avoid tyramine and avoid another afib

i did a lot of research and found that a big trigger for afib (and some types of migriaines) is an amino acid called tyramine. tyramine is a natural by-product of bacterial and yeast action. it is also found in pork, over ripe bananas, over ripe avacodos. anything that is processed with yeast or bacteria can have a lot of tyramine in it. note that tyramine is not an additive. it is not listed as an ingredient on any label.

here's what to avoid:

beer and wine (yikes!)
cheese (the older the cheese, the worse it is. monterey jack is bad)
yoghurt
bread
soy
soy bean oil
mayonaise made with soybean oil
chicken (sometimes bad, sometimes o.k. Eat chicken in small quantities, i.e., half a breast, not a whole one)
citrus
anything that has sat in your fridge for a few days. the fresher, the better!



if you find that your afbis are happening after eating foods on the list, then here is a list of substitutions:

crackers
canola based mayo (in health food stores)
experiment with breads. some won't bother you.
milk
beef
fish
mozzarella cheese is o.k.
cream cheese in small amounts
all vegetables and fruit (except citrus)
barely ripe avacados. buy hard ones and peel them with a paring knife. if you can scoop it with a spoon, it's too ripe for you.
bananas that are a little bit green are o.k.

good luck!

Cheri

add to the list of stuff to avoid:

msg
caffeine

Cheri,

I am one of those who can't have much tyramine. However, I'm fine with coffee & good red wine (but not French or Italian, because of the sulfates).

One of my all-time favourite foods is raspberries, which are terrific here in B.C., but because of the tyramine content I had to stop eating them.

There are quite a few other foods, even vegetables, that have tyramine in them, so do a google on the Tyramine website if you're not sure. The list is actually quite long - unfortunately.

Cheers,
Reet

thanks. i fogot about the raspberries.

Cheri,

I have always thought that there is a physiological link between afib and migraines and that tyramine which is a trigger for migraines, may for some individuals also be a trigger for afib.

It is possible that tyramine manifests as a trigger for arrhythmia without presenting the symptoms of migraine. As people age their migraines typically disappear because the elasticity of the blood vessels diminishes.

In some tyramine sensitive people tyramine causes an abnormal reaction in the blood vessels of the head (and heart?) The blood vessels become abnormally constricted and then later abnormally dilated causing the pain of migraines. The nerves around the blood vessels are effected and become painful.

Could this tyramine reaction (especially a build- up of tyramine in the system) effect the heart, thereby causing arrhythmia; or does the vascular constriction and dilation in the brain ("neurological brain storm") disrupt neurological signals to the heart?

I know that these musings aren't very "scientific," but sometimes empirical observations serve as hunches that then become the material for research.

I think that chocolate is another food high in tyramine.

Carol

you're right. i forgot to add chocolate to the list. basically, anything that tastes good is bad for you!

Cheri,

Anything fermented or preserved (smoked and dried) is high in tyramine.

As you say, to avoid tyramine, only eat very fresh food.

Carol

Does anyone know of an information source on tyramine content of foods that includes quantitative analyses. It's not enough to know whether a food has tyramine; it's equally important to know how much tyramine there is comparatively speaking. Information is useless unless it is quantitative.

Just like dieters know all foods have calories, but the key question is how many calories.

HERE'S MY TYRAMINE RESEARCH. THE DATES ARE THE DATES I LOOKED THE ITEM UP ON THE INTERNET:

October 12, 2004 aol search of tyramine +soy
[www.diagnose-me.com]:


Foods that are riper or have been longer standing tend to have higher tyramine content than fresh or freshly-prepared foods. Thus a piece of fruit that is fresh and firm may be well tolerated, but a ripe or especially over-ripe piece of the same food may provoke a serious reaction. Furthermore, bacterial action on protein sources such as meat and soy products can cause an increase in the food's tyramine levels. In summary, the caution regarding foods high in tyramine is that firm and fresh is more likely to be safe than over-ripe or over-exposed to potential bacterial overgrowth.

High tyramine-containing foods
Items in the list below that are bolded contain high to very high amounts of tyramine.
Aged cheese: american, processed, blue, boursault, brick (natural), brie, camembert, cheddar, emmenthaler, gruyere, mozzarella, parmesan, romano, sour cream, roquefort,
stilton and swiss.
Aged, cured or spoiled meats: beef or chicken liver, other meats, fish (unrefrigerated, fermented), fermented sausages (bologna, pepperoni, salami, summer sausage), game meat, meat tenderizer, meat extracts, caviar, salted herring and other dried fish, pickled herring (spoiled) and shrimp paste.
Alcohol: ale, beer (including some non-alcoholic beers), red wine (especially chianti), port, reisling, sauternes, sherry, vermouth and distilled spirits.
Fruits/vegetables: avocados (especially overripe), bananas, bean curd, (fava) bean pods, canned figs (overripe), miso soup, red plums, raisins, sauerkraut, soy sauce, soy bean condiments, spinach, teriyaki, tofu, tomatoes and yeast and yeast extracts (marmite, brewer's yeast and baker's yeast.
Other items with similar actions: chocolate (cocoa) and caffeine (coffee, tea, colas).
Analysis of pizzas from large chain commercial outlets found no significant tyramine levels in any of the pizzas tested, including those with double pepperoni and double cheese. Marked variability was found with soy products, including significant amounts of tyramine found in tofu when stored for a week, and high tyramine content of some soy sauces. The
authors of this study concluded that pizzas from large chain commercial outlets are safe for consumption with MAO inhibitors. However, they recommended caution when ordering from smaller outlets or with gourmet pizzas that may use aged cheeses. All soybean products should be avoided.


Tyramine-containing Foods Avoidance can help with the following:
Metabolic Migraine/Tension Headaches Tyramine-containing foods are responsible for migraines in 15% of sufferers. If you have observed a sensitivity to such foods, you should try a tyramine-free diet for a short time. If headaches resolve, reintroduce foods high in tyramine. If headaches recur, you may be able to control your headaches by avoiding these foods; if not, you may be allergic to other foods.


Tumors, Malignant
Cancer, General Only those using hydrazine sulfate are required to avoid tyramine-containing foods.


Monoamine Oxidase (MAO)
An enzyme catalyzing the removal of an amine group from a variety of substrates, including norepinephrine and dopamine. MAO inhibitors block the action of MAO, thus raising the levels of the monoamine neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin - which have significant effects on mood and behavior. Epinephrine, norepinephrine and serotonin are normally deactivated by MAO-A while dopamine and phenylethylamine are normally metabolized by MAO-B.

Tyramine
An amino acid synthesized in the body from the essential amino acid tyrosine that has a sympathomimetic action and is derived from tyrosine.

October 12, 2004
[www.relieve-migraine-headache.com] :
So what foods contain tyramine?
Food with tyramine is generally preserved or aged. For this reason, you should be very wary of leftovers that have been in the refrigerator for more than 24-48 hours. The more ““aged”” foods become, the worse the trigger may be.
Some examples of dangerously high levels are:
soy sauce (0.941 mg/ml), sauerkraut (3.1 mg/100 g), salami (0-125mg/100g)
Follow this link for more stats on food with tyramine. Dr Seymour Diamond, director of the Diamond Headache Clinic, has developed a low-tyramine headache diet. You can find the details in his book, Conquering Your Migraine, but here's a list of the worst offenders from his book and my own research, broken down into categories:
Meat, fish, poultry and eggs
Anything aged, dried, fermented, salted, smoked or pickled. Watch out especially for pepperoni, salami and liverwurst.
Dairy
Aged cheese. If you get migraines, the best cheese for you is farmers cheese, cottage cheese and cream cheese.
Vegetables
Fava or broad beans, sauerkraut, pickles, olives. Any fermented soy products (ie miso, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce).
Nuts and seeds
All nuts.
Beverages
All alcoholic and fermented beverages
Desserts/sweets:
mincemeat pie
Other
MSG and related chemicals (see our page about MSG for details)

If this list reads like your shopping list, don't be surprised. For some reason those of us with migraines often crave foods that do us the most harm. If you're having a craving, don't go all out. If you must, eat a small amount, and follow up with something more head-friendly.
To summarize
Eat it fresh, and cut down on the prepared foods. Yes, it does take a bit of work and planning, but it does get easier as time goes by. And not only will it help with the migraine situation, you may just find yourself with more energy, strength, endurance and less stress! Think it might be worth a try?
Bacteria form tyramine
In general there is a lot of tyramine in matured foods. Cheese, salami and smoked meats are classic and well-known triggers of tyramine-migraine, but many other things contain just as much tyramine. Bacteria, especially, make tyramine, so ordinary yeast bread doesn’’t contain much tyramine, but sourdough bread can contain a lot.
Bacteria are deliberately added to a whole range of food products to 'get the right taste', for example lactobacilli, while other products mature 'naturally' when the bacteria in the product get to work. It is especially those bacteria that decompose meat that create large amounts of tyramine. Salami, bacon and any form of preserved fish can therefore contain very large amounts of tyramine
There are reports that cloves and cinnamon reduce the production of tyramine in meat products (Shakila et al. 1996), so possibly tyramine migraineurs could eat salami flavoured with cinnamon and/or cloves. Frying oil is also suggested as a possible means of reducing the amount of tyramine in food (Nout et al. 1993).
The quantities reported here are taken from various chemical studies. Larger (and smaller) amounts of tyramine may easily be present in the foods we buy.
The maturing of e.g. cheese and the brewing of beer are biological processes and even though dairies and breweries do all they can to make a product that’’s the same each time, there can be differences in the amount of tyramine in the same type of cheese or beer bought at different times or from different suppliers. In the same way, there can be large variations in the amount of tyramine in smoked fish and bananas, because they’’ve been stored under different conditions.
Tyramine migraineurs have a difficult time in finding a pattern in their migraine attacks. One day they have no problems eating bananas, the next it’’s not such a good idea. Diary notes cause confusion and the conclusion can be that it must be 'something else' that triggers their migraine.
It’’s so easy to find 'reasons' for migraine attacks. Stress or a change in the weather can always get the blame if there’’s nothing else that is apparently 'guilty' of triggering a migraine attack.
Most of the information comes from the Danish Food Agency, 1994.
Food Tyramine content mg/100 g Food Tyramine content mg/100 g
Brie and camembert 0-200 Smoked ham 0-62
Swiss-type cheese 0-250* Fresh pork 0.5-4.1
Cottage cheese and quark 0-1.3 Fresh beef 2
Roquefort 0.7-110 Chicken 2
Flour 0.03-0.25 Chicken liver 10
Potatoes, tomatoes, spinach 0-0.4 Deep-frozen fish 0
Most fruit 0 Canned fish 0-60
Bananas 0.2-9.5 Chocolate 0-1
Raspberries 1.28-9.25 Beer (various types) 0-167
Avocado 2.3 Wine (champagne type) 0.3-2.4
Orange 0-2.5 Vermouth 0-6.7
Liver 27 White wine (various types) 0-2
Salami 0-125 Red wine (various types) 0-1.5
Soy sauce 13-88

Studies have shown that many migraineurs excrete tyramine more slowly than control people (Merikangas et al. 1995). Chemical analysis of a urine sample taken during a migraine attack can therefore determine whether you have tyramine migraine.
If you want to read more:
Joosten, H. M. L. J., Gaya, P. & Nunez, M. 1995. Isolation of tyrosine decarboxylaseless mutants of a bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus faecalis strain and their application in cheese. Journal-of-food-protection (USA) 58(11) 1222-1226.
Levnedsmiddelstyrelsen (Danish food agency), 1994. Indholdet af tyramine i levnedsmidler. Erling Saxholt, 26. August 1994. (In Danish)
Merikangas, K. R; Stevens D. E., Merikangas J. R, Katz C. B. S, Glover V., Cooper T. & Sandler M. 1995.
Tyraminee conjugation deficit in migraine, tension-type headache, and depression. Biological Psychiatry 38(11): 730-736 .
Nout, M. J. R., Ruikes, M. M. W., Bouwmeester, H. M. & Beljaars, P. R. 1993. Effect of processing conditions on the formation of biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate in soybean tempe. Journal of food safety (USA) 13(4) 293-303.
Shakila, R. J., Vasundhara, T. S & Rao, D. V. 1996. Inhibitory effect of spices on in vitro histamine production and histidine decarboxylase activity of Morganella morganii and on the biogenic amine formation in mackerel stored at 30 degrees C.Zeitschrift fuer Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und -Forschung 203(1): 71-76.
Walker, S. E., Shulman, K. I., Tailor, S. A. N & Gardner, D. 1996. Tyraminee content of previously restricted foods in monoamine oxidase inhibitor diets. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 16(5): 383-388.



September 29, 2004 having problems after eating: sourdough w/ butter, oatmeal w/ flax, blueberries, sugar, milk and pecans

February 4, 2004
LAF may also be triggered by hypoglycemia, surgery, chronic infections, alcohol abuse (especially binge drinking), nicotine and caffeine (coffee and cola drinks)(1,2,7,9,10). An allergic reaction may also act as a trigger. Thyramine-containing foods such as cheese, red wine, yogurt, bananas, and chocolate have been known to trigger LAF attacks(11). Serious electrolyte imbalances, such as between sodium and potassium and between calcium and magnesium are other potent triggers for arrhythmias(5,9,12). [www.afibbers.org]





tyramine is found in alcohol, bananas, cheese, chicken, chocolate, citrus, cold cuts, herring, onions, peanut butter, pork, smoked fish, sour cream, vinegar, wine, fresh baked yeast products. Tyramine causes the blood pressure to rise and can cause headaches. Milk thistle and scotch broom too. Liver, fava beans, chianti,


a high tyramine content so patients should be instructed not to eat cheese (particularly strong or aged varieties), sour cream, Chianti wine, sherry, beer (including non-alcoholic beer), liqueurs, pickled herring, anchovies, caviar, liver, canned figs, raisins, bananas or avocados (particularly if overripe), chocolate, soy sauce, sauerkraut, broad beans (fava beans), yeast extracts, yogurt, meat extracts, meat prepared with tenderizers, or dry sausage.


The presence of tyramine and/or typtophan in alfalfa could produce hypertension if monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI's) are also being used. However, this is not a likely interaction.

tyramine This is a naturally occurring substance ( A colorless crystalline amine, C8H11NO ) found in many foods. It is often found in red wine and some beers and is a major contributor to a major hangover. It can cause dangerously high blood pressure in people taking a monoamine oxidate inhibitor.

[www.yourhealthbase.com]

A comprehensive, fully referenced review of the causes, prevention and treatment options for lone atrial fibrillation – a stress–related disorder that is becoming increasingly common.
Lone Atrial Fibrillation
With complete references for researchers

by Hans R. Larsen, MSc ChE

A steady, inconspicuous heartbeat is usually taken for granted so when an attack of atrial fibrillation strikes it is a very frightening experience. The heart beats wildly with a pulse rate as high as 200 beats/minute, dizziness and breathlessness and even fainting may follow and chest pain, extreme fatigue and the need for frequent urination are common symptoms. Fibrillation attack victims usually experience one or more of these symptoms, but a few patients are not aware of any symptoms at all until an electrocardiogram exposes their irregular heart rhythm(1-4).

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and affects more than 1.5 million Americans. Its primary characteristic is a rapid and irregular heartbeat. The incidence of atrial fibrillation shows a significant increase beyond the age of 50 years and the condition is considerably more common among men than among women. Atrial fibrillation may be chronic or intermittent (paroxysmal) and may be triggered by an underlying heart disease such as mitral valve prolapse or stenosis, coronary artery disease, hypertensive heart disease, a heart attack or an inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart (pericarditis). Atrial fibrillation is also a common complication of heart surgery(1-3,5-7).

Lone Atrial Fibrillation.
Many cases of atrial fibrillation are not connected with heart disease or hypertension at all and not too long ago were described as "idiopathic", that is, with no known cause. In recent years however, intensive research has uncovered many conditions, which may trigger atrial fibrillation, and the diagnosis "idiopathic atrial fibrillation" is now much less common. Atrial fibrillation not caused by an underlying heart disease is referred to as primary or lone atrial fibrillation(3).

Lone atrial fibrillation (LAF) may be an isolated event or it may recur on an intermittent basis; it is rarely chronic. It is significantly more prevalent among men than among women. An attack may last a few hours or several days, but rarely longer than a week. The frequency of attacks in intermittent LAF may vary from less than one a year to three per year or more(4,8).

Lone atrial fibrillation caused by an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) is fairly common and can usually be eliminated by dealing with the underlying disease(1,2,5,6,7,9).

LAF may also be triggered by hypoglycemia, surgery, chronic infections, alcohol abuse (especially binge drinking), nicotine and caffeine (coffee and cola drinks)(1,2,7,9,10). An allergic reaction may also act as a trigger. Thyramine-containing foods such as cheese, red wine, yogurt, bananas, and chocolate have been known to trigger LAF attacks(11). Serious electrolyte imbalances, such as between sodium and potassium and between calcium and magnesium are other potent triggers for arrhythmias(5,9,12).

Many drugs, chief among them digitalis (digoxin, Lanoxin) and other antiarrhythmic drugs, may trigger atrial fibrillation as may excessive physical and emotional stress(1-3,5,10,13).

The rhythm of the heart is controlled through a fine balance of input from the parasympathetic (vagal nerve) and sympathetic nervous system. Thus events, which disturb either of these systems, may trigger LAF. Dr. Philippe Coumel, MD, a French cardiologist, has done extensive work on the link between the nervous system and LAF. He has identified a vagal form of LAF which is most common among men aged 40 to 50, occurs during the night, at rest, after eating or following intake of alcohol. This type of LAF may be triggered by sudden stimulation of the vagal nerve through, for example, vomiting or violent sneezing. Dr. Coumel also describes an adrenergic (adrenal hormone linked) form of LAF which occurs exclusively during daytime and which is often preceded by exercise or emotional stress. Frequent urination is a common feature of this type of LAF(3,13).

Dr. Abram Hoffer, MD, a prominent Canadian physician, also believes that many LAF attacks are caused by excessive physical or emotional stress. He postulates that adrenochrome, a metabolite of adrenaline (epinephrine) is the culprit that initiates LAF attacks. Dr. Hoffer also believes that adrenochrome's negative effects can be negated by certain antioxidants(14).

It is clear that there are many types and potential triggers for LAF and this, of course, makes treatment and prevention extremely complicated and difficult.


QUESTIONS ABOUT LONE ATRIAL FIBRILLATION? TRY THE AFIB REPORT !

Emergency treatment of arrhythmias
Most people make their way to an emergency clinic when suffering a violent atrial fibrillation attack. They are usually given intravenous infusions of various drug combinations in order to lower their pulse rate (ventricular rate) and prevent the fibrillation from spilling over into the ventricular heart chambers. Chief among the drugs used to lower the ventricular rate are digitalis, verapamil, propranolol and diltiazem(2,3,5-7,15). Although drug therapy can be effective in lowering the pulse rate it usually does not shorten duration of an LAF attack nor does it help establish normal (sinus) heart rhythm(3,15,16). Recent research is also questioning whether digitalis actually has any effect at all in lowering ventricular rate in intermittent atrial fibrillation(15,17).
Electric cardioversion is used in serious cases to re-establish regular heart rhythm once the pulse rate has been lowered(2,7,17). However, in many cases, sinus rhythm is re-established spontaneously. Cardioversion is not very effective when it comes to LAF and is not recommended for this condition(18).

Many clinical trials have shown magnesium injections to be very effective in stopping fibrillation attacks and some doctors now advocate its routine use in the emergency department. Unfortunately, no studies have been made yet to evaluate the benefits of oral magnesium supplementation in the prevention of LAF(19-24).

Drugs such as procainamide, quinidine, flecainide, sotalol and amiodarone may also be successful in many cases in restoring sinus rhythm. However, these drugs are dangerous and their effect often transient(5,17,25). There is no clear consensus that they are of any value in treating LAF, especially not in cases where symptoms are relatively mild(25).

Atrial fibrillation patients usually also receive aspirin when treated in the emergency ward. The rapid irregular beating of the heart may dislodge small pieces of atherosclerotic plaque in people with heart disease and if these pieces of plaque get stuck in the narrow blood vessels in the brain a stroke may result. There is now compelling evidence that heart disease patients with atrial fibrillation can lessen their risk of a stroke significantly by taking an anticoagulant such as aspirin or warfarin on a regular basis(2,3,5,7,17).

There is however, considerable controversy as to the benefits of anticoagulation therapy in the case of LAF patients, that is, patients with no underlying heart disease, hypertension or other specific risk factors for ischemic stroke (stroke caused by a blood clot). Several studies have found that LAF sufferers do not seem to have a higher risk of stroke than does the general public and therefore may not benefit from taking warfarin or aspirin on a regular basis(5,7,9,15). Researchers at the Mayo Clinic believe that routine anticoagulation is unwarranted for LAF patients under the age of 60 years and that the dangers (internal bleeding, stomach ulcers) of such therapy significantly outweigh the benefits(10). Italian researchers found no difference in the incidence of stroke among LAF patients under 70 years of age regardless of whether they received anticoagulation therapy or not(8).

Prevention of recurrence of LAF
Digoxin has long been prescribed as the drug of choice for preventing LAF(2). However, it is now clear that it does not do so and undoubtedly does more harm than good(3,6,15-17). Digoxin does not prevent intermittent atrial fibrillation and its prolonged use may actually convert the intermittent form to the chronic form(2,7,16,17). It is ineffective in preventing or halting the adrenergic form of LAF and may aggravate LAF of vagal origin(3,13). Recent studies concluded that almost 50% of all patients prescribed digoxin should not be taking it at all and can safely be weaned from it(26,27). Another study found that tens of thousands of patients end up in emergency wards every year with potentially life-threatening digitalis poisoning(28). In short, digitalis is not recommended for the prevention of intermittent LAF attacks(7,15,26).

Other antiarrhythmic drugs such as quinidine, amiodarone, propranolol, sotalol and flecainide may be effective in preventing some types of LAF, but may have no effect on others or may actually aggravate the situation. All antiarrhythmic drugs have very serious side effects and may cause life-threatening arrhythmias themselves. Several clinical trials have shown that patients treated with quinidine and other antiarrhythmic drugs have a higher mortality rate than do patients who are left untreated(3,5,7,15-17,25,29).

Although there is no clear consensus regarding antiarrhythmic drugs in the treatment of LAF many experts believe that their use should be limited to cases where symptoms are severe and persistent(17,25,29).

Fortunately, there are several alternative approaches that show promise in preventing LAF.

Dr. Matthias Rath, MD, a leading American expert on cardiovascular disease, believes that arrhythmias are primarily caused by nutritional deficiencies and can be prevented by optimizing the intake of such nutrients as vitamin C, l-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, magnesium and vitamin B complex(30). Magnesium is of particular importance as it is highly concentrated in the heart muscle and counteracts excessive calcium, which tends to excite the heart. L-carnitine has been found to have excellent antiarrhythmic properties and is also useful in the treatment of heart attack patients and patients with intermittent claudication(31- 33).

Dr. Abram Hoffer, MD reports excellent results in the prevention of LAF through the use of mega-doses of niacin and folic acid(14).

Japanese researchers have found coenzyme Q10 to be effective in the management of arrhythmias(34-36).

Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) is widely used in the management of arrhythmias in Europe. It is non-toxic and has been found to improve the overall performance of the heart(37-39).

The bottom line
Although an acute atrial fibrillation attack is very frightening it is rarely life threatening. Several recent studies have concluded that the mortality rate among people who have intermittent atrial fibrillation attacks, but no underlying heart disease, is no greater than that of the general population(8,10).

The first step in preventing LAF attacks is, of course, to avoid the trigger factors. Staying away from alcohol, caffeine and antiarrhythmic drugs such as digoxin is extremely important. Foods that may cause an allergic reaction should be avoided, as should excessive physical and emotional stress.

There is no magic drug, which will prevent LAF, and the ones frequently prescribed for the condition are likely to do more harm than good. Elimination of nutritional deficiencies and judicious, medically- supervised supplementation with magnesium, l-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, hawthorn, niacin, folic acid, and the vitamin B complex can however, go a long way towards preventing recurrence of LAF attacks.


WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE AN ATTACK
If you have been diagnosed with true LONE atrial fibrillation, are not on antiarrhythmic drugs and are familiar with the symptoms of an attack you might want to try some or all of these techniques before you head for the emergency department:

Stop what you are doing, take a deep breath and relax
Plunge your face into a basin with ice water
Apply a cold compress to your neck
Do the Valsalva Maneuver (Sit down and bend forward at the waist - hold your breath and strain as if blowing up a balloon)
Take three pellets of Aconite (30cc) homeopathic remedy (sublingually)
Have a warm bath with 6-8 drops of pure orange flower oil (neroli oil) in it
Ask your doctor about carotid sinus massage or your acupuncturist about acupuncture to stop the attack. It is also a good idea to take an aspirin if you are not already on anticoagulants (Take 30 minutes before or after taking a homeopathic remedy)
Please remember that these techniques should only be used in the case of true LONE atrial fibrillation attacks. You should check with your physician to make sure they are safe for you.



also read: [www.afibbers.org]

Amalgam (silver) fillings have been associated with heart palpitations, irregular pulse and rapid heart beat. The LAF Survey clearly showed that afibbers with amalgam fillings had many more LAF episodes than afibbers without amalgam fillings. There is also emerging evidence that strictly controlled replacement of amalgam fillings and dissimilar metals in the mouth can reduce the number of afib episodes or eliminate them completely.
Safe removal of amalgam fillings should be done by a holistic or "mercury-free" dentist. The procedure must be followed by effective detoxification as outlined in the July 2001 issue of THE AFIB REPORT.


A comprehensive survey of afibbers (LAF patients) carried out by THE AFIB REPORT revealed that most afibbers have a vivid memory of their first LAF episode. The most common trigger of that first one was emotional or work-related stress (26%) closely followed by physical overexertion at 24%. Caffeine, alcohol, and ice-cold drinks were next at 10%, 6% and 8% respectively. Other less common triggers were severe illness or a viral infection (experienced by 6% of respondents), dehydration (4%), and rest (4%). Digestive periods, coughing and burping, pharmaceutical drugs, surgery, electromagnetic radiation, and toxic chemicals round off the list of initial triggers with 2% (1 respondent) each.
The triggers of subsequent episodes follow in the footsteps of the first one. The overwhelming favourite for the title of most important trigger is emotional or work-related stress. A full 50% of all respondents listed stress as a trigger. Physical overexertion was next at 24% closely followed by alcohol (including wine) and rest at 22% each. The digestive period following a heavy meal was a trigger for 18%, caffeine was mentioned by 16%, and an ice-cold drink by 12%. Ten per cent reported that MSG (monosodium glutamate) was a trigger for them and 6% said that lying on the left side would set off an episode. Aspartame (NutraSweet) was mentioned as a trigger by two respondents (4%) as was chocolate, coughing and burping, and flying (at high altitudes). Three men over 30 years of age (6%) felt that their episodes were cyclical in nature and not related to any specific trigger. Other triggers mentioned were aged cheese, sugar, food additives, acid indigestion, a hot bath, NyQuil (a cold remedy), electromagnetic radiation, toxic chemicals, hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, and changes in weather patterns. Please note that the percentages do not add up to 100 because many respondents listed more than one trigger.
It is clear that the triggers for LAF are many and varied and highly specific to each individual except for excessive emotional and physical stress which are pretty well universal.
[easydiagnosis.com]

DEWEY, email me your email address and i'll email you the tyramine chart. it didn't come out right on the post i just posted. it's an html table. email me at: beadluv@aol.com

Cheri, many many thanks for this post and the effort you put in to the research. I am amazed at how many of the tyramine containing triggers you list that I had concluded through trial and error are contributing to my afib. Without any one to confer with I just thought I was going nuts as there did not seem to be any pattern. Tyramine appears to be the common denominator. Thanks again.

Funny that pizza is listed as an ok food on that list because both bread and tomato (pizza sauce) contain tyramine, and so it seems amounts are a factor as well.

A few weeks ago after reading a post on here from Steven Car I reduced my Calcium intake to 500mg/day and my daily PACs completely stopped, I then tried a small serve of Brie as it's low in calcium but within 1 hour was having my first PACs for 3 weeks, I tested this again 5 days later and had same result. I did a bit more research and found that Brie is high in Tyramine the same level as in the cheddar I had cutout with the low calcium diet. I am now thinking that Tyramine and not calcium was my trigger. Has anyone else noticed the same trigger?

Apart from the 2 times I tried Brie I have been PAC and afib free for 4 weeks.