Antihistamines are sold over-the-counter and are used mostly to prevent and treat allergic reactions. Theses medications reduce the amount of histamine in your body by restricting mast cells from creating the substance. Histamine is a chemical compound that your body uses to to protect against infection and other infectious organisms. Histamine production is stimulated during an allergic reaction, but histamine also is in various foods. If you're histamine-intolerant, you should avoid eating foods that contain high levels of this substance. Talk with your doctor for a diet plan.
Histamine Intolerance
Histamine intolerance is a condition where your body is unable to metabolize histamine found in certain foods and beverages. Histamine is a vosoactive amine that triggers your blood vessels to dilate, according to Michigan Allergy, Sinus & Asthma Specialists. The presence of histamine also causes increased mucus production and constriction of your airways. Histamine is produced in soft tissues, which commonly causes a wide range of symptoms in your digestive system, skin and respiratory system. Common symptoms of histamine intolerance include rashes, flushing, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and asthmatic reactions.
Histamine In Foods
Some foods contain high levels of histamine naturally. If diagnosed with histamine intolerance you need to avoid consuming high-histamine foods such as yogurt, vinegar, spinach, tomatoes, beer, wine, anchovies, avocados, sour breads, sour cream, smoked fish, sardines, sausage, hot dogs, mushrooms, mackerel, cider, aged cheeses and eggplant, according to Michigan Allergy, Sinus & Asthma Specialists. Because these foods contain histamine, you may develop common symptoms within minutes of ingesting them.
Allergy Consideration
Any food that triggers an allergic reaction can cause histamine production. Even if a food does not contain any histamine, you can develop adverse reactions throughout your body from a food allergy. If you have a food allergy, your immune system malfunctions and attacks proteins in certain foods with antibodies. The antibodies enter the blood stream and trigger mast cells, located in soft tissue, to produce histamine. The most common food allergens include wheat, soy, eggs, fish, peanuts, tree nuts and milk. Avoid all foods that cause you to have an allergic reaction.
Common Reaction
If you consume a lot of foods and beverages in one sitting that are high in histamine, you may develop common symptoms even if you are not histamine-intolerant or allergic. For example, if you drink a glass of red wine and eat spinach with tuna on sourdough bread, your histamine levels may increase too rapidly, leading to common histamine reactions.
