There are two things that immediately spring to mind when I’m asked for the fastest, cheapest, and easiest way of fighting histamine inflammation:
Remove junk and processed food from your diet
Go plant based, for at least a time
I’m not saying we need to buy into the vegan ideology and start wearing pleather, but rather that a short burst of plant power can help kickstart the inflammation healing process. Going plant based for about a year made a huge difference to my health, and I’m once again favouring a mostly green diet nowadays.
For this reason, and because of the staggering number of emails I’ve received since launching the histamine reset, I’ve created a plant only version of my four week program. The new 28 day plant based histamine reset features amazing foods with antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties found in your local supermarket.
There’s also a dose of meditation, stress relief, and happiness strategies. I’ve often referred to happiness as the best antihistamine.
If you’re not interested in embracing plants long term, you’ll also have access to the regular version of the plan, plus the 7 day vegan meal planner, and the 7 day low histamine and low salicylate planner. I created these so that you have a quick guide to dive into any time you need a reset.
If you’ve already purchased the original program, please don’t worry, you’ve just been given access to the plant based meal planners. You’ll now find an icon to click in weeks 1-4.
Quercetin, rutin, and luteolin are bioflavonoids with antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties. While we can take them in supplement form, tens of thousands of readers just like you have found that a diet rich in these compounds significantly beneficial.
Studies have shown that quercetin is more effective than the most commonly prescribed mast cell stabiliser at preventing the release if histamine and other inflammatory agents like prostaglandins in the body.
In case you’ve missed it: histamine is found in foods but also in the body, where it lives in white blood cells called “mast cells”. When mast cells are triggered (by stress, allergies, foods with histamine, chemicals, medications, and others), they release histamine and other inflammatory molecules into the bloodstream. This is a quick overview of what I cover in detail in the Histamine Reset.
PLANTS ARE FULL OF ANTIOXIDANTS
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) found in foods with high omega 6 content (like soy beans, sunflower oil, animal meats) generate
free radicals. Not only are these linked to cancer and age related disease, but they also trigger mast cells into releasing histamine.
Antioxidant foods can help prevent this damage. Research tells us that consuming antioxidant foods at every meal helps us stay out of “oxidative debt”.
Dr. Michael McGregor, New York Times bestselling author of How Not to Die, tells us that antioxidants are required at every meal, not just once a day. This is why every meal in my planner, and in my personal life, features antioxidant rich foods to help battle inflammation.
A 28 DAY PROGRAM FULL OF FOODS WITH ANTIHISTAMINE & ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES
In addition to everything below you’ll get:
A 7 day ultra low histamine vegan meal planner
A 7 day ultra low histamine low histamine and low salicylate meal planner
The 28 day plant based histamine reset program with plant based meals
The 28 day regular histamine reset program with animal protein
Yasmina’s Shopping List
Tips & Techniques For Relaxation & Stress Reduction
Vitamin C is an antihistamine compound with significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that could be perfectly suited to histamine intolerance. Choosing the right one though can be tricky. Here’s how to navigate the crowded supplement market and maximise Vitamin C’s benefits on histamine.
ANTIHISTAMINE VITAMIN C
Vitamin C has long been in the treatment arsenal of specialist doctors who deal with a histamine related condition called mast cell activation. Just a few days of vitamin C deficiency can drive histamine levels up.
Histamine finds its way into our inflammation/histamine bucket by us eating foods rich in it, or when white blood cells in our body release it. This is supposed to happen when we’re injured, sick, or in need of healing.A steady supply of histamine is needed by the brain to regulate our sleep cycle, by the stomach to get digestion going, and for many other key bodily processes. But sometimes too much histamine ie released just by getting stressed out, or eating the wrong foods.
While Vitamin C has not been shown to prevent mast cells from releasing histamine, it has proven beneficial effects on systemic mast cell inflammation. An example of this is how vitamin C decreases bronchiole hypersensitivity caused by the cold virus, which is a process that involves mast cells.
VITAMIN C BOOSTS DAO
Optimal function of the histamine degrading diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme relies on a number of nutrients: copper, vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium and others. But Vitamin C in particular gives DAO a significant boost, which is another mechanism by which vitamin C lowers histamine inflammation.
VITAMIN C FIGHTS HISTAMINE INDUCED SEA SICKNESS
One of my most annoying symptoms over the years has been inconsistent motion sickness which came and went seemingly with no pattern. Till I linked it to my high histamine days, a link corroborated by the medical literature I later found.
USING VITAMIN C
Medical studies on vitamin C use in mast cell activation, sea sickness, and just generally used to study its effect on inflammation, have found one to three grams of vitamin C to be optimal.
Please note however that vitamin C in large doses has been found to cause mast cell mediated stomach issues like loose stools, so it’s important not to use too high a dose.
Vitamin C is flushed out of the body quite quickly, so I tend to take it a few times a day when using it. Please consult your doctor for the optimal dose and frequency.
With kiwis, oranges, lemons, and many high histamine fruits off the menu, how on earth do we get an adequate supply of vitamin C?
Kholrabi & broccoli
Mango
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Blackberries
Blueberries
Bell peppers (nightshade family)
VITAMIN C SUPPLEMENTS
My favourite supplements are made from real foods.
Camu Camu: myrciaria dubia is a berry with amazing anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. I have no information on its salicylate or oxalate status, but I have been adding it to smoothies and juices for years.
Ascorbyl palmitate: not made from corn or dextrose fermentation of any kind.
I spent a few years enjoying Twinlab’s corn free Quercetin plus Vitamin C corn free supplement; but it was sadly discontinued and is now being sold on Amazon for $500 a bottle. It was a great product but no, it’s not worth that.
Camu camu is an excellent powder that at least one mast cell specialist has been recommending to patients.
Difficulty remembering things? Starting to think Alzheimer’s is setting in? Don’t worry just yet. It may have nothing to do with the number of candles on your birthday cake. Those with mast cell disorders and histamine intolerance often report a lack of mental clarity and focus, as well as varying levels of forgetfulness.
This is all likely due to a combination of chronic inflammation, oxidative stress/free radicals, and the body being kept in a chronic state of stress. Studies show histamine levels have a direct effect on the formation of memories. Something I frequently refer to as “goldfish brain”.
While a certain level of histamine is necessary for brain function (and even critical), including learning and memory, too much is detrimental. Out of control histamine levels are a recipe for cognitive catastrophe. And that’s where those of us with mast cell disorders live…
In animal studies, disturbances in the brain’s histamine system causes an inability to retrieve memories. In some studies, histamine itself was shown to decrease memory retention, while blocking the histamine receptors was shown to increase memory retention. However, other studies demonstrate the opposite — with histamine increasing memory.
It’s probably better to focus on other factors, like oxidative stress, inflammation, and the chronic fight-or-flight stress response.
HISTAMINE AFFECTS INFORMATION STORAGE
Oxidative Stress
Histamine can cause a number of issues with cognitive function due, in part, to the oxidative stress (free radicals) it produces. One of the main free radicals produced by mast cells is superoxide, which is deployed by the immune system as a defense against threats — particularly harmful microorganisms. While superoxide is there for our benefit– to protect us– it also is toxic to the body and damages our tissues, including brain tissue. Oxidative stress in the hippocampus in the brain leads to memory issues.
Inflammatory Cytokines
The inflammatory cytokines which are increased in the presence of high histamine have also been shown to break down the hippocampus, the memory center of the brain.
A study published in the journal, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, found that the cytokines produced by mast cells, IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, play a role in the brain’s ability to make new connections and grow new brain cells. This has huge implications for learning and memory.
TNF-alpha is especially bad for memory because it suppresses orexin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that is important for the acquisition and consolidation of new memories, as well as for long-term memory storage.
It’s interesting to note that TNF-alpha levels are high in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) patients as well as in post-chemotherapy brains — Hence “Chemo Brain.”
IL-1beta, which tends to accompany TNF-alpha, has many similar functions, including the tendency to induce IL-6. TNF-alpha and IL-1 also induce each other, keeping the inflammatory cycle going.
Since IL-1beta suppresses the brain’s production of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), another chemical critical for memory, the brain receives yet another hit in the memory department.
IL-6 is another cytokine that decreases BDNF and has been associated with cognitive decline in human studies.
Chronic state of Stress
The limbic system is the emotional area of the brain, which deals with stressors, and the hippocampus is within its jurisdiction. The hippocampus is critical for long term memory storage. When it is impaired with inflammation and degeneration, memory may be compromised; this is seen in extreme form with the diagnosis of dementia.
OFFSETTING HISTAMINE’S NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON MEMORY
Luteolin-rich Foods
According to Dr. Theoharides at Tufts University, brain fog (often resulting in memory loss) may be due to inflammatory molecules and histamine released from mast cells, causing brain inflammation. AND naturally occurring flavonoids, like luteolin (and quercetin to an extent), can help. Quercetin and luteolin rich foods include: broccoli, parsley, artichoke, butternut squash, and all the foods in my Histamine Reset program.
Neuroprotek
This luteolin, quercetin, and rutin supplement combines the flavonoids with oil, thereby apparently increasing absorption. It changed my life in so many ways but the most meaningful has been throwing off the shackles of my repressed brain function.
Curcumin
Curcumin is powerful against both oxidative stress and inflammation. It specifically inhibits the release of cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha mentioned earlier that are behind chronic inflammation, suppression of orexin, and memory problems.
Increase Orexin
Strategies to boost orexin include using red light therapy (I use the Joovv light), getting outside for some sunshine, interval training, takeing it easy on sugars, and lightly restricting calories.
You’ll find recipes full of foods with antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties my booksAnti-Recipes and The Anti-Cookbook.
Use it or lose it
Let’s not overlook that our brain needs exercise too: scientists suggest learning a new language, take a different route to work, brush your teeth with the non-dominant hand, anything to take the brain out of auto pilot.
———- REFERENCES ————
Cristiano André Köhler, Weber Cláudio da Silva, Fernando Benetti, and Juliana Sartori Bonini, “Histaminergic Mechanisms for Modulation of Memory Systems,” Neural Plasticity, vol. 2011, Article ID 328602, 16 pages, 2011. doi:10.1155/2011/328602
Clark, I. A., & Vissel, B. (2014). Inflammation-sleep interface in brain disease: TNF, insulin, orexin. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 11, 51. http://doi.org/10.1186/1742-2094-11-51
Eidi, M., Zarrindast, M. R., Eidi, A., Oryan, S., and Parivar, K. (2003). Effects of histamine and cholinergic systems on memory retention of passive avoidance learning in rats. European Journal of Pharmacology, 465(1-2), 91-96.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12650837
Henderson, W. R. and Kaliner, M. (1978). Immunologic and nonimmunologic generation of superoxide from mast cells and basophils.
Journal of Clinical Investigation, 61(1), 187-196. doi:10.1172/JCI108917.
Klein, B., Mrowetz, H., Thalhamer, J., Scheiblhofer, S., Weiss, R., and Aigner, L. (2016). Allergy enhances neurogenesis and modulates microglial activation in the hippocampus. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 10(169), n. p. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2016.00169
McAfoose, J. and Baune, B. T. (2009). Evidence for a cytokine model of cognitive function.Neuroscience Biobehavioral Review,33(3), 355-66. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18996146
Rada, B., Boudreau, H. E., Park, J. J., & Leto, T. L. (2014). Histamine Stimulates Hydrogen Peroxide Production by Bronchial Epithelial Cells via Histamine H1 Receptor and Dual Oxidase. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, 50(1), 125–134. http://doi.org/10.1165/rcmb.2013-0254OC
Silva, R. H. et. al. (2004). Role of hippocampal oxidative stress in memory deficits induced by sleep deprivation in mice. Neuropharmacology. 46(6): 895-903. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15033349
Sikora, E., Bielak-Zmijewska, A., Mosieniak, G., Piwocka, K. (2010). The promise of slow down ageing may come from curcumin. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 16(7), 884-92. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20388102
Singh-Manoux, A., Dugravot, A., Brunner, E., Kumari, M., Shipley, M., Elbaz, A., & Kivimaki, M. (2014). Interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein as predictors of cognitive decline in late midlife. Neurology, 83(6), 486–493. http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000000665
Theoharides,T.C., Conti,P. and Economu, M., 2014. Brain inflammation, neuropsychiatric disorders, and immunoendocrine effects of luteolin. J Clin Psychopharmacol 34, 187-189.
Theoharides, T. C., Alysandratos, K.-D., Angelidou, A., Delivanis, D.-A., Sismanopoulos, N., Zhang, B., … Kalogeromitros, D. (2012). Mast cells and inflammation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1822(1), 21–33. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2010.12.014
Tong, L., Balazs, R., Soiampornkul, R., Thangnipon, W., & Cotman, C. W. (2008). Interleukin-1β impairs brain derived neurotrophic factor-induced signal transduction. Neurobiology of Aging, 29(9), 1380–1393. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2007.02.027
While it might seem like we’re off the histamine topic here, please remember that stress hormones trigger histamine release. That means that lowering stress is an important strategy in fighting histamine.
Many studies in the last few years have highlighted how stress hormones trigger mast cells (white blood cells found in the body) into releasing histamine. This is bad. If we’re already having trouble with histamine inflammation, the last thing we need is stress.
Writing about stress and how to resolve it has become a mission in the last few years. It has become very apparent in my own case and it those of thousands of my readers, stress is the reason some of us fail to resolve inflammation.
WHY WORRY ABOUT STRESS
Stress triggers histamine release
Stress causes mast cells to release inflammation when it’s not needed
Stress is linked to atrophy of the hippocampus
Stress is involved in age related cognitive decline and increased Alzheimer’s risk
CALORIE RESTRICTION FIGHTS STRESS
A study published in the journal of Psychoneuroendicrinology, which is the study of how our mental state affects the brain and hormone system, had some interesting findings on fasting. Research on primates revealed that restricting calories by thirty percent reduced psychological stress reactivity.
They also found that calorie restriction:
Reduced stress without affecting activity or attention.
Prevented stress related loss in volume and tissue density in brain areas related to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s
The overall take away was that a thirty percent reduction in calories prevented cortisol mediated damage to the brain.
I’ve written in the past about how complete fasting, the total absence of calories as in water fasting, can trigger stress hormone mediated histamine release. It’s simple: not eating a thing can be very stressful to the body and mind.
Numerous animal studies find that extreme calorie restriction triggers a stress hormone cascade that has a significant effect on mast cells and histamine. On the flip side we find that short term water fasting can interrupt the anaphylaxis process. I don’t however recommend trying this at home.
Without getting overly technical, here’s how water fasting triggers stress:
Our body and brain need fuel: interrupt that process and we become stressed
Wondering if we’re doing the right thing: fears of fainting, blood sugar
Boredom: being too weak to do much, coupled with having way too much time to do it in, can be stressful
HOW DO WE SAFELY RESTRICT CALORIES?
There is a good chance that due to overly restrictive elimination diets many reading this post are already too low in calories and aren’t feeling the stress relief benefits. In this case I would suggest speaking with your doctor or a nutritionist about raising your calories and practicing some stress relief techniques. Stress is a huge part of the histamine puzzle, which is why I incorporate it into my daily routine. Thousands of readers are experiencing the incredible change themselves in my 28 day histamine reset. We cover daily stress relief, some light exercise to fight inflammation, and of course outline what a healthy anti-inflammatory diet looks like.
For the rest of us, safely restricting calories is best done by working with a nutritionist. Then we will be sure to have the right amount of micro and macro nutrients made available to the body without further causing deficiencies so commonly found in restrictive diets.
At least once a month I restrict my calories by about fifty percent for five days. Some months I practice standard calorie restriction of about thirty percent. But I make sure to have months were I have a higher calorie intake.
Restricting calories is tricky to get right. The goal is not to starve ourselves, but to lightly restrict intake for either a few days or longer, to enjoy the anti-inflammatory benefits of calorie restriction and fasting mimicking.
——— REFERENCES ——
Calorie restriction reduces psychological stress reactivity and its association with brain volume and microstructure in aged rhesus monkeys. (2011, November 25). Retrieved January 26, 2018, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306453011003106
With all the conflicting information out there about which foods are pro- or anti- histamine, pro- or anti- inflammatory, it can be difficult to navigate the supermarket. Some anti-inflammatory foods can be high histamine (avocado, walnuts), and high histamine levels lead to inflammation. How do we know what to eat to resolve our chronic inflammation and promote health and wellbeing? As I’ve discussed before, certain healthy foods, while causing some level of inflammation due to one or two constituents (histamine, oxalates, salicylates, etc) may have enough beneficial effects for the body to make them worth incorporating (perhaps in small amounts) into an overall low histamine, anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense diet plan. At the very least on a longer rotation (but please always rule out allergies and check with a doctor before adding anything new). Since histamine intolerance and mast cell activation are conditions of chronic inflammation, it’s really more important to focus on promoting the resolution of inflammation than agonizing over whether a phytonutrient-rich, higher histamine or salicylate food is completely on or off the diet.
INFLAMMATION HEALS
The most important thing to understand is that inflammation is not just something to be avoided. Inflammation is part of the body’s natural process of problem-solving and healing. In fact, just as there are pro-inflammatory agents that induce inflammation and anti-inflammatory agents that inhibit inflammation, so also there are a family of chemicals in the body that promote the resolution of the inflammatory state, encouraging the repair of tissues and helping the body return to a state of homeostasis.These chemicals are called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), and they are produced when white blood cells called neutrophils arrive at the site of injury. These problem-solving SPMs are produced from omega 3 fatty acids (particularly DHA and EPA), so it’s easy to see how much of a role our dietary choices play in resolving chronic inflammation. It’s actually much more important to promote the production of these SPMs through diet than it is to try to prevent inflammation from occurring. After all, anti- damage isn’t the same as pro- healing.
WHAT DIETARY STRATEGIES RESOLVE INFLAMMATION?
How can we help the body produce more of its natural inflammation-resolvers? Of the 4 varieties of SPMs produced by the body, 3 of them (resolvins, protectins, and maresins) come from the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA and 1 of them (lipoxins) is derived from the omega 6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid (AA). Since these are essential fatty acids, meaning they must be taken in through foods because the body cannot manufacture them, then it’s a good idea to make sure we get enough EPA and DHA in our diets. Omnivores, of course, can get them in through consumption of wild caught fatty fish like salmon and sardines. Vegans will have to supplement with an algal based oil, such as Dr. Fuhrman’s DHA+EPA Purity. Beyond the omega 3s for SPM production, it is a good idea to incorporate as many nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods as possible, even if some of them promote a small amount of inflammation. Just use your own judgment and consume according to tolerance. The combination of inhibiting inflammation to some extent while also promoting its resolution may be the best strategy for not only reducing levels of chronic inflammation in the body, but also for healing and returning to a balanced state.
—- REFERENCES —- Buckley, C. D., Gilroy, D. W., & Serhan, C. N. (2014). Pro-Resolving lipid mediators and Mechanisms in the resolution of acute inflammation. Immunity, 40(3), 315-327. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2014.02.009
As I discussed in my post, Histamine & Salicylic Acid (Salicylate) Intolerance, those with mast cell disorders and histamine intolerance may also have reactions after being exposed to salicylates in foods and other substances.
WHAT ARE SALICYLATES?
Salicylates are a type of phenol, a group of naturally-occurring chemicals made up of a benzene ring with one or more hydroxyl (OH) groups attached. Phenols are rich in plant foods and have both benefits and drawbacks at certain amounts (high levels may be toxic) or for certain people.
SYMPTOMS OF SALICYLATE SENSITIVITY
Itchy skin, hives, rash
Stomach pain
Asthma, chronic cough
Headaches
Swelling
Fatigue
Stuffy nose
Tinnitus
SALICYLATE INTOLERANCE IS INVOLVED IN
Salicylate intolerance is believed to play a role in gastrointestinal disorders like IBS, colitis and Crohn’s.
It’s linked to asthma, and maybe attention deficit disorders, but certainly to inflammation as a whole.
Children with autism tend to have higher occurrences of salicylate intolerance. Dr. Rosemary Waring, a researcher at the Birmingham University in the UK, found that children with autism tend to have a deficiency of the phenol – sulfotransferase-P (PST) enzyme (the enzyme that breaks down the phenols like salicylates and also amines) and/or a lowered ability to break down sulfur compounds and convert them to sulfates. As a result, the children also had a deficiency in sulfates, which are needed by the PST enzyme to break down phenols and amines –salicylates and histamine.
In another study by Dr. Waring, people with chronic illness (fibromyalgia/CFS, IBS, migraines, arthritis, MCS, and depression) tended to have an abnormal cysteine to sulfate ratio — usually high cysteine levels to low sulfate levels. The above diagnoses are often found alongside a mast cell disorder/histamine intolerance diagnosis.
SALICYLATES AND SULFATES
The takeaway here is that those with histamine issues may also have difficulty breaking down salicylates due to lowered levels of sulfates.
Those with histamine issues tend to have chronic inflammation –and therefore high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. As a result, prostaglandins are produced. Prostaglandins are a group of lipids that our bodies produce at sites of injury, like damaged or infected tissues. They are a part of the body’s immune and inflammatory response.
SALICYALTES AND PROSTAGLANDINS
Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) is the main prostaglandin that is released by mast cells along with histamine. It can have either inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effects, depending on the context. In fact, PGD2 can either increase or decrease inflammation in allergies. However, high levels of prostaglandin D2 are associated with a worse reaction to salicylic acid in medications, as were low levels of anti-inflammatory prostaglandin E2 (PGE2).
PGD2 is derived from arachidonic acid, which is an omega 6 fatty acid. Omega 6 fatty acids, when they are consumed too much in excess of omega 3s, creates inflammation — including such pro-inflammatory messengers as PGD2.
WHAT FOODS & NUTRIENTS CAN HELP LOWER SALICYLATE SENSITIVITIES?
Omega-3 Rich Foods
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to increase the conversion of COX enzymes to prostaglandin E3, which in turn prevents the conversion of arachidonic acid (Omega 6) to PGE2 and PGD2 and triggering an inflammatory response in the body.
One small study of only three patients with severe salicylate sensitivity (presenting as hives, anaphylactic reactions, and asthma require steroid therapy) found that supplementation with 10 grams of fish oil per day resolved their symptoms. When the dose of fish oil was lowered, symptoms relapsed.
Peppers! (Capsaicin)
Capsaicin is the compound that gives chiles their heat. According to both animal and human studies, regular consumption of capsaicin reduces the bioavailability of salicylates in the bloodstream, allowing a higher amount to be consumed without adverse effects.
Most peppers contain some level of capsaicin; however bell peppers, pimentos, and sweet banana peppers have none. Habanero, Thai, Tabasco, and Cayenne are some of the highest capsaicin-containing peppers out there. An informal “study” run by an Australian group documents the consumption of up to 1 gram of chili powder before high salicylate meals to avoid symptoms. I DON’T RECOMMEND THIS. A little
Nigella sativa
Histamine 2 antagonists (H2 antagonists or H2 blockers), like Zantac, have been shown to protect the stomach lining against aspirin (salicylic acid). So it’s possible that lowering histamine will decrease reactions to salicylates. Nigella sativa is a good natural H2 blocker, but it may be high in salicylates.
LIFESTYLE STRATEGIES TO LOWER SALICYLATE SENSITIVITY
Get some sun!
UVB radiation from the sun (best from 10am to 3pm during the summer) has been shown to increase levels of anti-inflammatory PGE2, which has been shown to improve tolerance of (pharmaceutically derived) salicylates.
Epsom Baths
Epsom salts supply sulfur in the sulfate form directly through your skin. Normalizing your sulfate levels, as mentioned above, may help improve salicylate tolerance.
Desensitization
In a clinical setting, desensitization treatment is based on the administration of increasing quantities of acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin). The first dose is usually 5 mg. The single doses are then increased up to 100 to 300 mg, which must then be taken once daily on a long-term basis.
Buckman, SY, Gresham, A, Hale, P, Hruza, G, Anast, J, Masferrer, J, Pentland, AP. (1998). COX-2 expression is induced by UVB exposure in human skin: Implications for the development of skin cancer, Carcinogenesis, 19(5), 723-729.
Cavanagh, R. L.l Buyniski, J. P., & Schwartz, S. E. (1987). Prevention of aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury by histamine H2 receptor antagonists: a crossover endoscopic and intragastric pH study in the dog. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 243(3), 1179-1184.
Healy, E., Newell, L., Howarth, P. and Friedmann, P.S. (2008), Control of salicylate intolerance with fish oils. British Journal of Dermatology, 159: 1368–1369. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08830.x https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18795922
Joo, M., & Sadikot, R. T. (2012). PGD Synthase and PGD2 in Immune Response. Mediators of Inflammation, 2012, 503128. http://doi.org/10.1155/2012/503128
Maroon, J. C., Bost, J. W., & Maroon, A. (2010). Natural anti-inflammatory agents for pain relief. Surgical Neurology International, 1, 80. http://doi.org/10.4103/2152-7806.73804
Moss, M. and Waring, R. H. (2003). The Plasma Cysteine/Sulphate Ratio: A Possible Clinical Biomarker. Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine, (13)4, 215-229.
Yeoh KG, Kang JY, Yap I, Guan R, Tan CC, Wee A, Teng CH. Chilli protects against aspirin-induced gastroduodenal mucosal injury in humans. Dig Dis Sci. 1995;40(3):580-3.
Histamine is released in the body to prevent exhaustion during times of extreme physical exertion. While depleting histamine might seem like a good thing, the rebound histamine release from mast cells could cause short or long term problems in those with pre-existing inflammation.
HISTAMINE RELEASED DURING EXERCISE
Keeps us going, preventing exhaustion
Causes stress, helping us process dangerous situations and flee
Triggers soreness, but only during certain exercises
WHAT IS HISTAMINE?
Histamine is an inflammatory agent found in the body and in foods. In the body histamine is produced by white blood cells called mast cells, which are only supposed to release histamine and other inflammation as needed for healing.
HISTAMINE IN EXERCISE
Histamine triggers exercise related soreness during aerobic exercise: like dancing, running, cardio, high intensity training.
Cardio exercise has been shown to drive up histamine levels and aggravate allergies in animal studies.
Most exercise causes some muscle damage. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning confirmed that exercise causes a temporary increase in inflammation as the muscles break down during intensive work out sessions. The muscles then need to repair themselves. While antihistamines can prevent the soreness, the study found that using them interferes with the building of muscle.
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) caused by strenuous exercise and triggered by histamine, is related to temporary damage to muscles, with pain peaking 24-48 hours after exercise.
Exercise styles that use your own body weight (yoga, pilates) or not too heavy gym weights, are less likely to trigger histamine depletion and subsequent inflammation.
Despite all this, exercise has significant anti-inflammatory and histamine intolerance inflammation resolving properties.
HISTAMINE IS TRIGGERED BY
Stress
Food allergies
Environmental allergens
Chemicals
Pressure
Strenuous exercise
WE DON’T STAY HISTAMINE DEPLETED FOR LONG
Histamine is involved in regulating our sleep, acts as a neurotransmitter, gets digestion going, affects our collagen production, helps us heal, and so much more.
So you can see why the body needs to keep a steady supply.
A rebound release of histamine, whether due to exercising too vigorously or by eliminating most histamine from the diet, has always been a concern of mine. Because of this, I’ve always advocated a gentle elimination of crappy high histamine foods, while adding foods with antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties to empty out the histamine/inflammation bucket. Here’s an exact blueprint and four week histamine reset to take the stress out of healing histamine.
HOW TO EXERCISE SAFELY WITH HISTAMINE INTOLERANCE
Keep in mind that exercise induced inflammation takes up to three days to resolve, so don’t over schedule yourself.
Choose your exercise wisely: your current fitness level is important. If the exercise isn’t strenuous to you, but might be to someone else, that may affect how quickly you tire, and the amount of histamine depleted and released. Pick a way of exercising that doesn’t completely destroy you, but still gets you a good workout. I practice style of ashtanga yoga – very strenuous, but incorporates meditation and is naturally a type of interval training.
Stress triggers histamine, so avoid it. Pay particular attention to environment – is the studio too hot, is the teacher too shouty, the music too loud?
Quercetin: a study on men’s badminton players found that this bioflavonoid (found in nearly all the foods on my 28 day histamine reset) delayed muscle exhaustion.
Always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise plan or adding any new foods.
One of histamine’s dark sides is its ability to suppress appetite, to the extreme of mimicking anorexia. Researchers have for years attempted to harness this effect by using the opposite of an antihistamine, called a histamine agonist, to boost brain histamine levels and make people lose their appetite. I think we know how that could end up affecting people. Here’s the complex relationship between histamine, appetite and metabolic syndrome.
For those of you new to this blog, histamine is a biogenic amine found in foods, or can be created in foods as they spoil. Too much histamine, or an inability to degrade it (lacking the DAO enzyme for example), can cause diverse symptoms.
Histamine is also found in the body, in white blood cells called mast cells. Mast cells release histamine, and other inflammatory agents as needed in times of healing, or if triggered by stress.
If we’re already struggling with histamine, adding medication that triggers more, can create a worse problem. One that can hopefully be reversed by stopping it.
HOW HISTAMINE AFFECTS YOUR EATING HABITS
Brain histamine not only affects our appetite and how much we ingest, but also regulates the hours at which we choose to eat.
Histamine is released in the brain in response to thinking of getting, or seeking food.
By affecting the circadian rhythm, histamine may caused us to stay up later and eat later, which also contributes to obesity.
GLOBESITY
Is a term coined by the World Health Organisation to define what they call the global obesity epidemic. Obesity is now linked to diabetes, heart disease, strokem hypertension, and certain cancers. And the pharmaceutical industry’s most response is to try and harness brain histamine, boosting it, to reverse this obesity trend.
Excess brain histamine is associated with depression, anxiety and schizophrenia, so we’ll see how that pans out.
YOUR BRAIN ON HISTAMINE
Signs that histamine drived neurotransmitters activity is kicking off may include:
Brain warming
Tingling brain
Migraine
Severe neck tension
Appetite loss
Mania/manic thoughts
FIRST CONTACT WITH A HISTAMINE AGONIST CAUSES NEAR BREAKDOWN
It’s not always clear which medications trigger brain histamine. There’s a partial list in my interview with Harvard trained psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede.
Working as a journalist in war zones requires extended waking hours punctuated by snatched fitful cat naps. This requires a lot of caffeine, unless like me, you’re a slow metaboliser of it, and turn into a raving stress monster in its grip. Plan B was a new medication used by fighter pilots who turned into trigger happy video game jockeys when fed amphetamines (go figure).
I do often wonder if this is the medication that finally did me in. Having struggled with histamine symptoms for much of my life, I was quite used to them at that point. They had only been very severe once in my life to that point, when I took multiple courses of antibiotics in a bid to save a modeling career (but more importantly work in the US!). I have since found out those antibiotics also trigger histamine.
Provigil/Modafinil is an amazing medication to help keep people awake. It works well for narcolepsy (which interestingly has a histamine component to it also). If you already have histamine intolerance, it’s the last thing you need.
I was thin and awake, but manic and a proper kamikazee newswoman.
WHAT TO DO IF HISTAMINE IS AFFECTING YOUR brain OR APPETITE
The most important step is to rebalance.
Meditation: can help rewire the brain and restore proper neurotransmitter balance
Exercise: please don’t run out and try to incorporate an insane amount of activity because exercise can trigger histamine
Nitric Oxide (NO). Such an important molecule that it was given “Molecule of the Year” status by the journal Science in 1992, nitric oxide was originally considered a hazardous gas that caused toxic effects in the environment. It was thought to be as harmful inside the body as it is outside the body. But, as with all things histamine intolerance and inflammation-wise, it’s all about balance. While NO is a free radical that can be harmful to the body in high amounts, it also has some extremely vital roles as a signaling molecule in the body — much like histamine. Nitric oxide’s most well-known function is as a vasodilator (expanding blood vessels and promoting good circulation), but it also acts as an immune system regulator, and even as a neurotransmitter.
In dealing with histamine intolerance inflammation, it’s important to look beyond the obvious and dig a little deeper. NO may be an important piece of the histamine puzzle.
THE HISTAMINE-NITRIC OXIDE CONNECTION
When histamine levels become high in the body, nitric oxide is released as a response. And in both animal and human cell studies, nitric oxide was shown to stabilize mast cells and inhibit their release of histamine. Studies also suggest that NO may resolve allergy related inflammation.
So increasing nitric oxide can help calm those mast cells, lower histamine, and lower inflammation.
WHY DO WE HAVE LOW NITRIC OXIDE?
Besides the fact that nitric oxide levels naturally decline with age, a reason behind the NO insufficiency in histamine sufferers may be due to stress hormones, such as cortisol.
Researchers in Mind-Body Medicine discovered that when a person is in the midst of a stress response, nitric oxide release is inhibited by the presence of the stress hormones norepinephrine and cortisol.
Stress is a major enemy of both nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase, an enzyme that is responsible for the production of nitric oxide from the amino acid, L-arginine.
Since histamine sufferers tend to have chronic inflammation and tend to stay in a chronic state of fight-or-flight, stress hormones stay high and nitric oxide levels stay low.
Additionally, because histamine levels stay elevated for so much of the time, and because nitric oxide is called for each time histamine is released, it can be difficult for the body to keep up with its NO production.
It’s interesting to note that Herbert Benson, M.D. of the Harvard Center for Mind Body Medicine believes that the so-called Placebo Effect may actually be brought about by nitric oxide, as it induces a relaxation response that promotes healing.
So how do we increase Nitric Oxide TO FIGHT HISTAMINE INFLAMMATION?
There are two main pathways for the body to produce NO. One is the nitrate – nitrite – nitric oxide pathway and the other is the citrulline – arginine – nitric oxide – citrulline pathway.
Since nitrates, citrulline, and arginine ultimately raise nitric oxide, consuming foods rich in natural constituents is a good way to raise the body’s levels of NO.
A 2007 Swiss study showed that pycnogenol, found in pine nuts, raises nitric oxide.
Vitamin C-rich Foods also increase Nitric Oxide
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Kale
Pomegranate
My new histamine reset is full of the foods listed above, and it comes with a 7 day vegan ultra low histamine planner and a 7 day low salicylate planner.
Lifestyle strategies to Increase NO
Breathing through the nose and not the mouth –25% of nitric oxide in the body is produced by the sinuses. But only when we breathe through the nose. Check out Buteyko Breathing.
Exercise — (Strength training or aerobic exercise).
Humming — Has been shown to increase NO up to fifteen fold, as compared to quiet exhalation.
Coleman, JW. Nitric oxide: a regulator of mast cell activation and mast cell-mediated inflammation. Clinical and Experimental Immunology. 2002;129(1):4-10. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2249.2002.01918.x.
Dusek, J. A., & Benson, H. (2009). Mind-Body Medicine: A Model of the Comparative Clinical Impact of the Acute Stress and Relaxation Responses. Minnesota Medicine, 92(5), 47–50.
Esch, T, Stefano, GB, Fricchione, GL, Benson, H. Stress-related diseases — a potential role for nitric oxide. Medical Science Monitor, 2002; 8(6): RA103-118.
Koshland, DE. The molecular of the year. Science. 1992; 258(5090): 1861. DOI: 10.1126/science.1470903
Davis, BJ, Flanagan, BF, Gilfillan, AM, Metcalfe, DD, and Coleman, JW. Nitric Oxide Inhibits IgE-Dependent Cytokine Production and Fos and Jun Activation in Mast Cells. Immunology. 2004; 173(11) 6914-6920. DOI:https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.173.11.6914
Green, D. J., Maiorana, A., O’Driscoll, G. and Taylor, R. (2004), Effect of exercise training on endothelium-derived nitric oxide function in humans. The Journal of Physiology, 561: 1–25. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2004.068197
Hamblin, M. R. (2017). Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation. AIMS Biophysics, 4(3), 337–361. http://doi.org/10.3934/biophy.2017.3.337
Maniscalco, M. Sofia, M. Pelaia, G. Nitric oxide in upper airways inflammatory diseases. Inflammation Research. 2007,56(2), 58-69.
Theoharides, T. C., Alysandratos, K.-D., Angelidou, A., Delivanis, D.-A., Sismanopoulos, N., Zhang, B., … Kalogeromitros, D. (2012). Mast cells and inflammation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1822(1), 21–33. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2010.12.014
Torregrossa, A. C., Aranke, M., & Bryan, N. S. (2011). Nitric oxide and geriatrics: Implications in diagnostics and treatment of the elderly. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology : JGC, 8(4), 230–242. http://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1263.2011.00230
Weitzberg, E. Lundberg, J.O. (2002). Humming greatly increases nasal nitric oxide. American Journal of Respiratory Care and Critical Care Medicine, 166(2), 144-145. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200202-138BC
“Scuba diving induces nitric oxide synthesis and the expression of inflammatory and regulatory genes of the immune response in neutrophils.” Physiological Genomics, www.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/physiolgenomics.00028.2014.
A study published by British journal Nutrition & Metabolism found that an inflammatory hypersensitivity cascade involving mast cells, histamine and other inflammatory agents, could be prevented by restricting food for just 24 hours (in an animal model).
The study demonstrated that food deprivation stopped local (sneezing, eyes watering, rash for example) and systemic (anaphylaxis), hypersensitivity symptoms. Symptom severity correlated with fasting time: the longer the fasting, the less hypersensitivity symptoms and mast cell release of inflammatory mediators like histamine. While the fasting helped with allergy-like symptoms, it did not lower overall IgE levels (an allergy marker). The study authors believe that symptoms were instead relieved by fasting’s prevention of mast cell released histamine, thereby exerting an antihistamine effect.
BENEFITS of fasting
Other studies have found fasting to be beneficial in:
Alzheimer’s
Parkinson’s
Huntington’s
Preventing retinal deterioration
Menopause related bone loss
Anti-ageing
Alleviates symptoms of multiple sclerosis
Reverses type two diabetes
Short term fasting can lower IgE levels and resolve lung inflammation resulting from dust mite allergy
Restriction of bronchiole function reduced after exposure to mast cell/histamine triggering antigens
FASTING HAS BEEN AROUND FOREVER (LITERALLY)
From our hunter gatherer ancestors experiencing small bouts of starvation in between hunts or while searching for safe plant foods, to religious restriction, fasting has long been a part of human evolution. Calorie restriction has been studied for decades, and been shown to reverse chronic disease and extend lifespan.
My interview with Valter Longo, head of the University of Southern California Longevity Institute, revealed that his diet which mimics fasting, by lowering, but not completely eliminating calories, can flush out up to 40% of faulty immune cells. This includes mast cells, which are supposed to keep histamine out of our bloodstream till needed for healing. It’s when damaged or trigger happy mast cells keep releasing histamine and other inflammation when not needed, that the problems begin.
FASTING MUST BE BAD FOR THE HISTAMINE DEGRADING ENZYMES?
There’s surprisingly few studies on this. The best we have shows that fasting does not impact the histamine degrading diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme. Chronic fasting is a bad choice for many reasons, chief among them being that we will end up deficient in valuable nutrients. In order for DAO to properly function we require magnesium, copper, B6 and a number of others. Constant fasting isn’t going to help us keep these levels up.
ok great, i’m never eating again?
There’s a fine line between anorexia and fasting, and a thinner line between elimination diets and orthorexia (a type of anorexia where clean eating is fetishised).
I’ve found that keeping to a lower calorie count, either through ingesting less food, or exercising, is beneficial. Also wonderful is simply restricting feeding times. For example, keeping feeding times to an 8-12 hour window. Slowly lengthening the non-eating window is preferable to suddenly not eating for 18 hours a day.
I closely monitor my weight and take care not to be out of my set healthy range for more than five days. I do this by re-feeding with healthy fats and a little bit of salmon. If I’ve made a boo boo, like eating nearly an entire raw vegan birthday cake by myself (it’s been known to happen…) low calorie is definitely one of my strategies.
I recently put together my 7 day vegan ultra low histamine plan that’s perfect for the occasional reset. It’s part of my 28 day Histamine Reset program that gives you four weeks of meal plans, plus the vegan, plus an extra 7 day low salicylate plan.
Why low salicylate? Because like histamine, we have a maximum amount of salicylic acid the body can handle. I don’t necessarily believe that people have a life long sals issue. It’s more likely that as inflammation resolves, so will the salicylate and histamine issue get better. It’s a matter of keeping on top of the inflammation bucket and making sure we put enough healing foods in there, combined with stress relief, meditation and meal planning, to prevent it from spilling over. That’s what the Histamine Reset is all about.
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