Immune

Two weeks ago I started following a 30 Day Autoimmune Protocol published by a famous Dr. (Not Oz). It did pretty well, but I still had at least 3-4 histamine episodes during that time. It is really true that certain fish/shellfish can trigger a histamine reaction. It is really true that certain spices can trigger a histamine reaction.

Some things I learned over the last 2 weeks:
1. There are 1001 things you can do with cauliflower. You can make it look like rice. You can make it into crust. You can make it into bread. Etc.
2. You really can have a balanced diet (fat, carbs, protein) eating Paleo.
3. You can make a lot of dishes with sweet potatoes and onions.
4. You can scramble a wide variety of foods together for a quick meal.
5. Fresh is best.

So, from here I am tweaking my Autoimmune diet to be mostly low histamine, quick, and fresh. Whole chickens can be cooked ahead and the meat frozen. Turkey and beef can be browned or made into patties and cooked (also frozen right away to prevent a histamine reaction later). A wide variety of vegetables can be sautéed, roasted, and steamed. Throw a little green leafy in there, and you have a meal.

Idea: bake a chicken breast in the morning and eat on it all day.

Here was my lunch today:

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Browned ground beef (seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder) and sautéed onions (in coconut oil) on slices of romaine. Easy.

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭4 ESV)

Understand

The first lesson I have learned through this process: No one understands your body better than you (except God). It is futile to try to explain your situation to others (except your doctor).

Truth is, you do not owe explanations (or apologies) to anybody. Whether vegan, vegetarian, paleo, low salt, high carb, low sugar, low histamine, your diet is your business. You know how your body performs on different fuel sources. Do what works for YOU!

I have been eating in a very purist/raw way. Oatmeal/grits/cream of rice. Salad with a little oil. Hummus/almond butter on rice cakes or Wasa. Beans and rice.

A few days ago I made some flatbread with water chestnut flour and water. It definitely needs some tweaking. The water chestnut flour was found at our local Indian Grocery. They had a wide variety of vegetables, rices, and flours (very economical). Most flours were $2-$5 a bag.

Here is a picture of my sweet middle child eating a rice/grain mixture produced by the Engine 2 Diet company. He likes it!

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Whole

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So, the last week was a little difficult. As I have attempted to go low histamine, I have noticed more and more how different foods affect me. I did really good most of the week, then towards the end I cheated a bit. Which culminated in a histamine attack last night.

There are lots of resources out there (food lists, blogs, articles). Even the Whole 30 plan has a good list for histamine sufferers. However, there are a limited amount of recipes (free anyway). I guess I will have to make my own.

Whole Foods is a great place to start. We did a 28-Day Challenge with them a while back. Unprocessed, plant based. We felt great at the end.

That is not a lot for now, just know I am trudging through and will share more of what I have learned soon.

Lori

Verse of the day: Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Histamine

I have been struggling. Struggling to figure out why I have these myriad of symptoms I can’t explain. Struggling to figure out why a whole foods diet makes me feel mostly better. Struggling to figure out why a juice diet or a smoothie diet makes me feel some better. Struggling to figure why a vegan diet makes me feel some better. Struggling to figure out why these diets/lifestyles don’t stick and don’t make me feel completely well.

Histamine

How did I figure it out? The severe histamine reactions I have experience the last few times I have ingested alcohol (1). Runny nose, sneezing, puffy eyes, coughing, etc. VERY unpleasant. A quick google search lead me down a rabbit hole to people just like me.

Did you know you can react to histamine in a food and not be allergic to the actual food? Years ago I was convinced I had food allergies. (More about the specific symptoms later.) I underwent allergy testing. NOTHING reacted.

Did you know some foods are more prone to “releasing” the histamine stored in your body? Alcohol is one of those foods.

So, today, I am undergoing a change. I am cutting out processed foods and high histamine foods from my diet. This morning I had oatmeal with agave nectar. And coffee. Coffee is on the “questionable” histamine list.

Do you want to go on this journey with me? Better question, do you want to join me on my journey in progress?

Lori

Mark 9:23 And Jesus said to him, ” ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

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