Roadmap to Health (edited for IBD sufferers)

The Cause of Chronic Health Problems

WHAT IF:  There was an entity that caused a cancer that never existed before, created a new skin disease, and QUADRUPLED CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN MEN OVER 40?

It would be the lead story on all of the news networks, would be on the cover of several magazines, and it would be the subject on many talk shows. The funny thing is that this has actually happened. The cause of all of these health problems already exists—and it happened within a single generation!  It happened to the Inuit living in Northern Canada. Prior to 1940, these people ate the traditional foods of their ancestors—their diet had been the same for centuries. After 1940 military bases began to appear and many began to eat at base cafeterias, abandoning their traditional diet. This sudden increase in disease was caused by the Western Diet. Eating the type of diet that we take for granted causes disease. Some women developed breast cancer, which was unheard of before 1940. Teenagers began to have acne, another condition that didn’t exist before they began eating a more “civilized” diet. Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and gross obesity all became more common. This result happens pretty consistently when a population abandons its traditional diet and begins eating a Western diet. Weston Price documented this in his book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.

Dr. Weston Price

In the 1930s Dr. Weston Price, a dentist, traveled the world and compared people in “civilized” societies to their same ethnic group living away from civilization. He looked at isolated people in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands He found that “uncivilized” people did not have the chronic health problems we have. They had very little cancer or heart disease, no obesity, sinusitis, allergies, diabetes, GERD, etc. Even their bone and teeth structure was better (see below). The person eating a traditional diet is on the right.

The Western Diet Creates Inflammation

There is more to inflammation than pain: Most disease is the result of inflammation. Heart disease, Crohn’s disease, allergies, and even cancer all are inflammatory conditions. By getting inflammation under control, you not only reduce pain but improve your health in general. You may have heard the names of some of the chemicals involved in inflammation in drug commercials. Some examples of these pro-inflammatory chemicals are prostaglandins, cytokines, interleukins, and leukotrienes. Drugs that treat allergies and reduce pain and inflammation work by affecting these chemicals. Similarly, diet and supplements can also affect the amount of these chemicals and the inflammation that they produce.

Inflammation and the diet: Research has shown that sugar, refined food, and processed food can all increase chemicals that produce inflammation. Insulin insensitivity can produce inflammation. Insulin insensitivity is the result of eating too many refined carbohydrates (refined sugar and starch products, like sweets, pasta, and white bread). People with insulin insensitivity tend to be overweight, carrying excess weight in their belly, thighs, and buttocks. Studies have shown that people who are overweight tend to produce more inflammatory chemicals than people who are not overweight. 

The point is that the lifestyle you lead and the food you consume can not only influence the amount of pain you feel but can promote health and slow down the disease process as well. Research appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2004;292:1440-1446) has shown that diet can reduce inflammation.  

30 Days Will Change Your LIfe

It may seem strict, but…This is a 30-day program. Diet and some basic supplementation can reduce pain and improve almost any chronic health problem. You can do anything for 30 days. The program is strict, but once the 30 days are over, you can relax the discipline a bit. At the end of the 30 days, some of the “forbidden” foods will be allowed. Just remember that coming off the program is an opportunity to make some of the improvements to your health and well-being permanent. At the end of this handout is some advice on ending the 30-day plan.

1. Avoid obvious junk: You probably already know that these substances undermine your health, so avoid them (even after the 30 days are over). This includes refined sugar, refined starch, chemical additives (if it wasn’t available 10,000 years ago, it is not good for you), artificial sweeteners, and commercial oils (use only extra virgin olive oil).
2. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables: Plenty means that at least ¾ of your diet (by volume) should be fresh produce. They provide fiber and nutrients; vegetables create an environment favorable to good bowel flora. 
3. Avoid GMOs: (Genetically modified foods). Genetically modified foods tend to be heavily sprayed with chemicals. Some are designed to survive being sprayed with the herbicide glyphosate (which has recently been linked to cancer). They harm the digestive tract by disrupting the bowel ecology.
4. As much as possible, eat organic foods. The more chemicals you avoid, the better off you will be. Sometimes organic foods are not available, so do the best that you can.
5. Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly. Ideally, chew your food until it is liquid. You will be satisfied with less food and you will have better digestion. Your saliva has enzymes that facilitate digestion. Also, it is easier to digest small particles than large ones. Not chewing well stresses your digestive system and can lead to poor absorption of nutrients, digestive problems like gas and bloating and promote the growth of harmful bacteria in the digestive tract.
6. Follow a modified Paleo or specific carbohydrate diet (SCD). The two diets are very mucy alike. Avoid complex carbohydrates. This means no starchy foods or disaccharides. Starches include corn, potatoes, rice, wheat, etc. Also, beans contain complex carbohydrates and are to be avoided (remember, this is only for 30 days). A disaccharide is a sugar that needs to be broken down by the digestive system, like lactose (so no dairy is allowed). The exceptions are sweet potatoes and quinoa.
7. Drink plenty of water (divide your weight by two for the number of ounces of water you need per day).

Why Go Paleo (or SCD)?

The idea behind the Paleo diet is that people were healthier when they were hunter-gatherers. When people settled into villages and began to cultivate wheat and other grains and to consume dairy, their health declined. There are no grains (wheat, rice, corn etc,) potatoes, dairy products, or any other source of complex carbohydrates (like beans) allowed on the diet. There are many advantages to the Paleo diet. It is low in food allergens, like wheat, dairy, corn, and soy. It is very good for digestion. Americans eat a disproportionate amount of complex carbohydrates, and many believe that is the reason there is so much GERD, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.  

Why it is good for IBD (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease): A survey of 50 IBD patients on SCD showed that 66% reported complete resolution of symptoms after an average of 9.9 months, with an average 91.3% effectiveness in controlling acute flare symptoms and 92.1% in maintaining remission according to a study published by the University of Virginia School of Medicine. (PRACTICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY • AUGUST 2019)

The specific carbohydrate diet was developed by Dr. Sydney Haas in the 1940s. It was made popular by Elaine Gottschall in her book, Ending the Vicious Cycle. It presents a reasonable mechanism for at least some cases of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Many practitioners have found that this approach helps with other digestive issues, like IBS, SIBO, GERD etc. The diet has been well-studied and found to be effective in many cases of inflammatory bowel disease^1,2,3, as well as cases of IBS and SIBO. 

The mechanism that leads to digestive problems that Gottschall suggests is as follows.

Poor digestion can cause inappropriate bowel flora to grow. Complex carbohydrates, in general, seem to have the potential to disrupt the microbiome. This may explain the popularity of ketogenic and Paleo diets.

Sources:

1. Effect of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet on the Microbiome of a Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Ulcerative Colitis Patient
2. . Nutritional therapy in pediatric Crohn disease: the specific carbohydrate diet
3. A low-gluten diet induces changes in the intestinal microbiome of healthy Danish adult.

Author’s note: By increasing produce to 75% of the diet we can reduce inflammation and increase healing. If you have IBD, this will improve results. Some IBD patients, however, do not tolerate a lot of raw vegetables or even vegetable fiber in general. If this is the case, you may need to adjust the program to your needs. Thoroughly cooking the vegetables works for some people. Also, try juicing. That way you get the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of polyphenols.

Other considerations:

• Alcohol: Do not drink alcohol on the program. If you feel that you cannot avoid it for 30 days, you may need to consider the possibility of addiction. Some of the recipes include wine, but the alcohol is cooked out of the dish.
• Smoking: Tobacco is an addiction. The 30-day program may present you with the opportunity to quit. Some people will follow the program for 30 days and continue to smoke, then do it for another 30 days and quit during that cycle. If you feel that you cannot quit, do the program anyway. It will still help.
• Caffeine: If you drink a lot of coffee or tea, ideally, you should stop. Caffeine, however, is addictive and some people experience withdrawal symptoms when it is given up. If this is an issue for you, try doing the program for 30 days while consuming the caffeine. Then do a second 30 days and give it up.

Prescription medication: Discuss this with your doctor. For the most part, you will need to continue your medication. If you are diabetic, you may want to monitor your blood sugar while following the program as your medication needs may change. Again, discuss this with your doctor.

Changing the Diet at the End of 30 days:

If the program helps you, as it will for most people, change your habits slowly. This is an opportunity to find out if some “good” foods are giving you a problem. Many people have a problem with consuming wheat, dairy, soy, or other commonly eaten food.

• Continue to avoid the “obvious junk”: Of course, there may be parties or special occasions where you may break discipline. Just continue to understand that these foods are bad and avoid them as much as possible. This also goes for avoiding GMOs. Continue to eat organic foods as much as possible.
• Continue to eat more fresh produce than other foods: Try to make sure that at least 50% of what you eat (by volume) is fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Break the Paleo discipline slowly: One of the reasons the Paleo diet is included in this program is that it helps with digestive issues. Also, many of the foods avoided are foods, like wheat and dairy, that are problematic for many people. If you consume a food that is not allowed on the Paleo diet, do not consume another one for 24 hours. If you have wheat on Tuesday, for example, do not have dairy until Wednesday. If you feel worse after eating the food, it is something that you should avoid AND, do not have another “forbidden” food for 72 hours. For example, if you have wheat on Tuesday and have symptoms (bloating, fatigue, sinus issues, etc.), do not have dairy until Friday. Also, continue to avoid the wheat (and probably other gluten grains).
• We may see that some “permitted foods” are a problem: Some people may have problems with some of the foods that are permitted on the diet. For example, some people have nut or egg allergies. This diet is a starting point, and we can fine-tune it to fit you individually.

Do not limit food. Eat when you are hungry. Many will lose weight on the program, but do not try to turn this into a “diet”. What you eat is much more important than how much you eat. Look elsewhere on the site for weight loss ideas.

Restaurant survival:

Eating out presents some challenges. It is almost impossible to know if your food is organic or free of GMOs (except in some high-end restaurants). Do the best that you can. Order salad (simple vinegar and oil dressing—creamy dressings tend to be full of chemicals) and as many vegetables as you can. Have chicken, meat or fish that is broiled and without breading. Even in a fast-food restaurant you can have hamburger (without the bun) and a salad. You can remove the breading from fried chicken. Just follow the dietary discipline as much as you can.

Need Meal Ideas? Click Here for Our Paleo/SCD Recipes.

Lunch and dinner ideas: This is easy for most people. Eat any poultry, meat, or fish along with any vegetables. Soups, salads, and fruit are all permitted. Click here for recipes.

Breakfast ideas: Many of us are in the habit of eating starch for breakfast. Here are some ideas to help break you of that habit.

• Frittatas and Omelets: Experiment with various vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, peppers, or zucchini, combined with eggs and herbs. Consider adding some sharp cheddar or Swiss cheese if tolerated.
• Egg Scrambles: Scramble eggs with cooked vegetables like spinach, kale, zucchini, or asparagus. Add some chopped compliant bacon or turkey sausage for extra flavor and protein.
• Baked Avocado Eggs: Bake eggs directly into avocado halves for a healthy fat and protein-rich start. 

Fruit-focused options

• Smoothies: Combine ripe bananas, berries, and homemade SCD yogurt or compliant coconut milk for a refreshing and nutritious smoothie. You can add a handful of spinach for extra nutrients without significantly altering the flavor.
• Fruit and Yogurt Bowls: Enjoy homemade 24-hour fermented yogurt topped with fresh fruit like berries, sliced bananas, or peaches.
• Baked Fruit: Baked apples or pears with a touch of cinnamon and honey (a permitted sweetener) make for a warm and comforting breakfast option.
• SCD Pancakes: Utilize almond or coconut flour to create delicious grain-free pancakes. Serve with honey and fruit.

• SCD Muffins: Bake muffins using almond or coconut flour and fruit, like banana or blueberry.
• Banana Coconut “Porridge”: This creative alternative utilizes mashed banana and coconut for a warm and satisfying breakfast resembling oatmeal, but without the grains. 

If weight is not an issue, snack if you must (best not to snack). If you snack, simply eat anything within the parameters of the program.