DINE-CD Study Results are In!

 The results of the DINE-CD study were recently published. The study goal was to determine if diet really can make a difference in Crohn's Disease. Both the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and the Mediterranean Diet were studied. The good news? Diet does indeed matter!

"Researchers compared the effectiveness of a Mediterranean style diet to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet™ in nearly 200 Crohn’s disease patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms on stable doses of medications. With both diets, nearly half of the patients experienced resolution of their symptoms. After six weeks, 43.5% of patients following a Mediterranean style diet and 46.5% of patients following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet™ achieved symptomatic remission.."

"FC {Fecal Calprotectin} response was achieved in 8/23 participants (34.8%) with SCD and 4/13 participants (30.8%) with MD (P = .83). CRP response was achieved in 2/37 participants (5.4%) with SCD and 1/28 participant (3.6%) with MD (P = .68)."

The study was funded by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and another grant.

To see the announcement at the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation click here.

More Information on Diet and IBD

For those of you just beginning your journey of researching diet for IBD, here are valuable links to gastroenterologists experienced with this topic. Of course, the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall, a microbiologist, is a must read.

--The Specific Carbohydrate Diet Association has a video library that includes several from doctors:

https://specificcarbohydratedietassociation.org/video-presentations

-- Dr David Suskind of Seattle Children's Hospital does an excellent presentation explaining how diet affects the microbiome and what goes wrong in IBD:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBTrD4m1vGU

Parents SCDROCKS Conference November 14, 2020

 The Specific Carbohydrate Diet Association is hosting an online SCDROCKS conference on November 14, 2020. It is a free Zoom conference for parents with children on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Included speakers are:

• Dr. Eric Vasiliauskas (Director of the Cedars-Sinai Nutrition & Integrative IBD Multidisciplinary Subspecialty Program and Professor of Medicine & Pediatrics, UCLA School of Medicine).

• Dr. David Suskind (Director, Quality Improvement; Co-chair, Nutrition Subcommittee at Seattle Children's Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington).

The following is from the Specific Carbohydrate Diet website:

PARENT'S SCDROCKS CONFERENCE

November 14, 2020 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm (EST)

We are hosting the Parent's SCDROCKS Conference via Zoom on November 14, 2020 at 12:00 pm until 4:00 pm (EST). Hear from and talk with Dr. Eric Vasiliauskas, Dr. David Suskind, Jessica Gartenstein, parents, children and more! We are excited to offer this Conference to provide parents and the community with support, guidance, inspiration and tools to help them manage and cope with life's challenges.  The moderated Open Forum is always a great experience! This event is open to anyone!  Everyone will leave the event with new information.  

For more information and to sign up

SCDROCKS Virtual Conference October 17, 2020

This year's SCDROCKS conference will be FREE and on Zoom. The conference will be on Saturday, October 17 from 12-4 pm EST (11am-3pm Texas time). The keynote speakers are: 

Dr. Christine Bowman: "My SCD journey, commonly missed conditions and favorite treatments"

Dr. Laurie Keefer: "Resilience, Self-Care and the Brain-Gut Connection: Navigating a post-COVID19 world with a Chronic Illness" 

For more information and to sign up visit: https://specificcarbohydratedietassociation.org/scdrocks-conference-1

The SCDROCKS conference is sponsored by the Specific Carbohydrate Diet Association.

SCD Survey and Free SCD Video Library

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet Association is doing a survey that is open to SCD followers, caregivers and their supporters. It's a 5 minute survey but very important. Everyone will learn from the results, including the medical community. There is no identifying information. No Cookies. https://specificcarbohydratedietassociation.org/scd-survey

There are also free videos from the 2018 & 2019 SCDROCKS Conventions: https://specificcarbohydratedietassociation.org/

Next DFW SCD Meetup June 27 on Zoom

Our next DFW SCD Support Meetup will be Saturday, June 27 at 11:00. It will be on Zoom. SCD followers, caregivers, clinicians, and those just wanting to know more are all welcome For the zoom link contact scdmeetupDFWTX@gmail.com

March 2020 Meeting

Our March 2020 meeting has been cancelled. We are looking into the possibility of doing something online.

DFW SCD: Eating Out and Traveling

I hope Spring Break is treating you well. Here's some highlights from our February 2020 meetup. Our subjects were eating out and traveling.

Miriam passed out an SCD dining card to help the server/chef/manager when you go out to eat. She also passed out a list of restaurants in Dallas that have been accommodating. I was the only Fort Worth person there and I do not eat out very much but have found Unrefined Bakery and HG Supply Company have worked in the past. I would call ahead though if you are going there. It would be nice to have a larger restaurant list for Fort Worth. We can build our lists over time.

Tips for eating out:

-Call ahead and ask to speak with the manager or chef about your accommodations.

-Ask if they have meats that are not marinated or soaked in brine (seafood usually fits this description.

-Do they use fresh ingredients?

-Do they have pure butter or olive oil to cook with?

-If you are Celiac/gluten sensitive ask if they use separate pans or change gloves. How do they accommodate this?

-Diners usually serve basic breakfast food and can often offer foods like basic cooked eggs, hard boiled eggs, bacon, basic lettuce salad with oil and vinegar, hamburger patty, and chicken. However, some put pancake batter in their scrambled eggs. So don't assume a basic food does not have additives. Always ask how each food is made.

-Some Japanese steak houses can fix steak and vegetables in a separate pan in the kitchen at your request.

We also discussed helpful ways to travel:

-Many hotels will have a microwave, coffee maker, and small fridge in the rooms.

-Dash brand makes some very small low wattage appliances.They have a mini waffle maker, mini round griddle, and an egg cooker. These are small enough to fit in a suitcase.

-A small blender is useful for smoothies

-Call ahead to the Chamber of Commerce or the Visitors Bureau of the place you are traveling to. They might recommend some restaurants that are special diet friendly that you can call.

-Bring some pre-frozen meals in microwaveable containers to eat for dinner that night. 

-I have found SCD yogurt made in quart mason jars fit well in the cooler and small refrigerators

Feel free to bring more ideas as we will be revisiting this topic throughout the year.