Red wine. Aged cheese. Citrus fruits. Sauerkraut. Bacon. These foods are frequently consumed by those on a healthy whole foods diet, and are often found in a variety of Paleo-friendly recipes and meal plans. Even conventional doctors frequently recommend including many of these seemingly unrelated foods daily as part of a healthy diet. After all, even a raw vegan probably wouldn’t argue against eating foods like oranges, spinach, or cinnamon.
It may surprise you to learn that these and other popular foods are capable of causing numerous symptoms in certain people, including migraines, hives, anxiety, heartburn and GERD, and nasal congestion, just to name a few. If you’re experiencing strange reactions to certain foods that most would consider healthy, you may be suffering from a little known but not uncommon cause of food intolerance and disease: histamine intolerance.
Still having strange symptoms on a real food diet? You could be suffering from histamine intolerance.
Never heard of histamine intolerance? You’re not alone. This food intolerance is difficult to diagnose, has a multifaceted symptom profile, and is often confused with a variety of other conditions. Many doctors and nutritionists have never even heard of histamine intolerance, and often treat the symptoms without ever addressing the underlying cause. In my practice, I see it especially with headaches and migraines, skin problems and mental health issues. It’s a fairly common, yet poorly understood, food sensitivity.
Histamine Intolerance: Not Your Typical Food Allergy!
Deficiency in the DAO enzyme system, found in the intestinal mucosa, has been suggested as the most probable cause of histamine intolerance. (2) There are likely genetic variations in individual enzyme function, but when activity of either of these enzymes is insufficient, the resulting excess of histamine may cause numerous symptoms resembling an allergic reaction. Common symptoms of histamine intolerance include: (3)
- Pruritus (itching especially of the skin, eyes, ears, and nose)
- Urticaria (hives) (sometimes diagnosed as “idiopathic urticaria”)
- Tissue swelling (angioedema) especially of facial and oral tissues and sometimes the throat, the latter causing the feeling of “throat tightening”
- Hypotension (drop in blood pressure)
- Tachycardia (increased pulse rate, “heart racing”)
- Symptoms resembling an anxiety or panic attack
- Chest pain
- Nasal congestion, runny nose, seasonal allergies
- Conjunctivitis (irritated, watery, reddened eyes)
- Some types of headaches that differ from those of migraine
- Fatigue, confusion, irritability
- Very occasionally loss of consciousness usually lasting for only one or two seconds
- Digestive upset, especially heartburn, “indigestion”, and reflux
Histamine intolerance is unlike other food allergies or sensitivities in that the response is cumulative, not immediate. Imagine it like a cup of water. When the cup is very full (high amounts of histamine in the diet), even a drop of additional water will cause the cup to overflow (symptoms activated). But when the cup is less full, it would take more water (histamine) to cause a response. This makes histamine intolerance tricky to recognize.
In addition, histamine intolerance is closely related to SIBO and dysbiosis, which suggests that curing the latter may alleviate the former. Many integrative practitioners, including myself, believe that a primary cause of histamine intolerance is an overgrowth of certain types of bacteria that make histamine from undigested food, leading to a buildup of histamine in the gut and overwhelming the body’s ability to catabolize the excess histamine. This causes a heightened sensitivity to histamine-containing foods and an increase in symptoms that are commonly associated with allergies.
For more detailed information on histamine intolerance, including causes, symptoms, and treatment, check out this article by Dr. Janice Joneja, a Ph.D. in medical microbiology and immunology and former head of the Allergy Nutrition Program at the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre.
What to Do If You Have Histamine Intolerance
Histamine intolerance can be a challenging diagnosis to manage, since many foods contain histamine and for some patients, their gut bacteria is producing the excess histamine that is causing the symptoms. Fermented foods are some of the biggest culprits, since even beneficial bacteria produce histamine during fermentation. In fact, reacting to fermented foods is a classic sign of histamine intolerance, especially if probiotic supplements are well-tolerated. Other foods that are high in histamine include:
- Seafood: shellfish or fin fish, fresh, frozen, smoked or canned
- Eggs
- Processed, cured, smoked and fermented meats such as lunch meat, bacon, sausage, salami, pepperoni
- Leftover meat (After meat is cooked, the histamine levels increase due to microbial action as the meat sits)
- All fermented milk products, including most cheeses
- Yogurt, buttermilk, kefir
- Citrus fruits – eg. oranges, grapefruit, lemons, lime
- Most berries
- Dried fruit
- Fermented foods: sauerkraut, kombucha, pickles, relishes, fermented soy products, etc.
- Spinach
- Tomatoes- including ketchup, tomato sauces
- Artificial food colors and preservatives
- Spices: cinnamon, chili powder, cloves, anise, nutmeg, curry powder, cayenne
- Beverages: Tea (herbal or regular), alcohol
- Chocolate, cocoa
- Vinegar and foods containing vinegar such as pickles, relishes, ketchup, and prepared mustard
Individual sensitivity varies tremendously. I have one or two patients that cannot tolerate any amount of histamine in food, and others that are only sensitive to the foods highest in histamine.
In order to improve your tolerance to histamine-containing foods, it is crucial to heal the gut and address any dysbiosis or SIBO issues that may exist. I recommend working with a qualified practitioner who can help you address any bacterial imbalance and create a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs.
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What Can You Eat on a Low-Histamine Paleo Diet?
You may be feeling overwhelmed by the list of foods to avoid – I don’t blame you! It can be especially challenging to eat low-histamine foods on a Paleo diet. There aren’t many resources available for this condition, and everyone reacts in their own unique way to excess histamine and certain high histamine foods. For example, a person may do fine eating berries and citrus fruits, but they may have horrible reactions to wine or sauerkraut. If you’re dealing with histamine intolerance, you will need to determine your own trigger foods, and reduce or eliminate them accordingly.
For help figuring out what to eat, those with histamine intolerance may want to check out my Paleo Recipe Generator. It contains over 600 Paleo-approved recipes, and allows you to exclude many high histamine foods from your meal plan, including fermented dairy, eggs, tomatoes, eggplant, fruit, certain spices, vinegar, alcohol, and seafood.
Of course, you’ll have to pay attention to whether or not the recipe contains cured meats like bacon or sausage, other spices like cinnamon or cloves, and certain fruits and vegetables like citrus and spinach. Some of these issues can be addressed by excluding fruit and pork from the meal plan, which isn’t necessary but can help make your low-histamine recipe search a little easier. You’ll still need to double check the ingredients of each individual meal, but this search function makes it much easier!
Once you’ve made your selections for foods to exclude, you can plan meals for a full day, a week, or simply find a recipe for a single meal. Even with a histamine intolerance, you can still enjoy many delicious Paleo recipes: Lamb Roast with Fennel and Root Vegetables, Beef Brisket with Mushrooms, Sourdough Buckwheat Pancakes, and even Chicken Pot Pie, just to name a few.
There are few other online resources for low-histamine meal plans, and most are not Paleo compliant. The Low Histamine Chef has a “Low Histamine Diamine Oxidase Boosting Recipe Book” which some people may find helpful, though many of the recipes contain less-than-desirable ingredients such as grains, legumes, and sugar. It’s important to focus on healing the gut and identifying your specific trigger foods in order to reduce symptoms without indefinitely following a strict low histamine diet. Just remember, individual results will vary!
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I highly believe that I have a histamine intolerance. When I was pregnant with my first child, I had a mild/intolerance type reaction to eggplants. I threw it over my shoulder as an added allergy to my list that is always growing. Now I am pregnant with my second child and have started to react to avocados and homemade apple cider. On a side note, I had a blood test done and found to be slightly insufficient in vitamin B12 and slightly anemic. I know this can be caused by the acid in the stomach not breaking down the vitamin well enough. I have a feeling that all of my symptoms are related to the health of my stomach acid, and of course, my gut. Everything I know about healing my gut is based on a paleo type diet which is knocked out of the water by a histamine intolerance diet. Can you explain anything about the stomach acid connection and/or anything I can do about this during pregnancy. Thank you!
Melinda, stomach acid and histamine have a close association indeed. In fact, Zantac (ranitidine) a medication that is commonly used to treat excess stomach acid, belongs to a group of drugs called histamine-2 blockers. If you have too much histamine in your body (histamine intolerance), you would be more likely to have excess stomach acid, rather than too little. Your vitamin B12 deficiency may be caused by an inability of the small intestine to absorb vitamin B12. A B12 deficiency can actually cause anemia, so it’s important to try to fix this, especially since you are pregnant. I believe you are right in identifying your gut as the source of your symptoms. The gut is also a place where the histamine-degrading enzyme diamine oxidase is manufactured, and if you are experiencing a growing list of food ‘allergies’, especially to the foods you mentioned, it’s quite likely that your gut needs healing. If you had not been pregnant I would have suggested that you try taking Zyrtec (a histamine-1 blocker). However, to ensure the safety of your baby, it would be best to try the Strictly Low Histamine Diet instead. This is a more natural approach, and if you are histamine intolerant you should get good results within a few weeks. Some people experience massive improvement within days (24 hours being the quickest I’ve heard of). The Strictly Low Histamine Diet is safe for pregnant women – not only safe but also beneficial, in that it insists on freshness. There are also many safe supplements you can take in conjunction with the diet, such as vitamin C and quercetin. The complete list is in the book, and extra tips and hints can be found on the blog. If you do have HIT, your health will improve drastically when you eat low histamine foods and decrease all that inflammation in your body. Best wishes, Sue.
Thank you so much!
Trying to determine if I’m having hit related issue… Intensely runny nose, water eyes, sneezing. Only at night and first thing in morning. Over a year now. Can’t correlate it to any particular triggers, food related or other. Is there way to confirm if I’m dealing with hit, other than testing with diet restriction. I’m nursing my 7 mo old. No skin issues, like most here are reporting.
Hi Lis, the first thing I am going to ask is, do you sleep under a feather duvet? Or under bedclothes made of any other animal material, such as wool?
(Oh and by the way, it’s really difficult to correlate histamine intolerance to particular foods, because it’s only when the ‘histamine bucket’ is full and brimming over that symptoms occur. So when histamine levels are very low in your body, you can eat high-histamine foods with no reaction.)
Sue
Thx for reply. I do use down comforter, and wool pad over an organic rubber mattress. Have used for years. Was thinking I would try swapping out the down. But the nightly nose attacks still happen when I’m traveling and sleeping in beds that do not have wool or down? Claritin made me feel awful. It’s creeping into day time nose blowing as well.
Hi Lis, As you probably know already, it’s dust mites living in our bedding that can give us allergic reactions such as asthma, eczema, sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose etc. Dust mites love living in organic materials such as wool and feathers, so choosing synthetic bedding materials can make a big difference. Organic latex should be okay, though.
However, you’ve indicated that your health problem persists even when sleeping in beds without wool or feathers. This might indicate that you have histamine intolerance; it’s hard to say without knowing all the variables. But if Claratin makes you feel awful, you could try taking one of the other histamine-1 blockers. There are quite a few on the market. Claratin’s scientific name is ‘loratadine’, so avoid any antihistamines with that active ingredient. Instead you could try one of the so-called 3rd-generation antihistamines such as ‘fexofenadine’, which is sold as Allegra, Fexidine, Telfast, Fastofen, Tilfur, Vifas, Telfexo, or Allerfexo. If this improves your symptoms it indicates that you possibly do have histamine intolerance, and you might wish to cut out histamine-rich foods to get your histamine levels down, so that you don’t have to depend on antihistamines indefinitely. Good luck and I hope this helps!
Sue from ‘Strictly Low Histamine’.
I have asthma and I am extremely allergic to dust mites. There are special covers for pillows, mattresses and comforters that prevent the dust mites from getting through to us. After putting these on my bed there was a significant reduction in my asthma symptoms
I have just been diagnosed with histamine intolerance finally after a year of hell. Mine started with stuffy nose at night and really stuffy and runny in the morning and wouldn’t get better until I was up walking around for a while. Then I developed a sinus infection that 3 rounds of antibiotics wouldn’t get rid of. Had sinus surgery to fix and after 3 more infections and doses of antibiotics later it was finally fixed. Then came strep throat and you guessed it more antibiotics. Thats when all of the real problems began. I have all the symtems above and just started meds with my nd. This is my first day and I am hopeful it wil help. I can’t keep going with constant hives and throat swelling. It is miserable.
I take use a supplement called Optimum Nutrition which is whey casseine protein powder. One of these comments seemed to suggest foods higher in protein may be higher in histamine. Is that correct?
Hi Kristine,
The International Chronic Urticaria Society affirms that ‘Histamine occurs in food as a result of microbial enzymes converting the amino acid histidine (present in all proteins) to histamine.’ Which supports the idea that yes, foods higher in protein will contain higher levels of histamine. The histadine to histamine conversion starts as soon as the food stops being alive, and can only be halted (never reversed) by freezing, so freshness is best.
Wishing you good health,
Sue
While the low histamine chef has great recipes, much of her technical info is pasted from http://www.histaminintoleranz.ch/diagnose.html, complete with translation errors and all. Does she really know her stuff?
Wow, that sounded quite harsh – so sorry – written in a hurry! She does mention that those are some excerpts from that site.
Hello,
I know this comment is coming long after this informative article was posted, but I’m hoping to receive some feedback anyway! I’m dealing with a leaky gut, and still haven’t determined if SIBO is playing a role in my issues, and I’m also pregnant. I went off my diet for a short time, caught a cold which became a sinus infection with itching scalp. A few days later, I had a few very swollen lymph glands behind my ear and above the back of my neck. Eventually, my ears began to swell, itch and burn. Soon after I had an itchy rash on the back of my neck, eventually all over my neck, chest and abdomen (and some other type on my arms). There’s more detail to be added, but I won’t go on and on! I’ve been like this a week now, and am wondering if I might have a histamine issue. I read that you suggest a qualified practitioner to diagnose the problem, but how would I find such a doctor? What would there specialty be? I sure appreciate finding this post 🙂 Thanks!
Megan, you are suffering terribly. Our sympathies to you! It’s impossible to diagnose this properly from a distance but it sounds to me as if you might have a skin fungal issue.
Try this: every time you shower, wash the affected skin on your body with a shampoo containing ketoconazole. There are various brand names of this dandruff shampoo: ‘Nizoral’ comes to mind. Keep your undergarments, towels, and any fabric that comes into contact with your skin as clean and dry as possible. Fungal spores thrive in moist, warm environments. Do not use any ‘barrier’ skin creams until the condition clears. However, do be gentle with your skin. I hope this helps. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Hello again Megan,
I got called away, but I intended to mentioned that you should wash with ketaconazole once a day until the issue has completely cleared.
All the best
Sue
Is anyone taking Zyrtec & Zantac for chronic urticaria? This is the first time I’m taking them and I’ve been on it for 2 weeks. I swear it works miracles! But I’m wondering how long is it safe to take both meds 2 times a day? Any bad long term side effects? I’m scared to stop taking them and have another major outbreak.
Hi Kathrine,
Zyrtec = cetirizine, an antihistamine that works by blocking histamine (H-1) receptors.
Zantac – ranitidine, an antihistamine that works by blocking histamine (H-2) receptors.
The fact that these meds are working miracles on your health strongly indicates that your problems stem from Histamine Intolerance.
Yes, both of them (like any meds) can have unwanted side effects but these are generally outweighed by their benefits, at least in the short term. Taking them is a good way to ‘hit those hives hard’ and really get them to settle down.
That said, taking Zantac and Zyrtec is not a long-term solution. It’s like putting a bandage over an infected wound – it looks okay from the outside but the problem remains.
Besides, over time the body can develop resistance to the meds. Then they gradually lose their efficacy and you go back to ‘square one’.
My suggestion is to firstly make sure none of your other meds (if any) are DAO blockers, which might have brought on the hives in the first place. If possible (and under medical supervision) try to wean off them.
Secondly, get onto the Strictly Low Histamine Diet and its associated dietary supplements. http://www.amazon.com/Food-Making-You-Sick-Histamine/dp/1925110508
A low histamine diet with safe, natural supplements has no unwanted side effects and for many people it has provided that ‘miraculous’ relief they have been seeking. It doesn’t take months and months to get a result – only a few weeks.
If you wish to follow up the potential side-effects of Zyrtec and Zantac, here they are:
http://www.rxlist.com/zantac-side-effects-drug-center.htm
http://www.rxlist.com/zyrtec-drug.htm
Best wishes for good health!
Sue
Hi Sue,
My HIT is at it’s worse, hence having to use the Zyrtec & Zantac. It’s progressively gotten worse the past 4 years w/ being in perimenopause. But this was the first time I could *not* get it under control w/ doing an elimination diet and removing the trigger(s). This was so scary! I was covered at least 50% of my body (first time on my face!) and it looked like it was never going away. Over the past 6 weeks I slowly removed certain foods from my diet, but it really wasn’t having any effect. So 2 1/2 weeks ago I stripped down my diet and got on a low histamine/salicylate diet. It’s challenging. I’m eating only 12 things (*no* leftovers) but I know it’s necessary. In time, somewhere between 3 – 6 months, I’ll slowly reintroduce *certain* foods back into my diet and see how I do. And I’m not on any medication besides the Zyrtec & Zantac.
I’m glad you mentioned that “the body can develop resistance to the meds”. It was in the back of my mind, but something I had not addressed.
Thank you very much for taking the time to write your in-depth reply. I truly appreciate your help!
My deepest gratitude,
Kathrine
It’s my pleasure, Kathrine. I feel deeply for people who suffer from HIT. It is an under-recognized disease that can cause anguish in so many ways.
I’s great to hear that you are not taking any DAO-blocking meds. Since you are only able to eat 12 foods at the moment, I hope you are able to tolerate taking HIT-friendly vitamin and mineral supplements? Otherwise you could be missing out on a range of essential healing nutrients.
Another essential is dietary fiber. Consuming abundant fiber has been proven, in numerous studies, to decrease inflammation in the body (and the reverse is true of a high fat diet). It can actually improve the binding ability of the histamine H-1 receptor.
Stress can be a powerful trigger for Histamine Intolerance too, so it’s important for people with HIT to treat themselves kindly and allow themselves time to relax. For anyone with HIT who is reading this post, I recommend visiting the Helpguide website and looking at their excellent Stress Management Guide.
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm
Best wishes,
Sue
I have chronic and worsening eczema. For the last year I’ve been trying the Gaps/Paleo type diets. I recently started to follow the Personal Paleo Code and introduced lots of fermented non dairy food, fatty canned fish, like sardines and lots of good fats. I don’t eat grains, sugars or dairy except ghee. The result is that I am covered in eczema – it’s the worst its ever been. When I discovered at the end of the book that skin issues can be related to HIT, I realized that what I think I’ve been suffering from is HIT. I’ve stopped fermented food and fish as well as other high histimine foods. My question is, yesterday I started taking HCI with Pepsin and Gentian root with each meal, to try to address my imbalance in my gut, yet, last night was one of the worst nights I can remember, I am covered in burning inflamed and itchy dry skin. I have ordered all the supplements Chris recommended for skin and HIT but am wondering if the stomach acid was a bad idea to add into the mix – hurting rather than helping? Oh, and I am currently nursing as well. Thanks and I’d appreciate any help.
Hi Kamal,
You’re right – what you are suffering from sounds exactly like HIT. Simply avoiding fermented non dairy foods and canned fish may not be enough to combat your symptoms. Even something as small as a squeeze of lemon juice can set off a reaction in people with HIT.
It is hard to say whether the HCI with Pepsin and Gentian root are the culprits, because there might be other foods you are consuming that are causing the problems. Try the Strictly Low Histamine Diet – it has helped a *lot* of people.
http://www.amazon.com/Food-Making-You-Sick-Histamine/dp/1925110508
What 12 foods are you eating, I’m so miserable with everything going on with me, not sure if I should do Fodmap, Salicylate, or Low Histamine diet, I feel like ALL foods I’m allergic too…
Green Pastures Royal Butter/Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend is amazing and my family takes it daily. I am just beginning the low histamine diet. Should I discontinue it or is there an exception because it is a super food? Help! 🙂
When being on a low histamine diet, if a superfood (or any food for that matter) is high in histamines or is a histamine releaser, than it definitely should not be consumed. Well personally, I wouldn’t take the chance. On my low histamine/salicylate diet I stay away from ALL fermented foods. So IMHO I would recommend you stop taking the Royal Butter/Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend. But I’m pretty darn strict w/ myself on this low his/sal diet. I have to be or else …
I couldn’t agree more, Kathrine. HIT sufferers definitely have to stay away from all fermented foods!
I don´t think so. Low histamine does not mean no histamine.
And by the way: There is no histamine in Green Pasture´s fermented cod liver oil.
But there is tyramine in it and that can also be a problem for sensitive people or HIT-sufferers.
But histamine or tyramine is no poison what must be avoided when having histamine intolerance. You have to avoid BIG amounts of histamine and tyramine. The question is, if tyramine is so high concentrated in the oil, that it could be problem when consuming half teaspoon or maybe 1 one teaspoon.
I don´t think that this would be a problem for most people. One with histamine intolerance can also eat a teaspoon sauerkraut or a teaspoon chocolate. Of course there are hypersensitive people who even react to such small amounts but the most should not avoid fermented cod liver oil just because of histamine intolerance I think.
Just try it and see how you feel…
Welcome 🙂 I don’t know anything about asthma, my situation is chronic urticaria. But I also wanted to mention looking into Gluten Intolerance for your situation. I’m recently (2 weeks) gluten-free (yeast and soy free too). I’m already experiencing many health improvements; weight loss, no more bloating, a lot less abdomen pain/discomfort and more energy. I’m excited what will happen w/ more time. Good luck w/ your research. It’s challenging weeding through all the information but it’s worth it in the long run if you can find some answers out here.
What about coconut milk kefir? Would that contain histamines as well being non dairy?
I’m on a low histamine & salicylate diet. Personally I wouldn’t try anything fermented, so all kefir would be out. It’s a bummer because I really like water kefir … so good for the gut. Also, coconut is high in salicylates.
Thanks so much for your reply! I had not heard of salicylates and now I will see if these in addition to the histamines are causing my asthma.
Lisa, a huge array of medications can block DAO enzymes and thus cause problems such as asthma. They include, among others, antidepressants. Please do check your meds, if any. We have heard from people who came off certain meds and their allergies (and heartburn) completely disappeared. Wishing you well!
Hi Sue, thanks for your reply. I am only taking my puffer and an antihistamine to control my asthma. Would those block DAO enzymes?
Lisa, keep using the puffer and antihistamines as long as you need them. Antihistamines may lose their efficacy if used over a prolonged period, however, so try to wean yourself off them by taking supplements to boost your DAO and heal your intestinal mucosa (where DAO is produced). You can also ‘grow your own’ natural sources of DAO, as detailed here. http://www.low-histamine.com/category/blog/
I have been having these symptoms on and off since 2009. It seemed to begin after a mysterious viral episode. I had a high fever for a few days, the inside of my mouth broke out in cold sores, and then 2 days later every joint in my body swelled to the point I needed assistance to walk. After multiple tests, noting was determined and the symptoms went away after a week or so. Within 6 months I had my first outbreak of giant hives. My acupuncturist put me on a low histamine diet (no Gluten – soy – all dairy (except eggs) – yeast – vinegar – fermented foods -mushrooms – all sweeteners – alcohol – dried fruit -) and it subsided. Until I added back the foods. So now I go between total restriction to adding back a few triggers only to have the whole thing start all over again. I was given a bath for when I’m terribly itchy. Here’s the recipe; 1/2 c hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 c Epsom salts, 3 quarts of water boiled with 2 chamomile tea bags.. Add all to tub and soak for 15 minutes. This usually takes care if the itching, though 2 weeks ago I had such a terrible flare up that I was doing this 3-4 times daily. I’m at a loss as to what to do, and am scheduled for a trip to Nepal in November and I’m concerned about eating there. I live in the Denver area. Anyone know of someone here who can help me?
Thanks
Susan
Go to the low histamine chef site and find the postings from Dr. Joneja and Dr. Theoharides for info. Look at the mastocytosis website for an MD in your area (if there is one). They should be able to address HI.
Hi Can anyone help me with my story : My skin is getting more and more red as i ich a lot due to increase of histamine ……… I can’t stop iching and then eventually my skin is all RED and i am in discomfort , anyone had the same issue ??/ Please advise
Massey, I would recommend you find a doctor who knows about and deals with a rare disease called mastocytosis. A dermatologist helped my wife discover it and get connected with further treatment.
Jassy, it sounds as if you need to try a low histamine diet for a few weeks and see if that helps.
When I eat a paleo diet, I get many of the symptoms of SIBO and constantly feel like i am on the verge of breaking out in hives.
When I resort back to eating carbohydrates and wheat products, the “hives” feeling goes away.
I’m confused.
Kathy, paleo diets are often high in histamine. Meat and fish that are not ultra-fresh, spinach, certain herbs and spices etc. all contribute to histamine overload. It sounds as if ‘paleo’ does not suit you – your body is trying to tell you something!
I don’t know how anyone is able to talk seriously about histamine issues while promoting a paleo diet. I have a mast cell disorder known as Mastocytosis and serious reactions to any foods containing histamine, releasing histamine, or containing the precursor Histadine. Meat is one of the hardest foods for me to eat. I can eat maybe 2 oz of chicken a day. And that’s about it. Pork, Beef, fish, turkey, all give me reactions. I tried the Paleo diet and nearly hurt myself. Red meat, even grass fed is not conducive to a anti-histamine regimen. Just a word of warning. I feel so much better when I eat very little meat and load up on fruits and vegetables instead. Remember, meat builds up a lot of histamine especially when it sits on the shelf in the store or in your refrigerator. The more protein it has the more histidine to histamine conversion potential there is. Red meats are chuck full of histidine, a protein that exists in all meats and is readily converted to histamine. Sorry, I don’t want to bash a life style. It’s just some of these diets can be really dangerous for people like us.
This is great Trevor, may I share you post on the Strictly Low Histamine website?
http://www.low-histamine.com/
Cheers,
Sue
Trevor, could you point met to research backing up your post about meats and histamine? My wife has mastocytosis also.
Trevor,
I feel your pain and I too am left to wonder about the experts who are giving us advice on how to eat for histamine intolerance. Like top popular sites with authors who wrote books on how to deal with histamine intolerance are giving recipes that use grains and gluten grains. It makes me think that no one really knows how to deal with histamine intolerance.
As for red meat, I know it is a problem BECAUSE of the method used to process it when it is taken in to the butcher. Beef is AGED for 2 to 3 weeks and sometimes even longer. It is left to hang in refrigerator temperatures and this would cause histamine to get high. I have actually managed to get around this by buying right from the farmer and talking the beef butchers/processors to not leave my half hanging. It is SO very hard to do this though as the processors are so BRAINWASHED about the need to age the meat so it is tender. The beef that I had done without aging is great without this aging process. What we need is some beef processors to process meat specifically for making sure it is low histamine beef. Just butcher it and freeze it without the hanging/aging it for 2 to 3 weeks. We all know that the aging is really ROTTING the meat but the general public does not realize this. Aside from buying beef from the farmer and making sure the processing plant agrees to not age it, a histamine intolerant person cannot eat beef. In fact, any meat becomes questionable because it all depends on if it was frozen after processed. I know it is common to process chicken and then ‘chill’ it for up to 3 days BEFORE it is frozen. So we have to know how the meat was handled. If one can find chicken that is flash frozen (which I have seen on labels in Natural Groceries, that should be OK. I don’t think it is that paleo does not work but that foods are processed incorrectly for histamine intolerance. It is more than discouraging that authors put out books without this information and that authors put out book that give recipes using grains and gluten flours. I was more than discouraged when I “looked Inside” the Is Food Making You Sick book (at Amazon) and saw the recipes using wheat flour and such for histamine intolerance.
Alice, gluten sensitivity and histamine intolerance are two different diseases. You’ll find, however, that the book also contains gluten-free recipes.
Yes, my biggest disappointment with this book is that it recommends eating eggs! Eggs are on MOST histamine intolerance avoidance lists for good reason!
Mindy, eggs are fine as long as they are cooked! People with HIT can safely eat egg yolks at any time, and egg white is a histamine liberator only when in its raw state. These facts are verified on the Histamine Intolerance UK website, http://www.histamineintolerance.org.uk/about/the-food-diary/the-food-list
Mindy here is another article which supports cooked eggs as a safe food for HIT sufferers: http://mastcellblog.wordpress.com/histamine-diet/
Histamine Intolerance expert Dr Janice Joneja writes: “Eggs in themselves don’t contain histamine, but egg whites are known to be a histamine-releaser.”
It is important not to confuse food allergies with histamine intolerance. Again, like gluten sensitivity, egg allergies are a different and separate issue. Eggs are a valuable source of nutrients, and just because raw egg whites contain histamine liberators, that is no reason to avoid cooked eggs. I hope this helps!
I agree that the book really shouldnt have had recipes with gluten containing ingredients.Gluten intolerance and histamine intolerance may be different disorders in theory, but gluten intolerance can very well lead to histamine intolerance as well as to many other disorders and food intolerances as well. Generally if you have one intolerance your ripe for others forming. One way someone can aquire histamine intolerance is by losing the integrity of their intestinal lining where diamine oxidase, the chemical that breaks down histamine, is made. Gluten is one of the most difficult proteins to digest and many have immune responses and intestinal damage to gluten and dont even know it.Of course there are other reasons for histamine intolerance like bacterial imbalances, genetics or a genetic diamine oxidase deficiency but cutting gluten should be the first step in any program.Gluten can cause a leaky gut which then opens the door to a whole pandemic of other issues especially for those who already have other food intolerances.
Hello T Gregory,
Your comment reflects a common opinion.
Some people believe that if you suffer from histamine intolerance you should go gluten free.
These days, there is a fashion for avoiding gluten-containing foods because ‘gluten free’ is perceived as ‘healthier’.
The truth is, gluten is only a problem for people who are non-celiac gluten sensitive (NCGS), or who have celiac disease – that is, approximately 1% of the population. (Note: NCGS is a condition that is distinct from celiac disease.)
Foods that happen to contain gluten may also be a problem for people who are sensitive to those particular foods. For example, you may not be celiac or NCGS, but you might have been diagnosed as being sensitive to wheat, for reasons other than its gluten content.
If you have celiac disease or NCGS then it is vital to avoid gluten because it can cause intestinal permeability, which is also known as ‘leaky gut’. This can in turn lead to DAO insufficiency and thus to histamine intolerance. Gluten intolerance is also linked with autoimmune diseases.
However if you are, like the vast majority of the population, perfectly capable of digesting gluten without any problems, gluten-containing foods are actually good for you. They are highly nutritious – packed with vitamins, minerals and beneficial fiber.
“Studies show that whole grain foods, as part of a healthy diet, may help lower risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer. A 2005 report from the American Dietetic Association warned that gluten free products tend to be low in a wide range of important nutrients, including B vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and fiber. There’s also little point in eliminating just some gluten. For people who are sensitive, even trace amounts can cause damage to the small intestines. So an almost gluten-free diet isn’t going to help if you have a problem.” [Source: WebMD]
In a normal, healthy person gluten will not cause a leaky gut. And the odds are, whoever is reading this is probably among the 99% who can digest gluten.
If you think you really might be celiac or NCGS, ask your doctor for a test. Even if your celiac test comes up negative, you could try avoiding all gluten for at least 30 days to see if that makes your health improve. If you do feel better, this might indicate that you have NCGS.
If you really are gluten intolerant you’d have to cut out all gluten, down to the tiniest particle. An ‘almost-gluten-free’ diet will not help at all.
Simply avoiding gluten because you think it’s ‘bad’ for you means cutting a lot of nutritious foods from your diet. You can, of course, do so if you wish, but it’s more than likely there will be no benefit in it, you’d have to cut out a wide range of foods, because if you check the ingredients on labels, there are traces of gluten in most pre-prepared foods, and commercially available gluten free foods often contain higher amounts of saturated fats, refined sugars and other undesirable ingredients. Also pre-prepared gluten free foods are usually more expensive
In the book “Is Food Making You Sick?” there are a number of recipes using ingredients that do not contain gluten.
Yes, Sue, that second link is one of the sources that I read that recommends that those with histamine intolerance avoid eggs. I looked it up after trying the diet in the “Is Food Making You Sick” book and clearly reacted to eggs. I was very disappointed as I was hoping the diet would work for me and that I could rely on eggs for a source of protein. It’s possible I have developed an allergy to egg whites but when I was initially tested for food allergies, the test for egg white was negative. Do you know why cooked egg whites are safe but not raw egg whites?
Hi Mindy, the answer to your question is that cooking alters some of the proteins in egg whites. The cooked form is less likely to provoke a food intolerance reaction. Eating egg *yolks* without the whites should be okay for you, unless you have an egg allergy. Perhaps you could get your protein that way?
I am sensitive to egg yolk according to my tests. So I tried Egg Whites and the my reation was horrid. It definitely gives me an instant histamine reaction that leads to an awful migraine. To each his own…
I am having very severe episodes must be anaphalaxis…I ate macadamia nuts yesterday and earlier meals included avocado and tomato. This is all very recent and it is very scary, I cannot find a dr who knows about this. One new medication is LDN, low dose naltrexone…. could that be part of the problem? I have fibromyalgia, this has stopped the pain. I have never heard of any side effects from it. Do I take a histamine test, tryptase test, any other test. I am still too weak to function. I will NEVER eat nuts again.
Read up on mast cell activation. Tomatoes are high in histamine. Most lists say to avoid avocado as well. Check out the low histamine chef site for great information.
Chris, you imply that histamine intolerance is hard to diagnose, and this is also what you reiterated in the bonus chapter of your book on skin conditions, yet this article suggests that you can diagnose histamine intolerance based on DAO activity in blood: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3354134/. Here is the relevant commercially available test: http://www.sciotec.at/uploads/media/dao_rea_en.pdf. And this test is also what my doctor used to diagnose it (my activity is 2.9 U/ml). What’s your take on this diagnostic approach? Thanks.
I suddenly became histamine intolerant after several weeks of taking probiotics and Benadryl (to stop itching). I truly believe I caused my histamine tolerance to go way down by introducing so much anti-histamine into my body. I will take small amounts of Diamine Oxidase supplements for a week and see if that normalizes–while I adjust my diet. This came on over 3 weeks or so, I think I can normalize it within a few weeks. My eyes are so red, orbital area swollen, and I have moon face! Ugh!!!
Hmm it looks like your site ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any points for beginner blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
How do we find a qualified doctor for histamine intolerance ? What type of doctor. Live in nj
Ranae, it’s been my personal experience the answer to your question is, well nobody. Doctors here in the US don’t know much if anything about the condition and will throw prednisone your way if you’re a sweller like I was ….doctors in Germany are currently the most advanced and knowledgable about histamine intolerance unfortunately. Take enzymes religiously and you will heal your gut which is the underlying problem to histamine intolerance. I completely rid myself of HI in about 8-10 months. Feel free to check out my individual journey and what I did hope it helps you too! Blogspot.com/thehistamineintolerantchick
Thanks, I will check out your blog. The other thing to consider is methylation supplements. Methylation also helps lower histamine levels.
Dr. Anne Maitland, in Tarrytown, NY and NYC at Mt. Sinai. No one in NJ that I know.
Ranae,
If they tell you she’s not taking new patients, tell her you want to see her for mast cell activation disorder of which histamine intolerance is a problem.
Renae, I know this reply is coming months after you posted your question, but my histamine intolerance was diagnosed by a naturopathic physician. She warned me that this is something a “regular” medical doctor would not be familiar with. And she is right, I saw SIX medical doctors before biting the bullet and going to a naturopath (which I had to pay for 100% out of pocket, as they are not covered by my insurance plan). It is worth it to get the right diagnosis, rather than a prescription for something that didn’t help, or “I don’t know what’s wrong with you.”
Jane wrote: ‘She warned me that this is something a “regular” medical doctor would not be familiar with.’ Jane, this is so very true. Chris Kresser is ahead of his time with his awareness of HIT. I am hoping it will not be too long until ‘regular’ doctors start to realize that Histamine Intolerance is a real and urgent issue. Until then, people will continue to be misdiagnosed and told to take medications that should be unnecessary. Lack of Histamine Intolerance awareness is contributing to a great deal of human misery, in my opinion.
I went through histamine intolerance for almost a year solid and found that by taking enzymes along with a few other supplements while following a low histamine diet healed my gut/histamine problem. I’ve been eating anything I want for just under a year without any issues. Feel free to visit my blog on my story. thehistamineintolerantchick.blogspot.com
I wish everyone much health and continued healing 🙂
I just got back today my first blood test on Tryptase Serum test and it came back in the normal range at 4.3 my doctor and I are new to this could you please advise what test should be looked next to rule in/out Systemic Mastocytosis/Mast Cell Activation Disorders or Histamine Intolerance, I feel this could be why it is missed in Tryptase, last thing I want is to overlook this possibility…thank-you very much 🙂 Aidan….