Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives Alternatives and ALCHEMISTS How I Treated My AS and Its History

Taking advantage of the Labor Day holiday, I decided to summarize my TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) notes on treating spondylitis over the past decade. Three years ago, the pain from spondylitis became severely worse, affecting my sleep and ability to walk. Before that, it had been somewhat tolerable, but I felt certain factors had pushed my body into a declining state. Resolving the pain had become urgent.

Unwilling to undergo joint replacement or rely on Western medication, I wanted a more conservative approach to treat my spondylitis. So, I spent a lot of time collecting various successful cases of AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) treatment, hoping to identify common patterns that could serve as references. Among them, assky.com and KickAS were some of the largest and earliest AS patient communities, both domestically and internationally, offering many valuable case studies and resources. I also gathered books and journals on AS treatment.

On the KickAS website, aside from biologic immunosuppressants, the most recommended conservative treatment was the No Starch Diet (NSD). However, opinions on it were highly divided. Some patients on the forum had tried it with temporary success, but very few stuck with it long-term. After all, starch is a primary energy source, and relying solely on protein instead might have uncertain consequences. Later, I discovered many popular therapeutic diets abroad, such as the Paleo Diet and Perfect Health Diet, but opinions varied widely.

Then, on the KickAS forum, I stumbled upon a post by an Australian patient named AndJ in the "Alternative Treatments" section. He claimed to have cured his AS through dietary therapy, which reignited my hope. AndJ, a devout Christian, selflessly shared his dietary regimen and healing insights. I tried some of his suggestions but found certain items hard to obtain—for example, grass-fed raw milk (unpasteurized milk from pasture-raised cows).

According to the theory behind NSD (developed by an AS-afflicted medical doctor), the diet prevents the production of a specific protein during digestion that the immune system might mistake for bacteria, leading to autoimmunity. This might explain why sulfasalazine (a drug for intestinal disorders) can treat AS—somewhat fascinating, right? Digestive issues, like chronic diarrhea, seem to worsen AS.

AndJ’s approach focused on restoring immunity, particularly gut health (somewhat similar to TCM’s emphasis on protecting the spleen and stomach). He recommended raw milk (rich in probiotics), detox methods targeting heavy metals in food, and supplements like diatomaceous earth, cilantro, and psyllium husk. He theorized that modern diets expose people to heavy metals, and obesity might be a protective mechanism—fat stores toxins to shield organs. This could explain why some people gain weight easily despite eating little.

Following his advice, I noticed some pain relief, though it remained significant. His recommendation of psyllium husk stood out—he praised its detox effects, and it suddenly hit me: Isn’t this just Chinese medicine? After all that exploration, dietary therapy essentially aligned with TCM’s philosophy of "medicinal foods," which extensively documents the healing properties of everyday ingredients.

That realization opened a whole new door—I turned to traditional Chinese medicine, and it completely changed my perspective.