Blog Common pitfalls of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)
October 17, 2016 MariaCantillonMurphy 32Comment

I am certain that this diet works. Actually I find it hard to see how it wouldn’t work because it’s essentially a way of re-programming the body to heal itself. Oh and of course then there is the science behind the diet. This wasn’t dreamed up by someone who thought it might work, it was developed by a doctor, Dr. Sidney Haas and then popularised by a biochemist, Elaine Gottschall who used the diet to treat her daughter’s Ulcerative Colitis. If you want to read more about the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) you can click here. All of that said, my…

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Blog How to safely decaffeinate your tea
September 21, 2016 MariaCantillonMurphy

We hear so much about caffeine being so bad for us (which it is in high doses) that it makes sense that the market for decaf everything is thriving. We think that drinking ten cups of decaf coffee is OK because it’s decaf, right? Wrong! It’s impossible to know which or how many chemicals or strange ingredients were involved in the decaffeinating process.  To reduce your caffeine intake at home naturally follow these steps: Pour boiling water in a cup with your tea bag or tea leaves and leave for 5 minutes. Pour out the water in the cup but…

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Blog SCD vs Paleo Diet
September 21, 2016 MariaCantillonMurphy 8Comment

As diets, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) and the Paleo diet are closely related. When I originally began to look for ways to heal my Crohn’s naturally, I read a lot about both ways of eating. In this blog post I outline the main differences and similarities between SCD and Paleo which hopefully you will find useful.   DIFFERENCES   Dairy Dairy is not allowed on the Paleo diet although even within the Paleo community people differ on this slightly. Some allow small amount of certain dairy products but generally speaking strict Paleo is a no-dairy zone. The Specific Carbohydrate…

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Blog Picking blackberries, apples and other country antics
September 13, 2016 MariaCantillonMurphy

We rose early on Saturday morning for two reasons: 1. because we had lots of jobs to do and, 2. because our daughter Ciara doesn’t get the concept of lie-ins! Off we set once again armed with our bowls to pick the last of the season’s blackberries. After my blackberry jam won second place at the Ballymaloe House jam competition last week, I received a few orders from family and friends. It seems everyone was a little skeptical of a refined sugar free jam at first but once it got the stamp of approval from Ballymaloe, everyone wanted in :)….

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Blog Top Ten Ways to Save Money when eating Real Food (Paleo/SCD)
September 2, 2016 MariaCantillonMurphy

1. Freeze what you can Our local Aldi store produces a “Super 6” list every week of fruits and vegetables that are reduced to 49 cent. We try to stock up as much as possible especially on anything non-perishable. There is currently six months’ supply of cooked beetroot in the pantry! Just be aware that for a lot of vegetables, you need to blanch them before freezing. With almost all fruits and vegetables, I freeze them first in slices/cubes on a tray lined with parchment paper for a minimum of two hours. They can then be transferred to a freezer-safe container…

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Blog 10 Tips for travelling on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)
August 25, 2016 MariaCantillonMurphy 4Comment

Travelling while you are on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is not easy but hopefully the ten tips below will make it a bit less stressful for you.   Do your research.  Research the place you are going as much as you can. Look up the nearest supermarkets and farmer’s markets if there is some. Confirm the cooking facilities in your accommodation. On a recent trip to Spain we discovered upon arrival that there was only a hob and microwave but no oven for cooking. After the initial panic, I got creative with some lovely salads but I would have…

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Blog How to cook courgette/zucchini noodles – You’ve been doing it wrong all along!
August 22, 2016 MariaCantillonMurphy

  Courgette noodles (known as zucchini in the U.S.A.) have become a bit of craze since the growth in popularity of grain free diets such as SCD, GAPS and Paleo. But many are disappointed when they try them for the first time. I have often heard people complaining that their courgette noodles don’t work out and any sauce they add ends up a soggy mess. Courgettes are very nutritious but are comprised of 95 per cent water. Depending on the cooking method this can lead to a pool of water at the end of the plate which is –let’s face…

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