Specific Carbohydrate Diet

[RobinN]

This diet is highly regarded in other neurological discussions, so I thought it should be brought forward here.

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet™ is biologically correct because it is species appropriate. The allowed foods are mainly those that early man ate before agriculture began. The diet we evolved to eat over millions of years was predominantly one of meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, nuts, low-sugar fruits. Our modern diet including starches, grains, pasta, legumes, and breads has only been consumed for a mere 10,000 years. In the last hundred years the increase in complex sugars and chemical additives in the diet has led to a huge increase in health problems ranging from severe bowel disorders to obesity and brain function disorders. We have not adapted to eat this modern diet as there has not been enough time for natural selection to operate. It therefore makes sense to eat the diet we evolved with.

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.i.../beginners.htm

[BIGMAN131307]

That diet looks like it would help. From what I got from the reading its a cut the junk and eat right type of diet.

You just need to get back to the basics for that diet to work. It would be worth a try.

[RobinN]

That is what I understand as well.
There is also another that is based on the same idea:

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/index.shtml

The FAQ section is good.
The SCD diet is gaining a lot of respect in the Autism community. It is helping kids regain speech, which is huge. Of course milk and grains are still eliminated.
It is the concept that even Dogtor J brings up that healing the "system" is so important to many of these neurological problems. Seems to me like such a logical place to begin, rather than throwing another chemical into the cauldron.

[Bernard]

Interesting. From what I found with a quick search, it appears very similar to the GARD diet (with the notable exception of acceptability of potatoes):

The essentials of the specific carbohydrate diet according to Elaine Gottschall follow.

PROTEIN

• Proteins are well tolerated and not restricted except for gluten (page 5).
• "Any cereal grain is strictly and absolutely forbidden, including corn, oats, wheat, rye, rice, millet, buckwheat or triticale in any form."

FAT

• Fat is handled moderately well (page 5). Some animal products are permitted.
• "Although grains are not permitted, salad and cooking oils made from grains may be used" (ie, corn and soy bean oils); "olive oil is highly recommended."

CARBOHYDRATE

• No sucrose - "Do not use products made with refined sugar" (page 5.
• No starch from grains - "any cereal grain is strictly and absolutely forbidden" (page 49).
• No starch from roots.
• No lactose (no enzyme-treated milk, no acidophilus milk) (page 56).
• Some allowable legumes; "in general squash, tomato, string beans and carrots, all in cooked form are well tolerated (page 45) ... raw vegetables should not be introduced until diarrhea is under control (page 43) ... no canned vegetables permitted" (page 53).
• Honey to be used to sweeten foods ("as much as desired ... when the diarrhea has cleared") (page 43).

FIBRE

• No cereal bran (page 49).
• No raw fruits and no raw vegetables until diarrhea is under control (page 43).
• No seeds for the first three months (page 59).
• No allowable legumes for the first three months (page 52).
• No commercial pectin (page 52).
• Nuts must be ground until diarrhea has cleared up(page 55).

VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTATION

• Very large doses of added vitamins are unnecessary.
• B complex vitamins may be taken as a supplement, especially for women on contraceptives (page 47).
• Vitamin B12 levels to be up to high normal (page 47).
• At least 100 mg of vitamin C/day to be taken.
• Vitamin D in combination with vitamin A is recommended in northern climates during winter (page 47) - caution is advised against the use of vitamin D in the summer (page 49).

MINERAL SUPPLEMENTATION

• Mineral supplements to be taken if mineral levels are low (page 4.
• The importance of maintaining proper calcium levels is stressed.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Soy products, including tofu, are not permitted.

Reviews of Elaine Gottschall's first book, "Food and the Gut Reaction", as well as of the present version of the book, entitled "Breaking the Vicious Cycle"

Further, I found this quote interesting (emphasis mine):

When asked about the differences between her books, Elaine Gottschall replied as follows. "The revised edition of Food and the Gut Reaction, Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet, has four major differences.
...
"3. A new chapter on the 'brain connection'. I discuss epilepsy, etc, in this chapter based on many cases of children especially. As you may know the Ketogenic diet for epilepsy (Johns Hopkins) has been ignored by mainstream and has been the basis of the Charley Fund (Jim Abrahams, Hollywood writer whose child was cured by it). The researchers haven't a clue as to why ketone bodies reverse epilepsy. I suggest that because it is a mainly high fat diet, it is the elimination of carbohydrates/gut connection where they should be looking.

Her book was published over a decade ago.

If you look at the conclusions drawn from the recent studies on the modified atkins and low glycemic index treatment diets:

This study raises important questions on the current use of the traditional ketogenic diet. The first is whether higher ratios with more fat, less protein, and fewer carbohydrates are truly necessary for efficacy. Our results also question whether ketosis is as important as previously reported (10,12). Eighty percent of children with a loss of large urinary ketosis over the study period did not lose seizure control, and the same percentage with trace or zero ketosis at 6 months were still improved. Preliminary efficacy of a low–glycemic index diet with lower levels of ketosis also suggests this may be accurate (13).

Modified Atkins Diet page from alternative treatments chart

I also speculated that it is the nature of the carbohydrates that might be the real key to the seizure control diets recently.

[RobinN]

Wonderful info Bernard. You are definitely giving me loads to read and to contemplate.