What Real Food Bloggers Really Eat: Denise of Free to Feast
Today I bring you another look into how real food bloggers really eat. Today’s food journal comes from Denise at Free to Feast. I asked her if she had any dietary restrictions and she responded:
I have Crohn’s Disease, and I use the Specific Carbohydrate Diet to control my symptoms. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is a diet that is gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and starch-free.
I also asked Denise to tell us a little bit about herself.
I am twenty years old, and a sophomore at Whitefield College, which is an online campus based in Lakeland, Florida. I never used to like cooking, but being on a restrictive diet has forced me to take more of a part in food preparation… and I like it now! Experiencing Crohn’s Disease and dealing with the issues that come along with it has made me a stronger person in the Lord.
What an encouragement! Let’s take a look at how Denise really eats.
Denise’s Food Journal
- Breakfast: Eggs, Fried
- Mid-morning: Treetop’s unsweetened applesauce
- Lunch: Honey-sweetened yogurt, baked apples (spiced with cinnamon), canned peaches, grape juice, colby jack cheese
- Mid-afternoon: Kirkland’s roasted almonds and cashews
- Dinner: Crispy chicken legs (seasoned with Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up salt: a blend of salt, herbs and spices, dried onion and dried garlic) and steamed green beans
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Thank you, Denise, for sharing your food journal. What a great testament to the healing power of real foods.
How do you do real food? If you are interested in sharing your Real Food Journal please contact me. I’d be glad to hear from you.
Denise – have you tried the GAPS diet? I think it’s much more healing for the gut than SCD. And it looks like you eat/drink alot of processed fruit and fruit juices. I am on GAPS diet for gut healing along with my two young sons and we would NEVER eat what you’re eating. I know that GAPS is based on SCD but I think SCD is outdated.
Look into GAPS. The support group is super and the diet is superior. There are many SCDers who have come over to GAPS.
All roads lead to GAPS.
Tina,
Thank you for your suggestions! I do appreciate them.
Any processed foods I have allowed into my diet I have researched thoroughly. My mother and I have discussed the lack of nutrients in the unsweetened applesauce–however, it’s great to have in a pinch. The canned peaches are also something I need to have on hand, since the fresh produce in our area often goes bad rapidly–sometimes we can’t even get it home before it rots. It is canned in its own juice–No sugar. We have also researched this.
As to the nuts, my system is particularly sensitive. Raw foods have never sat well with me, so I have to be very careful and pick and choose. I trust God with what I have chosen to eat and leave it to Him. I have been on the SCD for over three years, and it (through God) has worked wonders on me.
I have an advanced case of Crohn’s Disease. It severely limits my options in the SCD itself. I’ve done the best I can, and I’m continually learning more about food.
God bless!
Oh, and your cashews and almonds should be at the very least soaked and possibly sprouted. You should buy them raw. What you’re getting from costco is a processed food that certainly won’t help heal your gut.
Hi Denise,
I just wanted to thank you for sharing your diet with us, and offer a note of encouragement, as previous poster came out a bit harsh, hopefully unintended.
A friend of ours has Crohn’s – has had a very rough time of it but seems to be doing better now, post surgery unfortunately, but she has noticed improvement with diet changes as well.
I have three children with food allergies- We’ve been on GAPS/SCD
for a couple of years. The other tina mentioned the difference between SCD/GAPs… but they are pretty close really. The GAPS diet is based on SCD, just a few differences.
Here is a link if you’d like more info…
http://www.gapsdiet.com/Home_Page.html
I hope you continue to heal and feel well! I can’t imagine dealing with Crohn’s at such a young age.
Thank you for your encouragement! I do appreciate it and the link.
I won’t deny that discovering I had Crohn’s at sixteen was a major blow. But believe it or not, I am thankful for it. It has shown me my strengths and weaknesses, and I have learned so much about eating healthy. It also showed me that I can’t control my life–only God can.
God bless!
Hi Denise, Fun to see what another SCDer eats! Have you tried eating organ meats ever? They’re just the best for energy/healing on SCD from my experiences. I’m always harrassing people to try liver 😉
Hi, Kat!
I’ve never tried organ meats before… thanks for the suggestion! 😀
Denise — I just found this post through another blog and wanted to also encourage you in your SCD journey. I have UC and am thankfully now symptom free and med free while on SCD. I know that whenever we decide to take the “road less traveled” in our medical care/diets it’s not without a lot of research and learning on our part, as well as a lot of defending ourselves to those who think we are foolish. I think it’s a shame that someone who probably doesn’t know your whole story and situation feels free to be so judgmental of your methods. It always amazes me that others feel it’s okay to be so critical of someone online when they are simply sharing what works for them.
Anyway, just wanted to say keep up the good work! I plan to add your blog to my bookmarked list, since I’m always looking for new food ideas and recipes. Thank you!