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Integrating SCD and Whole 30 diets for SIBO/IBS - seeking support


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If anyone dealing with SIBO/IBS issues would like to offer/receive support and solutions to ongoing issues, please join!

 

I'm on day 3 of the Whole 30 program and am tired and disgruntled, bloaty, poopy.  :( But it's been only 3 days so give it time. 

 

I've been diagnosed with SIBO and am looking for others who are dealing with the same issues. I also have IBS and have recently learned that people with IBS commonly have SIBO. 

 


Healing the gut is tricky because you can't just put it in a cast and stop using it for a while like a broken arm. My gut feels as if it really does need a break though and I'm thinking of taking a day to not eat anything but chicken broth and maybe some blanched kale. I'm considering doing that tomorrow for just a day. Any suggestions? Is that not cool on Whole 30? 

 

SIBO = small intestinal bacteria overgrowth. You can read more about it here.

 

My doc put me on two weeks of antibiotics - an herbal remedy is also avail, but the antibiotics were actually less expensive with insurance. She also suggested following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), which is similar to Whole 30 but there are some glaring differences as well. I have a friend who was also diagnosed with SIBO and she did the Whole 30 program and raved about it. 

 

That's why I'm here. :)

 

I'm integrating both SCD and Whole 30. Staying compliant on Whole 30 and SCD isn't too hard since Whole 30 restricts more foods - so I'm following the Whole 30 program with a couple MORE restrictions (SCD allows for honey, yoghurt, etc but since I'm doing the Whole 30 I'm not eating those right now).

 

There are a couple-three food items I've found that Whole 30 allows that SCD restricts for SIBO peeps. They are:

 

Potatoes

Yams and sweet potatoes

Water chestnuts

 

In a nutshell, these above food items are complex carbs that sit in our guts longer and feed harmful bacteria in our small intestines, which then multiply and produce byproducts that inflame the intestinal wall. Other more simple carbs are single molecules and much more easily absorbed by the intestine wall. 

 

I can handle no yams/potatoes/water chestnuts as well for 30 days. It's a bit sucky because I LOVE yams. But I'm willing to go to any lengths to heal my gut. 

 

Please reply if you are experiencing same or have a testimonial to share or solution to SIBO/IBS issues. And/or you just need to rant. And/or you find other foods allowed on Whole 30 that are restricted on SCD! 

 

 

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Just found another SCD restriction - seaweed! While it is really healthy, I guess for SIBO people, it's hard to digest, it being high on the polysaccharides. I'm willing.

 

So for SIBO/IBS peeps, I have found four foods allowed by Whole 30 but that might be detrimental to our guts until they heal:

 

Potatoes

Yams/sweet potatoes

Water Chestnuts

Seaweed

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I have done GAPs in the past (very similar to SCD) and the one thing I always kept up with afterwards was to have bone broth every day and a fermented food at least once.  They made a big difference in my IBS symptoms.  For example - with my breakfast this morning - I had sweet potato soup and fermented carrots

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I have done GAPs in the past (very similar to SCD) and the one thing I always kept up with afterwards was to have bone broth every day and a fermented food at least once.  They made a big difference in my IBS symptoms.  For example - with my breakfast this morning - I had sweet potato soup and fermented carrots

 

Thank you Doreau! I'm looking into GAPS now - I'd like to make bone broth this week. So you can have sweet potatos in the GAP diet but not in SCD? Or is that after a while?

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Just found another SCD restriction - seaweed! While it is really healthy, I guess for SIBO people, it's hard to digest, it being high on the polysaccharides. I'm willing.

 

So for SIBO/IBS peeps, I have found four foods allowed by Whole 30 but that might be detrimental to our guts until they heal:

 

Potatoes

Yams/sweet potatoes

Water Chestnuts

Seaweed

http://chriskresser.com/treating-sibo-cold-thermogenisis-and-when-to-take-probiotics

 

You've probably already read this one.  

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I'm on Day 10 of my first W30 and have finally experienced relief from SIBO symptoms (it's not gone, but it is abating) and chronic IBS-C. For 20 years, I've been irregular - going only once or twice a month. I thought more whole grain and exercise was the key - DING! WRONG!

 

I've read BTVC by Elaine Gotschall and have a few SCD cookbooks but wasn't really ready to commit. I can sub-in winter squash anywhere sweet potatoes are called for, love Zoodles, and am handling the no-baked-goods/ersatz paleo versions of waffles, etc., with ease.

 

The first seven days were horrid. By Day 8 I started to perk up a bit, and no longer needed so much coffee just to get going and keep going. By yesterday (my Day 9) I only had one cup of a.m. coffee, more out of ritual/habit than need for stimulation, and feel like that "magic" finally happened.

 

I have a nut allergy so that automatically means a lot of "paleo" baked goods are off limits for me anyway. Giving up bread, though...that was hard, I'll admit it, but the more I read about the connection between grains/gluten and digestive disorders even absent a diagnosis of celiac disease, I figured I'd give this a shot. I am so glad I stuck it out through the Days 1-8 slog because I feel like a superstar. A Super-Duper Star, even.

 

After my Whole30, I plan to reintroduce SCD legal legumes, and SCD legal dairy, and see how it goes. If not, oh well. The improvements in my digestion and skin quality and sleep quality are worth not being able to eat cheese or lentils again. I won't bother introducing non-gluten grains or wheat.

 

To anyone doing this to help mititgate IBS/SIBO, please, do it and keep going! This has been a life-changing thing for me. I have taken Xifaxan for SIBO mulitple times and while it relieved my symptoms, it was always temporary. All the rice and bread and pasta and potatoes I was eating were feeding the SIBO and keeping me in incredible discomfort. Now I feel like I have a way to manage IBS-C and SIBO without expensive meds. It's as simple as avoiding certain foods, hard as that can be at times.

 

OH, and chocophiles, people who use SCD report that after a time they can handle small amounts of chocolate on occasion in their diets...mmmm, can't wait to try adding that back in, too.

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I second the suggestion of GAPS. The intro phase of the diet is specifically designed to rest the gut with easy to digest foods, but also provides lots of nourishment to help rapidly heal the gut and decrease symptoms. You'll consume lots of bone broth, meat from broth making, and different vegetables will be introduced as you progress, along with eggs. You'll eventually reintroduce nuts and honey as well. The worst of your symptoms should decrease within a few days, but full healing will take longer.

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I have IBS.  I try to follow Low FODMAPS diet.  Which is difficult when you are supposed to eat more veggies.  Who knew fruit and veggies would hurt you!?  If I dare to eat broccoli AND apple in a day, WATCH OUT BOWEL PAIN!  If you don't know about FODMAPS for IBS, see Mark's Daily Apple FODMAPS article.  And there are images you can Google for FODMAPS foods to print out and post to your fridge. 

 

Whole9 forum does not allow posting links to stuff.

 

How do you know if you have SIBO?

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I have IBS.  I try to follow Low FODMAPS diet.  Which is difficult when you are supposed to eat more veggies.  Who knew fruit and veggies would hurt you!?  If I dare to eat broccoli AND apple in a day, WATCH OUT BOWEL PAIN!  If you don't know about FODMAPS for IBS, see Mark's Daily Apple FODMAPS article.  And there are images you can Google for FODMAPS foods to print out and post to your fridge. 

 

Whole9 forum does not allow posting links to stuff.

 

How do you know if you have SIBO?

 

I haven't found FODMAPS avoidance to be necessary, but YMMV. If it's working, go with it. I've found following strict SCD protocol (minus non-paleo foods like legumes and dairy) is working, FODMAPS and all.

 

As for knowing if you have SIBO, the symptoms include bloating and gas immediately after eating, a "twisted up" feeling in the bowels, constipation, and an almost addiction-like response to eating certain foods, i.e. a craving for more of them, right away, because you are not getting nutrition from your food, it's feeding the bacteria.

 

SIBO can be diagnosed by a hydrogen breath test, which measures the amount of hydrogen you breathe out over a three-hour period after ingesting a carbohydrate solution. It is administered by a doctor, usually a gastroenterologist.

 

I know some people are suspicious of the utility of doctors, tests, Rx meds, and antibiotics, but this is one case where I was suffering for so long, I sought medical advice and testing, and I'm glad I did. SIBO can be treated with an antibiotic called Xifaxan - it is poorly absorbed and stays in the small intestine, and kills the SIBO without doing damage to your other gut flora. It's not foolproof, and SIBO can flare up. I took the Abx and then used the SCD to halt potential flares of SIBO and help my IBS.

 

I went off the rails from October-December when I decided to do strict Whole30 with SCD mods for myself and in ten days I noticed a tremendous difference. If you think you have SIBO, please, go see a doctor for the test and consider taking the Abx to get started on the path to healing.

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Other foods to avoid on the SCD:

 

coconut aminos (made from coconut sap and contains disaccharides)

iodized table salt (contains dextrose, an illegal food on SCD)

 

Be cautious with cruciferous veggies (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, etc.). If they cause gas or upset, back off on them or eat them well-cooked (slow braised in the oven is nice) and wait until symptoms abate before adding them back in.

 

Also be cautious with coconut and coconut milk. Some people report upset, but I think it depends on the amount of damage one has.

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  • 8 months later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Glad to find this thread. I had an awful summer after a scorching gut infection I got while travelling and was told this was the cause of my SIBO. I just finished two weeks' Xifaxan [which helped, but no way have I returned to normal] and was told to "take some probiotics" and go my merry way. I searched out the Select Carb Diet and have landed here as I was looking for recipes.

 

Sort of scrambling around to get the foods together that I need and have been doing SCD/W30 as best I can until I get my kitchen act together...

 

Very leery of the "potato allowance" on Whole30 since it's not allowed on the SCD and I don't want to tempt the Bad Bugs back into my upper GI tract. That was truly awful!

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  • Moderators

 

 

Very leery of the "potato allowance" on Whole30 since it's not allowed on the SCD and I don't want to tempt the Bad Bugs back into my upper GI tract. That was truly awful!

You definitely do not need to eat potatoes on the Whole30.  Starchy carbs can be squash, beets, root vegetables of other sorts, sweet potato (if that doesn't count as potato).  No need to eat potato at all! Welcome!

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FYI all starches are disallowed on the SCD.

That's nice. This is the Whole30 forum and as such I'm not expected to know about other eating programs... She was leery of potatoes and the fact of the matter is that on Whole 30 you don't have to eat potato to get starches... she didn't say she was leery of 'all starches', just the 'potato allowance'.

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That's nice. This is the Whole30 forum and as such I'm not expected to know about other eating programs... She was leery of potatoes and the fact of the matter is that on Whole 30 you don't have to eat potato to get starches... she didn't say she was leery of 'all starches', just the 'potato allowance'.

 

Yeah well, I'm just learning about SCD myself (I have crohns) and I was just explaining. It is very hard to give up all starches and still follow "whole30". SCD also prohibits all canned veggies, and almost all processed foods. Its far more restrictive in someways.

 

I know it was SUPER confusing for me at first to come from whole30 where I was learning to fall in love with starchy veggies, then to come to find out SCD just disallows all starch! Very confusing for me.

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  • Whole30 Certified Coach

Just wanted to add one more piece to the mix.   I say I have IBS (my diagnosis, but that is really just an exclusionary diagnosis).  When I had my SIBO breath test my baseline CO2 levels were really high, but didn't spike, so they said I didn't have SIBO, despite the symptoms.  Last winter I had a 2 week flare and was in so much pain I almost had to take FMLA for time off from work.  I tried SCD (and was miserable and lasted only a few days) BUT I did start making their yogurt.  I swear the night after my first yogurt I was FINE.  I ate it very regularly for a while and could not believe how symptom free I became.  Personally, I wouldn't try some hybrid of W30 and SCD -I think you'd  be living on bone broth... commit to one or the other.  Essentially the yogurt is just probiotics, specifically without bifidus and I think there is a brand that is "SCD" legal so I guess one could try that while trying to do a W30.  

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To clarify. For my situation, I'm finding my way along very carefully. I am doing the Whole30 with the only modification being caution with starchy vegetables. I've been able to eat as much as a golf-ball sized serving of yam or potato. That's about a quarter cup and I have been fine, having had two of those servings over 5 days.

So far I'm amazed at how much better I feel on this fifth day into the program. I take probiotics to re-populate after the wipe out of being on Xifaxan and have even had the last two days without a half dozen trips to the rest room. My upper gut doesn't feel like an overinflated tire and my bloated waist measurement has dropped 6 inches. This is progress. I'm inspired to continue.

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  • 1 year later...

If you have SIBO, or are on Whole30 and are having lots of gas and poop issues, please look into the low-fodmaps diet as well as SCD/GAPS.  I did the whole30 a while back and was miserable, only to realize later that all that avocado, sweet potato, and for me (but this may be unusual) coconut milk, really bloated me up.  Now, finally, I've had an accurate test for SIBO and am getting treatment for that.  There are some good APPS to help you--- search SIBO and Low Fodmap in the app store.  also, check out mod edit to remove link to infected site

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