Ep: 23 Top 3 Reasons Why NOW is the Best Time to Start the SCD

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Do you ever think about the people who have come before you? The people who paved the way for your life to easier in some way.

When we think about the people who have come before us in the world of Crohn’s and colitis, we can’t look back without remembering the work of Dr. Sidney Haas (a pediatrician with ahead-of-his-time ideas about the healing power of food) and Elaine Gottschall (a devoted and scrapy mom turned biologist who found a way to heal her daughter’s struggles with colitis and then spread the message about this method to the world to give us all a plan for recovery).

These two unsung heroes are at the heart of why we all can have hope when it comes to quieting our IBD with food and why there’s never been a better time than NOW to start the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.

If you’ve been on the fence about when to start the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (or any other gut healing diet for that matter), it’s time to hop off and get started.

Today on the podcast, I’m giving you 3 reasons why there’s never been a better time in history to get started on putting food at the center of your IBD healing plan.

We’re talking about:

• Unsung pioneers of the healing IBD with food movement who paved the way for your healing journey
• Why waiters and flight attendants might just be the right people to help us on our quest to eat IBD healing food
• How quarantining is the key to getting you off the “Eating for IBD” fence and ready to take action
• How I will be by your side every step of the way

And so much more!

After the episode, you’ll be motivated to get started on your food is medicine IBD healing journey. Or, if you’ve already started using food to help you heal, you’ll be ready to kick that journey into high gear! Now is the time mom friend. Now more excuses. You can do this, and I’ve got your back!

Episode at a Glance:

• [02:39] An inspirational story for everyone in gut healing mode (it’s full of heroes, a tragedy, and a triumphant ending for everyone with IBD).

• [06:00] The “banana diet” that led to a gut healing revolution  

• [07:32] How a chance encounter between Elaine Gottschall and Dr. Sydney Haas, pioneers in the food is medicine movement, led to the SCD being known throughout the world

• [09:39] The miracle little girl who is at the center of healing with food movement

• [13:17] Does it matter which gut healing diet you choose?

• [13:59] Reason #1 why NOW is the time to start the SCD (it’s all at your fingertips)

• [16:02] Reason #2 why NOW is the time to start the SCD (the one upside to the trauma of this past year)

• [23:53] Reason #3 why NOW is the time to start the SCD (we go together like “rama-lama-lama…”)

• [27:48] The best way to take your IBD healing journey to the next level.

Rate, Review and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Start your gut healing journey with Karyn today

The Gut Love Community

Additional Resources from the Episode:

A Brief History of Celiac Disease

Breaking the Vicious Cycle: About the Author

Sidney V. Haas

Against the Grain Podcast with Samir Kakodkar

Judy Herod Episode (Jan 18, 2020)

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet is Backed by More Than 124 Years of Research & Testing

Episode Transcript:

[Music]

INTRO: You are listening to The Cheeky Podcast for Moms with IBD, a safe space for moms with Crohn’s and colitis, connect, explore powerful tools for healing and transform our lives to thrive in motherhood and in life. I’m your host, Karyn Haley, IBD health coach, integrative wellness enthusiast, and mom to three outstanding kids. After having Crohn’s disease for 30 years and working as a health advocate exclusively with IBD clients for the last 10 years, I know it’s time to bring the types of candid conversations I have with my clients out into the open. It’s our time to go on an IBD healing journey and do it like only a mom can. Let’s do this.

[music]

[00:50] Hey, dear one! Karyn here, your fellow IBD mama. Are you ready for a stellar, move the needle episode? This is a good one. Let’s get to it. Have you been thinking about starting the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, but holding off because you just don’t know if it will work, or you don’t know how to get started, or you don’t know if the time is right?  Trust me when I tell you,  I get it… before I started the SCD I felt all of these emotions and more. I even waited 5 years after hearing about the diet and reading the pinnacle SCD book: Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall. So I know all about putting off starting the SCD.

But here’s the thing about 2021, and it’s just so key, so critical, so important to keep in mind if you’ve been on the SCD fence. It’s something that’s different about this specific year, more than any other year that’s come before it. There’s actually 3 things that are different about 2021 and they are things that have never happened before in the history of the SCD.

3 REASONS WHY…

Today, I’m going to share these 3 reasons with you. But I want to start this episode with a story because there’s a story that drives these 3 reasons home more than anything else I’m sharing with you today. And it’s a juicy, pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea, get cozy, put your feet up, type of story because it’s a moving story with a couple heroes, a tragedy, and a triumphant ending. All the best stories have those elements, don’t they?

[06:00] Our story begins back in 1870, yep we are going way back in time, with the birth of a man that, even though I never knew him, transformed my whole life and I want you to know about him because it’s possible that he’ll change your life too. Dr. Sidney Valentine Haas, one of the heroes of our story, let’s call him hero #1, was born that year. Haas, who grew up to become a pediatrician, was studying celiac disease. Now, this was the 1920’s, and knowledge about celiac disease was in its very primitive stages. Even though thoughts about celiac actually began creeping up in the first century AD, by a Greek physician named (and I just love saying his name) Aretaeus Cappadocia. When we look back at Cappadocia’s teachings and writings in that time period, they show he was looking into a disease where, and here’s a quote: “the stomach is irretentive of the food and it passes through undigested and crude…” “we call such persons coeliacs.”

A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE CELIAC WAS FIRST DISCOVERED

Well, since the first century, a variety of scientists and doctors had dabbled into this unusual stomach condition, and although it was known to be a food disorder, no one knew exactly how to treat it, until in 1924, when Dr. Haas described his successful treatment of eight children with celiac disease. He said they were “clinically cured” (those are his words) with an eating plan called the banana diet.

Now, even though we know today that staying away from gluten is the crucial component to keep Celiac at bay, this banana diet was inadvertently free of gluten. It was also free of grains, and after the first few early attempts, it wasn’t a diet of just bananas. It was a diet where the patients ate bananas and other fruit and vegetables, but they also stayed away from breads, crackers, potatoes, and all cereals. It was a diet low in carbohydrates, and it was the earliest version of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.

ENTER THE SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET

By the 1951, Dr. Haas had put his findings in a book called Management of Celiac Disease. And through trial and error over the years, Dr. Haas had realized that the positive results he was seeing in Celiac patients was actually more about specific carbohydrates, and not just low carbohydrates. Hence the name he came up with, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.

Although initially there was appreciation of Dr. Haas’s work, soon after, the medical world did what the medical world often does. It dismissed Dr. Haas’s work as quackery in favor of medication, hospitalization, and surgery. That must have been a difficult time for Dr. Haas, knowing he was onto something, but just not able to get the diet the attention it deserved.

HAVING IBD IN THE 1950’S MAY HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING

Can you imagine what an impossible time it would have been for you and I back then, not just for those with Celiac, but also for us with Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis? The SCD was definitely not a mainstream option for us either.

Take a pill.

Have surgery.

We have no other options for you.

Malnutrition was the norm.

Possibly death if your condition was left untreated.

The 1950’s was a tough time for someone with IBD.

A HERO WORTH LOOKING UP TO

[09:39] And here’s where our second hero enters our story—Elaine Gotschall. In 1958, Elaine was a young mom with two little girls. One of those girls, Judy, was a very sick little girl. Judy had been diagnosed with a severe case of Ulcerative Colitis. According to the Breaking the Vicious Cycle website, she suffered from chronic intestinal distress and rectal bleeding. She didn’t respond to any of the medical interventions that were offered to her.

After seeing doctor after doctor, and you know that drill, Elaine and her husband Herb were at their wits end. No one could help them. Every doctor told them food couldn’t help. Food had nothing to do with her gastrointestinal illness. Judy continued to be malnourished and weak. The family even went to a doctor who told them Judy’s only options were to remove her colon and collect her waste in a bag for the rest of her life, or wither and possibly die.

THE DOCTOR SHARES APPALLING NEWS

Again, as this is descried in the BTVC website, this news was, of course, shocking and Elaine who was visibly distraught and began to sob. Any of us would, wouldn’t we? I know I’ve cried a river after many doctor’s appointments. The doctor, quite the bedside manner this one, told her “What are you crying about, you gave this to her?”

Can you imagine being told that? Can you put yourself in Elaine’s shoes, as the mom of this little girl in the 1950’s with little to no options? Thankfully, blessedly, our story doesn’t end in tragedy. I promised you a triumphant ending, didn’t I?

As fate would have it, Elaine and Dr. Haas’s path crossed. And Dr. Haas, who was 92 years old at the time, had a whole different approach for Judy. An approach that included food at it’s core. Dr. Haas had a simple question for the Gottschall’s, “What has this child been eating?”

WITHIN 10 DAYS ULCERATIVE COLITIS IMPROVES

Within 10 days of eating Dr. Haas’s Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Judy began to improve. Her neurological problems lessened, and a few months later, there were intestinal improvements and Judy started growing again. After 2 years, she was symptom free.

Amazing, right? Triumphant for sure.

Just like all of us who try the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and find success, we can’t keep this information to ourselves. Elaine knew she had to spread the word and help others. She went back to school where she earned a degree in biology, nutritional biochemistry, and cellular biology. Elaine consulted with other families dealing with these types of medical challenges, she wrote about the SCD and in 1987, she self-published her book, Food and the Gut Reaction. It was the first publication of her book that would later be called Breaking the Vicious Cycle, a book that has sold over 1 million copies. A book that changed my life. A book that continues to change the lives of many all over the world.

Dr. Sydney Haas… Elaine Gottschall… pioneers in the world of food as medicine. Exceptional people who took the road less traveled and walked a dark and solitary path so that we can walk together in the light.

This story is inspiring for all of us struggling to find relief from our gut disorders. It shows the power of perseverance and conviction with what you know to be true, even through a time in history when those around you said you’ll never succeed, you are less than, you are a quack.  

I took us through this pivotal story in our IBD history to remind all of us that sometimes to be successful in where we want to go, we have to know where we’ve been. It’s like the character lovable Mater in the Cars movies are kids watch saying— “I don’t need to look where I’m going, I just need to know where I’ve been.”

LOOK TO THE PAST TO MOVE FORWARD

Look at your history with IBD. Then, look at the amazing heroes who have paved the way for you to fight to live a better life with Crohn’s or colitis. Without Dr. Haas, and without Elaine Gottschall, I wouldn’t be where I am today. You wouldn’t get such a beautifully laid out path to where you want to go either. And even though this is an SCD story, it doesn’t matter if you choose the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, the GAPS diet, the Paleo diet, a gluten free diet, or another gut healing diet to help you on your journey to remission. They all have their roots in the work of these early food is medicine pioneers. They are all so similar in many ways anyway, and there’s never been a better time to let their struggles, challenges, and triumphs pave the way to your success.

And why now, why has there never been a better time in history to begin the SCD? There’s never been a better time and I can prove it to you with three reasons. Three reasons why there’s never been a better time in all of history to start the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Let’s start with reason # 1.

[13:59] #1-100 years ago, like in the case of Dr. Haas’s work, and 50-60 years ago, where Elaine Gottschall began studying how to best use food to heal digestive disorders, even 12 years ago when I began my gut healing journey using the SCD… no one outside of a handful of early adopters had any clue what dry curd cottage cheese, or almond flour or gluten was. There was no gluten free section in the grocery store. The waiter would look at me like I had two heads when I asked, “is this chicken gluten free?” There was only a handful of store-bought SCD legal foods I could buy. My friends had no clue what I was doing. They didn’t get it because diets like Whole 30, Paleo and Keto weren’t being talked about like they are today by the media, celebrities and your next door neighbor. The internet being used as a search engine of endless possibilities was in its infancy. You couldn’t just hop on, do a quick word search for “dairy free SCD breakfast” or “gluten free vegetarian dinners that are soy, lactose, and nut free.”

Today, we can.

That’s why, reason #1 why there’s never been a better time to start the SCD is because there’s never been more information available to us, information right at our fingertips. Information just a couple clicks away. And there’s never been a time where family, friends, workplaces, restaurants, airlines, hotels… are all knowledgeable and open to food sensitivities and special diets.

THE UPSIDE TO SPENDING SO MUCH TIME AT HOME

[16:02] Want to know 1 more reason why there’s never been a better time to start the SCD. It’s reason #2: And that reason is quarantining. OK, let’s get this out of the way right now before you send me your hate mail. Covid sucks, quarantining sucks. What this past year has done to our lives sucks. It’s cry for days unimaginable when you think of all the sickness and death Covid has brought. I know we’ve all been affected by it.

If there’s just one glimmer of hope here, one upside to this world tragedy, it’s that it’s created space for new SCDer’s to practice tweak and refine on their own terms. There’s never been a better time to start SCD than in the middle of quarantining. I can’t tell you how many clients starting new gut healing diets have told me this very thing. They’ll tell me they feel so grateful that they can just concentrate on figuring this new life out. Or they’ll tell me, I don’t know what I’d do if I had to do this while running in 15 directions. Truth be told, I know they’d could do it, but those challenges do make it harder.

STARTING THE SCD ISN’T JUST HARD FOR YOU

Starting a new diet like the SCD is hard mom friend. It’s not the kind of thing you take lightly or go into without a game plan, at least if you want to be successful. I remember for me, in the early stages, going to a friend’s house with my food tote in toe. So many questions about what I was eating, why I was doing it. And the truth was, I was so topsy turvy myself, that I really wasn’t prepared for it. I was getting used to all of this for the first time myself. I didn’t really know or frankly want to explain it to others while I was going through it.

Before starting SCD, I was the Italian foodie to my friends and family. I was the girl throwing lavish dinner parties where pasta and pastries were the stars of the table. I was the girl with the perfect extra gluten recipe for every occasion. My friends and family didn’t get this new me at first. While I was struggling to find my new identity, they were struggling right next to me. They definitely didn’t struggle with me, it was more like next to me in a parallel universe.

I knew they were talking about it with each other too. Not in a mean way, not in a gossipy way, but me starting this diet was a jolt to their system just as much as it was to mine. And being so shaky about it myself, always questioning am I eating the right thing? Is there something in my meal at the restaurant that will make me sick? Will that friend be offended when I show up at her dinner party with my own food? Will I go out with friends to that restaurant where I know there’s nothing I can eat and just awkwardly hang, or will I sneak in my own food? These challenges were tough to navigate at the beginning of my new SCD world.

And speaking of restaurants, hoo, that was a challenge even beyond did they have any food for me to eat. Even at a restaurant I carefully selected by their menu, I’d get flustered and embarrassed when I ordered. Seriously, red in the face embarrassed. The servers and the staff didn’t understand me at all. They thought I was being pushy and high maintenance when I ordered. It made me uncomfortable and them mad. They probably spit in my food. Ha kidding! But seriously, I was a train wreck in the beginning.

LEARNING TO TRAVEL ON WHILE ON THE SCD CAN BE TRICKY

And traveling? Wow, that was a nightmare too in my early days for SCD. Trying to figure out what food to bring, what would keep well in my suitcase, what could I get when I arrived at the local grocery store… Now, I’d say I’m an SCD traveling master because I’ve done it so many times. But back then? Not so much.

I’m sure you can see what I’m getting at here. Because of the pandemic and quarantining, with people staying home more, not traveling so much, not hanging out at restaurants or going to large parties, it gives you time to get comfortable and familiar with your new eating routine before taking it on the road.

Reason #2 that there’s never been a better time to start the SCD is that this pandemic has created the ability and the time for you to experiment with all your new SCD foods, get comfortable with the diet, get comfortable in your new skin, before navigating eating at a friend or family member’s house, throwing a dinner party, eating out a restaurant, or making eating our more about the company and not the food when you’re at a restaurant you can’t eat at, or traveling by car or by plane. Heavy stuff to navigate! Doable, and I know you can do it mama, but why put more pressure on yourself than you have to.

Do yourself a favor, if you’ve been on the fence about the SCD, start now before we all start really getting out, living our lives again. By the time the world opens up, you’ll be an SCD pro. Your friends and family might still need to get used to the new you, but you’ll already be there, strong and confident.

YOU’VE GOT ME BY YOUR SIDE

[23:53] Now, as I mentioned, there’ one last reason why there’s never been a better time to start the SCD. Reason #3- and I say this in the utmost humility and feeling of privilege. Reason #3 is that you’ve got me by your side. Someone who’s been in the SCD trenches before. A mama with Crohn’s who knows what you’re going through. In my 30 + years with IBD and my 10 years helping moms on their own gut healing journey, I’ve seen and heard your stores, your struggles, and I’m here to help whether we work together personally or not.

Helping moms on their IBD healing journey is my calling, my passion, my mission in life. Supporting you through this podcast gives me joy and feds my soul. So, show up each week. Start implementing change in your own life, and you will make progress. If you want to take our conversations further with 1 on 1 coaching, I’m here for that too. Go to karynhaley.com/coaching and get yourself on my IBD Health Coaching waitlist. I’ll be there to support you with bells on.

LET’S RECAP

Let’s recap our 3 reasons real quick before I sign off. 3 Reasons why there’s never been a better time to start the SCD. Reason #1: There’s never been more information about how to start the SCD, what foods to eat, what not to eat, all available to us right at our fingertips. Information is just a couple clicks away thanks to the internet. Reason #2: Right now, you have the ability and the time for you to experiment with all your new SCD foods, get comfortable with the diet, get comfortable in your new skin, before navigating any social situations the SCD may bring. Do it now, before we all start coming out of our hibernation (from my lips to God’s ears). And Reason #3: You’ve got me in your corner. Join me on the podcast each week for tips and strategies to put your IBD in its place, join me on Facebook and YouTube for daily and weekly gut healing inspiration, and if you want to take our relationship to the next level (yes, please count me in), hit me up at karynhaley.com/coaching and let’s kick your healing into high gear together.

That’s a wrap dear one. Sending out gut healing vibes to you today and always.

Until we meet again, I’m wishing you a cheeky and healthy IBD healing journey.

Thank you so much for joining me today and for listening to today’s episode. When it comes to IBD, I know there’s a lot of resources out there, and I’m truly honored that you chose the Cheeky Podcast to get your IBD information today. If you found this information helpful, please give us a rating and review. It helps other moms find the podcast and see what we’re doing over here to help IBD moms everywhere. And if you feel called feel a call to do it, share this podcast with an IBD mom who you know could really use an uplifting message today, ’cause that’s what we’re all about over here at the Cheeky Podcast.

[27:48] One last thing, if you’re still with me, and if you are, you’re definitely my kind of gal. We have to get to know each other better. If you’re tired of living on the hamster wheel of IBD with all the ups and downs between flares and remission, if you’re struggling to get control of your abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea and other troubling IBD symptoms, go to my website. It’s karynhaley.com, and my mom had to be just a little bit different, she spelled my name with the Y. So it’s K-A-R-Y-N H-A-L-E-Y.com and schedule your very own free 30-minute IBD root cause trouble-shooting session with me where we discuss the challenges you’ve been having, we set goals to help you move forward, and we talk about how we can work together to help you get your life back. It’s a power packed 30 minutes. You don’t have to live in IBD status quo. There’s so much that can be done to transform your life so you can thrive in motherhood and thrive with IBD. I’ve seen my clients walk this path and it gives me so much joy to take that journey with them.

My entire coaching practice is run online, so you never have to leave your house and you never have to get out of your jammy or yoga pants for us to work together. You know I’m wearing them to. If you’re ready to take your first amazing step towards healing, I’m ready to chat with you. Schedule your free 30-minute IBD root cause trouble shooting sesh today at karynhaley.com. Click on the work with me tab and I’ll see you soon. It’s important to note that the information in this podcast and in this episode is for general information purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The statements made in the Cheeky Podcast for moms with IBD, either by me or my guests, is not intended to diagnose, treat, to cure, or prevent any disease. Before implementing any new treatment protocols, do yourself a favor and consult your physician first.

Thank you so much for listening, for being here, for saving this space for us to spend some time together. Until we chat again, I’m wishing you a cheeky and healthy IBD journey.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Ep 22: Juicing vs Smoothies: What’s Better for Gut Healing?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

When it comes to beverages that are good for gut healing, smoothies and juicing always comes up. What could be bad about an infusion of fruits and vegetables? Well, it turns out there’s a lot more to making your gut healing beverages healthy than I originally thought.

And I can’t wait to share with you what I found out.  

In this episode, I’m sharing the key health differences between juicing and blending smoothies, the pros and cons of each, and then ultimately, which is better for your gut health.  

We’re talking about:

• How to use your gut to decide if you should juice or blend?
• The one ingredient that’s a MUST if you make smoothies (and the one ingredient you think you need, but you don’t)
• The juicing trend that’s not as healthy as you might think
• Why fiber is the key to making all your juicing and smoothie decisions

And so much more!

After the episode, you’ll know exactly when to juice, when to blend, and how to do both so that they benefit the health of your gut and your entire body (and of course, you can bring all that knowledge to your family’s health too!)

Episode at a Glance:

• [04:00] Are fresh pressed juices and smoothies hype or are they worth your time for gut healing?

• [06:05] What’s the difference between juicing and smoothies?

• [09:46] The best juicer to well worth its price tag

• [10:50] The best blenders on the market

• [12:55] The one thing that must be in your smoothie to make it healthy

• [18:20] The downside of detoxes and cleanses for IBDer’s

• [24:35] The biggest factor we must keep in mind when deciding between juicing or smoothies

• [27:55] The best way to take your IBD healing journey to the next level.

Rate, Review and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Register for the Eating for IBD Training (2/18/21)

Your Juicing and Smoothie Recipe Booklet

The Gut Love Community

Additional Resources from the Episode:

Omega Ultimate Juicer and Nutrition System

Breville Juice Fountain

Novis Vita Juicer

Health Effects of Mixed Fruit and Vegetable Concentrates: A Systemic Review of Clinical Interventions

Are Goitrogens in Foods Harmful?

Vitamix High Speed Blenders

Blendtec Blenders

Ninja Blenders

Episode Transcript:

Hey there, Karyn here, jumping on before the intro to let you know that time’s running out. Today is the last day to register for my brand new training, Eating for IBD: Finding the Right Diet to Heal Your Crohn’s or Colitis in 3 SIMPLE STEPS. It’s all going down LIVE tomorrow. Yes, we’re going live tomorrow February 18^th @ 8pm EST to talk about gut healing diets that actually work and how to figure out which diet is the best one for you. Link to register is above the video.

And I’ll give you just a little sneak peek into the training with one of the concepts we’re talking about—there is no one size fits all diet for Crohn’s or colitis—quieting your IBD symptoms is about finding the best IBD diet for you. I’m talking all about how you can find the best diet for your IBD on the training tomorrow night.

Now if you can’t join live, no worries, I’ll be sending a replay to everyone who’s registered. So sign up and you’ll get the replay. Also, if you’re listening to the podcast a few days after Feb 18^th, because that’s the cool thing about a podcast, you can listen to it whenever, wherever… no worries, I’ve got you covered too. Shoot me an email at hello@karynhaley.com and I’ll send the replay out to you as well. It should still be available for a few more days after the 18^th. I’ve to tell you though mama. I hope I get to see you there and connect with you live! There’s an energy and a connection in live that I just LOVE. Can’t wait.

And on with the show we go–

[Music]

[02:42] INTRO: You are listening to The Cheeky Podcast for Moms with IBD, a safe space for moms with Crohn’s and colitis, connect, explore powerful tools for healing and transform our lives to thrive in motherhood and in life. I’m your host, Karyn Haley, IBD health coach, integrative wellness enthusiast, and mom to three outstanding kids. After having Crohn’s disease for 30 years and working as a health advocate exclusively with IBD clients for the last 10 years, I know it’s time to bring the types of candid conversations I have with my clients out into the open. It’s our time to go on an IBD healing journey and do it like only a mom can. Let’s do this.

[music]

Well, hello dear listener and welcome to the show. I bet the chances are almost 100% that you’ve tried either juicing or even more likely, you’ve made a smoothie before. It’s a massive tread in the health food industry today. Restaurants that only sell smoothies, juice bars, and even premade fresh pressed juice options are available at grocery stores. The thing about these so called “health foods” though is that they aren’t always good for those of us with Crohn’s or colitis. Often times, health trends lack real scientific evidence to any health benefit they have whatsoever, let alone gut healing benefits, which is of course what we’re looking for.

[04:00] I was recently asked by a GLC mama (that’s our free and fabulous Gut Love Community of moms) if I do an episode to help clear up the confusion about juicing vs smoothies—which is better for gut health? This led me to ponder the question, are either of these the best option when we’re in gut healing mode? And the answer to that question, I’ve got a not so easy answer for you. And my answer is that it depends on what you put in them, how they’re made, and where you’re at on your healing journey.

Let me explain.

ARE SMOOTHIES AND FRESH JUICES THE SAME THING?

While juicing a fresh juice and blending a smoothie often have some of the same ingredients, they really are not the same thing at all. Today on the podcast, I’m going to break this down for you, once and for all, so that you know when a smoothie is the best option vs when juicing is better for you. And, of course, we’ve got to talk about how to best make them for our gut health too, because if either of these health foods are made incorrectly, you’re not only, not going to help your Crohn’s or colitis, but you could be making it worse.

Now, I’m going to be sharing lots of how-to information today. Actionable insights so you might want to take notes on this one. So, if you have a doc open on your computer or a pen and paper, make sure it’s handy. Whether you do or not, I’ve got both juicing and smoothie recipes I’m sharing a link for in the show notes, so feel free to go karynhaley.com/drinks if you want to jazz up your juice or smoothie life. We’re just going into a lot more detail here than in our recipe booklet so you may want to take some notes you can go back to later.

Also, in the beginning, I’ll be giving you the facts about juicing and smoothies and I’ll try to keep my opinions to myself (not so sure how well I’ll be at that) but I want to do that first so we’re all on the same page when it comes to juicing and blending. Stay tuned until the end so we can compare the pros and cons of each method and so I can give you my final recommendations at the end.

IF THEY’RE NOT THE SAME, WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?

[06:55] Let’s start out our juice/smoothie conversation right at the beginning by explaining the important differences between these two beverages- Smoothies and juices. You know I just can’t give you half the story and walk away. I have to lay it all out. So, here’s the complete lowdown on juicing and smoothies.

Juicing– is a way to drink your fruits and veggies. Unlike smoothies, it usually only contains fruits and veggies—maybe a little pinch or a dash of a spice after to mix in, but it’s not like smoothies where we love to whip up everything but the kitchen sink in there. Because of this, some people tend to think juicing is much or pure, true to the simplest form of the produce than smoothies.

When you use a juicer, and there’s 2 different types you can buy, the cold press, masticating type and the centrifugal kind. Cold press is slower, quieter, and it literally presses the juice out of the fruit or veg. Centrifugal uses a spinner method.  It’s high-speed juicing, but it’s also louder. Cold press, masticating juicing is usually said to be a better option because it doesn’t have a motor that spins and heats through its process. This allows the juice to be completely raw, with its nutrients intact. The masticating juicer also produces a smoother juice. Either juicing process does strip the food of its skin so up to 90% of the fruit or vegetable’s fiber is removed in the juicing process.

THE RESEARCH BACK STUDIES TELL THE WHOLE STORY

One recent study I found on the benefits of juicing found that fresh juices increase antioxidants in the body, including beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate. I’ll link to the study in the show notes if you’re a research geek like me. You’ve probably heard juicing and detoxes linked together. Juicing is known for flushing the body’s toxins. Some people do 3-4 day juice cleanses where all they have is juice for those few days to detoxify their body.

WHAT’S THE BEST JUICER ON THE MARKET?

[09:46] In case you don’t have a juicer and want to invest in one after hearing about it today, I’ll also link to a few of the best juicers on the market in the show notes. My favorite is the Omega Ultimate Juicer and Nutrition System. It runs for a little under $300 and it’s the masticating type of juicer. This juicer is pretty fancy as it also makes nut butter, nut milk, and sorbet so it’s multi-functional. I don’t have one myself, but I have a friend who has one and she raves about it. I have about a 10-year-old Breville juicer collecting dust in my basement. It’s an oldie but a goodie and I’ll link to the Breville, another great juicer brand, in the show notes.

[10:40] Now, smoothies… They are made in a blender. Of course, when they’re made with health in mind, fruits and vegetables are at the center of these drinks as well. Usually, a smoothie contains some sort of liquid like water or non-dairy milk for us gut healers, it might have fruit in it, or contain greens and what I like to call health builders (like chia seeds, or hemp powder) and a good fat for energy.

With smoothies, placing something frozen in it is key. This is what makes it smooth and creamy and frothy. Although, I have to say, I’ve had a few clients that think of this froth factor as a downside, so it each her own. But if you want some smooth, creamy, froth in your smoothie, this can be accomplished with either using frozen fruit or veg, or even ice cubes. Smoothies boast a great way to get your fiber in because unlike the juicer, a blender keeps the skin of what you put in and blends it up into a digestible form. Ding ding “digestible” is always music to my ears for us with gut challenges!

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR, SPLURGE ON THE HIGH-SPEED BLENDER

With smoothies, using a high-speed blender is key. You just don’t want to taste the grit, or suck up chunks from food that didn’t blend enough. Plus, with the digestion challenges we have, a creamy, well blended smoothie is a must for digestion and absorption.  You don’t want to see those pieces come out the way they went in. Am I right?

[12:50] Over the years, I’ve used just about every blender on the market. My favorite blenders have always come from three companies: Vitamix, Blendtec and Ninja. I’ll link to these in the show notes. Right now, I have a Vitamix and it never disappoints. When you taste a smoothie from a Vitamix, you’ll never want to go back to one of the less well-made versions.

When I recommend smoothies to clients, I always recommend a combo of about 1 ½ cups of liquid, 1 cup of greens, ½ cup or less of fruit, 1 or 2 Tbsp of quality fat, and 1 to 2 health builders. That will make you 1-2 servings of a smoothie depending on if it’s a snack or part of your meal. For the liquid part of the smoothie, I recommend you use coconut water, or a non-dairy milk like coconut or almond milk. Water is also fine.

THE INGREDIENT TO BEWARE OF IF YOU’VE GOT HORMONE CHALLENGES

Greens like kale, beet greens, swiss chard, bok choy, collards, or spinach work well. Beware of greens though if you have hormonal challenges like hypothyroidism as many greens contain goitrogens which can affect your thyroid negatively. Lightly steaming or blanching your greens and then freezing them before adding them to the smoothie can decrease the goitrogenic effects. I’ll link to more info on hormones and goitrogens in the show notes in case you’re interested in finding out more.

For the fruit you add to your smoothie, I always recommend berries over any other fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries…they’re worth the sugar your putting in your body as they’re high in vitamins and antioxidants for our healing gut. Occasionally, for a treat you might want to try ½ a frozen banana instead of the berries. Just make sure it’s very ripe with brown spots.

Good fat is a must when it comes getting high powered energy and stamina for the day or as an afternoon pick me up smoothie. Coconut oil, nut butters, MCT oil, an avocado, or homemade yogurt are good options. Some people like to add a raw organic egg—not my cup of tea, but go for it if you are very comfortable with the quality of your egg source.

DON’T FORGET THE HEALTH BUILDERS IN YOUR SMOOTHIE

And I love adding in health builders to give your smoothie an extra punch of health factors. Chia seeds, flax seeds (which will be completely masticated in a high-speed blender so no worries about them having trouble passing through the intestine in seed form), hemp powder, raw cacao, acai powder, turmeric, ginger, fresh herbs like parsley– those can all be added as a bonus in your smoothie. 1 to 2 is fine. You don’t need them all to get benefits.

OK, crash course in juicing and smoothies complete. Now, which should you choose, and which is best for you? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each and make a final decision on these beverages.

[18:20] Juicing—remember I mentioned that many people use juicing to detox or cleanse for a few days? Well, this may not be the best option for you when you’ve got IBD. The rapid detox to the digestive system, the low caloric intake, the lack of crucial macronutrients like protein and quality fat we need to keep our weight up and give us energy is just not there during a strict cleanse. I’ve seen these detoxes lead to a flare ups in IBD mamas, so be careful with juice cleanses when you’ve got IBD.

What I think works much better with fresh juices for those with gut disorders is when they’re used in more of a supplemental form. A morning addition to your breakfast routine. An afternoon vitamin and mineral energy pick me up—they are great for that.  

Another thought for your consideration is that juicing takes a ridiculous amount of veggies and fruits just to make one glass of juice. And produce is pricy, especially if you’re buying organic—and I highly recommend you buy organic. What’s the point of juicing for your health, if you’re just putting toxins in your body from the pesticides that are all throughout the fruit and veggies? So, when it comes to juicing, price can be a factor.

DON’T LET THIS PROBLEM KEEP YOU FROM GETTING YOUR SMOOTHIE BENEFIT

One of the reasons why I get down on juicing and especially smoothies is that most people make them with a crazy amount of fruit. They juice and apple and an orange, and a pear, add one stalk of celery and call it healthy. Or they blend 1 cup of frozen cherries, a whole banana in ½ cup of orange juice and call it a smoothie. To be healthy, a smoothie needs more veggie than fruit. The sugar in either of the beverages I just mentioned is just going to cause way too much bacteria to form in our precious guts. That’s a one-way ticket to inflammationville and continued digestive upset my friend.

And smoothie bowls—don’t get me started on these huge candy bars in a bowl. If you’re smoothie is made up of loads of greens, avocado, cucumber, and healthy fats—go for it. But if it’s a fruit ladened sugar machine, it’s not doing you any good mama.

Some are against juicing and smoothies because they say it’s better to just eat the whole fruit or whole vegetable, raw. I’d have to agree with this as well in a perfect world, but for those of us with gut disorders, eating the whole fruit or veggie with skin on it can be too tough for our digestive system. We need a masticated approach to be able to break the structure down and digest it.

Many ladies love to use smoothies, and even juices, as a meal replacement. When we’ve got Crohn’s and colitis, this isn’t the wisest decision. We are starved for nutrients. Keep the fruit and veggie drinks to a snack or add them to a very nutrient dense meal. Then, they will give you the added nutritional benefit you need to feed the health of your gut.

IS THERE ANY FIBER IN THAT JUICE?

Proponents of smoothies over juicing talk about the lack of fiber in the juice. They just don’t see the health factor there, saying that we need the fiber in the smoothie because it helps us process the fruit sugar in the drink. This is certainly an interesting thought to consider. I’ll get back to this thought is just a sec.

And then there’s the juice bars, the smoothie only restaurants, and the store bought freshly pressed juices. What about these? Are they any good? Mostly likely no. Hey, I’ve had them a time or two myself so I’m not saying never. I just think it’s important to think of most of the options at places like this as a treat for the very reason I mentioned earlier. They contain so much sugar from the fruit that you’d almost be better eating a candy bar.

When it comes to the fresh pressed juices you see in health food stores, these might seem like a good option, especially if you choose one that’s an all veggie juice. The problem here is that the more time that goes by after they were juiced, the more nutrients you lose. As soon as we juice or blend, we start to lose the vitamins and minerals in the produce. To make up for having to sit in the store, brands will often add preservatives, and they are usually pasteurized, which degrades the nutrients as well.

Making a smoothie or a juice at home is your best option. Like I said, sometimes these restaurant or store bought are a nice treat, I’m not the food police afterall, but just know that homemade is best when it comes to juicing and smoothies.

[24:35] Perhaps the biggest factor we need to take into account in deciding between juicing and blending a smoothie is the state of your gut. When your IBD is in an active state, we have difficulty digesting and absorbing the nutrients in our food—especially the fiber. We know that juicing removes the fiber, but keeps lots of the nutrient profile of the food. This makes juicing a better option for those in gut repair mode.

With all of these juicing and smoothie observations, what’s the bottom line?

JUST GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT, MAMA!

When it comes to mixing juicing and smoothies with a gut disorder, be careful. Be mindful of how much fruit you put in, keep your purchasing of juices and smoothies outside to a minimum, make them at home, and be careful with all the fiber in smoothies. If you can’t tolerate the fiber in the greens you’re adding, it’s not the time for you to drink smoothies. Try juicing instead until your gut challenges improve. You’ll still get an amazing amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in the juice.

Bottom, bottom line?

Choose juicing if you are in the beginning stages of gut healing and you’re still having strong symptoms.

Choose smoothies when you are in remission or maintenance mode. At that point, you’ll be able to tolerate the fiber and it will benefit your whole body.

And if you’re in super-duper, stealth health mode, choose fruit and veggies in their whole state, skin and all.

Questions? Comments? Let me know what you thought of the episode. Email me at hello@karynhaley.com

Well, that’s a wrap on juicing vs smoothies. Thanks for listening and for hanging out with me today. Remember, you can grab your smoothie and juicing recipe booklet by going to karynhaley.com/drinks. You’re going to love these recipes. They are healthy, healing, and delish!

Until we meet again, I’m wishing you a cheeky and healthy healing journey!

Chat soon!

Thank you so much for joining me today and for listening to today’s episode. When it comes to IBD, I know there’s a lot of resources out there, and I’m truly honored that you chose the Cheeky Podcast to get your IBD information today. If you found this information helpful, please give us a rating and review. It helps other moms find the podcast and see what we’re doing over here to help IBD moms everywhere. And if you feel called feel a call to do it, share this podcast with an IBD mom who you know could really use an uplifting message today, ’cause that’s what we’re all about over here at the Cheeky Podcast.

[24:45] One last thing, if you’re still with me, and if you are, you’re definitely my kind of gal. We have to get to know each other better. If you’re tired of living on the hamster wheel of IBD with all the ups and downs between flares and remission, if you’re struggling to get control of your abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea and other troubling IBD symptoms, go to my website. It’s karynhaley.com, and my mom had to be just a little bit different, she spelled my name with the Y. So it’s K-A-R-Y-N H-A-L-E-Y.com and schedule your very own free 30-minute IBD root cause trouble-shooting session with me where we discuss the challenges you’ve been having, we set goals to help you move forward, and we talk about how we can work together to help you get your life back. It’s a power packed 30 minutes. You don’t have to live in IBD status quo. There’s so much that can be done to transform your life so you can thrive in motherhood and thrive with IBD. I’ve seen my clients walk this path and it gives me so much joy to take that journey with them.

My entire coaching practice is run online, so you never have to leave your house and you never have to get out of your jammy or yoga pants for us to work together. You know I’m wearing them to. If you’re ready to take your first amazing step towards healing, I’m ready to chat with you. Schedule your free 30-minute IBD root cause trouble shooting sesh today at karynhaley.com. Click on the work with me tab and I’ll see you soon. It’s important to note that the information in this podcast and in this episode is for general information purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The statements made in the Cheeky Podcast for moms with IBD, either by me or my guests, is not intended to diagnose, treat, to cure, or prevent any disease. Before implementing any new treatment protocols, do yourself a favor and consult your physician first.

Thank you so much for listening, for being here, for saving this space for us to spend some time together. Until we chat again, I’m wishing you a cheeky and healthy IBD journey.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.T his is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Ep 21: A Gut Friendly Valentine’s Meal for the Whole Family

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Do you and your partner celebrate Valentine’s Day? And how has that celebration changed since having kids? If the cute and lovely, heartfelt Valentine’s gifts you used to give to your partner has changed into school Valentine’s cards exchanges and candy hearts for your kids, this episode is for you.  We’re including the whole family in this Valentine’s celebration and we’re doing it all with a gut healing, but oh so tasty, made with love meal, everyone can enjoy!

Imagine a delicious meal for this special holiday that’s super easy to make, gut friendly (even for SCDer’s and GAPSer’s), it’s kid friendly, and everyone will eat it.

That seems like a no brainer, right?

If you’re a mom or one in the making, if you’ve got IBD, if those gut and non-gut challenges are keeping you from having the energy to plan a Valentine’s meal, and if you’re in the kidz zone (you know what I’m talking about), this episode is for you.

We’re talking about:

• An SCD, GAPS, and Paleo compliant meal that will make your Valentine’s dinner even sweeter
• Collaboration recipes from SCD rock stars Jennifer from A Life of Happenstance and Erin from No More Crohn’s
• A way to make both your partner and your kids happy this Valentine’s Day

And so much more!

After the episode, you’ll have everything you need for Valentine’s Day 2021, except the ingredients. And just a quick trip to the grocery store will solve that problem and put you in the Valentine’s spirit in no time.

Episode at a Glance:

• [03:11] Valentine’s Day, holiday of love or commercial cash grab?

• [06:25] Show your Valentine’s love with food.

• [09:03] A sneak peek into a Valentine’s themed meal that is great for those in gut healing, those who want an easy meal to make, and those who want a meal that everyone in the family will eat.

• [11:28] From soup to nuts, what’s on the menu for you this Valentine’s Day.

• [15:45] Erin from No More Crohn’s for Me shares her SCD legal curry powder recipe.

• [19:35] Jennifer from A Life of Happenstance shares her recipe for No Bake Strawberry Pie.

• [21:16] Collagen peptides vs gelatin. What to use and when.

• [25:15] The best way to take your IBD healing journey to the next level.

Rate, Review and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Mentioned in This Episode:

GET THE VALENTINE’S FAMILY MENU: Your Gut Friendly and SCD Legal Holiday Recipes HERE

A Life of Happenstance

No More Crohn’s

Eden Food’s Dried Cherries

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

10 Valentine’s Traditions from Around the World

Episode Transcript:

[Music]

INTRO: You are listening to The Cheeky Podcast for Moms with IBD, a safe space for moms with Crohn’s and colitis, connect, explore powerful tools for healing and transform our lives to thrive in motherhood and in life. I’m your host, Karyn Haley, IBD health coach, integrative wellness enthusiast, and mom to three outstanding kids. After having Crohn’s disease for 30 years and working as a health advocate exclusively with IBD clients for the last 10 years, I know it’s time to bring the types of candid conversations I have with my clients out into the open. It’s our time to go on an IBD healing journey and do it like only a mom can. Let’s do this.

[music]

[00:50] Hello dear one, welcome to the cheeky podcast. I’ve got a question for you today. Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? I don’t mean does your country celebrate the holiday. I know that from all the incredible mamas in countries around the world who listen to the podcast, and this gives me an opportunity for a quick shout out to my super listeners in Belgium, England, Russia, and Hungry, and of course the good ole US of A– just to name a few of the amazing places I see we hit in the broadcast—wow, isn’t it cool that countries so diverse are all connected around the world with our little podcast of hope for IBDer’s?

Just shows you that no matter what the media tells us, we all have bigger connections that we know. But what I mean with this question is, do you and your partner celebrate it? Do you have Valentine’s traditions? Do anything special for Valentine’s Day?

When I was thinking about this podcast, I did a little research on Valentine’s days around the world and it was so interesting to hear how the holiday is celebrated in different countries. Like according to Huff Post, in Denmark, sweethearts exchange pressed white flowers called snowdrops. And in Wales, a centuries old tradition exists of men carving a wooden spoon into an intricate design and giving it to the woman of their affection. It seems as though the gifts given might be different depending on where you live, but the sentiment remains the same. Valentine’s day is a day to celebrate the ones you love.

In the United States, nothing says Valentine’s Day like candy hearts or chocolates and flowers. Maybe a cute stuffed bear, or if you’re a little saucy, some sexy lingerie. Oooh-la-la!

DO YOU AND YOUR PARTNER CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY?

But the question still remains, with all the traditions, do you and your partner get into this holiday at all? Is it an extra special day for you or do you and your partner trash Valentine’s Day, saying it’s too commercial and too much of a cash grab for big companies who gouge us by tugging on our heartstrings?

I’m really curious about this because it seems like everyone has an opinion about the big V Day, whether it’s positive or negative.

And the even bigger question is, how has Valentine’s Day changed for you and your partner since having kids? Yikes, right?

My hubs and I have been together for 25 years. When we were first dating, I remember us going all in on the holiday for lovers. I’d write him these super corny poems with conversation hearts to fill in the blanks like, I knew early on I wanted you to “kiss me” or what I’m wondering now is will you “be mine”. So silly, but so lovey dovey at the same time. After a few years, and two kids in diapers, the conversation heart poems and handmade gifts turned into store bought gifts, and a few years later, then with 3 kids, our Valentine’s Day slipped off the face of the Earth and in came a kid’s version of Valentine’s Day with Valentine card exchanges at school and gifts for the kids instead of each other.

In recent years, my kids have gotten older and for the most part, the obligatory Valentine’s cards for the school class have disappeared which left me thinking, I wonder if the hubs and I should start remembering our cutesy, coupley Valentine’s Days of year’s past again. The last couple years, we reclaimed Valentine’s Day as a holiday for us as a couple again, which has actually been really nice. I even made a throwback conversation heart poem for my hubby last year. We definitely had a good laugh about that. But with 3 kids still living at home, I felt like I still wanted to celebrate my love for them too. Just because they’re getting older now, doesn’t mean we love our kiddos any less.

SHOWER THE KIDS WITH VALENTINE’S LOVE TOO.

[06:20] Last year, was the best Valentine’s Day for everyone in the family. Hubs and I got our Valentine’s date night, but we still gave a shout out to our love of the kids. And we did it in the best way to reach our growing boys—with food. Because to me, breaking bread together, or breaking grain free bread together as it goes in my house- is the best way that I know to connect, enjoy each other’s company, and show them my love. I’m Italian, what can I say?

A VALENTINE’S MENU FOR EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY.

This Valentine’s Day, I’ve created another from the heart menu made with love for our family to enjoy together. The hubs and I will still have our Valentine’s night out, which, with Covid will actually be more of a night in together. We’ll probably put on a Netflix movie, and I’ll probably fall asleep halfway through the movie, but at least I’ll be snuggled up close to him while I drift off.

If the family meal part of our Valentine’s plan sounds like a good idea, you’re going to love this episode, because I’m about to share with you our complete Valentine’s dinner, now your complete Valentine’s dinner, and one that the whole family will love, from start to finish.

This episode and this Valentine’s meal menu is for you if:

• You’re a mom (or parent—shout out to the dads that recently wrote to me saying they listen too)
• You’re dealing with IBD (Crohn’s or colitis), and all the gut and non-gut struggles that keep you from having the energy to plan a meal like this (and man I’ve been there too), plus not only that but you’re looking for a gut friendly menu—I’m talking SCD and GAPS compliant—YAY-ES to that!
• And this episode is especially for you if you’re in the kid zone—where you’re little kids are either completely taking over your life or you’re like me and you’re moving out of the little kid zone, but you still want to include your kids in the Valentine’s celebration.

So while I’m probably not the best person to plan your Valentine’s date night, remember my affinity for falling asleep on a Netflix and chill night? I can help you plan your V-Day family night with a meal that meets everyone’s needs.

[09:02] This meal is:

• Easy to make
• It’s gut friendly, even for SCDer’s and GAPSer’s
• It includes the kids
• And everyone will eat it

How often does that happen?

Plus, as a last added bonus, this Valentine’s Family Meal is about food, family, and love, not material gifts that cost money and lack imagination. So it’s especially great if you’re also trying to escape the commercialism of the holiday.

Let me tell you about this gut lovin’, tasty meal that I know your whole family will love.

THE BEST SCD COOKS AND BAKERS COLLABORATE ON A DELICIOUS MEAL YOUR FAMILY WILL LOVE.

First off, it’s a collaboration meal. Last year was good with me planning the entire menu, but this year, I really wanted to reach new heights and I knew that meant getting some recipe help. So, I reached out to my fellow SCD experts and asked them if they would mind sharing some recipe love with us for this special heart and family centered meal– Jennifer from A Life of Happenstance and Erin from No More Crohn’s for Me. Each of these ladies has a fantastic SCD centered website and if you haven’t been there, these ladies rock in the SCD kitchen. I’m hooked their creative and delicious recipes.

I’ve been a huge fan of Erin and her mom Robin’s SCD legal recipes for years. Their I Want to Thrive recipe collection has been a staple in my kitchen for as long as I’ve been on SCD. And I recently came across Jennifer’s website while I was searching for a new SCD dessert. And trust me, it did not disappoint. Yum! Jennifer tackles our V-Day dessert on this family friendly menu and everyone in your fam is going to plotz over it. My family certainly did!

If you want to check out all the interesting recipes from these ladies, I’ll link to their websites in the show notes. Go check them out.

For our Valentine’s Family Meal, here’s what’s on the menu.

[11:28] We’ve got:

• Cherry Roast Pork
• Smashed Carrots
• Curry Roasted Cauliflower
• Grain Free Dinner Rolls
• No Bake Strawberry Pie

We’re going to dive into each menu item in more detail, but if you want to get your hands on the full recipe collection with more tips for your cooking, all you have to do is go to karynhaley.com/valentine. I’ll put a link for the recipes in the show notes too.

OUR MAIN EVENT

So, our main event, the star of the meal is the Cherry Roast Pork. The thing that sets this dish apart from other roast pork mains is its combination of sweet cherries with a tangy pork glaze that comes together beautifully. My taste buds actually started to water as I said that! This dish looks like you’ve spent hours in the kitchen, but it literally takes minimal work on your part. I picked this recipe as the main course because of the dark red cherries. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day. One note to keep in mind, it does have chopped almonds as a topping. Feel free to omit these or even replace them with a different nut if you can’t do almonds. And I highly encourage you to omit the nuts altogether if you’re in the early stages of gut healing. The pork still tastes great without it.

A SIDE DISH THAT DOESN’T DISAPPOINT

Our menu moves on to side dishes with the delectable smashed carrots. This is a great addition because it suites the taste bud needs of kids and parents alike. Kids love carrots for their sweetness, but parents usually want something a little jazzier. I created this SCD legal smashed carrot recipe to fit the parent bill as well your picky eaters’ tastes. The complexity of the simple flavors like fresh orange zest, cinnamon, butter, and honey. Delish, but tasty for kids too.

There’s a topper on this dish as well—dried cherries—and in the recipe booklet, I give you a link for an SCD legal (no sugar) brand which can be hard to find normally, but I’ve got you covered. Again, like with the almonds for the pork, I recommend you skip the dried fruit in early stages of gut healing. Trust me, they’ll still taste great. Sometimes I have cherries on hand, and I use them. Other times, I don’t. It’s good either way.

ANOTHER TASTY SIDE DISH, YES PLEASE!

Your other side dish for this meal is Curry Roasted Cauliflower. Obviously with a name like Curry Roasted Cauliflower, there’s got to be some curry in there. Remember I mentioned that the website No More Crohn’s for Me helped with our Valentine’s menu. Here’s where Erin and Robin’s culinary skills come in.

[15:45] Normally, this wouldn’t be a dish that’s SCD legal because grocery store curry is a no-no. Now, that’s because curry isn’t just one spice, it’s a combination of spices, and often times when spices are combined into one mixture and sold at the grocery store, like curry powder, anti-caking agents like flour and corn starch are added to prevent clumping. Flour and corn products are not allowed on SCD, but thanks to No More Crohn’s, we’ve got you covered with their very own SCD legal curry powder. I’ve used they’re recipe for years. And it definitely tastes better, and fresher than anything you’d buy in the market. I highly recommend it for this dish and any other curry dish you choose to make.

The secret in getting your kids to eat this dish is all in the roasting. Even if you’re kids aren’t fans of raw or steamed cauliflower, this is a veggie worth having them try again. When we roast a vegetable, it brings out all the natural sugars. It gets a robust, sweet flavor that kids tend to love.

The roasting, combined with the exotic flavor brought in by the curry makes this a winner recipe for your Valentine’s family feast. Trust me, if I can get my skeptic children to try and like it, your kids will too.

LET THEM EAT BREAD!

Now, no special holiday meal (no matter the holiday) is ever complete without bread. Come on, you know I’m right. The good news that even though most traditional bread is bad for IBDer’s due to its high carbohydrate content which equals too much sugar and bacteria in the gut, grain free flours like almond and coconut flour make delicious bread that’s much healthier for us to eat. The dinner rolls in your Valentine’s Family Meal menu are rich and full of flavor and will leave everyone at the table happy. I usually make a double batch and freeze rolls to heat up with leftovers.

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED COCONUT FLOUR? NOW’S YOUR CHANCE.

One note about your Valentine’s dinner rolls, they’re made with one of those grain free flours I was mentioning—coconut flour. If you’ve never worked with coconut flour, know that it is a bit different than any of the other flours so be prepared for a different experience. Coconut flour is highly absorbent, but at first, your batter might seem too wet. The absorption process takes a bit to fully take effect so that’s why the recipes has you mix the ingredients and then wait just a few minutes to let the moisture fully absorb before baking. Trust me, it’s not complicated, just different. Once you master coconut flour, you’ll go back to it again and again. If you’ve never used it before, Valentine’s Day may just be the opportunity you’re looking for to try it out.

YOU WON’T HAVE TO DESSERT DESSERT WITH THIS RECIPE.

[19:35] OK, it’s time for the pias de resistance of your Valentine’s Family Meal menu… dessert. And this one, the no bake strawberry pie really is the best part of the meal. Creating recipes to bake is definitely not my forte. A baker who dutifully follows a recipe, absolutely. But a creator, no. Thankfully, ladies like Jennifer from A Life of Happenstance are there to give us some help. SCD or not, everyone in the family will love this dessert. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, and creamy, and rich flavor to add Valentine’s friendly strawberries to your special day. This recipe doesn’t have to be baked. Instead, it uses gelatin to help it set in the frig. Just make sure you pick the right type of gelatin. Not collagen peptides—gelatin. I recommend the beef gelatin from Vital Proteins (it’s the one with the green label), but vegan gelatin is also an option. I’ll link to the Vital Proteins gelatin in the show notes.

So that’s your Family Valentine Menu.

Done.

All you have to do is go out and get the ingredients. So, yes, it’s a complete menu—soup to nuts as they say. But remember that you don’t have to use the complete menu. Swap out, omit, change it up. Make it your own. Use this Valentine’s menu as your jumping off point to create a Valentine’s meal that suits your gut healing needs and your families desires as well.

Your Family Valentine Menu with all the ingredients, the directions for each recipe, tips to make it your own and colorful pictures of each dish (cause what’s a recipe without a picture) is waiting you. All you have to do to get the complete list of dishes and recipes is go to karynhaley.com/valentine

I have to give one last special thank you to our recipe contributors, Jennifer from A Life of Happenstance and Erin at No More Crohn’s for Me for rounding out this Valentine’s menu beautifully. Remember you can find out more about what these ladies are up to by going to their website. It’s all linked in the show notes.

ONE LAST IMPORTANT NOTE…

Just a couple final thoughts before we part. No matter what stage of life you’re in, pre-kids, in the mix with littles, or kids moving up in age, try to find some space with just you and your partner this Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s 5 minutes or 5 hours, don’t let it slip off your radar like it did for me and my hubby during those crazy kid years. We need connection with our partners now more than ever. Who else can go through this crazy, uncertain time with us.

I’m so glad that in recent years the hubs and I made time for it again—overhyped commercial holiday or not, you can make it a special one for you and your partner. No matter how you choose to celebrate the day, I hope the meal I shared with you today will give you an excuse to spend time with your loved ones. That’s what this holiday means to me. Finding another way to show my hubs and my kids that even though I have an illness that can take me away from being there at times, I still care. And any day you can say I love you to your mate, or I choose you in the midst of the kid chaos, in the midst of this IBD chaos, in the midst of life chaos- or sandwich generation chaos—I choose you is a special day.

Happy Valentine’s Day my love. To you, to your family, to your gut health, and to your future! Let this gut friendly meal be the start of a healing journey for you.

Until we chat again, I’m wishing you a cheeky and healthy healing journey.

Chat soon!

Thank you so much for joining me today and for listening to today’s episode. When it comes to IBD, I know there’s a lot of resources out there, and I’m truly honored that you chose the Cheeky Podcast to get your IBD information today. If you found this information helpful, please give us a rating and review. It helps other moms find the podcast and see what we’re doing over here to help IBD moms everywhere. And if you feel called feel a call to do it, share this podcast with an IBD mom who you know could really use an uplifting message today, ’cause that’s what we’re all about over here at the Cheeky Podcast.

[25:15] One last thing, if you’re still with me, and if you are, you’re definitely my kind of gal. We have to get to know each other better. If you’re tired of living on the hamster wheel of IBD with all the ups and downs between flares and remission, if you’re struggling to get control of your abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea and other troubling IBD symptoms, go to my website. It’s karynhaley.com, and my mom had to be just a little bit different, she spelled my name with the Y. So it’s K-A-R-Y-N H-A-L-E-Y.com and schedule your very own free 30-minute IBD root cause trouble-shooting session with me where we discuss the challenges you’ve been having, we set goals to help you move forward, and we talk about how we can work together to help you get your life back. It’s a power packed 30 minutes. You don’t have to live in IBD status quo. There’s so much that can be done to transform your life so you can thrive in motherhood and thrive with IBD. I’ve seen my clients walk this path and it gives me so much joy to take that journey with them.

My entire coaching practice is run online, so you never have to leave your house and you never have to get out of your jammy or yoga pants for us to work together. You know I’m wearing them to. If you’re ready to take your first amazing step towards healing, I’m ready to chat with you. Schedule your free 30-minute IBD root cause trouble shooting sesh today at karynhaley.com. Click on the work with me tab and I’ll see you soon. It’s important to note that the information in this podcast and in this episode is for general information purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The statements made in the Cheeky Podcast for moms with IBD, either by me or my guests, is not intended to diagnose, treat, to cure, or prevent any disease. Before implementing any new treatment protocols, do yourself a favor and consult your physician first.

Thank you so much for listening, for being here, for saving this space for us to spend some time together. Until we chat again, I’m wishing you a cheeky and healthy IBD journey.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.T his is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Ep 20: IBD A and A Giveaway Part II

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

It’s time for an IBD Q and A Giveaway Part II. In our last podcast episode (#19 Part I in this series), we covered your biggest and boldest Crohn’s and colitis questions to help us all navigate the healing minefield we all face when we’re diagnosed with IBD.

Last week’s focus was IBD supplements and medications and today, we’re talking all things gut healing food- one of my favorite topics. You’re going to love these questions. They’re just as insightful as last weeks.

Remember our Wellbee’s Giveaway from last week?

We’re including it again this week, so everyone who submitted a question that gets aired on the episode, gets a free gift card to this outstanding SCD goodies paradise.

When it comes to IBD and food, there’s no better diet to mull over than SCD and GAPS. They’ve both been proven to be helpful at putting IBD into remission. Today, we’re deep diving into both of these diets.

We’re talking about:

• SCD and GAPS: what’s the difference, is there a difference and is one better than the other for healing IBD?
• The best options of food to start adding in when it’s time to move beyond SCD
• Four store-bought Paleo foods that are worth buying for convenience as well as flava

And so much more!

After the episode, you’ll be crystal clear on the similarities and differences between SCD and GAPS. You’ll also have a whole plethora of gut healthy food ideas at your fingertips for when it’s time to move beyond SCD. Can you imagine being so healthy that you’re ready to move on? It’s all possible my friend. And this episode will give you the tools you need when you’re ready to move beyond.

Episode at a Glance:

• [05:45] SCD and GAPS: What are they and how do they help Crohn’s and colitis?

• [06:45] Is SCD and GAPS basically the same eating plans?

• [08:15] If SCD and GAPS aren’t exactly the same, what’s the difference?

• [15:05] Which of these diets allows you to eat chocolate.

• [15:49] So which one should I try?

• [18:24] The reason why nuts can be a problem for your intestinal healing.

• [20:07] Is it ever possible to get off the SCD?

• [26:36] The best foods to add in first when it’s time to go beyond SCD.

• [28:57] The four best store-bought Paleo food brands to check out when you’re ready.

• [034:22] Our free and fabulous IBD mom tribe is the Gut Love Community and you can join us there for the 411 on all things IBD related

• [35:57] The best way to take your IBD healing journey to the next level.

Rate, Review and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Gut Love Community

The Cheeky Podcast for Moms Episode 12

The Cheeky Podcast for Moms Episode 19

Additional Resources from the Episode:

Wellbee’s

Simple Mills

Siete Foods

Primal Kitchen

Equal Exchange Chocolate

Against All Grain

Episode Transcript:

[Music]

INTRO: You are listening to The Cheeky Podcast for Moms with IBD, a safe space for moms with Crohn’s and colitis, connect, explore powerful tools for healing and transform our lives to thrive in motherhood and in life. I’m your host, Karyn Haley, IBD health coach, integrative wellness enthusiast, and mom to three outstanding kids. After having Crohn’s disease for 30 years and working as a health advocate exclusively with IBD clients for the last 10 years, I know it’s time to bring the types of candid conversations I have with my clients out into the open. It’s our time to go on an IBD healing journey and do it like only a mom can. Let’s do this.

[music]

[0:51] Well hey, hey, hey. Welcome to the podcast. How’s it going for you today? It’s a beautiful winter wonderland where I live. The snow is falling gently, the kids are enjoying a snow day of sledding and snowman making and I’m cozy and warm in front of the fireplace and feeling gratitude for all of it. Ah yes, it’s February in Maryland. I hope you’re having a joyous and healthy day yourself.

PART II OF A TWO-PART EPISODE.

Do you remember our topic last week? Our IBD Q and A Giveaway Part I episode? Last week, we started diving into the insightful, big, and bold questions you asked as part of our IBD Q and A Giveaway with gift cards to Wellbee’s, home of the finest SCD legal foods, and I know that to be true because it says so on their website and also because I’ve enjoyed their products for years.

This week, we’re tackling Part II of our IBD Q and A with two more insightful IBD related questions straight from you dear listener. Now, if you missed Part I, that’s OK because this episode can really stand on its own, but if you do have questions about Crohn’s or colitis, specifically how supplements and medications like biologics can be used to help your illness, you’ll want to go back to episode 19, and check that one out too.

Today will be much like last week, with the last 2 of our IBD questions coming directly from the mamas in our Gut Love Community. Remember, I asked the GLC tribe of moms “What are your most pressing concerns and challenges when it comes to IBD?” I got some great questions back and all of them are receiving personal responses from me, but only 4 questions, questions that got pulled randomly out of my crazy hat are being answered directly on the podcast… bonus points to you if you remember what the crazy hat I mentioned last week looks like. You go girl! It was an old red felt fedora hat from my dancing on the stage days. I’m waving a wand of bonus points for you if you remembered that fun fact from episode 19. Can you tell I’m immersed in Harry Potter again—for the third time, this time with my youngest. Wand talk fills our house. Maybe you can relate? Anyway, I’ll be answering the last 2 questions in the IBD Q and A series today. And if you’re question is one that made it on the podcast, you’ll be getting a surprise gift certificate to Wellbee’s sent your way very soon.

One last reminder, just like last week, all questions are being kept anonymous to protect the privacy of those asking the question. Today’s questions center around two of my favorite topics in the IBD space, heck, let’s be honest, two of my favorite topics in the whole world- the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (or SCD) and the Gut and Psychology Syndrome diet (or GAPS). Let’s get to it.

WHICH GUT HEALING DIET SHOULD I CHOOSE… SCD OR GAPS?

And here’s question #3 from our IBD Q and A.

Our GLC member writes: Karyn, I’m trying to decide between SCD and GAPS? I don’t really see the difference. Is there a difference and which one is better for colitis?

OK, I love this question so freakin’ much. It’s awesome. I’m just so impressed that you know about both and are considering these diets to help your IBD symptoms. These are the diets I work with most in my practice and I love them both.  Let’s start by making sure that everyone knows the basics of what we’re talking about before we dive into the similarities, the differences, and which one is better for you.

[05:45] So, both the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) and GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) are diets where you eat specific foods and stay away from others. Both diets have been shown to be helpful for those with IBD—so Crohn’s and colitis both. They help to lower the inflammation in your gut and whole body, boost your immune system to help with the autoimmune component of your disease, and bring your intestinal bacteria back into balance.

Win. Win. Win.

What I just gave your abut SCD and GAPS is very “view from above”—very general for what’s what in the world of SCD and GAPS. Let’s now dive in a bit deeper and talk about their similarities, because I can totally see why your confused here. I know others feel the same way too. On the surface, SCD and GAPS seem like exactly the same diet.

SCD AND GAPS HAVE A LOT IN COMMON.

• They both emphasize an eating plan that’s free of gluten, grains, refined sugar, and most dairy.
• They both have been shown to work for those with IBD.
• GAPS is so similar to SCD because it came out of SCD—it’s like a newer (not better, just newer) version of SCD. Think of it like a tried-and-true classic version of a board game vs a more modern version.
• Both allow only specific types of carbohydrates to be eaten on the diet. These are monosaccharides—single molecule starches because they are easier to digest and absorb. Which means less sugar in your digestive tract and less sugar equals less bacterial imbalance and less inflammation.

LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT’S DIFFERENT BETWEEN SCD AND GAPS.

[08:15] So what’s different about these two diets?

• For starters, SCD has more research with case studies for IBD specially. Remember Elaine Gottschall, who popularized the diet with her Breaking the Vicious Cycle book, she used the diet successfully with her daughter who had Ulcerative Colitis.
• GAPS is actually more touted as a healer for mental health and brain disorder challenges like depression, anxiety, ADHD, Schizophrenia, and Autism. It’s interesting that there’s an autism connection with SCD in Elaine BTVC book too. She mentions SCD helping those with Autism. Possibly Natasha Campbell McBride saw that SCD helped for Autism and then took it further with other mental health and brain disorders. I’ll have to ask her if I ever get the chance…
• SCD is not as focused on organic, local, sustainable food as GAPS. Elaine spoke only briefly about organic food saying that she wanted this diet to be accessible to all. I believe if Elaine were alive today and she would see how much organic food has become more mainstream, and she would talk about that as well—but that’s just my guess.
• While some sort of broth is crucial to both diet plans, the GAPS diet asks you to consume meat stock while the SCD has you preparing chicken soup. Both are very similar. Natasha Campbell-McBride, the GAPS creator, talks about how meat stock is best to get you into remission while the chicken stock or bone broth is more for maintenance. I usually recommend the meat stock version to my clients, but I didn’t know about it 12 years ago and I achieved remission using the SCD chicken soup. I think both are so similar and are great for gut healing.
• GAPS has more defined stages in the beginning, 6 of them, where SCD is more about an intro diet before jumping in. Here’s the thing though, I never do SCD without some sort of stages with my clients. I have lots of mamas who come to me for coaching after jumping into SCD, and it not giving them the best results. When we take a step back and come up with a stages plan for their SCD, it tends to work much better. So yes, the GAPS does have more defined stages, but I never recommend doing SCD without staging it. I just see if working so much better when you add foods in slowly.
• Also, while the homemade fermented yogurt you may have heard about with GAPS and SCD is a crucial part of IBD healing, the GAPS diet waits to introduce the yogurt until some healing has taken place. Some people are sensitive to dairy (even lactose free dairy) until some intestinal healing has taken place, so with GAPS, you wait. And just a side note in case you’re thinking about yogurt, but not wanting to use dairy, there are non-dairy options for yogurt. Email me if you need a recipe or go to episode #12 I talk all about non-dairy yogurt there. I’ll link to it in the show notes.
• GAPS has more of an emphasis on probiotic rich, fermented foods than SCD. And it’s not just the yogurt. There’s kefir, sauerkraut and eventually fermented veggies. SCD is all about the yogurt and probiotic supplements.
• And speaking of kefir, kefir is allowed on GAPS but not on SCD. Also with regard to probiotics, SCD does not allow the bifido strain of probiotics while GAPS does.
• Perhaps the most interesting difference in my opinion, is that it’s like SCD is more about eliminating the pathogenic bacteria and GAPS more about introducing healing bacteria into the gut. I find that difference really interesting. Subtle, but there nonetheless.
• Perhaps the saddest of all the foods SCD does not allow is chocolate, even in its healthiest raw cacao form. Various reasons come into play for not allowing in on SCD like the fact that it is linked to cocaine, that it’s addictive, that it may suppress the immune system. While SCD stays away from chocolate later stages of GAPS does allow for high quality dark chocolate. And I do have to say that although 12 years ago when I faithfully followed SCD for 2 years with fanatical adherence, the first thing I added back into my diet was raw cacao and dark chocolate. Addiction be damned. That’s an addiction I’ll own.

See how there’s actually quite a few differences when you look very closely? Subtle differences, but ones that might help you to decide which diet is best for you.

SO WHICH DIET IS BETTER?

[15:49] When it comes to which diet is better and which one I recommend for IBDer’s, you’re going to hate my answer here, but I don’t recommend one over the other. My favorite thing to do with clients is a combo approach where we take the best of each plan. Over the years, I’ve created and tweaked an approach that incorporates both, so personally, I don’t think you have to pick one over the other. I think you can pick the best of both diets and be really successful.

If you want to do that, use both diets to your IBD advantage, your first step is to get a copy of Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall and a copy of Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride. Read them both and see what you like and what you don’t like about about these diets. See how you can combine them into the best gut healing diet for you.

Remember, if you find the idea of all that research overwhelming, I’ve already done a lot of the legwork for you. Know that if you want help with how to best make this work for you, I’m here to help. Reach out and let’s chat about it.

If you’re strictly a purest and you want to pick only one diet—SCD or GAPS—that’s fine too. Remember, they are so similar. My guess is that you will find some level of success with either one. They both have proven results when it comes to IBD, even GAPS.

I do have a bit of advice for you though. No matter which one you choose, keep your emphasis on nutrient dense food– organic veggies, grass fed meat, local food sources, choose pastured or farm raised eggs, use the healthy fats in either diet liberally to help your gut heal, and perhaps most importantly, stay away from too much nut flour. You should not be having an almond flour cookie or muffin or pancake with every meal. It’s just too many nuts and nuts can be inflammatory and keep you from full and lasting healing. I see a lot of problems with moms who do this. It can be reversed, but it’s best to start off on the right foot, right from the beginning.

So go for it, go for it with SCD or GAPS, knowing that tweaking, pivoting, and do it with your own symptoms and lifestyle in mind. This is always the way to go in any diet you choose.

CAN I EVER GO OFF SCD?

[20:07] Question #4 The last question. And this is an SCD specific one.

When it’s time to move on from SCD, what should I try?

Another fabulous question and congrats that you’ve made it this far! Seriously incredible. I know first-hand just how difficult it is to stay on the SCD, but you did it lady and now you’re ready to come off. Awesome!

Over the last several years, I’ve had the pleasure of clients coming back to me a year or two years after we’ve finished our coaching together to say, “Karyn, I’m ready to add in more foods, can I do that?” This is one of my favorite conversations to have. It means the diet has worked for you, you’ve sustained your remission, and you’re ready to see what’s around the bend for your diet and your future. After many conversations with rock star clients who are at this place on their healing journey, I’ve developed a list of go-to foods you’ll want to try when it’s time to branch out with your food choices and dip a toe into new remission sustaining waters.

Now I know most of you who listen to my podcast aren’t here yet. You’re in the trenches, still trying to figure out how to bust that flare, but I still believe this information will be beneficial for you. There’s no one talking about what happens after diets like SCD (or GAPS for that matter) so this is truly valuable information. So whether you’re ready for that step now, or you’re going to tuck this information away until the time is right, know that I have every confidence you will get there. Keep fighting. Keep tweaking and try new things. Keep faith in yourself and you will get there mom friend.

So you’re ready to try adding in some new foods after SCD and you don’t want to risk a flare. First, know that SCD is nutritious and sustainable so you can stay on it as long as you want. Usually, I see moms stay on this diet about 1 year after their last symptom is felt. That could be 1 ½- to let’s say 7 years—a while. But if you’ve been feeling well for quite some time and you’re bored with your eating plan, what should you add in first?

Well, first you might want to go back to some of those foods on SCD that didn’t work for you in the past. Mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, squash… those are foods I hear about not working often. What didn’t work for you in the early stages of the diet? Feel free to try these foods before moving on completely. They may or may not work for you. And you’ll know they don’t if you experience unexplained diarrhea, bloating, gas, rashes, a headache… there’s way too many symptoms to mention here, but if you have an unexplainable reaction after all this time, you have a really strong food sensitivity, and that food is just not in the cards for you. Remember you can be sensitive to a food AND be in remission. Sometimes there’s just foods that will never work for you, no matter how healthy you are. For me, it’s peppers with skin. Roasted peppers with no skin, no problem. When I eat the skin, all hell breaks loose.

After you’ve tried some of the SCD legal foods that may not have worked in the past, it’s time to try some SCD illegals—healthy foods you just weren’t ready for before.

WHAT’S THE FIRST FOOD YOU SHOULD TRY AFTER SCD?

My top go-to right out of the gate is quinoa—that easiest to digest ancient grain that’s a great source of fiber, protein, as well as antioxidants and minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc. I love it because it’s a great first grain after being off them for so long. It’s a great first option due to it being easier to digest than other grains.

I do recommend soaking your quinoa first to breakdown the phytic acid and to predigest the starches also for easier digestion. My clients who do this usually fair better in their first grain foray after SCD.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TRY?

[26:36] How about sweet potatoes, maybe white potatoes in very limited quantity as they are more starchy than sweet potatoes. My personal post SCD treat was chocolate—raw cacao. But dark chocolate is great too. A company called Equal Exchange makes several great dark chocolate bars. Look for around 70-90% cacao. You are welcome to adopt my motto, a square a day keeps the doctor away, or that’s at least what I like to think.

Maple syrup can be on your list of things to try as well. Raw milk if you have a farmer you trust or organic heavy cream as cream is the lowest in lactose. Some of my clients do well on rice. Basmati is the easiest to digest. Again, I would soak that first to breakdown the fibers.

PRE-PACKAGED STORE-BOUGHT BEYOND SCD FOOD

[28:57] If these new foods go well, you might want to venture out into a few types of pre-made paleo foods. I’d say branch out into pre-made SCD food, but you’ll just never see that at the grocery store. Thankfully though packaged Paleo food is available at the grocery store now and it can open a whole amazing world of gut healthy convenience for you when you’re ready. None of this was available to me 10 years ago, but the world of store-bought grain free and paleo has exploded.

Some of my favorite grain free brands include a bread company called Against the Grain. They’ve got delicious baguettes, bagels, rolls, pizza crust… They’ve recently also added cake and brownie mixes too. There’s another grain free company I love called Primal Kitchen. They have loads of options, but my favorite are their salad dressings and marinades. Siete Foods is also fantastic. Their corn free tortilla chips and cashew made queso dip is to die for.

I’ll leave you with one last store-bought healthy option when you’re ready to branch out. And that’s Simple Mills. Simple Mills is one of my favorites. Crackers and package mixes to make things like focaccia bread and cookies are all just a grocery store purchase away.

While I wouldn’t make any of these pre-made store bought foods the primary foods in my diet, it’s great to know store bought, convenience options are out there for occasional use.

Oh, and one last thought I just had, if you want to go really crazy and branch out from the grain free world, and that’s homemade sourdough bread. It’s a tasty and healthy option. If your gut is ready for this more traditional flour, the bacterial benefits of fermented bread can help keep a bacterial balance in your gut. Again, it’s not something you need to eat every day, but it’s a nice treat every now and again.  With sourdough, it’s best to get a starter from a friend or buy one and make your own. Store bought sourdough usually much more processed and doesn’t have the same benefit as it’s not made in the traditional sourdough starter way.

Hopefully those few suggestions will get you started on the Beyond SCD path and I hope your health continues to shine dear one. Remember, it’s absolutely fine if you’re not there yet. Most of us aren’t. I branch out with a few of these foods on my diet, but many of these, I still don’t tolerate. Grains are my kryptonite and so I’d never be caught dead with sourdough bread. Maybe one day.

OK my darling, that’s a wrap on all four questions in our 2-part series: IBD Q and A Giveaway. Remember, if you’re question was called out during the broadcast, you’re walking away with an awesome gift card to Wellbee’s, your #1 source for all things SCD and gut health goodies. Enjoy and let me know what you get please!

I have to give a huge, special shout out and thanks to all the moms in our fantastic, amazing, super community, the Gut Love Community. This is the place where these IBD questions came pouring in from. The GLC is the place to be if you want to be able to take part in Q and A’s and giveaways like this one. It’s the place to be if you want a safe space for mom-focused, mom-centered conversations about Crohn’s and colitis. It’s the place to be for free and fabulous advice, tips, tricks, recipes, and resources. Join us with the link in the show notes. I can’t wait to meet you there!

Until next week, I’m wishing you a cheeky and healthy IBD healing journey.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.T his is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.