SCD Update in June
Even though you might be tired of hearing about our fair experiences, I wanted to share with you the small victory I feel in surviving the fair while eating on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). It was no small task, and I am extremely proud of our family for sticking with it amid the temptations, the heat, and the exhaustion.
We were surrounded by the typical fair food. Funnel cakes, lemonade, sausage-on-a-stick, soft drinks, ice cream, snow cones, etc. were everywhere. Despite the inundation of good smells and visually-appealing presentations of food and drink, we stood strong.
This is not a diet to lose weight (although some in my family have lost well over 20 pounds in less than three months.) This is not a fad diet. The goal of this diet is to heal our guts in the hopes of curing our food intolerances and/or possible Celiac disease. Yes, I used the word “cure.” For more information, read Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall. As stated in the book, ”fanatical adherence” must be attained in order to accomplish the goal of the diet. In other words, cheating even in small doses is not allowed. For this reason, I believe that we were able to adhere to the diet protocol.
We brought our older gas grill to the fairgrounds. It served us tremendously well. My husband grilled chicken leg quarters, country-style pork ribs, grass fed hamburger patties, and SCD-legal sausage. I also used my crock pot to warm leftover brisket. Since it was so hot, we brought salad with homemade dressing in a cooler. Another day was coleslaw or pea salad. Quick pickles, which are cucumber slices soaked in a vinegar and herb dressing, were refreshing. Of course, we had fruit like grapes, apples, tangerines, and watermelon.
For snacks, my children could pick a fruit. I also bought dried apricots, pitted California dates, and sunflower seeds. I sliced up Cheddar cheese, too. Luckily, the creative arts department sells the 4-H and FFA food entries. So, I ran up there to buy Kyla’s Almond Butter Bars, which are out of this world. The recipe is my Texas Homesteader Wheat-Free Cookbook with an easy substitution for honey instead of sugar and no chocolate chips.
We had a cooler full of bottles of water and some cans of sparkling water. I brought a jug of diluted fruit juice each day to give a little variety. We also had a jug of unsweetened iced tea that I found very refreshing.
I hope this doesn’t sound like deprivation to you. We actually got a lot of attention from fellow attendees. “How much do you charge for a plate?” “Do you take reservations?” Man, that smells great!” “Ya’ll sure eat healthy!” After all the hard work in making sure that we had good food to eat, I relished these comments.
I even started feeling sorry for the families who carried in fast food for every meal. After days of that kind of food, they were complaining of indigestion. We were asked by an acquaintance for a bottle of water to help him cope with tummy ache from a lemonade overload. In contrast, we all felt great.
If you have been thinking about starting the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, but are too concerned that you will not be able to see it through to the end, then let me encourage you. It can be done! We just completed a seven-day hard trial. The hardest part was not being around other foods. The hardest part was not being at home. Therefore, planning was an absolute must. Believe me if this family of seven can do it at the fair, then you can too.
Great Job! You are an encouragement to me! Thanks for sharing.