Exercise is good for you, so why does it make you sick?

New studies show that aerobic exercise raises histamine levels. This isn’t news to me. When playing squash I have to take time outs to scratch myself silly and wait for the room to stop spinning. My man, now used to such bizarre-isms, plays against the wall for a while till it calms down again. I looked a lot crazier, to a much larger crowd, during our recent trapezing class! I’m sure I can thank adrenaline for that…What really interested me in this particular study is that they determined resistance training (weights/yoga) doesn’t raise histamine levels. They highlight how histamine released by aerobic exercise causes significant vasodilation (the widening of blood vessels in the body).This study ties in nicely with last week’s post about histamine being a vasoactive amine that can increase or decrease heart rate and induce anxiety-mimicking symptoms.

 

*Resistance training is any exercise that causes the muscles to contract against an external resistance with the expectation of increases in strength, tone, mass, and/or endurance. The external resistance can be dumbbells, rubber exercise tubing, your own body weight, bricks, bottles of water, or any other object that causes the muscles to contract. http://www.emedicinehealth.com/strength_training/article_em.htm

Interestingly, I meeting quite a few people who are being prescribed anti-histamines by their docs to deal with asthma/wheezing, abnormally high heart rate and passing out while exercising. Wouldn’t it be simpler to go on a low histamine diet? Probably not, but it would yield better (healthier) results!

What does this mean for your work out routine? 

Aerobic exercise, like my current favorites kickboxing and squash, can significantly raise histamine levels in the body. The upside (because in my world there always is one) is that people pay good money for pharmaceutical vasodilators to lower their blood pressure. The downside (other than the spike in histamine for those of us with histaminosis/histamine intolerance), is the migraines that accompany vasodilation. I often get migraine like headaches if it’s too hot in yoga class.

Does this mean I shouldn’t exercise?

I’m asked this a lot, usually by life long couch potatoes!

What I take from this study is that it might be a good idea, if you’re suffering from histaminosis/histamine intolerance, to explore “non dynamic” exercise like weight training, or my perennial favourite, yoga. Speaking of which, did you know that one of the many studies on yoga showed that females who practiced yoga regularly had 41% lower stress markers than non-yogis? And significantly lower inflammation! Given that inflammation (caused by high histamine) is a huge concern to those of us with histaminosis/histamine intolerance, it’s food for thought the next time you’re crashed out on the sofa telling yourself that exercise is bad (while contemplating another root around the fridge).

So what’s a histamine-challenged gal to do?

We’ve all been there, but there’s really no time like the present for a full body/mind make over. Try waking up tomorrow and investing in a yoga mat and a $15 subscription to Yogaglo online classes. I promise you won’t regret it.

Don’t forget to sign up to my newsletter for free recipes and a 10% discount on ebooks…and why not check out how I keep my histamine level in check and stay anti-histamine free with my low histamine DAO Support Recipe Book and The Low Histamine Desserts Book?

15 responses to “Exercise is good for you, so why does it make you sick?”

  1. Laura West Kong Avatar

    Thanks for this info.

    People joke about being “allergic” to exercise, but in my case it just might be true. When I don’t get my diet just right, I get a painful rash during/after exercise, as if I’m allergic to my own sweat. My skin gets so uncomfortable when exercising that I’ve cut the sleeves off my running shirts. And lately, killer migranes after longer runs. When I eat the right things though, (not an easy task, as “right” is unfortunately a moving target) I can truly enjoy my workouts, both during and after.

    Good to know about the yoga and weight training. I used to do both quite regularly. Yoga actually helped bring me back to a normal, healthy state after a very extreme case of food intolerance and inflammation problems. I’ve recently taken it up again. Hope I can keep up with both. I’ll give up the running again if I have to, but I’d rather keep it if I can.

  2. thelowhistaminechef Avatar

    Hi there!

    Thanks for reading, and taking the time to comment. Yup all sounds familiar. My hands would start to tingle and then go numb when I ran…I found that running earlier in the day helped me work off the excess histamine and running on a treadmill was better than outdoors (less pollen). Lots of ice cold water and a cool gym environment. Nowadays I enjoy kickboxing and squash, in addition to the yoga. I’m just really careful with what I eat, especially on work out days.

  3. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    I just realize I’m histamine intolerant but cycling is my life. I realize I can do short (3hrs) or more than 3 times a week especially in the heat I’ll be wasted after the ride. Basically the harder I train the weaker I get and I lose a lot of weight (BMI: 19). What can I do to be able to ride hard and long as I was able to do before?

  4. sourcem Avatar
    sourcem

    I have subscribed to your newsletter and now would like to order some ebooks. How do I get the 10% discount? Please let me know.

    Thanks,
    kailash

  5. thelowhistaminechef Avatar

    Hi Kailash, I’m sadly no longer offering that discount. I wasn’t able to sustain the loss while also giving away free recipes that cost me quite a bit to develop and photograph. I need to go through my website and remove all mentions of it thanks for reminding me!

  6. thelowhistaminechef Avatar

    Hi Kailash, I’m sadly no longer offering that discount. I wasn’t able to sustain the loss while also giving away free recipes that cost me quite a bit to develop and photograph. I need to go through my website and remove all mentions of it thanks for reminding me!

  7. Amelia Avatar
    Amelia

    Thank you for this article. It makes so much sense to me. Often even going for a walk makes me feel a lot worse afterwards. And last time I went for a run I fell over. Without realising why I have been only doing yoga for the past few months. But I practise bikrim (ie hot) yoga. Is this ok? I do it in the mornings and find it really helpful with detoxification.

  8. thelowhistaminechef Avatar

    If you can deal with it and your doc says it’s ok, go for it! It has taken me a long time to work my way up to being able to exercise in the heat. It’s still challenging at times, but I’m definitely getting there!

  9. Lauren Avatar
    Lauren

    I do weight training 2-3 times a week and after I’m done I have an itchy rash all over my chest and abdomen area. I also have constriction of my airway (exercised induced asthma)

  10. Lauren Avatar
    Lauren

    I do weight training 2-3 times a week and after I’m done I have an itchy rash all over my chest and abdomen area. I also have constriction of my airway (exercised induced asthma)

  11. Jodi Avatar
    Jodi

    Wow, this is really interesting. I’m dealing with a leaky gut and candida, so, just jumping on board with your nutrition/recipes. Thanks for the Paleo version. Lately, I eat and seem to have a histamine reaction with itchy skin head to toe and my eyes swell up unrecognizably. For as long as I can remember, I have hated heat and humidity, and even walking/hiking in the heat made my hands turn red and swell up like balloons, itching like mad. And I don’t handle stress well, which is affecting my liver and digestion in general. So thankful to stumble upon your FB page and website!!!!!

  12. Jamie Avatar
    Jamie

    Hey, what does it mean if Yoga and Weight lifting sets off a stress response?!

    I feel irritable, itchy and fatigued very quickly after the SR goes off. I don’t eat low histamine, yet at least, so is it just the built up histamine releasing?

  13. Jamie Avatar
    Jamie

    Hey, what does it mean if Yoga and Weight lifting sets off a stress response?!

    I feel irritable, itchy and fatigued very quickly after the SR goes off. I don’t eat low histamine, yet at least, so is it just the built up histamine releasing?

  14. thelowhistaminechef Avatar

    Hi Me, as you read this blog you’ll find I don’t “allude” to things. The study is linked in the post, in the first graph. Click on the word “study”. It’s hard to spit because it’s in black, but on my previous template in was in another colour. When I changed website templates some links changed colour. This is one of my earliest blog posts before I decided on how best to format the posts, references are now always on the bottom of the post. I’m an ex-journalist and approach my blog as I did my time as a news producer. I show where I get my information from.There’s a number of more recent posts on exercise. Use the search toolbar on the upper right just under the banner and you’ll find more information.

  15. thelowhistaminechef Avatar

    Hi Jodi,thanks for reading. Hope you’re doing better.

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Welcome!

Yasmina was an award-winning broadcast journalist with a decade of experience covering war zones for CNN and the BBC. She devoted her journalism skills to researching and writing about histamine. Click here to learn about her. Each post is carefully and fully referenced with the latest scientific research. Not sure where to start? Here’s a four week meal plan and overall Histamine Reset.


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