EP 161 - Is Histamine Making You Sick?

Experiencing cramps, digestive issues, or flushed skin after eating? Histamine might be the culprit.

Determining the cause of digestive and gut health issues can be complex. Though many know of disorders like leaky gut, GERD, and IBS, a lesser known gut disruptor is histamine intolerance. 

Histamine is a compound released by immune cells and is very important to the immune system and estrogen production. However, having too much histamine can cause digestive cramps, loose stools, urgent bowel movements, and flushing skin or hives.

An increase in patients with histamine intolerance and similar gut issues is caused by a number of factors:

• Today, people aren’t eating enough vegetables or enough variety of vegetables. 
• People are eating too much processed food that’s high in sugar and low in fiber.
• Humans no longer ferment foods regularly, which used to be a regular practice in the winter.
• Everyone is exposed to medications, and there is more self-prescribing and self-diagnosing than ever before. 
• More toxic substances are present in everyday household items like makeup and cleaning supplies.
• Americans are generally undernourished because diets lack the proper vitamins and minerals.

Fortunately, histamine intolerance can be managed with a low-histamine diet. 

Listen as Nour Zibdeh joins Dr. Taz to discuss histamine intolerance.