Dan Reynolds: Inflammatory Diet Embracing an Anti-Inflammation Diet Part of his treatment was an inflammation-fighting dietary approach. “I went on an anti-inflammatory diet.
Full Answer
Does Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds have ankylosing spondylitis?
Most people haven’t heard of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a type of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spinal joints, causing often crippling back pain. But that will change if Dan Reynolds, the lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning band Imagine Dragons, has his way.
What disease does Ryan Reynolds have?
Some suggested that Reynolds had sciatica, but the appropriate treatment didn’t combat it. The experience, Reynolds says, was “frustrating.” Then, at the suggestion of his brother, the vocalist consulted a rheumatologist to see if he had ankylosing spondylitis, a condition that two of his siblings suffer from.
Is Dan Reynolds a spokesperson for Novartis?
Dan Reynolds is a paid spokesperson for Novartis Pharmaceuticals, sponsor of the ankylosing spondylitis awareness campaign #MonsterPainInTheAS. Does your back hurt? Go to Monster Pain In The AS website for a quiz about different types, and possible causes, of back pain.
What happened to Imagine Dragons’ lead singer Reino Reynolds?
Reynolds, the frontman of Grammy-award winning band Imagine Dragons, tells PEOPLE that at age 21 he began to experience “debilitating” pain that forced him to cancel shows. Get push notifications with news, features and more. You'll get the latest updates on this topic in your browser notifications.
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When was Dan Reynolds diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis?
The Grammy-winning artist reveals how he's managing ankylosing spondylitis and chronic pain. Dan Reynolds endured chronic pain and stiffness for about five years before he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in his early 20s.
What chronic illness does Dan Reynolds have?
After suffering from unexplained back pain for many years, in his early 20s Dan was diagnosed with AS—a painful disease that is part of the axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) disease spectrum that most people probably aren't familiar with.
What famous person has ankylosing spondylitis?
Dan Reynolds, Ankylosing Spondylitis The 31-year-old lead singer of the band Imagine Dragons has ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a form of inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints, ligaments, and tendons of the spine.
What is axial spondyloarthritis axSpA?
Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a type of arthritis. It mostly causes pain and swelling in the spine and the joints that connect the bottom of the spine to the pelvis (sacroiliac joint). Other joints can be affected as well. It is a systemic disease, which means it may affect other body parts and organs.
Was Dan Reynolds addicted to drugs?
Reynolds, whose band catapulted to super-stardom about a year and a half after he got married, sheepishly admits that his substance abuse was at least partially due to the “sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll” mythology that he bought into.
What band member has ankylosing spondylitis?
Even if you or a loved one are not affected by ankylosing spondylitis, many have become familiar with the disease as the affliction Imagine Dragon's Dan Reynolds and Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars have battled the majority of their lives.
What is the life expectancy of someone with ankylosing spondylitis?
Life expectancy for people who have ankylosing spondylitis is the same as that of the general population, except for patients who have the most severe forms of the disease and for those who have complications.
How did your ankylosing spondylitis start?
Ankylosing spondylitis has no known specific cause, though genetic factors seem to be involved. In particular, people who have a gene called HLA-B27 are at a greatly increased risk of developing ankylosing spondylitis. However, only some people with the gene develop the condition.
What is the best diet for ankylosing spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that affects the spine and large joints. The best diet for ankylosing spondylitis includes the Mediterranean diet or a diet rich in lean protein, vegetables, and fruit that eliminates refined flour, sugar, alcohol, and processed foods.
What is the best treatment for axial spondyloarthritis?
NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are usually the first treatment for axSpA. You may be prescribed high doses to control inflammation.
What is the best treatment for spondylitis?
Physiotherapy and exercise. Keeping active can improve your posture and range of spinal movement, along with preventing your spine becoming stiff and painful. ... Painkillers. ... Biological treatments. ... Corticosteroids. ... Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) ... Surgery. ... Follow-up.
What is the difference between ankylosing spondylitis and axial spondyloarthritis?
Axial spondyloarthritis can be considered a subset of spondyloarthritis. This type primarily affects the axial joints, which are those found in the spine, chest, and pelvis. Ankylosing spondylitis is generally considered a specific and severe subset of axial spondyloarthritis.
Life Before Imagine Dragons, and Before an AS Diagnosis
Before Reynolds reached stardom in music, his upbringing wasn’t that of a typical rock star. One of nine siblings, he grew up in Nevada as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon church). As a Boy Scout, he even achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout.
A Crushing Blow Right Before College Leads to Trouble
The week before Reynolds was to start at Brigham Young University (BYU), a prestigious school affiliated with his church, he hit a major obstacle.
Inflammation and Other Symptoms May Have Started in High School
In hindsight, Reynolds thinks that his AS may have begun as early as high school. “The way I describe the pain is when you go to the dentist and they drill, you feel that deep nerve pain,” Reynolds says. “I really felt it in my lower back, my SI [sacroiliac] joints, my hips, in my foot — the inflammation was there and wouldn’t go away.”
Finally, Reynolds Finds the Right Doctor
Having already been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, Reynolds saw a rheumatologist who diagnosed him with ankylosing spondylitis. “I went to Susan Baker, MD , in Los Angeles and she was amazing,” Reynolds says. “She went through my diet, exercise, and daily routine.
Embracing an Anti-Inflammation Diet
Part of his treatment was an inflammation-fighting dietary approach. “I went on an anti-inflammatory diet. Everyone is different,” he explains. “What works for me is a lot of fish, chicken, rice, vegetables. I’ll avoid bread, dairy, and sugar. I eat fruit and get natural sugar, but I avoid anything that’s processed.”
Making Health and Wellness a Priority Every Day
Now touring the world, Reynolds began to prioritize his health. In addition to removing many of the foods in his diet that may cause inflammation, he developed a new devotion to fitness, one that led to him being featured in the pages of Men’s Health magazine in January 2019.
Stretching and Yoga Helps Prevent AS Stiffness and Pain
Despite his skepticism about yoga, Reynolds says his wife convinced him to give it a try. “When my wife said, ‘Why don’t you try yoga?’ I said, 'Over. My. Dead. Body.' (laughs) I’m 6 foot 4, and I wasn’t limber at all. The last thing I wanted to do was go to this class where people were doing handstands and crab walks. ...
What disease did Dan Reynolds have?
Imagine Dragons has been touring for the better part of a decade — and all the while their frontman Dan Reynolds has been battling a painful autoimmune disease: ankylosing spondylitis, or AS. But with his incredibly toned physique and sculpted six-pack, you’d hardly know he was struggling with his health.
How old is Dan Reynolds?
Dan Reynolds Jeff Christensen. Before the 31-year-old singer was diagnosed with the acute arthritic condition, which typically brings chronic pain, “I was bouncing around from doctor to doctor for over a year, in a lot of pain,” he says.
Who is Dan Reynolds?
Dan Reynolds is a paid spokesperson for Novartis Pharmaceuticals, sponsor of the ankylosing spondylitis awareness campaign #MonsterPainInTheAS. Go to Monster Pain In The AS website for a quiz about possible causes of back pain.
Does Reynolds have ankylosing spondylitis?
Diagnosing ankylosing spondylitis. It’s not surprising that Reynolds went years without a diagnosis, according to Dr. Suleman Bhana, MD, FACR, who specializes in rheumatology. In fact, many people with AS battle symptoms for years before they're properly diagnosed.
What is the disease that Reynolds has?
Reynolds, who’s also been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune disease that causes GI symptoms and also commonly occurs in those with AS, first decided to use his platform to get the word out about AS four years ago, when he told his story to 13,000 fans attending a concert in England.
Why is awareness important for a patient with a spondylitis diagnosis?
Awareness is key because early diagnosis is especially important with a disease like AS. Over time, the chronic inflammation (spondylitis) that can cause pain and stiffness in and around the spine can lead to a complete cementing together of the vertebrae, a process known as ankylosis.
What happened to Dan from the band?
He was an active guy in his early 20’s, working hard to launch a new band. Then suddenly one day while he was running down a mountain, he was struck with unexplainable pain that didn’t go away. The intense pain kept him awake at night. In the mornings, the pain continued and left him stiff.
What is Dan's advice?
Above all else, Dan reminds us that we are not alone and that there is hope; “there are millions of others who understand and empathize.” Dan’s advice is to look for support groups and seek out a good rheumatologist who can help you form a personal treatment plan. Finally, he says “ be willing to take action and do whatever is necessary to fight, rather than give in or give up. Your life is worth the discipline. “
Is Dan's brother diagnosed with UC?
Chronic illness runs in Dan’s family. Not just AS, but UC as well ( AS often overlaps with digestive issues ). He feels that receiving his diagnosis helped his brothers get theirs faster. While his brother (and manager) Mac was diagnosed a few years before Dan, another soon followed, with a second tentatively diagnosed. The two remaining brothers are now seeing a rheumatologist and expect that they will also be diagnosed with AS.
Does Dan have chronic illness?
As chronic illness usually does, Dan shared that his experience with chronic illness has affected every area of his life. He was already trying to balance performing and family life, and this made it more difficult. The pain prevented him from picking up his newborn daughter. He says “it was a scary place to be in,” but thankfully his wife was very understanding. He realizes that he’s been lucky in that respect, as it’s too often not the case.
