Seven Strategies for Lowering Histamine and Reducing Allergies with Endometriosis

For the past two weeks I’ve been diving into the undeniable link between endometriosis, allergies and histamine.

To give you guys a recap:

61% of people with endo have been found to have allergies.

88% of people with endo and fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome also have allergies.

Mast cells (which produce histamines) have been found in higher levels within endometriosis lesions and have been shown to be involved within the inflammatory process of endo

Endometriosis is an oestrogen driven disease and the endo lesions also increase oestrogen in the pelvic area. Oestrogen triggers mast cells to release histamines, whilst histamines can trigger further oestrogen production

Histamines can also rise as oestrogen rises with the menstrual cycle.

Today I want to explore some of the strategies I’ve been using for clearing my allergies and histamine issues, and some suggestions for methods to try yourself. This isn’t an exhaustive list and it’s also not in a particular order, as it really depends on your unique situation and body with where to start, but they are certainly options to explore.

Here’s a brief overview of the key strategies I explore for lowering histamines and reducing allergies in this episode:

Low histamine diet - The body has a certain capacity for dealing with histamines and when that capacity is reached, histamine intolerance problems arise. Lowering our exposure to histamine containing and histamine liberating foods in the short term, can help calm our bodies down and allow us to focusing on more long term healing, whilst identifying our most bothersome foods.

Heal the gut - We need a healthy gut to properly break down and eliminate histamine from the body. Leaky gut and SIBO both compromise gut health and cause low digestive enzymes, plus a heightened immune response which leads to not only a further release in histamines, but an inability to break them down. Healing the gut is one of the key strategies for alleviating allergies and histamine intolerances (with the exception of severe allergies like peanut allergies).

Identify and eradicate mould - Mould is a big problem in many households and can cause worsening allergy symptoms, asthma and respiratory problems, as well as symptoms like fatigue and headaches. Mould thrives at 70% humidity, so check the humidity levels of your home and take steps to reduce moisture (try a dehumidifier) and clear any visible mould.

Clear your environment of allergens - A house may seem clean, but if your humidity is at 50% or higher, dust mites can thrive. Identify if there are any pollenating plants bothering you in your home, any build up of dust, animal hair, etc. and work on doing a deep clean if appropriate. Also consider using a non-toxic allergen spray and getting an an air-purifier

Manage stress - Stress raises histamines in the blood, so managing our lifestyle to lower stress is important. Stress isn’t just psychological either, it can also be caused from over-exercising, rushing, having an inflamed body, sleep deprivation, etc. Yoga, meditation and breath work have all been shown to lower the stress response.

Balance hormones - We known oestrogen can trigger histamine release, and oestrogen dominance or excess oestrogen is a common hormonal imbalance. Look for signs of oestrogen dominance such as heavy bleeding, clots, painful periods, breast tenderness, bloating and PMS. Begin balancing hormones with daily bowel movements, balanced blood sugar and liver support such as lowering alcohol consumption.

Supplements - There are a number of supplements and herbal remedies that can aid with allergies and histamine intolerance. Quercetin, DAO and nettle being some of the most effective.

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If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website.

My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here.

This episode is sponsored by my free “Endometriosis Symptom Tracker”. If you feel like you’re just in pain or tired all the time, and you can’t tell what’s making your endo better or worse, this tracker could help you begin to understand the subtle patterns in your endometriosis symptoms. As always, this guide doesn’t replace your medical treatment and is not intended to treat or cure endometriosis, but provides you with options that helped me to live well with endometriosis. Download here.

This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more

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Show Notes

The 4 Phase Histamine Reset Plan Dr Becky Campbell

Dr Aviva Romm allergies and gut podcast

Dr Aviva Romm allergy remedies

Histamine Block

Histamine and high performers

Air Purifier

Dehumidifier comparison site

Home Cleanse spray

Five Natural Tips to Reduce Oestrogen Dominance and Balance Hormones with Endometriosis

Seven Foods to Alleviate Oestrogen Dominance with Endometriosis

How to Test for SIBO

The SIBO, Endometriosis and Interstitial Cystitis Connection wth Dr. Allison Siebecker

Understanding The Endometriosis Belly, Part 1

Understanding The Endometriosis Belly, Part 2