A personal story by Charlie.

What causes histamine intolerance is still up for debate. I’ve read everything from fish poisoning and Vitamin D deficiency, to an overload of certain foods and a ‘no thanks’ to alcohol. All could be right in my case.

Or, it could have been peri-menopause… but let’s chat.

The solution relys on body awareness and self diagnosis, which can be a lonely space.

Histamine intolerance can cause a mix of digestive, skin, respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological symptoms, often appearing after certain foods or drinks and overlapping with allergy‑like reactions.

The issue appears over time, at differing levels and intensities, meaning, by the time you speak to the medical profession, the symptoms have dissipated. For now. Until next time.

In this article, I’ll discuss how it developed for me, provide a generic symptoms list and my recommended treatment plan.

I’m not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but I will say, start by identifying your trigger foods and go from there… nothing to loose in that!

My Journey

From 2012 my life evolved into a series of migraines, hospital trips, gut and asthma type issues. Symptoms would come and go. During one episode of heart attack and migraine pain, ending up with me in hospital, my gall bladder was removed and I thought I was fixed, until a year later; I had the same heart palpitation that had ended me in hospital having my gall bladder out. What the?

The cycle was relentless, upsetting, unpredictable and lonely. No one understood, least of all me.

I had allergy tests, blood tests, scans, internal ultrasounds, more blood tests, cardiology/heart stress tests, the gall bladder operation, more blood tests and more. None found anything unusual except for a Vitamin D deficiency and an eventual diagnosis of stress induced angina. Yes, it’s stressful!

There is too much to write here about my journey, and everyone’s journey is different and personal, but remaining undiagnosed is a mental health challenge. You feel like you are going steadily crazy as no diagnosis from the standard medical profession produces a finding. So, you start being prescribed depression tablets.

And once that happens, you know you need a personal intervention.

You become a very deliberate medical researcher and human body specialist.

You notice every tweak in your body – without even realising you are doing it. You notice every sudden lump, hive, sneeze. You could write a thesis about your own body!

You become very mindful of everything put into said body, thinking you are being very healthy, but in hindsight realising you were making yourself sicker.

It was around 2020 when I had a ‘live blood read’ suggested by my niece (a radical test at the time). From this inconclusive test, it was suggested that I had a histamine intolerance and to remove ALL high histamine foods from my diet for 2 weeks. I have not looked back.

If you would like more information about the live blood read, I'm happy to share. 

Gone were the ‘healthy’ smashed avo Sunday brunches, fluffy wholemeal pancakes with bacon and honey, and growing organic spinach!

My food life now is on continual watch and monitor. I understand the signs and signals my body gives me. I no longer eat pork products, spinach, avocado, cheese, preserved products like gerhkin and picked onions, gluten or dairy, plus I have reduced my tomato and potato intake. The list has changed over time though. For example I no longer eat (many) eggs (they are a treat) and mushrooms but I have reintroduced occassionally eating salmon, barramundi, prawns and tuna whereas initially all fish was an immediate Migraine. Alcohol, in particular wine, still creates an asthma like attack. I will have an aperol spritz or scotch on a special occassion! I mostly drink ginger beer when out now. Its my ‘special drink’.

Now that I am on the low histamine diet, I can drink coffee again and don’t need the toilet within 20 minutes. That’s life changing!

Enough about me, what about you.

Do Your Research

The interesting thing about histamine intolerance is that it can be unpredictable.

The food that caused no issues yesterday, can trigger an allergic reaction today. Although there are varying theories on how histamine intolerance develops, there is no concrete answer as to why, which is most likely why the medical science field struggles with it.

Here are some possible causes

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY
There are several research studies that suggest a link between allergic reactions and low vitamin D levels. The studies suggest that vitamin D regulates the immune system and supports mast cell stabilisation.

I have always had low Vitamin D.

MENOPAUSE CONNECTION
Histamine and oestrogen have a documented relationship because, did you know, oestrogen can stimulate histamine release, and histamine can influence oestrogen production.

A question for you… are you in perimenopause like I was when all this started?

GUT ISSUES
Those with gut disorders like IBS, SIBO or Leaky Gut Syndrome are more prone to have histamine intolerance due to their association with DAO enzyme dysfunction. The DAO enzyme has also been linked.

There are other potential causes but none are proven, consistent or medically congratulated. So, let’s look at the long list of symptoms and a treatment plan.

Symptoms

• Asthma like symptoms, unable to breathe
• Bloating, upset stomach, gastro
• Coughing, sneezing, watery eyes
• Fatigue, anxiety, sleep disturbance
• Hives, inflammation, or flushed skin
• Heart palpitations or high blood pressure
• Migraines
• Unexplained pain ie in joints.

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Treatment

Take the disciplined elimination and reintroduction process as it’s more empowering and avoids the slippery slope of food fear.

Food elimination is the only way to start IMHO. Two weeks, cold turkey.

Research the low histamine food group, and ONLY EAT THEM.

For example, I only ate rice, green veggies, chicken breast, beef, nuts and fresh fruits, in a variety of different recipes in that first two weeks and lost weight while feeling the fullest after a meal that I had done in ages. I only drank lemongrass and ginger tea or water during this time.The eventual benefit being, needing smaller meal portions as my body wasn’t in ‘elimination mode’ because it was finally being nourished again.

Make sure you keep to your 5 food groups with protein in your day. My recipes were simple stir frys and salads and I still managed a Sunday roast with sweet potato.

If you have histamine intolerance, and you do the food check, you won’t look back. At the end of my two weeks, I felt so good, I remained on this complete histamine free diet for another two weeks.

My next step, was to simply start to reintroduce some of the food back. Obviously not all at once, and not every day, easy as she goes. If you have a flare up with a particular food like I did initially, you’ll know not to continue with that one! The food attacks are milder, like a washed out hangover sluggish feeling but you know what has caused it – or at least be suspicious of the food culprit.

Once you’ve identified your triggers, consider continuing with your new diet while living relaxed and pain free.

Some people may suggest taking an antihistamine as the first line of defense. My suggestion is that this is a sure fire way of knowing your foods need to be checked. Try the food elimination method first before resorting to drugs.

Finally, if it was peri-menopause or menopause, at least your bloating has gone and you are living again!

It won’t happen overnight but you are so worth it.