I’m definitely not a web designer, and my useful, though cumbersome site shows it. If any of you ARE web designers who want to help me do a pro-bono full revamp, you just let me know. 😉
Here’s the link to the RECIPE INDEX!
I’m definitely not a web designer, and my useful, though cumbersome site shows it. If any of you ARE web designers who want to help me do a pro-bono full revamp, you just let me know. 😉
Here’s the link to the RECIPE INDEX!
It’s been about two years now since I started building this Low Amine Recipes blog. It has helped a great number of you, and been an inspiration for me in the kitchen, and a driving force behind my exploratory cooking. You may have noticed, however, that in the last several months, I haven’t posted very much. Part of it is because I am unemployed and can’t afford to waste any food on failed attempts, rare though total straight-to-garbage-bin flops may be. Finances have been rough. I’m still loving life, but it’s certainly more lean around these parts.
The other reason I haven’t been posting as much is because I have been able to eat more amines lately. I have been getting away with nectarines, cherries, cauliflower, kale, unprocessed apple cider vinegar, and all other kinds of high amine goodies. I can even have the infrequent tomato, if it’s organic, non-gmo, and fresh, which is stunning, as it was previously my Kryptonite.
Processed foods, food dyes (especially Yellow #5 (Tartazine)), preservatives, canned, aged, and otherwise old foods still do me much harm. However, high amine fresh produce is becoming more and more tolerable. I have even been able to throw in small amounts of raw walnuts and almonds to up my magnesium intake.
My symptoms have reduced… BY ALMOST THREE QUARTERS.
So… How did I do it?
Though I didn’t take my own following advice, please consult your doctor first. Know you are taking your health into your own hands. I am not liable for your actions or your results. My actions may not be what your body chemistry needs. But then again, it may be. I do not feel right keeping what I know about my own success from you.
I don’t know why my symptoms have so drastically reduced. I only know the changes I’ve made that caused it. This is what I will be sharing with you today.
“BODY RESET”
Firstly, I was on a strict low amine diet for over a year. I remember reading somewhere that if you’re on a super strict low amine diet, sometimes the body “resets.” I don’t think my body did this. I did occasionally break down and have the giant plate of evil (often a big bowl of pasta), knowing that by the time I was done eating it, I wouldn’t be able to stand up to put my own dish away. No walking for three days was my penance. But I still did it now and again.
ORGANIC, NON-GMO, WHOLE FOODS
Though I was originally a skeptic, I switched to non-GMO, organic foods as much as possible, and noticed a significant change with that. I realize there aren’t studies to prove GMO is damaging, or that organic is better, or… whatever. But what I do know is that my body reacts better to organic, non-GMO foods. I do not experience as many amine allergies or other bodily breakdowns. Additionally, I removed 99% of processed foods. The only processed things that remain are tamari (yes, I can get away with that now), rice/quinoa pasta, and gluten-free bread.
GLUTEN
I do my best to keep gluten minimized in my diet. When I eat more of it, I notice my allergies are worse. When I did my elimination diet, I was diagnosed as “gluten intolerant,” however, I didn’t think much of it until I realized that by eating it, it made my other allergies worse. Just a heads up…
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
I have been nixing using tums or calcium for my heartburn. Also, a few times a week, I have been drinking a couple tablespoons of ACV. ACV helps to alkalize the body. I was extremely hesitant to start using this, as I know the consequences for vinegar are harsh in the amine world. It seems to agree with me, though, so long as I use it sparingly, and only use the raw, unfiltered ACV brands. It is said that over time, ACV helps to repair the digestive tract.
PYROLURIA
The biggest changes I saw were when I did research into the link between Pyroluria and Amine Allergies. Do your own research on this – there is a very helpful closed group on Facebook called “Pyroluria.” I suggest you join and read through the documents on the site. Extremely useful information. This is not to say you have Pyroluria (and no, I still have not been tested for this – I can’t seem to dredge up the funds for a test), but there were too many commonalities for me to ignore it.
VITAMINS
I recently started dating a wonderful man who I have decided I’m going to love and squeeze into little bits forever. His knowledge in nutrition led me to start trying new supplements and replacing others with better ones. As it turns out, there is a major difference between “regular” (over-the-counter, generic, Costco-type) vitamins, and vitamins that are formulated to make your body recognize the vitamins as food. This is very important to remember when you’re buying vitamins. Price isn’t everything; Effectiveness IS.
The vitamins I now take that I have noticed the greatest benefits to my amine allergy reduction are:
Other vitamins I take for other reasons that may/may not help the allergy but help me overall:
Other vitamins I take that I don’t have brands or dosage dialed in yet:
I hope that this information helps you in your journey to reclaim your body. I have come to believe that my amine allergies were a symptom of much greater problems going on. Deficiencies in vitamins, as well as toxic levels of metals, arsenic, etc. I suggest you also look into chelation and into whether doing detox for your liver (I still have not done a proper cleanse, but have been doing my best to add foods that are helpful to successful detox), kidneys, and so forth. Best to you in your low amine journey.
Love and Light,
Michelle
P.S. I know this blog is impossible with the recipes sometimes. Would you be interested in purchasing a book if I put one together? I was thinking about it, but I wanted to know whether the interest is out there…
*NOTE: Iodoral is an iodine complex that I feel did me a great amount of good. There is a specific way you need to take it, though. Starting slow… Do research on Dr. Brownstein and Iodine before starting.
6 C sweet onion, diced
2 1/2 C red onion
15 cloves garlic, pureed with 1/4 C water
1 C loosely packed parsley leaves, minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 C beef broth
1 – 2 tsp ascorbic acid, to taste
1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
4 Tbsp butter (or butter substitute, or safflower oil. I use soy-free Earth Balance butter substitute)
I have been missing curries again, and one of my favorites is Green Curry Chicken. Unfortunately, it’s usually made with coconut milk, so I can’t eat it. You can use regular milk or cream in this recipe if you prefer the dairy, but it isn’t necessary. As is, this low-amine Green Curry Chicken was delicious. The avocado lends a wonderful creaminess to it that makes up for the fats missing by removing the coconut milk.
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp granulated garlic powder
3 Tbsp safflower oil
2 Tbsp ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp ascorbic acid
1 avocado, barely ripened
2 medium bundles cilantro
1 Tbsp lemongrass (white parts)
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 Tbsp water
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 C rice milk
Steamed rice (I won’t insult your intelligence. I’m going to assume you know how to do this.)
AMINE BREAKDOWN:
Very Low Amine: salt, garlic powder, ginger, ascorbic acid, cilantro, lemongrass, green onion, water, rice milk, steamed rice
Low Amine: boneless skinless chicken thighs, safflower oil
Moderate Amine: barely ripened avocado
Very High Amine: cayenne pepper
I love pickles. You all probably know that by now. Here’s another pickle recipe for you. This low-amine pickle is a quick salt pickle substitute for kimchee. You can do it with traditional Napa cabbage as well, but I prefer the crisp texture of the daikon radish kimchee pickle. Enjoy!
1 large daikon radish, peeled
1/2 tsp ascorbic acid
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 green onion, sliced finely
3 Tbsp salt for pickling
AMINE BREAKDOWN:
Very Low Amine: daikon radish, ascorbic acid, onion powder, garlic powder, green onion, salt
Very High Amine: cayenne
This soup starts with the leftover sauce from my Shredded Cumin and Cilantro Beef, so warning: Don’t start making the soup until you’ve made the Shredded Beef with Cumin and Cilantro recipe!
Now that you’ve enjoyed the Ciabattas with Shredded Beef with Cumin and Cilantro, you should have a few cups of sauce left over. But what to do with them!? Let’s make a soup! This soup is refreshing and bright, and very hearty. I use adzuki beans for their unique, sweet flavor, but you are welcome to use any bean you’d like in this Cumin Bean Vegetable Soup.
2 1/2 C leftover pureed sauce from Shredded Beef with Cumin and Cilantro
2 C beef broth
4 C vegetable broth
3 Tbsp cumin
2 Tbsp granulated garlic powder
1/2 tsp ascorbic acid
1 tsp salt
4 C leeks, halved lengthwise, then sliced thin (white parts only)
2 Tbsp butter
1 C carrots, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
3 C cooked adzuki beans + 2 C reserved liquid from cooking beans
1/4 C cilantro, minced, packed
AMINE BREAKDOWN:
Very Low Amine: cumin, garlic powder, garlic powder, salt, leek, carrot, zucchini, adzuki beans + cooking liquid, cilantro
Low Amine: cumin, leftover pureed sauce from Shredded Beef with Cumin and Cilantro, beef broth, vegetable broth, butter
Pickles… My greatest obsession. I love them so! But of course, with an amine allergy, they’re impossible to eat. Here’s a quick and easy low-amine dill pickle substitute recipe that will leave your taste buds satisfied and your pickle craving fulfilled.
1 English cucumber
1/4 tsp ascorbic acid
1/2 tsp dill
3 Tbsp salt
AMINE BREAKDOWN:
Very Low Amine: cucumber, ascorbic acid, salt, dill
Sweet potato is lower in amines, and has more nutrients available to us than regular potatoes. It also makes a mean breakfast hash, and is as simple to use as regular potatoes. This recipe has a bit of a citrus kick to it from the ascorbic acid, which, with the ground beef or lamb, gives it a slightly Greek feel.
2 C sweet potato, diced
1 1/2 C carrot, diced
1 C ground beef or lamb
1 1/2 C leeks, sliced thin, white parts only
2 Tbsp butter or butter substitute
1 Tbsp cumin, ground
2 packed Tbsp parsley
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ascorbic acid
1/2 tsp salt
AMINE BREAKDOWN:
Very Low Amine: sweet potato, carrot, leek, cumin, parsley, garlic powder, ascorbic acid, salt
Low Amine: ground beef / lamb
This simple black bean dip is a great low-amine protein source and works as a dip, spread, or simple snack / appetizer. Bring it to parties, share with your friends, and enjoy!
3 C black beans
1/3 C water
1/2 – 1 C minced cilantro, to taste
1 C minced sweet onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp chili powder
4 medium cloves garlic, pressed
Cayenne pepper, to taste
AMINE BREAKDOWN:
Very Low Amine: black beans, water, cilantro, sweet onion, salt, garlic
Very High Amine: smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne