How I Manage My AxSpa Without Biologics (part 2)

This is a continuation of How I Manage My AxSpa Without Biologics: Nutrition and Movement.

In the first part, I talked about my decision not to take biologics and the first two pillars of my lifestyle that I focus on: nutrition and movement. Let’s now look at the other pillars.

Stress management

"Stress" is a big word that carries a lot of complexity. All of us probably use this word at some point throughout the day. Here, I look at emotional, mental, and physical stress. This means any event, action, feeling, or state that puts the immune system into overdrive, making it harder to calm down, further activating inflammatory processes in the body.

Stress triggers flares and worsens symptoms. The more I understood this, the more I wanted to learn to manage my stress response better as well as reduce my stress triggers in the first place.

Stress management techniques help us slow down, pause, and reflect on the stressful situation. I like to ask myself, "What does my body need right now?" It may be meditation, a hot bath, a long walk, dinner with friends, a phone call to family, and the list goes on. These are all moments that bring me positive energy and joy.

While we can’t always avoid what happens to us and the stress that comes with it, we can take steps to control our reactions to it and find ways to mitigate its effects by learning to listen to the body and understand early warning signals of stress.

Nervous system regulation

This pillar is closely related to stress management and learning to slow down.

The more stress activates our sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight), the higher our cortisol levels rise, triggering a cascade of inflammatory processes that impact all body systems.

The parasympathetic nervous system (rest/digest) controls the body's ability to relax and is key for healing and recovery. Both systems inhibit each other; when one system becomes overstimulated, the other weakens. Nowadays, the sympathetic system is over-used, putting us in a permanent state of stress.

Thus, regulating the nervous system becomes an important lifestyle intervention when managing axSpa without biologics. “More being, less doing.” It is so easy to get overwhelmed with life’s never-ending to-do list and the stress of a chronic condition. Give yourself opportunities for peace and quiet, like being in the present moment, surrounding yourself with loved ones, taking a nap, reading a book, or going on a walk. These are powerful moments that can shift the balance.

Connection

It's important to connect with others, yourself, and nature. Living with a chronic condition is difficult, and you shouldn’t have to go through it alone.

I make sure to create a strong support network: health practitioners who believe in my path forward, family and friends who are there in difficult times, and moments in nature to calm the mind. I also work on showing more kindness, patience, and self-love towards my body and mind.

How do you manage axSpa without biologics?

Everyone’s journey is different and constantly evolving! What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. It’s also not an either/or approach. Your healthy lifestyle will support your body in reducing inflammation and lessening the intensity of symptoms and flares. It can also influence how well you respond to biologics.

How did you decide whether take biologics or not? I would love to hear your stories!