The SCDRocks conference was organized around the use of diet to help manage Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
If you or anyone you know has Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis* and are anywhere near eastern Massachusetts (Bristol Community College in Fall River), make it a priority to get to the SCDRocks conference on October 6th and 7th. (* or celiac disease or autism with GI symptoms)
The speakers include an amazing group of healthcare practitioners. The gastroenterologists and dietician below work at nationally ranked hospitals and are focused on patient quality of life rather than one or another "right" method--often treatments include medicine as well as diet and other therapies. They have no financial interests in any service or product related to the conference.
If this conference existed when I was younger, it would have saved 7 years of misery--seriously. Here are some more details on the speakers:
Dr. David Suskind - Director of Gastroenterology at Seattle Children’s Hospital
Through Dr. Suskind's diligent research and positive clinical results, the Seattle Children’s Hospital now offers dietary treatment to IBD patients, working with a team including dieticians. Dr. Suskind has published several studies on the effects of the SCD on IBD symptoms and the microbiome, as well as completing work with microbial fecal transplants. He is beloved by IBD patients and their parents. We're lucky that he is able to fly in for a day.
For his full studies, look for "Suskind" on this page: medical journal articles
The Nutrition in Immune Balance (NiMBAL) site details some of the work by Dr. Suskind and his colleagues: www.nimbal.org
Dr. Josua Korzenik - Director of the Crohn's & Colitis Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH)
At BWH, under Dr. Korzenik's leadership, the Crohn's & Colitis Center focuses on individualized care and patient goals, offering not only medication but nutritional services and even mindfulness-based stress reduction programs groups with other IBD patients. He has authored studies on fecal microbial transplants for Crohn's disease and their team is always evaluating potential treatments. Prepare to learn about the microbiome!
Dr. Samir Kakodkar - Assistant Professor, Rush University Medical Center
Dr. Kakodkar recently completed both a 3-year gastroenterology fellowship a 1-year advanced fellowship in IBD. His formal training as a gastroenterologist as well as an informed researcher of complementary therapies places him in a unique position to discuss IBD and a broad range of treatments with a critical eye. He has published several papers including Diet as a Therapeutic Option for Adult Inflammatory Bowel Disease. In addition, he started a podcast about complementary IBD treatments.
For his studies, look for "Kakodkar" on this page: medical journal articles
Cathy Malone, MS, RD, LDN - Pediatric Dietitian, Massachusetts General Hospital
During decades of experience working with a pediatric GI department as well as over a ten years of using the SCD in clincial practice, Ms. Malone has a practiced eye in assessing patient diets for nutritional adequacy and working with families to figure out sustainable plans. Familar with the latest research she is well-versed in the nutrient-specific needs of IBD patients.
Only 9 Days left! I will post more about the speakers soon, including one who used to bring her homemade SCD lunch to the White House while working as an intern. For the impatient, go see them now!
(Disclosure: I am assisting with the SCDRocks conference organizing as an unpaid volunteer. I worked on an SCD cookbook published in 2008. More recently, I worked with Pamela Ferro, R.N. on a book about the SCD and Autism--copies of which will be given to conference attendees.)