allergy

CAN YOU READ YOUR SYMPTOMS?

Do you ever experience random headaches or migraines? Do you ever feel as though your tongue is swelling when you eat certain food? Or maybe you have skin rashes, eczema, diarrhea, itchy eyes, runny nose or congestions? When noticing such symptoms, many of us simply assume them to be seasonal allergies or caused by other minor reasons. However, one of the explanations behind such symptoms can be a condition called histamine intolerance.

What is Histamin Intolerance?

Histamine is a natural compound that can be found in different food containing the amino acid “histidine”. In addition to this, however, it is also an important amine produced by different cells of the immune, gastrointestinal and neurologic systems. Histamine is actually a signaling molecule that communicates information between cells and receptors in the body, stimulating many different processes.

A few other Histamine functions:

It is an element of the immune system and the body’s inflammatory reaction, making it a part of our protective mechanism against infection, insect bites etc.
It also works as a neurotransmitterin the brain and controls the sleep-wake cycle.
It regulates physiological functions in the gut and the production of gastric acid.

In a healthy person, once histamine has done its job, it is broken down by certain enzymes. In some cases, however, the body may be unable to deal with the histamine that it has generated or consumed. The enzymes may not be able to break down the molecule for a number of reasons, such as genetic mutation, reduced amount of enzyme activity, nutrient deficiency or simply an imbalance between the consumption of histamine-rich food or food that naturally blocks enzymes.

Interestingly, one of these important enzymes called DAO is produced in the gut. So, if intestinal function is compromised there may not be enough DAO to degrade the histamine normally. This is why, very often, people who have an issue with their gastrointestinal systems are also prone to other symptoms representing histamine intolerance.

Nowadays, it is also becoming evident that children with autism have a tendency towards histamine intolerance. Because the brain has cells that trigger the release of histamine as a response to neurotensin, this can cause autoinflammation leading to headaches, ‘brain fog’, and other neurological symptoms so often associated with ASD.

Note that histamine intolerance is not a true food allergy since it comes from the body’s inability to clear the cumulative buildup of histamine. Because of this, the symptoms may not be immediate and it may, therefore, be difficult to identify a particular food as the trigger. As the mechanism of histamine intolerance is different from any food allergy and is not mediated by antibody IgE, a standard allergy test will not able to recognise it.

If you think you may have histamine intolerance, a food diary is the essential tool necessary for exploring this possibility further.

You need to monitor the following:

Food rich in histamine
Food releasing histamine
DAO enzyme inhibitors such as alcohol, tea (black, green, mate), and various energy drinks

Food rich in histamine:

Fermented food: sauerkraut, kombucha, fermented dairy including yogurt, kefir, sour cream, soy sauce, fish sauce
Vinegar and Vinegar-containing food: pickles, olives, mustard
Cured meats: bacon, salami, hot dogs, sausage
Aged, dried, jerky, smoked and less fresh meat and fish, as well as anchovies and mackerel
Aged cheese
Nuts: Peanuts, walnuts, and cashews
Vegetables: avocados, mushrooms, aubergine, spinach, and dried tomatoes and tomato sauce
Dried fruit and citrus fruit
Long/slow simmered and roasted food: such as bone broths and pot roasts
Fermented alcohol: wine, beer, brandy, port, sherry, rum, champagne
Probiotic supplements

Food releasing histamine:

Bananas
Chocolate
Alcohol
Milk
Nuts and peanuts
Fruit: Papaya, Pineapple, Strawberries
Tomatoes
Shellfish
Artificial preservatives and dyes

If you notice a correlation between the consumption of the above products and your symptoms, I would suggest:

Trying a temporary low histamine diet.
Working on supporting and strengthening your immune system.
Working on your gut health.
Look into supplement support with your practitioner.
Adjusting your cooking methods to lower the levels of histamine in your food (cook your broth for a shorter period of time, avoid slow cooked food, eat fresh meat instead of frozen and avoid leftovers).

Should you have any questions or feedback, please email me your comments!

Irina

Photo by Alex Guillaume

“UNDIET” YOURSELF THIS YEAR AND GO WILD!

At the beginning of each new year, many people set themselves a variety of objectives, such as aiming to follow a specific diet as a part of their healthy eating plan. This is a wonderful initiative! Have you tried it before? Which particular diet did you try adopting? Vegan, Keto, Raw Food diet, Intermediate Fasting? Let me know how it went! The trouble is that many people give up on these resolutions very quickly, determining the specific diet attempted to be ineffective and seeing no point in continuing with it or trying it again. However, the truth is that the diet in question may not work for you simply because it is not the right eating pattern for your body at this current moment in time.

Each diet addresses specific health issues or eating needs. It is, therefore impossible to decide which specific diet you may need and how long you should follow it, without first understanding your own symptoms. Once your body’s needs have been addressed, the eating plan should be adjusted accord to your personal response. However, if you were to explore all the different diets, you would notice one factor common to them all – each diet suggests replacing eating rubbish with eating real food! This fundamental principle of eating healthy is encoded deep in our human genetics.

Therefore, today, I would like to share with you a very simple 7-step solution that will help you improve your health without needing to adopt any particular diet. So, here is your Healthy UNDIET Guide to fundamental and essential changes for the better!

“Eat real” as much as you can!

Simply do not buy any processed food, including sauces, biscuits and tinned products. You can start gently, reducing little by little, and eventually aim to eat 100% whole food that you know was made in your kitchen! This will help eliminate any unwanted components, that happen to be toxic, from your body and raise awareness about food and its nutritional value.

“Eat wild” and organic as much as possible!

Nowadays we mostly eat modified food that looks good and tastes better, but that, unfortunately, has lost many of its healing properties and contains fewer nutrients. For example, wild blueberries are much smaller and less sweet than big, commercially produced berries. However, despite their lesser size, they actually contain more useful micronutrients!

Drink more water!

This sounds very easy, yet, how many of us drink at least 2 litres of water a day, especially during the winter? Water is essential for the digestion, detoxification, energy level maintenance, healthy skin, blood pressure control and so much more.

Eat slowly and chew better!

Digestion starts in your mouth. Make sure you swallow properly liquified food. Even when you eat soup, do not rush and take your time ensuring that the enzymes from your saliva have had the chance to do their job in the oral cavity. This way you will also experience more flavours, textures and smells from the meal you eat, allowing you to enjoy it more!

Eat diverse food!

Any single food doesn’t contain all the essential nutrients that we require for health and well-being. Therefore, by eating a diverse, balanced, multicoloured range of ingredients, you can consume the necessary amount of micro-elements for normal body function.

Take a deep breath before you eat!

When you do diaphragmatic breathing 5-10 times before your meal, you reduce your level of stress, improve your digestion and increase your metabolism. Simple, but so powerful.

Stop counting calories!

A calorie is not a measure of health. The quality of the food consumed sets up your metabolism and is much more important than calories. It has been shown that counting calories can actually increase your appetite and cause weight gain.

Therefore, follow these 7 practical steps and let me know how they go! They may take some time to take effect, and that is OK. Work on them one step at the time and be patient! The aim is to live a rich and fulfilling life without any restrictions and to enjoy your food every day.

Please, do not hesitate to contact me for more information, advice or consultation.

Photo by Peter Wendt

Irina

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S POOP

I am continuing to talk to you about the principle clinical tests you should be aware of in order to properly help your children, and yourself, when necessary. Today we will be talking about stool and stool analysis.

As the festive season approaches many parents will have the chance to spend more time with their children. It is a great opportunity to have fun, play games, cook together and do so much more! However, it is also a great moment to better observe your children and to take note of their poop, especially if your children are young. In case you have teenagers, it is a good time to discuss this very important topic with them, if you have not done so before. Yes, by “this topic” I do mean the stool of your children. Maybe it is not a very glamorous subject, but it is definitely a very important one to be aware of. Stool is a very important physiological biomarker which shows how our body is functioning and if there are any possible problems we need to start thinking about.

Several times, I have come across people who follow a healthy way of eating and practice such eating habits in their family, but who still experience bloating, gases and abnormal bowel movements. This is especially typical among children. The frequency of such symptoms indicate that healthy eating means something different for each person and it is our responsibility to start to understand our own bodies better. We also need to help our children to develop this valuable life skill! Our body is the most valuable thing we have and we need to learn how to hear it and interpet the signs and signals through which it manifests its problems. How often, when you have a headache, do you actually think about what your headache means, instead of just taking a painkiller? Does it mean that you need some rest, fresh air, exercise, a little positive energy, water or food? Or perhaps it is indicating a certain toxicity level in your body and that your liver needs support and you need to change your lifestyle a bit? WHILE WE KEEP IGNORING OUR OWN “BODY LANGUAGE”, WE WILL KEEP SUFFERING FROM DIVERSE CHRONIC CONDITIONS!

Therefore, stool is an important marker to recognise! We need to monitor the regular bowel movements of our children and actually teach them how to pay attention to those signs as well.

VERY OFTEN CHILDREN CAN BE CONSTIPATED EVEN IF THEY POOP EVERY DAY. Because constipation is not only about the frequency of the stool, but also about its consistency. Ideally the consistency should be soft and not very formed. If your child does not produce very much poop, it means it is being held up for some reason, which can cause damage to the lower part of the GI tract (rectum) and can be a reason for bed wetting and urinary infections in girls. Abnormal stool consistency, colour and smell can be very indicative of a child having certain digestive issues that need to be addressed.

If your child is constipated or has diarrhoea, a few things need to be addressed. First of all, of course, is their diet and water intake. All pro-inflammatory processed food needs to be removed, whole food like vegetables and fruit need to be consumed in sufficient amounts (minimum 5-7 portions per day) and the water intake increased (1-1.5 L per day). However, if lifestyle changes do not resolve the stool issue, we need to look deeper. What other symptoms is the child manifesting? Bloating, belching, heartburn or any other stomach problems? To better understand the situation and to correctly address any possible dysboiosis, it is recommended to do a Comprehensive Stool Analysis Test.

What is this? A Comprehensive Stool Analysis Test is a clinical test that will analyse the stool for bacteria, yeast, viruses, fungus and parasites. It also looks for markers that demonstrate inflammation, the level of absorption of nutrients in the gut, production of short-chain fatty acids and much more. It is an excellent test that indicates the many possible reasons for abnormal stool and helps to identify the real causes of digestive issues that play an enormous role in the health of the whole body and brain.

Therefore, it is incredibly advisable to consider undergoing this test! And, the good news is, this test can also be done at home without going through the stress of traveling and visiting a laboratory, in a similar way to the Food Intolerance Test (https://liverighteu.wordpress.com/2017/10/16/why-you-may-consider-taking-a-food-intolerance-test/). Once the results have been revealed, a specific and very effective protocol can be suggested to deal with the identified microflora imbalance. This test definitely helps to identify any well-hidden pathogenic bacteria that can sometimes continue making the lives of our children uncomfortable for a long time, despite the many positive changes that have already been introduced.

Please contact me for more information and to book the test. You can also book the test directly via my website: https://www.liverightautismcoach.com/services

Why you may consider taking a food intolerance test!

Recently, I have been frequently asked about Food Intolerances. As a result, I have come to the realisation that many people do not have a very clear understanding of what Food Intolerances actually are, or of what role they play in our bodies and brains. Let us, therefore, discuss this topic and clarify the differences between allergies and intolerances.

First of all, Food Intolerances differ from Food Allergies. A food Allergy causes a specific immune reaction and is mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE). A Food Allergy is a response to food proteins, resulting from the body’s release of histamine that triggers a cascade of serious symptoms, such as flushing, itchy skin, wheezing, vomiting, throat swelling, and even anaphylaxis. These reactions can occur immediately following exposure to certain allergens. Obviously, such reactions can be life threatening, and it is very important to identify your personal allergens and minimise your exposure to them. It is also vital to learn how to recognise a severe allergic reaction and to know how to deal with it.

At the same time, a Food Intolerance is mediated by non-specific immune responses and is associated with immunoglobulin G (IgG), the body’s reflex to attack anything that is identified as foreign. The mechanism of Food Intolerances involves a release of inflammatory chemicals which then cause damage and inflammation in different tissues and organs. This can take place in any part of the body such as the gut; causing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms, in the joints; producing symptoms of arthritis, in the head; producing migraines, and so on. The symptoms of Food Intolerance generally take longer to materialise and they become noticeable several hours after ingesting the offending food. In some cases, symptoms may take up to 48 hours to appear and can remain for several days. This makes it very difficult to identify the real cause of the symptoms.

The effect of food-induced activation of the immune system can, initially, not be very obvious, but may become very serious over time. The continuous intake of food causing local micro-inflammation in the intestinal tissue, can spread the inflammation to other tissues and organs. Any system, for instance the nervous, hormonal and metabolic systems, can be affected and symptoms may vary considerably. This makes the whole situation complicated and the initial cause of the symptoms may be masked and difficult to identify.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT UNIDENTIFIED, HIDDEN FOOD INTOLERANCES CAUSE ONGOING INFLAMMATION IN THE BODY AND BRAIN.

In children, this inflammation disrupts information processing, interrupts reading and direction comprehension, and shortens the attention span. It also messes with neurotransmitters, which are responsible for emotional and behavioural responses, and is what leads to children’s inability to sit still and creates emotional outbursts.

Nowadays more and more people develop Food Intolerances, especially children with special educational needs and compromised immune systems. Therefore, it is very important to identify the hidden cause of inflammation that may be making your, and your children’s, life so much more difficult.

Furthermore, I have excellent news for you! THE FOOD INTOLERANCE TEST IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO DO! There is no need to go to any hospital or laboratory, you do not need to wait for your appointment in a waiting room and there is no need ti think of ways to entertain or occupy your child. You do not need to take time off from work and your child doesn’t need to miss school. You can simply do it at home at your own personal convenience! You can prepare your child slowly for this process, so that they are not afraid, so that they are aware of exactly what is happening and why. Then, once both you and your child are ready, you can perform the sample collection. All this means is pricking your child’s finger using a specially provided device and collecting four drops of blood on a special card. Once you are done, you simply send this card back to a laboratory, directly from your home. It is, therefore, an absolutely stress-free process! In two weeks’ time, you will receive results that will help resolve many of your child’s health issues and could very well be life changing.

However, this doesn’t mean that you should buy any tests online and do everything without any guidance! Be careful! Some tests are not very reliable and not very accurate. You could end up wasting your money and time, simply to get misleading results, which you will then try to implement in life. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ORDER THIS TEST FROM A GOOD CERTIFIED LABORATORY THROUGH A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL. Then, ideally, the results should be explained and interpreted by your practitioner. You should receive a clear, specific action plan based on your profile and personal circumstances.

This is why I would like to offer you my help and assistance with this process. I am working with the best laboratories and have extensive experience in dealing with the results of such tests. An IgG Food Intolerance test typically checks from 55-184 different foods and gives you a report as to how much chronic inflammation and adverse reaction particular foods cause upon consumption. The test delivers results as values of high, moderate, and low. After correctly avoiding the foods that cause high and moderate levels of reaction, and after following the gut-healing protocol, it is possible that up to 80% of Food Intolerances will disappear and that the avoided foods can be carefully introduced back into the diet. However, the price for this test varies from 200 to 300 Euros and, unfortunately, cannot be reimbursed by medical insurance.

So, if you or your child have any of the most common symptoms of food intolerance listed below, please consider doing the incredibly EASY Food Intolerance test. Please remember that this small investment could save you lots of time, money and, most importantly, HEALTH in the future!

List of symptoms associated with Food Intolerance:

Diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, IBS, reflux, stomach ache
Eczema, psoriasis, rashes, urticaria
Migraines, headaches, memory problems, mood swings, depression, ADHD, ASD
Cough, sinusitis, runny nose
Chronic fatigue, feeling under the weather, general lack of energy
Obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, inability to lose weight, weight loss
Stiff or sore joints, arthritis, tendonitis
Reduced immune status against viral infections, allergies, autoimmune disease

To conclude, in order to avoid any serious long-term conditions caused by hidden food intolerances, which may then complicate an already tricky health situation enormously and may have a hugely negative impact on academic performance, I would recommend performing this test and to follow sensible temporary diet recommendations based on the results.

Please contact me for more information and to book the test. You can also do it directly via my website: https://www.liverightautismcoach.com/services