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Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) for Autism

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 & Autism
Description:  In 2001-2002, a handful of moms started using the SCD for their children who had autism. As the children experienced positive results, news of the SCD began spreading within the autism community. Elaine Gottschall continues to make major contributions to the health and well-being of people; this time by introducing the SCD to the ASD community.

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)
Description:  Learn how to normalize your child’s gastrointestinal problems at this official website for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.

SCD Site for Crohns Disease
Description:  Erin’s journey to perfect health through the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. She shares her story, the diet, recipe and menu ideas, and encouragement.

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

Books

The SCD for Autism and ADHD: A Reference and Dairy-Free Cookbook for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Raman Prasad, Pamela Ferro, and Nilou Moochhala
Description:  This book explains the research supporting the SCD-Dairy Free dietary intervention. It depicts how conditions such as anxiety, eczema, reflux, and motor coordination are connected to autism and ADHD. The book guides families on how to begin the SCD-DF by constructing a support network, setting up the kitchen, creating shopping lists, developing meal plans, and knowing what to expect when beginning the diet. The second part of this book contains numerous SCD-DF recipes organized by categories such as: Bakery, Breakfast, Snacks, Meats, Drinks, and Desserts. This book also includes a sample transitional menu, provides some weekly meal plans, as well as themed menu ideas.

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.

Cooking to Heal Little Tummies (Specific Carbohydrate Diet Recipes) by Jenna Roberts and Natalie Hagood
Description:  This SCD cookbook is created specifically for children. Two mothers of children with autism collaborated their creations to help their children and uniquely design this book.

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.

Lucy's Specific Carbohydrate Diet Cookbook by Lucy Rosset
Description:  This cookbook showcases SCD recipes that complement the book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet, by Elaine Gottschall.

Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet by Elaine Gloria Gottschall
Description:  Written by Elaine Gottschall, this book is valuable for making diet modifications for those suffering from digestive diseases. In addition to providing helpful solutions, several of the common digestive disorders are also discussed.

Grain-Free Gourmet: Delicious Recipes for Healthy Living 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.

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
Description:  Containing several SCD as well as some dairy free ideas, this recipe book will be a helpful aid for complying with the SCD diet. Also included in this book are color photos and short personal stories.

Eat Well, Feel Well: More Than 150 Delicious Specific Carbohydrate Diet(TM)-Compliant Recipes by Kendall Conrad
Description:  First creating SCD recipes for her sick daughter and then modifying meals for her entire family, the author provides the reader with over 150 SCD recipes to try.

Parent Forums/Blogs

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

Forum/Blog Name:  BTVC-SCD-Advanced
Description:  This Group is for individuals who have been following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (the SCD), as delineated in Elaine Gottschall's book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle, for at least one year. If you have never been on the SCD before, or if you have been following the diet for less than one year, please join the main BTVC-SCD group http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/BTVC-SCD/

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.

Forum/Blog Name:  Pecan Bread
Description:  This is a discussion group for those implementing the Specific Carbohydrate Diet ™. Many, but not all of the members, have children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders). Anyone following the SCD ™ is welcome to join the group.