I took an antihistamine and it worked great.  I have been reading about histamine and how it contributes to food intolerances and food allergies.  Some foods contain high histamine levels and others contain low levels.

Histamine induces inflammation and swelling and mucus release.  Foods high in histamine are avoids for explorers.  

When the histamine levels get high, allergies (environmental and food), excess stomach acid, and skin breakouts can occur.  

When histamine is not broken down well, it builds and causes these problems.

When the liver is strained or compromised, the histamine can't be broken down.

So explorers (just my theory) can get slow liver function and excess histamine problems, causing the annoying allergies (and in my case, acid reflux and even lung irritation).  I think this describes the probs that brought me here!

I am on a regular regimen of milk thistle to help my liver function better!!

Anyone else know anything about histamine and how too much can cause problems?  I

Quoted from Easy E

I took an antihistamine and it worked great.  

I use L-lysine, and it works great for me!

this is so interesting. Low nor high histamine is good. I know that histamine is related to the methylation cycle - high histamine is related to undermethylation, and low histamine is related to overmethylation.

The thing that confuses me is the diet recommendations for this - ive read that high histamine means a lower protein diet is better. And vice versa... it's very confusing though. I am perplexed. There are also certain B vitamins that are better for each case, too.. and things like SAMe, folic acid

I agree with the excess acid  

Okay - I just did a quick net-surf and found that a lot of my bennie foods are high in histamines. That would explain why during my "wash-out" phase I had a continuous rash on my face. Drinking red wine every day and consuming huge quantities of high-histamine foods.
However, since I've been finished with my "wash-out" phase, my rash has all but completely disappeared. Also, I just happened to give up drinking red wine every day, right about the same time. Funny, because the red wine was the only correlation I could come up with but I dismissed it because I've never had any kind of problem with it before...
The solution has been revealed!!! Hooray!!!
Thanks Easy E  

My ENT told me that I needed an antihistamine daily due to my sinus condition, which after seeing my allergist yesterday finally has some names to it....
Samter's triad ( adult onset asthma with nasal polyps and aspirin sensitivity) AERD...aspirin exacerbated respiratory syndrome.
The treatment is aspirin desensitization which reduces upper airway mucous, nasal formation, and systemic steroids.

I've just been reading about this in a book by Patrick Holford.  He says Histamine is often overlooked neurotransmitter. That some people are genetically pre-programmed to produce too much histamine, a condition called histadelia.  He gives a list of things, and if you have 5 or more he suggests some supplements.
Symptoms:
Headaches or migraines, sneezing in sunlight, crying, salivating easily or feeling nauseated easily, abnormal fears, compulsions, rituals, light sleep, fast metabolism, depression or suicidal thoughts, producing a lot of body heat, little body hair and lean build, large ears or long fingers and toes, good tolerance of alcohol, inner tension or driven feeling, shyness or over sensitivity as a child, seasonal allergies (hayfever, etc), obsessive or compulsive tendencies.
He says there is a blood test for histamine and if your levels are high you will benefit from supplementing vitamin C since histamine is detoxified by methylation.
He says you can also have levels too low that have some different symptoms, and benefit  from taking B3, B6, Folic Acid and B12.  
Lin

ChrissyA,
Different websites seem to list different foods as "high histamines".  Wondering what foods fit under this and if you can point to a list?
thanks, Lin
P.S. very interesting on your rash/red wine experience.

Quoted from Lin

I've just been reading about this in a book by Patrick Holford.  He says Histamine is often overlooked neurotransmitter. That some people are genetically pre-programmed to produce too much histamine, a condition called histadelia.  He gives a list of things, and if you have 5 or more he suggests some supplements.
Symptoms:
Headaches or migraines, sneezing in sunlight, crying, salivating easily or feeling nauseated easily, abnormal fears, compulsions, rituals, light sleep, fast metabolism, depression or suicidal thoughts, producing a lot of body heat, little body hair and lean build, large ears or long fingers and toes, good tolerance of alcohol, inner tension or driven feeling, shyness or over sensitivity as a child, seasonal allergies (hayfever, etc), obsessive or compulsive tendencies.
He says there is a blood test for histamine and if your levels are high you will benefit from supplementing vitamin C since histamine is detoxified by methylation.
He says you can also have levels too low that have some different symptoms, and benefit  from taking B3, B6, Folic Acid and B12.  
Lin

Oh My Gosh - most of this really describes my sooo husband well!!

Possum,
What blood group is your husband?
I'm wondering if blood group comes in to this at all, or if its simply a genetic thing.
Lin

He's an O positive & we are pretty sure he is a Hunter... Could be a nonnie too, judging from his teeth The only thing he doesn't do too much of is cry - altho' having said that, he is extremely sentimental, cries at soppy movies etc etc (does both even more than I do)

He is an absolute genius at his work (money related) but definitely has OCD - you should see him check light switches, (with those 2 way switches, he runs back upstairs & walks down in the dark, just to make sure they are both off the same way) straightens shoes, including the laces after he has taken them off (even has to line them up against the cupboard door handles... )

I forgot the website but a M.D. wrote about how putting a bit of salt into drinking water alleviates histamine activity (hence, allergic reaction). Also read somewhere that the body uses a lot more vitamin C during a histamine reaction. I am sure about the first one but the second statement, I am a bit vague about... I will try and look for the articles.

I had problems with high-histamine foods for awhile (abdominal pain, "foggy head" feeling, and fingers and toes would swell to the point I couldn't bend them).  I took a product called Histame.  It contained a lot of weird additives that I was not excited to be consuming, but it worked really well and even foods semi-high in histamine were an issue at the time so I kept taking it.  After about 2 months, though, I stopped needing it.  Histame contains diamine oxidase, an enzyme the body uses in the processing of histamine.  There's a doctor in England, Dirk Budka, who is big into treating amine intolerances, and he prescribes something that I'm pretty sure (but not positive) is basically the same as Histame that causes the body to begin producing more diamine oxidase on its own so maybe Histame did that for me and that's why I don't have to take it anymore  

here might be the reply for my questions lately about my reactions I've never had before... thanx for sharing this ladies & gentleman    and yup I augmented my vit. C intake (as a natural antihistaminicum up to 6 grams daily) and no more reactions.... yalla...

I was thinking it was due to the contact with a certain mold that my hands reacted likewise.... but no..... ...so I measured myselve with my bioresonance machina and saw that I was located in high histamines but what it really was on what I reacted... I don't know... .... but this doesn't bothers me anymore since I know what to do and I also added quercetin & vit. C.... and then I found out..... jujube extract.... beautiful aid to clear up liver function and remains us....the most difficult for us da explorers;)...calm...it's something similar as for O's rhodiola... but I remarked also...better to keep our minds centered.... especially for those with tendencies to compulsiveness...

amazing is...high protein diet seems to be better for me....

Quoted from passionprincess

Also read somewhere that the body uses a lot more vitamin C during a histamine reaction.

C has antihistamine properties. As does quercitin and some other things. Might do a web search for details if you are interested.

anyone know of a vit C that's not derived from corn?  I'm having a lot of trouble finding one - an affordable one, at least  

Lin - This is the page that caught my eye, being that I do have mild rosecea. But I noticed as well, that different websites list different foods. Also while looking up "anti-histamine foods", some of the same foods were on both lists...  
http://www.reverta.com/blog/histamine/top-10-histamine-containing-foods/

Quoted from brinyskysail

anyone know of a vit C that's not derived from corn?

I focus on beneficial foods that contain Vitamin C because I couldn't find Vit. C supplement that I could take and afford.

Possum, With your hubby an O it doesn't seem to be a blood type thing.

ChrissyA, thanks for link.  will check it out and I guess I just have to pay attention after eating.

Those of you who suffer with this problem, does it happen as soon as you eat the high histamine food? Or is it delayed?

Lin

Quoted from Lin

does it happen as soon as you eat the high histamine food? Or is it delayed?

With me, reaction is delayed - several hours.  

Quoted from Lin

Those of you who suffer with this problem, does it happen as soon as you eat the high histamine food? Or is it delayed?

Lin

For me it was fairly immediate

Quoted from brinyskysail

anyone know of a vit C that's not derived from corn?  I'm having a lot of trouble finding one - an affordable one, at least  

Ascorbic Acid is cheap.  You won't find a good quality all-food based variety in that price range.  These are the ones I like:

(Amla fruit) Tru C by NOW;  200 mg. vitamin C per capsule
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Tru-C-BioComplex-60-Vcaps/7260

(Amla fruit) Vitality C by Natural Vitality; 300 mg. vitamin C per capsule
http://www.drugstore.com/templ.....e=Natural%20Vitality

Camu Camu Powder by Fruitrients; 400 mg vitamin C per 1/2 tsp.
http://shopnaturalproducts.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=89
also available in capsule form-

Read labels carefully.  Sometimes a label will say something like 200 mg. Rose Hips (or amla berry or acerola fruit, etc).  That does not mean 200 mg. of vitamin C.  

Quoted from Lin

Those of you who suffer with this problem, does it happen as soon as you eat the high histamine food? Or is it delayed? Lin

My reactions are immediate - definitely within the hour & sometimes within half an hour

whithin minutes after foodintake I'll begin to react... but obviously this is new to me

Quoted from brinyskysail

anyone know of a vit C that's not derived from corn?  I'm having a lot of trouble finding one - an affordable one, at least  

Sago Palm has been wonderful for me! I can even take it in the evening and still be able to sleep. All the other Vitamin C supplements I've ever taken keep me awake at night if I take it later in the day. I have been taking Sago Palm from TwinLab for about seven months and couldn't be more pleased! I ordered it from Vitacost.
http://www.vitacost.com/twinlab-allergy-c

Sounds like a worthy alternative, Spring.  I was not familiar with sago palm as a vitamin C source.  

Brinyskysail,

The vitamin C I take from my local health food store is a chewable/acerola cherry disc with no corn. I need to purchase more and cannot remember the name but it is not expensive. I will get some this weekend and report back.
I don't worry going without because I also take NAP's Proberry caps.
Good to know the list of high histamine foods! Thanks.

Histamine sufferers, what kinds of symptoms do you experience?
I was emailing with a friend who gets lots of different symptoms and she can't tell what causes what.
I'm curious as I had hayfever since age 3 and wonder if some of my symptoms might be connected to this.
thanks, Lin

Quoted from ABJoe

I focus on beneficial foods that contain Vitamin C because I couldn't find Vit. C supplement that I could take and afford.

I do the same thing because all commercial C formulas contain avoids.  I take a whole lemon and squeeze it into water, add 1/2 of grapefruit cut into sections and a whole kiwi...blend, drink.  A great whole food vitamin C cocktail.

Check out third paragraph where it says that curcumin is a natural anti-histamine.

http://www.turmericinfo.com/curcumin_anti-inflamatory.html

Not a day goes by that I don't eat some turmeric!! I think it is wonderful!! If I were eating something that turmeric wouldn't work with, I would simply take a capsule of it sometime during the day!!