Showing posts with label histame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label histame. Show all posts

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Breaking My Addiction - Diet Soda Sucks!!!!


It seriously sucks….the life right out of us!  I say that as I’m sitting here watching people mindlessly consume enough of the stuff to create can pyramids or possibly fund their children’s education with the returnable can credit.  The companies that make this stuff are experts in the art of branding.  Not only is the sweet taste a draw but these cans and bottles are fun and very cool to look at!  After all, we can find our names on some of them!  All colorful and enticing! But, instead I’ll take another swig of my green smoothie (which is actually super tasty) and keep typing about how diet soda sucks even though I want one, right now!

The truth is that I’m on week three of no diet soda and I’m starting to forget that I really loved it.  The cravings have diminished and it is just a fleeting thought at this point.  I tried quitting some time ago but failed.  Not epically but I did fall off the wagon a few times.  I have been attempting to wean off from it for a while because I believe it is possibly one of the biggest health sabotagers out there and we consume it by the gallons here in the United States.  I find that if I drink one diet soda, I’m probably going to add a few more before the day is over.  It’s so weird! It’s like a bag of potato chips. I cannot drink just one.  If I get a fountain pop, I’ll only get one in a day or maybe a week but it is the 64 oz. big daddy.  I cringe at the thought of how many individual sodas are actually in that one 64 oz. cup.  And for those of us that keep diet soda in the fridge, there are a lot of kids out there drinking this stuff because it’s there and available.  They don’t even give it a second thought.  Grab and go!  I’m thinking this is a really bad idea!!!!!  Actually, I believe all soda is bad for you but diet is the worst.  My son has not had a soda in five years.  He is 18 so he has gone the majority of his teenager’s years soda-free all because his football coach told him in 8th grade it was bad and they should not drink it.  So he hasn’t.  Wish I was smarter than an 8th grader!!!!

There is mountains of research being done about diet soda and it appears to be a very controversial subject with organizations stepping up to the plate and stating what they believe to be true while others, some very reputable, that do not want to touch the subject with a ten foot pole until there is hard and fast scientific evidence that it is detrimental to our health.  This means it is up to each of us to make our own decisions as to if we should drink or not drink.  I am going out on a limb here and giving you my full personal opinion and some opinions of sources listed below.  You can make your own decision on whether you choose to partake or not.  So let’s take a look at what is be discussed as potential hazards. 

First and foremost, you are swallowing a beverage that contains absolutely no nutritional value BUT may contain sucralose (600 times sweeter than sugar), acesulfame K (up to 200 times sweeter than sugar and may cause tumors and brain damage) or aspartame(200 times sweeter than sugar), caffeine, phosphoric acid (enamel destroying and calcium depleting), preservatives and artificial colorings such as potassium benzoate (mold prevention for longer shelf life), and up to nine artificial colors (caramel color is a carcinogen).   


Research indicates diet soda:

Dehydrates Us –

Soda has caffeine which is a diuretic.  Diet soda contains sodium which makes us thirsty.  So we are drinking a nutritionally void beverage that dehydrates us and makes us thirstier than we were before drinking anything at all.  Have you noticed this?  I have! I’m so thirsty after drinking a diet pop!

Dental Health –

Here is something CRAZY???? Health.com reported that according to a study published in the journal General Dentistry, the level of tooth erosion in mouths of cocaine-users, methamphetamine-users and habitual diet-soda drinkers is the same!!!! The cause is the citric acid in the soda.  It weakens and destroys enamel over time.  Now, of course we have all heard the commercials where lemon or citrus based fruits can do this too.  However we don’t tend to consume those healthy fruits in the quantities that we consume soda so the results from them are not as severe AND those fruits provide a benefit to our bodies in other ways so in moderation they are acceptable.

Migraine Headaches –

Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame alter brain chemicals, nerve signals and are thought to be a major contributor to migraine headaches.  Anecdotal evidence is showing a decrease in migraines when people stop consuming artificial sweeteners. 

Fat Storage and/or Weight Gain or Plateau

Diet soda is believed to have a negative impact on the hormone system and with wacky hormones comes extra weight gain and storage that is near impossible to lose.  I know! I’m in this cycle as I type.  It also may have an impact on the friendly gut bacteria due to the highly acidic makeup.  Another thought is that it fools the brain and gut into a hyper-sensitive sweet mode where it basically turns on the craving receptors and confuses the appetite-regulating hormone leptin after consuming one soda.  The rest of the day, we are jonesing for more sweetness.  I’m actually hungrier after drinking a diet soda than if I were to skip it and consume nothing at all.

Decreased kidney function

The National Kidney Foundation states drinking two or more diet sodas a day drops the Glomerular Filtration Rate (GLR) which is a kidney function indicator.  In women that drink diet soda, the GLR decreases three times as fast.  This same connection was not found in regular soda drinkers.  This is serious business because kidney disease is a huge problem in the U.S.  It’s bad, bad news when they start to fail.

Weakening of the bones

Phosphoric acid leaches calcium from bones and decreases bone mineral density.  Add in the caffeine that causes reduced calcium absorption and we see an increasing risk of fractures particularly in the hip. 

 Type 2 Diabetes

A University of Minnesota study indicates that drinking one soda a day was associated with a 36% increased risk of metabolic syndrome that put people at risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.  The American Diabetes Association specifically states, “Although these observational data cannot establish causality, consumption of diet soda at least daily was associated with significantly greater risks of select incident metabolic syndrome components and type 2 diabetes.”

Tipsy/Drunk Faster

Now don’t use this as an excuse to drink diet soda!!!!!  According to a study from Northern Kentucky University, participants who consumed cocktails mixed with diet drinks had a higher breath alcohol concertation that those that blended with a sugary beverage.  Researchers believe the bloodstream absorbs artificial sweetener more quickly than sugar.  And here I thought I was doing myself a favor drinking my vodka with diet.  Oops!  I believe there are some diet programs that encourage alcohol with diet soda to keep the calories down.  Yikes!!!!!

Allergic Reactions –

People can be allergic to the chemicals in diet soda.  I was told not to drink it because people react negatively to the potassium benzoate.  In fact, my allergist stated that many people are not actually allergic to the chemical but it produces an allergic reaction “sometimes” in people and other times it does not.  This has happened to me on a few occasions.  Obviously, it is a drop in my histamine bucket.  It can also cause respiratory and gastrointestinal problems.
There are all kinds of speculation out there regarding diet soda causing MS, lupus, cancer, liver damage, acting as a neurotoxin, depression, heart disease, etc.  Whether these claims are true or not, I think it is time to take notice.  So, I believe it is time for my love affair with diet soda to come to an end.  We must part ways! Travel different roads! Find new lovers for we shall no longer be together!  Goodbye diet soda! May your dirty truths be exposed and may our world becomes wiser and put down the can! 
Random Resources

8 Things That Happen When You Finally Stop Drinking Diet Soda June 5, 2015 Jordan Davidson http://www.prevention.com/health/effects-diet-soda

Study Suggests Diet Soda May Lead To Belly Fat. Critics Aren't So Sure.  March 17, 2015 Alice G. Walton http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/03/17/is-there-really-a-link-between-diet-soda-and-belly-fat/ 



This is what Diet Coke does to your body in just one hour August 2015 Jasper Hamill

Diet Soda Intake and Risk of Incident Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/32/4/688.full * Jennifer A. Nettleton, PHD1, Pamela L. Lutsey, PHD2, Youfa Wang, MD, PHD3, João A. Lima, PHD4, Erin D. Michos, MD4 and David R. Jacobs, Jr., PHD2,5

Say No To That Diet Soda - National Kidney Foundation https://www.kidney.org/


















Monday, September 14, 2015

Yoga and the Vagus Nerve

 
There has been a lot of buzz lately about the vagus nerve and its innate connection between depression, anxiety, healthy system regulation and even mast cell degranulation.  The conversation has touched on the topic of the ability of stimulating the vagus nerve through yoga!  Since I love yoga and truly believe the practice of breathe and movement to be a critical component of healing, this has been a topic that I’m very interested in. 
If you research yoga, you will find claims that it supports a body struggling with:

  • Clogged lymph system (more on this in a future post)
  • Decreased blood flow
  • High blood pressure
  • Depression
  • High blood sugar (yoga regulates cortisol and adrenal levels)
  • Muscle tension
  • Insomnia
  • Shallow lung function
  • Gastro issues such as IBS
  • Inflammation of the Joints
  • Mast cell degranulation (it calms our mast cells)
With a very cautious approach, science is beginning to express an opinion that yoga might improve quality of life, reduce stress, lower heart rate and blood pressure, relieve anxiety, depression, insomnia and the word on arthritis is still out.  They are very cautious in using the work “might” however what it boils down to is people who practice know they feel better or they would not practice.  I’ve never heard one yogi dispel the fact that yoga works for them.
 
So where does the vagus nerve fit in?  Well, basically it is the largest cranial nerve that wanders between the brainstem region into the lower abdomen.  The nerve has “branches” that reach out to most of the major organs including our respiratory, digestive and nervous system.  I think of it as a swaying tree in the wind gently massaging the organs.  When the nerve is stimulated, anti-stress enzymes are released.  A strong, calm and relaxed vagal tone leads to a more resistant body during high stress periods.  People with a strong vagal tone handle intense situations better than those with a weak vagal tone basically because it contributes to our fight or flight sensory.   This is extremely important for Masto/MCAS sufferers as stress can cause mast cell degranulation.  A well balanced calm vagal tone also prevents inflammatory cytokines from being released which is also very important to the Masto/MCAS sufferer.  The word on the street is that yoga or simply yogic breathing (pranayama) is enough to stimulate this never and bring a calm and relaxing effect throughout the body.  In fact, the health benefits of yoga are gaining enough attention to warrant intense studies into how it impacts the health of those that practice it.  Yoga research is being conducted by doctors at Texas MD Anderson Cancer Clinic, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine.  It is also considered a primary exercise in the functional medicine practice. 
To induce a healthy vagal tone, simply breathe deep from the diaphragm and slowly exhale in a long stable manner. Take your time and focus on the breath.   This breathing action travels down from the conscious mind through the organs and into your belly creating a restful inner calm.  Practice this for ten minutes in a silent area where you can concentrate and focus.  Take note of how your body feels before the breathing practice and then again after the practice.  Also, take note of how your body feels one week and then again one month after practicing this breathing.  As you become comfortable with the breathing, start to think about how you can incorporate the moves into your daily routine.  Good options include a yoga DVD, you-tube yoga classes or grabbing a mat and finding a class in your community.  Once you become comfortable with a handful of moves, you can do them anywhere. 
 
Other attempts to stimulate the vagus nerve may include immersing your face in cold water.  I do this as soon as I am finished exercising especially if it intense or outside in the heat.  It instantly calms my nerves and reduces my heart rate at a much quicker pace.  Also, letting your mouth fill with saliva and leaving your tongue to soak in it.  I have not tried this approach.  If you cannot produce enough saliva (which I cannot), fill your mouth with warm water and hold for a few deep breathes through the nose.
Again, stimulating this nerve should bring you both present and continued relief and assist in the reduction of mast cell degranulation if done regularly.  I have found my favorite YouTube resource is Yoga with Adrienne.  She is Awesome!!!!!!
 




 

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Flavonoids



Flavonoids are a hot new thing when discussing food as one of the approaches to a healthier life.  And, with good reason!  We are finally realizing that when our mothers and grandmothers told them us to “eat our veggies”, those were words of wisdom.  It may have sounded like humdrum chatter but there is growing evidence that those before us knew what they were talking about.  I believe that God gave us everything that we need to sustain life in the healthiest way possible and then man took it, destroyed it and called it “good” food.  Unfortunately, we are now paying the price since poor health is an epidemic in American.  Fortunately, we are waking up and realizing that it is time for us to go to the way of our elders and eat whole food. 
So, back to the topic of flavonoids.  Basically, what we know is that thousands of plants species including fruits, vegetables and herbs are loaded with flavonoids that are essential to the lifecycle of the plant.  We continue to read about the powerhouse of nutrients flavonoids provide.  Some of the benefits touted by supporters include the delivery of superior antioxidants, anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral, triglyceride and cholesterol lowering, cardiovascular supporting, nervous system supporting, osteoporosis supporting, menopause supporting, detoxification supporting, free-radical reducing, etc. 


Flavonoids are talked about often in the mast cell community because a few of them in particular are used as mast cell stabilizers.  The three we hear the most about are Quercetin, Rutin, and Luteolin. These three flavonoids used both separately and together are providing stabilizing benefits for many mast cell sufferers.  Like most flavonoids, they have a low toxicity measurement therefore making them a powerhouse of support for both animals and humans.  However, as with anything we masties consume, some may tolerate these flavonoids better than other.  I cannot take Quercetin in a supplement form but eat foods that contain high amounts of it.  I have not tried Rutin or Luteolin yet as I’m trying to stabilize from a year of mast cell hell but some swear by it.
Food Sources
Almost all fruits, vegetables, herbs and some dry beans and grains contain flavonoids.  The more colorful the food, the higher the flavonoid content.  Some common foods include apples, onions, grapes, wine, spinach, tea, tomatoes, cauliflower, nectarines, and asparagus


Quercetin seems to be discussed the most often as it a number of whole foods.  It reduces histamine and inflammation in the body.  An excellent source of reference describing several benefits and an extensive list of foods containing Quercetin with gram content can be found at http://www.quercetin.com/overview/food-chart.
Rutin rich foods include buckwheat, amaranth leaves, elderflower tea, unpeeled apples, unfermented rooibos tea, figs, asparagus, and citrus fruits.


Luteolin rich foods include artichoke, basil, capsicum, carrots, celery, celery seed, chamomile, chili peppers, juniper berries, lemon, olive oil, oregano,  parsley, peppermint, radicchio, rosemary, thyme.
Supplements
Dr. Theo Theoharide M.D. PhD, a Tufts University Mast Cell Expert, has developed a supplement called NeuroProtek that contains all three ingredients delivered in olive oil kernel which seems to be the ideal delivery method for effective absorption.  I have never tried this supplement as I’m having problems with the Quercetin on its own however there are many people in the mast cell community that are using these supplements with great success.  In some cases, they have been able to reduce their prescription meds.  However, as I stated, I’m not in this class.  I am still avoiding and still on my heavy doses of H1/H2 blockers.  Another favorite is TwinLabs Quercetin with Vitamin C.  It is delivered in palm kernel oil which seems to be favorable for some.  I hope to someday be stable enough to take these but for now I will just eat my fruits and veggies.


 


http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/nutrition+tips/nutrient+luteolin+fights+ageing,6789


http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=119




 


 


 

Monday, August 3, 2015

Oreo and Carrots!!!


Oreo and Carrots!!!!

Look around, all around! We were gifted and blessed with an abundance of colorful food to nourish and feed our very complex, delicate life-balancing body!  Fruits and veggies please!!!!

The more of these flavorful gifts I eat, the more of them I crave.  My sweet tooth for baked goods and chocolate has all but disappeared.  In fact, due to mast cell reactions to chocolate, I have not had even a bite in over five years.  And, I don’t miss it!  I’ve almost forgotten what it tastes like.  I don’t believe it will be big deal if I never have another bite.  Ever!

The million dollar question, I’ve always thought and heard others say is, “Why does everything so bad for us, taste so good?”  Really, it doesn’t!  It is hard to get out of that cycle and mindset but once you begin introducing more and more fruits and veggies into your diet AND consciously thinking about the nutritional benefits they have, the more you will enjoy them.  They actually bring more satisfaction and no guilt.  As for me, if I eat junk, I feel guilty afterward and scold myself for the empty calories I just slapped on my butt.  When eating correctly, the “bad” food begins to lose its flavor and eventually, you will begin to realize that it really doesn’t have the satisfying flavor you were looking for.  In essence, bad food is bland!  It really is!  Compare an Oreo and a Carrot. I know! You are laughing, right? Just think about it.  They are both sweet, however the Oreo will leave you with sugar coated teeth and a funk in your mouth that can only be eliminated by brushing.  If you pay attention you will notice the carrot is also sweet.  This is what I mean when I say consciously thinking about your food.  You will inevitably reach for more than just like you do the Oreo.  Why?  Because they are good and they are in front of you.  There is no denying their goodness, unless you just hate carrots!  Also, there is no beating yourself up because you just consumed 500 calories of junky emptiness.  Be advised, that not long after eating that Oreo, you will also crave more junk.  The high glycemic load the cookies have will cause a sudden crash.  You may notice fatigue and irritability.  If your hormones are a bit off, you may also notice hot flashes as the sugar quickly processes through your system.  Next, you will be hungry for more food because your nutritional value was not satisfied.  Your body knows what it needs to sustain health and it did not receive it.  This is what is meant by empty calories.  Because your body is craving nutrients, you feel the need to eat again.  When eating full calories such as found in fruits, veggies and herbs, your body recognizes nutrition received and because the glycemic index is low, digestion is slower keeping you full longer. 

From a mast cell perspective, the sweets and baked goods often fire up the body by causing unnecessary inflammation that we experience when eating gluten, dairy and sugar.  You may find that it adds to your histamine bucket.  If it’s salt your craving (my downfall), add a little Himalayan Sea Salt to your veggies because the chips you eat will most like be genetically modified second rate vegetables full of unnatural chemicals and cooked in oil that again causes inflammation in our bodies.

Swap this for that

Carrots and Hummus vs. Cookies

Grapes vs. Honey Bun

Sweet Potatoe Fries (homemade) vs. Chips

Air Popcorn vs. Chips

Kale Chips (homemade) vs. Chips

Apple vs. Chocolate

Trail mix (homemade) vs. Chocolate

Carob nibs vs. Chocolate

Melon vs. Muffin

Celery vs. Pretzels

Oatmeal and Greek Yogurt vs. Muffin

Granola (homemade) vs. Commericial Cereal

Jerky (homemade nitrate free) vs. Chips

Strawberries and Greek Yogurt

Zucchini with a dribble of Olive Oil, Himalayan Sea Salt and Feta Cheese

Bananas

Sunflower seeds

Snap peas

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Histamine and the DAO Enzyme


Histamine and the DAO Enzyme

There appears to be more and more of us that are diagnosed with Histamine Intolerance (HIT) or are at least suspected of having temporary histamine intolerance.  HIT is a bit confusing because it is not a food allergy but mimics a food sensitivity.  Histamine occurs naturally in certain foods.  Other foods are histamine liberators meaning they release histamine in the small intestines.  For most people this isn’t a big deal because the enzyme DiAmineOxidase (DAO) breaks down the histamine, food is digested and life is grand.  Unfortunately for those that do not contain enough DAO to break down the histamine, it spills into the blood and various symptoms occur which may be different for each person.  My particular symptoms manifest as allergic reactions meaning gastrointestinal issues, difficulty breathing, dizziness, flushing, itching, etc.  Sometimes the reactions progress to anaphylaxis which really sucks! 

To understand the process in layman’s terms, histamine plays an important role in the system acting as a natural defense against infection and injury.  It is basically a neurotransmitter sending warning signals around the body to assist in fighting off the infection or injury by causing inflammation.  While this is the role of histamine and is necessary for healing, in some people it cause an adverse reaction known as histamine intolerance.  If somebody has HIT, the body does not break it down and it continues to build in the digestive tract eventually filling up our histamine buckets which then spill over and cause us to react.  It is a vicious cycle of trying to maintain this level.  I personally try to maintain a low-histamine diet. It is also important to eat as fresh as possible.  As food sits, it begins to spoil which causes bacteria and histamine begins to form.   Another approach is to manage the DAO level in the intestines by consuming supplements such as Histame or DAOSIN. 

There are tests available to test determine if one has low DAO however I have not heard many positives about the tests.  Apparently they may not be conclusive or definitive.  The recommended way of testing is to conduct the old fashion elimination diet.  Remove foods that you know are high in histamine or histamine liberators and then see how you feel after a few weeks.  You should keep a very detailed diary journaling everything you eat and then how you feel.  After a few weeks, slowly start adding foods back in to see if there is a change or a reaction.  Only one food at a time should be added back in and only in very small quantities.  Just a bite, not a bowl!  There is also the option of genetic testing.  According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, there is a potential genetic background of histamine intolerance.  Specifically they state The human DAO gene spans ≈10 kbp and is located on chromosome 7q35 (27) Various single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the DAO gene have been shown to be associated with inflammatory and neoplastic gastrointestinal diseases, such as food allergy (44), gluten-sensitive enteropathy, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, and colon adenoma (45-47). No significant difference in the distribution of the investigated HNMT alleles could be shown between patients with gastrointestinal diseases and control subjects (45, 47), but a functional relevant polymorphism of the HNMT gene (chromosome 2q22) has been described for white asthma patients (48). Conversely, this association could not be observed in Japanese (49), German pediatric (50), and East Indian (51) populations. Thus, histamine intolerance seems to be acquired mostly through the impairment of DAO activity caused by gastrointestinal diseases or through the inhibition of DAO, but the high interindividual variations in the expression of DAO in the gut and the association of SNPs in the DAO gene with gastrointestinal diseases provide evidence for a genetic predisposition in a subgroup of patients with histamine intolerance (27).  Again, this appears to be a bit inconclusive. In some cases, low DAO production is temporary and can be brought on by things like small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), leaky gut symdrome, and use of certain medications.  Actually some of the anti-histamines that we take for our allergies cause low DAO production such as Allegra, Zyrtec, Benadryl, Tagamet, Pepcid and Zantac.

Here is a food list identifying histamine foods and their levels.

Histamine content in mg per 100 g (resp. per litre)
Cheese
Camembert
6,11
Sheep milk cheese
0,4-6,1
Gouda
6,22
Parmesan
1,3-58
Brie
3,5
Harz cheese
39
Cottage cheese
0,1-2,8
Edam cheese
3,5
Gorgonzola
0,2-18
Mozzarella
0
Cream cheese
0,3
Tilsit cheese
0,1-6
Cheddar
4,34
Gamperdona
14,16
Hard cheese
22,76
Rapesan
17,5
Feta cheese
4,01
Brie cake
2,16
Fish
Tuna fish
9,82
Herring
35-300
Seafood (crabs, mussels,…)
0,2-700
Sardine
0
Trout
33,3
Mackerel
16,02
Sardelle
24,22
Marinades of fish
240
Anchovy
4,4-125
Codfish
0,2-7,7
Meat, gammon
Mincemeat
0,8
Beef
0,1-0,9
Liver of beef
6,5
Pork liver
22,5
Chicken
12
Turkey
0,3
Bratwurst
0,6
Cervelat sausage
5,5-9,6
Liver sausage
0,4
Salami
19,03
Tea sausage spread
1,4-4,5
Meat salad
0,9-31
Landjäger sausage
2,88
Prosciutton Contadino
116,12
Bacon
4,21
Vegetables, fruits
Sourcrout
7,67
Tomato
0,73
Eggplant
16,54
Spinach
2,0-38,0
Chickpeas
2,6
Banana
0
Avocado
0,64
Strawberry
0,21
Cereals, pasta
Rice
2,8
Soya
2,4
Wheat
3,5
Yeast and yeast extract
20-1660
Beverages
Orange juice
10,1
Riesling
2,09
Frauenkäferl 2010
2,66
Sauvignon blanc 2008
5,09
Chardonnay
3,42
Champagner Brut Classic
3,41
Asti
3,21
Blanc de blanc
4,45
Blauer Zweigelt 2011
6,87
Blaufränkischer 2011
12,26
Legends 2010
7,55
Cuvee 2004
8,42
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah 2007
11,04
Shiraz Cabernet
12,43
Syrah 2010
5,25
Dunkles
5,35
Gold
9,31
Hefetrübes Weizenbier
21,64
Nullkommajosef
4,36
Multivitamin juice Happy Day
2,15
Laphroaig Triplewood, Single islay malt
0,19
Whisky 12 y
0,07
Uigeadail
0,18
Amaretto
1,89
Buttermilk
8,74
Soy sauce
0,08
Hesperides vinegar
0,02

 

Please feel free to share your experience and what you have found to be beneficial in managing an overflowing histamine bucket.