6 Tips for Managing Food Intolerance During the Holidays

Following These Simple Steps Can Make For A More Enjoyable Holiday For Those Suffering From Food Intolerance.

Few things represent the holidays more than festive celebrations filled with food. For those living with a food intolerance, however, a time of celebration can turn into a time of great discomfort. By following a few simple steps, the holidays can be fun-filled even for someone living with a food intolerance.

1. Share Any Special Diet Needs Before the Holiday Celebration

Nothing is worse than showing up to a feast and discovering there is little or nothing you can eat. Communicating with the cook early will allow him or her to know your specific needs so they can help you feel great during the holiday season. Most people who cook large holiday meals enjoy cooking. They will likely enjoy knowing they are preparing food that won‘t make you sick!

2. Avoid Foods High in Histamine

Many people with food intolerance have a reaction to foods high in histamine. These type of foods are often not fresh or are stored for longer periods of time. Included are deli meats, marinated food, fish, cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, strawberries, and bananas, and many more. Even something as simple as a glass of red wine can have negative effects for someone who is sensitive to foods high in histamine. Doing ample research before a holiday meal of foods that are high in histamine and avoiding them is important to managing this type of food intolerance.

3. Keep It Simple

Keeping food simple is key when dealing with a food intolerance. The more elaborate a dish is, the more ingredients it requires. Within each ingredient may lay hidden food products, which can produce discomfort. While a few complex dishes may be “required” by family tradition, things like turkey, chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, and simple dinner rolls offer great comfort food with few ingredients. The simpler and fresher the ingredients, the less likely they will trigger an uncomfortable reaction, particularly one that is histamine based.

4. Always Read the Ingredient Label

When managing food intolerance, label reading is very important. Even on simple dishes someone else prepares, reading a label can mean the difference between a “Happy Holidays” and a holiday spent feeling ill and uncomfortable.

5. Bring Food To The Gathering

Few cooks will turn down guests bringing food to help with the burden of preparation. Bring several foods you know will not trigger your food intolerance. Others will enjoy the variety of several cooks, but it also offers great peace of mind when you know you will not suffer any ill effects from a particular food.

6. Take Appropriate Supplements to Manage Food Intolerance

There are supplements to counteract food intolerance, particularly histamine-related food intolerance. Find a quality supplement like the product Histame, which provides the natural diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme to decrease histamine levels that cause food intolerance reactions. This product should be taken within 15 minutes of eating a high histamine level food to avoid any negative effects the food might cause.