Understanding and Healing Histamine Sensitivity Naturally
Ever been told repeatedly that everything looks “normal”—yet every salad, coffee, or leftover dinner leaves you feeling bloated, foggy, or low-energy? Or worse, it’s not every coffee or salad, but sometimes those foods are triggering.
That was my reality, too. It wasn’t an allergic reaction—but something equally confusing: histamine sensitivity. In today’s post, I’m breaking down what’s really happening (hint: it’s not your imagination), showing you how to clarify whether histamine is behind your symptoms, and giving you realistic tools to reclaim calm and restore energy—without overwhelm.
What Is Histamine Sensitivity?
It's not a true allergy. Histamine is naturally produced in your body and found in food; the problem isn’t histamine itself but either your body struggles to breakdown histamine or there is excessive release of histamine internally.
What Causes Histamine Sensitivity?
Many possible drivers:
Reduced detox enzymes like DAO or HNMT (often gut-related or genetic)
Gut dysbiosis or pathogens that produce histamine (this is one of the main things we dive into in my ebook - The Gut Reset - which can be found on the ‘Shop’ page.)
Hormonal escalation of histamine, especially around PMS or estrogen shifts
Medications or alcohol that block DAO activity
Common Symptoms
Histamine sensitivity, or overload, can feel allergy-like — rashes, itching, nasal congestion, or runny nose — but is often paired with:
Digestive issues (bloating, IBS-like symptoms)
Migraine or fatigue, especially after meals
Brain fog, moodiness, PMS symptoms
Symptoms affect skin, digestion, cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological systems which can make it difficult to know that you’re having histamine issues.
How Is It Diagnosed?
There’s no perfect test:
Ruling out other conditions: A good doctor will first investigate potential food allergies
Other conditions, such as mast cell activation disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, or celiac disease, may also be considered first.
Symptom assessment and food diary: Keeping a detailed food diary is crucial. It helps identify patterns between specific foods and symptoms, potentially revealing trigger foods
Elimination diet: Elimination diet is truly the “Gold Standard” when it comes to food sensitivities. If other conditions are ruled out, a low-histamine diet trial is often recommended. This involves removing high-histamine foods and beverages for a period (e.g., 2-4 weeks) to observe if symptoms improve.
Laboratory tests:
While there are no specific, definitive tests for histamine intolerance, some tests may provide supporting evidence.
Diamine oxidase (DAO) levels: Measuring DAO, the enzyme that breaks down histamine, in the blood can be helpful, as low DAO levels may indicate an inability to process histamine.
Histamine levels: While histamine levels can be measured in blood or urine, these tests are not very reliable in diagnosing histamine intolerance.
Histamine challenge test: This involves administering histamine and observing the body's reaction, but it's not widely used.
Genetic testing:
In some cases, genetic testing may be considered to assess for a predisposition to histamine intolerance, as some individuals may have a genetic component.
A Practical Healing Strategy
Temporary low-histamine diet (fresh, unprocessed foods; minimal leftovers, no aged or fermented foods for a short period), gut support, DAO enzyme usage - when it makes sense, and histamine-stabilizing supplements like quercetin, vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium.
*In The Gut Reset ebook, which can be found under ‘Shop’ on this site, we really dive deep into this topic with a very thorough 2 - 6 month plan for healing.
Found on the Shop page.
Adding in Another Layer: Non-Food Triggers
Hidden triggers, such as mold, stress, and estrogen dominance, can often keep histamine high even with clean eating or “doing everything right”.
Next Steps
Track food + symptoms.
Try a histamine elimination diet
Introduce gentle gut & mast cell support practices - a deep dive on this found in The Gut Reset.
Re-evaluate after 2–4 weeks, and consider testing or professional support if stuck.
My Personal Journey — From Overwhelmed to Hopeful, then to Healing and Reversing Symptoms
When I first began piecing together my health puzzle, I felt like I was sinking in quicksand - stuck and feeling a bit hopeless and alone. I was puffy, constantly tired, and waking up with that heavy fog that made even simple decisions feel exhausting. Every meal seemed like a gamble — I never knew if it would leave me energized or wipe me out for the rest of the day.
It was overwhelming. The more I read, the more questions I had. Was it my food? My gut? My house? Everything felt connected, yet nothing seemed clear. I had moments where I wondered if this was just “my new normal” or even “all in my head”. Feeling unwell for a long period of time with no solid answers has a way of making you question everything - including yourself.
But I didn’t give up. I eventually discovered the histamine link and realized this was a big part of my puzzle, as well as, a part of the puzzle for many others, too.
I started small. I adjusted my meals to be fresher and gentler on my system - avoiding smoked meats, aged cheeses, sushi, and miso soup, among others. I learned which foods were kind to my body and which ones quietly stirred up inflammation, triggered migraines, and made me feel awful.
I began supporting my digestion with simple things — mindful eating, a few key supplements, and mineral support. And I looked at my environment, making changes to the air I breathed and the products I used every day.
I didn’t wake up one morning suddenly “cured.” It was more like slowly emerging from a fog — noticing that my face looked less swollen in the mirror, realizing I could think more clearly after lunch, feeling my energy return little by little.
If you’re in the thick of it right now, please hear this: your body is capable of healing. Even when it feels confusing or frustrating, every small step matters. It’s not all in your head. You don’t have to figure it all out in one day. Start with what you can, keep listening to your body, and trust that change is possible. I’m living proof that it is. There is healing available to you too.