Before I started the No Starch Diet, any exercise was difficult. Once I got the inflamation of the sacrum eliminated, I found swimming to be fantastic. As long as I swam everyday, it eliminated all the other stiffness and pain I had, which was being caused by my Candida overgrowth. If I didn't swim, I had trouble getting out of bed in the morning, from so much stiffness developing overnight. But the pool had to be very warm. A cold pool was no good for me, it made me even more stiff and in more pain. I swam at the YMCA, which specialized in arthritis programs, so the pool was around 84-87 degrees. You can also check at your local hospital or with a physical therapist to find a warm pool. I swam laps, working my way up to 60 minutes continuous swimming (I could only do 5 minutes in the beginning). I also did deep water walking with a belt on, and participated in water fitness classes.
After being on the Candida diet for 3 months, which totally restricted sugars, including dairy and fruit, all my pain and stiffness throughout my entire body was eliminated. So now I can hike, bike, do yoga, rebound (mini-trampoline), even lift weights, probably anything I want to do would be OK now. Which is amazing, because in the past I was afraid my neck would snap if I tried any of these activities, I couldn't even turn my neck back then, without crying out in pain.
Of course if I am in a flare, its back to rest and no exercise. Luckily that doesn't happen to often these days. The swimming was a life saver for me, when I was in such pain, it was the only thing that helped me to live a semi-normal life, and allowed me to enjoy my days and sleep again.
http://myankylosingspondylitis.blogspot.com/
