After at least 7 years of unrelenting stomach problems (actually, problem, singular, that has persisted the entire time), I finally have a diagnosis: SIBO - Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth. When my wonderful doctor (no joke, she's the best) tested me, my results were off the charts. Literally. I have such a high concentration of unhealthy bacteria in my guts that the laboratory that processes the test gave me free test kits to use for the duration of my treatment. The lane will process my results free go charge. will continue to process free of charge so they can track the results. Who knew?
My doctor knew. And she's the first doctor who has cared enough to keep exploring after she ruled out all of the classic stomach issues. She also knew the diet to put me on and the 3 rounds of two antibiotics to prescribe to get my guts back to normal. And she told me it would be challenging. She wasn't lying.
So here I am, in week 4 of a 6-month treatment plan. And here's what I've learned:
I have to cook. A lot. Like every 1 to 3 days.
No more packaged, processed, quick, easy food.
My diet is called the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. It dictates the source of all carbohydrates I consume: fruits and vegetables. Only.
I can get calories from meat.
I cannot get carbohydrates from any grains (including rice. yes, even brown rice), starches or complex sugars (no, not even agave).
Eggs are permitted in the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, but they give me hives that progressively get worse the more eggs I eat (think, red, intolerably itchy bumps on my chest, ear and face. Fun, right? They're pretty, too.)
So I spend exorbitant amounts of money and time buying and preparing fresh produce free of any sugars, starches or carbs. It's hard work. It requires a lot of creativity. It's really alarming how many products in the grocery store, even the fancy healthy one, are made with sugar or corn syrup.
Since this diet is the bane of my existence, and since there has already been at least one cooking fiasco that ended in a teary mess of inedible mush, I've decided to start blogging about the things I successfully make, in hopes of helping out some other poor dears who are put on this diet.
#SCDforLife … just kidding. #SCDNowForHopesOfEatingWhateverIWantIn6Months
