Histamine Intolerance

Two possible causes of the problem with digestion and food intolerances are Histamine Sensitivity and FODMAP Sensitivity. While there are many other possibilities, following the eating plans of one of these can often help alleviate many of the symptoms.

Histamine Sensitivity or Histamine Intolerance is basically your body's hyper response to histamine. You may think of allergy season and benadryl when you hear histamine, but the chemical histamine that your body produces acts on the immune system, the central nervous system, and your digestive system. A histamine reaction in your body's natural quick response to perceived cellular danger, immediately causing inflammation, swelling of the blood vessels, and increased white blood cell production and mobility. When an invader or toxin enters your body, you need that quick histamine response to protect you from harm.

However when your body can not or does not break down histamine quickly, you can get a buildup of this chemical in your blood and tissues, causing symptoms such as:

Headaches
Restless sleep patterns
High blood pressure
Fast heart rate
Anxiety
Dizziness
Fatigue
Skin flushing
Stomach pains
Stuffy nose
Hives
Feeling too hot or too cold
These spikes in Histamine levels can have a number of causes, such as:

Too little DOA (Diamine Oxidase), an enzyme that naturally breaks down histamine in your body.
Bleeding in the gut
Allergies
Bacterial Overgrowth
Fermented alcohol
Histamine producing foods (or DOA blocking foods)