I would love some input on an idea I have. I'm wondering if what some of us are dealing with is actually "histamine intolerance". I've added articles below. The foods to avoid are very similar to anti-acne diets and also have components of candida diets that people have had success with. In addition it solves a mystery of how people can eat something and not have a reaction but if they eat more of it they get a delayed reaction...or eat a combination of foods or in certain quantity and get a reaction. Also each person's tolerance level before reacting is different. It explains how you can take a food allergy test but still have reactions to foods not listed as allergens (see articles below).
A little about me...I've been following a doctor prescribed strict allergy diet + suppliments (see below)since Oct 2011. Back then my skin was doing pretty well...maybe a breakout once every couple of months. Around this same time my old derm took me off Spiro (to see how I'd do without it) and early last year she took me off all antibiotics (when I had bad flareups I used to take antibiotics to calm things down). In Jan 2012 I started getting weekly breakouts. I only get 1-2 blemishes at a time, usually on my chin, but they are very big, red, swollen, painful, and often infected. Plus they itch and my skin gets itchy before I get them. I hate them! So embarrasing at my age (you don't want to know...). The flareups were getting worse. The allergy diet + suppliments were supposed to help with this! I thought maybe it was because the Spiro had been stopped and I was no longer using antibiotics. In desperation I went back to the derm and saw a new one instead. He put me back on Spiro and added Oracea (anti-inflammatory...not antibiotic, low dose time release doxy) in Jan. However the breakouts continued weekly. Very frustrating!
This past week I had an epiphany. I looked on the Oracea website at "Triggers" and was dumbfounded to see that avocado and spinach were main triggers for rosacea (I may have an acne form of rosacea on my chin). I had been eating avocado and spinach daily since starting the allergy diet in Oct. I had also added flax seed and green tea. I started eating lots of nuts (almonds and walnuts). I thought all of these foods would be good and satisfying additions to my diet as I had to avoid wheat and dairy. However I noticed my t-zone getting more oily and the breakouts getting more swollen, painful and red.
I first stopped eating flax seed (made my throat itch), and then nuts (seemed hard to digest), and yesterday stopped eating avocado and spinach. I discovered that most if not all of the foods I added into my diet are either high histamine or histamine liberating foods. Who would have guessed? I'm not sure this is my problem but it seems very interesting that many of the foods listed as high histamine are also foods I must avoid due to food allergies (peas, tomatoes, yeast, etc.).
Here are a couple of articles:
http://www.imupro.com.au/food-intolerance/symptoms/histamine-intolerance
A histamine intolerance occurs when the enzyme Diamine Oxidase (DAO) is inhibited or deficient, and has trouble breaking down the histamine in foods. The DAO enzyme is responsible for the break down of histamine in the body, ensuring excess histamine is flushed without it your body builds up an unhealthy amount of histamine, which can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms after consuming foods that are high in histamine. These foods can include:
Some fish such as: Tuna, Sardines, Mackerel and Herring
Some cheeses such as: Emmental cheese, Parmesan, Gouda and Gorgonzola
Some vegetables such as: Spinach, Eggplant and Avocados
Processed meats such as: Salami, Ham, Sausages and cold cuts
Wine (in particular red wine), Sparkling wine, Champagne, Dessert wines
Beer (in particular wheat beer)
Balsamic vinegar
There are also several foodstuffs that release histamine into the body. These include: alcohol, bananas, nuts, chocolate and cocoa, wheat germ, black and green tea, eggs, strawberries, pineapples, kiwifruit, papaya, raspberries, pears, tomatoes, citrus fruits, pulses.
If one or more of these foodstuffs tend to trigger typical symptoms, you may have a histamine intolerance.
http://www.imupro.co...mineintolerance
Many people suffer from gastro-intestinal disorders, migraine, headache, skin problems, cardiovascular complaints and asthma that are due to histamine intolerance.
Diamine oxidase, in short DAO, is the enzyme responsible for the degradation of histamine. An activity deficit of the enzyme results in an accumulation of histamine with corresponding, partially severe symptoms. It is often difficult to distinguish between an immediate allergy (type 1), type-III allergy or histamine intolerance since the symptoms often are identical.
If no improvement occurs despite a change in diet according to IgE and / or IgG measurements, a test for histamine intolerance is strongly recommended.
There may be several causes of histamine intolerance. They include, among other causes, vitamin B6 or copper deficiency and a possibly associated limited production of diamine oxidase (DAO). When foodstuffs rich in histamine are consumed, the symptoms described above occur. Intestinal complaints, like e.g. inflammatory intestinal disease or excessive histamine production by putrefactive intestinal bacteria may cause the problems as well. Not only the insufficient production of the enzyme diamine oxidase or increased histamine concentration, but also the inhibition of the enzyme causes histamine intolerance. Possible potent inhibitors of DAO are in particular alcohol, but also some common drugs, including especially antirheumatic agents, that is anti-inflammatory and pain relieving drugs.
It is often difficult to distinguish between an immediate IgE allergy (type 1), an IgG food allergy (type 3) or a histamine intolerance since the symptoms often are identical.
Foods that have higher levels of histamine:
Alcohol, especially beer and wine
Pickled or canned foods
Smoked meats, smoked ham and Salami
Most fish products (all shellfish), especially canned fish
Beans and pulses (especially chickpeas, soy beans, also peanuts)
Soy products (soy milk, soy cream, tofu, soy sauces, ...)
Sauerkraut or other pickled foods
Some fruits (aubergines, bananas, kiwi, oranges, pears, strawberries)
Nuts, walnuts, cashew nuts
Chocolate, cocoa, salty snacks, sweets with preservatives and artificial colourings
Products made from wheat
Vinegar
Yeast
Ready meals
Black tea
Foods that release histamine (histamine releasers):
Citrus fruits
Cocoa and chocolate
Kiwi
Lemon
Lime
Nuts
Papaya
Pineapple
Plums
Pulses
Raspberries
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Wheat germ
Foods that block the diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme:
Alcohol
Black tea
Cocoa
Energy drinks (component theobromine blocks the DAO)
Green tea
Mate tea
Interesting. We've had a lot of discussion and research into histamine, but I'm not sure I've heard of histamin intolerance. But I don't remember a lot. That's why I write it down here.
Have you looked into natural anti-histamines and how they work? Salt, C, quercetin, Pro-Anthocyanids, etc. Maybe by boosting the production of that enzyme?
I've been looking at this today too!
I was researching alcohol and rosacea and oiliness, and reactions to histamine kept coming up. I think rooibos is meant to be anti-histamine. So, are you going to test out the avocado and spinach to see what happens if you re-introduce?
Yes --- starting today I am avoiding all histamine related foods, many of which are already on my allergy foods list so it won't be too hard...and adding back in Vit C. Interestingly I had stopped taking Vit C in January! Needless to say I am adding it back. I already take Quercetin as part of my suppliment regime. My doctor is convinced that my chronic ongoing acne-rosacea is diet based. His regime is to heal the gut and avoid allergic foods. I can't wait to run by him my thoughts about the histamine foods and possible connection. I think I will ask to take the histamine blood test. Yes, I will be adding in antihistamine type foods. Wouldn't it be amazing if this was what was aggravating my skin condition? Although if so, I'm not surprised at how hard it is to figure out because so many of the foods are common ones and usually good for you. Plus the symptoms are like food allergies and the foods to avoid often overlap. I don't think I would have made the connection except that I have been determined in this past year to figure this out...to help myself take care of this issue naturally...so I have been approaching it like I would my job (used to be in social services research - librarian now) and documenting everything. A bit obsessive but as I say I am determined. My doctor's belief helped spur this degree of follow through!
I don't think I will re-introduce or test any of the "trigger" foods until next year. I want to give my body a long time to heal since I have had this condition for such a long time. Plus I want to give my new derm's regime a good try (Spiro + Oracea + Tretinoin Cream + monthly microdermabrasion) for the next 7 months, as he has asked me to do. Then maybe next January I will slowly wean off the oral meds and see what happens. Then I might trying to re-introduce some foods on occasion...or not. I have learned over the many decades of dealing with this to take things very slow and to give the body time to adjust. I am so hopeful this is my issue. Also in my family no one has dealt with chronic flare-ups like I have but all of them on my dad's side have terrible asthma...which I never got. I have always wondered if maybe my genes caused it to show up on my facial skin instead...just a thought...
Back when I used to have really bad spring allergies a few years ago to the point where I needed prescription eye drops and allergy meds, I was convinced the allergy meds cleared me up for a few weeks, but breakouts continued after prescription ran out. It's definitely related indirectly in some way.
Back when I used to have really bad spring allergies a few years ago to the point where I needed prescription eye drops and allergy meds, I was convinced the allergy meds cleared me up for a few weeks, but breakouts continued after prescription ran out. It's definitely related indirectly in some way.
At the very least, allergies contribute to chronic inflammation which is at the root of acne formation. And in addition, it might directly cause a pimple to form as part of the response.
Identification of histamine receptors and reduction of squalene levels by an antihistamine in sebocytes.
Hmm this is very interesting to me. A whole new level of research I have to do. Sadly, since using Tretinoin I am having weird things happen to my skin that have never happened in my life. Its frustrating and I started to break down and cry last nite. After cutting high GI foods, dairy, and processed food, my original acne has pretty much gone. But, now i have developed a new problem. I kept thinking it was some new acne or the after effects of tretinoin initial breakout. But, I have come the realization that this may be some rosacea. My derm is a money grubbing... She gave me this stuff with a history of allergies, dry skin, excema, and mild mild rosacea. I had asked her what these bumps were ect ect and she acted like it was no big deal so I kept using it. Duh me. Then within days my eyes got so bright red, I had to quit using it. My face/eyes suddenly gets really red and I get these weird bumps all over it. But, its not acne bc they will disappear randomly and then my eyes go back to normal. (But it makes it look like I have acne) I also dont think its photosensitivity from having used it bc I live in a cold and cloudy state and work a late shift.
Do you think this would work for me? Im thinking of trying this. The only thing that keeps my face in some-what check is constant anti-histamines of ceterizine...which is obviously telling a story. Im really confused on what is happening to begin with and hence where to start holistically. Am I on the right-track to research in this direction? My GP told me about doing a steroid to reset my immune system. But, I am too scared to do anything the "doctors" tell me and would rather figure it out myself!!! What do you guys think?
http://www.restoreun...tihistamine.htm
Here are some of the most accessible and reliable natural antihistamine herbs:
Basil (Ocimum sanctum) One of the best antihistamine herbs, basil has a history in helping prevent stomach cramps, gas as well as constipation. A poultice of Basil leaves can can work as an antihistamine to draw out insect, bee wasp, or snake venom. It helps alleviate acne, healabrasions and speeds healing when used on cuts.
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is rich in anti-histamine properties and is one of the most effective antihistamine herbs. The flowers can be crushed and used as a poultice for inflammatory swelling. Make a tea and drink 2-3 times a day. Chamomile can cause histaminic allergic reactions in some very sensitive people. If this occurs, simply discontinue.
Jewelweed (Impatiens aurea) contains a compound called Lawsone that treats uticaria. Jewelweed is used as a natural remedy for poison ivy, poison oak, okra spines, stinging nettle and acne treatment. Of the natural antihistamine herbs, Jewelweed is also used for heat rash,ringworm and many other skin disorders, as well as bug bites and razor burn.
Papaya (Carica papaya) -Some may be surprised that papaya is counted among natural antihistamine herbs, but papaya does indeed inhibit the secretion of histamine. Papaya juice can be taken internally as well as applied topically to diffuse a histamine attack.
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) Testing shows Parsleys antihistamine action which may be helpful for those with hayfever or hives
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) The very same plant that will produce hives if its hairs inject their histamine into you can also work as one of the best antihistamine herbs to heal the problem. Some herbs whose pollen can cause symptoms of hay fever have been used as a way to reduce symptoms of hay fever, which is the homeopathic theory of like cures like. The most important of these are Goldenrod and Ragweed (Ambrosia ambrosioides) . Eyebright and Elder also have a reputation for use as hay fever remedies. However, an individual allergic to one of these plants should avoid them unless under the care of a doctor of natural medicine. Freeze-dried nettle leaf extract taken in capsule form will treat hives and allergies. The plant does not contain enough histamine to cause a problem when taken orally. Tea can be made from the leaves or cooked as greens. The stinging hairs lose their sting when the plant is cooked.
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) Echinacea is a widely used herbal remedy for treatment of upper respiratory tract infections. This purple coneflower has shown to have antihistamine properties and is counted among some of the more popular natural antihistamine herbs.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) In my Chinese herbal practice, fennel is used for indigestion, spasms in the digestive tract, as well as expelling phlegm from the lungs. Fennel is rich with the antioxidant flavonoid Quercetin. Quercetin is a strong natural antihistamine shown to be very helpful for allergies and histamine-related inflammation. Make as a tea and drink 2-3 times per day.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) another classic herb in the Chinese Materia Medica, ginger works well on allergic reactions such as hives and wheals. Slice up a ginger root, boil it in eight cups of water for 30 minutes. Allow the herbs to steep for another 30 after you have boiled it. Drink 2 to 3 cups a day. You may add the tea to a hot bath and soak for 20 minutes. Dip a wash cloth in the tea once it is at room temperature and use as a compress.
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) Hailed the mushroom of immortality , one of my favorite natural remedies is Reishi (Ling Zhi). Japanese researchers have found that reishi acts as an antihistamine, making it useful for treating allergies. Lanostan, a compound found in reishi, appears to control the release of transmitting chemicals in the body, thereby inhibiting the release of histamine. Since reishi also promotes the adrenal function and immune reaction, it has added effectiveness in controlling the bodys reaction to an allergen.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a natural antihistamine, as well as having antiseptic properties to help purge infections. The essential oil has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against a host of different bacteria and fungi.
Vitamin C is believed to be a natural antihistamine agent if used at high doses, around 3,000mg to 5,000mg a day.
Wild Oregano (Origanum vulgare) aka Wild Marjoram, is one of the very best antihistamine herbs as it has at least seven different antihistaminic chemicals, therefore fights allergies as well as fungus and infection.
That's interesting. And from the list of 12 ways to tell if you have high histamine, it would seem that this is not a problem for me. Not one item in the list applies to me.
Very interesting, thanks for this. There I was feeling pleased with my wheat, dairy and sugar free diet, only to discover that my new daily, healthy spinach, avocado, nuts, pulses, cocoa (raw & sugar free) and papaya could be a problem too. Ugh! Not ready to give up anything else just yet, or I'll end up living only on water (which no doubt could also be a problem due to the fluoride and whatever else is in it).
I hope this produces some good results for you, you deserve a break.
Thank you for the list of anti-histamine herbs! I would be curious what chinese medicine says is the best combination of herbs to drink. I like to make up blends and am now drinking one with spearmint and chamomile.
Since eliminating high histamine foods, specifically spinach and avocado, my skin has not been oily or red like before...which at least for me is the precursor to plugged up pores. I find this so interesting. It is hard to follow my allergy diet and add in the high histamine foods but this is what an elimination diet is all about so I will do it for now. I'm starting to trust how my skin reacts to determine what is good to eat...if I get red or really oily that is a clue.
Here is a good example of why histamine may be issue for me and how histamine intolerance supposedly works according to what I've read and experienced. I was following the allergy diet and doing okay with my derm's regime (no antibiotic or spiro)...my skin was 98% clear. I started eating avocado and nuts daily...lots of avocado and nuts...and added in spinach. I was still doing okay. Then I had a big meal of Thai food loaded with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and tofu. Hours later my skin started itching all over. Next day my t-zone was oily, red and itchy. Two days later I broke out with a couple of angry red pustules that were painful and itchy.
The skin on my inner elbows itched as well. And I felt bad - headachy. According to what I've read, a reaction to high histamine foods is cumulative...meaning that it takes eating the foods over and over or in sufficient quantity to cause a reaction. So much like a mild food allergy, suspect foods can be eaten but only rarely if you want to avoid a reaction.
There is no need to be too obsessed about it. In my case I had overdone it. I was eating a whole avocado daily, along with at least a cup of nuts. The Thai food sent my system over the edge!
As I mentioned above, for now, I am going to treat things like an elimination diet and give my system a rest.
Breanna --- I am so sorry to hear you are having such a negative experience with tretinoin cream. You may have true rosacea which for some people can be aggrevated by the cream. Or it may be an issue of how it is applied. Tretinoin cream is very strong and only a teeny tiny amount is needed...smaller than the size of a small pea for your whole face. Wait a full 30 minutes after washing before applying and only use a very mild cleanser (not one for acne) with lukewarm water. Do not rub your skin. When applying, put a dot on each cheek, one on the nose, forehead and chin. Avoid the eye and mouth area. Pat it in gently with very light strokes. The first time I used tretinoin cream in my 20's I had a terrible reaction...rash, raw skin, bumps, etc. But I did not follow the directions and applied it after 10-15 minutes and too much of it...using it like acne cream. Big mistake. This time I followed the direction exactly...even using less...and it works great with no irritation. It is healing when used this way...a powerful medication. Hope this helps.
You might want to try rooibos tea. I've heard it's a miracle tea for acne, it's from South Africa, people drink it all over the eastern countries for acne especially japan. And personally drinking those speariment teas and what not to lower your hormones is bad news in my eyes. I don't agree with taking anything to purposely alter your hormones, to me it's best to balance them through neutral diet, but again this is just my own opinion not a scientist.
i wonder if this could be my problem. back in january, i got a hive-like bump around my mouth..it swelled up and went away within an hour. before i got this bump, i was drinking a lot of spinach smoothies. i got another hive-like bump around my mouth in february..i suspected that i got it from eating a cheap chocolate candy. then today, at noon, i got a hive-like bump in the same area as the one i got in feb. before i got the bump, i ate blueberries, banana, almond milk, decaf green tea, and lemon water in the morning. the bump went away in an hour. so later tonight, i ate the same things i had this morning. then at 10pm the bump reappeared, along with a smaller bump. im thinking that one of those things i ate is causing these bumps..i just don't know if it's a food allergy or a histamine intolerance now. it sucks now that i have to stop drinking lemon water and decaf green tea cause these are supposed to be good for you.
also, when the hive/bump reappeared tonight, the papules on my cheeks (these papules have been on my cheeks since 2010 and are my main problems) seem to look a lot less inflamed and seem to look smaller. is there a reason for this?
Just read that list of 'high histamine symptoms'..im not kidding that eat thing applied to myself. great -_- now i have no idea what to eat. considering I've also been told i have very low zinc and mag. so lost on what to do and how to approach things now. my acne is basically on the dot hormonal, but now all this histamine stuff fits perfectly. so unsure what to do 
Identification of histamine receptors and reduction of squalene levels by an antihistamine in sebocytes.
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/18007585
Just know that this has come up a few times in very lengthy threads with people taking antihistamine drugs for their acne. At the end, they always decide it's just not a good thing to do long term. Try the natural antihistamine nutrients instead.
i just had bloodwork done for food allergies (immediate and delayed) and i came back as really allergic to all forms of dairy, beef, eggs, gluten, barley, malt, rye, pineapple and garlic. i am moderately allergic to wheat as well as certain nuts etc. i started this diet last week but have been pretty much been wheat and gluten free since april. the wellness doctor i see also has me taking digestive enzymes with each meal. so what i dont get is why i got 3 cysts this week. i figured not eating all that food would help my skin not make it worse. do you think those enzymes could be making things worse?
I read this and thought I'd share it on this topic:
To all chronic acne sufferers
''I have had extremely bad acne in the past, with it flaring up worse at certain times of my life. A few years back I was in India for a few months and while there ran out of shampoo, so bought a local brand which happened to be very strong and sudsy. I broke out badly...but at that time didn't connect it to the shampoo. I saw a dermatologist there, who believed I had allergies to the sun, due to the acne being on my face and upper back. So he prescribed an anti-histamine medicine. I didn't really think the sun was my problem, but I took the medicine and my skin cleared within a day. So I tucked that idea into my head, and now back in the USA, whenever I broke out badly, I took a Benadryl (an anti-histamine) and the acne went away. At that time, I developed a very bad sore throat, and the doctor prescribed what happened to be a sulfa drug to treat it. Within 3 days of taking the sulfa drug medicine, there were pimples (ok, technical term i guess is "hives") all over my body and I was feeling miserable. So I was rushed off to the hospital where they shot me full of anti-histamines to stop what they said was an allergic reaction to the sulfa drugs. It took me a few more months even after all that to FINALLY make the connection that my shampoo and soaps, which contained sodium lauryl suflate, were causing my skin to react with "hives" aka pimples! The Pro Active stuff I was using also contained sulfur in their mask, and always made my skin worse when I used it....so I was finally making these connections. After switching to chemical-free beauty products (I especially avoid sodium lauryl sulfate--its even in toothpastes!!), I rarely break out, and when I do, I can usually trace it to eating enriched bread (enriched with "vitamins" such as iron sulfate).
Moral of the story, while you treat your acne, please take a moment to think about what might be causing it. It's not the bodies natural condition to break out in pimples all the time. It is a sign that the skin, or something internally, is being exposed to some irritant.
I found a great company that makes shampoos/soaps/lotions that are absolutely free of synthetic chemicals, called Aubrey Organics. I use them, they are great. Or you can make your own soaps and beauty products. And there may be other companies that provide similiar products. But always check labels if something claims to be all natural, coz it might still contain harmful chemicals.''
I've looked into this and know it isn't the case for me because during two of the healthiest, clearest-skinned times in my life, I was eating a ton of these histamine foods.
Things can change, though. I used to be able eat high histamine foods and maintain clear skin just by avoiding grains, sugar, etc... but now high histamine foods break me out almost instantly. Probably because my intestinal dysbiosis became worse. Apparently certain bacteria produce histamine and can cause or contribute to a histamine intolerance.