Ankylosing Spondylitis : Diet + Remission

1 - You webpage says 2007 (the year seems to increment every month) (Comment this)

2 - Yup, because this site is not intended to be used as a blog but rather a collection of articles. I have arranged the documents according to what I think you the reader will find easiest to comprehend. Placing the Introduction article far ahead in the future is the most expedient way of ensuring that it remains the first article on this web page.

Despite the fact that I don‘t really want to use this like a blog.. so far I haven‘t found a better CMS that suits my purposes better than blog.com.. (Comment this)

3 - Hi Zark,

I'm from Malaysia. I was diagnosed with AS last year September. I'd believe my disease started at 2004 already. I'd try to controlled my diet but I'm working mobile and I had to travel here and there, sometime it was quite difficult to follow it. (Comment this)

4 - Hi Eric, Yes it is a difficult diet.. even more so when travelling. Practically all cooking has to be done at home. When I eat out I only eat very simple things like roast chicken, fish, roast beef, however even there one must be careful. For instance fish are often coated in flour before grilling/frying, Chicken is coated in spice mixes containing flour before cooking, Sauces are often starchy..

When travelling some people get by on mixes of almonds, hazelnuts, and dried fruit. I have found Hazelnuts are one of the safest nuts around. Even safer than almonds (although blanched almonds are completely safe, the skins seem to be a problem?).

A kind of bread or cake can be made by mixing almond meal + egg, or coconut flour + egg. There should be a recipe or two for this in this forum here, if not ask someone (or ask me!):
http://www.kickas.org/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=DietRecipies
 (Comment this)

5 - Hello Zark
Thank you for being passionate. I was formally diagnosed with AS June 2004, but like alot of other had been suffering symptoms 8 years earlier, since 1996. I have taken a three pronged approach to minimising the impact and progression of this disease within my body which is Spirit + Body + Diet = Remission. It has taken alot of courage, determination and elimination to get to a place now where I am relatively pain free, definately 100% medication free and feeling and looking more energised than when I was being medicated. Examining my diet and committing to eat only those things that now work for my bodies new needs has been certainly a large factor in not exacerbating an already chronic condition. Second in my pyramid would have to be Spirit. The recovery from just the initial grief of this happening to me and the negative impact it initially had on my inner spirit was gigantic. I have turned my whole victim thoughts around to a point of creating positive thoughts which in turn manifest into a happier spirit. Tai Chi + meditation + hydrotherapy have also been an amazing source of relaxation. Third but not the least important has been to get my butt off the cowch. My TV viewing is so much less than it used to be. I am now more committed and engaging to getting out of the house any chance I get. The old saying, if you don't move it, you'll loose it sure means much more to me now having AS than it has ever done in my life. Stretching, Stretching, Stretching. My new mantra. I wholeheartedly encourage you to keep inspiring AS sufferers to examine their diet and adjust to their body's new needs in the course of managing the AS condition. Great work Zark!!! Keep it up and a very heartfelt thank you cyberhug from me. (Comment this)

6 - Hi Eric - I initially had the same problem with ordering food from restaurants. The problem wasn't with the restaurant. The problem started and ended with me. I had a problem for asking for what I needed and I had a false perception that I was sounding or appearing to be difficult. Once I conquered the feeling of embarrassment when asking for the menu items to be modified, and just started to nicely ask for the modifications, I found that waiters were more than happy to support me and ask the chef to do what I wanted. It may not work in fast food chains such as KFC or McDonalds, but then that food is ultimately spells PAIN for us. I mainly stick to restaurants when travelling. It works for me - give it a try. (Comment this)

7 - Thanks, you've got a lot of good information on this blog. It will take some time to churn through it, but I am confident I can learn some valuable pointers for combating AS. (Comment this)

8 - Hi Zark,
As a homeopath, I'm delighted that you have been able to control your AS so well through nutrician. Your comments about vinegar make me suspect that you are sensative to mold. This is a very common food sensativity, and if it applies to you you will find that alcohol, especially wine, and cheese bother you quite a bit as well. You may want to try eliminating these.
Just a thought!
Lauren (Comment this)

9 - Hi, Yes you are right about the reaction to molds. I had a skin prick test a few years back and did react to molds. You were also right about cheese.. I found I had trouble with cheese - in fact most milk products worsen the inflammation. Yoghurt is moderately safe though.

zark (Comment this)

10 - Hi Dan,

Hope that you benefit from some of my mutterings :).

If you have any questions or just want more detailed info then just hop on over to kickas.org.. there is a sub forum there for the 'no starch diet' that can assist you if interested. They are very friendly over there!

all the best
zarkers :)
 (Comment this)

11 - Zark Hello, I really like your blog. It is very interesting and information is not yet known.
I have been three years with no starch diet and I am very well, do not take other treatments.
In my blog in Spanish http://elblogdelalmidon.blogspot.com have put a link to it, sure that many readers in the English look as interesting as I do.
Greetings,Vima (Comment this)