One of my favorite and most effective therapeutic diet for seizure disorders is the Specific Carbohydrate diet (SCD diet). I cautiously write this because many of you may equate this with ‘if a seizure disorder is present, then the SCD is right for it’. However, it’s critical from a functional perspective to understand that the SCD is right if the person presents with symptoms other than seizures. These symptoms should include, constipation/diarrhea alternating, or chronic diarrhea. Other symptoms may also include small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), candida, gas, bloating and other gut inflammation.
I have personally seen many of my clients’ chronic symptoms fade away with the SCD diet, including less frequent and less severe seizures and even cessation of seizures.
The premise of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet is to reduce the foods that are feeding unwanted, and unbalanced microorganisms in the digestive tract, while increasing the foods that feed the good and beneficial bacteria.
One of the many things good bacteria do for us is produce anti-inflammatory substances like short chain fatty acids. (1) Since seizure disorders can result from inflammation combined with digestive issues, it’s very important to support the body’s natural anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
The SCD diet was originally created by Dr. Sidney Haas (1870-1964) and championed by Elaine Gotschall in her 1987 book, Breaking The Vicious Cycle. (2)
The SCD diet removes foods high in certain types of carbohydrates, specifically disaccharides and most starches, that without the proper enzymes and absorption capabilities, can become food for dysbiotic (unbalanced) bacteria and other microorganisms in the digestive tract, resulting in inflammation, pain, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating.
The goal of this dietary approach is to break the cycle of feeding dysbiotic bacteria, which may help reduce inflammation, promote the healing of the mucosal lining of the digestive tract, provide relief from foods difficult to digest, and encourage the re-population of beneficial bacteria.
Recent medical research supports the benefits of the SCD diet in patients with IBD: Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis.
In the 2014 issue of the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, Dr. David Suskind et al., discuss a case review of medical records from children with Crohn’s disease on the SCD diet. They findings include: (3)
- 7 children with Crohn’s disease started the SCD diet with no immunosuppressive medications.
- All symptoms in all 7 children were notably resolved at a routine clinic visit 3 months after initiating the diet
- Each child’s laboratory results including serum albumin, C-reactive protein, hematocrit, and stool calprotectin either normalized or significantly improved during follow-up clinic visits.
Also, in the February 2018 edition of The Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, Dr. David Suskind, Pediatric Gastroenterologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and his colleagues report: (4)
“SCD therapy in IBD is associated with clinical and laboratory improvements as well as concomitant changes in the fecal microbiome. (The research) also showed statistically significant mucosal healing and clinical improvements in the majority of patients when using the SCD for 52 weeks. The SCD therefore shows promise as an alternative therapy for this chronic disease.”
The SCD can have its challenges. It’s an elimination diet with many food restrictions at first. However, it allows for the reintroduction of foods to help restore the gut microbiome and identify problematic foods, quite quickly. It should be done in phases and with the support of a qualified practitioner. And often, there is need for other biomedical interventions to be used simultaneously.
Here are two examples of the good news my clients convey to me”
“I have seen 100 percent improvements in my daughters health as soon as she began consulting, treating, testing, etc with Lynn’s services. They were invaluable.”
“Behaviour improvement, seizure decrease, improvement of digestive issues.”
If you are interested in identifying if the SCD is right for you or your loved ones, please review the research, the blogs, webinars and my consultation services through www.NutritionforSeizures.com
Wishing you and your families improved and sustained health.
To my continued research,
Much light,
