From the Well Fed Women podcast
Histamine intolerance is linked to issues like allergies, migraines, eczema and vertigo. Dr. Becky has written the “4 phase histamine reset plan”. She wrote her book after fixing her own thyroid issues but still had migraines, symptoms of a racing heart, fatigue with eating certain foods and skin reactions. She began to learn about mast cell activation and histamine in foods.
Dr. Campbell defines histamine by its role in getting rid of allergens. Its job is to dilate the vessels, cause inflammation and allow white blood cells to come in and attack the allergen. It is also involved in digestion and is a neurotransmitter between the body and the brain. It becomes a problem when our bodies are not able to break down histamine when we are done with it. A decrease in DAO enzyme production will prevent you from being able to break down histamine appropriately. Histamine intolerance is defined by the inability to break down histamine properly.
Histamine functions as a chemical messenger in the body. Some symptoms of excess histamine and histamine intolerance are:
- migraines
- low blood pressure
- eczema or any type of dermatitis
- blushing easily or excessive redness when working out
- anxiety
- constant stuffiness, runny nose when eating
- diarrhea
You may have a genetic link to mast cell activation syndrome which is an extreme version of histamine intolerance. Certain genes can predispose you to this issue. DAO enzyme is mostly produced in the gut. Therefore, a gut issue like leaky gut can exacerbate this. IBS and vitamin deficiency can cause this issue because things like B6, vitamin C and copper help the body with this process. Anti-histamine medications can help short term but long term can decrease DAO enzyme and this makes it harder for your body to break down histamine.
Dr. Campbell addresses how histamine gets in foods. Certain bacteria in foods create histamine in foods. Some foods are high in histamine and some foods are histamine blocking. Fermented foods produce a lot of histamine, inducing bacteria. Red wine is high in histamine and can be exacerbating for someone intolerant. Avocados, aged meat and cheese are going to have higher contents of histamine. Leftover foods may have elevated levels of histamine. Some people may do keto diets and not do well due to a lot of foods on that diet being high in histamine.
Dr. Campbell has a diet of recipes in her book. She recommends using the diet while you figure out what foods are triggering you. She suggests that this does not mean you will have to avoid these foods for the rest of your life. It is a matter of getting to the root cause and moving from there. GI map and DUTCH hormone tests are two options for getting to the root cause. These are tools to a comprehensive program that you can have when working with a practitioner.
Dr. Campbell suggests that you may always have an underlying sensitivity to histamine, but when you get healthier, and you are not in a state of stress, you may be able to tolerate foods better. She supports taking a food journal to be able to chart which foods cause you to react.
Noelle brings up the need to support the liver to help with histamine. Dr. Campbell explains that excess histamine can harm your liver directly by changes in liver enzymes. If you are trying to get healthy and your liver is not functioning at its best, you are not going to be able to accomplish anything. A practitioner can work with you individually to recommend specific nutrients in foods, supplements and lifestyle habits to support your liver.
Dr. Campbell mentions that if you have seasonal allergies, you are producing histamine and if you have histamine intolerance, it will be worse for you. She mentions things like an IgG reaction to things like grass. IgG is immunoglobulin G which is an antibody or immune cell. When you start to heal the body, the mast cells calm down and there is less of a sudden reaction by these immune cells.
Dr. Campbell mentions that migraines can be related to histamine and the indicator would be certain foods that you eat lead to a migraine after. If you are a woman, other times you may get migraines is right before ovulation or when your menstrual cycle starts. This is because high estrogen can drive more histamine into the body. Elevated estrogen triggers histamine to be released.
Adrenal issues like high cortisol, estrogen dominance and hypothyroidism can all present with similar symptoms. If you cannot break down the histamine efficiently, this is when estrogen dominance triggers histamine issues. Hypothyroidism increases production of mast cells. Mast cells increases histamine. If you have a genetic snip in your DOA enzyme, it is going to be harder to get rid of histamine intolerance. You can find out what your DNA situation is by working with a practitioner who can order the test for you.
Quercetin can help support your mast cells. Taking a DOA supplement when you eat aggravating foods can also be helpful. A practitioner, particularly one who can muscle test you, can tell you if your body is specifically needing one of these.
Dr. Campbell does not recommend a low FOD map diet. She says the best way to treat SIBO is to take the anti-microbials and eat a low carb diet. She mentions a marker in the blood called whole blood histamine, which is a good marker for letting you know if you are methylating correctly. Methylation is important to help your body detox.
A floating feeling can be an indicator of histamine intolerance. It can feel like anxiety and lead to panic attacks. Histamine is produced when you exercise more and when you are hot. If you are exercising at an intensity that is eliciting this response, it can be exacerbating of your symptoms until you break down histamine better.
The first place to start is supporting your liver. Next take out stressors in diet. Support your body with stress management.
If you are overwhelmed with where to start, consider working with me as practitioner to guide you on this journey.
Email me at Amanda@interowellness.com.
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