niacin & histamine laden foods as triggers

[pjbear57]

I have read about various food triggers for rosacea and one time read that you should avoid foods high in niacin and histamines, but what exactly are these foods? I do know that I am sensitive to chocolate.....bummer.

[RedHotCanuck]

I know some breakfast cereals have niacin in them.

I bought some Raisin-Bran granola bars the other day and they contain it..

[KHM]

A couple useful websites and other info on this topic:


First two are probably most useful. second one actually explains a LOT

http://www.urticaria.thunderworksinc.com/pages/lowhistamine.htm

http://users.bigpond.net.au/allergydietitian/fi/histamine.html


http://www.allocca.com/allergy.pdf

http://allergies.about.com/cs/histamine/a/aa071000a.htm


From the Allergy Society of South Africa

APPENDIX XV
HISTAMINE AVOIDANCE DIET

Food listed below must be strictly avoided:


FISH:

Tunny
Sardine
Anchovy
Mackerel

CHEESE:

Emmenthal
Harzer cheese
Gouda
Roquefort
Tilsiter
Camembert
Cheddar

HARD CURED SAUSAGES:

Salami
Dried ham

VEGETABLES:

Pickled cabbage
Spinach
Tomatoes (ketchup)

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES:

Red wine
White wine
Sparkling wine
Beer


Reference: F Wantke, M Gotz and R Jarisch.
Clin Exp Allergy 1993. 23: 982-985

http://allallergy.net/

[pjbear57]

Thanks so much for the info. I'll definitely look those sites over. It's so difficult figuring out which foods to avoid. It all seems to be foods I like unfortunately. I did find some information on Niacin and read that 200mg or more of niacin can cause flushing and itching. Foods with niacin include liver, poultry, fish, rabbit, nuts, cereals, legumes, asparagus, milk, green leafy vegs., & coffee. It's not easy eating to keep my breakouts down. It has helped to REALLY cut down on refined sugars. Don't know if that's connected to rosacea or something else I'm sensitive to. Anyway, thanks again!

[KHM]

Yea - giving up eating seems to be the most practical method, huh.

Lots of us have issues with refined sugars - Dr. Nase posted a bit back about the rise in blood sugar causing flushing and why.

The good news on the histamine lists is that you usually do not have to avoid all of the listed foods. There are different mediation pathways, and usually you will be more bothered by histamines from one or the other pathway.

Anyway - the lists are a good place to start elimination trials - eventually you will figure out what sets you off and what does not.

I suggest oral anti inflamatories like alpha lipoic acid and boswellan, and if histamines are a factor a non drowsy anithistamine like clarinex or zyrtec might be really helpful as well.

[DrD]

One quick note regarding refined sugars, ATP, insulin resistance and rosacea.(article posted by dr. Nase). A follow up post pointed to the cinnamon studies in regards to insulin resistance. I did note that cinnamon was on one of the histamine foods to avoid, in one of the links above. I hadn't realized that cinnamon was a histamine trigger.

[pjbear57]

That's the first I heard any mention of cinnamon. Thanks!!