Histamine and Endometriosis

So you have endometriosis and you've done the classic elimination diet. Nothing was a trigger for you, but you're still having brain fog, digestive upset, skin irritation, "endo belly", etc. Do you also have a racing heart? Do you have bad seasonal allergies? Do you get headaches or migraines? Do you feel like you have a cold whenever you're on your period?

You could have a histamine intolerance. The crazy thing is some people believe there is a link between histamine and endometriosis. There is definitely a link between histamine and painful period, PMS, and PMDD. The specific link between histamine and endometriosis begins with an immune cell called the mast cell. The mast cell releases histamine and other compounds, such as prostaglandins. These compounds can lead to increased inflammation. Increased estrogen can also stimulate the production of histamine and histamine can stimulate the production of estrogen. Do you see where I am going with this? Excess histamine can lead to excess estrogen and vice versa. Excess estrogen can make endometriosis symptoms worse. It's all very closely linked. You could also have a DAO deficiency, DAO is the enzyme that balances histamine in the body.

Okay, Aubrey, but what do I do now? How do I know if I have a histamine intolerance? Well random person on the internet, that is a great question! Unfortunately, there is no definitive way to test for histamine intolerance. The tried and true method is an elimination diet. This elimination diet is different than the classic elimination diet. For this diet, you will cut out the following foods:

Aged Cheese
Alcohol
Smoked Fish
Cured Meats
Pickled Foods
Fermented Foods such as Kefir, Sauerkraut, etc.
Chocolate
Vinegar
Shellfish
Tomatoes
Eggplant
Citrus Fruit
Wheat
Sulfites and Nitrates
Black, Green, and Mate tea
Yeast
Energy Drinks
Dried Fruit
Soured foods such as Sourdough, Sour Cream, etc.
Nuts
Avocado
Spinach
Bananas
Papaya
Pineapple
Strawberries
Preservatives and Food Dyes

Yeah so that list sucks and it's all the good things. I actually plan to do this elimination diet because my acupuncturist said she thinks I may have a histamine issue. You can also take a natural anti-histamine such as Hilma's indoor/outdoor support or talk with your integrative medicine practitioner about taking Natural D-Hist.

I will update everyone on my histamine elimination diet and let you know what I discover.

I hope everyone reading this is feeling good and as always,

Happy Menstruating!

Sources:

https://endometriosis.net/clinical/intolerance-to-histamine

https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/histamine-intolerance-autoimmunity-and-endometriosis/

https://endometriose.app/en/histamine-with-endometriosis/

https://endometriose.app/en/histamine-and-endometriosis-an-interview-with-nicole-heinze-nutritionist/

https://www.advancedwomenshealth.ca/blog/histamine-a-missing-link-to-the-treatment-of-endometriosis