Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Helpful Website and Book

Hi - The SCD diet has been around a while, and for many people with inflammatory bowel diseases (like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis) it has had spectacular results. The theory behind the diet is that specific carbohydrates trigger gastrointestinal inflammation in people with IBD.

The problem with using the diet for IBS is two-fold. One, IBS does not have an inflammatory component, so there's no indication that specific carbohydrates would be detrimental. Two, the diet is very high in fat and includes a lot of triggers for strong gastrointestinal contractions (red meat, dairy). Actually, there's a third problem, and that is that the diet doesn't have any foundation in soluble fiber foods, which are really necessary for digestive stability and normal bowel function.

I've heard from folks with IBD and IBS who have sort of combined the two diets (difficult but certainly not impossible - there's an earlier thread about this here ) with good results. And I've heard from IBD people who have had incredible success with the SCD diet. But I haven't heard from people who "just" have IBS and have had luck with the SCD diet.

I'm always interested, though.

- Heather

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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!

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