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Protecting The Health Of Your Intestines With A Specific Carbohydrate Diet

There are really times when a person is very much encouraged to diet not for the sake of losing weight but because the doctor told him so. Otherwise, he’s going to continue feeling the symptoms of their present illnesses. Such is the concept of the SCD, or specific carbohydrate diet. It is a very strict diet, wherein a person under such regimen is not allowed to eat any food with grain or sugar. He is also prohibited to take in lactose and other dairy products.

Who is under the Specific Carbohydrate Diet?

The specific carbohydrate diet is ideal for any individual who is suffering from Crohn’s disease, problems in the bowel movement such as the IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), spastic colon, chronic diarrhea, as well as ulcerative colitis, among others.

What is the concept of Specific Carbohydrate Diet?

It was Dr. Sydney Haas who developed the concept of specific carbohydrate diet. However, it was actually Elaine Gottschall who made the diet very much well-known all over the world. This, she did, after she used the specific carbohydrate diet for her daughter who was ill then with ulcerative colitis.

The specific carbohydrate diet revolves around the idea that sugar, which comes from carbohydrates, is the leading cause for the development of bacteria and yeast that can inflict a person’s intestines. When they become far too many, they can actually hinder the proper functioning enzymes in the intestines, which will allow you to digest and absorb carbohydrates much better. The cycle goes on as long as the carbohydrates remain undigested. It will continue to generate yeast and bacteria.

If a person doesn’t practice the specific carbohydrate diet, the yeast and bacteria will continue to produce acids and toxins, which can create damage into the walls of your small intestine. It will further be alleviated when the intestines will create more mucus to protect themselves from the acids.

What types of foods can you eat in the Specific Carbohydrate Diet?

When you are in the specific carbohydrate diet, you are only allowed to eat legumes, dried fruits, meats, eggs, fish and poultry that are either frozen or fresh. You cannot devour anything that is canned and, most of all, flour and other kinds of cereal grains. You also cannot drink any milk or eat anything that is considered as a dairy product.

How does a Specific Carbohydrate Diet work?

The ultimate purpose of the specific carbohydrate diet is to settle the imbalance happening in your intestines. First of all, it will try to prevent the over development of bacteria and yeast into your intestines. Part of the specific carbohydrate diet is to limit your intake of carbohydrates by eating only those that can be properly absorbed by your intestines. This way, your bacteria won’t be able to propagate any further. The intestinal lining will also stop producing mucus as a form of protection.

Thus, in turn, your body can digest and absorb nutrients more properly. Other effects will include more effective function of the immune system. The specific carbohydrate diet is known to be 80 per cent efficient to all who have intestine-related problems.