WELCOME to MCAS-BOOK.COM!
This site introduces my upcoming book about mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). Estimated Time of Release: November 2025
MANAGING MAD MAST CELLS
IN DAILY LIFE
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A Practical Approach to
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
by Joy A. Schweizer
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Medically reviewed by Protazy Rejmer, MD
Structured into five sections, this book features over 60 easy-to-navigate subchapters, medically reviewed and supported by references to more than 350 scientific papers. Inside, you'll find:
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Actionable Solutions
for Daily Life with MCAS
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Medical Aspects Explained
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Psychological Coping Strategies
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Nutrition Overview
with a Focus on Restricted Diets
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Personal Insights
Exciting News!
Though I originally planned to pursue traditional publishing, after consulting a marketing expert, I’m starting with self-publishing to build momentum and will consider traditional publishing around 18 months from now.
The book is currently with a professional editor, and the production phase is set to begin this August. We're aiming for a release around November!
If you’d like to be among the first to know when it’s available, including updates on pre-orders and launch events, simply sign up with your email below. I promise to keep emails meaningful and focused—only the latest news about the book’s release and important updates.
Can’t wait to share this journey with you!
BOOK OVERVIEW
Section I takes you on a journey through my life, highlighting the elements that may have triggered the disease and the early signs by which I could have identified it sooner. I share how it felt to be afflicted by health issues that nobody could ever explain or truly help me with, while often not being heard by family, doctors, or even my spouse.
After detailing the events leading up to the complete crash of my health, I lay out the challenges of finding a doctor who took my concerns seriously enough to invest into several months of the extensive testing before finally identifying mast cell involvement. This leads to the sobering moment of receiving my diagnosis, with the prognosis that my health would likely remain miserable for the rest of my life.
Next, I reveal how I learned to cope with this disease and continue to fight for my recovery: the thought processes and insights that helped me navigate out of this maze, take charge of my health and life, and finally reach a point where I can truly enjoy my days again. With a touch of humor, I'll guide you through the ups and downs of my experience, offering a relatable story that provides both insights and hope.
Section II comprises bite-sized subchapters focusing on the medical aspects of MCAS. It covers the roles of mast cells in our bodies, including their structure, function, and mechanisms of activation. Additionally, I discuss related and comorbid diseases, as well as the most common symptoms of MCAS and symptoms caused by released mediators. Furthermore, the section presents both medical and natural treatment options, explores histamine’s functions in our bodies, and provides insights into the use of antihistamines.
Section III explores the psychological dimensions of MCAS, offering practical strategies for navigating discussions about your illness and coping with anxiety, rejection, and sudden hypersensitivity. I provide tips on tracking your reactions, managing exhaustion, and emphasize the importance of maintaining a positive mindset.
Section IV equips you with the essential tools from my MCAS toolbox, that have been indispensable in my journey towards recovery. Here, you’ll learn about identifying triggers and how to avoid them. I provide suggestions on creating a trigger-free home environment and offer practical strategies for navigating public settings while minimizing exposure to triggers. Additionally, I delve into disease and symptom management, including techniques for improving sleep, reducing stress, and calming symptoms.
Section V provides a comprehensive introduction to nutrition, covering the components of a balanced diet, its importance, functions, and the potential consequences of nutrient deficiencies. With a focus on restricted diets, I offer detailed information on histamine-free diets, foods with anti-inflammatory properties, and those that potentially stabilize mast cells. Lastly, I share ideas on how to get creative in the kitchen and provide a few simple, safe, and satisfying recipe suggestions.
CONTENTS
SECTION 1 - MY STORY
1.1 From My Childhood Through My Twenties
1.2 Turbulent Times
1.3 Finding the Cause of My Illness
1.4 After the Diagnosis
1.5 My Stay at the Rehabilitation Clinic
1.6 Gradual Recovery
1.7 Greener Pastures
SECTION II - WHAT ARE MAST CELLS
2.1 Function and Purpose
2.2 Types of Mast Cell Diseases and Diagnoses
2.3 Related Disorders to Mastocytosis
2.4 Conditions That Can Mimic Mast Cell Disorders
2.5 Comorbid Diseases in MCAS
2.6 Symptoms of MCAS
2.7 Mediator-Released Symptoms
2.8 Medical Treatment Options
2.9 Histamine
2.10 Antihistamines
2.11 Mast Cell Stabilizers
SECTION III - MANAGING A DIAGNOSIS
3.1 Finding a Doctor
3.2 Talking to Doctors
3.3 The Irony of MCAS/MCAD
3.4 Alienation of Friends
3.5 Becoming Hypersenstive
3.6 Days of Exhaustion
3.7 Tracking Reactions
3.8 Anxiety
3.9 Mindset
3.10 How I like to Describe Mast Cells
SECTION IV - DAY TO DAY SURVIVAL TACTICS
4.1 Triggers
4.2 How to Work Around Triggers
4.3 Reducing Physical Stress
4.4 Reducing Mental Stress
4.5 Living Environment
4.6 Sleep/Insomnia
4.7 Taking Showers and Baths
4.8 Body Care Products
4.9 Clothing and Fabrics
4.10 Laundry
4.11 Getting the Itching Under Control
4.12 Calming Reactions in the GI Tract
4.13 Breathing Tips to Reduce Reactions
4.14 Shopping
4.15 Temperature
4.16 Travel
4.17 Eating Out
4.18 Hair Loss
4.19 Dark Circles Under the Eyes
4.20 Iron Infusions
SECTION V - DIET
5.1 Fundamentals
5.2 Histamine-Free Cooking
5.3 Histamine Liberators
5.4 Biogenic Amines
5.5 Foods Low in Histamine
5.6 Foods Rich in Quercetin
5.7 Anti-Inflammatory Foods
5.8 Creativity in the Kitchen
5.9 Kitchen Tools
5.10 Storing Food
5.11 Beneficial Diets
5.12 Nutrients
5.13 Vitamins
5.14 Minerals
5.15 Proteins
5.16 Fats
5.17 Carbohydrates
5.18 Coffee, Yes or No?
5.19 Menu Ideas
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
Useful Go-To’s
Sources and References
TESTIMONIALS
Sean Less
English Teacher
"Managing Mad Mast Cells in Daily Life is informative, passionate, and harrowing in its ability to detail the life of a woman who will not give up, will not accept the status quo, and will not be defeated by the debilitating pain this horrific disease causes.
It is Joy’s overwhelming positivity in understanding her own situation and equally helping others with their fight against this disease, down to the minutest details, that continually shines through this work.
Her personal narratives make it easy for the reader to understand the many complexities faced by those suffering from mast cell activation syndrome.
Most of all, my greatest hope for this remarkable work is that family, friends, and as many people as possible read this. I have learned so much from this work, and it has greatly enhanced my empathy for those suffering from any horrible disease. It is truly empowering."
Molly Stauffer
Registered Nurse
(BSN, RN, CMSRN)
"A great book covering a topic that has been frequently ignored by medical science. The effects of MCAS on the quality of life cannot be understated. I myself am a nurse attempting to live and work with this disorder, and I appreciate the honesty Joy puts into the description of her struggles."
Ellie Fletcher
MCAS and CM Patient
"It was a pleasure to read this book, as the author delves deeply into the realities of living with a mast cell disorder. Whether you have MCAS or Mastocytosis, many of your experiences will likely resonate: baffled doctors, confused specialists, and countless hours on the internet, trying to make sense of why your body and mind seem to have failed you.
This book is an invaluable reference for anyone newly diagnosed, undiagnosed, or simply looking to better manage their condition. While the topics covered can be expanded with your own research, it provides many practical tips and insights for staying healthy and sane. It can also serve as a useful tool for your healthcare providers, family, and friends, giving them a clearer understanding of what you're going through. I highly recommend this book to anyone living with this challenging condition."
WHY I WROTE A BOOK ABOUT MCAS
Well… How do you prove something that is going on in your body that even doctors struggle to explain, simply because it is not part of their literature? How do you explain something like that? Symptoms that are so bizarre that even you, who experiences this whole torment, think it sounds totally crazy and unbelievable.
Dr. Lawrence B. Afrin, a leading expert on mast cell activation disease (MCAD), once said, "It’s hard to imagine a disease more complex than MCAS." Having lived through it, I can attest to that.
Throughout my MCAS journey, I faced skepticism from every corner—family, friends, and even doctors. Many MCAS patients endure similar disbelief, with some even institutionalized due to misdiagnosis. Imagine battling a multi-systemic, inflammatory disease affecting nearly every part of your body, only to be labeled as mentally ill. This narrative needs to change.
MCAS has only recently been discovered, so both science and medicine are still catching up. I believe that a collaboration between doctors, scientists, and patients is imperative to uncovering its complexities.
As my personal contribution to the mast cell community (and all those who are affected but haven’t ever heard of mast cells), I offer my new book, Managing Mad Mast Cells in Daily Life, in which I share all the insights that have helped me understand the dynamics of this disease, and get my life back on track.
The moment my doctors told me that I was now affected by a chronic disease, which I should just come to terms with because little could be done about it, the rebel in me instantly resolved to learn everything I could about mast cell disease and find a way to get better. I stood there like a fool, when the clerk in the bookshop told me that there wasn’t anything available on this topic. Consequently, I spent the next several years in research, conferring with others who had received the same diagnosis, and conducting an array of sometimes risky self-experiments in order to find ways to feel better again.
I crossed so many hows on this journey that nobody could tell me how to address: How do I find my triggers? How do I know what they are? How do I avoid them? How do I communicate about this disease? How do I cope with rejection? How do I cope with anxiety? How do I explain this disease to others? How do I know what I can eat? How can I not die from boredom in the kitchen if I can eat only three foods? How can I go amongst people and not pass out? How can I make progress with the doctors? How can I get good sleep? How can I maintain a positive mindset? How do mast cells even work? How do nutrients work? How much do I need? How do I convey all this to my future boyfriend?!
Step-by-step, I’ve found answers to these questions. Step-by-step, I started to feel better. Finally, I’ve managed to answer all my how’s and find strategies that allowed me to calm my system to a point where I can participate in life again while actually enjoying my days. This is how I’ve come to write a book about MCAS. I put all these findings down on paper, so others will have an easier time navigating through their mast cell-ridden life. Additionally, this book can be handed to friends and relatives, so they can learn about MCAS and better understand how it feels to be affected by such a disease, and better support their loved ones.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joy A. Schweizer, author of Managing Mad Mast Cells in Daily Life, has faced a range of mysterious health issues throughout her life. After years of searching for answers, she was finally diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), and Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP).
Finding limited relief through traditional medical avenues, Joy embarked on a quest to reclaim her health. By studying research papers, exchanging insights with other mast cell patients, and self-experimentation, she gradually regained control over her well-being.
In her book, Joy shares the invaluable insights and practical strategies she discovered during her journey, aiming to assist and empower others facing similar challenges. Her work is not only an example of the perseverance required by many mast cell patients but also serves as a beacon of hope and practical guidance for those living with MCAS.
Residing in Zurich, Switzerland, Joy has always had a passion for writing. She also enjoys a variety of hobbies, including playing music, photography, cooking, and engaging in outdoor activities. Her diverse professional background as an allrounder has enriched her understanding of people and strengthened her ability to connect with readers on a personal level.
