CHENNAI: Biryani. Chicken. Mutton. Cake. Chocolate. Deep-fried goodies — these are a few of popular favourite feasts. But did you know that these delectable somethings have the power to fuel allergic everythings? You may cough and sneeze, your body may start to itch, or IBS and acid reflux may hold your tummy captive. And then, your doctor tells you to take an ‘antihistamine’ to quell your allergies.
What are histamines?
Essentially, they are a troop of good guys present in your body to battle the invasive allergens. While these ‘good’ histamines look after for you, ‘bad’ histamines merrily enter your system through those very delightful somethings and more. When you have excess histamine, it becomes a classic case of ‘too many cooks spoil the allergen-fighting broth’, magnifying your allergies.
Enter histamine intolerance. Then you run to antihistamines, only to end up with less appetite, dizziness, mood swings and more. Bad histamines can also enter your body through less controllable elements such as air. So, local health experts recommend cutting out high-histamine foods for a start.
A harmful guest
Increased histamine in the body can also extend invites to cardiovascular issues such as high blood pressure and arrhythmias, said Dr Vyakarnam Nageshwar, a pulmonologist and allergy superspecialist. “It’s simple: Cut out high-histamine foods. Excess histamine also makes you more prone to mosquito bites, insomnia, and mood swings. While it causes painful menstrual bleeding in women, children suffer from abdominal pains and heavy coughs and colds,” he added.
Indeed, headlines tell the tale of allergies on the rise, especially among children. Bharathi’s four-year-old daughter started to cough almost immediately after eating a cocoa-rich chocolate. “It got so bad that we had to rush her to the hospital. Another time, she ate chips and started to complain of abdominal pain. That’s when the doctor told us about histamines. I feel bad denying these goodies to her so I am trying to find alternatives now,” she said.
To eat or not to eat
Over the years, adverse reactions to certain foods have prompted health experts to dig deeper. Deepa Agarwal, nutritionist and founder of Nutriclinic, said that a change of diet is the best solution for people with histamine intolerance. “Apart from processed meats, chocolates and deep-fried items, high histamine is found in alcohol, aged cheeses, eggplant, avocado, citrus fruits, dry fruits and legumes. Opt for non-citrus fruits, millets, rice, quinoa or fresh salmon instead.”
People with allergies to high-histamine foods have chosen to banish the harmful guest from their diets. “My husband has an allergy to eggplants. After unknowingly consuming it once, he broke out into itchy rashes all over his body. He now makes sure to avoid it at all times,” said Ranjani.
How much histamine does your body have?
Dr Vyakarnam swears by a painless 20-minute test called modified allergen skin prick test that is often done for those between the age of two and 80. It is a painless test which can tell you what you are allergic to and shows the histamine levels in your body.
Dear people, while you may or may not have histamine intolerance, it is certainly important to listen to your body and observe how it reacts to certain foods. If you start showing any symptoms of histamine intolerance, it is best to contact your local allergist.