Elevated Histamine and Sensitivity

These suggestions are not intended to replace appropriate professional advice.  Please check labels and consult your pharmacist if you take medications.

A holistic approach to health requires a look at all areas of your life. Make a few changes at a time. Each positive change is a variable in your body’s favour giving it an opportunity to flourish.

Adopt a Healing Diet

• 7-10 glasses of filtered or spring water at room temperature.  Alkaline water is best for cells and signals the need for higher stomach acid, improving digestion.
• Eat a diet that is 75-80% alkaline forming.  Chart available.  Extremely important!
• Switch up to organic.  Pesticides contribute to inflammation.
• Make fresh fruits (that you tolerate), vegetables, raw seeds, legumes, beans, and whole grains the mainstays of your diet.  Avoid wheat unless sprouted.
• Have complete protein no later than lunch for better assimilation of amino acids. 
• Cook gently.  High heat generates acrylamides and advance glycation end products.
• Follow the elimination diet on the reverse to identify specific sensitivities.

Basic Supplements to cover common deficiencies

• B complex – improves stress tolerance and digestion.
• Vitamin D – 8,000 IU for one month then reduce to upper limit of 4000 IU.
• Vitamin C – as calcium ascorbate, take to bowel tolerance to control histamine levels.
• Magnesium – necessary for DAO activity, anti-inflammatory, promotes regularity.
• Omega 3 fatty acids – double up for one month to “crowd out” candida or other pathogen overgrowth. (see note below on Serrapeptase)
• Probiotics – twice daily.
• Astaxanthin – one of the most powerful antioxidants providing global cellular protection.

Phase One - Follow these recommendations for 3-4 weeks:

• Test urine pH first thing in the morning and adjust your diet until readings are consistently 6.5 -7.4.  Acidosis is a “dis-ease” underlying many health conditions.
• Dry body brush daily for 1 week then every 2nd day to encourage lymphatic drainage. 
• Serrapeptase – candida and other pathogens build a protective biofilm once they have set up house in the digestive tract.  Take Serrapeptase morning and night on an empty stomach to break down the biofilm.
• Aloe vera 3 tbsp before meals to promote digestion and collagen production for intestinal healing.  Aloe has powerful antifungal and antibacterial properties.
• Spirulina and/or chlorella taken in 1,000 mg doses 3-4 times daily will bind to biotoxins caused by any “die off” and lessen reactions.  Also a heavy metal scavenger.
• Homeopathic Apis, internally and/or externally, can temporarily relieve hive-like symptoms.

Phase Two - When your system has settled

• Reduce serrapeptase to once at bedtime.
• Begin to introduce foods one at a time and keep a journal noting reactions.
• Continue with spirulina, aloe, and glutamine until the condition is fully resolved.

Specific Diet for Elevated Histamine & Sensitivity

Symptoms of histamine sensitivity may be relieved by avoiding certain foods, however, this diet is restrictive and long term nutritional deficiencies could result.  It may be helpful for you to work with a Registered Holistic Nutritionist.

Some experts recommend an elimination diet – removing all suspect foods for 2 to 4 weeks, then slowly reintroducing foods one at a time and keeping careful track of any reactions to identify individual sensitivities. 

There are 3 categories of foods that can impact on histamine sensitivity:

• Foods that are high in histamine.
• Foods that may trigger cells to release histamine (liberators).
• DAO is an enzyme needed to break down histamine.  Consumption of other foods that need DAO can slow the breakdown of histamine resulting in symptoms.

High in Histamine:

• Processed Meats
• Fermented foods
• Aged cheese
• Wine / Beer
• Spinach
• Eggplant
• Tomato
• Avocado

Trigger Histamine Release:

• Milk
• Shellfish
• Eggs
• Kiwi
• Strawberry
• Plum
• Pineapple

Compete for DAO:

• Pickled Food
• Canned food
• Chocolate / Cocoa
• Vinegars
• Wheatgerm
• Yeast extract
• Black / Mate Teas
• Bananas
• Nuts

Food Prep for Histamine Sensitivity:

• Plan meals ahead
• Fresh food is best
• Store food in the fridge and use it up quickly
• Keep meals simple
• Stop eating when you feel satiated - before you feel full
• Have (refrigerated) snacks ready such as washed grapes, celery sticks, and cottage cheese, apple slices and natural peanut butter
• Keep a journal of everything you eat, the time of day, and any symptoms that occur

DAO (diamine oxidase) is a copper dependent enzyme. Increase your intake of copper rich foods. Zinc competes for absorption with copper. If you regularly supplement zinc intermittent use of a copper supplement will help prevent a deficiency.

*Revised March 2023