“Diet and Nutrition for Ankylosing Spondylitis,” Guest blog article by David Novak

Ankylosing spondylitis is a deforming and painful condition. Early in the disease, it can be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia, or it can be an aggravating factor to many painful conditions. While there is no treatment, it is helpful to have tips for deterring the progression. I hope you will be as delighted as I am to read what David Novak from Healthline has to say.

Diet and Nutrition for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Healthy eating is an important part in taking control, not only of your health and well-being, but also your life. One must be aware that whatever food you're consuming can either improve or aggravate your overall health.

For those suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitis, having a healthy diet can help immensely, not only in relieving the symptoms such as pain and stiffness, but also slowing the progression of the disease. Ankylosing Spondylitis is a type of chronic arthritis that affects parts of the spine, including muscles, ligaments and bones. Symptoms may vary but most people experience back pain and stiffness. In severe cases, this could also lead to long-term disability.

The condition usually develops gradually, wherein there are times when symptoms are not present. Chest pain can also be experienced, particularly when breathing, as a result of the joints connecting the ribs to the spine.

Ankylosing Spondylitis is common in Canada, USA, Europe, and Australia since most of the people consume meat and milk as part of their daily diet, unlike in Africa and Asia where they consume more vegetables and fruits.  Animal fat and dairy have been linked to exacerbating this condition.

Diet and Nutrition

Although there is no specific diet for people suffering with Ankylosing Spondylitis, having a healthy weight is important to reduce stress on those painful joints. A healthy diet and exercise are highly recommended in maintaining a healthy weight. Proper foods keep the digestive system strong and the immune system in a healthy, fighting condition, lowering your risk against other diseases, as well as slowing the progression of Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Choose foods that help fight inflammation, keep your bones strong, and your digestive and immune system healthy. It is also recommended to maintain a food diary so you can keep track on what particular food seems to make you feel better or worse.

Here are some dietary changes you could make, which can be effective in relieving Ankylosing Spondylitis symptoms.

• Omega-3 Fatty acids - based on several studies, omega-3 fatty acids may decrease the progression of Ankylosing Spondylitis, though more research is still needed to validate this result. Great food sources of omega-3 include walnuts, flax seeds, and coldwater fish.
• Ginger root - has anti-inflammatory effects that can ease the pain and relieve stiffness in the joints.
• Turmeric - which is commonly found in Asia, works in the body by turning off a NF-kappa B protein that regulates the immune system and triggers the inflammation process.
• Garlic and Onions - these pungent vegetables have immune-boosting properties. Garlic also works similarly to NSAID pain medications, which shut off pathways leading to inflammation. Onions contain anti-inflammatory chemicals that can help alleviate Ankylosing Spondylitis symptoms.
• Oily fish - oily fish contains anti-inflammatory fatty acids that can help relieve pain and inflammation of the joints. Examples are tuna, mackerel and mullet. Fish oil supplements are also recommended.
• Yogurt - natural yogurt is a good source of probiotics, which is needed to maintain a healthy digestive system and fights off bad bacteria.
• Plant sterols - this substance helps in building a strong immune system. Plant sterols are found in legumes, seeds, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Calcium and Vitamin D - these two nutrients are very essential in having strong bones, thus choose foods that are high in calcium and vitamin D. Foods high in calcium includes spinach, okra, soybeans, oatmeal, kale and white beans. Foods enriched with vitamin D are beef liver, egg yolks, cheese, and fatty fish like tuna and salmon.
• Limit alcohol intake - alcoholic beverages can weaken bones, so if you can’t take it off your diet, limit your intake as much as possible.
• Low in saturated fats - diet should also be low in saturated fats such as commercial pastries and chocolates, since this can aggravate the inflammation.
• Foods rich in silicon - Silicon is essential in collagen formation, which is vital to healthy bones, cartilage and connective tissues. Sources of silica include whole grains, alfalfa, peppers, and seaweeds.
• Multivitamin - multivitamins help in boosting the natural immune system of the body, which lowers your risk of contracting other diseases.
• Food rich in proteoglycans - proteoglycans helps in restoring and nourishing cartilage. These can be found in tripe, mussels, oats and Irish moss.
• Drink plenty of fluids - drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water a day is highly recommended. 

David Novak is a international syndicated newspaper columnist, appearing in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV around the world. His byline has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Reader's Digest and GQ Magazine, among others.  David is a health and diet enthusiast, and frequently writes on a wide array of health topics for various publications, including regular editions appearing in healthline.com.  For more of his Healthline articles, visit http://www.healthline

You can learn more about Ankylosing Spondylitis on Celeste’s website here. 

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All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com

Did you know? – Smoothies, health, and you by Celeste Cooper

When dealing with chronic pain issues, it is sometimes difficult to prepare meals, but here is a healthy breakfast or snack solution if you have a blender.

Ingredients:

Use fresh and/or frozen fruits and vegetables on hand. Keep in mind that for some an anti-inflammatory choice is a smart selection, particularly if you are subject to irritable bladder, GERD or other digestion problems, immune deficiencies or conditions that create inflammation.

Keep it balanced:

Protein powder (or if you are gluten intolerant, use the protein substitute of your choice.

Special considerations:

Apples are considered to be a low acidic fruit in their raw form. They are abundant in pectin, a natural substance that soothes the stomach and absorbs acid, so they are actually creating an alkaline environment when digested.  They are a great source of vitamin C, and have phosphorous, iron, antioxidants and flavanoids, and they are high in fiber. 

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Because apples are high in fiber, they are also a good choice for those of us who take medications that cause constipation or experience alternating constipative/diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome.

Tip! The peeling of an apple is important too, but it is also a great source of accumulated pesticides. Therefore, wash your apple (or other fruits and vegetables with edible peelings) by sprinkling on some baking soda, wet your hands and massage the apple, then rinse thoroughly.

Want to know more about flavanoids?  They are discussed in “Summer Devotions” and nutrition tracking is discussed in the “Fall Devotions” of Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain. Many tracking tools are included in Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: the Mind-Body Connection. You can read more “About the Books” at http://TheseThree.com

Did you know?

Did you know that you can freeze a whole banana and use it later? Yes, it is true, and you can cut off what you need and easily remove the peeling. Not only do they add flavor, a banana also adds fiber, protein, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, magnesium, folate, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A, and iron. There is a reason they are considered as a baby’s first food.

Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, kale, red (my personal favorite) and green romaine lettuce, are packed with fiber and are a great source of vitamins and minerals.

The more colorful the better, because bright colors mean they are loaded with antioxidants, which fight cellular oxidative stress apparent in both fibromyalgia and CFS/ME.

Carrots are known as the eye health veggie. Raw carrots are loaded with fiber and a great source of thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, Folate, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium.

Tip! Cleaning vegetables with a weak vinegar solution will help fight any lingering bacteria.

If you have left over colorful bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, etc., throw those in too. Any colorful fruit or vegetable that your body tolerates is a good choice.

*If you are sticking to a low acid forming diet, check to see if ingredients are “acid forming” foods. They can be acidic, but that does not mean they create an acidic environment in your body.  This topic is outside the source of this particular blog. 

I have found by using fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables it makes the smoothie like drinking a nutritious shake. Add water, milk, almond milk, soy milk, whichever you prefer, for the consistency you like and enjoy vitamins the old fashion way with a modern twist!

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All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Celeste Cooper is a retired RN, educator, fibromyalgia patient, and lead author of the Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain devotional series (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD), and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection (coauthor, Jeff Miller PhD) She is a fibromyalgia expert for Dr. Oz, et al., at Sharecare.com, here, and she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy, here. You can read more educational information and about her books on her website, http://TheseThree.com