The Biogenic Amine Woman

Low Histamine Beauty - this shampoo rocks!

Eureka! I love this Rahua shampoo. I recently purchased a Babyliss Big Hair - it really delivers on its promise. But my hair was being let down by my pure (but ineffective) shampoo. Given that I don’t put any of these products on my scalp, I really need something to liven up the ends at least. Amazing shine? Yes. Incredible volume? Yes. Pure? Unbelievably so. But terribly expensive…

I only use a very small amount of this Rahua shampoo that I purchased from my favorite make up store on this earth: Being Content. This London based organic beauty store has been named Europe’s best natural beauty destination. I buy all my products there. Run by the loveliest lady - super sympathetic and always ready to contact suppliers to clarify any ingredient questions. 

My only concern with this shampoo is that I’m allergic to soy and one of the ingredients is lecithin. I don’t put it on my skin so it’s not a huge deal but I thought I’d mention it since soy is high in histamine. 

Creamy Ginger Carrot & Lentil Soup (vegan)

Oh dear. I managed to miss seeing Dirk before he went on vacation. That’s me without the new enzyme tablet for four days. Ouch that really hurt. My symptoms reappeared within a day. So I whipped up this soup to ease the pain. 

• 2 tsp coriander seeds (or fresh if not tolerated)
• 1 teaspoon chopped red chili
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 600g carrots, chopped
• 140g split red lentils
• 1 litre water
• 4 teaspoons Marigold yeast free stock (if tolerated)
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 lime

Prep: 

Fry/sauté the onion till soft, add the ginger, garlic, chili and coriander seeds - fry for a few more minutes. Add the carrots, lentils and water, add the stock powder. Dirk says the Marigold stock should be ok in small quantities. Bring to the boil and simmer for approx 20 mins. Whizz in the blender and serve with drizzled lime. 

The Pill, The Book, The Good Life - Histaminosis in retreat

It’s been a while since I last posted. Life is busy, exciting, and full of promise. I’m on the final formulation of the new Diamine Oxidase enzyme tablet Dirk Budka has developed. Dirk’s patients have been testing the best formulas before going to market, so YOU can get the very best DAO supplement possible. You’re welcome! 

This last week I’ve had more high histamine foods than you can shake a stick at. I’m not suffering from ANY swelling in my mouth or body, I no longer suffer from a bloated tummy for any longer than 12 hours (gone when I wake up in the morning) and I get out of bed in the morning like someone’s lit a fire under my derrière! I wear full make up once or twice a week but I’m still working up the courage to use scented shower gel or let shampoo settle on my scalp. Baby steps…

My travels took me to Egypt where I had no kitchen and so ate out every meal for 14 days. Ouch! That did hurt a little…the Egyptian diet is not great for those of us with Histaminosis. I had a disturbing conversation with a Bedouin woman who confided that she, and her other female relatives, had developed severe reactions to food in the last 10 years. The result of eating a more Western diet perhaps? But for her tomatoes, aubergine, canned foods, strawberries and pineapple were very much off the menu. I almost fell off my camel when she reeled off the list to me. 

In other news - I purchased and downloaded Dirk Budka’s book ‘The Histamine Confusion’ on my way to the airport. I spent the flight reading off bits to my man (who deserves a sainthood for not only putting up with my food craziness but also still loving me when my Pitrok regularly fails to do the job in 40 degree heat). 

One of the best things about this book is it finally makes clear why a move away from calling this condition an “intolerance” is needed. For the love of god, if you want people/doctors (for sometimes they are less than what I deem to be human) to take you seriously, please start referring to it by it’s proper name. HISTAMINOSIS. All the unreliable crappy info you find on the net will almost certainly relate to intolerance, whereas all actual medical studies refer to Histaminosis. 

As Dirk points out in this great book - Histamine is required for the body to function. You cannot have an intolerance to it! Histaminosis refers to the condition whereby the body is not able (either because of a lack of enzymes or other causes) to degrade the Histamine that is necessary for all our bodily functions. 

I’ll post a couple of passages from the book tomorrow - have to get back to work now. Hope everybody is well! I’m always happy to answer questions so please keep them coming. 

Diamine Oxidase enzyme freaking cures my Histaminosis!

Ok that might be a little oversimplification. The new Diamine Oxidase enzyme that Dirk Budka has given me to treat my Histaminosis (Histamine Intolerance) now allows me to wear make up every day, eat 1400 calories daily (oh yeah time to hit the gym!), and spend more time with my good friend Patron (tequila). Life is good!!! 

Symptoms? Sure. Debilitating? Not in the slightest. Mildly annoying? Not even. 

I had a little relapse - we’re testing different formulas - but now I’m back on track on day two of the new mix. 

I can’t believe my man had convince me to go back on it. I had decided that au natural was the only way to remain in control of my symptoms…

Super Quick Wheat and Yeast free Rye Pita Bread

I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to eat almost normally again thanks to the new diamine oxidase supplement I’m now on! That said, I don’t believe that I should be eating foods that are bad for me! Here’s a recipe I (accidentally) came up with…

Super Quick Wheat and Yeast free Rye Pita Bread

1 cup rye flour

1/2 cup water (or less)

1 tbs canola/olive oil

pinch of salt

Prep:

Mix the rye, water, oil and salt till you get a doughy consistency. Divide into 2 or 3 balls. Flour a wooden board, moosh your dough ball in the center, and then flip it over and moosh into the flour. Lightly flatten with a rolling pin till the dough is about 1/2 inch - 1 inch thick. I then quickly throw into a pan, browning each side lightly. I then pop them into the toaster for a few minutes. Presto - wonderful for anyone suffering from histamine problems. 

50-70% reduction of symptoms on Histrelief 2.0 

Words can’t begin to express how my life has changed in the last 12 days. But I’m going to try…

It’s been almost two weeks since Dirk Budka handed me a sample of his newly reformulated vegan Histrelief. At up to 40 times more powerful than it’s previous incarnation (don’t quote me on that since I’m not sure I’m remembering that right!), I was hopeful that this supplement would help ease my Histamine Intolerance/Histaminosis symptoms. Nothing could prepare me for what happened next. I ate, and ate, and ate, drank too much tequila, and wore make up. After all this, I still report a 50% improvement in symptoms.

More than anything, the fuzzy, living under a blanket, unable to process or retain information (aka typical Histamine Intolerance/Histaminosis symptoms), have almost completely disappeared! I find less of an improvement in my digestive symptoms, but I can mostly control those by cutting grains out of my diet anyway. The symptoms are still there, but running almost on silent in the background. I can mostly ignore them now. Amazing.

 Now that I’m (mostly) back on the diet, but eating far more than usual, I’ve gained 3kg (an achievement believe me!) and my symptoms are about 70% better than they were 12 days ago. Unbelievable!!

The bad news is that Histrelief won’t be available for sale for a few more months. I’m one of the lucky few who were part of the original medical trial and as such have scored a supply in the meantime. 

Creamy Green Soup (vegan & low fat)

Here’s a quick delicious low histamine creamy green soup. Perfect for those days when my histamine level is just a little too high for comfort. 

2 zucchini, chopped

1 head of broccoli

1 onion

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

1/2 cup coriander, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Prep:

Fry the onion in a little oil of your choice. Add half the herbs. Add the broccoli and zucchini, continue to sauté. Add water till the veggies are submerged. Bring to the boil, simmer for another 10-15 mins. Remove some of the veggies and water if you’d like a chunky soup. Add the rest of the herbs and blend. Add back the set aside veg, serve with a drizzle of olive oil (if tolerated). 

Dirk Budka’s MHRA approved Histrelief coming in May!

Exciting news for my first post in ages. I’ll be one of a handful of Histamine Intolerant patients on Dirk Budka’s newly reformulated Histrelief. This time it’s in powdered as well as liquid formula (minus nasty fillers that made me ill in DAOSIN), all natural, made from plant based Diamine Oxidase. Yay! Great news for vegans…

I’m supposed to get my supply shortly and will be posting updates on my progress here. 

Histrelief will be on the market the first week of May. 

Africa

Hi everyone, 

Apologies for the lack of posts but I’ve been in Africa for the last few weeks. I’m finally almost completely off antihistamines (have tapered down to 1/2 zyrtek daily and counting) and am about to try bee venom therapy for my histamine/hyper sensitivity issues. Anyone out there tried it? 

Things are changing fast…

Coming up with some changes to the site. Will post in a few days.