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Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet (平装)
by Elaine Gloria Gottschall
| Category:
Nutrition, Diet, Health & fitness |
| Market price: ¥ 298.00
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¥ 228.00
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MSL rating:
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| MSL Pointer Review:
A life-saving research and diet plan for anyone who experiences digestive problems. Kudos to Elaine! |
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AllReviews |
1 Total 1 pages 9 items |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
I'm a massage therapist who has learned Chinese medicine as well. I just read this book in only an hour since a good portion is needed recipes. It gets straight to the point with the facts & I could not put it down. I realized I'd already been eating mostly only foods on this diet for almost a year now. I didn't know it though. I just knew seeds bothered me, but not nuts, dairy & soy made me very congested to the point that had trouble breathing, all grains got me including corn, all added sugars & most cooked products though I live at a health food store..., etc. My instincts have always been great, as a kid I ate almost nothing but ran around like crazy. As soon as I discovered deserts at 9, all was lost, my energy, my ability to concentrate... all slowly declined as my weight went up.
I always had tummy aches, tired, get sick easily, moody, irritable, need a nap after any meal, etc. but I thought it was normal. I ask most people & everyone says they feel tired & less able to function after eating. By age 17 I had migraines that was last for 2 weeks straight. By 20 though I started a low-fat diet eating mostly , cut out soda & lost weight, I was always sick with something & my energy was completely gone. Massage college taught nutrition & the first thing was to cut out all synthetic ingredients & dairy which I did. Since I had horrible diet for 20 years & stressed out with a tough school load, it took many months to detoxify during which I felt very sluggish but my migraines disappeared. I was suddenly feeling so clean & light inside & wonderful, but I still didn't get back all my energy or get rid of acne.
With advice from health store owner in 2002, I cut out gluten & sugar for 2 weeks out of desperation. I felt like I was 8 years old again, lost 5 lbs in one week & my acne was 40% better. When I sneak some back in my diet, I would die from pain.
Over the years I have been getting better & a celiac free diet helped a lot with pain, etc., but not as good as I should. Since I naturally have been very close to this diet already, through trial/error (pain/tiredness & loss of fun/work/life) it makes perfect sense...
If you can't digest it, bacteria does & they proliferate until they compromise the body. The body tries vainly to defend itself with mucous we all get nowadays but it only makes it harder for our intestines to absorb nutrients from foods it normally can. We all know too much mucous can then cause more problems such as respiratory allergies, etc.
In studying macrobiotic whole food books based on Chinese medicine, they agree 90% with the facts of this book to get rid of most poor diet conditions & get rid of bacteria/parasites. This book & sites based on it tell you every single food you can & cannot eat & why to make it very easy to do along with recipes. I have been on it only short while, but already my skin looks better & my pains are gone. I have cheated & she was totally right & my body paid for it. There are numerous sites & groups to join or research under "specific carbohydrate diet or SCD" to get more assistance.
There is one thing... always be true to what you know you can & can't tolerate. Don't always follow everyone else blindly. If you know you can't tolerate too much fat, don't change that to agree with another diet, just add that modification to it. Just like any other diet, there is no food you can go crazy on without overloading your body, whether it be sugars, fats or proteins. Always listen to your body first for pain, fatigue, sluggish, muscle weakness, blah mood in body or mood, irritability, etc. to know when you went too far.
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
I want to start this letter off by thanking Elaine Gottschall who's book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle, has brought my health back to a healthier state than before I even got Crohn's. To Lucy, conqueror of Colitis, and author of Lucy's SCD cookbook, for all her great recipes, including the coffee cake (my favorite)and all her great advise, oh, can't forget the many orders of almond flower you sent me. And of course, the love of my life Rachel, thank you so much for making all those SCD meals that allowed me to kill that crohn monster. You are my savior, and I love you sooo much;)
Here's where my story begins: After receiving a colonoscopy a week before Christmas 2002, after continued stomach pain and severe diarrhea (about every 20 min at one point)...I was diagnosed with Crohn's involving 14in of my small intestine (near the ileum). The doc said it was a moderate and classic case of Crohn's. He said it looked like someone had scraped my insides with 80 grit sandpaper (ouch)!! (To those of you reading this right now, I have been where you are, thinking hopeless thoughts... "Why me!.. My life is ruined!...etc." There is hope, there is a cure, no matter what the doctor, or anyone else, says... I am the proof...as well as sooooo many others who have followed, and I mean vigorously followed the SCD diet. The most important aspect of the diet is patience, patience, and more patience, and (no cheating)...
After eight months on the diet, I felt that the Asacol and Pantasa were only hampering my progress and decided to taper off. (Caution) Don't cold turkey the meds! Ask someone in the medical field with help on developing a program to taper off the meds. ...Anyway, getting off the meds was a bit scary. This is the point at which the SCD is put to the true test. All of my doubts and skepticism about the diet were put to rest after being med-free for the first time in eight months. After three months med-free, I was a TRUE BELIEVER!!
After five months med-free and feeling great, I decided to go see my GI. I told him I'd been med-free for 5 months with only one bowel movement, sometimes two, a day and no diarrhea (maybe only 3x over the last year). He was shocked!! He said he's never seen anyone go into remission and stay there without maintenance drugs. Then he said, "Maybe you didn't have Crohn's after all... Maybe it was a virus or something else." I explained the diet to him and how serious I was about it, but I don't think he got the picture. Anyway, he ordered me another exam...a small bowel follow-through w/Barium (Yuck!). My thought before the exam was that the results would show improvements, but that I still had Crohn's.
Well, after the 3 hour exam, my GI said, "Your intestines are perfectly normal...absolutely perfect...not one blemish." ..."YOU DON'T HAVE CROHN'S," he said!!! We were both shocked! To sum up this whole story is to say, "IT'S NOT A MIRACLE, IT'S THE SCD DIET!" Actually, there may just be a miracle to this story, her name is Elaine Gottschall ... |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
It took me a while to become convinced that the science behind the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) was sound. I first started the diet during a severe flare-up of ulcerative colitis. I didn't see any improvement, though the book said improvement should be seen within a week with the strict starter diet. After several months of prednisone induced remission, I had another severe flare-up. After much study, I became convinced that Candida yeast overgrowth was the main cause of my UC. About 100 million Americans are thought to be affected by this overgrowth, caused by antibiotic use (and other drugs like Prednisone), drinking chlorinated water and swimming and bathing in chlorine, eating a lot of sugar/starch, drinking alcohol, coffee, etc. The SCD is a good start in fighting Candida, but the diet allows too much fruit and honey in my opinion. Elaine mentions yeast but doesn't emphasize it, but does discuss "bad" bacteria in the gut quite a bit. I got excited after reading The Body Ecology Diet (which I read in one day) and thought I could modify my diet a bit by adding some sprouted grains. This was my first grains in 6 months. For the next day or so after eating them, I could tell my system was not digesting this, and ended up with a lot of bloating and gas. I tried this for several days with the same result. I believe Elaine wholeheartedly now; that many people are not able to break down complex carbo- hydrates, that everyone has at least some degree of difficulty with them, and that humans have been eating complex carbs for a very short time in relation to our overall history (1% of our history approximately). It's pretty simple - foods that have a single sugar (monosaccharide) are ok, multiple sugars (disaccharide and polysaccharide) are not. There are also a lot of additives and a few other foods on the "not legal" list - especially bad fats.
Unfortunately my Candida was too severe to be treated just with the SCD alone. Eating a lot of coconut oil and shredded coconut has helped (a major natural grain distributor has shredded coconut in 25 lb bulk. Coconut is a potent fighter of yeast and bad bacteria and it's fat is very healthful), but Primal Defense is what has cured this problem for me. My digestive system is extremely healthy now, and my many other symptoms are gone as well, I feel years younger, and have plenty of energy. The SCD says Primal Defense is not "legal", and the online nazi's will say to avoid it at all costs, but I can actually eat a lot more foods while I'm taking it than I could before (such as fruit, some cheeses, and certain properly presoaked beans). The maker of Primal Defense is well aware of SCD and at one time talked to Elaine every day on the telephone, and the diet he recommends for IBD is about the same. (a good dosage is 6 regular or 3 Ultra Primal Defense per day, Ultra is a bit cheaper). I make 24 hour yogurt as the book recommends, and eat it regularly, but it doesn't have the same effect.
I will forever be grateful to Elaine Gottschall (who passed away last year) for bringing this diet to the attention of the world, though perhaps she could have sooner. She brought her daughter to Dr. Sidney Haas and Dr. Merrill Haas in 1958, and they put her on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet which they had formulated, and this cured her severe ulcerative colitis within 2 years. Since then Elaine spent years researching and acting as a consultant for many people until this book was finally published in 1994. To give an idea of the research involved, there are 176 references to other works in the book.
The diet was difficult for me initially to adjust to, I'd been mostly vegetarian for 20 years. I had to adjust to eating organic meat and eggs instead of grains and soy, I eat more vegetables, and I buy almond flour in 25 lb bulk to make bread. The book has a fair amount of recipes, and there are a number of websites with a lot of SCD recipes, and I've found a lot of recipes in regular low-carb cookbooks. This has helped me make my meals delicious and varied. An unexpected side benefit is that I can eat all I want and not gain weight. On my high carb low fat diet, it was a constant struggle to try to control my appetite and my weight. I have no problem at all following the SCD when I think about how it has helped save my colon from being removed and a host of other problems caused non-digestion of complex carbs. The diet alone probably would have worked before my problem became extremely severe, but it is and will remain an essential part of my life to maintain good health. At the official Breaking the Vicious Cycle website there is an extensive list of legal and illegal foods that can be printed. I used this list extensively, taking it with me to stores and restaurants. I have it memorized now and the diet is a way of life for me. PS, There's a great shower filter called Vitashower which uses vitamin C to dechlorinate the water. (The body absorbs about 8 glasses worth of chlorinated water in a typical hot shower). |
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Charles Anderson (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
I picked up this book 3 years ago. I had also bought a LOT of other books - this book had what I considered to be the "hardest" diet to follow. It required me to change my life. I had racked up 20,000 in medical debt, had been hospitalized several times, had fistula drained, was on prednisone, asacol, flagyl, cipro. My wife was a wreck worrying over me while I wasted away.
I finally had an attack that put me in the hospital for a week. It was all the incentive I needed. At the time I started, I was 5'6", 97 pounds, and could barely scrap together the energy to stand for 15 minutes. The first two weeks were the hardest, but I went from diarrhea 8 to 10 times a day down to 2 or 3. A month in, perhaps once or twice. Two months in - diarrhea had stopped. Three months in - no more meds. Six months in - felt better than I had before college(eight years prior), my weight was back to 135 pounds. I'm now three years in. I had a colonoscopy three months ago - all the massive damage to my large and small intestine were 98% gone - only minor scarring remains.
God willing, in another three I'll have completely cured this "incurable" disease. Your results will be better than mine, give the book a try. By word of mouth alone, three friends have turned their problems around too. |
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Pam (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
After having suffered with chronic diarrhea and irritable bowel symptoms for over 8 years (I tried many diets and treatments with no improvement), I finally discovered this wonderful book, which has given me my life back! The book explains in detail the pathology of the intestinal flora and what happens in disease processes that create the state of malabsorption and intestinal imbalance. It then outlines a diet, which has been used by many, that enables the body to re-establish a normal balance and allow for healing. Although the diet does require discipline (most diets require discipline), it is NOT difficult to follow. It is probably the most natural and healthy diet around. I saw improvement in my condition within the first week, and now, after almost 4 months, rarely experience the horrible and incapacitating symptoms that I was having pre-SCD diet. The diet can be as easy or as hard as you make it to be. I rarely spend more than 10-15 minutes in the kitchen at any one time. On weekends, I do spend more time on food preparation, and, in return, I now have more quality time to spend with my family and friends. The foods allowed on the diet are good, healthy, and nutritious. I haven't felt this healthy and in control of my life in years! If you suffer from a gastrointestinal disorder then you really owe it to yourself and your family to try this diet. Remember, life is what you make of it! Don't waste all of your time whining about things you can't have. Instead, enjoy and rejoice in the things that you can have! Thank you, Elaine, for taking the time to share your knowledge with us! |
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Foley (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
I'm about to find out if this diet will help with my food allergies. Since most food allergies/sensitivities are usually caused by a damaged digestive tract (often called leaky gut syndrome), it only makes sense that what will work for Crohns, IBS, etc., should work for leaky gut syndrome.
After reading it twice from cover to cover, I have a hope it will. (The author does point out that anaphylactic allergies may not respond to this diet.)I gave it 5 stars because the author writes in very clear language, gives clear directions and has documented all her findings.
Like one reviewer mentioned, this diet is very similar to the Paleo diet, which I had good success using to remove my food allergy/sensitivity reactions. However, the Paleo diet alone wasn't 'curing' my gut problems. I continued to develop new allergies/sensitivities if I ate a certain food too often and didn't rotate my menu. Which is a sign of not having healed the root cause.
So, I have a feeling the missing components were the probiotic regimen and carefully screening out foods that have complex carbs. I've been using a broad spectrum probiotic compound for a few months now and have noticed an improvement. One of my reactions to my allergies is asthma, which has really improved since using the probiotics. Now I'll fine tune the probiotics based on the author's recommendation and give the diet a try for a year. I really have nothing to lose, it's a well balanced healthy regimen.
I like that the author gives the science behind what happens when the gut has an imbalance in the bacteria, how certain foods can cause or contribute to this and make it a vicious cycle. I like how she approaches healing using diet instead of medications and or an overloading of supplements. Give the body what it needs to heal itself! Makes perfect sense to me. |
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Nancy Emerson (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
Breaking the Vicious Cycle is an easy to understand and very comprehensive presentation of information which needs to be available to people. Those who are not willing to take responsibility, and commit time and thought to taking care of themselves, as well as those who want easy, work free solutions, will have great difficulty with this diet. But, for those of us who are relieved to have access to information which empowers us to take care of ourselves, this book is a godsend. With it I have been able to completely regain my health without the use of medications. It is a tragedy that this information is not available to everyone with digestive disorders, so that we all can make informed personal choices about how we wish to approach our treatment. People with the determination to regain their health will almost certainly benefit from learning about this diet. |
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Andrea Jones (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
We have been SCD since 2/05. We say an almost immediate change in my son. We started SCD after a recommendation from a friend whose daughter was also on it. My son's symptoms were severe diarrhea, gas, bloating and because of all of this very cranky and irritable. We determined that he had chronic intestinal yeast (from antibiotic use for severe ear infections) that had taken over his intestines. The yeast was preventing his intestines from breaking down food and absorbing the required nutrients to live. In 2 weeks he went from 10 DBM's a day to 1-2 normal ones. He was much happier and seemed like a "normal" child. He is now thriving. He can eat almost anything on the diet. His current favorites are pumpkin pie, ice-cream and anything with cheese. I believed this diet saved my son's life. I don't know where he would be now if he still was unable to digest food...and I'm glad, thanks to this diet, that I will never have to find out! |
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Deborah Idol (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
A little over six years ago I was one day away from death, according to my doctors, when I was finally hospitalized for ulcerative colitis. At that point, I'd been extremely sick for years, hadn't eaten much for a long time, had eaten nothing for two months, and could no longer hold down the tea with honey and salt I'd been living on. A doctor who had watched my colonoscopy had gasped with horror at the picture on the screen. My eminent doctors would come into my hospital room every day to tell me that I'd better be realistic and accept the fact that I was going to be an extremely sick woman for the rest of my life, and would constantly be on drugs such as Prednisone (I was hooked up to IV Prednisone in the hospital) and Cyclosporin. They predicted that the drugs would stop working, I would eventually end up having surgery to remove my colon, and then, if all went well, another surgery to reattach the small intestine in order to avoid having to use a bag for the rest of my life. The doctors told me to concentrate on white bread, pasta and rice, plus other low residue foods to try to minimize symptoms, but they did emphasize that diet made absolutely no difference in the course of the disease.
I had been inhaling Prednisone for my asthma for years and already had serious side effects from it. The high dose IV Prednisone that took me four months from which to taper permanently damaged my vocal cords, and I'm still fighting some of the effects of the drug. I would not have survived much longer if I'd kept taking Prednisone, as my immune system, always very weak, didn't seem to function at all while I was on it. And many of the side effects were so unbearable that survival, even for someone who loves life as much as I, didn't seem quite as desirable if Prednisone would be a constant feature of my life.
Miraculously, a couple months after I got out of the hospital, I heard Elaine Gottschall talking about her book on Dr. Ronald Hoffman's radio show. Therefore, instead of going further downhill from drugs with such serious side effects, and continuing to suffer as my doctors had predicted, I started on the road to recovery.
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet may be difficult to follow at first, especially for people who have not been used to cooking. However, it is a miracle for those with IBD (or other intestinal problems), and has even helped people with conditions that would not seem, on the face of it, to be related to the gut. To say it's worth the effort to follow this diet would be a vast understatement. Giving up some foods in exchange for a life free of drugs, surgery and debilitating illness seems like more than a fair exchange to me. In fact, this is not a diet of deprivation, as the allowed foods are delicious and the diet is extremely nutritious. There are wonderful recipes in the book (and in Lucy's Specific Carbohydrate Diet Cookbook by Lucy Rosset), and many conventional recipes can be altered to be SCD legal. For those who need more information, there is an excellent, official BreakingTheViciousCycle site, with help for those starting out, an excellent FAQ, and more.
Finding Elaine Gottschall's book was a miracle, and it has saved my life. Thank you, Elaine! |
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1 Total 1 pages 9 items |
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