Histamines: Friend or Foe?

When we talk about histamine, we are not just talking about allergies, although we immediately think of antihistamines like Benadryl. We are actually talking about a normal body response that can create weeks, months and years of disabling symptoms and be the reason for high blood pressure, ever-increasing weight gain, insomnia, asthma, physical injury and even dysmenorrhea. That’s right … the reason you may be having the worst periods imaginable is because of histamine.

Histamines are both created by our own bodies and we can also take in histamines through food and from our environment.  Histamine is present in many plants and in humans it is found in nearly every tissue of our body, really anywhere where there are mast cells.  These cells exist simply to release histamine which has a role as a signal to our immune system when cells are being damaged or destroyed.  This is why injuries also produce a lot of itching and redness.  The presence of the histamine creates a reddening of the skin.  

The release of histamine doesn’t just signal cell destruction. It also produces many effects that aren’t related to immunity such as the secretion of gastric acid in the stomach, increasing heart rate, dilating blood vessels and causing contraction of the lungs, uterus and stomach. But it is its effect on blood vessels which is the key to inflammation, because it creates such dilation of blood vessels that white blood cells can leak from the bloodstream and move to the site of injury or infection. This is where allergies can be difficult because the immune system response of inflammation and histamine release can still occur even if the substance is mild and the cellular damage is negligible. A severe histamine response is what leads to anaphylaxis.

So since histamines are essential because they stimulate inflammation, protective immunity and healing, we have to pay attention to the levels of histamine.  A large part of the problem with allergies and chronic inflammation isn’t what is being produced by our mast cells, but what we are taking in from plants in our food and exposures in our environment.  Think of a bee sting.  It contains histamine, so it not only stimulates your histamine release, but you are absorbing the histamine introduced by the bee as well.  So your histamine level is much higher and therefore you have a stronger reaction.

So depending on your diet and your environmental exposure histamines can flood the tissues so frequently that you develop an intolerance to their presence. In fact, any time you reach for an antihistamine and you feel better afterwards, you are proving that I am right about this.  Let’s use your period as an example. Histamines are released during your period to help clear the uterine lining through smooth muscle contraction. But if you have chronic histamine-driven conditions such as allergies, asthma or even SIBO, then during your period the normal release of histamines in the uterus becomes a flood. The “flood” occurs because histamine rises and falls with estrogen. This might even explain why some illnesses are more common or more severe in women than men.  This also explains why many women get nausea, constipation and digestive problems before and during their period.

I’m not saying histamines are bad, because they aren’t. They act like gatekeepers to get rid of things that bother you (like bacteria, dust, a nosy neighbor or poll-takers). But if you are experiencing chronic pain, chronic allergies, sinus issues, uncontrolled asthma or many other debilitating symptoms, you may be experiencing an intolerance to the presence of histamine. You may notice this any time you have abnormal reactions to normal exercise or become winded and fatigued with seasonal change. Histamines can create congestion because of vasoconstriction, cause excessive platelet aggregation and reduces fluid movement in the body. This allows toxins, pathogens and allergens to become trapped in an area creating cellulitis, edema, high blood pressure and skin eruptions. Histamines may also explain weight accumulation in specific body areas.

Histamine intolerance can often begin after surgery or an injury that requires a lengthy time to heal. It can happen with estrogen dominance, with exposure to inhaled toxins and amazingly, as the result of chronic antihistamine use.  It can also happen if you are consuming foods that contain high amounts of histamine.  This doesn’t mean you have to give up all these foods forever, but you have to be careful how much you are having. 

So how do we turn this around?

• Begin by avoiding completely histamine foods for at least 30 days such as tomato, bone broth, fermented food (bye bye kombucha), nuts, citrus fruits, cheese and red wine. Just about everything I’ve ever loved!.  This gives your body a chance to restore normalized histamine levels.  

• Decongest body tissues and increase blood and lymph circulation.  Consider Decongestive Lymphatic Therapy.

• Reduce foods that promote mast cell stimulation such as alcohol and cow dairy.

• Take natural formulas that help to reduce your histamine levels instead of simply trying to prevent your body’s reaction to histamine.

• Support progesterone levels and avoid pro-estrogenic foods such as soy.

The thing to realize here is that bidding adieu to some favorite things is not necessarily forever. The goal is for the body to regain normalized histamine balance and levels while improving the ways in which the body sweeps out histamine.  You do this by lessening the burden, increasing lymphatic and blood circulation and adding natural formulas to support you through the transition.

My favorite remedies are HistDAO and Black Cumin Seed (Nigella sativa). I even have patients with chronic breathing disorders keep a bag of Moroccan Nigella Seeds (these seem to be the best I’ve found) and smell them deeply and daily! It does wonders for clearing the breathing passages. Taking medicinal Black Cumin Seed can reduce all types of inflammation, pain and fever, is antimicrobial and is the best antihistamine approach you can reach for. It has a long history and is a favorite in the Middle East since the Prophet Muhammed is said to have often recommended using the seeds against disease.

You also may have to increase your liver decongestion as well.  I recommend Antronex along with an organic herbal blend of liver detoxifiers.  

Try incorporating some of these suggestions into your routine for a while and see what improves for you!