Solutions - how did I get better? - & #24 Histamine excess.
It took time and I made some mistakes. But if I had waited for the medical system to help me - or followed all their advice - I would not be better now. Part 2.
This post has my solutions - what I did to try to improve my health over the years, and how many of the issues are also part of the schizophrenia risk factor check list. Jumping way ahead - my current routine, when I take it - and I need to. If I slack, then I get worse again in negative mood and body ways. (My Supplements - 2022) It includes my 2020 list with updates.
This post adds #24 - Histamine excess prenatally or currently. Then gets into a not always in chronological order story of my ill health and attempts to get better. I add some photos of myself and my two babies looking like sleeping angels, and graphics made at early stages of my learning and my recovery. I do this in part because I need to, in order to stay well. CoV was a big curve ball which I have included a section on.
The last post, Another oversite: #23 - B1 - thiamin, Part 1, was wrapping up a series about a need for a comprehensive research study into the nutritional and genetic differences seen in schizophrenia. The group “schizophrenia” or “schizoaffective disorder” may also need to include in the study people with FAS or ADHD, but before they worsen later in life - meaning preventive health guidance and screening might help improve their current quality of life and reduce long-term risks. FAS and ADHD has an increased risk than average for schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s dementia later in life.*
A long follow-up time period in a study would be helpful as there is not much research on what happens to kids with FAS later in their lives - and they do seem to worsen on average rather than remaining at whatever function they had in earlier life.* *References and details were included earlier in the series.
Before I get into my personal solution strategies, something mentioned in the last post stayed on my mind - strobe light effects and fast paced TV shows are more risk for ADHD in kids who watch a lot compared to kids who watch a lot of TV but more like Blue’s Clues (Preschooler show that is so slow, I found it difficult to watch as a parent. Where is the Paint Drying Channel?) Part 2 of a series on Moderation includes recommendations and risks associated with screen time in early childhood.
The point - flickering lights can trigger mast cell degranulation and increase histamine similarly to activated Retinoic Acid. Would the histamine excess be causing brain development changes the way Retinoic acid can? Or just possibly be damaging to the hippocampus? … or other brain areas? It has a role in fetal brain development. (Histamine in Brain Development)
Stomach cramps and diarrhea might be symptoms of histamine intolerance/excess in children according to Histamine Intolerance in Babies and Children. Lack of methyl folate can be a reason for histamine collecting instead of breaking down.
Oh…
“Because histamine is an important neurotransmitter that influences other neurotransmitters in our brain, excess histamine is correlated with conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and schizophrenia. PROCRASTINATION PROBLEMS If you have trouble with procrastination, histamine may play a role.” - Tamy Anderson, 8 Ways Histamine Intolerance Aggravates Your Brain.
I have been getting more done without the histamine whirling mind problem. Leaving the house was difficult - what to take, how to pack it, how to get there, should I even go? will the car break down? I should bring extra water in case of that…etc. The mind doesn’t stop, and any typical mindfulness techniques only help marginally - the mind is being over-stimulated by the histamine and dopamine levels might become low. Low dopamine may then lead to thrill seeking behavior or addictions that increase dopamine. Mast cells release dopamine also and if they are triggered too often, and degranulate too often, then they start making less dopamine and levels can become low. (4)
Excess histamine prenatally can lead to excess estrogen which may affect fertility pre-conception, making it more difficult to conceive. It also is linked to a greater risk of prenatal discomforts such as hyperemesis or complications such as pre-eclampsia. (5)
“Histamine in the brain stimulates the release of various neurotransmitters – seratonin, dopamine, noradrenaline. The histaminergic system (HS) has a vital role in behaviour, cognition and sleep. Abnormalities in the HS are implicated in many neurological disorders such as Tourettes and ASD.” (6)
Another quote from the same article - however folate and folic acid are not the same and a study showing that 15 mg of folic acid is not helpful - tells us nothing about whether a folate supplement might be helpful - and restricting use of folic acid supplements or fortified foods.
“Histadelia is a under-methylation issue so supplementing with nutrition to boost methylation is recommended[iii]. Vitamin C, Calcium (as a buffered vitamin C helps both) and methionine are useful. Zinc and B6 are needed too. Avoid folate. [???] Folic acid tends to worsen symptoms considerably (at 15mg/day), indeed this is a useful diagnostic indicator.” (6)
From that tangent we arrive at #24 - Histamine intolerance prenatally during fetal development, and/or currently as a child or adult.
My Solutions
This doesn’t include my own early childhood years or symptoms, instead it is focused on my adult years when I was making my own health decisions. In early childhood I had chronic eczema, quite severe, and frequent nose-bleeds as my major symptoms.
My health gradually worsened as a young parent of two and college stress. I gradually put on weight that was very difficult to lose. Migraines became a more and more frequent problem and Chronic Fatigue, fibromyalgia, and depression became worse.
#21 - Psych med history: A couple years on family doctor recommended Prozac left me apathetic and I could understand how someone might be so bored with the flatness of life they might commit suicide, but I was not suicidal, just apathetic (and lost my mojo on the SSRIs). Welbutrin worked better for me for a while but eventually led to sun sensitivity and a hive like ‘sunburn’ with minimal sun exposure. I wore long sleeves and stopped the med eventually.
#1 - vitamin D metabolism issues, possibly some intracellular or gut infection that was increasing inflammation: I gradually restricted more seasonings and foods because of the migraines. The Marshall Protocol for a year and a half got rid of the migraine frequency and severity. It uses low dose antibiotics every other day and Benicar/olmesartan every 8 hours, and the goal is to shift Th1/Th2 imbalance. Avoiding all sources of vitamin D including sunshine, as much as possible is also part of the protocol. Trevor Marshall developed the protocol for his own case of sarcoidosis and has found it helpful for certain other inflammatory conditions.
Autoimmune conditions may involve an intracellular infection which are difficult to culture in labs. Pathogens develop an ability to manipulate vitamin D metabolism because of its control over immune function.
Over-conversion of inactive vitamin D to active vitamin D is part of the ‘condition’ that the protocol seems to help with. Several pathogens are able to manipulate vitamin D metabolism as it plays a big role in immune function. I have about ten years of lab tests showing that my inactive 25-D was low while the active 1, 25-D form was at the high end of the “normal” range. Lab ranges may be based on the lab’s average population, which might not be healthy if they are going to a medical facility for help. Recommendations and the lab ranges changed during the years that I was tracking my D levels.
When I started the Marshall Protocol, I had reached a point of having symptoms of excess vitamin D and calcium and was irritable to an angry point that I knew felt unusual. At the time I had started using a suntan booth for the first time ever, having lost a lot of weight with the addition of high dose iodine the year prior. I was feeling good about myself, and then I wasn’t. I was also using a multivitamin with vitamin D and some calcium but had stopped both when I learned of the symptoms of hypercalcemia and excess active D. It is a seco-steroid hormone, so think weightlifter “Roid Rage”.
“Migraines” was not one of the conditions that Marshall Protocol had been used with, but the Th1/Th2 imbalance symptoms seemed pertinent, and I was desperate. I thought about suicide a little with the throbbing head pain - I didn’t want it, my head, anymore, - but that was just wishful thinking not the same as suicidal thoughts after use of a psych med. At the time I used the Marshall Protocol I didn’t know I have a Vitamin D Receptor gene difference but suspected something as I was always a person who got sunburnt instead of tanning. And I didn’t know about histamine and migraines, or how extra niacin can help prevent migraines.
Magnesium can help prevent migraines too and when I learned about Epsom salt baths, that helped my mood and muscle cramps quite a bit. Twitching eyelids and tinnitus briefly were other low magnesium symptoms. I seem to need a topical source, and like people with autism seem to benefit from the sulfate form more than magnesium chloride.
#2 - Low iodine, excess halides: High dose iodine was something I added prior to being on the Marshall Protocol (2006) and I think it was a necessary first step that may have allowed the antibiotic/angiotensin receptor blocker protocol to help as well as it did. High dose iodine for a month can help clear out bromide and fluoride and it did seem to - fibrocystic breast pain had been a problem for a few years, and it went away with the protocol which I attended a seminar about so was working from notes. (Brownstein protocol, 2005) I stayed on the high dose iodine for too long without selenium which I didn’t realize was also a need. For years I took Iodoral once a day, after the first month with 4 a day, (2 at am and pm). You need selenium for the enzyme used to breakdown excess thyroid hormone. I became hyperthyroid and it took a while before that was diagnosed.
Low thyroid symptoms had troubled me for years but the standard T3 and T4 and TSH labs were all within normal - so no problem. More likely dysfunctional T3 and T4 was being made which contained bromide, fluoride, or chloride instead of iodide. Autoimmune thyroid antibodies were never checked. My family doctor and spouse encouraged me to try Seroquel because it would make my “delusions” go away if that was the problem. Three days on a half tablet was already causing pyramidal side effects and I called to insist on stopping.
Getting “non-compliant” in your chart once mental symptoms are involved is really dangerous. They can get a judge to force meds and force commitment in a locked ward I learned later when coerced into signing in “voluntarily” for observation when my ex had me committed against my will. That led to the olanzapine and later akathisia/histamine hyperexcitability.
Once further lab tests revealed that I had become hyperthyroid with autoimmune thyroid antibodies, I was able to get better fairly quickly.
Cutting out gluten, and later corn, helped with the hyperthyroidism plus a couple months of methimazole spread out over a few more than as prescribed. It can harm the liver. I had to avoid iodine rich foods or too much thyroid hormone is made - my thyroid got overactive and remains overactive if iodine is available.
I still have to avoid high iodine foods but have not had further problems with a hyperthyroid flair-up and I still take selenium or eat Brazil nuts most days.
#18 - Cannabinoid gene allele and #22 Psychosomatic symptom history and childhood ACEs or other trauma, also affected my yo-yo weight problems. Lack of cannabinoids can add to binge eating or anorexic* lack of appetite and some strains of marijuana can really set off the munchies worse than other types. Emotional over-eating, for comfort or stuffing down anger in a self-injurious way, I had to learn were problems to control in another way than carbohydrates or salty fatty tortilla chips. Child trauma often teaches the child that they are bad and do deserve pain and punishment. It takes work to practice new ways of thinking long enough to make old patterns in the brain to be forgotten - and it takes cannabinoids to do the synaptic plasticity changes that are needed.
*More on my anorexic phase is included later in the B1 section. In general, I had more problems with over-eating and excess weight most of my life. I was a pudgy adolescent, but the modern level of overweightness was much less common in young people in the 70s and early 80s. Subclinical hypothyroidism and low iodine/excess halides would be a problem that increases with each generation as mothers are more deficient, the fetus is more affected. Tiny size as a child may be an indicator and later overweight may occur. Many other aspects of modern life and the food supply also add to the problem. It is not just eating too much and exercising too little.
What we eat can lead to overeating or be satisfying. Adding more bitter tasting seasonings to foods helps with satiety signals and reducing insulin resistance and weight. More strongly flavored veggies and some types of fruit peel too would provide similar phytonutrient benefits. We have taste receptors in our gut and elsewhere in the body that do actions in response to sensing the “taste” chemical. Others may be sensing the sugar or acidity level in the surrounding area and might respond with a signal to the brain of hunger or pain. The site jenniferdepew.com has pages with links to more on this topic - Citrus Peel or Zinc. More recent: Zinc, Cancer and Bitter Taste Receptors. (Oct 18, 2020)
#18 - Cannabinoid gene alleles. Medical marijuana hybrid strains that have some CBD help me in many ways, and THCV strains are good for the PTSD/mood issues without causing munchies. Too much THC with no CBD can make me odd though and I had problems for a while when a bad for me strain was what I had. I felt something was wrong but didn’t have a lovely dispensary to choose from. I may have been closer than I realized to “schizophrenia,” at times. I did feel something was wrong and knew this wasn’t my norm. Copaiba essential oil as a legal source of beta-caryophyllene helped provide the CBD effect that I needed to balance the THC. The capsules of oil gave me a slight headache and I eventually got more balanced strains of marijuana.
*More on Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency is included later in a graphic. It can impact many conditions that are labeled other things - like “male or female infertility”. Excess can also cause infertility though.
#21 - Psych med history and #18 - cannabinoid gene alleles: Once I was put on olanzapine for a little while (committed involuntarily during the hyperthyroid manic phase), withdrawal from it or marijuana became a scary and potentially deadly undertaking (pun not intended, un-puntentional).
The feeling of histamine hyperexcitability and/or cannabinoid receptor withdrawal and/or abrupt serotonin level changes is not really describable and is hard to control. I am truly glad to have survived the histamine hyperexcitability that arrives with lack of cannabinoids. Inhaled THC and CBD in combination inhibit mast cells from degranulating and releasing histamine and the other cytokines, dopamine, etc. In trying to “not be an addict” or “be professional” I have tried many times and ways to stop smoking or stop using marijuana and have always found my symptoms most helped by smoking it, plus some oil or edibles to get more cannabinoids without the negatives of smoke toxins.
It was interesting to learn the biologic connection - mast cells. Pomegranate seeds and then the peel became my stand-ins when I was off of marijuana. They helped calm the whirling anxiety and odd thoughts. Turns out phytonutrients in pomegranate also inhibit mast cells and help reduce inflammation in other ways.
The olanzapine was not the only thing causing self-harm urges - secondary hyperparathyroidism was an undiagnosed problem for years, and then I quickly got it normalized once it was diagnosed.
#6 - Trace mineral imbalance - calcium, or #1 - vit D metabolism imbalance: Secondary hyperparathyroidism must have been a fairly long-term underlying issue that added an internal edginess and sense of pressure - about to pop, need to pop. Odd- yes - scary - yes, when you want to pop yourself, it is a weird feeling. Cognitive therapy strategy helped - label your weird feelings and then, while still weird, they are now more familiar: That is just my ‘stabby’ mood - don’t stab yourself, (don’t react to that strong urge), and you will be fine. There was not necessarily any emotional difficulty attached to the feeling - just the internal pressure and edginess.
Adding a calcium supplement helped, but cautiously, 1000 mg was recommended by an endocrinologist (and vitamin D but I knew I didn’t need that), and I knew that would be a problem. I use 250-300 mg a day and get calcium in my diet but it seems insufficient. I recently had a relapse day and at the thought “This is my stabby mood,” I went and took a calcium supplement - and it helped. I have been so busy for the last few months that I haven’t been taking many of my supplements regularly, including calcium.
Knowledge is power - but it has to be acted on.
Children and parents may need this information.
The problem may be occurring in kids on the autistic spectrum or others with congenital gene differences - is anyone telling those children that “stabby” feelings are not normal and the best thing is to not stab yourself - it just causes a bloody mess and need for Band-Aids or worse. Is anyone telling their parents that the kids might just need some adjustments to their Vitamin D and calcium and magnesium balance?
If you have low magnesium, then taking calcium and vitamin D supplements won’t help much because the body needs the magnesium in order to cope with the extra vit D and calcium. Adequate protein for mineral transport and vitamin D Binding protein is also really a need. Without carriers for electrical active ions, the body has to pee it out, or plaque it over with cholesterol along vessel walls.
Self-injury coping strategies from a list in a book written for therapists with some descriptors that I added:
#23 - B1 - anorexic appetite, fluttery heart rate, : During my worst I was feeling very spacy and had an odd heart rate - a magazine arrived in the mail, Today’s Dietitian, and I flipped it open, (Oct 2010) and started reading an article about thiamine deficiency in anorexics and alcoholics. Once deficient it also adds to an anorexic appetite (no appetite). I soon put down the magazine and in my dissociative state asked to be driven to the vitamin store to buy B1 (300 mg GNC). It helped within that same day or two to reduce the spaciness and normalize the fluttery heart. I felt weak and unsafe to drive. Sometimes it helps to know a dietitian, even when you are a dietitian. Much gratitude.
#3, 8-11, Pyroluria - low zinc and B6 chronically: Anorexia at that time due to very low zinc and the hyperthyroidism was a problem I eventually realized. Lack of appetite and a little a hard to swallow food - dry feeling in the throat. The hypothyroidism and iodine excess may have been adding to discomfort swallowing. I started taking B6 (250 mg GNC) am and pm and zinc (50 mg GNC), and it helped immensely - and I realized in my scattered habits that missing too many days would cause worse anxiety to return again and other vague symptoms.
Genetic differences are a life-long problem - adjust for the issue every day for the rest of your life - ideally. So, when you have a handful of metabolic differences, then you need a handful of solutions. If you have a couple handfuls, then you need a couple handfuls of ways to mitigate for the change in metabolism.
#8-9 - methylation Bs/gene alleles & #18 - cannabinoids, DMG, and methionine, DMG lack would worsen risks from #1-glyphosate: At some point I got a genetic screening done and it helped a lot. Some of my alleles cancel each other out a little but most do cause disruption within normal function or digestion. One, the BHMT double allele, causes an inability to make most endogenous cannabinoids and to break down another one; and inability to digest betaine/trimethylglycine (TMG) to dimethylglycine (DMG); and interferes with digestion of protein to free methionine.
I added DMG and methionine capsules to my routine and it did nothing much. Then I thought, amino acid - macronutrient, I need more than a capsule. And it is available at weight-lifting type supplement sites. From what little information I could find 2.5 to 10 grams per day of the DMG might be helpful. I use a half spoonful of each with a little baking soda to cut the acidity, Stevia sweetener and a little juice for flavor, 12 oz glass. I also added a few other supplements and stopped a couple after reading more about my gene alleles.
See post: Methylation Cycle Defects - in me - genetic screening "for research purposes only" [not for diagnostic use]. (transcendingsquare.com)
Circadian cycle / Nrf2 promoting phytonutrients / #17 - Omega 3 EPA/DHA / clean air - less VOCs: I am probably forgetting some things - cleaner air was important, blackout dark sleep area was an important improvement I needed. More sunshine, more intense sunshine than northern climates, or full spectrum light during winter is an ongoing need.
Addition - I forgot POTS, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. I had the symptoms twice and got better twice. The problem for seems to have been epigenetic changes for which I needed methyl folate and other methyl donor supplements and to decrease formaldehyde and bad air. I was not in control of a lot in my old household and air quality was very bad. I reduced my own smoking and moved to better air.
Other coincidences:
“A number of chronic conditions are frequently seen in patients with POTS and contribute to symptom burden and reduced quality of life. Common comorbidities include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, and migraine headaches. Other unique conditions that seem to occur with increased frequency in POTS are autoimmunity, the hypermobile form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (HM-EDS), and mast cell activation disorder (MCAD).” (19)
See post: Epigenetic changes may also be involved in Covid19 or LongCovid, (Nov 18, 2020).
Addition - regarding my up and down weight, emotional eating, and cannabinoid related dysfunctional appetite control - lower carbohydrate, (30% carb meal pattern, 1st of 4 posts in a series), but high fiber nuts, seeds and produce, is the solution that seems to be satisfying without setting off the overeating urges, which once started with one bite/one cookie/one chip are hard for me to stop. Lower carbohydrate meal plans need to replace the calories with fat or protein calories, and I go with more fat - found in the nuts and seeds, and coconut, olive or sesame oil. Adequate protein is important but too much as a standard pattern, may be a long-term kidney risk for some people.
Recognition of your own weaknesses is a strength in that you can learn what does work better for you and avoid what doesn’t work as well for you as for others, such as a single portion of addictive foods. Saying No Thank you, may be easier than stoppig at one portion. Anything that mixes fats and carbs can lead to overeating as it converts to opiate like exorphins. Sweet, refined carbs also tend to signal overeating, or excitotoxin seasonings with free glutamate or the alternative sweetener Neotame/aspartame.
. . .
Later CoV happened and as a caregiver for my parents I was spending hours in high risk setting and got it early, exposed: 2/20/2020, symptom onset 2/28, recovery stage started ~ 3/19/2020 - the date bottles of artemisinin arrived, and I started 200 mg am and pm. It helped within a day or two to start feeling less severe fatigue. I got quite sick and posted about what was helping along the way, and did a podcast.
Treatments vs “a cure” - flashback to 2020. (June 21, 2022)
Treatments vs ‘a cure’ (April 3, 2020)
Dietitians’ responsibilities include understanding medications. (March 31, 2020)
ACE2, Diarrhea, & COVID19 – it gets complicated. (March 20, 2020)
Fear and Immunity. (March 16, 2020) a How are you feeling? podcast episode.
Infection, Panic, Self-care, and Unity. (March 31, 2020) podcast episode.
Nrf2 - the Grocery List, Double Bonus episode. (March 1, 2020)
I had to add nicotine lozenges after CoV jabs were introduced and passive exposure left me with a month-long colitis flair-up (May 2021). The S1 subunit is a nAChR inhibitor, and acts like a paralytic snake venom or conotoxin. Providing nicotine protects the receptor function. Less addictive agonists may be available. The nAChRs also are needed for implantation of a fertilized ovum, and hearing and other sensory nerve signaling, and may be a factor in myocarditis. (ref)
Protocol Collation & Therapy Goals - the work in progress is longer - with an encyclopedia style list of nutrients and other aids or risks; and a section of individual conditions or symptoms with possible guidance. (live document, gets updated)
Excerpt from Dietitians’…. note I did not know at that time about my Retinoic acid excess problem, or histamine trigger foods. I learned of histamine from the LongCovid community later and someone else shared an article about the theory regarding liver overactivation of Retinoic acid after an immune challenge.
If interested, not a recommendation, just as an example – my list of vitamin, mineral & herbal supplements that I take, [March 31, 2020, I haven’t updated that document, but that is what helped me get through fairly severe Covid in three weeks] and which may have helped with my recovery from untested illness with symptoms similar to the current COVID-19 cases.
I also try to include certain whole foods daily/regularly including a 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, 1-2 tablespoons [in a pot of soup or batch of muffins] of the inner membrane of pomegranate peel, orange with the white pithy inner peel left on, cumin, coriander, cardamom, rosemary, thyme, Gumbo file powder, cilantro, carrot, onion, celery, garlic, greens, beans, rice or amaranth, cashews, pumpkin seeds, almonds, pistachios and/or walnuts, omega 3 fatty acid fish oil, lemon juice, pomegranate juice, dried cherries and/or dried cranberries. Occasionally pears, coconut yogurt, commercial rice breakfast cereal. Other vegetables, mushrooms, parsnips, winter squash, sweet potato, leeks, chives, romaine lettuce, kale, etc, variety of foods increases variety of trace nutrients in the diet. (March 31, 2020)
My current list - roughly - I divide it into weekly boxes with four compartments and try to take it all over two days at least and try to add the Bs every day if I already had used that box (am - get up an active). (My Supplements - 2022)
#12 - Niacin: I added the high dose niacin protocol late in 2020 after learning of it from another CoV researcher (Dmitry Kats, PhD).
#20 - Retinoic Acid, deficiency or excess, prenatally or currently: I also learned about the excess retinoic acid symptoms in late 2020 and reduced my use of carotenoid rich produce. During an earlier phase of my autoimmune issues worsening, I had stopped eating all animal products because of what seemed like molecular mimicry autoimmune antibodies against albumin - which can occur. I never got a lab test to prove that but my symptoms improved and will return with challenge foods - so I continue avoiding albumin containing foods - which also meant I started avoiding food sources of vitamin A - which may have also been helpful.
#24 - Histamine Intolerance & #8 - methylation alleles and lack of folate: I learned of these issues from the LongCovid community sometime later in 2021
#4 - Excess copper compared to zinc: If you like avocado and almonds and other nuts, then you may be getting a lot of copper.
#24 - Histamine intolerance prenatally (Yes - likely) or currently - Yes: Less stress and better stress coping skills do help. People take my histamine meltdowns as “anger,” but it is more loss of control and I need to get away to a quiet place until I can calm down. Trying to sooth or talk or argue will all just keep the escalating histamine issue getting worse - I can’t stop replying - I need the other person to stop responding so I can disengage and calm down.
The episodes can be emotionally triggered, or strobe lights, or tired, hungry, or dehydrated, so the problem is confusing to figure out and easy to take as “mental” and “Let’s talk about it,” rather than biologic-based which needs real changes, since the emotional triggering of the meltdowns seems “emotional”. Emotional stress also causes oxidative stress and cytokines and may increase mast cells degranulating and releasing more histamine.
Histamine intolerant people might be described as being “allergic” to stress whether emotional or physical, and to strobe light or flickering light effects too. See the first section about early childhood screen time and ADHD risk.
I was worried that I already had some sort of brain damage causing the episodes and was very relieved to find out a way to regain a more stable mood by changing my diet. I had been using many histamine trigger foods and even more while traveling (off marijuana, so no inhibition of mast cells from it), so it makes sense that the meltdowns got worse sometimes while I was on the road (away from a normal kitchen and homecooked food). The meltdowns would leave me feeling flu-ish the next day - inflamed. It just seemed like they must be causing damage and I eventually did learn the cause and that it would be adding to hippocampal damage and long-term Alzheimer’s risk.
Mindset Matters!
The biggest solution or barrier is in your mindset. Is food fuel and building blocks? Or is it something that is supposed to taste good and be comforting or stimulating?
The first view is that of a farmer, gardener, or prenatal nutrition counselor. The baby is being formed out of the chemicals that are eaten during pregnancy or were stored in the mother’s body already.
The second view is that of much of modern life focused on tasty, crispy, salty, or sweet. Too often that stuff doesn’t support microbial life as evidenced by time lapse images of McDonald’s food not molding while more standard home cooked similar food grows mold. If a food cannot support microbial life - why would you think it would support the life of a human cell or its mitochondria?
Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the subthemes of the checklist, quantum biology is the other. Mitochondria are bacteria like and on average our cells contain about 500 mitochondria in each cell (varies by cell type).
As you can see from my story - I did not have a checklist. Strategies I tried based on doctor advice or my own reading didn’t always help or helped for a while and then I would worsen. I also sometimes stopped helpful changes when I saw that mainstream was not in support, my own go-along-with-the-crowd tendency showing, or would just have a little of an avoid food while at a holiday party and then when that wasn’t a bi set back a little more. Then a relapse might occur. I learned to stick with the things that helped me and to keep avoiding the things that had been problems - no matter what other people or medical people did or said.
With colitis sensitivity, some things (TRP channel activators) that were definite irritants during the peak I can now eat in small amounts, while others have remained a problem to avoid. Irritable Bowel/Inflammatory Bowel or colitis is a range of severity but may involve similar problems of too many TRP channels. IBS can occur with childhood stress and remain a lifelong problem for the person. I didn’t understand why some people can’t eat spicy food until I became one of those people (sadly for my love of spicy food).
See post: And what do osmomechanical stress, changes of temperature, chili powder, curry powder, ginger, Benicar, hormone D, steroids, and cannabinoids have in common? (March 30, 2016) *Note that this information is not a standard part of the current medical research knowledge base - I had to figure it out for myself and I haven’t published my findings academically. Maybe my post has led to further research. I haven’t rechecked the topic of IBS research.
It made the grocery store and my situation less frightening once I was able to regain a sense of control over my body and diet - avoid the trigger foods and activities (my inversion board, standing barefoot on cold concrete basement floors) and food stayed in longer. Laying down for a half hour after a meal also helped initially when meals were passing straight through along with a lot of my body fluid and electrolytes. I lost weight rapidly, too fast, with the onset in 2016 and later with the passive exposure 2021 flair up that would not stop with my usual healthier fiber rich eating changes.
What can help IBS/Colitis?
Some of my tapioca pudding with extra tapioca or arrowroot starch. The colon needs short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) from beneficial bacteria converting resistant starch into the SCFAs. Butyrate is an important SCFA made by our microbiome when it is well fed with resistant starches in our diet and adequate zinc. Supplements of butyrate may also help while healing, about 500 mg once or a few times a day.
See: Resistant Starch/Butyrate and page How Much Butyrate? has my basic tapioca pudding recipe. I add a little extra powdered tapioca or arrowroot starch for a thicker pudding. I use cardamom for flavor and phospholipids.
Sponge like mucilaginous foods are soothing, hold onto water content, and restore the jelly-like coating that lines our gastrointestinal tract.
Psyllium fiber, slippery elm powder, marshmallow root powder, flax meal, Gumbo file, (tapioca and arrowroot starch - not quite the same, similar) are all water-soluble mucilaginous fiber sources that get jelly like when mixed in hot water.
Okra is a vegetable that can be soothing and made with a little Gumbo file seems to cut down on veggie related gassiness.
Chia seeds also have water soluble fiber.
Oatmeal, bananas, white rice are known to be mild starches that can be tolerated.
See half way down the page: Membranes & Inflammation.
Or more recent, a Substack post: Colitis and Retinoic Acid.
Change is the only constant in life. Homeostasis is like the endless roller coaster of metabolism that keeps us on balance on average. Health has a narrower range for the highs and lows. Histamine hyperexcitability is more like a spiral roller coaster that is headed for the moon - no one is let off the ride either - except pomegranate juice or seeds or peel can calm it down within twenty minutes or so - nature magic. Quercetin or luteolin supplements or an apple with the peel might also help. See: Histamine Food Lists.
Check list
Yes - Low vitamin D (can also be Yes - low magnesium or Yes - helped to cut it out, thoroughly, excess glyphosate) or Yes -gene differences in the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR). (47) also seen in bipolar disorder (48) toxoplasmosis risk (76)
Excess Retinoic Acid might affect Vit D Receptor & other receptor’s transcription of proteins. (114)
Yes - Low iodine/hypothyroidism / excess fluoride, bromide and perchlorates. (55) Yes - Excess Retinoic Acid might affect Thyroid Receptor function. (114)
Yes - Zinc deficiency prenatally or later in life. (69, 70, 71, 72, 73)(114)
Yes - Excess copper in relation to a low zinc level - may be dietary or genetic - the copper/zinc transport protein dysbindin would be needed as a treatment if that was an underlying factor. (Dysbindin:56, 57, 58, 81),
Unkown - Low manganese and iron were found along with elevated copper. (80, 57)
Yes - (low selenium and zinc, probably elevated copper, marginal to okay iron) - Low trace minerals or excess, or imbalance - it is complex - (83)
Unknown - Low Cesium is also seen in Alzheimer’s. The research team speculate that it may chelate misfolded proteins. (83)
Yes - B vitamins – Yes - gene methylation difference and/or - Yes - pyroluria may be factors in chronic deficiency. Low methyl folate and methyl B12; possibly methylation gene differences. (55)
Unknown but seems likely (Crp level) - Low B6, folate and methyl B12 can lead to increased C-reactive protein levels which is associated with schizophrenia. (46, 55)
Yes - the pyroluria causes this for me. - Low B6, (82)
Yes - supplements help and are needed at least every other day or so or symptoms start returning. - B6, B8 (Inositol), and B12 supplementation helped. (85)
Yes - Low niacin – or need for more than average for an unknown reason. (45)
Yes - too low can cause easy bruising - Vitamin C supplementation helped, (88)
Yes - I added that early in my Get Better Journey and have stuck with it - Cofactors: Alpha lipoic acid helped, “(100 mg/d) for 4 months”(86)
Yes - I do find CoQ10 helpful too and have it used it for many years - CoQ10 supplementation found no difference – adherence may have dropped off. (87)
Adequate protein diet will provide enough cysteine for most people - N-acetylcysteine – an amino acid, used to form glutathione, along with glycine and glutamate. Doses of 600-1000 mg once or twice a day were used. (91) Also see NAC – N-acetylcysteine.
Yes - switching to vegan sources didn’t seem to help my skin, I use the fish oil and it doesn’t seem to affect any autoimmune symptoms. - Low DHA/EPA, omega 3 fatty acid: (43)
Yes - externally induced- high THC marijuana with no CBD for too long for my medical use - too much THC alone can worsen rationality - Low 2-AG (CBD equivalent) in relation to anandamide (THC equiv.). (49) (50) (75) (51, 77) (52)
Unknown - Glutathione levels were found to vary, (88)
Yes - excess - possibly congenital exposure via father, later chronic fatigue syndrome type symptoms following mononucleosis/EBV may have been worsened Retinoic acid levels. - Either deficiency of retinoids (Vitamin A and beta and some other carotenoids) or excess Retinoic acid can be a causal factor in symptoms of schizophrenia. (114, 116) See post #20.
Yes (Olanzapine for a few months - withdrawal caused strong suicidal urges, hard to resist - seriously - hard to handle this. I hid the knives and avoided high places and took Epsom salt baths every few days. Tapering very slowly, and Ibuprofen every 4 hours also helped. See post #21.) - Psych med use/withdrawal history and present use.
Yes - Psychosomatic symptom history and childhood ACEs or other trauma history. See post #22. I discussed my history and recovery strategies in that post. This post, part 3 of a series on Moderation includes child trauma and ACEs information.
Yes - when high iodine/low zinc/anorexic - B1 - thiamine deficiency.
Yes/& likely prenatally. (My mother had lifelong symptoms too and now has Alzheimer’s but has improved on a low histamine diet with methyl folate supplements and some herbal and medication antihistamines and pomegranate juice! and CBD drops.) - Histamine intolerance prenatally during fetal development, and/or currently as a child or adult.
Knowledge is power - when acted on. I prefer to have a rational mindset and an ability to say no when I need to - to myself or others.
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
Reference List
Tamy Anderson, 8 Ways Histamine Intolerance Aggravates Your Brain.
Histamine effects on neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. 08/2014, MASTattack.org, https://www.mastattack.org/2014/08/histamine-effects-on-neurotransmitters-serotonin-dopamine-and-norepinephrine/
Histamine Intolerance and Pregnancy, DrBeckyCampbell.com, https://drbeckycampbell.com/histamine-intolerance-and-pregnancy/
Histamine and the Brain, detoxicology.org, https://detoxicology.org/histamine-and-the-brain/
others
just brilliant.. i have learnt so many things from you...forever grateful.. Many Thanks !