We all know that making the transition to an SCD diet can be quite challenging.
In order to increase your chances of success it is vital to establish and utilize a supportive community and resource connections to ensure you are not alone in this endeavor. This, above all else will result in you staying the course and following through on the commitment to stay SCD.
We all feel overwhelmed with the amount of time the food prep and cooking takes - along with shopping, researching, etc. Making a decision to enlist the help of a local school girl to help in the kitchen can be of tremendous value. A twelve year old or older girl can come weekly and stay for 3-4 hours to start. While she might not be a chef by any means, she can be peeling, cutting, blending, doing dishes, etc. while you are tackling the more complicated things. Pay her the going rate for a babysitter of her age. Younger girls get paid less money. Of course boys for hire are not out of the question either! Think boy scouts or girl scouts. This can be an absolute joy on so many levels. First, you get lots more cooking done. Second, at that tender age they are still eager to learn about these foods and why you are cooking the way you are. Third, it is an outstanding opportunity to plant seeds of SCD and intestinal health education in a young mind. You can feel confident that he or she will take this wisdom with them when they are older. Fourth, perhaps your student helper can be influential in getting other children in your home on board and tasting these foods. Many children say “no” to their parents as a basic parent/child dynamic. However it is less likely that they will say no to a well-intentioned peer. It is highly recommended to get a student in your kitchen. It will make this much more fun!
If hiring a student is not an option, then consider contacting the volunteer department at your local church or synagogue for weekly or bi-weekly kitchen help. Senior citizens who do volunteer work might also benefit from the experience. Many seniors feel lonely and might welcome the opportunity to help a family in need. This benefits the senior citizen by being connected to a family and helping them feel they are an important part of someone’s life. If your own family is a possibility ask grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins. This will have an added benefit of having your extended family really understand that you are 100% committed to your child’s recovery. This way rather than your family becoming obstacles to success by questioning your fanaticism by “not letting your kids eat like all the other kids”, or by sneaking illegal foods to them, your family can become true allies.
Everything can become easier when you have the right help. It is invaluable to rely on internet support and resources which are available. This can include:
* Consider the value of an SCD Getting Started Specialist. Taking 30 days BEFORE you start the diet to be fully prepared will make a huge difference in your overall experience. By teaching you about the stages, and helping you avoid mistakes you will save precious time and money and have the best chance of success. There are teleseminars available as well as one-on-one counseling. Please visit www.spiritofmotherhood.net .
* There are SCD counselors/experts available to help keep you on course.
* On-line support forums and communities of parents and experts who can answer your concerns on a daily basis. Parents can ask each other questions, update each other regarding the progress of their child, provide each other with support, or simply just observe what other people are saying. The founders of Pecanbread recommend:
Pecanbread Internet Support List
* There are websites offering some SCD prepared foods to help ease the food preparation burden:
www.lucyskitchenshop.com (finely ground almond flour)
honeyvillegrain.com (finely ground almond flour)
www.sunnylandfarms.com (finely ground pecan flour)
We recommend you don’t try to do SCD in an isolated way. The more resources you have available, the more likely will be your chances of succeeding in making this important change to SCD.
We want you to know that there are many Mothers in your shoes who have already walked the walk of making this daunting change in their life. They are happily reaping the benefits and the healing miracles it provides. They are now feeling more blessed than can be imagined. The message here is, please don’t quit before you start. You can do this.
Cheryl Steinberg