In today's over-prescribed, oversized yet undernourished society, we often find ourselves plagued with inexplicable ailments. I'm not talking about the hot-flash-weight-gain-tender-breast-migraine symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. I'm talking about more chronic, everyday symptoms.

As with menopause symptoms, many people are seeking out alternative treatments to prescription drugs. Interestingly, while people often look to eliminate troublesome foods from their diet, it's less common for them to add certain foods to help alleviate symptoms.

For those who suffer from histamine intolerance, many have found relief through a combination of physical and mental "treatments." By regulating diet and using the brain to heal, many sufferers have alleviated their symptoms.

Although histamine intolerance may affect only about 1 percent of the population, its symptoms are often confused with other maladies, such as food allergies. The majority of those diagnosed with histamine intolerance is women in their 40s. Guess what? Hormonal imbalance can trigger histamine intolerance in women who previously did not suffer from it prior to menopause.

So what are the symptoms of histamine intolerance? Here they are... and many are eerily similar to menopausal symptoms:

• Itchy skin


• Headaches, migraines


• Breathing difficulties, stuffed or runny nose


• Stomach and intestinal problems (tummy ache or diarrhea)


• Hot flashes


• Low blood pressure


• Fatigue, dizziness


• Menstrual pain


• Palpitations and feelings of anxiety

 What foods can trigger histamine reactions? The following foods have the highest levels of histamine:

• Alcoholic beverages (especially red wine)


• Cheese


• Chocolate (say it ain't so!)


• Salami and processed meats


• Nuts


• Fish


• Tomatoes, sauerkraut, spinach


• Citrus fruit, kiwi, strawberries

 OK, so what foods are considered anti-histamine? Yasmina Ykelenstam, who bills herself as [Link Removed], eats the following foods to counteract when she has had a food-related histamine overload:

• [Link Removed] - histamine release inhibitor

 Ykelenstam follows a low-histamine diet to ease her own symptoms (plus meditation, not medication) and is the author of several cookbooks. She calls upon the power of the brain, using mindfulness meditation and visualization as healing tools.

Healing involves both the body and the mind, as I noted in my cousin's brave [Link Removed].

Once you've determined what's causing your symptoms, you can either choose to live with them or decide the best course of treatment for yourself.

Suffering in silence is OUT! Reaching out is IN!

Shmirshky, Your links have been removed, please consider upgrading to premium membership.