Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

SCD/GAPS/Paleo Diets


Patience

Recommended Posts

The Weston A. Price foundation is big time into kombucha. I've never tried it myself, but if you want to get starters for it (I think they're called SCOBYs), you should join a WAPF Yahoo Group near whatever town you live in. They are also an excellent resource for finding stores or farmer's markets near you that have grass fed beef, organic chicken, etc., and for help with making kombucha and fermented vegetables. I've found a lot of the WAPF members on the list in my city are doing the GAPS diet.

 

I remember reading that there was some company that made SCD legal yogurt, but it would be much cheaper to make it yourself. I doubt it could be found in regular stores anyway and the shipping process might kill the beneficial bacteria. The Yogourmet yogurt maker is good, but you need to put it on a dimmer switch because it raises the temperature too high after four hours. You can make yogurt in a dehydrator (the Excalibur brand is good), or as the book says, in your oven just using the light (60 watt bulb) to maintain the temperature. I've also seen people make it in a styrofoam ice chest with a bare bulb light with a 60-watt bulb put inside to maintain the temperature. It might be hard to find 60 watt incandescent light bulbs these days, though. An excellent resource for all things SCD can be found by joining the Yahoo group.

1989 to 2008: Prozac then Paxil then Celexa.

Numerous attempts to quit.

Then I got off the SSRI poop-out merry-go-round.

11-12 week taper.

 

Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear

If you're going through hell, keep walking

The only way out is through

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nuts and nut butters -- lots of calories.

 

I believe you can eat meat, yes?

 

That photo of Steve Jobs apparently was a hoax.

 

Yea, I'm really leery of nuts and nut butters as a staple though.

 

I've read warnings about heavy nut/nutbutter intake on paleo/nutrition blogs. A quick google turned up lots of contradictory information but a lot of entries concerned with omega6 fats like, this forum entry for instance.

 

I've been looking at all sorts of info today. It's my 'diet making day' and haven't come across any rules against meat (or more specifically animal parts) thus far.

 

I'm not an expert on digestive issues and I don't know why I developed my problems in the way that i did.

 

I am grateful for the help of the people here. I tried to order the book on GAPS and I can't find it anywhere, evidently it's out of print? So I am pasting together a dietary plan for the next few weeks from the links in this thread and the links from those links.

 

Alex.i

 

ps - The Jobs photo was a hoax? Who would spend their time creating a fake pic of a sick man? People...sometimes, i don't know.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Question:

 

So I understand the GAPS diet and SCD are complimentary. But I'm finding contradictions. Kefir, for instance, is not on the legal list on the SCD site (there is evidently some controversyabout it) but is well-endorsed on the GAPS diet. Am I misunderstanding? I guess I will avoid kefir for now.

 

Also, on the GAPS intro diet there are stages. The first stage is homemade broth with meat. Is that all you eat all day in that stage because that is how it reads to me?

 

Anyone who did the GAPS intro diet, what was your experience? How did you feel?

 

Thanks everyone for helping me sort this out.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

Here's an article about a Paleo diet book author:

 

Your Emotions Are What You Eat: How Your Diet Can Reduce Anxiety

August 24, 2011, 1:59 PM Guest post by Patrick Riley

 

If you believe your emotions can affect your health, nutritionist-author Nora Gedgaudas would say that's only part of the story – because your emotions are, in many ways, a product of your health.

 

At the Ancestral Health Symposium this month at UCLA Gedgaudas spoke about "the myth of the 'mind-body connection' and how diet can powerfully impact mental health and cognitive performance" and she expanded on this in an interview with Age of Engagement.

 

"Emotions are biochemical storms in the body and brain," she says. "The healthier your biochemistry, of course, the better the emotional and also the cognitive forecast."

 

Psychological issues have physiological underpinnings, she says. "We see absolutely everything through this lens that is our blood sugar stability (...), our hormones and our neurotransmitters."

 

....

However, she is adamant about not minimizing the impact of outside stressors, like trauma, on psychological well-being. "Good nutrition would not immunize anyone against the impact of, say, a sexual assault," she says. "Chronically elevated cortisol from intense surrounding stress can dysregulate or even unravel a person all on its own. (...) What quality nutrition does is help minimize adverse variables and maximizes resiliency."

 

Gedgaudas, a certified nutritional therapist as well as a clinical neurofeedback practitioner, has just released a revised edition of her book Primal Body, Primal Mind: Beyond the Paleo Diet for Total Health and a Longer Life which, since it first came out in 2009, has become one of the more respected tomes in the Paleo nutrition community.

 

“Stress is not what happens to us," she says. "It's how we respond to what happens to us."

 

If the brain is not in proper working order, it has "no capacity to manage that stress," she says. If you have an immunologic reaction to something like gluten, blood flow to your frontal lobes gets shut down. "Both the body and the brain need a certain amount of raw materials to function. Without these raw materials no amount of therapy of any kind is ever going to have optimal or lasting results."

 

With the standard American diet (SAD), the raw materials are lacking – and the results may be visible.

 

Anxiety-related disorders are "absolutely epidemic," Gedgaudas says, and "may be viewed as part of a spectrum of over-arousal-based symptoms."

 

"Over-arousal is now the rule, not the exception," she says, adding that by 2020, depression – what she describes as "a state of chronic efforting" – will be the second-leading disability behind heart disease.

 

What to do about it from an eating stance? Regulate your blood-sugar by watching your carb intake; get sufficient protein – as long as you can digest it well into amino acids needed for things like serotonin; deal with food sensitivity issues, dehydration, and anemia (which means not enough hemoglobin is getting to your very oxygen-dependent basal ganglia, she says); get enough minerals; and pay attention to cravings (a craving for chocoloate, for example, may mean you need more magnesium).

 

Gedgaudas says she’s had her blood-sugar level as low as 70 mg/dL without hypoglycemia. For breakfast she'll eat a duck egg cooked in ghee and by 1 to 2 pm she's hungry but not crabby and brain-fogged like those experiencing the sugar highs and lows of a carb-heavy diet. "It's no way to live,” she says. “You can manage it if you want. I'd rather not be a slave to that."

 

She’s also staunchly anti-gluten, which she calls "a gateway food sensitivity" that can lead to other immunological reactions.

 

....

One of her main recommendations is "calorie restriction with optimal nutrition." She explains that nature's energy goes toward reproduction (and, with it, aging), and restriction of calories sends the energy toward us (anti-aging). "Stimulating cellular proliferation past a certain age becomes dicier," she says, citing IGF-1 and cancer risk.

 

Her version of caloric restriction includes a high-percentage of fat in the diet because “nothing is more stabilizing to the brain than natural dietary fat," she says. Up to half of the human brain is made of saturated fat, she explains, and the brain uses 25 percent of the body's cholesterol. Of the government's low-fat dietary recommendations, she says, "it is an unmitigated disaster," especially for children since they "particularly need fats and cholesterol for their neurological and hormonal development."

 

....

 

http://bigthink.com/ideas/39897

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Weston A. Price foundation is big time into kombucha. I've never tried it myself, but if you want to get starters for it (I think they're called SCOBYs), you should join a WAPF Yahoo Group near whatever town you live in. They are also an excellent resource for finding stores or farmer's markets near you that have grass fed beef, organic chicken, etc., and for help with making kombucha and fermented vegetables. I've found a lot of the WAPF members on the list in my city are doing the GAPS diet.

 

I'll look into the list. I think there's a local operation that makes kombucha, my city used to be a great old-hippie paradise and all those folks now seem to be into craft foods, so couldn't I just buy it?

 

The thing is, I talked to the owner/brewer/whatershecalled, on the phone and she told me that it has alcohol in it. Is this a problem? I think it's a small amount like less than 50% of the amount in beer or maybe less than that. I think she said 1% by volume -- I think industrial beer is a bit over 3%.

 

Any issue with the alcohol? Conventional wisdom says alcohol should be entirely avoided for reflux.

 

Also, I am thinking about starting with the SCD intro diet linked earlier in the thread (think by you, patience) and supplementing with the GAPS intro diet (which so far as I can tell is just homemade beef/fish stock). I could also try apple cider vinegar. But I will probably wait on that... I spent a lot of time on earthclinic.com reading pros/cons of ACV... I think i'll wait.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

alex.i

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't tried making kombucha yet, but a friend of mine makes it with regular kefir grains (you can switch kefir grains from milk to juice or other liquids pretty easily, and you can order kefir grains online... don't get a lot, they reproduce like crazy! Soon you'll be giving them away). See http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html. I've read kefir is better than yoghurt because it colonizes the gut, rather than just passing in a transient way (see http://www.kefir.net/kefiryogurt.htm). I have no idea if it's true, but I've been fine with kefir and so has my boyfriend, who at one point was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and has severe digestive issues.

 

I have another friend with the same sorts of beyond-celiac problems who is on the SCD diet and she drinks kefir regularly. I'd say, try it out at tiny doses once you are feeling better and see how it goes. The alcohol content is VERY low. GAPS and SCD do have some contradictions. GAPS tends to discourage too much yoghurt and milk products, especially at the beginning, while SCD starts them off fairly quickly and the farmer's cheese is a staple. GAPS allows kefir and also seaweed.

 

I guess it's a matter of finding what works for you. The reason SCD prohibits kefir is because of the yeast... but apparently there is also good and bad with yeast, so it might not cause a bad reaction. Keep in mind these diets were designed for severely ulcerated guts, so it could be some people can't handle kefir but it may be OK for others.

 

I second what Patience says about yoghurt... once you're set up it's the easiest thing in the world. I use the Yogourmet maker, and find it does OK even without a dimmer... it could be dependent on room temp as well. Most of the time I use ultrapasteurized organic milk which comes in packs you don't have to refrigerate (which is probably not ideal since apparently pasteurization in general is not great, but one thing at a time), and I don't even heat up the milk first. I just pour it in room temperature.

 

My boyfriend started doing it and I thought it was scandalous, but now I've realized it comes out just as good and it saves me a bunch of time. I wouldn't do that with fresh milk that's been open in the fridge for a while, but with a new pack of pasteurized milk, I think it's safe. Lately I've been concerned with the Omega 6/Omega 3 balance, especially after reading The Healthy Skeptic. I think it's a good idea to eat fish frequently. Which, by the way, you can also make soup stock with.

 

I don't know what to think about the nuts, but I've tried to cut down. I just saw an ad today for margarine that puts how confusing everything is in a nutshell... it said "we're the only ones who put milk in our margarine!" ??? First they tell us not to eat butter, because it's bad for you. Then they say margarine is worse because of hydrogenated oils, so best to use olive oil. Now apparently even olive oil is in question, and butter is best again. Achieving the ratio of omega 3 to 6 recommended by the Healthy Skeptic would require some pretty extreme changes and taking supplements.

 

And yet there are plenty of healthy people who don't eat fish quite that much and who eat plenty of olive oil. And I think it MUST be possible and even preferable to be healthy without taking supplements (unless of course you have some kind of health problem). I don't know what to think. But it can't hurt to increase how much fish you eat, especially fatty fish (unless, of course, it is contaminated with mercury! Augh!).

 

That is great you like soup! You can be really creative with your soups. For the first week of the diet, all I did was eat soup, stock, and more soup. Sometimes pureed to make it seem like I was eating something different. I got really tired of it but I think it was good for me. I was really, really hungry all the time, and in a few days I got my appetite back (as in really wanting to eat, not just HAVING to eat). My bowel movements were all over the place at first, and then they stabilized.

 

I started adding ground meat and fish and cooked veggies like carrots and green beans and peas gradually. Then yoghurt. I introduced nuts last and still think I need to watch not overdoing it with those. About weight gain... I gained five pounds in less than a month on the diet, and I didn't even want to. Partly it's because my appetite is finally back and I'm eating a ton, but also, as your gut heals, you'll absorb nutrients better. I'm sure my metabolism is still stabilizing and I'm wondering if I'll go back down to my normal weight eventually... maybe I'm healthier at the weight I'm at now, who knows.

 

What I'm sure of is the diet is healthy. My niece has been on it since she was 4 years old, and her doctor (who is a very pro-med doc with total disbelief in the role of diet in ulcerative colitis--as ridiculous as that sounds) is astounded at her health and growth. Usually children with UC don't grow very much and are sickly. She hardly ever gets sick, even when everyone else in her school is down with the flu. So I take that as a good sign.

'94-'08 On/off ADs. Mostly Zoloft & Wellbutrin, but also Prozac, Celexa, Effexor, etc.
6/08 quit Z & W after tapering, awful anxiety 3 mos. later, reinstated.
11/10 CTed. Severe anxiety 3 mos. later & @ 8 mos. much worse (set off by metronidazole). Anxiety, depression, anhedonia, DP, DR, dizziness, severe insomnia, high serum AM cortisol, flu-like feelings, muscle discomfort.
9/11-9/12 Waves and windows of recovery.
10/12 Awful relapse, DP/DR. Hydrocortisone?
11/12 Improved fairly quickly even though relapse was one of worst waves ever.

1/13 Best I've ever felt.

3/13 A bit of a relapse... then faster and shorter waves and windows.

4/14 Have to watch out for triggers, but feel completely normal about 80% of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

'94-'08 On/off ADs. Mostly Zoloft & Wellbutrin, but also Prozac, Celexa, Effexor, etc.
6/08 quit Z & W after tapering, awful anxiety 3 mos. later, reinstated.
11/10 CTed. Severe anxiety 3 mos. later & @ 8 mos. much worse (set off by metronidazole). Anxiety, depression, anhedonia, DP, DR, dizziness, severe insomnia, high serum AM cortisol, flu-like feelings, muscle discomfort.
9/11-9/12 Waves and windows of recovery.
10/12 Awful relapse, DP/DR. Hydrocortisone?
11/12 Improved fairly quickly even though relapse was one of worst waves ever.

1/13 Best I've ever felt.

3/13 A bit of a relapse... then faster and shorter waves and windows.

4/14 Have to watch out for triggers, but feel completely normal about 80% of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just had some broth made from beef bones mainly.

 

I made chicken broth last yesterday and I have a whole chicken's worth of meat. Do I eat it?

 

What type of fish do you make broth with?

 

It seems that GAPS really stresses beef/fish while SCD makes more mention of chicken. Can I do both?

 

I am really freaking exhausted. Brain dead and physically fatigued. I have been eating light for a couple of days. Is it normal to be wiped?

 

Alex.i

 

ps -- thanks for your help!

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It seems that GAPS really stresses beef/fish while SCD makes more mention of chicken. Can I do both?

 

I am really freaking exhausted. Brain dead and physically fatigued. I have been eating light for a couple of days. Is it normal to be wiped?

 

I don't know a lot about the GAPS diet, but with SCD, beef, fish, chicken, heck even ostrich, venison, bison, is all good.

 

If you're doing strict SCD (no grains, sugars, etc.), you may have a die-off and feel like you have a mild flu. Make sure you're eating enough and not getting hungry. The die off lasts a day or two. Taking a bath with epsom salts can help. Listen to your body and take it easy while it adjusts to a new diet.

1989 to 2008: Prozac then Paxil then Celexa.

Numerous attempts to quit.

Then I got off the SSRI poop-out merry-go-round.

11-12 week taper.

 

Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear

If you're going through hell, keep walking

The only way out is through

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eating beef broth makes me neuro-mad. I feel really unlike myself, reall unstable. I don't know if there is something in the marrow or if this is normal or if this is a reason to stop?

 

I had chicken broth for the first day or so and then completely caved and bought some sugary sweets. Now it's been a couple days on beef broth and not much else, some eggs and some veggies.

 

I still haven't gotten the breaking the vicious cycle book and can't find 'probiotic' yogurt starters so I may have to order those online.

 

Alex.i

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eating beef broth makes me neuro-mad. I feel really unlike myself, reall unstable. I don't know if there is something in the marrow or if this is normal or if this is a reason to stop?

 

I had chicken broth for the first day or so and then completely caved and bought some sugary sweets. Now it's been a couple days on beef broth and not much else, some eggs and some veggies.

 

I still haven't gotten the breaking the vicious cycle book and can't find 'probiotic' yogurt starters so I may have to order those online.

 

Alex.i

 

You really ought to read the BTVC book to get a better understanding of the theory behind the diet and how to do the diet. If you live in a fairly large area, your library should have a copy. It's real easy to succumb to the cravings, but the strong ones go away after about a week. Your gut bacteria are used to getting their dose of sugar (in the form of sucrose, grains, lactose, etc.). When they don't get their food supply, they die off and release toxins. That's what makes you feel bad. The healing process can release toxins into the bloodstream, but your body clears them after a couple of days.

 

I think if the beef broth is making you feel unwell, don't eat it. If you're okay with chicken broth, stick with that or try a fish broth. There are recipes in the BTVC book (it's a really small book and half of it is recipes) to get you started to add variety to your diet. The intro diet is only for a couple of days (I think four days is the maximum).

 

You know your limitations, so listen to your body. You may need to just ease into the diet rather than go full force. It's like with exercise. It's so good for us, but those of us dealing with antidepressant withdrawal have to ease into it very slowly.

 

The people on the BTVC Yahoo group can help you with specifics about the diet, but the first question they'll ask you is whether you've read the BTVC book.

1989 to 2008: Prozac then Paxil then Celexa.

Numerous attempts to quit.

Then I got off the SSRI poop-out merry-go-round.

11-12 week taper.

 

Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear

If you're going through hell, keep walking

The only way out is through

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for the yogurt, if you can find plain Dannon yogurt (not the non-fat, but the full fat), that can be used as starter. 1/2 cup of store-bought plain yogurt in a quart of milk that has been heated just to the boiling point, then cooled down to room temperature. Add the starter after it's cooled down, otherwise the heat will kill the bacteria. Fage greek yogurt (full fat version) can also be used as a starter. It doesn't contain lactobacillus acidophilus, but it's still good. Yogourmet makes a good starter (not the one with bifidus bacteria) that can be found in health food stores or online. Their starter contains sucrose, but the bacteria digest it for you, so it's okay. GI Pro Health has a couple of starters too. If you use store-bought yogurt, make sure it doesn't have any starches or additives or bifidus bacteria cultures. The SCDers believe that bifidus, while beneficial, can overgrow and become a problem. After you make a batch of yogurt, put 1/2 cup aside for your next batch.

1989 to 2008: Prozac then Paxil then Celexa.

Numerous attempts to quit.

Then I got off the SSRI poop-out merry-go-round.

11-12 week taper.

 

Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear

If you're going through hell, keep walking

The only way out is through

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You really ought to read the BTVC book to get a better understanding of the theory behind the diet and how to do the diet. If you live in a fairly large area, your library should have a copy. It's real easy to succumb to the cravings, but the strong ones go away after about a week. Your gut bacteria are used to getting their dose of sugar (in the form of sucrose, grains, lactose, etc.). When they don't get their food supply, they die off and release toxins. That's what makes you feel bad. The healing process can release toxins into the bloodstream, but your body clears them after a couple of days.

....

The people on the BTVC Yahoo group can help you with specifics about the diet, but the first question they'll ask you is whether you've read the BTVC book.

 

Yea, I agree. I ordered the book a while ago, actually that was the GAPS book, and then got an email that the supplier was out. So then ordered Breaking V. Cycle many days ago... along with a yogurt maker. Then a few days later I also order Peter Breggin's book. Today came a box from amazon with... the breggin book and a yogourmet, no BTVC.

 

I checked my library and it doesn't carry it. I thought I caught a break when I found it at the Univ library (there is a huge univ is my town) but, alas no, this is what they have:

 

Breaking the vicious cycle : protecting children from sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking : good practice on child sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking / [supervised by Samsul Alam Bokul ; overall coordination by Asna Zareen & A.H.M. Lutful Kabir].

So I'm just waiting for the bloody book to get here.

 

I do appreciate your help and patience! I feel a bit frustrated because I'd like to, you know, actually read the book if I'm going to do the diet.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yogourmet makes a good starter (not the one with bifidus bacteria) that can be found in health food stores or online.

 

I found this when I went shopping. I didn't buy it b/c I was looking for the 'probiotic' starter that the user's manual mentioned. I guess that's the one with bifidus?

 

It seems after I eat the broth that I get overheated emotionally, very touchy and angry. But this wears off so far a few hours after taking the broth. I am going to switch to more turkey and chicken for now though to be on the safe side.

 

Also, I bought a bottle of kombucha and that helped my reflux but I drank too much of it I think -- i had a similar reaction to the broth, hair-trigger temper out of proportion to the situation...

 

thanx again.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're in luck! I just remembered that the BTVC book is now online for free!

 

http://www.scribd.com/doc/52440515/BTVC

 

I chuckled at what came up in your library search. I guess there are lots of vicious cycles out there.

1989 to 2008: Prozac then Paxil then Celexa.

Numerous attempts to quit.

Then I got off the SSRI poop-out merry-go-round.

11-12 week taper.

 

Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear

If you're going through hell, keep walking

The only way out is through

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Just wanted to say that I don't drink kombucha because of the sugar. Is it actually approved on the SCD diet? or any other diet that says refined sugar is bad news? I know on GAPs there is no refined sugar. I don't remember seeing any reference to kombucha in my GAPS book.

 

Alex give me another month or so with it and then you can borrow my GAPs book if you want.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just wanted to say that I don't drink kombucha because of the sugar. Is it actually approved on the SCD diet? or any other diet that says refined sugar is bad news? I know on GAPs there is no refined sugar. I don't remember seeing any reference to kombucha in my GAPS book.

 

Alex give me another month or so with it and then you can borrow my GAPs book if you want.

 

Thanks for the gracious offer. Let's see where I am in a month.

 

As for the Kombucha, I am off it. It's not mentioned in the SCD stuff (I don't know if it's approved; doubt it), but I think it's the reason I've been overheating lately. On two occasions I tried the kombucha and have had food-triggered neuro-effects which still affect me. I have suspended my SCD/GAPS diet for now because I am unable to tolerate the broths. I think, as I said, this is related to the kombucha reaction.

 

I plan to begin experimenting with homemade yogurt immediately.

 

Alex.i

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Yogourmet yogurt maker is good, but you need to put it on a dimmer switch because it raises the temperature too high after four hours..

 

This is the one I have.

 

I'm looking for a dimmer switch. Something like THIS will be fine, yes?

 

Alex

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

 

Just wanted to say that I don't drink kombucha because of the sugar. Is it actually approved on the SCD diet? or any other diet that says refined sugar is bad news? I know on GAPs there is no refined sugar. I don't remember seeing any reference to kombucha in my GAPS book.

 

Alex give me another month or so with it and then you can borrow my GAPs book if you want.

 

Thanks for the gracious offer. Let's see where I am in a month.

 

As for the Kombucha, I am off it. It's not mentioned in the SCD stuff (I don't know if it's approved; doubt it), but I think it's the reason I've been overheating lately. On two occasions I tried the kombucha and have had food-triggered neuro-effects which still affect me. I have suspended my SCD/GAPS diet for now because I am unable to tolerate the broths. I think, as I said, this is related to the kombucha reaction.

 

I plan to begin experimenting with homemade yogurt immediately.

 

Alex.i

 

Kombucha also has caffeine in it. I personally don't do well with caffeine at all.

 

I never did the GAPs intro diet, I think I already said that, yes? What I find most helpful personally has been the fermented veggies and the kefir and eating lots of eggs and lots more saturated fat. And fish like salmon and steelhead trout (which is easy to get here, where I live, this time of year).

 

And of course cutting out starches and sugar. Actually I'm already tolerating foods I used to not be able to eat without reflux--I ate a green pepper the other day, no problem at all. Fruit is also okay now. Had a bite of potatoes a while back, that went okay. Haven't tried grains and probably won't any time soon.

 

So really not so much GAPs exactly as some kind of weird combo that's working for me. I hope you find a helpful weird combo too.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Administrator

Not sure if someone already posted this, here's Gianna Kali's post about the GAPS diet on her Beyond Meds blog: http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/the-gaps-diet-food-as-medicine/

 

She says it cleared up a lot of symptoms -- parasthesia, PTSD (as she experienced it), and neuro-rage included.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Been at it long enough now I think I can safely say that since I've been doing GAPs I seem to be able to taper faster and stabilize more quickly after cuts.

 

Still have to taper very slowly though. Not a drastic change or anything. Just,noticeable.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

Here are a couple of posts from Gianna Kali's Beyond Meds blog regarding gut health and recovering from withdrawal:

 

http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/bugs/

 

http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/guthealth/

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

 

maybe some of you have, like I do, problems with dairy products and therefore difficulties to get probiotics. If so, you could try sauerkraut juice. It has a lot of probiotic microorganisms and is very healthy! Especially in Germany people ate sauerkraut during the winter times ages ago.

 

I tried it for some days and had no problems, so I am going to try and drink it every day from next week on. You surely will find lots of good sources on the internet. Mine are only in German.

End of 2008: Remeron 15mg for around 2 months. Unorthodox taper, no problems.
End of August 2009: Lexapro 10mg for only 4 days. Panic attack after 3 pills. Severe gastro problems in the morning for 3 days after last pill. 2 weeks later strong w/d symptoms set in.

Acute WD lasted around 3.5 years. I am feeling much better today, 5.5 years out, but still have some symptoms left.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

Here's an article about sauerkraut and health: http://www.naturalnews.com/033659_sauerkraut_health_benefits.html

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've started on the GAPS diet. It's been 3 days on a limited, broth-heavy diet. I'm feeling pretty out of it.

 

So far, I've lost a good bit of weight. I am down 5 lbs in just three days, even though I've eaten probably 4 whole chickens. However, in researching I've seen that it is common to lose weight in the first few days and that the body weight tends to bounce back over time.

 

Also, I've been a bit constipated so far.

 

Reflux is better, though it will take some time for LPR to improve b/c my vocal cord inflammation takes time to resolve.

 

Alex

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

How's it going, Alex? Is the reflux still better?

 

I ate some bread last night (I know, I shouldn't have, but it was so good) and had no reflux afterwards, for the first time in probably 12 years. Not that I'm going to start eating starches yet. Just tells me maybe something good is happening in my GI tract.

 

Back on track today though, got a crockpot cooking up some beef broth...

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I have been all over the map with diet. But I am restarting, with dedication (can I get an AMEN?!?), the SCD diet on Wed Octo 26 for a 30 day challenge.

 

I'll give updates in my Alexej Thread...

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hi all,

 

Guess this is the right thread to ask my question :)

 

Does anyone know if there is a way to increase the speed of ingesting?

Whenever I eat something, it seems that for hours nothing happens in my GI system...well, nothing normal.

Even after 2 hours after a full meal, it feels as if I ate 5 minutes ago and I have balance problems. And the noises my systems makes aren't too normal either.

End of 2008: Remeron 15mg for around 2 months. Unorthodox taper, no problems.
End of August 2009: Lexapro 10mg for only 4 days. Panic attack after 3 pills. Severe gastro problems in the morning for 3 days after last pill. 2 weeks later strong w/d symptoms set in.

Acute WD lasted around 3.5 years. I am feeling much better today, 5.5 years out, but still have some symptoms left.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Does anyone know if there is a way to increase the speed of ingesting?

Whenever I eat something, it seems that for hours nothing happens in my GI system...well, nothing normal.

Even after 2 hours after a full meal, it feels as if I ate 5 minutes ago and I have balance problems. And the noises my systems makes aren't too normal either.

 

Hey maybe,

 

Here's what has worked for me. First, digestive enzymes - the Digest line from Enzymedica - has worked for me, definitely helps my digestion. The problem is that I am very sensitive. I'd recommend just the line called Digest (rather than Digest Basic, or Digesst Gold), start with a 1/10th capsule and build up. If you are tolerant, you'll be able to get to a full capsule pretty quick.

 

Also fats, particularly cocunut oil, lubricates my tract and really seems to get things moving in the gut as well. You could try cooking with organic cocunut oil. Just use a little at first and see how you do.

 

Then you can also try probiotic foods or supplements. I don't know that these help with motility per se but they but generally promote healthy digestive function.

 

Lastly, look at your diet. Certain foods are hard to digest. For instance, I've been staying away from grains and breads b/c those were problematic for me.

 

Alex

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I aborted my attempt at a 30 day SCD trial. I don't think it's the right diet for me.

 

I've been having some progress and some setbacks but I've been experimenting quite a bit. Feel like I am learning a lot. I intend to post a more comprehensive update in a few weeks.

 

But I've ruled that junk, carby sweets are never, ever any good. Candy bars and donuts and cake, these things are bad. Also there is a cumultative effect for me. I can eat some crap one day and be okay but if I eat it two days in a row I'll start to feel lousy and three days consecutive can really vcause problems.

 

Alex

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent news, alex. Has your reflux lessened?

 

Getting better, yes. Setbacks occur, but definitely starting to consistently move several steps forward for every two back. This adds up eventually!

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But I've ruled that junk, carby sweets are never, ever any good. Candy bars and donuts and cake, these things are bad. Also there is a cumulative effect for me. I can eat some crap one day and be okay but if I eat it two days in a row I'll start to feel lousy and three days consecutive can really cause problems.

 

Alex

 

Yes! Ha ha ha... my conclusion exactly. I think maybe I have a hard time in some respects with the absolutely no grains and high-fat SCD and GAPs (though I still believe those diets can be incredibly healing and are really great for a lot of people), but there is so much room for improvement even when not doing the diets strictly (I still someday want to give it another go). Maybe it's also a matter of easing into it. I think right now my emphasis is more on whole, unprocessed foods. I was talking to a friend's mother the other day, who is celiac (and maybe has other problems), and she says, suprisingly, she can tolerate wheat flour from her family's farm (stoneground wheat flour they make themselves from organic grains they grow)! I think often the culprit is the fertilizers, the antibiotics, the genetically-modified seeds, and the processing. Candy bars and donuts and cake are prime examples of this awfully grown/processed "food". I'm trying to redirect my cravings toward other stuff. Like you can make a great fruit compote by just cooking fruit. One of my favorite treats is frying very ripe bananas in butter, and then squeezing some orange juice (from a real orange) on top and simmering for a little. You don't even need to add sugar or honey. So delicious.

'94-'08 On/off ADs. Mostly Zoloft & Wellbutrin, but also Prozac, Celexa, Effexor, etc.
6/08 quit Z & W after tapering, awful anxiety 3 mos. later, reinstated.
11/10 CTed. Severe anxiety 3 mos. later & @ 8 mos. much worse (set off by metronidazole). Anxiety, depression, anhedonia, DP, DR, dizziness, severe insomnia, high serum AM cortisol, flu-like feelings, muscle discomfort.
9/11-9/12 Waves and windows of recovery.
10/12 Awful relapse, DP/DR. Hydrocortisone?
11/12 Improved fairly quickly even though relapse was one of worst waves ever.

1/13 Best I've ever felt.

3/13 A bit of a relapse... then faster and shorter waves and windows.

4/14 Have to watch out for triggers, but feel completely normal about 80% of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like to make some change in my diet, for I think it is far from being ideal. I have read some articles about these diets, but my mind is very confused, and I didn't manage to sort thigs out. Please would you give me some simple guidances?

 

Here is how I currently eat:

no sugar, no potatoes, no refined food, no diary, no alcohol nor caffeine of course, no red meat, curbed meat (mostly fish), a lot of fruits (too many, and too sweetened I think), a lot of bread (home made, my mother buy a specific flour and uses a machine), various vegetables, nuts, and water only

 

I have read a lot about the harm of milk and meat... but there is so many contradictory information, I am lost. What do you think and have experienced about that aliments?

 

Thanks a lot

First AD -sertraline- in 2007at the age of 13 because of child abuse

2009-2013: intricate story of multiple wds, meds and cts, gradually became a living mess

Feb 2013: last CT from a cocktail of four drugs, symptoms are relenting but witness a constant sharpening of the brain

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Nadia,

 

""I was talking to a friend's mother the other day, who is celiac (and maybe has other problems), and she says, suprisingly, she can tolerate wheat flour from her family's farm (stoneground wheat flour they make themselves from organic grains they grow)! I think often the culprit is the fertilizers, the antibiotics, the genetically-modified seeds, and the processing. Candy bars and donuts and cake are prime examples of this awfully grown/processed "food". I'm trying to redirect my cravings toward other stuff. Like you can make a great fruit compote by just cooking fruit. One of my favorite treats is frying very ripe bananas in butter, and then squeezing some orange juice (from a real orange) on top and simmering for a little. You don't even need to add sugar or honey. So delicious.""

 

Based on a talk I heard from a pharmacist from Germany who is into diet, I am not surprised that people who are allegedly gluten intolerant can eat bread that has it depending on how its processed. He mentioned some bread from Germany that unfortunately, I forgot the name of.

 

Regarding diet, I am kicking myself as I had gotten rid of a cavity by eating butter oil/cod liver oil. But because I was depressed about not sleeping, I overate on junk food and it has come back with a vengeance. I may have to go to the dentist as the rebound effect seems pretty strong.

 

Needless to say, I have to be careful with fruits that are sweet. But today, I have tried to stick to some version of this diet and feel better although the sleep deprivation doesn't help.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like to make some change in my diet, for I think it is far from being ideal. I have read some articles about these diets, but my mind is very confused, and I didn't manage to sort thigs out. Please would you give me some simple guidances?

 

Here is how I currently eat:

no sugar, no potatoes, no refined food, no diary, no alcohol nor caffeine of course, no red meat, curbed meat (mostly fish), a lot of fruits (too many, and too sweetened I think), a lot of bread (home made, my mother buy a specific flour and uses a machine), various vegetables, nuts, and water only

 

I have read a lot about the harm of milk and meat... but there is so many contradictory information, I am lost. What do you think and have experienced about that aliments?

 

Thanks a lot

 

Hi Roads,

 

I think it is a matter of trying out foods and see what works best for you. If you feel good, not eating meat, you should continue that path.

 

But if you feel you are have mysterious symptoms and you're just dragging, you might want to try some and see how you react.

 

Regarding milk, I don't do well with regular milk and cheese. But I seem to have neutral reactions to raw milk cheese and it seems to help with my dental issue.

 

Anyway, experiment with milk.

 

Hope this helps.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy