đ Hello Friends!
Do you ever experience mysterious symptoms like headaches, itchy skin, congestion, bloating, anxiety, or even a rapid heart rate after meals? These could all point to histamine intoleranceâa condition thatâs more common than you think, yet not understood by most healthcare providers.
What is Histamine Intolerance?
Histamine is a compound naturally made by our immune cells. It normally plays a critical role in our immune system, digestion, and mental sharpness. But when your body struggles to break it down, histamine can build up and cause a cascade of unpleasant symptoms.
Common Symptoms Include:
- Bloating (the #1 symptom!)
- Nasal congestion or sneezing
- Acid reflux or heartburn
- Itchy skin, hives, or rashes
- Rapid heart rate or palpitations
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Anxiety or insomnia
-
Fatigue! Have you felt wiped out after eating something?
Foods to Watch Out For
Some foods are notorious for being high in histamine. If you have Histamine Intolerance, many "healthy" foods can make you feel worse.Â
- Fermented foods: Kombucha, vinegars, soy sauce, and sauerkraut
- Aged cheeses: Parmesan, blue cheese, cheddar
- Fish: Especially canned fish like sardines and tuna
- Produce: Tomatoes, eggplant, spinach, and even avocados
- Alcohol: It inhibits the enzyme (DAO) that breaks down histamine, worsening symptoms.
- Citrus fruits: While not high in histamine themselves, they can trigger histamine release in your body.
- Leftovers: The longer food sits, the more histamine accumulates.
What Causes Histamine Intolerance?
At its core, histamine intolerance is linked to what's happening in your gut. An imbalanced gut microbiome impairs your bodyâs ability to break down histamine.
Key contributors include:
- Leaky Gut: Increases gut permeability and inflammation.
- Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO): Overgrowth of bacteria can produce excess histamine and consume the DAO enzyme needed to break it down.
- Dysbiosis: An imbalance of bacteria or yeast in the gut
How Do You Overcome Histamine Intolerance?
The goal isnât to stay on a restricted low-histamine diet long term.
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Itâs about healing the root cause: your gut!
When your gut is healthy, it can naturally regulate histamine levels more effectively.
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Key Supplements for Histamine Intolerance
These targeted supplements can support your body in managing histamine intolerance:
- Histamine Support: 2 capsules twice a day, 30 minutes before meals. Many patients and customers have provided feedback that it works better than over-the-counter antihistamines!
- Vitamin C: 1000 mg twice daily, 30 minutes before meals, to stabilize histamine levels.
- Digestive Enzyme Pro: 1â2 capsules before or after meals to improve digestion.
- Vitamin D3 with K2: To regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation.
- Probiotic 20 Billion with S. boulardii: Balances gut bacteria and promotes a healthy microbiome.
- Herbal Antimicrobials: Such as Berberine Pro and Oregano Oil to combat dysbiosis and SIBO.
Now, by coincidence this dish happens to be high in histamines... so if you have histamine intolerance, let's heal your gut first so you can enjoy this!
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1 medium eggplant (sliced into thin rounds)
1 large onion (thinly sliced)
2 red bell peppers (sliced into strips)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
5 Roma tomatoes (for the sauce)
5-6 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
2+ tablespoons Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil (optional, for garnish)
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Preheat Oven:
Make the Tomato Sauce:
Spread a thin layer of this sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Assemble the Vegetables:
Add red bell pepper strips and sprinkle minced garlic evenly throughout the layers.
Sprinkle each layer with salt, pepper, and extra Italian seasoning
Top with Sauce:
Drizzle with Olive Oil:
Bake Covered:
Pro tip: make sure the dish is large enough so that the aluminum foil does not touch the vegetables since it's recommended that aluminum foil not come in contact with tomato sauce which is acidic.
Bake Uncovered:
Garnish and Serve:
đ° Featured in Gut Health Times!
This week, I was honored to be featured in The Gut Health Times!Â
Thank you for joining me this week! Remember, if youâre reacting to foods, itâs your bodyâs way of signaling that something deeper is going on. Donât ignore the symptomsâget to the root cause and focus on healing your gut! Be sure to share this with a friend or family member who might be struggling with undiagnosed histamine intolerance.
Wishing you a healthy and peaceful week ahead!
Rajsree Nambudripad, MD
