Welcome back to part two!
Guess what! I’m sick again! Some throat thing. It hurts, but my body feels GOOOOD!
One theory regarding the prevalence of autoimmune disorders is that we don’t get enough dirt in our diets that supplies the germs that support a balanced immune system. One of my friends recommended eating a spoonful of dirt from my yard each day. Could be beneficial, but I don’t know if the people who owned the house before us fertilized with chemicals, and also my dogs have recently acquired worms.
Back in the day, fruits and vegetables weren’t sterilized before they made it into our likewise grubby hands. There were bacteria on everything we ate and before you say eeeeeewwwwwwwwww, remember that those bacteria were what supported our immune system. They were good for us.
Now we wash, bleach, disinfect, sterilize, polish and freaking wax our fruits and vegetables. What does that do to these crucial environmental probiotics? It sends them on a cilia-raising thrillride down the waterslide of the factory’s drainage system.
And it’s a rusty thrillride.
I’m not endorsing any particular product. I haven’t even tried this one myself because I’m supposed to be off all probiotics until I poop in a box to send through the US Postal Service (hey! Maybe your meal delivery service package will be on the same truck as my poop!) where, upon receipt, really unlucky lab workers will test my doo doo for Klebsiella bacteria, a potential factor in ankylosing spondylitis. Since I’ve been putting off this shitty adventure, I haven’t taken my trusty probies for a couple months now.
When I resume, I’m going to try Just Thrive Probiotics. Composed of the bacillus strains abundant in nature that we just don’t get anymore, these bacteria are stable in the environment as well as inside the host and also act as an antibiotic, killing off only the bad bacteria. They form a shell that keeps them safe and viable through the gastric system.
I am skeptical about one thing. I’ve heard these kinds of probiotics help balance the immune system, but Just Thrive’s website emphasizes the immune boosting properties of each strain, which is not necessarily what someone with an autoimmune disorder needs. Maybe that’s just marketing though, since that’s what the general population wants.
One of the strains, bacillus coagulans claims to help patients with IBS and Crohn’s. I skimmed a few studies like this, this and this that confirm these claims. This strain also apparently supports anti-inflammation systems in your body.
Oh, and also BOOM! THIS, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design, clinical pilot trial (*deep inhale*) that shows it reduces rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. SAY WHA? Sign me up, Baby!
According to the National Institutes of Health, patients taking immunosuppressants should exercise caution since it stimulates the immune system. FUCK THAT. I like to live on the edge.
I know I just talked about the one probiotic, and it TOTALLY sounds like I’m TOTALLY promoting it, but I’m not. No one has given me any money, but hey, if I’m going to talk about Humira by name, I’m sure as shit going to talk about my probiotics by name. Try them or don’t. It’s your life!
(Dear Just Thrive, If you DO decide to give me money, I’ll talk about your product in every post for the foreseeable future. Call me!)
Not Your Mama's Ankylosing Spondylitis Blog 
Well, this is a very personal blog. I am going to say it was shitty, cuz it really, really was! It’s a compliment!
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YAY! Thank you! That was my goal!
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Bacillus Coagulans (BC) preparations are made by Schiff. They are all called Digestive Advantage. Pretty expensive, but they DO the trick, at least for me. It is the first time in many years that I experience an AS remission and don’ t have to take Voltaren every night. It took about a month of daily BC to get here though. YMMV. Also, thanks for sharing your AS experiences.
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