TwoStepsSCD

Book Preview!

2011-10-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I wanted to provide the first couple of pages of the introduction to our book: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back. A journey through life, ulcerative colitis, and the specific carbohydrate diet. Hope you enjoy. Available at: Amazon.com

Take care,
Tucker

Introduction
~Me, Myself, and UC~
Looking back upon my life before ulcerative colitis (UC), it seems
like such a simple time. Most day’s, thoughts of medications, food
ingredients, and restroom locations were simply absent from my mind. I
took these things for granted back then, and used them when I wanted and
how I best saw fit. My body was working like it should and I was enjoying all
it could give me with little thought of things going wrong. Like most people,
I had the beautiful luxury of feeling like major illness would not intrude on
my life; like somehow I would be exempt from its cold and firm grasp. I was
healthy, young, and able-bodied. What could possibly happen to me?
Most of the time, people who are not sick cannot fully grasp the
realities that disease throws at the sufferer. You end up eating, breathing, and
thinking about the disease 24/7. Worse yet, as an inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD) sufferer you are reminded of your condition multiple times a
day as it stares back at you from the toilet. There is no need to seek the
confirmation from a doctor that you are sick—you already know it. It
whispers to you during the night while you are bleeding, sweating, and
cramping on the toilet. It shouts at you when you catch a glimpse of the
gaunt figure standing in front of the mirror. And finally, it laughs at you
when you are in public, and have to run and hide, seeking refuge within the
confines of restroom walls.
Along with many others, I have decided to try and end this
nightmare by way of diet and lifestyle modifications, in particular by
following the Specific Carbohydrate DietTM or SCDTM. This is a form of
healing from the inside out, if you will. Is it hard? Yes. Did the SCD work
for me and countless others? Yes. What is holding you back from giving it a
shot? Only yourself.

~Choices and Actions~
When you or someone you love is diagnosed with an IBD, two
questions arise: What is the disease and what can I do about it? Some
theories suggest the cause could be pathogenic organisms, an abnormal
immune response, or an antigen/bacterial overgrowth. The basic fact is no
one really knows the root cause of IBD or how to fully cure it. This leaves
the patient and the medical profession with the task of not curing the disease,
but managing it.
Since there is no cure for IBD, management choices may include one
or more of the following options. The first option usually involves
medications like steroids, anti-inflammatory meds, or immune suppressors.
This is usually the first thing your doctor will insist you do, and what I chose
to do initially. During my experience and meetings with fellow people who
suffer from IBD disorders like Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, there
seem to be those who find good results with medication, and others, like
myself, who do not. For me, the medications would work for a while and
then gradually lose effectiveness, forcing me to seek other options and
treatments. Even if you do start the SCD diet, many people find that they
need to have the aid of medications to begin the healing process.
The second option people tend to follow is to take the disease and
treatment into their own hands, and try to manage, cure or control their
condition through diet, supplements or other lifestyle changes. I chose to
follow this route and to pursue a better quality of life by following the
Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Created by the work of Dr. Sydney Hass and
Elaine Gottshall, and later publicized in the book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle,
Gottshall brings to light the relief that diet modifications can have on
disorders such as: Crohns disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, autism,
and IBS along with many others. In a nutshell, the theory behind the diet is
that by eliminating lactose, grains, sugar, and starchy vegetables (along with
other specific foods) you are able to control and manage the bad bacteria that
is wreaking havoc on your digestive system; essentially starving that bacteria.
Her book details the science behind the diet, as well as how to get
started, and is a must read for anyone considering it. There are also many
resources on the Web for “legal/illegal” foods while following the SCD, as
well as advice from others who have made the diet a way of life. Yes, the diet
is hard to follow, but in my opinion it is nothing compared to living a life
with a disease like UC or Crohns. I have talked to many people who have an
IBD or know someone who does about my experience. Some give the SCD
a try and achieve renewed health. Some give it a try and give up. Others
simply can’t commit to the lifestyle change that is needed to succeed. In the
end it’s all up to you.

Ancho Chile Hamburgers with Lime Aioli

2011-10-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hi there everyone and happy fall!
So today I have a recipe that ups the wow factor a little bit for the humble hamburger. If you are anything like me you end up eating a lot of hamburgers on the SCD, especially when you go out to eat in restaurants. Some being good, some being not so good.
I love to add dried chilies to recipes and this one melts perfectly with the lime aioli sauce. Adapted from Pati's Mexican Table.

INGREDIENTS
Meat
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 cup white onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 ancho chiles, rinsed, seeded and soaked (explanation follows)
3/4 tsp kosher or sea salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
1 eggs, lightly beaten
olive oil

Lime Aioli
1/2 cup mayonnaise (make your own or use a legal brand such as spectrum naturals)
Juice of 1/2 lime, about 1 tbsp
1/2 tsp grate lime rind

1 large garlic clove, pressed
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Garnishes
4 hamburger buns (Lois Lang biscuits)
Yellow mustard
Tomatoes, sliced
Iceberg or romaine lettuce leaves
Onion, sliced
TO PREPARE
Rinse the ancho chiles. On a chopping board, make a slit down their side and take out all of their seeds, veins and stems. Place the cleaned chiles in a small bowl and cover with 1/4 cup boiling hot water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Places chiles in the blender along with the soaking liquid, onion and garlic, and puree until smooth.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef. Add the chile mixture, one lightly beaten eggs, salt and pepper. Mix until it is all well incorporated.
Heat the pan over medium heat until very hot, about 4 to 5 minutes. Brush some oil on the girddle or pan.
Mold the patties and place them on the hot pan. Cook for about 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on how well cooked you like your burgers. For medium-well, it is about 5 minutes per side.

To make the lime aioli, place everything in a mixing bowl, and mix it up! Add to top of burgers once they are placed on a serving plate.

To your health!

Tucker

Back from the east coast!

2011-10-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

Katie and I just arrived back in Idaho after a great vacation visiting family in Connecticut and visiting New York City. The fall colors in New England were fantastic and the weather held out for the most part.

Fall color starting in CT

Wow, so much to say so here it goes:

Traveling SCD style was as followed:
-I brought down a cooler to the hotel the night before with yogurt and cheese for breakfast and a sandwich during the day.
-We went out to a restaurant that night and I had a burger and used a bun (modified Lois Lang biscuit) that I had brought with me.
-Yogurt maker packed in luggage (used starter in CT from commercial yogurt).
-Used the hotel mini fridge for yogurt with added honey, coconut mana, and nuts (morning breakfast) and cheese for sandwich on the plane, plus muffins I had made the day before and biscuits.
-On the plane we carried and ate cheese sandwiches with butter and mustard, apples and peanut butter, bananas, homemade almond flour/coconut flour cookies, and Lara bars for backup (losing the taste for those things).
Suffice to say we ate better than almost everyone on the plane and for much cheaper. $8.00 for three little, nasty sandwiches from the plane menu? No thanks!

Once in Connecticut, I was able to make yogurt with the yogurt maker I brought from home and used commercial yogurt I bought at the store for a starter (I used 1/2 cup yogurt for a half gallon of milk). It turned out very good and was a great help to have for mornings and snacks.
For dinners we had roasts with vegetables, baked salmon, roasted squash and carrot fries *(see Two Steps Forward, One Step back book for recipes), BBQ chicken, etc, etc, as well as a great yellow cake with vanilla cream cheese/butter frosting with fresh concord grape/red wine reduction sauce (recipe coming soon!) To say the least, both family/friends and I ate very well while on vacation and the SCD posed no limitations or headaches during meal planning.

Other recipes that we came up with there and that I will soon post on the blog were a SCD version of New England clam chowder using coconut milk and a carrot cake using almond flour. I was also able to find a few good SCD legal hard apple ciders that were pretty tasty. I have been getting into the hard cider and even have started making my own. I will post some of the legal brands and maybe even a post on how to make your own. Anyone interested in hearing more about hard cider please let me know. Stay tuned!

While in CT we took the train into New York City and tootled around for the day. We did some serious walking (110 blocks!) and went to the MET art museum, central park, meat packing district, the high line, times square, then back to grand central station. I even was able to get a great salmon dish at, of all places, an Italian restaurant, most of which I have given up on due to no SCD meals. Who would have thought...
Overall, a great trip with many exciting times.


Central Park


Grand Central Train Station


Vincent van Gogh at the MET

Take care and happy SCD traveling to you,

Tucker

Peach Frozen Yogurt

2011-10-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

Here in the northwest we are rounding up the peach season and this dessert has been a real treat.
So easy, so good!
We have been buying a box of peaches at the local fruit stand and cutting them up to freeze. Even with the peach skins still on the dessert turns out great.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups coarsely chopped frozen peaches
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup SCD yogurt or coconut milk (SCD legal)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Method:
Add all ingredients to a large food processor and pulse until smooth. Scrape down sides once or twice making sure to get all the honey and yogurt mixed in with the peaches. Pour into bowls and garnish with fresh peaches if you have them.

2011-09-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, and I hope you are having a great fall! Things have been going good here with lots of activity surrounding the book launch i.e. making contacts, setting up retail connections, and generally getting the word out.

Katie and I did manage to take a trip north to Canada for 4 days and it was beautiful like usual. We really didn't have much time to prepare food like we usually do but we managed just fine. We went out to eat the first night in Banff, AB and I was able to order a great vegetarian meal, which included a portobello mushroom topped with roasted peppers, onion, tomato, all finished with gruyere cheese. The meal was fabulous and it was great to be able to go out and eat something that was not a salad or bun-less burger. Look and you shall find.

For the rest of the trip we made stir-fry's with fresh veggies from the garden with chicken one night and ground beef another night. Veggies included: string beans, bok choy, carrots, onion, broccoli, and brussel sprouts. Top with cheese and you have a great meal that will satisfy. This veggie mix with the addition of meat is my classic camping goulash that is hearty, quick, and easy to prepare over a campstove and out of the cooler.

Another great car snack that I happened to find at a local store is dried/roasted/salted peas. They are SCD legal and super tasty! Try to find them at a more specialty store or try to make them yourself.

Other than cooking we had a great time hiking around Lake Louise, seeing the glaciers and lakes. We were even able to hike to two alpine tea houses for green tea! So, if you haven't been up north to Banff, Lake Louise, or Jasper and the Ice fields Parkway don't wait. Go see it!

Till next time,

Tucker

The book is finally done!

2011-09-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

After much hard work and almost a year of putting the pieces together our book is available online. It is listed at Amazon.com and soon at digestive wellness and Lucy's kitchen shop.
Amazon.com link here: Amazon.com Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

On another note, fall has been treating us very well here in northern Idaho. I have been fortunate to get out climbing a bunch and even got in another great trip to Canada with my wife Katie.

Stay tuned for more adventures SCD style!

Mount Louis

2011-08-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! We made it back safe and sound from Alberta and had a great time climbing mount Louis and cragging on Lake Louise lake. The climb on Mount Louis was super cool and took us to one of the most spectacular summits I have been to. All in all the climb and hike took us about 15 hours car-to-car and left us exhausted.

The SCD food I packed kept me energized and full. Kale brought an entire block of pepper-jack cheese along the climb as well as carrots and fresh peas. I had beef jerky stuffed in all of my pockets for easy snacking and a few homemade energy bars, along with a hard boiled egg. For dinners I ended up making a vegetable quiche (see recipe below) before I left home and wrapping it in the burrito wraps I had made. Super yum!

Vegetable quiche:
half an onion chopped
half can olives sliced
large handful of fresh spinach or beet greens
1 small can diced chilies
half cup diced mushrooms
1 cup diced cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/2 cup scd yogurt
salt & pepper to taste
paprika sprinkle on top
Method:
Add all ingredients as listed to a medium sized baking dish (with high sides). Add the eggs, yogurt, and salt/pepper. Beat/mix well to incorporate into mixture. Sprinkle top with paprika. Place in 350 degree oven for 40-60 minutes until middle is firmed up and eggs are no longer runny.
Enjoy! ( I now placed my quiche in a large Tupperware and put it into my cooler for the trip. It lasted me two dinners, which was great because I didn't have to cook after a long day of climbing.)

Take care,
Tucker

Oh Canada!

2011-08-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

The SCD meal preparations have started today for an upcoming climbing trip to the Banff, Alberta area in a couple of days. I am making a batch of venison jerky, coconut flour muffins with fresh picked huckleberries, egg burrito wraps, and roasted nut/fruit mixes. I was also able to find some tuna in a bag along with some other fish in a bag. Easier to pack and less weight equals happy back and feet.

The trip objective is Mount Louis. I am sure I will have some good photos after the trip but this is a stock photo of the spire.

The book is almost done!

2011-08-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

I am happy to say the book is almost done. It has gone through countless revisions and editing sessions but we are both proud of the product at hand. By the end of this month is should be available on Amazon.com and at other online SCD retailers.

Thank you to all who have been supportive of this project and the time is has required.
Hope to see you in the mountains soon!

Climbing, traveling, and SCD'ing in the desert

2011-04-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there and welcome to TwoStepsSCD! We are glad you found the blog and hope your journey to health has already started.
Katie my wife, our Boston Terrier Pepper, and I took off for spring break, and headed down to the San Rafael desert of central Utah. We had a great time climbing the desert sandstone cracks and hiking throughout the amazing territory there. We climbed and hiked all day then headed back to camp to cook up wonderful meals. We made trout with wilted chard and collard greens one night, veggie wraps with beans, cheese, cilantro, onion, and hot sauce another night (all with a great organic wine of course). The last two nights we made a chicken stir-fry with onion, greens, chicken, and more cilantro - EXCELLENT! The last night we cooked up some ground beef and had traditional bean and beef burrito wraps. Check out the burrito wrap recipe in the book. The wraps have been a new addition for me and are proving to be a great menu item while traveling, cooking in the outdoors, and for a quick filling snack while at home.

Till next time,

Tucker

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back. A Journey Through LIfe~Ulcerative Colitis~and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Book Coming Soon!

2011-04-11T08:36:00.001-07:00

Hi, and welcome to TwoStepsSCD! We are in the process of publishing a book on my experiences while living with ulcerative colitis (UC) and while following the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD). The book has been a wonderful project full of memories, reflections, and insights on how to make the SCD a way of life. I have had UC for many years and was fortunate to find the diet soon after becoming ill. Following the SCD gave me my life back and allowed me to do many things I once thought impossible. Through this book I, along with my mother Carol Thompson, hope to provide some insight into both the ups and downs of the SCD, as well as the disease of UC itself.

It is my hope that this blog will serve as a platform to get the word out on the SCD, as well as to let people who suffer from inflammatory bowel diseases, such as crohns disease and UC realize that there is a way and method to achieve good health and relief. You have the power to change your life with the two hands in front of you. The road to healing starts with each of us.

It is also my hope to give out SCD recipes and tips as they become available, and that others can post helpful hints. The SCD belongs to all of us and because of that we need to continually create, innovate, and help one another to succeed on this sometimes rocky path of healing.

Tucker Sweeney & Carol Thompson