“Happy Days Are Here Again” probably sounds like an odd title, especially during a pandemic. But let’s be honest, as much as we try not to “comfort eat,” our favorite foods can really give us a lift when we’re down. And, again, being honest, our comfort foods are often not the healthiest choices. Occasionally, it’s nice to relax, cut loose and enjoy your favorite foods without worrying. Although we encourage everyone to eat healthy whole foods most of the time, it is nice to indulge in a slice of the best pizza in town or a Bakery Noveau croissant every few months!
Histamine
There is a lot of new interest in boosting the immune system these days for obvious reasons. As many people have learned with food sensitivity testing, certain foods can trigger histamine reactions in the body. Histamines are chemicals in your immune system that, when triggered, send messages to your mast cells and launch a reaction1,2 that can include everything from sneezing and congestion to headaches, hives, fatigue, stomach aches, cramping, and dizziness.3 Ongoing histamine reactions increase inflammation in the body.
DAO (Diamine Oxidase)
Normally, the system releases a substance called DAO (diamine oxidase) which breaks down histamine from foods that are ingested. However, many people do not release enough DAO due to various drugs that inhibit DAO production, leaky gut syndrome, and quite frankly, from just constantly loading up on histamine-rich foods.4,5 Gluten is a large cause of food-related histamine reactions, as is dairy. For people who have had food sensitivity testing: you know your trigger foods! Unfortunately, a lot of times, our trigger foods are the ones we seem to crave and long to eat during uncertain times as well as when celebrating.
Histamine and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Histamine stimulates inflammation.6 An ongoing histamine response (even a low-grade one) is not wise to have at any time, let alone during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mast cells (cells that produce histamine) “are the main source of cytokine release that leads to lung damage in SARS-CoV-2.”7
Food and the COVID-19 Lockdown
For many people, just being at home a lot more than usual equals more snacking – and not necessarily on the healthiest foods. Obviously, overdoing the food when stuck at home is not a good idea. However, eating is a form of comfort for many people, and as mentioned above, people tend to crave comfort foods during uncertain times which are many times are histamine-rich foods.
Enjoy Your Favorite Foods with HistaRelief 60
HistaRelief 60 is an enzyme formula containing Diamine Oxidase (DAO)—the main enzyme responsible for the breaking down of ingested histamine in foods. This enzyme has been clinically tested and found to break down food-derived histamine in the digestive tract thereby relieving the histamine burden. DAO is not absorbed and does not have systemic activity. The enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) degrades histamine by converting it from 2-(4-imidazolyl)-ethylamine to the inactive metabolite imidazole acetaldehyde.8 The active ingredient in HistaRelief 60 is porcine-derived diamine oxidase, and research suggests that DAO derived from porcine kidney appears to have identical action to DAO derived from porcine intestine.9
Directions
Take one to two capsules of HistaRelief 60 no more than 15 minutes before the consumption of histamine-rich foods, or take as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
PLEASE NOTE
HistaRelief 60 does not manage or address antibody-related or IgE-related food allergies. Avoid if allergic to pork or any other porcine ingredient. HistaRelief 60 is NOT EFFECTIVE for symptoms of immune-related food allergies, such as peanuts, shellfish, etc., or for gluten intolerance due to celiac disease.
Please discuss HistaRelief 60, or any dietary supplement you take or wish to take, with your physician. Dietary supplements can react with prescription medications as well as with one another.
