Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; When people dont believe you. Bit of a rant.

I just realize there is lot of wonderful person in this forum.. love every share about us, AS, and our environment..

I also find there is difficult to convince every people about my diet and why i did it. People kept look strange at me, and kept give me advice that just part of my belief that make me sick and eating rice won't make me sick or pain. Sometimes i want to tell them too that not eating rice won't make you die.

But now i learn to always listen to every advice and comment they give to me. They actually concern about me and it's good thing. They just don't know what the actual things that happens to me and still i am the person who decide what i eat or do.

I also find it's more easy if people ask and i will tell them gladly that i have AS, i hope if they have some relatives or it happens to them in the future they can share with me and i will gladly help. AS is not a disaster although it's harder to live with AS

Keep strong Seb and believe in what you do,

You can disguise your choices about food, to make it more about health reasons, weight loss etc. I personally do the Paleo diet, and when people ask I make it about general health. Or you can just tell them that your allergic to wheat, etc. This works for some alcoholics. To tell people that you don't eat starch because it will put you pain, they can't understand, but if you put it a context they can understand, they might not argue.

One of the reasons I like the Paleo diet is the reasoning behind it. Having a degree in Biology, it helps me to have a biologic foundation to understanding why a diet works. It doesn't hurt that I am athletic and make it about actual nutrition. And I don't tell anyone outside family about the AS. Some people I just tell them I have arthritis issues, but never details. Good luck.

All these opinions/stories have been a great read. Thanks.

The thing that annoys me the most is when people tell you to get on with your life, stop complaining, get a job and all that. It's actually only a few people within my family that say this but its still frustrating. Why would I give up my favourite sports? Football, skiing, water-skiing and all that. why would i give up my passion? Funny when people in my family say that they've put up with me for over a year now.. how selfish. Ah well, I've just learnt to laugh

Definately the hope of getting back to these sports is a huge motivation for giving the diet another crack! Especially since the skiing season is coming up!

On a positive note, AS has definately changed my character and way of thinking in a positive way. I'm a hell of a lot more open minded and socially aware of all these things.

Good luck guys,
Seb

Hey Seb,

Sounds like you need a little comic relief. I always visit this blog when I need a little laugh. This guy wrote a hysterical book by the same title and all it is is the [*bleep*] his dad said to him.

We can't choose our families but we can choose our friends. Surround yourself with people who support and believe you. And write down some of the insensitive and insulting things your most annoying family members say to you. Maybe you could write a book about it someday and have the last laugh like the guy in that blog link above.

Also, I totally agree with the comment regarding the Paleo diet. I tell everyone I'm Paleo (which I am) and so it makes it easier to refuse certain foods when I'm out to dinner or at a friend's house. Better than trying to teach them how to pronounce "ankylosing what now?" Sweet jhazus, how many times have I tried to explain that potatoes will give me a back ache and had the person look at me like I just made a poopy in my diaper.

Hang in there.