Letters from the SCD support group:
Arthrisis

Date: Wed, 2 Dec 1998 08:41:00 -0700
From: "Brad Lait" <laitb@cadvision.com>
To: "SCD List" <SCD-list@longisland.com>
Subject: OT: arthritis, lupus, Schizophrenia, MS etc.

>Hi listees,
>A little while ago someone posted that they had attended the seminar (health fair)
>in vancouver and heard Elaine Speak.
>Also mentioned that Elaine stated that Lupus, schizophrenia and Arthritis .. can
>also be treated with the SCD.. did I misread this post .... is this true??
>Perhaps many autoimmune disorders could benefit from the SCD... wouldn't that be
>wonderful!!!!
>Debi, In Alberta

Hi Debi (I'm not on the SCD,my husband Brad is.) I was diagnosed with gout in my early 20s. That's a form of arthritis. I also had "regular" arthritis in my feet. I read in the book Allergies: Disease in Disguise that allergy can be caused by a leaky gut. The leaky gut allows undigested/partially digested proteins to enter the bloodstream. The immune system becomes sensitized to these undigested proteins (they think they're viruses) and sets up an inflammation reaction. The inflammation reaction can be anywhere in the body, leading to all those "-Itis" conditions. So I decided to try an allergy clearing diet to see if it would help. apparently airborne allergies decrease if you can get a handle on your food allergies.

I cut out dairy from my diet (milk and cheese). I was eating a LOT of dairy in cheese and milk, because the nutrition powers that be say you should. I found my arthritis went away. When I reintroduced dairy in controlled experiments, within hours my feet would be hurting. Naturally my doctors thought this was poppycock; yet they had no explanation. Now if I don't consume dairy in quantity, I don't get arthritis. My pollen allergies diminish along with my arthritis.

in Crohn's and Colitis there'd be lots of chances for undigested proteins to enter the bloodstream. Brad used to complain that his "brain chemistry" was off. He also gets a rosacea-like skin flushing when he's flaring. So I bet there's leaking into his bloodstream. In a logical universe, things have explanations. I believe that this explanation is quite plausible. So yes the SCD or other diets could help those conditions. I'm aware that a Canadian study is set to begin on dietary controls for MS. My public health nurse's child has MS but is in remission due to eliminating eggs, and a few other things. I'll dig up the paper if you all are interested.

regards, Alison

Date: Sat, 05 Dec 1998 13:12:51 -0700
From: "T Croteau" <datts@shaw.wave.ca>
To: SCD-list@longisland.com
Subject: Re: Questions for Elaine

> Hi,

Would it be appropriate to ask Elaine if the SCD would be benefcial to persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis, or are you just approching her with allowable foods?Thank you
Debra In Canada

>
>
> A while back, we compiled questions for Elaine then I faxed them to her,
> she faxed it to Michelle Porter and Michelle posted the answers. (a
> division of labor and cost saving for Elaine to fax inside Canada)
>
> So - Anyone have any questions? On my list are dextrose in salt, taro
> chips (I think these are a no-no because they are starchy), flax/linseed
> oil (I know the fiber question has been answered but don't know about
> the oil). Anyone have questions? Send them to me. I want to get this
> out in a few days so it will be well before Christmas. Thanks.
>
> Shannon

Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 09:22:26 -0700
From: "T Croteau" <datts@shaw.wave.ca>
To: SCD-list@longisland.com
Subject: Re: OT: arthritis,

Allison,
Hi, I was emptying my mail box (filled to the MAX) and came across ypur post! I am not an avid dairy person hate milk BUT since reading that Elaine has said that Rhuematoid Arthritis may be "helped" by following the SCD I have deliberately included yougurt and cheese in my diet....now I am wondering ..do I need to eliminate dairy ..or do I need to continue with the SCD to see if it helps.....argggggg so hard to figure these bodies out!! This RA has affected my ability to even type, hands and elbows are the most affected, it would be so wondrous to not hurt, I call it having migraines in my joints!!!!!!
I would love to read the papers you mention.....
Hope your Christmas was great!
Take care,
Debi, In Alberta!

Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1998 19:11:10 +0200
From: mik@inform-bbs.dk (mik aidt)
To: SCD-list@longisland.com
Subject: Arthrisis Diet

As an input to the discussion about whether SCD could have a positive effect on arhrisis as well as it has on colitis and crohns, I enclose an excerpt (translated) from a Danish health book which shows that arthrisis sufferers are recommended a diet very similar to the SCD.
In other words, if THIS diet helps arhrisis sufferers, then obviously, SCD would also!

Sorry for the translation which is a bit rough and quickly done.

" " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " "
" " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " "

Arthrisis Diet

Excerpt from the book "Det Positive Køkken" ("The Positive Kitchen") by Miriam Polunin,
page 81 (published in Danish by Nyt Nordisk Forlag, Arnold Busck 1998, Købmagergade
49, 1150 Copenhagen K, Denmark)

Diseases in joint and bones are ofte regarded as diseases of age - of wear and tear - but in reality, they are often a result of disturbances in the chemistry of the body where diet and life style plays an important role.
The traditional treatments with medicaments with considerable adverse effects urge to look our for more natural methods to give relief and alleviation.
The diet is to an increasing extent regarded as playing an important role in both prevention and relief.

Arthrisis diets are based on two ideas.
The first is that certain kinds of arthrisis are caused and worsened by years of unbalanced diet and stress, and that a vegetarian diet of mainly vegetables, unraffined carbohydrates, nuts and seeds combined with control of stress can give relief after several months on the diet.
The other is that certain kinds of rheumatoid arthritis can be a direct reaction on special types of food which should therefore be avoided.
The diet below is partly based on the diet that is used for arthritis patients by dr. John Hunters klinik at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, England.

Avoid the following completely in four weeks:
* Tea, coffee, chokolate, sugar, alcohol, cow milk products, meat (except poultry),
shellfish (except newzealandic greenlipped bivalve), sardines, citrus fruits, picled, corned or smoked food, wheat, rye, barley, soya products (including tofu), peanuts and egg.
* Avoid all food with sugar additives.
* Cut down on salt and fat, except for app 25-50 grammes of nuts and seeds a day, and the same amount of olive oil.
* Base you meals on vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and combined with small portions of more protein-rich foods.
* After four weeks:
Add one kind of food to the diet every fourth day and register the reaction in your body.
Add the basis foods like milk, wheat, meat and eggs first. Any type of food which gives you an unpleasant reaction should be excluded again.

Beneficial foods:
* Fat fish has helped against rheumatoid arthrisis in scientific tests. Eat approximately 700 grammes a week.
* Fresh ginger, 50 grammes boiled or 5 grammes raw a day. In Danish experiments this gave relief to most patients with osteo- og rheumatoid arthrisis.
* Raw pineapple and chile has shown certain anti-infection effects.
* Newzealandic greenlipped bivalve is an unproven but popular remedy in extracted form.
* Apples, asparges, black currant, celery and parsley has traditionally been used to relieve arthrisis.

Possible supplements:
The following have all caused relief from symptomes in at least one clinical test::
* Vitamine E: take 400 mg a day
* Vitamine C: take 1 grammes four times a day, cut down after relief to 500
mg a day.
* Bromelain enzymes: take 125-400 mg three times a day.
* Pantothen acid (against rheumatoid arthritis): take 500 mg daily in two days, 1 gr
dayly in three days, 1500 mg dayly in four days and hereafter 200 mg dayly in two months - or until pain is relieved. Cut down to the necessary minimum to maintain relief.




Danish translation of the arthrisis diet:

Gigtdiæt

Uddrag fra bogen "Det Positive Køkken" af Miriam Polunin, side 81 (udgivet af Nyt Nordisk Forlag, Arnold Busck 1998, Købmagergade 49, 1150 København K)

Knogle- og ledsygdomme betragtes i vid udstrækning som alderens slitagesygdomme, men de er langt oftere resultater af forstyrrelser i kroppens kemi, hvor kost og levevis spiller en væsentlig rolle.
Den traditionelle behandling med lægemidler med betydelige bivirkninger tilskynder i allerhøjeste grad til at prøve mere naturlige metoder til at give lindring.
Kosten anses i stigende grad for at spille en vigtig rolle i både forebyggelse og lindring.

Gigtdiæter er baseret på to ideer.
Den ene er, at visse former for gigt er forårsaget og forværret af års uafbalanceret kost og stress, og at en vegetarisk diæt af hovedsalig grøntsager, uraffinerede kulhydrater, nødder og kerner kombineret med stresskontrol kan fremkalde lindring efter adskillige måneder.
Den anden er, at visse tilfælde af rheumatoid arthritis kan være en reaktion på specielle fødevarer, som bør undgås. Kostplanen herunder er delvis baseret på den diæt, som bruges ved arthritis af dr. John Hunters klinik på Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, England.

Undgå følgende fuldstændigt i fire uger:
* Te, kaffe, chokolade, sukker, alkohol, komælkeprodukter, kød undtagen fjerkræ, skaldyr undtagen newzealandske grønlæbede muslinger, sardiner, citrusfrugt, sprængt eller røget mad, hvede, rug, byg, sojaprodukter som tofu, jordnødder og æg.
* Undgå alle fødevarer tilsat sukker
* Skær mest muligt ned på salt og fedt, bortset fra 25-50 gram nødder eller kerner pr. dag og samme mængde olie pr. dag.
* Basér måltider på grøntsager, frugt, nødder, kerner og uraffinerede kornprodukter og kerner sammen med små portioner af mere proteinrige fødevarer.
* Efter fire uger:
Genindfør én fødevare hver fjerde dag og registrér reaktionen. Indfør basisfødevarer som mælk, hvede, kød og æg først. Enhver fødevarer, der giver uønsket reaktion, kan udelukkes igen.

Gavnlige fødevarer:
* Fed fisk har afhjulpet rheumatoid arthrisis i forsøg. Spis cirka 700 gram om ugen.
* Frisk ingefær, 50 gram kogt eller 5 gram rå indtaget hver dag, gav i danske forsøg en vis lindring hos de fleste med osteo- og rheumatoid arthrisis.
* Rå ananas og chili har vist visse anti-betændelses-virkninger
* Grønlæbede muslinger er et ubevist, men populært middel i ekstraktform
* Æbler, asparges, solbær, blegselleri og persille har traditionelt været brugt til gigtlindring.

Mulige tilskud:
Følgende har alle fremkaldt en vis lindring af symptomer i mindst ét klinisk forsøg:
* Vitamin E: tag 400 mg om dagen
* Vitamin C: tag 1 gram fire gange om dagen, nedsæt efter lindring til 500 mg dagligt.
* Bromelain-enzymer: tag 125-400 mg tre gange dagligt.
* Pantothensyre (mod rheumatoid arthritis): tag 500 mg dagligt i to dage, 1 gram dagligt i tre dage, 1500 mg dagligt i fire dage, derefter 200 mg dagligt i to måneder - eller til smerten er lindret. Skær så ned til det nødvendige minimum for at bevare lindringen.

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