Eggs and Pumpkin

Are eggs and pumpkin permitted on a low histamine diet?

Eggs – yes (cooked)

Yes, eggs are fine as long as they are cooked. People with HIT can safely eat egg yolks, and egg white is a histamine liberator only when in its raw state. Histamine intolerance expert Dr Janice Joneja writes: “Eggs in themselves don’t contain histamine, but egg whites are known to be a histamine-releaser.” These facts are supported on the Histamine Intolerance UK website and the Mast Cell Blog. However, if you prefer to go ultra-low-histamine, eliminate egg whites from your diet entirely – even cooked egg whites.

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.

Pumpkin – no

Pumpkin’s close relative is winter squash, so the two can be considered jointly. The book ‘Is Food Making You Sick? The Strictly Low Histamine Diet” recommends avoiding pumpkin.

Pumpkin is listed by the Food Intolerance Network as being safe for people with histamine intolerance. They write as follows:
“Foods that have lower histamine levels: Fresh vegetables: lettuce, cabbage, beetroot, pumpkin, onion, radishes, lamb’s lettuce, paprika, carrot, broccoli, potato, cucumber, leek, zucchini (courgettes), sweet corn, asparagus, garlic. Please be aware that, because of any other food intolerances or cross-allergies that may also be present, the low-histamine level of a particular foodstuff alone says nothing definite about whether or not the patient can tolerate it.”

Dr Judy Tsafrir writes, “I believe that many reactions are very individualized. In many cases it is worth eliminating a food that you have reason to view as problematic, and then retrying it and monitoring your symptoms. I did not think that zucchini or yellow squash were problematic for most people. It seems from my research on line that pumpkin is controversial as to whether or not it needs to be avoided on a low histamine diet.”

And Allergy UK states: “Certain foods (even food that is low in histamine) can stimulate the release of histamine from mast cells in your body (a type of immune cell). These foods include: pumpkin.”

In conclusion, we would suggest that if you are battling serious histamine intolerance you should avoid pumpkin.

December 1, 2014 by admin

Boosting your DAO

Antihistamines

If you find that taking certain antihistamines significantly improves your health, then it’s likely you suffer from HIT (Histamine Intolerance). Some common antihistamine trade names include:

Zyrtec = cetirizine, an antihistamine that works by blocking histamine (H-1) receptors.
Zantac – ranitidine, an antihistamine that works by blocking histamine (H-2) receptors.

Both of these – like any medications – can have unwanted side effects. However, these are generally outweighed by their benefits, at least in the short term. Taking them is a good way to hit your symptoms hard and really get them to settle down. If you wish to follow up the potential side-effects of Zyrtec and Zantac, click on these links: Zantac Zyrtec

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’.

About Boosting Your DAO

We suggest that HIT sufferers:

Make sure none of your other medications (if any) are DAO (diamine oxidase) blockers, which might have brought on your symptoms in the first place. If possible – and under medical supervision – try to wean off them.
Stick to the Strictly Low Histamine Diet and its associated dietary supplements. 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.
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, we recommend visiting the Helpguide website and looking at their excellent Stress Management Guide.
Protect and heal your intestinal mucosa. The body produces DAO in the small intestine, the upper part of the large intestine, and the kidneys. To help protect and heal the mucosal lining of your intestines, include the spice turmeric and brassica vegetables (e.g. cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, )in your diet. Prebiotics and probiotics, too, play an essential role in the healing of the gut.
Protect and heal your kidneys. Your kidneys may be perfectly healthy, but there are still things you can do to make sure they stay that way – and to boost their DAO producing capabilities. The Kidney Foundation of Canada recommends that people with kidney disease should ‘control your salt intake and avoid foods with a high sodium content. These include processed foods like “deli” meats, canned foods, convenience and “fast” foods, salty snacks and salty seasonings.’ They also say, ‘Phosphorus is a mineral which normally keeps your bones strong and healthy. However, too much phosphorus may cause itchy skin or painful joints. When the kidneys start to fail, your blood phosphate level will rise. Therefore, you may need to limit certain foods which contain even a moderate amount of phosphorus. These include milk, cheese and other milk products, and protein foods such as meat, fish and poultry.’

November 1, 2014 by admin

Home Made Shampoos for Itchy Scalps

In a recent post we gave you some recipes for soap-free skin cleansers you can make at home – ideal for Histamine Intolerant people with itchy skin. For those with itchy scalps, here are some recipes for soap-free home-made shampoo for itchy scalps. They’re simple to make, they really work and they won’t break the bank. In fact, they’re probably cheaper than most commercial shampoos! The shampoos are pH balanced and come courtesy of www.blog.kanelstrand.com.

If you’re already using a ‘natural’ shampoo, check the ingredients on the label. Commercial products often contain chemical additives that are far from natural and some, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, can actually be damaging.

A note on essential oils
Many people believe that because essential oils are natural plant extracts, they must be kind to the skin. The truth is, however, that essential oils vary in their characteristics and each person responds differently them. The most common undesirable result is skin irritation.

David Fisher, whose knowledge of essential oils derives from candle and soap making, declares that toxicity in essential oils comes in two forms:

* Phototoxicity – these essential oils become toxic when exposed to direct sunlight. These oils are fine in candles, but shouldn’t be used in any sort of application where the essential oil will stay on your skin and be exposed to the sun. Using these oils in soap is o.k. because it is rinsed off, but using them in a balm or a lotion is not recommended because the essential oils stay on your skin.” Phototoxic essential oils include verbena oil and citrus oils such as lemon, lime, orange and mandarin.

* Toxicity – at certain levels, these essential oils will make you sick, or hurt you in some way – whether in the light or not. Several of them can be used safely in soap making and candle making, but you need to exercise caution and moderation, which usually means using them in low concentrations.” Toxic essential oils include bay laurel, cedarwood (Virginian), cinnamon (leaf), clove (bud), eucalyptus, juniper and nutmeg.

Perfumes and fragrances can irritate the airways of HIT sufferers. Add to this the possibility of essential oils irritating sensitive skin, and you have two good reasons to avoid adding perfumes and essential oils to your home-made personal care products.

Home-Made Rye Flour Shampoo

This recipe is suitable for all types of hair. Note: The reason why rye flour is relatively mess-free is that it’s low in gluten. Do not experiment with other flours, especially those rich in gluten. It will be really difficult to remove them from your hair.

Ingredients:

3-4 tbsp. rye flour (you can adjust the amount according to your hair length)
some lukewarm water – enough to make the mixture as thick as standard shampoo

Instructions:

Put the flour in a cup.
Add some water and mix thoroughly. Keep adding water and mixing.
Mix until there are no lumps left and the mixture is runny and resembles that of shampoo.

To use:

Wet your hair and put some of the shampoo on your fingers.
Massage thoroughly and gently into the scalp. The shampoo will cover the lengths of your hair when you start rinsing.
Rinse generously with lukewarm water until all shampoo is removed.

Home Made Coconut Milk and Aloe Vera Shampoo.

This recipe is suitable for dry, dandruff-prone hair and scalp. If you like, you can double or triple the quantities of ingredients, divide the shampoo between several containers and store it in the freezer for later use.

Ingredients:

2.5 oz (75 ml) coconut milk
3 oz (88 ml) Aloe Vera

Instructions:

Mix the coconut milk and the Aloe Vera well until there are no lumps left.

To use:

Apply on wet hair.and put some of the shampoo on your fingers.
Massage well into the scalp.
Let it remain for a couple of minutes.
Rinse generously with lukewarm water.

October 1, 2014 by admin

Natural Sources of DAO

Pea Sprouts to boost your DAO

Numerous people have written in asking for more information on natural sources of diamine oxidase (DAO), so we’ve brought forward this post. (The promised recipes for home-made pH balanced shampoos will appear in the following post.)

When our diamine oxidase enzyme levels are low we can suffer from histamine intolerance. A number of legumes contain especially high levels of DAO. According to Dr Janice Joneja, eating these legumes as sprouts can provide us with a natural diamine oxidase boost.

NOTE: It is fine to take DAO by mouth to relieve symptoms in the short-term, but what you should be aiming for is to heal the gut so that you will not need to be taking DAO supplements. It is wiser to heal your body to the extent that it can manufacture its own DAO, rather than depending on outside sources. The only way to achieve this is by following a Strictly Low Histamine diet for long enough to allow the healing process to take place. This healing period varies from person to person, and takes longer with severe cases of histamine intolerance. Taking oral DAO supplements is like putting a bandage over a festering wound. It will not fix the problem, merely temporarily mask it.

The new seedlings of all legumes can provide us with DAO, but green pea sprouts are the best sources. Lentils and chickpeas are also good.

DAO is high in legume seedlings because the diamine oxidase helps the plant to build its structural components, such as its stem, when the baby plant is forming. Diamine oxidase begins to be produced about three days into the development of the seedlings. It increases to its maximum at about 10 days, after which it decreases because the plant no longer requires it.

Highest Possible DAO concentrations

When seeking DAO from natural sources we need to obtain the highest concentrations possible, because the process of digestion itself can destroy the DAO before it works its magic on our histamine levels.
Histamine intolerance specialist Dr Janice Joneja says: ‘The research indicates that up to 4% of the total protein content of the seedlings can be diamine oxidase. Being a protein, it’s also subject to digestion and then of course the diamine oxidase itself will be broken down in the process of protein digestion, so it’s a matter of seeing how much can be absorbed and how much of it is still active. But it is still absorbed in the small intestine, so it doesn’t have the entire length of the digestive tract to be exposed to digestive enzymes.’

Dark-Grown Sprouts

To increase the levels of DAO in your home-sprouted legumes, grow them in darkness. Sprouts that are grown in the dark have a higher level of diamine oxidase. Diamine oxidase is a protective enzyme for both humans and plants. Thus, when plants experience stress, they produce more of it. When seeds grow in the dark they have to struggle. This struggle produces a much higher level of diamine oxidase. Dark-sprouted pea shoots will appear lank and pale (‘etiolated’. They may not look as vibrant and healthy as green sprouts, but their content of diamine oxidase will be approximately five times higher than the content of bright green seedlings grown in sunlight. They are therefore better for people with Histamine Intolerance.

About Store-bought Pea Sprouts

You can buy pea sprouts that have been commercially grown and bagged. Eating them may be somewhat beneficial to your health, but they have the following disadvantages:

Their DAO levels vary greatly
They may have languished on the shelf for a while, and not be super-fresh. Thus their histamine levels may be high.
They are generally grown in sunlight or artificial sunlight – that’s why they are green. Therefore their DAO levels are much lower.

About Store-bought Pea Sprout Powder

Store-bought pea sprout powder can also be used. It is difficult, however, to estimate exactly how much DAO it contains, which means we cannot know what dosage to take on a daily basis for optimum benefit. Dr Joneja recommends mixing a cupful a day with water and taking that, to see if you get any benefit.

Benefits of Home-grown Pea Sprouts

Growing pea sprouts at home has numerous benefits.

Quick – your crop can be ready for harvest in less than ten days.
Easy – they can be grown indoors, and need no soil.
Cheap – you can sprout dried ‘soup peas’ from the supermarket.
Higher DAO – grow them in the dark and their enzyme levels will be far higher.
Flexible – grow them anytime.
Compact – you can grow them in small spaces.
Delicious – sprouts can be consumed raw in juices.
Nutritious – in addition to DAO, pea sprouts are packed with vitamins A and C and folate.

How to Grow Pea Sprouts/Seedlings

Obtain peas that are intended for eating, not for planting. Pea seeds that are sold for planting in gardens may have been dusted with chemicals to inhibit mold or to kill insects. Choose fresh green peas from your greengrocer or dried peas from the grocery section of your supermarket. Do not select dried peas that are salted, frozen, split or processed in any way. Try to find organic peas. Freeze dried peas are fine. (Shop online for them here.)

To avoid bacterial contamination, do not grow seedlings in soil.
Do not sterilize the pea seeds. If you heat them, you will deactivate the diamine oxidase enzyme.
Rinse the peas in clean, cool water.
Place the peas in a bowl, and cover them with more clean water.
Allow them to soak for 12-24 hours.
Place the seeds in a clean seed-sprouting bag or other sprouting equipment (see below) and leave the bag in the dark (such as a drawer or cupboard, or wrapped in a thick towel), for 7-10 days; no later. Do not leave them in the refrigerator – they need to be at room temperature, at least.
Two or three times a day, rinse them with clean water to hydrate them. Always tip out all of the water to drain the peas thoroughly. Do not forget to rinse them or they may become moldy. One trick for remembering is to rinse them whenever you clean your teeth.
Continue the process for 8-10 days. Pale shoots will emerge from the peas and start to grow.
Harvest the sprouts.
Juice them raw and consume them straight away. Do not heat them – heating destroys DAO.
Mature sprouts have sets of two leaves.
Rinse sprouts before for juicing. If you wish, you can wrap them in a lettuce leaf to help the juicing process and make sure the nutrients are extracted.
See our sprout juice recipes here.
Store leftover sprouts in the refrigerator in a sealed bowl containing a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Use the sprouts within a week.

Note: Sprouts that start to look rather brown in color should be discarded because they are past their use-by date. Over-aged sprouts may also release a yellowish liquid in their container.

Pea-Sprouting Equipment

Bags: Seed-sprouting bags are drawstring bags made from a closely-woven, natural fabric (not plastic) such as cotton or hemp. You can make your own or buy them commercially. Seed-sprouting bags are made by stitching together two rectangles of cotton or hemp, with a drawstring opening.
Jars: The cheapest seed-sprouting equipment is a clean glass jar. Cover the mouth of the jar with clean stockings or pantyhose, held in place by an elastic band. The pantyhose acts as a strainer when rinsing the peas with water.
Commercial: You can also purchase commercial seed-sprouting equipment. In the electrically-powered versions, the water is automatically filtered through.
Make sure you position all your sprouting equipment in a pitch dark place while your seeds are growing.

How to use Pea Sprouts/Seedlings

Use your pea sprouts in smoothies, rather than eating them in their unprocessed form. Diamine oxidase enzymes exist to help the plant build the wall of its cells, so they are attached to those cell walls.
Your normal chewing and digestion will not readily break those bonds. By whizzing the sprouts in a blender you will make the DAO more readily available for your body to absorb. Do not put the juice through a strainer – it’s vital to consume the whole plant, cell walls, fiber and all. See our recipes here.
We recommend taking one cup every day.

Other natural Sources of DAO

Another natural source of diamine oxidase is kidneys. Make sure you buy fresh ones and cook them as soon as possible, or freeze them to stop histamine from developing.

June 3, 2014 by admin

Coconut

Coconut is no longer recommended for people with HIT

In recent years the humble coconut has increased its status from being considered almost a health risk to being an ever more popular ‘superfood’.

Coconut was originally included as a “safe” food in previous editions of “Is Food Making You Sick? The Strictly Low-histamine Diet”.

The team behind the book is always updating it to reflect the latest scientific research.

A few research sources no longer recommend coconut for HIT sufferers, though some people appear to tolerate it. Coconut has been added to the “foods to avoid” list in the book. Recipes have been revised accordingly. Look for the 2017 edition of the book. The date is printed on the front cover and on the title page.

The Strictly Low Histamine Diet is just that – strict. Our aim is to exclude any foods that possess even a minimal chance of aggravating the condition.