What foods cause histamine intolerance?

Recently, I have been looking more and more into the chemistry of foods!

C5H9N3 is histamine!

How about that?

Ok, lets get down to the stuff you really want to know about!

Could you have histamine intolerance and what is it?

Histamine is a chemical compound which occurs naturally in foods.  It is involved in a local immune response as well as regulating physiological function in the gut.  The body is super clever! It does all this because we need it to.  It also works as a neurotransmitter. Basically sending messages from one place to another.  So,  we need it.  What we don't need, is an intolerance to it!

If we have an intolerance to it, this won't stop us from eating it but there are ways to limit what we consume at once in order to prevent a reaction.  It's like filling a cup with water.  A little bit in the bottom won't make the cup overflow.  Keep filling it (like filling your body with histamine) and it will flow over the top (cause a reaction).

Diamine Oxidase is an enzyme we all have which breaks down any histamine we consume from food containing the chemical compound histamine.  However, some of us can have a low level of the enzyme.  This, coupled with eating too much histamine food, we can suffer a reaction.   These can be allergy type reactions which cause
* Rashes
* Itching
* Sneezing
* Diarrhoea
* Vomiting
* Headaches

These high histamine containing foods are:

• Champagne, wine, beer, cider and other fermented drinks and spirits
• Sauerkraut and other pickled foods
• Vinegar and foods containing it such as dressings, pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard
• Tofu and soya sauce
• Parmesan cheese and other cheeses
• Sausages and other processed meats (ham, salami, gammon, bacon)
• Mushrooms and quorn
• Tinned and smoked fish (tuna, salmon, herring) and crustaceans
• Prepared salads
• Tinned vegetables
• Dried fruit, seeds, nuts
• Yeast extract, yeast
• Chocolate, cocoa, cola

Many foods which are not high in histamine can stimulate the release of histamine in our mast cells in our body.  These are a type of immune cell.  These foods include:

• Bananas
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries
• Nuts
• Peanuts
• Shellfish
• Egg white
• Chocolate
• Pumpkin
• Spinach
• Aubergines
• Avocado
• Papayas
• Kiwi
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Raspberry
• Tangerines
• Grapefruits
• Red prunes
• Pea
• Spices

Try skin prick testing?  No,  this will not show a reaction.  The IgE food allergy indicator  will not show as this is not what causes the reaction at all.  

The best way forward is to try a low histamine diet for a couple of weeks.  Track everything you eat and eliminate the foods above.  Then also track your symptoms, feelings, sleep patterns and any reactions.  

As with any elimination diet,  you need to be aware of nutrient deficiency.  Therefore re-introduction of the foods is paramount.  Take one item per 3 days and slowly reintroduce them to your diet.  Keep tracking! This is super important.  

I'd love to know how you get on with this if you are a sufferer.  

Wishing you the very best of health. 

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Food allergy or intolerance?

You want to understand the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?

The best way for me to understand it might help you too.  A food allergy is something you really can't live with.  Sometimes there may be more extreme reactions although not always.  An allergy to something means your body is going to attack as if a foreign object is in your body often creating an immune response.

As an example, if you are allergic to gluten - and you eat it - the body will begin the attack process needed to deal with it.  
However,  if you have an intolerance to gluten this process won't happen.  

What does happen with an intolerance?

You can feel sluggish,  bloated,  tired,  not have proper bowel movements.  There are many symptoms you could find.  The body simply does not function as it should if you are eating a food to which you are intolerant.  



There have been many theories on this.  It's suggested that you need to eat what you direct ancestors ate in the Blood grouping diet.
Eat right for your type in Amazon





Other readers of my blog have found the theories in this book have been a massive help too - the Optimum Nutrition Bible.
Optimum Nutrition Bible on amazon



Although I do think there are foods which suit us and foods which don't,  the best way to find out is to keep a food journal and to begin the elimination diet which can help you to listen to the body and adjust what you need to adjust to make your health feel better. 

Something that is important to understand is that the body is a complex tool and these days we are finding it a struggle to give it what it needs.  Keep the body moving to keep the lymph system flowing and detox,  don't eat food loaded with chemicals,  try and keep a balanced diet....the list goes on.

One rule to take away just for today is to start listening more to the body.  You will find a massive help there just with that one change alone.

Wishing you the very best of health.