Histamine Intolerance
<p>From: 'Everything You Need To Know About Histamine Intolerance' <a href="https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11175/everything-you-need-to-know-about-histamine-intolerance.html">https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11175/everything-you-need-to-know-about-histamine-intolerance.html</a></p>
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What is histamine?</p>
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Histamine is a chemical involved in your immune system, proper digestion, and your central nervous system. As a neurotransmitter, it communicates important messages from your body to your brain. It is also a component of stomach acid, which is what helps you break down food in your stomach.</p>
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You might be most familiar with histamine as it relates to the immune system. If you’ve suffered from seasonal allergies or food allergies, you may have noticed that antihistamine medications like Zytrec, Allegra or Benedryl provide quick relief of your symptoms. This is because histamine’s role in the body is to cause an immediate inflammatory response. It serves as a red flag in your immune system, notifying your body of any potential attackers.</p>
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Histamine causes your blood vessels to swell, or dilate, so that your white blood cells can quickly find and attack the infection or problem. The histamine buildup is what gives you a headache and leaves you feeling flushed, itchy and miserable. This is part of the body’s natural immune response, but if you don’t break down histamine properly, you could develop what we call histamine intolerance.</p>
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Because it travels throughout your bloodstream, histamine can affect your gut, lungs, skin, brain, and entire cardiovascular system, contributing to a wide range of problems often making it difficult to pinpoint and diagnose.</p>
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Common symptoms of histamine intolerance include:</p>
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Headaches/migraines</p>
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Difficulty falling asleep, easily arousal</p>
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Hypertension</p>
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Vertigo or dizziness</p>
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Arrhythmia, or accelerated heart rate</p>
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Difficulty regulating body temperature</p>
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Anxiety</p>
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Nausea, vomiting</p>
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Abdominal cramps</p>
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Flushing</p>
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Nasal congestion, sneezing, difficulty breathing</p>
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Abnormal menstrual cycle</p>
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Hives</p>
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Fatigue</p>
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Tissue swelling</p>
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What Causes High Histamine Levels?</p>
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Allergies (IgE reactions)</p>
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Bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)</p>
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Leaky gut</p>
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GI bleeding</p>
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Fermented alcohol like wine, champagne, and beer</p>
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Diamine Oxidase (DAO) deficiency</p>
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Histamine-rich foods</p>
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