Histamine and hay fever
For many people, the start of spring also marks the start of hay fever season. Itchy eyes, stuffy noses. Very uncomfortable and annoying. There are many remedies on the market to alleviate it. But did you know that you need histamine and can reduce its excess in a natural way?
Histamine is a substance that the body can produce itself. It plays a role in stomach acid production, the immune system, and sleep. It also functions as a neurotransmitter and is a signal molecule from the central nervous system. Much of the histamine is found in the bile cells, which have an important function within your immune system. These bile cells are found in the tissue that contacts the outside world, such as your skin, lungs, and digestive tract. It is only inside the body when it enters through the intestinal wall. In addition to the bile cells, histamine is also found in your brain.
Complaints
As soon as an allergic reaction occurs, a lot of histamine is released, local blood flow increases and the permeability of the blood vessels increases. Stoning factors can therefore more easily reach the blood vessel to repair the damaged tissues. When an excess of histamine is not tolerated, you are talking about histamine intolerance. The threshold for reaching an excess is different for everyone. It’s not that you are allergic or sensitive, but simply that there is too much of it in your body. Symptoms that may occur include headaches and migraines, but also:
- Heart palpitations
- Nausea, vomiting
- Insomnia
- Abdominal cramps, diarrhea
- Niezen
- Dizziness
- Itchy skin
- Stuffy nose, runny nose, stuffy throat
- Heat and redness
Causes
Normally, it is broken down by the enzymes MAO, DAO and NMT. In some people, this is not enough. One reason could be that due to genetic changes, less of these enzymes are produced. Problems in the intestines also have an impact on this. Also, certain medication use (such as dihydralazine, isoniazid, clavulanic acid, promethazine, verapamil, metoclopramide and ambroxol hydrochloride) or alcohol consumption can cause the DAO enzyme to be produced to a reduced extent.
Other DAO blockers are:
- Coffee
- Energy drinks
- Tea (black, green, yerba mate)
Vitamin B6 and vitamin C work closely with the DAO enzyme. When these 2 vitamins are present in insufficient amounts, the histamine level will rise. Due to a reduced production, too much histamine remains in the blood.
The causes could be:
- Allergies
- Inflammations
- SIBO / Imbalanced gut flora
- Celiac disease
- Foodstuffs
- Long-term use of histamine blockers
- Mastocytosis; there are too many mast cells present in this condition.
People who are prescribed antihistamines notice a reduction in their current symptoms. But at the same time, this can affect the production of stomach acid. Burning stomach acid is one of the consequences of this. In most cases, this is due to a lack of stomach acid instead of an excess. Antacids such as Rennies or similar products alleviate the burning stomach acid, but they also prevent proper digestion. You see, everything is interconnected. With the anti-histamine diet, there is a possibility to reduce the symptoms without the use of medication. By following a diet with low histamine levels, this automatically results in a lower histamine level.
Histamine-rich foods
| Meat | Pork, lamb, wild game, liver. Dry cured meats: ham, salami, cervelaat |
| Fish | Mackerel, tuna, cod, herring, sardines, crustaceans (including shrimp paste). Canned fish |
| Dairy products | Cheese mold, quark, aged cheese, buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, crème fraiche |
| Vegetables / fruit | Tomatoes, sauerkraut, spinach, beets, soybeans. Strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, pineapple, melon, avocado, grapefruit, olives |
| Herbs / Spices | Vanilla, cloves, cumin, coriander, celery, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, chili powder, soy |
| Drink | Alcoholic beverages, carbonated beverages |
| Divers | Chocolate, sugar, menthol. Fermenting food |
| Dried fruit | Raisins, plums, dates, figs |
| Fermented food | Kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, pickles |
Histamine-releasing foods
| Miscellaneous | Alcohol, sugars |
| Fruit / citrus fruits | Bananas, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, kiwi, mango, papaya, figs, lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange |
| No | Protein |
| Dairy products | |
| Nuts and seeds | |
| Meat | Pork meat |
| Vegetables | Fresh spinach, red beets, tomato |
| Wheat | |
| Artificial additions | E102. E104, E110, E122 to E124, E128, E154, E155, E180, E249 to E252, Glutamates E621 to E625 |
Foods low in histamine (excluding the above mentioned)
| Meat fed with fresh organic grass | The above mentioned are excluded. |
| Fresh wild caught fish | |
| Fresh vegetables | Roots, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber, sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip, asparagus, artichoke, cabbage, onion, garlic etc.. |
| Fresh fruit | Apples, berries |
| Dairy products / substitutes | Young cheese, coconut milk, hemp milk, almond milk, rice milk |
| Enclosure | Peanut butter, honey, apple syrup |
| Cereals | Gluten-free: rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oat bran |
| No | Egg yolk |
| Herbs / Spices | Fresh herbs and spices |
| Oil | Olive oil, coconut oil |
*These lists do not contain the entire range of food products available. However, they provide a comprehensive indication.
Histamine-restricted diet
When you want to reduce your histamine levels, it is important that your food is as fresh as possible. The longer you keep something, the higher the histamine level. Raw meat, fish and poultry carry certain bacteria that ferment the food, with histamine being a byproduct. To combat the natural increase, you can buy fresh food and process it the same day by cooking it or freezing it. The schedule is intended to make you aware of the situation. It is not intended to impose any restrictions. When you eat a product, enjoy it to the fullest.
This article does not take into account the influence of the products on other processes in the body. It only looks at the amount of histamine in the product or what stimulates its production. A diet with low histamine can relieve symptoms within a week. However, this is a short-term solution. Identifying the underlying problem and addressing its cause is important to permanently eliminate the intolerance. To relieve hay fever symptoms, rinsing the nose and sinuses is recommended. You can use a Rhinohorn available from various pharmacies or online for this purpose.
Personal guidance
If you would like more information about the antihistamine diet, a low stomach acid level or improving your gut health, email to Janneke@triptherapie.nl. These elements also contribute to preparing for a beautiful psychedelic session. We will always include them in a personal lifestyle plan that we create for you based on the intake.