About The Specific Carbohydrate Diet printable pdf download

MMC FACT SHEET 906

SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET

Dr Richard J Coleman, 128 Millhouse Drive, Howick, Auckland. Phone 09 537 4980

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (or SCD) was developed by paediatrician Dr. Sidney Haas on behalf of biochemist and

cell scientist Elaine Gottschall, author of a popular book on Intestinal Health. It has been used successfully by many

people to treat:

Crohn's disease

Ulcerative Colitis

Irritable Bowel

Coeliac disease

Cystic Fibrosis

Chronic Diarrhoea

Candidiasis.

The premise of the diet is that damaged intestinal walls and bacterial overgrowth are a part of a vicious cycle that

wrecks havoc with the body's health and immunity. The diet restricts the type of carbohydrates that feed these

bacteria, thereby restoring the body's inner ecology. Elaine Gottschall's book,

Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal

, offers more in depth coverage, tips, and recipes about successfully using the Specific

Health through Diet

Carbohydrate Diet. (see

and

)

This strict but useful grain-free, lactose-free, and sucrose-free dietary regimen combats bacterial and yeast

overgrowth by restricting the energy they require to live, while keeping the host (us) well fed. Foods eaten must

have few or no carbohydrates, or contain monosaccharides which are quickly absorbed by the body. A list of allowed

and disallowed foods is provided on page 2. If you are unsure about a particular food, DO NOT EAT IT. Strict

adherence is necessary to obtain relief from symptoms.

How it works: Of all dietary components, carbohydrates have the greatest influence on intestinal microbes (yeast

and bacteria) which are believed to be involved in intestinal disorders. Most intestinal microbes require

carbohydrates for energy. The SCD works by severely limiting the availability of carbohydrates to intestinal microbes.

When carbohydrates are not digested, they are not absorbed. They remain in the intestinal tract, encouraging

microbes to multiply by providing food for them. This can lead to the formation of acids and toxins which can injure

the small intestine. Once bacteria multiply within the small intestine, they can destroy the enzymes on the intestinal

cell surface, preventing carbohydrate digestion and absorption. At this point, production of excessive mucus may be

triggered as the intestinal tract attempts to "lubricate" itself against the irritation caused by the toxins, acids, and the

presence of incompletely digested and unabsorbed carbohydrates.

The SCD is based on the principle that specifically selected carbohydrates requiring minimal digestion are well

absorbed, leaving virtually nothing for intestinal microbes to feed on. As the microbes decrease due to lack of food,

their harmful by-products also diminish. No longer needing protection, the mucus-producing cells stop producing

excessive mucus and carbohydrate digestion is improved. The SCD corrects malabsorption, allowing nutrients to

enter the bloodstream and be made available to the cells of the body, thereby strengthening the immune system's

ability to fight. Further debilitation is prevented, weight can return to normal, and ultimately there is a return to

health.

Dr Richard J Coleman, 128 Millhouse Drive, Howick, Auckland. Phone 09 537 4980

About The Specific Carbohydrate Diet