This brings back memories. Particularly I remember those strange bean pancakes on the SCD. Yummm :Q
So, just want to add to the conversation a plug for the 'Body Ecology Diet' (BED) which I found about 6 years ago and still am using successfully. Also, my whole family is first stage Feingold only, we never saw benefit enough from avoiding all salycilates, but try to not over-do exposure. But stage one is very important, I think. Particularly if you have P450 liver problems (cytochrome issues), like we do.
So, starting about 10 years ago, I went through Atkins, which is pretty paleo, but lost weight and while there was this initial burst of feeling better, my energy levels went down fast. Not enough fuel in a form a CFS person could absorb. Eventually I found SCD and became convinced this was 'the answer' and went deeply into it. Tried all the recipes, became adept at those bean pancakes. But eventually this was also a bust, just not enough energy from that food still.. Maybe for someone with specific digestive trouble and not CFS that might work, but I don't see how it can help in the long term, at lest not for the average CFS patient.
Then came BED, wow, that was wonderful, to find some carbs I could tolerate again, finally some energy. Still using BED, six years later, and still on stage one Feingold. I made the fermented cabbage for years for BED, but have gotten lazy and don't seem to need that as much anymore. Also I'm now on a multi-B12 protocol and that seems to have helped digestion as well, but I still stick with the ancient grains as they have no gluten, high protein, and aminos as well as complex carbs (Amaranth, Quinoa, Millet, wild or long-grain rice), and a little oat and corn sometimes, and the general recommendations of BED. The Quinoa is the most amazing, it has protein, and is actually alkalanizing, I usually feel better after eating something made from it. You can just boil the ancient grains also, if you don't have energy to bake something with them. I use stevia or applesauce (unsweetened) and make sheet cookies, cakes, etc. with the ancient grain flours. It's nice to have those again.
The book is well worth buying, probably can be found used very cheaply as it is several years old now.