Reddit mentions of The Exercise Cure: A Doctor#s All-Natural, No-Pill Prescription for Better Health and Longer Life

I know this is a bit late to the party but my friend just got diagnosed as well and we went on a day long researching binge. I tried to consolidate everything we found to reference later, so for you and any one else interested here is a wall of text. I hope it helps.

The http://www.spondylitis.org website has some good background information with a useful guide on where to start. But I was surprised how there was no emphasis on the importance of diet. I found another website called kickas.org which focuses on diet and the findings of an English doctor named Alan Ebringer. Here's a quick summary of his findings which I haven't found refuted anywhere:

"Ankylosing spondylitis is considered to be a form of "reactive arthritis" following an infection of the terminal ileum and ascending colon by the bowel microbe Klebsiella. Specific anti- Klebsiella antibodies in AS patients have now been reported from 17 different countries: England, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Belgium, Slovakia, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, USA, Mexico, Argentina, and Turkey.
Over 95% of AS patients possess the HLA-B27 antigen whilst it is present only in 8% of the general population. The Klebsiella microbe has molecules which resemble HLA-B27 and this is the reason why AS patients generally belong to the HLA-B27 group.
In addition, the pullulanase molecule of the Klebsiella microbe crossreacts with type I collagen found in tendons and bone and also with type IV collagen found in basement membranes of retina and uvea, thereby explaining the pathological sites of AS."

We all have trillions of bacteria from thousands of different strains in our gut and I bet most everyone has that Klebsiella bacteria. It's only a problem in people who also have the HLA-B27 antigen who then experience an overgrowth of that particular bacteria. Since that bacteria feeds on starches, you can alter your diet to essentially "starve" it out. This is the London AS diet

As you can see, you may have to cut out additional things like dairy, eggs and even some veggies like onions if you don't get relief by sticking to the middle column. As you starve out the Klebsiella bacteria you'll want to actively replace it with beneficial bacteria (probiotics) like the ones found in yogurt(get the plain, unsweetened greek yogurt), Kefir, kombucha or probiotic pills like these.

Additionally, as you cut sugar and other carbs you'll also be starving out the candida yeast that lives in all our bodies. In some people, too high of a candida population can cause a host of issues ranging from hives to arthritis. You may not have any issues with candida, but if you did, they'll start dying out as well (bonus!). Having so many yeast and bacteria dying off can cause problems on their own unfortunately, they release toxins when they die and their little dead cells have to be cleared out by the body. The body can react to this sudden die off and it's called a Herxheimer reaction (or just "herxing"). Herxing can feel like a whole body inflammation/hives/the flu. You're body can normally process the dying organisms along with the toxins fast enough, but drink plenty of water to help yourself out, your kidneys and liver will be working hard and they'll need the water(some tea can't hurt either).

Another interesting thing I came across is leaky gut syndrome. The basic idea is that the lining of the intestines can become too thin, thin enough to allow large, not-yet-fully-digested proteins and other molecules to permeate the gut and enter your bloodstream. Then, your immune system attacks these unknown molecules and the result is a host of inflammatory responses like arthritis and IBS. Incidentally, frequent use of antibiotics can cause work to thin the lining of the intestines, as well NSAIDs.

This stuff is so increadibly complex and interrelated! but also fascinating. The health of your gut and the kinds of bacteria living there can even influence your mood and determine your obesity risk as well.

Fasting also fits into this puzzle. Humans have fasted for religious and health reasons for all of recorded history. Juice fasts and such even had a pop culture resurgence. One of the benefits of fasting is that you starve out the yeast and bacteria since only your own cells have access to any energy (your own fat stores). This allows you to essentially reset your body and repopulate your gut with healthier bacteria. This article references a few scientific studies that seen to back up that idea. A less appealing way to repopulate your gut bacteria would be... However, IBS and colitis are often comorbid with AS so it might be worth considering. It was for some on the kickas.org forums.

Inflammation seems to be at the intersection of all this. In many ways, inflammation is at the root of all illness. In a sense, you aren’t just your human self, but an ever changing proportion of human cells, bacteria, yeasts, and viruses as well. For long term health you have to keep your non-pathogenic guests in balance lest they bloom and become pathogenic AND maintain an immune system strong enough to evict the active pathogens but not attack your own cells. At the risk of redundancy, I think it’s useful to include this book that covers the importance of that balance and the risk of antibiotics.
A final resource I found was on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which isn't must different than the London AS diet but the website was very helpful and had a lot of information that was free even though they're trying to sell a book.
AS can seem daunting, maybe I should have led with a positive testimonial from someone who managed to control his AS
Dotyisle’s AS story

Oh, one final thing, exercise as much as you can! I have a book called "The Exercise Cure" and for Arthritis (closest thing in the book to AS) he says those with severe pain should at least do stretching, yoga/swimming/strength exercises like air squats and lunges.

TL;DR: A low/no starch diet will lower the number of harmful bacteria, reduce your inflammation response, and increase the effectiveness of traditional medicines at smaller (easier on the body/less side effects) doses.