Low Histamine Diet - Phase 2

 

Important Notes for Mast Cell 360 Low Histamine Diet Phase II:
Re-introduction Phase – Build Your Own Foods List: Usually 6-18 months

After 6 months of the Elimination phase, your symptoms will hopefully be much improved. If so, you can start to experiment with foods you can tolerate. 

If you are still having symptoms, though, don’t continue with this step yet. You will need to find out what your underlying Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance Root Causes are and address those first.

1. Only make 1 change every 3-4 days. Keep a Food Diary. Symptoms can take up to 2-3 days to develop. So, don’t introduce anything else new at this time. 
2. This phase is about adding in a HIGH NUTRIENT higher histamine foods in small quantities. For example, you can add 3-4 walnuts. Or try a couple ounces of freshly cooked Wild Alaskan Salmon that was frozen after catch. Don’t do a full serving yet.
3. Don’t add in packaged or processed foods. Be sure to freeze leftovers and be careful ordering meat at a restaurant. I recommend still taking your own meat to restaurants to avoid confusion in this phase.
4. Keep in mind that stress, seasonal allergies, mold exposure, certain medications and some supplements can raise histamine levels. You’ll want to consider these things in your testing.
5. If you tolerate a small quantity of the High Nutrient, higher histamine food, you can try a moderate quantity. For example, 6-8 walnuts or 4 ounces of freshly cooked Wild Alaskan Salmon that was frozen after catch.
6. Give it another 3-4 days. If no increase in symptoms, add this food to your personal Low Histamine Foods List with the quantity you tolerated.
7. Be patient. It will take many months for you to reintroduce foods.
8. Make sure you are rotating foods and not eating too many high histamine foods on the same day. Remember, histamine levels work like a bucket. This means 3 walnuts might not affect you. But 3 walnuts + ¼ avocado + 2 ounces of salmon very well may get you. I suggest only eating 1 higher histamine food a day, in small quantities, at this phase.

Here are examples of foods you can experiment with rotating in at this point in moderation. Start with a small amount. Then, if it goes ok, a little more the next time. 

• 2-3 Walnuts 
• ¼ Avocado, firmer (not mushy)
• 2-4 Fresh Button or Shiitake Mushrooms
• 1 Fresh Pasture Raised Egg, whites thoroughly cooked
• ¼ cup Fresh Tomatoes
• ¼ Banana 
• 3-4 Cubes Fresh Pineapple 
• 2 ounces Wild Alaskan Salmon, frozen after slaughter (like Vital Choice Fish King Salmon)
• ½ ounce top shelf plain vodka, gin, white rum, silver tequila (no more and on rare occasion)
• 1-2 T Butter or Cream (not high histamine, but may people have trouble with casein)
• 1-2 Ounces Dark Chocolate
• 1-2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

I recommend you do NOT include these very high histamine foods in this phase:

• Beef
• Ground meat (unless you grind it yourself at home)
• Fermented Foods: Kefir, Yogurt, Sauerkraut, Miso, Soy Sauce, Kombucha, etc.
• Processed/Packaged foods
• Vinegar – all types
• Strawberries
• Spinach
• All other Fish/Shellfish
• Leftovers not frozen
• Meat at restaurants
• Cured Meats
• Peanuts or Cashews
• Black, Green, White or Rooibos tea
• Wine, Beer, Other Alcohol not listed above