Histamine intolerances and the relevancy of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is an increasing problem amongst those who are chronically-ill. While the root cause for a person’s MCAS may differ person to person, people with MCAS can benefit greatly by eating a low-histamine diet. A low-histamine diet can reduce inflammation and symptoms related to mast cell reactions.

Foods that low in histamines include freshly cooked meats/poultry, cooked eggs, non-citrus fruits, vegetables (except tomatoes, avocados, spinach, and eggplant), coconut-based products, certain nuts/seeds (chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, and pistachios), gluten-free grains (grains may affect some), etc.

If you notice you have “random” food sensitivities to foods that are high in histamines, this may indicate a histamine intolerance. A person does not need to exhibit all of the symptoms associated with MCAS to have mast cell reactions. For example, one person may experience skin issues (rashes, eczema, flushing, itching) when eating high-histamine foods while another person may experience pure abdominal pain, nausea, and general discomfort.

MCAS can be triggered by many root causes including Lyme/Lyme co-infections, mold toxicities, pesticides/herbicide exposure, glyphosate, heavy metals, emotional trauma, parasites, etc. Removing the root causes is crucial to dealing with MCAS and histamine intolerances.