Hives Question

I had a recent breakout of hives (upper arms, shoulders, neck, forearms, chest, and stomach) and was hoping for some direction on what might have caused this reaction, as well as the best way to accelerate their removal.

My hunch is that the breakout is related to one of two variables: a recent increase in iodine dosing, or an allergic reaction to unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil, but because I started consuming both on the same day, it's difficult for me to isolate the variable.

I increased my daily iodine intake from 150mcg to 2.25mg (15x increase), and as it relates to coconut oil, I started eating 3-4 tablespoons per day. The hives appeared 2-3 days later. I should also note the following: (1) I have a very difficult time consuming the coconut oil - the taste makes me want to vomit almost immediately, and I feel sick to my stomach for 3-4 hours afterward; and (2) I've been drinking about 4 liters of orange juice per day, along with my usual 4-5 egg yolks.

I guess my questions are:

- which variable should I remove first to isolate the source of the breakout?
- generally speaking, are hives an allergic reaction, or a natural healing process?
- aside from removing the source, how can I accelerate the removal of the hives (salt bath, long workout / profuse sweating, etc?)

Thanks,
Mike

Mike78 - I know that you mean about the coconut oil. It's best to start very gradually with it, such as one Tbsp maximum at first, and then gradually increase the dose.

Iodine will cause temporary increase in sweating. This is normal and expected. As for the hives, it might be the iodine, however that should also subside in time. To minimize or reduce the detoxification effects, see the following information in the iodine section of the article.

http://healthyfixx.com/plan/5/heavy-metal-detox

Thanks, CS. I love the Healthyfixx site - you guys are doing a teffiric job with it, and it's one of the few places that I genuinely trust all the information to be reliable and objective.

I'll up the salt intake without discontinuing either regimen altogether, and see how that goes. I appreciate the help.

- Mike