Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; No/Low Starch Diet Success Stories

Hi Everybody!

I'm new to this forum. My name is Taufik. I'm 23 years old and live in Bandung, Indonesia. I suffered AS for 12 years now and it get worse every year. I only eat Sulfalazine for 6 years from 2000 to 2006. And since then i don't eat medicine because i don't want to depend on medicine. I also use cortison injection for one year in 2008 but i decide to stop it because i get moon face and buffalo hump.

But now it get worse again. There is pain in all of my joint from back pain, knee, hip, shoulder. And i even hard to walk properly. I read several sites and read about Low Starch Diet until i found this forum but i still confuse about how i do it. What is the principle of the method and how to do it? What must i eat and not eat? Do i need to buy Carol Sinclair book about NSD?

Sorry if my English is not very good. Thanks before.

Hi Taufik, I'm sorry to hear your AS is so bad.

The NSD can help although it is a little more difficult if you are a vegetarian... it can be done though.

The Carol Sinclair book The IBS Low Starch Diet is very very helpful if you are just starting out and explains clearly what you can and can't eat.

Here is a link to some techinical papers explaining the theory behind how and why the diet works:

Molecular Mimicry

AS Dietary Primer

Basically you need to eliminate all starch from your diet.... so all grains including rice too, starchy root vegetables, starchy beans & legumes, starchy fruit etc.

Many processed foods contain starch - it is added as a thickener to many products.

So you want to stick to eating fresh non-starchy fruit and vegetables, eggs, some nuts (not peanuts or cashews though) and meat. Altho you can't eat the meat you could use tofu instead.

You can test your food for starch using Iodine. You put a drop on the food and if it changes colour from amber to black then the food is starchy so you don't want to eat it.

Chelsea

Hi Taufik, It is a few years since i was last in Bandung. It is one of the worlds great train journeys from Jakarta to Bandung. I would recomend you get Carols book and try to stick closely to the NSD. Selemat Malam George

Hi Taufik,

Welcome to the best site where you can get all good information to help your AS.

I stay in Jakarta so it's quite near from your place

Sinta

Hi George, it's good to see you around and wish you are doing great

Hi,
Just to start, make it very simple for yourself. I don't know what foods you love and what are available to you. Try to think of foods that are very basic and simple. Protein, such as eggs and fish. Just a little salt and herbs, no spices. Vegetables such as greens. Fruit such as berries. Snack on almonds without skins. Try a little yogurt. Drink lots of fresh water. Don't get hungry. Give it some time, see if you are feeling better!
I will mail you my Carol Sinclair book if it is too expensive for you.
Best wishes!
Jan

Thanks for all the support Kiwi, George, Sinta, Jan

I already do NSD for 1 week and i feel better now. After very painful 4 months of my life, now i can walk properly again. But my stiffness is still there and my hip is still hurt. But it's really made me better because i'm not using any medicine.

no spices? wow, i still using soy sauce, i saw the list of starchy foods by Bilko and read that soysauce is low starchy (0.9gr/100). might be i must eliminate that too. root vegetables is starchy? i still drink carrot juice every morning.

No, Carol Sinclair book is not too expensive but i find it in book store in Indonesia and i don't find it. I already find it in Amazon and plan to buy it. but thanks Jan.

Selamat Pagi George (means good morning)

Hi Taufik,

I use soy suace all the time (the salty one) and I think it's quite safe

Carrot is okay as long as it isn't cooked, so you can drink your carrot juice anytime, you mix it with other fruits or only carrot?

Glad that you are feeling better, remember that the key is to control your food and you can minimze the pain and reduce the drugs intake.

About the Sinclair book, I can drop you a copy if you give me your addy

Cheers,
Sinta

Hi Taufik,

Welcome. My son Danny has been doing NS/ND since January 09. It has made a tremendous difference in his pain.

As far as soy sauce goes, try Tamari. It is soy sauce without wheat. I buy it in the health food store. Danny takes his own stash of Tamari with him when eating out in restaurants.


Test your spices with iodine. Some are OK.

You will be testing everything at first and then you will quickly learn what you can eat and what you can't eat. There are many wonderful recipes on this site.

When Danny started the first week he was so angry and frustrated. Then when his pain level dropped considerably, he said "I could eat like this if it's going to make me feel better". Give it time. It has helped so many people.

Hope you get great results with the diet.

Laurie