Greetings:  It's been a while since I posted, but here goes.

I started a new diet today, the SCD diet, specific carbohydrate diet.  This diet eliminates ALL starches.  I've been thinking about starting this diet for a while now but had to start really feeling bad to do it.

 Most people won't do anything about their diet unless they're forced to.  This is the case for me.  I've been having problems with digestion for over 25 yrs. now.  I was diagnosed with Candidiasis way back when and have been dealing with it ever since.   If you read my previous posts, you'll see where I'm coming from.

To make a long story short, the SCD diet is very restrictive.  I'd been eating mostly grains and veggies - no dairy, wheat, sugar, fruit or meat; I'm a vegetarian.  Of course, I deviated from this diet from time to time and really messed up my digestive process.  Digestion is everything.  Improper digestion is the underlying cause of all illness; I do believe this.

I won't be eating any grains, but I will be eating some dairy in the form of home-made yogurt.  I ordered a yogurt-making machine today and a small food processor to help with the kitchen work.  I'll be spending more time in the kitchen now, which isn't making me too happy.  Although I have trouble digesting the lactose in milk products, as do a lot of people, fermented organic milk can be digested by most people.  I hope I'm one of them.

To begin with,  I need more good bacteria in my gut and yogurt will provide this.  Also, I can eat certain cheeses, such as cheddar, monteray jack, swiss and hoop, or farmer's cheese.  I haven't eaten dairy for years, so this will really be a treat for me.  The reason I went off of dairy is that milk products did a number on my sinuses.  When I stopped eating dairy, all of my sinus problems disappeared.

I also will start eating a little meat.  I really don't like meat, but I'll try it again, because I have to have something to eat.  I've been hungry all day.  For breakfast I had a fruit salad with orange slices, apple and very ripe banana with lemon juice on top.  It was so good, but it doesn't stay with you.

 I got on the computer this AM and found a recipe for pumpkin muffins.  I made these, even putting organic raisins in the batter.  Fruit isn't supposed to be eaten with anything else but fruit.  I did notice a few twinges, but, all in all, they digested pretty well, as well as being delicious. (Update:  I do feel a few twinges.  I shouldn't have put raisins in the batter, but thought it would be okay - NOT)

For lunch I had 2 organic eggs cooked with chopped zuccini and 1/2 slice of cheddar cheese; this digested well, also.  Now, at 4:54 PM, I'm still hungry even after eating another pumpkin muffin.  Now, I've got to find a recipe for something to eat for supper.  I do hate feeling hungry all of the time, but at least I don't have bloating, gas and stomach pain.

This diet isn't that hard for me, as I was already a vegetarian and had eliminated a lot of foods from my diet.   Still, it's pretty hard to give up grains.  I do not feel well after eating grains.  I ate Quinoa pasta last night with a raw salad and pizza sauce (just a drollop)  and three hours later my stomach felt tight and very funny.  I could tell it wasn't digesting well.

We all need to listen to our body and it will tell us what to eat and what not to eat.   You know what I mean, we'll be able to tell what we should and shouldn't eat by the way we feel after we eat it.

Enough about diet.  I'm still beading and having a lot of fun doing it.  Beading totally relaxes me.  I think about the pattern I'm going to do and this keeps me from thinking about stressful things, and people.

I truly hope all of you have the most wonderful Christmas ever.  I'll post a month from now and let you know how I'm doing on the SCD diet.  Later, Nana