Thanks again for your very meaningful post! -- Deanna
From: Midas Gold <midasgold@pipeline.com> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Re: Bread and the Bible [was:Bread (Oh No! The "B" Word!)] Hi, Paula I'm not sure why you changed the Subject line read to "Bread and the Bible," since in my post I made no reference to the Bible, but if it makes more sense to you this way, I don't mind. Paula Sirois wrote: > Do you really think that GOD would expect you to jeopardize your > health for the sake of keeping the laws? Perhaps you missed where I wrote: "Of course I intend to consult my rabbi about this, as Jewish Law is often lenient - on an individual, case-by-case basis - in situations where one's health is involved." If my intention had been to blindly keep eating bread on the Sabbath without bothering to consult with an expert in Jewish Law in order to find out what leniency would apply in my individual case, then what was the point of posting my question? The reason I posted my question was to test how far I can push the SCD envelope - *also* as it applies to my individual case - by delving into whether there's some flexibility with the bread issue, and perhaps to determine what sort of bread-alternative - *if necessary* - would be most benign, SCD-wise. That way I can be better-prepared to present complete and thorough information to my rabbi to enable him to make a fully-informed determination that is best for my individual circumstances. If there is *no* flexibility with the SCD, then my rabbi needs to know that, too! > I am a Jew, albeit a nonreligious one. This is a very personal > issue for you, I know, Not really - if it were all that personal, I wouldn't have written so openly about it. For all I know, there may be other Sabbath-observers out there lurking on this list who are pondering the same questions, or who have first-hand experiences to share about how they worked this issue out. There might even be others who would appreciate reading about how people from diverse walks of life can adapt the SCD and make it work for them without feeling that they must compromise their values and priorities. > but with all due respect, to ancient texts and your rabbi, Again, I didn't refer anywhere in my post to ancient texts - I'm only concerned with how contemporary halacha (Jewish Law) applies to my individual circumstances. > your body is the temple of the Spirit. Your body has its own laws, My body was designed by the same Creator whom I honor by my observance of the Sabbath. The injunction to guard my health is every bit as much a part of Judaism as the one to honor the Sabbath. > and because nothing that exists can exist outside of GOD, Well, we do agree on that! :-) > that means your body is a holy temple. Treat your body as it > demands to be treated, with absolute trust in its wisdom. If > eating grains creates a negative reaction, your body's wisdom > is crying out to be heard. Believe me, Paula, if you knew more about me personally you'd know how much I fervently believe in the body's innate wisdom, a wisdom steeped in the will of Hashem (G-d). Teaching and guiding others to trust their bodies is a huge part of who I am and what I do. > blessings, Thanks for the bracha! :-) Interestingly, I posted the same question - albeit with the empasis shifted to questioning the limits of Jewish Law rather than questioning the limits of the SCD - to another list that is frequented by many observant Jewish women. Not one of them challenged the necessity of my following the SCD to the letter; allow me to quote some of them: "If you ask a knowledgeable rav, he will probably say it is fine to keep to this diet since it is most definitely for your health." "I can't imagine any situation that the halacha would not exempt someone for medical reasons. I also know (observant) individuals who do not eat challah on Shabbos due to treatment for various eating disorders (compulsive eating.) So, yes, there is a precedent for your situation... there is precedent for not eating challah on Shabbos!" "There are heterim (leniencies) to not do something.. I almost got a heter to not have to drink the arbah kosot (4 cups of wine) at the seder but I found a minimum thing that I could be satisfied with halachically and medically..." Paula, all I'm trying to do is to test the limits of *both* disciplines, with the goal of establishing that elusive common ground that would enable me to reep the rich benefits of each one without sacrificing the other. It is both appropriate and expected for observant Jews to constantly ask questions and explore the boundaries of halacha in order to overcome perceived obstacles to its observance. With all due respect, I will follow SCD with no more blind faith than that with which you seem to think that I follow halacha. E-mail is a medium which places us all at a communication disadvantage: without the benefit of seeing one another's facial expressions or hearing the tone of our voices, our posts can often seem more harsh than we intend them to. Perhaps I erroneously perceived that your post was a bit judgemental, and perhaps I responded a bit more defensively than I should have. If so, please accept my apology. -- Respectfully Yours, Deanna
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 01:45:21 -0400 From: Midas Gold <midasgold@pipeline.com> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Re: Bread and the Bible [was:Bread (Oh No! The "B" Word!)] Rachel Turet wrote: > I... got a chuckle out of your letter as memories of childhood > passovers flooded over me. Mostly positive of course, with the > exception of the blockages in my gut from the matzoh. Eight days > with no bowel movements. Yikes! No wonder there are so many recipes for prunes in Passover cookbooks! ;-) > I am not a practicing Jew, but come from an orthodox background > (now, hold your tongue please). Hey, c'mon, Rachel - I don't bite! :-) > My wonderful Grampa (the Rabbi), always told me that health came > first and he himself took life giving medicine even on Yom Kippur ...and he acted completely within halacha by doing so - in fact, *not* taking the medicine under those circumstances would have been a terrible sin! <snip> > I would consult with the rabbi and ask his advice, but do make sure > he understand the nature of your illness. Too many people totally > misunderstand this disease and think us as having "nervous" stomachs > and we ourselves are sometimes guilty of underplaying the toll this > takes on our lives. You've made an excellent point! By nature, I'm an easygoing, non-complaining kind of person, and have always been as healthy as a horse! I don't feel comfortable having people feel sorry for me, and I always downplay my problems, so you've impressed on me the need to make it abundantly clear to the rabbi that CD is a serious, incurable chronic illness with potentially dangerous complications, regardless of how mild my case has (apparently) been so far... the goal is to *keep* it mild! > Should you decide that you must have the bread, please do not > dismiss the possible benefit of the rest of the diet and please > keep us posted. Thank you, Rachel, for your wise and reasoned response. -- Deanna
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 10:42:15 -0400 From: paulasirois@juno.com (Paula Sirois) To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: The "B" Word Hi Deanna, I changed the subject line for fun. I had no idea you would take it personally. Is it offensive? If so, please know that was not at all my intention. You wrote... <Perhaps you missed where I wrote: "Of course I intend to consult my rabbi about this...> Please understand, I am coming from a different perspective. When you say that you consult the rabbi on the Jewish Law, you've already lost me. You see, from where I sit, I go within to get answers. Please do not take this as an attack. I am in the minority here. Most people go to experts for advice. I believe that such answers can be found within. If a rabbi told me something that went against my intuitive knowing, then I would trust myself, not the rabbi nor the Jewish Laws. My sense is that I offended you. I tend to speak the truth as I view it. Your response felt like an attack in turn. This type of exchange was not my intention. I do feel strongly that as individuals we tend to give our power away to authorities, whether the authority figure be a person or a sacred text or a book of contemporary laws. Same thing with the SCD. Elaine has provided us with a gift. Each person then integrates the diet in a way that their body dictates as best. Each of us varies intake to suit our individual needs, based on how it makes one feel. That makes good sense to me. I feel that way about religion AND its laws. That's just me. I appreciate this forum as a wonderful place to share experiences with the diet, yet each body is unique. And so are we. It makes for a wonderfully diverse and rich world. As we learn what our bodies are telling us in every moment, we will move to greater and greater levels of vitality, and we can assist one another in finding that source of wisdom within. I believe that is the highest spiritual teaching when it comes to caring for these bodies we inhabit. Your original post voiced your concern about a potential conflict between your religious concerns and the SCD restrictions. In my way of thinking, there is no conflict between the two. For the reasons I mention above, the diet that alleviates my intestinal disease would be of utmost importance, because in caring for my body, I am respecting my Soul. blessings of love, Paula
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 11:46:05 -0400 From: ruth <callahan@webspan.net> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Re:opinions about spirtual paths Paula, Deanna asked for our opinion and experiences of eating a morsel of Bread while adhering to scd. Not about our opinions of her chosen spiritual path of Judaism. Respectfully submited, Ruth
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 09:11:52 -0700 From: David Hyde <dhyde@ccsf.cc.ca.us> To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: Re: The "B" Word >I do feel strongly that as individuals we tend to give our > power away to authorities, whether the authority figure be a person or a > sacred text or a book of contemporary laws. Boy am I staying out of this one. I'm a VERY ethically oriented atheist. Even militantly so. I'm also a very committed vegetarian. Because of this diet, I was feeling weak and undernourished, so, after 8 years without, I ate some fish last week, and twice since. It sucked emotionally, but physically it seemed to help. Intellectually, I just told myself we all do what we have to to get by. Whether my "laws" come internally, or from religion or the state or the SCD, I'm the sort that challenges them, redefines them, whatever. You may not be that sort. Nothing wrong with doing what you think is right, whether that serves the interest of your health or some other interest, just make sure you're pretty certain what "right" is for you. I'd be happy to discuss the concept of faith, or blind faith or authority privately whith whomever, but here, on this list, I'll try and stick to science and support. Scientifically, it does seem rational to follow the diet 100% where starches are concerned for best health results. If some other criteria outweighs your health, then by all means, follow that. I don't think a little diet cheating on non-starches would matter as much (ie. eating a few nuts before 6 months). Best luck with whatever you decide. dave -- _ 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: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 12:50:55 -0400 From: paulasirois@juno.com (Paula Sirois) To: SCD-list@longisland.com Subject: opinions Dear Ruth, As I understand Deanna's original question, I am directly responding to her request for input: I am writing with the intention of pointing out the importance of, above all, paying attention to our bodies' innate wisdom.... I may have touched a few nerves here, but I respect everyone's choices about everything. Is it disrespectful to bring up points for discussion? In my opinion, healthy discussion brings an expanded potential for greater choices. If I am secure in my views, and another person is secure in theirs, where is the threat? I enjoy sharing perspectives in all arenas, especially regarding physical and spiritual nourishment, and as David infers, refining one's perceptions and redefining one's beliefs are a wonderful part of the process of being alive...a part I wouldn't miss for the world. in Joy and Love, Paula
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 15:26:20 -0400 From: "Stephen C. McCord" <stevem@chesapeake.net> To: "SCD" <SCD-list@longisland.com> Subject: communion After reading Deanna's list about eating bread on the Sabbath, brings up the question about the small piece of bread/or wafer and wine at communion. Although I have been following the SCD for the most part I have to say I have not been 100%. I have received communion and not worried about it. I have mild UC and am doing well. For severe sufferers does communion pose a problem? Lori |
