Why Histamine Intolerance May Be at the Root of Your Unexplained Symptoms | Michelle Shapiro, RD

Join the Highly Sensitive Body (HSB) Hub: michelleshapirord.com/hsb-hub
Are you struggling with chronic, unexplained symptoms that no treatment seems to alleviate (and actually makes worse)? Do you feel like your body reacts abnormally to stress or changes in your environment with ‘flares’ of symptoms that come in cycles? Understanding histamine intolerance, also called MCAS or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome may help guide you in the right direction. Michelle Shapiro is a functional dietitian who has helped over 1000+ clients reverse their anxiety and heal long-standing gut and immune issues. In this episode, Michelle unpacks what it means to live in a highly sensitive body (spoiler, she lives in one!) and shares hopeful solutions for those of us who struggle with largely ignored autonomic disorders such as MCAS, POTS and hypermobility.
HERE’S THE JUICE:
-Michelle’s own story of being sick with a mysterious cluster of symptoms after COVID and mold exposure (and how she healed)
-What MCAS is, the symptoms caused by histamine intolerance and why it’s SO hard to get diagnosed
-The connection between long COVID and MCAS that’s not talked about
-Why MCAS is really a physical “allergy to stress” and nervous system disorder that pushes the immune system into overdrive
-How seemingly healthy treatment plans actually make things worse in people with histamine issues
-What it might mean if you get dizzy easily, have trouble concentrating or experience a racing heart
-Why hypermobility, POTS and MCAS often go together
-How histamine intolerance magnifies anxiety, depression, ADHD and PMDD in women
-Michelle’s loving approach to healing histamine issues and supporting your body gently
-The exact foods to avoid if you have histamine intolerance and how to reduce flares
-Her favorite supplements and herbs that can lower histamine levels
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How to strength train in a way that doesn’t cause more harm
Why we can’t completely discount pharmaceutical tools like antihistamines when initially healing
The next steps to take if you think you may have a highly sensitive body

[@meganelaine1138]

I feel so beyond seen. This episode was SO illuminating, for all of these random symptoms and issues I have been experiencing for most of my life. I've always been hypermobile, and times of stress in my life would always cause the most intense visceral physical symptoms that my western doctors always wrote off as anxiety and just gave me some benzos. Most recently, after getting a strong bout of COVID in August I have had ongoing major flares that caused endless heart palpitations, insomnia, tremors, dizziness, reflux, & blood pressure issues to name just a few of the random symptoms I've experienced. Torturous was exactly the right word. It got to the point where I had to go on medical leave from work, and I had more time to investigate my symptoms further. This all led me to Michelle's HSB Hub, and finally after trying a few supplements and taking antihistamines I'm slowly working my way to some relief and normality. I can't thank you both enough for this amazing work you are doing! It is literally life changing. Cannot wait for part two 💖

[@sanitalontone4896]

I relate so much, my flare ups started after Covid too, since I learned about low histamine diet, my life changed so so much ❤

[@NinaGarci]

This episode was so validating. This year I have been doing everything i can to try and lower my stress response, I have been breaking out in hives daily. I honestly don’t lead a very stressful life, and I’m thinking that my pcos has to do with it. My adrenal glands are in overdrive producing way too much dheas, (stress hormone) so Ive been trying to lower that and realizing that is most likely my reason to having hives. Grateful for you sharing your knowledge with us ! Can’t wait for the part 2!!!

[@austinmago212]

I may be one of the few men struggling with many of these symptoms. I try to tuff it out but golly it makes earning a living for my family difficult.

[@DinaMadi23]

Thank you so much Olivia and Michelle for this amazing video! I was diagnosed with histamine intolerance by a smart doctor back in 2019 and have been managing it since through my own research on symptoms, supplements, and all types of cures I could find. Hearing you talk about lemons and oranges and red blotches after hot water showers made me smile and relate so much! In my case my symptoms are mainly related to severe migraines with nausea, deep fatigue and other random symptoms that can last several days. I have also had severs reactions similar to food poisoning when I had tofu, peanuts and leeks (still figuring this one out 🤔). I did want to mention that DAO supplements literally changed my life. I even found a Spanish brand NATURDAO PLUS that contains lots of added supplements and is made from peas and not from pig kidneys. After almost a year of being on a histamine-free and low-histamine diet, I just couldn't continue that way and had to start adding more foods and the only way was with DAO's help. I still got symptoms sometimes but at least other times I would be OK. One of the hardest thing I feel is the lack of predictability because as you said it depends on how full your bucket is from stress or other things. Sometimes you can eat a high-histamine food and be OK and other times you'll be in bed for 3 days!! However, I am fortunately now able to eat lemons, tomatoes, tahini and many more things thanks to DAO. The stress of always thinking of what I can eat and when and whether I have an important outing the next day, etc. remains but I am confident that we will all find more and more ease in this situation. Also calming my nervous system has been key. Introducing daily breathing and vagus nerve exercises has helped a lot. I also started taking L-Glutamine a month ago and I have a sense that it is helping as well. Just listening to you, I feel less alone and more seen as I am the only one in my entourage who has this syndrome. Sending you both Love and Blessings on your journey ✨

[@EvesFeed]

I FEEL SEEN!!!!!! Ugh the part when you feel the worse during ovulation when you shouldn’t 😪 thank you so much for this episode Olivia!!!!

[@rachelsusor]

When you said that this is the healing/ nervous system regulation to listen to this and be able to relate🥺🩷thank you for this truly.

[@Sarah-ke8xy]

Every single sentence is resonating sooo deeply!!

[@jessicagiordano4080]

wowwww this episode is everything i needed at this exact moment. the gnawing feeling in my stomach thinking im hungry but im so nauseous is how i feel EVERY morning lol and i hate it.

[@lyonssurfhb6]

THANK YOU!!!!! Forgive the long comment, but I truly want to cry because I feel like someone truly gets what I have been going through. Someone sent me this podcast after we chatted about our common unresolved weird symptoms that have put a hold on our lives. I have looked for YEARS to find an answer to what was always written off as ‘fibromyalgia.’ For 30 years I was on Tramadol 200mg a day JUST to get from one event to the next. It’s been a CONSTANT rollercoaster, sometimes from one minute to the next. Just being happy about something is a tax on my system. I always describe it as having a really bad battery where I have to sit quietly and rest and ‘recharge’ for weeks sometimes, to recover from a ‘good stretch,’ only to have my battery depleted from doing the smallest things. Even talking is too much! I’m alert but my body ‘didn’t get the memo,’ It feels so stressed I can’t function. SO many bizarre symptoms!! Docs all say my symptoms are ‘atypical’ 😡 I am afraid to eat anything because food takes me down. It doesn’t energize me no matter HOW ‘healthy’ it is. I took myself off Tramadol for ‘fibro’ a year and a half ago, very slowly. I refused all the meds they kept getting me to try that only made things worse. I kept saying it’s not my blood pressure that is the problem! It is WHAT IS CAUSING the random spikes, that is the problem and I’m NOT going to take meds just so my numbers look good on paper! I needed to find the ROOT CAUSE so I didn’t end up on more meds to counter act side effects from the OTHER meds. I have tried to cut out SOOOO many foods and added in many ‘healthy,’ foods and supplements, I THOUGHT, only to find out that histamine intolerance just might be my root cause. I was doing things like lemon water and bone broth, among many other things THINKING I was working on my immune system and gut health🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ I did have to have a valve replacement 5 years ago so the symptoms I have had have been concerning, but my tests come back normal. The strange symptoms SEEM cardiac related but for the most part, have been ruled out. I also had a partial nephrectomy for clear cell renal cancer. With both surgeries I was actually excited, thinking THIS time, I found the problem and afterwards I would have my life back. Not so. 😢 I was researching lectins, which led to research on MAST cell and histamine problems. I’m sure that foods with lectins more than likely trigger histamines without doing any comparisons yet. I seriously feel like I may have answers now. THANK YOU again! For your wealth of information and sharing your experience. I look forward to learning more and implementing what will HOPEFULLY be the answer to my prayers. ✌🏼❤

[@meganscholey7202]

I haven’t watched the whole episode but do they discuss the impacts of the Covid jabs? Instead of just saying it’s all long covid?

[@efan4evr]

An allergy to stress!!! That hit so hard 😮‍💨😱🤯YES

[@marissaramos7033]

Thank you SO MUCH for covering this. I listened to the entire episode and theres not one part that I couldn't relate to. I'm experiencing a flare now and this truly helps me feel not alone. Also, something else I learned that you might find interesting is this syndrome is tied to the MAO-A /MAO-B gene mutation. It is the enzyme that is responsible for breaking down "amines" - seratonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, histamines, tyramines (found in aged/pickled food). 99% of what you covered is aligned with this gene abnormality. From histamine overload to why we can feel depleted after a lot of social interaction (dopamine overload).

[@erinjaved2526]

Nettle tea , lemon balm, lavender, and chamomile seem to give me a histamine reaction. It’s so frustrating because I know how helpful they could be. But they just aren’t for me. I get itchy

[@kimberly_333]

So validating. thank you Olivia for providing some of the answers that i’ve searched the web up and down for and found NOTHING. can’t wait for pt2❤️

[@thestrawman15]

So so extremely helpful and timely. Thanks so much y’all!

[@dmarie4192]

So happy for this episode and gaining more understanding, been having such a chronic congestion for so long and temperature changes send me into sneezing fits and runny nose. Such a doozy to sort out.

[@courtneybegnoche5163]

WOW. So many insights yet so many questions. I have had many of these symptoms from birth..specifically very reactive skin in the form of hives from even a little scratch. I also have bad heat intolerance and always got the tomato red face when playing sports as a kid..still happens if I workout and I was always so embarrassed by it! I knew it wasn’t normal but did not know it was related to MCAS. My symptoms also got worse after mold exposure and I’ve been thru all of the detox things…live and learn 😅 QUESTION: Do these symptoms improve when pregnant since the immune system is tamped down a bit? What are we supposed to do for a prenatal if super reactive to B vits and other supplements? This would be a very interesting population to hear more about!

[@jennidall1550]

Appreciate coverage of the topic, but I just wish these two would talk more calmly and slowly. I don't think I can make it through to the end as it's putting my nervous system on edge.

[@JamieHartMusic]

awesome info. Video picture stops around 2:00 or so. some off editing to be aware of

[@sarato9]

Thank you so much for sharing this conversation! Absolutely illuminating. Looking forward to the next episode :))

[@fitgirlflexis]

Question for the second ep you do on this!! Is there any relation between histamine or pots and migraines/headaches from internal body temperature? I am currently healing from chronic hives due to histamine overload from SIBO, and for years whenever I do any HIIT, run, walk in the heat, or even just spend too long in a sauna I get massive searing headaches and migraines. They can last days sometimes, and nothing helps them go away. I've tried magnesium, potassium, electrolytes, advil/tylenol, trace minerals and of course loads of water. Nothing seems to help and no dr (traditional, naturopathic, chiro, osteo etc) has been able to figure out what causes them. I'm really curious is this was an early sign of a histamine intolerance for me.

[@marissaramos7033]

also does it matter if we use Pepcid AC? Ive never found just Pepcid lol