I just read your other post in the main forum regarding coming off Enbrel with problems and the NSAIDS also contributing to gut problems. Many of us blame NSAIDS for creating leaky gut, IBS, IBD in our bodies. I took NSAIDS for years before I too ended up with hellish IBS and eventually colitis. I wish I could offer more support!! Healing a leaky gut serious takes time and dedication, but so many of us have done it!! I just think for your case you need to factor in the set backs of Enbrel and NSAIDS when you place a time line on healing, in reference to your question that started this post on how long it takes.
I still think the diet can be a lifesaver, but I would honestly expect it to really take some time. Hopefully you start to see progress in the next couple weeks, but I wouldn't give up if it ends up taking many months, and even a full year to really heal your body.
I also recommend checking out the SCD diet and reading "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" as it is a wonderful program and you will find many on it in a very similar situation. Many end up on SCD as an alternative to having their colon removed from severe Crohns and colitis. There is a wonderful support forum for SCD in the Yahoo Groups called BTVC (Breaking the Vicious Cycle). Note though with SCD I recommend avoiding the homemade 24 hour ferment yogurt with cows milk, and using either coconut milk (ideally!) or goat or sheep milk if you make your own yogurt with the program, or play it safe and try fermented sauerkraut first. Many with AS have issues with regular dairy, as stated on the Food Guide list on Kickas. And of course I recommend modifying SCD to omit the starchy squash, cooked carrots, etc. My diet and cookbook is based on my modified starch-free version of SCD.
SCD website:
http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/There is also the GAPS diet, which is based off of SCD, so quite similar, but it is a newer version of the diet, as SCD originated 100 years ago with Dr. Haas, and later evolved with biochemist Elaine Gottschall. My friend and fellow cookbook author Megan has had tremendous results in healing her body with GAPS. I featured a recipe and review of Megan's new cookbook on my website this week. Five years ago Megan was told by her doctor to prepare for death as her body was overrun with severe illness and inflammation, and she wasn't even 40 years old yet, and there she was preparing her final goodbyes for her husband and kids as she the doctor said she did not have much time left to live. She found the GAPS diet and is a healthy inspiration today. I think those of us hit the hardest by disease who find healing through diet are the ones who are inspired to write cookbooks and share what we have learned after amazing ourselves with the results. Now she doesn't have AS so she includes more starches in her cookbook, but in the grand scheme of things our diets are quite similar.More on Megan:
http://www.forestandfauna.com/chocolate-...-and-loving-it/You are in my thoughts! I can't wait to hear back in a few weeks when you start seeing results!! xx
