Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) for Autism

Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) for Autism – The Autism Exchange

Introduction

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) helps children with Autism who may be experiencing difficulty with digestion or malabsorption in the intestines resulting in GI issues. SCD starts to heal and restore balance in the intestines by eliminating complex carbohydrates that the body has difficulty breaking down, which causes an overgrowth of bacteria. The bacteria in the intestines feed off the complex carbohydrates creating more bacteria, which SCD refers to as the vicious cycle. To help stop the vicious cycle the Specific Carbohydrate Diet recommends eating foods that are high in protein, fat, and simple carbohydrates like honey, nuts, oils, fruits, and vegetables. Please refer to the following sites for a more scientific explanation of the SCD, SCD recipes, and SCD legal and illegal foods.

Related Sites

PecanBread.com
Description: This website goes into detail about the benefits of using SCD with children on the Autism Spectrum and provides acceptable foods.

SCD Web Library
Description: The SCD Web Library is a valuable source for information on recipes, research, articles, and other useful resources.

Books

We Band of Mothers: Autism My Son & the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Judith Chinitz and Sidney M. Baker
Description: This book is a very helpful step to beginning the SCD diet. Filled with parent stories, food lists to utilize and to avoid, and expectations about trying the diet, this guide will provide much needed aid for implementation.

Everyday Grain-Free Gourmet: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner by Jodi Bager
Description: Contains over 100 gluten-free, low-lactose, refined-sugar-free recipes that use only whole foods. The dishes are inspired by the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), which eliminates most complex carbohydrates so food is easier to digest.

Tools

Make SCD Yogurt
Description: A video that will explain how to make SCD legal yogurt. Tutorial is done by Erin, at NoMoreCrohns.com, where the objective is to provide hope, encouragement and information to people with digestive illnesses who are on the SCD.

Specific Carbohydrate Stores
Description: A list of suppliers that have SCD products.

Parent Forums/Blogs

Some forums require you to sign in to Yahoo or Facebook to locate forum names.

Forum/Blog Name: BVTC: The Specific Carbohydrate Diet
Description: Follow and join discussions from people using the SCD.

Forum/Blog Name: BTVC-SCD-Plus
Description: This is a discussion group for people following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) as delineated in Elaine Gottschall's book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle. If you are new to the diet, please join the group BTVC-SCD at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/BTVC-SCD/. Because there are many side discussions that come up during the course of making SCD a part of our daily lives, BTVC-SCD-Plus is a group to discuss things which aren't necessarily part of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, but are of interest to SCDers who have a special slant on such things.

Consumer Corner

Lucy's Kitchen Shop
Description: Lucy’s Kitchen Shop supplies products that are used by those on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.

SCD Bakery
Description: All products are gluten free, casein/dairy free, sugar free and grain free … designed for people following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. All products are made using the strict guidelines in the book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall and are not only a healthy alternative to eating but absolutely delicious!

Community Library

Introducing SCD
Description: Contains a wealth of information about the SCD including the science behind the SCD, how to implement the diet, allowed foods, and helpful links.

What Is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet?
Description: A detailed article describing how the specific carbohydrate diet began, what the science is behind it, as well as good versus bad foods in this diet plan.

(coming soon)