Please view the family’s announcement here.
A dear friend and colleague passed away yesterday from breast cancer. it was a rare and ultra aggressive type. She had the triple negative breast cancer which has a minimal survival rate of no longer than just a few months. She lived with it for over 2 years, outliving all odds. This is because Yasmina understood how to support her body and she shared that information with all her readers.
Her death still came as a shock. She was only 43 years old.
Yasmina Ykelenstam and I were both running websites in the early days of blogging and we did a lot of bouncing ideas off one another back in the early days of that foment … Yasmina and the community she formed around her helped me figure out my particular dietary needs more than any other health oriented site…Yasmina’s site, Healing Histamine, is now the most well respected sites for anyone dealing with histamine intolerance and mast cell dysregulation disorders.
Yasmina was a CNN journalist and knew how to do research. Her work on histamine intolerance, mast cell disorders and the power of healing foods is well documented as well as a source of profound personal wisdom, hard earned from coming back from disability. We have lost a warrior for health and well-being…and for me I felt she was a soul sister too…that is true even though I have never met her and in the last couple of years I’ve not been in close touch with her. The age of the internet is a weird one in which we come to dearly love and feel connected to people all over the world. Sometimes we get to meet them and sometimes we don’t but when we’re heart connected, we’re connected. I know many others who have lost a dear friend and my heart is with all of us now as we remember this wonderful woman today and always. Much love to all of us who loved her.
One of the things I loved about Yasmina was how she shared all she learned with great generosity and always reminded everyone to remember that we’re all different so what was true for her might not be true for others. That is something we talked a lot about in the early days of our blogging and it’s something that has stayed with both of us over the years, reflected in the body of both our works. We are all different.
I have many posts on histamine on this site and they’re all at least in part influenced by Yasmina’s work…her work helped me on my own way.
See Yasmina Ykelenstam’s work at HEALING HISTAMINE
I still use her site for quick reference when I need it. (which is pretty often really) … I avoid most other health oriented sites at this point, but Yasmina’s work still helps me figure out my own body in ways that are constructive.
and my work on histamine issues, often inspired by Yasmina on this site is here.
So, it’s not too late to come to know Yasmina through her work and here is her about page where you might go get started. ABOUT Yasmina
Thank you Yasmini for dedicating your life to sharing with others all your learned in your care for yourself. I will never forget talking with you and you assuring me I will make progress, and the interest and care I could feel from our meeting. You will be missed❤️
My heart hurts and tears flow off and on since I kearnedvif your passing. I felt deeply connected to Yasmina as there were so many overlaps in our healing journeys —- though as she always said – we are all different – and I echo her in my own writing that there is “no one size fits all” approach – Yasmina’s honest, wise and soulful heartfelt passion for helping others by sharing so generously, both, her personal experiences turning those into lessons along the Way coupled with her extensive research in a complex and often misunderstood arena of mast cell disorders and “dis-ease”(s) is second to none. She was a critical resource along the Way, and still is today. She inspires me to be willing to be vulnerable to write, share and speak about my own healing journey . In her story I found hope, in her courage I find and found my own. It’s because of Yasmina and an interview she had with Dr Marianna Castells (BYW Harvard)that allowed me to be diagnosed by Dr Castells – instead of left for dead and dismissed for everything but what I finally learned I was living with – Systemic Mastocytosis. Last year I shared Yasmina’s HealingHistamine.com on the TMSforacure.org new Facebook page. She so kindly responded as she had many times that year through the web and it made me cry when she actually called me an inspiration. It’s because I found Yasmina’s work before any labels that I did not give up and learned to listen to what my body tells me —- I can’t believe she’s gone but I know her Spirit is shining brightly! I will not give up on Life — or me and I will always be grateful for the many gifts Yasmina gave so generously — she gave us herself – she will be remembered for being a selfless contributor to the world while walking gently upon the earth. Thank You beautiful soul – Peace Be Still – Namaste 💫🙏💝💝🙏🙏💫. Yasmina, your Heart goes on touching so many one through this wavy ocean of Life and I THANK YOU. (Your passing has nudged me to move forward with my own creativity —- I was doubting my own validity recently after having another bout with Anaphylaxis a few weeks ago, just 5 days before you transitioned – landing me in ER; the emergency steroids, etc sent my “clean” system on a whirlwind and returning to homeostasis is still a work in progress —- NOW I know that I, too, must let noThing and NoOne stop me from giving back in the ways I ,too, am called, ). You inspire me today, tomorrow and always Yasmina! 🙏💫💝🦋🦋🦋💫
I have followed Yanmina for awhile, I am shocked and saddened to hear this news. Way too young…
Yasmina, you always had an inspiring and informative word for all of us in this rollercoaster of fads that are such a big part of this world of alternative health. I will miss your kindness and your ability to cut through it all, to give us the important information. Thank you, thank you.
I am devastated to here this sad news! I found Yasmina online about 5 years ago. She helped me to solve my histamine issues and come off of 20 meds!! I lost weight using her cookbooks and nutrition suggestions along with the support of my doctors. She was so willing to listen and help. Unfortunately, I didn’t stay in touch as I had other mysteries about my health to unravel…but, I referred many people to her website over the last few years.
Rest In Peace dear sweet friend, your suffering has come to an end and for that I am happy for you! 💞💞
I am in shock as I read how well her treatment had gone.
Had I known could have prayed or sent her a note.
She saved my life. Tears stream down my face. She was so totally amazing.
Hope her site stays up as a memorial and to share her Spirit.
Love hugz and courage to family friends and followers.
I am so sad.
Honestly I am speechless reading this. My deepest condolences to all of her family, friends, and colleagues. A brilliant mind who undoubtedly saved so many in her time cut short here. May she rest in peace and her spirit, energy, and brilliance live on.
Jules
She was an Inspirational fighter, thank you Yasmina, you’ll be missed.
So saddend to hear of Yasmina’s passing. Her work helped me unravel a life time of illness and I referred many people to her research
She had such a passion for Life. I am sure that big Spirit will shed Her radiance wherever She is now and onward. Blessings. Lilli.
I am extremely sad to hear Yasmina has passed away.
She was a great person, always trying to help and educate with her extraordinary knowledge about histamine intolerance and she never stopped researching and digging deeper into it . I‘ll miss her. RIP Yasmina, we will never forget you and your incredible work!
I can’t believe it. She has been an inspiration. RIP. xxx
Like many, she helped me figure out the histamine issues coming from SSRI withdrawal. I knew her thanks to you Monica. Then I found out my histamine genetics. Yasmina spoke to me a good few times on her comments pages and was so helpful and kind, I really can’t comprehend that she’s gone! Like how is that possible? She was such a lovely woman! Disease really does steal away so many good people in this world 🙁
God bless you Yasmina like someone else said your spirit lives in in all of us. Sincerely, she was like a spark for me in learning about histamine. Rest in peace love xxx
” I really can’t comprehend that she’s gone! Like how is that possible? She was such a lovely woman! Disease really does steal away so many good people in this world 😦”
^^^THIS. This is so much how I feel. It feels like some bad dream I had.
Yasmina, may you rest in total love and peace. You did good here on earth school and helped so many. It saddens me also to read how you were alone in LA during chemo. So many would have loved to have helped you I bet. You left a legacy for sure.
I didn’t get that she was alone. but that she didn’t want her mom to be right there because it would have distressed her mom too much. I believe she has friends and others in CA so I never assumed she was totally alone, unless you read something else. She was doing yoga and meditation and perhaps she had some “coaches” with her or friends. I felt it was her immediate family members she didn’t want to distress.
So shocked to hear this sad news.
She seemed to be doing well and only posted about a week ago. Does anyone know what happened? Had her cancer returned or was it a sudden complication?
What a tragic and unfair end to such a vibrant life. She was a huge figure of help and knowledge for so many. 😧
I updated the first paragraph:
A dear friend and colleague passed away yesterday from breast cancer. it was a rare and ultra aggressive type. She had the triple negative breast cancer which has a minimal survival rate of no longer than just a few months. She lived with it for over 2 years, outliving all odds. This is because Yasmina understood how to support her body and she shared that information with all her readers.
So sad. She was a brilliant writer and researcher. Her great mind will be silent now.
I’m extremely sad to hear Yasmina is gone. Her website, cookbooks and all the information she shared so freely has helped me recover from serious health issues. I’m truly shocked and saddened. She will be sorely missed by many of us.
I’m sad to learn that Yasmina has passed from this life. Her work helped me so much…I feel her spirit will live on in each of those she touched
I’m deeply saddened to hear of Yasmina’s passing. I had a Skype consult with her early on in my acute phase of wd. She was genuinely, present and very caring. Her absences will be felt by many.
How could this have even happened. This soul that was trying tirelessly to help others is now plucked out from the milions to die an early death? WHY? Because she didn’t care enough” Because she was a sinner? We all are. I am just so sick of good people dying young when they have decades left to help others. HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED. I am just so frigging tired of it all. There are no answers, there are evidetly no truths, no rights nor wrongs. This lady tried so hard to help others. OVER THIS? YES. If someone as good as she gets cut down short why should any of us even put our energies into trying. This is very sad to me to hear.
Keep going no matter what. Yasmina did.
She herself wrote that she had a rare form of breast cancer and that she had been exposed to tons of stress and also chemicals and extreme circumstances in a war area while she worked for CNN. I understand the distress though. I’ve also known other amazing people died young. It’s hard to understand and accept. I cried on and off last night over this and woke thinking of her and feel so sad. But this morning I felt even more that I will try harder to find the best solutions I can for my self. She was a fighter and she was cheering other people on and up when she was struggling herself. It’s not to do with rights or wrongs I’m afraid. We can’t control everything but only try our best. I don’t know, I’m pretty lost over this but it’s also making me a bit angry at the people that have hurt me and more determined than ever to do whatever I can to be well and help others. I hope you can find some peace TP.
TP
please reply as I would enjoy speaking to you about the death of this beloved lady who lived, loved and tirelessly helped a lot of us find a glimmer of genuine hope to live !
I am shocked and saddened. She was far too young
I’m so sad. She helped so many of us. We are going to miss her dearly. ❤😔
OMG So sad! I really loved her work. She wrote a great article on what probiotics to use for histamine intolerant. Really sad to hear that 😢
I am so saddened by this news. Though I never met her, her blog and videos gave me hope when I was in dispair. She was a true warrior. I still use her yogi videos on a regular basis.
I’m in shock. Awfully sad.
I followed her for a long time. I am gutted to hear of her passing 🙁
I bought 3 of her on-line cook books,incredible recipes; but they made a great deal of sense. I know others, like myself, who have suffered extreme anxiety coming off the meds and the histamine/mast cell connection is another large piece of the puzzle.
So sad and shocked to hear about Yasmina. Her blog has helped me a lot!