Informative Blog Post on Histamine Intolerance

[Polly]

Hi All!

Check out:

http://thatpaleoguy.com/2011/04/11/hist ... tolerance/


I ran it by Mary Beth and she agreed that this is an excellent blog post.

Polly

[Deb]

Thanks for very informative post, Polly. Deb

[Joefnh]

Thanks for the link Polly, I will look through that at lunch today

[tex]

I agree, that's a generally good article on the subject. I do, however, feel that he may be a bit confused about the distinction between "food intolerances" and "food allergies", at least as far as his distinguishing criteria are concerned. For example, he wrote:

Food intolerance is a digestive system response to the inability to digest particular ingredients in food that does not involve the immune system. In contrast, a food allergy is an abnormal response to food triggered by the body’s immune system. Reactions to histamine found in foods are not food allergies, though the symptoms can look and feel the same.

The parts that I have emphasized in red are obviously incorrect, since histamine attaches to histamine receptors in order to initiate an immune system response (and histamine receptors are most definitely a part of the immune system). He certainly has good intentions, and he apparently has the correct general idea, but he stumbles on the nature of the distinguishing characteristics. Also, reactions to histamine found in foods are indeed immune system events (by definition), since research shows that histamine triggers an IgE response (which is a classic allergy response).

The fact that taking an H1 antihistamine helps to bring relief from issues caused by histamine-rich foods is prima facie evidence that this is lindeed an immune system event (because H1 antihistamines are clearly targeted at allergy symptoms — that's the labeled reason for their existence).

I didn't read any further, but presumably the rest of the article may be free of such inaccuracies.

Tex

[Polly]

Tex,

I had skipped over that beginning part. My main interest in this article is the advice about not relying on any one type of diet - not even paleo. I know a lot of us can relate to that. And lots of good info about histamine issues.

Love,

Polly

[Leah]

Thank you so much Polly for this link. Ever since starting the claitin, I have been wanting to understand this histamine issue. This post helped a lot. I know, Tex, that he doesn't quite get the differences, but much of theis post is very helpful in understanding the whole process and it was eye opening to why certain foods were bothering me more than others ( like red wine, certain fruit, lime, and canola oil). I don't think I can give up my avocados though!... or my nitrite free bacon!

Thanks again
leah