part0013

I f you crave fermented foods like sour cream, cheese, balsamic vinegar, red wine, pickles, yogurt, and tofu, then you probably have a histamine intolerance . . . and an addiction to histamine.

Histamine is a neurotransmitter produced by your body’s mast cells in response to allergens, cold weather, stress, drama, and trauma.

Histamine is also prevalent in most foods and beverages. But some are very high in it. Fermented foods, soy, alcohol, cured meats, aged cheeses, and vinegar are loaded with histamine.

Some foods don’t contain a lot of histamine, but they are histamine releasers. That means that their presence is an irritant that triggers mast cells to release histamine in an allergic reaction. Other foods block the production or effectiveness of an enzyme called diamine oxidase , which metabolizes histamine. Such foods are called “DAO blockers.”

Imagine that you have a bucket inside of you labeled HISTAMINE BUCKET . As long as you don’t overfill it, you’re fine. In fact, we need some histamine for our health.

But every time you encounter an allergen, such as certain chemicals or air pollution, or stressful situations, your histamine bucket fills up higher. If you lead a stress- and drama-filled life, your histamine bucket is probably pretty full.

Then, when you introduce foods containing high amounts of histamine, it begins overflowing. That’s when you experience painful symptoms. Irregular heart rate, bloating, headaches, itchy skin, excessive perspiration, hot flashes, feeling cold all the time, and stuffy or runny nose are just a few symptoms of histamine intolerance.

So if your body’s histamine bucket is already full because you’re around pollen, dander, stress, drama, and other triggers, plus you consume a lot of soy, fermented foods, pickles, and alcohol, your histamine bucket will “run over.” Many women develop histamine intolerance in menopause as well.

Histamine intolerance is different from an allergy, so it isn’t detected in normal allergy-test panels. Some foods contain histamine, and some are called “histamine liberators,” because they trigger the body’s production of histamine. For those who are histamine intolerant, the results are the same with high-histamine and histamine-liberator foods.

Here are some of the foods and beverages high in histamine or which trigger histamine production (histamine liberators or DAO blockers):

* The longer any food sits before being consumed (even if it’s refrigerated), the more bacteria grow in it and the more histamine is produced.

* Some researchers claim that kale, even though it doesn’t contain histamine, can be a histamine releaser in the body. Use your own experiences as your guide. This hardy cabbage is an excellent source of protein and fiber, so if you can tolerate it without symptoms, it is recommended in your diet.

** Everyone agrees that soy and red beans are high in histamines, but the other beans are sometimes called “moderate” in histamine and sometimes called “safe” for a low-histamine diet. Your bodily reactions to eating beans will help you assess this for yourself. If you have allergic reactions to beans (binge eating, itching, sneezing, bloating, etc.), this is a sign that they have too much histamine for your metabolism. I trust the histamine food chart from Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI). Their website is www.histaminintoleranz.ch/en , with information in German, English, and French.

If most of your favorite foods are on the high-histamine list, you’re not alone. Many “comfort” foods are involved in the histamine allergy-addiction cycle. You see, we tend to binge-eat the foods that we’re allergic to. In the same way, those who are allergic to alcohol tend to binge-drink. We crave the high of the chemicals within these foods and drinks, as well as those our bodies release in reaction to them.

The process works like this: Histamine is released in response to allergens. This increases your heart rate and has an adrenaline-like effect. Researchers have identified that the brain releases opioids (the addictive chemicals within heroin and morphine) when you digest high-fat and high-sugar foods. But then the feeling wears off, so you crave more of the food to achieve the same high.

If you’re already producing a lot of histamine because of exposure to stress and pollution, then eating high-histamine foods leads to painful symptoms. Stuffy and runny noses, itchy skin, arrhythmia, and headaches are just a few of the issues arising from a high-histamine lifestyle.

Researchers are concluding that symptoms can be alleviated by reducing the histamine in your diet, as well as your stress levels. One study said: “the existence of histamine intolerance has been underestimated” (Maintz and Novak 2007).

Interestingly, a 20-year study of 4,000 binge eaters pinpointed the most “addictive foods”: sugar, fat, flour, wheat, artificial sweeteners, and caffeine—all foods that are high in histamine!

Studies show that binge eaters, alcoholics, and drug addicts all suffer from a decrease in the number and sensitivity of dopamine D2 receptors. This research has led to the conclusion that addiction to food and other substances is an effort to increase the feel-good brain chemical dopamine. It’s a hunger for happiness and a desire to sparkle.

The recommended daily allowance of protein is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight for the average person—that’s about 56 grams for men and 46 grams for women (more if pregnant or nursing).

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you’re probably accustomed to getting your protein needs met by legumes, including soy, or nuts. Controversies and contradictions abound concerning which foods are high in histamine and which are not. Nevertheless, there is consensus that vinegar-pickled and aged foods are high in it. But for legumes, such as beans and pulses, accounts of the levels of histamine vary.

Your body will react if you have a histamine sensitivity connected to eating beans. I would recommend avoiding soy and red beans and seeing how you tolerate other varieties.

If you eat animal protein, you’ll need to stay away from aged, smoked, or leftover meats; shellfish; and cheese because of their high histamine content. Instead, you can increase your low-histamine protein by eating a lot of kale, broccoli, brown rice, and macadamias. Do monitor your intake of kale, though, as some people have allergic reactions because it is a histamine liberator.

Protein is protein, regardless of the source. The American Dietetic Association says that it’s possible with planning to consume sufficient protein from a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Broccoli is a versatile ingredient that can be steamed, grilled, sautéed, and made into soup. It’s also delicious when served with rice, another low-histamine food.

Histamine intolerance is frequently a symptom of an overly stressed lifestyle, which leads you to binge on high-histamine foods and beverages to calm yourself.

Sometimes histamine intolerance is a result of medical conditions associated with diamine oxidase (DAO) inhibition. DAO is an enzyme that metabolizes histamine. Some medications block DAO release as well. You can buy DAO supplements to help with histamine processing. However, be aware that some are made from pigs.

Pea sprouts, pea seedlings, and pea-sprout powder are a natural vegan source of nutritional DAO. Although peas are moderately high in histamine, some people can tolerate them without symptoms. If you can do so, they are an excellent low-fat source of protein (8 grams per cup).

In the absence of a medical condition, those who suffer from histamine symptoms are dealing with a histamine overload: too much drama, too much alcohol, and too many fermented foods.

Now that we’ve looked at the physical and psychological reactions to stress, drama, and trauma, let’s look at solutions. In Part II of the book, we’ll examine the healing methods that are supported by scientific studies and time-honored tradition.