June 1, 2016 by admin

How to make vegetables taste better

Vegetables: they can be delicious!

We all know we need to eat more vegetables. They are good for us, and if we are trying to lose weight, they can help. But a lot of us don’t like them. How can we change this?

Tip #1: Choose baby vegetables. The flavor of baby ones is less intense and often they are sweeter.

Tip #2: Drizzle a little ‘extra virgin’ olive oil on your veggies.

Tip #3: Blanch your vegetables to prevent over-strong flavors from developing. Steam them for 30 to 60 seconds, then take them off the heat and plunge them into cold water.

Tip #4 Buy fresh from farmers’ markets – or grow your own

Tip #5 Disguise them in breads, quiches, even cakes.

Tip #6: Think about veggies doing you good. It becomes easier for people to tolerate foods that are good for them but whose flavour they don’t like, if they understand why the foods are good for them. For best results, this should be combined with repeated, regular exposure to those foods. [Source: Leslie J. Stein, PhD, Science Communications, Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia.]

Tip #7: Stir-frying vegetables preserves their fresh flavors and crispy textures.

Check out our book “Is Food Making You Sick?” for low-histamine vegetable recipes.

May 1, 2016 by admin

Vitamin K2

What’s the buzz about Vitamin K2?

One reader recently wrote in to say,

“Thank you for all of your work and sharing it with us on your website. I think I have a histamine allergy. How can I be sure this is the cause of my health problems and not something else? Also, how can I be sure to get enough Vitamin K-2 when I can’t eat cultured foods? Thank you!”

Our replies might help others with the same questions, so here they are:

Self diagnosis

One way of finding out whether you are histamine intolerant is to take antihistamines (follow the manufacturer’s directions) and see if they decrease your symptoms. If symptoms are severe you may need to take them for a few days or even weeks before you nitice an improvement. You might also have to take an H1 and an H2 receptor antagonist simultaneously.

Read more about antihistamines on our blog, here.

Getting enough Vitamin K2

Egg yolks are rich in Vitamin K2. Make sure you eat eggs that are very fresh and preferably pastured or free-range.

Good Health to All!

April 1, 2016 by admin

Are oats gluten-free or not?

Gluten and Oats

An interesting article concerning the confusion and conflicting information surrounding oats and gluten can be found online at Kialla Pure Foods. The article is relevant to people who, for whatever reason, want to follow a gluten-free diet. We have copied part of it here, but the rest can be read on the Kialla website.

Is there such a thing as gluten-free oats?

All grains contain proteins, and the proteins in wheat, barley and rye are generally called glutens. While you won’t hear the name mentioned as often as ‘gluten’, if at all, the specific proteins in oats are called avenins.

If you google ‘do oats contain gluten?’ and find yourself on The University of Chicago’s Celiac Disease Center, you’ll learn that avenins are not glutens. Many blogs will quote this or a related source.

However, this is not actually the correct picture. The Coeliac Australia website goes into a little more detail in regards to some technical terminology and testing processes. And this reveals a different picture of oats.

As they explain it, the term ‘gluten’ is generally used to describe a prolamin protein fraction that is associated with coeliac disease. This prolamin protein occurs in wheat, barley, rye and oats.

However in each of the grains the protein goes by different names: gliadin in wheat, hordein in in barley, secalin in rye, and avenin in oats. So, in fact, all oats naturally contain the prolamin protein, generally known as gluten, albeit in a slightly different form.

Why then can reputable sites make a clear statement that oats ‘don’t contain gluten’?

It seems it comes down to a technicality, both in terminology and in testing. When detecting the presence of gluten in food, laboratories use a particular testing process. Interestingly, the test is not actually able to measure avenin glutens because they have a slightly different amino acid combination.

Consequently, the response to this testing anomaly is different in the USA and in Australia. The FSANZ (Food Standards Australia and New Zealand) have set a standard that makes it impossible to claim that Australian grown or processed oats are gluten-free. Technically they are absolutely correct.

However, standards in the USA are more flexible. It is clearly acceptable to claim that oats are gluten free, since a reputable institution like the University of Chicago can state emphatically that oats ‘don’t contain gluten, but rather proteins called avenins that are non-toxic and tolerated by most celiacs.’

And it is this last point that enables the US (and European) standards where farmers and millers can claim their oats are gluten-free.

Even if you have coeliac disease you may still be able to enjoy a bowl of porridge. Studies over the past 15 years show that oats are generally safe for those who have coeliac disease.

But even here it seems to be a case of different interpretations.

It’s either ‘a large body of scientific evidence’, according to the Uni of Chicago’s Celiac Center, or ‘limited clinical studies’ according to Coeliac Australia. And these studies’ claims of reaction rates to the avenin gluten protein apparently vary from ‘less than 1%’ (Uni of Chicago) to 20% (Coeliac Australia). Perhaps depending on which study you read!

While the Uni of Chicago site is happy to declare oats can be freely consumed by coeliacs, it adds the caveat that the oats need to be guaranteed uncontaminated by wheat, rye or barley. Either when growing in the field or when processed at the mill. This means that oats that are grown alongside crops with the other gluten proteins cannot claim to be gluten-free.

I suspect that such a proviso is simply covering for the potential of gluten-containing oats to impact coeliacs, while still allowing gluten-free claims. It is noteworthy that there is no need for any grains which really are gluten free (chickpeas, mung beans etc) and which may be grown around wheat, barley etc, to meet any anti-contamination requirements either in Australia or globally.

One thing that emerges very clearly: standards set by food authorities, tests conducted by labs, and scientific studies are not as cut and dried as we are often led to believe. You can see there are obviously as many shades of grey as food experts are able to introduce.

A variance between 1% and 20% is enormous, and generally would be considered inconclusive if found within a single study. Even in multiple studies it would confuse the averaging of the stats. Short of going into all the literature on gluten in oats studies for myself, I just have to accept that there’s a wide range of results.

Also, as we see with the term ‘gluten’, terminology can be tweaked and simplified to suit information and marketing imperatives.

The important question is: what constitutes a gluten-free product?

Recent regulations set by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the US, decided that to make a claim of gluten-free in the US, a product must test at less than 20 ppm (parts per million). The FDA site says that ‘this is the lowest level that can be consistently detected in foods using valid scientific analytical tools’.

The science begs to differ in Australia where the FSANZ gluten-free test can currently measure levels as low as 3ppm (parts per million).

So, strictly speaking, any ‘gluten-free’ product manufactured in Australia must comply with this 3ppm standard. Gluten-free means exactly that: ‘non-detectable’.
But imported products are able to contain up to 20ppm while still making the claim of ‘gluten-free’.

However, no need to panic. It seems that FSANZ is just playing it really safe.

It is interesting to note that Coeliac Australia supports the US FDA standards. They consider products that show tested gluten levels of less than 20ppm, to be suitable for those with coeliac disease. This is also the international Codex standard for gluten-free products.

March 1, 2016 by admin

Why do many doctors fail to acknowledge histamine intolerance?

Wrong diagnosis can cause suffering

Even in the 21st century, many doctors fail to acknowledge histamine intolerance (HIT) as a possible cause of a patient’s symptoms, or even to recognize it as a disease. This may be because they simply do not know about HIT, or it may be because the symptoms of HIT are so varied and fluctuating that the disease is hard to diagnose, or – in the worst case – it may be that they are simply turning a blind eye to it.

Would anyone in the trusted medical profession really do such a thing?

Let’s take a look at some diseases that have recently hit the headlines in Australia for being overlooked/denied – to the extent that people are going through extraordinary suffering without proper treatment, merely because their doctors do not acknowledge that their disease exists in that country. These are Lyme Disease, caused by a bacterium spread through the bite of infected ticks, and Lyme-like disease, caused by an unknown bacterium.

The Lyme Disease Association of Australia has this to say:

“Why is Lyme disease controversial?
“There is considerable controversy within the medical profession, both nationally and internationally, in nearly all aspects of Lyme disease. Despite rapidly growing numbers of Australians being diagnosed with Lyme, the prevailing viewpoint within the Australian medical community is that “there is no evidence of Lyme disease in Australia.”

From The Conversation:

“Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is carried by ticks. It causes flu-like symptoms with associated fatigue, muscle pain and various neurological symptoms. It also causes a bulls-eye rash to develop around the site of the tick bite.

“The bacteria (sic) has not been identified in any tick in Australia, but many people have nonetheless been diagnosed with Lyme disease or Lyme-like illness, based on their symptoms. The diagnosis is often complemented with laboratory tests from Australian and overseas laboratories.

“The controversy about the disease arose because the official position is that Borrelia burgdorferii doesn’t exist in Australia, and that positive lab tests are from people acquiring infection outside the country or the tests are false positives. The net result was that doctors were unwilling to give the diagnosis, often despite positive lab results, and prescribe the necessary antibiotic treatment.”

Further reading: Lyme disease: Experts and sufferers face-off to debate existence of tick-borne condition in Sydney

The Very Ugly Truth about CHRONIC LYME

If modern medical professionals in a developed country are unwilling to give a diagnosis in spite of symptoms staring them in the face, simply because a disease is not yet officially acknowledged, is it any wonder they are often unwilling to diagnose HIT?

February 1, 2016 by admin

High Protein, Gluten-Free, Nutritious Teff

Delicious Ways to Increase Your Protein Intake

Protein is an important building block for our bodies.
People with histamine intolerance need to get the best possible nutrition while simultaneously avoiding foods rich in histamine, histamine-forming compounds and DAO-suppressing compounds. Many people with histamine intolerance prefer to avoid gluten.

Some excellent gluten-free low-histamine sources of protein include some of the ‘ancient’ cereals and pseudo-cereals that have become popular in the western world, including:

Teff
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Wild rice
Millet

The excellent website Skip The Pie gives a nutritional analysis for each of these foods and more. For example, teff, cooked, contains 15% high quality protein.

Teff

Teff is native to Ethiopia and according to Wikipedia, “Eragrostis tef has an attractive nutrition profile, being high in dietary fiber and iron and providing protein and calcium. It is similar to millet and quinoa in cooking, but the seed is much smaller and cooks faster, thus using less fuel.

” Teff is gluten-free (and therefore can be consumed by celiacs) and has a high concentration of different nutrients, a very high calcium content, and significant levels of the minerals phosphorus, magnesium, aluminum, iron, copper, zinc, boron and barium, and also of thiamine. Teff is high in protein. It is considered to have an excellent amino acid composition, including all 8 essential amino acids for humans, and is higher in lysine than wheat or barley.”

It also tastes good , with a mild, slightly nutty flavor, and it can be used in a multitude of recipes. A national dish in Ethiopia and Eritrea is “Injera”, a sourdough-risen flatbread made from teff flour. It has a unique, slightly spongy texture, and it is generally eaten with vegetable stews. The process of making injera involves fermentation and is thus unsuitable for people with histamine intolerance; however delicious high-protein gluten-free porridges, pancakes and breads can be made with teff flour or the tiny, fine teff grains. The porridge can be flavoured with coconut, honey, fresh or frozen figs, apples or any low-histamine foods you prefer.

Experiment with unusual foods and a whole world of flavor and nutrition can open up to you!

January 1, 2016 by admin

Vegetable Noodles

Why Vegetable Noodles?

Vegetable noodles (or lasagna) are a delicious replacement for noodles (or lasagna) made with grains. The noodles can be bought ready-made as shirataki noodles, or found ready-made by nature, inside spaghetti squashes.

You can also make them using a spiralizer, which is often called a Spiral Vegetable Slicer. If you do not have one of these machines, you can use a Julienne peeler or a standard vegetable peeler. Veggie noodles are actually fun to make! You can see them being made on this Youtube video and also on this one (we have no affiliation with any of the brands or blogs mentioned).

You’ll end up with nutritious ‘ribbons’ of vegetables (vegetti), which you simply steam to cook, pile on a plate and smother with a scrumptious low-histamine sauce. Sauce recipes can be found in the book “Is Food Making You Sick?”

For vegetable lasagna, substitute thin layers of parsnip or zucchini for sheets of grain lasagna.

The Strictly Low Histamine Diet allows most grains, notably excluding wheat. Wheat germ is high in histamine. (Wheat bran, however, is permissible.) Vegetable pasta can, however, make an interesting alternative.

Low histamine vegetables suited to spiralizing include:

Kholrabi (koloodles)
Zucchini (zoodles)
Carrot (coodles)
Parsnip (poodles)
Sweet Potato (swoodles)
Turnip (toodles)
Broccoli Stem (boodles – peel stem first)
Asparagus (aspoodles)

Note: kelp noodles, radish noodles or pumpkin noodles should not be included in a low histamine diet.

There are several reasons why you might prefer to eat pasta that’s grain-free.

People who follow the “Paleo” diet choose to avoid all grains, especially wheat.
People who are sensitive to gluten must avoid grains that contain gluten, if they are to remain healthy.
Eating non-grain pasta means consuming fewer calories – if you are trying to lose weight, this could help.
Vegetable noodles are delicious and nutritious.

It’s strange but true – veggies taste better when they’re in a different shape! So give spiralizing a try, and you could find you’re enjoying vegetables a whole lot more.

December 1, 2015 by admin

Fresh Figs – a low histamine fruit

Fresh Figs: delicious and low-histamine

Figs are one of the fruits to be enjoyed on a low histamine diet.

There are hundreds of fig varieties, but only a few are usually found in farms and markets. Figs come in a range of colors from pale yellow, yellowish-green or brown to red or purple or even almost black. They may be striped or speckled, and their pulp varies widely in colour, too.

“The taste of a good fig, a tree-ripened, freshly-picked fig, is sublime. Many people these days have only ever tried figs bought from a supermarket, and finding the flavour and texture unpleasant, have believed thereafter that they don’t like figs. Do not judge figs on the frequently poor quality ones available commercially.

“A ripe, fresh fig should be tender and slightly soft. When you bite into it, a surge of silky, juicy, sweet, rich flavour fills your mouth. It is like jam eaten straight out of the jar, only infinitely more subtle and complex, with overtones of honey and flowers. When you look at the interior of the fruit from which you have taken a bite, you’ll see dense fringes of flowerlets lapped in a luscious, glistening syrup.”

Source: Figs: Rare and Heritage Fruit Cultivars #13

People who suffer from histamine intolerance should eat only fresh figs recently picked, or figs which have been frozen and recently defrosted in the refrigerator. (Dried figs are not part of the Strictly Low Histamine diet).

The National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia and Pick Your Own advise on how to freeze fresh figs:

How to ‘Wet Freeze’ Figs

Freeze within 12 hours of picking time, if possible. Prepare and freeze figs only about 1 1/2 litres (3 pints) at one time. Then repeat the process until all figs are frozen.

Make a medium sweetness syrup by mixing 3 cups sugar with 4 cups water. Simply stir the sugar into the water to dissolve. No heating is necessary.
Optional step: To the sugar syrup, add an citric/ascorbic add mixture bought at the grocery store (for example, “Fruit Fresh”) and follow the directions on the package, generally adding about 1 teaspoon per batch. This helps preserve colour and flavour.
Wash the figs. remove the stems and any soft spots. Slice the figs about 1/2 cm (¼-inch) thick.
Pack the sliced figs into polyethylene containers, ziploc bags, or vacuum freezer bags, allowing room to add about 1/2 cup of sugar syrup, and allowing about 1/2 inch per pint expansion room. More room will be needed for larger containers. Pack the containers to force out as much air as possible since air dries out the figs when they freeze. Be sure to label and date containers.
Place containers as quickly as possible into the coldest part of your freezer, allowing room around the containers to promote fast freezing. Containers can be packed more economically after they are frozen solid, usually 24 hours.

When you are ready to eat them, thaw the frozen figs in the refrigerator in the container.

How to ‘Dry Freeze’ Figs

To prevent darkening of light colored figs, dissolve 3/4 teaspoon (2250 mg) of ascorbic acid in 3 tablespoons cold water and sprinkle over 1 quart of fruit. Pack figs into containers, leaving some ‘headspace’.

These nutritious fruits (which are really flowers turned inside out) can be enjoyed in both sweet and savory recipes.

November 1, 2015 by admin

Are Your Medications Sabotaging Your Low-Histamine Diet?

Medications and Histamine

Many common over-the-counter and prescription medications can increase the levels of histamine in our bodies. Recently we received the following email from a reader of “Is Food Making You Sick?”. The writer has given us permission to publish the letter on this website, as it contains information that may be helpful to others.

“Like many other people I have been suffering (for a long time) from a range of symptoms that caused me great distress and seemed to have no real medical answer. Eczema so bad that the skin on my hands was literally falling off, in spite of daily application of moisturizers, urea creams and cortisone creams. Night-time gastric reflux so bad that I would wake in distress with acid crawling up from my stomach into my throat, burning all the way, eroding my teeth and esophagus and setting the stage for future health problems that could be even more serious. Early morning stomach cramps so agonizing I felt like screaming. General fatigue to the point of chronic exhaustion.

“Shortly before these symptoms appeared, I started taking anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds to help me cope with a traumatic event that had occurred in my family. I was also on ibuprofen, alternating with celecoxib, (NSAIDs) for back pain and knee problems.

“The gastroenterologist I consulted about the acid reflux gave me an upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy and then put me on ‘proton pump inhibitors’, which I was told I would have to remain on for the rest of my life.

“I was on the PPIs for years. Then I found out that the side-effects of taking PPIs long-term include increased susceptibility to intestinal infection and increased risk of bone fractures. That’s bone fractures of any part of the body – legs, arms, hips, spine… We all know that as people age, if they break a bone it can mean the beginning of the end… My future looked bleak, and to top it off, the PPIs were not having much effect on the gastric reflux. I was still suffering nightly stomach pain, though it was not quite as bad.

“Thank goodness for the Internet. In my desperation to find healing, I was searching health forums high and low and I found out about histamine intolerance. I immediately started following the low-histamine diet as described in “Is Food Making You Sick?”. I would do anything to get better, so it was worth a try. I managed to stop drinking alcohol every night (I had been self-medicating with it). The desire to escape nightly pain is what drove me and gave me the strength.

“I have to admit, I did not pay full attention to the list of histamine-provoking medications in the book. I concentrated mainly on the diet and supplements.

“Also, under my GP’s supervision, I came off the anti-depressants. It had dawned on me that they could mess with my histamine levels, so I substituted mediation and counseling for the drugs (it took several tries to find a counselor who actually gave me coping strategies instead of just nodding and saying, ‘and how did you feel about that?’, but that’s another story). I kept taking the benzodiazepine anti-anxiety pills, however.

“The first thing I noticed after starting the low-histamine diet was that my eczema, which I’d had for almost 10 years, started to disappear within days. This was great! However I still had the painful nightly reflux. Determined to get off PPIs I started taking antihistamines instead. I took Zantac, whose generic name is ranitidine. I took one every night before bed and was pain free all night, and able to ditch the PPIs. Hooray! I thought, I am off PPIs forever! – until I read on the Zantac packet that you are not supposed to take it for more than 14 days.

“I now knew that antihistamines could banish my acid reflux. Since I was on the low-histamine diet, I decided to ditch the Zantac. Bad move. The acid and pain returned. But WHY?

“Back to Doctor Google…. I looked up the side-effects of ranitidine… and found out that if you take it long-term, it has a rebound effect when you stop. So I thought, okay, I will counteract the rebound effect of ranitidine with Mylanta, Rennies and every other antacid known to man until the effect wears off. So I tried that and it didn’t work… Finally it dawned on me (duh!) – what if some of the other meds I am using are messing with my histamine levels and bringing on acid reflux?

“I had come off my histamine-raising anti-depressant, anti-reflux and antihistamine (ironic isn’t it?) meds, but I was still on NSAIDs and benzodiazepine anti-anxiety pills. (Anti anti anti!) Could these be causing the histamine-driven reflux?

“The list of histamine-raising meds in the book is long but not exhaustive, so I just typed the name of a medication into Google, followed by the word ‘histamine’, then looked at the first few references that appeared on reputable websites. And it turns out that my meds COULD and WERE causing me problems.

“To get off the anti-inflammatory NSAIDs I used ice packs on my knee. I consulted a physiotherapist and followed the stretching and exercise regime he gave me to improve my back pain. And eventually I got off the NSAIDs. 🙂

“The final barrier was the benzodiazepines – Oxazepam Temazepam, ‘Pams’ by any other name or Xanax (I have used them all). Every night I looked forward to sinking into the relaxed bliss of those pills. But the bliss was counteracted by the reflux pain, and I was determined not to go back to taking those bone-breaking PPIs any more.

“So I went off benzodiazepines (gradually… that wasn’t easy either…).

“And bingo.

“No more night-time acid reflux. And I’m sleeping well at last, and it’s all such an enormous relief that I actually feel HAPPY. Happy! Remember that?

“I am now staying ON the low-histamine diet and OFF the meds that were raising my histamine levels.

“These are the meds I no longer use, which all used to raise my histamine levels either instantly or as a rebound effect:

Proton pump inhibitors
Paracetamol
Anti-histamines
Anti-depressants
Benzodiazepines
Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs

“I am now (after a long period of struggle) drug-free, less tired, almost pain free (I still have some back pain) and eczema free. If the skin on the OUTSIDE of my body has healed, surely the skin INSIDE is healing too? Meaning the digestive tract?

“I don’t want to be on the low-histamine diet forever, but thank goodness it exists. And it is much easier to follow that some other diets I’ve resorted to, such as the candida diet! Nonetheless, I want to cheat on the low-histamine diet as much as I can if I can get away with it. ONLY if I can get away with it and not suffer! I do not want to pay the pain-price. So here’s hoping that if I stay on the diet long enough i will properly heal on the inside and produce more DAO and then be able to eat and drink all those high histamine foods/drinks from time to time while still remaining healthy and pain-free.

“Without the book, I never would have known about the diet or the fact that my meds were sabotaging my health.

“My advice to anyone who thinks they might have histamine intolerance is this: go on the diet but make sure you check ALL your meds to make sure they are not sabotaging you. It’s REALLY worth it. “

Editor’s Note:

Every body is different and not all cases of acid reflux and GERD will respond to a low histamine regime. If you do not find relief with the low histamine regime, you could try the low FODMAP diet, the VLC (very low carbohydrate) diet, the SCD (specific carbohydrate diet) or the GAPS diet.

Health and medical information disclaimer:

The information provided on this website is intended only to aid you in making informed decisions about your health. It is not intended to be a substitute for advice and treatment prescribed by a registered dietitian, nutritionist or doctor. The content of this website may not be used as a basis or means for any form of self-diagnosis. If you suspect that you have a medical problem, we urge you to seek the help of a medical practitioner.

October 1, 2015 by admin

Grow Fresh Food in Small Spaces

You Can Grow Your Own Fresh Food Almost Anywhere!

Histamine develops and accumulates to high levels in aging food. Eating old, long-stored food can provoke symptoms in people with histamine intolerance.
The best way to make sure your food is fresh is to grow it yourself. If you can simply reach out and pick a few lettuce or rocket leaves, or pull up some carrots or pluck some herbs, you can not only stay healthy, you can cut down on ‘food miles’ and your grocery bills. You can ‘eat fresh’ every day. If you don’t happen to live on a farm, you can still enjoy your own fresh vegetable patch.

In the USA, gardeners like Paul Wheaton are spreading the word about growing your own organic foods sustainably and living in small spaces. HGTV has free online articles with helpful suggestions, such as Intensive Gardening Makes Small Spaces Work Double Time and Edible Gardening in Small Spaces.
The Univeristy of Maine in its article on Gardening in Small Spaces says, “At a time when Americans are overweight and under-exercised more than ever before, consider that a 150-pound person working in the garden will burn approximately 350 calories per hour. That’s roughly equivalent to doing low-impact aerobics, playing softball, pulling a cart while playing golf, walking at a very brisk pace, or playing vigorously with children. Of course, consuming home-grown vegetables is good for your health as well. Fresh vegetables are loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, all of which play a role in cancer prevention and general good health. And when you grow your own vegetables, you know exactly how they were grown and where they originated—issues of food safety and security that are becoming more and more important to our society.”

Alan Titchmarsh, arguably the most famous gardener in the UK, says, ““I think it is a very underrated mission, encouraging people to grow things and to look after that little patch of ground outside their house. Hopefully [his TV gardening series] shows just how important gardens are. It sounds like a grandiose claim, but they can, and do, change lives. They are a safety valve, an oasis, a sanctuary, somewhere to feel at one with nature, all of those things. I always call them an escape to reality because that is the real world, really. And if you can make a garden that suits you and your sensibilities, you realise its value. It will aid the environment immeasurably and give them enormous solace, stimulation and pleasure.” His book “How to Garden: Vegetables and Herbs” is useful for UK gardeners.

Your own Backyard

Clive Blazey, the Australian founder of the Digger’s Club, says, “If you plan your garden carefully, you can grow a remarkable amount of produce in only a few square meters of space. To feed a family of four for a whole year, you only need 40 square meters of ground.” One of Mr Blazey’s “mini plots” could easily fit into the area occupied by a small suburban backyard. Or, to feed one person for a year all you require is ten square meters of ground.
Mr Blazey’s method is based on successional plantings, and you can read about it in his book The Australian Vegetable Garden. The method can be adapted to any country or climate.

Your Courtyard, Deck or Patio

Containers such as flower pots, tubs and hanging baskets can be used to grow your own fresh produce in small spaces.

Your Roof

Roof gardening is growing in popularity. Up there, there’s plenty of sunshine for growing plants. As an added bonus, growing vegetables on a roof can be a great way to insulate a home or office space. Do your research first – you need to be able to safely access the roof and make sure it’s properly waterproofed.

Your Windowsill

No home is too small to grow herbs and salad greens for the kitchen. Potted plants can thrive even on a sunny windowsill. Freshness means low histamine, and growing your own living herbs for muffins, garnishes, main courses and salads etc. is the best way to ensure freshness. Products like the ‘Jiffy Windowsill Greenhouse” can help.

Get Plants for Free!

You don’t have to always buy plants, seedlings and seeds. Once you have a plant, you can propagate more. Find out how to make your own new plants from old, using simple techniques such as seed-saving or taking cuttings. Propagating Fruit Plants will tell you how.

September 1, 2015 by admin

Freezing foods for freshness

The Ice-Man Cometh …

Histamine is odorless, flavorless and invisible to the naked eye – thus, it is undetectable without scientific instruments. It starts to accumulate in plant and animal foods as soon as the plant or animal dies, and continues to build up over time. This is why it is chiefly found in aged, cured, fermented, cultured, and spoiled foods. Histamine itself is not destroyed by cooking, freezing, hot smoking or canning.
So how can people with histamine intolerance cope?

Choose to eat foods that are low in histamine and histamine-triggering compounds. (See the book “Is Food Making You Sick?“)
Eat only foods that are very fresh.
Make the most of your freezer!

Freezing foods is just about the only thing that halts the development of histamine. If you don’t have your own vegetable patch or herb garden, or if you cannot get to the supermarket every couple of days to buy fresh produce, take advantage of the modern convenience of a freezer. Do not allow food to languish for days in the refrigerator. If you’re not going to eat it straight away – freeze it. Defrost it when you are ready to eat it.

Of course foods like lettuces do not freeze well, but it is possible to freeze herbs and retain their flavor, if not their texture. Wash them and chop them first.

Here are some helpful suggestions for freezing herbs:

Simply place them in a freezer-bag or zipper-lock bag and store them in the freezer for up to two weeks.
Place chopped herbs into the compartments of an ice-cube tray, cover them with water and freeze them. You can leave them in the tray or put the frozen herb-blocks into a freezer-bag or zipper-lock bag and store them in the freezer for up to two weeks.
Put chopped herbs into the compartments of an ice-cube tray, cover them with vegetable oil and freeze them. Freezing in oil best preserves the flavor.