Here's A List Of Foods To Avoid If You Have Mast Cell Issues

Here you will find lists of food ingredients that should be avoided for each type of food intolerance.

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tex
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Here's A List Of Foods To Avoid If You Have Mast Cell Issues

Post by tex »

Hi All,

Here's a list of foods that contain significant amounts of histamine, and foods that cause mast cells to release histamines. Obviously, there may be other possibilities in addition to the foods included in this list.
Histamine-Rich Foods (including fermented foods):

* Alcoholic beverages, especially beer and wine.
* Anchovies
* Avocados
* Cheeses, especially aged or fermented cheese, such as parmesan, blue and Roquefort.
* Cider and home-made root beer.
* Dried fruits such as apricots, dates, prunes, figs and raisins (you may be able to eat these fruits - without reaction - if the fruit is thoroughly washed).
* Eggplant
* Fermented foods, such as pickled or smoked meats, sauerkraut, etc.
* Mackerel
* Mushrooms
* Processed meats - sausage, hot dogs, salami, etc.
* Sardines
* Smoked fish - herring, sardines, etc.
* Sour cream, sour milk, buttermilk, yogurt - especially if not fresh.
* Soured breads, such as pumpernickel, coffee cakes and other foods made with large amounts of yeast.
* Spinach, tomatoes
* Vinegar or vinegar-containing foods, such as mayonnaise, salad dressing, ketchup, chili sauce, pickles, pickled beets, relishes, olives.
* Yogurt

Histamine-Releasing Foods:

* Alcohol
* Bananas
* Chocolate
* Eggs
* Fish
* Milk
* Papayas
* Pineapple
* Shellfish
* Strawberries
* Tomatoes

Histamine or Scombroid Poisoning:

At times the ingestion of high concentrations of histamine may lead to histamine or scombroid poisoning. Scombroid poisoning most often occurs with the spoilage of certain fish such as: tuna, mackerel, bluefish, mahi-mahi and herring.
http://www.michiganallergy.com/food_and_histamine.shtml

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Gloria
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Post by Gloria »

The Urticaria Chapter has also posted a list of food sources of Histamine. There are some differences between the two lists, but they both can be helpful.

http://www.urticaria.thunderworksinc.co ... foodsource

Gloria
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Post by randyh »

Sometimes I just want to go off in the wilderness and hunt for my own food, it sure seems much safer. While it would not give much variety, it sure seems that it would not cause all the issues we seem to have.

I know that I am responsible for most of my problems since I did not take really good care of myself during the first part of my life, eating and drinking whatever I wanted so I guess in the second part of my life I will be suffering the consequences of my actions.

I used to be the guy who could eat anything, and drink as much as I wanted, now its just the opposite.

Oh well, enough whining, time to get this under control.

Thanks everyone, I really really appreciate all your assistance. I don't know what I would do without it.

Blessings,
Randy
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Post by wekee »

Just looking over this list. How do you know if you have mast stem cell issues? I know I have issues with it related to my bladder with intercystitis. Does this mean it carries over probably to my colon as well?

I did get off of dairy! Yea! Thank you for your help. I have not been back on here in a while, but have never gone back to taking the Entocort that my gastro prescribed. Trying to heal through food.


Wendy
Wendy

Gluten Intolerant probably Celiac - Feb. 2011
Microscopic Colitis - November 2011
Almost Dairy free - November 2011
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tex
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Post by tex »

Hi Wendy,

Indicators of mast cell involvement include symptoms such as a rapid digestive system response, (reacting within 10 or 20 minutes after eating a suspicious food, rather than reacting 3 or 4 hours, or more, later), or a classic histamine-based allergy response, such as a rash, or flush, itching, runny nose, water eyes, or increased heart rate, or any other signs of anaphylaxis, soon after eating a food that is high in histamines, or a food that triggers the degranulation of mast cells.

Sometimes the symptoms can be typical MC-type GI problems, such as D, etc., (without the obvious "normal" histamine-based symptoms,) but they occur even though you are avoiding the foods that typically cause MC reactions, such as gluten, dairy, soy, etc., but they occur after you eat foods from the list above.

Most doctors are no help at all, in dealing with this type of problem, but it is definitely associated with MC, for many of us. For some of us, our mast cell problems are minor, while for others, they are a major problem, and they can be very difficult to deal with.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Post by Pati0919 »

I am new to the Mast Cell idea as part of my problem. However my hive reaction does not seem to be food related. My outbreaks seem to be related to stress - both physical and emotional. Anyone else dealing with this? With my first outbreak, my md thought it was an allergic reaction to a bug bite. Was treated with course of prednisone. Not going there again!! I realized with the second hive occurrence that it was under the same emotional stressful circumstances.
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Post by tex »

Hi Pati,

Yes, that's somewhat common. Heat also causes hives for many of us. You will find that the food association is kind of unique — most of us have no problem with low or moderate-histamine foods. But if we eat too many (too much) high-histamine foods, (or take a histamine-releasing drug) a reaction will be triggered. Up until that point (where we exceed our histamine reaction threshold limit) we don't have any symptoms.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Post by skp »

Pati,
I have chronic urticaria (hives) and was diagnosed with it 2-3 years before my MC started. My hives are in the category of pressure hives. For a long time I was miserable as I would break out in hives wherever there was pressure on my body; bra, waist on my pants, sitting on a hard surface, sleeping on one side, etc. The hives can be delayed and not show up until a few hours later.

I finally went to an allergist. I was put on Singulair, actually an asthma drug and 4 Allegra a day. It helped to some extent but finally I began Xolair which is a monthly injection also used for asthma but okayed by the FDA for chronic urticaria. I have had the injections for three years now and it has helped greatly although it took some time. I still take 2 Allegra (generic) a day and my itching (no visible hives for a long time now) is only occasionally in the morning under my arms where I have slept with pressure or the inside of my knees, less often. I quit the Singulair (generic) months ago. My plan is to try and wean off of the Xolair as I really don't want to take anything if possible. Xolair is expensive but I began it once I was on Medicare with a good Rx insurance supplement.

Food never seemed to make a difference with the hives, in my case. Maybe getting off of gluten, diary, soy and eggs has helped but I really don't know as I had started the Xolair before stopping those foods.

It's crazy but as bad as MC is, the hives were so miserable that I'd opt for MC over the extreme itching.

Susan
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