Histamine is a lot like your spouse. You need it but for the most part you wish it wasn't around so much. If you're a 'nose' person you may not know exactly what histamine is but you know you don't like it. The US market for allergy medication is estimated to be in excess of $15 billion a year. That's a lot of artillery directed towards this lowly amine that is only looking out for your best interests.
The Good
Histamines are produced by mast cells strategically placed throughout the body and are mobilized quickly when your cells detect a foreign invader. If its a legitimate trespasser then inflammation is your best defence and mast cells supply an endless supply of soldiers.
The Bad
The problem is the lowly cadet that wired the mast cells in your nose inhaled a little too much gun powder that day and got the wires crossed. Now every time you take a breath or swallow just about any food those little buggers fire back. Histamine presents two problems for people with sinus issues:
- You produce too much of it.
- You body doesn't break it down properly.
The Food
Histamine exists in virtually all food with the amounts varying quite dramatically. Of course the foods you love contain the most. Once histamine is ingested, your body is supposed release an enzyme called diamine oxidase (DAO) to neutralize it so that it can be harmlessly flushed out of your body via regular channels. If you're a 'nose' person the chances are pretty high that you're not producing enough of this enzyme. There is a test for it but your doctor will give you that 'look' and then write something down. He'll then offer you a statin drug to lower your cholesterol. Here let me phone that down to the pharmacy for you. So you're left with an over-abundance of histamine floating around inside you and a bunch of trigger happy mast cells ready to release even more histamine as the imaginary war drums begin to beat. Just take an anti-histamine; problem solved. Cetirizine is a good one - just take one of those every day. Pay no attention to the side effects. Like the one where your body becomes chemically dependant on the substance to the point that if you skip a day you will get a rash. Swallow one down and the rash goes away. What a miracle drug we have here.
The Air
You're familiar with this one. Its the reason you can't go camping like everyone else does. Its the reason you can't enjoy summer like every one else does. Its the reason your windows are shut and why HEPA is a four letter word. Pollens attach themselves to mast cells and are are particularly fond of the ones located in mucus membranes like your nose. Your mast cells are too stupid to realize that this is a harmless substance and they immediately release histamine which will inflame the area in an effort to contain the perceived enemy. Its as if Donald Rumsfeld designed these things. At this point you're a dripping stuffed up mess (if you were already from eating all that high histamine food at lunch). Not to worry; your friendly medical practitioner knows just what to do. Take this referral to my secretary and she'll set up an appointment with a specialist who jab your arm with two dozen little needles and tell you exactly what you are allergic to. Apparently these guys know how to read the Braille off your forearm. Of course their recommendation is to turn you into a repeat customer (the Medical Mafia Manifesto - MMM) and have you receive weekly injections of the substances you are most allergic to in order to build up an immunity. Makes sense. Doesn't work but makes sense.
The Counterstrike
What's a nose to do? Believe it or not you can actually have some fun experimenting with what works for you. I offer the following suggestions as a starting point and we'll explore many more in the coming weeks.
- Cromolyn Sodium - Its a pharmaceutical but fairly harmless and goes where you need it most - the nose.
- Eliminate grains (except white rice) - Grains are inflammatory to begin with and I wouldn't even call the stuff we grow in North America food.
- Quercetin - Natural anti-histamine and the color just screams swallow me.
- Nettle - Natural anti-histamine and cheap.
- Take a histamine blocker - Expensive synthetic DAO enzyme you can swallow before you eat.
- Avoid high histamine foods - Its an option. You decide if its worth it.
This is...different.