Adopting A Healing Diet – Turning Excuses into Powerful Motivation

I could never do that!

I clearly remember this initial thought that went through my head when reading another person’s starch-free diet testimony. It just seemed too extreme and too overwhelming. Ankylosing spondylitis (and three young kids) had me exhausted. Whatever energy I had, I wanted to spend on my family. Yet, doing nothing felt like giving up, which was not an option.

My Options

I knew that without action, my disease would progress. Not only would my fatigue and pain increase, but my inflammation and fusion would likely get worse as well. Life felt long and depressing. I was on a six-month-long waitlist to see a rheumatologist (who, my family doctor promised, could prescribe medication that would offer relief of my symptoms). Until then, I had to manage my situation with what I had at my disposal. I realized that dietary modifications were within my control, but it seemed too challenging. I was known for my homemade loaves of starchy (but super soft and delicious) bread. Frankly, I loved all things starchy. A starch-free elimination diet felt too demanding and too extreme.

Purposeful Waiting

Still, I was desperate. I wanted to do something as I waited for my far-in-the-future rheumatologist appointment. I decided I would give the diet a fair chance until I had access to other treatment options. I felt I had nothing to lose. On November 20, 2019, I tucked my three young kids into bed and ran to the grocery store to spend $200 on food to get me through the first week of the diet. I was all-in.

The Practical

Honestly, the practical component of preparing food was relatively easy. The initial starch-free elimination diet was so limiting that I never spent time thinking of what to make for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I craved diversity, but the list of ‘allowed’ foods was so short that it was impossible to satisfy my desire for variation. Instead, I achieved variety by using different cuts of meat (chicken, in my case): thighs, breast, drumsticks, wings (my favorite), etc. I also added diversity by using different preparation techniques: air frying, sauteing, roasting, sous vide cooking, barbecuing, smoking, etc. Amazingly, I still enjoy eating chicken to this day.

The Wall

The most challenging part of the elimination diet was not giving up when the going got tough. I felt worse on this diet before I felt better. The carb withdrawals and cravings resulted in increased physical pain. At times, depression got the better of me. I felt like it was two steps forward and one step back (to be honest, sometimes it felt like one step forwards and two steps back). I felt frustrated that even though I was doing everything right, I was still in significant pain. The stage where I deprived myself of foods I loved while still experiencing debilitating pain was the hardest for me. 

Mind Over Matter

It took me time to understand that even though I was doing everything right, it would still take time for my body to heal. I decided to continue only because I did not want to have wasted all the time and effort already spent on the journey. Also, it helped that I had a rheumatologist appointment to look forward to six months down the road. I decided six months was long enough to give the diet a fair chance, and if it did not work, I would be at peace with taking medication. I continued with the diet, one day at a time, keeping the end goal in mind.

My Motivation

Another challenging part of this dietary modification was that it did not make sense for my family (husband and three kids under five years of age) to have to eat the same limited foods I was eating. Therefore, I cooked two different meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It would have been so easy to use my kids as an excuse to give up. Instead, I chose to have my family be my motivation. Giving up an active life with my family was not something I would do without fighting.

The Climb Up

With time, the good days outnumbered the bad days. One day, when I shoulder-checked for a lane change, I felt like an owl (owls can rotate their heads 270°. Who knew?). I could not remember the last time my head turned as far as it did that day. My range of motion was improving and my stiffness was decreasing. I started being able to go for bike rides (even pulling my twins in a bike trailer!). Longer hikes became manageable again. The rate of improvement increased when I started being able to sleep through the night. Amazingly, I was soon waking in the morning without pain or stiffness. I believe the rest that my body had been lacking was finally able to help me heal faster. The reward of seeing continued improvement was motivation enough to continue.

Onward and Upward

It has been two-and-a-half years since I started the starch-free diet. I still have AS. Accidental diet slip-ups, stress, lack of sleep, and significant weather changes sometimes still affect me, minimally. But, overall, I feel no pain or stiffness. I keep up with my kids without a problem (in fact, I beat their time when going down a waterslide not long ago). Not a day goes by where I take my health (and sleep!) for granted.