For the love of all that is good, prioritize!

or how to use a cost-benefit approach to histamines

Hello friends older and brand new, nice to see you all.

As I just finished a saffron-infused stew with onions, garlic, a type of fish you probably don’t get (from frozen), scallions, peas, multi-colored cherry tomatoes and the poisonous, impossible high histamine SHRIMP, I got to thinking.

There may be some foods you can never have (looking at you, anything with garam masala, which has black pepper, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, all non-favorites with this body). I am sad for you. I really am. And I can commiserate. I lost a lot of big favorites, marmite, blue cheese, anything burny crunchy overcooked, a whole lot of really ripe avocado, balsamic vinegar. It’s been about seven years and I almost can’t really remember anymore, but I do remember being able to eat anything my little heart desired and not becoming instantly (or not so instantly sick). And I miss it. But also, I must move on.

In previous posts, I have talked about planning out your day or your week so you can have a more histaminey treat. The idea is that by keeping your introduced histamines (as opposed to the ones your body releases itself, sneaky pete) low, that you can splash out on something with more histamines later.

But today I’m thinking of a new lens to see this through, which is the cost-benefit analysis. Simply put, how much will it cost and how much will you gain? There are many foods that I can’t or wouldn’t eat that I don’t really care about missing. Raclette, tomato soup, slow-cooked meat (spoiler, I don’t eat meat).

Then there are other foods, which might be triggery, but also might bring me so much joy that they’re worth the risk. For me, these include: soy sauce, black beans and lemons (can cause histamine release within the body). Soy sauce I kind of know how much I can eat and still feel ok. Lemons I regard with suspicion but will still eat and so far have not gotten sick from them. Black beans? It must be a special occasion, and I have to put a lot of work or remedies in motion to eat a non-catastrophic-for-me 1/4 of a cup. (And we are still so sad about this).

But when they are worth it? They are so worth it.

Everyone always wants to know what histamine list to look at, how to quantify how badly a histamine food might bite you. There are lists-a-plenty, but ultimately the information you seek is in your own body. Also, I propose here another lens to look at this issue through. (All of this assumes that you are an uncomfortable or even miserable post histamining person, and not an anaphylaxis post histamining person).

And the lens is thus: How much do I love/crave it?

And through this lens and for now, I am balancing treats and previous days’ worth of food, possible efficacy of remedies and preventatives I have on hand and answering questions like:

”WAIT, YOU CAN EAT SHRIMP?”

With a slow nod that says “sometimes, in small quantities, on special days.”

I really hope you can fit some of your favorites in, too.