Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

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 SCD and lists of okayed food and recipes. 

Related Sites

http://pecanbread.com/p/intro/autism.html  This website goes into detail about the benefits of using SCD with children on the Autism Spectrum and provides acceptable foods.
http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/p/autism-gi-problems/  An article on Autism & GI Problems as well as a list of acceptable foods for SCD is offered on this web page.
http://www.scdiet.org/  The SCD Web Library is a valuable source for information on recipes, research, articles, and other useful resources.

Books

Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet  by Elaine Gloria Gottschall.
Description:  Breaking the Vicious Cycle was written by Elaine Gottschall, biochemist and cell biologist. It provides an alternative way to help combat digestive disorders using dietary changes; and also a practical book that addresses the problems of intestinal conditions such as:  Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Diverticulitis, Celiac Disease as well as less severe complaints like: indigestion, "nervous stomach", chronic diarrhea and spastic colon.

Lucy's Specific Carbohydrate Diet Cookbook - Grain and Sugar Free  by Lucy Rosset.
Description:  The recipes in this cookbook comply with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which is detailed in the book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet, by Elaine Gottschall B.A., M. Sc. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet was developed for people with various intestinal disorders, specifically: Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, celiac disease, and chronic diarrhea.

We Band of Mothers: Autism My Son & the Specific Carbohydrate Diet   by Judith Chinitz and Sidney M. Baker.
Description:  Judy shared her remarkable find with hundreds of other families of autistic children. In this book, you'll read the stories of many of these families: stories about once-tormented autistic children, who can now sleep soundly, eat without pain, play and learn, cuddle and laugh. You'll even learn about children whose autistic symptoms virtually vanished as a result of SCD. Most important of all, you'll learn how you can implement the SCD diet yourself.  Judy's simple, clear, step-by-step instructions tell you what foods the diet includes, what to avoid, and what to expect when you "go SCD." You'll also learn about resources - everything from Web sites to cookbooks - that can give you the information and moral support you need to succeed with SCD.

Tools

Eat Well, Feel Well: More Than 150 Delicious Specific Carbohydrate Diet(TM)-Compliant Recipes by Kendall Conrad.
When her daughter was diagnosed with a dangerous digestive problem that left her weakened and sick, author Kendall Conrad started searching for a way to save her child's failing health. The answer came when a nutritionist recommended the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). Created by Elaine Gottschall, this revolutionary program is extraordinarily effective in relieving the debilitating and often painful symptoms of ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, diverticulitis, IBS, Crohn's disease, and other common ailments. Simply by eliminating virtually all starch and complex sugars and eating a balance of smart carbohydrates, good proteins and fats, and essential vitamins and minerals, many people experience a complete restoration of digestive health. Dozens of recipes for snacks, desserts, breakfast dishes, and beverages will help you integrate the SCD way of eating into your family's lifestyle with ease, grace, and creativity.

Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet: The Grain-Free, Lactose-Free, Sugar-Free Solution to IBD, Celiac Disease, Autism, Cystic Fibrosis, and Other Health Conditions (Healthy Living Cookbooks) by Raman Prasad.
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is a strict grain-free, lactose-free, and sucrose-free dietary regimen intended for those suffering from Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (both forms of IBD), celiac disease, IBS, cystic fibrosis, and autism. For those suffering from gastrointestinal illnesses, this book offers a method for easing symptoms and pain, and ultimately regaining health. Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet(TM) includes a diverse and delicious collection of 150 SCD-friendly recipes and more than 80 dairy-free recipes. The easy-to-make and culturally diverse recipes featured in the book include breakfast dishes, appetizers, main dishes, and desserts, such as Hazelnut-Vanilla Pancakes, Olive Sandwich Bread, Chicken Satay, Roasted Bass with Parsley Butter, Thin Crust Pizza, Gretel's Gingerbread Cookies, and Mango Ice Cream. Full-color photos will inspire you to get cooking again. In addition, personal anecdotes accompany each section of this book.

http://www.backontract.com/ This website makes and sells food products for SCD and 5% of all sales profit is being donated to the GOTTSCHALL AUTISM CENTER to support their organic farming program.

Parent Forums

(Some forums require you to sign in to Yahoo or Facebook to locate forum names.)
Forum Name:  BTVC: The Specific Carbohydrate Diet
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/btvc-scd/info   Follow and join discussions from people using the SCD.