Okay, so last night sucked

Sometimes I will eat stuff I KNOW I cannot eat but I always say to hell with it a little can't hurt me....yeaaaaa okay.

I have been consuming the most delicious protein bars lately "Quest bars" yum. Unfortunately most of them contain cashews or have chocolate. I've eaten them before without really having too much of an episode if at all. Yesterday was an arm/Tabata day. For those of you that are fitness buffs you know Tabata is a HIT exercise, which those of us that suffer with histamine intolerance SHOULD NOT do but I'm stubborn and refuse to get out of shape in the name of "my condition". So it could of been a myriad of things yesterday that kicked my ass by 7pm last night who knows.

So for those of you that can't understand my aforementioned ramblings, I had a chocolate brownie protein bar, did HIT, and consumed 1 1/2 cups of cottage cheese with a shit ton of blueberries (the latter has never affected me before.) The protein bar and HIT was early in the morning and the cottage cheese was at about 5pm. By 7pm I got the WORST migraine, which I have NEVER had in my life. I fortunately had no idea what a migraine felt like. My head hurt so bad that every time I attempted to lift it from the couch I cried. Yes, THAT bad. I completely zonked out for 2 hours, well until my lil nuggets would scream or hit the couch playing (toddlers are awesome aren't they?).

I finally got my ass up off the couch around 10pm and felt fine. This is something I never want to relive. This surprises me because while headaches have always been a precursor to my eyes swelling it's never been the main event for me. I went to bed last night fully expecting to be swelled up this morning, however it didn't happen, thank goodness because I am leaving for vacation today to do nothing but lounge by the pools at my resort and drool for a week WITHOUT my nuggets LOL. Although this doesn't mean that the eye swelling isn't "on its way" however. I will keep you posted.

Have you ever zonked out with a migraine before? If so, what do you think you ate or did prior to induce such a debilitating state?

I will be posting in a later blog regarding the whole HIT thang and why we medical doofus's can't indulge. Yes yet another thing to add to our "can't" list! 

Cauliflower Pizza Recipe

First off, I hate it when my pics turn the wrong way once uploaded to a website. You're probably calling me a dumb ass right now because YOU probably know how to fix the problem. Yea yea I could put it into paint brush first and rotate it but I'm too lazy and if there's another way, then yea, I'm a dumb ass because I'm clueless.

Moving on.....

This is probably my most favorite thing to eat in my ridiculous world of only being able to eat about 10 things. If I could eat it everyday I would however eating the same thing daily actually makes your body allergic. So you're kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Like any other food preparation in a low histamine diet it is a bit time consuming but so worth it.

What you'll need:

1 Organic large egg (I can't actually consume scrambled eggs etc. however I can tolerate a small amount of egg in baked goods etc. and I'm fine)

1 1/2- 2 C. Cooked meat of your choice (I choose ground beef or chicken) of course fresh as humanly possible.

1/2 to 1 head of Organic cauliflower depending on the size. (1 head if small)

A handful of sweet peppers or two, depending on how small your hands are....LOL

1 C Organic Low fat Mozzarella shredded cheese

Broccoli, if you wish or Organic fresh kale (I choose a green always for my pizza, sometimes I even use both)

1 C or so of Organic raw baby carrots (this will be pureed and used in place of tomato sauce)

Fresh Basil and Fresh Mint

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Put your organic baby carrots in a pan and cover with water and bring to a slow boil on the stove.

In the mean time, grate 2 Cups of raw cauliflower then place in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 7-8 minutes until cooked.

Remove from the microwave and let cool. Then add your egg and 1 C of organic mozzarella cheese and mix together. I add garlic powder and oregano to the "crust" but it's optional. Then take a baking pan or pizza pan and line with parchment paper. Place your mixture on the parchment paper and pat out into a rectangular shape or round shape if using a pizza pan. Lightly spray with olive oil and place into the oven for 10-15 minutes or until a golden brown.

While your crust is cooking rinse and chop up all of your veggies and pan fry your lean ground beef. Your carrots should be cooked by now and soft. Drain out most of the water leaving a bit in the pan and take a hand mixer and puree the carrots.

Remove pizza crust from oven and top with the carrot puree (I will also add garlic powder and sea salt to the puree). Then dump on the meat of your choice. Follow up with your chopped veggies (save your fresh basil and mint until later) then top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes then top with your fresh basil and mint. Viola, a histamine intolerant chick's dream pizza!!!

I took this pic before I put on the basil and mint, it's much prettier with it but I got a bit ahead of myself and took the picture too soon LOL.

You will absolutely love this pizza !!! Yum yum it up histamine intolerant chicks (oh and dudes)!!

Yeaaaa....you're welcome :*

Green Protein Smoothie Recipe

I was so happy this morning that I was able to concoct a green smoothie semi-comparable to what I used to enjoy prior to this stupid condition. Granted this new recipe NEEDS a banana but alas, my body doesn't need a banana.

So, I did the best I could with what I'm allowed to eat and to my surprise it wasn't half bad, of course I'm a weirdo and like odd tasting things so take my recipe for what it's worth and hopefully you will enjoy it too!

Ok, so as a gym rat I know that the normal protein powders are "out" because they all contain histidine (which converts to histamine). So, I found just pure hemp protein powder made by Bob Mills that does the trick for my protein needs. My smoothie contains alot less protein than I'm used to but nonetheless it's protein.

Here's what you'll need:

1/4 C. Bob Mills Hemp Protein powder (provides 12 grams of protein)
1 1/2 C. Silk Brand Almond Milk unsweetened. (any other brand contains carrageneen which is a thickener that wreaks havoc on our histamine levels, so make sure it's Silk brand)
1 organic gala apple
Approx. 4-5 stalks of organic kale
3 TBS. Organic shredded unsweetened coconut (I use Bob Mills)
2 TBS. Chia seed, to add thickness
3 packets of Stevia (Sweet Leaf brand only, all the other brands contain other shit you don't want to be ingesting histamine intolerant or not.)

Put all ingredients in your heavy duty blender, I use the NINJA looooove it. Chops up anything and everything to oblivion.

Pour and enjoy. Remember you will still taste the greens and will have texture to it but like I said I love weird stuff soooo. After about three swigs I began to enjoy it. The first swig I was desperately missing the banana but then quickly got over it.

Hope you enjoy!

Histame is it right for you?

Wow I bet when Histame hit the market everyone suffering from histamine intolerance yelled out "hell yea", I can eat pizza, drink wine and generally make a pig out of myself as long as I take these puppies everything will be cool. Or will it?

Histame is manufactured in Europe and is currently out of stock (go figure). If you choose to utilize this product you may want to purchase several bottles at a time as they do run out of stock frequently. I have an order myself on back order at the moment. Histame works by breaking down the histamine in your body and should be taken 15 minutes prior to ingesting a food you know is going to wreak havoc on your body.

Can you eat pizza using histame? Most can, but does that mean eat pizza daily? No. Does it mean eat the ENTIRE pizza? No. A few slices after taking a histame will help most. I must admit there are times when I take my Histame and it doesn't do shit. Then there are times when it does help but then three days later I will swell. So I'm not sure if it COMPLETELY helps in the long term as much as it may for short term usage. It's extremely expensive and when the manufacturer is out any online store that still has some in stock will jack their prices up to over $100 per bottle (sloths, I swear!). If you patiently wait for the manufacturer to make their batches you can find it from $26-$45 per bottle. Quite pricey, considering you only get 30 pills. I treat mine like gold and save them for special meals LOL. Mainly when I want to drink which isn't often. So mine last awhile.

Histame or Diaosin (another brand of the same product) contain DAO, the enzyme we lack or are low in that breaks down histamine. They get this DAO from the kidneys of pigs. Yea pretty gross when you think about it and if you are a vegan good luck on finding anything else to use.

I sometimes feel that these pills aren't that great at least for me because like I already said I still react just on a later date. Sooo it's up to you whether or not you feel the need to pay the high price for this product or not.

I've even contemplated taking one pill per day just for the hell of it just to get a regular "flow" of DAO into my system but haven't yet decided if it would be cost effective, considering all of the other supplements I take and how much they're costing me.

So that's it for now....I've got some pretty cool low histamine recipes coming up so stay tuned!

Dietary Instructions for patients with Histamine Intolerance

I have found soooo many low histamine charts/diets on the internet and they all contradict each other. Trying to figure out what you can eat can make your head spin. There are more lists out there that say what you CAN'T eat than what you CAN.

If you would like an extensive list regarding a list of foods and if they are severely incompatible, incompatible, slightly incompatible or compatible. I have included the link in the next paragraph. Please be advised that everyone reacts differently, and while chocolate or spinach may not affect one person it could completely rip somebody a new ass. So still be aware that you could have a reaction even if the list states "compatible". So far the only thing on this list I feel they got "wrong", are potatoes. On most every other list, nightshades are restricted so I found it odd that they were listed as compatible on this list. I instantly get malaise to the point where I just completely nod off instantly once I sit down. I also get slight itching on my upper eyelid. If I am religiously taking my Zyrtec and Zantac, I do not have full blown swelling just slight itching. So I tend to stay away from potatoes unless I get a huge craving for olive oil potato chips (love them!).

You can find the complete list here. You will need to scroll down on this page until you see a box divided into 3 portions and click on "English". Don't freak out this website is mostly in German, they are trying to translate it. This will bring up a PDF of the entire list that you can print out for your convenience.

However, I have taken it upon myself to save you from having to comb through everything that you CAN'T eat and will break it down as what you can eat below:

DAIRY PRODUCTS: Cottage cheese, mozzarella, milk, cream cheese
(I've eaten all of these except the cream cheese, and have not had any issues at all)

MEAT: Beef, chicken, turkey and duck.
(I've eaten only beef and chicken so far with no problems, however I DO NOT eat left overs of meat ever unless I freeze it immediately after cooking and then warm it up later and if I do that I will take an extra vitamin C or take my second pill of Zyrtec at the time I ingest the left over frozen meat)

STARCH: Cornflakes (all natural no additives), Hemp seeds, Oats, Potato, Quinoa, Rice, Rice crispies (no additives), rice noodles, sweet potato.
(Like I said earlier the potatoes jack me up pretty good and if I wasn't actively on Zyrtec my eyes would swell shut, so try that at your own risk you may do fine. All other starches listed I've not had a problem with.)

VEGGIES: Asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celery, cauliflower, cucumber, fennel, garlic, green beans, lettuce, napa cabbage, parsnip, sweet pepper (NOT BELL PEPPERS).
(I've done well on all of these veggies I highly recommend organic on all of them. One veggie they don't mention is kale. I love kale and can also eat it without a problem.)

FRUIT: Apple, blueberries, coconut, melons (NO WATERMELON though).
(If you're a fruit lover you will obviously see you're screwed here as there isn't much of a selection. However if you suffer from Candida you don't want to be eating fruit anyways. These are low sugar fruits anyhow. I eat green apples myself. Again, choose organic when and if you can.)

OTHERS: Almonds, olive oil, basil, chives, parsley, sage, dried herbs (no more than 6 months old), honey, maple syrup, stevia, mineral water, tap water, peppermint tea, rooibos tea, cream of tartar, ascorbic acid, citric acid.

(These "others" can be a bitch because if you like to bake you cannot use baking powder or baking soda. However a baking powder alternative would be cream of tartar or ascorbic acid which is powdered vitamin c.)

Please be aware that there are other items under each category above that you CAN eat the ones I listed are the basic ones that most people enjoy, or basically what I enjoy lol. So still take a close look at the chart as you will find a few other "can's" on there.

Coconut oil is not mentioned anywhere, however I do fine with it also. I can ingest very small amounts of no no foods once I know my histamine bucket is low or under control. I've done this without the use of my Zyrtec and Zantac and had no problems. However, now I won't do anything like that with out my ZZ's lol. It appears my "balls" have shrunk in the last two months and I no longer take chances with my swellings.

If you happen to be a bit over weight you will lose weight eating the low histamine diet because everything you have to eat is FRESH, fresh veggies, fresh fruit. Nothing canned, boxed or processed so that would be an "up" to eating like this. If you're already in excellent shape and eat clean it will piss you off because you can't enjoy those "cheat days" of chocolate and enjoy Aunt May's pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, unless of course you drug up on the ZZ's or pop a few Histame pills. I'll be going over in the next post about Histame and if it's right for you.

Until next time, keep your chin up and know that your healing is coming along, albeit slow, but still coming along :)

Could Candida Albicans be causing your histamine intolerance?

Oh hell, not another reason for histamine intolerance! The plot thickens! This post will blow your mind because it will leave you thinking maybe? Could be? Wait, do I even have histamine intolerance at all or do I have both C. Albicans AND histamine intolerance?

Yup I'm right there with ya, perplexed as hell. Because right when I thought I had this shit figured out it was like someone dropped a bomb on my head.

It seems that an imbalance of C. Albicans in the intestines can cause those same holes in your intestines that cause leaky gut where the Candida travels through them and into your bloodstream and wreaking havoc similar to that of histamine. So we all know most of us (unless you just lack DAO) have leaky gut which caused our histamine intolerance to begin with. But what if we were wrong thinking what caused our leaky gut (celiac, inflammation) and it was Candida instead? My brain is confused right now, wait, that's nothing knew I'm always is a foggy state, because of my histamine, err Candida?? Or both? This is NOT fun!

The symptoms of a C. Albicans problem and histamine intolerance are so eerily the same it would take both Einstein and Mr. Magoo to figure out this one (I say Mr. Magoo, because during this sleuth one would almost HAVE to add some humor).

First off let's go over what is Candida Albican? It's a chronic illness and should be taken seriously for one thing let us not forget that.

Copy and paste goin' on here: Candida albicans is a species of yeast-like fungi normally a part of human gastrointestinal flora, but can become pathogenic when there is a disturbance in the balance of flora or in debilitation of the host (also called thrush fungus).

When these suckers get out of control (an imbalance) they wreak havoc on our bodies.

Taken from Whole Approach website:


Candidiasis can present a wide variety of symptoms, the exact combination and severity of which are unique to each individual case. Because candidiasis can manifest itself through many seemingly unrelated symptoms, the diagnosis is very often missed. Please see our self-administered Symptom Assessment Questionnaire on our Candida Diet page. Candida symptoms are usually chronic and include but are not limited to the following:

1. Allergies: to foods and/or airborne chemicals; particularly adult-onset allergies. The number of offending substances can keep increasing until an individual becomes so sensitive to the everyday environment that they must live in isolation.
2. Fatique: continual, but often more noticeable after eating.
3. Gastrointestinal: poor digestion (constipation or diarrhea, gas, bloating, cramps, heartburn, nausea, gastritis, colitis, etc.)
4. Neurological: carbohydrate cravings, irritability, mood swings, headaches, migraines, "fogged-in" feeling, inability to concentrate/mind "wanders off", poor memory, confusion, dizziness, M.S.-like symptoms (slurred speech, loss of muscle co-ordination, vision affected), depression and/or anxiety without apparent cause (often worse after eating), paranoia without apparent cause, not in total control of one' actions (know right thing to do but unable to execute), mental incompetence (sometimes leading to institutionalization), a variety of other behavioral disturbances.
5. Genito-urinary: vaginal infections, menstrual difficulties, impotence, infertility, prostatitis, rectal itch, urinary tract infection/inflammation (urgency, burning).
6. Respiratory: compromised immune system (frequent colds, flus), hay fever, mucous congestion, postnasal drip, asthma, bronchitis, chest pain, frequent clearing of throat, habitual coughing (usually non-productive).
7. Skin: athlete's foot, jock itch, skin rash, hives, dry brownish patches, psoriasis, ringworm, rough skin on sides of arms which gets worse at certain times of the month or under increased stress.
8. Symptoms resistant to all modes of therapy. The physician may conclude that patient is a hypochondriac and/or neurotic and may suggest tranquilizers, anti-depressants and/or psychiatric help.
9. Clinical history (early childhood): ADD, ADHD, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, SKIN problems (cradle cap, diaper rash, thrush), RESPERATORY problems (chronic ear infection, tonsillitis) or GI problems (colic).
10. Miscellaneous: cold extremities, arthritis-like symptoms, etc.

You can get Candida from the over use of antibiotics from when you were a child and all your life, from chemotherapy or other cancer drugs, a poor diet (rich in sugars).

Candida is even responsible for endometriosis in women. I suffer from endo and have for 12 years. So my mind is zooming with do I have it or don't I? I never really took antibiotics and have eaten extremely clean for 6 years now and never used any cancer drugs. So what's the dealio????

You can take a test on Whole Approach's website here. To see if maybe you could be suffering from these yeastie beasties. I scored a whopping 200 points! So it would appear that I have an issues there. I would tend to believe mine are in the intestines going nuts as I do not suffer from any vaginal or thrush issues.

I do not represent Whole Approach's website in any way or form. I do not get a percentage of any of their products purchased etc. I highly recommend you visit their website for some great info regarding this issue. I have just ordered and received my starter package. I will try it for one month to see how I feel however they require you to be on it for 15 months. Which is QUITE pricey to be on for this long. I'm guessing it depends how bad you are infected. I don't really feel as though I am that bad as I eat very very clean. The only thing I can even think of as to why I scored so high on their quiz is because of progesterone. I use a monthly all natural progesterone cream. This causes candida to grow (although listed below it says "synthetic" progestins). Soooo maybe if I were to just quit taking it I'd be ok? Who the hell knows!! I will keep you updated on how I do. I figure either way histamine intolerance, candida or both it can't hurt to clean out my colon right?!

For the females reading this, this last bit you will find informative:
Female anatomy: Women are generally more susceptible to Candidiasis than men for several reasons:

1. Female hormonal levels are constantly fluctuating and sustained high levels of estrogen can occur. This condition tends to impair immune system function.
2. C. albicans growth is stimulated by the female hormone progesterone. Its levels are elevated during pregnancy and in the second half of each menstrual cycle. Synthetic progestins are found in oral contraceptives and also contribute to candida overgrowth.
3. The female anatomy lends itself to the ready migration of C. albicans from the rectum to the genito-urinary system. Vaginal yeast infections are a common result.

Stress is also a MAJOR factor in both candida and histamine intolerance, because anything that  lowers your immune system is going to screw with your ability to fight off anything. So keep that in mind when you come home from a busy day at work and the kids have destroyed the house and your husband is snoring away on the couch while your dog is chewing on your favorite pair of shoes!

Go to Whole Approach to learn more about their protocol and products. Again, I just received my products and because there is die off associated with this cleansing I may wait until September to start this because I have an awesome vacation with the girls planned coming up in a few more weeks and don't want to be sick as shit trying to enjoy myself. I will definitely begin posting when I start and how I feel and my results, if any.  The real pain is that the foods you can eat on the candida diet you CAN'T on the histamine diet and vice versa. Okay someone just stick a fork in my eye pleeeeeaaaase!

Tomorrow I will be sharing with you the actual low histamine diet to follow (or try to) it's not easy and if you don't like veggies I'm gonna go ahead and let you know now you're screwed! There are sooo many low histamine diets out there that contradict each other and leave you frustrated wondering can I or can't I? Personally I have found that the Germans have gotten it right. So I follow a diet that was laid out by them. Nil research has been done in the states regarding this condition but the Germans as well as the Canadians seem to know their shit pretty good.

Stay tuned my histamine intolerant lovlies! I will be blabbing again tomorrow! Peace out and behave!

Supplements to start taking now to help with histamine intolerance

 DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a medical professional and any and all info related to the ingestion of supplements and/or drugs in this post are all on you my friend. Please refer to a medical doctor if you so choose, personally I think they are all drug pushers and just want to pad the pharmaceutical companies pockets and theirs, but that's your decision to make.

Now....onward we go and we're walking, walking, walking......

Firstly you'll need to incorporate a citrus free vitamin C (citrus is NOT good for histamine intolerance). Then you'll need to take vitamin B6 with that. The vitamin C should be 1000mg and the B6 100 mg. Vitamin C and vitamin B6 are co-factors needed to make the DAO enzyme which is the enzyme that helps break down histamine in the body.  Copper is another part of that co-factor, however copper can be tricky to take and can actually be toxic to the body, so I prefer to skip that supplement altogether. I generally take 1000mg of the vitamin C twice daily and the B6 just once a day.

Next are Enzymes, which are a MUST especially for leaky gut. Histamine intolerant people need help breaking down protein in the body so it does not stay in the intestines fermenting and rotting giving off bacteria and histamine to seep out those holes in your intestinal wall back into your bloodstream. The GOLD standard in enzymes is Enzymedica brand. Start out with their Digest Gold which is a broad spectrum enzyme including several enzymes to break down protein and carbs. Then add in Vira Stop, an enzyme formula that concentrates wholly on the break down of protein. You will need to continue to take both. Start out first, with the Digest Gold taking one capsule prior to each meal. If you experience "die off" symptoms and you probably will, start slowly and take one before only one meal per day, then slowly work up to two meals, then three and then before snacks and meals. Die off can be a real bitch because nasty things are dying inside your body (old food) and letting off toxins which can cause flu like symptoms: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache and over all malaise. Once you have adapted to the Digest Gold add in Vira Stop. Now, if you didn't experience die off with Digest Gold don't count yourself as home free when starting to take the Vira Stop. Start off slow as well, ingesting just half a capsule if you must. Vira Stop is a pain in the ass for me to take personally because you either take it one hour before you eat or 2 hours after a meal. I'm not one to sit and plan and watch the clock so sometimes I screw myself out of taking them like I should. I mainly end up getting in just 2 per day, which I should definitely up. I take 2 about an hour before I go to bed so I can take my probiotic right before bed. The reason is you shouldn't take the probiotic and Vira Stop at the same time. Vira Stop can be taken as you see fit daily meaning on the back of the bottle maintenance dosages are about 2 per day and the Digest Gold is one prior to each meal but listed on the bottle it will say more may be taken. It's going to be a try and see as to how many you will feel comfortable taking and how you feel. Once your gut is healed just follow the maintenance dosage.

The next supplement. Probiotics. When you're trying to fix your gut, or just bring your body into a healthy state in general ALWAYS take a probiotic. Now, the catch 22 here is that people suffering from histamine intolerance should NOT ingest anything fermented. Ummm yea, that's what I said. However, I've not had any problems with probiotics and neither should you if you make sure you are ingesting the right species. There are two species that actually cause histamine to be released in the body and those are Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. So if you are currently taking probiotics containing one or both of these discontinue their use and change probiotics. You will notice in the pic that the particular brand I am currently using is for 50 plus years of age. Am I 50 plus? Hell no! LOL. BUT....this is the only brand I could find that contained two very important species to my condition. One being Bifido infantis and Bifido longum. The infantis is found in infants intestines and help to lower histamine in the body. Longum species helps to repair leaky gut. So basically any probiotic you can find containing both of these would be what you want to take.

Zinc is also good because it inhibits the release of histamine from the mast cells. I take 50mg per day (or try to). The reason I say this is because currently I have removed all grains from my diet and zinc can make you very nauseous if you don't take it with a heavy meal. I've been affected by this several times and it's NOT fun. So I always take it with a starch. Now I'm screwed because I've cut out grains altogether and I've tried taking it with my fresh veggies and chicken and I still get nauseated. I highly recommend this supplement though if it does not bother your stomach without taking it with a starch. However you MUST always have a good meal prior to taking this or you will get nauseated. Unless you have stomach "like bull".

Lastly in my row of drugs I take you will find Zyrtec and probably unusual to you Zantac. Wait, isn't Zantac for stomach acid? Well yup but it's also an H2 antagonist and Zyrtec is an H1 antagonist. Most antihistamines are H1 antagonists. But there are other parts of your system that release histamine. There are H1 receptors (most antihistamines cover this), H2 receptors, H3 and H4. While you'd be hard pressed to find any antihistamines for the H3 and H4 receptors, you can find one to cover H1 and H2. Most people that suffer from seasonal allergies can get away with using just an H1antihistamine. 

A quick copy and paste goin' on here: The H₁ receptor is a histamine receptor belonging to the family of Rhodopsin like G-protein-coupled receptors. This receptor, which is activated by the biogenic amine histamine, is expressed throughout the body, to be specific, in smooth muscles, on vascular endothelial cells, in the heart, and in the central nervous system

The H1 receptor is also responsible for the skin. (itching, rashes etc.) An example of the smooth muscles would be the bladder for instance. Hence why I piss like a race horse 20 times a day. Yes histamine controls your bladder! Good times, dope rhymes!

Another quick copy and paste goin' on:  The H2 receptor antagonists are a class of drugs used to block the action of histamine on parietal cells in the stomach, decreasing the production of acid by these cells.

So H2 receptors are responsible for the stomach and releasing histamine there. The antagonist, Zantac, for instance blocks this action thus decreasing the production of acid by these histamine releasing cells.

So now you have a better understanding of why people suffering from histamine intolerance do better taking both an H1 and H2 inhibitor. Every time we eat histamine is being released regardless even in healthy people because during the process of digestion our stomachs release acid. (see above).

It's totally up to you as an individual if you want to flood your body with "drugs" or not. It can be hard on your liver over time to filter out such drugs. If you stay on antihistamines too long they can also cause weight gain. Not just automatically but by making you feel hungry often. I have only been taking these for a few months with no hunger issues. Of course people in my boat are mostly frightened to even eat in general LOL so I really don't see it happening to me.

I actually only started taking the antihistamines recently because I had a set back and my symptoms returned for 6 weeks straight. Although that was my own damn fault because I got cocky and quit taking my enzymes and supplements religiously and started indulging in wine and hard cheeses like an asshole. Yup I screwed up my 5 months of success and was right back in the same boat. I haven't swelled in almost 2 weeks now. So I believe my histamine bucket is now down to a level that my body can handle. I honestly believe that it takes weeks to get the damn thing empty or down to a doable level. I say this because my swellings last for weeks. I am thinking that I will soon get off the Zyrtec after my bottle is gone. Please know, however, that taking the natural supplements DO help and is what put me into remission to begin with. Like I said I just got stupid and I didn't want to deal with anymore swellings so that's why I got on the Zyrtec and Zantac.

If you are interested in incorporating the Zyrtec and Zantac into your daily regimen because your symptoms are too heavy a burden to deal with initially it is recommend that you take 10mg Zyrtec twice daily and 150mg Zantac twice daily. Yes, it's more than the recommended dosage on the package but studies suggest that if you are suffering with this condition those are the proper dosages. Please be aware that with any drug it takes time to get into your system. I have read in several places that Zyrtec can take a good 2-4 weeks to fully flood your system. I would personally say it took me about 2 weeks. Everyone is different however.

Added goody: When I was referring to histamine "bucket" here's a visual:
 

Next up...Could it be Candida that's causing your histamine intolerance?

What causes histamine intolerance?

Initially it was thought that a person lacked Diamine oxidase (DAO), which is the main enzyme for the metabolism of ingested histamine. DAO helps break down histamine in a person's body, however if you lack this enzyme or are low in it the body is overwhelmed and it can become histamine toxic wreaking havoc on the body. Histamine is very important in the body it controls brain function, our hormones, even our bladder. Too much histamine, however is supa doopa baaaad. As well we suffering with histamine intolerance can vouch for!

Could this lack of DAO be genetic? Quite possibly. I have found some research that indicates it could be. However let's look at the people that are simply "low" in DAO. Why? Well there are DAO inhibitors such as caffeine (good bye coffee it was nice to know ya) and then there's alcohol and sodium benzoate which can be food grade or chemical (check your face creams etc.).

Here's a little Dani fun fact for you: Children's liquid benadryl contains sodium benzoate!! YEP! THAT my friend just happened! I mean what in the hell? Really? Benadryl is going to put a chemical in their antihistamine that is not only a histamine liberator BUT a DAO inhibitor? S.T.U.P.I.D.

Now, if you want to get all scientific with the chemicals and their names that are DAO inhibitors go here.

So the jury, (that jury being me), is still out whether it is just the lack of or degradation of DAO in the body that causes histamine intolerance. I only say this because the next few paragraphs you will be reading. I believe that no person, even with adequate DAO could fight off an attack of extreme histamine toxicity.

You see, histamine intolerance is just a secondary reaction to a more critical issue going on in your body which is called leaky gut. Whaaaaat? Ewww! What's up with "leaky gut". Okay, it's not like our guts are oozing actual green ooze like from the Ninja Turtle movies! Naw, it's actually leaking wonderfully fermented undigested, rotten protein! Yum!

Leaky gut can be caused by a myriad of things from Celiac disease to Candida Albican overgrowth. Anyway you look at it though, it's the inflammation of the gut lining that eventually leads to permeation of the intestines (holes) and in extreme cases that have gone on for awhile quite LARGE holes where pieces/chunks of actual food flow out of the intestines and travel into the bloodstream. Food is NOT supposed to be making it's way into our bloodstream so our bodies say "hey, WTF" and it starts attacking the food by releasing histamine from our mast cells. Essentially it's the body attacking its own self (autoimmune). So this my friends are where all of our symptoms begin. Eczema, rashes, endometriosis, migraines, headaches, insomnia, nausea, constipation and the list goes on.

Pissed off at your body yet? Well if it was celiac initially that caused your leaky gut then obviously it's not your fault. However if Candida is your problem that started your leaky gut then in most cases, aside from chemo or abusing antibiotics, it is your problem. Too much sugar in the body, basically eating like crap causes the Candida issue. In some studies they suggest that even pregnancy can cause Candida Albican overgrowth, so that one we can blame on hubby! DOH!

Is your head spinning yet? Mine was and still does albeit from the excess histamine of course! Yes, I blame my ditziness (is that even a word?) on my histamine issues. So here's the deal it really does matter how you got the histamine intolerance so you can treat it properly. If it's from celiac get on GLUTEN free NOW, if you were previously diagnosed you should know better. Now, if you had it as a child and went into remission as an adolescent, which can happen then the damage was already done, it was only a matter of time. After all, inflammation is a real bitch and only leads to more inflammation and diet is a MAJOR component in whether we are treating inflammation or feeding inflammation.

Are there ways to help repair a leaky gut? Yes. Are there ways to treat a candida overgrowth? Yes. Are there ways to treat histamine intolerance? Yes. Don't get down on yourself yet. There are ways to help and to ultimately cure yourself. Unfortunately it's a long process. Yea, I know you didn't want to hear that. However, it was a looooong process to get sick in the first place so there won't be an easy fix. I'm still healing myself still even now. Along the way you will have set backs for reasons you know and then sometimes for reasons you have NO IDEA.

In my next post I will be sharing what supplements you can begin taking immediately to help break down that nasty fermenting undigested protein in your gut and continue to break down any further protein you ingest. I will also be adding a post tomorrow regarding what you can start doing to eradicate those nasty yeastie beasties running around in your intestines and blood stream that caused your leaky gut to begin with (if this in fact, is your case). It's going to be a real head scratcher though I must warn you because eerily Candida has the identical symptoms as a histamine intolerance. So do you just have Candida and leaky gut? Or, do you have histamine intolerance and leaky gut? Or WTF do you have ALL 3????? Come back tomorrow for another fun filled post(s) regarding all of that craziness!  This can really drive you to drink! Wait, can't do that it's a DAO inhibitor. Stay tuned for a future post regarding what you CAN drink that's alcoholic and not swell to oblivion. (and all the drunks say...didda di di di, didda di di di.)

Introductions suck but are usually required....well sometimes

Waking up with both eyes swollen shut looking like you just stepped out of a boxing ring is not the way I'd prefer to wake up, then again, does anybody? But, yes, that is how it all started for me almost a year ago.

Immediately thinking it was something I had used topically, such as makeup or creams etc. I was on the case to determine to find out which chemical was the culprit. After three months of ridding myself of products one by one until I was down to nothing but wearing mascara, my eyes were still swelling once a week.  I later found out that these were not welts/welting that I originally thought but angioedema (swelling of the eyes/face).  The most odd part of this mystery was that once the swelling would go down my skin around my eyes and lid were left extremely dry and peeling. Once the peeling went away well WHOOP there it would go again! Swell, swell, swell week after week.

You're probably asking at this point why did this crazy ass not go to the doctors? Well for those that know me (and most don't, I have no social life) would know that I dislike doctors because all they want to do is throw drugs at you and in a case like this, their drug of choice was Prednisone. So yes, like everyone else I continued to hit the internet HARD and realized that what I was suffering from was Histamine Intolerance! Yes! I thought finally an answer to this 5 months of suffering!  Looking back I ate ALL the high histamine foods on a daily basis Avocado, Spinach, Pumpkin, cinnamon etc. it was no wonder I was swelling weekly. Now, the fun part was finding a low histamine diet. That's a freakin' joy in itself, every single list of low histamine foods contradicted the last. Bananas? No, no bananas, wait, yes, yes this list said I could have bananas. Eventually I just accepted that bananas were no longer in my future including protein shakes after the gym.

For those of you saying what the hell is histamine intolerance? Here's a text book answer:  
Histamine intolerance: histamine incompatibility. The histamine taken in with food cannot be degraded due to the absence or reduction of the activity of the histamine-degrading enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO). The symptoms are a joy and eerily are identical to that of a Candida Albican over growth. (We will go over that in a later post).

Symptoms: Hives, itching, skin rashes, migraines/headaches, constipation, fatigue, foggy thinking (hello this is a big one for me, wait what was I saying?), menstrual problems, high sex drive (this works to the advantage of my husband so apparently he's fine with my condition), peeing alot, panic attacks, angioedema (swelling of the face/eyes), hearing your pulse in your head when laying your head down on the pillow at night, total forgetfulness (I never can remember where I park my car) and here's the kicker Schizophrenia! Yes you can become schizo!

All in all, this condition is serious business and is NOT fun! You literally can become afraid to eat and even feel as though you could die if you accidentally ate something you weren't supposed to! Today my eyes swell up next time I could go into anaphylatic shock!

My goal with this blog is to help others to first identify their condition and also provide information on supplements, diet and research regarding this condition. I will even share some low histamine recipes for you to enjoy and bring life back into eating again. I will also be discussing why you have this condition and what caused it and how to help fix it. Histamine Intolerance is a secondary condition not the initial problem.