Diverticular Disease, The Specific Carbohydrate Diet, and Gluten

About six or so years ago, I began to notice that I was feeling mildly unwell.  It didn't seem serious enough to see a doctor, and our family didn't have health insurance at the time.  We couldn't afford  thousands of dollars in medical tests.  I was nearly always fatigued, experiencing "brain fog," and having digestive issues.  The decline in health was so gradual that I scarcely noticed it until it could no longer be ignored.

After discovering the raw vegan diet in early 2012, my family and I gave it a try.  It was amazing - I was full of energy, free of "brain fog," and felt ten years younger.  My symptoms disappeared.  I stayed on the diet for around two years, blogging about it enthusiastically.  I still love raw food and eat it often, but one thing I learned from that experience is that as beneficial and healthy as the diet is, staying on a strictly limited diet for longer than two years just doesn't work for me.  For example, if I ever go to New Orleans, I will want to be able to enjoy a good, memorable bowl of authentic jambalaya.  This might be treasonous in the vegan and raw vegan communities, but that's how it is for me. 

Also, for me at least, keeping high-raw vegan was almost a full-time occupation that paid in health dividends but wasn't very helpful to our financial state.  I grew weary of it, and as my attention turned to other interests, I simply had less time for it.

Shortly after going back to eating regular food more often, (mostly whole, and much of it cooked vegan,) my health issues returned with a vengeance.  One day in the spring of 2014, (shortly after reintroducing more standard foods such as cooked grains and starches,)  I experienced such excruciating pain that I had no choice but to visit an urgent care clinic.  I was diagnosed with diverticulitis.  Eventually we procured health insurance, I saw a gastroenterologist, and came to realize that I also have some sort of a non-celiac sensitivity to wheat and/or gluten.  I asked the gastroenterologist how to find the cause, since it isn't celiac, and he said, "Why go to all the expense?  If wheat bothers you, don't eat it!"  Of course I've had to put up with people saying derogatory things about non-celiac people who avoid gluten, but that's not nearly as irritating as the reaction to wheat.

People have asked if I think the raw vegan diet contributed to my current condition, and the answer is "no."  The symptoms began long before I changed diets.  I realize now that the raw vegan diet was less a cure and more a "Band-Aid," but it certainly helped while I stayed on it.  And it's not nearly as harmful as other types of eating habits, as long as a person pays attention to their nutritional requirements, including using supplements as needed.  But it's not for everyone.

Today, I'm recovering from a third severe bout of diverticulitis in as many years.  I've been using the Specific Carbohydrate Diet to manage mild flare-ups, and mostly (not always) avoiding gluten.

Coincidentally, (or perhaps not,) this flare up occurred a week after finishing a course of Amoxicillin prescribed by a dentist.  In my case, it seems the infection that causes diverticulitis laughs at Amoxicillin, although Ciprofloxacin combined with Metronidazole does do a good job of knocking it out.  Hopefully, there won't be a next time, but if there is, I'm going to ask about Rifaximin instead of Cipro.

In addition to the antibiotics, the doctor also prescribed Dicyclomine for the cramping, and Ondansetron Hcl for nausea and vomiting.  I didn't need much of the Ondansetron Hcl.  I also took Motrin for pain, which probably wasn't the best choice, but it was all that was available.

The doctor disagrees that the Amoxicillin killed off the healthy intestinal flora, creating optimal conditions for the toxic biofilm that causes diverticulitis.  But the doctor, as much as I appreciate and respect him, also thinks that the diverticulitis is caused by eating popcorn.  Popcorn, and it's evil cohorts "nuts and seeds," did not factor in on any of the flare-ups I've had.  Perhaps it does for some.  For me, it seems that too much starch in general, especially wheat and/or gluten seems to have more of a deleterious effect than popcorn, nuts and seeds.  A diet that is proportionally high in sugars and starches leads to disaster.  Fiber helps a little, but it's not enough on its own. 

The current flare-up has led me to believe that in my case, any course of antibiotics should be followed by a course of  SCD approved probiotics.  Also the Specific Carbohydrate Diet should be followed strictly during and for about two weeks after any course of antibiotics.  It would make sense to do everything possible to create an environment that is not friendly to the bacteria that causes the infection.  The war in my gut is a battle between "good" bacteria and "bad" bacteria.  It really is that simple.

I try to eat healthfully, and use the Specific Carbohydrate diet when I notice the minor symptoms that tend to lead to a full blown flare-up.  In my case it seems to be a good idea to use mild green juice cleanses on a fairly regular basis, (no wheatgrass or barley grass juice,) even without symptoms.

I believe that every person who has some sort of a chronic condition may benefit from observing which foods seem to aggravate the condition,  while consuming more of the foods that do not.  As long as nutritional needs are being met, the worst thing that could happen is - nothing.  But it might help a person feel better.  For some, red meat may aggravate a chronic condition, and for others, it may be raw broccoli.  Nothing I post here is intended to be advice for anyone, because everyone is different. 

At this time, my intention is to stay on the SCD for about two weeks, longer if the symptoms don't abate.  I plan to take probiotics.   Upon returning to a more standard diet, I plan to keep the percentage of complex carbs, starches and sugars whole and low, meaning that small amounts of brown rice and quinoa are okay, but table sugars and junk foods are not.  Monosaccharides are fine, but should not make up the major percentage of the diet.

Thinking of any illness as a war between one's health and that which impedes health is helpful for me, because when at war, we strap on our armor, we deploy resources towards the defeat of our enemies, and we simply do what must be done.

The purpose of this blog will be to track my progress with the condition, noting things that seem to cause flare-ups, and posting links to sources.  I don't intend to post often.  People with similar concerns are free to comment, especially with more helpful sources.  Spam will be deleted.

https://chriskresser.com/how-to-prevent-diverticulitis-naturally/

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/home/

http://www.diverticulitisdiet.us/

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/diverticulosis-diverticulitis/Pages/overview.a

http://www.everylastbite.com/

http://pecanbread.com/

http://www.westonaprice.org/

http://www.beth-spencer.com/

http://bethsblog.typepad.com/turtle_soup_scd_cookbook_/turtle-soup-reci

http://www.gastrochef.org/

http://www.siboinfo.com/uploads/5/4/8/4/5484269/scd_food-list.pdf

http://scdsuccess.com/Steps_to_SCD_Success/Steps_to_SCD_Success.html