The Green Smoothie Disaster

Lately I have been having more reactions from my high histamine levels that come with my chronic blood neoplasm. Between that and my Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) I begin each day with my proverbial "histamine bucket" already full to the brim. After having read up and done research on low histamine diets, I've decided to attempt to decrease reactions by eating healthier. I have been focusing on foods that are low histamine, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory or high in antioxidants. Yesterday I made my breakfast smoothie with goat milk, mangos, almonds. pea sprouts, cucumber and flax seed. Since it was Saint Patrick's Day and not green looking I decided I would try my newly purchased chlorella powder. The label on the bag of chlorella said to put in one teaspoon but since I was not sure how I would like the taste or handle it I only put in one half teaspoon. That half teaspoon made it a lovely shamrock green fit for any Irish festivity but had a pungent aroma of grass clippings a couple days in the compost. While I may be somewhat repulsed by the aroma, I am sure Bessie the cow would have been tantalized by it.

I convinced myself I can drink anything for health if I put my mind to it and get my mind off of bovine meal comparisons. I drank about one third of the sixteen ounce glass over about ten minutes and was suddenly hit by nausea, stomach pains and a migraine. I left the rest of the glass on the counter to add a festive Saint Pat's green to my kitchen. As the day progressed so did my reactions. The nausea, stomach pains and migraine were later joined with a prego belly from bloating, brain fog and fatigue, swollen and painful joints and facial angioedema. I was still awake at 2:20 am from my discomfort. My symptoms came much too quickly to be detoxification and identical to many of my food reactions. I should have listened to my nose and not drank any of it. You can believe I won't again...EVER!!!

Today I am improved to the point I only look three months pregnant rather than seven, digestive symptoms continue, headache and joint pains still very much there though improved and my face looks like a cartoon hound dog from the angioedema.

I did not get any photos of this reaction but these first two are from a reaction to the yeast in gluten free homemade pizza crust I had on March 8th  give a clear idea of how I am visibly impacted.

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This is me just twelve hours after the first two photos

How my face looks between reactions

Angioedema where I get hound dog lines and what my hubby calls a balloon valance below my lips

My take away from this is to once again realize how individually unique each person's tolerances and reactivity. While I research for answers, I need to pay attention to what things my body does or does not like and rather than to just follow any given list somebody else developed. Going forward, I will continue to pray for wisdom, glean wisdom from forums, FaceBook groups and blogs of others traveling a similar path to find ideas, resources and support. In the very near future, I plan to have genetic testing done to see if it points to any other underlying causes to my issues.

Dexter hopes your Saint Patrick's Day was a blessed one!

So here's to more days without prego bellies and hound dog faces!

Blessings,

Deb

Low Histamine Chef

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What is Multip;e Chemical Sensitivity