Successes...one step forward, two steps back

[Guest guest]

Hello listmates,

I just wanted to write an update. I haven't been on the boards

lately. This diet has really been a test for me! I have really

struggled to get to eat anything legal. The intro diet was

out because he would not eat anything that is permitted on it. He

doesn't have D, so I decided that I would just start eliminating

illegals. That's been worked for a couple of weeks. One thing that

we have discovered is that sugar is a real problem for him. Before

trying this diet we were GFCF since November.

I tried this diet because I was concerned about how focused on rice,

potato and sugar products his diet was becoming. I have long

suspected that yeast and phenols are a problem for him. For a couple

of weeks I took out the problem sugar and starch items, leaving in

the fruit. Then I became very concerned that he was not getting

enough carbs, because I cannot get him to eat any of the veggies.

I've tried so many of the great recipes in the book and on the

websight and he refuses. He was eating just meat (eggs, salami or

hot dogs) and fruit. I will say that he was eating a lot, but I was

still concerned that he would go into ketosis. He is already trim as

it is and doesn't need to lose weight.

Today ate Spaghetti sauce w/ pureed green beans and squash--

Yeah! But I served it with rice pasta.

He has tried some of the recipes...but then he will refuse. I made

some cashew muffins--he ate one then refused to eat more. I made

some pumpkin muffins and he liked those a lot, but I used an old GFCF

(nonlegal) muffin mix to make them.

HE ate the pb/banana waffles the first couple of times I made

them...now he won't eat them.

He absolutely refuses to switch to legal peanut butter. I am just

waiting for him to forget about what the sweet commercial stuff

tastes like.

He refuses the hm ketchup, applesauce, geletin, yogurt. I even tried

to make " ice cream " with the homemade yogurt--he wouldn't touch it.

All of these things were delicious--better than what I have been

serving him before.

I've tried to get him to try chicken and hamburger...he just will gag

and cry.

So I will keep trying...my latest strategy has been to just make sure

he is getting a balance at each meal...some fruit, some protein, and

very limited illegals. Hopefully, we can continue to move forward

and keep eliminating illegals and adding veggies and meat.

His behavior has been pretty steady. Eyes have been clear. Eye

contact better, and less hyper. I did notice when I started the

illegals back his oral stiming returned slightly. Sugar really sends

him over the edge. But he KNOWS when I have made a substitute with

either honey or saccharin. He can smell the difference and will

refuse it. I am just praying that with time he will accept these

substitutes. For now we are just obstaining for the most part from

these things.

I am going to buy a food processor this week, so I am hoping that

will help me hide some chicken, hamburger and veggies in things.

Overall, he is eating a better more balanced diet, but it hasn't been

without a lot of tears and struggle. I am sticking with it because I

do think it is helping him.

He used to drink country time lemonade and switched him to water. He

doesn't drink nearly as much as he used to. I am a little concerned

about that. I did try to give him a couple of the legal juices...he

just isn't interested. Any other drink ideas?

Any comments, encouragement, tips from the veterans would be

appreciated.

Jodi Cilley

5.5 yo, ASD, GFCF since Nov '03...trying to do SCD for 1

month.

[Guest guest]

Hi Jodi,

I think that you will find that he will continue to hold out as long as

you continue to offer him illegal starch " fixes " every now and then.

They say the most powerful way of rewarding someone is to be

inconsistent. Getting a reward once in a while is enough to

make people stick to their guns every time.

So, when you make the sauce and he eats it with the pasta... the

next time you are setting yourself up for a battle when you serve

no pasta with it.

I am not trying to be critical because I know it is hard. But most

of the parents have found that the only way this diet works is to

just eliminate the illegals.

Get rid of the GFCF stuff. Hide everything that is not legal. Let

him see that his choices are what you offer and nothing more.

I know it's hard. But giving in only slows down the process. If he

is doing better with fewer starches, think how much better he

might do with NO starches.

Again, this is not meant to be critical, but to encourage you to

" take the dive " and plunge right in to being 100% legal.

Pick a few foods you know he will eat and start with that. It is very

hard to get into ketosis and stay there.

Patti can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you have to stay

below 40g of carbs per day for several days in a row to get into

ketosis and stay there.

1 cup of grape juice (straight) has almost 40 g of carbs.

1 medium banana has 30 g. 1 medium apple has 20g.

And don't forget, veggies have carbs too.

One cup of carrots has 16g.

Usually getting enough carbs is not a problem.

Jody

mom to -5 and -7

SCD 13 months

[Guest guest]

>

> > He absolutely refuses to switch to legal peanut butter. I am just

> waiting for him to forget about what the sweet commercial stuff

> tastes like.

>

> He refuses the hm ketchup, applesauce, geletin, yogurt. I even tried

> to make " ice cream " with the homemade yogurt--he wouldn't touch it.

> All of these things were delicious--better than what I have been

> serving him before.

>

> Jodi--

The picky eating and unwillingness is a very common problem for these kids

when switching to SCD, so know you are not alone and you can get some great

advice on this listserve. My son was 2-1/2 when we started 100% SCD, but it

took us about 1 month to transition. We would, for example in your case,

take the new legal p. butter and mix a tiny bit w/ his regular non-legal p.

butter and with each meal slowly increase the amount of legal to illegal. A

painstaking process but luckily my son only ate a few things. I don't know

if this approach will work for you, but also the advice of...don't give in

because your child will know to hold out for their old favorites does ring

true overall. Take the plunge and don't give in!! You may be in for a

difficult few days, but that's what we're here for. Your son won't starve

and we won't let you do this alone.

Best of luck,

Thea, Zach's mom, ASD, 3years, SCD 6+ months

[Guest guest]

Hi, I'm not a veteran but I can totally relate to what you are saying. My

daughter Abby will eat the new food the first time but then refuses.

Tonight I made ham, baked apples and pears and steamed carrots. She

wouldn't eat any of it so I had to give her some applesauce. That is all

she had for dinner. It's been 4 days for us and she's getting " wise " to

this and refusing a lot. Her favorite foods are GF pasta too, fries, all

the carb stuff. She keeps looking in the pantry for stuff and I took it all

out.......I feel bad but know she needs desperately to be on this diet so I

am keeping out all of the illegals. I am using some unsweetened applesauce

and pears and also Applegate Hot Dogs or she would be starving. We didn't

really do the intro because she wouldn't eat the soup but I am sticking to

the fruits and veges in phase 1. She hates the texture of muffins/cake so

she'll need to learn to eat those things. I want to add in the nut flour

for pancakes but know it's too soon. Have you tried making the Jell-O out

of Knox Gelatin and juice? Abby will eat that. Does he like ketchup? Abby

likes any meat with ketchup on it. I made the homemade ketchup in Elaine's

book and she does like that a lot. I am going to try some vege pancakes

because I think that is the only way to get veges in for us. Have you tried

White Grape Juice or juice boxes that are 100% juice? (sometimes they prefer

the little boxes) How about unsweetened Pear juice or herbal tea? I am just

taking this a day at the time just like I do Autism. Good luck with staying

legal!

Kathy in NC

mom of Abby-9, ASD, UC

SCD -- tomorrow is day 5!

Successes...one step forward, two steps back

> Hello listmates,

>

> I just wanted to write an update. I haven't been on the boards

> lately. This diet has really been a test for me! I have really

> struggled to get to eat anything legal. The intro diet was

> out because he would not eat anything that is permitted on it. He

> doesn't have D, so I decided that I would just start eliminating

> illegals. That's been worked for a couple of weeks. One thing that

> we have discovered is that sugar is a real problem for him. Before

> trying this diet we were GFCF since November.

>

> I tried this diet because I was concerned about how focused on rice,

> potato and sugar products his diet was becoming. I have long

> suspected that yeast and phenols are a problem for him. For a couple

> of weeks I took out the problem sugar and starch items, leaving in

> the fruit. Then I became very concerned that he was not getting

> enough carbs, because I cannot get him to eat any of the veggies.

> I've tried so many of the great recipes in the book and on the

> websight and he refuses. He was eating just meat (eggs, salami or

> hot dogs) and fruit. I will say that he was eating a lot, but I was

> still concerned that he would go into ketosis. He is already trim as

> it is and doesn't need to lose weight.

>

> Today ate Spaghetti sauce w/ pureed green beans and squash--

> Yeah! But I served it with rice pasta.

>

> He has tried some of the recipes...but then he will refuse. I made

> some cashew muffins--he ate one then refused to eat more. I made

> some pumpkin muffins and he liked those a lot, but I used an old GFCF

> (nonlegal) muffin mix to make them.

>

> HE ate the pb/banana waffles the first couple of times I made

> them...now he won't eat them.

>

> He absolutely refuses to switch to legal peanut butter. I am just

> waiting for him to forget about what the sweet commercial stuff

> tastes like.

>

> He refuses the hm ketchup, applesauce, geletin, yogurt. I even tried

> to make " ice cream " with the homemade yogurt--he wouldn't touch it.

> All of these things were delicious--better than what I have been

> serving him before.

>

> I've tried to get him to try chicken and hamburger...he just will gag

> and cry.

>

> So I will keep trying...my latest strategy has been to just make sure

> he is getting a balance at each meal...some fruit, some protein, and

> very limited illegals. Hopefully, we can continue to move forward

> and keep eliminating illegals and adding veggies and meat.

>

> His behavior has been pretty steady. Eyes have been clear. Eye

> contact better, and less hyper. I did notice when I started the

> illegals back his oral stiming returned slightly. Sugar really sends

> him over the edge. But he KNOWS when I have made a substitute with

> either honey or saccharin. He can smell the difference and will

> refuse it. I am just praying that with time he will accept these

> substitutes. For now we are just obstaining for the most part from

> these things.

>

> I am going to buy a food processor this week, so I am hoping that

> will help me hide some chicken, hamburger and veggies in things.

>

> Overall, he is eating a better more balanced diet, but it hasn't been

> without a lot of tears and struggle. I am sticking with it because I

> do think it is helping him.

>

> He used to drink country time lemonade and switched him to water. He

> doesn't drink nearly as much as he used to. I am a little concerned

> about that. I did try to give him a couple of the legal juices...he

> just isn't interested. Any other drink ideas?

>

> Any comments, encouragement, tips from the veterans would be

> appreciated.

>

>

> Jodi Cilley

> 5.5 yo, ASD, GFCF since Nov '03...trying to do SCD for 1

> month.

>

>

>

>

> For information on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, please read the book

_Breaking the Vicious Cycle_ by Elaine Gottschall and read the following

websites:

> http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info

> and

> http://www.pecanbread.com

>

>

[Guest guest]

" juice boxes that are 100% juice? (sometimes they prefer

the little boxes) How about unsweetened Pear juice or herbal

tea? "

Juice boxes are illegal. Sorry.

The unsweetened pear juice would need to be homemade.

I believe the legal teas are listed on Elaine's site

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info

We don't get a lot of questions about tea on the list and my kids

hate it. So, I never really paid that much attention to the legal

teas.

Jody

mom to -5 and -7

SCD 13 months