Starch-Free Elimination Diet for Ankylosing Spondylitis – Part 1

Sometimes I feel like I am giving the wrong impression @ Starch-Free Feasting. The food I eat and share looks and is delicious, and I generally have no pain.

It wasn’t always this way. It wasn’t always easy or pretty. I don’t believe I would be where I am at today if it wasn’t for a period of strict focus on removing foods that irritated my gut and healing.

Let me share how it all started with a strict elimination diet.

Also check out: Starch-Free Elimination for Ankylosing Spondylitis – Part 2: Starch-Free Elimination Meal Ideas, and My Top 3 Tips for a Starch-Free Elimination Diet.

Note: check below for a ‘Starch-Free Foods List PDF‘

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What is an elimination diet?

In short, an elimination diet consists of removing foods from your diet for a time and slowly reintroducing them while observing how your body reacts to each food. The goal of an elimination diet is to identify and eliminate foods that trigger adverse reactions. Removing offending foods from our diet allows our gut to heal at an accelerated rate. Interestingly, our health situations are so unique and, as a result, each individual’s ideal diet will be equally unique.

The autoimmune protocol (AIP), GAPS, and Whole30 are examples of elimination and gut-healing diets.

Why did I do an elimination diet for Ankylosing Spondylitis?

Ankylosing Spondylitis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease. Reducing and eliminating inflammation can be critical in slowing or stopping symptoms and disease progression.

I found myself in a place with no access to medication to control my AS symptoms. I preferred not sitting idly by as this autoimmune disease ‘ate away’ at my body. As such, I decided a starch-free elimination diet was worth a try.

What foods did I eat during my elimination diet for Ankylosing Spondylitis?

I narrowed my elimination diet to a handful of foods: chicken, broccoli, salt, EVOO, and blueberries (yes, that was breakfast, lunch, and dinner for approximately 6 months).

Ultimately, it is up to each individual to decide which foods to include in the diet. It is important to remember that the goal is to eliminate all foods that may cause inflammation and reactions.

Fewer foods for a short period can mean there are fewer variables, thus making it easier to determine which foods cause a reaction. The negative of eating only a handful of foods is depriving your body of necessary nutrients (even if for a short time). Ideally, this elimination period should be as short as possible (unlike my 6 months).

Common foods that people react to are nightshades, nuts and seeds, dairy and dairy products, trans fats and refined vegetable oils, chemical additives, legumes, grain, coffee, citrus fruit, eggs, alcohol, refined sugar, sugar substitutes, processed and refined foods, artificial flavors and colors, etc. As such, I chose to eliminate all of these.

In addition to the above foods, I eliminated all starches (strictly – by testing with iodine). A starch-free diet, first introduced as the London AS Diet (based on Dr. Alan Ebringer’s research), has shown to be especially beneficial for those dealing with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Check below for a FREE Starch-Free Food List PDF, which may help you decide which foods to include on your elimination diet.

How did I continue with a starch-free elimination diet when it was hard?

I’d love to say that my desire to be healthy (and my love for broccoli and chicken) was my primary motivator, but that would be false.

Frankly, pain was (and is) my most powerful motivator.

Many people would hear of my elimination journey and say, “I could never do that!”. I didn’t think I could either. However, the alternative was a life of debilitating pain and inability to care for my family. It was important for me to remember that Ankylosing Spondylitis was my enemy and that a starch-free elimination diet was my friend.

When the going got tough I reminded myself of the fact that quitting wouldn’t help my situation. In addition, the idea of having gone through all the trouble of eliminating only to throw in the towel when the going got tough seemed like a waste of all my effort. As such, I continued with strict elimination, a huge commitment that turned out to have a huge payoff.

Lastly, and possibly most importantly, I kept reading a steady stream of success stories from others who had walked the journey ahead of me and seen a massive improvement in their condition.

At what point did you start reintroducing foods back into your diet?

When you have avoided certain foods for some time, it can be challenging to start eating them again. If you have managed to reduce painful symptoms with the elimination diet, you don’t want those symptoms to return.  However, when we eat a more diverse diet, we have a greater chance of getting all the nutrients we need for a healthy body and mind.

I allowed my body and gut to go through a period of healing before adding foods. I learned that I was more likely to be unsuccessful with reintroductions if I added new foods too soon or too quickly.

I found it easiest to reintroduce foods and get an accurate ‘reading’ of my reactions when my initial inflammation and symptoms had settled. I was not pain-free 100% of the time, but I had seen much improvement in my condition. It is hard to sense reactions to foods when our bodies are still in constant pain.

I tried to find a time when I was in a good place mentally. When we are relaxed and calm, our symptoms and digestion will, naturally, be less triggered. Times of stress are not helpful to start reintroducing foods because stress can have a negative effect on our well-being.

How did I reintroduce foods back into my diet after a period of elimination?

I reintroduced the most benign and least inflammatory foods first.

I started with only a bite or two and worked up to larger quantities. Then, I would wait up to 4 days to determine if my body reacted adversely to the new introduction.

I made notes of reactions and was mindful of foods in the same family (and was cautious of that whole family during my reintroduction period).

What symptoms are common during the reintroduction phase of the elimination diet?

Reactions can vary greatly.

Pain, fatigue, headaches, bloating, nausea, rashes, gas, joint pain, stomach cramps, and other adverse digestive symptoms are common symptoms that point to a negative reintroduction.

It is worth noting that a negative reintroduction to a food doesn’t necessarily mean a life-long sensitivity. Allow your body more time to heal. I have often successfully reintroduced foods that at one point caused me negative symptoms.

How quickly can one expect to improve when strictly following a starch-free elimination diet for Ankylosing Spondylitis?

This can vary greatly. Some people notice significant improvement from ankylosing spondylitis symptoms after a few days. However, from my observations, this is an unrealistic expectation. Usually, improvement and gut healing take months, often gradually experiencing more good days than bad days.

For myself, I was on strict elimination for at least six months. This period was much lengthier than I had anticipated or hoped (and had I known this ahead of time, I probably would have been much too overwhelmed to undertake the process). Unfortunately, starchy supplements and the stress of an unexpected passing of a close family member caused this period of strict elimination to be this long.

Is it normal to feel worse before I feel better on an elimination diet?

I felt worse before I felt better. Whether dealing with autoimmune disease or not, detoxing and increased pain are not unusual with any significant diet shift. Feeling worse for a while can happen for many reasons, including withdrawal symptoms, blood sugar rebalancing, and yeast die-offs.

Can I expect to be pain-free after a strict starch-free elimination diet?

After a strict elimination diet and 3.5 years of strict starch-free eating (with continued restrictions on inflammatory oils, refined sugar, etc.), I generally live a pain-free (and medication-free) life.

It would be incorrect and impossible for me to claim that dietary changes will lead to similar success for others. Each of our disease progressions, permanent damage, and manifestations is unique.

However, I believe it is fair to say that every person with Ankylosing Spondylitis who strictly adheres to a starch-free elimination diet is likely to experience varying levels of improvement.

What is the one thing I would do differently if I had to start the starch-free elimination for Ankylosing Spondylitis all over again?

I would not downplay and underestimate the stress caused by entirely depriving myself of oven little food joys. I would include more nutrient-dense, starch-free, anti-inflammatory foods (beef, fish, green leafy veggies, herbs, etc.) to create more variety and enjoyment.

Also, I would try not to allow myself to have a victim mentality. Instead of focusing on what I couldn’t eat, I would focus on what I was able to enjoy (which, when I was only eating chicken and broccoli, might have meant focusing on things other than food).

Check out: Starch-Free Elimination for Ankylosing Spondylitis – Part 2: Starch-Free Elimination Meal Ideas

Disclaimer: Starch-Free Feasting may discuss topics related to diet and nutrition. The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only. Consult a physician or medical professional before making changes to your diet and medication. You assume the risk of any potential injury that may result.