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Topic: Choosing Safe Fish

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Scarlet Ribbons
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Choosing Safe Fish
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Dear Admin,

Would you mind sharing how you choose fresh fish that is safe to eat? (i.e. what questions you ask.)

By the way, I can't thank you enough for this forum and all your articles. I have learnt so much.

Cheers,

Scarlet Ribbons



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Hi there scarlet!

Thanks so much for saying that :)

I personally order from a company that assures the fish is no more than 36 hours from having been fished.

Failing that:

Find yourself a family owned fish monger's if possible. Explain to them that you have a serious medical issue and that the only way you can eat fish (which you absolutely must because it's very good for you) is if it's very fresh and has never been frozen. Ask them how long it takes for the fish to get to them from the coast, if it's flash frozen (bad), frozen at all (very bad), and how long it may have been kept on the boat before reaching them. Be very nice, smiley, and you should get honest answers. If it all sounds good (i.e. not more than a day from fishing) as what day they get deliveries and pounce on it.

Otherwise, do pretty much the same at a nice sept store food hall or your super market. The guys at whole foods and planet organic know me by now - I have my sched mapped out and they even greet me with a list of what's just come in. They'll also often go to the big fridge for me to slice up a new cut rather than giving me something that's been sitting out in the display. I'm really nice and apologetic and they're really cool too. I find the health food stores are always a good place to start as they're used to dealing with fussy people and those with some kind of ailment.

Hope this helps!



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I'm the Low Histamine Chef! Please feel free to ask me any questions. Please visit the site for information on Histaminosis/Histamine Intolerance and to download a copy of the Diamine Oxidase Support Recipe Book today!
Scarlet Ribbons
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Thanks so much, Admin!

That certainly gives me a lot to go on. I keep putting off talking to fish mongers because I've never been sure what's safe and what processing seemingly 'fresh' fish might have undergone. I'm still amazed (fascinated, I mean, not outraged! smile) that 'fresh' meat in the supermarket can be several months old because it's been vacuum packed. Fortunately, I like learning - especially since, at this rate, I should be a genius by my next birthday. Maybe ... confuse

Now, fingers crossed I can find some safe fish!!

Thanks again.

Cheers

Scarlet



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canary
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Aloha Admin,
I'm so glad that I found your site, it helped me lot, thank you *hugs*
But something is yet very dubious to me:
Can you explain to me, why frozen fish is bad? I constantly hear, that frozen fish is even better, because it's frozen right on the ship and if you thaw it very quick histamine gets no chance. What is wrong with that?

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Hi there!

That's so sweet thanks so much for saying that :) Right back at you!

The frozen fish thing is simply that:

1. We don't really know if it was frozen on the boat.
2. No clue if it was gutted immediately, or frozen, then thawed to gut, before being frozen again.
3. We can't guarantee that it hasn't thawed and refrozen en route (electrical failure, improper freezing, transportation issues)

Freezing itself isn't that bad. I'll eat frozen fish, as long as I am the one freezing it. The thawing is what releases the biogenic amines (including histamine), so it happening once or more is a little scary. But - if you have no choice, and it doesn't bother you, then go for it!

I just offer my insights, what has worked for me, the research I've conducted and what I have been told :)

In this case, I was told to avoid frozen by the person who diagnosed me and a few conversations with people in the food industry left me worried. I don't know if that one fish is going to do something really nasty. So I prefer to control as many variables as I can! That's why developing a relationship with a fishmonger is a good thing. Well, I mean a friendly one :) Not sure I'd go that far for fresh fish!







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I'm the Low Histamine Chef! Please feel free to ask me any questions. Please visit the site for information on Histaminosis/Histamine Intolerance and to download a copy of the Diamine Oxidase Support Recipe Book today!
canary
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Thanks for the quick answer!
Before I knew from my histaminosis, I used to eat really a lot of fresh fish, cause I was suffering from depression. Omega 3s are best known to help with these issues. But I felt worse. I even developed suicidal thougts. Now I know it came from the Fish. I had allways an eye on freshness, but I don't live near to the coast, so fish can't be that fresh here, in addition, I am very sensitive. Now I allways take frozen fish and doing fine! Maybe I'll try some freshwater fish from a local organic farmer, to me it always tasted fresher than seafish.

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admin
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You know that's the key!! I keep telling people to forget food lists and just listen to what their body tells them. I ended up making my own list from my food diaries, and that has been amazing!

Ultimately only you know what something is doing for you...If the frozen fish works for you then keep at it!

__________________

I'm the Low Histamine Chef! Please feel free to ask me any questions. Please visit the site for information on Histaminosis/Histamine Intolerance and to download a copy of the Diamine Oxidase Support Recipe Book today!
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