Ankylosing Spondylitis Articles
Latest Articles
Here is the full list of articles we’ve published on Gut Heroes to date:
The 9 Strangest Things I Do to Manage My Autoimmune Disease (AS)
What are some of the strangest things I do to manage my autoimmune disease? As I turned the shower to freezing cold for 2 minutes this morning, it occurred to me that a lot of the things I now do in my daily life might seem strange to a lot of people. It got me...
Podcast Episode 20: The 9 Strangest Things I Do to Manage My Autoimmune Disease (AS)
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! In this episode, I dive into some of the strangest things I do to manage my autoimmune disease. I share my personal insights and experiences using some 'unconventional' approaches that have helped me manage ankylosing...
How to Travel With an Autoimmune Disease and a Challenging Diet
How do you travel when you have a very specific diet you're trying to follow? Whether you have an autoimmune disease, or any other chronic condition, we're going to look at some of the things you can do to ensure a happy, stress-free experience. I've just come back...
Podcast Episode 19: How to Travel With an Autoimmune Disease and a Challenging Diet
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! In this episode, I explore practical strategies for travelling with an autoimmune disease and specific dietary requirements. I share my own personal experiences from my recent trip to the Faroe Islands and offer some of the...
Podcast Episode 18: Fixing the Now: Powerful, Practical Ways to Reduce Pain and Stress ‘In the Moment’
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! In this episode, I explore powerful, practical ways to reduce pain and stress 'in the moment'. I share personal strategies I've developed over the years to help shift into a better, less painful, less stressful state,...
Podcast Episode 17: How Rumination and Catastrophising Can Worsen Chronic Pain
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! In this episode, I look at the fascinating relationship between rumination, catastrophising, and chronic pain. I explore the latest research and share personal insights on how our mental states and relationships could affect...
Podcast Episode 16: World Health Organisation Releases Scathing Report On The Impact Of Ultra Processed Foods
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! In this episode, I dive into a groundbreaking new report released by the World Health Organisation. It sheds light on the staggering influence of four major industries - tobacco, ultra-processed foods, fossil fuels, and...
Supplement Recipe: Tommy’s Turbocharged Electrolytes
This is my own homemade recipe for electrolytes. It's a little different from other electrolyte drinks because I've added some extra ingredients. Here's what you need... Ingredients ✅ A fresh lemon (or half a fresh lemon) ✅ Himalayan pink salt ✅ Magnesium malate...
Podcast Episode 15: Tommy’s Turbocharged Electrolytes Recipe
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! This is a bonus episode, where I'm going to share one of my homemade recipes with you (MUCH cheaper then buying expensive sachets). This one is for electrolytes and I call it... wait for it... Tommy's Turbocharged...
Podcast Episode 14: Gut Digest – Intermittent Fasting Success, The Western Diet Chronic Disease Connection and ‘Smart’ Antibiotics
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! This is a Gut Digest episode, where I dive into some of the most fascinating stories and news in the gut health right now. Today, I look at: ✔️ New Study: Intermittent Fasting Success ✔️ New Study: The Western Diet and Chronic...
Podcast Episode 13: The Curious Case of Leonard Trask – ‘The Wonderful Invalid’ and Ankylosing Spondylitis
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! Today I look at the curious story of Leonard Trask. It provides possibly the first documented account of what we now know to be ankylosing spondylitis in the US. In this podcast, I look at: ✔️ About Leonard Trask and his...
Podcast Episode 12: Discovery Lab – Distilled Water (My Results After 2 Weeks)
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! This is a Discovery Lab episode, where I run a test on myself, in this case for 2 weeks, on a specific dietary, supplement or exercise change. Today, I look at distilled water! Please note: This is not medical advice. Always...
Podcast Episode 11: The Gut Digest – Colombia’s New Food Law, Menopause Diet Ideas and a Quirky Study on Refined Carbs and Attractiveness
Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes! This is a Gut Digest episode, where I dive into some of the most fascinating stories and news in the gut health right now. Today, I look at: ✔️ Colombia's groundbreaking law on junk and ultra-processed foods ✔️ A compelling...
Podcast Episode 10: The Gut Rumble: Magnesium, The Incredible Mr Baker and a Hot Take
This is the first of my Gut Rumble Rambles! (Yes, I know, the name needs work). This is a free-form episode where I look at the things I discovered recently that I hope you find useful. Today I look at: ✔️ An essential tip for magnesium supplementation ✔️ J. A. Baker,...
Podcast Episode 9: Nathan’s Ankylosing Spondylitis Success Story
Welcome to the first in our Ankylosing Spondylitis Success Story series! In this episode, I'm thrilled to be joined by my friend and fellow AS warrior, Nathan Mennel. Nathan has battled ankylosing spondylitis for many years, and today, he shares his incredible journey...
Podcast Episode 8: Arthritis and Weather: Everything You Need to Know
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the fascinating connection between weather and arthritis. We'll look at how factors like humidity, atmospheric pressure, temperature and wind can impact pain levels and inflammation for those of us with rheumatoid arthritis,...
Arthritis and Weather: Everything You Need to Know
In this article, we're going to look at the connection between weather and arthritis. This is something that could have a huge impact on pain levels and inflammation and I'm really excited to cover this. We'll start by discussing what the science has to say. There are...
70 Percent of Your Immune System is in Your Gut – What You Eat Matters
Today we're going to look at your immune system, gut and the amazing world within your body known as the microbiome. (There is more than one microbiome, and we'll go into that in a moment!) We'll explore their different roles, the interplay between each and how they...
Podcast Episode #7: 70% of Your Immune System is In Your Gut
So many of the health problems we face in modern life are caused by, or exacerbated by, gut health issues. That's because at least 50% of what makes you 'you' is microbial. More importantly, 70% of your immune system resides in your gut. That means when microbial...
Your First Rheumatology Appointment: What to Expect
The lead-up to your first rheumatology appointment can be a little scary or overwhelming, if you don't know what to expect. What will your rheumatologist be like? What tests will they want to run? Are they going to push a certain medication onto you? But it can also...
Sugar, Ultra Processed Food and Autoimmune Disease
Welcome to another Gut Heroes podcast! Changing your diet is hard, really hard. We don't all have time or headspace and modern life makes it even more difficult. We are bombarded with temptation, from every angle. In this episode, I look at why refined sugar and...
Fasting to Manage Ankylosing Spondylitis Flares
Welcome to another Gut Heroes audio podcast. Fasting is a HUGE part of my ankylosing spondylitis protocol. I rarely get flares these days but they do happen from time to time. When I feel one coming on, fasting is the most effective method I've come across to beat...
6 Golden Rules When Using Diet to Manage Health and Autoimmune Disease
Starting an elimination diet, where you're trying to figure out which foods trigger problems for your autoimmune disease or health issue, can be daunting... but the benefits are, for many of us, SO worth it. These are 6 hard-won rules that I suggest following when...
How I Use Sauna to ‘Melt Away’ Pain, Reduce Stress and Boost Energy Levels (My EXACT Method)
This is an edited transcript of the Gut Heroes Podcast: "How I Use Sauna to 'Melt Away' Pain, Reduce Stress and Boost Energy Levels (My EXACT Method). Listen to the audio version here. Sauna and cold exposure is one of the most effective things I do in my health...
Gut Heroes Podcast Episode #2: Sauna
Welcome to the second Gut Heroes audio podcast! Today I'm talking about sauna, cold exposure. I share the exact methods I follow to reduce pain and stiffness, lower stress levels, boost energy and improve mood. Enjoy!
New Audio Podcast! Welcome to Gut Heroes: How This Resource Could Help You
I'm happy to announce the launch of my new Gut Heroes audio podcast! I hope this offers a convenient way to listen, whether you're commuting, doing yoga and balancing on your head or out on a walk. You can access this podcast in all the usual channels (Spotify, Apple...
What to Eat (and How to Pack!) for Trekking on the Ankylosing Spondylitis Diet
When we think about what to eat for endurance activities, like trekking, 'carbs' often spring to mind... This has been the mantra ever since I can remember: eat something beige and stodgy and take advantage of that 'slow release' energy. That's great (and convenient!)...
Podcast: The Latest Ankylosing Spondylitis News: “Yes! AS Affects Both Men and Women… Common Comorbidities… and Mick Mars”
ResourcesHere are links to the original articles I discuss in the podcast: 🔗 Yes, ankylosing spondylitis is found in women, too🔗 Clinical Challenges: Early Disease in Axial Spondyloarthritis🔗 Mick Mars Says He’s “Never Stopping” Despite Ankylosing Spondylitis🔗...
Podcast: Nathan’s Ankylosing Spondylitis Success Story
Resources🔎 Tommy's 'flare-free' emergency routine🔎 The Nun Study: "Healthy Ageing and Dementia" [Original Paper]🔎 The Nun Study: Great Write-Up of the Key Findings🔎 Information about mouth taping to help correct breathing🔎 Histamines and possible allergy-like symptoms...
Podcast: Thriving With Ankylosing Spondylitis Through Gut Health
https://youtu.be/Cw1mSfvKqdY?si=WHoFIg0fO450Urzc This video interview (including the idea for it) and the fantastic production and editing was the work of Nathan Mennel. If you enjoyed this interview, and have a spare moment, please like and share it over on YouTube...
These Are the Techniques I Use to Get Flare Free in 4 Days or Less
I now manage my autoimmune disease entirely through diet and lifestyle. However, I do still get the occasional ankylosing spondylitis flare from time to time. These are rare (at the time of writing I'd been 72 days without flare) but they do still happen. Typically...
How Cold Exposure Changed My Life
When you hear 'cold exposure', you might picture hardy Nords flinging themselves into Arctic pools cut into the ice. That is certainly one way of doing it. (And if you live in Finland, own a private jet, or work from an Antarctic research station, that may well be the...
Simple Summary: Why Professor Ebringer’s Findings Suggest Going Starch Free Could Help Tackle Ankylosing Spondylitis
What follows is a summary of Ebringer's theory about using diet to successfully manage ankylosing spondylitis. It's variously been called the 'London AS Diet', 'The Low/No Starch Diet' and 'The Starch Free Diet'. If you haven't already done so, check out the fantastic...
The Interview: Professor Alan Ebringer Discusses the Theory Behind the Starch Free Diet for Ankylosing Spondylitis
Watch an interview with Alan Ebringer, creator of the ankylosing spondylitis diet, or 'London AS Diet' 💡 Alan Ebringer is an immunologist, professor at King’s College and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist at UCH. He and his team developed the diet 💡 In the interview...
Salicylates: Why a Sensitivity to These Common Foods Could Cause Rashes, Asthma, Stuffy Nose, Mood Swings, Restlessness or Difficulty Focusing
There are so many different dietary protocols out there it can be overwhelming... Do eat avocados because they're anti-inflammatory... Don't eat avocados because they can trigger a histamine response... Go plant based... go carnivore... do this, do that. The reality...
Experiencing a ‘Mystery’ Flare? Here Are 5 Possible Causes
Key Points: Sickness, stress, allergies and hormonal changes can trigger inflammation These factors can be asymptomatic (do not display any other obvious symptoms) as in the case of COVID-19 for 40.5% of victims One (or more) could combine to trigger 'mystery'...