YourBody'sReactiontoHistamine
Whentheimmunesystemdetectsanallergen,histamineisreleasedfrommastcells and basophils It increases the permeability of blood vessels, allowing immune cells toreachtheaffectedareamoreeasily.Itisachemicalinvolvedinimmuneresponse, metabolism,anddigestion.
Histamineoftengetsmisunderstood.Yet,it'scrucialforourhealth.Asakeyplayerin the immune system, histamine helps eliminate allergens, communicates with the brain,andaidsdigestionbystimulatingstomachacidrelease
Normally, the body regulates histamine levels using the DAO (Diamine oxidase) enzyme, which breaks down excess histamine But if there's a DAO shortage or an overloadofhistamine,itcanleadtoanaccumulation.
Thiscancauseinflammation,immuneand autoimmuneissues,andarangeofsymptomslikehormonalimbalances,migraines, skin problems, digestive distur- bances, sleep issues, bladder concerns, anxiety, rapid heart rate, blood sugar fluctuations,seasonalallergies,andmore.
Twokeyenzymesareresponsibleformetabolizing histamineinourbodies.
Diamine oxidase (DAO) is an enzyme primarily produced in the small intestine's mucosa, playing a vital role in regulating gut histamine levels Histamine is found in certainfoods,releasedfromimmunecells,andisinvolvedinimmuneresponsesand otherbodilyfunctions.
DAOdegradeshistaminethroughoxidativedeamination,convertingitintoimidazole acetaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide, thus preventing its excessive absorption into the bloodstream This process is crucial for avoiding histamine overload in our bodies.
Factorslikegutdiseases,animbalancedmicrobiome,genetics,certainmedications, and dietary components can influence DAO activity. Histamine intolerance is often linked to DAO deficiency or impaired activity Therapeutic approaches include DAO supplements (click here) and dietary adjustments to manage and, most importantly,healingyourguttoimproveDAOactivity.Themostcommonreasonthis enzyme is depleted is underly gut issues Therefore, gut healing protocols are a foundationpieceforresolvinghistamineoverload
The second enzyme is histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT), which detoxifies histaminebymethylatingit,allowingforitssaferemovalthroughurine
Commonsymptomsofexcesshistamineinclude:
Headaches,migraines
Rash,hives,itchyskin
Fatigue,dizziness
Gastrointestinalissues
Flushing
Changesinbloodpressure
Nasalcongestion,sneezing
Asthma,ordifficultybreathing
Fatigue.
HeartPalpitations
Dizziness, Anxiety, Difficultyconcentrating
Diarrhea
(PMS)orcauseirregularperiods
Flushing
JointPain
SleepDisturbances:Difficultyfalling asleeporstayingasleep.
HightorLowbloodpressure
Hives
Vertigo
LowHistamineDiet:
Alow-histaminedietcanbeagreat startingpointtomanagesymptomsof histamineintoleranceormastcell activationdisorders,whileyouworkin identifyingtherootcause.Itcanbea goodwaytoloweryourhistamineload andevaluateifyoursymptomsare improving.
Iknowfrompersonalexperiencehow challengingitcanbetonavigatea low-histaminediet Theseareoften healthy foods that you may be trying to eatforthenutrients Whilethisisagood startingpointforinvestigation,itisnota long-termsolution Trueresolutionis foundbyresolvingtherootcauseor causesofyourhistamineoverloadand optimizingthebreakdownofhistaminein yourbody.
Onceyouresolvetheseissues, youshouldbeabletoenjoythesefoods again
Icreatedalistofsomeofthemost importantfoodstoconsiderifyouare strugglingwithhistamineintolerance.Of course,individualtolerancevaries,soyou'll stillneedtofigureoutyourpersonal triggers.
Tip-freezeleftovermeatsimmediately,cooksoonafterbutchering Meats
Leftover Meats: As meat ages or is stored after cooking, histamine levels can increaseduetobacterialactivity Thismakesleftovermeatspotentially problematicforindividualswithhistamineintolerance
AgedMeat:Agingmeatinvolvesprocessesthatcanleadtohigherhistamine content,astheagingprocessallowsforthegrowthofbacteriathatproduce histamine
GroundMeat:Groundmeathasmoresurfaceareaexposedtobacteria,leadingto quickerhistaminedevelopment,especiallyifnotstoredandhandledproperly
Pork:Pork,especiallywhenaged,cured,orimproperlystored,canbehighin histamine
CuredMeats(Sausage,Salami,HotDogs):Thecuringprocessofteninvolves fermentationorslowaging,bothofwhichcanleadtohighhistaminelevels.
SmokedorCannedFish:Smokingandcanningprocessesdon'tnecessarily eliminatehistamine-producingbacteria,andinsomecases,theycancontribute tohistaminedevelopment
Shellfish,Roe,Caviar:Thesearenaturallyhighinhistamineorcanaccumulate histamineifnotfresh
FishNotGuttedandCookedImmediatelyAfterBeingCaught:Freshnessiskeyin preventinghistaminebuildupinfish Thelongerthefishisstored,especiallyifnot guttedimmediately,themorehistaminecandevelop
FishSauces:Fermentationisakeypartofmakingfishsauces,andthisprocesscan leadtohighhistaminelevels
CannedorPickledMeats,Fish:Canningandpicklingdon'tnecessarilyreduce histaminecontent;insomecases,thesemethodscanincreaseit
BoneBroth:Longcookingtimescanleadtoincreasedhistaminelevelsinbone
Buttermilk:Buttermilkisafermenteddairyproduct Thefermentationprocesscanleadto theformationofhistaminebecauseofthepresenceofbacteriathatproducehistamine duringfermentation
FermentedDairy(Yogurt,Kefir,CheesewithCultures):Theseproductsundergo fermentationprocessesthatencouragethegrowthofbacteria,someofwhichare histamine-producing Thelevelofhistamineintheseproductscanvarydepending onthelengthoffermentationandthestrainsofbacteriaused.
SourCream:Similartootherfermenteddairyproducts,sourcreamcancontain histamineduetothefermentationprocessitundergoes.
DairyProductswithAdditives,Flavorings,Sweeteners,Coloring,etc.:Whilethese additivesthemselvesarenotnecessarilyhistamine-rich,theycansometimes triggerhistaminereleaseorexacerbatehistamineintolerancesymptomsin sensitiveindividuals Theprocessinginvolvedintheseproductscanalsoaffect theirhistaminelevelsorhistamine-releasingpotential. Eggwhitesarevariableandcanbothersomepeoplewithhistamineintolerance
Fruits
DriedFruits:Dryingfruitscanconcentratehistamineandotherbiogenicamines. Moreover, during the drying process, microbial activity can increase, leading to higherhistaminelevels
Avocados:Avocadosareknowntobehighinhistamineandcanalsoactas histaminereleasers,potentiallyexacerbatingsymptomsinindividualswith histamineintolerance
Jams,Jellies,Preserves:Theseproductsoftencontainhigh-histaminefruitsand additionalingredientslikesugar,whichcanexacerbatehistamineintolerance symptoms Theprocessingandstorageoftheseproductsmayalsocontributeto higherhistaminelevels.
Strawberries:Whilenothighinhistaminethemselves,strawberriesareconsidered histamineliberators,meaningtheycantriggerthereleaseofhistamineinthe body
OverripeFruits:Asfruitsoverripen,theycandevelophigherlevelsofhistaminedue toincreasedbacterialactivity.Thismakesoverripefruitspotentiallyproblematic forthosewithhistamineintolerance
FrozenorCannedFruit:Thehistaminecontentinthesefruitsdependsontheir initialhistaminelevelsbeforeprocessingandhowtheywereprocessed Canned fruitsmighthavehigherhistaminelevelsduetothecanningprocess
Banana,CitrusFruits:Bananasandcitrusfruits(likeoranges,lemons,andlimes) areknowntobehistamine-releasingfoods Theymightnotbehighinhistamine themselvesbutcantriggerthereleaseofhistamineinthebody
Vegetables
FermentedVegetables(Kimchi,Sauerkraut,Pickles):Fermentedfoods,including kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles, are typically high in histamine The fermentation processencouragesthegrowthofbacteriathatproducehistamine.
Tomatoes:Tomatoesareknowntobehistamine-releasingfoods Whiletheymay notbehighinhistaminethemselves,theycantriggerthereleaseofhistaminein thebody.
Nightshades(Eggplant):Eggplant,amemberofthenightshadefamily,isoften consideredtobeahistamine-releasingfood,similartotomatoes Itmightnotbe highinhistaminebutcancontributetohistamine-relatedreactionsinsensitive individuals.
Olives:Olives,especiallythosethatarefermentedorcured,canbehighin histamine
Spinach:Spinachisanotherfoodthatisconsideredtohavehighhistamine content
Nuts
PeanutsandPeanutButter:Peanutsandpeanutbuttercanbeproblematicfor individuals with histamine intolerance. Peanuts are known to contain histamine andcanalsoactashistaminereleasers,potentiallyexacerbatingsymptomsin sensitiveindividuals Additionally,theprocessingofpeanutbuttercaninfluence itshistaminecontent
WalnutsandCashews:Thesenutsaregenerallyconsideredtobehighin histamineorhistamine-releasing Aswithothernuts,thelevelofhistaminecan varydependingonfactorslikestorageconditionsandfreshness Walnutsand cashews,likepeanuts,cancontributetohistamine-relatedreactionsin susceptibleindividuals.
Beans/Legumes
Canned Beans: Canning does not eliminate histamine that may already be presentinthebeans.Infact,thehistaminelevelscanincreaseduetothecanning processandstorage.Beans,ingeneral,aresusceptibletomicrobialaction,which canleadtohistamineformation
Soy/Edamame:Soybeans,includingedamame(youngsoybeans),canbe problematicforthosewithhistamineintolerance.Theycancontainhistamineand alsoactashistaminereleasers,exacerbatingsymptomsinsensitiveindividuals
SoySauce:Asafermentedproduct,soysaucetypicallycontainshighlevelsof histamine.Thefermentationprocessencouragesthegrowthofbacteriathat producehistamine
Grains
WheatGerm:Wheatgermitselfisnottypicallyhighinhistamine,butitcanbea problematic food for some individuals with histamine intolerance This is because wheat germ can be a histamine liberator, potentially triggering the release of histamine in the body. Additionally, wheat germ is often found in processed foods, which might contain other histamine-releasing ingredients or additives
Drinks:
Alcoholic Beverages (Beer, Wine, Liquor): Alcoholic drinks, especially beer and wine,arehighinhistamine.Thefermentationprocessinvolvedintheirproduction often leads to the formation of histamine Some types of liquor may have lower histaminelevelsbutcanstilltriggerhistaminereleaseinthebody
TeaIncludingGreenTea:Tea is known to be a histamine releaser While not high inhistamineitself,itcanstimulatethebodytoreleasehistamine,whichcan exacerbatesymptomsinsensitiveindividuals.
SodaorOtherCarbonatedBeverages:Sodasandothercarbonatedbeverages oftencontainadditives,preservatives,andsugarsthatcanbeproblematicfor thosewithhistamineintolerance
FermentedBeverages(Kombucha,Beer,Cider,Wine):Fermentationleadsto histamineformation,makingthesebeverageshighinhistamine.Kombucha,beer, cider,andwinecanallbeproblematicforindividualswithhistamineintolerance.
FlavoredDrinks,EnergyDrinks:Theseoftencontainvariousadditives, preservatives,andartificialcoloringsthatcantriggerhistaminereleaseor aggravatehistamineintolerancesymptoms
Condiments:
Manycondimentscontainartificialcolorandflavoringalongwithvinegar Vinegar is a fermented product, and the fermentation process can lead to the formation of histamine. This makes most types of vinegar potentially problematic for individualswithhistamineintolerance.
Freshnessisalsokey-histamineincreasesasfoodsage Myadviceistostickto fresh,whole,low-histaminefoodsasmuchaspossible Preparingmealsathome canmakethiseasier.
Choosefreshovercanned,aged,orprocessed
Cookmeat,poultry,andfishsoonafterbutchering/catchingandfreezeleftovers immediately.
Checklabelsforhistamine-releasingfoodsoradditiveslikeyeastextract.
TakeDAOenzymesupplementswithmealsifneeded
Whilethelistoffoodstoavoidisprettyextensive,therearealotoffoodsyoucaneat Instead of focusing on what you can't have, try to build your low-histamine diet aroundeverythingyoucan.Somelowhistaminefoodsinclude:
Freshorganic,grass-fedmeats
Freshwild-caughtfish
Freshvegetables(withtheexceptionoftheoneslistedabove)
Gluten-freegrains(rice,quinoa)
Coconutmilk,hempmilk,almondmilk,andricemilk
Eggyolks
Freshfruit(withtheexceptionthefruitlistedabove)
Oliveoilandcoconutoil
Freshherbs
InGuidetoHistamineIntolerance,you receiveanextensiveselectionoffoods that are recommended, those to steer clearof,andthosewithvaryingeffects, all accompanied by detailed meal plans, recipes, and a systematic approach to identifying your unique triggerswithoutfeelingfooddeprived
ImplementingFastingforHistamineManagement
Ifyou'reconsideringfastingasatooltomanagehistaminelevels,it'simportant toapproachitstrategically.Herearesomekeystepsandconsiderationstohelp youincorporatefastingintoyourroutine:
Graduallyincreasethedurationofyourfastingperiodsasyourbodyadapts 1 ConsidertheFastingMimickingDiet:Asdiscussed,thefastingmimickingdiet isanexcellentoptionforthosewhomaystrugglewithlongerwaterfasts.This dietprovidesthebenefitsoffastingwhileallowingyoutoconsumesmall, nutrient-densemeals Atypicalfastingmimickingdietmightlastfivedays, duringwhichyourbodyentersastateofautophagyandimmunesystem reset.
3.
StartSlow:Ifyouarenewtofastingorhaveahistoryofhistamineintolerance orMCAS,beginwithshorterfastingperiods.Intermittentfasting(e.g.,16hours offastingwithan8-houreatingwindow)canbeagoodstartingpoint.
2 MonitorYourSymptoms:Paycloseattentiontohowyourbodyrespondsto fasting Someindividualswithhistamineintolerancemayinitiallyexperiencea worseningofsymptomsduetothereleaseofstoredhistamineduring autophagy.Thisisoftentemporary,butit’sessentialtomonitoryour symptomsandadjustyourfastingplanasneeded
4.
RefeedingandRecovery:Afterfasting,refeedingisacriticalphasewhereyou transitionbacktonormaleating.Focusonlow-histamine,nutrient-richfoods thatsupportguthealthandcontinuetoreduceinflammation.Thisphaseis alsoanopportunitytoreplenishnutrientsandsupportyourbody’s regenerativeprocesses
5.
IntegrateSupportivePractices:Complementyourfastingroutinewith supportivepracticeslikestressmanagement,gentleexercise,andadequate hydration Thesepracticescanhelpminimizeanypotentialnegativeeffectsof fasting,suchasstressonthebodyorelectrolyteimbalances
SupplementstoHelpwithHistamineIntolerance:
Histadigest: Diamineoxidase(DAO)isan enzymethatyourbodyusestobreakdown histamine.Whenyourbodydoesn'tproduce enoughDAO,orifthere'sanexcessof histaminedueto mastcellactivationor othertriggers,supplementingwithDAOmay benecessarytoassistinhistamine clearance.CLICKHEREformyspecially formulatedDAOenzymes.
HistaRelief:Thisisaspeciallyformulated fantasticblendofflavonoids,antioxidants, proteolyticenzymes,andbotanicals.Itis greatformastcellactivation,histamine intolerance,andallergies.CLICKHERE
LowHistamineProbiotic:Somebacteriain theguthavethecapabilitytoproduce histamine,whichcanexacerbatesymptoms inindividualswithhistaminesensitivity orconditionssuchasMastCellActivation Syndrome(MCAS) Thisiswhyit'scriticalfor thosesensitivetohistaminetochoose probioticsthatarespecificallylabeledaslow inhistamine-producingspecies.CLICKHEREf
MethylBComplex:Weneedtobeableto methylateinordertobreakdownhistamine inourbody. Howevermanyofushave geneticvariationslikeMTHFRthatinhibitus fromcorrectlyutilizingfolicacid. Thisiswhy itveryimporatnttobeusingaBcomplex thatworksfornotagainstyourbody. CLICK HEREforourspeciallyformulatedMethylB Complex.
Quercetin:Quercetin,apotentcompound thatactsasasignificantanti-inflammatory agentandatreasuretroveofantioxidants. Notonlydoesitenrichyourdietwithhealthpromotingflavonoids,butitalsofunctionsas astabilizerformastcells,potentially reducinghistaminelevelsandoffering naturalrelieffromrelatedsymptoms.CLICK HEREformyfavoritequercetin,
LiposomalVitaminC:helpsstabilizethe releaseofhistaminefrommastcells By stabilizingmastcells,VitaminCcanhelpto reducetheexcessivereleaseofhistamine CLICKHEREformyfavoriteVitaminC
NextSteps
I hope you find this handout helpful as an initial guide to reducing dietary his- tamine. However, fully optimizing histamine levels in your body often takesexpertguidanceandanabundanceofresources.
Iworkwithmyclientstouncovertherootcausesofhistamineintoleranceto achieveafullrecoveryandachieveoptimalhealth.Guthealingisanessential step to overcoming histamine intolerance, along with uncovering other rootcauses.
However, when working on gut healing with histamine intolerance, it is essen- tial to work with someone who is experienced in both areas. Many of the tra- ditional gut healing protocols will actually aggregate histamine intolerance
Itisessentialtotakethecorrectstepsinthecorrectordertoresolveandnot aggravatesymptomsofhistamineintolerance.
I’m passionate about helping my clients find food freedom, even with histamineintoleranceandotherfoodsensitivities.Ifyou'rereadytohealyourrelationshipwithfoodandfeelyourbest,Iinviteyoutobookadiscoverycallwith metogetstarted!
Onthiscall,we'lldiscussyouruniquesituationandbeginformulatingaplan tailoredtoyourneeds.Let'sworktogethertoturnyoursymptomsintoastory ofthepastandguideyoutowardalifebrimmingwithenergy,vibrancy,and confidence.
Book your discovery call today, and start your journey to a life filledwiththevitalityyoudeserve.
InHealth, Meg
