If you suffer from allergies, the word histamine is probably familiar to you. Histamine is an essential substance for the proper functioning of the body, but when it is generated in excess due to an allergic reaction or accumulates because the body cannot eliminate it, it produces inflammation and a series of discomforts.

What is histamine

Histamine is an amine that the body synthesizes from the amino acid histidine, which we get from food.

The main cells that produce histamine are mast cells and basophils, which store it inside. Neurons in the hypothalamus, stomach and connective tissue also form histamine.

It fulfills important functions:

• It is a neurotransmitter which prolongs the state of wakefulness and reduces sleep, acting opposite to melatonin (which is why antihistamine medications make you sleepy).
• In the digestive system, It stimulates the production of stomach acids necessary for digestion and intervenes in the control of appetite.
• But histamine, above all, regulates inflammatory processes, It allows the repair of tissues that have suffered attacks and facilitates the action of immune cells against pathogens.

High histamine or histamine intolerance

Once its function has been fulfilled, histamine is degraded in the liver thanks to the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO), which breaks down histamine from food. If, for whatever reason, it is not manufactured in sufficient quantity, a excess histamine in the body.

When this occurs there may be allergy-like symptomsbut with the difference that in this case it is not related to an immune response (it is not measured by IgE antibodies, as occurs in allergies). In these cases it is then considered that there is a histamine intolerance.

A healthy digestive system makes enough DAO enzyme, But if you suffer from an infection due to parasites or viruses, or an imbalance in the digestive mucosa or microbiota, our intestine can stop making this enzymewhich favors the accumulation of histamine and causes problems.

The histamine or excess histamine It is not a disease, but a set of symptoms that can be very diverse, such as migraines and headaches, muscle contractures, itching, rosacea, hives, atopic skin, digestive discomfort such as gas, diarrhea or constipation, menstrual pain and cycle disorders, hair loss or infertility.

How to remove histamine from the body

To reverse excess histamine in the body and the symptoms it causes, you must make sure that you do not suffer from an infection by parasites or viruses in the intestine. In that case it would have to be treated and then start regenerate the intestinal wall, mucosa and microbiota so that DAO production becomes optimal.

When tests reveal insufficient levels of the DAO enzyme in the blood or symptoms indicate excess histamine, it is necessary to prescribe a low histamine diet.

The elimination of histamine from the body is thus composed of three phases:

• In the first phase, In addition to removing foods rich in histamine and those that promote its formation, it may be necessary to prescribe a DAO supplement.
• In a second phase, The intestine has begun to regenerate and the symptoms are reduced, but you still have to be careful and it is essential to start the very progressive reintroduction of foods and always in small quantities.
• In the third phase of the process, the patient has improved significantly, so he has more and more more room to add different foods and you don’t need a DAO supplement.

Let’s now see what that low-histamine diet from the first phase would be like, which would become softer in the second phase.

Low histamine diet

To follow a low histamine diet First you have to eliminate or reduce foods with histamine or that promote its production for a more or less long period of time.

It is important to keep in mind that this limited diet cannot be sustained in the long termsince it is too restrictive. Treatment to improve histamine should be done under the supervision of a nutritionist to ensure that there will be no nutrient deficiencies and that certain phases in the evolution of the treatment are followed.

1. Foods with histamine to avoid

Among the foods to avoid because they are foods with histamine or that induce the body to produce more histamine, the following stand out:

• Fermented (sauerkraut, vegetable pickles, kimchi, kombucha).
• Blue fish and seafoodespecially canned.
• Products ultra-processed.
• Meats and sausages.
• Milk productsespecially cured cheeses.
• Wine and beer.
• Made with wheat.
• Sugars.
• Chickpeas, soy or beans.
• Citrus.
• Spinach and nightshades (tomato, eggplant, pepper and potato).
• Pistachios, walnuts and almonds.

In general, it is also advisable to avoid or reduce to a minimum the consumption of foods that have been stored for a long time.

2. Foods that should be included in a diet to eliminate histamine

Some foods not only do not contain histamine or are low in it, but they can even help eliminate it or take care of the intestine as required at this time:

• The fresh vegetables that reinforce the intestinal microbiota should be placed at the base of the diet.
• They are recommended simple cooking (steamed or in water for a few minutes).
• They will be welcome in our daily lives apples, pears, grapes, figs, coconut or mango.
• All the cruciferous family (cabbage, arugula, turnips, radishes, mustard) is indicated.
• Are allowed zucchini, pumpkins, fennel, carrots, onion and leeks.
• As for legumes, they are well tolerated. lentils or the azukis.
• The brazil nutsthe cashews and the macadamias They are suitable on a low histamine diet.

3. Help the liver

Various studies have been able to show that excess estrogen and excess histamine are related and they feed each other.

Excess estrogen causes fibroids, fibrous breasts, endometriosis, shallow sleep, fluid retention, premenstrual syndrome, muscle contractures, lack of libido and excess vaginal discharge.

To control levels of histamine and also estrogen, it is essential to support the liver, which favors the elimination of both substances.

Foods and plants with purifying properties will be of great help:

Carry out The low histamine diet will also help reduce estrogen. In this video we tell you how liver function is promoted in an anti-estrogenic diet, which will also help you in the case of a low histamine diet:

Furthermore, it is necessary eliminate sweeteners, alcohol and refined floursand avoid exposure to estrogenic contaminants such as pesticides in foods and substances found in plastics and cosmetics.

Low histamine weekly menu

This downloadable weekly menu is not only a low histamine menu, but it is also helps the liver and is designed to help reduce inflammation and regenerate the intestine.

Includes recipes with foods without histamine which provide all the nutrients and encourage the intestine to produce the DAO enzyme again.

As you will see, this weekly menu will allows you to follow a varied and balanced low-histamine diet. In it you will find proposals for very nutritious low-histamine breakfasts and proposals for purifying low-histamine lunches and dinners that support the fundamental work of the liver in this process.