Allergies are complex immune conditions, which are difficult to treat. I started taking antihistamines daily, in college. I blamed it on the midwestern pollen, but I never really figured out the trigger for fatigue, daily sinus pressure, or the itchy skin. Unfortunately my body also developed tolerance to the anti-histamines which stopped being effective.
In immunology, histamine allergic reactions fall under the broad category of "hypersensitivity' reactions.
The common strategies to treat allergies include
1) Identifying and avoiding triggers (allergen testing)
2) Histamine blockers (short acting, long acting)
3) Immunomodulators (medications which surpress the overall immune response)
In my practice, I see patients with abdominal pain, who actually have food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis, gastritis, or colitis. Since most of the body's lymph tissue is concentrated in the GI tract, diet modification is often successful at treating these conditions (even skin rashes, and respiratory allergies can improve).
Whats the secret?
Focus on three things: 1) limit histamine stimulating foods 2) limit pro-inflammatory foods and 3) improve bacterial balance in the intestinal track.
What foods stimulate histamine release?
On the internet search "low histamine diet" produces countless links with obscure information. My advice to start is to consider limiting Alcohol, spices, meats, and caffeine
What is histadine, and how is it related to histamine?
Histadine is an amino acid precursor to histamine. Limiting histadine in the diet can lead to profound improvement in allergy symptoms. Animal protein contains the most amount of histadine. But even tofu and tamari contain high levels. Check this resource to determine if any of the foods you eat contain high levels of histadine which may exacerbate allergies
What other types of foods are pro-inflammatory?
In my crash course on inflammation I discuss several significant pathways that product inflammation. These are mainly related to carbs with high-glycemic index, and animal-derived products such as meat and dairy. Avoiding these foods can have an indirect effect on reducing allergy related illnesses
How is intestinal flora related to allergies?
It is a well known fact that gut bacteria protect against allergies. So having a healthy microbiome is key to managing allergic reactions. High fiber foods, regular bowel movements (twice daily is preferred), polyphenol supplementation, and probiotics are all great strategies for establishing healthy immunity.
I want to leave you with a story of one of my recent clients, a 34 year old male who presented to my clinic due to problems swallowing, but he also had hives and severe sinusitis. We ordered an endoscopy which demonstrated eosinophilic esophagitis as the cause of his dysphagia. Essentially he had three overt signs of histamine immune dysfunction, which are treated by hematologists and allergists. I asked him about his diet, which consisted entirely of meat, cheese, sugar, processed carbohydrates and energy drinks (he was a Vegas bartender). We decided to try a strict whole-food plant predominant diet, and all three of his conditions markedly improved in as little as 6 weeks. He also reported improvements in his digestion, concentration, and sleep quality. He followed a two part strategy of A) avoiding trigger foods for histamine-release and B) avoiding foods with high protein derived histamine precursors.
My goal is to provide people with the information they need to make good health decisions. Allergies, like other common medical conditions, are often poorly understood, and I hope to offer a different (but still scientific and evidence based) perspective.
Chanu R. Dasari, MD
Always be true, and surround yourself with people who affirm your wellbeing. Find a doctor who will slow down and listen; find one who carefully considers your concerns; find one who cares.