Have you ever sat down to enjoy a delicious meal, only to find yourself dealing with an uncomfortable rash shortly after?
Or maybe you’ve sipped on a glass of wine, expecting relaxation, but instead, you get a flushed face or a throbbing migraine.
Sound familiar?
These scenarios are often linked to histamine intolerance.
Our bodies naturally produce histamine, which is important for immune response and digestion. However, when there’s an imbalance, it can result in unexpected and frustrating symptoms. Understanding histamine intolerance is the first step towards managing these reactions and enhancing your quality of life.
While histamine is commonly associated with allergies—think red, itchy eyes and a runny or stuffy nose—it also plays key roles in regulating our sleep-wake cycle and body temperature.
Many foods contain histamine, and if your body struggles to break it down, you might experience an overload. This excess can cause symptoms like flushing, itching, skin rashes, or headaches—especially after enjoying histamine-rich foods and drinks like wine or beer.
If you suspect you might have histamine intolerance, consider reducing high-histamine foods for a few weeks. This break helps your body ‘catch up’ and clear out excess histamine.
Examples of High-Histamine Foods:
- Alcohol and fermented drinks (kombucha)
- Fermented foods (yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi)
- Eggplant, spinach
- Avocados, tomatoes, bananas, pineapple, papaya, citrus fruits, strawberries, cherries
- Cured and processed meats (sausage, bacon, deli meats)
- Aged cheeses
- Canned fish (tuna, sardines, herring)
- Shellfish (shrimp and scallops)
- Legumes (kidney, pinto, black beans)
- Miso, vinegar, soy sauce, tamari
Would you like to learn more about nutritional changes and how they can improve your health?
Contact our office to schedule an appointment or a complimentary consultation with one of our naturopathic doctors.
We’re here to help!
Dr. Jennifer Potter, ND
Naturopathic Doctor San Jose
408-356-1364
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